Upbeat News Tuesday
Today's smorgasbord of tasty news nuggets to perk up the day.
Today in 1973
In 1957, Danish architect Jørn Utzon’s innovative design for a new Sydney performance venue was chosen out of 233 entries from 30 countries in a government-sponsored contest. Some 16 years of construction later, and wildly over budget, one million people turned up to watch Queen Elizabeth II officially open the Sydney Opera House. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and considered one of the greatest architectural works of the 20th century. “The human spirit must sometimes take wings or sails, and create something that is not just utilitarian or commonplace,” the late queen said at the opening. It has hosted many productions and artists over the years - but its first performance took place more than a decade before completion, when Paul Robeson sang Ol’ Man River and other tunes to builders in 1960. Watch the footage. Meanwhile, we move from one monarch to another...
Monarchs
The monarch butterfly is beloved for its striking orange and black wings. Now, the creature, regularly found in gardens, is receiving the spotlight it well deserves. A large-format coffee table book published by National Geographic features over 140 images captured by photographer Jaime Rojo. Aptly titled Monarchs, the book not only visually explores the iconic butterfly, but also the significance of its fight for survival and unique migration patterns. If you are interested in these creatures, you may like to take a look at Life Cycle, a 3 minute video showing the monarch's remarkable transition from egg to larvae to pupa to adult.
Hear Ye, Hear Ye!
You may not be aware, but town criers still exist - and the best of the bunch recently came together to show off their skills in an international competition. Held in Chester, England, the World Town Crier Tournament had 25 competitors from eight nations. While town criers date as far back as ancient Greece and Rome, their prevalence in England beginning in the Middle Ages resulted in the image many associate with the role today. Literacy rates were much lower then (most people could not read posters), so criers were responsible for communicating news, beginning announcements with an exclamation of “oyez,” which is pronounced “oh yay” and derives from a French word meaning “to listen.” Decked out in period attire, the 2026 tournament participants were judged on vocal power, clarity, showmanship, and audience engagement.
Great Success
A new wildlife crossing system is making humans and animals much safer in Colorado, officials say. Wildlife-vehicle collisions are down more than 90 percent along a busy stretch of freeway in the state, reports local media, thanks to new infrastructure that helps animals safely cross over and under the road. This area of Colorado used to be particularly dangerous, with an average of one wildlife-vehicle collision occurring each day during the spring and fall, when animals like elk, mule deer and pronghorn are on the move. The $15m bridge pictured - which officials say is the largest of its kind in North America - fills a 3.7-mile gap between the other crossings.
Unique Colour
Astronomers for the first time have identified a green star, documenting a dense stellar remnant called a white dwarf that became a ghostly shade of chartreuse after ingesting rocky debris from planets that once had orbited it. A star's colour typically is governed by its temperature, with cooler stars appearing orange, the sun and stars similar to it appearing white, and the hottest ones appearing a pale blue. But the formula is different for a white dwarf, which is the leftover core of a low- to medium-mass star that burned through its nuclear fuel and blew off its outer layers. Most white dwarfs have colours similar to other stars, and their average colour is white. But this one, as far as astronomers know, is unique.
Posthumous Award
Fourteen years after his death, Carlo Rambaldi, an Oscar-winning special effects designer best known for making E.T. for Steven Spielberg’s 1982 classic, received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Rambaldi’s daughter and two granddaughters accepted the star last week, holding a portrait of him alongside his beloved creation. In advance of the honor, director Guillermo del Toro called the Italian artist “a worldwide maestro of magic.” His ability to bring fantastical creatures and otherworldly beings to life on screen, using a combination of innovative designs and cutting-edge technology, is generally described as unparalleled.
“Few things in life are more vivifying than a shimmering reminder that we can still surprise ourselves.” Maria Popova
On This Day
20 October 1911: Norwegian Roald Amundsen sets out on a race to the South Pole. He and his team won the historic race to the South Pole, reaching it on 14 December 1911 - beating British explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott, who arrived 33 to 35 days later, and tragically perished on the return journey.
Today's Articles
'You Can See Everything': New film about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes accomplishes major box office feat. And that's not all.
Ghost Sharks: This fish species is 150 million years older than dinosaurs, and still found in almost every ocean.
Surprising Benefits: There are lots of good reasons why you should leave some (or all) of your dead leaves on the ground.
Best of The Worst: Poor old dads. No prefix is more maligned. Worst of all, though, is the “Dad joke.”
Mood Boosting Video
Autumnal Treat: Between Wind and Feet: A wonderful, surreal nature short film by Mamta B. Herland.
