Happy News Wednesday
- Editor OGN Daily
- 13 hours ago
- 4 min read
An eclectic mid-week collection of upbeat news stories from around the globe.
"Superstar of Surrealism"
A painting by the surrealist artist René Magritte that has been held in a private collection for more than 90 years will go on sale later this month. La Magie Noire was bought by the family of the second world war resistance heroine Suzanne Spaak, who were Magritte’s benefactors at a time when he was struggling financially and had failed to sell a single work for two years.
Sotheby’s has estimated La Magie Noire will sell for between €5m (£4.4m) and €7m but expects it to fetch considerably more. "I call it the superstar of surrealism,” says Thomas Bompard of Sotheby’s France.
Historic First
Renewable energy overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity in the first half of this year - a historic first, according to new data from the global energy think tank Ember. Ember calls this moment a "crucial turning point", adding that it "marks the beginning of a shift where clean power is keeping pace with demand growth".
Earthshot 2025
The Prince of Wales has described those in the running for his environmental Earthshot prize as "heroes of our time". Prince William will travel to Rio de Janeiro next month for the ceremony - the first time the awards have been hosted in Latin America. The prize, created by the prince five years ago, awards £1m every year to five projects for their environmental innovations. There have been almost 2,500 nominees this year from 72 countries and this year's winners will shortly be chosen by Prince William and his Earthshot Prize Council. This year's list of finalists range from a Caribbean country to small start-up businesses. In the meantime, you may like to take a look at Earthshot Prize Winners 2024.
Found in New Orleans
A New Orleans couple clearing away undergrowth in their home’s yard unearthed an ancient Roman grave marker, made of marble, setting off a quest for answers about how the roughly 1,900-year-old relic ended up there. Researchers say the headstone was dedicated to a second-century Roman sailor named Sextus Congenius Verus, but nobody is yet sure how it got to New Orleans. The most plausible theory is that it may have been snaffled by a US serviceman during World War II, whilst based in Italy. In the meantime, the stone has been handed over to the FBI’s art crime team and will ultimately be repatriated to Italy.
"Landmark Moment"
Researchers have made a breakthrough in the development of new vaccine to prevent a deadly virus that affects young elephants. The vaccine aims to prevent the severe disease caused by elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), which is currently a leading cause of death in young Asian elephants. In trials that involved adult elephants at England's Chester Zoo, the vaccine was found to be safe and, crucially, to activate part of the immune system that helps fight viruses. Prof Falko Steinbach from the UK Animal and Plant Health Agency told the BBC that this was "a landmark moment in our work to protect Asian elephants".
Three researchers have just been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their fundamental discoveries about the cells that keep humans’ immune systems in check and prevent autoimmune diseases. Mary Brunkow, Frederick Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi’s work to identify regulatory T cells launched the field of peripheral tolerance, which is spurring development of new treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases. “Their discoveries have been decisive for our understanding of how the immune system functions."
Peaking Tonight
The Draconid shower, sometimes called the Giacobinids, is expected to peak tonight, and come to an end a couple of nights later. The Draconids are unusual in that their intensity can vary significantly from year to year. Most years only a few meteors are visible, but occasionally that number increases significantly. The last really spectacular Draconid eruption was in 1946, when several thousand meteors per hour lit up the sky. It’s never entirely clear when the next big Draconid storm will take place, which means that this particular meteor shower always makes for potentially exciting viewing. The radiant point from which the shower originates will be highest in the sky just after dark. So, look toward the constellation Draco, which is directly above the Big Dipper in the northern sky.
"The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you." BB King
On This Day
8 October 1988: Finishing a 741-week stay, Pink Floyd's album The Dark Side of the Moon makes its final appearance (of its initial run) on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. Selling over 45 million copies worldwide, it's the band's most successful release and one of the best-selling albums in history.
Today's Articles
New Discovery: For the first time, scientists have detected phosphine in Space - a molecule that, on Earth, is only produced by living beings.
Health Benefits: With pumpkin season upon us and Halloween just round the corner, these are the many health benefits of this multi-purpose vegetable.
Mysterious Monument: An extraordinary ancient monument, shaped like a bow tie, discovered in in France.
Mood Boosting Video
Personal Thoughts: Dr. Jane Goodall’s final message of hope to the world.