Fab Friday News
- 4 minutes ago
- 4 min read
What better way to end the week than with a collection of upbeat news nuggets?
“Shadow Moon”
Richard Addis had always wanted to create a composite image using photographs of every lunar phase from the New Moon to the Full Moon. In April 2025, with two weeks of clear skies (a huge rarity in the UK) Addis was able to collect enough data to assemble this remarkably detailed photograph. The image reveals shadow detail across the entire lunar surface, a sight that cannot be seen during a Full Moon, when the surface is fully illuminated. This approach emphasises the lunar landscape, creating a striking and beautiful study. He is one of the finalists in the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2026 competition. Now in its 18th year, the competition is run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich with support from astrophotography equipment company ZWO and in association with BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
8 "Building Blocks"
In a new study, researchers analyzed more than 116,000 songs from 3,160 species, looking at broader patterns rather than just pitch and frequency. They found that songbirds mix and match from eight “building blocks” when they sing: slow, fast, and ultrafast trills; flat, slow-modulated, and fast-modulated whistles; harmonic stacks; and chaotic notes, reports Audubon magazine. Of those eight motifs, most songbird species typically use only about five and heavily rely on one, with beak size and location shaping their communication styles. For example, birds that sing to one another over longer distances opt for simpler songs that carry farther, while those at closer range generally use faster, more complex ones.
Bird Brain Should be a Compliment: Perhaps not for every bird, but certainly in the case of male song sparrows.
Unwelcome Passenger
Somehow, a bear managed to open the unlocked SUV door, climb inside, and get trapped when the door shut behind it. Once stuck, the bear leaned on the horn. Presumably, he was trying to say, “someone get me outta here.” When the SUV’s owner finally went outside to investigate, he was greeted by a very large, very unwelcome passenger. So how do you get a bear out of your car without getting too close? This guy had a genius plan. He tied a long rope to the rear passenger door handle, walked to a safe distance, and pulled the rope to pop the door open. Within seconds, the bear hopped out and bolted into the woods.
You Won't Believe What Bears Get Up To At Night: Video of hilarious moments caught on camera that reveals what really happens when the sun goes down...
Restoration
England’s largest landscape restoration project under single ownership is officially underway following the acquisition of the 3,035-hectare (7,500 acres) Emblehope Estate in Northumberland. Purchased from the Royal Kennel Club by environmental group RESTORE, the vast upland property is set to become one of the UK’s most ambitious hubs for climate resilience, community benefit, and biodiversity recovery. The multi-million-pound purchase makes Emblehope the largest contiguous landholding in England under single ownership dedicated entirely to restoring the natural world.
Need to Cool Down?
The Do Hiemon “personal cooling box” is around the size of a fridge, and “blows powerful jets of air chilled to 5C” on to the user within, said The Telegraph. Retailing for 1.5 million yen (£6,862), it costs around 10 cents per hour to run and is being touted as an efficient way to find relief from recent temperatures nearing 40C. The manufacturer says the mobile unit could be used in schools or shopping centres, or “on construction and agricultural sites to give workers respite from the brutal summer sun”.
Time on Your Hands?
One of the world’s most celebrated paintings, Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss, can now be viewed in your own home. The trailblazing work is being celebrated by LEGO via a 4,000-piece set. Just as the original features golden spirals and interweaving geometric shapes to create its dramatic composition, the LEGO version also incorporates layered textures and specially decorated pieces. The set transforms The Kiss into a 3D stacking structure, layering bricks on top of one another so that certain elements of the painting stand out.
EU Air Quality
“Air quality continues to improve in Europe, with emissions of key air pollutants declining across the continent as a result of long-standing air quality policies, technological improvements, and cleaner industrial and transport systems,” according to the latest Assessment Report on European Air Quality. Since 2015, industrial emissions of sulphur oxides have fallen by 59 percent, while nitrogen oxide emissions from industry have declined by 39 percent. Road transport emissions have also fallen substantially, with reductions of 40 percent for nitrogen oxides and 34 percent for fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
"I love how summer just wraps its arms around you like a warm blanket." Kellie Elmore
On This Day
31 July 2012: Michael Phelps becomes the greatest medal winner in Olympic history as part of the winning American 4 x 200 m freestyle relay team in London, earning his 19th career Olympic medal and 15th overall gold. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he won five gold medals and one silver.
Today's Articles
Meet Devyn Dalton: She's Matt Damon's stunt double in The Odyssey with “the greatest arms I have ever seen.”
Aerodynamics Pioneer: Aurel Persu's century old Romanian 'clown shoe' car rivals that of even the most slippery EVs today.
Top 5 Longevity Foods: Japan is home to the world’s longest-living people. Here's what a Japanese nutritionist says they eat every day.
Mood Boosting Video
Funny Beer Commercial: Walk in wardrobe or walk in fridge? You decide.