Good News Wednesday
- Editor OGN Daily
- Jul 23
- 4 min read
Mid-week global round up of positive news stories to brighten the day.
'Blue' Landscapes
Longing for the past? You’re not alone, and chances are, the place you’re missing is by the water. A new study found that “blue” landscapes like beaches, rivers and lakes are powerful nostalgia triggers that also boost psychological well-being. A new study led by the University of Cambridge has explored the physical places that people feel nostalgic about, the features those places have, and how reminiscing about them impacts our mental well-being. “We expected people to be more often nostalgic for green places since so many studies emphasize the psychological benefits of green, natural environments,” said Elisabeta Militaru, who led the study. “We were surprised to find that blue places are the hallmark feature of place nostalgia.”
Hike or Detention?
Traditional detention - sitting in a room monitored by a teacher - achieves little, according to a counselor at a high school in Maine. So, she is piloting a program that gets kids in nature instead. Leslie Trundy started the program after attending an outdoor education conference, where she wondered whether spending time outdoors might encourage the kids to open up about the problems they might be experiencing. While she doesn’t have enough data yet to determine if it’s a “success” as some may define it - though students report fewer detentions and the hikes helping give them the time space to reflect that they couldn’t “just sitting in a classroom” - Trundy said it has led to some students joining her outdoor outing club for fun.
Sleep Trigger
We may spend a third of our lives sleeping, but the biological trigger behind sleep has remained elusive. Despite decades of research, scientists haven’t been able to identify a concrete, physical reason why the brain demands rest. However, a new study from the University of Oxford found that the pressure to sleep may come from deep inside our brain cells. The mitochondria - responsible for converting oxygen into energy - sound an alarm when they’ve reached their limit and need to rest. Their alarm = electrons. They leak electrons, and it cues the brain to initiate sleep.
What to Eat for a Good Night's Sleep: There are seemingly endless ways that supposedly promise a good night’s sleep, but according to a sleep expert, it could be as simple as eating the right foods before bed.
Movie Memorabilia
A red wooden sled marked with the name 'Rosebud' just sold for $14.75 million at auction. The artifact is one of the sleds used in the making of director Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane (1941), and it’s now the second most expensive piece of film memorabilia ever sold. The movie tells the story of a publishing tycoon named Charles Foster Kane, a character Welles based on William Randolph Hearst. The movie begins with a dying Kane’s last word, “Rosebud.” Nobody can figure out what this word means, but the final scenes of the film reveal the answer: Rosebud is a child’s sled. The most valuable piece of film memorabilia ever purchased was a pair of Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, which went for $32.5 million last winter.
Morale Dog
A shelter dog made history as the first-ever “morale dog” stationed on a US Navy ship. Adopted from Labs and More Rescue, Raider has been training to go to the bathroom on a “potty patch,” to wear booties to protect his feet from hot surfaces, to wear eye protection, and to get used to all the noises on the ship.
Free Air Quality App
We all want to breathe clean air, and this widget will show you the air quality in your location. However, it’s only available for iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and macOS: Breathable
Super-Sized Scotch Egg
A pair of English social media foodies teamed up to create the largest scotch egg the world has ever seen. The monster snack weighs in at a scale-tipping 7.81 kg (17 lb 3.48 oz) - that’s heavier than a bowling ball - and smashed a record that has stood for two decades. The meaty treat had to be made in the exact same way as the regular-sized version to qualify for the record and the yolk had to be fully intact when the scotch egg was cut open. They used an ostrich egg to form the basis of their scotch egg as it was the only one big enough for the job.
“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.” J. B. Priestley
On This Day
23 July 1903: Ford Motor Company sold its first automobile, a Ford Model A; five years later it introduced the hugely influential Model T - selling more than 15 million. Assembly-line production allowed the price of the touring car version of the Model T to be lowered from $850 in 1908 (equivalent to about 18 months salary for an average wage) to less than $300 in 1925 (equivalent to about 4 months salary for an average wage).
Today's Articles
100 Years Ago: Various scientists, doctors and deep thinkers dared to imagine what life would be like in 2025. Some proved to be weirdly accurate.
Turning Back The Clock: Old-school car innovations are back in demand and automakers are responding.
Mood Boosting Video
Yosemite Firefall is a breathtaking natural phenomenon that occurs in Yosemite National Park each February, when the setting sun illuminates Horsetail Fall, creating the illusion of a glowing, fiery waterfall.
