These intricate designs, carved and painted for the annual pumpkin trail in Hebden Bridge, England, are true works of art. We won’t claim to be able to turn a humble winter squash into an uncanny replica of E.T., but here are a few simple tips that can help you carve a solid jack-o’-lantern for your front porch.
WalletHub Names South Burlington, Vermont, the Safest US City
halbergman/ iStock
Vermonters may be sitting up a little straighter, because WalletHub’s safety rankings are out and two of the top five cities are in the Green Mountain State. The personal finance website analyzed 182 cities in the U.S., using three key factors to determine the safest of the bunch: home and community safety, natural disaster risk, and financial safety. Of all the cities, South Burlington, Vermont, took the No. 1 spot. WalletHub noted the area “really shines” in financial safety, with the lowest unemployment rate in the country and the second-lowest share of seriously underwater mortgages. “This demonstrates that residents are doing well financially and are at a reduced risk of being unable to pay their bills, losing their property, or becoming homeless,” the site explains. South Burlington also has one of the lowest pedestrian fatality rates and is generally at a low risk of natural disasters. Second place went to Casper, Wyoming, among the safest cities for walking alone at night and during the day. Warwick, Rhode Island, took third, followed by South Burlington’s neighbor, Burlington, and then Boise, Idaho. See the complete list.
Together With RYSE
Capitalize on the Next Smart Home Innovation
RYSE is on the cusp of making automated smart shades a staple. And if you previously missed investing in the company, you have another chance. Along with their recent launch in over 120 Best Buy retail stores, RYSE just opened a new public offering — you can now invest in their company at just $1.75/share. The smart home industry is booming, with double-digit growth projected until 2033, and early investors in RYSE have seen their shares grow by over 20 times. Don’t miss out on another opportunity to become a shareholder.
Pioneering New Children’s Hospital in Zurich Is Designed Like a Miniature Town
Herzog & de Meuron
An extraordinary new children’s hospital in Zurich is re-envisioning what pediatric care looks like. Situated at the foot of a hill in the lush Swiss city, the three-story building is designed to function like a miniature town: Medical specialty wings are “neighborhoods” connected by a central “main street” that runs past green courtyards, while the patients’ rooms resemble small, individual cottages — each with its own pitched roof. Designed by international architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, the pioneering medical center is the largest pediatric health care facility in Switzerland. It was inaugurated earlier this month and will open its doors to patients on Nov. 2. “People can see for themselves how daylight coming in from outside and variations in proportion can animate and change a room, how plants and vegetation can blur the distinction between inside and outside, and how materials are not just beautiful to look at but also pleasing to the touch,” Jacques Herzog explained in a statement. “We designed all these things with conscious intent so that people can perceive them, sense them, and ultimately feel better.” And there are some extra special touches for the young patients who will be spending time at the hospital. The thoughtfully designed reception desk is low enough for little ones to see over, the corridors are wide enough to play ping-pong and soccer in, and the coated walls are even designed for scribbling on — check out more photos.
Science
More Bread, Please! Study Pinpoints Possible Origin of Our Love for Carbs
d3sign/Moment via Getty Images
Look up “comfort food recipes” and there’s a good chance you’ll see a lot of carbs (noodles, rice, bread, potatoes, etc.). As it turns out, this human love for carbohydrates might be in our ancestors’ DNA, going back about 800,000 years. Analyzing 68 ancient humans via genome mapping, a group of researchers found that the AMY1 gene, the enzyme that helps break down starchy foods and turn them into fuel, duplicated for the first time before Neanderthals split from humans — “much further back than previously thought,” study co-author Kwondo Kim said in a statement. This initial gene duplication “laid the groundwork” for our species’ ability to adapt to changes in diet, creating a beneficial ripple effect, per fellow co-author Omer Gokcumen. “Individuals with higher AMY1 copy numbers were likely digesting starch more efficiently and having more offspring,” he said. “Their lineages ultimately fared better over a long evolutionary timeframe than those with lower copy numbers, propagating the number of the AMY1 copies.” Further research could provide more insight into the connection between genetics, nutrition, and health, particularly when it comes to starch digestion. Now we’re craving some bowls of spaghetti.
In Other News
Smoking and tobacco use among U.S. middle and high schoolers has hit a 25-year low, the CDC reports (read more)
Heads up! The sun is in its “solar maximum,” so more aurora sightings are likely on the horizon (read more)
An uncharted communityof thriving sea life was discovered in volcanic caves beneath the sea floor (read more)
Archaeologists are investigating the site of the 1746 Battle of Culloden in the Scottish Highlands (read more)
Amazon unveiled its first color Kindlee-reader — and it’s now available for pre-order (read more)
Something We Love
Vena CBD Skin and Body Care Vena’s CBD skin and body care will turn your bathroom into a five-star spa. The calming CBD soaking salts, scented with chamomile and lavender, are designed to soothe skin and calm the body. The gel mask hydrates and softens skin while easing inflammation and dryness, and the multi-use cream contains rejuvenating manuka honey. The brand also carries a wide range of other CBD products, from capsules and oil to gummies and mocktails.*
*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate
Inspiring Story
Leave no trace
It’s that time of year when visitors flock to New England to soak in the autumnal sights. There’s a catch, though: With more tourists comes more trash. So after an influx of leaf peepers visited Franconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire, a group of locals returned with garbage bags to clean up the litter. “Seeing how beautiful it can be without garbage is truly important,” said Siobhan Smith, one of the good Samaritans.
Photo of the Day
Selçuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images
The rats don’t run New York City, but this giant pigeon might. The massive sculpture opened to the public on Manhattan’s High Line last week, towering over city residents. Dubbed “Dinosaur,” a reference to the fact that birds are descended from dinosaurs, the pigeon will remain on its perch through the spring of 2026.
Missed Out on Investing in RYSE? Here’s Another Chance
Best Buy has placed its bet. Like the store did with Ring and Nest before it, Best Buy has hand-picked RYSE as the next innovator in home tech with a massive inventory rollout. That puts RYSE in position to dominate the smart shades space — and you have the rare opportunity to invest in the startup at just $1.75/share. Learn how below.
