Celebrating the first day of the month with an eclectic bundle of upbeat news stories.
Going Gaga
An artist at Madame Tussauds London puts the finishing touches to a waxwork of Lady Gaga, which will be unveiled to the public on Monday. The remarkably lifelike figure is wearing a copy of the Armani Privé gown the singer and actress wore to the 2022 Grammys where she hit the stage to perform a rendition of Love for Sale and Do I Love You in honour of Tony Bennett.
Rio's Green Roofs
The nonprofit Teto Verde Favela is working to transform Rio de Janeiro's Parque Arará slum from a heat island into a green paradise. Volunteers show residents how to turn their home's traditional roof into a cooling green roof, using bundles of Spanish moss and other tropical plants rolled in bidim, a geotextile fabric made of recycled drink bottles. Green roofs, which absorb less heat and reduce stormwater runoff, are now popping up around the favela on homes, businesses and bus stops.
Māori Mountain
A mountain on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island has been granted the same legal rights as a human - a move that is being celebrated by Indigenous people, who consider it their ancestor. Mount Taranaki is now known as Taranaki Maunga, its Māori name. The mountain's new rights will be used to uphold the mountain’s health and wellbeing, including protecting wildlife that flourishes there. A newly created entity will be ‘the voice’ of the mountain. It will include members of the Māori community and members appointed by the country’s conservation minister. Taranaki Maunga is the third natural feature in New Zealand to be granted legal personhood, following Te Urewera in 2014 and the Whanganui River in 2017.
Thriving Again
A butterfly that became extinct in England has re-emerged and is now thriving thanks to a successful breeding project. The Chequered Skipper died out in 1976 because of changes in woodland management. However, in 2018, ecologists began working to rebuild its population and imported 128 of the butterflies from Belgium and released them in two forest locations. Breeding has been highly successful, and over 350 butterflies have been counted, with their number increasing each year. Butterfly Conservation oversaw the project and said the results were "very exciting," adding: "This project shows us that restoring wildlife is possible."
Fastest Energy Change
A new report from the International Solar Energy Society says that solar and wind capacity are being installed five times faster than all other new electricity sources combined. If current growth rates continue, it predicts that by 2032, there will be more global solar and wind generation than coal and gas - combined. It's the fastest energy change in history.
‘Historic Win’
The decision by the previous Conservative government in the UK to approve the giant Rosebank oilfield off Shetland was ruled unlawful by an Edinburgh court this week. The judgment said the carbon emissions that would be created by the burning of oil and gas at the largest untapped oilfield in the UK had not been taken into consideration. “Today’s ruling is part of a clear trend we’re seeing from courts in the UK - marking the third time in the last year that judges have found that ‘downstream’ emissions must be considered in planning decisions,” said ClientEarth lawyer Robert Clarke. Philip Evans, a senior campaigner with Greenpeace, called the judgment “a historic win.”
“I really need a day between Saturday and Sunday.” Anna Scott
On This Day
1 February 1884: The first of 10 volumes of the Oxford English Dictionary was published in London, the final volume being published 19 April 1928.
Today's Articles
New Proposal: Transatlantic energy cable linking America and Europe could help facilitate the transition to renewable electricity.
Mood Boosting Video
Aquaballet: Beautifully combining dance, the sea and marine life.