Sunny Saturday News
- Editor OGN Daily
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Celebrating the start of the weekend with a global round up of positive news nuggets.
Shock Discovery
Astronomers have spotted an unprecedented “bow shock” - that beautiful rainbow arc pictured - around a white dwarf about 730 light-years from Earth. Researcher Simone Scaringi called it “one of those rare ‘wow’ moments.” Using the Very Large Telescope, astronomers spotted an unexpected shockwave around a dead star. The team behind the shock discovery (in more ways than one) is baffled by this beautiful arc of material, which defies expectations and current theories surrounding such stellar remains. Thus, it could redefine our understanding of how dead stars interact with their surroundings.
Back From The Brink
The scimitar-horned oryx has been brought back from extinction through captive breeding. After wild populations vanished in the 1980s, the antelope has now been re-established in Chad through one of the most complex rewilding efforts ever attempted. Following decades of coordinated breeding in European and U.S. institutions, the turning point came in March 2016, when 25 oryx from a genetically curated “World Herd” were released into the Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve, an area larger than Ireland. Since then, 347 animals have been reintroduced and around 600 now roam free, prompting the IUCN to downgrade the species from “extinct in the wild” to “endangered.”
Cool Retro eBike
The joy of making new motorcycles from scratch is creating them the way you want, right? Think aviation-inspired geometry, full carbon-fiber body, top-spec components, retro-British flair… and once you have modelled it to perfection, slot an electric motor in there that gives it a 150 mph top speed. Sounds good, wouldn't you say? Well, that’s exactly what we have here. It comes from a small Korean electric motorcycle company called Compass Rose. But wait until you hear what it’s called… Ciulator (as in 'see you later'). Brilliant! Who says electric motorcycles have to be boring anyway?
Cancer Treatment
For the first time, 70 percent of US cancer patients now live at least five years post-diagnosis, according to the 2026 statistics report from the American Cancer Society. To put that in perspective, the latest number is up from 50 percent in the 1970s and 63 percent in the 1990s. Furthermore, an estimated 4.8 million cancer deaths were prevented between 1991 and 2023, an achievement credited to early detection, declining smoking rates, and scientists’ deepening understanding of how cancer develops and spreads. “It takes decades for research to understand and develop these more effective treatments, and now we’re seeing the fruits of those investments,” Rebecca Siegel, lead author of the statistics study, told NBC News, noting immunotherapy as one of the most significant advances.
Increasingly Good News
Critically endangered North Atlantic right whales have given birth to at least 18 new calves this breeding season, according to the New England Aquarium. This follows news OGN covered in three months ago about the species’ slow but steady population increase (up to an estimated 384 individuals from 376 in 2023). And adding good news on top of good news, breeding season typically runs until mid-April - meaning time is on the whales’ side.
High Seas Treaty
The High Seas Treaty, formally known as the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, comes into force today, 17 January 2026. Decades in the making, the global treaty aims to conserve the high seas by giving nations new powers to protect waters lying outside of national boundaries. It passed the threshold to become law last September after more than 60 nations formally ratified it, and has now come into effect.
"I ought to be jealous of the tower. She is more famous than I am." Gustave Eiffel
On This Day
17 January 1929: The cartoon character Popeye, a sailor known for his love of spinach, made his debut, appearing in the newspaper comic strip Thimble Theatre.
Today's Articles
Gothic Horror: New $1.2 billion theme park called Dracula Land to open in Romania - the country of vampire folklore.
Mood Boosting Video
Unbelievable: Some absolutely astonishing table tennis rallies.