Tuesday's eclectic collection of upbeat news stories from around the world.
Averting ‘Phosphogeddon’
Phosphorus is a key component of fertilisers that have become vital in providing food for the world. But at the same time, the spread of these phosphorus compounds - known as phosphates - is leaching into rivers, lakes and streams and spreading algal blooms that are killing fish stocks and marine life on a huge scale. But the good news is that it's now being tackled by a project of remarkable simplicity. Rookwood Operations, based in south west England, has launched an award winning sponge-like product that enables phosphates to be extracted from problem areas and then reused on farmland. “Our product has a straightforward goal - to transfer phosphates from rivers and lakes where they are causing real damage and move them in a simple manner to farmland, where they can be of use in growing crops,” CEO Jane Pearce told the Observer last week.
Banding Together
Leading publishers, libraries and a writers’ organisation in the US have joined forces to sue the state of Idaho over a book ban dictating what minors are allowed to read. The ban includes books with ‘sexual conduct’ and nudity, meaning modern classics such as Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and bestsellers including Game of Thrones by George RR Martin have vanished from shelves entirely, or been moved to adult-only sections. The ‘big five’ publishers - Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan Publishers and Simon & Schuster - have filed a lawsuit challenging the measure.
Miniature Portrait
A tiny portrait of Mary Magdalene by Raphael has sold at auction for $3.1 million. The delicate oil painting measures less than 15 inches tall and about 5 inches wide. Raphael painted the portrait of the saint around 1503, when he was about 20. Experts say that Saint Mary Magdalene showcases the Italian Renaissance master’s early talent. “He was working with such technical refinement already at this point in his career,” Daria Foner, the old masters specialist at Sotheby’s, tells Artnet. “The work has an elegance, a type of grace and almost sweetness that we associate with Raphael.” The verso of the panel includes part of a Marian prayer.
'Paradise For Nature'
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has hatched a plan to create England’s biggest bird sanctuary after snapping up a swathe of wetland, forest and moor in north-east Cumbria. The move means the conservation charity has expanded its upland reserve, Geltsdale, by a third to create what it’s calling a ‘Pennines paradise for nature.’ The 50 sq. km (19 sq. mile) sanctuary will benefit hen harriers - one of England’s most threatened birds of prey - as well as species including curlews and snipe. It’s also hoped that the restoration will entice new species such as golden eagles.
Electric Two-Wheeler
The electrification expansion continues as Suzuki, one of the world’s biggest two-wheeler manufacturers, takes its first steps toward the electric future. The company debuted its first all-electric two-wheeler during the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 in New Delhi, India. In a bit of a wordplay on e-Access as it is called in India, it goes by the name of e-Address 125 in the European market - and is priced at around €3,000 ($3,090).
Myth Busting
Reliability and longevity concerns may once have been among the most common reasons for not buying an electric vehicle. A new study published in Nature Energy claims that the reliability of battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) has increased considerably and they now have comparable longevity to conventional internal-combustion-engine vehicles.
"If I don't laugh at least three times during the day, I've had a bad day. I've got to have a minimum of at least three good laughs." Lana Turner
On This Day
11 February 1990: After serving 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela was released, and he subsequently began negotiations with President F.W. de Klerk that ended apartheid in South Africa.
Today's Articles
Eager Beavers: After plans stalled for a new dam in the Czech Republic, eight uninvited beavers secretly got to work - saving the government $1.2 million.
Gargantuan Turbine: The race is on between Denmark and China to erect the world's largest offshore wind turbine.
Interesting and Unusual: Anabel Graetz was always aware that she had an interesting and unusual face. At the ripe old age of 80, it began paying the bills.
Mood Boosting Video
Incredible Journeys: Arctic fox love story.