Today's eclectic global round up of positive news nuggets.
Pure Luck
Photographer Dan Martland is well-known for his exquisite photography of New York City but he outdid himself last week during a violent thunderstorm that saw a bolt of lightning strike the Statue of Liberty. Martland was on hand to capture the mega photo of an enormous lightning bolt directly hitting Lady Liberty’s torch. “This afternoon’s passing storm didn’t disappoint,” Martland writes on X (formerly Twitter). “The Statue of Liberty getting zapped by a bolt of lightning.” Martland put his amazing capture down to “pure luck”.
Another Landmark Ruling
Following Tuesday's landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that stated that member countries are obligated to protect citizens from climate crisis impacts, another landmark climate decision has been delivered by the Supreme Court of India. It ruled that an individual’s “right to life” includes protection against the impacts of climate change. The verdict reflects fundamental rights stated in Article 21 of the country’s constitution, reported The Independent. “Without a clean environment which is stable and unimpacted by the vagaries of climate change, the right to life is not fully realised,” the decision of the court said. In its finding, India’s Supreme Court expanded the reach of Articles 21 and 14 to include the “right against the adverse effects of climate change,” The Indian Express reported.
Olympic Prize Money
Athletics has become the first sport to offer prize money to Olympic champions, with the sport’s governing body announcing that the 48 gold medallists in Paris this year will earn $50,000. There will be no cash prize for those who claim silver or bronze in Paris, but there are plans to introduce money for those coming second and third at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Relay teams who claim gold will share a $50,000 pot.
Booming Brilliant
The shy and rare bittern, a stumpy, buff brown-coloured member of the heron family, is known for being the loudest bird in Britain thanks to the repetitive boom that males make during the breeding season. Living in reed beds, the bittern was once widespread in the UK, but due to habitat destruction, hunting, and persecution, it had been reduced to extinction by the 1870s. The bittern then made a triumphant return in the 1950s, but struggled to grow its numbers. However, over the past 25 years, the population has steadily increased. Now, a new survey by the RSPB has revealed that there are now 234 males across 11 sites in England and Wales, which is a 24 percent increase over the past five years. This is mainly thanks to the creation of new wetland habitats and reed beds for the birds.
You Couldn't Make It Up
A modern art gallery in Germany - one of the largest of modern art in Europe and featuring works of Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst and Salvador Dalí among others - has fired an employee after discovering the budding artist had hung his own work in an exhibition. The 51-year-old displayed his painting in Munich's Pinakothek der Moderne. Local media reported the man had pulled the stunt in the hope of achieving his artistic breakthrough. Sadly, the museum hasn't released any details on what the man’s painting looked like.
Two years ago, the US government provided $7.5bn to create a national network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. To date, seven have been built. The money came from the $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by President Joe Biden in November 2021, to build 500,000 EV chargers by 2030. But despite concerns from some lawmakers, transport officials are confident that half a million will be publicly available by 2027, making EV charging “as easy as finding a gas station”.
Live and Kicking
Industry publication Pollstar revealed that the top 100 North American tours, thanks in no small part to Ms. Swift and Beyoncé, grossed $6.6 billion in 2023, the highest on record. And, that’s not just down to “funflation” either, with entertainment giant Live Nation reporting record concert attendance and ticket sales for last year too.
“O, Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth.” Roman Payne
On This Day
11 April 1900: The first modern submarine designed and built by John Philip Holland, USS Holland is acquired by the U.S. Navy.
Bonnie Tyler’s 1983 smash hit Total Eclipse of the Heart tops the charts again thanks to Monday's total solar eclipse. Event soundtrack...
NASA thinks it has solved Voyager 1's gibberish problem from 15 billion miles away. Fingers crossed...
Mood Booster
Incredible Stunt: Diving into a door in the sky.
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