Tasty bite-sized chunks of upbeat news to help brighten the day.
Heat Pump Satisfaction
More than 80 percent of Britain's households that have replaced their gas boilers with an electric heat pump are satisfied with their new heating system, according to the first major survey of heat pump users. Satisfaction levels were similar between respondents who installed a heat pump in a new-build home or in older properties, at more than 80 percent, despite persistent concerns that heat pumps are only effective in modern buildings. The survey of more than 2,500 domestic heat pump owners in England, Scotland and Wales over the last winter is thought to be the largest investigation into how households have responded to heat pumps to date, and the 'myth-busting' results have to be good news for the UK’s fight against climate change.
Cancer Breakthrough
A daily pill slashes the risk of dying from lung cancer by 51 percent, according to “thrilling” and “unprecedented” results from a decade-long global study. The results, which were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting in Chicago, showed that taking the drug osimertinib after surgery dramatically reduced the risk of death. “Thirty years ago, there was nothing we could do for these patients,” said Dr Roy Herbst, the deputy director of Yale Cancer Center and lead author of the study. “Now we have this potent drug.”
Memorabilia
Star Wars fans now have a chance to own one of the series’ most iconic costumes: the white gown Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) wore during the final scene of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977). The white dress is expected to fetch between $1 million and $2 million, with a starting bid of $500,000, according to Propstore, which is auctioning the dress as part of a larger sale of entertainment memorabilia in late June.
Backronym
House Bill 567, also known as The Texas CROWN Act, has been signed into law by the Governor. The CROWN Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, prohibits discrimination on the basis of hair texture or hairstyle. Don't you just love a snappy acronym?
Congress Loves Snappy Acronyms: These naming devices can seem silly and contrived, especially when compared with the general soberness of Washington policy making. Yet congressional 'backronyms' have been on the rise for years - and currently account for around 10 percent of new bills. More...
Retro Camper
Since the ID. Buzz's debut as a concept so many years ago, the most anticipated part of the new electric Microbus - at least for North Americans - has been its return to the continent from which new Volkswagen vans and camper vans disappeared 20 years ago. Americans waited patiently while the adorably retro electric van launched in Europe, but now it's their time. The all-new long-wheelbase ID. Buzz brings three rows of seating, all-wheel drive and the latest in VW tech, promising to become the most stylish, enviable and clean-riding minivan (and camper van) on US and Canadian roadways.
Strange But True
A company in Japan is offering lessons for people who forgot how to smile when they wore masks during the Covid pandemic. Egaoiku - which means “Smile Education” - is enjoying a four-fold increase in demand for smiling classes, including one-on-one sessions that cost 7,700 yen (£44 / $55).
“I’m telling you there is hope. I have seen it, but it does not come from the governments or corporations. It comes from the people.” Greta Thunberg
On this Day
6 June 1892: Chicago's elevated Loop train line (commonly known as the “L”) began operating, and it became one of the longest mass transit systems in the United States.
The world’s only all-white panda has been recorded on camera at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China. Unique...
Mood Booster
Amazing Rainstorm Timelapse: It's how you might imagine a tsunami from heaven.