Celebrating the start of the weekend with an upbeat bundle of positive news stories.
Strange But True
Tourists visiting the picturesque Italian lakeside town of Como have always been spoiled for choice when it comes to souvenirs, but now there's a new item they can take home that's turning heads and raising eyebrows: sealed cans of Lake Como air. Yes, really. The cans are priced at $11 (€9.90), with each can containing 13.5 ounces (400ml) of "pure air from the most beautiful lake in the world," the product website says. The cans are marketed as a “luxurious souvenir,” offering tourists a chance to take a piece of Lake Como home and described as “perfect for those who wish to rediscover the peace and elegance of this heavenly corner, sealed in a tin.” Lake Como Air encourages visitors to “open it whenever you need a moment of escape, tranquility, or simply beauty.”
Good News About Plants
A new study, published in the journal Nature, found that plants worldwide are absorbing about 31 percent more carbon dioxide than the standard estimate, which was established in the 1980s and is currently used in Earth system models to forecast climate trends. The new estimate comes from a better analysis of a particular process that happens during photosynthesis.
Record Runners
Last weekend, The New York City Marathon broke the record for the world's largest marathon, with 55,646 runners crossing the finish line in Central Park, organisers said.
That beat the record set by Berlin's Marathon in September, when 54,280 completed the fellow World Marathon Major, says Reuters. The five-borough race included the most women's finishers ever with 24,731, as more amateur enthusiasts flock to distance running in the United States.
Unlikely Triumph
Australia has installed rooftop solar panels on a scale that surpasses all expectations. More than a third of all households in the country now generate their own electricity from the sun. Home-based solar energy accounts for 11.6 percent of electricity production in Australia's main power grid. The country's investment in home-based solar energy has developed into an unexpected success story. In 2011, roof-mounted solar panels were expected to contribute 4 terawatt-hours of electricity, which corresponded to just under 2 percent of total electricity production. Today, that figure has been exceeded more than six times, writes The Guardian.
UK Smoking Ban
Study after study has shown the negative effects of smoking, and the positive effects of quitting the habit. Now, lawmakers in the UK are looking to create the first generation of people who don’t smoke at all. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill proposes gradually increasing the legal age for purchasing tobacco so that anyone born after Jan. 1, 2009, would be prohibited from ever buying such products. “This is a groundbreaking piece of public health legislation,” said the Health Secretary. The bill, which comes about two weeks after the UK announced a ban on disposable vapes, also includes restrictions on e-cigarette advertisements, flavours, displays, and packaging to make them less appealing to young people.
China's Emissions
Carbon emissions in China have flatlined over the last six months amid a blistering renewables rollout, according to new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). It's the latest indicator that emissions in the world’s largest emitter may have already peaked. Independent climate organizations have estimated a decline of 24 to 30 percent by 2035 based on current trends and targets.
“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” Lauren DeStefano
On This Day
9 November 1989: Long a symbol of the Cold War, the Berlin Wall, erected in 1961 and eventually extending 28 miles (45 km) to divide the western and eastern sectors of Berlin, was opened by the East German government.
Today's Articles
Gates Open: Buckingham Palace is to allow tourists to enter through its famed front gates for the first time.
Colourful History: Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. At points in history it has been worth three times the price of gold.
Mood Boosting Video
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - performed by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra.