What better way to start the day than with a global round up of uplifting news nuggets?
Are You a Star Thrower?
Have you heard the story of the old man walking along the beach and seeing a young man throwing something into the water over and over again? When the old man approaches the boy, he sees he is picking up starfish that had been stranded during low tide and throwing them back into the water. The man proceeds to tell the boy that what he is doing is pointless, that the beach is miles and miles long and that there are thousands of starfish stranded, and that he will never make a difference. The young man stops in his tracks, thinks about it, and picks up another starfish. As he throws it back in the water, he replies, “It made a difference for that one.”
Silent Fireworks
Many dogs in Denmark had a more peaceful night than usual on New Year's Eve. How? Silent fireworks. According to the UK’s Kennel Club, one in three of our four-legged friends are afraid of fireworks, but in Denmark many canines didn't have to worry. As the name suggests, these fireworks are quieter because they have much less flash powder, the chemical that produces its iconic bang. But the lighting effects have been turned up to compensate. The result is a display that even a dog could enjoy.
Christmas Eve Panic
A mother in Detroit, Michigan, had a frantic few minutes on Christmas Eve as she searched for her two-year-old son after she could not find him anywhere in the house. Then she heard some noise coming from the chimney and, as she dashed over to investigate, her rather grubby son emerged and explained that he'd been looking for Santa. Panic over.
Following the Money
It's been a good start to the year for Cristiano Ronaldo. He has joined the Saudi Arabian football club Al Nassr following his acrimonious departure from Manchester United. “The world’s greatest athlete, officially signed for Al Nassr,” read a tweet from the club’s official account, which included a picture of Ronaldo holding up a named No 7 shirt. Ronaldo’s contract will run for two-and-a-half years until June 2025, with a total salary of $200m per year. It is thought to be the highest salary ever paid to a professional footballer.
LA Lifeguard Earned Over $500k: If you thought lifeguards were in a lowly paid profession, you would probably be correct in most sun-kissed parts of the world - but not in California. Paywatch...
Saving Pink Iguanas
With seven expeditions over the past ten months, scientists in the Galápagos Islands have been studying the last surviving population of critically endangered pink iguanas. Made up of an estimated 200 to 300 adults, the population has been declining and aging over the last decade, leading to concern about the species going extinct. Now, scientists have made a major discovery: They’ve revealed the first-ever documented nesting sites of the reptile and the first recorded pink iguana hatchlings. The find represents the first time that baby or juvenile pink iguanas have been found since the species was identified in 2009. Previously, only older pink iguanas were seen in the region. “This discovery marks a significant step forward, which allows us to identify a path going forward to save the pink iguana,” says Danny Rueda, Director of the Galápagos National Park.
You're Never Too Old
A 92-year-old man could be the oldest person in Britain to ever pass a GCSE exam after receiving the highest possible grade in his maths paper. Skipper Day used a magnifying glass to help him see the paper because of his poor eyesight, and took along a slide rule he had used when he sat his maths exams at school in 1946. Day said: “It’s a good thing for people to think, well, you’re never too old. He said he wants to keep his mind active, and this was far better than watching television.” Asked if he planned to sit any more exams, he said: “No, that is probably my lot. I think I shall go out on a high.”
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"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
Rudyard Kipling
On this Day
2 January 1839: French photographer Louis Daguerre took the first ever photo of the moon. One of the founders of photography, Daguerre invented the daguerreotype. For twenty years after its public announcement in 1839, it was the most common photographic process in the world.
Solar panels disguised as ancient Roman tiles is an innovative solution at the archaeological park of Pompeii. Read on...
The world's first climate change university is currently recruiting students for its launch in September 2023. Read on...
Prescient Prediction: Over one hundred years ago, an English cartoonist did a strip titled When We All Have Pocket Telephones. Read on...
Mood Booster
One Take: Amazing snowboard trick shot run.