Nice News Today

How did a major capital city go an entire year without a single traffic-related death? The answer is a combination of traffic psychology, common-sense policies like lower speed limits, and ambitious safety goals — learn more in today’s podcast episode.

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Must Reads

• A hairless bulldog won top honors Friday at the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, a decades-old event promoting pooch adoption (spoiler alert: she’s actually adorable)

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• Frozen desserts are a uniting force: Check out seven cooling treats from around the globe

Health

25 Years of SuperAger Research Reveals How They Defy the Odds and Keep Their Memories Sharp

Make room superheroes, SuperAgers are out here defying the odds and maintaining memory performance on par with those at least three decades younger. Wondering what their secret powers are? A long-running Northwestern University study just marked 25 years of researching SuperAgers, so the scientists are sharing some of the common threads that have helped these individuals — all age 80 or older — maintain mental sharpness well into their later years.
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Via brain scans, the researchers found that many SuperAgers either do not develop Alzheimer’s-related plaques and tangles or form these protein accumulations but show none of the associated cognitive impairment. Their brains were also shown to have a thicker anterior cingulate cortex (a region linked to motivation, emotion, and decision-making) and higher numbers of von Economo neurons (associated with socialization).
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But the brain scans only reveal one piece of the puzzle, as SuperAgers also demonstrated common lifestyle traits centered on staying connected: “I don’t know if it’s necessarily social connections, it’s just connections in general,” study co-author Tamar Gefen told NBC News. “There are people who are connected to the land, there are people who are connected to their ancestry, people who are connected to their grandchildren, who are connected to their art.”
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Bigger picture, the researchers hope that by deepening our understanding of the biological and behavioral traits linked to SuperAging, we can better support cognitive resilience and ultimately delay or even prevent Alzheimer’s and other conditions that cause cognitive decline.

Together With hear.com

2025’s Top Hearing Aid Is Practically Invisible — And Shockingly Clear

Imagine this: You’re in a noisy restaurant with friends, trying to enjoy the conversation. But the music is blasting, loud conversations are being had all around, and overall it’s difficult to hear. You can lean in and read lips, or you could give this tiny, bestselling hearing aid a try.
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​Hear.com’s Horizon IX hearing device makes hearing effortless, even amid background noise — something older hearing aids struggle with. And with a virtually invisible design, you can enjoy crystal clear hearing without any discomfort. More than half a million customers are already experiencing this next-level sound clarity. Ready to join them? Click below to see if you qualify for a 45-day, risk-free trial.

Tech

“Take Your Shot”: Meet the 14-Year-Old Who Built Texas’ Biggest Networking Nonprofit for Kids

It isn’t much of an overstatement to say getting ahead in life is all about who you know. Professional networking can change the course of a person’s career — and according to 14-year-old Arjun Sharda, it all starts in elementary school.
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The ninth grader is the founder of the Texas-based K-12 networking nonprofit TLEEM, which stands for Technology, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Engineering, and Mathematics. If you’re wondering why kindergarteners need to network, Arjun, who’s been coding since age 7, has an answer.
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“You need networks to change the world,” he tells Nice News, adding: “I think that school overlooks how we teach those skills, social capital, these professional skills, this confidence. A single career and technical education course cannot teach that length of and value of that knowledge.”
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Now the largest nonprofit of its kind in the state, per Arjun, TLEEM began when he was in seventh grade and formed a club with a couple of his tech-loving friends in Leander, Texas. In 2023, he and his family moved to Round Rock, outside Austin, and he started conducting the club virtually. That led to him filing paperwork with the Texas Secretary of State to incorporate the organization, and in November of that year, TLEEM became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Learn more about how the organization has grown.​

Environment

Kentucky City May Transform Former Dump Into a Solar Farm

Lexington, Kentucky, may transform a former city dump into a solar farm, in what would likely be a first for the United States. By 2027, the former Haley Pike landfill, which largely closed in 2011 but still accepts some yard and construction waste, could become an operational clean energy generator that would produce around 100,000 megawatt-hours in its first year, WKYT reports.
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The solar farm’s tens of thousands of panels would be constructed on about 400 acres of the former landfill, according to a proposal unveiled earlier this month by solar energy company Edelen Renewables, and the electricity it generates would serve Kentucky Utilities. The company’s chief development officer, David Absher, said during the press conference that the project could power around 5,300 homes, and won’t cost the city or ratepayers.
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The proposed farm hits the trifecta: “economic development, environmental stewardship, and energy independence,” said Edelen Renewables CEO Adam Edelen, per the Lexington Herald-Leader. He shared: “This is a bold opportunity to repurpose forgotten land in a way that creates jobs, advances sustainability, and protects the farmland that defines Lexington’s identity.”

In Other News

1. The world’s busiest flight route? A new report has taken off with the answer, plus more 2024 aviation stats (read more)
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2. August’s annual Sturgeon Moon rose to the occasion over the weekend — see it light up the sky (read more)
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3. Kobe Bryant’s legacy hit home Friday at Dodger Stadium with a family tribute and a grand slam of a giveaway (read more)
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4. A snapshot of a comet taken by NASA’s Hubble telescope is the “best picture yet” of the space object (read more)
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5. Breaking down bird dancing: Researchers identified 30 cockatoo dance moves, 17 of which are newly observed (read more)

Something We Love

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Inspiring Story

Planting opportunities for teens

At Brooklyn’s oldest house, you’ll find teens getting their hands dirty to foster new beginnings. Participants in the Youth Gardening Program at Wyckoff House learn to grow organic produce while also nurturing new skills, career opportunities, and friendships. “I learned how incredible it really can be to see the fruits, the literal fruits of your labor come to fruition, and being able to pick that and eat that, and share that, and break bread with your community,” said Fae Pegus, a seasonal farm coordinator and graduate of the program.

Photo of the Day

Now that’s a lot of rubber duckies! This year’s Chicago Ducky Derby raised nearly $400,000 for Special Olympics Illinois, with each duck getting “adopted” for a $10 donation before being released into the Chicago River to float its way toward the finish line. Rest assured, no duck was left behind: After the race, workers recovered the toys to reuse them for future events (as you can see above).

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Odds & Ends

🦃 Turkey trot came early this year
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🪐 When sci-fi becomes real life​
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🧳 Caught the travel bug? Star Alliance business class fares are up to 70% off*
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💘 Turns out, dating apps aren’t the only way to find love
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Quote of the Day

“It’s the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top.”

– ROBERT M. PIRSIG