The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games began in Minneapolis yesterday, kicking off a week defined by grit, determination, and joy. “I hope I have fun — and also win,” Conner Emmert, who’s representing team Virginia in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and 100-meter relay, told Good Morning America. Meet more of the athletes competing this week.
Must Reads
Clive Davis died yesterday at age 94 — revisit 11 songs he helped turn into hits
Car paint that doubles as an “optical black hole”
For the first time in more than two centuries, the western facade of the Parthenon — located in the heart of the acropolis in Athens, Greece — is whole again. Two hand-carved marble blocks were slotted into long-empty gaps, restoring the iconic monument to “geometric perfection,” Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement.
The official reveal last week marked a major milestone in a broader restoration effort launched in 1975 to repair centuries of damage from earthquakes, a fire, looting, and ineffective previous interventions. And while installing two pieces of marble may sound rather straightforward, the Acropolis Restoration Service called the project “one of the greatest challenges of recent years,” noting the difficulties of getting the massive blocks up the hill and positioning them perfectly within the structure.
Already, it seems the effort was well worth it. “The sight is truly breathtaking,” Mendoni said, adding, “It is a moment of historic significance for the monument, for the Acropolis, and for world culture.” See more photos of the Parthenon in all its restored glory.
Together With Honeycomb
This New Toilet Paper Just Might Save the World
Every 24 hours, 27,000 trees are cut down just to make toilet paper. We think that’s far too many, and Honeycomb agrees, which is why they created luxury three-ply made from bamboo. It feels just like regular high-end toilet paper, but doesn’t harm trees.
Why bamboo? It grows insanely fast — almost 100 times faster than the average tree — making it a sustainable option to save forests. Bamboo also has uniquely short fibers, which are perfect for creating soft toilet tissue you can feel good about. It’s biodegradable, 100% plastic-free, and Honeycomb delivers straight to you.
The best part? Code NICE35 will give 35% off your first shipment for the next 24 hours.
With Historic Grant Funding, National Parks Are Teaching Kids to Fish
National Park Foundation
Just as students across the country have been released from school for summer break, national parks are offering a way to keep young people engaged (and away from screens): teaching them how to fish.
Earlier this month, the National Park Foundation announced a record $1.2 million in grants awarded to support Junior Ranger Angler programs. This funding expands fishing clinics, gear libraries, and hands-on events centered on teaching youth the art of fishing across more than 50 locations, including Yellowstone, Acadia, and the Indiana Dunes.
Beyond the chance to walk away with an o-fish-al Junior Ranger Angler badge, the events are “about getting kids, families, and communities hooked on the great outdoors through unforgettable park adventures,” NPF’s Chief Program Officer Lise Aangeenbrug said in a press release shared with Nice News. “People care about what they feel connected to ... our hope is that they’re establishing a lifelong connection to our national parks and inspiring a commitment to protect these places.”
Science
Scientists Turn to Satellites to Take the “Urban Pulse” of Major Cities
Joseph Sohm—Visions of America/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
How do you put your finger on the pulse of how well a city is doing? A team of researchers decided to answer this question quite literally and developed a framework to track the “urban pulse” of six cities: Dubai, Lagos, Mexico City, Mumbai, Seattle, and Shenzhen.
Much like an electrocardiogram offers insight into a person’s health, the new framework uses high-frequency satellite imagery to highlight what’s working in a city and what areas could use improvement. The plan is to monitor cities and document changes in near real-time to help policymakers be more proactive and less dependent on aggregated data (e.g., annual census counts, economic figures, etc.).
“The urban pulse measures the high-frequency process of development, and therefore we can spot early warning signs of economic stress or stagnation before they become full-blown crises,” study lead author Zhe Zhu told Reuters. “We compare traditional metrics to looking at a heart attack (the outcome) whereas the ‘urban pulse’ is like monitoring the daily lifestyle and vital signs leading up to that heart attack (the process).”
They found urbanization is rather “spiky” and cyclical rather than smooth and steady. “This is important because, for decades, researchers have characterized cities through static maps,” added senior author Karen Seto. Learn more about the findings.
In Other News
Astronomers discovered the “Pink Planet” has a unique atmosphere made of salty clouds (read more)
The European Union’s ban on BPA in food wrappers and containers will take effect next month (read more)
Ahead of the summer travel rush, self-service security checkpoints are being rolled out at some U.S airports (read more)
A Knicks documentary is in the works, as confirmed by one of the team’s Hollywood superfans (read more)
In a first, a humpback whale dubbed Luban was observed crossing the Arabian Sea (read more)
Something We Love
Range by Kara Duval
Kara Duval’s workouts have quickly become my favorites after just a few months of subscribing to her online program, Range. The collection of classes, running the gamut from quick weighted sessions to longer meditative practices, blends breath work, Pilates, yoga, strength training, dance, and good ol’ fashioned fun. And it gets bonus points for inclusivity: She always offers modifications and the freedom to choose what movement feels good for you.
– Ally Mauch, Associate Editor
This Father’s Day was extra special for a group of children whose fathers are incarcerated at New York’s Rikers Island. Through a unique program, the kids reunited with their dads at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. “A program like this gives them an opportunity to connect with their parent in a way that’s very normal,” said Leslie Bushara, the museum’s chief program office. Watch heartwarming footage from their day.
Photo of the Day
Stephen Lam—San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images
Participants drew their lines in the sand on San Francisco’s Ocean Beach over the weekend alongside “earthscape artist” Andres Amador, who is known for creating ephemeral beach art around the world. See the massive work of art that resulted from the event — full of suns, spirals, and a whole lot of names.
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