They're back: Remember the invasive spotted lanternflies we've all been told to squash on sight for the past few summers? Well, the insect species has started laying eggs for the season, and they've been seen in 17 U.S. states so far. Normally we're all about being gentle with nature, but the best thing to do for the environment in this case is to keep an eye out for lanternfly egg masses and destroy them. That'll help stop them from feeding on important crops and disrupting the food chain (or your own garden). Here's what the bugs look like at every stage of life.
This incredible video shows how two brothers kept their home dry amid a sea of floodwater in western Tennessee
Science
Scientists Detect "Strongest Hints Yet" of Life Beyond Our Solar System
A. Smith/N. Mandhusudhan
In a study published Thursday, a team of University of Cambridge scientists said they've detected the "strongest hints yet" of biological activity beyond our solar system. More specifically, they found the "chemical fingerprints" of dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide in the atmosphere of a massive exoplanet known as K2-18b. On Earth, these molecules are only produced by life, primarily microbes like marine phytoplankton. While exciting, the study doesn't make claims of definitive extraterrestrial life — the researchers remain cautious. Their potential breakthrough is really just the beginning of a long process of continued research and testing. "Our work is the starting point for all the investigations that are now needed to confirm and understand the implications of these exciting findings," study co-author Savvas Constantinou said in a press release. Research lead Nikku Madhusudhan added: "It's important that we're deeply skeptical of our own results, because it's only by testing and testing again that we will be able to reach the point where we're confident in them. That's how science has to work."
Together With AMASS
Rosé Can Have More Sugar Than Doughnuts?
No wonder 38% of adults prefer health-conscious beverages. Companies like AMASS Brands are raking in sales by tapping into this trend — creating a huge opportunity for investors. AMASS earned $33 million in 2023 alone thanks to products like the top-selling zero-sugar Summer Water rosé (it's tariff-free, too). That's just one of the portfolio's 15-plus diverse brands, already distributed across more than 40,000 retail locations, including Whole Foods and Erewhon. And this is only the beginning: AMASS has another new product announcement just around the corner. And by 2028, the company plans to triple its retail footprint. Celebs like Adam Levine and Derek Jeter have already invested, and you can, too — but only for a few more days.
This is a paid advertisement for AMASS Regulation CF Offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.amassbrands.com.
Culture
Emily Ley's "Stupid Easy" Recipes Prioritize Family Connection Over Perfection
Carly Tanner
Emily Ley's new cookbook started as a big joke between her and her publisher. A bestselling author and entrepreneur leading a multimillion dollar business that helps women simplify their lives, Ley doesn't enjoy making giant messes or spending hours chopping and cleaning in the kitchen. In fact, she doesn't even like to cook. But she does have three kids "who want to eat multiple times every single day, over and over again," Ley tells Nice News with a laugh. And eventually, the Pensacola, Florida-based mom had a lightbulb moment: Maybe that lack of cooking experience and aversion to slaving over a hot stove made her the perfect candidate to write a cookbook — for other beginner chefs like her, searching for easy ways to get dinner on the table quickly. "It is full of, we call it 'stupid easy recipes,'" Ley shares. "We say, it's recipes so easy, a 10-year-old could do it. Because I have two, and they make the recipes all the time." The Simplified Cookbook,released March 4, is chock-full of delicious recipes, most of which require six ingredients or fewer, like Game Day Chili and Pound Cake — you can find them both in our interview with Ley.
Humanity
Meet Samaritan Scout: A Nonprofit Search Engine for Volunteer Opportunities — Built by Teens
Samaritan Scout
Volunteering is a sort of superfood for the soul. On top of making a meaningful difference in the world, the personal benefits can't be beat: You can meet people, increase your confidence, cultivate a sense of purpose, and even boost your health. Will Rosenthal, a second year computer science major at Cornell, knows all that — it's why he co-founded Samaritan Scout, a nonprofit search engine for discovering volunteer opportunities. "I really have been volunteering as long as I can remember," the 19-year-old tells Nice News, adding: "It's a source of joy like no other." Now the search engine's chief technology officer, he got involved through Dvora Inwood, whose daughter inadvertently conceived of the concept after struggling to find volunteer opportunities as a high school freshman a few years back. "She said, 'There should be a search engine for volunteering.' And that just stayed in my brain," Inwood explains. She then pitched the idea to Rosenthal, a friend of her daughter's. Thanks to the AI-assisted backend that he and a small team of fellow students built in their free time, Samaritan Scouts combines the power of a Google or Bing with the specificity of a nonprofit directory.Learn more about what makes the search engine unique (and how to donate).
In Other News
A pair of small safety studies found some success with using stem cell transplants to treat Parkinson's (read more)
In a milestone for veterinary rehab, a three-legged mini horse in Minnesota was fitted with a prosthetic (read more)
Engineers developed a "living" building material that may be capable of self-repairing (read more)
Artifacts from the Titanic wreck, including a passenger's pocket watch, will go on auction this month(read more)
See the latest list of venues chosen for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles(read more)
Something We Love
Good Hang With Amy Poehler Amy Poehler's new-ish podcast, Good Hang, has unexpectedly become one of my favorites. The SNL alum takes a casual approach to her conversations with fellow comics, and the result hits the perfect balance of funny and fascinating (for example: Martin Short's musings on the Toronto production of Godspell and his relationship with Gilda Radner). All of the episodes released so far have been great, but I recommend starting with the premiere, featuring Tina Fey. 'Cause what's better than Tina and Amy together? – Ally Mauch, Associate Editor
After a decade of fighting for basic building repairs and dealing with subpar living conditions, a group of tenants in the Bronx successfully got their landlord removed by the city via foreclosure proceedings. And in doing so, they've opened up a path to owning the building themselves.
This stunning photograph is just one piece of a six-year documentary project that spanned four continents — Zed Nelson's "Anthropocene Illusion." Nelson earned the prestigious title of Sony Photographer of the Year for the project, "which explores the deeply fractured relationship between humans and the natural world," per the Sony World Photography Awards. "The 'Anthropocene Illusion' illustrates a world where the boundaries between the real and the artificial blur, where the wild survives in controlled enclosures, and where human nostalgia for nature is expressed through spectacle rather than action," jury chair Monica Allende said in a statement, adding: "This timely body of work tells one of the most important stories of our age, and is now more critical than ever." See more of the winning photos and projects.
Bonner Has Wines From Places Most Travelers Will Never Reach
Tucked deep in Argentina's Andes, above 8,900 feet of elevation, lies a world few travelers ever see, where rugged vineyards produce wines as wild and unforgettable as the land itself. Now, thanks to the Bonner Private Wine Partnership, these rare, high-altitude bottles can be delivered directly to your door. And for a limited time, members receive one complimentary bottle in every quarterly shipment for an entire year (a value of over $160). No passport required — just a taste for adventure.
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