Must Reads

• They may not be fun, but fevers may actually help your body fight off viruses — learn how​

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• ​Take a look at this year’s White House Christmas decor

Culture

Santa Fe Becomes First US City to Tie Minimum Wage to Housing Prices

Amid climbing rent prices across the U.S., many are left struggling to pay for other basic necessities — so one city is using a novel approach to help take financial pressure off residents. Minimum wage hikes in Santa Fe, New Mexico, have historically been linked to consumer prices. But in 2027, the state capital will raise its minimum wage from $15 an hour to $17.50, based on a more complex calculation that also takes fair market rent data into account.
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Thanks to an ordinance the Santa Fe City Council voted on last month, the city is now the first in the country to factor in the price of housing when determining its minimum wage. When the legislation goes into effect, around 9,000 workers — approximately 20% of the city’s workforce — will receive a wage increase. There’s a 5% cap on increases, and if rent or consumer prices plummet in a certain year, minimum wage will not decrease.
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Mayor Alan Webber hopes the ordinance will help workers while avoiding a negative impact on the city’s many mom-and-pop shops. “The purpose is to make a serious difference in assuring that people who work here can live here,” he told the Associated Press. “Santa Fe’s history and culture is really reflected in the diversity of our people. It’s that diversity that we’re trying to preserve.”

Together With Doroni

From Garage Sketches to Over $175M of Potential Revenue

Back in 2016, Doron Merdinger began sketching prototypes in his garage. What for? A flying car. Those initial sketches blossomed into Doroni, the company creating a huge opportunity for investors by bringing personal flight out of science fiction and into the real world.
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Why’s it so big? While Morgan Stanley says the urban air mobility market is worth just $2 billion today, by 2040, they say it will be worth $1 trillion. By 2050, $9 trillion. And Doroni’s already completed more than 70 successful test flights with its tech.
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Now, the company is preparing to unveil a full-sized showroom prototype of the aircraft over 600 people have already reserved, representing more than $175 million in potential revenue. More than 3,000 people have already invested. Join them as Doroni works toward a targeted $1.4 billion+ in 2032 revenue.

This is a paid advertisement for Doroni’s Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.doroni.io/.

Humanity

How Undue Medical Debt Will Stretch Your Donated Dollars This Giving Tuesday

As mentioned above, today is Giving Tuesday, and if you’re in need of a place to donate, we recommend Undue Medical Debt, Nice News’ Fall Cause of the Season. The organization has a clear and compelling hook: Every $10 given to the nonprofit erases an average of $1,000 in medical debt for families and individuals in need.
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So how does it work? Undue Medical Debt evaluates large, discounted bundles of debt from hospitals and health care providers — much like a debt collector might do. But unlike debt collectors, the nonprofit pinpoints the debt of those most in need (primarily those at four times the federal poverty level or below), buys it in bulk, and simply relieves it rather than going after the debtor.
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And it gets even better — in honor of Giving Tuesday, Undue Medical Debt is matching donations today, so $1 donated means $200 of abolished debt. Read our full article to learn more and donate here.

Science

Indigenous Women Engineered Energy-Efficient Baby Carriers Thousands of Years Ago

For generations, women have been the backbone of many Indigenous societies, masterfully balancing myriad responsibilities, including raising children and gathering much of their communities’ food. In a recent study, researchers highlighted one example of the ingenuity that has made this possible: the cradleboard.
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Used by tribes like the Apache, Navajo, and Shoshoni for thousands of years, the cradleboard allows women to carry their babies on their backs and set them down safely. The cradle provides a comfortable space for children to lie while their mothers work, and as the study proves, it’s also energy-efficient.
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Scientists tasked volunteers with carrying 10-pound sandbags (simulating a 1 to 2-month-old baby) in a cradleboard, in a sling, or with no carrier at all, while gathering acorns (simulating foraging). Measuring the participants’ metabolic markers, the researchers found that those using cradleboards gathered far more acorns and moved much more nimbly, demonstrating greater efficiency than those with “babies” in slings.
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It’s one of many examples of Indigenous women’s engineering prowess, study co-author Alexandra Greenwald explained in a statement. “Humans, especially women, have been scientists and mathematicians, experimenting for time immemorial, figuring out their landscape, what is safe, what is not safe,” she said.

In Other News

1. A rare comet and the cold supermoon are among December’s stargazing highlights (read more)
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2. The World Athletes of the Year were crowned over the weekend in Monaco — see who won (read more)
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3. After being hidden for over 400 years, a Peter Paul Rubens painting raked in $2.7 million at auction (read more)
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4. In a “watershed moment,” over 70 species of sharks and rays received new international trade protections (read more)
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5. High school students used CRISPR to create a groundbreaking method for detecting Lyme disease (read more)

Inspiring Story

Dads and daughters, reunited

Fathers in prison often miss out on milestones in their kids’ lives. Last month, Louisiana State Penitentiary offered nearly 30 inmates the chance to experience one of those moments: the father-daughter dance. They wore tuxedos and pink boutonnieres while dancing with their daughters in the institution’s Bible college, which was adorned with string lights and drapes. “Seeing her in a dress, crying and running to me … that broke me down,” one dad said. Watch the father-daughter reunions.​

Photo of the Day

The winner of the 2025 Copa Libertadores final was crowned Saturday — and fans took to Rio de Janeiro’s streets in droves to celebrate. For those who don’t know, the annual tournament is the highest level of competition in South American club soccer. One day after Flamengo clinched this year’s victory, winning the trophy for the fourth time and becoming Brazil’s most successful team in Copa Libertadores history, the players celebrated from atop a bus driving through a sea of onlookers clad in red and black.

Your Low-Maintenance LaserAway Routine Is Now 75% Off

This holiday season, give yourself the gift of a beauty routine with less shaving, less fuss, and way more confidence. LaserAway, named the No. 1 Laser Hair Removal provider by Cosmopolitan, is bringing all of that to life with 75% off select packages through Dec. 8. You get modern tech, personalized plans, and results that make your everyday feel smoother.

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Odds & Ends

🏠 Go behind the scenes of Architectural Digest​
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🎥 Seems like everyone saw this new flick over Thanksgiving
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🚶 This viral tai chi walking practice is a proven way to improve your fitness and calm your mind*
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🥑 An ideal tree to plant indoors during winter
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​*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate

Quote of the Day

“It is, indeed, the season of regenerated feeling — the season for kindling not merely the fire of hospitality in the hall, but the genial flame of charity in the heart.”

– WASHINGTON IRVING, OLD CHRISTMAS