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When Emmy-nominated actor Tabitha Brown found herself feeling discontented a decade back, she decided to “shake things up” by trying something new every day for 30 days. The experience shifted her perspective, and she wrote about it in a recent book, I Did a New Thing: 30 Days to Living Free. Aside from Brown’s anecdotal endorsement, though, sparking joy by breaking your routine is backed by science. As cognitive neuroscientist Tali Sharot told The Washington Post: “The neurons in our brains stop responding to things that don’t change. We need to make room for the new and unexpected.” Learn how to boost your mood by embracing novelty.
Science
“How Exactly Do We Perceive Bitter Taste?” Scientists May Have Found the Answer
Despite being able to relish an array of different flavors, humans have just five taste senses: sour, sweet, salty, umami (akin to savory), and bitter. Now, a new study is shedding light on that last sense, providing answers as to how and why we’re able to taste bitterness in foods like dark chocolate and espresso.
A team of scientists from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine set out to take a deeper look at a class of receptors known for initiating the perception of bitterness, focusing on one in particular, TAS2R14. Per a news release, they hoped to answer one simple question: “How exactly do we perceive bitter taste?”
Through their findings, the researchers defined the receptor’s detailed protein structure and where bitter substances bind to it. They also determined that cholesterol plays a significant role in priming TAS2R14 to respond to bitterness. Their work could aid in designing and developing new drugs that regulate taste receptors, with the potential to treat metabolic diseases like diabetes.
Said co-author Yoojoong Kim: “Using a combination of biochemical and computational methods, we now know the structure of the bitter taste receptor TAS2R14 and the mechanisms that initialize the sensation of bitter taste in our tongues.”
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Together With Babbel
Summer Adventures Await
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Babbel’s content, from podcasts hosted by native speakers to bite-sized lessons on local customs, gives you the tools you need to confidently navigate any cultural landscape. Best of all, you’ll be speaking real-world conversations in as little as three weeks of practice — and Nice News readers can now get 55% off.
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Environment
Polynesian Indigenous Leaders Sign Treaty Granting Whales Personhood
The belief that whales should be extended similar rights to humans has been long-held by many, including some indigenous groups across Polynesia. And late last month, in an effort to safeguard the cetaceans, leaders from New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga, and the Cook Islands signed a treaty granting whales legal personhood.
Māori conservationist Mere Takoko, executive director of the Hinemoana Halo Ocean Initiative that spearheaded the treaty, explained to NPR’s Morning Edition that the marine mammals deserve “the right to freedom of movement, natural behavior, development, cultural expression — which includes language — to a healthy environment, healthy oceans, and indeed the restoration of their populations.”
Whales hold a special significance for the Māori people, who consider them their sacred ancestors. The treaty will set a precedent for Polynesian governments to enact legislation protecting the animals from threats like climate change and ship strikes. Said Ralph Chami, lead economist for the initiative: “So this whole thing is to make, in this case, the whale visible. Because things that are visible cannot be ignored.”
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Health
Physicians Are Increasingly Incorporating Dental Care for Low-Income Patients
For some, opening their mouth and saying “ahh” at a doctor’s appointment might mean more than just an incoming tongue compressor. In addition to performing routine health exams, a growing number of U.S. primary care physicians have been incorporating dental care into their patients’ visits.
“We’re seeing more oral disease than the general population. There is a bigger need,” pediatrician Patricia Braun told KFF Health News. Braun works at Denver Health, “the largest safety-net hospital in Colorado,” serving low-income and uninsured residents.
Similar programs throughout the country, made possible through private and federal funding, have increased over the last decade, offering oral health checkups for children, pregnant women, and those who cannot afford or access regular dental care.
“Providing these services during medical visits increases the frequency of fluoride application,” said Tara Callaghan, director of operations for the Montana Primary Care Association, and “improves parents’ knowledge of caring for their child’s teeth.” Learn more about how these programs are working to expand.
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Something We Love
Codenames Online (Free)
If you, like the Nice News team, have ever played the Codenames card game with a group of friends or family, you know how fun it can be to cosplay as “spymasters” and “agents.” And that same fun is even more accessible with the free online version, perfect for playing with loved ones far and wide. Simply select your settings, send the link to participants, and enjoy the competition.
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
“A mindset of altruism”
Five University of Georgia sorority sisters went above and beyond their organization’s code of ethics when they rescued a mother and her two sons from a sinking vehicle, even performing CPR on one of the boys. All five students were awarded badges of honor from the local sheriff’s department for their heroism. Reflecting on the experience, one of the young women shared: “[It’s] about [having] a mindset of altruism and searching for [anyone] who needs help in the world around you.”
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Photo of the Day
In Hamburg, Germany, a graceful flock of swans were fittingly accompanied by a convoy of swan boats as they returned to the Alster lakes from their winter retreat at the Eppendorf mill pond.
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Learn Better With Babbel
Babbel does language learning right. The platform’s interactive, bite-sized lessons are crafted by native speakers and experts — not robots — and just 10 minutes of practice a day can have you speaking like a local in no time. Click below to choose your language and unlock a limited-time deal for Nice News readers.
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Quote of the Day
“Accentuate the positive, not the negative.”
– BETTY WHITE
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