It’s a doubly happy day: the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and International Day of Happiness. Regardless of the weather in your neck of the woods today, consider taking some time to step outside and mark the changing of the seasons. And don’t miss our article below, compiling some of your lovely responses to the question: “What makes you happy?”
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What Are the Ingredients for a Happy Life? Here’s What Nice News Readers Had to Say
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We asked, and you answered: Nearly 700 people wrote in to Nice News to share what makes them happy, and that makes us very happy indeed. We put out a request earlier this month with the aim of sharing our readers’ ingredients for happiness — because the feeling can be contagious, even when it comes in the form of written reflections. As you’ll see in our roundup, the responses truly run the gamut. They’re sweet, funny, specific, inspiring. They also confirm what scientific studies have already determined: Happiness very often comes from meaningful relationships. Around 43% of responses mentioned family or friends, and that’s not taking into account those that made more general allusions to people, community, or service to others. And in what will come as a surprise to exactly zero animal lovers, the relationships that make us happy don’t always involve other humans. Dogs were referenced in nearly 15% of responses, and cats came in at 6%. Birds actually got more mentions than felines at nearly 8%, a testament to how beneficial birdwatching and birdsong can be for well-being. Learn what other trends emerged and read 75 of our favorite reader responses.
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New Research Highlights Paternal Role in Pregnancy Outcomes
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There’s a lot of focus on how a woman’s age and health affect pregnancy, but the discussion around men’s health in pregnancy outcomes is generally much less robust. New research is helping to change that. After analyzing multiple studies, researchers found that paternal health before conception — including mental health, nutrition, lifestyle, and environment — may significantly influence both a partner’s pregnancy outcomes and their children’s future health. For example, the children of men who drank before conception had a 35% higher risk of congenital disorders. The research further suggests these health outcomes are shaped by a man’s experiences long before he becomes a father: “Young men’s early life course experiences have been shown to shape their own and their partner’s preconception physical, emotional, and behavioral health,” the study authors wrote. Beyond the data itself, the researchers note that putting more attention on men is a step toward more inclusive health care and “would lead to more equitable and holistic preconception health interventions and policy.”
Humanity
The Catchiest Phone Number Is Now a Cancer Helpline
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867-5309. It’s arguably the catchiest phone number out there — and now, maybe one of the kindest, too. The digits, made famous by Tommy Tutone’s 1981 hit, will not get callers in touch with “Jenny,” but instead connect them to a free cancer helpline. This thoughtful musical campaign is a collaborative effort by Tommy Tutone’s lead singer, Tommy Heath, the Cancer Support Community, and Gilda’s Club, an organization founded in honor of Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer. Rather than having to look up resources, callers can simply dial a number they know all too well (with the prefix 272) to reach trained specialists for immediate emotional support, information, and personalized guidance. “It often becomes a lifeline during one of the most difficult moments in someone’s life,” Cancer Support Community CEO Sally Werner told People magazine. Heath, who has faced his own health challenges, added: “I’d be happy if this was an enduring legacy, and made people smile and give them hope. I’m pretty proud to be part of it.” Apologies if you have the song stuck in your head for the rest of the day!
Global Good
🇰🇪 A new menstrual leave policy in Kenya allows women working for Nairobi county to take two days off each month (read more)
🇵🇱 Poland has leaped into the world’s top 20 economies, surpassing $1 trillion in annual output (read more)
🇪🇬 Ancient Egyptians were just like us! Archaeologists unearthed to-do lists and receipts dating back 2,000 years (read more)
🇩🇰 An elephant baby and giraffe calf were born at the Copenhagen Zoo — see them with their mamas (read more)
🇨🇳 Gardening without gravity: Astronauts in China’s space station have successfully harvested “space tomatoes” (read more)
Inspiring Story
Teammates through and through
Katie’s Komets, a Philadelphia youth wheelchair basketball team, is shooting for a threepeat. After a dominant regular season, the players are headed to West Monroe, Louisiana, this weekend for the National Wheelchair Association’s championship tournament — and the secret to their success isn’t just their on-court skills. “We’re all friends on the team, so we all play good together ... so it makes it a more successful season,” said player Aaron Butler.
Photo of the Day
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Lionel Messi made history Wednesday when he scored for Inter Miami CF, becoming only the second player to reach 900 top-level career goals. See some of the stats behind the milestone, including how many goals he’s scored with his left foot.
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Up This Weekend
National Cherry Blossom Festival: Expect to see lots of pink and floral details in Washington, D.C., for the next few weeks, as the city’s annual cherry blossom event begins today and runs through April 12
2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships: The world’s top track and field stars are gathering in Poland for a weekend of fierce competition involving 674 athletes from 118 federations
The Nice News merch collaboration with Because Weekend is all about celebrating optimism and making every day feel like the weekend. To help us spread that ethos beyond the inbox, shop our collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts here.
