What better way to start the day than with some concise, upbeat news stories?
Sunflower in The Sky
The Astrophotography Prize is a relatively new international competition, and this year’s winners have been unveiled. Submissions are made into four main categories: Deep Space, Solar System, Astro Landscape and Remote Imaging, with an overall winner for Astrophotographer of the Year also awarded. This year that honour went to Australian photographer Phil Hart, for his stunning image of the Sun’s corona during a solar eclipse over Exmouth, Western Australia, last year. The shot captures the streams of charged particles radiating off the Sun, which aren’t normally visible because the brightness of the Sun itself washes them out. Only during an eclipse do they become briefly visible.
"For the first time since the 18th century, the Sun will set on the British empire." The FT's Stephen Bush points out that after sovereignty of the Chagos Islands is formally handed to Mauritius, there will once again be a time of day when the UK and its remaining overseas territories are all in darkness.
Well Versed
The Poetry Pharmacy has opened in London, peddling literary first aid to a new generation from the capital's most famous shopping street. What’s the cure for a broken heart? What about for grief, anxiety or loneliness? For those visiting the Poetry Pharmacy – customers or patients, depending how you see them – it’s these questions that are on their minds. The company’s new bookshop, on Oxford Street, offers tonics to those sorts of emotional ailments. Calm, comfort, inspiration: whatever you’re searching for, there’s a book of poetry, philosophy or psychology to help you find it. With its expansive library of brightly coloured books, the Poetry Pharmacy is every poetry fan’s dream.
Good News For Ukraine
In an agreement reached yesterday evening, European Union countries have given their green light to an unprecedented plan to issue a €35 billion loan to support Ukraine's war-battered economy using the immobilised assets of Russia's Central Bank as collateral. The deal is part of a broader initiative by G7 allies to provide €45 billion ($50 billion) to Kyiv as soon as possible.
Remarkable Discovery
A sealed rock fracture almost 50 feet below ground has remained home to microbes for the last 2 billion years - the oldest life ever discovered in such conditions. The nearly 1-foot sample, excavated beneath South Africa’s Bushveld Igneous Complex, predates the previous microbial record-holders by as much as 1.9 billion years. The finding could help researchers better understand the earliest stages of evolutionary life on Earth.
The Rail Deal
Making rail travel more accessible and affordable, Portugal has introduced a €20 monthly pass for all train services. The initiative is intended to help the country reach its environmental goals and offer citizens an affordable way to commute and explore. According to the International Railway Journal, prime minister Luís Montenegro said: “This is an investment in people, it is an investment in the environment, it is an investment in the future."
German Apostrophes
The Council for German Orthography (RdR) has caused a stir amongst grammar perfectionists this week after it announced that as of 2025, an apostrophe used to indicate possession will be considered correct. The RdR is considered the leading source on Standard High German spelling and grammar, and is relied on for school textbooks in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In English, possession of an object is almost always implied by use of an apostrophe, as in: Harry's Bar, Bloomingdale's department store. Not so in German, where possession is either shown by use of the genitive grammatical case, or without an apostrophe as in the case of Annes Cafe. However, in recent decades it has become increasingly common, especially for small businesses, to use the apostrophe in German to indicate possession: Merkel's Imbiss (Merkel's restaurant), Kim's Kiosk, etc.
And The Winner Is...
Canadian photojournalist Shane Gross was awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 this week for this remarkable shot of western toad tadpoles. The annual competition, celebrating its 60th year, is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London. “The jury was captivated by the mix of light, energy, and connectivity between the environment and the tadpoles,” jury chair Kathy Moran said of the winning photo. Want to see some more images from this year's competition? Click here
'Smart' Connected Tire
Pirelli and Bosch have signed a joint development agreement to create a software-driven "intelligent tire" system that will combine Bosch's hardware and software know-how with Pirelli's tire-integrated sensors tech. Each tire is equipped with an advanced integrated sensors that connect to the car’s electronics, enabling the vehicle to adjust its setup based on the fitted tire. The primary function of the tech will be to optimize ABS braking performance and enhance stability and traction control – all in real time.
"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." From Edgar Allan Poe's Eleonora
On This Day
10 October 1845: To improve the then-unsatisfactory methods of instructing midshipmen, George Bancroft - historian, educator, and secretary of the navy - founded the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, on this day in 1845.
Today's Articles
Climate Good News: The world is on track to meet the 2030 renewable energy target, says the International Energy Agency.
Hilarious Spoof: Blue plaque honours lettuce that famously outlasted Liz Truss's time as Britain's Prime Minister after her disastrous mini-budget.
Chain Reaction: Florida woman inadvertently starts a kindness revolution after helping a homeless man.
Multiple Honours: Sir David Attenborough now has more letters after his name than in it. But what do these letters mean?
Mood Boosting Video
Remarkable: Is the puffer fish Nature's greatest artist?