A premature baby the size of a Superman action figure has made a miraculous recovery—and now celebrates every milestone with his sidekick by his side.
At 4 weeks old, and 1 year old – SWNS
Logan Ray was born at 23 weeks gestation, weighing just 1.5 pounds, the same height as a tiny 12 inch Superman figure.
Doctors told his parents to prepare for the worst, but just like his new hero toy, little Logan was a fighter.
And with each miracle week that passed, the preemie grew and grew until, after 105 days at Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon, he got to go home.
His mom Val, 34, now takes photos of the boy with the same Superman doll every year to remind everyone how far he’s come.
“He is a little superhero himself. Even when he was just a pound-and-a-half in weight. I called him my little ‘tough guy’.”
Still to this day, the doctor will message Val on Facebook, asking how the little ‘tough guy’ is doing.
After the birth nurses suggest photographing him with something next to him that would show his size, so Val asked her husband Rob to go get something.
“I told him to pick out something that he thought would be appropriate like a doll that we could disinfect and put inside the incubator.
“He called me and said what about a Superman? I thought it was perfect!”
During the pregnancy, Val was diagnosed with an incompetent cervix, a medical condition where the cervix shortens and opens prematurely, often causing women to miscarry.
Val said: “The doctors basically told Rob and I that they were going to send us home to miscarry.
“Both Rob and I looked at the doctor and said ‘we’re not going anywhere, whether we have him tomorrow or have him four months from now, we’re staying in the hospital’.
Proud husband Rob said, “She laid upside down basically with her head lower than her feet for 20 days without getting out of the bed to do anything.”
“To be honest, she’s incredible—she didn’t complain at all.”
After the birth, little Logan was flown to the hospital with multiple serious complications.
Against the odds, he pulled through and went home to his family after 105 long days in hospital to celebrate his first Christmas at home in Bend, Oregon.
4th birthday – SWNS
Four years later, Logan is a healthy and happy little boy with no health problems and still has his Superman sidekick with him to celebrate every birthday together.
“He’s just an incredible little boy. A lot of these babies born at 23 weeks have tons of health problems but Logan…he’s a smart little kid, my little boy, he really is.”
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Quote of the Day: “You haven’t yet fully lived your story. It’s the only reason you pine for someone else’s story.” – Tama Kieves
Photo: by Nong Vang
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Brits have been creating some healthy new routines in recent months, with many picking up at least five new rituals as a result of being home so much this year.
A survey of 2,000 adults revealed that more than a third have picked up and embraced good habits during lockdown.
And seven in 10 said their newfound rituals have made them feel happy and secure, with 65 percent believing that how they feel day-to-day has improved.
64 percent claim they are exercising more and two-thirds of those folks say their wellbeing has improved. 65 percent also said eating a balanced diet helped.
The survey, commissioned by the Japanese probiotic company Yakult, also revealed almost eight in 10 intend to stick with the changes they have made recently.
The study by OnePoll also found that throughout the lockdown, fondness for the outdoors increased, with 29 percent embracing more time spent with nature.
Baking and cooking from scratch also rose in popularity, with one in four introducing this ritual into their lives.
It also emerged that 31 percent have developed a penchant for decluttering their homes.
And, 18 percent of respondents are calming their mind through meditating or exploring mindfulness during this unsettling period.
Being at home so much more and needing to feel more organized and in control were the main reasons Britons claim to have picked up new habits and rituals—along with simply having more time on their hands.
Do you have any wellness tips or tricks you’d like other GNN readers to know?We’d love to hear about any healthy new routines and habits you might have picked up through the pandemic.
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Taking over from Jerry Lewis who reigned as the charity’s mega-successful fundraiser until his death, Kevin Hart hosted a telethon yesterday for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).
MDA
The inaugural MDA Kevin Hart Kids Telethon was streamed live in a 2-hour star-studded special featured an evening of comedy and musical performances that raised over $10.5 million.
The telethon, which benefitted both the MDA and Help From the Hart Charity also featured behind-the-scenes looks at the essential work of the impactful charities, their families, research, care, and advocacy. You can view the October 24 show here.
People can still contribute by calling 1-800-MDA-GIVE, or give online at MDAgive.org.
You can also pick up some unique items being auctioned online, including one-of-a kind items and experiences from Serena Williams, David Beckham, Stephen Curry, and more.
In this video, Kevin Hart and Robin Thicke create a catchy “chart topper” jingle for the audience to remember the “1-800-MDA-GIVE” number.
Additional celebrities who participated throughout the evening included David Beckham, Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Cindy Crawford, Whitney Cummings, Steph Curry, Adam Devine, Josh Gad, Liz Gillies, and Michael B. Jordan.
For more than 70 years, the Muscular Dystrophy Association has funded research and care for more than 300,000 people in the United States living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases.
Since 1956, the legendary MDA Labor Day telethon hosted by comedian Jerry Lewis has raised nearly $2 billion, becoming the most successful fundraising event in the history of television.
WATCH Hart’s hilarious look at what it takes to put on a telethon…
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Two American towns, one White and one Black, became sister cities in 2017, and continue to celebrate the racial healing, new friendships, and growing understanding and kinship between the two vastly different communities.
The effort began in 2016 when residents in South Berwick, Maine, looked for a way to play a role in racial problems tearing apart the nation.
“We knew that depending on media, movies, and stereotypes was not a good way to broaden our understanding of African-Americans or heal 400-year-old divides,” Amy Miller told GNN.
Four years ago, South Berwick residents searched Wikipedia for a town in similar size that was predominantly African-American.
“We were excited when we found Tuskegee, Alabama on the list, aware of its rich history that includes the pride of the Tuskegee Airmen,” said Millar. “This history, which also includes being a launching-pad for voting rights and civil rights progress, gave students and adults in Maine a chance to learn about our nation’s history from people who lived through it.”
They were hopeful, but not confident, that Tuskegee would say yes. In April 2017 their municipal council unanimously adopted the sister city relationship.
The following year, nine Maine residents traveled to Tuskegee to launch the relationship and give it some real person-to-person meaning.
“We were given the red carpet treatment hearing concerts and getting personal tours. We also engaged in rich but hard discussions of race in this country.”
Maine folks who had never spent real time with Black people in their entire lives now have Black friends whom they’ve have hosted in their homes. Women whose husbands worried they would not be safe on a visit to Tuskegee spent four days there, building friendships, breaking bread, visiting schools, and getting over fears.
In the spring of 2018, the mayor of Tuskegee, Ala., and eight other residents of his city traveled north to eat lobsters, see the rugged Atlantic coast and spend four nights in the homes of strangers in South Berwick.
“Although we are still a town of White people who have only a small idea what it means to be black in America, we are a very different community than we were before our relationship with Tuskegee began.”
In an effort to influence young people in 2019, South Berwick’s school district invited Tuskegee historian Guy Trammel to spend a week in their schools – grades K through 12 – talking about his town, his own personal experience with the Civil Rights Movement and everything from the Tuskegee Airmen to the Voting Rights Act. He stayed in the school librarian’s home and met with teachers, community members, and town leaders.
The relationship built with Tuskegee left South Berwick experiencing this summer’s racial tension in a very different way than they would have before.
On June 6, the Maine town of about 7000 people held a Sister City Solidarity walk through town that drew 300 people, including the police chief—and ran a full page ad in the Tuskegee News.
And to keep the dialogue going, two journalists, one from South Berwick and one from The Tuskegee News, now write a joint column—each from their own perspective—which are published in both hometown papers every other week.
Their latest project, Together We Vote, was one more opportunity to work together as two towns. With the COVID-19 restrictions, they met on Zoom—a call that drew 150 people.
“No one wanted to leave the virtual room,” exclaimed Miller. “And afterward, one person after another from both communities said they felt a spark of hope in these dark times, and asked, ‘What can we do now?’”
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Move over, Roomba. Advanced new underwater robots have already been plumbing the depths of our oceans, lakes, and rivers—but now they can return on their own to their charging ports just like consumers’ beloved home vacuuming system.
Purdue University / Jared Pike – YouTube
Underwater drones currently serve a variety of important purposes. Scientists use submersible drone equipment to collect data about the environment, investigating pH levels, assessing water quality levels, searching for chemicals following industrial spills, cataloguing marine life or probing underwater structures for new changes.
Underwater drones also assist engineers with offshore wind turbine construction and maintenance, and law enforcement teams with their underwater search and rescue missions.
Marine robots also maneuver inside cities’ waterways to collect garbage tossed there by tourists and residents. At least one non-profit is using this technology to collect plastic waste from the ocean.
One new Roomba-like marine technology, the WasteShark from RanMarine, collects garbage bobbing on the surface of city waterways. But the necessity of returning to a central operating position limits how effective the equipment can be.
The problem is that sooner or later, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) must return to base to charge their batteries. This hindrance limits what AUVs can achieve and pushes up the cost because humans are needed to assist these robots when they run out of steam.
Currently, when marine robot are submerged in water, they loses the ability to transmit and receive radio signals, including GPS data. Underwater drones must return to the surface before radio signals or GPS data will sync to their base. This involves a human element (read: cost) as well, when workers must then retrieve robots to set about charging them and uploading obtained data. This limits how long AUVs can be underwater pursuing their goals and the amount of data they can reasonably retrieve.
Now, an aerospace engineer is leading the effort to make all these efforts more efficient and cost effective.
Scientists at Purdue University have unveiled a mobile docking station that can remain in the vicinity of underwater drones to provide the charging port they need. The technology can assist AUVs to operate for much longer periods of time without human intervention—and allow for the tantalizing possibility of deploying drones to our oceans for the mission of cleaning up the garbage there.
Nina Mahmoudian, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, co-authored the new research paper in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters showing that their mobile docking station can move on its own, following underwater drones to provide a re-charge.
“The robots and the docks could coordinate with each other, so that they could recharge and upload their data, and then go back out to continue exploring, without the need for human intervention,” says Mahmoudian.
Technology like this could well revolutionize how underwater research and engineering endeavors are carried out, with both costs and time spent on projects slimmed down considerably.
“It’s designed to be platform-agnostic, so it can be utilized with any AUV. The hardware and software work hand-in-hand,” reports the team.
“This system can be used anywhere,” according to Mahmoudian. Which means, for those who may be dreaming big out there, mobile charging ports for autonomous drones that function on land, in the air, at sea—or even in space.
WATCH the Purdue University video…
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Quote of the Day: “These days cry out, as never before, for us to pay attention, so we can move through them and get our joy and pride back.” – Anne Lamott
Photo: by Timothy Eberly
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
A skydiving video shows the moment a woman leaps from a plane at 13,500 ft—while sitting in an inflatable rubber ring.
SWNS – from Jimmy Huftles video
Robin Moore, wearing shorts and cowboy boots, is seen plummeting to earth with a look of pure ecstasy on her face.
The ER physician said: “This was a thrilling jump, as I chose to do it ‘cowgirl style’… a fun rodeo ride.”
“Floating on air and clouds thousands of feet in the sky, wind in my hair—I giggled and yelled the whole way down!”
Jimmy Hutfles and another friend were holding either side of the raft to keep it stable in free fall orchestrated on October 17th at River Ranch, Florida.
“I rode this float for thousands of feet. The guys dropped off at 7000 ft and I continued to ride it alone to 6000 ft., said the Miami Beach daredevil.
“I have jumped out of planes on inflatables before and I find it an extra skydiving challenge to not only balance your body but to manage the balance of a fun prop as well.”
Jimmy Huftles, 22, who filmed the dive, said, “I heard of other skydivers doing raft jumps before. We had a raft, we had an airplane, therefore we had a good time!
Opening one of his earliest clinics – Novant Health
One year after the first Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic opened its doors in Charlotte, North Carolina, the basketball great and his partner Novant Health have opened a second facility.
New Charlotte clinic at 2701 Statesville – Novant Health
With the same goal of providing vital access to primary and preventive care to individuals who are uninsured or underinsured, the new clinic will serve the North End community.
Like with the original medical clinic in west Charlotte, which was built with a generous $7 million grant from Michael Jordan, the new one also offers behavioral health and social support services—addressing health equity gaps further exacerbated by COVID-19.
“Michael Jordan’s commitment to improving the health of our communities, and society, is deep-rooted,” said Carl Armato, CEO and president of Novant Health.
“The impact of the first clinic has been measurable and if COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is the importance of having accessible, safe, and quality care in communities that need it most,” he added.
Jordan said on a Zoom call (watch below), “When we came together to mark the first clinic’s opening last fall, no one could have predicted we would be facing a global pandemic just five months later. I’m so proud of the positive impact our clinic has had on the community so far, especially during COVID-19.”
In its first year, the clinic on Freedom Drive has seen more than 3,350 patients, including more than 450 children. Of those, nearly 700 patients were assisted by the clinic’s full-time social worker with nearly 80 patients being referred for additional behavioral health care.
Since April, when the clinic transitioned into a respiratory assessment center to meet the communities’ needs for accessible coronavirus screening, testing, treatment and education, they completed 12,584 appointments and performed nearly 14,000 COVID-19 tests.
WATCH Jordan speak with patients and administers on a Zoom call…
The new North End location at 2701 Statesville is a 6,800 square foot clinic equipped with 12 patient exam rooms, an X-ray room, and space for physical therapy. Most notably, it will also implement the same integrated services model as the Freedom Drive clinic in west Charlotte, to identify, treat, and support social determinants of health. This model includes embedding a full-time licensed clinical social worker on-site to help address those social determinants of health.
The clinics are open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Patients can schedule appointments online, including same-day, or learn more about providers and available services online at nhmichaeljordanclinic.org. Walk-in visits are also available.
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As the world transitions away from fossil fuels, a wide consensus of experts believes that of all the green technologies available, solar energy is among the most sustainable—and cheapest.
Dr. Davide Zecca
Research innovation is pulling down the costs of new equipment, raising efficiently levels, and making photovoltaic panels more durable—and even recyclable.
Recently, a new upgrade developed by scientists at the University of York in the UK has increased the ability of solar panels to absorb light by a stunning 125 percent.
A potential game-changer, it holds the promise of harvesting ten times more energy for the same relative cost.
The team achieved this feat by utilizing a checkerboard design for their panel face, instead of the traditional flat panel surface. The new design reportedly increased the diffraction rate, which measures the probability of light being absorbed.
Moreover, the team’s innovative pattern also led them to believe that lighter, thinner, and more flexible solar panels could be a natural result.
According to Dr. Christian Schuster from the University’s Department of Physics, “We found a simple trick for boosting the absorption of slim solar cells. Our investigations show that our idea actually rivals the absorption enhancement of more sophisticated designs – while also absorbing more light deep in the plane and less light near the surface structure itself.”
“In principle, we could deploy ten times more solar power for the same amount of absorber material: ten times thinner solar cells could enable a rapid expansion of photovoltaics, increase solar electricity production, and greatly reduce our carbon footprint,” he wrote in the team’s research paper, published in the Journal Optica.
A partnership with NOVA University of Lisbon, the team states that the amount of silicon required for their panels that have thinner cells, would cut the costs of new panels. Further, it could lead to adoption of solar cell technology for specialized applications, such as anti-skid walking surfaces, for example.
In developing new solar cell upgrades, scientists know there is currently a limit for how efficient photovoltaic solar cells can be in converting the sun’s energy into usable electricity. A good, typical solar panel today will convert about 15 to 20 percent of the sunlight.
With upgrades like these, companies will undoubtedly increase that level substantially.
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The global cargo shipping industry accounts for roughly 2 percent of all greenhouse emissions worldwide. Soon, an advanced clean energy ship could finally deliver an eco-friendly solution for hauling freight across the ocean.
Automakers understand that ‘electrifying’ our transport sector will be crucial in lowering dangerous emissions to mitigate a climate crisis. But two areas in which electrifying our transportation has proven to be difficult include commercial aviation—and heavy-duty cargo shipping.
A prototype announced in September by Wallenius Marine could finally change that.
Powered by a series of massive retractable “sails” that resemble airplane wings, the OceanBird will reportedly carry 7,000 cars (or any weight equivalent) across the ocean while cutting carbon emissions by a stunning 90 percent—a game-changer for a global industry that currently carries an oversized carbon tally.
When fully extended, the OceanBird’s upright, wing-like sails stand a mighty 262 feet (80 meters) tall and use the power of rushing air to propel the ship forward—crucially achieving a speed nearly matching that of ships powered by fossil fuel.
New software advancements will utilize mathematical algorithms to calculate when and how to adjust the ship’s sails to maximize its speed on a continuous basis. With the help of these ongoing assessments, the OceanBird will reach up to 10 nautical miles per hour (knots) to make a cross-Atlantic trip in 12 days.
Fossil fuel cargo ships often complete the journey in 8 days—but companies hauling freight in the traditional way would need to calculate a heavy carbon footprint for their goods.
To help smooth out each voyage, Wallenius Marine reports that a clean fuel system synced to an auxiliary engine will move the ship in and out of harbors. This will open up the possibility of using the technology in the cruise ship industry—albeit not in the near future.
The company is still firmly in the design phase, testing smaller models. However, the Swedish collaboration, which includes KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) and SSPA, a naval technology company, is supported by the Swedish Transport Administration, which is acting as a co-financier, and, together, they are eyeing a 2024 roll-out, after taking orders in 2021.
Anywhere we move heavy-duty ships across the oceans or large waterways, eco-friendly sailing can make a significant impact—and investors hope that OceanBird, with its 90% reduction in carbon emissions, will be an important part of this equation.
WATCH a company video…
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Quote of the Day: “Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” – Charles Caleb Colton
Photo: by Max Felner
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Turning up the heat for 2021, six new calendars depict brave—and incredibly handsome—Australian firefighters posing with some of the most adorable animals their country has to offer.
What may be the world’s most popular calendar, now in its 28th year, is back, and this year the hunky heroes have been photographed with heart-melting dogs, cats, koala bears, and even kangaroos.
SWNS
Setting out to brighten the doom and gloom of the last eight months, all proceeds will be donated to the native animal charities that are vital to supporting local wildlife.
This is an especially important cause given Australia’s catastrophic wildfires in 2019 and early 2019, which resulted in the estimated loss of one billion animals from the diverse native wildlife.
While the fires may have gone, the devastated bushland has made it impossible for many of the displaced wildlife to return to their natural habitat.
One of the centers to benefit is the Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, where Dr. Stephen Van Mil and his team are building Australia’s first mobile wildlife hospital. It’s designed to be rushed to wherever the wildlife emergency is.
Speaking of creating the Australian Firefighters Calendar in a pandemic, calendar director David Rogers explained, “Coronavirus was never going to stop us from bringing smiles to faces across the world.”
With this year’s cat and dog calendars, there’s a bit of a twist. As COVID-19 restricted the team’s access to many rescue animals, the Aussie public was asked to bring their own rescued furry friends to the photoshoot to help create these calendars.
Funds raised will allow the organization to help less fortunate animals find a new home through rescue organisations like Safe Haven Animal Rescue and All Breeds Canine Rescue.
“You will see all your favorite Australian firefighters with every variety of animal we could photograph,” Rogers said. “We have got something for everyone!”
Australian Firefighters Calendar
Speaking of hope and new beginnings, Rogers noted, “As you hang your 2021 calendars on your wall and turn to January 2021, it’s a great reminder that next year is going to be a fresh start for everyone.”
You can purchase all the calendars here. If you wish the focus in the photos below was more on cute creatures and less on handsome shirtless men, it sounds like “’Animal Calendar’ (No firefighters – animals only)” is the purchase for you.
In 2021, one in every seven cars sold in the EU will be electric, and overall sales, production, and innovation is booming across Europe’s big economies on the back of strict CO2 emissions regulations from the European Parliament.
Andrew Robert
Electric car sales are expected to have tripled this year compared to 2019, and are expected to climb to as much as 15% of the total market share by 2022 before hitting a ceiling.
The regulations, which have been staggered back through the last decade, will continue to stagger until 2030, when a number of international agreements and targets levied to help prevent the worst of the climate crisis come due.
The green policy think tank Transport & Environment summarizes data from a report they published that tracks CO2 target compliance and electric car sales across the EU automotive sector, stating, “Electric car sales are booming thanks to EU emissions standards. Next year, one in every seven cars sold in Europe will be a plug-in. EU manufacturers are back in the EV race.”
The EU emissions standards that will come into effect next year are more stringent, suggesting a push for cleaner fossil fuel vehicles and greater production of electric vehicles.
“By 2021, the maximum value of a fleet-average for new cars in the EU is 95 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre,” writes Electrive, an EU electric transport industry website.
They reference a media report based on leaks that EU parliamentarians want to increase the already tight restrictions of 37.5% by 2030 to 50%, which has drawn ire from German automotive industry groups which say the restrictions are already very ambitious. The previous restrictions passed with over 500 “yes” votes to fewer than 100 “no” votes, so green-minded politicians may feel more intense restrictions are possible.
There are already some car manufacturers whose fleets meet the current standards, and wouldn’t need to change much to comply with the 2021 increasement. These are PSA Group, which includes Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen, and Opel, as well as Tesla, Volvo, and BMW.
UW Center for Conservation Biology, Conservation Canines
A killer whale’s best friend might be this dog.
UW Center for Conservation Biology, Conservation Canines
After being discarded as a young pup, a shelter dog named Eba is now using her unique talents to help save members of an iconic ocean species, the orca whale.
And, the one thing that scientists need to serve this species? Feces.
Eba’s nose for detecting whale poop (or “skat” as it’s commonly referred to in wildlife circles) turns out to be the perfect tool for a University research team.
The dog’s owner is Deborah Giles, a marine biologist at the University of Washington’s Center for Conservation Biology who studies killer whales. When Giles adopted the mixed-breed pup, it wasn’t with the intention to make her a working dog—but Eba soon began to exhibit certain traits that indicated she might have the skill set required to become a valued member of her research crew.
Eba was soon enrolled in Conservation Canines, a program that trains dogs to hunt for marine wildlife droppings, which yield a wealth of information critical to research, including everything from genetics and general health to stress levels, and the presence of toxic chemicals in the whales’ diet. (Whale skat can also indicate pregnancy and just how far along an expecting whale momma’s gestation may be.)
Dr. Deborah Giles/UW Center for Conservation Biology
Giles conducts her studies in the Salish Sea off the Canadian Gulf Islands and Washington state’s San Juan Islands. The pod of Southern Resident killer whales currently numbers 74 members, including two juveniles. She says Eba’s dung-detecting debut exceeded expectations.
“By Eba’s second day on the water… she found her first wild whale scat by herself, which was amazing,” Giles said in an interview with TODAY.
As critical as their research is, the marine biologists do their utmost to ensure the pod isn’t stressed out by their presence. That means keeping a respectful distance—which is why Eba is proving invaluable.
“Her body gets stiff at first, like, ‘Oh, I smell it,’ then she starts sniffing up in the air,” Giles told The Seattle Times. “As soon as we pass through it, she’ll run along the side of the boat, and that’s what tells me where we need to turn into the wind and drive toward the sample.”
While it’s doubtful that Eba truly understands the importance of her contributions to help save the whales, it’s clear she truly loves her job.
“She’s really the perfect dog for this work,” Giles said. “She’s helping answer questions that will go to recovering an endangered species of beloved animals.”
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Indigenous rights’ groups and WWF International are beginning to train Andean tribes people deep within the Amazon rainforest in the use of drones so that they, as forest-dwelling specialists, can help protect wildlife, and identify, compile evidence for, and report on, illegal logging activities.
WWF-UK
The WWF teamed up with the Kaninde Ethno-Environmental Defense Association, a civil-society made up of biologists, foresters, cartographers, anthropologists, specialists in healthcare and information technology, and journalists to run a drone-operating course for five separate Indigenous tribes including the Uru Eu Wau Wau, who reside in the state of Rondonia in western Brazil.
With the drones, tribes have been able to create high-resolution images, video, and GPS coordinates of logging sites, Brazil nut tree stands—a valuable sources of income—and prime habitat for vulnerable species like the harpy eagle, the largest in the accipitridae family, and a bird that’s sacred to the Uru Eu Wau Wau.
Illegal logging is one of the major causes for the rash of wildfires experienced in the Amazon over the last 24 months, as cattle ranchers burn down forest to make way for pastureland.
According to Felipe Spina Avino, the senior conservation analyst for WWF-Brazil who helped organize and run the drone-training program, the technology is surprisingly well-taken to by Indigenous groups, and it gives them a greater capacity to utilize their ancestral knowledge of the forest to protect it from loggers.
“They can compile a case with a lot of evidence that they can send to the authorities which then have much greater pressure and much greater resource to act upon the illegal activities that are going on,” he told CNN.
Apparently, the first time the team used the technology, they discovered a 1.4-acre area of clear-cut land, over which they eventually recorded sightings of a helicopter spreading grass seed, suggesting whoever cleared the forest planned on using it for cattle pasturing; an illegal activity.
COVID-19, and the perceived susceptibility of Indigenous groups to the virus, has prevented Brazilian government officials from stationing too many authority bodies to stop loggers and ranchers lighting fires in the Amazon. As a result, this year’s logging activities have been worse according to an Indigenous rights’ group Survival International.
The drone project, which can cost as little as $2,000 for equipment and training per group, helps tip the balance back towards tribes like the Uru Eu Wau Wau.
(WATCH the WWF video of the drones in action below.)
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Older people who report greater levels of social engagement have more robust gray matter in regions of the brain relevant in dementia, according to new research led by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. It is the first to use a particularly sensitive type of brain imaging to conduct such an evaluation.
Philippe Leone
The findings, reported in the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, suggest that “prescribing” socialization could benefit older adults in warding off dementia, much the way prescribing physical activity can help to prevent diabetes or heart disease.
“Our data were collected before the COVID-19 pandemic, but I believe our findings are particularly important right now, since a one-size-fits-all social isolation of all older adults may place them at risk for conditions such as dementia,” said lead author Cynthia Felix, M.D., M.P.H., a geriatrician and a post-doctoral associate in Pitt Public Health’s Department of Epidemiology. “Older adults should know it is important for their brain health that they still seek out social engagement in safe and balanced ways during the pandemic.”
Felix and her colleagues used information about social engagement from 293 community-dwelling participants from the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) study. These participants, who averaged 83 years old, also received a sensitive brain scan called Diffusion Tensor Imaging MRI that measured the cellular integrity of brain cells used for social engagement.
These participants provided detailed information about their social engagement and were scored using a tool Felix developed. High scores were awarded to people who did things like play board games; go to movies; travel long distance; attend classes, lectures, or adult education events; participate in church or other community activities; get together with children, friends, relatives, or neighbors at least once a week; volunteer or work; be married, and live with others.
Felix and colleagues found that greater social engagement is related to better microstructural integrity of brain gray matter in these older adults. Maintaining brain health is of critical importance. Once brain cells die, dementia typically follows.
Social engagement with at least one other relative or friend activates specific brain regions needed to recognize familiar faces and emotions, make decisions and feel rewarded. The good news is that even moderate “doses” seem to be beneficial.
“We need to do more research on the details, but that’s the beauty of this–social engagement costs hardly anything, and we do not have to worry about side-effects,” Felix said. “There is no cure for dementia, which has tremendous costs in terms of treatment and caregiving. Preventing dementia, therefore, has to be the focus. It’s the ‘use it or lose it’ philosophy when it comes to the brain.”
Felix notes that cause-and-effect still need to be disentangled: Does greater social engagement keep these brain regions healthy? Or is it that having a healthy brain results in better social engagement?
Similar to how large public health studies assess the best programs to encourage physical activity to prevent chronic disease in older people, Felix believes her team’s findings, coupled with previous research, provides justification for randomized control trials to assess the impact of specific types and amounts of social activities on brain health.
Enriched by her prior public health training at Johns Hopkins University, Felix recognizes the critical role of public health in applying this finding on a large scale.
“It would be good if we develop programs across the U.S. through which structured social activities can be prescribed for community-dwelling older adults, aimed at reducing rates of dementia and the resulting health care costs,” Felix said. “Existing platforms providing group physical activities can be a good starting point.”
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A revolutionary new design for onshore wind turbines that can be attached to lamp posts and powered by traffic has been unveiled.
The English businessman behind the new concept that can be installed along highways believes they will help hit renewable energy targets in the UK and beyond because they do not rely on natural wind.
The turbines, fixed to existing street lights, would use the wind created by vehicles speeding past to generate electricity to power both those lights and eventually a lot more.
Barry Thompson, CEO of Alpha 311 behind the invention, says their idea is the first of its kind in the world and offers a simple answer to the complex challenge of amassing large amounts of clean energy.
The company believes a turbine attached to each lighting column could collectively generate around 6mw per day—enough to power a small village.
Last week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged that an impending green industrial revolution would power every home in the UK with offshore wind by 2030.
Thompson believes innovative onshore solutions will help the nation achieve that target..
The chief executive officer of the Kent-based company said, “Do I think offshore wind is everything? No, I think onshore wind is the cheaper option, and a distributed network needs to really push this thing forward.
Speaking from his home office which is powered by the prototype units, the 51-year-old added, “If you’ve ever stood by the road and a lorry [truck] has gone past, you’ll feel the air that moves—we capture that energy.”
As an example, the A299 Thanet Way in Kent is less than 20 miles long and features 1,114 lighting columns.
The turbines would be installed on the central reservation, therefore powered by wind generated on both sides of the carriageway.
This highway-powered concept would blend in with existing infrastructure. “This is a retro-fit solution,” explained Thompson, “so it attaches to what we already have.
“We’re not blighting the landscape with massive turbines, we’re making use of existing infrastructure.”
Each turbine can generate the same as 21 square meters (226 square feet) of solar panels and is two meters (6.5 feet) tall, with the potential to be even smaller as development continues.
Mr Thompson said the company is currently in talks with a UK local authority to trial the technology on their roads.
A number of small US cities are also trialling the technology from Alpha 311.
She may only weigh four pounds, but she’s a Chihuahua with a huge heart and one very big job: Little MacKenzie was born with a cleft palate, and now spends her days providing affection and care for baby rescue animals born with birth defects.
The teeny pup with so much love to give away has now been recognized in a giant way: After more than a million votes by the American public and the deliberations of a panel of celebrity animal lovers and dog experts, MacKenzie has been named the country’s most heroic canine, besting 407 other competitors across the country and capturing the top title at the American Humane Hero Dog Awards, which was broadcast nationwide earlier this week on Hallmark Channel.
“The American Humane Hero Dog Awards were created to honor some of the world’s most extraordinary heroes,” said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane. “These heroic canines have gone above and beyond the call of duty, saving lives on the battlefield, comforting the ill and aged, and reminding us of the powerful, age-old bond between animals and people.”
Why did MacKenzie win? Contracting aspiration pneumonia which nearly took her life as a newborn, she’s a rescue who epitomizes what it means to be a hero, overcoming her birth defect and going on to help hundreds of other rescue animals and provide children with world-changing lessons in empathy.
Most of the rescued animals are babies who cannot stay with their mothers because of their medical problems.
MacKenzie takes an interest in each baby from day one, no matter the species or size.She plays nurse and cleans, comforts, and cuddles them.She acts as their mother and teaches them how to socialize, play, and have good manners.
It’s been said that MacKenzie could mother anything from an ant to an elephant, nurturing countless puppies, kittens, a goat, a turkey, a squirrel, birds, a mouse, and despite her tiny size, even a Great Dane.
MacKenzie’s other important role is to interact with children at schools, so they learn to be open-minded toward animals and people with physical differences. They learn kindness, patience, and that you can make a difference in the world no matter how small you are.
MacKenzie may have lost her ability to bark, but she still makes herself heard and speaks for other animals born with defects and she is a shining example of how rescuing animals often helps save more than just one life.
For her extraordinary good works, MacKenzie, who comes from Hilton, New York, first won the top title in her individual category, becoming the country’s Hero Shelter Dog of the Year, and then in the last round winning the American Humane Hero Dog Awards’ top title of 2020’s American Hero Dog.
Six other finalists were also named the nation’s top winners in their categories, and we salute them for their courage, service, and compassion.
Here are the official nominations alongside MacKenzie, as told by their handlers and owners:. We’ve also included some adorable photos of the hero dogs. Enjoy.
2020 Therapy Dog of the Year
Olive (Jefferson City, Missouri)
American Humane
From hopeless and homeless to living her purpose, Olive was rescued from the streets of Los Angeles by Brandon McMillan, host and animal trainer of the Emmy Award-winning CBS show, Lucky Dog.
Lisa Groves Bax, a child advocate volunteer for abused/neglected children in the judicial system in Missouri, saw the need for a resource to assist the scores of children facing the daunting task of appearing or testifying in court.
Olive’s mission is to make sure that no child walks alone through the courtroom doors, and provides comfort throughout the unknown journey that the child faces against their abuser or neglecting adult, which in most cases is their very own parents. Olive has served more than 300 children since beginning in the court system in 2016, and continues to assist children with extremely difficult criminal trials in order to get a conviction against the abusers.
2020 Service Dog of the Year
Dolly Pawton (Naples, Maine)
American Humane
Dolly Pawton is my cardiac alert dog, trained to alert if my blood pressure drops or heart rate rises to an unsafe level. Being confined to a wheelchair due to multiple medical conditions has been difficult, to say the least. At times, my body will physically not allow me to do everyday tasks.
I try to remain as active as my body will allow. With Dolly’s help I am able to do that. Before having a service dog, I went out very little but Dolly changed that. She helps me to function without having to depend on others. Dolly helps in every aspect of my life… She is truly my most crucial medical equipment with a loving, beating heart… She is my hero.
2020 Military Dog of the Year
Blue ll P491 (Lawrenceville, Georgia)
American Humane
Blue served our country valiantly from 2011 to 2018. I served as her first handler on my second deployment to Afghanistan, which was her first deployment as an Improvised Explosive Device Detector Dog. While deployed, Blue and I went on over 300 combat missions. She found many IEDs, saving me, along with many Marines and Sailors during our deployment.
2020 Guide/Hearing Dog of the Year
Aura (Brunswick, Maine)
American Humane
Aura is a trained hearing service dog. She became my ears after I lost my hearing in a rocket attack in Afghanistan. I was in despair after my injuries. I needed a helper. What I received was a fur guardian angel. She has restored my independence. I went from being a blown-up deaf person to a person who now feels safe and secure in the world.
2020 Law Enforcement Dog of the Year
K-9 Cody (Newport News, Virginia)
American Humane
K-9 Cody started her career in explosives detection in Iraq, working hard to keep U.S. personnel safe at the U.S. Embassy. K-9 Cody was transferred back to the United States, where she continued her explosives detection career working at the Mall of America. She quickly stood out as a phenomenal K-9, and not just because of her ability to detect explosives, but also because of her calm and loving demeanor.
2020 Search and Rescue Dog of the Year
Remington (Montgomery, Texas)
American Humane
K9 Remington is more than just a retired search and rescue K9; he is a cancer fighter and survivor, an advocate for retired K9s and for dogs to be in the fire service. Remi was nationally certified in human remains detection and worked many cases across the United States with Special K9s SAR.
Remi has spent his entire life fighting for those who could not fight by assisting law enforcement in locating remains or evidence. His deployments range from missing people, cold cases, and Hurricane Harvey.
He still has cancer and is now a tripod, but he continues to live his life representing Project K9 Hero at events to raise awareness and funding for other retired K9s. Remi is more than a search dog; he is a HERO!
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