Today's Good News
What better way to start the day than with a global collection of upbeat news nuggets?
Genius Grant
Chip Thomas is known for his large-scale murals depicting Navajo people, which can be found on abandoned buildings, grain silos, and other roadside structures. His artistic practice grew alongside his 36-year career as a primary care physician on the Navajo Nation. Now, the Arizona-based public artist has been named one of the 2026 MacArthur Fellows, and has been awarded the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s prestigious 'Genius Grant' of $800,000. The grant is awarded to artists in the U.S. who show “extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction.” The awards go to roughly 20 to 30 people each year working across many disciplines, including art, science, and social justice.
Woof
The annual Dog Photography Awards, which celebrates the talents of international photographers and their canine companions, have chosen their 2026 winners amid stiff - and very lovable - competition. “From heartwarming portraits to action-packed scenes, our diverse range of categories offers photographers the opportunity to showcase their talent and passion for the art of dog photography,” the competition’s website reads. “Whether you’re drawn to the bond between dogs and their human counterparts, the sophisticated studio settings or documenting dogs’ lives, you’ll find a category that speaks to your vision and creativity.”
Hilarious Place Names
A new survey has revealed Britain’s rudest place and street names. Top spot went to Sluts Hole Lane, in Norfolk; other standouts included Cocks, in Cornwall; Twatt (Orkney); Titty Ho (Northants); Wetwang and Slack Bottom (both in Yorkshire); Sandy Balls (New Forest); Butthole Lane (Leicestershire); Shitterton (Dorset); and Minge Lane (Worcestershire).
Armchair Travel
Click and watch livestream cameras from around the globe. Take a look.
Human-Tower Season
As autumn approaches in Spain, teams at festivals and competitions can be found forming spectacular human towers (castells) up to nine levels tall. The Catalan tradition is believed to have originated among local dance groups at the end of the 18th century. The traditional setting is the square in front of the town hall balcony. The human towers are formed by castellers standing on the shoulders of one another in a succession of stages (between six and ten). Each level of the tronc, the name given to the second level upwards, generally comprises two to five heavier built men supporting younger, lighter-weight boys or girls. The pom de dalt - the three uppermost levels of the tower - comprises young children. Anyone is welcome to form the pinya, the throng that supports the base of the tower. Before, during and after the performance, musicians play a variety of traditional melodies on a wind instrument known as a gralla, setting the rhythm to which the tower is built.
Free to Visit
After months of discussions between UK ministries, the tourism sector, and London’s museums, the government has decided that the country’s national museums will remain free to international visitors. These 14 institutions include such renowned museums as the National Gallery, the British Museum, and the Natural History Museum among others, which together attract tens of millions of visitors every year.
The World’s Most Visited Museums: The results are in for 2025 - and some of the museums may surprise you.
Dolly's Hotel
Dolly Parton’s Nashville hotel, the SongTeller, had its grand opening this week, an occasion marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and confetti butterflies, of course. The 12-story hotel features 245 music-themed rooms, two live music venues, and Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum. And there’s no shortage of bright colors, sparkles, and rhinestones, just as Dolly would have wanted.
Under Half
Gasoline-only cars are now a minority of the world’s new car sales, making up 49 percent of global new-vehicle sales in the first half of 2026, down from 73 percent in 2021, according to Mobility Global data. It’s the first time on record that they’ve been under half. It's welcome news, but there’s a catch: most of the cars taking their place still have a gas tank. Whilst battery-electric vehicles grew to 17 percent of the global market and conventional hybrids grew to 18 percent, the rest (diesel and plug-in hybrid) made up the difference.
“I wish you all the joy that you can wish." Gratiano to Bassanio and Portia in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
On This Day
9 October 1929: Part of the lost Piri Reis World Map, compiled by Ottoman general Piri Reis in 1513, is rediscovered in the Topkapi Palace Library in Istanbul; only about one-third of the original world map survives, but it is the earliest known map of the voyages of Christopher Columbus. Piri Reis noted on the margins that his sources included roughly 20 charts, including a lost navigational chart drawn or supervised by Christopher Columbus covering the western lands and Caribbean.
Today's Articles
Type 01: Revealed in NYC this week, Jaguar is betting the company on its radical all-electric grand tourer.
Daring to Imagine: A century ago, various deep thinkers had a go at predicting what life would be like today. And proved to be weirdly accurate.
This May Surprise You: World's largest national park is 100 times larger than Yellowstone and home to the world's deadliest bear. Any guesses?
Mood Boosting Video
Remarkable Journey: Brit adventurer arrives back on UK soil after 28 years walking and swimming around the world.
