Today’s Big Story

Ancient Relatives

DNA reveals when humans and Neanderthals became one

Did you know, that most people have a tiny slice of Neanderthal DNA within them—evidence of interbreeding between the species and ancient human ancestors. Two new studies suggest that interbreeding occurred during a limited period of time as ancient humans left Africa.

You see, modern humans, Homo sapiens, originated in Africa about 300,000 years ago. And when those early humans first ventured out of Africa, they followed in the footsteps of another human species—Neanderthals, a hominin relative that was established across western Eurasia, but went extinct about 39,000 years ago. Eventually our bold ancestors caught up with their Neanderthal cousins and did a bit more than just make friends.

Reuters reports that the research is providing the most precise estimate to date of when this mixing occurred—with the height of the interaction around 47,000 years ago, or about 80 generations before the births of the individuals they tested. It also highlighted how Neanderthal components have shaped the human genome in functions such as skin pigmentation, immune response and metabolism.

“Obviously, we cannot time travel, but this data is allowing us to time travel and see what’s happening 50,000 years ago in our history,” said Priya Moorjani, an assistant professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California at Berkeley and a senior author of the study published in Science.

The studies also underscore that our branch of humanity is just one of many on the family tree. The group of humans that left Africa didn’t depart as a monolithic group, with one prolonged multimillennia fling with Neanderthals. Some mingled with Neanderthals repeatedly but died out. Others arrived in Europe far earlier than the migration that led to present-day people but didn’t make it to the present.

Trump Walks Back Vow to Lower Grocery Prices

The president-elect is no longer so sure that he can ease the cost of everyday expenses

President-elect Donald Trump said in his Person of the Year interview Thursday that bringing down grocery prices will be “very hard,” after he repeatedly promised during his campaign to cut costs—something many experts point to as a major factor in winning over voters dissatisfied with the economy.

According to the Washington Post, Trump repeatedly vowed to reduce the cost of food and energy as he blamed price hikes on Vice President Kamala Harris, who had promised to push for a federal ban on price gouging. At a rally in North Carolina, Trump told the crowd, “From the day I take the oath of office, we’ll rapidly drive prices down and make America affordable again.” He vowed: “Prices will come down. You just watch. They’ll come down fast.”

Americans paid 22% more for groceries last month compared to when Trump left office in January 2021, per November Consumer Price Index data released earlier this week. And, compared to February 2020, before the pandemic, Americans paid 27% more for groceries in November. So TIME asked “If the prices of groceries don’t come down, will your presidency be a failure?” The president-elect replied: “I don’t think so. Look, they got them up. I’d like to bring them down. It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up. You know, it’s very hard. But I think that they will.” And in a recent CNBC interview, Trump added that he “can’t guarantee” that his trade tariffs won’t actually raise prices.

Stanley Just Recalled 2.6 Million Mugs

Check in on the TikTokers in your life …

It’s been a big year for those insulated Stanley mugs. The brand’s 40-ounce Quencher cup gained rabid popularity (and became something of a viral sensation) for its candy colors and its ability to keep beverages cold and hot. But now that heat has come back to bite them: Stanley just issued a recall of 2.6 million of its mugs due to a defect with the lids that have led to numerous reports of burn injuries from consumers. 

According to NBC News, the beverage container company has received 91 reports across the globe, with 16 coming from the U.S., that the lids of these particular mugs detach during use. From these reports, 38 total burn injuries have been reported, 11 requiring medical attention, and two of those occurred in the United States.

Apparently, the issue is that the threads on the lids can shrink when exposed to heat and torque—a fairly common occurrence with travel mugs—and this can cause the lid to detach during use. Exactly what you want NOT to happen when you’re sipping scalding hot coffee first thing in the morning, right? Thankfully, those big handled cups with the straws aren’t included, so the most popular designs are still safe.

Pappy Van Winkle Reveals 2024 Collection

Good luck finding a bottle, but you won't be disappointed if you do

It arrived a little later this year, so perhaps you were getting worried that you had been a bit too naughty and “Whiskey Santa” wasn’t going to bring you this present. But it’s time to breathe a deep sigh of relief because the details about the 2024 Pappy Van Winkle collection have arrived.

If you know what whiskey is and you have a pulse, you are certainly familiar with Pappy: The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, the company behind this famed whiskey, a family-owned venture that has been in the business for four generations. Over the past 15 years or so, Pappy Van Winkle (now distributed by Buffalo Trace) has skyrocketed in popularity and become a cult phenomenon—which, unfortunately, makes it incredibly hard to buy.

This year the suggested retail prices are higher than past years, but still far from what they will really sell for, ranging from $130 for the 10-year-old to $450 for the 23-year-old. The Van Winkle family points out in a press release that neither they nor Buffalo Trace control secondary pricing, and the best way to find Pappy at its SRP is through lotteries offered by some retailers. “Ultimately, the only legal and reputable source consumers should be buying from is a licensed retailer,” Julian P. Van Winkle III told Forbes. “This is the safest, foolproof way to ensure your bottle is not counterfeit”–another problem the brand has faced in recent years.

A Weekend Pairing

‘Paris & Nicole: The Encore’ + a Double Barrel Cocktail

More than two decades since OG influencers Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie created the blueprint for modern-day reality TV stars, the life-long friends reunite in a new series for Peacock.

It was initially announced as a "Simple Life" reboot, but this  semi-scripted show follows the two as they attempt to assemble a group of professional musicians and creatives to put on an opera inspired by their catchphrase-slash-hit single, “Sanasa”. Much like the premise of their original series, they’re obviously out of their depth and have no idea what they’re doing, but as always, they’re also in on the joke. Decider says to stream it and Vulture gives it two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Keep going.