Celebrating the end of the week with a global bundle of good news nuggets.
Against The Odds
A metal detectorist has worked a near-miracle, reuniting a woman with her late mother's 'priceless' jewelry. She was “devastated” when her necklace chain broke while she was swimming off a beach in the Channel Islands last month. On the chain hung three of her mom’s rings which always made her “feel close” to her late parent. Not giving up hope, Tessa Le Gallez telephoned a local metal detectorist Matthew Kneebone and asked if he could possibly help her get the heirlooms back. He told her he might be able to find the lost rings when there was a spring tide again. Sure enough, two weeks later, Matthew and Tessa headed back down to the beach - and within ten minutes, Matthew had found the chain. Then, amazingly, within a half hour, all three of the heirlooms were uncovered. Tessa was elated. “It was such a relief. Those rings mean the world to me and they’re incredibly sentimental.”
Puffin Progress
The Audubon Society has spent the past 50 years working to restore Maine’s puffin bird population, and has helped it recover from just a few dozen pairs to as many as 3,000 now. Conservation scientists are celebrating the news that 2023 has seen another successful breeding season.
Medicare Surprise
For nearly as long as Medicare has existed in the United States, it has alarmed politicians and budget experts. Now, however, something strange has been happening. Instead of growing as it always had before, spending per Medicare beneficiary has nearly leveled off. 'Without a doubt, this is the most important thing that has happened to the federal budget in the last 20 years,' reports the New York Times.
China Passes Peak
In good news for our planet and two years earlier than expected, Sinopec - China's top oil refiner - says it’s expecting gasoline demand in the country to peak this year, reports Bloomberg. The announcement is significant since it’s made by the industry itself rather than analysts - and it’s largely due to a surge in electric vehicles on the road.
Vast Lithium Discovery
In a major find, the McDermitt caldera in Nevada is estimated to hold 40 million metric tons of lithium - the crucial material for batteries and computer chips - which is more than the known reserves of every lithium-producing mine on Earth. As well as securing a supply line of this valuable mineral to US manufacturing, it allows for environmental quality control and US manufacturers can avoid supporting exploitative operations elsewhere.
Electric Ride Shares
Big U.S. cities are falling behind in the transition to electric vehicles. In New York, the country’s densest city, EVs still only make up around 1 percent of registered vehicles, and emission reduction targets are therefore at risk. Fortunately, the administration of Mayor Eric Adams has just made New York the world’s first large city to mandate the electrification of the ride-sharing industry. By 2030, the approximately 78,000 ride-sharing vehicles in New York City must be zero-emission EVs (with the exception of wheelchair-accessible vehicles). Mayor Adams is right to make this sector the first mover, reports SmartCitiesDive. While representing under 2 percent of the cars on the city’s roads, ride-sharing vehicles are responsible for a disproportionate 600,000 tons of carbon emissions every year.
"Civilization is a method of living, an attitude of equal respect for all men." Jane Addams
On this Day
15 September 1821: Central American notables accepted a plan drafted by the Mexican caudillo Agustín de Iturbide that brought independence from Spain to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
Sin City is no stranger to eye-popping structures and wild events, and the new $2bn Sphere is shortly to join the fun and games. The future...
2,000 year old Roman temple has been unearthed at a supermarket building site in Italy. Extremely rare...
Mood Booster
Brain teasing matchstick puzzle.