Today's smorgasbord of good news nuggets to perk up the day.
Good News for Dogs
While there isn’t a shortage of adoptable dogs in the U.S., there is a difference in where they are adopted most. States like Mississippi have too many, but Massachusetts needs more. To compensate for these gaps in supply and demand, sophisticated dog-relocation networks have sprung up over the past decade, bringing adoptable dogs and cats from states with too many to states that need more.
Never Seen Before
Two male Bolivian river dolphins astonished scientists near the Tijamuchi River in Bolivia. River dolphins don’t usually keep their heads above the water for long, so when the biologists spotted the marine animals surfacing they immediately started to take photos. Upon reviewing the images, the team found that the dolphins were holding a Beni anaconda in their mouths, reports the New York Times. The behavior has not previously been seen, and it is the first time an interaction between a Bolivian river dolphin and a Beni anaconda has ever been recorded. The team suspects that the dolphins were not trying to eat the snake but were playing with it.
Trains Resume
The rail route from Kyiv to Borodianka, 35 miles north, has been restored after a bridge blown up by Russian forces was rebuilt in a single month. The train service has become a symbol of hope, and even national renaissance. There are only two services up and running as yet: one leaving at 5.20am from Kyiv-Svyatoshin, that goes up and down the line to Borodianka, stopping 11 times, and a second scheduled service at 17.52. However, its resumption adds a sorely needed ray of hope, even as the war rages on in the east and south of Ukraine.
Mud Glyphs
A team of archeologists has made a groundbreaking discovery in an Alabama, US, cave. University of Tennessee's Jan Simek and Stephen Alvarez, founder of the Ancient Art Archive have been studying a site known as the "19th Unnamed Cave" for over two decades. An article published in The Journal of Antiquity, describes how they used new technology to reconstruct Native American mud glyphs drawn on the cave's ceiling. Simek and Alvarez took thousands of photos to build 3D models of the caves surfaces which in turn lead to the discovery of five previously unknown glyphs. Researchers believe these may be some of the largest examples of cave art in North America.
Today's obscure word: Acnestis - The part of the back (or backbone) between the shoulder blades and the loins which we cannot reach to scratch. If you've got an itch on your acnestis, grab a back scratcher.
Happy Landing
Hats off to Darren Harrison, who landed a plane, despite never having flown one before. Harrison took the controls after the pilot flying the single-engine Cessna 208 had a medical emergency. Among his first words to Air Traffic Controller Robert Morgan? "I have no idea how to fly the airplane." Great! Together, the two men managed to get the plane, headed from the Bahamas, safely on the ground at Palm Beach International airport. Harrison and Morgan had a deeply relieved reunion at the airport, as other pilots and airport workers expressed their awe."It was an emotional moment. He said that he just wanted to get home to his pregnant wife," Morgan said. "And that felt even better."
Female PM
Élisabeth Borne has been appointed prime minister of France – the first woman to hold the post in more than 30 years. “I dedicate this nomination to all the little girls in France, to tell them, ‘Follow your dreams’,” she said. “Nothing should stop the fight for women’s place in our society.” Borne will replace Jean Castex in the role, becoming only the second woman ever to serve as French PM. The first was Édith Cresson, who served under President François Mitterand in the 1990s.
Quote of the Day
"Good news is rare these days, and every glittering ounce of it should be cherished and hoarded and worshipped and fondled like a priceless diamond."
Hunter S. Thompson
On this Day
18 May 1953: American aviator Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier.
Dive in Deeper
The first-ever international audio collection of aquatic ecosystems aims to uncover unidentified fish species, discover regional dialects and help conservation.
Nature Mood Booster
Some of the most magical moments of filming meerkats for BBC's Planet Earth Live.