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Substantially More Monarch Butterflies Have Arrived in California to Overwinter Bringing Hope For Species

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Monarchs in Pismo Beach, CA by Steve Corey, CC license

Migratory western monarchs are showing up at their overwintering sites in coastal California in far greater numbers—a sign of hope for the struggling population.

Monarchs in Pismo Beach, CA by Steve Corey, CC license

These reports are particularly welcome after the population reached an all-time low last year.

This year’s official count has not yet begun. That will take place with the help of over 100 community scientists during the 25th annual Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count, beginning on November 13. Yet these early reports signal the possibility of a rebound in numbers.

On October 16th, 2021, over 1,300 monarchs were counted at the Pacific Grove overwintering site; this site did not have a single monarch butterfly during last year’s count.

The same week, Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove and an adjacent site tallied roughly 8,000 monarchs—up from less than 300 butterflies last year.

Additional smaller estimates and observations from volunteers and the public have started to pour in from the Bay Area, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Big Sur, Ventura, Los Angeles and elsewhere.

So far, there appear to be over 10,000 monarchs easily accounted for at the overwintering sites.

The low count of fewer than 2,000 monarchs in 2020 followed two years which produced tallies of under 30,000 butterflies each year.

POPULAR: Listen to Millions of Monarch Butterflies Make One of the Rarest Sounds on Earth: ‘Just like a waterfall’

“We are overjoyed that migratory monarch butterflies have not disappeared from the western U.S.,” said Emma Pelton, a senior conservation biologist and western monarch lead for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. “These early counts give us hope that, if we all work together, we can still bring western monarchs back.”

The annual volunteer Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count is coordinated by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and Mia Monroe, founder of the count and longtime volunteer coordinator. It is funded in part by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

It is the primary way that we know the status of the western monarch migratory population.

Why are numbers looking better this year?

Like other insects, populations can fluctuate from year to year, in response to the temperature, rainfall, the availability of food, and other factors.

It is likely a combination of all these factors including favorable conditions at their breeding grounds.

RELATED: Historic Deal to Protect Millions of Monarch Butterfly Habitat Acres is Unprecedented

Western monarchs continue to lack the legal protection that would usher in resources to help recover the population, but there are many things that can be done to improve their chances.

The Xerces Society and partners work to ensure there are plenty of floral resources. They encourage Californians to plant nectar species, especially flowers that bloom in the early spring (February–April) but also in the fall (September–October)—especially native plant species, but particularly native milkweed. Xerces provides more details here.

There are many habitat restoration projects in progress right now to enhance and restore monarch breeding and overwintering habitat in California, but more are needed.

LOOK: Farms in UK Saved This Beautiful Duke of Burgundy Butterfly From Extinction

Legislation proposed in Congress including the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act (now part of the infrastructure bill) and the Monarch Act (which focuses on western monarchs) could provide critical funding for habitat restoration and research, if passed.

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This Week’s Inspiring Horoscopes From Rob Brezsny’s ‘Free Will Astrology’

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Our partner Rob Brezsny 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 beginning October 22, 2021
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Mardi Gras is a boisterous festival that happens every February all over the planet. One hotspot is New Orleans. The streets there are filled with costumed revelers who enjoy acting in ways that diverge from their customary behavior. If you want to ride on a float in the parade that snakes down Royal Street, you must, by law, wear a festive mask. I invite all of you Scorpios to engage in similar festivities for the next three weeks—even if you’re not doing much socializing or partying. It’s a favorable time to experiment with a variety of alternate identities. Would you consider adopting a different persona or two? How could you have fun playing around with your self-image?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Jungian psychotherapist and storyteller Clarissa Pinkola Estés reminds us, “In fairy tales, tears change people, remind them of what is important, and save their very souls.” I hope you’re open to the possibility of crying epic, cathartic, catalytic tears in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. According to my analysis, you have a prime opportunity to benefit from therapeutic weeping. It could chase your fears and cure your angst and revivify your soul. So please take advantage of this gift from life. Be like a superhero whose superpower is to generate healing by crying.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Filmmaker Wim Wenders said, “Any film that supports the idea that things can be changed is a great film in my eyes.” I’ll expand upon that: “Any experience, situation, influence, or person that supports the idea that things can be changed is great.” This is a useful and potentially inspiring theme for you to work with right now, Capricorn. In accordance with astrological rhythms, I hope you will be a connoisseur and instigator of beneficial, beautiful transformations.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Fitness buff Jack LaLanne was still doing his daily workout when he was 95. He was also famous for performing arduous feats. At age 65, for example, he swam a mile through Japan’s Lake Ashinoko while towing 65 boats filled with 6,500 pounds of wood pulp. I think you’re currently capable of a metaphorically comparable effort, Aquarius. One way to do it is by mastering a psychological challenge that has previously seemed overwhelming. So meditate on where your extra strength would be best directed, and use it wisely! If you do Halloween, here are costume suggestions: fitness buff, bodybuilder, marathon runner, yoga master.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
When birdwatchers describe a bird, they speak of its “jizz.” This term refers to the distinctive character of its habitual movements, flying style, posture, vocal mannerisms, and coloring. One aficionado defines jizz as the bird’s “indefinable quality,” or the “vibe it gives off.” I’ve got a theory that right now you’re as bird-like as you’ve ever been. You seem lighter and freer than usual, less bound to gravity and solemnity, and more likely to break into song. Your fears are subsiding because you have the confidence to leave any situation that’s weighing you down. If you do Halloween, here’s a costume suggestion: the bird that has your favorite kind of jizz.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Aries philosopher Emil Cioran wrote, “When I meet friends or people I know who are going through a difficult period, I usually have this advice for them: ‘Spend 20 minutes in a cemetery, and you’ll see that, though your worry won’t disappear, you’ll almost forget about it and you’ll feel better.'” I don’t think you’re weathering a terribly difficult phase right now, Aries, but you may be dealing with more riddles and doubts and perplexities than you’re comfortable with. You could be feeling a bit darker and heavier than usual. And I think Cioran’s advice would provide you with the proper stimulation to transform your riddles and doubts and perplexities into clarity and grace and aplomb. If you do Halloween, here’s a costume suggestion: the spirit of a dead ancestor.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
According to some spiritual teachers, desire interferes with our quest for illumination. It diverts us from what’s real and important. I know gurus who even go so far as to say that our yearnings deprive us of freedom; they entrap us and diminish us. I strongly disagree with all those ideas. I regard my longing as a primary fuel that energizes my drive to free myself from pain and nonsense. How about you, Taurus? In alignment with astrological omens, I authorize you to deepen and refine and celebrate the yearning in your heart. Your title/nickname could be: 1. Yearning Champion. 2. Desire Virtuoso. 3. Connoisseur of Longing.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Author Jessamyn West confessed, “I am always jumping into the sausage grinder and deciding, even before I’m half ground, that I don’t want to be a sausage after all.” I offer her testimony as a cautionary tale, Gemini. There’s no astrological reason, no cosmic necessity, that decrees you must become like a sausage anytime soon. Such a fate can be easily avoided. All you must do is commit yourself to not jumping into the sausage grinder. Also: In every way you can imagine, don’t be like a sausage.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Our fellow Cancerian, author Franz Kafka, told us, “It is often safer to be in chains than to be free.” And yes, some of us Crabs go through phases when we crave safety so much that we tolerate, even welcome, being in chains. But the fact is that you’re far more likely to be safe if you are free, not in chains. And according to my reading of the astrological omens, that’s extra true for you now. If you celebrate Halloween, here are costume suggestions: runaway prisoner, escape artist, freedom fighter.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Some of us yearn for allies who can act like saviors: rescue us from our demons and free us from our burdensome pasts and transform us into the beauties we want to become. On the other hand, some of us do all this hard work by ourselves: rescue ourselves from our demons and free ourselves from our burdensome pasts and transform ourselves into the beauties we want to become. I highly recommend the latter approach for you in the coming weeks, Leo. If you do Halloween, here is a costume suggestion: your own personal savior.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
“One of the reasons people are so unhappy is they don’t talk to themselves,” says author Elizabeth Gilbert. “You have to keep a conversation going with yourself throughout your life,” she continues, “to see how you’re doing, to keep your focus, to remain your own friend.” Now is a favorable time to try such an experiment, Virgo. And if you already have skill in the art of carrying on a vibrant dialog with yourself, now is a perfect moment to upgrade and refine it. Try this experiment: Imagine having a conversation with the Future You.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
“In the absence of willpower, the most complete collection of virtues and talents is worthless.” Libran occultist Aleister Crowley wrote that, and I agree. But let’s phrase his idea more positively: To make full use of your virtues and talents, you must develop a strong willpower. And here’s the good news, Libra: The coming weeks will be a favorable time to cultivate your willpower, along with the assets that bolster it, like discipline, self-control, and concentration. If you do Halloween, here are accessories I recommend for you to carry with you, no matter what your costume is: a wand, a symbolic lightning bolt, an ankh, an arrow, a Shiva lingam stone, or crystal.

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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French Farmers Growing Zero-Emission Tropical Produce in France – Producing Heat Without the Smoke

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Andy Corbley
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Eco-conscious consumers in France may be shocked when they walk into their local grocer and see the words “Made in France” under a pineapple, or guava fruit.

It’s thanks to a growing number of French growers who are cutting back on CO2 emissions from food imports by adapting their cultivation methods to the tropical requirements of fruit that the country would normally ship in from thousands of miles away.

Who doesn’t love a banana? They’re the world’s most eaten fruit; or the mango, also known as “the best fruit.” Is there anything better to compliment a piece of grilled fish or chicken than grilled pineapple? Tropical fruit is hard to beat, but getting it to northern Europe presents a 12,000 pound problem.

Importing two tons of produce can produce 6 tons in carbon-dioxide and its greenhouse gas equivalents. That’s a lot of emissions, for as lovely as France is for growing food, they are net-importers, and in 2019 they brought in 3.4 million metric tons of fruit: the majority of which were bananas.

This has not gone unnoticed by growers like Frederic Morlot, who maintain a greenhouse in the Torreilles in the east Pyrenees under the name Les Arts Verts, The Green Arts. In this windswept mountain range, he grows bananas, turmeric, kaffir limes, passionfruit, “mango ginger” from Madagascar, guava, pineapple, and more exotic species like jamrosat, a kind of rose-scented apple.

LOOK: Towering Over the City, This ‘Farmscraper’ Will Produce 270 tons of Food from Hydroponics on 51-Stories

The trick, Morlot tells France24, is to find the species that, despite growing in the tropics, can handle colder conditions.

“Scientists have discovered that plants can create antifreeze,” says Morlot. “They create a sap that contains this antifreeze and they are able to protect themselves during winter.”

“We are able to collaborate with the greatest French chefs on exotic products, products that won’t travel for months or hours by boat or plane, and this will ultimately result in a zero-carbon impact,” he said.

And he is proud to count a Michelin-starred chef among his buyers.

POPULAR: In World First, Top Beef Supplier Approves Methane-Busting Feed Additive That Reduces Climate Change Gas by 55%

SHARE This Sweet Climate Story With Friends on Social Media…

Yuengling Beer Delivers Truckload of Lager to 106-Year-old Woman Who Drinks a Can Every Day (WATCH)

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Yuengling
Yuengling

They call themselves the oldest brewery in America after David Yuengling arrived from Germany in 1829 and decided to make beer in the coal-mining town of Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

This month, they made a special delivery to a woman who might be the oldest beer-drinker in America.

The brewery drove up with a big truck to Margaret Dilullo’s home in Spring Township to deliver an early birthday gift of 20 cases of her favorite beverage.

Soon, she will turn 107 years old, and the silver haired churchgoer has famously attributed her longevity to drinking a can of Yuengling Lager every day.

Now she has a free stash for the next 480 days.

RELATED: When Toronto Pub Admits it Needs Rent Money, Neighborhood Swoops In to Buy its Entire Stock of Beer

“There’s five generations of her family,” said Debbie Yuengling, who works at her family’s business, D.G. Yuengling & Son—just like six generations of Yuenglings have done.

WATCH the cute local news coverage below…

RAISE a Toast to Merry Margaret By Sharing on Social Media…

“Complain and remain. Praise and be raised.” – Joyce Meyer

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Quote of the Day: “Complain and remain. Praise and be raised.” – Joyce Meyer (Authentically, Uniquely You: Living Free from Comparison and the Need to Please)

Photo: by Jacqueline Munguía

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?

 

Ryan Reynolds and ‘Always Sunny’ Star Go to First Match as New Owners of Football Club – Didn’t Expect to Drink So Much

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SWNS
SWNS

Wrexham’s Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have just visited the club’s stadium for the first time.

The pair met fans and posed for photos outside the gate of the 10,000-seater Racecourse Ground, known in Welsh as Y Cae, before walking onto the pitch.

At one point, Reynolds laid down on the turf while McElhenney surveyed the terraces. Both also took selfies with each other.

The actors, who purchased the fifth-tier club in February, got their first taste of live action when they watched Wrexham take on Maidenhead in an away fixture.

But instead of witnessing a triumph, Wrexham was punished with a 3-2 loss, which featured a first-half red card for the losing team.

Reynolds and McElhenney were flanked by a film crew at the game, which is part of an all-access documentary, focusing on their ownership of the club.

So far, they have managed to secure TikTok as a major sponsor, along with Wrexham’s inclusion in FIFA’s most recent football video game release.

McElhenney, in particular, was showing off his support for the team last night by donning a Wrexham United jacket, while Reynolds opted for a dark coat and shirt.

SWNS

“A big priority for us is expanding and growing the club in every way we can,” Reynolds told reporters. “And, hopefully to make sure that Wrexham’s name is a little bit more global than it is.”

“And the fact that the club has been around 160 years… that’s really important to us,” said McElhenney. “We want to win right now while we’re alive, and we also want to set up the structure for the club to win long after we’re dead.”

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson, who was appointed in July, said of coaching under the famous duo, “It’s certainly different having Hollywood owners.

RELATED: Shaq Helps Pay For Stranger’s Engagement Ring: ‘I’m just trying to make people smile’

“But taking their status in Hollywood away, it is their genuine determination to make a mark in this football club and the area that really appeals to me.

MORE: Leonardo DiCaprio Announces a $43 Million Pledge to Save the Galápagos Islands

“They are so committed to putting into practice what they have promised. I’m determined to give everything I’ve got to play my part in that.”

After the stars watched their team lose on home turf, they decided to commiserate with the best of them. “I wasn’t expecting to do multiple shots of gin, which is exactly what we did,” said Mcelhenney after meeting with locals at the pub. “They just kept lining them up.”

Reynolds quipped, “Yeah, I’m surprised we didn’t end up out here on the pitch!”

(WATCH the Hollywood stars talk in their first football press conference.)

STRIKE This Fun Story Far Afield; Share It On Social Media…

They’ve Designed a Livable Pontoon Boat Inspired by a Volkswagen Bus

By
Andy Corbley
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Lazzarini Design
Lazzarini Design

An Italian design studio is making a line of small river and lake boats inspired by some of the best classic cars ever made.

The models are super-accurately rendered from fiberglass, and mounted to a vide variety of pontoon shapes and sizes to go with your local freshwater source—whether a wide choppy lake or a narrow and silent canal.

Floating Motors by Studio Lazzarini has a lineup which appears to feature an old Mini, what could be an E-type Jag, an American muscle car, one of Bond’s Aston Martins (perhaps the DB5), an old Merc, a Lamborghini Countach, and even a great big VW Bus.

Their introductory offering is called La Dolce, and the shape reminds this reporter of a Nissan Figaro that almost ran him over in Galway one time.

They also take custom orders, so if there’s a particular cult classic-car you like, they’ll take care of the rest.

Currently the company is raising capital, and taking investments with big kickbacks if they manage to get enough to launch.

A $1,000 investment will get you a $5,000 discount from your first order, and $50,000 will get you a 1% stake in the company and a founder’s edition La Dolce.

Lazzarini Design

MORE: Wes Anderson Designed a Luxury Train Car – and It Looks Like Something Out of His Movies

“We strictly respect the original car model proportions and sizes, applying the most modern nautical techniques for the floating hull (catamaran, conventional or foil), and delivering exceptional quality concerning construction materials and applied technology, for the longest durability into harsh condition,” the company writes.

Lazzarini Design

“Our products are top-luxury motorboats, shaped like mythical cars.”

Lazzarini Design

There are a lot of firms that will retrofit retro cars with state-of-the art engines, brakes, and suspension. For example, Eagle has modernized all the best-looking Jaguar sports cars from the 1960s.

RELATED: A Floating Flower Garden in Tokyo Immerses Visitors With Orchids That Move as You Approach (WATCH)

Personally, we at GNN like the idea of the VW Bus as a luxury pontoon boat, transforming the van lifestyle into the river van lifestyle—perfect for an ultimate cross country road trip like this one we reported on, done entirely by river and canal.

(WATCH the video rendering of the pontoon boats below.)

SHARE These Dream Boats With Your Chums…

Destroyed by Fire, Drought, and Dust Storms, These Australian Marshes Needed Only Two Years to Completely Recover

By
Andy Corbley
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Cameron Muir, CC license

In 2019, drought choked off the Macquarie River in Australia, and fires swept through the marshes which it fed and left firefighters helpless to intervene.

Unbelievably though, just two years later and the land looks as if nothing happened. Plentiful rains mean the river is back to lazily meandering through the internationally protected Macquarie Marshes, and the reservoir behind the dam is more than 100% full.

A reminder to us all of nature’s resilience, and welcome news for those in the U.S. who hear of the devastating fire seasons in Australia, the recovery of the Macquarie Marshes is important not only for the country, but to the world, as they are listed under the RAMSAR Convention for wetlands of international importance.

An aerial survey following the drought, the fires, and then the dust storms, found two black geese across the nearly 60,000 acre reserve, a mere 12% of the total acreage of the marshes, tens of thousands of which had been completely scorched.

Pillicawarrina Bridge; Macquarie Marshes Environmental Landholders Association/Facebook

It was the first time the Burrendong Dam reservoir had ever run dry since the dam was built on the Macquarie river in the 1960s. Now officials say they have made major infrastructure improvements to ensure this kind of double-whammy can’t paralyze fire response ever again.

Macquarie Marshes Environmental Landholders Association/Facebook

The 2021 waterbird survey by the University of New South Wales in Sydney found that most of the bird life was returning, including magpie geese, green teal, straw-necked ibis, intermediate egret, rufous night heron, royal spoonbill, and other ducks and waterfowl.

“It’s just so great to be able to fly over the marshes because you see this water everywhere and biodiversity and lots of water birds,” Professor Richard Kingsford told ABC News Australia. 

Kingsford, who had been doing the survey for 30 years, said 2019 was the single worst year he can remember.

RELATED: Australia Announces $100 Million Initiative to Protect Our Oceans

Another part of the Macquarie Marshes’ rise from the ashes is the completion of a multi-million dollar boardwalk project that allows visitors to access far more of the wetlands, much of which is set on privately-owned land, which Milton Quigley, the mayor of the nearby town of Warren, says will be a big boost to those coming out of COVID-19 lockdowns.

MORE: Wombats Hailed as Heroes for Digging Down Under, Revealing Water Well During Drought

“It’s so much more accessible to everyone in our community and outside,” he said. “There’s people wanting to come and look from a long way away.”

SHARE the Hope by Sharing This Story From Down Under…

Inaugural Balloon World Cup Pits Athletes Diving in the Living Room to Keep it Aloft

By
Andy Corbley
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YouTube/@araujobrun

We’ve all been there before: There’s a party, balloons are around, one person starts trying to keep the gently falling spheres from hitting the floor—this desire spreads through everyone in the room until moms and dads start trying to break up the fun after a child knocks over a piece of furniture.

Yes, balloon-keepy-upy is a fun past time, but a TikTok video of a brother and sister playing the game during quarantine has spawned an international sporting tournament with a hilarious level of seriousness.

The inaugural Balloon World Cup was won by Peru, who beat Germany 6-2 in the final in front of a sold-out crowd and 8 million twitch streamers tuning in—about 4 million more than watched the Pay Per View mega-boxing event of Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao.

32 nations took part in the game, including Antonio and Diego Arredondo, two brothers from Oregon who, along with their sister Isabel, provided the inspiration for the game with their viral video on social media.

“We played the game as kids, and then, during the start of quarantine for COVID, we wanted to play it again,” Antonio Arredondo told Reuters.

He explained that in order to ensure the siblings knew who allowed the balloon to touch the floor, they began to use slow -motion cameras, making their diving-across-the-sofa saves all the more dramatic.

Among those who enjoyed their video was celebrity Spanish sports streamer Ibai Llanos, and central defender for Barcelona FC and Spain, Gerard Pique—who noted if Llanos’ tweet about how the Arredondo’s balloon game should have its own World Cup got 50k retweets, Pique would organize the tournament himself. It got way more than 50k.

At the highest level

This revolution in sport is played in an 8×8 meter court encased in glass, filled with living room furniture to simulate the real thing. The rules are simple: Athletes strike the balloon in any manner they want, so long as it’s made to travel straight or up (no spiking allowed); then it’s their opposition’s turn to keep it up. If it strikes the floor, a point is earned.

Pique organized it for Tarragona, Peru, and even managed to secure some high-value sponsorship, which became obvious in the later rounds when a Renault hatchback was parked without explanation in the center of the playing field.

Llanos provided the commentary, which if one closes their eyes, is just as adrenaline-filled as soccer commentary. All the matches are neatly and expertly organized on Llanos’ YouTube channel, and the highlights provide wild fun.

Similar to the real World Cup, a German was in the final. But it was to the host nation’s supreme joy that the home town hero, Francesco De La Cruz emerged as the first-ever champion after beating his opponent Jan Spiess.

“I am very, very happy, I thank God that I have been able to achieve this,” said the Peruvian teenager.

Hilariously to those reading who watch soccer, VAR was employed throughout the tournament, and a veteran La Liga referee was called upon to officiate the matches who repeatedly drew a small box in the air to consult the slow-motion replay.

Pique was in the commentary box, offering his opinion as if he were some kind of expert on the nascent sport.

(WATCH the highlights of USA-Cuba.)

(WATCH a short clips of highlights from Sweden-Morocco)

Featured image: YouTube/@araujobrun

SHARE With Your Friends This Great New Sport…

Tap Water Produces a Protective Shield Against Microplastics, Scientists Discover

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Tap water produces a natural protective shield against harmful microplastics, which can help prevent household products from releasing them.

That’s according to a team of scientists from AMBER, the SFI Centre for Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research, Trinity, and University College Dublin.

The research from Ireland reveals that tap water contains trace elements and minerals, which prevent plastics from degrading in the water and releasing microplastics.

Microplastics can carry a range of contaminants such as trace metals and some potentially harmful organic chemicals.

Previous studies investigating microplastics release have used forms of pure water, which only exist in laboratories and do not specifically take into account the ions and impurities found in tap water.

Professor John J Boland from AMBER, and Trinity’s School of Chemistry, who was a co-leader of the research team, said, “It is well known that plastics can degrade and release microplastics, which can get into the environment and be consumed by humans.”

Boland cites plastic kettles—which are still fairly common in the UK for boiling water in—as an example, saying, “Our research shows that many items such as plastic kettles, which are repeatedly used with tap water, can develop over time a protective skin that prevents the release of microplastics entirely.”

Lisa

“Because tap water is not 100% pure H2O—since it contains trace elements and minerals, what we showed is that if you include these trace elements and minerals the degradation of plastics in tap water is completely different. Rather than the plastics falling apart, the minerals coat the plastic and prevent any kind of degradation and so the product becomes microplastic-free.

RELATED: Company Innovates Microplastics That are Biodegradable or Don’t Break Apart At All

“For example, that dark brown colour in your kettle [for boiling water] is a good thing. It is copper oxide that forms from copper minerals in your tap water, which in turn comes from the copper pipes in your house—all these combine to give a perfect protection to the kettle.”

MORE: 20,000 Pounds of Trash Removed From Pacific Garbage Patch: ‘Holy mother of god. It worked!’

Of the research, published in Chemical Engineering Journal, Boland said, “This discovery is important because we have learned that these types of protective skins can be manufactured in the laboratory and directly applied to the plastic without having to wait for it to build up naturally. This discovery also shows that nature is leading the way, pointing to solutions to what is a very significant problem facing our modern high-tech society.”

Source: Trinity College Dublin

FRESHEN UP Those News Feeds With This Latest Research… 

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” – Pablo Picasso

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” – Pablo Picasso

Photo: by Niket Nigde

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?

 

Michigan High School Lets Seniors Dress in Costume for School ID Photos – And They Are Fantastic

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Good News Network
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Twitter/@lucinaelaz
Twitter/@lucinaelaz

One high school in Farmington Hills, Michigan, has a unique annual tradition for its senior graduating class which demonstrates that folks around here—even the administrators—have a great sense of humor.

When students reach their senior year at North Farmington High School, they are allowed, and encouraged, to dress up in costumes for their school ID pictures.

The class of 2022 tweeted photos of their new IDs, alongside which character was their creative inspiration—usually scenes from popular movies.

CHECK OUT: Nursing Home Residents Recreate Classic Album Covers While in Lockdown – LOOK

Here are a few of our favorites…

You can find more IDs all posted on Twitter with the hashtag #NFID22.

SHARE These Fun Pics With Mates Who’ll Love Them…

Photographer Captures the Incredible Peak of a Meteor Shower as Sparks Are Seen Shooting Across the Night Sky

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Good News Network
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SWNS
SWNS

A photographer captured the incredible peak of a meteor shower—as sparks are seen shooting across the night sky.

31-year-old Uroš Fink photographed the annual Perseid meteor shower, which takes place every summer, from a mountain in Slovenia.

His image shows the colorful Milky Way dotted with nebulas as the Perseid meteors shoot across the night sky.

The Perseids “are considered the best meteor shower of the year,” according to NASA. You can be anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere to enjoy this show of speed and light.

The shop worker took the photo from the Mangart Saddle, the highest lying road in Slovenia.

Uroš said, “I could hardly wait for the day to come. Every year I am full of expectation to see the Perseids.

RELATED: The First Amateur Astronomer to Ever Discover a New Moon – And it’s Orbiting Jupiter

“I was standing on the edge of the abyss—sometimes it’s necessary to make a little effort and go outside your comfort zone to get a top image.

“I did it because I have great desire and motivation to photograph the universe in combination with nature.

“I simply adore nature and everything related to the universe, so combining these two things into one image is something invaluable.”

Up there, high on the mountain on August 7, Fink says he kept thinking to himself, “Just let the weather hold out so I can capture as many meteors as possible on camera.”

MORE: It’s ‘The Oscars’ for iPhone Photography: See the Stunning Winners for 2021

According to Farmer’s Almanac, “Meteors occur when Earth rushes through a stream of dust and debris left behind by a passing comet (the Swift-Tuttle comet, in the case of the Perseids). When the bits strike Earth’s upper atmosphere, friction with the air causes each particle to heat and burn up. We see the result as a meteor.”

We’re so glad the night sky cooperated so Fink could get his beautiful shot.

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Almost 500 New Mesoamerican Structures Discovered By Using Lasers

By
Andy Corbley
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ALFONSO BOUCHOT. CC license

A laser mapping survey from airplane recently revealed nearly 500 Mesoamerican monuments hiding in plain sight, many for the first time.

The new discoveries challenge the current timeline surrounding the rise and fall of the ancient Olmec and Maya civilizations, and scientists estimate they will lead to decades of research in the two areas.

Southern Mexico is in some ways like Rome or the Middle East’s Fertile Crescent: In this part of the world, there are archeological sites on archeological sites going back to some of the earliest permanent settlements on the planet.

The 478 “formal complexes” found in the LIDAR survey (laser imaging, detection and ranging) date back 3,000 years, and were overgrown with vegetation. They primarily include large rectangular manmade plateaus which have some correspondence to number systems and cosmology, and which may have been used for ceremonial gatherings.

The scientific team consisted of many of the same researchers who last year uncovered the site of Aguada Fenix in the Eastern Yucatan on the border with Guatemala, which was dated to between 1,000 and 800 BCE, recalibrating the rise and formation of Mayan Civilization which was believed to have originated slightly later through small villages forming sedentary population centers.

CHECK OUT: A Sorceress’ Toolkit Has Been Discovered in the Ashes of Pompeii

Aguada Fenix, like the recent discovery, featured a large artificial plateau, which measured 4,600 meters in length and between 32 and 45 feet in height, with nine causeways radiating out from it. Ten smaller platforms flanked it on either side, totaling twenty, the basis for many Mesoamerican counting systems and cosmological beliefs, reports Science.

Hiding in plain site

To make the new discovery, Takeshi Inomata at the University of Arizona used publicly-available LIDAR data from the Mexican government to survey 32,600 miles of ground. In a place called San Lorenzo in the Olmec archeological region, a similar layout of platforms was discovered, which Inomata and the rest of the research team believe suggests the Maya built their ceremonial earthworks at Aguada Fenix in relation to San Lorenzo.

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“This format was probably formalized and spread after the decline of San Lorenzo through intensive interaction across various regions,” wrote the authors in their paper.

This is striking, and raises fascinating questions for several reasons. The first is that scant evidence of sedentary habitation exists prior to 500 BCE, including the lack of any monumental stone structures, meaning it’s possible the San Lorenzo platforms were built by a mobile people. This challenges the idea that kings, monuments, temples, and agricultural all arrived in lockstep.

MORE: Earliest Prehistoric Art Discovered –And it Turns Out to Be Hand Prints Made by Children 170,000 Years Ago

Secondly, it calls into question whether the Olmec and Maya were a sister people, or whether one was like a mother to the other. Science reports that further radiocarbon dating is needed to compare San Lorenzo to Aguada Fenix and determine which came first. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on future news from the region.

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Astronomers May Have Spotted the First Known Exoplanet in Another Galaxy

By
Andy Corbley
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Artist's concept of M51-ULS-1 and its exoplanet eclipsing its X-ray sourceNASA_CXC_SAO_R. DiStefano_et al
Illustration of M51-ULS-1 and its exoplanet eclipsing X-ray source; NASA_CXC_SAO_R. DiStefano_et al

Scientists have confirmed observations of the first-ever exoplanet in another galaxy, 28 million light years away.

While this massive distance diminishes the natural mystique of exoplanet science, as reaching it will be forever impossible to us, it can inform more closely how planets form around their stars under the different gravitational conditions of another galaxy, particularly because the orbit of this new exoplanet is that of a black hole.

Having found all known exoplanets in the Milky Way, nearly 4,800 of which are all within 3,000 light years in distance from us, the Whirlpool Galaxy of Messier 51 becomes the site of the first exo-galactic exoplanet.

“We are trying to open up a whole new arena for finding other worlds by searching for planet candidates at X-ray wavelengths, a strategy that makes it possible to discover them in other galaxies,” said Rosanne Di Stefano of the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard University, who led the corresponding study.

Normally, the identification of an exoplanet is done when the continual measurements of light coming from a star in our galaxy is briefly interrupted on a consistent basis, represented by the orbit of the exoplanet eclipsing it for a moment. At 28 million light years away, this strategy was repeated, but with X-rays instead of visible light.

MORE: This is What it Looks Like When a Black Hole Snacks on a Star

Searching in this way means that the solar systems found will come from “X-ray bright binaries,” meaning systems established around the orbit of either a neutron star (a collapsed, high-density star), or a black hole, paired with a smaller, but still massive star.

Location of M51-ULS-1 in M51NASA_CXC_SAO_R; NASA, DiStefano_et al

Around a black hole, gasses are pulled into and heated by gravity’s force to extreme temperatures, which can be measured as X-rays. This was the case for Di Stefano and the rest of the research team, who used the Chandra X-ray Observatory to identify the characteristic dip in light from the transiting of a planet.

“The X-ray transit the [authors] found using Chandra data lasted about three hours, during which the X-ray emission decreased to zero,” NASA wrote in a release. “Based on this and other information, the researchers estimate the exoplanet candidate in M51-ULS-1 would be roughly the size of Saturn, and orbit the neutron star or black hole at about twice the distance of Saturn from the Sun.”

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To confirm whether or not the orbiting characteristics are consistent with a planet, the researchers would have to wait an estimated 70 years for it to pass in front of the star again. In the meantime, debate will stir, and some astronomers are already rightly  assigning massive coincidence to the nature behind the discovery.

“We know we are making an exciting and bold claim so we expect that other astronomers will look at it very carefully,” said co-author Julia Berndtsson of Princeton University. “We think we have a strong argument, and this process is how science works.”

One suggestion is it could have been a dense cloud of gas, though the researchers disagree that the X-rays could be blotted out entirely if that were the case.

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The planet, NASA points out, had a violent history, as the star around which it orbits would have already gone supernova, that is, to explode with radioactive waves. The planet continues to exist, however, probably because its mass facilitated the survival from such an event.

(WATCH the short video for this story below.)

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UK’s Largest Vertical Farm that Uses Only Sunlight Begins First Harvest

By
Andy Corbley
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Shockingly Fresh
Shockingly Fresh

While hydroponic farms, also known as “vertical farms,” swap land use for electricity use— one project is trying to take the best of both worlds.

Using only natural light for photosynthesis and heat, Shockingly Fresh’s greenhouse in Offenham, England, can produce four-times the yield compared with regular farming, while using much less energy than other vertical farms.

This is because other vertical farms are closed systems—relying on artificial LED light and indoor heating to keep crops cozy.

“It is ultimately better for the environment. I can’t say it’s carbon-neutral but it isn’t as carbon-hungry as an LED vertical farm would be,” the aptly-named Nick Green, development director of Shockingly Fresh, told The Guardian. 

While other producers might say that Shockingly Fresh’s use of natural light means they can’t keep up the 24-7 production typical of farms that can leave the lights on all night, the company stresses that they match the consumption patterns of humans and use far less energy in the process.

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“Production isn’t completely linear as it would be in a fully-lit vertical farm, but people don’t eat as much lettuce in winter as they do in summer,” he explained.

Shockingly Fresh

Offenham was completed in 2021, and is already producing lettuce and bok choy for sale at supermarkets, with strawberries planned for winter when the days become shorter. Even though Green reckons they can produce 2 million heads of lettuce per year, the location is just one-tenth of the size of future projects.

Offenham covers 3 acres. The Longford Vertical Farm, currently in the planning phase, will cover 32. Situated in between Glasgow and Edinburgh, with good access to major roads, Longford will include rainwater catching systems to aid with cutting energy costs, and native landscaping around the former mining area.

MORE: Irrigation System Talks to Plants to Find Out When they Need Water — Cutting Water Use by 30-50%

Hydroponics are allowing cities to have access to fresh produce much nearer to their high-rises, for example when a 51-story “farmscraper” is cloaked in hydroponic farms that grow food for those who live within, in Shenzhen, China.

They’re also appearing on rooftops, like in Montreal, which will provide 2% of all food consumed in the Canadian metropolis.

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“Your own positive future begins in this moment. All you have is right now. Every goal is possible from here.” – Lao Tzu

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Your own positive future begins in this moment. All you have is right now. Every goal is possible from here.” – Lao Tzu

Photo: by John Mccann

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?

 

Listen to This ‘Singing’ Lemur Species That Has ‘Common Musical Traits’ Like Humans Do

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Good News Network
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Charles J. Sharp, CC license
Charles J. Sharp, CC license

Songbirds share the human sense of rhythm, but it is a rare trait in non-human mammals—now, it’s been found, we can add the indri lemur to the short list of animals we know appreciate a sense of beat.

“There is longstanding interest in understanding how human musicality evolved, but musicality is not restricted to humans”, says MPI’s Andrea Ravignani, who led an international research team that set out to look for musical abilities in primates. “Looking for musical features in other species allows us to build an ‘evolutionary tree’ of musical traits, and understand how rhythm capacities originated and evolved in humans.”

To find out whether non-human mammals have a sense of rhythm, the research team decided to study one of the few ‘singing’ primates, the critically endangered lemur Indri indri.

The researchers wanted to know whether indri songs have categorical rhythm, a ‘rhythmic universal’ found across human musical cultures.

Rhythm is categorical when intervals between sounds have exactly the same duration (1:1 rhythm) or doubled duration (1:2 rhythm). This type of rhythm makes a song easily recognizable, even if it is sung at different speeds. Would indri songs show this “uniquely human” rhythm?

Ritardando in the rainforest

Over a period of twelve years, the researchers from Turin in Italy visited the rainforest of Madagascar to collaborate with a local primate study group. The investigators recorded songs from twenty indri groups (39 animals), living in their natural habitat.

MORE: Giant Eagle-Owl Unseen For 150 Years Just Caught on Camera

Members of an indri family group tend to sing together, in harmonized duets and choruses.

The team found that indri songs had the classic rhythmic categories (both 1:1 and 1:2), as well as the typical ‘ritardando’ or slowing down found in several musical traditions. Male and female songs had a different tempo but showed the same rhythm.

According to first author Chiara de Gregorio and her colleagues, this is the first evidence of a ‘rhythmic universal’ in a non-human mammal. But why should another primate produce categorical ‘music-like’ rhythms?

RELATED: Why Do Animals Play? Because They Need To Play – Just Like Children Do

The ability may have evolved independently among ‘singing’ species, as the last common ancestor between humans and indri lived 77.5 million years ago. Rhythm may make it easier to produce and process songs, or even to learn them.

Endangered species

“Categorical rhythms are just one of the six universals that have been identified so far”, explains Ravignani.

“We would like to look for evidence of others, including an underlying ‘repetitive’ beat and a hierarchical organization of beats—in indri and other species.”

The authors encourage other researchers to gather data on indri and other endangered species, to witness their “breath-taking singing displays.”

(LISTEN to the singing lemur below.)

Source: Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics

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Baker Sculpting an Alligator Out of Bread Presents a Loaf For Loki

By
Good News Network
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SWNS
SWNS

Bakers created this impressive alligator sculpture—crafted entirely out of bread.

Based on a character in the Marvel series Loki, One House Bakery crafted the gator as their entry for a local scarecrow contest, where downtown businesses compete to make the best sculpture.

Dough-ki was made of ‘dead dough’, a mix without yeast.

The base of the alligator is made of chicken wire.

SWNS

Tinfoil which held the dough into position before it was baked.

After molding and sculpting the dough around the metal base, the alligator was put into into the oven multiple times, each time with an extra layer of dough.

SWNS

The team from Benicia in California started the project in August, ahead of the competition showcase on October 25th.

SWNS

36-year-old Hannahlee Pervan, whose parents own the bakery, said, “It took over two months of intricate work to get the alligator ready for the contest.

“You have to sculpt the dough first, and once you bake it, the sculpture will change in the oven.

RELATED: Millennials Are Eating More Adventurously, Trying More Foreign Food—And Even Catching Their Own Dinner

“You then repeat the process over and over again, adding more and more detail each time.

“The trickiest part of the alligator was probably crafting the scales, but we just took our time and didn’t rush.”

MORE: One Man Set Out to Make the Perfect Pasta Shape, And it’s So Popular That Orders are Backed Up for Months

We’d say all the team’s hard work was worth it.

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Scientists Perfect Renewable Power from Urine While Cleaning Wastewater in South Korea

By
Andy Corbley
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White toilet bowl in a bathroom

South Korean scientists are leading a revolution in pee-powered fuel cells that generate “clean” energy and purify wastewater.

A common organic molecule in fertilizer and a principle component of human urine, scientists achieved state-of-the-art performance using urea fuel cells—built with inexpensive electrodes and without precious metals.

Direct urea fuel cells (DUFC) could turn any wastewater treatment plant into a renewable power station thanks to the development from the Korea Maritime and Ocean University.

These flexible energy generators offer novel and unique ways to equip a house, a town, or a parish with renewable electricity that cuts down on the footprint and upkeep of other infrastructures.

Utilizing a nickel and selenium anode and nickel microfoam, Professor Kyu-Jung Chae found inexpensive metal components to act as the catalyst in the DUFC, facilitating critical chemical reactions that allow it to work, which up until now had been made only with precious metals like platinum.

RELATED: World’s Biggest Factory to Suck Carbon from the Sky and Store it For Millions of Years Turns on in Iceland

Several nickel-based catalysts were tested and selenium was found to have a synergistic effect. Furthermore, when paired together with a cathode made from Prussian Blue, they outperformed precious metals, creating the highest power densities ever found in a DUFC with nickel.

Korea Maritime & Ocean University

Because urea fuel cells generate electricity while also helping in the treatment of urea-ridden wastewater, providing clean water in the process, they are a versatile option in remote places without access to a stable power grid, such as in rural areas, ships, or even aboard spacecraft.

Across the ocean border, a Japanese university is opting to try and turn “number 2” into the number 1 power source for its buildings.

The invention of a toilet that composts human excrement and turns it into methane biogas for use in the school’s energy system has the students there re-evaluating waste like never before, GNN reported, as the amount of waste they contribute to the electric bills is returned to them in the form of a digital currency.

MORE: This Carbon-Negative Perfume is Made from Captured CO2 – And it Smells Like Figs and Orange Peel

On average, a human’s daily excrement can generate around 0.5 kilowatt hours of electricity. Bacteria breaks down the feces of student and faculty alike, and biomethane produced as a byproduct is channeled into a solid-oxide fuel cell which powers several building functions such as the hot water heater.

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