Mid-week round up of positive news stories from around the world.
Bond Memorabilia
Good news for 007 fans: you can get your hands on props from your favourite James Bond movies, from You Only Live Twice to Skyfall. Fans can now own props, posters, and other authentic pieces from the franchise through Propstore’s latest entertainment auction that's underway from now to Sunday 17 November. Among the many items are two acrylic J 8OND license plates (front and back) that are being auctioned off for an estimated £30,000 to £60,000 (about $38,677 to $77,354). The winning bidder will receive the legal title for ownership and use of the plates. If you’re interested in owning a piece of Bond history, online bidding is now open.
Peeling Back The Years
The largest restoration of Rembrandt's masterpiece, The Night Watch, is under way at the Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam. Following five years of research using techniques such as digital imaging and artificial intelligence, eight restorers will begin "Operation Night Watch" by removing the varnish from the painting - in full view of the public, within the glass-enclosed space in The Night Watch Room. The artwork was coated with a dark varnish and accumulated dirt over the years, giving the false impression it depicts a night scene. More than two million visitors come to see the painting at the museum, in the Netherlands, every year.
Bluesky Boost
Social media platform Bluesky has picked up more than 700,000 new users in the week since the US election, as users seek to escape misinformation and offensive posts on X. The influx, largely from North America and the UK, has helped Bluesky reach 14.5 million users worldwide, up from 9 million in September, the company said. “The more liberal kind of Twitter community has really now escaped from there and seems to have moved en masse to Bluesky.”
Next Gen Bike Helmet
Bike helmets are getting a techy safety revamp - and unlike traditional helmets that are designed to protect cyclists if accidents happen, one new model also aims to prevent crashes from happening in the first place. The Nyxel is equipped with a tail light, turn signals, and a combination of white and red LED lights, all of which aim to increase visibility and “clearly indicate [bikers’] intentions to everyone around.” In many ways, these new elements mimic the safety features of cars. For example, there is an accelerometer that triggers the back lights to flash quickly if the bike slows down or stops suddenly, much like a brake light. Prices for the helmet and range from $99 for a basic model to $174 for all the bells and whistles. Watch a video showing the helmet in action.
Black Hole 'Feast'
A team of U.S. National Science Foundation astronomers have discovered a supermassive black hole at the center of an early galaxy just 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang that is consuming matter at a phenomenal rate. Indeed, the black hole appears to be consuming matter at over 40 times the theoretical limit, according to data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The black hole’s extreme ‘feast’ could help astronomers at the NOIRLab explain how supermassive black holes grew so quickly in the early Universe.
Autoflow Road
Japan is looking to up its world-leading mass transit game with a “conveyor belt road” meant to be a 320-mile automated cargo transport corridor that will link Tokyo and Osaka. This “autoflow road” is being built in an effort to make up for Japan’s delivery capacity shortage and, with 90 percent of the country’s cargo transported over roads, will greatly reduce emissions. “The key concept of the autoflow road is to create dedicated spaces within the road network for logistics, utilizing a 24-hour automated and unmanned transportation system.”
“There are two worlds: the world that we can measure with line and rule, and the world we feel with our hearts and imagination.” Leigh Hunt
On This Day
13 November 1673: Christopher Wren is appointed architect for the rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral in London by King Charles II.
Today's Articles
World's Best Tall Building: With a stunning design that includes lush greenery and multiple terraced gardens, Pan Pacific Orchard wins the accolade.
Mood Boosting Video
Teaser Trailer: Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning.