One small step for man is one giant leap for a Lego man, and while no astronauts have stepped foot on the moon recently, one plastic figurine did just take a trip to the cosmos.
The coolest person you know would probably be just as popular in Japan as they would be in Nicaragua or Austria. That’s because while hip folks may seem to have a certain “je ne sais quoi,” there are some specific attributes associated with being cool — and they’re surprisingly similar across different cultures around the world, recent research suggests.
Last Wednesday marked the 88th anniversary of Amelia Earhart’s 1937 disappearance — and all these years later, researchers are setting out to investigate a “visual anomaly” that may solve the mystery of what happened to the pilot. This November, a field team organized by the Archaeological Legacy Institute (ALI) and Purdue University will spend five
A small Italian town that was on the brink of desertion is now attracting thousands of tourists after artists from around the world were commissioned to paint colorful murals on the sides of shops and homes.
Baby penguins getting their nails did is inherently adorable, but at Blackpool Zoo in England, where these pedicures are taking place, they also serve a purpose: preventing keepers from mixing the chicks up. One chick from each pair in a nest box has had its toenails painted with blue nail polish, so the baby birds’ health checks, weights, and developmental progress can be accurately recorded. Known for their fast swimming and strong flippers, Magellanic penguins are native to Argentina and Chile. The 10 males and 13 females at the Lancashire zoo are the only ones of their kind in the U.K., and they’re now enjoying their newly expanded Penguin Cove habitat.
Baby Penguins Get Pedicures at UK Zoo to Stop Keepers From Confusing Them Continue Reading »
Building sand castles isn’t just for kids: One U.K. dad has been getting in on the summer fun, too. Mark Lewis, 57, is passionate about molding sand into weird and wonderful landscapes, creatures, and buildings, and his creative sculptures — including Spongebob Squarepants and a giant pair of Crocs — have been earning him attention on social media. He’s also created figures of Star Wars’ Jabba the Hutt and R2-D2, as well as The Lord of the Rings’ Helm’s Deep and Isengard, and he believes “the bigger” the sand sculpture “the better.” “It’s all about bringing joy into the world and inciting a smile on someone’s face as they discover something unexpected [to] surprise [them] on the beach,” he said. “I also love making things tall. The higher the sculpture, the more impressive it is, and we love it when people look at it thinking, ‘How on earth did they do that!’”
A UK Dad Creates Incredible Sand Sculptures — Including Giant Pair of Crocs Continue Reading »
It starts out small — a pile of yearbooks here, a box of old photos there. But before you can turn around (if you can turn around), all the surfaces in your home are overflowing with “things,” and finding a clear walkway is like finding a needle in a clutterstack. It’s natural to want to
This summer, Nice News is partnering with the National Parks Conservation Association for our Cause of the Season — a quarterly fundraising initiative spotlighting nonprofits doing essential work to make the world a better place. Click here to donate to the organization, and read on to learn about the essential work NPCA is doing. Did
America’s National Parks Are Precious — And They Need Our Support More Than Ever Continue Reading »
In the earliest days of the United States, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail about the celebration of independence, “It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” “Bonfires and illuminations” refer directly to what we know as pyrotechnics and firework displays. I’m a chemist and also president of Pyrotechnics Guild International, an organization that promotes the safe use of fireworks and using them here in the U.S. to celebrate Independence Day and other festivals throughout the year. As a chemist, and someone who leads demonstrations for chemistry students, I consider fireworks a great example of combustion reactions that produce colored fire. But the invention of colored fireworks is relatively recent and not all colors are easy to produce.
Red, White, but Rarely Blue — The Science of Fireworks Colors, Explained Continue Reading »
When Kansas City Union Station originally opened its doors in 1914, it was a magnificent testament to the Missouri city’s position as an economic powerhouse, comprising 10 levels and 900 rooms — including an elaborately decorated Grand Hall with an ornate fresco-adorned ceiling and three 3,500-pound chandeliers. During World War II, at the peak of
Historic US Railway Stations Are Getting a New Lease on Life Continue Reading »
