Celebrating the start of the weekend with a global round up of positive news.
'Sky Fire'
Magical aurora display captured by Tom Rae and one of the remarkable images in this year's The Northern Lights Photographer of the Year. Here's what Tom Rae had to say about the moment: "The Milky Way arches over the dramatic landscape of Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, captured during a rare G5 geomagnetic storm in May 2024. This aurora display was one of the most breathtaking sights I’ve ever witnessed - a magical evening watching the lights dance across the crystal-clear sky. The excitement was shared by everyone under the stars, as this aurora was potentially the strongest in a century. The image features a rare SAR (Stable Auroral Red) arc, an atmospheric phenomenon that added to the spectacle, alongside the glow of billions of stars in the Milky Way. Capturing this moment was technically challenging, but it resulted in one of the most unique depictions of the aurora from New Zealand. This photograph is not just an image but a treasured memory of an extraordinary and ethereal night."
Spotify's Chart Toppers
The streaming platform has released its chart-topping artists for 2024 and, for the second year in a row, Taylor Swift was the most listened-to artist on the platform with more than 26.6 billion streams globally. She’s followed by The Weeknd and Bad Bunny. (Spotify counts one stream if a user listens for 30 seconds or more.) Swift also holds this year’s top spot on the most-streamed albums list, with her The Tortured Poets Department: the Anthology. Albums from female artists dominated Spotify’s list this year: Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft came in second, while Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet was third. Carpenter’s Espresso was the most-streamed song of the year, with more than 1.6 billion streams.
New Discoveries
The World Wildlife Fund has published the results of a ten year investigation of the Congo Basin, revealing the discovery of 742 new species. Reminding us all just how much of the world is yet to be explored, a new study from the World Wildlife Fund breaks down the discoveries of the new species in the Congo Basin, the second-largest rainforest and river basin in the world. Assembled from data collected from 2013 to 2023, the report lists the existence of new plants, spiders, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. In essence, the researchers discovered one new mammal species a year on average, including a new monkey species, three mice, and two bats. They also recorded 25 new snakes, 101 fish, and 121 insects.
Nationwide Subscription
The Indian government is about to give 18 million students, faculty and researchers free access to nearly 13,000 journals after striking a major deal with global publishers, reports Science. This is huge news for India’s scholars, who are the third biggest contributors of research papers globally but often prevented from reading them by high subscription fees. Until now.
eTrike RV
Michigan startup Grounded has released something probably nobody was expecting. Its all-new T1 micro-camper is a live-in e-trike-powered tractor-trailer complete with standing height interior, 360-degree window array, and bed, dining and kitchen space for two people. Grounded claims it as a world first, and we don't intend to argue. Despite its narrow build, the T1 is able to sleep two people on a full-width double bed that converts to a two-person dining area with L-shaped sofa. Camper #2 will have to pedal in on their own bike, however, as the T1's recumbent cockpit only has one seat. Check it out here. Speaking of electric transportation...
UK Record
The UK set a new record for electric vehicle sales in November, with more than 25 percent of total car registrations being for EVs, according to the most recent statistics from New AutoMotive. That's a 53 percent increase on November 2023. The latest figures mean EV sales in the country have held more than 20 percent of the market share for the fourth month in a row - also a record-breaking number, reported Transport and Energy.
“You can tell a lot about a person by the way they handle three things: a rainy day, lost luggage and tangled Christmas tree lights.” Maya Angelou
On This Day
7 December 1787: Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
Today's Articles
New Kid on The Block: Well priced compact electric truck comes with full-size cargo bed to challenge the 'big boys'.
Mood Boosting Video
Festive Spirit: Jingle Bells Indian style.