OGN Friday

Editor OGN Daily
Jun 13
4 min read

Concluding the week with a global round up of positive news stories.

fragment of a 11th-century Viking treasure: a piece of an intricately woven gold bracelet — Credit: Manx National Heritage

Gold Viking Bracelet

On the Isle of Man, a metal detectorist has discovered a squished fragment of a 11th-century Viking treasure: a piece of an intricately woven gold bracelet. Archaeologists believe the piece was made by a skilled goldsmith and was potentially used as currency. Located between England and Ireland, the Isle of Man is now a self-governing crown dependency of the United Kingdom, but back in 798, it was settled by Vikings, the seafaring Scandinavian warriors who colonized coastal Europe between the ninth and 11th centuries. Multiple Viking graves have been discovered on the Isle of Man, as well as remnants of Viking architecture. And the Isle’s Manx Museum hosts “many spectacular artifacts,” like Viking tools, weapons, clothing and, now, the newly discovered gold piece.

14-year-old Cody Chandler with his new e-bike — Credit: Cody Chandler / Arizona's Family

One Good Turn...

14-year-old Cody Chandler was riding his bike near his father's home in Arizona when he stumbled upon a wallet lying in the road. Inside, he found not only around $300 in cash but also credit cards, health insurance cards, and a driver's license. Instead of keeping the money, Cody took the initiative to track down the owner using social media and public records. He successfully arranged a meeting to return the wallet, which the grateful owner revealed she had accidentally left on top of her car before driving off. His decision to return it led to an incredible surprise: a brand new e-bike, which Cody had been saving for, gifted by a stranger impressed by his actions.

Original Content

Netflix to invest $1 billion over the next four years in original content from Spain; Netflix announced a similar move for Mexico in February.

Lines of small earthern mounds | Credit: Madeleine McLeester

Surprise Discovery

Hundreds of years before the arrival of the first Europeans, Indigenous farmers were growing crops like squash, corn and beans in earthen mounds they built on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The mounds - created by the ancestors of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin - likely represent the largest preserved archaeological field system in the eastern United States, according to a study published this month in the journal Science. Researchers uncovered a quilt-like pattern of parallel ridges that range from four to 12 inches tall and cover hundreds of acres, created 1,000 years ago. The findings in “an area where we would not expect intensive agriculture,” seem to suggest that “much of the eastern U.S. was once covered in Native American agricultural ridges.”

Bill Gates and his daughter Phoebe | Phoebe Gates/Instagram

Daddy's Girl

Phoebe Gates, daughter of Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, recently appeared on the most recent episode of Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy to promote her new podcast under Cooper's Unwell Network. During the episode, reports InStyle, she talked about what it's like introducing guys to her dad - billionaire Microsoft co-founder. Cooper asked her guest what sort of pressure her dates feel when they have to meet her dad, to which she responded, "I think terrifying for the guy," Phoebe said. "For me, it’s hilarious because my dad’s pretty socially awkward. To me, it’s so funny. But for guys, I think they get really wigged out.”

World of Philanthropy is Abuzz: Bill Gates has announced that his foundation it will ramp up its spending to $200 billion over a 20-year period - then close its doors at the end of 2045.

'Liquid Glass'

Apple has made dramatic changes to the look of the iPhone and the rest of its products in a set of sweeping software updates. All of Apple products will now use a 'Liquid Glass' design in their software that makes menus and other information look transparent and physical, the company said. Apple also said it will add live translation to phone calls, as well as allow developers to integrate its live translation technology into their apps. Apple said the caller on the other end of the phone call will not need to have an iPhone for the live translation feature to work.

"When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome." Wilma Rudolph

On This Day

13 June 1967: Thurgood Marshall was nominated as justice to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Lyndon B. Johnson; he became the Court's first African American member.