Full hydration, clear thoughts, can’t lose

A new study suggests that when we’re dehydrated – even just a little, before our bodies bother to tell us we’re thirsty – it makes it harder for us to accomplish complicated mental tasks. [NPR] Adam Glanzman/Getty Images Unemployment is at rock bottom, so why haven’t companies had to pay workers more? Economists estimate that wage growth should be nearly a percentage point higher, instead of creeping along just above the rate of inflation. Some blame the collapse of unions for the gap, while employers say the money is being funneled into increasing health costs, more vacation days and other benefits. [And maybe that is the way to go: A recent survey showed that for employees who changed jobs, workplace culture was a bigger factor than pay](. [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( Mike Coppola/Getty Images These days, girls run the pop world Reigning queen Beyoncé, country-crossover trailblazer Taylor Swift, hip-hop history-maker Cardi B and the massively influential Rihanna. The late retro-soul powerhouses Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones as well as Swedish singer Robyn. Plus a whole festival lineup’s worth of indie phenomena. They’ve all produced [some of the greatest songs of this century](. [NPR Music celebrates 18 years of innovation and boundary-breaking](. [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( Michael Weiss/Center for Whale Research via AP In mourning her infant, this orca could be eulogizing her entire extended family For just a little while, she was a happy mother. Then her calf died, becoming another data point in the grim decline of a killer whale population in the Pacific Northwest. The Southern Resident pods used to produce a healthy baby every five to six weeks but have gone three years without one. The salmon runs they depend on are disappearing. [Orca moms often grieve their lost children for hours; as of Friday, this one has carried hers for 10 days and counting, despite nearing exhaustion](. [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( RunPhoto/Getty Images For tackling tough mental challenges, hydration is key If you need your brain at peak performance, don’t let it dry out: New research has found that when subjects were slightly dehydrated, they made 12 percent more errors during a complicated card game. When scientists let them bring their water levels back to normal, their performance bounced back. [Reaction time wasn’t affected, so you might not even notice that you’re struggling](. [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( LA Johnson/NPR Why this Swiss army knife of insults never seems to spur a big backlash It’s a simple phrase that demeans a remarkable array of people: White people and people of color (take the “white” out of “white trash” and what’s left?), poor people and those who "act" poor, rural folks and religious folks, anyone without a college degree. There has been little pushback in part because the media is more than happy to reinforce the stereotypes. [And as with other other slurs, some targeted with the term embrace it in order to reclaim it](. [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( You received this message because you're subscribed to our Best of NPR emails. | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002 [NPR]