Today's eclectic mix of good news nuggets.
Middle Island in Australia is home to breeding colonies of little penguins but foxes have been wreaking havoc, reducing their numbers from 200 to less than 10. A nearby farmer whose chickens were targets to the same enemy, came up with an idea. He has a Maremma dog (Australian herding dog) that protects his chicks from foxes. So he suggested to the wildlife officials to train and place Maremmas on the island to guard the penguins during the breeding season. It worked! After the first dog set paw on the island, fox attacks have stopped, and penguin numbers have since rebounded.
Ale fresco: Amid palpable excitement, England’s pubs are ready, steady, go for outdoor reopening today. From Wakefield to Putney, pubs with gardens have hired extra staff and purchased more furniture to quench demand. Many thanks to a reader for sending us this hilarious allegorical video of his excitement about today.
Even cleverer than we thought: A major study into the Aztecs’ hieroglyphic writing system suggests it was one of the most sophisticated scripts that humanity has ever produced.
This beautifully-painted water tank in North Carolina just won the Knope National Championship, a competition for art on municipal structures. The giant mural of an indigenous American River Otter took top honours. The animals can be found in the nearby Yadkin River, and this colorful depiction, entitled "Daybreak Along the River," serves as a reminder of the region's natural beauty and resources.
Energy boosting healthy snacks: Some people may not need a snack in between meals, but for those who do, it’s wise to make nutritious choices. Medical News Today provides a list of eight tasty and healthy snacks to boost your energy.
The world’s encyclopedia of species has just got a tiny bit larger thanks to the discovery of a new firefly species in the swamp forests of Singapore. It’s the first time in more than a century since a new species has been discovered in the area. Appropriately, they have named it Luciola singapura.
Could Norman power the world? A nuclear reactor in California just made fusion viable by 2030. Seriously. Nuclear fusion has long felt like decades away. Today, the timeline for a climate friendly, safe, and reliable source of near unlimited power, accelerates.
The UK is on track to hit “peak drive-in” this summer with outdoor cinema venues and bookings surging. There has been an “explosion” in the number of events being listed to run from this week, as drive-in cinemas benefit from being included in the first wave of outdoor attractions allowed to resume from today under Boris Johnson’s “cautious but irreversible” roadmap out of lockdown.
Is that a UFO? No, it's a Russian cargo airship capable of carrying 600 tons and set to launch in 2024. As for the flying-saucer shape, Aerosmena - the company behind the project - says it makes the giant airship easier to manoeuvre and land in crosswinds than other airship projects using the classic elongated hull shape.
With many people feeling a little squidgier around the midriff following the latest lockdown, a fitness challenge may be just what the UK needs. Enter the Outdoor Swimming Society, which has launched a swim challenge to get the country moving again.
Running the gauntlet: Narrow, and cut into the world's deepest canal gorge, it's quite a feat manoevering a modern cruise ship through the Corinth Canal in Greece.