Kick-starting the week with a global round up of positive news stories.
Forever Is Now
Egypt’s annual Forever Is Now exhibition is back. The show, which features contemporary artworks at the site of the 4,500-year-old pyramids of Giza, aims to connect past and present through large sculptures, installations and immersive experiences. “The exhibition envisions echoes of ancient rituals, bustling civilizations and the whispers of buried tales that are yet to be discovered,” say CulturVator and Art D’Egypte, the company organizing the show. “It is designed to trace the continuity of themes that stretch from the storied past to the present day - emphasizing that our understanding of the world is an ever-evolving tapestry.” The show spotlights 12 artists from countries around the world, including the UK, South Africa, France, India and Egypt.
Cancer Research
Scientists have identified “rogue” genetic material that helps aggressive forms of cancers survive - an important first step towards developing treatments to tackle it. The genetic material, called extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA), can increase tumour spread, boost the activity of cancer-driving genes, and block the immune system from fighting back, new research shows. Led by scientists at the UK’s Francis Crick Institute and University College London, the research has identified a promising “new treatment target”. “Our understanding of ecDNA is a step forward in building a complete picture of the complex biology of cancer,” said Charles Swanton, a senior author on the research.
Back From The Brink
Following a decades-long conservation effort (which we know are often highly successful), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has officially reclassified the red-cockaded woodpecker as a “threatened” species. Bringing it back from the brink of extinction, “decades of collaborative efforts from a coalition of partners” are to thank for the woodpecker no longer being endangered. The only woodpecker in North America that constructs cavities in living pine trees, the forest service said many of the woodpecker populations are either stable or increasing.
Sunny Cyprus
Cyprus has outstripped all other EU member states in embracing hot-water solar systems, with an estimated 93.5 percent of households exploiting the alternative energy form for domestic needs. EU figures show the eastern Mediterranean island exceeding renewable energy targets set in the heating and cooling of buildings thanks to the widespread use of the solar thermal technology. One resident said: "You basically have free hot water and see your electricity bills greatly reduced. In a country like Cyprus, it’s a no-brainer.”
Electric Tongue
Scientists have developed an electric tongue that can tell when food is spoiled and should be thrown away. The tongue, created by a team of researchers at Pennsylvania State University, works with solids and liquids and "utilizes a conductive device" that can "detect any changes in ions of the substances it is testing," Wired said. The results became even more accurate when the scientists introduced artificial intelligence to the process.
Record Breaking Chicken
In one of the weirdest world records that OGN has encountered, a hotel in the Philippines that stands 114 feet tall has been awarded a Guinness World record for the largest building in the shape of a chicken. Campuestohan Highland Resort, located in Negros Occidental, unveiled its new rooster-shaped building, which features 15 air-conditioned hotel rooms. Ricardo Cano Gwapo Tan said he wanted the resort's new building to be an attention-grabber. "I had a vision to make something with a wow factor that can really leave a footprint of admiration to the public," he told Guinness World Records. He said the building's rooster shape is a tribute to the local culture.
"Mastery is the best goal because the rich can't buy it, the impatient can't rush it, the privileged can't inherit it, and nobody can steal it. You can only earn it through hard work. Mastery is the ultimate status." Derek Sivers
On This Day
11 November 1865: For her work as a surgeon during the American Civil War, physician Mary Edwards Walker became the first woman to be granted the U.S. Medal of Honor.
Today's Articles
Blended Wing Body: Natilus challenges conventional airliner paradigm with 50 percent lower emissions.
Mood Boosting Video
Funny Talking Animals: Hilarious clips of 'talking' animals from the acclaimed BBC series: Walk on the Wild Side.