Not-so-Northern Lights ✨

The Lincoln Ledger: October 11th, 2024

October 11, 2024

Happy Friday Ledgers,

This week, Nebraskans got to experience a little slice of Norway, without the unavoidable fish-only diet. We caught the Northern Lights right here in the Midwest. Last night, Branched Oak Observatory captured some incredible images of this rare event.

In this week’s issue:

Update: There are officially FIVE shirts remaining in our original shirt order. They are all XL, and all are looking for a loving forever home. Someone to cherish their superior Supima cotton softness. Someone who admires the once-in-a-lifetime limited art by famous local artist, Jacob Chapman. Someone who loves the Ledger, or loves dogs, or loves beer, or who cannot buy another Husker shirt for game day but wants to cosplay as a doting Husker fan on football Saturdays.

Will you adopt a Ledger tee into it’s forever home?

- Landon

#TWINNING

Blaming Spider-Man GIF

UNL to develop digital twin of cornfield 🌽

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is leading a project that could revolutionize agriculture: the creation of the first-ever digital twin of a cornfield. This initiative, led by researcher James Schnable, has received a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, with additional collaboration and funding from Purdue and Iowa State University, bringing the total to nearly $2 million.

👯‍♂️ What is a digital twin?… A digital twin is a virtual model that mirrors a physical asset or entity—in this case, a cornfield. This advanced research tool allows scientists to simulate and analyze the effects of various factors such as climate, water, and nutrition on crops. By leveraging machine learning, researchers can create millions of variations of the digital twin, running simulations to uncover patterns and insights that would be nearly impossible to observe through traditional methods.

Imagine creating a digital entity, then running simulations on its entire lifespan, testing countless scenarios—everything from drought to nutrient surplus—without ever stepping into a field. That's the power of a digital twin. And this is where UNL is breaking new ground.

A game-changer for agriculture… For farmers, the digital twin represents a potential leap forward in precision agriculture. By simulating different planting arrangements and environmental conditions, researchers can determine the best ways to maximize sunlight capture, reduce water loss, and increase overall productivity. This insight will help farmers better understand how to get the most out of every corn plan, maximizing each input (sunlight, water, and nutrients) to its fullest potential.

This technology could also fast-track the learning curve in agriculture, allowing scientists to bypass the traditional, slow cycle of planting and harvesting each year. Instead, they can run simulations year-round, accelerating discoveries and fine-tuning strategies for real-world applications.

Other sectors using digital twins… While UNL’s project focuses on corn, the concept of digital twins isn’t limited to agriculture. In fact, it's already being used in various industries. In the world of health science, visionaries like Lee Hood and Nathan Price are employing digital twins to explore ways to extend human lifespan. Meanwhile, civil and structural engineers are utilizing digital twins to simulate the effects of traffic loads and weather conditions on infrastructure, such as roads and bridges.

📌 Why it matters…By 2050, we need to sustainably produce 50% more food to feed the planet. As this project unfolds, Schnable and his colleagues could be planting the seed (😏) for a future where agriculture operates at a new level of efficiency and sustainability.

WHAT TO DO

Cider Cider Cider. 🍎

The theme this weekend is cider. And to any of you artsy gentlemen who have decided that “mead is your thing,” you can find your fellow mead-lovers at a Renaissance Fair, you big beautiful nerd. 🧝🏽‍♂️

🪕 Friday: Saro x 402 Creamery: Scoops and Floats
Tonight, we’ll start our taste of fall tour downtown at Saro Cider. Saro and 402 Creamery have teamed up for a happy hour tonight for the second annual Scoops and Floats, which features a soon-to-be fall classic: spiced apple cider with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Don’t worry, your float will be prepared by the expert Saro team, rather than the way we serve it.

Stop by Saro from 5:00-7:00 PM for live music and a bevy or two. Tom Ficke will be playing live.

🍻 Saturday: Glacial Till
It’s a bye week for football, so the second stop on your weekend of cider involves a day trip to Ashland. Here’s the itinerary:

  1. Early Morning: Sleep in a little. Or clean the house a bit before putting on your best fall attire and jumping in the car.

  2. Mid Morning: Head to Ashland, your first stop is Fariner for coffee and pastries.

  3. Midday: After a quick stop at PostScript and Salt Creek Mercantile, you’ll head over to Glacial Till for cider (or beer) and some charcutie with your cutie.

  4. Afternoon: Pack up the gang and take the long way home.

☕️ Sunday: The Mill (Prescott)
Cap your weekend with a trip to The Mill in Prescott. Get yourself a warm apple cider, with a lil’ cinnamon stick in it. Then go browse the College View Farmers Market for some fresh produce for the week.

🗓️ Non-Cider Activities:
If you hate apples, or are allergic to being cute, here are a few other things going on to keep you busy this weekend.

SPORTZ

Sporting headlines from around the capital.

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

A cute home for cute people.

Confession from the editor: I have walked by this home more times than I’d like to admit. While walking our border collie Humphrey, this house became a regular fixture of our daily routine. Through the summer, winter, fall, and spring—I’d walk by and marvel at this home, which seemed to never lose an ounce of its charm regardless of the weather.

What I love about this home is that it is “just right”. Not so bold that it begs for your attention, but offers just a little more magic than the standard 3-bed, 3-bath in this neighborhood. It’s so damn perfect that it jumpstarts your imagination of what life could be like in a sort of Goldilocks-esque, sepia-toned montage. The soft white stone facade is chef’s kiss. The simple, elegant fence is said chef’s 7-minutes in heaven. The quaint backyard patio is whatever the chef’s equivalent of the fifth book of ACOTAR is. 🦇🍆

The Details:

  • 3 beds, 3 baths

  • 2,319 sq/ft

  • Built in 1945

  • A vintage built-in doorbell 🛎️

❤️ KEEP: The adorable front yard, the backyard patio begging for a fall party, working wood fireplaces, the garage (for homes in this neighborhood, this is a big plus), the landscaping, and the Café appliances.

🗑️ TOSS: The cinder block basement, the light fixture above the kitchen island, the not-so-wide angle photos of this home, and we’re personally not big on the vibrant blues (but play on, player).

CHECKLIST

An over-ambitious weekend to-do list.

  • Buy some Vitamin D. The days are getting shorter.

  • Buy some Vitamin C. The colds are getting nearer.

  • Buy some Vitamin P. The plaids are getting their time to shine.

  • Review this pre-winter checklist for homeowners.

  • Schedule a duct cleaning appointment. Your local firefighters implore you.

  • Send that email that you’ve been dreading. Then close that computer and walk away from the bomb you just dropped.

HEADLINES

More news from around the capital.

🐯 Weekly Wildcard:
One headline (or post) we never saw coming.

ABOUT TLL

We created this sliver of the internet to make it easy for no-coasters to keep tabs on what’s happening in Lincoln and to give you new ideas on how to spend your time.