Anyone who’s been in a relationship knows that it’s all too easy to say the wrong thing during a disagreement. New York Times writer Catherine Pearson spoke to a handful of couples therapists who gave advice on what we should say in tense moments to keep our partnerships thriving — check out the eight key phrases she compiled.
Groundbreaking Gene Therapy Slows Huntington’s Disease for the First Time
KATERYNA KON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images
It doesn’t get more “nice news” than this: In a historic medical first, a pioneering gene therapy successfully slowed the progression of Huntington’s disease by 75% in a clinical trial. The breakthrough offers new hope for the tens of thousands living with the devastating hereditary condition, which progressively destroys brain cells and impairs movement, cognition, and behavior — and until now, there was no treatment capable of slowing or halting its advance. “We never in our wildest dreams would have expected a 75% slowing of clinical progression,” Sarah Tabrizi, the trial co-lead, told the BBC. The study involved 29 patients who underwent a complex 12- to 18-hour surgery to deliver a virus with a specially designed sequence of DNA directly into the brain, targeting (and reducing) the mutated “huntingtin” protein that drives the progression of the disease. Patients receiving the highest doses of the therapy showed significant improvement on tests of motor and cognitive function, and reported improved day-to-day life experiences — a profound outcome. Fellow lead researcher Ed Wild explained: “There was every chance that we would never see a result like this, so to be living in a world where we know this is not only possible, but the actual magnitude of the effect is breathtaking; it’s very difficult to fully encapsulate the emotion.” Currently, the therapy is very costly, but the company developing it plans to seek FDA approval in the U.S. in early 2026 to make it more widely available. Learn more about the life-changing treatment.
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Tomato Lovers: Meet Scarlet Sunrise, the New Variety With a Golden Hue and Sweet Bite
Peter Nitzsche/ Rutgers University
What’s better than a grape tomato or an heirloom tomato? One that combines the best of both. Meet Scarlet Sunrise, a new tomato developed by researchers at Rutgers University that blends the firmness and reliability of a classic red grape tomato with the golden-red hue and sweetness of a bicolor heirloom variety. The result is a snackable, crack-resistant tomato with an intensely sweet flavor balanced by moderate acidity. And while it may sound (very) easy to eat, it was far from easy to make. It took more than a decade of good ol’ fashioned plant breeding to give consumers the perfect bite, while also helping New Jersey growers stand out in a crowded market. Seeds are not yet on the market, but they’re expected to be commercially available this spring. “The hope is that some local growers will adopt it, and the seed will become available to growers, but then also gardeners, too,” tomato co-developer Peter Nitzsche told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “It’s probably always going to be a little bit of a specialty market and production.” Anyone else craving tomatoes now? Take advantage of the last month of prime tomato season with these tasty recipes.
Culture
Inside the Club for Women Who Want to Dance — And Be in Bed on Time
vm/ iStock
Want to dance the night — er, early evening — away? Welcome to the Earlybirds Club, a community of women who gather for pop-up dance parties that start at 6 p.m. and, more importantly, stop at 10 p.m. This way, partygoers can enjoy a night out and wake up refreshed the next day. “We can’t be out all night anymore,” Laura Baginski, one of the club’s co-founders, told NPR, noting that concert openers often don’t start until 8 p.m. “I’m 50 years old. I have no time for that.” Launched in Chicago in 2024, the Earlybirds Club started as small gatherings for attendees to dance, listen to nostalgic hits, and find community. Since then, the events, which are open to all but specifically billed as safe spaces for women, as well as trans and nonbinary folks, have expanded to larger venues in cities across the U.S., including Washington, D.C., Denver, Philadelphia, and New York. And 10% of the proceeds from every partyis donated to different local nonprofits that uplift women. Ready to get your groove on at a reasonable hour? See the lineup of upcoming events.
Global Good
🇲🇽 A centuries-old map has been returned to Mexico after it was stolen more than a decade ago (read more)
🇨🇦 In Canada’s Arctic, there may be no trees — but a greenhouse is yielding fresh produce year round (read more)
🇵🇱 Tiny chicks of a rare owl species were seen in Poland for the first time in over 100 years (read more)
🇩🇰 This small museum in Denmark took the lead from the Louvre in a major art milestone (read more)
🇵🇹 Another day, another dinosaur: An herbivore species with a unique jawbone was discovered in Portugal (read more)
Inspiring Story
Planting seeds of hope
Following the Altadena fires earlier this year, local Laurie Scott started a free plant stand called Regrow Altadena to “make people happy.” Since March, the project has distributed over 1,000 native plants and seed packets to the community — serving as both a source of ecological recovery and a tangible reminder of new beginnings. If you happen to be in Los Angeles, consider visiting Creatures Plants & Coffee in Eagle Rock, which is accepting donations of plants, seeds, garden supplies, and planters on behalf of the free stand until Oct. 13.
Photo of the Day
Lian Law / NPS
Cue the lunch bell: The bears at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska are seasoned salmon hunters (as you can see above), and right now, these big bruisers are showing off their gains in Fat Bear Week — a contest held by the National Park Service to celebrate a summer spent bulking up for the long winter hibernation. Meet this year’s chonky contestants and learn how to vote for your faves.
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Up This Weekend
Ryder Cup: Who will come out on top — Europe or the U.S.? This biennial golf tournament, consisting of two 12-member teams, begins today and runs through Sunday
New York Film Festival: From today through Oct. 13,highly anticipated films from across the world will play in all five boroughs (watch a trailer previewing the festival)
The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze: North of NYC, the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze has commenced in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, featuring some truly unbelievable pumpkin displays
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.
