Jul 15

Good News Monday

What better way to start the day than waking up to lots of positive news?

The First Shot

You may remember the story from a school history lesson: In April 1775, British soldiers met with colonial militiamen in Massachusetts and someone fired a shot, resulting in the battles of Lexington and Concord and thus, the start of the American Revolution. More than half a century later, poet Ralph Waldo Emerson would famously call the first firing the “shot heard ’round the world.” Now, let’s bring us into the present. Archeologists with the National Park Service recently found five musket balls at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord - and analysis of the artifacts indicates they were fired during that “world-changing event.”

Hippos Can Fly

Pigs may not fly, but hippopotamuses do - at least momentarily. When hippos get moving, all four feet leave the ground for about 15 percent of their stride cycles, researchers at Britain's Royal Veterinary College reported in the journal PeerJ. That 0.3 seconds in the air may not sound impressive, but hippos weigh up to 2.2 tons.

Kiss And Make Up

A French cyclist has been fined for "unseemly or inappropriate behaviour" after pulling over while competing in the Tour de France so that he could kiss his wife. Stage 7 of the epic endurance test passed through Julien Bernard's home region, and "family and friends had flocked to the roadside to cheer him on". He has since "offered a playful apology", said CNN, posting on X: "I'm sorry for having damaged the image of the sport but I would pay 200 CHF (£174 / $223) every day to relive this moment." Speaking to Le Bien Public, the cyclist described it as a "once in a lifetime" moment.

Beneficial Bacteria

A new study suggests that specific gut bacteria may trigger compulsive eating and obesity. Researchers at Pompeu Fabra University in Spain identified bacteria linked to food addiction in humans and mice, as well as beneficial bacteria that prevent it. This discovery opens the way to developing potential new treatments for obesity-related behaviours that currently "lack any effective therapeutic approaches," study leader Prof. Elena Martín-García said.

Oldest Stone Needles

Archaeologists excavating near the shore of a lake in western Tibet have uncovered six distinctive stone artifacts. Each artifact measured about half the length of a golf tee, featuring a pointed tip at one end and an eye-like opening at the other. These artifacts, dated to 9,000 years ago, represent the oldest sewing needles on record and the oldest stone tools made by grinding. According to a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, the development of the “eyed” needle was a significant advancement in human civilization. This innovation enabled our ancestors to produce more durable and protective clothing and shelters, facilitating exploration of new environments and permanent habitation in colder regions. The oldest known needles were made of bone, with some dating back approximately 50,000 years from Russia’s Denisova Cave. The oldest stone needles, until now, were only 2700 years old.

Walking Art Gallery

Seoul, South Korea, has just concluded a contest to redesign the lower deck of a famous city bridge, awarding first prize to a Dutch firm that will now turn it into an art gallery and cultural space. Arch Mist provided the most “innovative” proposal for remodelling the semi-submersible Jamsu pedestrian bridge over the Han River, with their vision of a fuchsia pink metal walkway winding between the piles of the bridge structure. The design will offer multiple balconies and decks for the hosting of art displays and cultural events without impeding pedestrian flow.

Michigan’s Maple River

It's the first river in the US to return to a natural, free-flowing state. The decades-long project removed culverts and dams and replaced roads with free-spanning timber bridge structures to allow the water to flow through. "This is one step of many to save Michigan's greatest resource: our Great Lakes; the source of drinking water, recreation and aesthetic for millions."

“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, it's unlikely you will step up and take responsibility for making it so. If you assume that there's no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope.” Noam Chomsky

On This Day

15 July 1965: Mariner 4, an uncrewed space probe launched by NASA in 1964, flew by Mars and returned close-up pictures of its surface on this day in 1965, the pictures proving that the planet's rumoured canals were actually illusions.