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Lace up your sneakers, it’s National Walking Day! Celebrated annually on the first Wednesday in April, the day was established by the American Heart Association in 2007 to encourage the public to use walking as a method of improving health and managing stress. Today, there are all sorts of trends centered on the exercise form — cozy cardio, hot girl walks, silent walking, 10-mile challenges, and more — but you don’t have to partake in any of those to participate in National Walking Day. All you need is a good pair of shoes and a good conversation partner (or, if you prefer to take your walks solo, check out Spotify’s tailored “strut” playlists).
Science
Babies Begin Developing Empathy Around 18 Months, Study Says
Past research has shown that the human brain is hardwired for empathy and forming relationships, but at what point in our development do those characteristics emerge? A new study, published in the spring edition of the journal Cognitive Development, says it’s earlier than you may think — at about 18 months of age.
Around the same time that babies are learning words beyond “mama” and “dada,” walking on their own, and starting to feed themselves, they’re also developing the first inklings of “empathic concern,” the scientists say. They reached this conclusion by analyzing 127 mother-child pairs, bringing them in for behavioral experiments when the children were 6, 10, 14, and 18 months old, per a press release from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
The researchers tracked the children’s response to another person’s “simulated pain,” finding that their concern in reaction to the strangers’ “distress” was most pronounced by the 18 month point. They also discovered that a mother’s emotional intelligence affects the child’s.
“The more sensitively mothers responded to the needs of their infants, the greater the capacity of the children was in their second year of life to show empathic concern for a stranger,” the release reads, with study author Markus Paulus adding, “Children learn from [caregivers] how to deal with negative emotions. As a result, they are subsequently able to apply these lessons themselves.”
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Environment
In the Peruvian Amazon, Miners Are Restoring an Ecosystem Destroyed by Mining
Gold mining has left many areas of the Amazon rainforest poisoned and stripped of vegetation. With a vision to revive these devastated areas, a nonprofit called Pure Earth is leading the charge to restore parts of the Peruvian Amazon by working with the miners rather than against them.
“We are … allowing them to remediate their own impacts. Many of the miners do not want to be destroying the rainforest,” France Cabanillas, Pure Earth’s local coordinator in Madre de Dios, Peru, told NPR.
The organization launched a pilot project empowering miners to add nutrients back into the damaged land and plant tree saplings. Three years later, the forest is starting to show signs of revival. “I am feeling optimistic,” said Cabanillas.
The goal is to rejuvenate the forest and inspire more miners to join in. “We want to work responsibly, for the environment and health, so it’s a feeling of satisfaction,” said Khaled Celadita, a 26-year-old miner involved in the project. “We’re proud to be able to do this and, hopefully, set an example for the other miners.” Learn more about the miners doing their part to help future generations.
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Sports
Meet the Former Pro-Surfer Who Had to Leave the Sport to Love it Again
Each year, flocks of surfers head to Nazaré, Portugal, in hopes of catching some truly giant waves. One of those surfers is Laura Crane, a 29-year-old who recently became the first British woman to surf the town’s 60-foot crests. But she first had to leave the sport in order to love it again.
Crane reflected on her early surfing years in a new BBC report: She had big-name sponsors by age 12, and in high school, she moved to France and then Australia to keep pursuing her passion at a more competitive level. However, at 21, the athlete retired from surfing as she grappled with an eating disorder, self-doubt, and industry pressures. She then did a stint on the romance reality series Love Island, during which she said she lost herself even more.
After years of therapy, returning to England, and meeting a mentor, Crane found her way back to surfing and, ultimately, herself. Now, she hopes her accomplishment in Portugal is a reminder to others to keep going and believe in themselves: “To be the first British female to surf there was a really nice feeling, and I hope that it inspires other young female British athletes in their sports, too.”
Watch Crane take on the massive waves in Nazaré.
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Something We Love
Protect the Animals Mugs
These handmade mugs, crafted by JoAnn Stratakos for Uncommon Goods, are more than just good vessels for an animal lover’s morning cup of coffee — they’re good for the world. For each one sold, the online marketplace donates $5 to re:wild, a global conservation organization. And for the rhino mugs specifically, the donation goes toward PARCA, which is focused on saving the horned mammals.
Recommendations are independently selected by our team but may result in a commission to Nice News which helps keep our content free.
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Inspiring Story
More than a car ride
Lyn Story, a retiree in Fort Worth, Texas, has some extra time on her hands — and she spends it offering free rides to strangers in need so they can get to health appointments, work, or other important errands. “The best way for me to feel good is to help other people feel good,” Story said.
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Photo of the Day
It’s always special when two legends get to share a stage, as was the case when Beyoncé accepted the iHeartRadio Innovator Award from Stevie Wonder earlier this week. “Whenever anyone asks me if there’s anyone I could listen to for the rest of my life, it’s always you,” Beyoncé said of Wonder, who replied, “I just want to thank you for motivating the world to become a better place.” And Beyoncé revealed that the “Isn’t She Lovely” musician is the one playing the harmonica on her new cover of “Jolene.”
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Hop on the E-Bike Trend With Upway
If you’ve been eyeing the e-bikes you see on the street, it might be time to take the plunge and get your own with the help of Upway. The company offers an impressive array of top brands like Specialized, Giant, and Aventon, all at prices up to 60% off retail.
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Quote of the Day
“A walk in nature walks the soul back home.”
– MARY DAVIS
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