Must Reads

• A college golfer had not one but two holes in one on the same day

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• Take a ride through a “vintage car graveyard” in Germany

Science

Tiny Eye Implant Restores Vision in Patients With Irreversible Blindness for the First Time

More than 5 million people worldwide are impacted by geographic atrophy due to age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible blindness. There’s previously been no treatment for the condition — but in a new landmark trial, scientists restored vision to patients for the first time.
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It’s all thanks to PRIMA, a tiny eye implant half as thick as a human hair. When paired with augmented-reality glasses, the pioneering device is the first to enable people to read letters, numbers, and words with an eye that had lost its sight.
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“In the history of artificial vision, this represents a new era,” Mahi Muqit, who led the U.K. arm of the trial, said in a news release. “Blind patients are actually able to have meaningful central vision restoration, which has never been done before. Getting back the ability to read is a major improvement in their quality of life, lifts their mood, and helps to restore their confidence and independence.” Learn more about the breakthrough (and see the tiny device).

Together With Surf Lakes

Topgolf’s Former President Has an Even Bigger Idea

Troy Warfield knows how to scale a sport. As President of Topgolf International, he helped turn the concept into a global entertainment powerhouse, opening golf to millions of people who had never picked up a club before.
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Now he’s bringing that same expertise to Surf Lakes as CEO. The company’s patented 360° wave system can create 2,000 surfable rides per hour for beginners and professionals alike. This makes surfing accessible to anyone, anywhere — even far from the ocean.
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With licenses already signed across the U.S. and Australia, and the first commercial park moving toward construction, Surf Lakes is primed to expand worldwide. You have just a few days left: Invest in Surf Lakes before the opportunity ends Oct. 30.

This is a paid advertisement for Surf Lakes’ Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.surflakes.com.

Environment

What We Can Learn From Ants That Redesigned Their Nests to Slow Disease Transmission

It turns out we have tiny architectural experts scuttling through our parks, sidewalks, and backyards — and they may have a few things to teach us about how to prevent the spread of disease.
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The designers in question are ants, already known for their mighty strength, thriving social lives, and mind-boggling ability to build entire underground cities. And in a recent study out of the University of Bristol, researchers identified the insects as the first-known social species other than humans to alter their social spaces to combat disease transmission.
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To figure this out, the team introduced two groups of 180 black garden ants to containers filled with soil, and gave them one day to begin forming their nests. Then they added 20 ants to each nest, having previously exposed one of these groups to spores of Metarhizium brunneum, a disease-causing fungus. Over the following six days, the researchers used a 3D-scanning technique called micro-CT to compare how the healthy and infected ants dug their nests.
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Their findings? The insects exposed to the fungus made several architectural changes: They expanded their nests more quickly, widened the gaps between entrances, and lengthened travel routes, which helped separate healthy and diseased individuals, even at the cost of efficiency. All of these modifications were found to minimize transmission and protect areas where young ants and food stores were kept. According to the authors, the changes “highlighted a synergy between architectural and behavioral responses to disease.”

Culture

New Exhibit Offers Rare Look at Renoir’s Creative Process

With soft brushstrokes, lush landscapes, and charming scenes of women, Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s work has a distinctive look. The French painter is known as one of the leaders of the 19th-century impressionist movement, but this fall, a museum in New York City is focusing on a different side of his creativity.
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An exhibit called “Renoir Drawings” at the Morgan Library & Museum features 100 of the artist’s works on paper, including lesser-known informal sketches alongside some of his finished art. It marks the first major showcase of his drawings since 1921, offering a rare window into Renoir’s artistic process.
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“Because they are works on paper, they are not exhibited permanently in any institution,” Colin Bailey, director of the Morgan and the exhibition’s curator, told The Guardian. “Having access to watercolors and pastels and red chalk and white chalk expands your knowledge of the artist. While these will seem very Renoir-esque, they will be less familiar.”
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Some highlights include Renoir’s preparatory sketches for masterpieces like “The Great Bathers” and “Dance in the Country.” Take a peek at some of the pieces on display at the museum through Feb. 8, 2026.

In Other News

1. The 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame nominees include Taylor Swift and David Byrne — see the complete list (read more)
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2. At age 80, Betty Kellenberger has become the oldest woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail (read more)
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3. An app that translates speech and text into sign language won a top award for African innovation (read more)
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4. Two Olympians set new world records at the 2025 Swimming World Cup in Toronto (read more)
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5. A baby Asian elephant just made history at an Ohio zoo — see the 222-pound calf (read more)

Something We Love

Lingua Franca x PBS Collection
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​This one’s for the kids who grew up on Arthur, Mister Rogers, and Sesame Street — specifically those who are now adults with an appreciation for unique, high-quality knitwear. PBS teamed up with New York-based fashion brand Lingua Franca for a line of sweaters and sweatshirts bearing the station’s iconic retro logo (as well as some pieces with cute sayings like “PBS nerd” and “stay curious”). Bonus: 20% of every sale goes toward keeping PBS “free, accessible, and independent.”
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​– Ally Mauch, Associate Editor

Inspiring Story

Sibling goals

Iowa siblings Millie and Krish Sethi are on a mission to ensure everyone has a first aid kit. With help from local businesses and community donations, the brother and sister pack the kits one by one in their basement and donate them to low-income families. So far, they’ve donated 1,500 kits and are already eyeing the next milestone. “We want to donate more, maybe hit that 2,000 mark if we can in the next year,” said Millie.

Photo of the Day

Jacaranda trees are in full bloom in Sydney right now, bringing a photogenic pop of purple to the streets a bit earlier than usual due to a mix of heavy rain and hot days. We can practically smell the floral breeze from here.

Horizon IX: A Game-Changing Innovation in Hearing

Research shows that quality hearing intervention can boost cognitive performance by nearly 50% over three years. Meet Horizon IX by hear.com — the discreet, German-engineered hearing aid that can enhance your brain’s processing ability. Its dual-processing technology separates speech from background noise, so you can enjoy effortless conversation and foster deeper connections. Click below to see if you qualify for a 45-day free trial.

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Odds & Ends

👶 Deciphering the mysteries of toddlers
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🥐 Steak frites croissant, anyone?
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☀️ Chuck Norris swears this is the key to healthy aging*
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🐶 The connection between pups and the supernatural
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​*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate

Quote of the Day

“Everything is waiting for you.”

– DAVID WHYTE