Getting the week off to an upbeat start with a global collection of good news nuggets.
Encouraging Kindness
A woman who has fostered more than 90 children is being honoured with a 4m high statue in central London which she hopes will give recognition to other local volunteers. Jo Newby, 52, from East Yorkshire, is a foster carer and grassroots football coach, and was nominated by her husband to be titled the UK’s kindest hero. The statue of Ms Newby is being erected as part of a campaign called #MyKINDHero by healthy snack bar brand, KIND, to promote and encourage acts of kindness.
Tuna Recovery
A huge marine reserve in the Pacific Ocean has led to the recovery of tuna and other migratory fish around its borders, according to a study. The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hawaii is almost four times the size of California. Fishing is banned inside the zone, but a spillover effect has boosted tuna stocks in nearby waters, scientists have found. "It's important to point out that this protected area was not created with the intention of protecting tuna," said Professor John Lynham. "This fish benefit was a happy accident of the initial intent, which was to protect biodiversity and culturally important areas."
Predictive Tests
Great news! A more accurate test for cell changes that can lead to cervical cancer has just been developed by scientists. The groundbreaking test can also detect DNA markers for some other common cancers, implying that it could be used as a predictive test for breast, womb, cervical, and ovarian cancer in the future. The researchers behind the test previously demonstrated that by using cervical cells from a routine smear test, they may be able to detect or predict the development of ovarian and breast cancer. The expert team has now revealed that when used to screen for cervical cancer, the new test outperforms current methods in identifying women with advanced cell changes who require treatment. The findings were published in Genome Medicine.
Bonus Bison
A pioneering rewilding project has had an early surprise: a bouncing baby bison. It is the first wild bison to be born in the UK for thousands of years. Three bison were released in Kent in July but, unknown to the rangers, one had a secret passenger on board. Bison conceal their pregnancies to prevent predators targeting pregnant animals or their offspring. The project is a collaboration between the Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust and they had hoped the new herd would breed in due course, but the new baby is a bonus. A bull is expected to arrive from Germany to join the three female bison by the end of October.
No More Insurance
Insurance providers are increasingly shunning fossil fuel projects. The trend could be a major blow to the oil, gas, and coal industries, as investors are unlikely to fund projects that can’t secure risk protection. According to Insure Our Future - an alliance of a dozen groups tracking the climate policies of insurance providers - 62 percent of reinsurance companies have plans to stop covering coal projects. It's a good start, but not enough. “Insurance is the Achilles heel of the fossil fuel industry and has the power to accelerate the transition to clean energy," said Peter Bosshard, the report's author. Insure Our Future called on governments to regulate insurers to prevent them from insuring projects that would jeopardise net-zero goals. “The lack of sufficient voluntary action by the insurance sector highlights the need to turn voluntary commitments into binding regulations,” the report concludes.
World’s Largest Reinsurer Abandons Fossil Fuels: Climate activists looking to cut off the fossil fuel industry’s access to insurance are celebrating: the world’s largest reinsurance company, Munich Re, has announced new restrictions on its coverage of fossil fuel projects. Read on...
Green Galatasaray
A top Turkish football club has found a way to cut its energy costs and make money from electricity while going green. Galatasaray has also set a world record for the amount of megawatts produced by the stadium’s solar panels, earning it a place in the Guinness World Records. According to the stadium’s director, the panels’ energy savings equate to the energy use of 2,000 houses, and will cut 3,250 tonnes of carbon per year. In natural terms, he estimates that’s the same as saving around 200,000 trees over 25 years. And with many Europeans worried about how to pay their energy bills, the title of most powerful solar-powered stadium sets an inspiring example beyond the sporting world.
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Quote of the Day
"You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow."
Carrie Fisher
On this Day
24 October 1861: The first transcontinental telegram was sent via the telegraph in the US, effectively bringing to an end the Pony Express.
Farmer injured himself saving a dog and the community came to the rescue, harvesting his crops. Read on...
Four EU nations are accelerating fossil fuel phase-outs, looking to reach 100 percent clean power by the end of the decade. Read on...
If you didn't catch the OGN Sunday Magazine yesterday, you may like to see what you missed. Read on...
Mood Booster
Bipedal celebrity: This dog wasn't taught to do this. He came up with this adaptive behaviour himself.