Today is the United Nations' World Health Day — an annual commemoration with a different theme each year. 2025's World Health Day kicks off a year of programming on maternal and newborn health, an essential campaign that seeks to help every woman and baby around the globe "survive and thrive." Learn how you can get involved.
What Is a "Wellness Room"? All About the Home Design Trend
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We have rooms for sleeping, cooking, and lounging, and now more people are carving out spaces in their homes for well-being, too. Some refer to them as "wellness rooms" or "rest corners," but whatever you call them, they're places of serenity for reading, practicing yoga, meditating, crafting, playing music, puzzling, or doing whatever self-care ritual speaks to you. "Spaces for wellness, retreat, and recharging are all really popular right now," Gonzalo Bueno, who owns Dallas-based interior design firm Ten Plus Three, told the Associated Press. Some examples he cited include an outdoor Zen garden, a meditation space with a soaking tub, and music rooms. But what all these areas have in common — whether they're big rooms for jamming out or introvert nooks for alone time — is the intention to use them for unwinding and putting the world on pause for a while. The important thing is to feel attuned to yourself, said Jack Ovadia, who owns a design firm in New York. "A wellness room should be a space where the outside world dissolves; no background noise, no movement beyond your own. This is where you go to let go; to drop into something quieter, something deeper." Get inspiration to create your own wellness room — or corner.
Together With HeartSciences
Fighting the Leading Cause of Death With AI
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and it so often goes undetected until it's too late. HeartSciences is working to make early frontline detection easier with AI. Traditional electrocardiograms (ECGs) use decades-old technology and generally only detect rhythm-related issues, like arrhythmia or AFib. By then, a patient often has late-stage heart disease. With HeartSciences' AI and cloud-based ECG platform, frontline health care providers will be able to unlock hidden signs of heart disease earlier. Not only does this have the potential to save countless lives, but over 100 million ECGs are performed annually in the U.S. alone (and about 1 billion worldwide), creating a huge market opportunity for HeartSciences. The global market opportunity is expected to reach $30 billion by 2034 — learn how you can invest in HeartSciences here.
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Environment
Honoring 120 Years of the US Forest Service
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The U.S. Forest Service is marking a milestone this year: its 120th anniversary. And in the century-plus that the organization has been around, its scope has changed quite a bit. In 1905, the Forest Service was founded to provide quality water and timber to the country. Guided by the official motto "Caring for the Land and Serving People," the service later evolved to help sustain more resources (like wildlife, recreation, and forage) and support the "health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations." In other words, there's a lot of ground for Smokey Bear to cover. The service stewards 193 million acres of public lands from Alaska to Florida, including 154 national forests, 20 national grasslands, and 84 experimental forests and ranges. Much of the work today also involves emergency response, helping fight fires and supporting recovery efforts in the aftermath of disasters. So in the spirit of celebration, read these 10 fun facts about the Forest Service's history, including the deets on some iconic rangers and Smokey's official zip code.
Humanity
Ramp by Ramp: Iceland Added More Than 1,700 Wheelchair Ramps in Just 4 Years
Ramp Up Reykjavík
One step can change everything — and in this case, we're talking not about a metaphorical step, but a physical one. Icelandic designer and tech mogul Haraldur "Halli" Thorleifsson is a wheelchair user who experiences firsthand the barrier that steps create every day for people with disabilities. "That one step was the main obstacle between me and fully participating in society. And, not just me; anyone who uses a mobility device to get around," he told Fast Company. On a mission to pave the way for more accessible public spaces in Iceland's capital, he launched Ramp Up Reykjavík. The accessibility initiative set out to fund the installation of 100 ramps in places with the most foot traffic within one year— and met that goal with time and money to spare. Since 2021, the project has helped build more than1,700 ramps across Iceland. "The biggest challenge in the beginning was making people believe that this was possible," Thorleifsson said. But now that he's proven how seamless it can be, he's eager to help other countries make life a little easier and more equitable for people with disabilities, one ramp at a time. "I'm not a very patient person. I don't think there is any excuse to move slowly on fixing a human rights issue," he said, adding: "It's easy. It's cheap. There's no excuse. Just do it. We can help. Call me."
In Other News
Washington Capitals' Alexander Ovechkin is now the NHL's top goalscorer — watch his history-making goal (read more)
No more "eyesore": This landmark NYC movie theater will be revitalized after it was purchased by a nonprofit (read more)
Pope Francismade his first public appearance since leaving the hospital: See footage of his Vatican visit (read more)
Nonprofit Undue Medical Debt purchased $30 billion in debt, wiping out balances for around 20 million people (read more)
A centenarian tortoisecouple welcomed a quad of hatchlingsat thePhiladelphia Zoo (read more)
Because Weekend x Nice News
Nice News' Merch Now Comes in Women's Fit Nice News' merch collab with Because Weekend just got another upgrade: The "nice and easy," "smile," and "addicted to optimism" tees are now available in women's fit! The collection is all about celebrating positivity and making every day feel like the weekend. Click below to shop the options and help usspread Nice News beyond the inbox.
Acure Brightening Facial Scrub As someone who previously used facial scrubs with plastic beads, this version with sea kelp and French green clay is a major upgrade. It gently scrubs away dead skin to make your face feel smooth — never raw or dry — and the affordable bottle lasts a surprisingly long time. – Stephanie Friedman, Staff Writer
One of the barriers people with autism face is a lack of access to job opportunities. Beloved Bath, a candle and soap company in New Jersey, is dedicated to helping fill those gaps, currently employing 15 people with autism. "I'm putting labels on candles," said employee Paul Silliere. "Love it. It's so much fun."
Photo of the Day
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In yesterday's women's March Madness national championship game, the UConn Huskies made history — and not just in the women's league. Winning 82-59 against the South Carolina Gamecocks, UConn became the first college basketball team with 12 national titles, beating the UCLA men's team with 11. "Just so much gratitude for everything this program has meant to me," said UConn's Paige Bueckers, who finished her collegiate career with the third-most points in women's NCAA history. Watch the final minute and post-win celebrations.
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