Between the 2008 financial crisis and the recent Wells Fargo fiasco, consumers have grown distrustful of banks and are considering credit unions as an alternative place to park their cash. Just like banks, credit unions accept deposits and make loans—so how, exactly, are they different?

For one, they have a democratic history. The first credit unions were established as cooperatives, meaning the people who kept their cash in the credit union also helped manage it—and they still operate this way today. As such, you are treated as a member, not a customer, and have the right to vote on a board of directors. Typically, personal finance expert Tal Frank tells mental_floss, membership often means you can expect better service at a credit union than at a big bank.

“However, if comparing a credit union to a community bank or a small local bank, you will probably find that you get a high level of service at both,” Frank says. “The smaller guys try harder. They also have more of a personal connection with clients or members.”

Credit unions are also non-profit organizations. “So, unlike banks, they don’t have stockholders who expect to receive a quarterly dividend payment,” Timothy Wiedman, a retired associate professor of management and human resources at Doane University, tells mental_floss. “And without the need to pay stockholders, federally insured credit unions can benefit their members by keeping fees low.”

As Weidman says, because they’re non-profit, credit unions can use any excess earnings to offer customers lower rates and better financial products. “Most banks pay lousy rates of interest, have too many fees, charge too much for those fees, and charge too much interest when loaning money,” says Wiedman. “Virtually all federally insured credit unions beat most banks in nearly every one of those categories.”

But the fact that they’re community-focused cooperatives doesn’t mean credit unions are a free-for-all: They operate under certain rules set by an organization called the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). In addition to setting guidelines, the NCUA also insures your funds (just as the FDIC—Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation—does your deposits at a bank).

Interested an opening an account? Credit unions are a bit more exclusive than banks. “In the olden days, one had to be an employee of a particular company or member of a certain group to join a credit union,” Frank says. “Over the years that distinction has eroded for many credit unions. Guidelines changed to include allowing membership for family, a specific occupation, or all those who live in a geographic area (even as large as an entire state). As an example, Delta Community Credit Union is the largest in Georgia. Although there are ‘membership eligibility’ guidelines, the guidelines are so broad that it is pretty much open to anyone.”

Many credit unions will expand their membership to people outside of an industry or area if you make a small charitable donation, too. The Pentagon Financial Credit Union, for example, is typically only open to military employees, but just about anyone can get a membership with a one-time $15 donation to Voices for America’s Troops or the National Military Family Association.

If you’re looking for a credit union, ASmarterChoice.org is a good place to start your search. You’ll need to vet the credit union carefully, as you would any other financial institution: Make sure they are indeed insured by the NCUA, and read member reviews on comparison sites like NerdWallet and Bankrate. If convenience is important to you, you’ll also want to check out their mobile and online banking options to make sure they fit your needs.

Radio has the power to let listeners eavesdrop on pop culture and news in far-flung locales or even subcultures close to home (see: Wicca Radio International in New Orleans). A new site aims to connect people across the world to radio signals that span the globe, allowing people to listen to radio stations in other countries, as The Verge reports.

Radio Garden is set up as a globe visualization, with green dots representing different stations you can tune into. Spin the globe and find stations playing Russian pop, Christmas music in Chicago, Spanish news, or metal in Québec.

The app also lets you explore historic radio clips and jingles—the kind that signal what the station is about. The “Stories” tab includes a smattering of interviews and educational programming. Some are about transnational radio, and others more generally talk about international exchange, like an Arabic lesson broadcast in Montreal and a storytelling program about borders from Milan.

These clips come from the past few years, dating back to 2014. There aren’t as many stories as there are live radio stations, so if you’re looking to get a taste of Buenos Aires or Nairobi, you’re better off searching the live stations. Happy listening!

[h/t The Verge]

If wisdom comes with age, then this bird is going to be one smart mama. The 66-year-old Laysan albatross has returned to her ancestral nesting grounds in the North Pacific and is once again sitting on a new egg.

Biologist Chandler Robbins first slipped a band onto Wisdom’s leg in 1956, when the bird would have been around 5 or 6 years old. Six decades later, both Robbins (now 98) and Wisdom (no spring chicken herself) are going strong. Wisdom has logged more than three million miles in her annual trips across the ocean and back again, first for food, and then to add to her family.

Wisdom and her mate Akeakamai (Hawaiian for “scholar” or “lover of wisdom,” and if that’s not adorable then we don’t know what is) last visited the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial earlier in 2016, when they welcomed their newest chick Kūkini (“messenger”).

Albatross moms often take a year off between babies, so refuge staff had not expected to see Wisdom again this year.

But on December 3, there she was. Volunteer Kristina McOmber spotted Wisdom’s bright red leg band and discovered the old bird patiently sitting on a freshly laid egg.

Wisdom and Akeakamai will babysit in shifts, allowing one partner to go off and feed while the other sits and keeps their egg warm. While they may be the refuge’s most famous residents, the two birds are hardly alone; each year, hundreds of thousands of albatross [PDF] descend on the atoll and settle in new nests.

Charlie Pelizza of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is acting project leader for the refuge and memorial. When he arrived at lunch that day, he said in a statement, he could tell something exciting had happened. “The staff was abuzz with the news that Wisdom was back and incubating. It’s amazing what a bit of good news can do to brighten the day.”

What do you give a person who has everything? Something good to eat, of course! A homemade treat is always appreciated by friends and family—and chances are you’ll have a good time making them, too.

1. MILK CHOCOLATE BARK CANDY

Once upon a time, you had to use a double boiler to make chocolate bark, but this recipe melts your ingredients in the microwave. The result is Milk Chocolate Bark Candy from Organized Island that looks a lot more complicated than it is. You can vary the toppings according to your tastes and how you want it to look in a gift box.

2. FLAVORED MARSHMALLOWS

It’s very possible that some people on your gift list have no idea that you can actually make your own marshmallows, so they’ll certainly be impressed to receive a box of homemade flavored marshmallows this holiday season. Dannyelle at Life Is a Party has the recipes for Coffee Marshmallows and Bailey’s Chocolate and Vanilla Marshmallows.

3. BRIGADIEROS

Brigadieros are festive Brazilian candies that look perfect in a gift box. Darcie Hunter’s Brigadieros at Gourmet Creative are made of a base of soft caramel. Then you can separate the batch and add different flavors to the portions, like chocolate, coconut, or pumpkin spice, and use several decorating options. Then you’ll have an assortment of attractive candies to pack for each gift.

4. CURRIED LENTIL SOUP MIX

When you give the gift of a homemade soup mix, your friend or loved one can have a meal, partially prepared by you, whenever they please. A jar of Curried Lentil Soup Mix is a matter of layering the ingredients nicely in a jar, and attaching the cooking instructions with a ribbon. You’ll also want to share the full recipe, because they may want to make more.

5. PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

Hot cocoa mix is a gift that keeps on giving, and the recipient will think about you every time they make a cup. Just layer up four ingredients nice and pretty, and the recipient can shake it all together themselves. The recipe for Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix from The Bathonian makes enough for six jars.

6. COOKIE BUTTER

Anyone would love to receive a gift of their favorite cookies in spreadable form. You can use any kind of cookie by following instructions for Homemade Cookie Butter at A Beautiful Mess. Pack it in decorated reusable jars for a personalized and delicious gift.

7. MINT CHOCOLATE PUDDING FUDGE

It’s chocolate fudge, revved up for Christmas! The pudding makes them extra silky, and the peppermints and marshmallows on top make them extra festive. You’ll find the recipe for Mint Chocolate Pudding Fudge at Kraft.

8. CANDIED MAPLE VANILLA PECANS

Pecans by themselves are a wonderful treat. Add sugar and the flavors of maple and vanilla, and they’re worth showing off as a gift to friends and family. The recipe for Candied Maple Vanilla Pecans at Hudson Valley Handy Works is surprisingly quick and easy.

9. PEPPERMINT MERINGUE

Believe it or not, these Peppermint Meringues are only about 15 calories each! Yes, they are made of real sugar, but the largest ingredient is air. The sweet and fluffy treats have even fewer calories when you give them away as gifts. The recipe by Sonja and Alex at A Couple Cooks makes around 45 of them, which should fit in several nice holiday tins.

BONUS: VANILLA EXTRACT

Homemade vanilla extract is possibly the easiest homemade gift you’ll ever make, with only two ingredients needed: vanilla beans and vodka. It takes a couple of months to do it right, so you can file this one away for next year. Lindsay Garza explains how to make Homemade Vanilla Extract at Honest Cooking. Luckily, you’ve got almost a year to find some pretty bottles to put it all in.