Quick summary of the top good news stories from last week.
In a week when news about a new planet-wide electric field that is as fundamental to Earth as gravity has been discovered by NASA in a major scientific breakthrough, it is also good to know that a new simulation conducted by researchers at the University of Helsinki shows that there is a 50 percent chance that the Milky Way will avoid a collision with the Andromeda galaxy over the next ten billion years. This result differs from previous research which indicated that a collision was inevitable within five billion years. Phew! The study, titled Apocalypse When? No Certainty of a Milky Way - Andromeda Collision, means we can all relax again.
On a less esoteric note, have you ever wondered Why Lemons Are Sold in Yellow Net Bags? And oranges in red net bags? Well, it’s a sneaky trick used by food producers and supermarkets to fool your senses and (hopefully) make you buy more fruit. In a new study, psychologist Karl R. Gegenfurtner from Giessen University in Germany details how supermarkets' coloured bags utilize the confetti illusion.
In other news...
Medicine
Lung Cancer Vaccine: The first-ever lung cancer vaccine trials have commenced. This groundbreaking mRNA-based vaccine, BNT116, developed by BioNTech, aims to stimulate the immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells. The phase 1 clinical trial has launched across 34 research sites in seven countries too: US, UK, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Turkey.
Lives Saved: 1.1 million lives have been saved in the US over the past three decades because of routine immunizations, reports the New York Times. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also estimates that they have saved the US $540 billion in health care costs.
Afghan Medical Students: Nineteen female medical students banned from attending university in Afghanistan have arrived in Scotland to complete their studies, thanks to the Linda Norgrove Foundation - a charity set up by the parents of Scottish charity worker, Linda Norgrove, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. It arranged a safe passage and student visas for the women so they could complete their studies.
Wildlife & Nature
Six Centuries Later: A flock of nearly 80 white storks has been seen in Cornwall, southwest England, for the first time since the Middle Ages. The last breeding pair to be recorded in Britain was in 1416, nesting on a cathedral in Edinburgh.
Whale of a Time: There has been an upswing in the number of humpback whales in Icelandic waters; in the US, the federal government is creating a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conserve and recover endangered North Atlantic right whales with $82 million in funding; and a district court in Maryland has ordered the government to enhance whale protections in the Gulf of Mexico to protect them from offshore oil and gas drilling.
Britain's Rarest Plant: The Ghost Orchid, considered by many to be Britain’s rarest plant, has been rediscovered in Britain for the first time since 2009 and only the second time since the 1980s. In 2009, it was declared extinct after an absence of 22 years, only to reappear a week later.
Released Into The Wild: The last elephant in South Africa’s national zoo was just released back into the wild after 40 years in captivity.
Dinosaur Footprints: Matching tracks have been found in Africa and South America - 3,700 miles apart - and provide evidence of the last place dinosaurs were able to travel between before the two great continents split.
Record Breakers
3,000m Race: The Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen has shattered the 3,000 metres world record by more than three seconds in a time of 7min 17.55sec, thereby breaking the longest-standing men’s athletics world record in individual track events established in 1996.
Largest Donation: One day after the National Park Service marked its 108th birthday, the service’s official nonprofit announced a record-breaking $100 million gift, the largest grant in history benefitting national parks.
World's Largest: Indonesia is planning the world's largest free school meals program. President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who will take office in October, has pledged to provide free school lunches and milk to 78.5 million students at 400,000 schools nationwide.
Sand Marathons: Spencer Matthews has set a Guinness World Record for running the most consecutive marathons on sand. The British reality TV star completed 30 marathons in 30 days, running 1,266km in the extreme conditions of the Jordanian desert.
Battery Storage: The world’s biggest battery storage project is underway in the Oasis de Atacama in Chile. Once completed (expected by 2026), the facility will generate electricity equivalent for the needs of 145,000 homes and reduce CO2 emissions by over 146,000 tons.
And, to wrap up last week's most important good news stories...
Native Title: After a 12 year battle, a federal judge in Australia has granted native title rights to Indigenous peoples over 95,000 sq. km of land (37,000 sq. miles - an area larger than Portugal and about the same size as Indiana) in New South Wales, one of the largest native title claims in Australian history. The title holders hope the recognition will help preserve their culture and traditions for future generations.
Landmark Climate Case: A date has been set for a landmark climate case that will seek to determine “the obligations of states in respect of climate change”. The International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, has announced 2 December as the start date for hearings. Its panel of 15 international judges will set out to answer two key questions: what are nations obliged to do under international law to protect the climate, and what are the legal consequences for governments that fail to act?
Today's Articles
Oldest Cognac: Guinness World Records says a Cognac produced by Jules Robin and Company in 1696 as the oldest in existence.
Wildlife Photography: London's Natural History Museum releases a first look at a shortlist of entries for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest.
Audrey Hepburn: A dozen insightful and uplifting quotations from the British movie star (1929 - 1993) who made it big in Hollywood.
Anti-Cancer Foods: StudyFinds analysed ten expert websites, and created a Top 5 list from their top recommendations.
Commentaires