Good News Thursday
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Some tasty bite-sized chunks of good news to brighten the day.
Amazing Achievement
The Big Scrub in northern New South Wales, Australia, was once 75,000 hectares (185,000 acres) of thriving subtropical rainforest filled with figs, vines, palms, and more, reduced to about 1 percent of its original expanse. To restore it, Tony Parkes and his wife, Rowena, not only planted tens of thousands of trees on their own land, but they also co-founded the Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy to unite critical stakeholders to restore the rest of the rainforest over the course of three decades. Parkes left his successful investment banking career to make it happen, and he’s helped protect what’s left of the forest, planted millions of trees, and made restoring Big Scrub a core part of civic life in the region.
Record Breaker
A Grand Canyon river-rafting guide has completed a record-breaking journey from California to Hawaii. Hundreds of people gathered to cheer on Kelsey Pfendler as she pulled into a Honolulu harbor on her 21ft rowboat, Lily, after nearly a month and a half at sea, local media reported. Pfendler set out to become the first American woman, youngest woman and fastest woman to make the more than 2,400-mile (3,900km) journey solo, according to her website. Hundreds of thousands of people followed along with her journey on social media, where she shared the highs, lows and quirks of her efforts in videos taken as she rowed alone on the vast ocean. Pfendler appears to have broken both the previous women’s speed record as well as the men’s speed record, according to records maintained by Ocean Rowing Society International, which adjudicates ocean-rowing achievements for Guinness World Records. Meanwhile...
Record 12 Date Run
Harry Styles has been awarded a Guinness World Record for the longest run of concerts at Wembley Stadium after completing 12 sold-out shows - with 80,000 fans each night. The pop star has broken the official record for the longest residency by a musician at the venue in a single run, beating Coldplay's previous record of 10 nights in 2025. "Harry Styles' record-breaking 12-date run is a testament to the scale, ambition and cultural impact of his live performances, as well as the incredible connection he has with his fans," Guinness World Records adjudicator Will Munford said. Styles' Wembley run was originally billed for six nights but was extended due to high demand.
Rave Reviews
The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s three-hour version of Homer’s epic poem, world premiered in London on Monday night, and critics who saw the film there and at early screenings in the US have been sharing their takes on one of the year’s most hotly anticipated films - ahead of the reviews embargo lifting next Wednesday and next Friday’s worldwide release. Multiple pundits described the film as “flawless” and “breathtaking”. Another said it was “an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great film-makers of our time," adding: “The production design is incredible, the action is breathtaking, and the scale is unlike anything he’s done before." Another called the film “a colossal achievement of scale, even by Nolan’s standards.” So, it looks like it's going to be a summer box office sensation.
The Odyssey: Short video of film makers and cast members discuss the technical challenges and artistic vision of shooting a movie using IMAX film cameras.
Motoring Masterpiece
Since the very first Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance back in 1950, just 74 cars have taken home the coveted Best of Show award. One of the victors is this exquisite 1937 Delage D8-120 S Aerodynamic Coupe, with flowing bodywork by Parisian coachbuilder Marcel Pourtout. It was the worthy recipient of Pebble’s top prize in 2005. For Best in Show winners to come on to the open market is almost unheard of. But next month, this streamline-bodied coupe will be one of the stars of the RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction. The auctioneers reckon it will fetch between $5m to $6m.
Instant Car-Ma
A Maryland man who called police officers out to look for his stolen car was himself arrested as a suspect in a burglary at a shop across the street from where his vehicle went missing. “Officers began to connect the dots after noticing blood on the store’s window, as well as blood on the glasses of the man who reported his vehicle was stolen,” said local media. The man was charged with burglary, theft and destruction of property - his car remains missing.
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Audrey Hepburn
On This Day
9 July 1877: First Wimbledon tennis championship - first official lawn tennis tournament. Twenty-one amateurs showed up to compete in the Gentlemen's Singles tournament, the only event at the first Wimbledon. It was won by Londoner Spencer Gore, aged 27. After rain delayed their match for three days he beat 28-year old William Marshall in three straight sets that lasted 48 minutes and were played before a crowd of about 200. Entry for each spectator cost one shilling (5p or 60 cents). Gore won 12 guineas; worth about £2,000 today.
Today's Articles
Climate.us: Climate scientists fired by Trump restore access to “accurate, accessible and scientifically rigorous” climate information.
Mood Boosting Video
Remarkable Embroidery: This is the story stitched into the Bayeux Tapestry.