OGN Wednesday
- Editor OGN Daily
- 13 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Mid-week collection of positive news stories from around the globe.
Eerie Natural Illusion
Often, a change of perspective is all it takes to see things in a brand-new light. This was the thought process when the organizers of the International Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards, amazed by the high number of aerial photography submissions they had been receiving after a decade of running the contest, considered starting a second competition dedicated solely to these images with a bird’s-eye view. So, the International Aerial Photographer of the Year awards opened the doors to modern drone operators and those with a love for sticking their lenses out of planes, hot air balloons and helicopters. One of the winners was Daniel Viñé Garcia’s 'Smoking Skull', portraying Iceland's Fagradalsfjall volcano as it cools. The cracks in the lava formed a skull, creating a short-lived and eerie natural illusion.
New Cancer Therapy
An international study has uncovered a new vulnerability in prostate cancer cells that could help improve treatment for one of the most common cancers affecting men. Researchers have developed a new therapy that uses naturally occurring enzymes to weaken cancer cell membranes, making them more vulnerable to the body’s immune defences. The method effectively “softens” tumour cells without harming healthy tissue and could enhance treatments like immunotherapy and chemotherapy, reports Medical Xpress.
This is just one of the 100 installations on display at the world’s largest free public sculpture exhibition. Running until 3 November on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, this year’s Sculpture by the Sea dots a little over a mile of coastal walk with works from artists across the globe. Take a look at some more of the seaside sculptures over recent years.
First-Ever
Japan has elected Sanae Takaichi as its first-ever female prime minister. She considers Margaret Thatcher a heroine. Mrs Takaichi breaks the mould by not coming from one of the nation’s blue-blooded political families, with a colourful past that includes motorbike riding and being the drummer in a heavy metal band at university. Born in the rural central prefecture of Nara, Mrs Takaichi’s earliest musical influences were Iron Maiden and Deep Purple, but her dark blue suits are an homage to Thatcher. According to The Guardian, it's impossible to understate the symbolism of Takaichi’s victory in a country that has few female politicians and business leaders, and consistently ranks poorly in global gender gap comparisons.
Good Week For Africa
In a single week, the EU unveiled nearly $15 billion for Africa’s green energy transition, from village micro-grids to continental interconnectors. A $636 million pledge at the United Nations (7th October) to modernise power grids and support clean energy projects, was followed by a $670 million “Team Europe” package in Brussels (9th October) and $13.3 billion for South Africa (13th October) to enhance clean energy infrastructure. The investments target universal access, regional power trade and green industrialisation.
Futuristic Winery
Blending futuristic design with centuries-old tradition, BORD Architectural Studio has created the new Sauska Tokaj Winery in Rátka, Hungary. Perched lightly above the UNESCO-listed Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region, the structure seems to hover over the landscape, echoing the graceful curves of the surrounding hills. The winery is part of the Sauska family’s vision to bring contemporary design to one of Europe’s oldest wine regions. The site’s volcanic soil and rolling vineyards have supported winemaking since before the Hungarian Conquest in the 9th/10th centuries, and today, the region is celebrated for its dry white and sparkling wines alongside its renowned Tokaji Aszú dessert.
“It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.” David Attenborough
On This Day
22 October 2008: Chandrayaan-1, India's first lunar space probe, was launched, and it later found water in the Moon's atmosphere.
Today's Articles
Major Milestone: World's first large scale CO2 storage site makes its first injection - locking it away for thousands of years.
Mood Boosting Video
What if you could link every powder turn, every cliff drop and every kicker nailed into one ultimate run?