Mid-week selection of positive news stories from around the world.
Aurorae Winner
This is just one of the fabulous images from this year's Astronomy Photographer of the Year awards. A beautiful aurora australis captured over the mountains of Queenstown, New Zealand won the Aurorae category. If you would like to view all the winners and runners up, please click here.
Time For a Test
Would you like to find out if you would pass the US citizenship test?
NZ Bird of The Year
It’s noisy, smelly, shy - and New Zealand’s bird of the year. The hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, won the country’s fiercely fought avian election on Monday, offering hope to supporters of the endangered bird that recognition from its victory might prompt a revival of the species. The hoiho - its name means “noise shouter” in the Māori language - is a shy bird thought to be the world’s rarest penguin. Only found on New Zealand’s South and Chatham islands - and on subantarctic islands south of the country.
England's Northern Forest
In 2023 alone, more than 1.9 million trees were planted across northern England - the most in a single year as part of a reforestation project to boost woodland cover in the region. When complete, the Northern Forest project will have planted 50 million trees from coast to coast. Since 2018, nearly 8 million trees total have been planted. At the time the project started tree cover was just 7.6 percent - much lower than the 13 percentage national average.
Peru Land Titles
In a defining moment for the rights of Indigenous peoples in Peru, 37 land titles were secured in the Amazon in record time, from June 2023 to May 2024. This is not only a remarkable land rights victory for the region, but it also marks a significant step towards addressing climate change, reclaiming Indigenous peoples’ sovereignty and rights, and defending territories against external threats. Land titles have proven to be the most effective way to protect Indigenous peoples’ land from deforestation.
'Transformer' Car
The CT-2 is a shape-shifting four-wheeled urban EV getabout, a tandem two-seater that can park in motorcycle spaces and filter through traffic - but that spreads its wheels wider for stability at higher speeds. The CT-2 even fits sideways into a standard car parking space – so you can reverse into less than a quarter of a normal parallel parking spot. It trundles along at up to 25 mph in 'City mode', but you can switch through to a dubiously-named 'Performance' mode, which gradually pushes the wheels apart by an extra 12 inches and unlocks a higher top speed of 56 mph. It's slated for production in 2026. City Transformer says it's got more than 2,000 units pre-sold at this stage, and the CT-2's standard price is €16,000 (US$17,760).
"In all things of nature, there is something marvelous." Aristotle
On This Day
18 September 2014: Scottish voters rejected a referendum that would have made Scotland an independent country.
Today's Articles
The Roaring Lion: A thief stole the Churchill original from an Ottawa hotel and replaced it with a fake. Two years later it has been found in Italy.
World First: A Brazilian city has granted legal rights to waves - the first instance of a government conferring rights upon part of the ocean.
Eliminating Contrails: AI can be used to help avoid forming contrails, which account for roughly one third of aviation’s global warming impact.
Healthy Sweet Treat: Craving a sweet treat? Dates offer multiple health benefits as well as satisfying your craving.
Mood Boosting Video
It's Time to Fly: A baby falcon's first flight.
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