Happy Monday on the last day of August, a time for backpacks and colored folders, sweater shopping and last-minute fantasy football drafts (Devonta Smith at WR #17 is a steal).

It’s also about that time of year to start really appreciating our trees. New York City is home to some 7 million trees, including public and private, with over 500 species mapped. All that tree cover is more than aesthetic; it provides crucial cooling during heat waves and reduces the urban heat island effect, in which heat-absorbing concrete increases the temperature in cities by as many as 10℉ over surrounding natural areas.

To better understand how trees contribute to urban cooling, researchers at Cornell University created a “wall-to-wall” interactive map cataloguing the placement and species of 1.8 million trees throughout the five boroughs. The map’s creators hope the project will reveal how to strategically plant and manage trees in cities around the world to optimize their cooling effects, as well as reduce allergens and manage invasive species.

“If we’re going to be managing these urban forests well, we need to know what’s there, and now we know that for another 1.4 million trees beyond the street trees that were already surveyed,” said Daniel Katz, a senior author on the study. “We can now use this information to make sure we get the most benefits from trees, from cooling to reducing air pollution and flooding.”

For researchers, the map provides a trove of valuable new data. For us laypeople, it’s a fun way to learn more about your local trees! For example, I never would have known the tree outside my bedroom window is a Honey Locust. My block alone has nine different species, including a few Zelkovas, a tree I’ve never heard of.

There are worse ways to spend the last day of August than finally learning the names of your neighbors.

“Ghosting” is what happens when someone who was happily texting you yesterday suddenly enters the federal witness protection program.

The term entered our lexicon from the world of online dating. One day you’re making plans to hook up. The next your texts disappear into the void. No explanation. No bubbling three dots. Just silence.

What began as an unfortunate dating ritual has now quietly leaked into almost every corner of modern life.

Today, employers ghost job applicants after multiple interviews. Recruiters disappear after promising phone calls. Prospective clients ask for detailed proposals, then never respond. Customer service representatives simply stop replying. Friends ghost friends. Business contacts ghost colleagues.

Surveys now find that more than eight in ten adults aged 18-42 have been ghosted in their personal relationships, and two-thirds admit they have ghosted someone else. At this point, about the only people who reliably do not ghost you are your enemies. They are usually happy to tell you exactly what they think.

Read on to learn more.

The PREMIUM tag indicates articles that come with extra photographs or special coverage. Thinking of a subscription? Try us out with a day pass for just 99 cents. No long-term commitment for a subscription.

Got a tip? Send it in to [email protected].