When our nervous systems go on high alert, it can often feel difficult to calm down, even after the stressor has passed. But it’s easier when active noticing is in your toolbox. The method, which only takes a minute or so, involves taking stock of what’s around you and grounding yourself in the present moment. “When you’re present, you can’t really be anxious — you can’t be thinking about the future or preoccupied with things that happened in the past,” psychotherapist Arati Patel told Time. Here’s how to practice active noticing.
Must Reads
Where to stream Oscar-nominated films, so you can make your predictions wisely
If Budweiser’s new ad is any indication, it’s going to be a good year for Super Bowl commercials
Sports
Meet the Youngest and Oldest Team USA Olympians Competing in Milano Cortina
David Berding/Getty Images
The 2026 Games are just nine days away, and the Team USA roster has arrived. And it’s historic: At 54, Rich Ruohonen — a curler and personal injury attorney from Minnesota — is the oldest American ever to make the Winter Olympics team. A triumph many years in the making, Ruohonen spent nearly two decades playing in Olympic trials to no avail. “I figured I’d get [to the Olympics] someday as a coach, maybe,” he told NBC last year. “But to get there, even if it is as an alternate, is just my dream.” His persistence finally paid off last month, when the U.S. men’s curling team secured its spot in Milano Cortina. At the other end of the age spectrum is 15-year-old Abby Winterberger of California. The freeskier is the youngest on Team USA’s 232-athlete lineup. Other young phenoms to watch include 17-year-old snowboarder Ollie Martin and 19-year-old ski jumper Josie Johnson. Meet more of the athletes on the roster.
Together With Miso Robotics
How to Get Ahead of AI 2.0
Tech leaders see an entirely new AI boom ahead. Computer chip pioneer AMD’s CEO said this development is “the next big thing” in AI. NVIDIA’s CEO agreed, saying another “ChatGPT moment” is here. That breakthrough? Physical AI, where AI meets the physical world. Companies like Miso have spent years preparing for this moment. Aided by partnerships with NVIDIA and Amazon, Miso developed the AI-powered Flippy Fry Station robot that’s already leading the $1 trillion fast food industry. These robots logged over 200,000 hours with brands like White Castle, frying more than 4 million food baskets. With Miso’s new manufacturing partnership allowing mass adoption, a $4 billion-a-year revenue opportunity is waiting. Join more than 39,000 previous investors: Earn up to 7% bonus stock as a Miso investor today.
This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotics’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.misorobotics.com.
Science
Charting the Invisible: Scientists Unveil the Most Detailed Map of Dark Matter Yet
NASA/STScI/J. DePasquale/A. Pagan
Dark matter is all around, invisible, and very mysterious — and this week, scientists unveiled the most detailed cosmic map to date of the enigmatic entity. The map, published in Nature Astronomy, was made using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, which lead author Diana Scognamiglio likened to “putting on a new pair of glasses for the universe,” per Reuters. She added: “It sees fainter and more distant galaxies with much sharper detail than ever before. That effectively gives us a much denser grid of background galaxies to work with.” The scope spent 255 hours identifying nearly 800,000 galaxies, revealing dark matter filaments and clumps from 8-10 billion years ago, as well as high-resolution views of other structures in the cosmic web, like galaxy clusters. Making a big picture even bigger, these findings could provide insight into how planets are formed in the first place. “This map provides stronger evidence that without dark matter, we might not have the elements in our galaxy that allowed life to appear,” co-author Jason Rhodes said in a statement. “Dark matter is not something we encounter in our everyday life on Earth, or even in our solar system, but it has definitely influenced us.” Explore snippets of the map.
Humanity
Students Rebuild Empowers Kids to “Drive Real Change” Through Creative Expression
Students Rebuild
Kids may not have the power to vote or much money to donate, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make a positive impact on the world. That’s the ethos behind Students Rebuild, a program that empowers youth to use the arts to create tangible solutions for global issues. This year’s project, Unique and United, encourages students to celebrate their differences and “help shape a more united world.” Here’s how it works: Young people create art tied to the theme in their medium of choice, which can include STEM disciplines as well as literary, performing, media, and visual arts. This year, for example, Long Island teens are building life-sized board games that teach immigration history, and students in Kenya are coding robots while learning how to care for their mental health in the digital age. For each student that participates, $5 isdonated to an organization that supports the project’s mission. So far, around 30,000 youth have participated in Unique and United, raising more than $240,000 of the $1 million goal — and there are still about four months left to sign up and submit work. And the program is just as beneficial for the students as it is for the orgs it supports. “They’re becoming philanthropists with the resources they already have: their ideas and their voices,” Sarah Fanslau, director of program impact and evaluation at the nonprofit behind the project, tells Nice News. “By removing the financial barrier to giving, young people discover they can drive real change right now, and that’s a muscle we hope they carry with them for life.”
In Other News
A social media ban for children under 15 is one step closer to becoming a law in France (read more)
Bright dental news: Researchers developed an enamel-friendly teeth whitening powder (read more)
An ancient species is being successfully restored at Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts (read more)
Yale will offer free tuition to families earning under $200,000, the latest elite school to expand aid (read more)
Meet the first all-female team to sail nonstop around the world(read more)
Something We Love
Papier Planners Papier has the most beautiful planners for 2026, and most of them are currently on sale! They’re customizable, so you can add your name or, in some cases, adjust the designs. The brand also has a ton of other cute themed notebooks, including ones for writing down recipes and gratitude journaling. – Stephanie Friedman, Staff Writer
With over 12 years experience as a bus and truck driver, Daniel Foley launched Giddy-Up Rides: a 24/7 taxi service in Hamilton, Montana, offering safe, reliable rides to anyone in need, especially disabled and senior neighbors. “This business isn’t just a job for me — it’s a heartfelt response to a devastating loss,” said Foley, who was inspired to do something after his friend died in a car crash.
This photo of Mount Fuji framed by bright autumn leaves, taken by 18-year-old Riley Shickle, is one of the images shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards’ 2026 Youth Competition. See more of the student and youth finalists, ahead of the winners announcement in April.
Boston Brain Science’s Fight Against Memory Loss
The culprit behind memory decline could be a “brain drain” starving your neurons from the inside. The good news? Boston Brain Science has a simple daily approach, using three common foods, that addresses this root cause. Over 200,000 older adults have tried it with strong results. A Boston doctor’s video reveals the three foods and how they work — watch it below.
