We might be just a few hours away from witnessing sports history. In Paris, Kenyan runner Faith Kipyegon is preparing to attempt a sub four-minute mile at an event organized by Nike. Kipyegon is already the world record holder for the mile — her fastest time is 4:07.64 — but if she can go sub four, she’ll be the first woman to do so. “I think breaking four will really cement my legacy,” the 31-year-old athlete told the Associated Press. The livestream of the event starts at 1:15 p.m. EST: Learn how to tune in.
A look back at a time when getting a portrait taken was much more involved than clicking a phone camera
Culture
The Winning Design for Queen Elizabeth II’s Memorial Has Been Chosen
Malcolm Reading Consultants
Last month, we shared the news that the British government was seeking public input on a new memorial honoring Queen Elizabeth II. And now we can announce that a winner has been chosen from the five shortlisted concepts. The winning bid, submitted by architects Foster + Partners, features a translucent bridge inspired by the tiara the late queen wore on her wedding day in 1947. Other standout elements of the memorial — which will be located in St. James’s Park in Central London — include landscaped gardens, new gates, walking paths, and large statues of Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip. Meant to be a space for reflection and coming together, the design “celebrates Queen Elizabeth’s life through a time of great change, balancing tradition and modernity, public duty and private faith, the United Kingdom and a global Commonwealth,” the selection committee said in a statement. See more renderings.
Together With Infinity Fuel
Final Day: The “Infinite” Energy Countdown Has Begun
And it’s backed by over $50 million in past and current contracts with NASA, the U.S. Navy, and commercial space partners. Infinity Fuel has made a name supplying hydrogen/oxygen-fueled electric power in the most extreme conditions. Its power systems have even flown aboard two Blue Origin rockets. Now, Infinity Fuel is preparing to go to the moon with NASA. After thousands of hours of testing, the company has proven its tech can potentially withstand a freezing, 14-plus day lunar night. Meanwhile, new partnerships are creating opportunities on Earth. Infinity recently partnered with Plug Power, the company building one of the largest green hydrogen networks in America. While Infinity has reserved its Nasdaq ticker (IFCH), you don’t have to wait: Invest before midnight tonight.
This is a paid advertisement for Infinity Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, Inc. Reg CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.infinityfuel.com/.
Environment
New Database Will Help Us Better Understand Marine Animals, Big and Small
ifish/ iStock
How big is a killer whale compared to a teeny-tiny krill? That is a question now more easily answerable thanks to the Marine Organismal Body Size Database (publicly available through GitHub). The new library features body size data for 85,204 marine animal species, from massive mammals to microscopic organisms. Right now, the database covers about 40% of all described marine animal species. The goal is to nearly double that and help biologists put together a clearer picture of ocean biodiversity, particularly when it comes to understanding the tiniest of tiny creatures. “Put simply, biologists have tended to focus on bigger organisms,” Tom Webb, one of the researchers involved, said in a news release. “And as a result, a lot of our understanding of how marine food webs and ecosystems work is based on knowledge of these larger species. But we also know that small-bodied species are really important.” Craig McClain, the marine ecologist spearheading the project, added: “Body size isn’t just a number — it’s a key to how life works.” Whether the animal weighs thousands of pounds or barely one gram, size affects everything from movement and diet to evolution, he said.
Science
Archaeologists Assemble “World’s Most Difficult Jigsaw Puzzle” to Reveal 1,800-Year-Old Frescoes
Museum of London Archaeology
These archaeologists can add “puzzle master” to their resumes: A London-based team spent three months painstakingly piecing together thousands of fragments of a 1,800-year-old wall plaster. The reveal? Intricate frescoes that once adorned the walls of a Roman villa. “This has been a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ moment,” Han Li, a senior building material specialist at the Museum of London Archaeology, said in a statement, adding, “It was like assembling the world’s most difficult jigsaw puzzle.” The frescoes — discovered in 2021 at a site in Central London — feature intricate paintings of birds, fruit, flowers, and musical instruments, as well as etchings of the Greek alphabet. As art is often indicative of an area’s wealth, the team gathered that the site where the frescoes were found was likely the “Beverly Hills of Roman London,” per the BBC. Now, the researchers are gathering clues from the paintings to learn more about the artists behind them. For example, one fragment features the Latin word “fecit” which means “has made this.” However, the piece where the name would likely be is missing … for now. Take a closer look at the pieces.
In Other News
The Wisconsin Supreme Court supported the state’s ability to regulate and require cleanup of “forever chemicals” (read more)
Teen sprinterGout Gout set the Australian 200-meter record at his first senior international race: Watch (read more)
Planetary scientists discovered a surprising ingredient in a deep space asteroid sample (read more)
A robotic stallion might be galloping on the streets in 2050 — check out the futuristic invention (read more)
At Houston’s first LGBTQ+-centricsenior center, pride flags, rainbows, and a sense of community abound (read more)
Something We Love
Codeage Wild Caught Marine Collagen Peptides As a pescatarian, getting joint-supporting collagen into my diet can be tricky without having to consume more seafood than is recommended, and traditional collagen powder supplements come from cows. So I add a scoop of this stuff to my smoothies. I like that it also has 18 essential amino acids, and I always feel like my nails are stronger after regular use. – Rebekah Brandes, Assistant Editor
Have you been listening to our new podcast? Good news: You could be rewarded for it. Nice News is partnering with host Case Kenny to offer a special giveaway to listeners. One lucky winner will receive a $1,000 Visa gift card, a one-on-one private virtual session with Case, and a copy of his 60-Day New Mindset Journal. Here’s how to enter: Follow or subscribe to Nice News Today on at least one of our three platforms — Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music — and submit a screenshot proving you did so along with your name to today@nicenews.com. You have until Tuesday, July 1 at 10 a.m. ET to enter and the winner will be announced later that week, so keep your eyes peeled. Find terms and conditions at the bottom of this email. Good luck!
Inspiring Story
Hoop dreams, math edition
The NBA isn’t just for basketball players — a 10-year-old from Philadelphia is heading to the NBA Math Hoops Global Championship for her mastery of a board game that combines sports data with math problems. “I love math. I love the challenge and the difficulty,” Riley said of the game, which was designed to motivate learning through sports.
Photo of the Day
Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images
The prototype of the iconic Hermès Birkin bag is up for auction for the first time in nearly 25 years. Hitting the Sotheby’s block for the Fashion Icons sale in Paris (running today through July 10), the purse features the stamped initials of namesake Jane Birkin — who had the Birkin crafted specifically for herself. Read six more little-known details about the luxurious purse.
Maximize Your Credit Card Rewards With Kudos
Kudos helps you effortlessly maximize your rewards from your existing credit cards. Just search any store or category, and the tool instantly tells you which card earns the most points, cash back, or perks. And Kudos’ shopping companion stacks additional rewards on top of what your card earns. Sign up with code NICENEWS to get $20 back after your first eligible purchase.
