OGN Wednesday
- 15 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Mid-week collection of positive news stories from around the world to perk up the day.
Practice Makes Perfect
This image by Jens Cullmann won first place in the Other Animals category of the GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2026. The image depicts a young African bullfrog missing its prey, highlighting a candid, humbling moment in nature - showcasing a humorous or "missed moment" in the wild, emphasizing the learning process for young predators.
US Security of Supply
China dominates the world’s lithium supply. Happily, the US just found 328 years’ worth in its own backyard. The USGS estimates there’s 2.3 million metric tons of lithium oxide untapped in parts of Appalachia. Lithium is everywhere: It’s in the battery powering the device on which you’re reading this article. It powers electric vehicles (EVs). It’s in your headphones, your power tools, and your TV remote. In short, lithium powers modern life. The ubiquity of the element is why the United States Geological Survey (USGS) deemed it a critical mineral late last year.
Giant Octopus
Milan Design Week recently concluded and this year’s showcase was a bold mix of innovation and forward-thinking design. At 10 Corso Como, Italian fashion brand Moncler took over the concept store, transforming both its interior and exterior with a giant inflatable pink octopus. The playful, larger-than-life puffer mascot captured the “buoyant summer mood” of the brand’s Puffy Summer campaign. At the 10 Corso Como pop-up, the giant octopus greeted visitors with its oversized, puffy tentacles spilling from the shop’s windows, balconies, and rooftop. Inside, the playful creature extended its limbs among 24 mannequins dressed in the Moncler’s Summer Collection.
Mongolia Dinosaurs
For decades, a dinosaur mystery lingered in a quiet stretch of land in northern Mongolia called Saizhurakh. People knew something was there. A short report from about 70 years ago mentioned dinosaur footprints, then the trail went cold. No maps, no follow-up, nothing solid to go on. The site slipped out of reach and into rumor. Now it’s back on the map. And it’s telling a bigger story than anyone expected. Researchers have confirmed that this long-lost site preserves 120 million year old footprints from both massive plant-eaters and large meat-eaters, all stamped into the same ancient surface. That single detail matters. It shows that northern Mongolia, once thought to be less active for large dinosaurs during that time, supported a full ecosystem with giants on both sides of the food chain.
Italian Mountain: Thousands of dinosaur footprints dating back 210 million years have been found in a national park in northern Italy, near where the Winter Olympics was staged.
Gorilla Good News
Some great news about one of our closest relatives: Mountain gorillas are back from the brink of extinction! They’re one of the only great ape species in Africa whose numbers are steadily increasing - across the continent, there are now more than 1,000 of them. Their ongoing recovery is the product of decades of expanding conservation regulations and encouraging animal lovers to take up their cause. David Attenborough is on the case currently with a new documentary about their perseverance and complex social lives. (Also, did you know Attenborough is 99? How many more voiceover gigs can he squeeze in before he turns 100?!)
World's Largest
China has installed the world’s largest floating offshore wind turbine, taking a big step forward in deep-sea renewable energy. The new system centers on a 16 MW wind turbine supported by a floating structure. Unlike traditional offshore turbines, this one can work on a semi-submerged base, allowing it to operate in deeper waters where winds are stronger and this one is 43 miles offshore. The turbine’s tip reaches over 885 feet (270 meters) high, and its rotor is about 827 feet (252 meters) across. The area it covers is about the size of seven football fields, letting it capture a lot of wind energy with each turn - sufficient to power approximately 24,000 households each year.
“You are not fully dressed until you wear a smile.” Evan Esar
On This Day
6 May 1889: Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) in Paris opens with the recently completed Eiffel Tower serving as the entrance arch; the lifts in the tower are not ready, so intrepid visitors have to climb 1,710 steps to reach the top.
Today's Articles
Astronomical Effort: The most detailed 3D map ever made will now help astronomers investigate a cosmic mystery: dark energy.
Mood Boosting Video
Panic sets in as Miranda Priestly arrives early at Runway Magazine's office.