Of all the assignments a Stanford business student could receive, this one is relatively straightforward: Write a thank-you letter. Glenn Kramon, a lecturer at the prestigious school, tasks his students with doing just that. And in a recent op-ed for The New York Times, he shared that many are left "stunned" by the positive reactions they receive from their notes of gratitude. "I'm struck by how many of the recipients said they had never received emails like this, said they wept and roared and said they needed this as validation for oft-thankless work or because life had been tough," Kramon explained. Read some of his students' letters and consider giving the exercise a try yourself.
Nice News Today
We're often left wishing we could have a little more time with our dogs. A California biotech startup called Loyal is working to make that wish come true by developing an anti-aging pill for pups. Tune into today's podcast episode to learn more about how the pill works and meet one of the dogs taking part in the trial.
Soon-to-Open World's Tallest Bridge Clears Critical Safety Test
Chen Xi/VCG via Getty Images
Talk about a high-stakes test: This week, China's Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge underwent a critical load test to confirm the safety of the structure ahead of its scheduled opening in late September. The testing team drove 96 trucks weighing 3,360 metric tons across the bridge to assess its structural integrity — and fortunately for everyone involved, the bridge passed with flying colors, bringing it this close to officially being the tallest working bridge in the world. Towering 2,050 feet above the canyon floor and stretching nearly two miles end-to-end, the bridge will edge out France's Millau Viaduct in the world's highest bridge category and transform travel in the mountainous Guizhou region. Currently, crossing the Huajiang Canyon takes about two hours, but with the new bridge, that journey will be slashed to about two minutes, China Daily reports. "This bridge is an unprecedented engineering feat," said project manager Wu Zhaoming, noting the team's success in overcoming challenges such as managing concrete temperatures, stabilizing the bridge in steep terrain, and dealing with powerful winds. Watch a video of the test in progress.
Together With Pacaso
A Former Zillow Exec Targets a $1.3 Trillion Market
Austin Allison sold his first company for $120 million. He also served as an exec for Zillow. But both companies reached massive valuations before regular people had the chance to invest. So he built Pacaso differently. Pacaso has made over $110 million in gross profits to date by disrupting the $1.3 trillion vacation home market. No wonder the same VCs that backed Uber, Venmo, and eBay have already invested in Pacaso. Unlike Allison's previous companies, you can invest in Pacaso as a private company. Over 10,000 everyday investors have already invested. But time's running out. Invest before Pacaso's investment opportunity ends on Sept. 18.*
*This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso's Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving the ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the Nasdaq is subject to approvals.
Environment
How the Smithsonian Is Championing the Survival of Threatened Species
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
The Smithsonian is known for being the world's largest museum network, comprising 21 distinct museums. But you may not know about the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute: a 32,000-acre wildlife sanctuary in northern Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. This refuge is home to more than 20 species at risk of extinction, all cared for by scientists and conservationists dedicated to restoring their numbers "Every animal in the ecosystem is important for that ecosystem," Adrienne Crosier, a cheetah biologist at SCBI, told CBS News. "They all have a really important role to play." Unfortunately, extinction rates are accelerating at unprecedented levels and threatening ecosystem balance across the globe, making the institute's work all the more important. "We're seeing species disappearing at 10, 100, to 1,000 times the normal background rate," said biologist Melissa Songer. In an effort to change that, the SCBI focuses on researching reproduction, ecology, genetics, migration, and conservation sustainability, as well as breeding endangered species and reintroducing them to their habitats. One of its success stories is the black-footed ferret, native to the North American Great Plains. The institute's team is caring for around 60 kits that will be released into the wild in Colorado this fall, but you still have a few days to check out the black-footed ferret live cam (psst, it's adorable).
Sports
The Sydney Marathon Is This Weekend: Meet 3 Runners Defying the Odds
Courtesy Team Abbott
This Sunday, a record 35,000 runners will participate in the Sydney Marathon. Among them are three athletes from the Boston area running with Team Abbott who have turned personal health challenges into driving forces to chase their dreams and inspire others to do the same. One of the Abbott athletes making the trek to the land Down Under is Justin O'Connell. Born four months early with scoliosis, he shared in an email to Nice News that he "could fit into the palms of my parents' hands at birth." He underwent a spinal fusion surgery at age 15, after which he had to relearn how to sit and walk. Following Sunday's race, O'Connell will have 41 marathons under his belt. "I'm excited to have the opportunity to inspire and motivate people and get them across the finish line because everyone deserves the finish line glory," the 34-year-old said. Joining him on the course for Team Abbott are Elizabeth Pehota, 32, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2022, and Ed Barnes, 36, who has an artificial heart valve. All three view running as more than a personal achievement — it's a message to others that they, too, can defy the odds.
"To me, that finish will represent pride, accomplishment, and the fulfillment of showing others that even with obstacles, you can achieve something extraordinary," Barnes, pictured, told Nice News. Pehota added: "When I run, I don't just do it for myself, I do it for those who are struggling too." If you want to cheer on these inspiring athletes and the rest of the runners, here's how to follow the race live.
Global Good
🇰🇷 South Korea will ban smartphones and smart devices in classrooms starting next year (read more) 🇩🇰 The first Viking "portrait," unveiled by Denmark's National Museum, is impressively detailed — and cheerful (read more) 🇲🇽 Mexico's jaguar population has increased by 30% since 2010, a "surprising and encouraging" development (read more) 🏴 In dreamy real estate news, a Scottish castle steeped in history is back on the market (read more) 🇬🇪 A 1.8 million-year-old human jawbone was unearthed in Georgia, shedding light on early Eurasian settlements (read more)
Inspiring Story
Every second counts
During a high school football game in Sylacauga, Alabama, referee Lew Murphy jumped into action to administer CPR on a fellow official, Joey Shelnutt, who collapsed on the field. While others didn't immediately realize what was going on, Murphy's swift response — as well as actions from other good Samaritans in the stands — bought his colleague critical time before emergency personnel arrived. "Lew's gonna tell you he's not a hero, but he's my hero," said Shelnutt, who is stable and now awaiting bypass surgery.
Photo of the Day
Yuan Xiaoqiang/VCG via Getty Images
On Wednesday, students from Shaolin Tagou Martial Arts School in Zhengzhou, China, celebrated International Boxing Day with an epic parade-meets-flash mob — taking on various impressive formations, including the International Boxing Association logo. See more pics from the celebration.
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Up This Weekend
Jaws 50th Anniversary Rerelease: Today through Sept. 4, you can catch the iconic Spielberg flick in a theater near you
Fall Film Festivals: In more movie news, both the Venice and Telluride film festivals are happening now, with Toronto and New York coming up next month — check out the most anticipated titles
Louisville WorldFest: This unique Kentucky event brings thousands together to celebrate the different cultural backgrounds that make up the city of Louisville
The Nice News merch collaboration with Because Weekend is all about celebrating optimism and making every day feel like the weekend. To help us spread that ethos beyond the inbox, shop our collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts here.
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