Must Reads

• It's a dog's world: Pet portrait commissions are on the rise
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• If you're tired of your Gmail address (or a bit embarrassed by it), you can now change it​

Health

Doing Something "Mentally Active" While Sitting Helps Reduce Dementia Risk: Study

Not all sitting is created equal. That's according to a recently published study from Sweden, which found that keeping your brain engaged while you sit can help reduce the dementia risk associated with sedentary behavior. Spoiler: Watching TV and scrolling social media don't count.
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​In 1997, researchers surveyed over 20,000 Swedish adults about their weekly activity — separating "mentally active" time (like knitting, doing a puzzle, or sitting in a meeting) and "mentally passive" time (like watching TV or listening to music). They followed up 19 years later to assess each participant's cognitive health risk and status and found that those who spent more time in mentally passive sitting had a higher risk of developing dementia.
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Using a statistical model, the researchers then calculated that adding even just one hour of mental activity a day lowered dementia risk by 4%, and swapping a passive habit for an active one reduced the risk by 7%. Combining physical activity with mental engagement was the most effective approach, reducing the risk by 11%.
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"Sedentary behavior is common, but fortunately, it can also be modified," study co-author Mats Hallgren said in a statement. "Our study shows that not all sitting is the same — how we use our brains while sitting may be an important factor for future cognitive and mental health."

Together With The Bouqs Co.

Two College Roommates Solving a $100 Billion Problem

If there's ever a time to "wake up and smell the flowers," it's when the $100 billion floral market is up for grabs. And investors are running out of time to do it.
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Roommates John Tabis (ex Disney exec) and Juan Pablo Montufar-Arroyo (third-generation farmer) founded The Bouqs Co. to reinvent the $100 billion floral industry. Now, they're featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, NBC News, and Entrepreneur magazine.
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Why? Because they've successfully created a flower business model that's 3x more efficient than the traditional supply chain.
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The result is nearly $100 million in annual revenue and a 70+ brick-and-mortar expansion. This investment opportunity ends soon: Become a shareholder in The Bouqs Co. as it scales.​

This is a paid advertisement for The Bouq's Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.bouqs.com/.

Environment

Inside the Effort to Guarantee Ski Season, No Matter the Weather

If the unpredictable winters have you concerned that there won't be slopes to pair with your après-ski, rest assured — the experts are on the case. A growing number of U.S. ski areas are turning to "snow farming" to guarantee a reliable base, regardless of the weather.
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The concept of snow farming is fairly straightforward: During the winter, resorts pile massive quantities of human-made snow into mounds (sometimes two to three stories high) and store them throughout the summer under insulated mats. These mats can keep the snow cold even at surface temperatures of 119 degrees Fahrenheit. Once autumn arrives, the piles are uncovered and spread out to kickstart the ski season.
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"It's going to extend the viability of skiing, especially for some of the resorts that are going to be on the margin as we have warmer winters and we get less snow," Nate Shake, the director of mountain operations at Bogus Basin ski resort in Boise, Idaho, told NBC News. He credited the stored snow for the resort's ability to open last November even during a record-warm month.
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Other areas around the country are taking point as well. Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, a cross-country venue in Utah built for the 2002 Winter Olympics, is trying snow farming for the first time this year in hopes of nailing down the system leading up to the 2034 Games in Salt Lake City.

Humanity

Laptops Down: Why One Professor Is Bringing Typewriters Back to Class

Gone are the days of using a typewriter … or are they? In a classroom at Cornell University, the sound of clickety-clack can be heard as students complete an assignment using only typewriters (and, of course, their brains).
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Grit Matthias Phelps, a German language instructor at the school, started the "analog" exercise in 2023 after growing frustrated with students using AI and online translation platforms to turn in perfect papers. "What's the point of me reading it if it's already correct anyway, and you didn't write it yourself?" Phelps told the Associated Press. "Could you produce it without your computer?"
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To find out, she brought a few dozen thrifted manual typewriters to class, requiring students to complete an assignment on the devices and navigate a world without spell-check, screens, or delete keys. "I was so confused. I had no idea what was happening. I'd seen typewriters in movies, but they don't tell you how a typewriter works," said 19-year-old Catherine Mong, a freshman in Phelps' Intro to German class. "I didn't know there was a whole science to using a typewriter."
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Another student, Ratchaphon Lertdamrongwong, said using a typewriter completely changed how he interacted with his work and his environment. "While writing the essay, I had to talk a lot more, socialize a lot more," he explained, adding, "This might sound bad, but I was forced to actually think about the problem on my own instead of delegating to AI or Google search."

In Other News

1. The 2026 James Beard Award finalists are in — check out the nominees around the country (read more)
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2. Cambridge is launching a new botany course featuring "rare" study materials used by Charles Darwin's mentor (read more)
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3. Cue the happy tears: See all the fun a toddler has been up to since receiving a lifesaving heart transplant (read more)
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4. LeBron James broke a record for the most wins in NBA history after scoring his 1,229th victory this week (read more)
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5. Venus will be visible to the naked eye this month, as long as you know when and where to look (read more)

Inspiring Story

Home run childhood

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Meet "Baby G," an adorable toddler growing up on the baseball field with his dad, Chaz McNelis, a 20-year-old outfielder at the University of Arizona. The tot hangs out on campus with the team of adoring "uncs" and even threw out the first pitch at a game last month, just one of his many adventures that have taken social media by storm. "I did not expect it to blow up this fast," McNelis said. "But, I mean, I could see why. Who wouldn't love Baby G?"

Photo of the Day

The pink moon might not actually be pink, but it's still a striking sight. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the name for this month's full moon actually comes from moss phlox — a wildflower native to the eastern and central U.S. that blooms in vibrant pink hues every April.

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Odds & Ends

🐿️ A surprising tip for helping spring's baby squirrels
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🎉 Grandpa George is making 102 look remarkably good
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🇬🇷 See Greece's ancient wonders — and spend two dreamy nights in Santorini*
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📚 Stuck in a reading rut? Oprah's team has you covered​

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*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate

Quote of the Day

"I hope today is a day you are finding the softest way through."

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– ANDREA GIBSON