Ahead of World Circus Day this Saturday, we’re taking a look behind the curtain at the physical strain performers endure for their careers. Las Vegas is a major destination for acrobats, but our city lacks the protections and medical care needed to help manage the pain that accompanies their dazzling skills. UNLV professor and aerial performer Laura Martinez studies the culture of the circus industry and how they discuss pain. She joins co-host Dayvid Figler to explain this behind-the-scenes dynamic — and how Las Vegas commodifies performers’ bodies.

What’s the most challenging and the most rewarding aspect of joining a debate union?

You’re probably familiar with the concept of a carbon footprint: a personal tally of transgressions that contribute to planet-warming emissions. The “carbon footprint” is well established in the climate movement’s lexicon, despite the guilt and shame that it evokes — and despite the fact that many people now know the term was popularized in an ad campaign by the oil company British Petroleum, a shockingly effective gambit to put the onus of addressing the climate crisis on individuals, not the corporations or governments that have contributed the most to the problem.

There’s now an easy way to turn any aspect of life into something to optimize — just add “-maxxing.” Gymmaxxing is about getting ripped. Moneymaxxing means accumulating wealth as fast as possible. Over the past couple of years, this social media-driven wellness fad has spread to more and more activities: Tanning is sunmaxxing; drinking plenty of water is watermaxxing. Even at night, the grind for self-improvement continues, with sleepmaxxing hacks designed to help you achieve peak rest.

There’s now an easy way to turn any aspect of life into something to optimize — just add “-maxxing.” Gymmaxxing is about getting ripped. Moneymaxxing means accumulating wealth as fast as possible. Over the past couple of years, this social media-driven wellness fad has spread to more and more activities: Tanning is sunmaxxing; drinking plenty of water is watermaxxing. Even at night, the grind for self-improvement continues, with sleepmaxxing hacks designed to help you achieve peak rest.

The rituals of European caviar service have changed little over centuries: mother-of-pearl spoons, champagne pairings, and precise instructions for savoring each briny pearl. Yet, while Europe maintains these traditions, scroll through TikTok today, and you'll find Americans creating their own traditions—most notably, taking “caviar bumps,” small portions of fish roe eaten off the back of the hand.