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In the heart of winter, a vast expanse of ice transforms the surface of the world's deepest lake, Baikal, with ice averaging more than six feet thick. This icy wonderland is just one of the captivating destinations we've explored in our newsletter.
Our newsletter, curated and edited by David Beard, and Jen Tse, with photographs selected by Jen Tse, has also taken us on a journey through central Italy's Apennine Mountains. A 30-mile path, traced for centuries by shepherds and sheep, leads us to a 6,561-foot-high plateau below Monte Greco. This pathway, a travel destination featured in some of our stories, offers breathtaking vistas that are sure to leave you in awe.
As we venture further, we find ourselves in Jalapão State Park, central Brazil, where a place called fervedouros has captured our attention. Fervedouro is a unique geographical feature, with sand dunes, sparkling waterfalls, and natural karst springs. Swimming in a fervedouro feels like floating in a pool of champagne due to the gurgling of water from a subterranean river. Fervedouro do Ceica is the biggest known karst spring in Jalapão State Park.
The topic of time travel as a means for travelers has been a fascinating discussion for over a century. While time travel remains a theoretical concept, not a reality, the idea has been a staple in literature, with H.G. Wells' groundbreaking novel, "The Time Machine", written in 1895.
In the realm of modern travel, commercial airline travel is relatively slow compared to the potential maximum speeds of modern jets. This is primarily due to factors related to engine performance, aerodynamics, and operational safety and efficiency. Cruising speeds of commercial jets like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner typically reach around Mach 0.84–0.90, below supersonic speeds.
While some experimental or future aircraft aim for supersonic commercial speeds, current commercial jets optimize for a balance of speed, efficiency, safety, and comfort rather than the maximum possible velocity. Air traffic control, flight paths, and practical considerations such as taxiing, boarding, and air traffic congestion further slow the overall travel time compared to the raw flight cruising speed.
In other news, Jalapão State Park has become more well-known since a popular 2017 Brazilian telenovela was set in the park. Meanwhile, in the world of science, tomorrow's newsletter will be covered by Victoria Jaggard. Recently, a Virgin Atlantic flight set a record of 801 mph last year, due to a fast transatlantic jet stream.
Our newsletter also features articles from Rachael Bale on animals, Whitney Johnson on photography, and Debra Adams Simmons on history. If you have ideas or links you'd like to share, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team.
[1] https://www.boeing.com/commercial/787/performance/ [2] https://www.airbus.com/aircraft/passengerairliners/a380/specs.html [3] https://www.virginatlantic.com/uk/en/press/news/2020/record-breaking-flight-from-new-york-to-london.html [4] https://www.boomtechnologyco.com/overture/ [5] https://www.faa.gov/airports/air_traffic/flight_standards/aero_med/media/AeroMedical_Fact_Sheet_Aircraft_Performance.pdf
- David Beard and Jen Tse, the editors of our newsletter, have led us on a journey not only to the icy expanse of Baikal but also to the travel destination of central Italy's Apennine Mountains, where a 30-mile path known for centuries offers breathtaking vistas.
- The newsletter coverage has expanded to Jalapão State Park, Brazil, featuring the unique geographical phenomenon of fervedouros, where swimming feels like floating in a pool of champagne.
- Despite the hypothetical fascination with time travel, modern travel relies on commercial airline travel, with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner cruising at Mach 0.84–0.90, a speed optimized for balance between speed, efficiency, safety, and comfort.
- The world of science is captivating with recent advancements in travel, such as the record-breaking 801 mph flight set by Virgin Atlantic last year due to a fast transatlantic jet stream. Meanwhile, our newsletter continues to educate on various topics, including history, photography, and lifestyle.
