What better way to start the week than with some upbeat news?
Let Battle Commence
After eight seasons of the epic saga Game of Thrones, fans can now enter what may be a competition on par with the battle for the Iron Throne: an auction of prized memorabilia. Fans can now bid on a slew of costumes, props, set pieces and memorabilia from the hit show that ended in 2019. More than 2,000 items - including a melted version of the coveted Iron Throne - will be on the auction block in October through Heritage Auctions.
Cancer From Mobiles?
The relationship between mobile phone use and an increased risk of brain cancer is a debate that's been around almost as long as mobile phones themselves. A huge study from the WHO that's just been released should put the question to rest. The answer is that there is no increased risk of brain cancer. The research was published in the journal Environmental International.
Reflection on Self-Worth
Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh - who famously sold only one painting during his life - on self-worth: "If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now. For wheat is wheat, even if people think it is a grass in the beginning."
Sea Wool
A man in Taiwan is tackling fashion waste by creating "sea wool," a sustainable alternative to artificial textiles made of oyster shells. More than 176,000 tons of mollusk shells are discarded annually, and entrepreneur Eddie Wang's innovative process turns this waste into a flexible yarn similar to sheep's wool. Inspired by local traditions, Wang now produces roughly 1,000 tons of sea wool thread every year, earning nearly $6 million.
Shakespeare Fan
A historic Shakespeare site in danger of collapse has been saved by a £1m donation from the award-winning US playwright Ken Ludwig. The lifelong Shakespeare fan (he’s written three plays and a book involving the playwright) told the Guardian that, on hearing that the bard's daughter's house was “literally falling over”, he asked what it would cost to save it. “They told me and, I thought, if there’s any time I can make a difference about the things I care about, this is it.” The largest private donation in the trust’s 177-year history will pay for crucial work to keep Hall’s Croft upright. Ludwig says he feels “a shiver of intellectual joy”, when he steps inside. “It feels like a personal connection with Shakespeare.”
William Shakespeare famously wrote “All the world’s a stage” and now, researchers at a theatre in Norfolk, England - that dates back to 1445 - claim they’ve found the only surviving stage where the Bard once performed.
Firefighting Retirement
When Craig Miller moved from California to the Catskill mountains in upstate New York in 2019, the freelance journalist wanted to enjoy a quieter pace of life. Yet, one year into his stay, at the age of 65, he became his town’s newest volunteer firefighter. “It was something I realised I had to do as rural fire departments are desperate for people to help out,” he says. “Answering the pager for callouts at all hours of the day isn’t an ideal retirement, but four years in, it has become one of the most rewarding parts of my life.”
Additional ULEZ Benefit
Schoolchildren living in London's ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) were nearly four times as likely to switch to walking and cycling after its introduction compared with those outside the zone, new research suggests. The ULEZ was introduced in an effort to reduce traffic-related air pollution, which is known to affect neurodevelopment, cognitive ability, and lung function in children. The authors said that further monitoring is needed, but it is evidence for other cities of the potential impact of clean air zones.
“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.” J. B. Priestley
On This Day
9 September 2015: Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning monarch in British history, surpassing Victoria's record reign of 63 years and 216 days.
Today's Articles
US Open: The tournament's signature cocktail - the Honey Deuce - rakes in over $10 million. Here's how to make it.
Motivational Quotes: Need a Monday morning kick-start? One of these quotes should inspire you to get the week off to a flying start.
No Trees Cut Down: In a brilliant innovation, Releaf Paper takes fallen dead leaves from city streets and parks and turns them into paper.
Mood Boosting Video
Intricate Scale Model: Inside Wren's giant 350-year-old model of London's St Paul's Cathedral.
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