OGN Monday

Editor OGN Daily
8 hours ago
4 min read

Kick-starting the week with an upbeat collection of news stories from around the world.

David Beckham at Wimbledon last year — David Beckham at Wimbledon

Arise Sir David

Rumours are circulating that it's going to be a good week for David Beckham, as he is set to be knighted in the King’s birthday honours list this week, and his wife, Victoria, will be known as Lady Beckham. Beckham, the former England and Manchester United footballer, has become increasingly close to the royals since becoming an ambassador for the King’s Foundation last year. Apparently, he narrowly missed out on a knighthood in December’s New Year’s Honours List, with the honour instead going to Sir Gareth Southgate, the former England manager.

A star called ASKAP J1832−0911 — Credit: NASA/CXC/ICRAR, Curtin Univ./Z.Wang et al

A Star Like No Other

That little purple star circled in white is “behaving like no other seen before,” according to NASA astronomers. Considered a long-period radio transient because its radio waves cycle in intensity every 44 minutes, this particular star’s X-rays are also regularly varying every 44 minutes - marking the first time an X-ray signal of this kind has been discovered in a long-period radio transient. We will no doubt be hearing more about this star in the future as its mysteries are unravelled. It goes by the eminently difficult to remember name of ASKAP J1832−0911.

Michelangelo’s 'David' sculpture — 'David' by Michelangelo | Wikimedia Commons

Final Preparations

On this day in 1504, Michelangelo’s 'David' - at the time still incomplete - was installed inside a wooden shed at the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. There, without any onlookers, the artist put the finishing touches on his 17-foot masterpiece, and three months later, it was unveiled to the public. “Considered the prime statement of the Renaissance ideal of perfect humanity,” says Britannica, the sculpture depicts the unlikely hero of the biblical David and Goliath tale. Weighing nearly 12,000 pounds, the artwork was commissioned in 1501 and created from just one slab of marble. It originally had several gilded components, but the gold coating faded over time.

Survival Rate Doubles

CAR-T therapy doubles remission time in blood cancer patients. For years, multiple myeloma was an incurable blood cancer with few good options. That may be changing, says the New York Times. A new study shows that CAR-T therapy - where a patient’s immune cells are reprogrammed to attack tumours - can double survival rates in those with advanced cases. Some patients have remained cancer-free for over four years. What makes this so significant isn’t just the survival curve, but the method: custom-built treatments are based on the patient's own cells, rather than one-size-fits-all drugs. Doctors now say CAR-T could become standard for a broader range of cancers.

Medical Breakthrough

Researchers are “overwhelmed” by a recent breakthrough that marks a significant step toward an HIV cure. In a new study, an Australian team revealed it accomplished what was “previously thought impossible,” co-first author Paula Cevaal told The Guardian: using mRNA to illuminate HIV hiding in white blood cells, thus creating a pathway for scientists to eradicate it from the body.

Sneaker Flooring

Serious runners often buy new shoes every few months, and Sneaker Impact offers a way to reuse or recycle their old kicks. Shoes collected at drop-off points across the U.S. are shipped to Sneaker Impact's Miami warehouse, where they are sorted. Those in good condition are sent to shops in developing countries, reducing waste and "creating microbusiness opportunities," Sneaker Impact founder and CEO Moe Hachem told CBS News. Recycled shoes are crushed, and the foam and rubber are turned into flooring and mats.

Elephant breaking into a Thai grocery store — Credit: Khamploi Kakaew

Shoplifting Spree

We need to address the elephant in the room - it’s right there, next to the ice cream freezer. A wild elephant popped into a convenience store in Thailand for a quick treat, where it proceeded to sample a smattering of sweets at the front of the store. “Business was a bit slow that day,” store owner Khamploi Kakaew told CNN. “It was like it came on purpose.” The curious elephant is a familiar face in Khamploi’s neighborhood, which is situated near a national park. Plai Biang Lek, as the not-so-gentle giant is known, has raided a few stores and homes in town. He left relatively peacefully after his latest haul, with another elephant stationed outside (though, if that elephant was on lookout duty, it did a poor job).

“I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” Sarah Williams

On This Day

9 June 1803: British explorer Matthew Flinders arrives in Sydney becoming the first person to circumnavigate Australia, proving it is one continent. By using the name ‘Australia’ in his maps and writings, he helped the word enter common usage.