Celebrating the start of the weekend with a bundle of upbeat news nuggets.
YouTube on TV
YouTube's years-long push to take over the living room TV is paying off. CEO Neal Mohan says viewers are now watching an average of one billion hours (that's not a typo!) of YouTube content on TV screens each day, and "they’re watching YouTube the way we used to sit down together for traditional TV shows - on the biggest screen in the home with friends and family.” Adding: “And it might not be what you’d expect, but people like watching Shorts on their TVs!”
Conservation Mosaic
Over the past 25 years, small towns across Bolivia have protected over 100,000 km2 (38,600 sq. miles) of the Amazon, creating a 'conservation mosaic' almost the size of Iceland. Recently, the community of Sena has added another piece to the puzzle with 4526 km2 (1,750 sq. miles) of lowland rainforest that is home to the endangered giant otter, reports Conservation International. "Piece by piece, we are knitting together the fabric of conservation in the Amazon. Local communities have kept their eyes on the prize. They are having a big impact on the Amazon, for the benefit of us all," says Eduardo Forno, Vice President, Conservation International - Bolivia.
Blueberries Are Not Blue
Blueberries only appear to have a navy hue because of a trick of the light, a study has found. The skin of the fruit is actually black, the berry has red juice and there is no blue pigment in either flesh or skin. Analysis found that the colour actually comes from a colourless wax layer that covers the fruit. An intricate microscopic structure interferes with light itself and makes it seem blue to the naked eye. Experiments by scientists at England's University of Bristol revealed that it reflected both blue and ultraviolet light, but because the human eye can't see ultraviolet light, the berries appear just as blue.
Female Education
In India, the number of women enrolling in higher education increased by a remarkable 32 percent between 2015 and 2022, from 15.7 million to over 20 million. There has also been a notable increase in enrolment across all levels of education for female students, reports Economic Times.
Making a Difference
The sustainability-centric online search engine Ecosia just surpassed the milestone of planting over 200 million trees. The company, which plants a tree for every search, has expanded its initiatives to include renewable energy production, regenerative agriculture, and more. As a Google or Bing competitor, Ecosia’s unique model is offering internet users a simple way to make a difference. Why not try it?
Strange But True
An old rocket discovered in a man's garage in the Ohio city of Bellevue turned out to be an "inert nuclear missile", said the BBC. A bomb squad was sent in after a military museum called police to report an offer of a "rather unusual donation". The rocket was identified as a Douglas AIR-2 Genie, an unguided air-to-air rocket designed to carry a nuclear warhead. According to the Seattle Times, the rocket was used by the US and Canada during the Cold War. But a Bellevue Police spokesperson assured the local community that there was no danger, because no warhead was attached. "And we think it's gonna be a long, long time before we get another call like this again," police added, in a nod to Elton John's hit song Rocket Man.
EU Coal Nosedive
Wind and solar produced a record 27 percent of the European Union's electricity in 2023 - above a quarter for the first time. Coal and gas took a corresponding nosedive, with the former falling to its lowest ever level at just 12 percent of the EU’s electricity generation. “The EU’s power sector is in the middle of a monumental shift,” says Sarah Brown, from clean energy think tank Ember. “Fossil fuels are playing a smaller role than ever as a system with wind and solar as its backbone comes into view.” Overall, renewables rose to a record 44 percent share of EU power in 2023.
"On the Sixth Day, God created man, the sort of result you often get when you go in to work on a Saturday." Robert Brault
On This Day
10 February 1942: Glenn Miller awarded first ever gold record for selling 1 million copies of Chattanooga Choo Choo.
The Paris medals are embedded with actual pieces of the Eiffel Tower. Paris Mint...
Hundreds of couples have met at the oldest tavern in Philadelphia. With Valentine's Day coming up, you may like to pay a visit. McGillin’s...
Funny Epitaphs: If you're feeling up for it, how about looking at some humorous tomb stones? Signing off...
Mood Booster
Norwegian Countryside: One year in 40 seconds.
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