How do you start your mornings? If you’re like the majority of Americans, you probably head to the coffee machine or your favorite cafe for a good ol’ cup of joe. But there’s a new trend that has people scaling back. The Wall Street Journal notes that skipping coffee is the new “humblebrag,” citing a range of A-listers — from Steven Spielberg to Mark Cuban and Mindy Kaling — who abstain from the caffeinated beverage. Dig into some of the reasons for quitting and learn about the many other drinks people rely on instead.
Calling all digital nomads: These countries have visas for you
Tech
College Students Invented a Leaf Blower That’s 40% Quieter and Just as Powerful
WILL KIRK / JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
Waking up at the crack of dawn to the sound of a noisy leaf blower is an unfortunate and all-too-common experience, which is what makes a new invention out of Johns Hopkins University so universally exciting. A team of the school’s engineering students created a leaf blower that’s nearly 40% quieter, while still maintaining functionality. Their innovative solution involved deconstructing the complex sound produced by leaf blowers and finding a way to mitigate the most irritating aspects. They settled on an attachment that acts akin to a muffler on a car — reducing noise without compromising the blower’s airflow and power. “The noise is deeper,” team member Leen Alfaoury said in a demonstration video. “It is not screechy. There’s no high pitch sound that is, like, really annoying to hear.” Best of all, their invention could soon make its way into garages and sheds across the country: The design is patent-pending and Stanley Black & Decker is planning to manufacture and distribute the product within two years.
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Humanity
Man Living With ALS Bikes 400 Miles Across Death Valley to Raise Awareness
Courtesy of DelcandELA
Temperatures in Death Valley, the vast swath of desert straddling California and Nevada, regularly exceed 100 degrees during spring and summer — not the kind of weather that invites semi-strenuous physical activity like bicycling. But for 60-year-old Jaime Lafita, who recently completed a nine-day, 400-mile ride across the area, the imposing climate was part of the draw. Lafita was diagnosed with ALS in 2016. Three years later, he started a nonprofit called DalecandELA in his native Spain, a name that roughly translates to “rock on” or “ride on,” to promote awareness of the neurodegenerative disease. Through sponsored bike rides and other events, the organization has raised and donated over $450,000 for research and to individuals living with the condition. The location of this year’s ride had a special meaning: It represents the notorious wasteland between lab research and drug development, a stage in which many biomedical projects fade away due to lack of funds. “Death Valley clicked on my mind the moment I heard a researcher mention the term ‘valley of death’ as the hazard research projects find when trying to become a drug,” Lafita tells Nice News. “So the metaphoric challenge was evident, and the power of Death Valley, the iconic name, and the extreme nature of the place gathered all the ingredients to represent a challenge to draw awareness.” Hear more from Lafita and watch a video from his ambitious ride.
Culture
Taxes Are Funding Free Child Care for Low-Income Families in New Orleans
As the proverb goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Many families in New Orleans had their villages expanded with the help of a property tax increase that funded more than 1,000 child care seats for low-income families last year. The city-sponsored program, called City Seats, provides free, high-quality day care to residents of Orleans Parish with children under age 4 and incomes within 0%-200% of the poverty level. According to the Associated Press, the program is part of a growing trend to make child care more accessible, so parents can pursue careers and education and maintain overall more stable and healthier lives. “It actually paved the way for me to go to school,” said Derrika Richard, a mother who has three children under the age of 3 enrolled. She added that the program“changed my life.” Funds from the tax, which voters approved in 2022, are also helping the caregivers. One daycare chain, Wilcox Academy, has been able to raise the average hourly staff rate to $18. “Teachers deserve it,” said founder and director Rochelle Wilcox. “They deserve to go on vacation, they deserve to buy a home, they deserve to buy a car. … This is not a luxury.”
In Other News
A new neural implant is the first to translate brain activity into two languages, English and Spanish.
(P)love is in the air: Imani, Chicago’s beloved piping plover bachelor, may have found love on one of the city’s beaches.
Dolly Partonannounced a new concert project that will tell her life story through a multimedia symphonic experience next year.
The world’s most expensive feather, from a bird that went extinct over a century ago, sold at a New Zealand auction for over $28,000.
Something We Love
King Arthur Baking Company Bagel Molds Making your own bagels is easier than you think, and these silicone molds set you up for delicious success every time. Simply press a ball of dough over the mold to get the perfect bagel shape, then easily pull it out of boiling water or off a baking sheet with the long tip. The silicone helps create a chewy texture and crispy crust, just like the neighborhood deli.
Recommendations are independently selected by our team but may result in a commission to Nice News which helps keep our content free.
Inspiring Story
“Not just a number”
Triplets Gabriella, Isabella, and David Zelenchuk were born prematurely in 2006 and spent time in the NICU at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Ahead of their high school graduation, they reunited with the hospital staffers who cared for them. “I always tell families, ‘I’m never going to forget you.’ They’re not just a number here. They’re someone important to me,” nurse Jennifer Kirby-Cencarik said.
Photo of the Day
Jacob W. Frank / NPS
With Memorial Day weekend travel shaping up to be the busiest in nearly 20 years, we’re betting that quite a few of you will be spending some time sitting in traffic. But your rush hour probably won’t be caused by a herd of bison, as was the situation for this car in Yellowstone National Park. We’d choose the majestic animals over fellow vehicles any day!
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