OGN Wednesday
- Editor OGN Daily
- Jul 30
- 3 min read
Mid-week eclectic collection of positive news stories from around the globe.
Preventative Care
In Arkansas, a new medical school has just opened that aims to train a new generation of doctors on preventative medicine and whole-health principles. It was dreamed of and financed by one of the world’s wealthiest woman, Walmart heiress Alice Walton. She would like to see what the American health service sector would look like if doctors spent time focusing on preventing sickness from occurring rather than treating it once it arrives, and is generously putting her money where her mouth is. After all, it was Founding Father Benjamin Franklin who famously said that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." The first five years of enrollments at the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine will be bankrolled by Ms. Walton’s sizeable fortune.
Cause for Celebration
A little fury bundle of joy is the first snow leopard to be born at England's Chester Zoo in its 94-year history. Hidden cameras offered a glimpse of the 6-week-old cub exploring its den with mom Nubra. “It’s a truly historic moment and a real cause for celebration - not just for our teams here but also for the future of this magnificent species globally,” Dave Hall, team manager of carnivores, said in a news release.
Sleep Apnea Pill
The first oral pill for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) could be around the corner after pharmaceutical company Apnimed reported positive results from its stage III clinical trial. Currently, many people diagnosed with OSA patients require a machine that covers their nose or both the nose and mouth during sleep and delivers air through a mask to help keep their airways open. Apnimed's lead candidate AD109 showed "clinically meaningful and statistically significant reductions" in airway obstruction after 26 weeks, the company said. Apnimed plans to file a New Drug Application with the FDA in early 2026.
The SunRise Building
An apartment complex in Alberta, Canada, is now the title holder of the Guinness World Record for the largest solar panel mural on Earth. The 12 storey 1970s building has been retrofitted with a covering of a colorful mural made of building-integrated photovoltaic panels (BIPV). The panels are strategically placed to depict a tribute to the First Nations and Chinese cultures that are integral to the history of the area. The rest of the building is covered in accenting colored panels, a mosaic of dark gray, purple, orange, yellow, blue, green, and red panels. The environmental gain is a saving of 150 tons of carbon emissions annually.
World's First
Vertical Aerospace has notched a world's first for its VX-4 eVTOL hybrid-electric air taxi prototype, completing the first flight between two airports through public airspace for an aircraft of its type during the Royal International Air Tattoo in England. The historic flight may not seem like much at first glance. The craft only flew 17 miles (27 km) between airports in the Cotswolds, but it is a feat of some significance. Not only was the first such flight by a full-scale, piloted winged tilt-rotor eVTOL designed for commercial service, it was carried out with full Civilian Air Authority clearance and demonstrated the VX-4's ability to fully integrate with real-world airport operations.
Positive Tipping Point
The global switch to renewable energy has passed a “positive tipping point”, according to two new United Nations report. Solar and wind are now almost always the least expensive and fastest option for new energy generation, according to the UN. In 2024, data reveals that additions to global renewable energy of nearly 20 percent over 2023 is the highest annual expansion since records began, reports EuroNews. Almost all new power capacity built around the world came from renewables, and almost every continent on Earth added more renewables capacity than fossil fuels last year. Further analysis from the International Renewable Energy Agency backs up the UN report, showing that over 90 percent of new renewables worldwide produced electricity for less than the cheapest fossil fuel alternative. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said it shows “how far we have come in the decade since the Paris Agreement sparked a clean energy revolution.”
“Every morning, the rising sun invites and inspires us to begin again.” Debasish Mridha
On This Day
30 July 1956: The phrase “In God we trust” legally became the national motto of the United States.
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