On today's episode of "joyful corners of the internet you didn't know existed," we have: owls in towels. The concept is exactly as it sounds. According to the Owls in Towels website and Instagram page, vets and wildlife rehabbers will wrap rescue owls in fabric before weighing, treating, and feeding them — "otherwise they get in a flap." The result is picture after picture of adorable owls in towels, precisely the kind of timeline cleanse we all need right now.
Show this article to anyone who's ever told you to avoid saying "huh" or "um"
Lifestyle
Sri Lanka Named 2025's Most Family-Friendly Country
Oleh_Slobodeniuk/ iStock
If you frequently daydream about packing up your bags — and your kids' bags — to fly off to an international vacation (or full-on move), here's a new list to put on your radar. The money transfer service Remitly assessed 82 countries and ranked them by how family-friendly they are, looking at the cost of childcare, the quality and accessibility of education, and the expected years of schooling. Sri Lanka topped the listfor its "impressive education system" and "incredibly low annual childcare costs" of around $350 per year. The vibrant island nation is also home to plenty of beaches, ancient temples, national parks, and incredible wildlife, all of which make it sound like a pretty special place to be a kid (and adult for that matter). The second most family-friendly country was Sweden, due to its high education score and "moderate" childcare costs, and Norway followed in third place. See the rest of the top 10.
Together With Miso Robotics
Up to 3 Times Profits? Yes, Chef!
Carmy's tattooed arms may no longer be the most distinctive ones in kitchens. With fast food brands facing over 150% annual turnover rates, they're looking to Miso's AI-powered kitchen robot, Flippy Fry Station, to boost profits up to three times and address devastating labor shortages. Miso already leads kitchen AI and automation with almost 4 million baskets cooked for brands like Jack in the Box. Now, the company is manufacturing the new generation of Flippy that's 50% smaller and two times faster than its predecessor. Its first production run sold out in seven days. You can join as an investor, but only through next week. In 2025, Miso's ready to scale to more than 170 U.S. fast food brands in need — a potential $4 billion annual revenue opportunity. Learn more below.
This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotic's Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.misorobotics.com.
Humanity
Little Free Library Celebrates 200,000th Launch
Anna Min, courtesy of Little Free Library
From a distance, they seem like cute mailboxes. But take a closer look, and you'll find that these colorful streetside boxes, perched on wooden poles, offer much richer reading material. Each Little Free Library houses a diverse array of free books that are ripe for the taking 24/7, so readers of all ages and backgrounds can find a book that they personally connect with. The global organization behind these literary treasure troves passed a major milestone yesterday: unveiling its 200,000th box. Little Free Library cut the ribbon on its brand new box at Benjamin E. Mays IB World School in St. Paul, Minnesota — and it brought out students, school staff, and other community members to join in with snacks and, naturally, dedicated reading time. The nonprofit is also taking this opportunity to grant 200 Little Free Libraries to Title 1 elementary schools nationwide. Each one will hold 200 diverse children's books (40,000 in total) donated by Penguin Random House. "We are humbled by the number of individuals and organizations who chose to build community, share their love of reading, and expand access to books by starting one or more Little Free Libraries," the nonprofit's director of communications, Margret Aldrich, tells Nice News. "Reaching the 200,000 Little Free Library milestone is due to the dedication and passion of book lovers all over the world." Learn more about the history of Little Free Libraries, how you can join the movement, and where to find one near you.
Culture
"Ahead of Her Time": How Maud Wagner Blazed a Tattoo Trail for Women
GraphicaArtis/Getty Images
When it comes to awesome women we should all know about, we'd put Maud Wagner high on the list. As seen in the photo above, Wagner (born in Kansas in 1877) was covered in ink on her chest and arms long before tattoos became mainstream forms of expression in the Western world. She's also considered the first American woman to make a name for herself in professional tattooing, a historically (and currently) male-dominated industry. "She's a wonderful representation of tattooed women," Amelia Osterud, a tattoo historian and author, told the BBC, adding: "She was really ahead of her time." Wagner's tattoo journey is fittingly unique. At 19, she left her rural hometown to join the circus, where she worked as a contortionist and met her husband, tattoo artist Gus Wagner. Legend has it that she'd only agreed to go on a date with Gus if he taught her how to tattoo. That he did. Wagner went on to become a tattooist to be reckoned with and a walking piece of art herself, defying societal expectations for women at a time when it would have been much easier to blend in. "That's why we're still talking about her," said Osterud.
In Other News
Researchers devised a "local electricity market," in which utilities pay households for backup power (read more)
"It's like a miracle": Some blind patients are undergoing rare tooth-in-eye surgeries to restore their vision (read more)
Rural England's toad patrol is giving a helping hand to amphibians fighting to get across the road (read more)
To prevent ocean pollution, Newport Beach debuted a device that captures litter before it flows away (read more)
A social impact organization is putting women and non-binary filmmakers center stage in the entertainment industry (read more)
Organization We Love
bortonia/ iStock
Kiva We've long shared "something we love" with our readers. Now introducing: organizations we love. First up is Kiva, an international nonprofit with a really unique model, helping people in need via crowdfunded "microloans." You find someone you're interested in supporting on the Kiva website and decide how much you'd like to contribute to their fund. Once the loan is fully funded, Kiva sends the money to a lending partner, and you eventually get repaid (and can put your repayment toward helping someone else!). It's a great way to make a little money go a long way. – Sean Devlin, Founder and General Manager
Dr. Michael Zollicoffer has been helping patients in one of Baltimore's poorest neighborhoods for decades, refusing to charge those who couldn't pay. And when he needed a hand, his community stepped up to return the favor. After Zollicoffer found himself struggling financially due to two cancer diagnoses, his patients came together to help their selfless doctor, with nearly 1,000 people crowdsourcing more than $100,000. "Dr. Z will not give up on you, so we damn sure ain't giving up on him," one patient said.
Photo of the Day
Glacier Bay National Park
At Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska, the glacial ice is stunningly blue, quite different from the ice sitting in your freezer or coating your local pond in the winter. But why does glacial ice appear so blue? It's a question frequently asked of rangers at the national park — get the answer from the U.S. Department of the Interior.
HP Has Your All-in-One Printing Solution
Need a printer that works as hard as you do? The HP Smart Tank 7602 is designed to handle everything, from last-minute school reports to family schedules — and you don't have to worry about ink refills for up to two years. With an automatic document feeder, fast printing speeds, and effortless connectivity, it's the perfect solution for home office use. And as a Nice News reader, you can take $100 off your purchase.
No comments:
Post a Comment