Rounding off October with some tasty bite-sized chunks of positive news.
Arctic Cowboys
Described as one of the last great ‘firsts', the passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific through the Canadian Arctic was, for the first time ever, rowed by an expedition of 3 men and 1 woman. The team, who called themselves the Arctic Cowboys, set off in July and also became the first to make the crossing with kayaks in a single season, with the team needing just 83 wet, frigid, and largely gruelling days to complete the journey of 1,600 miles. It was led by Texan 62-year-old West Hansen, an intepid endurance kayaker and adventurer. He once paddled the entire 4,000 mile path of the Amazon River from source to sea, a feat he replicated on the Volga years later. Both experiences informed his organizing of this expedition.
One Good Turn...
One rainy day in Bedfordshire, England, Peter Richards and his wife noticed a pair of lads shivering under the eaves of their country cottage after getting a soaking. Inviting them inside to dry off and have some tea, one of the two young men would eventually give Richards a ceramic sculpture of a black and white cat, which looked similar to their pet “Moggy” at the time, as a way of repaying the kindness from that day. Now, that sculpture has sold for a small fortune (£100,000 / $121,000), because its maker was none other than Sir David Hockney, the most celebrated English artist of the 20th century. As they say, one good turn deserves another!
Climate Museum
If you're in the New York area, a free exhibition, The End of Fossil Fuel, is on at the NYC Climate Museum until at least December. It's the first US museum dedicated to climate issues.
Snooze Button
A new study has found that delaying getting up could boost people's cognitive performance and have little overall effect on their mood and sleepiness. Researchers "have long wondered whether snoozing affects wakefulness or sleep quality," New Scientist noted, which prompted researchers from Stockholm University to look into the effects. The results were "surprisingly" positive, Forbes reported; participants who slept in "exhibited improved memory functioning and solved simple addition questions faster in cognitive tests than participants who did not use the snooze button." Their performance was heightened immediately after waking up, and tapered off when measured again 40 minutes later. Dr. Tina Sundelin, a study author, said those who regularly delay getting up should feel free to continue doing so "if you enjoy it."
Foods to Eat for a Good Night's Sleep: The brain depends on a complex array of nutrients to ensure peaceful, uninterrupted slumber. If you’re struggling to fall asleep, or to stay asleep, here are seven foods that you should eat 1 to 4 hours before bed to sleep more soundly...
Special Moment
A Philippine spotted deer, one of the world’s rarest animals, has been born to the delight of conservationists at Chester Zoo in England. The fawn was born in September and now stands 12 inches tall (30cm), and has taken his first steps outdoors in his new enclosure alongside his doting parents. As part of a special breeding program, the birth is said to provide a much-needed boost to an ultra-rare species classified as ‘highly endangered’ in the wild. The tiny new arrival is part of conservation efforts between zoos in Europe, set up at the request of the Philippine government to ensure future survival of the species.
New Poppy
The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal 2023 is launching a new poppy - the first redesign of the historic symbol for a generation. It will be plastic-free and recyclable for the first time this year in a move to reduce single-use plastics. The annual campaign calls for the British public to wear a poppy as a show of solidarity towards the armed forces community in the lead up to Remembrance Sunday, which falls on November 12 this year.
Egyptian Sun
Egypt has completed a massive solar farm that can power one million households. The Benban Solar Farm, near Aswan, is now the largest solar park in Africa and the fourth largest solar farm globally, says CleanTechnica. At least 20,000 jobs were created for the construction of the park and 6,000 permanent jobs were created for maintenance and management.
“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Thomas Edison
On This Day
31 October 1941: After nearly 15 years of work, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota was completed; the colossal sculpture features the heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Mood Booster
Disappearing Act: Animals that change colour when it snows.