Upbeat collection of positive news nuggets from around the world.
Paradise Replenished
Credited with having the richest marine biodiversity on Earth and a relatively remote location that has allowed it to escape mass tourism, it's no surprise that Indonesia's Raja Ampat archipelago is often marketed as "the last paradise on Earth." But 20 years ago, the archipelago was in trouble due to unsustainable fishing practices. In 2004 authorities incorporated it into a network of over 20,000 km2 of protected areas, and today fish populations have rebounded, coral is recovering and livelihoods for local communities have improved.
Teaching Climate Change
Connecticut schools will soon be required to teach students about climate change thanks to a new state law - one of the first of its kind in the US. From July 2023, the new law requires every school district within the state to teach climate change education in line with the Next Generation Science Standards. While 90 percent of the state’s schools already teach about climate change, mandating climate education ensures it will not become a victim of budget cuts or be cut due to wavering political will or those who claim climate change is a hoax.
Bronze Age Opium
Researchers in Israel have discovered traces of opium in ceramic artifacts from 1,400 B.C - the earliest known evidence of the drug in the ancient world. The pottery vessels, shaped like inverted poppy flowers, were discovered during an excavation a decade ago in Tel Yehud, near Tel Aviv. The poppy flower plant produces opium, which is what recently led researchers to test the late Bronze Age artifacts for drug residue. And, guess what, they were able to identify traces of the hallucinogenic drug in eight of the vessels; some of them were imported from Cyrpus, while others were local.
Barn Owls are Global Hit
A live video stream of barn owls in a North Yorkshire (England) nest box is proving a hit with viewers across the world. Thousands of people are watching the stream from a webcam in the village of Thixendale every day - with viewers as far away as Japan and the US. One bar in the Netherlands has switched its big screen from sports coverage to a feed of the owls. Tune in here.
Kalon
Beauty that is more than skin deep. Kalon is the ideal of physical and moral beauty.
007 Maze
Even super spy James Bond might need British Intelligence satellite assistance to escape this Quantum of corn. An incredibly-detailed maze was planted on an Illinois farm to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the iconic agent’s first film, Dr. No - and it’s quite the Spectre. Hailed as the world’s largest corn maze, the trail stretches 10 miles and spans a 28 acre (11 hectares) area at the Richardson Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. The five main Bond actors who appeared in more than one film, are perfectly immortalized in the planting - Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Sean Connery, Daniel Craig, and Pierce Brosnan. The design also features a Bond girl, a Monaco casino, and Aston Martin car driven by 007.
Life Saver
A police dog that saved 38 lives during an eight-year career has been honoured at the Thin Blue Paw Awards. The 10-year-old German Shepherd retired in June, and celebrated with her handler by going on her first-ever vacation, enjoying playtime on the beach and swimming in the sea. Scottish police officer Linda McBride first partnered with Luna in December 2012 when the pup was just 12-weeks-old - and, since then, the duo has always looked out for each other.
New Baltic Pipe
Yesterday, leaders from Poland, Norway and Denmark attended a ceremony to mark the opening of the new Baltic Pipe, a key stage in the drive to wean Poland and Europe off Russian gas. It's the centrepiece of a Polish strategy to diversify away from Russia that began years before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The country was cut off from Russian gas supplies in April, allegedly for refusing to pay in roubles, so opening up new gas supplies from Norway is very good news for Poland. The Norwegian Energy Minister said it was "an important step on the important road to Europe's independence from Russian energy".
Quote of the Day
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
On this Day
28 September 1066: William, Duke of Normandy, landed in southeastern England, thus beginning the Norman Conquest, which resulted in him becoming king.
New data from the American Association for Cancer Research shows significant, continued gains in the fight against cancer in the US. Read on...
Mood Booster
As Robot Spy Meerkat follows the meerkats moving home, the smallest pup of the litter gets left behind. All alone the lost baby meerkat has no idea which way to go. Will the meerkat childminder find the pup in time?