What better way to start the weekend than with some upbeat news stories?
Chilling Out
Wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas has dedicated her life to capturing the family lives of wild animals, and she has recently published a stunning book of images titled New on Earth - Baby Animals in the Wild (available via Amazon). OGN will be featuring some more of her images in the OGN Sunday Magazine tomorrow. In the meantime, here's what she says about these brown bears: 'I’ve seldom seen triplet brown bear cubs; singles and doubles are far more common. It was June, and mom was looking to cool off. At first the cubs, who were about five months old, followed her in, then quickly clambered onto her back as they began to submerge.' Why not follow Suzi on Instagram?
Breathe Slowly
Research shows that a breathing frequency of 10 breaths a minute or less is associated with reduced stress, fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression and greater mental wellbeing. With each breath, try to make the exhalation longer than the inhalation. Participants in a study published in the journal Nature breathed in for four seconds and out for six seconds, for five minutes. This simple protocol successfully lowered both physiological markers and reported feelings of stress and anxiety.
Warmer Nights
A 12-year-old girl in Scotland designed a solar-powered sleeping bag for her homeless neighbours. The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal competition asks UK students: “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” And, seeing “so many people sleeping rough on the streets of Glasgow,” 12-year-old Rebecca Young knew: she wanted to help members of her community facing homelessness. So, the Scottish student invented a solar-powered heated blanket with the goal of helping unhoused people keep warm. Her now award-winning design is integrated into a backpack and powered by the sun, allowing for easy, on-the-go use.
Art Attack
The council of Bend, Oregon, has asked residents to stop sticking googly eyes on to its public sculptures. Since August, eyes have been attached to eight artworks, including a statue of a deer and a metal sphere. "While the googly eyes placed on the various art pieces around town might give you a chuckle, it costs money to remove them," said a spokesperson. "It would cost $0 to leave them on," noted one social media user. "We love the googly eyes!" said another.
Sony's first EV
Sony's foray into electric cars, the Afeela 1, is available to pre-order. Bookings are now open in California, with the Origin trim starting at US$89,900, and the Signature trim at US$102,900. That's from the company's announcement at CES, where it revealed a close-to-final version of the car, about two years after it first unveiled the initial Afeela prototype. It's been working on this vehicle with Honda for five years now. While it won't beat the competition on performance figures, Sony is betting on an assisted driving experience and in-car tech to woo customers.
German Progress
Renewable energy made up 62.7 percent of Germany’s electricity in 2024. Wind energy made up just over half of this share, reports EcoWatch. Germany, Europe's largest economy, has set a target for carbon-neutrality by 2045 as well as goals to end coal-fired power generation and meet 80 percent of electricity consumption with renewable energy sources by 2030.
"Despite all I have seen and experienced, I still get the same simple thrill out of glimpsing a tiny patch of snow." Edmund Hillary
On This Day
11 January 1935: Amelia Earhart, one of the world's most celebrated aviators, made the first successful solo flight from Hawaii to California, a distance longer than that from the United States to Europe.
Today's Articles
Genius Surprises Students: Imagine Einstein, one of the greatest minds of all time, making a simple mathematical error.
Electrified Trailer: Clever idea does not require the trucks themselves to be modified and radically cuts fuel use.
Mood Boosting Video
Full Moon: Two intrepid adventurers skiing at night.