Would you voluntarily share the diaries of your youth with millions of strangers? Most would likely answer with an easy “no,” but Betsy Lerner thinks differently. Lerner, 65, has been filling diaries since she was a girl, and a few years ago decided to share some of her old entries on TikTok. Based on the reaction she got from her first video, she’s glad she did: “So many people said they connected with my diaries — about depression, loneliness, and figuring out who you are," Lerner told People magazine. “These are really big, common themes in your teens and 20s.” Watch some of the videos, filled with wise reflections on the triumphs and tribulations of being young.
Nice News Today
Today’s episode of Nice News Today is the last of Season 1! Thank you so much for tuning in over these last 12 weeks — and be sure to listen to the episode to learn all about the $1 million treasure hunt going on in the Canadian wilderness, plus plenty of other positive news stories.
Out of more than 5,500 submissions from 69 countries, the 11 winners of the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition have been selected — and the stunning shot above claimed the top spot in the Stars & Nebulae category. Captured by German photographers Julian Zoller, Jan Beckmann, Lukas Eisert, and Wolfgang Hummel, the image depicts the Great Hercules Cluster, one of the most striking globular clusters in the northern sky. The title of overall winner was awarded to an exceptionally detailed shot of the Andromeda Galaxy. Images of our galactic neighbor are nothing new, but “The Andromeda Core,” captured with a long focal-length telescope by China’s Weitang Liang, Qi Yang, and Chuhong Yu, highlights the structure of Andromeda’s central region and its surrounding stars. Check out that photo as well as some other highlights from the photo competition.
Together With International Living
Luxury Travel Secrets Revealed
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“Every New Home Matters”: Boston Is Turning Empty Offices Into Affordable Housing
Mayor Michelle Wu/ Facebook
It’s no secret that many offices emptied during the pandemic — and have stayed empty ever since. Rather than letting these spaces remain vacant, Boston has launched a program to turn underutilized downtown office buildings into much-needed affordable housing, and the first residents have already moved in. Initiated in 2023 by Mayor Michelle Wu, the program provides a tax deduction of up to 75% for up to 29 years as an incentive for developers to convert office spaces into residential units that meet both energy efficiency and affordability standards. Earlier this month, the initiative welcomed the inaugural tenants into its first building, where five floors of offices were converted into 15 apartments. This building is just the beginning: There are more than 800 units either under construction or in the pipeline. The vision is to transform a total of 1 million square feet by the end of next year in a bid to not only provide new affordable homes for over a thousand new residents, but also boost foot traffic and support the local economy. “Every new home matters,” the mayor said in a recent video about the program. “Every new family moving into Boston and getting involved in our community makes a huge difference.”
Environment
Dire Wolves Outgrow Gray Wolves in De-Extinction Breakthrough
Colossal Biosciences
ICYMI, the biotech company Colossal Biosciences announced it had successfully resurrected dire wolves from extinction in the spring. Just six months later, the engineered predators are already bigger than their modern-day relatives: gray wolves. “They’re growing rapidly,” Colossal’s chief animal officer Matt James told ScreenRant. “Right now the boys are north of 115 pounds, which in the context of an adult gray wolf, say in Yellowstone [National Park] … 100, 105 pounds is normal.” Named Khaleesi, Romulus, and Remus, the pups were created using DNA from a dire wolf’s 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull. And while they’ll always be the inaugural trio, the pack is unlikely to remain at just three. With a Dallas hub opening next month, James said the company plans to create more dire wolves. In other words, another “family” announcement may be on the horizon … stay tuned! See more pics of the current pack.
Global Good
🇸🇪 Hej! Welcome to the world’s first shopping mall selling only secondhand and repurposed goods (read more) 🇪🇹 This week, Ethiopia launched Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam, poised to power millions of homes (read more) 🇦🇺 The Great Koala National Park is set to open in Australia and protect over 12,000 of the furry marsupials (read more) 🏴 Every acute hospital in England now follows a patient safety rule inspired by a teen who died in 2021 (read more) 🇮🇹 A “beautiful” Roman helmet from an ancient sea battle was found in the Mediterranean — check it out (read more)
Something We Love
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*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate
Inspiring Story
The Pizza Man
Chris Kolstad, owner of Pizza Man in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, noticed people eating food from his pizzeria’s dumpster and asked them to stop — so he could offer them slices in proper boxes instead. “If you are that desperate for food, please come ask,” he wrote in a now-viral Facebook post. “If you are too embarrassed to ask, find a way to call us and ask if there is a way to leave a small cheese pizza outside the back door or something. You don’t even have to see us.” Since sharing the message in late July, Kolstad has received thousands of dollars in donations from compassionate community members and estimates he has helped nearly 100 people in need of a warm meal.
Photo of the Day
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
The rock sample you’re looking at here may help answer a question that has likely kept scientists (and the scientifically curious) up many a night: Was there ever life on Mars? In a recent study, scientists revealed this rock — discovered by NASA’s Perseverance rover in a dry riverbed in 2024 — contains organic compounds, such as iron phosphate and iron sulfide, which are key ingredients that could have supported ancient microbial life. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy said the finding is “the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars.” Watch a video showing how the river might have evolved over time.
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Up This Weekend
Emmy Awards: Revisit the list of nomineesfor the 77th Primetime Emmys, and tune in to CBS Sunday at 8 p.m. ET to see if your faves win
World Athletics Championships: Track and field veterans and up-and-comers alike will gather in Tokyo from Saturday through Sept. 21 for this international competition
Toy Story Rerelease: The beloved Pixar film is returning to theaters starting today in honor of its 30th anniversary — find a showtime near you
The Nice News merch collaboration with Because Weekend is all about celebrating optimism and making every day feel like the weekend. To help us spread that ethos beyond the inbox, shop our collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts here.
Odds & Ends
🌯 Burrito bowls are making their way to Asia 🌻 The tallest sunflower could reach the top of a 3-story home 💸 Ways to pocket some extra cash (without getting a second job)* 🐝 How many eyes do bees have? More than you probably think *Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate
Quote of the Day
“We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.”
