OGN Wednesday

Editor OGN Daily
11 hours ago
4 min read

Wednesday's tasty bite-sized chunks of positive news from around the world.

a rare double formation of sprites and ELVE — Credit: Valter Binotto

Two in One

Italian photographer Valter Binotto has captured a seemingly unreal image - one where two rare forms of red lightning shot into the sky like something out of science fiction. Binotto was certainly in the fortunate position of being in the right place at the right time to snap a rare double formation of sprites and ELVE. “The sprites are the red tentacled objects in the center,” he explains. “The red ‘flying saucer’ surrounding them is the ELVE.” This spectacular event - and the resulting awe-inspiring photo - were triggered by a single lightning strike over the Adriatic Sea about 350 km (218 miles) away.

Housework Payments

Several Indian states have launched schemes to provide unconditional monthly financial compensation to homemakers. The good news is that these programs are now delivering direct cash transfers to over 118 million women nationwide. This policy innovation recognizes the value of unpaid domestic labour, and should help empower women with financial independence to support their families' health and education.

Dolly Parton wearing a white cardigan — Credit: The Dollywood Foundation

Imagination Library

Thanks to Dolly Parton, 1 in 7 US children under the age of 5 receive free books every month and, according to Dolly's father, the singer’s biggest and “most important” accomplishment has been her Imagination Library. Now 30 years since its inception, the Imagination Library has grown enormously. Every month, approximately 3 million children across the United States and Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom receive a free book in the mail - so far, it’s delivered over 270 million books. The Imagination Library also works with local governments, libraries, and schools to implement its programming and reach as many children as possible.

hadal snailfish — Credit: University of Western Australia

Deepest-Living Fish

If you were to drop a camera into one of Earth’s deep-sea trenches, you’d eventually enter a realm so crushingly hostile that it borders on the surreal. Down here, nearly 27,000 feet (just over 5 miles) beneath the surface, the water is so cold and the pressure so intense that even submarines creak. It feels like a place where not even fish should exist. But something does: the hadal snailfish - Pseudoliparis amblystomopsis. This is the ghostly, gelatinous creature that now holds the title of deepest-living vertebrate ever recorded, according to Guinness World Records. Its discovery is one of the most extraordinary biological revelations of the past decade, and shows how adaptable life can be when evolution has time, pressure and a pinch of creativity on its side.

Six Miles Down: Deepest-known sea animal communities found.

The Adams-Carter 1804 Class III Draped Bust dollar — Credit: Heritage Auctions

King of Silver Dollars

A 19th century coin widely considered to be “the King of Silver Dollars” is hitting the auction block next week. The Adams-Carter 1804 Class III Draped Bust dollar is one of only 16 known examples of the 1804 silver dollars. Todd Imhof of Heritage Auctions, says: “The 1804 Class III Draped Bust dollar is one of the most famous trophies in all of U.S. numismatics and a coin that immediately will become a centerpiece in a new collection. Only the most accomplished numismatists in history have owned an 1804 dollar, and the Adams-Carter Class III was the coin chosen by the most prominent of them throughout history.” The silver coin is expected to fetch significantly more than its original worth - perhaps as much as $5 million. OGN will keep you posted.

oversized Rolex watch machinery on the wheels of a Rolls-Royce — Credit: Novitec | Facebook

Rich Homage

Few brands scream opulence quite as loudly as Rolls-Royce and Rolex. Though the two are entirely different personifications of luxury, if you're rich enough, they can come together, with some artistic custom work. One such specimen was recently created by Novitec, a German tuner specializing in high-end supercar and luxury vehicle customization, which put oversized Rolex watch machinery on the wheels of a Rolls-Royce. And contrary to assumptions of a brash display of wealth, this one-off piece actually looks pretty stunning.

“If you want to be happy, set a new year goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.” Andrew Carnegie

On This Day

Portrait painting of Italian astronomer Galileo

7 January 1610: Possibly this day but definitely during this month in 1610, Italian astronomer Galileo made the earthshaking discoveries that four moons revolve around Jupiter and that the telescope reveals many more stars than are visible to the naked eye. "I give infinite thanks to God," Galileo wrote to the powerful Florentine statesman Belisario Vinta, "who has been pleased to make me the first observer of marvelous things."