An eclectic bundle of concise, uplifting news stories.
Hidden Figures
A group of Black women central to NASA's success during the space race and known as the 'Hidden Figures' - the women who inspired a book and a movie - have been honored in a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony on Capitol Hill. "This has been a long time coming," House Speaker Mike Johnson said at the ceremony. "At a time in America when our nation was divided by color and often by gender, these women dared to step into the fields where they had previously been unwelcome." The 'Hidden Figures' were considered crucial to NASA's work from 1930-1970. Three of the women - Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson - were honored posthumously. The fourth woman, Christine Darden was honored for her work as an aeronautical engineer. Johnson credited the women for laying "the very foundation upon which our rockets launched and our astronauts flew and our nation soared."
You Couldn't Make It Up
All-out panda-monium in China. Zoogoers have been left outraged after discovering that the so-called “pandas” they were cooing over were just painted dogs. The duped visitors claimed they only realized the scam at the Shanwei zoo when one of the apparent pandas started panting and barking, according to local media. The zoo initially tried to wash its hands of the sham by bizarrely claiming the animals were a breed of “panda dogs,” says the NYPost. It later came clean, though, and admitted it had just dyed two chow chows - a breed of spitz that is popular in northern China.
Ancient Egyptian Sword
Sword with pharaoh’s mark found in Egypt, still shimmering 3,000 years later. The bronze weapon was unearthed by archaeologists at an ancient fort in the Nile Delta, emblazoned with the cartouche of Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II. It’s a “very striking and a truly remarkable find,” said Elizabeth Frood, an Oxford University Egyptologist who was not involved in the dig. Ramses II, the second-longest ruling pharaoh in Ancient Egypt, reigned from 1279 to 1213 B.C.
Farming Revolution
In September 2022, in an announcement that Earth would be the company’s only shareholder, Patagonia launched the Holdfast Collective, an organization with a mission to preserve wildlands and pursue nature-based climate solutions, fund grassroots environmental organizations, and support politicians working to fight the climate crisis. Since then, the nonprofit has distributed more than $70 million to organizations like the Nature Conservancy. Now, Patagonia’s nonprofit arm just gave $1 million to help revolutionize California’s farms. The funding will help farmers in Ventura County transition away from conventional agriculture - with some of the world's highest concentrations of pesticide use - toward regenerative, organic practices.
Climate Philanthropy: In a remarkable gesture of corporate responsibility, Yvon Chouinard, the owner of multi-billion dollar clothing firm Patagonia has given the company away to help fight climate change.
Tuna Rebounds
The southern bluefin tuna was first listed as threatened under Australia's national environment law in 2010 due to global and recreational fishing driving down population numbers. Effective conservation management over the last decade has resulted in a strong recovery of the population, and last week the species was delisted by Australia's environment ministry, reports DCCEEW.
Back From The Brink
The Florida grasshopper sparrow - the most endangered bird in the US - was near extinction only a few years ago, but conservationists are now celebrating the success of a captive-breeding recovery programme that has doubled the bird’s wild population, from a mere 80 birds five years ago to some 200 today. The next step is getting enough captive-raised birds into the wild to allow the population to become self-sustaining.
“Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.” Christine Caine
On This Day
24 September 1906: Devils Tower in northeastern Wyoming was named the first national monument in the United States.
Today's Articles
How to Absorb More Nutrients: If you can get maximum goodness out of your vegetables your body will thank you for it.
Mood Boosting Video
Naughty! Cheeky chipmunk steals neighbour's acorn supply.