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Tuesday • February 13, 2024
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It’s Mardi Gras! The annual event, also called Fat Tuesday, is associated with king cakes, colorful beads, and, of course, New Orleans. But it wasn’t always that way — America’s very first Mardi Gras was celebrated in Mobile, Alabama, in 1703. About 15 years later, once New Orleans was established, the holiday became popular in the Louisiana city, which nowadays begins celebrating more than a full month in advance. See photos from festivities over the years in Mobile, New Orleans, and other U.S. locales.
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Valentine’s Day can be lonely for many — here’s how to find joy on your own
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Hear from historians and museum curators about some lesser-known events that are important to Black history in the U.S.
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Science
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| Charles Darwin’s Library Unveiled in Its Entirety for the First Time |
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Art Images/ Hulton Fine Art Collection via Getty Images |
Following his death in 1882, the contents of Charles Darwin’s “vast” library were dispersed — some items were recorded, others lost to history. But for 18 years now, a project called Darwin Online has been working to gather a complete, virtual collection of what the famed scientist had in his arsenal.
It was previously thought that his library contained 1,480 books, but Darwin Online just unveiled the full catalog, and it contains 7,350 titles across 13,000 volumes and items. In an introduction to the project, academic John van Wyhe writes that this 300-page list “is an indispensable tool for scholars, scientists, students, and the history of Victorian science,” adding that Darwin had “one of the most extensive and important private scientific libraries of the 19th century.”
In addition to proving the depth and breadth of Darwin’s research, van Wyhe told The Guardian that the library is full of surprises showing “how insanely eclectic Darwin was.”
“There is this vast sea of things which might be an American or German news clipping about a duck or invasive grasshoppers,” he said. “That’s been the fun part, not the formal books but the other things … all of which pool together to make the theories and publications we all know.”
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How Subaru Is Spreading Warmth This Winter
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February is already associated with all things love, so it’s only natural that it’s also Subaru Loves to Help® month. This year, the automaker — known for supporting worthy causes through their Love Promise vision — is joining forces with Operation Warm® to help more than 150,000 children in urgent need across the country.
As its largest automotive supporter, Subaru is expanding the nonprofit’s reach and connecting local Subaru retailers to help children receive brand-new coats, shoes, and socks this winter. The kids are able to personally pick out their own items in the colors and styles they love, which makes them feel more confident and impacts their emotional well-being.
For more information about the Subaru Loves to Help initiative, click below and follow #SubaruLovestoHelp.
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*Please support our sponsors! They help us keep Nice News free. ♡
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Animals
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| “One of the World’s Most Unusually Colored Dolphins” Spotted in Australia |
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SaintM Photos/ iStock
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Scientists in Australia have recorded a sighting of a unique-looking marine mammal — and its name lives up to its appearance. Speckles, a bottlenose dolphin spotted in Queensland’s Hervey Bay in September 2022, has a rare skin condition called piebaldism, defined by patchy coloration (or “speckles”).
“Piebaldism is similar to albinism and leucism, where the animals typically have white skin, feathers or fur, whereas piebaldism is a partial-loss of pigmentation so the individuals show this patchy colouration,” Alexis Levengood, who co-authored a recent study on Speckles, said in a press release that described the animal as “one of the world’s most unusually colored dolphins.”
“It’s an exciting discovery, as to date, there are no documented sightings of any atypically colored dolphins in Australian waters,” the behavioral ecologist explained, adding that there have been cases in other cetaceans, including whales.
The researchers hope to see Speckles again, as the swimmer’s distinctive look can help them better understand the ecology, genetics, behavior, and health of dolphins in the region.
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Environment
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| 9 US States Sign Heat Pump Agreement to Fight Climate Change |
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Moritz Frankenberg/ picture alliance via Getty Images
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Nine states from coast to coast are working together to curb climate change and carbon pollution. The states — California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island — signed an agreement last week setting a shared goal to have heat pumps meet at least 65% of residential-scale heating, air conditioning, and water heating shipments by 2030 and 90% by 2040.
Heat pumps run on electricity, meaning they can be powered by renewable energy sources, and they’re more efficient than traditional heating and cooling systems, meaning they’re better for the environment and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions. The recent agreement also previously received industry buy-in, including from some of the country’s largest HVAC manufacturers.
“Heat pumps and building electrification is really the future for healthier homes and a thriving green economy,” Serena McIlwain, Maryland’s secretary of environment, said in a statement. “This multi-state partnership will help Maryland meet its ambitious climate goals and strengthen a coalition of states for cleaner air and better health outcomes.”
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In Other News
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Inspiring Stories
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“The tiniest basketball fan”
Paige Conkle captured the cutest video of her 2-year-old son excitedly reacting to a play at a basketball game in Alabama.
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Living the dream
Joan Harris, Elsie Webb, Sylvia Crane, and Mary Grace Tassone have known each other since high school. Now in their 80s, they all live together, earning them comparisons to the Golden Girls. “It’s very important to me to know that I still have these three wonderful women around me,” said Crane.
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Post of the Day
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@hwinkler4real
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Speaking of classic sitcoms, any Happy Days fans here? Henry Winkler recently reunited with co-star Ron Howard at Winkler’s book signing event in Sydney, Australia. The duo played Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli and Richie Cunningham, respectively, on the 1970s TV show. “We connected backstage and I watched him give a great speech to a huge crowd. What a blast!” Howard wrote of their reunion on X, formerly Twitter. Check out the selfie they took. (Photo Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/ Moviepix via Getty Images)
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Spreading Love, the Subaru Way
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Families experiencing hardship spend more than 80% of their income on essential needs like food, shelter, child care, and health care, with little left over for other necessities such as coats, socks, and shoes. Learn how Subaru is working with Operation Warm to help deliver those items to more than 150,000 children in urgent need across the country.
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*Please support our sponsors! They help us keep Nice News free. ♡
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Quote of the Day
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| “You don’t have to move mountains. Simply fall in love with life. Be a tornado of happiness, gratitude, and acceptance. You will change the world just by being a warm, kind-hearted human being.”
- Anita Krizzan
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