Some experience seasonal affective disorder, others get more mild “winter blues” — whatever way you slice it, the truth is that the colder months can be depressing for many. But there’s good news, too: “With intention and evidence-based practices, winter can become a season of meaning, connection, and even joy,” writes clinical social worker Gio Dolcecore. Read about four research-backed approaches that can make winter a happier time.
What’s “Bird Theory”? The Science Behind the Viral Relationship Test
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Social media has given rise to numerous challenges purported to reveal the truth about romantic relationships — like orange peel theory, the idea that if your partner peels your orange without being asked, they truly care for you. Certain of these are more dubious than others, but one test that’s recently gone viral has some solid science behind it: the “bird theory” experiment. An October TikTok post by user Rini Frey illustrates what the test entails. In the video, Frey stands in the kitchen with her phone camera facing her. “I saw a bird today,” she says to her husband, who’s offscreen. Without missing a beat, he responds, “You saw a bird?,” then asks, “What kind of bird?” And hurrah, he’s passed the test! He responded with curiosity to an ordinary, even mundane, observation. Bird theory is based on a concept called “bids for connection” that was conceived decades ago by relationship researcher John Gottman, who founded the Gottman Institute with his wife, Julie. Per the Institute, a bid is “any attempt from one partner to another for attention, affirmation, affection, or any other positive connection.” Learn more and get three relationship tips for lovebirds.
Together With Nike
Nike’s Black Friday Sale Is Here Early
Need a store where you can get something for everyone on your holiday shopping list? Nike is the spot. Whether you’re shopping for sneakers, technical sports gear, or comfy athleisure, Nike has gifts for the whole family. And right now, you can get early access to the brand’s Black Friday sale using code ACCESS. That means you could get all that shopping done well before Thanksgiving. Early access ends Nov. 22, but if you miss it, you can shop the regular sale beginning at midnight ET on Nov. 23 (with code BFRIDAY). Happy shopping!
Nonprofit Saves Lives by Unlocking New Uses for Existing Drugs
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We’ve heard of repurposing water bottles, takeout containers, and egg cartons — but what if we could add drugs to that list? That’s a question Dr. David Fajgenbaum, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, set out to answer. In 2022, Fajgenbaum founded Every Cure, a nonprofit that employs artificial intelligence to find safe, new applications for existing medications. Every Cure’s mission was born from Fajgenbaum’s own journey with Castleman disease, beginning in 2010. In a TED Talk earlier this year, he explained that there were no approved treatment options at the time, but his doctors gave him a “combination of seven chemotherapies that weren’t meant for my disease,” which ended up saving his life. Now, Every Cure deploys a novel approach called computational pharmacophenomics to look for shared connections between the approximately 18,500 globally recognized diseases and the 4,000 FDA-approved existing treatments. The team says it’s already saved thousands of lives via 14 repurposed drugs — and has a goal of finding new uses for 15-25 treatments by 2030. Fajgenbaum aims to ensure “that no patient suffers when there’s a lifesaving cure sitting on the pharmacy shelf,” he said in the TED Talk. “And instead of hearing ‘we’ve tried everything,’ they can hear ‘we have something.’”
Science
How Octopuses Could Help Us Make Better Sunscreen
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Depending on how much time you’ve spent googling octopuses, you may know that among the mollusk’s many tricks is their ability to camouflage (as seen here). What’s less known is that this talent comes in part from xanthommatin, a natural pigment that absorbs ultraviolet light and enables the animal to shift its skin color to match its surroundings. Here’s where sunscreen comes in: For decades, scientists and manufacturers have eyed xanthommatin as a nature-derived, environmentally safe ingredient for use in products like sunscreen, paint, cosmetics, sensors, and more. But studying the pigment, let alone producing it, has proven tricky — until now. Researchers have developed a breakthrough method to produce xanthommatin at scale by engineering a bacterium whose survival depends on making the molecule, thus creating a self-sustaining loop that yields up to 1,000 times more of it than past approaches. “Essentially, we came up with a way to trick the bacteria into making more of the material that we needed,” Leah Bushin, the lead author of a recent study on the method, said in a statement. Larger quantities of xanthommatin give scientists more room to make “nature-inspired materials that are better for people and the planet,” added senior author Bradley Moore. So while we’re still a ways from seeing octopus-inspired SPF on shelves, the marine animals may one day be to thank for a better sunscreen that’s gentler on the environment — and (hopefully) doesn’t leave a white cast.
In Other News
Patagonia released its first impactreport, titled “A Work in Progress” and featuring a plan to phase out PFAs (read more)
The 2028 LA Olympics schedule is out — and the competition will start with a women’s event for the first time (read more)
An image of a butterfly-shaped hole on the sun is making the rounds online (read more)
To improve treatment for autoimmune diseases, scientists are trying a new, experimental approach (read more)
He’s back: Contender, the largest tagged male great white shark, resurfaced off the coast of New Jersey (read more)
Something We Love
Fishwife Holiday Sets Do you have a person in your life who’s always inviting you to the hot new tapas restaurant in town, loyally follows Alison Roman recipes, and won’t stop singing the praises of sardines on toast? They deserve Fishwife for Christmas. The premium seafood brand recently unveiled its lineup of specialty holiday sets, featuring beautifully designed gift tins, curated boxes, and limited-edition collections of ridiculously tasty tinned fish.*
*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate
Inspiring Story
Community caregiving
How do you address the childcare shortage? In rural Nebraska, one community took matters into their own hands, raising $3 million to create a centralized early childhood education facility, while another is advocating for more men to step into caregiving positions. Get a behind-the-scenes look into the programs.
Photo of the Day
Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images
Last week, David Hockney’s work soared to new heights during a drone show in the renowned artist’s hometown of Bradford, England. Six hundred choreographed drones lit up the sky in the shape of some of the 88-year-old painter’s most famous works, as well as a portrait of Hockney himself. See footage from the event.
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Odds & Ends
🦭 This seal found unlikely refuge on a photographer’s boat 🥣 How to up your at-home oatmeal game 📰 The biggest news stories in your inbox, daily: Subscribe to Semafor Flagship* 🍂 A flyover of New York, starring Central Park’s fall foliage *Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate
Quote of the Day
“Nature has a great simplicity and, therefore, a great beauty.”
