Ensuring the weekend gets off to a bright start with today's bite-sized chunks of upbeat news.
Look Up Tonight
The Eta Aquariids are peaking tonight. The "shooting stars" are the result of a debris stream deposited by Halley’s comet and can produce a maximum of 50 “shooting stars” per hour, according to the American Meteor Society. With the night sky free from strong moonlight, it should provide an excellent opportunity to go outside and enjoy the cosmic display. The best place to be during the Eta Aquarids is in the Southern Hemisphere but you can still see the meteors from the Northern Hemisphere. Here, the Eta Aquarids often appear at the horizon, as if they’re just barely skimming Earth’s surface. These meteors, nicknamed “Earthgrazers,” can be remarkably bright and extra long, according to NASA. This year's spectacle will be more impressive than usual, as the Earth passes through a concentrated clump of 3,000-year-old comet debris.
Surprise Delivery
Amazon workers in California were astonished to discover a disgruntled but healthy cat inside a box of returned goods sent from Utah. The pet's owner, Carrie Clarke, had "plastered missing posters" around her neighbourhood after Galena the cat "mysteriously disappeared", said Salt Lake City's KSL-TV. But after getting a text from a vet who had scanned Galena’s microchip, Clarke realised that the animal must have jumped into the outsized box of returned boots before it was sealed and shipped. Galena went six days without food or water but "was completely unharmed" other than "being skinnier", Clarke said, after she and her husband flew to California to collect their cat. On the subject of packaging...
EU Packaging Waste
In a historic attempt to address the growing problem of packaging waste, the European Parliament has approved a comprehensive set of legislation aimed at reducing environmental damage and supporting sustainable practices. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which includes binding targets and limits on throwaway plastics, marks a significant step forward in Europe’s commitment to combating waste pollution. The EU hopes to stimulate good change and foster a more environmentally conscious society by establishing ambitious goals and enforcing strict laws. While challenges remain, this represents a big step forward in the fight against plastic pollution and waste proliferation.
Bean Counting
A coffee shop in London is selling what is believed to be Britain's most expensive cup of coffee, at £265 ($330) per cup. The drink, available at Shot in Mayfair, is made from beans grown on the Japanese island of Okinawa, famed for its beauty and the long lives enjoyed by its inhabitants. "A nice cup of coffee by anyone's standards," said Tony Turnbull in The Times, "but 75 times better than my standard £3.50 order? I think we all know the answer to that."
The Numerous Health Benefits of Coffee: From protecting your heart to warding off Alzheimer’s and cancer, your daily caffeine hit is more powerful than you realise. More...
Pull Your Finger Out!
The British government has been defeated in court - for a second time - for not doing enough to meet its targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental campaigners argued that the energy minister signed off the government's climate plan without evidence it could be achieved. The High Court ruled yesterday that the government will now be required to redraft the plan again.
150th Kentucky Derby
The oldest continuous sporting event in America takes place today. The Derby features 3-year-old thoroughbred horses born in the Northern Hemisphere racing a 1.25-mile track. The race carries a record purse this year of $5m - $2m more than last year - with the winner taking home $3.1m. The runner-up will receive $1m and third-place $500k.
Ray of Light
Scientists from dozens of research institutes spent 10 years looking at 665 conservation initiatives - some from as long ago as 1890 - across different countries, oceans, and species. They just published their findings - and they’re very good news. In two out of every three cases, the conservation initiative had a positive impact on reducing biodiversity loss. The authors said the findings were a “ray of light” for conservationists looking to protect endangered and threatened animals and ecosystems. Even more encouragingly, when a conservation initiative did not help the intended species - which happened in one out of five cases - others still benefited from the effort.
Super-Fast Charging
On the road to delivering 100 miles of EV range in five minutes by the end of 2024, tech firm StoreDot has installed its extreme fast charging cells in a Polestar 5 prototype, and zapped its battery to 80 percent capacity in 10 minutes - adding 200 miles of range. The really good news is that this is yet another example of pioneering new batteries (and chargers) that will help spur on mass EV adoption. Whilst this StoreDot development is to be welcomed, a team from South Korea has just made a breakthrough with next-generation sodium batteries - which are both cheaper and safer than the conventional lithium-ion batteries found in smartphones and electric cars - and can charge in seconds...
“Middle age is when you’re sitting at home on a Saturday night and the telephone rings and you hope it isn’t for you.” Ogden Nash
On This Day
4 May 1780: American Academy of Arts & Science founded in Boston; James Bowdoin, John and Samuel Adams founding members.
With 250 million subscribers, Netflix is the world's largest streaming service. So, what are its most popular shows? Tune in...
Mood Booster
Baby flying squirrel's first flight: From the BBC's new Mammals series narrated by Sir David Attenborough.