Tuesday's Positive News

Editor OGN Daily
Sep 16
3 min read

Some tasty bite-sized chunks of positive news to brighten the day.

Ring-tailed Lemur

Our world is vibrant and colourful, but seeing it in black and white can offer a new perspective. The striking images from the 2025 Black and White Photo Awards stun with scenes of majestic wildlife, riveting landscapes, and intriguing stories about life on Earth. “Our mission is to celebrate the timeless power of black-and-white photography,” say the competition’s organizers. “This year’s winners remind us that monochrome has the capacity to illuminate not only form and light, but also the most urgent human stories.”

Boredom is Essential

So says Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks. “You need to be bored. You will have less meaning and you will be more depressed if you never are bored,” he says in a widely shared video. He argues that moments of boredom serve an important purpose by activating the brain’s “default mode network.” This network promotes creativity and self-reflection, so that we can grapple with deeper questions about purpose. Constant digital distractions often shut down those trains of thought, which can (spoiler alert) make us more anxious and less satisfied as a result. Inspired to be bored? Get Brooks’ pro tips for embracing more boredom in your life.

Ireland’s Progress

From postwar poverty to one of Europe’s most prosperous and progressive societies, Ireland’s transformation over the past 70 years is nothing short of staggering, writes Vox. Life expectancy has climbed from 70 to 83 years; infant mortality has plummeted; and gross national income (GNI) per capita has risen from $2,000 to $60,000. Emigration has flipped to immigration, and half the population now holds a university degree.

a Columbian white-tailed deer — No longer endangered

Conservation Success

The Columbian white-tailed deer, native to the Pacific Northwest, has rebounded so successfully that federal officials are now recommending removing it from the endangered species list. After decades of collaboration between federal, state, tribal, and local partners, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has now determined the population has met the recovery plan’s criteria and no longer requires federal protection. “It’s incredibly exciting to see the deer reach this milestone,” says the USFWS. "This effort shows what’s possible when we work together to recover a species.”

Using data without consent

Privacy Ruling

Federal appeals court upholds $46.9m fine against Verizon for sharing customers’ real-time location data without their consent, rejecting the company’s argument that such practices were legal. Decision confirms that the FCC has broad authority to regulate wireless carriers and enforce privacy protections, marking another major victory for consumer advocates.

African Health

At the recent Tokyo International Conference on African Development, Japan committed up to US$550 million over five years to Gavi’s 2026 - 30 program. Coming on top of the US$9 billion already pledged earlier this year, it puts Gavi (the global vaccine alliance) on target for its goal of vaccinating half a billion children by 2030 well within reach.

Meteoric Rise

The world’s fastest growing source of energy has continued its “gravity defying” ascent in 2025, according to a report from independent think-tank Ember. Global solar installations surged by 64 percent in the first half of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. The growth was led by China, but India also deployed near-record amounts of solar, while Africa saw the technology begin to “take-off”. “These latest numbers on solar deployment in 2025 defy gravity, with annual solar installations continuing their sharp rise,” says an energy analyst at Ember.

"When you start a new trail equipped with courage, strength, and conviction, the only thing that can stop you is you." Ruby Bridges

On This Day

15 September 1835: HMS Beagle, with Charles Darwin on board, reaches the Galápagos Islands. After returning to England, Darwin began developing his ideas about evolution. He married his cousin Emma Wedgwood in 1839, and they had ten children. Darwin worked on his theory for over 20 years, gathering evidence to support it. On the Origin of Species was published in 1859.