Good News Nuggets | 14 May 2022

Helping to ensure it's a sunny Saturday with OGN's global round up of positive news snippets.

Slovenia Success

They say it's first country with authoritarian leaders in Europe in the 21st century to succeed in changing its government. In a country of just over 2 million people, around 1.7 million voted in the election in which people were deciding whether Janez Janša, an ally of the nationalist Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, and a fan of former US president Donald Trump, would remain in power. He failed. He was defeated by a newcomer to the Slovenian political scene, Robert Golob, whose Freedom Movement won more seats in parliament than all the right-wing parties. This historic result has moved Slovenia back onto the map of democratic countries.

Graphic of a neural pathway inside the brain

Brain Booster

Using your opposite hand instead of the one you are comfortable with can help your brain to integrate its two hemispheres and develop new neural pathways and connections. Studies using brain scanners show that when you use your stronger hand just one side of your brain is engaged. When you use the opposite non-dominant hand, however, both hemispheres light up. Brush your teeth with the opposite hand, or use a different hand to control your computer mouse. Wash the dishes differently. Switch hands and switch on your brain's unused pathways to improve your brain health.

Stylish looking sneaker made from plastic

Don't Waste it, Wear it

If you’re getting outside more now that the weather is warming up… these sneakers are made from recycled plastic bottles and are perfect for outdoor adventures. Every pair of shoes from the signature Avre collection keeps 8 to 10 plastic bottles from ending up in our oceans or landfills. The sneakers even have moisture wicking-properties, there's lots of style and colour choices, and they look pretty good too. Or you may prefer Sneakers Made From Coffee and Plastic. That is, of course, discarded coffee grinds and plastic bottles that need recycling.

Today's obscure word: Syzygy - an alignment of three celestial objects: the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet. And there's one happening this weekend with a Total Lunar Eclipse!

Ukraine to Win?

Hopefully against Russia, of course, but we're actually referring to tonight's Eurovision Song Contest final in Turin, Italy. From which Russia has been banned. The contest is famous for its terrible songs and political allegiances, but whatever the realities of Ukraine's 2022 entry, the bookies have the Kalush Orchestra as the hot favourite. If you don't fancy watching all the other finalists, you can be up to date at the water cooler on Monday by watching the song's official video here.

Box Office

The trailer for Avatar 2 hit 149 million views on its first day, across YouTube and social media, confirmed by Disney and 20th Century. The teaser trailer was dropped online on Monday – showing that director Cameron can well and truly put to bed his concerns that nobody will watch his four Avatar sequels.

Space Doughnut

An image of the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way has been captured, giving the first direct glimpse of the “gentle giant” at the centre of our galaxy. The black hole itself, known as Sagittarius A*, cannot be seen because no light or matter can escape its gravitational grip. But its shadow is traced out by a glowing, fuzzy ring of light and matter that is swirling on the precipice at close to the speed of light. The image was captured by the Event Horizon telescope (EHT), a network of eight radio telescopes spanning locations from Antarctica to Spain and Chile.

Lunar Soil

Scientists have grown plants in lunar soil using samples collected during the Apollo missions to the moon. “Holy cow. Plants actually grow in lunar stuff. Are you kidding me?” said Robert Ferl of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, when announcing the news. Experts said the next step is to repeat the feat on the surface of the moon. “When humans move as civilisations to stay somewhere, we always take our agriculture with us,” said Ferl. “The idea of bringing lunar soil into a lunar greenhouse is the stuff of exploration dreams.”