Fabulous Friday

May 1
4 min read

Global collection of upbeat news nuggets to celebrate the end of the week and the start of May.

Gannet with a clump of grass blown on to its face — Credit: Alison Tuck / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

People's Choice

The people have spoken…and chuckled. Fans of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards crowned Alison Tuck the winner of the Sterna People’s Choice Award. Tuck’s hilarious photo captures the relatable frustration of a gannet on a windy day. “My gannet image was taken on a very breezy day in Yorkshire on the Bempton Cliffs,” Tuck explained in a statement. “I love taking lots of photos especially of wildlife, from a tiny ant to a large elephant on land, a small crab to an orca whale in the sea or a tiny sun bird to a soaring raptor in the air, they all have their own history to tell within the world and for me capturing their stories is something very special.”

Some Good Numbers

930: Miles that Chinese company CATL’s new EV battery can last on a single charge.

567 Million: Additional people covered by essential health services since 2018.

30: Countries that have eliminated the eye disease trachoma; Australia is the latest.

90%: Rainforests can bounce back much faster than researchers thought. One, in Ecuador, recovered 90 percent of its biodiversity in just 30 years.

Great New Image

This strange-looking galaxy - snapped by the Dark Energy Camera in Chile - is known as the Sombrero Galaxy, due to its resemblance to the famous style of headwear, and lies about 30 million lightyears from Earth. The Sombrero Galaxy looks odd because, from Earth, we only see it edge-on. Many of the most well-known spiral galaxies are face-on from Earth's perspective, which means we get a full view of their intricate spiral arms and bright centre. But the Universe isn't always so accommodating. The Sombrero Galaxy is an example of an edge-on galaxy, which means our view of it is somewhat restricted. That supermassive black hole is what gives the Sombrero Galaxy its bright core: material falls into the black hole, heats up and glows brightly.

Dozens of people waving at the camera on a cruise ship deck — Credit: @thestandard419

Thanking Staff

Instead of the usual staff holiday party, the owners of an Ohio restaurant decided to do something their employees will likely never forget: they shut down the restaurant for a few days and took the entire team on a cruise to the Bahamas. The unforgettable getaway was organized by married couple Jeff Dinnebeil and Megan Lingsweiler, co-owners of The Standard Restaurant in Toledo. They treated dozens of employees, along with a few former staff members and loyal customers, to a three-day Royal Caribbean cruise in the Bahamas. The couple paid for flights and cruise tickets so the staff could simply relax and enjoy the experience together.

Chonkers, a Steller sea lion weighing 2,000 pounds, sunning himself on a wooden pier — Credit: Pier 39

Are You Thigmotactic?

He's a sea lion who has captivated onlookers near and far after being spotted lounging on San Francisco’s Pier 39 - and, frankly, he’s hard to miss. While the average California sea lion weighs around 600-800 pounds, Chonkers is about three times that. Unlike the rest of the pack that typically gathers for sunbathing on the pier, Chonkers is a Steller sea lion, a species more often seen near Washington or Alaska. That explains why he’s roughly 2,000 pounds, as surviving cold winters requires more blubber. Experts reckon that Chonkers was likely drawn to the Bay Area for a combination of its ample fish supply and the chance to chill out with some friends. (Sea lions are thigmotactic, which is a rather gorgeous word which means that they like to cuddle together for warmth and security.)

Joby Aviation flying its electric air taxi over New York City — Soon to be a familiar sight in NYC | Joby Aviation

Up, Up And Away

Flying cabs may be around the corner. Joby Aviation successfully completed its inaugural electric air taxi test flight in New York City this week. The aircraft traveled from John F. Kennedy International Airport to a Manhattan heliport, shrinking an hour (or longer) car ride into a sub-10-minute flight. In New York, Joby’s commercial vision is simple: turn one of the city’s most time consuming trips into one of its fastest. Through partnerships with Delta Air Lines and Uber, Joby aims to create a seamless, end-to-end experience that connects ground transportation and air travel in a single journey.

"It’s true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?" Ronald Reagan

On This Day

A 'Penny Black' postage stamp featuring a young Queen Victoria

1 May 1840: "Penny Black," the world's first adhesive postage stamp is issued by the United Kingdom, revolutionizing mail by enabling prepaid, flat-rate postage. Featuring a young Queen Victoria, it was designed by Sir Rowland Hill to simplify postal costs, which were previously paid by recipients based on distance. British postage stamps are still unique in not showing a country of origin, only the reigning monarch's head.