Today's Positive News

Editor OGN Daily
3 minutes ago
4 min read

Wednesday's bite-sized chunks of positive news to perk up the day.

Yab Yum Sinkhole

"This very unique cave, Yab Yum, is the largest water-filled sinkhole ever documented, close to 100 in diameter and more than 70m deep," says Alex Dawson, a finalist in the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025, about his photo in Mexico. "You hit the saltwater at around 15m depth. The stalactites and stalagmites in this enormous space are huge. To reach Yab Yum, you must first drive deep into the jungle on dirt roads, followed by about 40 minutes on off-road trails that are accessible only by large-wheel 4x4 vehicles. Then finally, you need to carry all your diving gear through dense jungle, and after that, it's a 60-minute cave dive to get to this unique location."

Andy Evans wearing RayBan and Meta’s AI glasses — Credit: Andy Evans

"Life Changing"

A blind man was able to return to work thanks to RayBan and Meta’s “life-changing” AI glasses. Sight loss forced 57-year-old Andy Evans to leave his job working nights at a supermarket. After a year of unemployment due to registered blindness, RayBan and Meta’s AI glasses have been “life-changing,” allowing him to return to work. The glasses have a tiny camera in their frame and speakers in the arms, and are voice-activated by the wearer. Evans also uses a white cane, but says the glasses have given him a “much better quality of life.” He’s been able to order food in a restaurant and have the glasses tell him what obstacles are in front of him.

a miniature 10th-century gaming piece depicting a viking man with an imperial moustache — Credit: Roberto Fortuna | National Museum of Denmark

First 'Portrait'?

Denmark's National Museum has unveiled what it described as the first "portrait" of a Viking: a miniature 10th-century gaming piece depicting a man with an imperial moustache, braided beard and neatly-groomed hairstyle. Carved out of ivory walrus tusk, the partially damaged representation of a head and torso measures just 1.2 inches. "If you think of Vikings as savage or wild, this figure is proving the opposite, actually. He is very well-groomed," says curator Peter Pentz. "He has a center parting up to the top of his head, and then in the neck his hair is cut." He has a side wave that leaves the ear visible and, in addition to a large moustache and long, braided goatee, he has sideburns. During the Viking era, beautiful hair was a sign of wealth and status, Pentz explained. "He could be the king himself, King Harald Bluetooth."

Mexican jaguar hunting in the jungle — Good news from Mexico

"Encouraging"

Mexico's jaguar population has increased significantly in recent years, reports Reuters. The 2024 population stood at 5,326 jaguars, 30 percent more than in 2010, when Mexico labeled them an endangered species, according to the National Alliance for Jaguar Conservation, describing it as a "surprising and encouraging" result. Larger protected areas have helped jaguars move around more freely, spurring population growth. However, jaguar populations will still require 15 to 30 years of steady growth to be out of danger of extinction. The report said it would take more than three decades to bring the population to 8,000.

'The Fountain Bridge'

In Miami, the most “complex bridge in the world,” has passed the midway point of completion, with 3 of its 6 arches now firmly in place. Known as 'The Fountain Bridge', the arches are inspired by streams of water the lead developer saw in a Barcelona fountain. “This is the most complex design-build segmental bridge, honestly, in the world,” says the business development director for the firm responsible for precasting. “We’ve never encountered something of this magnitude. As complex as it looks from afar, you can multiply that by ten,” when viewed close up.

Smartphone Ban

South Korea has become the latest nation to outlaw smartphones in school, amid growing evidence of a link between early use and poor mental health. The country’s government has passed a bill outlawing the devices in schools. It comes after research from the Netherlands suggested that its ban on smartphones in school has made students more sociable, improved their focus and boosted academic performance.

Unexpected Consequences

The US government’s anti-EV stance is having unexpected consequences, as sub-$100 leases pull new drivers into US EV market, reports Bloomberg. Automakers are slashing prices to lock in sales, creating a rush that could accelerate adoption, expand the used-EV pipeline, and sustain market momentum beyond subsidies. Meanwhile, worldwide electric vehicle sales jumped 27 percent through July driven largely by demand in China and Europe. Expect Chinese demand, in particular, to continue increasing thanks to innovations like BYD's chargers that can fully recharge your car in five minutes (yes, really).

“Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed towards the sun, one’s feet moving forward.” Nelson Mandela