OGN Wednesday

Editor OGN Daily
Sep 24
5 min read

Mid-week collection of upbeat news stories from around the world.

engineering student Lauren Choi — Credit: Johns Hopkins School of Engineering

Problem Solved

Little red plastic cups are a staple of the student partying scene in the US, beloved by revellers at frat parties and beer pong enthusiasts. But the material they are made from is very difficult to recycle, adding to the growing plastic crisis. Enter engineering student Lauren Choi, who saw an opportunity to turn these problematic cups into fabric. In 2019, during her senior year, she led a team that built an extruder machine to spin plastic waste into textile filaments. They partnered with campus fraternities to gather thousands of red cups. Choi then took a weaving class so she could make a sample fabric out of those filaments. That became the foundation for the New Norm, a textile company that today transforms a variety of post-consumer recycled plastic into stylish sweatshirts and beanies.

Chimps feeding in figs — Credit: Aleksey Maro | UC Berkeley

Chimp Cocktails

In the forests of Uganda and Côte d'Ivoire, chimps crowd into fig and plum trees, feasting on fruit that's sweet, soft and just a little boozy. A new study from scientists at University of California Berkeley shows those daily snacks quietly add up to the equivalent of nearly two alcoholic cocktails for humans. But don't picture chimps swinging drunkenly from the trees. To actually get drunk, they'd have to binge on fruit until their bellies ballooned, the researchers said. Instead, they're exposed to a steady low dose, a quiet buzz from nature's own fermentation process. CBS reports that other animals chase the same buzz too. Spider monkeys in Panama, slow lorises in Malaysia and even elephants have been documented consuming naturally fermented fruit or nectar.

Scandi Phone Bans

To improve security and study conditions, Sweden is implementing a nationwide mobile phone ban in schools. Earlier this year, Denmark also said it would ban mobile phones in schools and after-school clubs on the recommendation of a government commission that also found children under 13 should not have their own smartphone or tablet. Recent research in the Netherlands, which in January 2024 issued national guidelines recommending a ban on smartphones in classrooms, with which almost all Dutch schools have complied, has found improvements to the learning environment. The vast majority of secondary schools surveyed said that children found it easier to concentrate and almost one third said results had improved.

Carrie Edwards holding her lottery winning check for $150,000 — Credit: Powerball

Giving it All Away

A Virginia woman named Carrie Edwards - described by lottery officials as a widow and grandmother - won $150,000 in the lottery, but instead of keeping the money for herself, she decided to donate the entire amount to three different charities. The first $50,000 went to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, an organization that supports research and resources for those affected by early-onset dementia, in memory of her late husband. The second $50,000 was donated to Shalom Farms, a nonprofit farm and food justice organization, and the third $50,000 went to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, which provides assistance to active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. Edwards hopes that her generosity will inspire others to see unexpected blessings as opportunities to give back to their communities.

Best US Airport

If you’ve had enough of disappointing terminal facilities and dismal food court options, a new report from J.D. Power is here to direct you toward a better airport experience. The consumer insights company recently released its annual rankings of the best airports in North America, and the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport claimed the top spot for overall customer satisfaction among mega airports. The study considered seven key factors to generate the scores, including ease of travel through the airport, trust level, staff, and food, beverage, and retail. See the Top 10.

Appleby Castle in Cumbria — Appleby Castle | Knight Frank

Fancy a Norman Castle?

There are fewer than 20 inhabited Norman castles remaining in Britain and many are owned by the Royal Family, making opportunities to buy one scarce. But now is your chance as next month, the 900-year-old Appleby Castle in Cumbria (north west England) will be going under the hammer with a guide price of £5.5m. Continuously occupied since it was built in the 12th century, the estate has been held by English kings including Henry II, Richard the Lionheart and Richard III. The Grade I-listed castle is set within 25 acres of parkland and includes 23 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms. A round tower, a Norman keep and three cottages also form part of the property. It will be put up for sale with Knight Frank’s auctions team on Oct 30 unless a buyer is found sooner on the open market.

Swiss raclette — Credit: Walliser Raclette AOP

Désalpe

September in the villages of Valais, Switzerland, is when you cheer for cows and feast on raclette. Marking the end of summer, dairy farmers in the canton participate in an annual tradition called désalpe, in which they bring their cattle from alpine pastures back to the villages for winter. To honour the occasion, they adorn the cows with floral headdresses and large bells that peal as the animals parade through village squares (while white goats sometimes lead the processions). Onlookers yodel their approval, listen to traditional music, and enjoy local food - particularly cheese. Their fromage of choice tends to be raclette du valais, made from raw, full-fat cow’s milk. “It melts perfectly into a smooth, creamy layer without becoming greasy, and it has a rich and aromatic taste that reflects the herbs and flowers our cows eat in the high pastures,” Emilie Mariéthoz, a mountain guide from Valais, told Smithsonian Magazine. “You can really taste the mountains in it; it’s a flavour you can’t fake.”

“Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.” Joseph Campbell

On This Day

24 September 1906: Devils Tower in northeastern Wyoming was named the first national monument in the United States. It encompasses 2.1 square miles (5.4 square km) and features a natural rock tower, the remnant of a volcanic intrusion now exposed by erosion. The tower has a flat top covering 1.5 acres (0.6 hectare) and fluted sides. It is 867 feet (264 m) high as measured from its base and 1,267 feet (386 m) as measured from the river valley.