Today is the first April 3 since Jane Goodall died — so her titular institute is encouraging us to celebrate the late conservationist’s birthday by doing good all day. You can mark the first annual Jane Goodall Day by taking action to better your local community and the planet. “People can honor Jane by making a positive difference: planting a tree, participating in community cleanups, donating to a cause, choosing plant-based meals, advocating for animal welfare, and sharing what Jane meant to them using #JaneGoodallDay on social media,” the institute said. Learn more here.
A Piece of the Original Eiffel Tower Is Headed to Auction
Beata Zawrzel—NurPhoto/Getty Images
Nearly 7 million people visit the Eiffel Tower every year — and soon, one lucky (and high-bidding) person will own a piece of the original monument. On May 21, Artcurial will auction an 8.5-foot-tall section of the spiral staircase built for the 1889 world’s fair held in Paris. The historic fragment is estimated to fetch up to $57,900. The rarepiece belongs to a section of the structure that was removed in 1983 when the stairs connecting the second and third floors were replaced by modern elevators. French officials divided the 525-foot staircase into 24 sections: One was preserved on the Eiffel Tower’s first floor and three others were donated to French institutions. The remaining pieces were sold together at auction and now reside across the globe — from Disneyland to a garden in Japan and a Pennsylvania town square. The upcoming sale marks the fifth Eiffel Tower stair piece Artcurial has handled since 2013. The current owner, an anonymous man who has held it since the original 1983 auction, decided it was time to share it with someone else. “He’s enjoyed it long enough,” Artcurial’s Art Deco specialist Sabrina Dolla told Artnet. “And now his circumstances are taking him elsewhere.” Take a look at the staircase.
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Health
Clinical Trial Achieves a “Functional Cure” for Sickle Cell Disease
Courtesy of Cleveland Clinic
Gene-editing therapy is offering new hope to the estimated 100,000 Americans living with sickle cell disease, a genetic disorder that causes red blood cells to become sickle-shaped, which can cause unpredictable and debilitating pain. In a clinical trial using CRISPR technology, Cleveland Clinic researchers achieved a “functional cure” for most patients, with 27 of 28 participants remaining free of painful sickle cell crises after receiving the therapy. Rather than using medications to help manage the disease or relying on blood or marrow transplants, the treatment program works by editing a patient’s genetic code to increase levels of fetal hemoglobin, preventing the misshapen red blood cells from forming. “We have seen that a benefit of this CRISPR/Cas12a gene-editing technology is that there is no rejection, so it’s different from traditional bone marrow transplants, which is standard treatment for sickle cell patients currently,” Dr. Rabi Hanna, the lead author of a new study on the trial results, said in a statement. “Our aim has been to achieve a functional cure to help prevent any future damage caused by sickle cell disease, and these latest results are compelling.”
Humanity
Former US Treasurer Leads Nationwide “Block Party” for the Semiquincentennial
Tom Williams—CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images
America is booked and busy with celebrations for its semiquincentennial. And now there’s a nationwide block party to add to the mix. Former U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios is spearheading the “largest synchronized Fourth of July celebration” in U.S. history — and channeling her positive recollection of the 1976 bicentennial to do so. Rios, who grew up in Hayward, California, as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, has fond memories of America’s 200th anniversary, when she was just 10 years old. “I remember thinking to myself that anything was possible,” she told ABC News. Called “America’s Block Party,” this year’s nonpartisan initiative aims to bring the festivities directly to communities. “You don’t have to come to D.C., you don’t have to go to Philadelphia,” Rios said. “You can celebrate the way you want to celebrate in your own home state.” She envisions the 250th anniversary as not just a one-day event, but as a catalyst for a renewed sense of camaraderie across the country. “There will be fireworks, but we’re also building a movement that will continue long after 2026 and unite Americans long after the fireworks fade,” she said. Learn how to host a block party in your neighborhood.
Global Good
🇨🇩 A women-organized music festival in Congo united thousands in a peaceful call against gender-based violence (read more)
🇸🇪 Swedish schools are going analog, investing heavily in books and good old-fashioned pens and paper (read more)
🇳🇿 Miracle reunion:Molly the pup was rescued after going missing on a harrowing hike in New Zealand (read more)
🇰🇷 Abandoned concrete tubes were repurposed into rock walls and slides at a new playground in South Korea (read more)
🇯🇵 Yogurt delivery women in Japan are bringing compassion and routine to the country’s aging population (read more)
Inspiring Story
Upward and onward
Woody Brown spent much of his life being told what he couldn’t do. His response? Becoming the first nonverbal autistic person to graduate from UCLA before heading to Columbia for grad school. Now, the 28-year-old is adding published author to his resume with the release of his debut novel, Upward Bound. “I wanted to reach neurotypical readers, the well-intentioned people who don’t realize that we are the same inside,” Woody said. “I have all the thoughts, dreams, longings, and intelligence as any neurotypical person. I just present a little differently.”
Photo of the Day
Jim Watson—AFP/Getty Images
And so the lunar journey continues! After an incredible launch on Wednesday that sent four astronauts (and one very cute plush toy) to the moon, there’s still a lot to look forward to on the Artemis II mission, including deep space transit, the lunar flyby, and, of course, the journey back down to Earth. Follow updates from the NASA blog here.
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Up This Weekend
Easter and Passover: Easter is on Sunday, and the day will begin for many with egg hunts — learn how to dye Easter eggs naturally using food scraps; Passover also continues this weekend, with tonight marking the third night of the Jewish holiday
PaleyFest: Your favorite TV stars will gather at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood starting tomorrow for a week of screenings and panel discussions from the casts of The Pitt, Shrinking, Emily in Paris,and many more
March Madness Finals: The madness comes to an end this weekend, with the Final Four matchups on Saturday and championship games on Sunday (women’s) and Monday (men’s) — how’s your bracket doing?
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.
