Nice News Today

Nice News has covered dopamine menus, dopamine decor, and dopamine dressing. And now we're presenting you with: dopamine anchoring. The concept takes advantage of the brain's reward system in order to help motivate us to get through tasks that we find boring or annoying. Learn how to practice it in today's podcast episode.

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Must Reads

• "Mind-blowing" milestone: Scientists recorded a human embryo implanting in a womb for the first time, possibly conceiving a path toward new infertility treatments

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• The 2025 World's Cutest Rescue Dog Contest finalists are in — cast your vote for your favorite​

Environment

See the Shortlist for the 2025 Ocean Photographer of the Year

If you need a reminder to admire the wildly beautiful world that exists on, under, and around the sea, look no further than the finalists of the 2025 Ocean Photographer of the Year contest.
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The annual competition showcases moments of ocean life, both beautifully ordinary and extraordinary. Photos include shots of tiny hidden marine gems and larger-than-life scenes of divers swimming among whales, as well as sweeping coastline vistas. But the one thing they all have in common is a shared message that there's a lot at stake.
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"In the midst of a deepening climate and biodiversity crisis on our blue planet, ocean photography has never been more important," Ocean Photographer of the Year Director Will Harrison said in a statement. "These images are far more than just beautiful — they are powerful visual testaments to what we stand to lose, and they remind us of the urgent need for protection."
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The winners will be announced next month (stay tuned!), but in the meantime, dive into the photographs. Our favorites? It's hard to choose, but the conservation hope category is particularly up Nice News' alley.

Together With FinanceBuzz

A Rare Unlimited Cash Back Match Credit Card

Looking for a better way to tackle credit card debt? Or want to finance a major purchase? Getting a new 0% intro APR credit card can help you while easing some of the financial pressure. And the credit card experts at FinanceBuzz found one that stands out from others on the market.
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​This card offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, plus 5% cash back on everyday purchases at grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations. The best part? It matches all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year — that's up to 10% back on qualifying purchases. And there's no annual fee or foreign transaction fees to worry about. Click below to see why this card is getting so much buzz.

Culture

This Artisanal Bakery Proves That Sourdough Is (Still) on the Rise

Think the sourdough craze ended after 2020? Think again. The bread experienced another resurgence on social media last year (with our own assistant editor even giving it a whirl at home), and through its commitment to the craft, San Francisco establishment Jane the Bakery is proving that the wonders of artisanal sourdough are here to stay.
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Though it became popular in the City by the Bay during the California gold rush, sourdough was first made thousands of years ago — and bakery owner Amanda Michael aims to emulate that ancient methodology. "We're using the whole kernel of grain, so the germ, the endosperm, nothing is stripped out of it," she told CBS News. Before it's turned into loaves, the grain is grown on a family farm and then milled on-site. "It's a really simple idea of just utilizing what's already in nature," head baker Jamie Sams noted.
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The result is up to 600 freshly baked sourdough loaves each day, including a mouthwatering chocolate hazelnut flavor, making Jane just one of the bakeries contributing to a market expected to reach $5.32 billion by 2030. Go inside the California shop.​

Humanity

13-Year-Old Becomes 170,000th Disney Make-A-Wish Recipient

Disneyland is brimming with magic, and the resort's collaboration with the Make-A-Wish foundation is perhaps the most shining example. A 13-year-old named Madison knows that firsthand: On July 17, exactly two years after being diagnosed with leukemia, her wish to visit the Walt Disney Imagineering headquarters was granted — making her the 170,000th wish recipient on the same day the park celebrated its 70th anniversary.
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Tech-loving Madison got to meet the Imagineers, the people who bring Disney's attractions to life, on a behind-the-scenes tour at the Southern California campus. Over two days, she learned about ride technology, Audio-Animatronics figures, and more.
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The Florida teen became interested in the Imagineers during her leukemia treatment, when she read The Imagineering Story by Leslie Iwerks, who surprised Madison on Day 2 to sign her copy of the book. Madison and her family capped off the experience by joining in the 70th anniversary celebrations at Disneyland.
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"What impacted me the most was how passionate each Imagineer was. They were passionate about their jobs, their creations, and even my wish," Madison tells Nice News. "The passion they have in creating Disney magic is exactly how I feel. Seeing just how excited they were to meet me showed and reminded me of my uniqueness and determination not only through my leukemia journey but to one day become an Imagineer."

In Other News

1. The Grand Canyon's famed Brighty the Burro statue was reported saved last week amid the area's recent wildfire (read more)
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2. Fancy a piece of Downton? Costumes and props from the series to be sold at auction for charity starting today (read more)
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3. Monkey see, monkey do, but a study reveals it's mama chimp who does the communication coaching in the family (read more)
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4. New blood pressure guidelines from two top heart orgs have been released — check them out (read more)
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5. Soaring on sunshine: A Swiss pilot broke the altitude record for a solar-powered plane (read more)

Inspiring Story

Young girls, big impact

For anyone looking for a reason to be optimistic about the future, we've got a list for you: Time magazine unveiled its first-ever Girls of the Year list, celebrating 10 young female leaders from around the world — including an author, an advocate, and a pilot — all on a mission to make a difference. As senior editor Dayana Sarkisova notes in her article on the selection process, "These girls are part of a generation that's reshaping what leadership looks like."

Photo of the Day

We'd stop and stare too! This work by artist Braga Last1 is one of the many featured at the 2025 Calais Street Art Festival in France, an annual event that gathers artists from across the globe to create large-scale, tableau-style murals around the city — turning ordinary streets into an extraordinary "open-air museum."

Odds & Ends

🏆 He got 4th place at the goat show, but this boy wins the internet
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🐢 A trip down Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles memory lane​
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✈️ Get up to 70% off business class fares to worldwide destinations — and with top airlines*
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🎷 That's one way to make a flight delay more tolerable
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​*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate

Quote of the Day

"We are stronger when we listen, and smarter when we share."

– RANIA AL-ABDULLAH