Perking up the day with an eclectic bundle of good news nuggets.
Signet Coup
3,000-year-old gold signet ring that was stolen from an Aegean island during WWII, crossed the Atlantic, was bought by a Nobel Prize-winning Hungarian scientist and ended up in a Swedish museum has found its way back to Greece. It's the latest in a series of coups by Greek authorities seeking the return of plundered works. The Greek culture ministry said that the gold Mycenaean-era work from Rhodes, decorated with two facing sphinxes, was willingly returned by Swedish officials who provided full assistance with documenting the artifact and its provenance.
Wildcats
Scottish wildcat kittens born at an animal park could be among the first to be released into the wild as part of a project trying to save the species. The Saving Wildcats project is breeding wildcats in captivity with the aim of releasing some in the Cairngorms. The initiative has announced the birth of the first kittens - a total of eight in three litters. David Barclay, Saving Wildcats conservation manager, said: "Put simply, these kittens are the future of wildcats in Scotland. Decades of extensive research has shown the species is highly likely to go extinct in Britain if we do not carry out releases to restore our critically endangered wildcat population."
Tiankeng
A gigantic ancient forest has been found hidden away inside an enormous sinkhole in the Guanxi region of China. Incredibly, the sinkhole is more than 1,000 feet (304m) long, and nearly 630 feet (192m) deep, and contains a primeval forest filled with ancient trees that reach at least 130 feet (40m) tall. "I wouldn't be surprised to know that there are species found in these caves that have never been reported or described by science until now," said an expedition leader. Sinkholes are called tiankeng in Mandarin, which in English means 'heavenly pit.'
Jubilee Marsh
London’s new Elizabeth line will allow commuters to start taking high-speed trains under the city today. They will not be the first travellers to enjoy the benefits of the new line, however. On Wallasea Island in Essex, thousands of birds have already taken advantage of the £19bn rail project – on a mosaic of lagoons that have been created out of 3.5m tonnes of earth that were dug up during construction of its new stations and 13 miles of twin tunnels. The Jubilee Marsh is made up of more than 160 hectares (400 acres) of mudflats, lagoons, marshes, fish pools and grasslands where birds can catch food and make nests.
Cachinnate - to laugh loudly.
Mia Mamma
Homesick for his Italian mother’s cooking, Peppe Corsaro founded the London restaurant La Mia Mamma, staffed by a rotating cadre of real Italian mammas (and grandmammas!). The mammas are recruited from all across Italy and flown to the UK for a three-month residency during which they cook their own homegrown recipes that showcase the tastes and traditions of their region. Corsaro’s own mother, the inaugural mamma-chef of his eatery, permanently relocated to London to help incoming mammas acclimate to cloudy London, and work at one of their two restaurants in Chelsea.
Clever Dolphins
Perhaps you've heard that dolphins lead marine mammals in terms of intelligence. Add one more accomplishment to their impressive resume: The graceful, brainy dolphin uses coral as a sort of anti-itch cream to protect their delicate skin. Researchers who've studied the behaviour for years found that dolphins regularly rub up against coral, which contains bioactive compounds with antibacterial or antioxidant properties, likely to soothe irritated skin.
Pay Parity
The U.S. Soccer Federation has negotiated a deal for players on the Men’s and Women’s National Teams to be paid equally. The deal makes appearance fees, bonuses, and the prize money for the FIFA World Cup equal for both squads. It will be the first time ever a federation has split the total prize money from the World Cup between the men’s and women’s teams. The U.S. Soccer Federation’s new deal promotes equity, challenges the status quo of the wage gap, and introduces a framework for other federations around the world to adopt equal pay.
Quote of the Day
“Tension is who you think you should be, relaxation is who you are.”
Chinese Proverb
On this Day
24 May 1883: The Brooklyn Bridge, spanning the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan, opened. Designed by civil engineer John Augustus Roebling.
Dive in Deeper
A Canadian painting that was swapped 50 years ago for a grilled cheese sandwich has sold at auction for an “astounding” C$350,000 (US$272,000). Read on...
jKwttFqnzgmsrqaaaaa.... For a relaxing vacation, let Iceland's horses take care of work emails for you. What could go wrong? Read on...
Nature Mood Booster
Meerkats only leave their dens during the daytime. So the first thing they do when they wake up is forage for food! Clip released by BBC Earth yesterday.