Deep breath in, deep breath out: Follow that simple guidance, and you’ll have improved your respiratory health in just seconds, according to a recent study. The research found that deep sighs aren’t just satisfying, but they also “reset” the surfactants that coat your lungs. These fluids act as lubricants, reducing the organ’s surface tension as you breathe, per Popular Science. Dig into the nitty-gritty of why that matters, and then check out some simple breathing exercises to help make saying “aah” a habit. — the Nice News team
Featured Story
Lifting Weights Is a Flex for Your Body and Mind, No Matter Your Age — Here’s Why
Neustockimages/ iStock
It sometimes seems like athletic exercise fiends in their 20s are the only ones weight lifting in the gym, but that isn’t the case — and absolutely shouldn’t be either. While that decade of your life is a great time to get into strength training, the truth is that adults of nearly all ages can benefit from pumping a little iron. Lifting weights can build muscle, of course, but it can also strengthen your bones, reduce cholesterol, and even decrease your risk of premature death. “Strength training is the most powerful investment you can make in your long-term health and vitality,” Melinda Hughes, certified American Council on Exercise instructor and founder of the personal training facility The Strength Shoppe, tells Nice News, adding, “The ripple effect touches everything: You move better, sleep deeper, think clearer, and handle stress more easily.” So no matter your age, grab a dumbbell (and a Muscle Milk, if you’re so inclined) and join us as we flex on the benefits of weight lifting. We’ve also rounded up a few products worth checking out for when you’re ready to give it a go.
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This Week’s Top Stories
Environment
Nearly 20 Years Post-Tornado, Kansas Town Offers Lessons in Hope and Sustainability
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images
On the night of May 4, 2007, an EF-5 tornado tore through Greensburg, Kansas, and wiped out 95% of the town, killing 10 residents and injuring many more. Despite the tremendous loss, the small community decided to turn the devastating scenario into an opportunity for a fresh start — they would not only rebuild, but rebuild more sustainably. Nearly 20 years later, Greensburg is regarded as one of the greenest towns in the country. It’s run entirely on wind power, and many of the homes feature solar panel rooftops. All new public buildings, including the school, hospital, and courthouse, are also designed to meet the highest level of LEED green building standards. “We are a story about a resilient, rural community that came back better and stronger,” resident Dea Corns, who lost her home in the tornado, told CBS News. Bigger picture, Greensburg is a blueprint for other towns that have experienced natural disasters, said fellow resident Katelynn Alderfer: “We’ve made an example of what you can do for other places that encounter similar situations. We all have this common thing that we share, this disaster that happened to us. And for the most part, we don’t think about it, we don’t talk about it, but it binds us all together.” See how the town has transformed.
Humanity
Halloween Displays Have Raised $1M for Kid’s Cancer Research — And You Can Join in
Skeletons for St. Jude
The decorations above may look spooky at first glance, but they’re also surprisingly sweet. That’s because they’re part of a nationwide fundraiser to raise money for children battling cancer, one jaw-dropping Halloween display at a time. The movement started five years ago when Jeff Robertson went all out for Halloween with a skeleton-filled display in front of his home in Holly Springs, North Carolina. The decorations drew so much attention from neighbors and a local news station that Robertson decided to channel the buzz for a cause. He began collecting donations for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by putting QR codes on the decorations — and Skeletons for St. Jude was born. Since then, the Halloween project has evolved into a national movement, with people across the country adding donation prompts to their decoration displays. And as of last week, the initiative had raised $1 million to support children battling cancer. “It shows me that there’s a lot of good in this country,” Robertson told the Houston Chronicle. He added, “What started out as me having fun with a bunch of skeletons on Halloween unexpectedly turned into something much more meaningful.” Learn how to join the cause.
Culture
Famed Battle of Trafalgar Painting Returns to Public Display in Honor of 220th Anniversary
At the Battle of Trafalgar, the British Royal Navy, led by Admiral Horatio Nelson, defeated French and Spanish forces — a victory that ultimately halted Napoleon Bonaparte’s plans to invade England and secured British naval supremacy for more than a century. In honor of the 220th anniversary on Oct. 21, the Royal Museums Greenwich in London has returned a monumental painting of the battle by J.M.W. Turner to public display. Completed in 1824, the painting is Turner’s only royal commission and his largest work, measuring nearly 9 feet by 13 feet — so large the museum had to remove a window from the “Queen’s House” and use a crane to bring it in, per a press release shared with Nice News. Although the work initially faced criticism when it was unveiled for its lack of historical accuracy, the museum notes that Turner’s intention was to “capture the human drama of the battle rather than the facts of the action.” Fun tidbit: The artist included subtle signal flags on the ship’s mainmast spelling out the word “duty,” alluding to the famous message that Nelson sent before the battle (“England expects that every man will do his duty”) and some of his dying words (“Thank god I have done my duty”). Take a closer look at the painting and watch it being lifted into the museum.
Sunday Selections
Deep Dives
Fighting fire with foliage: California scientists are studying how native plants could protect against the damage caused by wildfires
Nice News often shares when new words are admitted to the dictionary, but how is it decided which trendy slang phrases are a flash in the pan, and which are likely to be permanent parts of our lexicon? Embedding himself as a lexicographer-in-training at Merriam-Webster, author Stefan Fatsis uncovers the painstaking deliberations, rich history, and unique subculture surrounding our most fundamental reference book. Complete with fascinating anecdotes, it’s a humorous and lively ode to the dictionary.
We all have that one movie we’ve seen more times than we can count — the one we just have to share with anyone who’s willing to watch. In the podcast The Rewatchables, that’s exactly what host Bill Simmons, founder of digital media outlet The Ringer, encourages his guests to do. Each episode features a roundtable of movie lovers who discuss a rewatchable movie in detail. One recent episode dives into the 1992 Robert Redford film Sneakers while another looks at 2025’s buzzy hit Sinners. If you’re a cinephile with a penchant for repeat viewings, this is a series you’ll want to hit “follow” on.
This Week in History
The Sistine Chapel Ceiling Opens to the Public
November 1, 1512
Franco Origlia/Getty Images
The ceiling of Vatican City’s Sistine Chapel, consecrated in 1483, includes some of the most iconic scenes in our cultural consciousness, including, of course, “The Creation of Adam,” which depicts God giving life to the first man. Painted by Italian master Michelangelo, the meticulously adorned ceiling was first unveiled to the public over five centuries ago, and today, around 6 million visitors marvel at it every year. After proving his talent through works like the sculpture “David,” Michelangelo was commissioned to paint the ceiling in 1508. Completed just four years later, the nine central panelsillustrate the biblical stories in the book of Genesis, beginning with “Separation of Light from Darkness” and ending with a fresco depicting the rebirth of humankind following the tale of Noah and the flood. Take a virtual tour of the chapel.
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“Choosing to have joy is not naively thinking everything will be easy. It is courageously believing that there is still hope, even when things get hard.”
