Today's Good News
Wrapping up the week with today's global collection of upbeat news nuggets.
Spectacled Tyrant
This gorgeous image was snapped in Los Ríos, Chile, and was one of the winners of the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards. Here's what the photographer said: “Spring is the best time to observe the spectacled tyrant in Chile, when they migrate from farther north in South America. The males arrive first, followed a few weeks later by the females, who come to watch the magnificent acrobatic leaps the males perform to capture their attention. The females hop from bush to bush, searching for the best vantage point from which to observe and select a mate. Paying close attention to this behavior can yield unique moments like this one: a female spectacled tyrant at the exact moment of takeoff from a bush, spreading her wings and displaying her intense rust-colored plumage.”
Glastonbury 2027
Even though the headliners for next year's festival have not yet been confirmed, the first batch of tickets for Glastonbury Festival have sold out in less than 30 minutes, according to the organisers. The event will take place from 23-27 June 2027 at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, after a fallow year in 2026. Coach tickets have now sold out after less than half an hour, after going on sale at 18:00 BST. General admission tickets go on sale at 09:00 BST on Sunday morning.
Taking a Stance
Germany has become the world’s third country to present a solid plan for phasing out fossil fuels, following France and the Netherlands. It now has a deadline of 2045.
Gamble Pays Off
A marble sculpture bought at a reclamation yard for £300 is expected to fetch as much as £100,000 at auction after being identified as the work of a celebrated Italian master sculptor. The 290-year-old Italian marble maquette, depicting Pope Clement XII Corsini, was discovered by a keen-eyed builder at a salvage yard in Wiltshire, England, who suspected the piece might be special, and his modest gamble is now set to yield a significant return. The work, which stands 26 inches (just over two foot) tall, was produced by Italian Baroque master Pietro Bracci, who is famous for sculpting the central figure of Rome's iconic Trevi Fountain. He sculpted the Pope maquette as a preparatory model for a monumental bronze figure that once stood in the Great Hall of the Palazzo Nuovo on Rome's Capitoline. Because the original statue no longer exists, this piece is believed to be the only surviving maquette, making it both important and rare.
Gene-Edited Bananas
Bananas bred to resist browning could expand to more supermarket shelves after passing a major regulatory review last week in the UK. The innovation could significantly reduce food waste. Unlike traditional genetic modification, this gene editing does not introduce DNA from foreign species and could occur naturally. The modified bananas have received regulatory approval in 10 other countries, including the US, where they are slated to launch commercially this year. Speaking of which...
Single Banana Experiment: Researchers show how sad signs featuring single bananas can inspire customers to rescue overlooked produce and promote sustainability.
Note For Diary
The Draconids are the perfect meteor shower for anyone disinclined to stay up all night stargazing, because more meteors are visible just after sunset than there are in the wee hours of the morning. They will peak on 9 October, so look to the northern sky just after sunset to see them. The Draconids’ radiant point, the spot where the meteors appear to be coming from, is in the constellation Draco, hence the shower’s high fantasy moniker. Experts say that this year's shower may be particularly good. Fingers crossed!
Space Rocks: What's What? Meteor, asteroid, comet, fireball: what’s the difference? Know your meteorite from your meteoroid with OGN's simple handy guide.
Five Trailblazers
Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada has five special new inhabitants: one caribou bull and four caribou calves. The group is particularly exciting because they were raised through the first conservation breeding program for caribou in North America. When Parks Canada released them, they became the breeding program’s first release back into nature. “The four yearlings (calves born last year) and one adult bull are the first animals raised through the program to take this important step,” the park writes on social media. “Since returning to the wild, they have been exploring the Tonquin Valley, crossing creeks, navigating new terrain and travelling through their summer range. They have also joined groups of wild caribou, an encouraging sign as they continue adapting to life in the wild.”
"The Last Dance" Shirt
Michael Jordan is still breaking records 23 years (a serendipitous figure) after he left the court. His Airness’s game-worn jersey from Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals has hammered down for $12.26 million this week via Pharrell’s Joopiter digital marketplace and auction house. The garb is now the most expensive game-worn NBA jersey to ever be sold at auction, surpassing Jordan’s $10.1 million Game 1 shirt from the same championship for that title. As for the most expensive sports jersey ever sold at auction, that accolade belongs to another GOAT. Babe Ruth’s iconic “called shot” jersey from the 1932 World Series hammered down for a pretty $24.12 million back in 2024.
"Never doubt the courage of the French. They were the ones who discovered that snails are edible." Doug Larson
On This Day
2 October 1836: After five years at sea, Charles Darwin (now aged 27) returns to England aboard HMS Beagle. The vast collection of geological and biological specimens he gathered- including observations from South America and the Galapagos Islands - directly shaped his theory of evolution by natural selection, published in his 1859 masterpiece, On the Origin of Species.
Today's Articles
Shift in Priorities: Refreshingly positive study says there's a good reason why aging brains might forget smaller details.
‘Almost Mythical’: Amazing private art collection of Impressionist and modern masterpieces likely to sell for half a billion dollars.
Era of 24/7 Solar: Battery storage is turning solar power into all-hours electricity; experts say the “era of anytime solar has begun.”
Hilarious Signs: Everyone loves a good laugh, either at the expense of others or themselves (but usually others).
Mood Boosting Video
Premieres Today: National Geographic's Inside Africa: Earth's Wild Home.
