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EPA Limits Carcinogenic Emissions at 218 US Plants–Including Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’

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Andy Corbley
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule Tuesday that will require 218 chemical plants to reduce toxic and carcinogenic airborne pollutants, aiming to reduce the number of people with elevated cancer risk by 96% nationwide.

The rulings principally address chloroprene: used to make rubber products, and ethylene oxide, used primarily for sterilizing medical supplies. Long-term exposure to these chemicals and their manufacturing have been identified as possible carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents.

According to a report in the Washington Post, this can include lymphoma, leukemia, breast cancer, and liver cancer.

Across a strip of Louisiana and Texas where half of the 218 chemical manufacturing facilities set to be affected by the new regulations are located, cancer rates of these kinds are substantially higher than national averages, leading it to be colloquially called “Cancer Alley.”

EPA Administrator Michael Regan visited Cancer Alley during the open-comment period of the proposed ruling, and said that across the 85 miles dotted with communities, he failed to meet a single person who didn’t know a loved one or friend who had either developed cancer, died of it, or knew someone who had.

YOUR NEXT READ: Pollution in the Mississippi River Has Plummeted Since The 1980s, New Study Says

Once implemented, the ruling will reduce more than 6,200 tons of toxic air pollution each year, according to the Post.

SHARE This Strong Legislation With Your Friends Who Need A Pick-Me-Up…

In World First, Scientists Share What Was Almost Certainly a Conversation with Humpback a Whale

By
Andy Corbley
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Photo by Christopher Michel, CC license
Photo by Christopher Michel, CC license

In a world first, marine biologists were able to have a discourse with a humpback whale, pushing out the boundaries of cooperation and understanding that could be possible between our two species.

An adult female humpback whale, known as Twain, in Southeast Alaska, was located along with a group of whales and called with a recording of another humpback’s “whup/throp” call.

The recording was made by whales of the same group the day before, but the team didn’t know if the calls recorded were made by the same whale or were part of an exchange between two or more whales. To find out, the researchers conducted the trial on two days, with the first to find out if the whup calls they had recorded would be socially acceptable.

It turned out that whatever the whale(s) had been saying the day before was appropriate as far as Twain was concerned, and after the team broadcast the playback, she drifted away from her group and participated both physically and acoustically in three phases of interaction with the crew and their boat including periods of engagement, agitation, and disengagement.

First she called back, then she circled the boat three times, surfaced, and dived again. After this interaction, she gradually left.

Twain’s whup calls on day 2 and the whup calls recorded on day 1 were acoustically analyzed for both spectral and temporal features, specifically the inter-call interval, or latency between calls as measured by the time difference between the preceding call’s offset and the subsequent call’s onset.

The scientists determined that this metric would be able to determine both arousal and valence, thereby allowing them to get some idea of the emotional content of the exchange. The results indicated that substantial variation was found among the latencies in Twain’s calling behavior, which they took to mean excitement or arousal.

WHALE NEWS TO WOW YOU: Kayaker Singing in Hopes of Attracting Beluga Whales Never Imagined They Were Actually Listening

“After playing the contact call three times, we got this huge response,” said Brenda McCowan told the BBC. “Then, to keep the animal engaged, I started trying to match the latency of her calls to our calls. So, if she waited 10 seconds, I waited 10 seconds. We ended up matching each other. We did this 36 times over a 20-minute period.”

Twain’s calls were significantly shorter during engagement than either during the period defined as agitation, when she was circling the boat ejecting air through her blowhole, or as she was leaving.

MORE ACOUSTIC BIOLOGY: Broadcasting Audio of Healthy Reef Sounds Can Spur Degraded Coral to New Life

The BBC reports that the songs of the humpback whale are thought to be among the most complex in the animal kingdom.

A strong point of the whole experiment was that the results were determined with a degree of blinding—via independent, uninformed observers reporting on surface behavior and respiratory activity of the interacting whale.

SHARE This Giant Leap For Earthling Communication Skills… 

Airport Keeps Wildlife Away From Runways with Robot Disguised as Predator

By
Andy Corbley
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Aurora,' the wildlife safety robot. Photo Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities
Aurora,’ the wildlife safety robot. Photo Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities

Across Alaska last year, there were 92 instances of animal strikes on the state’s runways.

This year, the Alaska Dept. of Transportation is rolling out a four-legged robotic guard animal that can be disguised as a fox or a coyote to deter animals from crossing or loitering on the runways.

The DoT and local airport managers have used all sorts of deterrents to try and keep runways clear of the state’s wildlife. These have included bringing pigs onto airport grounds to eat bird eggs in the 1990s, but also mounting speakers that produce loud noises, firing at animals with paintball guns, and even using drones that spray grape juice.

The robotic predator will prowl the runways at the Fairbanks airport, the state’s second-largest, and can move through snow and ice while being controlled at a console inside.

Panels of imitation fur print can be attached to make it appear like a fox or coyote, which the team behind the project decided on rather than fake fur.

MORE ROBOTIC INNOVATION: Robot Named Sorty McSortface Uses Mechanical Claws and AI to Sort Tons of Recyclables in Minutes

Named ‘Aurora’ the robot is a Spot model from Boston Dynamics’ commercial line of robots. It’s believed that Aurora will handle nesting and migratory birds easily enough, but an elongated testing period will also see if it can scare off larger animals like moose or bears.

If the tests are successful, Aurora may be replicated in other airports across the state. The robot cost $70,000 from Boston Dynamics.

WATCH the robot move across various Alaskan terrain… 

SHARE This Unorthodox Idea For Keeping Alaska Aviation Safe And Sound… 

The Violent History and Fiery Birth of the ‘Dragon’s Egg Nebula’ Solves Stellar Mystery

By
Andy Corbley
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Credit - VLT Survey Telescope hosted at ESO's Paranal Observatory, ESO/VPHAS+ team. Acknowledgement: CASU
Credit – VLT Survey Telescope hosted at ESO’s Paranal Observatory, ESO/VPHAS+ team. Acknowledgment: CASU

Astronomers studying the origins of a strange and mysterious nebula deduced a turbulent history that shows how massive stars can become magnetized that otherwise wouldn’t be.

As well as showing this, they were able to capture a beautiful image of what is called the ‘Dragon’s Egg’ nebula in the constellation Norma.

Researchers at the European Southern Observatory in Chile’s Atacama Desert were focusing their attention on a binary star system called HD 148937, wherein one star was small and old, and the other star was massive, magnetic, and younger.

Abigail Frost, an astronomer at ESO in Chile and lead author of the study that eventually revealed the stars’ creation story, told Physics.org that one would expect a binary star pairing to be the same age, and certainly not asymmetrically magnetic.

Massive stars are almost never magnetized, unlike our own Sun which is relatively small. Adding to the enigma of HD 148937, a beautiful nebula surrounded the pair rich in hydrogen, nitrogen, and helium—compounds that one would expect to find inside a star, not outside.

“A nebula surrounding two massive stars is a rarity, and it really made us feel like something cool had to have happened in this system,” Frost said. “When looking at the data, the coolness only increased.”

As well as deepening the mystery, the nebula also helped solve it. The evidence pointed to the scenario in which HD 148937 was a trinary star system that saw two stars close enough together to eventually collide and merge, blasting out material that formed the nebula.

ALSO CHECK OUT: NASA Turns Light into Sound Frequency Creating a Milky Way Symphony (LISTEN)

The 1.5 million year age difference between the smaller, non-magnetic star, and the larger magnetic star, was due to the larger one restoring a bit of its volatile youthfulness having merged with the third star.

“Magnetism in massive stars isn’t expected to last very long compared to the lifetime of the star, so it seems we have observed this rare event very soon after it happened,” Frost adds.

MORE NEBULAE STORIES: Stunning Image of Lobster Nebula Captured by Chilean Telescope

The data to inform the hypothesis came from the PIONIER and GRAVITY instruments onboard the Very Large Telescope Interferometer in the Atacama Desert, as well as information from the archive of the FEROS instrument at ESO’s La Silla Observatory.

The Dragon’s Egg nebula is a catchy name, and its fiery origin befitting, but there isn’t likely to be any more hatching going on in this star system apart from Frost’s new theory on the formation of magnetism in massive stars.

SHARE This Interesting Story On The Birth Of A Massive Magnet Star… 

“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” – Mark Twain (Today is tax day in US)

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Quote of the Day: “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” – Mark Twain (Reminder: Today is tax day in the USA)

Photo by: nathan dumlao

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, April 15

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Good News Network
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Corrie ten Boom in 1921 - public domain.

136 years ago today, Corrie ten Boom was born in Haarlem. A Dutch watchmaker and later a Christian writer and public speaker, ten Boom assisted her father Casper and sister Betise to help many Jewish residents of the Netherlands escape the Nazis. Eventually, she was caught and imprisoned in the Ravensbrück concentration camp. Her most famous book, The Hiding Place, is a biography that recounts the story of her family’s efforts and how she found and shared hope in God while she was imprisoned. READ more… (1892)

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Bill Gates Filled a Pothole With Modern Asphalt Made of Carbon–Captured During Clean Hydrogen Process

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Good News Network
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Bill Gates has shared a video of himself filling a pothole with Modern Asphalt.

The road repair material is made with carbon that has been stripped out of natural gas to decarbonize it in the process of making clean hydrogen.

Gates was an early seed investor in Modern Hydrogen, the Seattle-based company founded in 2015 that makes the asphalt.

“I filled a pothole—and reduced greenhouse gas emissions—during my incredible visit to Modern Hydrogen,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

“With an innovative process that removes carbon from natural gas to get emissions-free hydrogen, Modern Hydrogen is decarbonizing the energy market.

“And by sequestering that carbon in asphalt used to build roads (and repair potholes), the company is decarbonizing the building materials market, too.”

WATCH the cool video or continue below to learn more…

 

Tony Pan, Co-founder and CEO of Modern Hydrogen explained the company’s strategy this way:

“There are 3 million miles of natural gas pipelines in the USA alone. And the delivered price of natural gas is much cheaper than that of delivered electricity—typically by a factor of 3 to 5 times.

“By stripping out the offending carbon atom from gas at the end of the pipe, before it has a chance to become CO2, Modern’s technology can deliver decarbonized gas—aka clean hydrogen—on location. Thus, Modern can deliver this hydrogen to the end consumer, without the decades and billions of dollars it would take to build out clean hydrogen infrastructure.

“Sidestepping the need for new pipes and transmission permits will be invaluable in achieving speed and scale in realizing the clean hydrogen economy.”

CLIMATE CELEBRITY: Former NBA Star Rick Fox is Manufacturing Concrete That Absorbs More CO2 Than it Creates

Modern Hydrogen Co-founder and CTO Max Mankin describes their process as a “negative emissions technology”, something the world sorely requires to meet its climate goals.

“We can generate net negative emissions by applying our pyrolysis technology on carbon-neutral gases such as biogas. The solid carbon we pull out from the gas is directly weighed, so every ton of solid carbon we put into products and building materials are verifiable emissions captured, avoided, and utilized.”

MEMORABLE: When Life Gives You Carbon… Make a Factory for Producing Carbon-Negative Concrete

Ever the optimist, Gates says he “can’t wait to see what’s next.”

DON’T BE NEGATIVE: Share the Carbon-Positive News on Social Media…

Three Castaways Stranded on Island Rescued After Spelling Out ‘HELP’ Using Leaves

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Good News Network
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U.S. Coast Guard / SWNS
U.S. Coast Guard / SWNS

Castaways stranded on an island in Micronesia were rescued after spelling out ‘HELP’ in palm leaves.

The U.S. Coast Guard picked up the three sailors stranded on Pikelot Atoll after they got into trouble in their small 20-foot open skiff.

The men, all experienced in navigating local seas, reportedly embarked on a voyage from Polowat Atoll on Easter Sunday equipped with an outboard motor.

But six days later, the Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam received a distress call from a relative of the three mariners reporting that her uncles were missing after they departed on a 100-nautical-mile voyage and had not returned.

Thanks to the coordination of the Coast Guard in Micronesia/Sector Guam and the U.S. Navy, the men were able to be located—with a “crucial factor” being their idea to spell out ‘help’ on the beach.

The breakthrough came when the U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft confirmed their presence on April 7 on Pikelot Atoll, and the crew successfully deployed survival packages to sustain the men until further assistance could arrive.

WATCH: Deputies Rescue 5-yo Girl With Autism Wandering in a Florida Swamp

“In a remarkable testament to their will to be found, the mariners spelled out “HELP” on the beach using palm leaves, a crucial factor in their discovery. This act of ingenuity was pivotal in guiding rescue efforts directly to their location,” said Lt. Chelsea Garcia, the search and rescue mission coordinator on the day they were located.

The USCG Oliver Henry rescuing the sailors on April 9 – U.S. Coast Guard / SWNS

The crew aboard the USCG Oliver Henry rescued the relieved trio two days later on April 9.

HOLLYWOOD HELPFUL: Woman Reunited With Lost Teddy Bear Containing Late Mother’s Voice, Thanks to Ryan Reynolds

The U.S. Coast Guard added that they strongly recommend all mariners equip their vessels with an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) to enhance safety on the water.

SHARE The Life-Saving Good News With Sailors on Social Media…

Mysterious Rainbow-like ‘Glory Lights’ Observed on Planet Outside Our Solar System for First Time Ever

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Good News Network
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EMBARGOED UNTIL 5 APRIL 9AM BST Astronomers have detected signs of the rainbow-like ‘glory’ effect on a planet outside our solar system for the first time. Spotted on a world 637 light years away from Earth, it may offer new information on how habitable distant planets could be. ‘Glory’ lights are concentric rings of light that only occur under specific conditions – namely, when light is reflected off clouds made up of a uniform, but so far unknown, substance. The effect, often seen on Earth and mistaken for a rainbow, is understood to happen when light passes between a narrow opening, such as between water droplets in clouds, causing it to diffract and create ring-like patterns.
‘Glory’ lights on WASP-76b – European Space Agency / SWNS

Astronomers have detected signs of the rainbow-like ‘glory’ effect on a planet outside our solar system for the first time.

Spotted on a planet that is 637 light years away from Earth, it may offer new information on how habitable distant planets could be.

‘Glory’ lights are concentric rings of light that only occur under specific conditions—namely, when light is reflected off clouds made up of a uniform substance (so far, unknown).

The effect, often seen on Earth and mistaken for a rainbow, is understood to happen when light passes between a narrow opening, such as between water droplets in clouds, causing it to diffract and create ring-like patterns.

The effect has only once been found on another planet – Venus – meaning that, if confirmed, this is the first ‘glory’ to be detected outside our solar system.

Scientists from the University of Warwick believe the ‘glory’ occurred on a planet called WASP-76b. First discovered in 2013, it’s nearly double the size of Jupiter, and known for its ‘hellish’ atmosphere.

One side always faces the sun, reaching unbearably hot temperature of 2,400 degrees Celsius, and one side always faces away from the sun, creating an ‘endless’ night where clouds drip iron molten rain.

However, observations from the European Space Agency’s Characterizing Exoplanet Satellite (CHEOPS) suggest that between these two sides, there may be a ‘glory’.

“Never before have we seen these colorful, concentric rings on an extrasolar body,” said Dr. Thomas Wilson, who co-authored the research.

“So, if confirmed with future studies, this first exo-planetary glory would make WASP-76b a truly unique body—and give us a beautiful tool for understanding the atmospheres of distance exoplanets and how habitable they could be.”

LOOK: Scientists Reveal Incredible Image of Magnetic Fields Spiraling from Supermassive Black Hole

“There’s a reason no glory has been seen before outside our solar system – it requires very peculiar conditions,” said lead author Dr. Olivier Demangeon from the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences in Portugal.

“First, you need atmospheric particles that are close-to-perfectly spherical, completely uniform, and stable enough to be observed over a long time.

“Then, the planet’s nearby star needs to shine directly at it, with the observer at just the right orientation.”

The discovery was made after scientists recorded 23 observations over three years as WASP-76b passed in front of and around its sun-like star.

MARS MARVEL: Incredible New Image Captures Evidence of Once-Flowing River on Mars

Data collected showed a surprising increase in the amount of light coming from the planet’s eastern ‘terminator’ – the boundary where night meets day. This allowed astronomers to determine the origin of the signal.

Dr. Demangeon explained, “This is the first time that such a sharp change has been detected in the brightness of an exoplanet.

“This discovery leads us to hypothesize that this unexpected glow could be caused by a strong, localized, and directionally-dependent reflection – the glory effect.”

He said that the next steps would be to use NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to officially confirm that this is the ‘glory’ effect.

STARGAZING SHOW: Incredible Pictures Show Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io in Stunning Detail

“Confirmation would imply that the temperature of WASP-76b’s atmosphere must be stable over time, enabling the presence of clouds made up of perfectly spherical water droplets crucial to glory formation.”

SEND A RAINBOW To Science Geeks on Social Media…

Man Who Built Adorable Mouse Village to Cope With Depression has Adds a Pub, Book Shop, and Hobbit Homes–LOOK

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Simon Dell / SWNS
By Simon Dell / SWNS

A British man who six years ago built an adorable mouse village to cope with depression has added a pub, a book shop, and Hobbit homes so he could capture even more heartwarming photos.

Simon Dell began creating the ‘mini shire’ when he spotted a wild mouse in his back garden and wanted to protect it from neighborhood cats.

Since then, the 50-year-old has attracted more mice to the luxury mouse town, constructed from recycled materials and repurposed trash.

Simon documents daily village activities across his social media channels (George the Mouse in a log pile house) with an impressive following of over 150,000.

“Without photography, and the fun of making little things for little things, I could soon sink back into deep depression,” said Simon.

“Photography gave me a reason to get up and out again and the mouse village gave me back my smile.

“I hope it gives others the same joy it gives me.”

The Log Pile Inn pub (with ‘No Cats’ sign out front) in Simon Dell’s mouse village – SWNS
A book shop in Simon Dell’s mouse village / SWNS

Back in 2018, Simon recalls sitting in his garden in South Yorkshire when he “could see cats sitting just feet away from this little mouse at the other side of a fence.”

He piled some small logs around a box as a home for the mouse and covered it with moss and straw to give him a little shelter, and wire fencing to keep the cats at bay.

SWNS

After erecting the shelter for the mouse, which he named George, he began adding more homes next door. Within days, a few mice pals had moved in, looking to get-in on the creature comforts.

Barrel outside the Log Pile Inn by Simon Dell / SWNS

The wildlife photographer began adding intricate detail to the tiny houses, fashioning dining tables and giving them props for hobbies like painting, boating, gardening, and photography.

By Simon Dell / SWNS
Simon Dell / SWNS
Simon Dell / SWNS

Today, Simon says there are around 20 mice, with possibly two family groups—and a lot has changed in the village.

“The only limit is my own imagination and skills at making the new buildings – as everything is made by hand from recycled bits of wood old logs or just about anything I can find in skips or the trash that could be given a new life.”

“They have two of my old boots converted into mouse homes and lots of other types of homes scattered around the village.

“In fact they have just about everything you would find in a village or even a town.”

The village in 2019 – SWNS

He has plans to add a train station, cafe and a theater or cinema.

Simon says the mouse village has given him—and many of his followers—immense joy amidst personal struggles.

The Village in 2019 – SWNS

“As I have always suffered with depression, insomnia, and anxiety, they are always there to support me in good or bad times—and many find my photos and videos help make them smile daily and lift their moods.

“That has always been my goal to make others smile along with keeping my mind and body active.”

LOOK: The Comedy Wildlife Photo Winners Are Here–And They’re Absolutely Adorable

You can follow George the Mouse in a log pile house across Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.

SHARE The Wondrous Photos With Friends on Social Media…

“There is nothing like a dream to create the future.” – Victor Hugo

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Quote of the Day: “There is nothing like a dream to create the future.” – Victor Hugo

Photo by: Jonathan Mabey

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, April 14

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David Bowie Let's Dance

41 years ago today, EMI released David Bowie’s 15th studio album Let’s Dance. The album became Bowie’s greatest commercial success, with 11 million albums sold and topping the charts in 9 countries. For many Bowie fans, his persona, lyrical content, and performance in Let’s Dance remain the most iconic of his long career, not least because of the substantial radio play it received. READ some quick facts about this timeless work of art… (1983)

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Teen Bullied Over Her Weight Goes On to Become Cheerleading Coach and Beauty Queen Finalist

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Sophie McGarva – via SWNS
Sophie McGarva – via SWNS

A student who was picked-on for being an overweight teenager has shut down the bullies by becoming a cheerleading coach and Miss England semi-finalist.

Sophie McGarva said she was mocked by cruel classmates after she reached almost 200 pounds during middle school by gorging on junk food and snacks before turning 13.

The Englishwoman suffered from low self-esteem but became determined to “prove everyone wrong” and went on to lose 49 pounds. Now 21, Sophie even made the semi-finals of the Miss England competition last weekend.

The English Literature degree student now keeps in shape by coaching cheerleading for the ‘YSJ Kats’ at York St John University and going to the gym three times a week.

“The issues with my weight first started once I got to secondary school,” explained the North Yorkshire woman. “I wasn’t very sporty then and I was eating a lot of bad food, like chocolates and sweets..

“But at that point you start to become more image aware and the girls around me were all really slim.

“I was never too concerned, but then a few girls started picking on me because of my size and saying mean and horrible things.

“I even reported it to teachers at one point, but it was sort of brushed under the carpet, which didn’t help matters.

LOOK: He Lost 210-lbs on Carnivore Diet Eating Just Meat and Eggs–After Fertility Became an Issue

“After about a year of this, I knew it was time for a change and I became determined to prove everyone wrong.

“I also wanted to prove to myself that if I put my mind to something I could do it. So I began watching my diet and exercising more.”

After getting into dance, swimming, and ice-skating, she lost almost 50 pounds.

“I have maintained this determined, strong-willed mindset in my adulthood and I still go to the gym.”

“Once I got to university I wanted to join a society as they say that’s the best way to meet people. I chose cheerleading and it just went from there. I now choreograph routines and teach up to a level two standard.

EVEN THE OLD CAN DO IT: Grandma Lost 250 Pounds and is Now a Bodybuilder

“We’re not competitive. We’re a varsity squad so do events and cheer on the football teams and things like that. I absolutely love it.”

Cheerleading gave Sophie the confidence to model on four occasions at York Fashion Week, giving her the belief that she could even compete in a beauty pageant.

“I entered Miss England after seeing it publicized on social media, thinking I wouldn’t stand a chance.

“I like the charity aspect and what they stand for—about beauty not being solely about what’s on the outside.

CHECK OUT: How Self-Compassion Can Help People Achieve Weight Loss Goals Despite Setbacks–and Resume Dieting Faster

“At school I was a young and impressionable girl who was taught by those around me that beauty was merely the reflection in the mirror—which, after the weight loss, I came to the realization that this is not entirely true.

“I entered Miss England to challenge myself again, in aims of gaining confidence within myself and to also make my younger self proud.”

Indeed, she became one of 44 women to make it through to the Miss England national finals last weekend.

“I wanted to gain a deeper connection with myself and those around me, proving to myself that I can succeed in things outside my comfort zone.”

SHARE The Confidence Booster With Angst-Ridden Youth on Social Media…

Teen with Incredibly Rare Genetic Condition is Cured in World First By British Doctors

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Kai Xue with her mom and team members from University Hospitals at North Midlands –  NHS Trust via SWNS
Kai Xue with her mom and team members from University Hospitals at North Midlands – NHS Trust via SWNS

A teen diagnosed with an incredibly rare genetic condition has become the first person in the world to be cured, thanks to a team of pioneering British doctors.

13-year-old Kai Xue is one of just 21 people in the world stricken with a disease called WILD syndrome, which impairs cells, causes lymphedema and warts, and leads to infections—but she was also diagnosed with severe chylous ascites, a potentially fatal illness that caused 28 liters of lymphatic fluid to collect within her abdomen.

It took over a decade to find a special team of doctors who could locate the cause of the fluid buildup from chylous ascites—and stop it for good.

Kai was born with an abnormal lymphatic system and her mother Ning Chen said they spent her daughter’s childhood in the UK visiting different hospitals and had even travelled to China to see if she could get treatment there.

But more than a decade later, Kai was finally cured after she was diagnosed by Dr. Mona Mossad, a national expert in lymphatic intervention.

The doctor went on to work alongside experienced surgeons to remove the excess fluid from Kai’s body, while also fixing a leak that had developed in her liver.

After a five-week stay at Staffordshire Children’s Hospital at Royal Stoke, which is run by University Hospitals at North Midlands NHS Trust, she was finally able to return home to her grateful family.

“Throughout her childhood, we were under the care of a number of different hospitals to try to find out what the matter was, but nobody knew the cause,” said her relieved mom.

AMAZING CURE: Belgian Boy is the First Child in the World to Have Been Cured of Brain Stem Glioma, a Brutal Cancer

“We tried everything, from restrictive diets to even flying to China for treatment. “We’re very excited to finally be going home, I still cannot believe it.”

When Dr. Mossad, a consultant interventional radiologist, was first introduced to Kai, there was still some debate over her diagnosis.

“Kai was in a very difficult situation. Nobody could diagnose the cause of the leak that was leading to the build-up of lymphatic fluid into her abdomen over the years.

“That leak caused two major problems. The first being the large amount of fluids which were leaking into her abdominal space causing severe abdominal distention and pressure on internal organs. The second was that if we drained these fluids to relieve the pressure, we would be removing all the nutritional fluid from her body- protein, fat, antibodies, electrolytes and white blood cells.

CANCER CURED: Kinder-Than-Chemo Cancer Drug Cured Boy of Leukemia–Available in the US

“These types of leaks are usually very difficult and multifactorial, there is not just one cause for it. So clinically and radiologically we tried to eliminate the causes starting with the least-invasive,” recalls Dr. Mossad.

After initially carrying out a procedure to improve her lymphatic drainage, they then embarked on more challenging surgery to block lymphatic vessels in her liver that measured less than one-tenth of a millimeter.

Dr. Mossad said that because of Kai’s age and size, they had to special order smaller needles that would work.

“We successfully managed to find a large leak that was going into her abdominal cavity from the left lobe in her liver and were able to repair the leak using a special surgical glue.”

ALSO SEE: Toddler Is First to Be Cured of Rare, Deadly Condition, Using New Versions of a Faulty Gene

Kai was also under the care of Dr. Yvonne Slater, a Consultant Pediatric Gastroenterologist at the teaching hospital, who was thrilled that the young teen had responded so well.

“We are all over the moon for Kai, who is the first child to undergo this treatment anywhere in the world.” said Dr. Slater.

“It was an extremely long, difficult, and specialized case, over the two procedures that (also) involved the skills and dedication of many teams at University Hospitals at North Midlands—including Radiology, Anesthetics, Children’s Intensive Care, Gastroenterology and Dietetics.

“Despite this, Kai has remained remarkably robust, and after coming to us very weak, she has left a completely different girl, smiling for the first time in a long time.

CHECK OUT: Vaccine that Could Cure and Even Prevent Brain Cancer Developed by Scientists

“I’m delighted that everybody has moved heaven and earth to do the right thing for them.”

Kai’s mother praised the doctors and surgeons following the successful outcome.

“I’m so happy for the excellent care, and everybody was so nice and helpful and they tried their best to help us. The whole team is amazing.”

SHARE The Breakthrough With Doctors and Families on Social Media…

U.S. Unveils First-Ever Regulations to Remove ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water

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Despite a huge amount of political opposition from the chemical industry, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its first regulations aimed at limiting quantities of PFAs, or ‘forever chemicals,’ in American drinking water.

For decades, Polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAs have been used for coatings that resist fire, oil, stains, and water and are now found in a wide variety of products like waterproof clothing, stain-resistant furniture, food packaging, adhesives, firefighting spray foams, and non-stick cooking surfaces.

There are thousands of PFAS compounds with varying effects and toxicity levels, and the new EPA regulations will require water utilities to test for 6 different classes of them.

The new standards will reduce PFAS exposure—and thereby decrease the health risk—for 100 million people in the U.S.

A fund worth $1 billion for treatment and testing will be made available to water utilities nationwide—part of a $9 billion investment made possible by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to assist communities impacted by PFAS contamination.

“Drinking water contaminated with PFAS has plagued communities across this country for too long,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan in a statement Wednesday.

CHECK OUT: All the Positive GNN News About PFAs Over the Years

Under Regan’s leadership, the EPA began in 2021 to establish a roadmap for dealing with widespread PFAS contamination, and so far they’ve gathered much data, including monitoring drinking water, and begun requiring more reports from businesses about use of the unregulated substances.

The agency reported that current peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain levels of PFAS may lead to a myriad of health issues that are difficult to specify because of the variety of compounds coming from different places.

SOLUTION: Breakthrough Might Finally Destroy the Harmful ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Our Water

Regardless, the 66,000 water utility operators will have five years to test for the PFAS pollution and install necessary technology to treat the contamination, which the EPA estimates that 6%–10% of facilities will need.

Records show that some of the manufacturers knew these chemicals posed health hazards. A few major lawsuits in recent years have been settled that sought to hold chemical companies, like 3M, accountable for the environment damage.

BE GONE: Researchers Develop Water Treatment that Zaps ‘Forever Chemicals’ for Good

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Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ From Rob Brezsny

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Our partner Rob Brezsny, who has a new book out, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle, provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. (A free preview of the book is available here.)

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of April 13, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Is there any value in discussing happiness? It’s an amorphous term that has a different meaning for everyone. What makes me feel happy may be utterly unlike your definition. And the truth is that perfect happiness is impossible to achieve. We are always a mix of being happy and unhappy. Nevertheless, I invite you to ruminate about the subject in the coming days. I believe you are as close as you can get to crafting a realistic understanding of happiness—and then raising your happiness levels by at least 15 percent. Now here’s a possibly helpful clue from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: “Precisely the least, the softest, lightest, a lizard’s rustling, a breath, a flash, a moment—a little makes the way of the best happiness.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
I invite you to take an inventory of your taboos, inhibitions, and restrictions. Ruminate on why you originally adopted them. Evaluate how well they have served you and whether they are still meaningful to you. If you find any of them have become unnecessary or downright injurious, get rid of them! And be excited and happy about getting rid of them! If you decide that some of your taboos, inhibitions, and restrictions are still wise for you to cultivate, thank them for their service and honor the feelings they evoke in you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
“You could catalog the thousand ways people shrink from life, as if chance and change are by their nature toxic, disfiguring.” So says Gemini novelist Gregory Maguire. Your assignment in the coming weeks is to  live your life in such ways as to contradict his theory about human nature. If you are game to try this experiment, you will interpret all chance and change as potentially expansive, redemptive, and interesting. You will never shrink from life, but will rather rise boldly to meet every challenge and embrace every twist of fate as a golden opportunity. Based on my interpretation of astrological omens, I have radiant faith in your ability to carry out this joyous project.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
I nominate you to be the Top Toxin and Waste Purger of the Zodiac, beginning now and continuing through all of February. Do it both for yourself and on behalf of those you care about. Your assignment, if you choose to accept it, will be to eliminate nonessentials that obstruct the flow of the good life. These might include defunct fantasies, mistaken understandings, apathetic attitudes, and unloving approaches. Among the other dross or dreck you could root out is any clutter that’s making beloved environments feel oppressive. By the way, fellow Cancerian, this should be quite fun. If it’s not, you’re doing it wrong.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
My goals right now are to inspire you: 1. to be full of love for your daily life; 2. to adore yourself exactly as you are; 3. to replace any numbness or boredom you feel with alert aliveness. Toward these ends, I offer three quotes: “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common,” by Ralph Waldo Emerson; “The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper,” by Eden Phillpotts; and, “I have the mysterious feeling of seeing for the first time something I have always known,” by Bernardo Bertolucci.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
In the coming weeks, I hope you avoid sucking up to egotistical manipulators. Please also refrain from being an unappreciated beast of burden and a half-willing pawn in a boring game. If you are interested in paying off a karmic debt, make sure it’s yours, not anyone else’s. If you plan to work hard to lay the foundation for a future liberation, get a guarantee that YOU will be at least one of the people liberated. PS: I’m fine with you doing unselfish things as long as they will also have selfish benefits.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
The greatest undiagnosed malady affecting us modern people is atrophy of the soul. This misfortune is related to another: apathy of the soul. So much of the colorful stimuli that scream for our attention is engineered to feed our egos; our poor souls are left to starve. Please note that I have no problem with our egos—they are an important part of our make-up and are essential for healthy functioning. But it’s a damn shame they hog all the glory and nourishment. Now here’s my main message for you: It’s high time to celebrate a holiday I call Nurture the Soul. Make it last at least three weeks. Homework: Identify three actions you will take to excite, love, and nurture your soul.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Psychologist Carl Jung wrote, “Motherlove is one of the most moving and unforgettable memories of our lives, the mysterious root of all growth and change; the love that means homecoming, shelter, and the long silence from which everything begins and in which everything ends.” To place yourself in rapt alignment with current cosmic rhythms, Scorpio, you will do whatever’s necessary to get a strong dose of the blessing Jung described. If your own mother isn’t available or is insufficient for this profound immersion, find other sources. Borrow a wise woman elder. Be intensely intent on basking in a maternal glow that welcomes you and loves you exactly as you are—and makes you feel deeply at home in the world.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Sagittarian computer scientist Grace Hopper (1906–1992) wrote, “The most damaging phrase in the language is: ‘It’s always been done that way.’” For your inspiration, I’ll expand on that wisdom. The most obvious meaning is that we risk ignoring our individualized needs and suppressing our creative inspirations if we mindlessly conform to the habits of society at large and our own community. But it’s equally important not to blindly repeat our own previous actions. Maybe they were brilliant and appropriate in the past, but there’s no guarantee they will always be so. In conclusion, Sagittarius, I recommend you rebel against your own personal “it’s always been done that way” as well as everyone else’s.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Which would you prefer in the coming weeks: itches, prickles, twitches, and stings? Or, instead, tickles, tingles, quivers, and shimmers? To ensure the latter types of sensations predominate, all you must do is cultivate moods of surrender, relaxation, welcome, and forgiveness. You will be faced with the former sensations only if you resist, hinder, impede, and combat. Please keep in mind that this is not always sound advice. Sometimes, it’s wise to boldly refuse to go with the flow. But this is not one of those phases. I encourage you to cultivate an elegant and graceful receptivity.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
It’s the 17th annual Brag Therapy Holiday, for you Aquarians only. During this celebration, we expect you—indeed we want you—to boast extravagantly. Tell us in exquisite detail why you are such a marvelous creation. Explain how you have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to transform yourself into a masterpiece of gorgeous intelligence. Regale us with stories of your winsome qualities, your heroic triumphs, your hilarious and poignant adventures on the edge of reality. Make sure we understand how educational and healing it would be to absorb your influence. Show us why we should consider regarding you as a role model.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
I invite you to resolve old business, draw unrewarding projects to a close, and finish your lessons at the School of Hard Knocks. You don’t have to carry out my next proposal, but if you do, I won’t be upset: Politely and quietly scream “Get out of my life forever” at anyone who doesn’t give you the respect and kindness you deserve. I also recommend that you do a Wrap-It-Up Ritual. Make an altar that pleases you with its beauty. Take five scraps of paper and write on every piece a description of an influence or experience you want to purge from your life. As you rip each scrap into little bits, say this: “I’m grateful for what I have learned from you, but now I am leaving you behind.”

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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“I love you not only for what you are, but for what you are making of me.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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Quote of the Day: “I love you not only for what you are, but for what you are making of me.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Photo by: Jack Ward

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, April 13

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Good News Network
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Sikhs parading on Vaisakhi in Birmingham - CC 2.0. Michael Clark.

Today is Vaisakhi, the second most important day of the year on the Punjabi calendar, on which Sikhs from around the world celebrate a triad of events. The first, dating back to before the consolidation of Sikhism, is the first harvest of crops for the year, and as such many Sikh communities hold harvest festivals either in India or in the diaspora nations. Second, it is the day that the 10th Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh, created the Khalsa, an order of warrior-poet-holy men to defend to lands of Punjab, and which still marks out men as Sikh devotees today. READ about the third and more about the second below… (1699)

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Indigenous Rangers Photograph Blind ‘Marsupial Mole’ Seldom Seen by Humans Amid its Strange and Wild Land

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Andy Corbley
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Northern marsupial mole – Courtesy of KJ Rangers
Northern marsupial mole – Courtesy of KJ Rangers

This tiny creature is a northern marsupial mole, a card-carrying member of one of the strangest landscapes on Earth.

The Western Deserts of Australia bristle, slither, and burrow with life; much of it unseen by the few passersby. The extreme aridity and heat have caused these animals to adapt in strange ways; few stranger than this marsupial mole which is seen just a few times every decade.

Small, blind, hairy, and shy, the marsupial moles carry their young around in a pouch like kangaroos, but burrow underground using their noses to make up for their lack of eyesight like moles.

“Some people’s first thought was, ‘Are these photos an April Fools’ Day joke?'” desert wildlife expert Gareth Catt told ABC News Down Under. “To see a close-up photo like this is really exciting—I’ve never seen one myself so I’m pretty jealous of the rangers!”

The rangers Mr. Catt is referring to are the Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa (KJ) Martu rangers, a group of Aboriginal conservationists who make their homes and their bread in the Western Deserts in the state of Western Australia.

Documenting wildlife, implementing conservation strategies, performing fire management, and other activities, the KJ are like custodians of the Outback.

The wildlife living in the deserts of Australia are as odd as the fish and invertebrates of the deep ocean are odd when compared with those in shallow seas. The most charismatic must be the thorny devil (Moloch horridus.)

This small lizard may look impenetrable with its bristling spikes, but its skin is actually hydrophilic, meaning that if any part of it touches moisture—dew for example—it can be absorbed into the body without the lizard requiring to drink it.

A thorny devil along the Great Central Road – credit CC 3.0. Bäras

But this thirsty-skinned lizard is nothing compared to the powers of the “water holding frog” (Cyclorana platycephala) which can go 5 years without ever drinking water. Aborigines will actually dig up this frog, gently squeeze it, and drink the water excreted from its skin before putting it back, or carrying it with them to the next watering hole, as the unwelcome theft of their water will most likely prove fatal to this amphibian in the dry season.

MORE AUSSIE ODDITIES: Woylies Are the Ecosystem Engineers of Australia–Critically Endangered but They’re Making a Comeback

Water-holding frog – CC 3.0. Tnarg

Aside from these oddities, there are beautiful birds like the Galah, or rose-breasted cockatoo, and the blindingly iridescent scarlet-chested parrot, and even a tiny species of freshwater, desert-dwelling fish, which itself sounds like a contradiciton, called a gobby.

As for the marsupial mole, part of Mr. Catt and the rangers’ work in the deserts includes monitoring populations to see how they are coping. There are reasons to suggest that rainfall and temperature patterns are making desert life more difficult for some animals, and though many are not even threatened with extinction, signs of population decline need to be carefully monitored.

For a tiny recluse like the northern marsupial mole, this sees the KJ rangers hiking up and down sand dunes until they spot the tell-tale traces of a mole’s rare above-ground excursions. Once located, they will dig a trench to look for holes and log any they find in a central database.

YOU’LL ALSO LIKE: Australian Lyrebirds Give Singing Lessons to Juveniles–Mimicking 10 Different Species–LISTEN

Northern marsupial mole tracks – Courtesy of KJ Rangers

In this way they can keep track of where the population is dispersed and how densely they inhabit the areas where they are found.

“The monitoring by Aboriginal ranger groups is really important, especially as desert species are being impacted by rainfall and temperature patterns changing due to climate change,” Mr. Catt said.

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French Woman Smashes Previous World Rope Climbing Record by Reaching Eiffel Tower’s 2nd Floor–(WATCH)

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Andy Corbley
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Garnier's climbed a rope suspended down the center of the Eiffel Tower to the second floor level - CC 2.5. IvanAndreevich

Remember the free hanging rope climb exercise in PE class, remember how difficult that was? Well, evidently there are some people who turned that challenge into a passion.

Frenchwoman Anouk Garnier’s new world-record rope climb is stunning. The arms of a normal fit person scream with lactic acid burn just watching it.

Climbing 360 feet, or 110 meters, in 18 minutes allowed her to climb up through the center of the Eiffel Tower into the iron bosom of its second floor.

Her attempt was in the name of raising money for cancer research and prevention after her mother was diagnosed with the disease.

The previous world record, the Guardian reports, was held by the South African athlete Thomas Van Tonder, who climbed around 300 feet up a rope suspended between the Soweto Towers in Johannesburg.

Garnier’s climb supplanted the female world rope climb record held by Ida Mathilde Steensgaard a staggering 4.5-times over.

“My dream has come true. It’s magical,” Garnier told the gathered media. “If there was one thing I never doubted, it was that I was going to do it. I never stopped believing in it. The satisfaction and joy I derive from it today are all the greater. It’s a crazy dream come true.”

MORE WORLD RECORDS BEING BROKEN: Dutch Woman Smashes a World Record Unbroken For 41 Years–While Her Home Audience Cheers

Garnier’s specialty isn’t rope climbing per se, but rather obstacle challenges. She won the world obstacle course championship for her age category in 2022, the same year she decided to go for Steensgaard’s record of 26 meters, which she described thinking “wasn’t that high” when she first heard about it.

Garnier will be carrying the Olympic torch in Marseille in May for the lead-up to the Summer Olympics.

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