Sometimes it's easy to forget that boring things don't have to be so boring, and difficult things get a lot easier when you add a little fun. There's a new trend called "cozy cardio" going around, where people infuse their home workouts with a little bit of ambiance -- some nice lighting, a comfy sitcom on the TV or relaxing music playing. Seems a lot more enjoyable than staring into the middle distance while pounding away on the treadmill, right? I don't know if there's such a thing as "cozy laundry day," or "cozy panic cleaning before company comes over," but I do know a good audiobook, a scented candle, some comfortable shoes and a cute mug of something hot make any unpleasant task way less taxing.
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| Our favorites this week Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week
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Pokémon Gogh
Here's a collaboration we never knew we needed. Pokémon is partnering with the Vincent van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam to teach youngsters about the work of one of the Netherlands' most famous artists. A number of Pokémon-themed exhibits will run at the Van Gogh Museum from Thursday as part of the museum's 50th anniversary celebrations. And yes, they include various Pokémon characters rendered in van Gogh's iconic post-impressionist style. Van Gogh was himself a great admirer of Japanese art. In a letter to his brother, he once wrote, "(W)e wouldn't be able to study Japanese art, it seems to me, without becoming much happier and more cheerful, and it makes us return to nature, despite our education and our work in a world of convention." Read the whole story here. |
New pangolin just dropped
Pangolins are among the world's most heavily poached animals, but the discovery of a mysterious pangolin species that's new to science could help conservationists fight against their extinction. There are eight previously known species of pangolin, but tests on pangolin scales in Asia identified unique genetic markers pointing to an unexpected ninth species. Scientists have named the species Manis mysteria, which seems like a heavy name for such cute little guys. (I would commit felony tax fraud for the pangolin pictured above — if it wanted me to.) Little is known of Manis mysteria, but now that its existence has been established, conservationists can work to protect it and expand their understanding of pangolins as a whole. That, in turn, could lead to even better conservation methods. Read the whole story here. |
Space rocks
Queen guitarist Brian May could win any game of "two truths and a lie" with his fascinating resume. Yes yes, he is a rock god, but he's also is also an astrophysicist who recently helped NASA return its first asteroid sample to Earth. The 76-year-old said he was "immensely proud" to be part of the team that collected the sample from the asteroid Bennu. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft picked up the sample from the more than 4.5 billion-year-old asteroid in 2020 before setting off on its return journey to Earth in 2021. May played a crucial role in the mission, creating stereoscopic images from the spacecraft's data that allowed the leader of the mission, Dante Lauretta, and the team to locate a safe site to land and collect a sample. "Happy sample return day, and congratulations to all who work so incredibly hard on this mission," May said in a recorded NASA video. Read the whole story here. |
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Round discs of barren dirt called "fairy circles" have been stymying scientists and poking at people's imaginations for a long time. What causes these mysterious formations? They're not the only natural phenomenon that can produce round, repeated bare spots in a landscape, but the strongly ordered pattern between fairy circles is unusual even among similar phenomena. Fairy circles were previously spotted only in the arid lands of Southern Africa's Namib Desert and the outback of Western Australia. But a new study has used artificial intelligence to identify vegetation patterns resembling fairy circles in hundreds of new locations across 15 countries on three continents. This could help scientists understand fairy circles and their formation on a global scale. Or, they could remain a mystery, which is just as fun. Read the whole story here. |
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Hundreds of young people with disabilities are learning at a new university founded by 2016 CNN Hero of the Year Jeison Aristizábal. Growing up with cerebral palsy in one of the poorest areas of Cali, Colombia, Aristizábal pushed himself to defy society's expectations. He has dedicated his life to bringing therapy, education, and support to other young people with disabilities in his community so they can realize their potential. Since his win in 2016, his organization, Asodisvalle, has expanded in big ways. With his prize money and donations, Aristizábal and his organization purchased the land where they built a much larger rehabilitation center equipped with new technology and more medical tools for all the children's needs. They've grown from helping some 400 young people to more than 1,000 today. Along with specialized therapies, his center provides students with free education and a host of programs, including dance, sports, music, and even job skills for older students. Read the whole story here. |
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No matter who you are, being vulnerable is what makes us whole.
— Rap queen and activist Megan Thee Stallion (government name: Megan Pete), who has teamed up with with Seize the Awkward, a national campaign encouraging young people to talk to their friends about mental health. This is not Pete's first public statement on mental health. Her music has touched on the theme and her own website "Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too" (amen) gathers mental health resources – both general and those that cater to specific groups and experiences. |
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Rec of the week Brought to you by CNN Underscored |
The 45 best products our editors tried and loved in September In September, we were introduced to a plethora of products, from cool-looking measuring cups and rugs to stunning dresses and boots. Check out the products we tested and couldn't get enough of this month. |
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Shameless animal video There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now. |
Obviously, we needed a pangolin video. This particular pangolin's name is Honey Bun and she is naughty. Honey Bun could con me out of my life savings with a single look. I would forgive her immediately. (Click here to view) |
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