The Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage are making more headlines! The group of mostly silver-haired women has been diving for garbage in the waters off of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for about eight years now, and they were recently profiled in The New York Times. Nice News Staff Editor Rebekah Brandes interviewed founder Susan Baur early last year — read that article here.
“Musical Museum” Is a Pick-Me-Up for Patients With Dementia
Kristin Samuelson, Northwestern University
There’s a lot of talk about the benefits of engaging with the arts later in life — and Northwestern University is walking the walk with its Musical Museum. The innovative program for older adults with dementia features hourlong performances by pianists, harpists, singers, guitarists, and more, as well as lectures beforehand and receptions afterward, so concertgoers have a chance to chat about their shared experience. “We decided to call it a museum because we treat each piece of music as if it’s something that’s curated for a museum,” Borna Bonakdarpour, who helped develop the program and performs piano at many of the events, told Northwestern Now. He recently co-wrote a paper on the program’s benefits, noting that participants reported high satisfaction and significantly improved mood after the sessions. One attendee shared: “This program provided peace, relaxation, and occasionally a cathartic release of tears.” Another said it was a good way to “expand our contacts with individuals undergoing similar experiences.” This is no small thing, because even though dementia currently has no cure, previous research has found that social interaction can potentially ease some of the symptoms. “Music stays intact for a long time for dementia patients, so the Musical Museum is a very good way for them to emotionally regulate and provide intellectual and cognitive stimulation,” Bonakdarpour said, adding that it’s “creating joy and connection through art.”
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The CAKES Body Annual Summer Sale Is on
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After a Wildfire, Nevada Watershed Appears to Be Rebounding Quicker Than Expected
George Frey/Getty Images
After a wildfire, it’s not uncommon for affected rivers and streams to take a while (even decades) to recover. But that doesn’t seem to be the case in a remote stretch of Nevada. Less than three years after the 2023 Huntsman fire burned roughly 400 acres of vegetation near Silver City’s Virgin River watershed, the surrounding area already seems to be on the upswing, NPR reports. Native plants are returning, as are rare birds and fish. These visible signs of recovery are not by chance; rather, they’ve come following a concerted effort between federal agencies and conservation groups to strengthen the watershed that feeds into the Colorado River, a critical water source for millions across the Mountain West. Botanists and other specialists have spearheaded on-the-ground efforts to remove invasive species and replace them with native flora like cottonwoods, willows, and mesquite. Fencing has also been added to protect sensitive habitats from cattle. “When you do work like this, it’s very tangible,” Adria Surovy, a Western water specialist with the National Wildlife Federation, told the outlet. “You see the results. And this is something we can do to protect our community and make it more resilient for what’s to come.” Listen to the radio story.
Tech
Why Gen Z Is Falling in Love With Film Photography
bojanstory—E+/Getty Images
This article was written by Rotem Rozental, a lecturer in critical studies at the University of Southern California‘s Roski School of Art and Design, for The Conversation. 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. Digital cameras had taken over nearly all areas of photographic production. Film industry titans like Polaroid and Kodak had shrunk dramatically from their heyday, becoming shells of their former selves. Darkrooms, where students learned how to manually develop and print film, shuttered at high schools and college campuses across the country, replaced by digital labs. For most people, the spirit of analog photography was mainly channeled through Instagram filters. But within the past five years, younger people have been increasingly drawn to the old way of doing photography. Learn why.
In Other News
France banned social media for kids under 15, the first, but likely not the last, country in the EU to do so (read more)
A brain implant helped a man paralyzed from the chest down feed himself and drink from a cup again (read more)
Dino-mite effort: More than 2,000 volunteers are helping restore a 20-foot-long Mastodonsaurus skeleton (read more)
Frank Lloyd Wright’s protégé designed a mid-century modern home that just hit the market — see pics (read more)
This ornithologist wears a mama bird costume to give orphaned chicks the best chance at reentering the wild (read more)
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Inspiring Story
Unwavering optimism
It’s been a big summer for Fitz Davis. The 10-year-old from Texas recently rang the bell celebrating the end of his chemo treatment for a rare liver cancer. But before the good news, Fitz had already gone viral for sharing positive videos during his cancer journey to offer hope to others. “From the moment I found out I was diagnosed, I knew anybody in my shoes — grown-ups and kids — would be scared,” he said. “But I wasn’t.”
Photo of the Day
Katmai National Park and Preserve
We’re nearly two months out from Fat Bear Week, which means it’s time for the beefy brown bears at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve to gorge on as much salmon as they can get their paws on — or simply catch in their mouths. Watch the feasting ensue on the bear live cam, and keep your eyes peeled for last year’s champ, Chunk.
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