Mid-week collection of positive news stories from around the globe.
The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has released some previously unseen submissions to its 2024 competition that celebrate the lighter side of the animal kingdom, including this perfectly timed snap - titled 'Four Winged Goose' - of two geese that are fortuitously positioned to appear as if one has four wings. The new photos were released to kick off the 2025 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. Submissions are open to all photographers at no cost via the website until the end of June 2025. The shortlist will be announced in October with winners announced across nine categories in November or December.
Harvard Tuition Fees
Starting this fall, Harvard University students with family incomes of $200,000 and under will have their tuition covered, a significant jump from the previous cutoff of $85,000. Those with a family income below $100,000 will also have other fees taken care of, including housing, dining, travel costs between campus and home, and “winter gear” to help students prepare for notoriously brutal New England winters. Officials estimate that more than 85 percent of families in the US will receive some form of assistance, drawn from the university's endowment - the world's largest at around $50 billion. Admission still remains intensely competitive at the school, with an acceptance rate near 3.5 percent in 2024.
Royal Pat
The Princess of Wales meets Turlough Mór, the regimental mascot of the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day Parade in Wellington Barracks, London, today. As dictated by tradition, the Irish wolfhound has the 'parade name' of an ancient high king of Ireland, but he normally answers to Séamus. Turlough Mór was High King of Ireland from 1120 to 1156.
Germany on Track
Germany’s Ministry for the Environment has announced that the target of reducing emissions to 65 percent of 1990 levels by 2030 was already within reach with existing climate policy instruments, as long as Germany continues to use these tools in a committed way.
Air Cleaning Screen
Asus has added a new layer of utility to the humble computer monitor by cooking in an ionizer system to purify the air around you as you work. Two Full HD models are available at launch, along with a curved screen. The nano-ion technology at the heart of the new budget-friendly monitors draws air into vents at the rear, and is claimed capable of removing up to 90 percent of airborne dust in just three hours - along with pollen, allergens and other pollutants. It's designed to improve air quality "directly in front of the user" without the need to constantly clean or replace air filters but is reported to have an effective coverage range of a cubic meter (35 cu ft). Yes, it's a bit gimmicky. And the jury is still out on the effectiveness of such technology in varied spaces, but every little helps, right?
Mammoth Carbon Capture
Iceland's Mammoth carbon capture plant uses innovative direct air capture methods to remove thousands of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The plant, named “Mammoth”, began operations in May 2024, marking a significant milestone in the fight against climate change. The facility, developed by Swiss company Climeworks, represents the world’s largest direct air capture (DAC) technology designed to extract planet-heating pollution from the atmosphere - up to 36,000 tons of CO2 annually. This impressive facility represents a ten-fold increase from its predecessor, Orca, and marks a critical step in Climeworks’ strategic roadmap to address global carbon emissions. The facility is powered entirely by Iceland’s clean geothermal energy and represents a cutting-edge approach to addressing global climate challenges.
“Life is more beautiful after a good night’s sleep.” Bryan Johnson
On This Day
19 March 1918: U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Standard Time Act, which established Daylight Saving Time in the United States; the legislation also gave the federal government oversight of the country's time zones.
Today's Articles
New Analysis: UK carbon emissions reach lowest level since 1872, when Queen Victoria was on the throne. And that's not all...
Original Manuscript: Kid sneaks his self-written book on to a library shelf in Idaho, and it now has a year-long waitlist to borrow it.
Mood Boosting Video
Marble Machine: Almost certainly the world's weirdest musical instrument.