The Kansas City Chiefs will be vying for a three-peat Super Bowl victory when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles this afternoon in New Orleans, but two other teams are set to face off first — and these athletes might love running after balls more than anyone in the NFL. In the biggest Puppy Bowl yet, 142 rescue dogs from 80 shelters will compete to win the coveted Lombarky trophy for Team Fluff or Team Ruff. Meet the adorable players and learn how to tune in. — the Nice News team
Featured Story
Why (and How) You Should Romanticize Your Life
clu/ iStock
Valentine's Day is around the corner, which means romance is in the air. But today we're exploring a different definition of the word "romantic." "Have you ever felt like your life was too boring or ordinary to be considered beautiful?" asks content creator Gigi MW in a YouTube video posted last June. She goes on: "Some of the most beautiful moments are hidden in the mundane if you just take the time to notice them." Her video is one example out of thousands extolling the virtues of "romanticizing your life," a concept that exploded in popularity during the dark days of the pandemic. Click below to learn what it entails and why you might consider taking part.
The Biggest Disruption to Smartphones Since the iPhone
Make way Apple, a new smartphone company is stepping up to deliver the mind-blowing moments the world is waiting for. Like Uber turned vehicles into income-generating assets, Mode is transforming smartphones from an expense into a passive income source. They've already helped 45 million-plus users earn and save an eye-popping $325 million and seen an astonishing 32,481% revenue growth rate over three years. They're gearing up for a possible Nasdaq listing (stock ticker: MODE), but the real investment opportunity is now — before they hit the big stage. Join 35,000-plus shareholders and invest at $0.26/share before Feb. 20.*
Reading Material: Libraries Help Us Feel Better About Ourselves and the World
FatCamera/ iStock
Here's a bit of fun news to check out this morning: A recent study confirmed libraries really do make life better — and in more ways than even the most avid bibliophile might expect, Literary Hub reports. Researchers with the New York Public Library surveyed 1,974 users to see how visiting the library affected their overall well-being. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with the vast majority reporting that library visits contribute to their personal growth and make them more empathetic and optimistic about the world. As one patron said, "It offers us hope that we can do something, that we can make a change, that we can advance." Somewhat like a runner's high for readers,92% of respondents also reported feeling calm or peaceful after visiting a library. Those good vibes even extend to e-only users, with 58% reporting a sense of optimism from digital library interactions (looking at you, Libby enthusiasts). Perhaps most moving, though, is that the positive well-being impacts were found to be highest in lower income communities, with 73% of those surveyed in lower income zip codes reporting that the library positively affects their "feeling that there are people who really care about them."
Health
Vagus Nerve Stimulation Offers New Hope to People With Autoimmune Diseases
Justin Paget/Getty Images
Autoimmune diseases are notoriously difficult to treat. But recently, scientists have been trying something new: stimulating the vagus nerve (the body's "information superhighway") with tiny pulses of electricityvia an implanted device. While this approach has been used to treat epilepsy, depression, and anxiety, researchers say it could be applied more widely — such as to help the 1.5 million people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in the U.S., as well as those affected by Crohn's disease and multiple sclerosis. "Neural signals have the ability to reflexively control aspects of the immune system that frankly, nobody had thought about before," neurosurgeon Kevin Tracey told NPR. Tracey is the co-founder of SetPoint Medical, a biotech company making a vagus nerve stimulation device that's currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration. The device, which is about the size of "a really big multivitamin,"would serve as a replacement for or supplement to medications. "Drugs work, but they sometimes don't, and you can have side effects," said Dr. Andrew Ko, who has implanted the SetPoint stimulators in patients. "In those cases, there are some benefits to looking at devices."
Culture
Now Departing: European Sleeper's Dreamy New Train Route From Brussels to Venice
European Sleeper
European Sleeper is now operating a new train route that connects seven cities in five countries for one very scenic experience. Brussels and Venice, Italy, are the itinerary bookends, with stops along the way in Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Cologne, Germany; Munich; Innsbruck, Austria; and Verona, Italy. "Passengers will be able to board our train from Belgium and the Netherlands, and relax in the comfort of the restaurant car, while the train transports them through Germany and Austria, and across the Alps, ending in the historic cities of Verona and Venice the following day," Chris Engelsman, the co-founder of European Sleeper, said in a statement. The seasonal service — which costs between about $123 and $250 — will run in both directions weekly through the end of March to make it easier for travelers to trek to and from winter sport destinations, per Time Out.
Sunday Selections
Deep Dives
How a 200-year-old cottage in rural Ireland earned a Michelin star within months of opening as a restaurant
A true deep dive into the world of the enigmatic colossal squid, an animal that's still never been positively identified in its natural habitat
Some of the smartphone-free Luddite Club's OG members are now in college — and still on their old-school tip
Today, Rick Steves is one of America's foremost travel writers, but in 1978, he was a green 23-year-old getting ready to backpack the storied Hippie Trail, a 6,000-mile trek inspired by the likes of Jack Kerouac and The Beatles. Armed with a notebook and camera, he set off from Istanbul, Turkey, to Kathmandu, Nepal — documenting himself getting lost, jumping off a moving train, battling leeches, and more along the way. In this memoir, Steves shares those journal entries and photos and reflects on the trip that sparked his love of travel.
Produced by the late TV great Norman Lear, Clean Slate follows Laverne Cox as Desiree, a trans woman returning home after 23 years to reintroduce herself to her dad, Harry (played by George Wallace), who hopes to get things right with his child the second time around. The heartfelt comedy is at its core about unconditional love, and, as Cox shared with Entertainment Weekly, serves as a tribute to Lear's legacy of tackling tough issues in a fun way that "doesn't point a finger at you or preach to you." The entire eight-episode season dropped Thursday on Prime Video.
This Week in History
NASA CapturesIconic "Pale Blue Dot" Photo of Earth
February 14, 1990
NASA/JPL-Caltech
As NASA's Voyager 1 was hurtling out of the Milky Way 35 years ago, mission controllers commanded the space probe to take one final look back before powering off its cameras forever. It snapped 60 shots from that vantage point, about 3.7 billion miles from the sun, and they comprise what the space agency refers to as the first-ever "family portrait" of our solar system. The photos were astronomer Carl Sagan's idea, as he "wanted humanity to see Earth's vulnerability and that our home world is just a tiny, fragile speck in the cosmic ocean," per NASA. The profound, perspective-bending shot of our planet — reprocessed for clarity in 2020 — would be dubbed the "Pale Blue Dot" image. See a composite of the family portrait.
The Smartphone Story Isn't Over Yet …
Uber did it to taxis, Airbnb did it to hotels … and now, Mode Mobile is doing it to the $500 billion smartphone industry. Phones don't have to be an expense — with Mode Mobile, they can be a source of income. The company has put $325 million back in customers' pockets and seen three-year revenue growth of 32,481%from it. With over 45 million users already earning, this could be the biggest disruption to smartphones since the iPhone. Invest at $0.26/share before Feb. 20 and earn up to 100% bonus shares.*
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