Two ‘super-puff’ planets lighter than candy candy have been discovered by scientists—and they’re bigger than Jupiter. They are among the lowest-density giant planets ever detected, according to a new study. The two planets orbit a dwarf star located around 1,110 light years from Earth in the southern constellation of Volans. Although both planets—named TOI-791b and […] The post Two ‘Super-Puff’ Planets Lighter Than Candy Candy Discovered by Researchers appeared first on Good News Network.

Shannon Nelson, better known by her online alias Pinky Nel, describes herself as a “Boomer grandma with an edge.” She also notes in her online bio that she’s “big on family, friends, dogs and golf.” She makes a lot of content wherein nothing is off the table: ex-relationships, private parts, grandkids, being single, and hormone therapy. Now that she’s 70, she has decided that there are things she no longer feels obligated to do. In fact, there are a few lists she has made detailing those things and many people feel totally seen. View this post on Instagram Her first list had people losing it In the first clip, she writes, “One of the many benefits of getting older is that your “To Do” list changes into a “Not To Do” list. Here’s mine: “I will no longer get a bikini wax. It’s barbaric. It’s inhumane. Not suitable for 70-year-old skin. I’m not wearing thong underwear. Or brassieres with wire in them. Or high heels… for obvious reasons. I gave up on coloring my hair. I don’t drive at night. And while we’re at it, I’m not doing THIS anymore. (She then gives a hilarious X-rated gesture with her hand) and proceeds, “I mean I am single and not dating, so chances of anybody expecting me to do that are pretty slim. I’m not going anywhere without a parking lot. I’m not gonna drive around for 20 minutes hoping somebody’s gonna leave. Forget it! I am no longer watching gory or depressing movies. I just can’t handle it. I’m not going to dinner at anyone’s house where my dog isn’t welcome. Or after 5:30. Make that 5:00! Also, I’m no longer gonna hold in my gas. It’s not healthy. Also, I’m not gonna force my gas. It’s been a good party trick with the grandkids. It’s not safe. Finally? I am done with small talk. I’m also done with mansplaining. And I will no longer accept golf tips from a guy who’s lousier than I am at the driving range.” Her followers had plenty to add She then asks her followers to “add anything to the list” and they sure do. There are over 114,000 likes on this clip alone and over 4,000 incredibly relatable comments. One Instagrammer writes, “I’m not apologizing for canceling plans if I don’t really want to go. I’m not letting unsolicited advice mess with my head. I’m no longer afraid of saying no.” Another semi-jokingly adds, “I will no longer do anything I don’t enjoy doing, except maybe take a shower every now and then.” And it’s not just the senior citizens who feel seen. “I’m 37 and have already given up all of this but the driving-related items.” Then she came back with more This video was so popular, Nelson made another. View this post on Instagram In part two, she stands in her kitchen holding a cup of coffee and adds, “Here are a few additions to my ‘not to do’ list now that I’m almost 70.” “I’ve stopped saving for a rainy day. I’m not saving the ‘good China.’ Or the candles or my money. It’s already raining. In fact, it’s pouring. I’m no longer going to say that I read books. That’s a lie. I listen to books. Ya know, the talking books. I don’t care if that makes me sound dumb. And I’m putting an end to eating hot dogs without the bun. I don’t care about the calories. Or the carbs! Wieners are just far better when there’s buns. I’m not ever going to say ‘I’m circling back.’ I’ve never even ‘circled forward!’ And forget about ‘jumping on a call.’ I’m 70. I don’t jump anymore. In fact, I’m not taking calls period. You can text me. I’m not changing my sheets every week. I’m single. And I’m clean. And so are the dogs.” Here, we see a shot of her two yellow dogs wagging their tails on the bed. “And finally, I’m not saving ‘I love you’ for special occasions. I say it every day. To my family, to my friends, to the dogs. Hell, I’ve even said it to my golf clubs. And I meant it. And if you’ve hung in this far, I probably love you too.” Again, the comments are totally supportive, some even from people a decade older. “I’m working towards 80,” one said, “I love you. I don’t wear makeup anymore unless I’m going to church. I don’t wear a bra unless I’m going out and that’s not very often. Growing old is wonderful. And oh by the way I change my sheets once a month. I’m clean. And I’m single so nobody cares.” And then she went for round three Once again, Nelson comes back for round three. This time, she writes in the comment section, “Getting older comes with one gift: the freedom to stop doing sh*t you don’t care about.” View this post on Instagram This list includes: “You can put away the rubber gloves and the Vaseline, doc. I am no longer subjecting myself to a routine pap smear or rectal. I’m not checking on how I look from behind before I go out. If I can’t see the problem? It’s not a problem. I’m not brushing the dog’s teeth. Or paying a thousand bucks to have them professionally cleaned. She’s a dog! (She gently lifts up one of her pup’s lips.) Look how nice they are! And forget about changing my bed sheets every week. I’ll just switch sides! Flip the pillow over. And no more hanging onto things I can no longer wear anymore. Even though they are so beautiful. And finally, no more wincing when I see myself in the mirror. So I look my age! Aren’t I supposed to?” The list that keeps on growing What makes Nelson’s lists resonate so deeply isn’t just the humor, it’s the permission. The permission to stop pretending. To stop performing comfort you don’t feel, enthusiasm you’ve run out of, and tolerance for things that were never worth tolerating in the first place. At 70, she’s not complaining. She’s just done. And apparently, so are a lot of people who aren’t anywhere near 70 yet. This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated. The post Elderly woman hilariously shares her ‘not to do’ list and it’s truly inspiring appeared first on Upworthy.

A lot of parents feel guilty about letting their kids watch TV. But a little bit of screentime isn’t always a bad thing. There are shows with legitimate educational value like Ms. Rachel or Sesame Street. Educational programming can be an amazing way for kids to accelerate their learning of counting, the alphabet, and social behaviors. Why a little screen time can help In some rare cases, they can learn even more than that from their favorite TV shows: Like bravery and strength. Just take it from 3-year-old Bridger Peabody. Bridger is just three years old, but the toddler is already adding “hero” to his resume before he even starts preschool. Bridger is a massive fan of the show Paw Patrol, which came in handy when an emergency took place while he was being babysat by his great-grandmother, Sharon Lewis, 77. The two were home alone when the unthinkable happened. “Gigi,” which is what Bridger calls his grandma, suffered a terrifying and violent fall. Lewis uses a walker to get around and must’ve become unsteady on her feet while maneuvering the wheeled walker inside. View this post on Instagram A scary fall turns into a test of courage The pair were outside enjoying some playtime before everything went south. As they were making their way inside from playing in the backyard, Lewis fell—but it wasn’t just a normal trip and fall. The great-grandma didn’t land on her knees, bottom, or even her hands, which probably would have caused enough damage. When Lewis fell, she forcefully hit her head on the cement steps and blood quickly rushed from her wound, but that wasn’t the end of her problem. The two were alone, and there was no one else around to help. “I tripped over something and fell and hit my head on the concrete step,” Lewis tells Inside Edition. The elderly woman was unable to move and her cell phone was not with her. Since she was home alone with the toddler, she realized he was the only one there who could help her. So, she instructed him to get her phone from her car. Bridger may be young, but he knew his grandmother was hurt and needed his help. There were a couple of stumbling blocks for Bridger to overcome, though, the first one being that the phone was in the car, not inside the house. The second was that the sun had set and the toddler is afraid of the dark. Venturing out into the darkness alone to get his great-grandma’s cellphone was a monumental task for the little guy. Where Paw Patrol made all the difference This is where Paw Patrol comes in. The show is popular with toddlers and preschoolers, and depicts cartoon dogs of different breeds donning uniforms from various help and service professions (firefighter, police, construction, etc.) to rescue different fictional animals. It shows kids the importance of bravery, team work, and kindness, which Bridger clearly picked up on. The little guy knew that it was dark outside, but he also knew he needed to help his great-grandmother, so he braved the dark channeling his inner Paw Patrol character. The whole thing was captured on the Peabody’s security camera and it’s just as amazing and adorable as you would expect. Bridger even gives himself a little pep talk as he navigates the nighttime darkness to retrieve the cell phone so Gigi can call 911. You can see Bridger holding his blankie in the night vision security camera as he walks to the car, repeating, “Don’t be afraid.” The boy opens the car door and excitedly exclaims, “YAY! I did it!” when he gets inside the car. When the interior light turned on in the car, Bridger could clearly see the phone and was able to grab it and bring it back to his grandmother, allowing her to call 911. The ambulance came to take Lewis to the hospital, where she received 22 staples in her head. She’s now home safely, recovering, all thanks to the bravery of her three-year-old great-grandson. The internet absolutely lost it over this Social media users couldn’t get enough of the story of bravery, and it quickly went viral. Commenters chimed in with their admiration: “Not all hero’s wear capes, some of them hold blankies.” “Grandma’s hope in Bridger overcame his fear! May they always be bonded, and continue to make lasting memories together!” “Him telling himself dont be scared is one of the cutest and bravest things i have seen that was special.” “Paw Patrol company needs to give that young warrior something special.” “’Yay!! I did it!!’ My heart melted. What an adorable little boy, and so strong. He saved his Gigi’s life that day. Bless him!!!” Recovery, relief, and what came next Gigi is doing well and, with the media frenzy dying down, Bridger is returning to life as a normal 3-year-old. But he and his Gigi will be bonded for life over what happened, that much is for sure. The young man might have a bright future in helping others ahead of him with the bravery he’s displayed so far in his short life.  This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated. The post 3-year-old ventures outside in the pitch black to save his great-grandma after scary fall appeared first on Upworthy.

There are so many conflicting ideas about building self-confidence in children. Is there a right way? Could praise be harmful? Should everyone receive a gold star? As with many things in life, sometimes the best solution is the simplest one, hiding in plain sight, or just out of it. Namwila Mulwanda and her partner Zephi practice “gentle-parenting” with their daughter, Nhyara. Shared in a video on Instagram, one of their techniques is talking about Nhyara when she’s within earshot but out of sight. These aren’t your typical behind-closed-doors parent conversations: no venting about daily frustrations or sharing complaints they’d never say to her face. Instead, they create intentional moments of celebration, offering genuine praise and heartfelt affirmation. In a viral Instagram post that’s garnered over one million likes, Mulwanda writes, “POV: You talk behind your child’s back so they can hear you.” Self-described as a “passionate mother, content creator, and small business owner,” Mulwanda naturally overflows with ideas: she writes a Substack, She Who Blooms, which is about “blooming in our own time, in our own way.” She also runs Rooted, a shop where she “carefully curates products that embody the essence of growth, empowerment, and staying rooted in one’s true self.” View this post on Instagram In the video, Mulwanda and her partner sit in a quiet corner, chatting about their daughter Nhyara while occasionally peeking around to see if she’s listening—which she is. With her within earshot but not directly part of the conversation, they discuss their daughter: “I’m just so proud of her and the things she does,” her mom starts. “She works on her reading, like that difficult word that she took the time to really sound out,” adds her dad. They go on to applaud her independence (“She’s always telling me, ‘Daddy, I want to brush my teeth on my own,’” says Zephi), before concluding that she’s amazing. View this post on Instagram “She’s amazing,” says Mulwanda. “So, so, so amazing,” Zephi responds. Parents in the comments felt very seen People in the comments were obviously here for it. Parents shared their own versions of this technique, including one who wrote, “As a solo mom, I pretend to make phone calls to a family member and do this.” Another parent shared a powerful example: “My son used to be scared of climbing down the stairs. So, my husband said loudly, ‘He’s very brave! He has shown a lot of courage lately.’ The next day, when we tried carrying him down the stairs, he said, ‘Nope, I have a lot of courage in me.’” Others reflected on their own childhoods. One commenter wrote, “No exaggeration, I’d be an entirely different person had my parents been like this with me.” “Stop, I was just thinking last night, ‘When I have kids, I’m going to have loud conversations with my future husband about how much I love our children and how proud I am of them,’” another enthusiastically shared. And science backs it up completely Research indicates that indirect praise has a stronger psychological impact than direct praise, particularly in young children. “This is such a powerful way of reinforcing positive behavior,” explains parenting influencer Cara Nicole, who also went viral for her unique approach to parenting. “There’s something special about overhearing others talk about you—you know they’re being genuine because they’re not saying it directly to you.”   This effectiveness stems from children’s innate understanding that conversations between adults tend to be more honest than parent-child interactions. From an early age, children recognize that direct conversations with parents often have an intentional, behavior-shaping purpose. In contrast, overheard praise feels authentic and spontaneous, rather than an attempt to influence the child’s self-image. These techniques work best when praise focuses on effort and process rather than innate qualities. Take Nhyara’s dad’s comment: “She works on her reading, like that difficult word that she took the time to really sound out.” Yet, it’s crucial to keep praise realistic and measured. Avoid overzealous claims about future achievements, like acing every spelling test for the rest of her life. Children have keen intuition; if they sense insincerity, the strategy can backfire, damaging their trust in parents. Similarly, over-inflated praise, like declaring “incredible” performance for average effort, can burden children with unrealistic expectations. Keep it simple. A casual remark like, “I noticed how carefully Maya put away her toys without being asked. That was so nice. It really helped keep the house clean.” The viral response to Mulwanda’s video demonstrates the power of gentle parenting combined with thoughtful, specific praise. It’s heartening to see modern parents sharing their diverse approaches to showing their children love. For many commenters who didn’t experience this kind of upbringing, these conversations offer a path to healing. As Mulwanda eloquently states in her pinned comment: “To those of you who only heard negative as a child, you were never the problem. You were a child, and you didn’t deserve the experience you had. Your presence on this earth is a blessing, and the fact that you show up every single day is proof of just how amazing you are. You are brave, you are beautiful (you too, boys), and you deserve the world and more. If any of you feel emotions rising up, close your eyes, hug your inner child, and remind them that you’re there.” – Namwila Mulwanda How often should you actually do this? Interestingly, parenting coach Dr. Chelsey dived into the ideal frequency of giving a child praise, especially if you’re wanting to encourage specific behavior. that number was at a whopping 100 times a day. Holy moly! For neurodivergent kiddos, that number increases significantly. While that much praise might seem impossible, Dr. Chelsey also breaks down how to make it more doable with what she calls “sportscaster praise” below: View this post on Instagram   Bottom line: children start building their self-image through absorbing their parent’s view of them. Let’s make sure those building blocks are strong and steady. This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated. The post Science confirms this viral ‘secret’ praise parenting technique is certifiably genius appeared first on Upworthy.

Rachel Anderson, 35, from Oregon, is being praised on TikTok for spotting a major red flag on a first date with a 37-year-old man and immediately walking out. “You showed me who you were, you don’t have to show me twice,” she said in a viral video with nearly a million views. Anderson was looking forward to the date when the man told her to dress “like it’s a lounge day at home.” “So, I throw on some sweatpants and NBC sweatshirt, some tennis shoes, my hair in a bun, no jewelry, no nothing,” she said in her viral TikTok video. But when she got to the fancy restaurant, she saw she was incredibly underdressed while her date was wearing a “white button down, navy dress pants & dress shoes. I was shocked,” she wrote in the video’s comments. “Why does this man try to walk me into a fine dining restaurant? I immediately know. I turned around and walked out,” she said. Anderson suspected that the man was trying to embarrass her so that she’d feel beneath him. “As soon as you meet me, you want to level the playing field by humbling and or embarrassing me by bringing me out to a place where you know that I am underdressed? Absolutely not.” In the comments, she added that when she arrived, the man pretended it was a joke to turn it back on her: “Can’t take a joke?” @rachelanderson471 ♬ original sound – Rachel Andersn While it’s impossible to know precisely what the man was thinking, it’s pretty clear that he intended for her to feel out of place. It’s hard to chalk that up to being a mistake or an attempt at humor. If it was a joke, it made her the subject of ridicule, that’s another big red flag. Why do men try to ‘humble’ women? Manipulative men often try to “humble” women by taking them down a notch to make themselves feel more important. This is a form of “negging,” a manipulative dating tactic, in which someone offers mild insults or backhanded compliments to undermine the other’s confidence, to gain power over them. “He was testing you to see if he could control you,” Kim wrote in the comments. @non_composmentis_ ♬ original sound – Noncomposmentis After leaving the restaurant, Anderson “immediately blocked him.” There was no reason to excuse his actions or give him the chance to manipulate her further. Anderson had been trying to rebuild herself after leaving her husband, and her actions were a testament to her personal growth. She didn’t give him a chance to manipulate her even further “Sitting in the car, old me would have tried to figure out why. I would have messaged him. I would have been like, ‘How could you embarrass me like that now?’ Immediately blocked. You showed me who you were. You don’t have to show me twice. You will never, ever have the opportunity to try to humble me again,” she said. Her actions were applauded by people in the comments. “The immediate block instead of questioning/analyzing his behavior is SUCH growth!” Jess wrote. “Ladies, this is leaving at the first red flag,” Queenie added. What her story shows the rest of us Anderson’s story shows that there can be a bright spot in a terrible situation. It’s awful that someone tried to manipulate her, but wonderful that she saw the signs and refused to let it happen. “We are raised to tolerate so much discomfort and disrespect, it’s taken me years, but I’ve finally arrived at the ‘ZERO ALLOWANCES for a man’ stage in my life!” Anderson wrote in the comments. Hopefully, her strength will give the next person who encounters this manipulation the insight and courage to cut and run, too. This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated. The post ‘Underdressed’ woman praised for trusting her instincts and leaving bad date after just 2 minutes appeared first on Upworthy.