Must Reads

• Adults can benefit from piecing together kids’ jigsaw puzzles — learn why​

• A rare, three-dimensional look into Andy Warhol’s creative studio

Health

Most Global Blindness Is Preventable or Treatable — This Org Is on the Ground Tackling It

It’s impossible not to smile when watching someone get their bandages removed after cataract surgery. It’s a moment of pure human joy — “magic,” as Dr. Matt Oliva describes it.
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“When I take the patches off, there’s this sort of amazing moment that you can share with another human being when they start to realize, ‘Oh my gosh, I can see again,’” Oliva, an ophthalmologist and board chair of the Cure Blindness Project, tells Nice News.
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K-T Overbey, the CEO of the nonprofit, echoes that sentiment, recalling the story of a woman who hadn’t been able to see her grandchildren until her sight was restored. “It’s one of these situations where you realize that humans are humans, no matter where they happened to be born,” she says.
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As mentioned above, blindness affects an estimated 43 million people around the world, but 80% of those cases are treatable or preventable. Cure Blindness is on the ground doing the treating and prevention — read our full article on the organization, including a video showing that joyful bandage removal.

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Many retirees find their savings don’t last as long as they’d hoped. With people living longer and inflation eroding purchasing power, your retirement funds need to work harder. Health care costs often rise faster than general inflation, putting more pressure on your financial plan.
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Fisher Investments’ guide, The 15-Minute Retirement Plan, can help you build a strategy that accounts for these factors. If you have $1 million or more, download the free guide to learn strategies for creating a plan for your long-term needs.

Culture

Australia’s First New Major City in a Century Promises to Honor the Planet

If you’ve been noodling over a trip Down Under, you may want to add Western Sydney to your itinerary. For the first time in over a century, a new major city is coming to the area — and it promises to be a hot spot of diversity and climate resilience. Called Bradfield City, the development will host schools, a 5-acre central park, and up to 10,000 homes, with a minimum of 10% designated as affordable housing.
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The $1 billion project, a collaboration between the New South Wales Government, Bradfield Development Authority, and Plenary Group, will be situated about 31 miles west of Sydney’s central business district, next to Western Sydney International Airport. It’s expected to create more than 20,000 jobs and hopefully foster “one of Australia’s major innovation ecosystems,” according to a 2024 master plan.
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At the same time, the environment will be a major focus. Containing over 88 acres of public open space and green space, the city will support “people, habitats, and pollinators” with green corridors throughout, greenery on buildings, water sensitive design, and around 40% tree canopy cover in public spaces. Residents and visitors can also enjoy biodiverse parklands with swimming opportunities and a large events space. See more renderings of Bradfield City and learn how it will honor its Aboriginal heritage.

Sports

The Secret to Norway’s Winter Olympics Success? Prioritizing Enjoyment, Official Says

Norway has been raking in the medals at this year’s Games — and is the most successful country overall in Winter Olympics’ history. So what’s the secret to its success? According to Tore Oevreboe, the nation’s head of delegation, it stems from a longstanding tradition that prioritizes children’s happiness.
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Rather than centering youth rankings and performance, Norwegian society takes a more wholesome approach to sports, giving children space to enjoy the game first. “We try not to focus on winning too early,” Oevreboe told Reuters, adding, “The winning part is to be part of the sport and have joy. The point of doing sport in Norway is to lead a good life. So you start young and learn motor skills, social skills, and then you learn how to use your body in a physical setting.”
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The country also promotes an inclusive attitude toward sports, with a large used equipment market that lowers the barrier to entry for kids and a collegial system in which coaches share knowledge. And overall, Norwegians try to stay “very relaxed and humble,” Oevreboe noted, adding that while the Olympic team set a goal of 35 medals this year, “we want to communicate that we believe in our athletes … but the athlete should not be too worried about this.”

In Other News

1. Brushing your teeth three times a day and going to the dentist regularly may extend your lifespan (read more)
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2. Scientists are exploring laser-written glass to potentially secure archived data for more than 10,000 years (read more)
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3. “Runaway” black holes may one day appear in our solar system, according to recent research (read more)
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4. An Iron Age leg bone could be the first direct evidence of Hannibal’s war elephants (read more)
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5. Animal behaviorists saved a rhino’s life with a “ridiculous” plan involving strategically placed eye drops (read more)

Something We Love

Coyuchi Organic Crinkled Percale Sheets
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​These cotton percale sheets have the softness and crinkled look of many linen sets out there, but without the high price point or break-in period. Plus, they’ve held up longer for me than some linen sheets I’ve tried. A random detail I love: The fitted sheet has a tag indicating which corner is the bottom right, which makes things go a bit faster when I’m hurriedly making the bed at night after forgetting the sheets in the dryer (again).
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​– Ally Mauch, Associate Editor

Inspiring Story

Loving thy neighbor a little extra

A Texas food bank is going the extra mile for its customers: It’s overseeing an affordable housing development so that they aren’t priced out of their town. Currently under construction, Appleseed Apartments will be located next to the San Antonio Food Bank’s New Braunfels branch — and in addition to providing transitional housing to families earning 80% or less of the area’s median income, the complex will offer access to financial literacy classes and a stipend when residents move out. “We know neighbors, and we help neighbors,” said the food bank’s CEO, Eric Cooper.

Eyes on Milano Cortina

This weekend marks the final stretch of the Winter Olympics, but there’s still plenty to see. A highlight of today’s schedule, which includes cross-country skiing, bobsleigh, and curling, is the women’s freeski halfpipe final — and our eyes are on Team China’s Eileen Gu, the most decorated woman in Olympic freestyle skiing history, who’ll be going for her second gold in the event. “I’m doing this because I’ve seen the world and the best that it has to offer,” Gu told Time in January, “and I think that this is the best thing in the world.”
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You can also catch a handful of events tomorrow, including the men’s ice hockey and women’s curling finals, before the closing ceremony kicks off at 2:30 p.m. ET. See the complete lineup of the remaining events.​

Start Planning Your Future With Fisher Investments

A strong financial plan looks beyond account balances. It answers the bigger question: Will your assets realistically carry you through retirement? Fisher Investments’ The 15-Minute Retirement Plan outlines key considerations behind retirement readiness, and explains how adjustments can meaningfully affect long-term goals. If you have $1 million or more, download the guide for free.

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Odds & Ends

🎤 Mr. Worldwide is setting his sights on a world record​
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👰‍♀️ 13 brides, 1 dress that’s never been altered
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🦒 Have you ever seen a baby giraffe with a full head of hair?
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🎥 A hand-drawn anime movie getting the museum treatment

Quote of the Day

“Take care of your mind the same way you take care of your body.”

– KAYSHA LOVE