Dun-dun. Dun-dun. …Shark Week begins tonight!Hosted by Discovery Channel, the famed television event kicks off at 8 p.m. ET with the documentary K-Pop Shark Heroes. A play on KPop Demon Hunters, the doc sees two of the Netflix film’s stars — Rei Ami and comedian Ken Jeong — set out to rebrand the ocean’s “misunderstood bad boys.” Because, while we may not want to encounter a great white in the wild, sharks pose far less of a threat to humans than Jawswould have us believe. See the full Shark Week schedule. — the Nice News team
Featured Story
15 of the Most Popular USPS Stamps From the Past 15 Years
Juanmonino/iStock
What do Elvis, cherry blossom trees, and German shepherds have in common? They’re all subjects of some of the most popular U.S. Postal Service stamps from the past 15 years. As any philatelist (aka stamp collector) will know, the service debuts new designs every year, each one serving as an “entryway into a larger story that connects people, places, and moments in history,” Lisa Bobb-Semple, the agency’s stamp services director, said in a statement last October. Since the country’s first official postage stamps were issued in 1847, hundreds of billions have been printed — but some have made a larger impression in the zeitgeist than others. Take a look at the link below.
From neighborhood BBQs to quick weeknight dinners for the family, ButcherBox makes it easy to always have premium protein on hand. Every delivery includes high-quality meat and seafood, including 100% grass-fed beef and wild-caught fish, sourced from partners committed to responsible practices. There are no antibiotics and no added hormones — just great protein delivered to your door, with free shipping every time. Easily manage your entire subscription online with the flexibility to pause or cancel anytime. Plus, get access to limited inventory and member-only pricing. Use code NICENEWS to save $20 on your first three boxes.
High Schooler Invents Crosswalk System Inspired by His Grandparents
Courtesy of Jay Jung
They say necessity is the mother of invention, but sometimes it takes a thoughtful observer to notice and address a particular need. For rising high school senior Jay Jung, a lightbulb went off while he was crossing the street. Jung is the creator of SmartBlink, an adaptive traffic light system that adjusts its signal changes based on pedestrian speed, rather than prioritizing vehicular traffic patterns. The idea stemmed not from his own ability to walk across before the lights change but the trouble his grandparents often have in doing so. See a sweet family photo and learn how SmartBlink works in our full article.
Science
A Dog’s Love for Their Favorite Toy Can Be Addiction-Like, Study Finds
Alberto Menendez Cervero—Moment/Getty Images
Think your pup is addicted to Lamb Chop (or whatever toy seems to be calling their name lately)? That may not be an exaggeration. A recent study found some dogs are so attached to their favorite toy that it borders on an addiction-like level. Building upon a previous study on the topic, researchers surveyed the owners of 1,692 dogs across 33 countries who scored their pets based on statements such as “When my dog plays with a ball/toy, it is difficult to stop him/her.” Turns out, some dogs can’t get enough of their favorite toys to the extent that they prioritize playtime over food, rest, and even their owner’s attention — and can display temporary withdrawal symptoms that are not unlike those of humans. As for which breeds were most likely to show addiction-like behaviors toward their favorite toys, that would be shepherds, terriers, and retrievers, notably all working dogs. The researchers noted that while dogs exhibit similar addictive-like patterns to humans, this doesn’t mean they experience addiction in the same way. Nevertheless, don’t underestimate the bond between a dog and their favorite toy!
Culture
Calling All Architecture Fans: The RIBA Stirling Prize Shortlist Is Out
Philip Vile
Six architectural marvels have been shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize 2026. The U.K.’s most prestigious award for architecture — which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year —recognizes buildings “considered to have made the greatest contribution to the evolution of architecture and the built environment in the United Kingdom,” per ArchDaily. This year’s half dozen contenders include an addition to a college campus in Cambridge (pictured above), a design project at a bustling London transit hub, the adaptive reuse of a 1970s theater, and a renovation of a family home on the edge of a forest. The winner will be announced Oct. 15, but in the meantime, you can scroll through the shortlist (and maybe file some ideas away for your dream home reno).
Standing in front of a judge on a felony charge at age 18, Nephi Craig was ordered to attend school or get a job to avoid prison time. He chose the former. The Apache teen had struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for years, but enrolling in a culinary arts program put him on the path to recovery. Cooking in high-end kitchens, Craig began to understand how many European recipes relied on ingredients native to the Americas. In his new memoir, he shares how healing this realization was, driving him to help establish Indigenous food sovereignty at home in Arizona and around the world.
One week after The Odyssey’s record-breaking opening, some more Greek mythology has made its way to the big screen. The Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown retells two stories, the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice and the tale of Hades and Persephone, transposing them onto a post-apocalyptic, Great Depression-inspired underworld. For being set in hell, though, the show is filled with life — its score infused with New Orleans-style jazz and American folk influences. This live capture features the original Broadway cast and hit movie theaters Friday for a five-night run.
This Week in History
NASA Spacecraft Captures First Close-Up Photos of Moon’s Surface
July 31, 1964
NASA
In the final 17 minutes of flight before intentionally crashing on the moon, NASA’s Ranger 7 spacecraft took and transmitted to Earth the first hi-res close-up photos of the lunar surface. The vehicle had been launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, four days earlier to provide an unprecedented view of the moon’s terrain. Following the success of the 1964 endeavor, scientists named the impact site “Mare Cognitum,” Latin for “The Known Sea,” to celebrate the first part of the celestial body captured close-up. Five years later, of course, we’d get an even more fascinating look when Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong touched down during the Apollo 11 mission.
Merit’s 2 Mascaras, Together — One to Lengthen, One to Volumize
Why get one when you can have two?Merit’sMascara Duo Set, pairing the Clean Volume and Clean Lash products, gives you options for lengthening and volumizing. The first is an everyday tubing mascara that defines and lengthens lashes for a wide-awake look, while the second lifts and separates lashes for precise, buildable volume. It’s the best of both worlds, in one set.
