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Astronauts might be able to tag their social media photos from the moon in real time soon. Last week, NASA announced that it granted a $14.1 million contract to Nokia Bell Labs to build a lunar 4G-LTE network. The technology will establish “critical communication capabilities” for data transmission of all kinds, like lunar rover remote control functions, real-time navigation, high-definition video streaming, and command control functions, the Finnish tech company Nokia said in a release today....

New Zealand doesn’t plan to open its borders to international visitors until 2022, according to a cautious reopening plan outlined by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday. Ardern said New Zealand won’t reopen for foreign travel until after it completes its COVID-19 vaccination rollout, something that isn’t expected to happen until the end of the year. When visitors are allowed to return, the country plans to follow a careful approach that may require quarantining in a military facility....

Passing time at the airport often means wandering around the terminal and meandering in and out of shops, but to the delight of gamers everywhere, Nintendo is here to change that. The gaming company is opening four pop-up lounges this week where weary and bored travelers can test their skills on the company’s Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite systems — calling all Mario Kart fans to try their hand at the beloved game and more....

It’s no secret that there’s a paid vacation problem in the U.S., but when you see it laid out in a chart, suddenly the problem becomes so much clearer. A recent report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) shows that the U.S. continues to be the only country out of 21 “rich countries,” (including 16 European countries, Australia, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand) that does not offer workers mandatory paid vacation time and paid holidays....

On Saturday, Pippa Middleton, younger sister to the Duchess of Cambridge, wed her new husband James Matthews in a lavish ceremony that reportedly went into the wee hours of Sunday morning. Less than 24 hours after their serene and flower-filled church nuptials and epic reception, the newlyweds were spotted at Los Angeles International Airport while traveling from Britain to the Pacific Islands where they will reportedly be spending their honeymoon....

When it comes to planning a vacation to Puerto Rico, travelers may be overwhelmed by a long packing list or a classic case of culture shock, but Rosario Dawson guarantees it’s a simple getaway that will leave a lasting impression. “We have this idea of different cultures being super exotic, but one of the things that’s so remarkable about going to a place like Puerto Rico is you don’t need a passport to go there, they speak English there, they speak Spanish there, they speak multiple languages there, and you can have an experience that impacts your entire life for years to come,” she told Travel + Leisure....

Many travelers look for rest and relaxation, while others are just looking for a roaring good time. And at this Airbnb in South Africa, that’s not hard to find. Literally. According to the Daily Mail, the Lion House, an Airbnb home set right on the GG Conservation, offers guests a chance to sleep only a few feet away from over 70 lions that live in the sanctuary. The three-bedroom house costs £84 (about $107 USD) per night, which is a pretty fair price considering not only the size of the accommodation, but also the unique chance to see a beautiful, but endangered, species up close....

When Shannon Wu opened The Amelia in Hudson, New York, in June 2021, she created more than just a boutique hotel, but a crucial part of the community. Now she’s continuing that mission by sparking much-needed conversations through a new Saturday Literary Event series in partnership with the Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW). “The Hudson community is full of art-lovers and literary legends,” Wu told Travel + Leisure. “It would be my hope that the series would bring understanding among people, no matter their race....

What is the artistic value of a computer-generated, 24-pixel avatar? And how come a JPEG file is worth more than a Mark Rothko painting? These are all questions Jennifer Wong and Peter Hamilton, the founders of the brand-new Seattle NFT Museum (SNFT), hope to answer as one of the most highly anticipated new museums of 2022 opens. The 3,000-square-foot space in the Emerald City’s Belltown neighborhood, which officially opened to the public on Jan....

Cuyana — a brand we love for its cozy alpaca wraps, chic leather travel accessories, and philosophy of “fewer, better things” — is always building its timelessly classic wardrobe for women. So it was only a matter of time before co-founders Karla Gallardo and Shilpa Shah tackled a streamlined black legging, and allow me to break the news that they are so delightfully comfortable. Made in Portugal, the second-skin-like Seamless Leggings (cuyana....

Nestled in a forested area in the Tian Shan Mountains, Kazakhstan’s Lake Kaindy invites those who visit to take a swim in a surreal underwater world. Created by an earthquake that took place in 1911, the freshwater lake is home to an array of fir trees that not only jet out from its waters, but that call those who take a dive to explore an entire forest sunken under its clear waters....

Yet another town in Italy is giving away property for free, if you’re willing to fix it up. But this time, there’s a cash bonus if you have a baby after you move in. Cammarata in Sicily is a historic village whose buildings have been left to decay as residents move to bigger urban areas. “I can’t stand to see this gorgeous, old historical center empty and turn into a ruin....

All aboard your next Airbnb stay. Train lovers and history buffs alike can enjoy this unique stay in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania on Airbnb. This affordable and historic whole-property stay is a vintage train caboose that has been restored to its original 1941 condition. You might not think of a train caboose as a comfortable stay, but thanks to some retrofitting, this stay has “all the comforts of home,” according to the Airbnb listing....

The Transportation Security Administration’s now-deleted post on Instagram was definitely a personal “fowl” of a passenger who was traveling with raw chicken meat. The post, a video of a tightly-packed, frozen cube of poultry on the baggage claim conveyor belt at a Seattle airport, served as a teachable moment for travelers — how to properly pack meat. “We hear at one time these wings and thighs were cooped up in a cooler,” the post that has since been removed read....

The Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos are implementing new testing requirements and capacity limits on places like restaurants as the destination continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. The new rules, which will remain in place through at least Feb. 28, will require all visitors ages 2 and older to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of travel, according to the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board....

After sitting diligently in our homes for nearly a year to stop the spread of the coronavirus, it’s time to start dreaming about traveling to far-off places once again. And if you need a little wanderlust inspiration, let us introduce you to Freiform, a vacation home unlike any other. Located in Chiusa, South Tyrol, Italy, Freiform is an all-glass house looking out into the surrounding mountains without another human in sight....

There was a key moment when Bertrand Kern realized that the fortunes of his gritty little town were about to change. Kern is the three-term Socialist mayor of Pantin, just north of the Périphérique, or ring road, that marks the outer boundary of Paris intra muros — Paris within the walls. Pantin lies beyond that, in a landscape of run-down housing projects and abandoned factories that Parisians refer to as la zone....

No matter where you find them, rainbows are just plain magical. Especially when they’re being trailed off the back of an airplane. According to the Daily Mail, German photographer Nick Beyersdorf, also known as Reddit user TheFox720p, captured a Qatar Airways A380 plane dragging a peculiar cloud of rainbow-colored trails as it was flying over Bamberg, Germany on Monday. Before you jump to conclusions, the strange contrails are not the work of a government conspiracy, Photoshop, or even a tribute to Pride month....

There’s a long checklist every camper makes before setting off to their favorite place to sleep under the stars, and while they’re all unique to the camper, they all have the same essentials: a pack, sleeping bag, tent, food. Some more seasoned campers, however, might add an alternative way of sleeping that gets them off the ground — like a hammock. For the campers behind nearly 27,000 five-star ratings, the Wise Owl Outfitters Camping Hammocks are the best on the market....

Editor’s Note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure. Good things are happening in August as we begin to relax and enjoy the summer season. Healthful outdoor air at the beach or in the mountains lets us breathe easier, literally and figuratively. California’s Malibu and Catalina Island offer both environments, with lots to do and see....