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Sea Otters Returned to a Degraded Coastline Ate Enough Crabs to Restore Balance and Cut Erosion by 90%

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Released by Sonoma State University / Photography by Jessica Saavedra
Released by Sonoma State University / Photography by Jessica Saavedra

Against all odds, a distressed California coastal ecosystem is on the mend, in large part, thanks to the insatiable appetite sea otters have for crabs.

In a groundbreaking study published this week in Nature, scientists revealed that the return of sea otters to their former habitat in a Central California estuary has slowed erosion of the area’s marsh banks by up to 90%.

The resurgence of these charismatic marine mammals to the salt marshes of Elkhorn Slough in Monterey County sparks hope for improving coastal ecosystems and marks a significant ecological success story.

“Restoring the otter population was achievable without significant effort, and as a result, we are now unlocking several decades of benefits from that one act of conservation,” said Christine Angelini, Ph.D., one of the study’s authors and director of the Center for Coastal Solutions at the University of Florida.

At a time when rising sea levels, elevated fertilizer run-off, and stronger tidal currents should be causing the opposite effect, findings show that erosion has been slashed after reintroducing a top predator—the sea otter—whose insatiable appetite for plant-eating marsh crabs is making the difference.

“It would cost tens of millions of dollars for humans to rebuild these creek banks and restore these marshes. The sea otters are stabilizing them for free, in exchange for an all-you-can-eat crab feast,” said senior author and marine conservation biology professor Brian Silliman, Ph.D. at Duke University.

By documenting for the first time that reintroducing top predators to their former habitat can bring stability to a collapsing ecosystem, researchers wondered if similar results could be achieved in ecosystems worldwide.

IN OTT’ER NEWS: Otter Spotted in Detroit River May be First Sighting in 100 Years

A sea otter in the estuary of Elkhorn Slough in Monterey Bay, California – by Emma Levy Eurekalert / SWNS

Reintroducing sea otters allowed these ecosystems to restabilize, despite all the other pressures they are subject to, said the study’s lead author Brent Hughes, Ph.D., associate professor of biology at Sonoma State University. “That suggests this could be a very effective and affordable new tool for our conservation toolkit.”

Like many California estuaries, Elkhorn once was a foraging habitat for sea otters, which need to eat the equivalent of about 25% of their body weight every day—around 20 to 25 pounds of food, with crabs being one of their favorite meals.

But after fur traders hunted the local otter population nearly to extinction, the number of crabs exploded over the next century. Crabs eat salt marsh roots, dig into salt marsh soil, and over time can cause a salt marsh to erode and collapse.

Today, years after the otters were recolonized, aerial photography confirmed marshes and creek banks became more stable (despite rising sea levels, increased water flow from inland sources, and greater pollution). Some marshes were even expanding.

ADORABLE OTTERS: Woman and Her Pet Otters Have Spent the Last 40 Years Protecting the Species From Extinction in England

Angelini said that tool is an encouraging sign for her and colleagues as they confront similar threats to Florida’s coastlines from sea level rise, intense storms, and excess nutrients spilling into coastal waters.

“All these challenges can feel unsurmountable,” Angelini said. “This study indicates to us that, if we truly understand the ecosystem and know what levers to pull, we can see significant benefits to the health and stability of these systems.”

WATCH: Amazing Video Shows How Mama Otter Teaches Her Pup to Swim in Dramatic Fashion

The research team conducted large-scale surveys across 13 tidal creeks, as well as small-scale field experiments at five locations around the estuary over a six-year period. Otters were excluded from some test sites but allowed to recolonize others, using a caging system designed by Angelini.

“As a graduate student in biology at UF, I had been setting up these types of cages and manipulating access to predators and their prey in salt marshes all over the Southeastern U.S.,” Angelini explained. “I’ll never forget building all the cages in the parking lot of the estuary out in California. And all these years later, we now see these amazing results.

“It’s an uplifting story about the benefits of conservation and persistent, long-term research.”

Watch an animation of the otters’ effortless work…

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Solid State EV Batteries Overcome Safety, Climate Concerns of Lithium-ion While Charging Faster and Lasting Longer

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Volkswagen EV car – Bill Abbott (CC license)
Volkswagen EV car – Bill Abbott (CC license)

Solid-state batteries have emerged as a promising advancement that could potentially revolutionize the electric vehicle industry, making EVs even cleaner and more sustainable than they are today.

What is pushing this innovation are the many drawbacks to lithium-ion batteries in EVs today: limited energy storage, fire safety concerns, short lifespans, and a challenging carbon footprint due to the mining of lithium and other heavy metals all have prompted researchers to explore alternatives.

Solid-state batteries address many of these issues by replacing the liquid electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries with a solid electrolyte. This cuts the risk of fires, and allows for more storage.

Solid-state batteries have a lower carbon footprint while providing longer lifespans, so they’re a more durable and sustainable EV option. Emagazine.com reported that solid-state batteries use fewer materials, and could reduce climate impacts by 39% compared to lithium-ion batteries, according to Scott Gorman at the Centre for Process Innovation.

Our climate would significantly benefit from a move to solid-state batteries, especially because EV sales are skyrocketing, as the cars (and lithium-ion batteries) get cheaper.

So far, Toyota is one of the leaders in the race to develop solid-state batteries. After discovering a “technological breakthrough” in June, they said this month they were accelerating development to launch solid-state EV batteries with 10-minute fast charging and a 750-mile range. But they are still a few years away.

Volkswagen, Hyundai, Nissan, and Honda are also developing their own solid-state batteries.

In Taiwan, the startup ProLogium has already ramped up its “giga-scale” solid state battery factory for delivery to electric vehicle manufacturers this year, with plans for a second factory in France.

ALSO IN THE HUNT: NASA May Have Just Cracked the Code for Replacing Lithium in Batteries: ‘Double or even triple the energy’

Other companies—Schaeffler (which works with Honda), SolidEnergy Systems, QuantumScape, Solid Power, Sila Nanotechnologies, Albemarle and Ilika—are dedicated exclusively to developing solid state batteries that can be mass produced inexpensively.

Many other advancements in solid-state batteries documented over at CleanTechnica, make us believe that some day soon EVs will have the safest, greenest batteries possible under the hood.

SPEED THIS Positive News to EV-Lovers on Social Media… 

Weekly ‘Free Will Astrology’ For This Perfect Moment–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 February 3, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
It’s the fifth annual Brag Therapy Holiday—for you Aquarians only. During this celebration, we expect you—indeed we want you—to boast with panache. Tell us all 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 intuitive intelligence. Regale us with stories of your winsome qualities, your heroic triumphs, and your hilarious and poignant adventures on the edge of reality. Make sure we understand how educational and healing it can be to bask in your influence. Show us why we should regard 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 Tough Love. You don’t have to carry out my next proposal, but if you do, I will be glad: Politely and quietly scream, “Get out of my life” at anyone who doesn’t give you the respect and kindness you deserve. I also recommend that you do a Wrap-It-Up Ritual. Start by making an altar that pleases you with its beauty. Take scraps of paper and write on each one a description of an influence or experience you want to purge from your life. As you rip each scrap into bits, say this: “I’m grateful for what I have learned from you, but now I am leaving you behind.”

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
“Happiness” is an amorphous term with a different meaning for everyone. What makes me feel happy may be unlike what works for you. Besides that, any kind of perfect happiness is impossible to achieve. However we define it, 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 primed to arrive at a realistic new understanding of your personal version of happiness—and raise your happiness levels by at least 15 percent. Maybe more! Now here are helpful clues from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: “Precisely the least thing, the gentlest, lightest thing, the rustling of a lizard, a breath, a whisk, a twinkling of the eye—what’s *little* makes up the quality of the best happiness. Soft!”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
I invite you to take an inventory of your taboos, inhibitions, and restrictions. Meditate on why you originally adopted them. Evaluate how well they have served you and whether they are still meaningful. If you find any of them have become unnecessary or even injurious, jettison them. And be excited and happy about being free of them. If you decide that some taboos, inhibitions, and restrictions are still wise for you to maintain, thank them for their service and honor the self-protection they provide.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Gemini novelist Gregory Maguire says there are a “thousand ways people shrink from life, as if chance and change are by their nature toxic and disfiguring.” Your assignment in the coming weeks is to contradict his theory. I’m hoping you will interpret all chance and change as potentially expansive, redemptive, and interesting. You will never shrink from life, but will boldly meet challenges and embrace twists of fate as interesting opportunities. I have abundant faith in your ability to carry out this vigorous project!

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
You could be a masterful eliminator of toxins and wastes in the coming weeks. Do it both for yourself and for those you care about. Start by purging 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 familiar environments feel oppressive. By the way, fellow Cancerian, this should be fun. If it’s not, you’re doing it wrong.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
My goals right now are to inspire you in the following three ways: 1. to be full of love for your daily life; 2. to adore yourself exactly as you are; 3. to shed any numbness or boredom you feel and replace them with alert aliveness. To help you in this exalted effort, I offer the inspiration of three quotes. 1. “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson. 2. “The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” –Eden Phillpotts. 3. “I have the mysterious feeling of seeing for the first time something I have always known.” –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 boring games. If you are interested in paying off karmic debts, make sure they are 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 one of the liberated people. PS: I’m fine with you doing unselfish things as long as they will also have selfish benefits.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
One of the great maladies affecting modern people is the atrophy of the soul. It’s related to another affliction: the apathy of the soul. A key contributor to these misfortunes is the entertainment industry. Its shallow and artificial stimuli are engineered to overfeed our egos, leaving our poor souls malnourished. 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 shame they hog all the glory and sustenance. Now here’s my climactic message for you, Libra: 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, cherish, and enhance your soul.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
In myth and legend, pregnancies don’t always begin with two humans having sexual communion. The well-known story of the Virgin Mary tells us she was impregnated when the Holy Spirit, disguised as a dove, whispered in her ear. The Roman goddess Juno conceived her son Mars solely with the help of an enchanted lily flower. The Greek hero Attis germinated inside his virgin mother Nana after she placed a pomegranate in her lap. This might sound outlandish, but I foresee you having a metaphorically comparable experience. Do you believe in the possibility of being fertilized by miraculous magic or a divine spirit?  Might you be dramatically awakened or inspired by a very subtle influence? I think it will happen even if you don’t believe.

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.’” I will 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. But it’s equally important not to mindlessly repeat our own longstanding ways of doing things. 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):
Being in love is as desirable for you Capricorns as it is for everyone else. You may be less open and dramatic than the rest of us in expressing your yearnings, but they are still a driving force. Here’s an important point: Even if you are not constantly chattering to others about your urges to give and receive intimate care, it’s crucial that you acknowledge them to yourself. To keep your soul healthy, you must be in close touch with this core fuel. You must love your need for love. Now is an excellent time to deepen your appreciation for these truths.

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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“The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Quote of the Day: “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Photo by: PICSAR

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?

New Moon Welcomes Saturn and Jupiter for Unparalleled Stargazing This Month With ‘Gas Giants’

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Andy Corbley
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Saturn in Spring-NASA
Saturn in Spring-NASA

February is always the shortest month, so it seems appropriate that there isn’t so much to see in the night sky for those in the Northern Hemisphere in the next 4 weeks.

But the New Moon on February 9th will set the stage for some excellent opportunities to see the gas giants Saturn and Jupiter, as they will come to extreme proximity to the young moon, thereby giving stargazers both an easy time finding the planets, and very little light pollution.

On February 10th, just after sundown in America, and at around 23:00 in Central Europe, the ringed planet of Saturn will be situated about 1.8 degrees north of the Moon, which will be just one day old.

This is a perfect opportunity to see Saturn as the Moon will allow you to quickly find it, but at one day old, will produce almost no light pollution. While you can’t see the famous rings with your bare eyes, a pair of binoculars or a telescope will do the trick.

The same principle will allow Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, to be easily found and seen on February 15th after midnight in the USA or around dawn in Europe. You can find the gas giant at 3.2 degrees south of the Moon, which will be one day short of the first quarter, a beautiful combination to be sure.

Also in February, the α-Centaurid meteor shower will reach its peak late at night in the USA on the 8th. It’s a small shower of around 5 shooting stars per hour, but arriving just one day before the New Moon, the sky will be exceptionally dark.

February’s full moon is going to be a “micromoon” which is the opposite of a supermoon. If a supermoon is caused when the date of the full moon corresponds to the Moon’s position in “perigee” meaning the closest point to Earth in its orbit, a micromoon occurs when the date of the full moon corresponds to the Moon’s position in “apogee,” or the farthest point from Earth in its orbit.

According to Old Farmer’s Almanac, In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver visited with a group of Dakota Indians called the Naudowessie, and wrote that they termed this full moon the “Snow Moon” because more snow usually fell during this period.

The Cree traditionally called this the Bald Eagle Moon, while the Tlingit called it the Black Bear Moon, because bear cubs were born at this time. The Cherokee called it the Hungry Moon, because food was hard to come by.

SHARE What’s Up In The Night Sky On February With Your Friends… 

Explorers Think They’ve Found Amelia Earhart’s Long-Lost Airplane After Using Undersea Sonar

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Andy Corbley
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Amelia Earhart’s Electra airplane (to scale) with sonar image – Credit: Deep Sea Vision
Amelia Earhart’s Electra airplane (to scale) with sonar image – Credit: Deep Sea Vision

The mystery behind the disappearance of Amelia Earhart over the Pacific Ocean has fascinated people for years. But after a recent deep-sea sonar survey, some closure to the final chapter of her life may be forthcoming.

87 years after her disappearance, Deep Sea Vision, an ocean exploration company based in Charleston, South Carolina, claims to have found something that could be the wreckage of her plane.

16,000 feet (4,877 meters) below the sea, an anomaly that the company believes could be the Lockheed 10-E Electra aircraft she was piloting, appeared on their screens.

“Some people call it one of the greatest mysteries of all time, I think it actually is the greatest mystery of all time,” said the company’s CEO Tony Romeo, a pilot and former US Air Force intelligence officer. “We have an opportunity to bring closure to one of the greatest American stories ever.”

The discovery was made with sonar, a machine that sends a soundwave out into the ocean and detects the echoes generated as it bounces off of objects in its path. Repeated applications of sonar can generate something like a picture in sound waves. The sonar was sent from an autonomous underwater vehicle called a Hugin 6000.

The announcement was first made on Instagram.

Deep Sea Vision surveyed 5,200 square miles (13,468 square kilometers) of ocean, and managed to detect the anomaly 100 miles away (161 kilometers) from Howland Island.

OTHER GREAT MYSTERIES: Barnacles Could Lead Investigators to the Wreck of the Missing Malaysian Airways Flight 370

CNN reports that this position was along the path that Amelia was expected to arrive on following her ultimate departure from Papua New Guinea.

“We always felt that Earhart would have made every attempt to land the aircraft gently on the water… the sonar image suggests that may be the case,” said Romeo.

Romeo says that the venture is going to return to the area and investigate the anomaly further, hoping to get a visual confirmation of the serial number “NR16020” printed underneath the wing of the 10-E Electra. This could be possible because at 16,000 feet below the surface, objects can be preserved for long periods of time.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: He Found His Dad’s 1930s Car at An Auction–and Got it Working Again (LOOK)

If he and his dedicated team can get a confirmation, they hope to be able to get the plane out of the ocean and bring it to the Smithsonian Institute for future exhibit in the Museum of American History.

WATCH the story below from ABC7 News… 

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1,000 Manatees Converge on Florida State Park to Keep Warm in Record-Breaking Sighting

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Andy Corbley
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Blue Spring State Park, released on Facebook
Blue Spring State Park, released on Facebook

Those are not rocks you see in this beautiful turquoise water. They aren’t fish either; as incredible as it sounds, those are manatees.

At Blue Spring State Park in Florida, rangers and wildlife biologists have been bowled over by the number of manatees coming into the park’s warm and shallow lagoons to wait out the winter.

The park has been a refuge for the animals against sudden cold snaps for decades, and it’s tradition for rangers to take a “manatee count” every winter. This year the numbers were higher than ever before, with no morning being more memorable than January 21.

On that day, 932 manatees were found throughout the lagoons, 200 more than the highest previously recorded “aggregation,” which is the term for a group of manatees.

Despite their large rotund bodies reminiscent of seals and walruses, manatees have just 1 inch of fat, and can’t survive in water that’s colder than 68°F indefinitely, according to Smithsonian’s Christian Thorsberg.

When winter weather drops water temps, these animals, called “sea cows” because of their gentle, ho-hum grazing demeanor, seek out warm waters further inland.

MORE AMAZING ANIMALS: Drone Captures Mesmerizing School of Rays that Appear Like Confetti in the Water

The fact that so many were able to come to Blue Springs “is really encouraging” says Cora Berchem, a manatee research associate at the nonprofit Save the Manatee Club. Talking with NPR, Berchem explained that it means they have a good intergenerational understanding of their environment, increasing the odds of intergenerational survival from similar weather events.

Between 7,000 and 11,000 manatees live across Florida—a significant increase from 50 years ago, when they numbered only 1,000.

SHARE This Incredible Opportunity To See Manatees En Masse… 

Irishman Whips Out Fiddle to Entertain Passengers in Flight–and People Dance a Jig in the Aisle (WATCH)

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Andy Corbley
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Musician Sean Magee, credit Danny Walters, SWNS.
Musician Sean Magee, credit Danny Walters, SWNS.

A flight from Belfast to Lanzarote had a spontaneous folk music performance after a passenger whipped out his fiddle and a stranger started doing a river dance in the Aisle.

The footage was recorded by Danny Walters who was jetting off for a holiday in The Canaries with his wife.

Musician Sean Magee, also on vacation with his wife, asked his pal to “pass him the fiddle” midway through the flight, claims Danny.

Sean then launched into a lively rendition of Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal, made famous in the 90s by folk group Goats Don’t Shave.

Accompanied by fellow musicians Nathan Carter and Matthew Crampsey, the trio are currently some of the biggest names in Irish folk music.

Video taken from the flight shows fellow passengers laughing, singing, and clapping along, as the plane makes its way to the Canary Islands, with one person even leaping up to do a traditional Irish dance in the aisle.

“Sean had paid to have an extra seat for his fiddle, so he didn’t have to leave it in the hold,” explained Danny.

A passenger dances a jig in the aisle of a Ryanair flight from Belfast as musician Sean Magee plays the fiddle – SWNS

“We got on the plane and the boys were sitting behind us,” said Danny. “About an hour or so in, we heard someone say ‘guys, give us me fiddle over!'”

MORE IRISH SPIRIT: Christmas Fairytale Rings out: Mourners Dance at Epic Irish Funeral for Beloved Pogues’ Singer Shane MacGowan–LOOK

In the video, Magee calls out “‘Ave we got anyone from Donegal?” and many of the passengers cheer in return.

“I just happened to be sitting in front, so once I saw the fiddle come out, I brought out my camera. Then it all broke into Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal; everybody loved it!” he said.

OTHER SPONTANEOUS STORIES: He Crowdsurfed in a Wheelchair to the Stage and Coldplay Pulled Him Up to Play Harmonica (Watch)

Magee had some gigs lined up on the island, and Danny was able to go and meet up with the flying fiddler.

“While we were in Lanzarote, a couple of the boys from the plane got gigs, so we went down there for the craic—and they were very good!” he said, using a uniquely Irish term for hanging out at the center of the night’s action.

WATCH, LISTEN, and maybe DANCE to the tune below… 


SHARE This Delightfully Irish Story With Your Friends Who Love The Emerald Isle…

“Happiness is good health and a bad memory.” – Ingrid Bergman

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Quote of the Day: “Happiness is good health and a bad memory.” – Ingrid Bergman

Photo by: Dim Hou

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?

Boy Whose IQ is the Same as Einstein Joins Mensa to Make Some Friends

By
Andy Corbley
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12-year-old child genius Cyrus Leung earned a 160 IQ score in the official Mensa test – SWNS
12-year-old child genius Cyrus Leung earned a 160 IQ score in the official Mensa test – SWNS

After receiving the same IQ score as Einstein and Stephen Hawking on a test, a young immigrant to the UK joined a pretty cool club to make new friends.

Mensa is an international group for high-IQ individuals founded in 1947. The group welcomes children and adults in the 98th percentile of IQs worldwide in order to share ideas and help them reach their full potential.

12-year-old Cyrus Leung was born in Hong Kong, and was accepted into The Mensa Society after passing his test with 160, just two points short of the highest score.

“I read some articles about other children who have joined Mensa and thought it would be good for Cyrus…to find some friends who have a similar interest to him and then he can try and develop better in his interests,” said Cyrus’ father, Frank Leung.

Cyrus loves to play the piano and also enjoys science and math, if the glasses and 160 IQ weren’t enough to give it away.

“I am very proud of myself,” said the young man, who had apparently forgotten to bring his watch to the test and was nervous.

MAYBE YOU’LL READ: Preemie Given 10% Chance of Survival Defies the Odds and is Now ‘a Genius’ Who Outsmarts His Teachers (WATCH)

“He was nervous he wouldn’t know how much time he’s got left and would run out of time to do the questions,” said Frank. “But he was really, really excited as he didn’t expect to get such a high score on the exam.”

“He’s really proud of himself and I think this is something he will remember for the rest of his life.”

RELATED: 2-Year-old Girl With a Genius IQ is the Youngest American to Become Member of Mensa

Mensa is based on the Latin word for ‘table,’ which inspires the idea of coming together to sit as equals. Chapters exist in over 100 countries, but the three largest are Germany, the UK, and the US.

It’s much less than a Skull and Bones Society-type organization, and much more like the membership to an academic journal as the activities involve writing in publications and holding workshops and events around ideas.

SHARE And CELEBRATE Cyrus’ Accomplishment With Your Friends… 

Singing or Playing Music Throughout Life is Linked with Better Brain Health While You Age

By
Andy Corbley
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Metin Ozer - Unsplash
Metin Ozer – Unsplash

Playing a musical instrument has obvious rewards: the sense of fun and enjoyment, the ability to express feelings in different ways, and the satisfaction experienced as proficiency improves, but could it actually be making you smarter?

Well, scientists working on PROTECT, an online study open to people aged 40 and over, reviewed data from more than a thousand adults to see the effect of playing a musical instrument or singing on brain health, and what they found was that, apart from any benefits it has for emotional wellbeing, it actually improved the memory and cognitive speed of the 40-and-ups.

Over 25,000 people have signed up for the PROTECT study, which has been running for 10 years, and in order to come up with this exciting finding the team reviewed participants’ musical experience and lifetime exposure to music, alongside results of cognitive testing, to determine whether musicality helps to keep the brain sharp in later life.

The findings show that playing a musical instrument, particularly the piano, is linked to improved memory and the ability to solve complex tasks—known as executive function.

Continuing to play into later life provides even greater benefit. The work suggests that singing was also linked to better brain health, although this may also be due to the social factors of being part of a choir or group.

“A number of studies have looked at the effect of music on brain health. Our PROTECT study has given us a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between cognitive performance and music in a large cohort of older adults,” said Anne Corbett, Professor of Dementia Research at the University of Exeter.

“Overall, we think that being musical could be a way of harnessing the brain’s agility and resilience, known as cognitive reserve.”

“Although more research is needed to investigate this relationship, our findings indicate that promoting musical education would be a valuable part of public health initiatives to promote a protective lifestyle for brain health, as would encouraging older adults to return to music in later life,” she said in conclusion.

Raol Croes – Unplash

There is considerable evidence for the benefit of group music activities for individuals with dementia, and this approach could be extended as part of a healthy aging package for older adults to enable them to proactively reduce their risk and to promote brain health.”

Stuart Douglas, a 78-year-old accordion player from Cornwall, has played the instrument throughout his life and now plays with the Cober Valley Accordion Band as well as the Cornish Division of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Children Do Much Better in Math When Music is Added to the Lesson: New Study

“I learned to play the accordion as a boy living in a mining village in Fife and carried on throughout my career in the police force and beyond,” said Mr. Douglas. “These days I still play regularly, and playing in the band also keeps my calendar full, as we often perform in public.”

“We regularly play at memory cafes so have seen the effect that our music has on people with memory loss, and as older musicians ourselves we have no doubt that continuing with music into older age has played an important role in keeping our brains healthy,” he added.

LISTENING ALSO HELPS: Music Helps Reconnect Elderly Patients with their Memories in New Study

The idea for the study came from University of Exeter Medicine student Gaia Vetere, a keen pianist, who contacted the PROTECT study team.

“As a pianist, I was interested in researching the impact of music and cognition. Being fairly new to the world of research and publishing, this was a challenging but also truly enriching experience,” she told the University of Exeter press. 

The paper was published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

SHARE This Story And Encourage 40-And-Ups You Know To Start Playing…

Hoard of Bronze Jewelry Found in Polish Lake Reveals Ancient Celtic Water Burial Ritual

By
Andy Corbley
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A. Piasecka / Antiquity Publications Ltd.
A. Piasecka / Antiquity Publications Ltd.

A hoard of bronze jewelry was found along with the remains of dozens of humans in a dried-up lakebed in Poland.

The amazing find bears witness to rapid advancement in the understanding of the Chełmno group’s ceremonial behavior, and shows how some people had jewelry interred with them—after they themselves were buried.

The Chełmno were a group of ancient Poles from the Late Bronze/Early Iron Age culture known as Lusatia. The Lusatians were related to the Hallstatt culture, which was probably Celtic in language and culture, and aspects of their jewelry-making and water-related burials certainly support the idea the Chełmno were Celtic in some way, though it was once aptly said that a Celt is anyone who believes themselves to be a Celt.

The hoard was discovered at Papowo Biskupie, a long dried-up lakebed. Metal detectives found 550 artifacts and the remains of several humans, making it “one of the most eloquent testimonies of ritual activity from the Lusatian period in Poland,” according to a study published this week in the journal Antiquity.

At least 33 human bodies of various ages were identified, and radiocarbon dating placed their activity at Papowo Biskupie to between 1,000 and 750 BCE. The bronze ornaments included arm rings, necklaces, and trinkets. A glass bead from the Mediterranean region was also uncovered which indicates they may have been engaged in wider European trade.

All the pieces were buried in the lake after the bodies, which the archaeologists say could demonstrate a shift in cultural activities in lockstep with the rise in metal use.

A. Fisz / Antiquity Publications Ltd.

The Chełmno were not, throughout most of their existence, prolific workers or consumers of metal objects. Other Lusatians were, but the Chełmno may only have aligned with these commercial, and perhaps ritual practices, later on.

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Bog burials, including events of human sacrifice, had been practiced by other Celts from the period in other parts of Europe, but not in the region the Chełmno were active.

“Papowo Biskupie may thus reflect a shift from human sacrifice to metal offerings in the local wetland landscape during the cultural conversion of the Lusatian power elites to Hallstatt culture,” the authors wrote as part of their study’s conclusion.

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“The consequences of this development are seen in the contents of the metal deposits at the site—the female ornaments accompanied by horse-related accessories belong to a wider pattern of Hallstatt finds which are often taken as evidence that women were an important medium in votive depositions.”

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She’s a Pet Detective Who’s Tracked Down and Reunited 330 Lost Dogs with Owners for Free–Using Thermal Imaging

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Andy Corbley
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Erica Hart with her thermal imaging drone-SWNS
Erica Hart with her thermal imaging drone – SWNS

Meet the pet detective who has helped track down and reunite 330 lost dogs with their owners for free—using a thermal imaging drone.

She doesn’t accept a penny for her work, saying that the joy when an owner is reunited with their animal is all the reward she needs.

Erica Hart, 44, got her first drone as a present from her father in April 2018.

After practicing with it, Her dad told Erica a dog was missing in their local area and suggested she use her drone to help find it.

Erica called the owner of the missing dog—a schnauzer that went missing on a walk—and went out to help him find it, which she did.

Word spread and Erica said it “snowballed” from there. She has since been on 330 dog rescue missions with her drone. She’s even kept a few of the pooches she’s found. From Scotland to Somerset in the UK, Erica is the first one called in the nation for such missions.

“I don’t just help find dogs though, I have found, cats, emus, cows and helped mountain rescue locate missing people,” said Erica. “It is in my nature to help out.”

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“I do everything for the love of dogs. Imagine not seeing your mum for 10 years and then seeing her all of a sudden—it is that feeling.”

She estimated she’s been through 30 drones since she started out, and reiterated that the human element of the work is the most important for her.

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“I have seen large, 6-foot men burst into tears; it is priceless to see their faces,” she remembers. “Some people can’t have kids so they will get a dog, they are comfort for some people.”

Erica is on call seven days a week and has been out looking on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The longest rescue Erica has been part of lasted 12 days but she said the length of the rescue depends on whether the animal missing goes into fight or flight mode.

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“You struggle with money. You struggle without money. You struggle with love. You struggle without love. But it’s how you manage; you have to keep laughing.” – Pierce Brosnan

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Good News Network
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By Gui França

Quote of the Day: “You struggle with money. You struggle without money. You struggle with love. You struggle without love. But it’s how you manage; you have to keep laughing.” – Pierce Brosnan

Photo by: Gui França

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Newly Released NASA Collection of Spiral Galaxies May Leave Viewers ‘Mesmerized’

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Andy Corbley
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Spiral galaxies as captured by the James Webb Space Telescope – NASA / SWNS
Spiral galaxies as captured by the James Webb Space Telescope – NASA / SWNS

These jaw-dropping pictures of 13 different spiral galaxies were released in a bundle by NASA, and are the result of the space agency’s work using the James Webb Space Telescope.

It wasn’t just hobbyist stargazing however, they are actually part of a long-standing project called the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS) program, which is supported by more than 150 astronomers worldwide.

“It’s oh-so-easy to be absolutely mesmerized by these spiral galaxies. Follow their clearly defined arms, which are brimming with stars, to their centers, where there may be old star clusters and – sometimes – active supermassive black holes,” NASA wrote alongside the photo dump.

“Only NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope can deliver highly detailed scenes of nearby galaxies in a combination of near and mid-infrared light.”

One especially cool part of their release to the public is that it replicates how the NASA astronomers themselves were able to see them for the first time—when they flooded the NASA servers after being processed into visible light.

“Webb’s new images are extraordinary. They’re mind-blowing even for researchers who have studied these same galaxies for decades,” explains Janice Lee, a project scientist for strategic initiatives at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. “Bubbles and filaments are resolved down to the smallest scales ever observed, and tell a story about the star formation cycle.”

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The reason for this is that many of the fainter stars or clouds of gas and dust simply don’t produce or reflect enough light on their own to be visible in anything other than the infrared spectrum—a frequency of light that the human eye cannot detect.

A spiral galaxy as captured by the James Webb Space Telescope – NASA / SWNS

“I feel like our team lives in a constant state of being overwhelmed—in a positive way—by the amount of detail in these images,” adds Thomas Williams, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

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Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) captured millions of stars in these images, which sparkle in blue tones. Some stars are spread throughout the spiral arms, but others are clumped tightly together in star clusters.

The telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) data highlights glowing dust, showing us where it exists around and between stars. It also reveals stars that haven’t yet fully formed; which are still encased in the gas and dust that feed their growth, like bright red seeds at the tips of dusty peaks.

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Improving Physical Fitness with Cardio May Cut Prostate Cancer Risk by More Than a Third

By
Andy Corbley
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Men in the study had their cardiorespiratory fitness measured on stationary bikes - credit, Sam Moghadam Khamseh - Unsplash
Men in the study had their cardiorespiratory fitness measured on stationary bikes – credit, Sam Moghadam Khamseh – Unsplash

Researchers found those who increased their annual cardiorespiratory fitness activity (CRF) by 3% or more were up to 35% less likely to develop prostate cancer.

This small-change-big-result finding was established by a Swedish team, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, who hope to encourage men to improve their fitness in a bid to steer clear of the disease.

There are relatively few known risk factors for prostate cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer. The American Cancer Society’s estimates are that 35,000 men will die this year in the nation from prostate cancer, and nearly 300,000 will develop it.

While evidence exists as to the beneficial effects of physical activity on the risk of several cancers, associations with prostate cancer are less clear-cut.

The majority of previous studies have assessed fitness only at a single point in time, and none have looked at the potential impact of fitness on both the risk of developing and dying from prostate cancer.

Therefore, researchers from the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH) sought to discover whether improvements in men’s fitness could offset the risk of developing the disease.

“This is the largest study to examine the relationships between change in CRF (cardiorespiratory fitness) and cancer incidence and mortality, and the first study to examine change in CRF specifically on prostate cancer incidence and mortality,” said Dr. Kate Bolam, a lead author from the Department of Physical Activity and Health at GIH.

“Improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness in adult men should be encouraged and may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.”

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They analyzed data from a national occupational health profile in Sweden, containing information on physical activity, lifestyle, perceived health, measurements of body mass and height, and the results of at least two CRF tests.

The tests measured CRF performance in Zone 2 and the VO2 max of 57,652 Swedish men as they peddled on a stationary bike.

The participants were then divided into groups according to whether their fitness levels had changed, and followed them from the date of their last assessment to the date of their prostate cancer diagnosis, their death from any cause, or until 31 December 2019— whichever came first.

During an average period of nearly seven years, the researchers saw that 592 men—1% of the total sample—were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 46 died of their disease.

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When the participants were grouped according to whether their cardiorespiratory fitness had increased, remained stable, or fallen, those whose fitness had improved by 3% or more a year were found to be 35% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those whose fitness had declined, after accounting for potentially influential factors.

However, as the study was purely observational, it was unable to establish causal or genetic factors that have a major role in both a person’s cardiorespiratory fitness and cancer risk.

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The World’s Highest Spokeless Ferris Wheel Set for Construction

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Andy Corbley
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Seoul Twin Eye spokeless Ferris wheel – By UNStudio via SWNS
Seoul Twin Eye spokeless Ferris wheel – By UNStudio via SWNS

A new enormous Ferris wheel to go up in South Korea is set to break not only the record for the world’s largest, but break the conformity of what this classic attraction can look like.

Dwarfing the London Eye, the Seoul ‘Twin Eye’ will stand 591 feet high (180 meters), 40 feet taller than the Washington Monument, but won’t have a single supporting spoke.

Described by Dutch design firm UNStudio as the first ever of its kind, the Twin Eye will operate as a spokeless Ferris wheel with two intersecting rings.

Each ring carries pods that seamlessly revolve around inside and outside tracks.

In total, it can provide rides to more than 1,400 people in 64 capsules simultaneously, almost doubling the capacity of the 443-foot (135-meter) London Eye.

The structure is slated to be built in Peace Park on the edge of the Han River next to the World Cup Stadium.

UNStudio, who teamed up with Arup and local firm Heerim Architecture for the concept, says they focused on the principle of unity as a symbol for the design. The wheel is inspired by the Honcheonsigye, an astronomical clock that represents the movement of celestial objects through time.

The Twin Eye spokeless Ferris wheel is coming to Seoul, S. Korea – By UNStudio via SWNS

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“Located in the heart of the city, this spokeless design references Korea’s boundless ambition for innovation and spirit of progress, seamlessly blending cutting-edge technology with a timeless appreciation for stability and beauty,” states Ben van Berkel, founder and principal architect of UNStudio.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government says it plans to begin construction around 2025 after undergoing a final phase review by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance. Completion is planned for 2028.

The proposal also included plans to build a monorail connecting the subway station to the Ferris wheel, as well as a zip line to add an extra experience for visitors.

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Two Snowboarders Save the Lives of Skiers After Nearly Losing Their Own in Palisades Avalanche

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Andy Corbley
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Selfie with friend Ben Erskine – by Loren Ennis
Selfie with friend Ben Erskine – by Loren Ennis

Just minutes after being buried alive by a terrifying avalanche, two snowboarders dug themselves out and found that fate had placed them in a unique position.

Loren Ennis and his best friend Ben Erskine both discovered other people had been buried next to them, and both were able to save a life, after nearly losing their own.

At Palisades ski resort in early January, Ennis and Erskine were shocked to find the chair lift for the KT-22 run was open and operating. Though the wind and snow made the avalanche risk high, the two figured that it was safe enough that morning seeing as the lift was operational.

However, by the time they arrived at the top of the KT-22 run, conditions had worsened to a near white-out, and it wasn’t long before they realized—from the calling of the other skiers on the lifts—that Mother Nature was thundering towards them.

For a period they were able to use their skills to travel with the avalanche before being swallowed.

“It was like a locked-in water slide. It was the most surreal, crazy thing ever. You could not move anything in your lower body. It was like a million-pound weighted blanket,” Ennis told CBS.

MORE MOUNTAIN RESCUES: All His Training Pays Off: Slackliner Wins Carnegie Medal for Ski Lift Rescue Over Cables

Against the odds, the pair came to a halt near each other, as well as in a position that allowed them to dig themselves out. Once their heads were above the snow, they realized two skiers were buried mere feet from them, and that they had to be the first responders.

Janet He, a skier in her 40s, couldn’t leverage her strength to dig herself out, and in such a situation death from asphyxiation can arrive within minutes. But Ennis arrived sooner, digging her out with reassuring words that He admitted she would remember for the rest of her life. Erskine also dug out a man.

A SIMILAR STORY: Dramatic Moment Skier Rescued a Snowboarder Who Was Buried Head First in Snow and Running Out of Air (Watch)

The mountain gives and the mountain takes away—and though one man died in that avalanche, and the two friends had only miraculously survived a near-death experience, they were already prepared to return for some shredding by the time CBS reported on the news. Janet He was on the slopes the very next morning.

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“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” – Thomas Merton

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” – Thomas Merton

Photo by: Ante Hamersmit

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Bride Donates $15,000 Reception to Special Needs Families After Calling off Her Wedding

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Andy Corbley
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Thomas William - Unsplash
Thomas William – Unsplash

In the true definition of a worst-case scenario, an unnamed California bride-to-be is reported to have called off her entire non-refundable wedding reception worth $15,000, after learning something about her fiance.

But Fox News details that she took the disaster and turned it on its head, donating the reception party complete with dinner, dessert, drinks, DJ, dancing, and photo booth to a non-profit called Parents Helping Parents which provides community support to parents with children who have special needs.

“It makes me feel grateful for the resilience and kindness of people—that this bride could do something so generous and thoughtful in the face of her own sadness is inspiring,” said Maria Daane, executive director of Parents Helping Parents (PHP).

Organizers at PHP sent out invitations for the “Ball for All” and had all the seats reserved 48 hours before the event. The bride had detailed the party was to be for all the special needs folks, from “0 to 100” and the gesture touched the hearts of all involved.

“Nearly everyone [there] was a young adult with special needs, their parent or a member of the care team,” Daane said. “Their joy and delight really told the story about how special and unique this event was—the moment the ballroom was opened, and we all filed into a beautiful candlelit room with tables draped in white linen.”

MORE WEDDING TIME DONATIONS: Brides Across America Begin Donating Wedding Gowns to Support the Marriages of Frontline Healthcare Workers

Daane added that the bride’s generosity took the organization totally by surprise. She told Fox News that having worked her whole career in the not-for-profit sector, the most rewarding aspect is watching decent causes bring out the best and most altruistic tendancies in people.

The bride’s donation of her wedding reception is a cake topper in Daane’s long career of joyful moments.

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