US crime down across all categories

The start of a new school year is exciting for a lot of kids and families, but for some, the transition can also bring up feelings of anxiety or uncertainty. Psychology professor Shannon Pickett has over a decade of experience counseling school-age children (and has three of her own) — read her five tips for a smooth back-to-school season.

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There’s a lot of not-so-nice news about the state of mental health in the U.S., particularly among young people. But today’s podcast episode offers a bit of hope in that arena: rates of depression and suicidal thoughts in teenagers have gone down in the last several years. Hear that story and more below!

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Culture

US Crime Dropped Across All Categories in 2024, FBI Data Finds

The headline says it all for this one. Overall crime in the U.S. declined last year, with both violent and property crimes reaching their lowest levels in years. The statistics, published Tuesday in the FBI’s 2024 Reported Crimes in the Nation report, show a decrease in every major category, from homicide to motor vehicle thefts.

Here’s a closer look at the numbers: Violent crime in 2024 decreased 4.5% from 2023, with the steepest decline observed in murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, which fell 14.9% year-over-year. Robbery also saw a notable drop, falling by 8.9%.

Property crime went down 8.1%, the largest reduction recorded since 1961. Motor vehicle thefts declined by 18.6%, reversing the upward trend seen in 2023, when they rose by 12.6% compared to the previous year. Burglary and larceny-theft decreased as well, by 8.6% and 5.5%, respectively.

The numbers are encouraging, and also in line with expectations, according to Ernesto Lopez, a senior research specialist at the Council on Criminal Justice. “After significant increases in violent crime starting in 2020, the decline in all major crime types across all sizes of jurisdictions is promising,” Lopez told CBS News. “These trends are closely aligned with our own findings, which show crime falling last year and continuing to fall in the first six months of 2025.”

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Environment

From Snapshot to Science: How Your Everyday Nature Photos Boost Biodiversity Research

Those flower pics on your camera roll? They could be the beginning of a scientific breakthrough, according to a recent study showing how the nature identification app iNaturalist has become a powerful tool for biodiversity research.

“Millions of people are now directly shaping how we understand and conserve biodiversity,” senior study author Corey Callaghan said in a statement. For the study, researchers assessed how the tech is being used to gather wildlife observations for a wide range of areas, from conservation planning and habitat modeling to education and cutting-edge machine learning.

They found that scientific use of iNaturalist data has grown tenfold in just five years, fueled by contributions from citizen scientists in 128 countries and spanning 638 species groups. This influx of crowdsourced data has helped professional scientists track invasive species, monitor threatened populations in real time, advance conservation efforts, and more.

The takeaway? Keep taking those pics (and uploading them to iNaturalist), said Callaghan: “By contributing observations and identifications, everyday citizens become key players in tackling one of the planet’s most pressing challenges: biodiversity loss.” Here’s how to get started with using the app.

Sports

Floating Courts to Be Built in UK for Padel, World’s Fastest-Growing Sport

If you love the vigor of tennis and the sociability of pickleball, you may enjoy padel: a fast-paced game that uses the former’s scoring system but different rackets and balls. It was invented in Mexico in the ’60s and has seen a surge in popularity worldwide in recent years — and this fall, the U.K.’s first floating padel courts are set to open as part of a $1.3 million investment in the sport.

Described as the world’s fastest-growing sport, padel is played on courts surrounded by glass walls and a metal cage that the ball can bounce off of. Players use solid racquets rather than stringed, and all serves must be underarm.

There are now over 700 padel courts in the U.K. — but developers say these three, which will open in Liverpool, will be the first in the country to float on water. Usually anchored on serene water, floating courts are already present in cities like Miami and Dubai. The Liverpool development will be located in the city’s 19th-century Prince’s Dock, and will feature the world’s first floating clubhouse. See more photos.

Global Good

🇮🇹 The world’s largest suspension bridge is one step closer to to fruition in Italy (read more)

🇨🇦 An Indigenous-led initiative in Canada secured over $200 million in federal funding to protect land and water (read more)

🇸🇴 Fancy some camel milk? The animal is at the forefront of a growing agricultural revolution in Somalia (read more)

🇳🇴 Prehistoric time capsule: Researchers found a slew of Ice Age animal remains in a Norwegian cave (read more)

🇨🇺 It’s all hands on deck to save a species of beautiful snails in Cuba from going extinct (read more)

Something We Love

Gardenparty Cocktail Shrub

These fresh, tart mixers are made with fruit, apple cider vinegar, cane sugar, and herbs, and come in an array of delicious flavors like Honeydew Cucumber Jalapeño and Strawberry Rhubarb Rosemary. You can use them to make delicious cocktails, of course, but they can also be deployed in mocktails, matcha drinks, tea, and sparkling water.

– Stephanie Friedman, Staff Writer

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Inspiring Story

Pregnancy squad goals

Call it fate or just a fun coincidence, but eight nurses working at the same Pennsylvania hospital all became pregnant within a few months of each other, forming a tight bond. “We text almost every single day whether it’s something funny or just advice questions,” said one of the nurses. They even created a group chat called “Preggo Floats,” a nod to their roles as float nurses moving between various departments. Meet the crew.

Photo of the Day

On Wednesday, volunteers in Hiroshima set paper lanterns afloat on the Motoyasu River to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bomb attack. A ceremony earlier in the day also featured a moment of silence at 8:15 a.m., the precise time the bomb was dropped on the Japanese city in 1945, along with heartfelt messages promoting peace and reflecting on the past. “As long as I live, I want to continue telling,” Teruko Yahata, who was 8 years old when the bomb hit, told NBC News. “I’m a survivor.”

You Could Win the Adventure of a Lifetime Thanks to the National Park Foundation

Love nature? The National Park Foundation has a special offer for you: It’s giving one lucky winner the chance to explore any national park. You could win $10,000 in cash for travel expenses from Forbright Bank and 500,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles to help you get to the park of your choosing. The foundation is the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, so by entering the giveaway, you’ll help sustain the places you love for current and future generations — and maybe win the trip of a lifetime.

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Up This Weekend

State Fairs: It’s state fair season in the Midwestern U.S. — the annual celebrations are underway this weekend in Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin
Outside Lands: Hozier, Vampire Weekend, Doechii, and more will be performing at the San Francisco music festival this year
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: The U.N.-designated event is celebrated tomorrow, with the 2025 theme focusing on the intersection of Indigenous communities and AI

The Nice News merch collaboration with Because Weekend is all about celebrating optimism and making every day feel like the weekend. To help us spread that ethos beyond the inbox, shop our collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts here.

Odds & Ends

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💃 What’s a Seinfeld theme without an Elaine dance competition?

*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate