“You know what’s underrated? Letting people be,” a TikTok user wrote in a recent video, wracking up millions of views for the simple yet somehow radical sentiment. The video advocated for not correcting people when they mispronounce words and for letting them ramble on about that random show they love. Experts co-sign the concept: “Letting people shine, even when they’re talking about something that isn’t your thing, taps into validation through active listening and taking a nonjudgmental stance about what someone else is saying,” clinical psychologist Regine Galanti told USA Today. Learn more about the psychology behind letting people be.
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Humanity
Want to Give a Heartfelt Apology? Go Long, Study Finds
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Times when brevity can be good: wedding toasts, business meetings, and emails. But in apologies? Shorter isn’t always sweeter, according to recent research. In a study published earlier this year, researchers crafted three versions of similar apologies and tested how participants responded to each one. They found that the wordiest apologies elicited the most positive reactions from recipients. After analyzing apologetic social media posts from celebrities and other individuals, they also found that people generally use more elaborate language when apologizing than in their typical posts. “Individuals produce longer words in their apologies than in their non-apologetic communication, presumably to express the effort they are willing to exert to express their remorse and/or correct the situation,” wrote study author Shiri Lev-Ari. “Correspondingly, individuals interpret apologies with longer words as more apologetic.” She added to The Guardian: “An apology may appear more genuine if it costs someone more to say it — and that can mean the time taken to say or type long words.” So if nothing else, texting “I’m sorry” instead of “sry” is a great place to start.
Together With Miso Robotics
From a CalTech Garage to a $1 Trillion Market
In 2016, some innovative CalTech robotics students set out to transform fast food. That first garage-built prototype became Miso Robotics. Since then, Miso’s robots have worked over 200,000 hours in live kitchens for brands like White Castle, frying more than 4 million baskets of fries, chicken, and more. That traction convinced NVIDIA, Uber AI, and Amazon to help refine Miso’s AI and robots. As restaurants grapple with 144% labor turnover rates and $20 per hour minimum wages, that’s a major edge. No wonder Miso’s first fully commercial robot, Flippy Fry Station, sold out initial units in one week. Now, Miso’s going nationwide and scaling its U.S.-based manufacturing across a $4 billion per year revenue opportunity. Even better? You can get up to 8% bonus stock right now as an early-stage investor.
It’s not every day the world gets a new-to-us Pablo Picasso painting to admire — but now, more than five decades after his death, one of his portraits is being unveiled to the public for the first time in over 80 years. Titled “Bust of a Woman in a Flowery Hat,” the painting portrays Picasso’s muse and lover Dora Maar in the artist’s signature vibrant, fragmented patterns. Created in 1943, the work is significant for both its striking appearance and for when it was painted: near the end of the couple’s nine-year romance and amid the German occupation of Paris. Until now, the portrait was only known from a black-and-white photograph, as it was purchased in 1944 shortly after its completion and has remained hidden in a private collection ever since, making its public debut all the more thrilling. Auctioneer Christophe Lucien called it “not only a milestone in the history of art but also in the private life of Picasso.” He told The Guardian, “It is a refreshing portrait of Dora Maar; exceptional and full of emotion. Discovering it is a big moment in our lives as experts.” Such a milestone calls for a hefty price tag. The painting is expected to fetch around $9.4 million when it heads to auction in Paris next month. Get a closer look.
Environment
“A Sweet Success”: Honey Is the Key to a South American Bear Conservation Project
Winnie the Pooh wasn’t a misrepresentation — bears really do adore snacking on honey (this one was captured clapping in anticipation of its arrival). But for Andean bears in southern Bolivia, the sticky substance is more than a sweet treat: It’sprotecting their species. The Andean Carnivore Conservation Program, led by England’s Chester Zoo, has been helping families in the forests of Tarija establish apiaries and harvest honey since 2017, and last week, their product received Andean Bear Friendly certification. Given by the Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network, the certification designates that honey produced through the project is not harmful to bears and supports habitat conservation. Cattle ranching is a common livelihood for Tarija’s residents, but the practice damages the forests and sometimes results in bears being blamed for bovine mortalities. Beekeeping provides an alternative that allows farmers to earn income while peacefully coexisting with bears. The zoo, which partially funds the apiaries, also helps market and distribute the honey under the Valle de Osos (Valley of the Bears) label. “Just eight years ago, the Andean bear was seen as a menace — nearly driven to extinction,” program leader Ximena Velez-Liendo said in a news release shared with Nice News. “How did we turn things around? By demonstrating the value of biodiversity and the power of coexistence. Beekeeping became the perfect example: a sweet success, bottled in every jar of honey.” Watch a video of Andean bears in their habitat.
In Other News
Energy-related CO2 emissions dropped 20% from 2005 to 2023 in the U.S., despite 14% population growth (read more)
AI glasses are helping visually impaired people gain more independence in everyday life (read more)
Aces star A’ja Wilson made WNBA history, winning the league’s MVP award for the fourth time (read more)
Brazil is set to become the first country to invest in a global forest fund — and hopes not to be the last (read more)
Who’s a good learner! A study found that some dogs can sort toys by function, like pulling or fetching (read more)
Inspiring Story
Blue-collar work, the Gen Z way
“Day in the life” videos showcasing blue-collar work are gaining popularity on TikTok, a trend that reflects Gen Z’s growing interest in skilled trades. In a recent survey, 42% of 18- to 28-year-olds said they were currently working in or pursuing blue-collar jobs. One of those workers is Adrian China, who shares videos of some of his electrical projects in hopes of motivating others. “It feels nice to be able to inspire people and make them do better for themselves,” the electrician apprentice, 19, said.
Photo of the Day
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral is unveiling its first major artwork addition in 75 years. Titled “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding,” the mural is designed to resonate not only with congregation members but with the entire city. “It’s a painting for everybody,” artist Adam Cvijanovic said of the piece, which shows first responders and immigrants among its featured subjects. “And the thing that’s been really amazing to me is that friends of mine who were devout atheists, friends of mine who are Jewish, friends of mine who are Muslim, are all like, ‘This is great.’”
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