Today's global round up of positive news nuggets.
Rare Gold Ring
A metal detectorist has discovered a 1,500-year-old gold ring in southern Denmark. Experts say the rare artifact may be linked to a royal family in the region. According to a statement from the National Museum of Denmark, the intricately decorated ring is made from 22-carat gold and features spiral designs on the underside and tiny trefoil knobs. Gracing its centre is a semiprecious red gemstone. “It is an impressive level of craftsmanship that is difficult to imitate today,” says Kirstine Pommergaard, an archaeologist and curator at the National Museum.
US Skiers
Strapping yourself to two planks of wood - or the modern equivalent - and hurling yourself down the side of a mountain may not sound like everyone’s idea of a good time, but America’s enjoyment of alpine sport seems to be snowballing into a love affair. Indeed, in the 2021/22 season, the National Ski Areas Association reported a new high of 60.7 million visits to ski areas in America - a record that only lasted one year, as the subsequent season recorded an astonishing 65.4 million visits.
Apple Juice
Scientists have discovered a new method of squeezing apple juice which may help to increase its health benefits - by boosting polyphenol content by four times as much as regular apple juice. Polyphenols are natural plant compounds which are antioxidants, and thought to have a range of health benefits for the heart and brain, and protect against disease. Researchers say they can maximise these compounds in the juice by using a new method called a spiral filter press, which actively takes out oxygen by vacuum-driven pressing. Oxygen is excluded from all other processing steps, therefore reducing nutrient deterioration, according to the experts.
Bumpy Solar
Solar cell efficiency may get a bump from bumps. New research from Turkey's Abdullah Gül University suggests that building tiny domes into the surface of solar cells could boost their efficiency by up to two-thirds, while capturing light from a wider angle. Compared to flat surfaces, solar cells dotted with bumps showed 36 percent and 66 percent improvements in light absorption.
Prescription Prices
A major concern for many seniors in the U.S. is the price of prescription drugs and other healthcare expenses - and this year, thanks to The Inflation Reduction Act, their costs may go down dramatically, especially for patients fighting cancer or heart disease. Thousands of Americans on Medicare have, for example, been paying more than $14,000 a year for blood cancer drugs. That all started to change in 2023, after the Biden administration capped out-of-pocket prescriptions at $3,500 - no matter what drugs were needed. And this year, the cap for all Medicare out-of-pocket prescriptions went down to a maximum of $2,000. “The American people won, and Big Pharma lost,” said President Biden in September 2022, after the legislation passed. “It’s going to be a godsend to many families.”
Abundance of New Species
Over 100 new species have been found living on an underwater mountain off the coast of Chile in a “mind-blowing” discovery by scientists. The creatures were found up to 3,530 meters below sea level along a ridge stretching between Chile and Easter Island. Deep-sea corals, glass sponges, sea urchins, amphipods, squat lobsters and other species likely never seen before were found, according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute. “We far exceeded our hopes on this expedition. You always expect to find new species in these remote and poorly explored areas, but the amount we found, especially for some groups like sponges, is mind-blowing,” expert Dr Javier Sellanes said.
“The February sunshine steeps your boughs and tints the buds and swells the leaves within.” William C. Bryant
On This Day
28 February 1983: The final episode of the immensely popular TV series M*A*S*H aired and was watched by an estimated 106 million viewers.
The largest ever donation to a US medical school will make Einstein College accessible to a much broader range of candidates. $1 billion...
Raising of multi-billion dollar shipwreck, sunk off the coast of Colombia in 1708, progresses. Treasure...
Mood Booster
Wonderful World: Beautiful nature scenery.
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