Research has found that poetry can make us feel happier and healthier, and it doesn't take much Mary Oliver to understand how. But if getting through an entire book of poems feels daunting to you, Nice News is here to help you out. This April — National Poetry Month — we'll be featuring a bit of verse in the Quote of the Day section of every newsletter, in hopes that maybe you'll seek out more of it in your day-to-day life.
April Fools' inspo: a cake that looks like a sponge
Environment
Meet Nature Is Nonpartisan: The "Conservation Movement for the 21st Century"
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The smell of spring's first flowers blossoming, the sight of a tree-covered mountain, the sound of birdsong: These are things we all enjoy. So why does the preservation of nature sometimes seem like an issue that's split down party lines? According to Benji Backer, it's a matter of disconnection — or rather, disconnection from the outside world and hyperconnection to the worlds within our devices. "We've become so digitally addicted, and we've allowed every issue to become a culture war issue, largely because of the algorithms and the news incentives," he tells Nice News, adding: "And the reality is the environment is more important than that." Backer is the founder and CEO of Nature is Nonpartisan, a nonprofit on a mission "to rebuild a durable conservation movement for the 21st century," he says. "And that movement should include political diversity, should include geographic diversity, income diversity, racial diversity." Learn more about the org's mission and how you can get involved.
Together With Free People
The Perfect Pair of Jeans for Spring
Consider this your sign to refresh your denim drawer. Free People's We The Free Fable Low-Rise Twisted Bowed Jeans are the perfect pair for spring and beyond. The low-rise style prioritizes shape and movement, with an arced leg, puddled hem, and a unique twisted outseam for an articulated look. Made from 100% cotton with a vintage feel, they'll slip seamlessly into your everyday rotation, from a farmers market run to dinner with the girls.
Vivid Dreams Might Be the Secret to Feeling Well-Rested, Study Finds
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Are you one of those people who have dreams that are so realistic you feel like you were actually "there"? If so, your sleep may feel more restful, according to a study of 44 healthy adults who spent four nights in a sleep laboratory while electrodes recorded their brain activity. Researchers repeatedly woke participants to ask about what they were experiencing in sleep, how deep their sleep seemed, and how sleepy they felt upon waking. After comparing those reports with the corresponding brain activity recordings, the scientists found that vivid dreams correlated with deeper, more restorative sleep, contradicting the idea that the brain needs to be inactive or quiet to rest deeply. "Rather than being merely a by-product of sleep, immersive dreams may help buffer fluctuations in brain activity and sustain the subjective experience of being deeply asleep," senior author Giulio Bernardi explained in a statement. On the other hand, fragmented dreams (i.e., ones that leave you feeling a vague sense of being present somewhere without clearly comprehending what's happening) were associated with "shallow" sleep. Get tips on how to dream more.
Sports
World Surf League Kicks Off 9-Country Championship Tour
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This week, the best surfers from around the world are gathering at Australia's Bells Beach for the kickoff of the World Surf League's 2026 Championship Tour. To mark the tour's 50th anniversary, the league is debuting a redesigned format alongside the biggest women's roster in the event's history — featuring 24 female surfers, up from 18 last year. Here's a look at what's to come: Over the next nine months, the best of the best will compete in 12 stops across nine countries, including New Zealand, El Salvador, and Portugal. The journey culminates this December at Hawaii's Banzai Pipeline (aka the legendary surf break seen in Blue Crush and North Shore).
Among the competitors is five-time world champ and Team USA Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore, who is returning to the tour after welcoming her first child last year. "I am so stoked to be back," Moore told Reuters, adding: "I hope that I can inspire other moms to keep doing what they love, too." See the schedule and watch the first leg.
In Other News
Scientists conducted the first comprehensive aerial survey of Arctic ice seals, covering over 24,000 miles (read more)
It's fireball season: Get the lowdown on why a bevy of meteors have been seen over the U.S. as of late (read more)
Somethingmassive lies beneath Utah's Great Salt Lake, a recent study suggests (read more)
A trove of long-lost photos provides a peek into a historic hotel and its famous guests (read more)
The Super Bowl is headed to Las Vegas in 2029, following a unanimous vote by team owners (read more)
Inspiring Story
Making it right
Forty-five years after being expelled from the Eagle Scouts for being gay, Tim Curran returned to the organization as a scoutmaster, using his past experiences to help mentor a kinder next generation. "Returning to scouting after all these years is still just a personal joy and blessing," he said, adding, "Justice delayed is not necessarily justice denied." Read the moving story behind his return.
Photo of the Day
Pierre Suu/Getty Images
The Eiffel Tower looked especially magnifique on Monday in celebration of Céline Dion's 58th birthday — and the big news of her return to the stage. This fall, the icon will headline a 10-show residency in Paris, marking her first major comeback since sharing her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis four years ago. "I'm feeling good, I'm strong, I'm feeling excited, obviously a little nervous, but most of all, I'm grateful to all of you," she told fans in a video announcement, concluding, "I love you all and I'll see you soon."
Save With Metro's 6-Month Unlimited Plan
When you buy six months of service upfront, you save $20 a month on Metro's unlimited phone plan — meaning $120 in total savings. You get unlimited 5G data, talk, and text and a five-year price guarantee, all on America's best network, according to Ookla Speedtest. Offer for new customers when you bring your phone; exclusions apply.
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