Today's collection of uplifting news snippets from around the globe.
Countless human lives have been saved in the last forty years since pollution regulations were signed into U.S. law - but tackling dirty air has also been saving the birds. A new large-scale study conducted by scientists at Cornell University and the University of Oregon found that improved air quality under a federal program to reduce ozone pollution may have averted the loss of 1.5 billion birds during the past four decades. That’s nearly 20 percent of all birdlife in America today.
The UK will soon have a dedicated register of tradeswomen. The national database will ensure that vulnerable householders who feel safer with tradeswomen are able to find them.
New species of blue whale identified: Researchers have discovered a new blue whale species, according to a paper recently published in Endangered Species Research.
Cycling has become a way of life in the Netherlands. In Utrecht, 43 percent of all trips are made by bike and the booming number of regular bikers need somewhere to park. So the city has built the world’s biggest cycle parking lot, with space for 12,500 bikes, indoor ramps for easy access, and a digital system to direct riders to empty spaces.
The world's best run vaccination programme: The speed and efficiency with which Israel is protecting its citizens should serve as an inspiration to us all.
House Democrats have formally introduced an article of impeachment against Donald Trump. The impeachment measure, which charges Trump with “incitement of insurrection,” could be voted on as soon as tomorrow. If it passes, Trump would become the first president in US history to be impeached twice.
Prince Charles unveils Terra Carta: The Prince of Wales launches unprecedented drive to 'put nature at the heart of big business'.
Michael Burry, the investor, made famous in the book and film, The Big Short, for his prescient bet against the U.S. housing market, announced in early December that he was shorting Tesla at “ridiculous” levels. It’s been ugly for Burry and the rest of the shorts since then, with the Tesla shares up more than 44 percent in the past month. Burry, however, doesn’t seem to be budging. “Well, my last Big Short got bigger and bigger and BIGGER too,” he said.
Time to try sophrology? This dynamic form of meditation promises to bring a sense of relief in the midst of the pandemic, particularly if you're having sleep issues.
The Rijksmuseum is a popular stop for tourists visiting the city of Amsterdam in The Netherlands. At the museums, visitors can view countless works by old Dutch Masters as well as more modern artists like Van Gogh. The paintings of Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Van Dyck held at the museum are treasures of world art history. These priceless works are among the over 709,000 digitized artworks now available to view for free online.
Hong Kong-based startup Open Ocean Engineering has developed the Clearbot - an aquatic robot that removes litter floating in harbours, lakes, and canals. The bots can be remotely controlled or operate autonomously. In the latter case, the Clearbot either moves back and forth across a predefined geofenced area, or it uses its smart vision system to identify and go after individual pieces of floating trash. Either way, the trash goes through the robot’s open bow, accumulating in a mesh bin within. Its battery allows Clearbot to run for 48 hours straight. Once the battery starts getting low - or once its litter bin is full - the robot makes its way back to a central docking station, where the bin is automatically emptied and the battery recharged.
Eine Kleine Nachtmusic: Synchronised line riders visualise this gorgeous classical piece, composed by Mozart.