Did you know that it’s Go to an Art Museum Day? If you don’t have plans this afternoon, consider visiting a local gallery or museum to participate in this unofficial holiday. Besides allowing us to marvel at and learn about artistic works, going to art museums may also help us be more attentive, according to a recent report by CBS Evening News: The institutions “ask us to be intentional about what we’re looking at, how we respond, why we respond,” explained co-anchor John Dickerson. Can’t make it out today? Here are 16 virtual museum tours you can access for free. — the Nice News team
Featured Story
Are You Singing Enough? A Music Therapist Breaks Down the Surprising Health Benefits
FG Trade/ E+ via Getty Images
Singing is one of the great joys of being human, whether you’re a professional crooner or can’t carry a tune. If you need proof, just drop in on a karaoke night at your local bar. “For millennia, humans have used song to soothe, grieve, celebrate, and connect. It’s one of our oldest forms of communication,” Elisha Ellis Madsen, board-certified music therapist and master of social work candidate, tells Nice News. “Now, science is catching up. Physiologically, singing regulates the nervous system through rhythmic breathing and vibration, which calm the body whether or not it ‘sounds good.’ Emotionally, it reawakens our capacity for play and self-expression — things many adults have lost touch with.” In addition to those boons, there are myriad other mental and physical benefits of channeling your inner rock star, including potentially boosting cognitive function and the immune system. Click below for a rundown of singing’s unexpected upsides.
Car insurance prices have increased around 20% recently, but you can still find ways to save on premiums. According to Money, 60% of drivers who shop around for car insurance save money. It can really be that simple — find a car insurance provider that fits your needs, save on your premiums, and put hundreds of dollars back in your pocket each year. You could even put those extra funds toward paying off debt or booking a dream vacation. It’s all within reach, just click below to get started with Money.
Ocean scientists have found a deep-sea predator that looks a lot less scary than its name. Dubbed a “death ball” sponge (and pictured here), the species is somewhat translucent, located at depths of nearly 12,000 feet, and covered in tiny hooks that are used to trap prey. Per the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, it’s among 30 previously unknown deep-sea species recently found in the Southern Ocean, one of the most remote and under-sampled parts of the world. Using cutting-edge technology such as seafloor mapping and high-definition ROV imagery, teams aboard a Schmidt Ocean Institute research vessel discovered this treasure trove during two 2025 expeditions. Other highlights from the expeditions include armored and iridescent scale worms, three new species of sea stars, and a variety of crustaceans, as well as the first confirmed sighting of a baby colossal squid, which Nice News covered earlier this year. And there’s likely more creepy and cool finds to come. “To date, we have only assessed under 30% of the samples collected from this expedition, so confirming 30 new species already shows how much biodiversity is still undocumented,” Michelle Taylor, head of science at the foundation, said in a statement. See more pics of the deep-sea species.
Health
Hope May Be the Key to a More Fulfilling Life, Long-Term Study Says
Jorm Sangsorn/ iStock
Last month, we wrote about how feeling hopeful from watching inspirational videos has been linked to reduced stress levels. And another recent study discovered that there’s even more reason to embrace the emotion: Tracking 25,000 adults over a 14-year period, researchers found that those with high levels of hope saw improved economic, employment, and educational outcomes, as well as better health and overall well-being. In a research summary, the study authors defined hope as distinct from optimism, which is the “belief that things will get better.” Hope, rather, is “the determination to make them better, which reflects agency and determination (grit).” They found that hopeful folks were also more resilient and adaptable, seemed less affected by negative life events, and had a stronger “internal locus of control.” The study participants who were more hopeful were significantly more likely to have friends and less likely to be lonely than those with low levels of hope. “As these are all facets of life that are critical to quality of life and to longevity, we believe that better understanding the drivers of hope and its consequences can ultimately inform the ability of both individuals and of public policy to improve people’s lives,” the researchers wrote.
Culture
A Carpenter Helped Rebuild Notre Dame, Then Got Married There
When a carpenter named Martin Lorentz joined the team restoring Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral after the fire in 2019, he probably didn’t imagine he’d be tying the knot there one day. But that’s exactly what happened on Oct. 25. After dedicating three years to rebuilding the legendary cathedral’s roof using medieval techniques, Lorentz asked Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris for permission to marry his partner, Jade, underneath the very structure he helped piece back together — and as a one-time exception, Ulrich said yes. It’s a rare honor, as Notre Dame is not a parish church but rather a national monument primarily used for religious and state ceremonies. This wedding was the first held there in three decades. The nuptials were as grand as you’d imagine. Five hundred guests filled the cathedral, including many of the groom’s fellow carpenters, to celebrate the happy couple. “I want to share my love, our love, with the whole world, with everyone who needs it,” Lorentz told reporters on the big day, per AFP. “It’s the happiest day of my life.” Get a peek at the epic wedding, including the “guard of honor” the carpenters created with their axes.
Sunday Selections
Deep Dives
Ever experienced paradoxical insomnia? It’s why we sometimes feel like we haven’t slept when actually we have
Learn 18th-century German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s three simple rules for virtuous thinking
Throwing parties isn’t just about being the perfect host (though who doesn’t want that title?) — it’s also about fostering community. In this guide by author, hostess, and “internet big sister” Chelsea Fagan, readers learn about everything from designing their spaces in the most welcoming ways to creating menus that won’t keep them standing over the stove all evening. The book has history lessons, recipes, and do’s and don’ts for every type of shindig.
Therapy is a wonderful resource for those looking to address emotional, behavioral, and relationship issues in their lives, but it’s not accessible to everyone, so sometimes we turn to online communities for suggestions instead. That’s where What Your Therapist Thinks comes in. The mental health advice podcast brings on licensed therapists to dig through anonymous internet questions and offer thoughtful responses. Nice News Assistant Editor Rebekah Brandes stumbled across the series a few weeks ago and has been hooked ever since.
This Week in History
The First Recorded Meteor Shower in North America Occurs
November 12, 1799
mdesigner125/ iStock
There aren’t any high-resolution telescopic photos of it to gaze at today, but hundreds of years ago, the first recorded meteor shower in North America must have been an impressive sight. While humans have likely been observing the natural phenomenon since time began, astronomer Andrew Ellicottwas the first in North America to have his written recollection of it shared with the world. Aboard a ship off the Florida Keys at the time, Ellicott wrote this of the annual Leonid meteor shower he witnessed: “The phenomenon was grand and awful, the whole heavens appeared as if illuminated with skyrockets, flying in an infinity of directions, and I was in constant expectation of some of them falling on the vessel.” This year, the Leonids will peak Nov. 16-17 — read some viewing tips from NASA.
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