How many spiders does a person swallow a year in their sleep? Don’t worry, this isn’t going where you think it is, because that question actually represents one of many common myths about slumber. To our great relief, Popular Science debunks the idea that we’re gulping down arachnids as we dream and tackles three other fallacies about our nocturnal lives — check out the article (it might just help you sleep better).
— the Nice News team
Featured Story
Guilty of Ageism Toward Yourself? Why You Should Stop Saying “I’m Too Old”
adamkaz/ iStock
Ever told yourself you’re too old to do something? That kind of discouraging self-talk is common at any age: Many of us convince ourselves it’s too late to learn a new technology at 70, start weight lifting at 60, or change careers at 35. But where do those thoughts come from? And should we listen to them? As you may already suspect, negative beliefs about our own aging are often the result of societal messaging we’ve been receiving since childhood, and don’t necessarily reflect our individual abilities. What’s more, research shows that — at least to an extent — viewing getting older through a positive lens might be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more we think about aging as a wonderful experience, the better our health may be, potentially lengthening our lifespan. At the link below, we break down what self-directed ageism is, make the science-backed case for embracing every birthday with positivity, and offer some words of wisdom from an expert on how you can put that mindset into practice.
The Newsletter That Will Get You Ready for Any Holiday Debate
Many of us have sat through a holiday dinner where politics suddenly takes over the conversation. But there is a news source people across the political spectrum actually trust and talk about without things going sideways: Tangle. The free, independent newsletter breaks down one major story each weekday with perspectives from the left, right, and center. In about 10 minutes, you get the facts, the context, and the best arguments from every side — so you can walk into any spirited conversation informed instead of overwhelmed. One reader put it best: “I started forwarding Tangle to my dad and now we actually talk about the news instead of avoiding it. Tangle helps keep conversations grounded and genuinely productive.” As the season of lively table talk approaches, join more than 425,000 readers — liberals, conservatives, and everyone in between — who rely on Tangle for clarity they can actually talk about.
How a Sewage-Filled Cave in Kentucky Became an “Environmental Success Story”
Hidden River Cave
If you strolled around Main Street in Horse Cave, Kentucky, a few decades back, fresh air would not have been the only thing you breathed in. The nearby Hidden River Cave was then a miles-long wasteland filled with sewage — so you can only imagine the foul odor that permeated from its depths. Today, however, it's a stench-free tourist attraction, home to the world’s longest swinging underground bridge. So what happened? “Everybody was sick of the smell,” former Mayor Sandra Wilson told CBS News. She was part of a movement launched in the 1980s by the American Cave Conservation Association to revitalize and protect the cave. The team set out to convince residents to pay increased sewage fees to fund the project: “The goal was to create the sewer system to clean up the mess, period,” said Wilson. And it worked. With the help of surrounding communities and organizations, Horse Cave built a brand-new, state-of-the art regional sewage system. Slowly, over the following decades, the smell abated and fish and other creatures returned to the cave’s waters. Since the early 1990s, over $7.5 million has gone into the restoration and ongoing projects, and last year alone, 30,000 people toured the cave — more than 10 times the town’s population, per The New York Times. “It’s an environmental success story,” Chris Groves, a professor of hydrogeology at Western Kentucky University, told the outlet. “There’s just no precedent for this anywhere.”
Culture
Qantas Unveils First Pics of Aircraft That Will Fly Nonstop From Sydney to New York
Qantas
Qantas released the first images of its aircraft designed to take on the world’s longest commercial flights, the latest update in the airline’s quest to make nonstop, ultra-long-haul journeys a reality. Called “Project Sunrise” — named in honor of the World War II “Double Sunrise” flights that took so long they could encounter two separate dawns — the plane is designed to connect Sydney directly to London and New York (that means up to 22 hours in the sky). No connecting flights equals fewer hours of traveling overall and less stress of dealing with layovers and hurrying between boarding gates. “This is an aircraft that will change what’s possible when it comes to international point-to-point air travel,” Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said in an advance copy of a speech to shareholders, per The Guardian. “Our teams are incredibly excited for the arrival of the first aircraft late next year, a landmark moment for international aviation.” In addition to enhanced fuel capacity and other systems to support nearly daylong flights, the plane will also have fewer seats to provide more space and a “Wellbeing Zone” so passengers can stretch their legs between movie marathons — explore the interior.
Science
New, Easy-to-Apply Gel Can Regrow Tooth Enamel, Scientists Say
yoh4nn/ iStock
We mean no disrespect to dentists when we say that many people would be happy if they never had to visit one again. Of course, dental hygiene is critical to overall health (and breath), so even some of us with dentophobia dutifully schedule cleanings and necessary procedures. But what if there were a way to protect and repair our teeth without invasive interventions? A research team led by scientists at the U.K.’s University of Nottingham have made headway on that very issue. Publishing their results earlier this month, they created a bio-inspired gel that can regenerate eroded enamel and prevent future decay. It’s applied to teeth in the same way dentists apply fluoride gel, but works by mimicking the proteins that guide enamel growth in developing teeth. “The technology has been designed with the clinician and patient in mind. It is safe, can be easily and rapidly applied, and it is scalable,” study co-author Alvaro Mata said in a news release. “Also, the technology is versatile, which opens the opportunity to be translated into multiple types of products to help patients of all ages suffering from a variety of dental problems associated with loss of enamel and exposed dentine.” Where can we sign up, right? Mata and his team “hope to have a first product out next year,” he said. In the meantime, brush up on the right way to brush your teeth.
Sunday Selections
Deep Dives
Atlantic columnist Arthur C. Brooks compiled three rules for a happy marriage
Part of NYC’s 2025 Performa Biennial, this dance piece combines art and sound — and stars elementary school students
If the forthcoming holiday season is already stressing you out, pause, take a deep breath, and read this interview with Niro Feliciano. The licensed clinical social worker spoke to the Los Angeles Times about how she transformed her relationship to the holidays by focusing on “connection over perfection,” advice she also shares in her new book, All Is Calmish. The 31-chapter guide — one for each day of December — offers simple strategies for “cultivating peace, balance, and genuine joy,” whether you’re someone who tries to do it all or you’re grappling with grief or loneliness.
Oscar winner Sean Baker co-penned the script for this touching drama with Taiwanese-American filmmaker Shih-Ching Tsou, who directs it. The film, shot entirely on iPhones, follows Chu-Fen and her two daughters, I-Jing and older sister I-Ann, as they move to Taipei to open a noodle shop. But when the girls’ grandfather tells the left-handed I-Jing that the trait is associated with evil in Taiwanese culture, it sets the youngster off on a spiral of worry. Inspired by Tsou’s own childhood experience, the movie is a “story of survival” that’s filled with heart and humor, per The Hollywood Reporter. Catch it in select theaters now or on Netflix starting Nov. 28.
This Week in History
The Sound of Music Opens on Broadway
November 16, 1959
Authenticated News/ Archive Photos via Getty Images
The stage came alive with the sound of music 66 years ago today, when the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical first debuted on Broadway. Based on (but not entirely true to) a memoir by the real Maria von Trapp, the production starred Mary Martin and won multiple Tony Awards. Its music was such a hit that the cast album, recorded soon after the show’s opening, reached No. 1 on the Billboard stereo charts the following January. In 1965, the movie version starring Julie Andrews premiered on the big screen, becoming a family favorite for generations to come. The Sound of Music is currently on tour across the U.S. — check out where it’s playing and then sit back and listen to the original Broadway cast recording.
Tangle Offers News Coverage That Helps Us Meet in the Middle
Division may feel like the default setting these days, but it doesn’t have to be. There is a way to stay informed without slipping into partisan trenches. Tangle — a free, reader-supported newsletter — covers one important story each weekday, pairing clear reporting with thoughtful takes from across the political map. In about 10 minutes, you’ll walk away with a fuller, calmer understanding of the news.
“Use your knowledge, and your heart, to stand up for those who can’t stand, speak for those who can’t speak, be a beacon of light for those whose lives have become dark.”
