Good News Friday
- Editor OGN Daily
- 18 minutes ago
- 4 min read
What better way to end the week than with a worldwide selection of upbeat news nuggets?
Memorial Garden
Memorabilia that once belonged to Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid activist and former South African president, can head to auction and may be exported outside of the country, a South African court has ruled. The proceeds will be used to fund the construction of a memorial garden at the late president’s grave in Qunu, South Africa. The more than 70 items belong to Mandela’s eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, and Christo Brand, a warden who worked at Robben Island, where Mandela was detained between 1964 and 1982. The objects include aviator sunglasses, walking sticks, shirts, a prison key from Robben Island and an identification card. The trove also includes gifts to Mandela from past American leaders: a pen from President George W. Bush, a champagne cooler from President Bill Clinton and a blanket from President Barack Obama.
First For 25 Years
A big bundle of joy - born weighing 308 pounds - has arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. The adorable baby Asian elephant made her grand entrance this week, becoming the first of her endangered species born at the Washington, D.C., zoo in a very long time. “After waiting nearly 25 years for an Asian elephant calf, this birth fills us with profound joy,” Brandie Smith, a director with the zoo, said in a statement. The baby girl appeared “healthy, alert, and bright-eyed” at birth, taking her first steps within hours, according to veterinarians. One thing she still needs, though, is a name. You can cast your vote from now to 13 February. Just pick from four Vietnamese-inspired monikers via an online donation. The minimum donation is $5, with each dollar equaling one vote and proceeds supporting Asian elephant care and conservation.
Did You Know?
The US $100,000 bill is the highest denomination currency ever produced, issued as a Series 1934 Gold Certificate to facilitate transfers between Federal Reserve banks during the Great Depression, not for public circulation. Created under President Franklin D. Roosevelt for large, official transactions between Federal Reserve Banks (specifically for moving gold) the notes feature the image of Woodrow Wilson. Approximately 42,000 notes were printed in 1934 - 1935. Most were destroyed in the 1960s, but a few remain in institutions like the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Monetary Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
People's Choice
More than 60,000 images vied for recognition in this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, representing photographers from 113 countries and territories. The Natural History Museum in London announced the esteemed category winners in October and revealed a gallery of 100 photos to be honoured in a museum exhibition. But one award has yet to be bestowed. Now anyone can play the role of a judge for a contest so prestigious that it’s known informally as the “Oscars of wildlife photography.” For the People’s Choice award, 24 photos are in contention - and the public will decide the winner. There are 24 photos in the running for the honour and voting is open now and ends on 18 March. They include this glorious photo of a male marvelous spatuletail hummingbird putting its dramatic tail on display, which it uses to attract females. The long feathers end in purple-black “spatules” that only the males possess. The winner - and the four runners-up - will then be announced by the museum and the photograph with the most votes will be displayed alongside the other contest winners in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition in London.
Far, Far Back in Time
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has outdone itself again, capturing a bright galaxy that existed a mere 280 million years after the Big Bang. The newly confirmed galaxy, MoM-z14, holds intriguing clues to the universe’s historical timeline and just how different a place the early universe was than astronomers expected. “With Webb, we are able to see farther than humans ever have before, and it looks nothing like what we predicted, which is both challenging and exciting,” said Rohan Naidu of the MIT’s Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research.
The Stars Tonight
Is it cloudy or you can't be bothered to go outside? Check out Stellarium
"When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity." Albert Einstein
On This Day
6 February 1955: Texas Instruments files for a patent for its first integrated circuit (IC), invented by Jack Kilby. This innovation solved the "tyranny of numbers" (complex, bulky wiring) and led directly to the development of modern microchips, calculators, and computers.
Today's Articles
Rare Rembrandt Drawing: One young lion raises millions for the protection and conservation of other wild cats.
Zapotecs of Mexico: Exquisitely preserved and decorated 1,400 year old tomb found in the jungle, described as archaeologically significant.
Kirsty Coventry: The first female president of the IOC is also the youngest ever, and the first from Africa.
Mood Boosting Video
Remarkable Creatures: The secrets behind the swallow‑tailed kite’s perfect flight.