You've heard of old quotes, interviews, and predictions that "aged like milk," but here's one that aged like a fine wine.While astronomer Carl Sagan would likely be the first to scoff at the idea of him being a fortune teller, the man certainly had a prescient way of looking ahead during his lifetime. Sagan was the original host of a show called "Cosmos" back in 1980 and it became the most watched show in public television history. Sometimes called the "Mister Rogers of science," few science communicators have been able to match Sagan's talent for stoking wonder about the universe and our place in it.Sagan passed away in 1996, roughly 29 years ago, from pneumonia. He was only 62, and it was a tragedy that he was taken so soon with so much good work left to do. One of Carl Sagan's final interviews featured a dire warning.By NASA/JPL - Wikimedia CommonsShortly before his death, however, Sagan appeared on "Charlie Rose" and made one final prediction: A dire warning about how susceptible America would be to the next "charlatan" politician who might come along. Saga said that Americans' lack of skeptical, scientific thinking could lead to disastrous consequences down the road. As a man who dedicated his life to science and education, he knew exactly how bad things could and would get. - YouTube www.youtube.com Today, we can see the problems that are happening due to America's anti-science streak whether it's anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theories, or climate change deniers. Sagan was right, America will suffer due to a lack a lack of scientific skepticism. Not skepticism of sound, peer-reviewed science, but skepticism of salesmen and frauds and conmen who come along and claim to have all the answers despite having put in none of the work."We've arranged a society on science and technology in which nobody understands anything about science and technology, and this combustible mixture of ignorance and power sooner or later is going to blow up in our faces," he told Rose. "I mean, who is running the science and technology in a democracy if the people don't know anything about it?"He then warned that our lack of critical thinking leaves us vulnerable to those who wish to exploit our ignorance."Science is more than a body of knowledge, it's a way of thinking," he says. "A way of skeptically interrogating the universe with a fine understanding of human fallibility. If we are not able to ask skeptical questions to interrogate those who tell us that something is true, to be skeptical of those in authority, then we're up for grabs for the next charlatan—political or religious—who comes ambling along."Sagan believes that a democracy cannot function without an educated populace."It's a thing that Jefferson lay great stress on. It wasn't enough, he said, to enshrine some rights in the Constitution and the Bill or Rights, the people had to be educated and they have to practice their skepticism and their education," he says. "Otherwise, we don't run the government, the government runs us."One key to remember is that good scientists are inherently skeptical. NASA writes beautifully about the difference between scientific skepticism and the "do your own research" crowd, "Skepticism helps scientists to remain objective when performing scientific inquiry and research. It forces them to examine claims (their own and those of others) to be certain that there is sufficient evidence to back them up. Skeptics do not doubt every claim, only those backed by insufficient evidence or by data that have been improperly collected, are not relevant or cannot support the rationale being made."Part the problem we face in the present is that what constitutes education, including science and technology education, is being debated at the highest levels. - YouTube www.youtube.com Institutions of higher learning are undergoing attacks by the government, traditional education is being devalued by powerful parts of the political world, and positions that were traditionally filled by public servants with credentialed expertise are now being filled by political loyalists instead.Critical thinking has also taken a beating. People believe themselves to be "critical thinkers" simply because they go against scientific consensus, but that's not how critical thinking and skepticism really work. When political ideologies take precedence over genuine scientific inquiry and investigation, we all lose out.In fact, many believe there is a concerted effort to discredit science; not just for kicks, but because those with ulterior motives need the populace to be uneducated, uninformed, and skeptical of those that might speak truth to power. This is not a new phenomenon, but it's reached new levels in the modern age. Carl Sagan was always encouraging his viewers to think critically. Giphy Some might even say we've already reached the place Sagan tried to warn us about. The "next political charlatan," certainly sounds more than familiar to some. Of course, that's up for debate as well, but regardless, Sagan certainly seemed to have his finger on the pulse of humanity's tendencies. Hopefully people will heed his words and put science education in its rightful place as part of a thriving democracy..This article originally appeared five years ago. It has been updated.

For most of human history, people had to make their own clothing by hand, and sewing skills were subsequently passed down from generation to generation. Because clothing was so time-consuming and labor-intensive to make, people also had to know how to repair clothing items that got torn or damaged in some way.The invention of sewing and knitting machines (and subsequent factores) changed the way we acquire clothing, and the skills people used to possess have largely gone by the wayside. If we get a hole in a sock nowadays, we toss it and replace it. Most of us have no idea how to darn a sock or fix a hole in any knit fabric, since it's far easier and more convenient for us to replace than to repair.But there are still some among us who do have the skills to repair clothing in a way that makes it look like the rip, tear or hole never happened, and to watch them do it is mesmerizing.Videos of people stitching holes in knit sweaters have gone viral on social media with millions of views on simple, 2-minute demonstrations. Why? Well, you just have to see it in action.One video begins by showing a hole in a light pink knit sweater. Using a needle, yarn and a tiny latch hook device, the person demonstrates how to fill the hole to make it look as if it never existed in the first place. Putting a patch over a hole is one thing, but this is something akin to magic.Watch: - YouTube www.youtube.com Wow, right?Another video begins by showing a hole in a gray knit sweater, but this time a yellow yarn is used to patch the hole so you can see clearly what was done. It looks so simple, but you really do have to know what you're doing to make this magic work. - YouTube www.youtube.com What we're witnessing here is a combo of knowledge and experience in the fiber arts, of course, but what it looks like is sheer sorcery or some kind of really complicated calculus problem. Who figured out how to do this? And why is it so satisfying to watch?"I watched this whole video and I still don’t know how you did that," shared one commenter. (Right?!)"Hey that was pretty neat," wrote another. "Can you do the ozone layer next?" (Ha.)"I could watch it a hundred times and still not be able to do this," wrote another. (Uh, same.)"My toxic trait is thinking I can do this ???," shared another. (Maybe after watching it two hundred times.)Many people found it oddly soothing to watch, perhaps because seeing something being fixed is indeed satisfying and perhaps because it harkens back to a simpler time when people spent their evenings doing things like this around the fire.The music helps, too. This video demonstrates three different ways to mend sweater holes and the piano practically lulls you into a meditative state while you watch. Is this fiber arts therapy for those of us who don't sew or knit or crochet? Maybe so. Whatever works. - YouTube www.youtube.com Kudos to those who are keeping these kinds of skills alive and sharing them with the world. We may not be passing this kind of knowledge down in most families anymore, but at least we have the internet to help us if we really want to learn it.And why stop with sweaters? There are plenty of internet rabbit moles featuring jeans, socks, and all kids of other clothing items getting magically mended. This is the kind of ASMR the world needs. This article originally appeared three years ago.

The decades parents spent raising children are full, rich, exciting, exhausting, and loud. From babies crying to siblings bickering to the raucous laughter that creates collective memories, the sounds of family life are constant. Your home is full. The laundry never ends. Food gets purchased in bulk. Then, one day, you find that the intense family life that took up so much space physically, mentally, and emotionally, dwindles to a strange silence. When the last child moves out, you find yourself swimming in a house full of unused rooms and piles of memories. Suddenly, you don't need all that space anymore, and you have to figure out what to do with those rooms and those piles of memories. For one couple, the process of downsizing their empty nest brought about a reflection on their family life, their relationship with their kids, and their stuff. In 2021, Jimmy Dunne shared that reflection entitled "Downsizing" on Facebook in a viral post that resonated with many people who are at or near this stage in life. Empty nest years are full of memories. Photo credit: CanvaDunne wrote:"My wife Catherine and I recently moved.I realized I had something I never knew I had.Thirty-four years ago, I carried my wife in my arms over the threshold in our home. Thirty-four years ago. From newlywed days, to witnessing our babies go from little girls to young adults. So many great memories in every inch of every room of our home.I didn’t think I was ready to ‘downsize.’ What an awful word. I liked walking through our girl’s bedrooms and still seeing their stuff on the walls and on the shelves. I liked our backyard. I liked imagining our kids coming down the steps every Christmas morning.We put it on the market, it sold in a couple days, and suddenly agreements thicker than my leg were instructing me to clear everything I ever had and knew – out.Every night I found myself saying goodbye to our backyard, to our garden of roses that Catherine would till and trim, to the sidewalk where the girls drove their Barbie cars and learned to ride their bikes, to our front lawn where we hosted tons of talent shows with all the kids on the block – and the red swing on the front porch.We found a condo in town and started lining up our ducks of what we were keeping, and what we were tossing. We vowed, if we’re going to do this, we weren’t putting anything in storage. Downsizing can be a lot of work physically and emotionally.Photo credit: CanvaI literally threw out half my stuff. Half. Half of the furniture. Half of my clothes, books. And the big one… way more than half the boxes in the attic.The attic was more than an attic. It held our stories. Every thing in every box, every framed picture was a story. After we gave away almost all of the living room furniture, we split the room in half and brought down everything of the girls from the attic and from their rooms. We invited the girls over, handed them a cocktail and said, “There’s good news and bad news. We’ve saved all this stuff; your outfits, drawings, dolls, skates -- for you. It’s now yours. The bad news, whatever’s not gone by Friday at 10 in the morning, it’s getting chucked in that giant green dumpster in front of the house.”The girls thought we were Mr. and Mrs. Satan. But they went through it, and that Friday, most of it went out the front door and right in the dumpster.I filled the entire dining room with boxes of all my old stuff. Grade school stories and pictures, report cards, birthday cards, trophies, you name it. Boxes of old plaques and diplomas and just stuff and stuff and stuff like that. How could I throw any of this out? I may as well have been throwing me in the dumpster! It's not always easy to say goodbye to a home that held your family memories. Photo credit: CanvaBut this little jerk on my shoulder kept asking -- what are your kids going to do with all this a week after you're six feet under? They’re gonna chuck it all out!Here’s the crazy thing. The more I threw stuff in there, the easier it got. And I started to kind of like throwing it up and over in that thing. I started to feel lighter. Better.And we moved in a half-the-size condo – and the oddest thing happened.It became our home.A picture here and there on the wall, Catherine’s favorite pieces of furniture, all her knickknacks in the bathroom. We blinked, and it looked and felt just like us.And then I found that thing I never knew I had.Enough.I had enough.The wild thing was that having less – actually opened the door to so much more. More in my personal life. More in my career. More in everything.All I have to do is look in the eyes of my two girls -- and they take me back, every time, to the most beautiful, colorful, emotional scrapbook I could ever dream of having.All I have to do is hold my wife’s hand, and it hypnotizes me back to kissing her for the first time, falling in love with everything she did, seeing her in that hospital room holding our first baby for the first time.It sure seems there is so much more to see, and feel, and be – if I have the courage, if I have the will to shape a life that’s just…Enough."You can also read Dunne's reflection on his website.People shared Dunne's post more than 24,000 times, and it's easy to see why. He's speaking a truth we probably all know deep down on some level: Things don't make a life. Things don't make relationships. They don't even make memories, though we tend to hold onto them as if they do. We may associate places and things with memories, but we don't need the places and things for our memories to live on.It's not hard to notice Dunne's deep wisdom as the result of a life well-lived. Fortunately for readers everywhere, Dunne compiled his wisdom, including the viral "Downsizing," into a book that was released in September 2024 by Savio Republic and Post Hill Press, titled Jimmy Dunne Says: 47 Short Stories That Are Sure to Make You Laugh, Cry—and Think. Like his Facebook post, Dunne's book is filled with heartfelt, thought-provoking reflections that stand to teach readers valuable and relatable lessons. It even got an endorsement from none other than actor Henry Winkler. See on Instagram Kudos to Dunne and his wife for looking ahead to what their children would have to go through after they pass if they didn't go through it now themselves. And kudos to them for truly embracing the freedom that comes with having raised your children to adulthood. The empty nest years can be whatever you choose to make of them, and this couple has figured out a key to making the most of theirs.Keep up with the Dunnes on their Instagram, where they share more writing, wisdom, family moments, and sweetest of all—their grandbabies.This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

Season 28 of NBC’s The Voice has been one of the best yet. Reba McEntire, Michael Bublé, Niall Horan, and Snoop Dogg all put together incredible teams in hopes of taking home a victory. Each week, they had to say goodbye to incredible contestants. Considerable talent continued to shine through until each coach had just one team member remaining. During the December 15th episode, Team Reba had Aubrey Nicole, Team Bublé had Jazz McKenzie, Team Snoop had Ralph Edwards, and Team Niall had Aiden Ross. But America also got to vote, and Carson Daily made a huge announcement. American Made Two Big Choices for “The Voice” Final DEK of Hearts from Team Niall and Max Chambers from Team Bublé won America’s hearts and will compete for the championship title for Season 28 of “The Voice.” Fans immediately filled the YouTube comment section with their thoughts. “With those tight harmonies and twangy pop approach. Their energy is so positive & infectious here, just grooving to some good music & having the time of their life in front of millions of people. A little repetitive but definitely a vibe,” someone wrote. “I love Dek of Hearts. This was the first time I was bored. Their performance of a Crosby, Stills & Nash song was BRILLIANT. They had to up the anty. Unfortunately, they failed. I actually fast forwarded through their 2nd performance. They’re known & loved for their harmonies. Neither song showcased that. I hope they get signed. They do deserve it. These performances were forgettable,” another person wrote. “Their harmonies are amazing! I hope to hear from them in the future. Sadly, this was not a good song choice nor their best performance imo,” a fan agreed. “That being said, I’d buy their record!” One fan asked another to be kind ahead of the Season 28 Finale of The Voice. “For everyone hating, please just do it privately. Some of the contestants read these comments, and they clearly tried throughout the show, and I’d say they did a pretty great job,” they wrote. This story’s featured image is by Trae Patton/NBC via Getty Images.

At 88 years old, Jack Nicholson can still get fans’ attention. The Oscar-winning actor was once one of Hollywood’s most notorious playboys. For years, he sat courtside at Los Angeles Lakers games, cheering on his favorite team. But as time passed, Jack retreated from his public presence. Today, he lives a much lower-key life. He rarely makes public appearances, but an eagle-eyed photographer caught Jack Nicholson leaving The Carlyle Hotel during a recent trip to New York City. While walking with a cane, he stopped and graciously greeted fans. Jack Nicholson, 88, was seen using a cane during a very rare sighting in New York City. He agreed to sign autographs for fans who had lined up along the sidewalk, but they became so excited that his security team decided it wasn’t safe and quickly escorted him away. pic.twitter.com/uQn0nI8Kna— Victor Bigham (@Ravious101) December 14, 2025 Jack Nicholson Still Draws a Crowd He’s been nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won three Best Actor trophies. It’s safe to say Jack Nicholson has plenty of fans, and he did his best to treat them kindly while in NYC. “He agreed to sign autographs for fans who had lined up along the sidewalk, but they became so excited that his security team decided it wasn’t safe and quickly escorted him away,” Victor Bigham shared on X. Fans loved seeing Jack out and about, even if just for a moment. “Jack Nicholson looks good for his age. Also… now I want to fire up The Shining,” someone commented. “I got his autograph at the end of 1985 when he attended the New York Film Critics Awards in Midtown Manhattan. I was friendly with the actor Simon Jones who happened to attend that night and when he asked me what I was doing there I said Jack Nicholson’s in there!” Another person joked. This fan appreciated Jack’s efforts. “That really says a lot for him that he took the time to sign autographs, when all he probably wanted to do was sit down and get some peace someplace,” they wrote. Another fan gave a sobering reminder that time stops for no one, not even Jack Nicholson. “Even legends age, and fame comes with its own pressures. Fans love the memories, but safety and dignity matter most. Respecting someone’s limits does not lessen their legacy; it honors the life they have lived and the joy they have given,” they wrote. This story’s featured image is by SGranitz/WireImage.