Today's eclectic global round up of positive news nuggets.
Printed Skin
Scientists at Pennsylvania State University have successfully 3D-printed living human skin tissue directly into open wounds for the first time in history. This bioengineering milestone could pave the way for major developments in reconstructive surgery - or even human hair treatments. Current methods of skin and hair reconstruction - like skin grafts - often result in scars, meaning this discovery could lead to a more seamless treatment for humans.
Unique Opportunity
With its towering dome, St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in London. Soon, some lucky travellers will have a chance to spend the night inside - the first to do so since the St. Paul’s Watch fire brigade took nightly shifts protecting the building during World War II. Airbnb is offering a one-night stay for up to two people on 15 March. The company didn’t share how it will select the overnight guests, but bookings open online on 12 March. The experience will cost just £7 ($8.86). “The recently restored library at St. Paul’s has long been a secret gem of the Cathedral - cleverly concealed by the ingenious architecture of Sir Christopher Wren,” says Sandra Lynes Timbrell, the cathedral’s director of visitor engagement. “Some very fortunate guests will now get the chance to delve deeper into the history and wonder of St. Paul’s with this truly one-of-a-kind stay.”
Cool Colombia
Medellín's Green Corridors is arguably the best urban restoration project in the world right now, says RTBC. Since 2016, 2.5 million plants and 880,000 trees have been planted in 30 'corridors,' reducing pollution and bringing temperatures down by 2°C in a city of 2.5 million people. Other cities are following suit, including Bogotá, Barranquilla, and São Paulo, the largest city in South America.
Art Therapy
Doctors in France are writing "museum prescriptions" as part of care plans for patients with mental health issues and chronic illnesses to help them "find community and feel better." There is "something powerful about the direct confrontation with a piece of art, and that can have benefits on numerous levels," museum therapy advocate Nathalie Bondil said. Several museums agreed to adapt their spaces to meet individual needs, such as displaying art aimed at reducing anxiety.
Return of The Kinga
The Australian saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) was driven to the edge of extinction in the mid-20th century, with an estimated 3,000 individuals left by the 1970s, says Science Direct. Now, after decades of protection, they have achieved 'full recovery,' with an estimated 100,000 individual crocodiles in Australia today.
Message in a Bottle
When it launches in October, the agency’s Europa Clipper spacecraft will carry a richly layered dispatch that includes more than 2.6 million names submitted by the public. The moon shows strong evidence of an ocean under its icy crust, with more than twice the amount of water of all of Earth’s oceans combined. A triangular metal plate on the spacecraft will honor that connection to Earth in several ways. At the heart of the artifact is an engraving of U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s handwritten In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa, along with a silicon microchip stenciled with more than 2.6 million names submitted by the public. The microchip will be the centerpiece of an illustration of a bottle amid the Jovian system - a reference to NASA’s “Message in a Bottle” campaign, which invited the public to send their names with the spacecraft.
“Don’t count the days. Make the days count.” Muhammad Ali
On This Day
12 March 1930: Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian nationalist movement, began the Salt March, a nonviolent protest against British rule that brought him international attention.
Two strangers who look alike, with the same names, found themselves sitting next to each other on a flight. Mark Garland x 2
Mood Booster
Pandemonium ensues when mum goes to gets ice creams, leaving dad in charge.