We all know what to do when we sprain an ankle or strain a calf muscle: rest it, ice it, compress it, and elevate it, right? Wrong, actually. That protocol, known as the RICE method and introduced by a sports medicine physician in 1978, is no longer the recommended route for helping soft-tissue injuries heal. […]
Prioritizing play offers a variety of benefits for children, from helping them grow their vocabulary to managing their big feelings with fewer behavioral problems.
Play also benefits children’s cognitive and social and emotional development.
But play isn’t always a focus in classrooms, even when it comes to very young children.
A group of six Ohio teens spent some of their summer break this year overseas, but they weren’t on vacation — they were delivering free, 3D-printed prosthetics to pediatric patients in need at Hospital General Ibarra in Ecuador. As part of a community service project through the Great Lakes Science Center Robotics Initiative, the Cleveland-based high […]
Central Park. Coney Island. Yankee Stadium. Times Square. A thorough sightseeing trip around New York City might take you more than a week, but you can experience the entire metropolis in miniature in just a couple of hours. Queens-born truck driver Joe Macken, 63, is on the road four days a week, yet he still […]
This article was originally written by Ottilie Von Henning for SWNS — the U.K.’s largest independent news agency, providing globally relevant original, verified, and engaging content to the world’s leading media outlets. After 40 years of performing, the last circus elephant in Portugal can now be found splashing in mud puddles, foraging for food, and […]
About two decades ago, two Chesapeake Bay couples got it in their heads to embark on something a bit outside the box. “My uncle Bob, I think, just called my parents and said, ‘Hey, wanna buy a lighthouse?’” Steve Billingsley, a college student at the time, explained in a phone call with Nice News, adding […]
At a bright blue building on Newhaven Road in Edinburgh, Scotland, admitted patients receive similar treatments to those of any other ailing individual. Sometimes they’re put on drips or quarantined, for example, all with the goal of restoring them to full health. But here, appearing green is a good sign: It’s a hospital for plants.
The Women’s Pro Baseball League, which launches today at a neutral host stadium in Springfield, Illinois, is not the first baseball league for women. That would be the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the World War II-era project immortalized in Penny Marshall’s 1992 flick, A League of Their Own. But that league folded barely a […]
Anyone who has 5,000 versions of what’s essentially the same photo of their pet on their phone (we get it) will appreciate the artistry apparent in the 2026 International Pet Photography Awards. Now in its eighth year, the competition saw 4,220 entries — from the adorable to the majestic — pour in from amateur and […]
As a neuroscientist who studies raccoon and rats, I see the viral story of Jimothy the raccoon as a compelling tale of an animal overcoming disability and surviving in the wild.
For Jeri Cormack, climbing towering spiral staircases and braving howling storms are all in a day’s work.
The 28-year-old is the newest and youngest retained lighthouse keeper for the Northern Lighthouse Board, which maintains more than 200 lighthouses across Scotland and the Isle of Man.
The celebratory photos captured inside The Treasury on the Plaza in St. Augustine, Florida, aren’t your average newlywed pics. The nearly century-old building was once home to the First National Bank of St. Augustine, and it still bears remnants of its past life. One is an enormous circular hatch that serves as the entrance to […]
Before setting out from Los Angeles in a “giant purple van” emblazoned with the words Curiosity Mobile, Scott Shigeoka was feeling unusually pessimistic about the state of the country. Like most of us, his newsfeed had been dominated by negativity, and despite his sunny disposition, he wasn’t exactly brimming with hope. That would soon change. […]
What do Elvis, cherry blossom trees, and German shepherds have in common? They’re all subjects of some of the most popular U.S. Postal Service stamps from the past 15 years. Every year, the service debuts new designs, each one serving as an “entryway into a larger story that connects people, places, and moments in history,” […]
Talk about old meets new: A small vintage shoe store in London that was on the verge of closing now has young people lining up to shop — and it’s all thanks to the owner’s Gen Z daughter posting about it on TikTok.
Film photography is experiencing a resurrection, summoned by unlikely conjurers: Gen Z.
It wasn’t too long ago that analog photography — which uses photographic film and chemical processing — was declared all but dead, relegated to the province of niche hobbyists and professional artists.
Bullying is tied to poor outcomes not only for the child who is bullied but for the bullies themselves, who run a higher risk than their peers of experiencing depression when they become teens. Youth who are bullies also are more likely to engage in aggressive and rule-breaking behavior, have substance use problems, and hang out with other adolescents who share these tendencies.
They say necessity is the mother of invention, but sometimes it takes a thoughtful observer to notice and address a particular need. For rising high school senior Jay Jung, a lightbulb went off while he was crossing the street. Jung is the creator of SmartBlink, an adaptive traffic light system that adjusts its signal changes […]
Imagine living in a walkable town with buildings that boast all the charm and character of a village from centuries past, but lack many of the problems — like decay, outdated systems, and toxic materials — that come with it. This may sound like something out of an architect’s utopian fantasy, but a handful of […]
This article was originally written by Ed Chatterton for SWNS — the U.K.’s largest independent news agency, providing globally relevant original, verified, and engaging content to the world’s leading media outlets. There are beautiful watering holes all over the world, but a lighthearted contest is proving that your own home can be the coolest place […]
Each year on July 15, Polar Bears International hosts Arctic Sea Ice Day to raise awareness about the Arctic and the threats it faces — particularly that it may be warming four times faster than the rest of the planet. Sea ice is critical for a number of species, including polar bears and beluga whales, and […]
Besides reporting on positive developments and goings-on around the world, one of Nice News’ love languages is sharing products we wish we’d known about sooner. And with the season of gift giving upon us, we figured: What better time to compile our favorite can’t-live-without purchases of the year in one place?
When Sarah Shelke was 13 years old, a close teenage family member was diagnosed with depression. It was the first time Shelke witnessed mental health struggles in the real world, and her natural instinct was to educate herself. Within months, she’d enrolled in psychology classes at a community college. “That was really where my idea […]
It feels good to belly laugh, it’s healthy to cry, and it can be helpful to get angry. Experiencing our emotions deeply (particularly a wide range of them) is a beautiful part of life — but when we stay stuck in our feelings, they can start to run the show, influencing our actions and behaviors […]
If you happened to see a horde of motorcyclists driving Harley-Davidsons through your town at some point over the past three weeks, you may have caught a glimpse of the Great American Convoy. Concluding today after cruising from Arkansas up to Maine and then over through the Midwest, the epic motorcycle tour raised over $1 […]
Meet Daphne: She’s 7 years old, under a foot tall, and killing it on the career front. The Welsh corgi has been helping move the 1,200 sheep at her farm in northwestern England’s Cumbria county for the past five years. And while she likely isn’t what you picture when you hear the word “sheepdog,” she’s actually a shining example of her herding breed.
I have spent the past six months reading hundreds of poems submitted by young writers age 10 to 21. In June 2026, we will publish an anthology of writing from 177 of these young people in the 1455 Young Poets Anthology. More than 300 young people submitted their poems to a nonprofit I run, called 1455 Storytelling Arts. The poets mostly come from the U.S., but nine other countries are represented.
Hundreds of millions of people ventured to America’s national parks and recreation areas last year, and it’s fair to say that most of them took photos of the natural beauty they encountered on their visits. Nearly 9,000 such images made their way to the judges for the National Park Foundation’s 19th annual Share the Experience […]
Bottom of the ninth. Two outs. Bases loaded. The winning run is standing on third base. The pitcher winds up and throws. The batter swings and sends a high fly ball into the air. The center fielder races back, looks up at the sky, and then says the sentence no baseball fan wants to hear: “I lost it in the sun.”
What do your Monday mornings look like? Whether you hop out of bed 15 minutes before your first meeting and chug a cup of coffee, or rise with the sun to exercise and complete a 10-step skin care regimen, chances are you have some kind of routine in the a.m. Many of these steps — […]
Americans typically commemorate the nation’s birthday with hot dogs and hamburgers. Instead, I think we should mark the 250th anniversary of the United States with a hearty bowl of pepper pot stew.
U.S. charitable giving rose 3% in 2025, surpassing US $600 billion for the first time.
The $617 billion that Americans gave to everything from churches to cat rescues was the second-highest ever in inflation-adjusted terms, but it fell short of the record set in 2021, when there was a burst of social services giving in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the site that is now Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado, the Ancestral Pueblo people lived for centuries in dwellings built into cliffs and on the mesas. Many of those structures, some of which date back nearly 1,500 years, are still standing and can be toured by park visitors. Many other Indigenous houses […]
If you have time to make a coffee or scroll through Instagram, you have time to complete a mood-boosting workout. Lifestyle conflicts and lack of time are two of the top reasons Americans don’t stick to their fitness goals, according to a 2025 survey. But not every exercise routine needs to involve an hour at […]
At Pride festivals held across the U.S. and beyond, among the tables offering voter registration forms or condoms, you’ll likely run into some queer zinemakers.
Zines are DIY publications circulated by their creators. They originated in science fiction fan communities in the 1930s, when enthusiasts self-published stories and critiques.
In a display of tenacity and daring, a British explorer became the first person to circumnavigate the globe by air, land, and sea. Earlier this month, James Ketchell completed a 34,000-mile journey around the world in a 40-foot boat called Mindset.
Perhaps you have a pool in your apartment complex or even one right in your backyard — but is it 3,000 feet long? Deep enough to swallow a 13-story building? Tucked among a jungle’s treetops? Listen, we’re by no means trying to make you envious. Any cool body of water, whether at your local YMCA or […]
At the 2026 World Cup draw, FIFA Peace Prize recipient and U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the game should really be called “football.”
“There’s no question about it. We have to come up with another name for the NFL. It really doesn’t make any sense,” said Trump, an apparently new convert to the round-ball game.
For many dads, talking with their teenager about sex and relationships can feel like a minefield. Popular culture doesn’t provide many good examples of how to have these conversations, and many fathers didn’t have these conversations at all with their own father
We all depend on the advice of those we look up to, and many of us have been fortunate to receive meaningful words of wisdom from our dads. Our team recently asked Nice News readers to share some of that fatherly guidance they carry with them, and the responses came pouring in. Often profound, sometimes […]
This article was written by Rosemary Trout, an associate clinical professor of culinary arts and food science at Drexel University, for The Conversation — a nonprofit news organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge of researchers and scientists, under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here. My mother loves butter. It is the primary […]
In the age of artificial intelligence, you couldn’t be blamed for suspecting the photo above was created by a ChatGPT user with a penchant for picnicking. Believe it or not, though, the basket-shaped office building is indeed real — and it’s on the market for $8.5 million.
“Why is it that the best ideas seem to come to me in the shower?” a Reddit user pondered a few years back, concluding that there’s just “something magical” about standing under a soothing stream of water when it comes to creativity. While magic isn’t the correct explanation — nor is another user’s cheeky but […]
Late last month, dozens of kids and their grandparents set up camp in Southern California’s Dos Picos County Park for a weekend of arts and crafts, s’mores, games, and nature. They were partaking in a free annual “gramping” event run by officials in San Diego County, where some 18,000 grandparents are raising their grandchildren. The […]
Picture this all-too-familiar scenario: You send a heartfelt text to your crush and excitedly watch those response bubbles appear on the screen — but then they vanish, only to be followed by hours of silence. By the time the object of your affection does reply, you’re already devastated, because clearly, you tell yourself, they don’t feel […]
A team of volunteer divers removing abandoned fishing nets from the Strait of Sicily last month came face-to-face with an adult great white shark. One crew member filmed the encounter, and the resulting recording — released Monday in honor of World Oceans Day — is thought to be the first underwater footage of the species in the Mediterranean.
With 104 matches in 16 stadiums across Canada, the United States, and Mexico, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be soccer’s biggest event ever.
It’s our job as turfgrass researchers hired by FIFA, the game’s governing body, to make sure those pitches feel the same for players and that the grass thrives.
Everything feels a little enchanted under the moonlight, and planting your own moon garden full of night-blooming flowers is a wonderful way to conjure up even more of that magic. “A moon garden is extremely romantic and an underserved part of garden cultivation,” Amy McCord, certified floral designer and founder of Flower Moxie, told Nice […]
It’s been a banner year for Arsenal, the soccer club based in North London: The men’s team was crowned England’s champion last month, their first Premier League title since 2004, and the women’s team won the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup in February. But today we’re cheering for a different type of goal from the athletes.
Unicef recently released its latest report on child well-being, and the Netherlands (which routinely ranks among the happiest countries in the world) took the No. 1 spot for mental health. The results spurred a crop of articles discussing why that may be — is it the autonomy Dutch kids have? The ban on phones in […]
It can be scary at first: You may feel as though eating out by yourself will invite judgmental stares from other diners, or that a solo beach day could create too much time alone with your thoughts. But as much as we tout the benefits of relationships and community, engaging in solo activities can be […]
Physical activity is one of the most powerful health tools people have to improve mood, energy and sleep, even after just a few sessions. But the real superpower of an active lifestyle is what it can do for health and quality of life over time.
Coastal Dubrovnik in southeastern Croatia was originally founded over 1,400 years ago, but one demographic that’s been there for centuries had nothing to do with its incorporation. The city is home to a thriving stray cat community, and likely has been since the Middle Ages. Today, photos of Dubrovnik’s felines are all over social media, […]
A young boy who went viral in 2020 after his dad re-created a tear-jerking movie moment on his first day of school has finally met his Hollywood heroes — on the red carpet. Vinny Donnelly was just 4 when proud dad Sean Donnelly lined up his son’s favorite toys at the front door to see him off, a sweet nod to the emotional goodbye scene from Toy Story 3.
Most of us strive to be good-natured, polite, and helpful. But habitually putting others’ happiness ahead of your own might make you a people pleaser — and it could cost you more than you realize. People-pleasing is a defense mechanism that’s rooted in fear, not altruism, per Londyn Miller, a New York City-based psychotherapist and […]
This article was written by Moncef Krarti, a professor of civil, environmental, and architectural engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, for The Conversation — a nonprofit news organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge of researchers and scientists, under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here. Somewhere between 5% and 7% of U.S. households have rooftop solar […]
The article was written in partnership with Comvita. There’s something quietly powerful about a single flower. Plant one in a sunny corner of your yard, tuck a few seeds into a window box, or scatter a wildflower mix along a fence line, and you’ve done more than add a splash of color to your day. […]
Summer is around the corner (anyone else already counting down the days?), and the season is ideal for reaping the many rewards that come with spending time outdoors. But longer days in warmer temps can be a recipe for sun damage, making proper protection immensely important.
Hollywood loves a superpower. Not all involve capes or cosmic rays. Some are cognitive: characters who can remember everything. In movies and on TV, viewers repeatedly encounter those with extraordinary minds who glance once at a page, a room or a face – and later recreate every detail with surgical precision.
If you’re looking at the social media feed for #softlife, you might assume the trend is solely focused on curating aesthetic peaceful experiences: With nearly 200 million views on TikTok, the hashtag is populated with videos of people enjoying things like candlelit baths and working by the gently lapping ocean. But truly embracing a soft […]
Calling all candy lovers: Have you ever tried pear drops or humbugs? The 1820s-era treats aren’t staples at the average U.S. candy store, but at The Oldest Sweet Shop in Pateley Bridge, England, they’ve been some of the establishment’s bestsellers for nearly 200 years.
Whether you’re planning a weekend hike, deciding what to wear to work or preparing your home for severe storms, the weather forecast is essential. You might instinctively grab your smartphone and check an app for an instant weather update.
In an eastern suburb of Syracuse, New York, this past Saturday, excited athletes swarmed the newly completed Carrier Park Superfield of Dreams. With seven turf fields, a special needs playground, and a basketball court, it’s the largest ADA-compliant athletic complex on the East Coast. The complex is now the permanent home of the Syracuse Challengers, […]
With the United States’ 250th anniversary just over six weeks away, it’s a landmark time for the nation — and the National Trust for Historic Preservation is honoring the milestone with this year’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Announced today, the 2026 sites reflect the Declaration of Independence’s principle that all people […]
Residents of Totnes, England, don’t have to go far to experience a safari — they can see an array of exotic “wildlife” just by driving through local streets. That’s thanks to artist Malcolm Curley, who’s installed over 300 handmade animal sculptures in and around town.
When Dylan Sadiq was 21, he emptied his savings account on something his mother (perhaps understandably) considered a completely frivolous expense — not an Xbox or closet full of Nikes but rather 600 individually wrapped Rubik’s Cubes. “It was a few thousand dollars,” he recounted with a laugh on a recent call with Nice News. […]
“Describe yourself in such-and-such number of words” is a common directive and near-impossible task, made all the more difficult the lower that number gets. But Erin Weed has no trouble condensing the human essence into a single phrase — she does it on a daily basis. Weed is the creator of The Dig, a methodology […]
As a linguistics professor, I’m often asked why English is decaying before our eyes, whether it’s “like” being used promiscuously, t’s being dropped deleteriously, or “literally” being deployed nonliterally.
A team of scientists has been hard at work at a U.K. laboratory developing a vaccine against a strain of hantavirus, the virus family at the center of the recent deadly outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship.
When the last animal of its kind dies, more is lost than that species alone: Earth is a vast interconnected web of ecosystems, and biodiversity is its lifeblood. Akin to the idea of a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil and setting off a tornado in Texas, a specific type of butterfly flapping its collective […]
A grieving dad ascended the tallest mountains in Scotland, England, and Wales wearing a vest the weight of his late daughter, so he could carry her with him every step of the way.
This spring, Nice News is partnering with Every Mother Counts for our Cause of the Season — a quarterly fundraising initiative spotlighting nonprofits making the world a better place. Click here to donate, and read on to learn more about the organization. Every day around the globe, more than 700 women die from pregnancy, childbirth, […]
Lauren Paul and Molly Thompson are the co-founders of Kind Campaign, a nonprofit that brings awareness and healing to the negative effects of bullying on school-age kids. At the end of the day, every mother wants the same thing: to raise a good human. To watch her child move through the world with a heart […]
Scott Endersby had his right leg amputated in 2018 after a motorcycle accident. But in 2025, the IT technician became the first person to ever be crowned the world’s, Britain’s, and England’s Strongest Disabled Man in the same year — and now, he’s setting his sights on the Paralympics.
As the medical world catches up to the current cultural moment, women are enjoying greater access to menopause-specific health care than ever before. In turn, fitness programs tailored to menopausal women are becoming more prevalent as well. When women’s hormones change — whether they’re shifting unpredictably during the pre- and perimenopausal years or dropping off […]
Do you have a mental health tool kit at the ready? Also called coping toolboxes, these are personalized collections of items, activities, and techniques that can help you self-soothe when you’re in a state of stress. “When we’re in our feelings, it can be difficult to think rationally about how to cope,” Stella Kimbrough, a […]
There are movie fans, and then there are movie superfans — the kind that bring elements from the imaginary world into the real world. Jon Fieldhouse is one of those people: He built the first-ever full-scale replica of the boat from Jaws, and tourists are traveling from around the globe to climb aboard.
England’s Banham Zoo has massively upgraded its animal care. For the first time, it brought a specialist mobile CT scanner on-site, allowing zoo residents to undergo scans that give veterinarians a better understanding of their health.
Most of us (all of us?) would agree that goods from small businesses just feel more special — a bonus given that shopping small supports local economies and creates jobs. Small businesses also often offer a touch more insight into what you're spending your money on, whether it’s something as practical as hand soap or as delightful as a flower-growing kit.
This article was originally written by Ed Chatterton for SWNS — the U.K.’s largest independent news agency, providing globally relevant original, verified, and engaging content to the world’s leading media outlets. A member of the internet’s favorite salamander species wound up quite far from its natural habitat, but was lucky enough to be discovered by […]
“My grandmothers cooked, if it was a good day or a bad day, if they were happy or if they were sad, they cooked. They loved on people with food,” Gary LeBlanc told Nice News on a phone call from Portsmouth, Virginia in mid-April. The career restaurateur and hotelier, whose family hails from New Iberia, […]
There’s a reason we crack jokes with our friends, buy tickets to comedy shows, and seek romantic partners with a solid sense of humor: It feels good to giggle. But while bursting into laughter provides temporary happiness, how else does it impact our lives? And do those feel-good moments translate to any tangible boons for […]
“Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Sweet Caroline,” make room — “Nessun Dorma” may soon join the ranks of go-to karaoke songs. Earlier this month, a video of creative arts teacher Benjamin Gillham performing the opera classic went viral, leading the producers of The Voice UK and Britain’s Got Talent to reach out.
If you’re itching to hit the pavement this summer, there’s perhaps no better year to take a spin on Route 66. In honor of the iconic highway turning 100, cities and towns across the U.S. are celebrating throughout 2026, with official national events kicking off tomorrow. Road trippers coasting along the famed thoroughfare won’t be […]
When Maria looked at herself in the mirror for the first time after her mastectomy, she stood very still. One hand rested on the bathroom counter. The other hovered near the flat space where her breast had been. The scar was raw and angry. The loss was quiet but enormous. Her body felt foreign.
Growing up in rural Kansas can be a vastly different experience than growing up in New York City, and not just in terms of geography. In a large nation like the U.S., the population differs widely in income levels, values, ideas, ethnicities, religions, languages, you name it. What’s perhaps more interesting than what we don’t […]
Meet Isambard Kitten Brunel: the beloved Oxford University library cat who keeps students company during their studies. Also known as Issy, the fluffy Siberian forest cat commutes by bus to the library at Lady Margaret Hall, one of the colleges at Oxford, alongside his owner, librarian Jamie Fishwick-Ford.
Nestled among towering pines and gushing geysers lies Yellowstone National Park’s most distinctive lodging, a historic hotel that marries human ingenuity with the raw beauty of nature. Old Faithful Inn, with its imposing stature and vibrant red doors, appears to be part log cabin and part cathedral — a haven for travelers seeking to commune […]
Alan Boddington was just a kid when he first took an interest in space after gazing at the moon through a brass telescope with his uncle. His fascination was further sparked when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission. “It was one of those things that your parents let you stay up for,” he told SWNS.
More than 110 million acres of land across the U.S. are protected in 806 federally designated wilderness areas — together an area slightly larger than the state of California. For the most part, these places have been left alone for decades, in keeping with the 1964 Wilderness Act’s directive that they be “untrammeled by man.”
On the Croft family farm in Lincolnshire, England, an ewe defied the odds by giving birth to a set of five healthy lambs earlier this month — a ”one-in-a-million” occurrence, some say.
“The only advice I can give to young people is the advice my mother gave to me, because I can’t think of anything better,” Jane Goodall shared from her seat under a tree in Arusha, Tanzania, last July. “She said, ‘Jane, if you really want to do something like this, you’re going to have to […]
