Must Reads

• Your TBR pile just got bigger: The finalists for the National Book Awards are in
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• A monarch butterfly was gifted a second chance to fly, thanks to clever wing transplant

Health

In a First, California Will Phase Out Some Ultraprocessed Foods From School Meals

This week, California became the first state in the nation to pass a law that phases out — and eventually bans — ultraprocessed foods from public school meals.
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The historic legislation, Assembly Bill 1264, aims to reduce “ultraprocessed foods of concern” in school-provided breakfasts and lunches by 2029 and eliminate them entirely by 2035. As for what makes something ultraprocessed, the new law covers that too, defining the category as food and beverages that contain one or more additives (e.g., stabilizers, thickeners, colorings, or nonnutritive sweeteners), as well as high levels of saturated fat, salt, or added sugar.
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“It’s a movement that should unite all of us, regardless of political stripes,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said of the bill, which passed with bipartisan support at a signing ceremony in Los Angeles, per NBC News.
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“There’s really a growing awareness, particularly among millennial parents like myself, about how what we feed our kids is not important just to their physical health, but also so deeply connected to their mental health and their emotional well-being,” state Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who introduced the legislation, told the outlet. “We have a lot of parents like me in the Legislature, and it turns out that whether they’re Democrat or Republicans or conservative or progressive, parents want the same thing.”

Together With Surf Lakes

This Technology Makes Every City a Potential Surf Destination

Topgolf revolutionized golf by turning it into a social, tech-driven game for anyone. And it’s made billions in annual revenue doing it. Surf Lakes is applying that same model to surfing. The company’s patented tech creates 2,000 ocean-quality rides per hour, anywhere in the world, across all skill levels.
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Surf tourism is a $65 billion global industry, yet fewer than 1% of people live near real waves. Surf Lakes licenses have been sold across the U.S. and Australia, with plans for a first commercial park in the works.
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Three-time world champ Tom Curren and surf icon Mark Occhilupo have joined as ambassadors and shareholders, and even actor Chris Hemsworth has praised Surf Lakes. You have until Oct. 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT to invest in Surf Lakes.​

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

Culture

Digital Pianos Are Striking a Chord With a New Generation of Musicians

If you’re into John Legend, Elton John, or Alicia Keys, you know there’s nothing quite like the sound of an expertly played piano. But if you look at the statistics, you’ll see the instrument isn’t exactly in its heyday, as piano sales in the U.S. have declined significantly over the last century, from an estimated 306,584 units sold in 1925 to around 17,000 in 2024.
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Here’s the good news: Just because classic pianos aren’t selling like they used to, doesn’t mean the music they make is going out of style — the instrument is simply in its digital era.
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Smaller, more affordable, and convenient, digital models are becoming a gateway for today’s generation of musicians, a shift opening doors for artists to develop new skills, piano technician Hannah Beckett told CBS News. She explained that learning on a digital piano offers a consistency that can be helpful for beginners: “You’re going to have accurate sounds, accurate notes, the keys are going to go up and down.”
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And while digital may serve as a useful starting point, the hope is that players eventually find their way back to the traditional piano. “At some point, you’re going to start looking for musicality, for emotional expression, for shaping phrasing, for some of the things more advanced musicians are interested in,” Beckett said, adding, “We’re going to see a resurgence of piano playing. I think we’re all kind of weary of screens at this point.”

Environment

When 2 Islands Eradicated Their Invasive Rat Populations, Something Amazing Happened

Two remote islands in the North Pacific had a problem any city dweller can likely relate to: rats. For centuries, these rodents wreaked havoc on the ecosystems of Bikar Atoll and Jemo Islet, both part of the Marshall Islands. But a recent restoration effort successfully eradicated the invasive rat populations, delivering rat bait via drones in 2024.
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When researchers with the nonprofit Island Conservation returned a year later, they saw something amazing: Native seabird populations had rebounded, including sooty terns, crested terns, brown noddies, and even a previously unrecorded Christmas shearwater on Bikar. Thousands of native tree seedlings appeared where none had been the year prior. “[Species] that were undetectable before, because they were so suppressed by the rats, were reappearing,” Paul Jacques, a project manager with Island Conservation, told CNN.
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The ripple effect extends beyond the animals themselves. With more seabirds come more droppings, returning vital nutrients to the soil, enriching plant life, and benefiting surrounding reefs, thus rebuilding the island’s food web. These restored natural resources are also renewing hope for local communities to sustain their hunting and gathering traditions.
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The goal now? Keep the islands clear of rats with minimal involvement. “These islands are places to be left alone to regenerate by themselves,” said Jacques. See more photos of the revived, rat-free islands.​

Global Good

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Oh my gourd! Twin brothers from the U.K. smashed the record for the heaviest and largest pumpkin (read more)
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🇨🇭 Switzerland inaugurated the world’s first furnaces producing fully recycled steel via solar energy (read more)
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🇲🇽 Women in Mexico are reviving an ancient Aztec farming tradition, and breaking gender norms along the way (read more)
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🇧🇩 “Floating schools” bring classrooms to students in flood-prone regions of Bangladesh (read more)
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🇦🇷 Southern right whales are making a comeback off the coast of Argentina’s Patagonia region (read more)

Inspiring Story

More than remembering

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British wildlife photographer Margot Raggett wanted to do more than document endangered animals; she also wanted to help protect them. So she started the “Remembering Wildlife” project, producing photography books that raise funds for endangered species like elephants, cheetahs, polar bears, and tigers. Since its founding in 2015, the project has not only raised over $1.58 million to support 80 conservation initiatives across 34 countries, but it’s also shown many readers “what we stand to lose,” Raggett said. You can pre-order her latest book, 10 Years of Remembering Wildlife.

Photo of the Day

It’s showtime! The 69th BFI London Film Festival kicked off this week with the much-anticipated third Knives Out movie, starring Daniel Craig as the ever eccentric and charming detective Benoit Blanc. But it was just one of many films playing at the event — we’re talking 247 movies from 79 countries. See a list of some of the headline titles.​

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Up This Weekend

1. World Mental Health Day: Today, Oct. 10, is World Mental Health Day — click here to tune in to a free, 30-minute meditation from UCLA in honor of the occasion
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2. Austin City Limits: This is the second weekend of the popular Texas music festival, featuring headliners Hozier, Sabrina Carpenter, and The Killers, among many other big acts
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3. Tiramisu World Cup: Taking things to a quirkier place, the Tiramisu World Cup is being held in Treviso, Italy, today through Sunday (and it has some exceptional merch)
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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

🎃 Boo! The Vegas Sphere is getting spooky
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🍄 Who knew fungi could be pink and purple?
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🌧️ Precipitation is more than just rain or snow
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🐦 Your winter garden could be a haven for birds​

Quote of the Day

“Joy isn’t hidden — it’s in the small sparks all around you.”

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– DEDE HAWKINS