Some tasty bite-sized chunks of upbeat news from around the globe.

Snowy Hoodoos
What could be more stunning than Bryce Canyon’s red rock hoodoos? The same scene, but covered in a magical layer of snow and ice, as seen here. “At 8,000 feet, the scenery changes dramatically in the colder months, providing unique opportunities to see the park and requiring a very different packing list,” the U.S. Department of the Interior advised on Instagram. Water and ice, at this remarkable canyon in Utah, have sculpted the world’s largest concentration of distinctive and mysterious rock formations known as hoodoos. In common usage, the difference between Hoodoos and spires is that hoodoos have a variable thickness often described as having a “totem pole-shaped body.” A spire, on the other hand, has a smoother profile or uniform thickness that tapers from the ground upward. At Bryce Canyon, hoodoos range in size from that of a human, to heights exceeding a 10-story building.

First Ever Photograph
High up in the Sierra Nevada, the tiny Mount Lyell shrew has been shying away from cameras since it was first identified almost 100 years ago. Despite being a documented species, it was the only known mammal in California that had never been photographed. That is, until three young researchers ventured into the mountains with a plan - and the strategic use of camera traps. “I would love to say we spent three days waiting, and the shrew finally appeared at the last second,” Vishal Subramanyan told the San Francisco Standard. “But we got the Mount Lyell within the first two hours.”

Digital Nomads
New Zealand has relaxed its visa requirements to attract so-called "digital nomads" - people who travel while working remotely - in an attempt to boost tourism. Under the new rules, visitors can carry out remote working for a foreign employer while holidaying in the country for up to 90 days, after which they may have to pay resident's tax. "The change will enable many visitors to extend their stays, which will lead to more money being spent in the country," Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said. Countries offering digital nomad visas include Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Spain and Portugal.

Spotify 2024 Payout
New data reveals that Spotify paid out $10 billion to the music industry in 2024 - some $1 billion more than last year, the previous record - making its total around $60 billion since it was founded in 2006. In 2023, the company said it pays out nearly 70 percent of every dollar it generates from music back to the industry, generating its music revenue from two sources: subscription fees from its Premium platform paying subscribers, and fees from advertisings on music on its Free tier, reports Variety.
Did You Know?
When the fish market on Maine Avenue, located between the Potomac River and the National Mall in Washington, D.C., first opened, Thomas Jefferson had just begun his second term as U.S. president. The District was barely built. The federal government had only arrived five years earlier to set up in its new home that had been designated by Congress in 1790. It was 1805, and local fishing boats had begun selling seafood to the public along the docks in Southwest Washington, nearly 20 years before New York City's Fulton Fish Market opened. Through numerous changes over time, the D.C. exchange has managed to survive, making it the oldest continuously operated open-air fish market in America.
Going The Distance
Electric vehicles last almost as long as their petrol rivals and significantly longer than diesel cars. That’s according to a new study published in the journal Nature Energy. It found that electric cars have an average lifespan of 18.4 years, compared to 18.7 years for petrol cars and 16.8 years for diesels. Researchers behind the study examined the MOT records of 300m cars in UK. MOTs are compulsory annual checks for vehicle roadworthiness.
"The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.' But this holds true for leadership in general - give people space and they flourish." Maria Montessori
On This Day

3 February 1960: The Italian dramedy La Dolce Vita, which was directed by Federico Fellini, had its world premiere, and it became widely hailed as one of the most important films in cinema.
Today's Articles
Simple Health Tips: NY Times asked experts: What is the one health tip you learned in your work that you swear by?
Mood Boosting Video
Who Needs Snow? Remarkable footage of Candide Thovex in 'Ski The World'.