Monday's Uplifting News

Editor OGN Daily
May 20, 2024
4 min read

What better way to start the week than with a global round up of positive news?

Upside Down Tree

Scientists have solved the mystery of the origins of ancient baobab trees. According to DNA studies, the remarkable looking trees first arose in Madagascar 21 million years ago. Their seeds were later carried on ocean currents to Australia and also to mainland Africa, evolving into distinct species. Baobabs are known as "the tree of life" or "upside down tree" for their strange shapes and longevity. Dr Ilia Leitch, of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, worked on the study, told the BBC: "We have been able to pinpoint the origin of baobabs, which are an iconic keystone species supporting a wide diversity of animals and plants as well as humans. And the data have enabled us to provide important new insights which will inform their conservation to safeguard their future."

Power of Olive Oil

Consuming more olive oil lowers the probability of dying from dementia, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found. The team analyzed the diets of 92,383 health care professionals over 28 years and determined that consuming at least half a tablespoon of olive oil per day is associated with a 28 percent lower risk of dementia-related death, compared with those who never or rarely consume the oil.

Stone with ogham alphabet carvings — The stone has inscriptions on three sides | Herbert Art Gallery and Museum

Ever Heard of Ogham?

One Spring day, a geography teacher was pulling weeds in his garden in Coventry, England, when he unearthed a rock with some unusual markings. He didn’t know exactly what he’d stumbled upon, but he thought it might be something noteworthy. He was right. The rock was covered in 1,600-year-old markings from an early medieval alphabet known as ogham - it consists of groupings of parallel lines, and was used to write an early version of the Irish language beginning around the fourth century. These markings were usually inscribed in materials such as stone. Despite identifying the language, experts are unable to decipher the markings.

Oleksandr Usyk wins WBC — Oleksandr Usyk

National Psyche Boost

People all across Ukraine are celebrating the news of Oleksandr Usyk’s win over Tyson Fury to become the first undisputed world heavyweight champion this century after his victory in the early hours of Sunday. The win brought war-weary Ukrainians a rare and very welcome moment of victory and celebration. Usyk said his triumph did not belong to him alone.“It’s for my God, my supporters, my country, the Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian mothers and fathers, children,” he said. Even those who are more lukewarm about boxing acknowledged the psychological and propaganda advantages of the win, says The Guardian.

Impressive Comeback

Twenty years after the last member of the invasive rat population was eradicated, Tromelin Island, a small teardrop of scrubby sand near Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, is a thriving seabird paradise once again. The island is home to thousands of breeding pairs from seven different bird species, including white terns and brown noddies, which hadn't been documented breeding on the island since 1856.

What Are The Odds?

Observers watching the eruption of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala last month were treated to an unexpectedly dazzling show when lightning appeared to strike the active volcano. Videos of the scene have been making the rounds online, including one posted with the caption: “What are the odds?” As it turns out, the odds are pretty good. Any erupting volcano has the potential to produce its own lightning, thanks to the principles of physics. When volcanoes erupt, they spew gasses, lava, rocks and ash into the air. The ash particles collide with each other and generate static electricity, which can produce lightning.

Statue of Leonardo da Vinci — Leonardo da Vinci.

Hollywood Beckons

Leonardo da Vinci is getting the Hollywood treatment: The Italian Renaissance artist, who lived during the late 15th and early 16th centuries, will be the subject of a forthcoming biopic from Universal Pictures. The film will be based on Walter Isaacson’s 2017 biography of Leonardo, a sprawling tome based largely on the polymath’s notebooks. This film will be Universal’s second big-screen adaptation of an Isaacson book: In 2015, the studio released Steve Jobs, which is based on the author’s 2011 biography.

"There's great value in being able to step back and laugh at yourself, at life, and at attitudes. Laughter helps you put everything into perspective." Jim Henson

On This Day

President Abraham Lincoln signing the Homestead Act

20 May 1862: U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, which provided 160 acres of public land virtually free of charge to those who had lived on and cultivated the land for at least five years.