Must Reads

• ​This author went from nearly giving up writing to penning 2025’s sleeper hit

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• Practical tips for saving money on groceries and making food stretch for longer periods

Health

Coffee May Curb the Risk of Irregular Heartbeats, Study Finds

Perk up, coffee lovers! Contrary to conventional wisdom, a recent study found that drinking a cup of joe a day may protect the heart against atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, a common irregular heart rhythm condition that can lead to stroke, blood clots, and heart failure.
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“The results were astounding,” first author Christopher X. Wong said in a statement. For the study — ironically dubbed DECAF (Does Eliminating Coffee Avoid Fibrillation?) — researchers followed 200 adults with A-fib over six months. Half of the participants consumed at least one cup of caffeinated coffee or espresso each day, while the other half abstained from caffeine.
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After monitoring the group via electrocardiograms, researchers found that the java drinkers had a 39% lower risk of recurrent A-fib episodes than those who avoided coffee. While the why is still unclear, senior author Gregory Marcus told NBC News that caffeine might help by stimulating the body’s adrenaline response, since A-fib episodes are often reported during relaxed states when adrenaline levels are low.
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Whatever the reason, the findings point to one thing latte lovers can likely get behind: “Based on these results, coffee-drinking patients with [A-fib] can safely continue to enjoy their coffee,” said Wong.

Together With Pendulum

The Powerful Probiotic Halle Berry Swears By for Better Gut Health

There are a lot of probiotics on the market. Some are okay. A few are great. But truthfully, most don’t do much. Enter Pendulum, the game-changing probiotic that could transform your gut health thanks to its foundational strain, Akkermansia muciniphila.
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Pendulum’s Akkermansia formula supercharges your gut health, improves gut lining, and boosts metabolic and digestive capabilities, all while naturally increasing GLP-1 production.* This powerhouse probiotic is so good, even Halle Berry swears by it. Ready to feel the difference for yourself? Nice News readers get 20% off your first membership order.

*Based on preclinical studies. Not intended for weight loss.

Sports

How 6-Man Football Is Keeping a Small Texas Town’s Spirit Alive

If Friday Night Lights taught us anything, it’s that many Texas communities are completely devoted to their high school football teams. But what happens if the local school is too small to get 11 players on the field? That’s where six-man football comes in: In the town of Gordon (population 500), high schoolers play a downsized version of the sport that brings a significant morale boost to residents.
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According to coach Mike Reed, it’s no less exciting than the traditional game. “It’d be like watching a basketball game with football pads on,” he told CBS News. “It’s very, very, very fast. It’s very, very high scoring.” Six-man is played on a shorter field, with field goals worth four points, and each player shifts between offense, defense, and special teams. But though the teams are small, they still get the support of cheer squads, drumlines, and enthusiastic fans in the stands.
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And this setup is gaining popularity in rural Texas: While the state only held around 80 six-man teams in the ’90s, it now boasts more than 230. It gives community members a sense of pride and identity, a lineup of social events, and a reason to set differences aside. “I feel like it’s what brings people together,” said one Gordon spectator. “In a world where it’s so divided, it’s like one thing we can get behind is six-man football, and that’s exactly what we do every week.”

Environment

“Something to Be Celebrated”: A Critically Endangered Rhino Calf Was Born in the Wild

When rangers in the Chyulu Hills of southeastern Kenya spotted small rhino tracks following in the footsteps of an adult earlier this year, it was a hopeful sign that a baby rhino had been born in the region. But it wasn’t until several months later that camera traps confirmed a new (darling) eastern black rhino calf had indeed joined a very small, vulnerable population that was nearly wiped out in the region due to poaching.
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“For such a small population, every calf and every new birth is a really big deal and something to be celebrated,” Amy Baird, director of a wildlife conservation nonprofit that’s monitoring the new addition, told ABC News, noting the Chyulu population is now up to nine.
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As for whether the calf is a boy or a girl, the jury’s still out. Baird said the animal is “usually hiding behind its mom,” making photo confirmation difficult. But the important thing is that researchers know it’s healthy and active. “Every time we see it, it’s moving around and being joyful — acting like you would think a cute little baby rhino would,” she said. See more pics of the calf and mama.

Global Good

🇳🇱 In one Dutch suburb, residents dedicate at least half of their properties to growing food (read more)
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​🇬🇧 A British wildflower photo competition unveiled its inaugural winners — see the blooms (read more)
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🇸🇩 This Sudanese doctor won a $1 million prize for his “extraordinary courage” in providing care amid war (read more)
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​🇸🇪 While digging for worms, a Swedish fisherman stumbled upon 13 pounds of treasure from the Middle Ages (read more)
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🇨🇭 Napoleon Bonaparte’s lost diamond brooch fetched $4.4 million at a Swiss auction (read more)

Inspiring Story

How kids saved a WWII ship

Nicknamed the “Showboat,” Battleship North Carolina was one of World War II’s fiercest fighters — boasting 15 battle stars. But it would have gone to the scrapyard in the 1960s if not for the schoolchildren who went all hands on deck to save it, dime by dime. Hear more about the heartwarming rescue.​

Photo of the Day

The end of an era: After more than two centuries, the U.S. Mint has halted the production of new pennies (what you’re looking at here is the very last penny produced). If you have a piggy bank full of the copper coins, rest assured that they will remain legal tender, but here are some other ways you can use or get rid of them now that they’re being phased out.

Take Care of Your Gut With Pendulum

Scientists from Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Berkeley, and Stanford figured out that Akkermansia is a beneficial strain for improved gut health. And now, Pendulum has pioneered its use in a probiotic supplement recommended by more than 16,000 medical professionals. This one-of-a-kind formula strengthens the gut lining, improves metabolic health, and boosts GLP-1 production* so you feel your best every day.

*Based on preclinical studies. Not intended for weight loss.

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Up This Weekend

1. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Is Free: For Saturday and Sunday only, Apple TV+ is offering the classic Peanuts holiday special at no cost (subscribers can watch it any time)
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2. 2025 Deaflympics: From tomorrow through Nov. 26, the 2025 Deaflympics are taking place in Tokyo, with thousands of athletes expected to compete and celebrate the international event’s centennial
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3. London Jazz Festival: London Town will be taken over by the sounds of saxophones and trumpets for the next week or so — and the jazz clubs might be filled with a surprisingly youthful audience​
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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.

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Odds & Ends

💤 Why slumber parties shouldn’t just be for kids
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🦴 The key to finding this Chihuahua a home? Speaking Spanish
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💧 LifeStraw Home filters out 30+ water contaminants (including microplastics), and looks good doing it*
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🕷️ Some sneaky spiders build their own doppelgangers​
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​*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate

Quote of the Day

“Over the long term, the future is decided by optimists.”

– KEVIN KELLY