Upbeat collection of good news nuggets from around the globe.
Blast From The Past
They were one of television’s most popular couples, and now they’re getting back together, especially for you – or at least for viewers of Neighbours. Scott and Charlene, played by Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue, will return after more than 30 years for the show’s finale. The pair will both return to the show, which first aired in 1985 and centres on the fictional cul-de-sac community of Ramsay Street in Melbourne, Australia, before it ceases production in June.
Kangaroo Route
Staying Down Under, Qantas has announced a landmark order for Airbus A350-1000 jets capable of non-stop flights from Sydney to London. The multibillion-dollar order brings the Australian carrier closer to launching record-breaking direct flights of nearly 20 hours on the lucrative “kangaroo route” by mid-2025. Qantas chief executive, Alan Joyce, described non-stop Sydney-London flights as the holy grail for the 101-year-old carrier.
Flying Selfies
A social media giant is going to make a lot of people very happy! It has created a selfie camera that can fly around your head and follow you around. Snapchat, which has millions more active daily users than Twitter, has unveiled Pixy, a miniature drone they’ve dubbed “your friendly flying camera.” The $230 device can take-off from your hand and follow any of four preset flight paths, including floating, orbiting, and following wherever you lead. Described as “a pocket-sized, free-flying sidekick”, the firm says Pixy can find its way back to your hand, landing gently at the end of the flight.
Loon Lovers
The world’s two oldest-known common loons once again returned to Michigan, US. If they choose each other as mates, it will mark a record 26 consecutive summers together for the pair. The male, named ABJ, will turn 35 this year. The female, named Fe, is thought to be at least 36 years old. The pair’s species record-setting 32 hatched offspring may explain their remarkable fidelity to each other: common loons do not mate for life, but researchers found that if two loons successfully hatch chicks together, they are more likely to pair up again the following year.
Marine Protection
A coherent and connected network of Marine Protected Areas across our oceans - outside national territories - is likely to be on the cards soon. A UN treaty is currently under negotiation, called the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, which would provide a framework for creating a network of Marine Protected Areas to cover 30 percent of the high seas.
Beginning of the End
An Ohio court has certified a class action lawsuit brought by lawyer Rob Bilott that would cover 7 million people – and at some point possibly everyone living in the US – who have been exposed to certain hazardous “forever chemicals” known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS. Chemical companies hid their knowledge of the damage caused by PFAS for decades. With a new class-action lawsuit, Bilott intends to hold them accountable and get them to pay to clean up the damage they have caused - rather than taxpayers covering the $10bn dollars that Joe Biden has committed. Europe is outlawing PFAS from 2025. It would be good news if the US did the same.
Quote of the Day
"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like."
Lao Tzu
On this Day
3 May 1979: Margaret Thatcher of the Conservative Party was elected British prime minister, becoming the first woman in Europe to hold that post; she later became the longest continuously serving British premier since 1827.
Dive in Deeper
Tidal energy remains one of the world’s greatest untapped renewable power resources andrepresents an enormous opportunity. Read on...
In order to be taken seriously, a nation's net zero targets need to account for emissions associated with imported goods in order to give accurate data. Read on...
Nature Mood Booster
World's fastest falcon: Gyrfalcons are the largest and most powerful in falcons in the world but, despite their size, can reach a staggering 200mph when diving through the air!