Wednesday's Upbeat News

Editor OGN Daily
Jun 18
3 min read

A tasty mid-week selection of bite-sized chunks of uplifting news.

Ecological Corridor

The Kyrgyz Republic has announced the creation of a vast ecological corridor covering over 3,000 square miles, marking a major step forward in the Central Asian nation's conservation efforts. This new corridor is said to connect existing protected areas, including Khan-Tengri National Park and Naryn Nature Reserve, expanding the total protected landscape to over 4,600 square miles. Among the species benefiting are the snow leopard – classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN – and its prey, such as the Asiatic ibex and argali sheep.

Smoking Bans

Effective 1st July, France will ban smoking in all outdoor places frequented by children (beaches, parks, public gardens, outside schools, bus stops, sports venues), and Spain is moving forward with plans to ban smoking and vaping in bar and restaurant terraces.

Roman Denarii

A hoard of 13 silver coins found in a field in Norfolk, England was probably lost in the wake of the Roman invasion of Britain in AD43, according to a historian. The denarii date from the late 2nd Century BC, in the last tumultuous decades of the Roman republic, to the first Roman emperors and could have been a purse loss. "Of course, we've no way of knowing whose it was, but it could have been lost by one of the invaders," said coin expert Adrian Marsden. "The oldest coin in the hoard dates back to 152BC and has worn smooth over the two centuries it was in use," said Dr Marsden, a numismatist from the Norfolk Historic Environment Service. "This reveals they've got a stable economy, without changes to the denominations, so coins like this can remain in circulation for a long, long time."

Wooden wind turbine blade being manufactured — Credit: Voodin

Wooden Blades

Wooden wind turbine blades are set to transform renewable energy manufacturing, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional metal components. Developed by Senvion and Voodin Blade Technology, these innovative blades promise lower costs, reduced emissions, and potential economic opportunities in green technology.

Another Clever Innovation

NantBioRenewables has developed the world's first carbon-negative compostable meat tray that removes CO2 from the atmosphere during production. NantBioRenewables created this innovative packaging that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere instead of adding to pollution. The company’s Wave Ware compostable meat tray just became a finalist in a major international competition for sustainable packaging. Unlike regular plastic trays that harm the environment, this new tray, made from ocean materials, pulls CO2 out of the air during production.

Radical Improvement

Survival rates from the most common type of childhood cancer have risen dramatically.

Before the 1970s, fewer than 10 percent of children who were diagnosed with leukemia survived for five years after diagnosis - now, in North America and Europe, around 85 percent survive that long. Progress in survival has come from many advances and improvements in treating the disease, with tailored chemotherapy treatments for each patient, targeted radiation, and more.

“O, Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth.” Roman Payne

On This Day

18 June 1983: The first American woman to fly into outer space, Sally Ride, was launched with four other astronauts aboard the space shuttle Challenger.