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Saturday • February 3, 2024
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The Cambridge University Botanic Garden is expecting a rare event soon: Its Amazonian cactus seems poised to produce not one but four blooms. The moonflower, or Strophocactus wittii, has a fleeting bloom period — its flowers come in just once a year and last only 12 hours before dying. When Cambridge’s plant bloomed in February 2021, it was thought to be the first time one had ever flowered in the U.K., as the species is abundant in the Amazon, but quite rare in captivity. Check out a livestream tracking the blooms.
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A new literary subgenre called “romantasy” is gaining popularity in bookstores
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One of David Hockney’s first pool paintings will be displayed for the first time in over 40 years
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Innovation
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| Oklahoma City Could Become Home to America’s Tallest Skyscraper |
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felixmizioznikov/ iStock
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Eight of the 10 tallest buildings in the United States are in New York, by far the country’s largest city. The remaining two are in Chicago, the third biggest city by population. But a new skyscraper proposed by California development company Matteson Capital would tower over them all, and from a comparatively modest metro: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
It’s an unlikely choice for the 1,907-foot-tall building, called Legends Tower, but developer Scot Matteson told Fast Company that the state capital is ready. “Oklahoma City is committed to growing as a major metropolitan area. The city has invested in infrastructure surrounding the project,” he said in a statement. “The groundwork has been laid and the time is ripe for this project.”
For now, Legends Tower is still far from becoming reality — Matteson will have to secure the approval of local officials as well as investment funding — but it could end up being a boon for America’s 20th largest city if it does come to fruition.
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Catch More Z’s and Stress Less
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Sleep is essential for the proper functioning of our minds and bodies, yet so many of us don’t get enough of it. If you’re in that camp, Apollo could be the key to catching more z’s. Via touch therapy technology, the wearable trains your body to get more sleep and stress less.
Apollo sends calming vibrations to your touch receptors to restore the nervous system, telling your body it’s safe to relax and get out of fight or flight mode for a clear mind and calm body. And it’s backed by science: Apollo Neuro’s research shows that regular users spend up to 19% more time in deep sleep. Nice News readers can save 15% off with code NiceNews15.
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*Please support our sponsors! They help us keep Nice News free. ♡
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Science
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| Initiative Seeks to Improve Representation of Black Communities in Health Research |
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In a push for more equitable health care, scientists are collecting genetic material from half a million people of African ancestry — a population that’s vastly underrepresented in genetic studies. The plan is to build the world’s largest “reference genome” of Black genetics that will help experts better understand the variants that specifically affect them, according to the Associated Press.
Meharry Medical College, a historically Black academic health sciences center, kicked off the 10-year initiative in October, seeking volunteers to donate blood. From there, the samples will be sent off for genetic sequencing, and the data will be used for research and to develop medicines and diagnostic tests.
While all the data gathered will remain anonymous, participants can choose to find out about any pertinent medical information that may have come to light about them, per Science. The project aims to improve and diversify genetic research, as less than 2% of the genetic information being studied today comes from people of African ancestry.
“We are going to bridge that gap, and this is just the beginning,” Anil Shanker, the senior vice president for research and innovation at Meharry, told the AP.
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Health & Wellness
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| Revisiting the Power of Mindfulness Lessons in Elementary Schools |
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Over a year ago, we offered readers an exclusive look at Inner Explorer, a mindfulness program for schools that was shown to reduce students’ stress, improve their grades, and curb behavioral problems. Now, with adolescent mental health continuing to make headlines, Inner Explorer is proving to be more important than ever.
The Patricia J. Sullivan Partnership Elementary School in Tampa, Florida, plays Inner Explorer’s mindfulness lessons over the school-wide loudspeaker to help students cope with trauma and stress, per NPR. “Breathing in and out. Placing the hands on the heart,” the narrator says in one such lesson. “Repeating to yourself, ‘I have the power to make wise choices.’”
Sullivan Elementary School is small, with just 76 total enrollees and one teacher per grade, and operates in partnership with a local nonprofit working to help families at risk of homelessness. Principal Dave McMeen said many students come from the homeless shelter next door.
“Students experience these traumas of which sometimes they don’t have control over,” he told the outlet, “So while we have them, what do we have control over? It’s those few moments to say, ‘OK, take that hurt, take that pain, let’s figure out how we can release it.’”
And the children seem to be picking up on McMeen’s goal. “It can help you relieve the stress so you’re not angry, and you don’t take it out on somebody else,” a student named Grace said following the mindfulness lesson mentioned above.
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In Other News
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Inspiring Stories
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Colors of kindness
Ten years ago, a student gave teacher Heather Benoit a single purple crayon, because purple is her favorite color, and she’s cherished the gift ever since. Now, the former educator is writing a children’s book titled The Giving Crayon to emphasize the importance of simple gestures and giving back.
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Making a splash
Kendall Barfield, a 12-year old with spina bifida, met a sea turtle named Bandit at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center who has a condition similar to hers. Naturally, Kendall’s parents virtually adopted the 68-pound reptile.
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Post Of The Day
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@usinterior
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“You look great, not a day over 3,000 years old!” the Department of the Interior recently captioned a sunset photo of Great Basin bristlecone pines. The ancient — and very rare — tree species is only found in California, Nevada, and Utah. “Bristlecone pines are among the oldest living organisms on Earth,” the agency explained. “Shaped by wind, snow, and rain, they’ve survived thousands of years, overseeing the rise and fall of empires, growing through ice ages, and enduring catastrophic volcanic eruptions. Their ability to withstand harsh environments and adverse growing conditions is their secret to incredible longevity.” (Photo Credit: raclro/ iStock)
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Quote of the Day
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| “Love your heart. For this is the prize.”
- Toni Morrison, Beloved
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