Wrapping up the week with an eclectic bundle of good news nuggets.
Memory Loss
Neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins have identified a mechanism in the brain associated with age-related memory loss. The system lies in the hippocampus, the memory control center of the brain, and its discovery sheds fresh light on the causes of dementia and could combat Alzheimer’s and other age-related neurological disorders. Pinpointing the memory loss mechanism could lay the groundwork for learning what prevents impairment in some people - opening the door to preventing or delaying cognitive decline in the elderly.
Restoration
When Hurricane Iris hit Belize in 2001, it ravaged almost all of the country’s coral reefs. The devastation was bad news not only for marine life but also for the local communities who rely on reefs for food, work, and protection from storms and erosion. Many said the reefs couldn't be saved. However, the good news is that thanks to a community-driven coral restoration project over the past two decades, the reefs are once more thriving.
Progress
Three female referees have been named for the first time among the 36 selected by FIFA to take charge of games at the men’s World Cup finals in Qatar later this year. The three officials, from France, Rwanda and Japan will be the first women with a chance to take charge of a men’s World Cup game in the competition’s 92-year history. They will be joined by a further three female assistant referees from Brazil, Mexico and the United States.
Moving Target
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is going through its final phases before beginning its exploration of the universe in earnest. Much of its studies will involve unspeakably distant stars and galaxies, the proper study of which requires extreme precision. But planets, their satellites, and asteroids move against the background of stars in the cosmos. The telescope is also built to "lock on" to moving targets and track them well enough to collect full images and spectra. And this week, the team finished testing Webb's abilities to hunt down and capture moving targets in deep space, according to a blog post from NASA - marking the beginning of the space-based platform's moving target science.
Fleshment: excitement associated with a successful beginning.
Dragon Skin Solar
A new Google campus in California is fulfilling its goal of using green energy 90 percent of the time - in part by generating power with solar panels inspired by ‘dragon skin’. The Bay View campus opened this month to employees on 42 acres in Silicon Valley, with buildings clad in 90,000 silver solar panels and capable of capture sunshine from all angles. To help deliver on its commitment to operate every hour of every day on carbon-free energy by 2030, the “first-of-its-kind dragonscale solar skin”, as well as nearby wind farms, will power the campus on carbon-free energy almost all of the time.
CO2 Reduction
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) gives an impressive reduction of up to 80 percent in carbon emissions over the lifecycle of the fuel compared to traditional jet fuel it replaces, depending on the sustainable feedstock used, production method and the supply chain to the airport. And now - as part of United Airlines’ pledge to become carbon neutral by 2050 - they have bought 52.5 million gallons of SAF that will go towards fueling every United airplane that leaves from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for the next three years. Progress!
Quote of the Day
“A smile is an instant facelift and an instant mood lift.” Christie Brinkley
On this Day
27 May 1930: The 1,046 ft (319m) Chrysler Building in New York City, the tallest man-made structure at the time, opens to the public.
Dive in Deeper
The rumours are true - someone has paid a world record figure for a car this month. Smashing the previous record by a whopping $79m. Read on...
Humans aren’t the only ones getting ready and adapting to a changing climate. Redwoods are growing new leaves. Read on...
Clubbing in the Wild
Hilarious David Attenborough nature documentary parody.