Upbeat News Monday
- Editor OGN Daily
- 13 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Ensuring the final Monday before Christmas gets off to a bright start with today's eclectic global collection of upbeat news stories.
Lachryphagy
Laurence Clarfeld was sifting through images captured by a trail camera in Vermont when he came across a photo that stopped him in his tracks. Clarfeld, an environmental scientist at the University of Vermont, knew he was looking at a moose. But, beyond that, he was totally perplexed. “It almost looked like the moose had two [additional] eyes,” he told Scientific American. When he flipped through more photos in the sequence, Clarfeld finally understood what he was seeing: Moths were sipping tears straight from the ungulate’s eyes. Scientists have observed this unusual phenomenon, known as lachryphagy, among other types of animals. But, as far as anyone knows, the photos represent the first documented evidence of moths drinking moose tears.
968 AD
“At the winter solstice there was an eclipse of the Sun such as has never happened before,” wrote Leo the Deacon in the earliest account of the solar corona that can be definitely linked to a datable eclipse. “Everyone could see the disk of the Sun without brightness, deprived of light, and a certain dull and feeble glow, like a narrow headband, shining round the extreme parts of the edge of the disk.”
The Oscars Go To...
The Academy Awards will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, the latest big change in Hollywood. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says that it signed a multi-year deal that will give YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033 - ending the deal with ABC which has aired the awards for a half a century.
Overnight Trains
Night train travel in Europe is getting yet another boost, with a new route linking Amsterdam and Brussels with Milan slated for summer 2026. European Sleeper is already on track to launch its Paris-Berlin route in March. “After Paris - Berlin, this new night train to Switzerland and Milan is our next step in building a real north-south backbone for travellers in Europe, city centre to city centre, while you sleep.” Of course, these initiatives are all about comfortable, low-impact alternatives to short-haul flying.
New High-Speed Network: Plans to connect 39 European stations by a high-speed rail network have been revealed.
Which is Which?
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Actor Idris Elba has said it is “surreal” to have his likeness made into a waxwork at Madame Tussauds in London. The 53-year-old’s waxwork is kitted out in a long-sleeve version of the suit that he wore to meet the King in July 2024. The Hackney-born actor said it was “amazing” to see himself in the London attraction. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016 for his services to drama by Queen Elizabeth II. Elba’s waxwork stands in the attraction’s awards party zone, joining figures such as Gillian Anderson, Timothee Chalamet, Harry Styles, Zendaya and Lady Gaga.
Power on The Moon
A future lunar lander bound for the dark side of the moon will carry along a piece of equipment that could make these missions a little bit brighter. The lander in question is operated by Firefly Aerospace, the first commercial company to successfully land and operate spacecraft on the moon. A LightPort wireless power receiver will be mounted atop the Firefly Blue Ghost lander’s upper deck. Developed by Canadian aerospace startup Volta Space Technologies, the cargo plays a key role in Volta’s ultimate goal: establishing a network of satellites that can wirelessly beam solar power to spacecraft on the lunar surface. Their bet is one of several rapidly emerging efforts to prop up a functioning “power grid” on the moon - an essential step toward conducting longer lunar expeditions and, one-day, creating viable human habitats.
EV Fast Lane
The global electric vehicle (EV) market shifted up a gear in 2025, according to energy think tank Ember, which has revealed that a quarter of all cars sold this year were electric. Much of the growth has been driven by EV uptake in emerging markets where, until recently, adoption has been slow off the mark. Ember said that its analysis shows that “the EV race has truly gone worldwide.” Ember’s electricity and data analyst, Euan Graham, says: “In 2025, the centre of gravity has moved. Emerging markets are no longer catching up, they are leading the shift to electric mobility.”
"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?" Bob Hope
On This Day
22 December 1989: The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin was reopened as East and West Germany continued moving toward reunification. Berliners had been unable to use the gate since 1961, when the newly built Berlin Wall blocked access to it.
Today's Articles
Are You a Storyteller? Companies are increasingly looking to hire storytellers in order to better engage with customers.
Self-Sufficient: The only country in the world that produces all the food it needs across all of the seven vital food categories. Any guesses?
Lovely Quotes About Snow: Some are insightful, some are funny, some are inspirational - and all are short.
Mood Boosting Video
'The Letter': An old postman makes a Christmas wish come true.