Nick's News

09/14/2025

See you tonight for an hour of Good Friends, Good Brew, and Good News!
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09/13/2025

Nick’s News would like to thank each and every one of our fans, and give a shout out to our top fans:

Cassidy Fox-Wallace, Waffle Erwin-Vargas, Rebecca Vangelderen and Salazar!

Thank you all so much for your support!

09/12/2025

Families of patients at all acute hospitals in England can now seek a second opinion if they’re concerned about the care their relatives are receiving, after Martha’s Rule was rolled out nationwide. The patient safety scheme is named after Martha Mills, who died of sepsis in 2021, aged 13. Her mother Merope campaigned for patients and their loved ones to be given the right to request an urgent review of their care, after her concerns were ignored. The National Health Service said that between September 2024 and June 2025, 4,906 calls were made to Martha’s Rule helplines at hospitals trialing the scheme, leading to 241 “potentially life-saving interventions”. This week, it announced that it had been rolled out across England. “Families often know their loved ones better than anyone – they can spot when something isn’t right in ways that even experienced doctors might miss,” said Dr Ronny Cheung, consultant general pediatrician at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
“I’ve had Martha’s Rule invoked under my care, and while it can feel challenging initially, it’s ultimately about creating a culture where everyone… has a voice to raise concerns. This can only make the care we provide better.”

09/11/2025

Did you know we have a TikTok channel? We do! We post shorts three times a week. Check it out:
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09/10/2025

The VoD is live for those who missed our live episode on Sunday or watched NFL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUrNEZs404Q

09/10/2025

High on the Tibetan Plateau, China is building the largest solar farm in the world, a project so vast it covers an area equal to the entire city of Chicago. Spanning 610 square kilometers, the site marks a new chapter in clean energy expansion. Engineers have installed more than seven million solar panels, which will eventually generate electricity for nearly five million households. The site does more than produce energy, it also supports life. Vegetation grows beneath the panels, while flocks of sheep graze in the shade. The vast solar fields cut wind and dust erosion, showing how renewable energy can work in harmony with local ecosystems. China’s renewable push is already reducing carbon output. In the first half of 2025, the country cut emissions by about one percent even as electricity demand rose by nearly four percent. Solar expansion played a decisive role. In just six months, China added more solar capacity than the United States has built in its entire grid. Many experts see this as a turning point, proving that economic growth can progress without driving emissions upward. When finished, Tibet’s solar farm will not only redefine renewable capacity but also stand as a global symbol of ambition, innovation, and sustainability.

09/09/2025

Nick's Newsies Flora & Fauna 09/09/2025

Welcome to the thirty-sixth post in a weekly series entitled "Nick's Newsies Flora & Fauna!" This is a dive into the various plants and animals the Nick's Newsies have, and each Tuesday we'll feature a different Nick's Newsie family member. If you want to try your hand at pet ownership or work that green thumb, check out these posts for ideas and care instructions!

Producer Donna's collection of flora is an ever-changing, ever-evolving mass of splendor. This week we want to showcase one that maybe gets overlooked given her more vibrant assortment. In May of this year (2025), Producer Donna acquired "Puebla," named for the traditional dress worn for Cinco De Mayo celebrations. This Gerbera Daisy, aka Transvaal Daisy (Genus Gerbera) just wants to show off all of its multi-colored splendor. This was one of four plants Producer Donna purchased as a birthday binge. They remind her of the colorful skirts Hispanic women wear during the Cinco de Mayo celebrations in her native California. Full of color, and full of joy.

Morphology
These plants are tufted, stemmed perennials, often seen with a sort of wooly crown. They can grow up to 31 inches (80 cm) in height, and sport large rosettes of green leaves. The flowers come in various different colors, from red to yellow to the whites and pinks of Producer Donna's. There can even be incredible variation in flowers from the same plant.

Distribution & Habitat
Gerberas started off as natives in the tropical regions of Africa. It's splendor saw it introduced to the countries of Latin America and Southeast Asia. As a decorative garden plant it has an almost worldwide distribution. Tropical areas tend to have very organic-rich soil, a must for the Gerbera to thrive.

Care:
Producer Donna's "Puebla" loves high humidity and spring temperatures. As mentioned above, the best soil is a well draining, organic-rich soil. Morning sun and afternoon shade are the ideal light conditions, and they don't need direct light to grow. Watering should be done early in the day to allow the plants leaves and flowers adequate time to dry out. Controlled-release fertilizer two to three times during the growing season (spring and summer), or a liquid fertilizer every two weeks will keep nutrients going to the plant and promote those beautiful blooms. Overwintering can be done in a nice cool spot in the home, where the temperature won't go below 45 °F (7.222 °C).

With Regard to Other Pets
As per the ASPCA, you can show off Gerbera daisies without having to worry about your fur friends. Gerberas are not known to produce any harmful toxins that would give your cats or dogs fits. Though you may want to discourage such behavior if you'd like to keep these beautiful flowers showing off.

We hope you found this article informative and fun! Stay tuned for future installments, available on Tuesdays, as we continue to explore the various flora and fauna the Nick's Newsies care for! If you have any questions or would like to submit your own flora and fauna for consideration by all means contact us here on Facebook, or email us at [email protected]. As always we love you all, and have a great day!

09/08/2025

A simple breath could one day replace the prick of a needle in detecting diabetes. Researchers are finding that our breath contains hidden chemical signatures that may reveal how well our bodies regulate blood sugar. When the body burns fat for energy, it produces acetone as a byproduct, and higher levels in exhaled breath are often linked to diabetes or prediabetes. Tests measuring volatile organic compounds such as acetone showed strong accuracy, with sensitivity and specificity hovering around 92 percent. Interestingly, some studies found that isotopically labeled carbon dioxide in the breath provided even greater precision than acetone, pointing to multiple pathways for identifying the disease non-invasively. Recent developments are moving this science from theory to practice. At Penn State, scientists created a prototype sensor made of laser-induced porous graphene combined with zinc oxide. With this device, patients could simply exhale into a bag, and within minutes the sensor would detect elevated acetone levels, successfully distinguishing people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes from healthy individuals. This approach hints at a future where diabetes screening is as easy as breathing into a small handheld tool. Still, challenges remain before such breath tests become common in clinics. Levels of acetone and other compounds can fluctuate depending on diet, exercise, or fasting, and methods for collecting and analyzing breath samples vary widely across studies. Standardization and improved calibration of devices will be critical before breath analysis can reliably replace blood-based diagnostics.

09/08/2025

We are LIVE!

Welcome to the 09/07/2025 Episode of Nick’s News!That's right, it's time for another "Cool News" episode!News Brew: The season may be changing, but we still ...

09/07/2025

Hope to see you tonight!
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09/05/2025

Helsinki’s “people-first” approach to mobility is paying off after officials announced that no traffic-related deaths have been recorded in the Finnish capital over the last year. The milestone follows a years-long drive to make the city more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists, including lowering speed limits, laying cycle lanes and improving public transport. “A year without road deaths is a milestone that reflects Helsinki’s consistent, people-first approach to mobility,” said Sara Mecatti of POLIS, a network promoting active travel. “While challenges remain, the city’s experience shows how sustained, integrated action can create streets that are safe, equitable and welcoming for all.”