Good News Today

Editor OGN Daily
11 hours ago
3 min read

Thursday's smorgasbord of good news nuggets to help perk up the day.

a 27-foot-tall sandstone sculpture of the Buddha that will soon go on view at New York City’s High Line. — Rendering of what the installation will look like | Tuan Andrew Nguyen/High Line

High Line Art

This spring, a 27-foot-tall sandstone sculpture of the Buddha will go on view at NYC’s High Line. The Light That Shines Through the Universe was designed by Vietnamese-American artist Tuan Andrew Nguyen. It will replace the giant pigeon currently on display on the High Line’s Plinth, a section of the elevated park that displays artworks. Nguyen hopes the new statue will remind people “that even in the midst of chaos and violence, we can remain compassionate and fearless.”

Senior Workers

Taxes in Denmark may be high, but crime is low, healthcare and university education are free and the welfare state is generous. Employees can also expect good wages and a healthy work-life balance, but there is a shortage of workers. This is partly being addressed by the ‘senior’s premium.’ For the first time, the number of Danes working beyond retirement age has passed 100,000 - and for most, it’s not because they can’t afford to retire. Instead, experts are pointing to tax breaks, flexible working opportunities and game-changing government policies as the reasons behind a new trend that’s driving Denmark forward: the rise of the senior worker.

Pair of black, damaged, leather Victorian shoes — Credit: Beach Academy CIC | Facebook

Shoe Mystery

Hundreds of black leather boots that appear to be from the 19th century have washed up on a beach, mystifying residents of a seaside village in southern Wales. Volunteers have been finding the shoes while cleaning up litter from rock pools on a beach in Ogmore-by-Sea, a coastal town along the Bristol Channel. During one week in late December alone, they found 200 boots in one small area. In total, they’ve discovered more than 400 shoes since September. Beachcombers have discovered several shapes and styles of footwear, but they all appear to be from the Victorian era. The soles are attached with nails. Right now, the leading theory is that the shoes came from an Italian cargo vessel that sank nearby roughly 150 years ago.

MS Discovery

Scientists have discovered two new subtypes of multiple sclerosis with the aid of artificial intelligence, paving the way for personalised treatments and better outcomes for patients. Millions of people have the disease globally - but treatments are mostly selected on the basis of symptoms, and may not be effective because they don’t target the underlying biology of the patient. Now, reports The Guardian, scientists have detected two new biological strands of MS using AI, a simple blood test and MRI scans. Experts said the “exciting” breakthrough could revolutionise treatment of the disease worldwide.

greater one-horned rhino in grassland — Greater one horned rhino | CC 4.0 Nejib Ahmed

Vigilant Protection

The rhino stronghold of Assam in northeastern India has happily reported zero deaths due to poaching among its populations of greater one-horned rhinos in 2025, replicating the same success of 2023. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Chief Minister of the state of Assam, said it was “a proud moment for us.” India is now home to roughly 4,000 rhinos, having once fallen to as low as 1,800 individuals. Almost all of these are located in Assam.

PFAS Ban

There are hundreds of ghastly forever chemicals often called per or poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). But, in good news for the French, they are now banned from being used in the textile, fashion, and cosmetics industries and should serve to greatly reduce the nation’s population to their exposure. A ban in Denmark along similar lines will come into effect in July.

“January is the best time of year for gym owners. You all come. It’s great! And then, by Valentine’s Day, you’re not coming in anymore.” David Kirsch

On This Day

8 January 1997: The principality of Monaco began a yearlong celebration in honour of the 700th anniversary of the rule of the Grimaldi family, who seized power in 1297 and gained firm possession of Monaco in 1419. They still rule the principality today.