Ensuring the day gets off to a bright start with a global collection of upbeat news stories.
Hygge to Hollywood
Since returning to the presidency last month, Donald Trump has called for Canada to become the 51st US state, suggested he might take over the Panama Canal, floated US ownership of Gaza - and tried to buy Greenland. Now, Denmark - which owns Greenland - is clapping back.
More than 200,000 Danes have signed a satirical petition to buy California from the US. “Have you ever looked at a map and thought, ‘You know what Denmark needs? More sunshine, palm trees, and roller skates.’ Well, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality,” the petition reads. “Let’s buy California from Donald Trump!” It continues: “We’ll bring hygge to Hollywood, bike lanes to Beverly Hills and organic smørrebrød to every street corner. Rule of law, universal healthcare and fact-based politics might apply.”
Einstein Ring
Europe’s Euclid space telescope has detected a rare halo of bright light around a nearby galaxy. The halo, known as an Einstein ring, encircles a galaxy 590 million light-years away, considered close by cosmic standards. A light-year is 5.8 trillion miles. Astronomers have known about this galaxy for more than a century and so were surprised when Euclid revealed the bright glowing ring. An Einstein ring is light from a much more distant galaxy that bends in such a way as to perfectly encircle a closer object, in this case a well-known galaxy in the constellation Draco. The faraway galaxy creating the ring is more than 4 billion light-years away. Gravity distorted the light from this more distant galaxy, thus the name honoring Albert Einstein. The process is known as gravitational lensing.
Time For a Change?
If you’re feeling inspired to not use Google for web searches anymore, you're not alone. There are other options. Like one that plants trees or the one that funds biodiversity efforts.
Conservationists Rejoice
Scientists have for the first time in 185 years confirmed the presence of the Asian small-clawed otter in Nepal, thrilling conservationists and researchers looking for clues to its existence here. The last time the Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus), the smallest of the world’s 13 known otter species, was recorded by scientists in Nepal was in 1839. “After years of speculation about its presence in Nepal, we can finally confirm that the small-clawed otter lives on in the country,” said Mohan Bikram Shrestha.
Strange But True
Spurned lovers can enact a unique form of revenge on their exes this Valentine's Day, thanks to Memphis Zoo's "Dating or Dumping" promotion. The offer "allows followers to exchange a donation of $10 for a video" to mark the occasion, said UPI, with a choice of either a cute panda eating a grape… or an elephant pooping. "This Valentine's, let an elephant do the talking and name a turd after a turd," the zoo said in a post on social media.
Women's Sports
Two professional women’s sports organizations are building the world’s first-ever dual-sport training facility in Oregon. With the goal of being “the global epicenter of women’s sport,” the NWSL’s Portland Thorns FC and the new Portland WNBA franchise just announced a groundbreaking training facility - the first in the world to serve two professional women’s sports. Situated on 12 acres, it will feature a 63,000-square-foot training facility, two full-sized soccer pitches, and a strength training facility. Notably, the facility will also limit its environmental impact by repurposing an existing complex previously occupied by Nike. Investment of this caliber in women’s sports and athletics has been severely lacking. Women athletes are competing at the highest level - and should see the same investment in their skills, health, and safety as men. We’ve seen encouraging momentum - and it’s continuing.
Satellite Interference
Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite dishes were designed to bring high-speed internet to remote areas, but it seems they’ve found an unexpected secondary use - luxury heated cat beds! Thanks to their built-in warming feature that prevents snow buildup, these $500 dishes have become prime real estate for outdoor cats looking to stay warm in the winter. X user Aaron Taylor recently shared a photo of five cats huddled together on his Starlink dish, soaking up the warmth like it was a feline spa. While the dish still functioned, Taylor noted that his internet slowed down due to the furry interference.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
On This Day
13 February 1982: Pink Floyd's album Dark Side of the Moon marks 402 weeks on Billboard Top 200 Album charts. It went on to achieve 990 weeks and is the fourth best selling album of all time.
Today's Articles
Still Making History: A 500 year old Leonardo da Vinci sketch has now revealed secret castle tunnels in Milan.
Healthy Sweet Treat: Craving a sweet treat? Dates offer multiple health benefits as well as satisfying your sweet-tooth craving.
Mood Boosting Video
Only Snow and Ice: Two novices discover how they build Sweden's luxurious Ice Hotel.