Ensuring the weekend gets off to a bright start with a global round up of good news nuggets.
Polar Preet
After setting a record as the first woman of colour to reach the South Pole unsupported last year, Preet Chandi is now tackling a new challenge. This week, a woman from the UK set out on an expedition across Antarctica in an attempt to become the first female explorer to cross the continent solo and unsupported. Preet Chandi aims to cover more than 1,100 miles in a journey that will likely take 70 to 75 days. Pulling all her supplies on a sled called a pulk, which weighed more than 250 pounds at the start of her journey, the 33-year-old will battle temperatures of minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit and wind speeds up to 60 miles per hour. “A lot of people tell me I don't look like a polar explorer,” Chandi told BBC News last year. “It's considered out of the norm for an Asian woman to do this - it's different. And that's part of the reason why I wanted to do this - for people who don't fit a certain image.”
Pause for Thought
The Danish capital city, Copenhagen, is famously bicycle-friendly. Now, the city has calculated that for each kilometer cycled by a resident, society reaps a benefit of €0.64 ($0.64), whereas each kilometer driven costs us €0.71 in impacts on health, safety and the environment.
Philanthropy
Mega-philanthropist MacKenzie Scott (ex-wife of Jeff Bezos) has revealed that in the last seven months she and her team have given almost $2 billion in donations to 343 organizations. "I needn’t ask those I care about what to say to them, or what to do for them. I can share what I have with them to stand behind them as they speak and act for themselves."
Native American
With the space news concentrating on the blast off of the much delayed Artemis moon mission rocket, you may have missed that a Dragon Endurance spacecraft, built by SpaceX, launched from Florida carrying a crew of astronauts from multiple nations. As the craft hurtled beyond Earth’s atmosphere en route to the International Space Station (ISS), the mission had already made history. With it, Nicole Mann - a 45 year old member of the Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes - became the first Native American woman to go to space.
Neighbours is Back
Amazon clearly believe that everybody needs good Neighbours. After the long-running Australian soap opera stopped broadcasting in July, the streaming giant has decided to save it - with a cast of new actors for a new series. The announcement follows a much-celebrated farewell episode for the show, which saw a number of former stars return to pay homage to the soap that gave them their big break. Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Margot Robbie and Guy Pearce were among the actors who once again appeared in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough – drawing record viewing figures. As well as creating a new series of the soap, Amazon have announced that they will be hosting the show’s back catalogue, giving viewers access to 37 years’ worth of classic episodes.
e-Streetzone
Peugeot Motorcycles has revealed an electrified version of its tried and tested 50cc Streetzone combustion-engine scooter that's been motoring around cities for the last 10 years. The e-Streetzone will be available with one or two batteries for up to 112 km of range, as well as a cargo version. The big trick for city dwellers (for this and other e-scooters) is that the battery packs can reportedly be removed in a few seconds for charging via a domestic wall socket indoors, with 4.5 hours on charge getting each pack up to 80% capacity.
Stadium of the Future
Proponent of greenery covered architecture Stefano Boeri Architetti has revealed its design for a soccer stadium and sports complex in Milan, Italy. The ambitious project would include a park and museum, and would be filled with thousands of plants and trees that the studio says would absorb tons of CO2 per year. The project is named the International Forest Stadium and is intended to replace Milan's famous San Siro stadium. It would form part of a much larger masterplan that aims to transform the district into a major sporting destination.
"Life is like a trumpet. If you don't put anything into it, you don't get anything out."
W.C. Handy
On this Day
19 November 1863: U.S. President Abraham Lincoln delivered the brief but renowned Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the National Cemetery in Pennsylvania during the American Civil War.
SUVs are often seen as a symbol of gas-guzzling excess. But what if you could drive an SUV that was powered by the sun and only cost $25,000? Read on...
The three countries with the largest areas of rainforest in the world have launched a new partnership to coordinate conservation efforts. Read on...
There's something deliciously satisfying about discovering new words. Here's OGN's compilation of some obscure (but useful!) words. Read on...
Mood Booster
Some of the most magical moments of filming meerkats for BBC's Planet Earth Live.
댓글