Looking for a cozy activity to occupy your Sunday? We've got a pitch that combines creativity and nostalgia with an eco-friendly flair: junk journaling. It's like scrapbooking, but involves only using materials that would have otherwise been thrown out. "You take bits and pieces of everyday life, things that might be considered 'junk,' and transform them into something beautiful and meaningful," artisan Christina Argonish explained. Click here for step-by-step directions, courtesy of MarthaStewart.com. (Today's featured article may serve as extra incentive to pick up this hobby.) — the Nice News team
Featured Story
It's Time to Declutter: Make This the Year You Create More Space in Your Home (and Mind)
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Your home should be your place to space out, so to speak — a sanctuary to unwind and clear your head. But to do that, you need actual space. If your living area is packed full of clutter, it can be tough to relax and recharge. "Clutter can affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus," Libby Sanders, an assistant professor of organizational behavior, wrote for The Conversation. "It can also make us less productive, triggering coping and avoidance strategies that make us more likely to snack on junk and watch TV shows (including ones about other people decluttering their lives)." Thankfully, the flip side is also true: Creating a neat and tidy space can yield a plethora of mental health benefits. We dive into a few of those below, and provide practical tips so you can start making space in your home (and mind) today.
Pulling an Uber in the $500 Billion Smartphone Industry
Imagine turning down Uber at $10 million, then watching it go public at $80 billion. That's exactly what happened to Mark Cuban — a 919,900% return, gone. By the time we hear about industry-changing disruptions like this, it's usually too late, but right now there's a tech startup making waves behind the scenes. Like Uber turned vehicles into income-generating assets, the company is turning smartphones into the easiest passive income source imaginable. It was named the No. 1 fastest-growing software company by Deloitte in 2023 and has already earned over $325 million for its customers. This tech startup is Mode Mobile, and unlike with Uber, you have a chance to invest in the company at just $0.26/share before it goes public.*
"Every Day Here Is a Surprise": Bathhouse With Massive Plunge Pool Unearthed at Pompeii
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If you've ever wondered what a spa day might have looked like 2,000 years ago, you're in luck. Archaeologists recently unearthed a swanky private bathhouse in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, offering a unique glimpse into the lives of the ultra-elite. Much like modern spas, the complex had hot rooms and cold rooms, a changing area, and even a plunge pool that could accommodate around two dozen people. "In the hot summers, you could sit with your feet in the water, chatting with your friends, maybe enjoying a cup of wine," Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, told the BBC. He added that "it's probably the biggest bath complex in a Pompeiian private home." Although there have been no shortage of discoveries from Pompeii, the bathhouse, located at the heart of a grand residence, has been described as a "once-in-a-century" find, as it was not common for private homes to have such setups — let alone ones at this scale. "Every day here is a surprise," said Anna Onesti, the excavation director, adding: "It's a magic moment for the life of Pompeii."Take a tour of the bathhouse and learn more about who might have lived there.
Humanity
Hope Is Not the Same as Optimism, a Psychologist Explains — Just Look At MLK's Example
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This article was written by Kendra Thomas, an associate professor of psychology at Hope College, for The Conversation.
On April 3, 1968, standing before a crowded church, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. painted his vision for justice. "I've seen the Promised Land," he said. "I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land." Twenty-two hours later, he was assassinated. King's prophetic words express the virtue of hope amid hardship. He was not optimistic that he would reach the "Promised Land," yet he was hopeful about the ultimate goal. In conversation, "hope" and "optimism" can often be used as synonyms. But there's an important gap between them, as psychology research suggests. Learn more.
Humanity
Formerly Unhoused 14-Year-Old Chess Prodigy Sets His Sights on Grandmaster
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"I do not like being bored," Tanitoluwa "Tani" Adewumi wrote in his memoir, My Name Is Tani ... and I Believe in Miracles. We can tell: At 8 years old, he won a New York state chess championship's K-3 division after only learning how to play a year prior, thanks to the hours he spent studying the intricacies of the game and his ability to think 20 moves ahead on the board. At age 10, he won the under 12 section at the North American Youth Championships and became a National Master, securing an International Chess Federation FIDE Master title just a few months later. And at 13, the child prodigy won the 2024 U.S. Cadet Championship, a round-robin tournament that invites the top eight Americans under 16 years old to compete. Tani's skills are beyond impressive. But there's a whole other level of inspiration to his story, which has been picked up by major news outlets, turned into the aforementioned book, and acquired to be made into a movie by Paramount Pictures. After his family was threatened by terrorist group Boko Haram while living in Nigeria, they fled to the U.S. in 2017. When Tani won that first state championship, he and his family were still living in a homeless shelter in New York. Thankfully, the Adewumis were officially granted asylum in 2022, and Tani's chess journey has only continued to skyrocket. Read our interview with Tani for more of his story.
Sunday Selections
Deep Dives
Gene editing and stem cells might one day help humans regrow adult teeth
"It's really about empathy": Scientists with disabilities are on a mission to make labs and field sites more accessible
Take a tour of Greenland, courtesy of the country's first female prime minister
In what TheWashington Post dubbed a "love letter to dogs," author Mark Rowlands explores a number of philosophical questions: Do dogs live fulfilled lives? Are they capable of love? Are they moral beings? Using elements of memoir and plenty of cognitive science, the book makes the case for canines being not just companions, but also windows into our own pursuits of happiness and senses of purpose. It hits shelves Tuesday but you can pre-order today.
There's a reason Sherlock Holmes earned a Guinness World Record for being the most portrayed literary human character of all time. Now, Hugh Bonneville of Downton Abbey fame is bringing Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved detective to life once more as the narrator of this 16-part podcast featuring a selection of Holmes stories. Each is complete with immersive sound design, so you really feel like you're in Victorian London when you listen. New episodes drop weekly.
This Week in History
The First Patent for Lego Building Bricks Is Filed
January 28, 1958
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Forget Batman and Green Lantern, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen is the real superhero for youngins everywhere — even if they aren't aware. He's the man who filed the first patent for Lego building bricks, and thus helped launch the toy company into household name status. Christiansen's father, a Danish carpenter, started the brand in 1932. He named it by combining the Danish words "leg" and "godt," meaning "play well," unaware that the word Lego in Latin also means "I put together." In those early days, the company produced wooden toys, only foraying into building blocks in 1949 as plastic became more popular. To date, Lego has filed over 3,500 patents. See some of the wildest creations ever constructed.
Tech Company Mode Mobile Grew 32,481%
Mode Mobile was 2023's fastest-growing software company, according to Deloitte, and its momentum isn't slowing down. Just as Uber turned vehicles into income-generating assets, Mode is turning smartphones into an easy passive income source, already helping more than 45 million users earn over $325 million through simple, everyday use. The startup has just been granted its stock ticker by Nasdaq, and you can still invest in the pre-IPO offering at just $0.26/share — and earn 100% bonus shares for a limited time.*
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