Global collection of upbeat news nuggets to help put a spring in your step.
Galaxies Collide
A brilliant starburst feature shines in the latest remarkable image captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. The space observatory captured a bright burst of star formation triggered by two spiral galaxies crashing into one another. The colliding galaxies, known collectively as Arp 220, generated an infrared glow that contains the light of more than 1 trillion suns. For comparison, the Milky Way galaxy has a luminosity that is the equivalent of about 10 billion suns.
How Big is Earth Compared to The Sun? If you woke up this morning pondering this burning question, you will be pleased to know that we have several answers for you...
White House Breach
Earlier this week, a toddler squeezed through the fencing in front of the White House. The unidentified child got through the metal fence on the north side of the complex, making his way toward the North Lawn while his parents were on Pennsylvania Avenue. “The Secret Service Uniformed Division today encountered a curious young visitor along the White House north fence line who briefly entered White House grounds. The White House security systems instantly triggered Secret Service officers and the toddler and parents were quickly reunited,” Secret Service chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi told The Hill. The White House fencing is roughly 13 feet tall after recently being nearly doubled in height. The toddler is likely the first person to successfully intrude onto White House property since then.
Fast and Cheap
Spain is rapidly outpacing its European neighbours in high-speed rail. Since 2021, EU member states have been obligated to open up their rail markets to foreign competitors - a reform that Spain has embraced wholeheartedly. In a short period, the country has tripled its high-speed operators, leading to increased competition, greater availability of trains and lower prices for travellers. In fact, Spain now has the lowest priced high-speed trains in Europe.
Hybrid Eclipse
Eclipse chasers from all corners of the globe have descended on a tiny Western Australian town to watch the sun disappear behind the moon. About 20,000 people are expected to watch the total solar eclipse from Exmouth, population (normally) about 2,800 – the gateway town to the Ningaloo Reef and its famous whale sharks. It will be a rare hybrid eclipse, lasting about three hours. For about a minute, at 11.29am local time today, the Earth, moon and sun will align perfectly, the moon covering the sun’s disc.
Time for a Toast
Did you know Ancient Romans would sometimes drop a piece of toast into their wine for good health. That’s where we get the idea of “raising a toast.” Sounds soggy. But it sure beats going to the doctor!
Clean Energy Milestone
This year, the world is predicted to pass a critical turning point in renewable energy. Greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector, the largest source of the world's emissions, are expected to fall for the first time, according to a report by London-based think tank Ember. That's despite the fact that the world's demand for electricity is still growing. Emissions are set to fall because expansion in renewable energies such as solar and wind is outstripping that growth in demand. It's a crucial moment in the effort to tackle climate change. "This marks the point where power sector emissions stop rising," says Ember. For details, see End of The Fossil Age.
"There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still."
Franklin D. Roosevelt
On this Day
20 April 1862: First pasteurization test completed by Frenchman Louis Pasteur - his discoveries revolutionized medicine and continue to save the lives of millions today.
Romans (40,000 of them) landed here in AD43, and built a defensive lookout fort which has just been reconstructed. English Heritage...
Professor Tim Spector, the epidemiologist celebrated for his work on diet and the microbiome, advises on the best foods for a healthy gut. Top 8...
Mood Booster
Inquisitive young wild Arctic Fox gets up close and personal with a photographer in Greenland.