Pine Martens Breeding in Southwest England for the First Time in Over 100 Years – LOOK

-

Jul 15, 2025

original-Mainau Declaration-scientists-cc-Vincenzo108 — The original scientists, by Vincenzo108 – CC license

70 years ago today, 18 Nobel laureate scientists signed the Mainau Declaration publicly decrying nuclear weapons. Within one year, 34 others—mostly chemists and physicists—joined the German nuclear scientists Otto Hahn and Max Born in calling for an end to perilous radioactive bombs. READ the text of the Declaration… (1955)

Common Bacteria Can Turn Plastic Bottles into the Painkiller Acetaminophen/Paracetamol

By

-

Jul 14, 2025

Biologist Stephen Wallace - credit Edinburgh Innovations

Scientists in Scotland recently engineered bacteria to be able to turn plastic into a precursor to the painkiller acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol.

Though far from scalable at the moment, the reaction nevertheless underpins a potential starting point for greener production and recycling systems, as acetaminophen is produced with fossil fuels, and plastic pollutes the environment.

The precursor compound, known as para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), can be made endogenously by Escherichia coli bacteria, and so those used in the study had this ability removed through genetic engineering.

In this way, the bacteria needed to perform a Lossen rearrangement—or the process by which a nitrogen bearing molecule from the environment is converted to PABA, which is also the precursor to the vitamin B9, or folic acid.

The molecule selected was polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most common plastic polymers used today. Forming plastic water and beverage bottles, packaging, and other items, 350 million tons of this strong yet lightweight plastic turns into waste and pollution every year.

At room temperature, 92% of the PET was converted over 48 hours by the engineered bacteria into PABA—the active ingredient in acetaminophen/paracetamol, which themselves are the active ingredient in name brand painkillers like Tylenol and Panadol.

The factories that create these medications are often powered by fossil fuels, but the E. coli performed the rearrangement without any detectable carbon emissions. The PET plastic, meanwhile, was recycled in the solution.

“This work demonstrates that PET plastic isn’t just waste or a material destined to become more plastic, it can be transformed by microorganisms into valuable new products, including those with potential for treating disease,” said Professor Stephen Wallace
UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and Chair of Chemical Biotechnology who participated in the research and co-authored the paper presenting it.

ALSO CHECK OUT: New Species of Bacteria Can Act as Electric Wiring and Aid in Pollution Cleanup – and Much More

“Based on what we’ve seen, it’s highly likely that many—or even most—bacteria can perform these kinds of transmutations,” Wallace said. “This opens up a whole new way of thinking about how we might use microbes as tiny chemical factories.”

SHARE This Bacterial Alchemy With Your Friends On Social Media…

New Bamboo Plantations Are Healing Villages Choked by Toxic Ash from Coal Plants in India

By

-

Jul 14, 2025

A before and after of the Suradevi Road site, Koradi - credit Dr. Lal Singh, supplied

In Western India, bamboo is being used to rejuvenate lands choked with ash from thermal power plants.

One of the largest coal-burning nations owing to its large population and drive for economic development, India has nevertheless likely contaminated thousands of acres of marginal and arable land with “fly ash.”

Fly ash is the heavy particulate matter ejected during coal and wood burning, and in the case of coal, the presence of heavier minerals like silica make farming under its influence all but impossible.

In the Indian state of Maharashtra, Dr. Lal Singh from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR) has spent 12 years pioneering a 5-step program to restoring fly ash-degraded lands using bamboo and soil amendments.

Working in the Vidarbha region, three thermal power plants had significantly polluted the surrounding lands. In villages like Ubagi and Khapari, 24 acres of small-holder farms were covered covered in ash, strangling the livelihoods of any who would otherwise farm there.

“The fly ash has a component called ‘silica’ which usually settles on the crops,” Dr. Singh tells The Better India in an exclusive interview. “This cut down the productivity of the crops. Bamboo is a plant that attracts silica, and this helps in making sure crops are not affected as the bamboo sites attract most of the silica in the air.”

There are over one-thousand species of bamboo, and one that could help one village may not be suitable for another. Dr. Singh has worked long and hard, step by step, tree by tree, to develop a replicable approach.

A fly ash dump site in Koradi – credit Dr. Lal Singh, supplied

The first is to identify the active contaminant: silica in many cases, but not all. The next is a screening of the potential plants tolerant of the contaminant. Then the excess ash is removed, the soil is amended and inoculated with fungal and microbial strains, before eventually the bamboo is planted.

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS:

Up until now, Dr. Singh’s work has primarily taken place in Maharashtra. He’s currently expanding his method to sites in UP and Odisha.

“After Odisha, our team will work on lands in Uttar Pradesh’s Anpara, which is under the fly ash threat and is affecting a water reservoir. We plan to develop a green belt around Anpara to protect the reservoir and prevent water pollution,” Dr. Singh said.

SHARE This Great Work In A Polluted Corner Of The World—A Man Making A Difference…

Peru Debuts Discovery of Ancient City Dating Back 3,800 Years Ago and Ready for Visitors

By

-

Jul 14, 2025

credit - Caral Archaeological Zone - released — credit - Caral Archaeological Zone, released

Following eight years of excavations, research, and interpretation, a newly-discovered ancient settlement in Peru has been opened to visitors.

First inhabited some 3,800 years ago north of the modern-day capital Lima, Peñico is believed to have linked remote Andean mountain settlements with the cultural, religious, and economic hubs of Caral by the coastline.

Caral-Supe is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and oldest-known in the Americas, and Peñico likely inherited that legacy and wealth after Caral declined.

18 buildings have been identified in Peñico, which sits at 1,800 feet above sea level, including one monumental public center where higher order goods such as conch shell instruments and clay figurines were uncovered.

“This urban center developed following the cultural tradition of the Caral,” said Ruth Shady Solis, lead researcher and director of the Caral Archaeological Zone (ZAC), which is attached to Peru’s Ministry of Culture, in a press release.

“Due to its strategic location, it connected coastal and mountain towns of Supe and Huaura, as well as those living in the Andean-Amazonian and the high Andean region”.

Radiocarbon dating has shown that the oldest periods of activity in the settlement seem to correspond with the latest periods of activity in Caral, suggesting perhaps that the latter’s decline was linked to the former’s rise. There would have been some overlap of though, as the statement explains.

“After the loss of prestige of the first and oldest major cities of the Supe Valley, such as the Sacred City of Caral, the inhabitants of Peñico continued to actively participate in the networks of social and economic interaction consolidated in earlier times,” it read.

ANCIENT AMERICAS:

A similar passing of traditions occurred in Ancient Mesopotamia, when Eridu the region’s first city and religious center gave way in importance to Uruk.

“It is possible that the prestige achieved by the Peñico society in the valley, added to its function as a node in the exchange network, was linked to the extraction and circulation of hematite. This mineral, used to make a red pigment, had a high symbolic importance within Andean cosmology.”

The site is now open to archaeologically-inclined visitors, and includes trails through the ancient ruins, an interpretation center, and attached museum.

SHARE This Great New Reason To Visit Peru With Your Friends…

All 31 Workers Escape Unharmed from Recent LA Tunnel Collapse

By

-

Jul 14, 2025

Workers assembling the boring machine that was used in the tunnel when it collapsed - credit Salini Impregilo WeBuild Group — Workers assembling the boring machine that was used in the tunnel when it collapsed - credit Salini Impregilo / WeBuild Group

If just a few more feet of loose soil fell from the tunnel ceiling, 27 Los Angeles digging contractors would have been trapped.

As it happened, tragic headlines were denied those last few feet, and with the help of their comrades on the other side, all 27 men escaped from last Thursday’s partial tunnel collapse with their lives.

The contractors were employees of Flatiron Dragados, a firm that’s currently tunneling 450 feet below the city of Los Angeles on a major, half-billion dollar sanitation project dubbed Clearwater. At 18-feet wide and 7-miles long, it’s an immense undertaking to transport treated wastewater from a plant in Carson to the ocean.

Around 8 p.m. local time, the soil in the ceiling portion of the tunnel began collapsing down behind 27 men who had the large tunneling machine in front of them. The collapse occurred 6 miles from the only access point to the tunnel.

Various first response and emergency services rushed to the scene, including all the city’s urban search and rescue teams, but fortunately there was a space of about 3 to 4 feet through which the 27 men crawled to escape, all while 4 of their colleagues on the other side worked to enlarge the gap.

An hour later, all 31 walked out unharmed.

“I just spoke with many of the workers who were trapped,” Mayor Karen Bass wrote in a post to X. “Thank you to all of our brave first responders who acted immediately. You are LA’s true heroes.”

Tim McOsker, the current councilman for Los Angeles City Council District 15 who sits on the sanitation board, said the men, mostly engineers and electricians, were highly-trained by Flatiron Dragados. They recognized the situation and responded orderly and effectively to escape.

LOS ANGELES NEWS: First High-Speed Rail Line in US Breaks Ground: Brightline Vegas to LA at 200 mph to Save Thousands in Emissions

“This is a highly technical, difficult project, and they knew exactly what to do. They knew how to secure themselves,” said McOsker, said at a news conference. “They knew all of the signals as we spoke to them.”

The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as Cal/OSHA, said it is investigating the collapse. The project will be put on hold until the investigation is concluded.

MORE EMERGENCIES DEFEATED: Final Crew Members Are Pulled From Capsized Cargo Ship After Rescuers Hear Tapping Inside the Engine Room

Tunnels like these are built at the same time they’re being dug, with cement walls and ceilings being laid after the boring machine has passed. Speaking with CNN, Robert Ferrante, chief engineer and general manager of the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, said the cause of the incident was “squeezing ground” which occurs when the tunneling and cement laying deforms the structure of the soil considerably.

Assuming no major delays from the incident, the Clearwater Project, meant to replace aging wastewater infrastructure, will be opened by 2028.

WATCH the video on CBS News…

SHARE The Story Of These Relieved Workers And Their Near-Miss Deep Underground…

“Imagination and fiction make up more than three quarters of our real life.” – Simone Weil

Quote of the Day

By

-

Jul 14, 2025

Quote of the Day: “Imagination and fiction make up more than three quarters of our real life.” – Simone Weil

Photo by: яғ ★ design – CC license

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?

Good News in History, July 14

This Day In History

By

-

Jul 14, 2025

New Horizons team celebrates its arrival at Pluto - pub domain — New Horizons team celebrates its arrival at Pluto

10 years ago today, Earth’s scientists completed the first survey of our solar system as the New Horizons spacecraft completed a flyby of distant Pluto. It took ten years for the little space probe to arrive at our most distant neighbor, and is now beginning a long cold journey out into the great beyond, never to return. Along with Pluto, New Horizons also imaged its moons of Nix, Styx, Kerberos, Charon, and Hydra. READ more of what it discovered… (2016)

2 Billion-Year-Old Moon Rock Found in Africa Plugs a Huge Gap in Lunar History

By

-

Jul 13, 2025

Electron image with different shades of grey highlighting chemical compositions of the minerals making up the rock – CREDIT: Dr. Joshua Snape / University of Manchester

An ancient Moon rock that fell to Earth in Africa is rewriting what we know about lunar volcanoes. The rare meteorite with its unique chemical makeup bridges a billion-year gap in lunar rock samples, and suggests the Moon had internal heat sources that persisted for ages.

The 2.35 billion-year-old meteorite was discovered in Africa in 2023 and reveals that the Moon was volcanically active far longer than previously thought.

The research, presented this week at the world’s foremost geochemistry gathering, the Goldschmidt Conference in Prague, offers fresh insights into how the Moon’s interior evolved.

The analysis from the University of Manchester, UK, dates the rock’s formation to a period from which few lunar samples exist, making it the youngest basaltic lunar meteorite discovered on Earth.

Its rare geochemical profile sets it apart from those returned by previous Moon missions, with chemical evidence indicating it likely formed from a lava flow that solidified after emerging from deep within the Moon.

Dr. Joshua Snape, who presented the research before 4,000 attending delegates called the sample serendipitous.

“It just happened to fall to Earth and reveals secrets about lunar geology without the massive expense of a space mission,” he said in a media release.

“Lunar rocks from sample missions are fantastic in the insights they provide us, but they are limited to the immediate areas surrounding those mission landing sites.”

By contrast, this rock’s melted glassy pockets and veins suggests it was jettisoned to Earth after the impact of a meteorite or asteroid, which could have happened anywhere on the Moon’s surface.

“The age of the sample is especially interesting because it fills an almost billion-year gap in lunar volcanic history,” said Dr Snape. “It’s younger than the basalts collected by the Apollo, Luna and Chang’e 6 missions—but older than the much younger rocks brought back by China’s Chang’e 5 mission.”

LOOK SKYWARD: Two Meteor Showers Will Peak on the Same Night in July and Be Visible in the Southern US

Containing relatively large crystals of the mineral olivine, the rock is a volcanic type called olivine-phyric basalt. It contains moderate levels of titanium and high levels of potassium.

The Pb isotope composition of the rock – a geochemical fingerprint retained from when the rock formed – points to it originating from a source in the Moon’s interior with an unusually high uranium-to-lead ratio. These chemical clues may help identify the mechanisms that have enabled periods of ongoing internal heat generation on the Moon.

“Its age and composition show that volcanic activity continued on the Moon throughout this timespan, and our analysis suggests an ongoing heat generation process within the Moon, potentially from radiogenic elements decaying and producing heat over a long period.

“Moon rocks are rare, so it’s always interesting when we get something that stands out and looks different to everything else.”

DID YOU KNOW? ‘Starquakes’ Inside Universe’s Densest Objects May Have Seeded Earth with Large Amounts of Gold

“This particular rock provides new constraints about when and how volcanic activity occurred on the Moon.

“There is much more yet to learn about the Moon’s geological past, and with further analysis to pinpoint its origin on the surface, this rock will guide where to land future sample return missions.”

HAIL ‘SCIENCE BOY’: When Car’s Windshield is Smashed, Clever Son Spots Nearby Rock and Finds a Meteorite is the Culprit

The 311-gram meteorite (equaling around 11 ounces) is one of 31 lunar basalts officially identified on Earth, according to the researchers who were funded by the Royal Society. The team plans to publish their findings in full in a peer-reviewed journal later this year.

EDUCATE SPACE GEEK PALS By Sharing This on Social Media…

Philadelphia Phillies’ New Service Dog is Instant Celebrity – And Will Support a Veteran After Training Camp

By

Nathan Frederick

-

Jul 13, 2025

The Philadelphia Phillies just expanded their roster—adding a four-legged friend that’s arguably the cutest teammate in franchise history.

Last week, the baseball team formally announced their sponsorship of Tugger, a 10-week old pup that will soon begin his training to become an accredited service dog destined to support a disabled veteran.

The yellow Labrador’s name is a nod to Phillies legend and fan favorite Tug McGraw, who served in the Marine Corps before becoming a major-league relief pitcher and a 1980 World Series Champion with the Phillies.

He was also the father of country music superstar Tim McGraw, who cheered Tugger’s entrance to the majors in a team press release, saying, “Ya gotta believe young Tugger’s going to be a hero.”

“My father loved the Phillies and took immense pride in his service with the U.S. Marine Corps. The thought that this little pup will one day contribute to enhancing the quality of life for a veteran is truly remarkable. I am certain my father would have felt deeply honored to have Tugger named in his memory.”

Watch the 4-legged Instagram sensation below…

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by phillies (@phillies)

DOGGIE LOVE: Jack Russell Pup Becomes Surrogate Mom to Six Abandoned Kittens, Feeding Them with Her Own Milk

Two nonprofit organizations will help prepare the retriever over the next two years. The Warrior Canine Connection, will train the service dog and Team Foster, a Philadelphia-based charity that has helped connect over 500 veterans with service dogs, will find Tugger’s next owner.

Philadelphia Phillies service dog Tugger –Courtesy: Team Foster / Warrior Canine Connection @Phillies

Tugger is the second service pup sponsored by the Phillies. The first one, Major, was just recently placed in a fur-ever home, bringing some much-needed assistance to a local veteran.

DOG vs. MAILMAN: Texas Mailman Adopts Beloved Dog from His Old Route After its Vietnam Veteran Owner Passes Away

Earlier this week, the pup was introduced to hometown fans at Philadelphia’s ballpark. Not surprisingly, he quickly won over the entire crowd, even while sleeping for an inning in a player’s arms.

Eventually, Tugger’s training will ‘round third’ and be headed toward home with a veteran in need—a guaranteed home run by the Phillies, delivered by the newest—and cutest— member of the team… (See more Good News Sports stories here.)

SHARE THIS PAWESOME PUP With Dog-Lovers on Social Media..

Three New Frog Species Discovered as Scientists Trek to Remote Peaks in the Andes Where No Roads Go

By

-

Jul 13, 2025

New frog species Pristimantis chinguelas found in Peru – Ivan Wong / SWNS

Three new types of frogs were discovered during off-road scientific expeditions in the remote cloud-shrouded peaks of the Andes.

The secretive amphibians were found between 2021 and 2024 in the Cordillera de Huancabamba mountains of northern Peru—in forests and mountain trails with no road access.

The species were recently confirmed and named, and each one tells a different story, according to the team’s findings published in the journal Evolutionary Systematics.

“They’re small and unassuming, but these frogs are powerful reminders of how much we still don’t know about the Andes,” said Peruvian herpetologist Germán Chávez, who led the research.

Pristimantis chinguelas, discovered on a cliffside, has a body dotted with prominent large tubercles on both sides.

Its high-pitched “peep” can be heard on humid nights, reported the researchers.

P. nunezcortezi lives near a cool mountain stream in a regenerating forest.

New frog species in Peru – Pristimantis nunezcortezi (via SWNS)

With large black blotches on axillae and groins, it was named in honor of ornithologist Elio Nuñez-Cortez, a conservation trailblazer in the region.

P. yonke, the smallest of the three, was found nestled in bromeliads at a chilly altitude of nearly 3,000 meters (9,800 feet).

Its name was a nod to ‘yonque,’ a sugarcane spirit consumed by locals to brave the highland cold.

HOPPY DISCOVERY: A Leap of Hope: Endangered Frogs First Seen by Charles Darwin Give Birth in London to Help Avoid Extinction

The Cordillera de Huancabamba mountains in the Andes of northern Peru-SWNS science study

Study co-author Karen Victoriano-Cigüeñas said, “Exploring this area is more than fieldwork – it’s an immersion into wilderness, culture, and resilience.”

“Many of these mountain ridges are isolated, with no roads and extreme terrain,” said co-author Ivan Wong.

“The weather shifts within minutes, and the steep cliffs make every step a challenge.

“It’s no wonder so few scientists have worked here before—but that’s exactly why there’s still so much to find.”

MORE GOOD FROG NEWS:
• Tiny ‘Frog Saunas’ Help Endangered Amphibians Fight off Fungal Disease
• Fungus Devastating Frogs Worldwide May Have an Achilles Heel – And it May Save the Amphibians

The number of individuals in the species is unknown, but co-author Wilmar Aznaran points out that the Cordillera de Huancabamba is not just a remote range.

“It’s a living archive of biodiversity and cultural legacy. And we’ve barely scratched the surface.”

JUMP FOR JOY By Sharing The Good News With Frog Lovers on Social Media…

Woman Finds Message on Toilet Paper Roll Written 35 Years Ago by Little Girl

By

-

Jul 13, 2025

Message on 35-year-old toilet paper roll –Charlotte England-Black / SWNS

A couple renovating their new home discovered hidden inside their loft a heartwarming message written by a little girl 35 years ago—on the side of an empty toilet paper roll.

Charlotte England-Black found the touching note, which was concealed in the attic of their property in Nottingham, England, in 1989 when the little girl was moving out.

The 30-year-old moved into the house with her husband five months ago, but only found the hidden time capsule last Friday.

The note was penned by Emma—who was seven years old at the time—as a secret message for the home’s future owners.

Written in red marker, it reads: “I hope you enjoy staying here. Lots of love, from a friend.’

It began, “My name is Emma Waddingham. My birthday is February the 4th. I was born in 1982. I’m seven years old and nearly eight.

Charlotte immediately wondered where Emma was now—so she reached out on a Facebook community page in a bid to track her down. Amazingly, she was found within the hour.

“It’d been up there years,” Charlotte told SWNS news agency. “It was discovered along with an old sink, a vintage cap and some used overalls.

“It was really cute. She’d obviously written it hoping someone would find it one day. It really is quite touching.

HEARTWARMING: Woman Stunned to See Grandparent’s Wartime Locket Online After Stranger Buys it in Thrift Shop to Find Owner

Message on toilet paper roll left by girl 35 years ago –Charlotte England-Black / SWNS

“We posted it on a community page on Facebook. Within ten minutes someone had tagged her in it and others had commented saying they’d remembered her from the street, which was great.

“I thought, I bet she could easily be found and it’d be nice for her. It’s just a connection with the past.”

Today, Emma’s last name is Smith, and she still lives in Nottingham. Now 43-years-old, Emma doesn’t remember penning the note, but says she had fond memories of living there.

“I don’t remember doing it and why I chose the toilet roll,” she said. “We’ll forever be wondering.

“It was a lovely place to spend those years. I had amazing wallpaper in my bedroom of Tom and Jerry.”

In the future, when Charlotte moves out, she plans to leave the cardboard tube in the attic for the next homeowners, so they can also discover the time capsule.

LUCKY FUN: Sisters Who Found Each Other Through DNA Discover They Had Mysteriously Named Their Kids After Each Other

“In another 35 years someone else might find it… It’ll be nice to see if it gets found.”

SPREAD THE KINDNESS By Sharing This on Social Media…

“To activate your mind to manifest anything you must first stop identifying with your past.” – Neville Goddard

Quote of the Day

By

-

Jul 13, 2025

Quote of the Day: “To activate your mind to manifest anything you must first stop identifying with your past.” – Neville Goddard

Photo by: Jason Blackeye

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?

Good News in History, July 13

This Day In History

By

-

Jul 13, 2025

106 years ago today, the R34 airship made the first transatlantic crossing going from west to east, arriving in Norfolk, UK on July 13th after 75 hours of flying time. Built for World War I but failing to see any action until after it had ended at Versailles, R34, and her sister dirigible R33, served as semi-reliable passenger aircraft. READ the wonky, makeshift lifespan of R34… (1919)

Man Spends 27 Years Transforming Home Garden into Amazing 4-Season Oasis That’s Raised Half-Million for Charity

By

LOOK: Americans Reveal Top 10 Garden Hacks–Like Deterring Cats with Cinnamon and Singing to Plants

-

Jul 12, 2025

Englishman John Massey in his garden in Kingswinford, West Midlands – SWNS

A self-taught gardener has spent 27 years transforming the land outside his bungalow into a spectacular four-season oasis considered one of the finest private gardens in Britain.

Stunning pictures show John Massey’s backyard bursting with glorious summer color, 36 miles west of Birmingham, England.

The 76-year-old has spent almost three decades devoted to his labor of love, planting 20,000 flowers, trees, and shrubs across his ten-acre property.

Despite no formal education, he became a four-time gold medalist at the iconic Chelsea Flower Show.

Not only that, he’s opened up the garden to the public for the last 22 years to raise money for charity—and has recently reached the incredible milestone of half a million pounds ($675,000).

Since it began as a patch of grass in 1998, the garden in Kingswinford, West Midlands, has evolved to feature UK plantings alongside rarer and more exotic species from Japan, South Africa, and Turkey.

John Massey’s backyard decades ago – SWNS

“The garden hasn’t really been planned, it’s just evolved over 27 years,” said the retired green-thumb. “I started by the house and just moved out—and just kept going and going. I absolutely love it all.

“We’re all plant nutters and it’s a full-time job looking after it. I usually get up at 7am and take the dogs out and I go around the garden until the last walk at night to check for snails and slugs—usually 10pm until 11pm.”

Nestled against the backdrop of the scenic Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal, John’s gardens have become so vast it now requires four people to help him maintain it.

Each corner is brimming with vibrant flowers and an abundance of greenery, with a range of conifers and shrubs surrounded by ornate pots.

GOOD TO KNOW! Well-Designed Gardens Help People Relax Immediately by Provoking a Wandering Gaze

His inspiration came from the late Princess Greta Sturdza, a Norwegian who established one of France’s finest gardens—Le Vasterival, in Normandy. He told SWNS news agency that they became friends.

“She invited me over and had, in my mind, the greatest garden that I’ve ever seen. She taught me how to garden. Her big thing was transparency pruning, you prune every tree, shrub and conifer so it was its own sculpture in its own right.”

John Massey patio garden with tropical plants – SWNS

John, who was previously awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s highest honor ‘the Victoria Medal of Honour’, inherited his love of gardening from his grandfather who owned a plant nursery next door. John was asked to take control of it when he was just 18.

He stepped away from day-to-day duties at Ashwood Nurseries in 2000 to focus on his own garden. Since then, John and his team have won over 50 gold medals at royal flower shows.

“We work on three layers. The big trees we raise the canopies and lift the branches; we lift the canopy of the shrubs so that we can work under that.

“Some beds are replanted twice a year. If we want to keep people coming back we need change.”

John Massey’s succulent garden – vertical shot – SWNS

Summer in the garden is dominated by blue, pink and white hydrangeas, while Autumn has the grass bed and the asters which look their best in September and October. Winter sees various cornus and spindle trees, with Spring bursting full of hellebores, bulbs, and different narcissus, anemones, and viburnums—all ensuring that the garden is always well-stocked and blooming.

“There are certain plants we don’t grow as we’re in a real frost pocket,” he explained in an interview with SWNS news. ‘We try and grow plants that are hardy in this area.

“We’ve got a wonderful selection of conifers, both dwarf and large varieties. Witch hazels are often considered to be most abundant, with over 40 different varieties.

“I do love the whole garden—I love it all. It is constantly changing, with something majoring on different groups of plants right the way through the season.

ANOTHER AMAZING GARDEN: Prehistoric and Critically Endangered ‘Dinosaur Tree’ Bears Fruit for First time in British Couple’s Garden

“We had the Danish horticulture society here the other day and they said each corner there’s something different to look at.”

The site is open to the public between February and December every Saturday, for an admission price of £8 a ticket.

“I’ve been in horticulture for 57 years and I’m still learning, it’s one of those subjects where the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know.

GARDEN GLORIES: Man Cultivates a Giant Mango Tree with Each Branch Growing a Different Variety of Fruit–and There Are 300

“A friend of mine described horticulture as the slowest form of art as it takes 20 years to reach its maturity.

“I wouldn’t like to think how much I’ve spent on it. It’s a passion, but it would be frightening to know. The main thing is we’ve raised a lot of money for good causes in the process.”

FERTILIZE YOUR FRIENDS’ FEEDS – By Sharing on Social Media…

Tiny Chihuahua Helps Rescue Owner Who Fell into Swiss Glacier

By

-

Jul 12, 2025

Chihuahua helps rescue owner on Swiss glacier – Released by Air Zermatt

Like a miniature St. Bernard, a Chihuahua is being called a “four-legged hero” after helping to save his owner who had fallen down an icy crevasse in the Swiss Alps.

The Air Zermatt helicopter company credited the long-haired pup with leading them to the location of the man who was hiking the Fee Glacier in Valais.

The company said the fall happened in early afternoon when he suddenly broke through a snow bridge and plunged 26 feet into the crevasse.

“While the man was stuck in the glacier ice, his faithful companion, a small Chihuahua, was left at the edge of the crevasse.

Luckily, the accident victim was carrying an amateur walkie-talkie with which he was able to call for help—but the person who received the call was unable to learn the exact location of the accident.

Searching for the collapse-site proved difficult for the 3-person helicopter crew because the glacier surface was wide and the hole barely visible.

Then, one of the rescue specialists spotted a small movement on a rock: the Chihuahua. And right next to it was the collapsed hole.

Lifesaving rig rescues hiker – Credit: Air Zermatt media release

The rescuers then abseiled down to the casualty and were able to pull him out and fly the pair to a hospital in Visp.

“The little dog did not move during the entire operation and closely followed every movement of the rescue,” said Air Zermatt in a media release.

“It is fair to say that his behavior contributed significantly to the successful rescue.

“The dog is a four-legged hero who may have saved his master’s life in a life-threatening situation.

MORE FURRY HEROES:
• Heroic Dog ‘Rocky’ Alerts Indian Village of Oncoming Landslide, Saving Dozens
• Missing Toddler Who Walked 7 Miles Alone Through Wilderness Led to Safety by Rancher’s Dog (LOOK)

CELEBRATE THIS ‘PAWESOME’ PUP By Sharing the Story on Social Media…

Malala Yousafzai and Billie Jean King Partner Up To Promote Women’s Sports, and Invest in WNBA and NWSL

By

Nathan Frederick

-

Jul 12, 2025

Consider it the latest use of girl power.

International activist Malala Yousafzai recently announced a new venture called Recess that will deploy a partnership with tennis legend Billie Jean King to promote women’s sports across the world, including some planned investment in basketball’s WNBA and the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League).

Yousafzai, who survived a gunshot wound from the Taliban at 15 and won the Nobel Peace Prize just a few years later, is a huge sports fan who recognizes the power of athletics to pull people together.

“We are capable of dialogue, we are capable of coming together, and sports—in history and in the current times—have proven to be that powerful way of bringing communities together,” she said in an article on CNN.

Following her previous work in promoting equal educational opportunities across the world, Recess will strive to expand athletic opportunities to empower girls, and invest in women’s sports.

Malala Yousafzai in 2024 (by Adam Chitayat) and Billie Jean King in 2019 (Selfie by Sam Rapoport @Samrap10)
– Both under CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia

Yousafzai will work alongside her husband, Asser Malik, who has experience in Pakistan’s cricket scene, and Billie Jean King, who will serve as an advisor. Some of the early targets for investment include the WNBA and the NWSL, which could provide enough growth potential to sustain the venture far into the future.

Women’s basketball has experienced a surge of popularity in recent years. According to the NCAA, the women’s basketball tournament drew 351,777 fans in attendance (the third highest total in its history), with the 2025 Championship Game peaking at 9.9 million television viewers on ABC.

DID YOU KNOW? Lawyer Smashes World Record Becoming Fastest Female to Row Across the Atlantic – To Show Girls Anything is Possible

Meanwhile, soccer’s NWSL averaged almost a million viewers of its 2024 championship game, an 18% increase over the previous year. Attendance has also jumped by more than 40%, exceeding more than 2 million total fans last season.

Sporting starts at home

Those leagues, however, aren’t the only targets for Yousafzai’s Recess initiative. She is thinking much broader, with her own experiences always present in her mind.

Yousafzai remembers growing up in Pakistan and having to stay behind with the other girls while the boys at school headed off to the cricket fields during recess.

She is hoping to change those experiences for future generations, granting better access to playing fields and athletic opportunities for girls all over the world.

MORE GIRL-POWER SPORTS:
• One-Armed Player Has Made History in Women’s College Basketball – And Become a Role Model for Others
• Teen Girl Battles Jellyfish to Complete 27-mile Swim–May Soon Be Youngest to Finish the Top 7 Ocean Challenges

“It’s empowering girls,” Yousafzai told CNN about her goals for Recess. “It’s sending a powerful message to women, to all of us, that the sky’s the limit, and women’s sports will thrive.

“We will have more equal opportunities for women and girls, and we can imagine a world where girls are empowered.”

SHARE THIS GOOD NEWS With Your Gal Pals in Sports…

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

By

-

Jul 12, 2025

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

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of July 12, 2025
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
In Yoruba cosmology, ase is the sacred life force that animates the universe. It’s divine energy that can be harnessed by humans to make things happen, to speak and act with ardent intention so that words and deeds shape reality. I am pleased to report that you Cancerians are extra aligned with ase these days. Your words are not casual. Your actions are not mild or minor. You have the power to speak what you mean so robustly that it has an enhanced possibility to come into being. What you command with love and clarity will carry enduring potency.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
In medieval bestiaries, unicorns were said to be fierce, wild creatures. They were very real but also hidden. Only people with pure hearts could see or commune with them. I suspect you now have the chance to glide into a potent “pure heart” phase, Leo. My fervent hope is that you will take this opportunity to cleanse yourself of irrelevancies and rededicate yourself to your deepest yearnings and most authentic self-expressions. If you do, you just may encounter the equivalent of a unicorn.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Some Buddhist monks create mandalas on floors from colored sand. They work meticulously for days or weeks to build intricate, symmetrical masterpieces. Once their beautiful work is done, however, it typically doesn’t last long. The creators sweep it away either immediately or soon. The sand may be disposed of, perhaps poured into a river or stream. What’s the purpose of this strange practice? Most importantly, it displays a reverence for the impermanence of all things—an appreciation for beauty but not an attachment to it. I recommend you consider taking a cue from the sand mandalas in the coming weeks. Is there anything you love that you should let go of? A creation you can allow to transform into a new shape? An act of sacred relinquishing?

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Glassblowers shape molten sand with breath and fire, knowing the material can only be formed while it’s hot and glowing. If they wait too long, the stuff stiffens, turns brittle, and resists change. But if they push too soon, it collapses into a misshapen blob. In this spirit, Libra, I urge you to recognize which parts of your life are now just the right temperature to be reshaped. Your timing must be impeccable. Where and when will you direct the flame of your willpower? Don’t wait until the opportunity cools. Art and magic will happen with just the right amount of heat applied at just the right moment.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
“I have often been racked by obsessive urges that plague me until I act them out.” So says my Scorpio friend Fatima, a conceptual artist. “Fortunately,” she continues, “I have finally retrained myself to focus on creative obsessions that fuel my art rather than on anxious, trivial obsessions that disorder my life. I’d be an offensive maniac if I couldn’t use my work as an outlet for my vehement fantasy life.” I recommend Fatima’s strategy to Scorpios most of the time, but especially so in the coming days. Your imagination is even more cornucopian than usual. To harness its beautiful but unruly power, you must channel it into noble goals.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
The Igbo people of Nigeria have a term: ogwugwu na-adị n’ulo. It means “the medicine is in the house.” It’s the belief that healing doesn’t necessarily come from afar. It may already be here, hidden among the familiar, waiting to be acknowledged or discovered. Dear Sagittarius, your natural instinct is to look outward and afar for answers and help. But in the coming weeks, you should look close to home. What unnoticed or underestimated thing might be a cure or inspiration you’ve been overlooking? How can you find new uses for what you already have?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
I invite you to celebrate the holiday known as Be Your Own Best Helper. How should you observe this potentially pivotal transformation in your relationship with yourself? Divest yourself of yearnings to have someone clean up after you and service your baseline necessities. Renounce any wishes you harbor for some special person to telepathically guess and attend to your every need. Vow that from now on, you will be an expert at taking excellent care of yourself. Do you dare to imagine what it might feel like to be your own best helper?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
In the ancient practice of astronomy, the stars were considered “incorruptible.” Unlike the planets, their movements were unchanging, their lights stationary, their destinies steady and stable. We human beings are the opposite of all those descriptors, of course. There’s no use in hoping otherwise, because constancy just isn’t an option for us. The good news, Aquarius, is that you are now poised to thrive on these truths. The inevitability of change can and should be a treasured gift for you. You’re being offered chances to revise plans that do indeed need to be revised. You are being invited to let go of roles that don’t serve you. But what initially feels like a loss or sacrifice may actually be permission. Evolution is a tremendous privilege!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
The axolotl is an amphibian that never outgrows its larval form. Unlike most creatures, it retains its youthful traits into adulthood. Amazingly, it can regenerate it limbs, its spinal cord, and parts of its brain. Let’s make the axolotl your inspirational animal, Pisces. What part of your “youth” is worth keeping—not as immaturity, but as righteous design? Where are you being asked not to evolve past a stage, but to deepen within it? And what might be regenerated in you that seemed to have been lost? Your magic will come from being like an axolotl. Be strange. Be playful. Be ageless and original and irrepressible.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
In the days before lighthouses, some coastal communities used “fire beacons”—elevated structures where people tended open flames to guide sailors. In the coming weeks, Aries, I invite you to be like both the keeper and the flame. People will be drawn to your brightness, warmth, and persistence as they navigate through their haze and fog. And surprise! You may find your own way more clearly as you tend to others’ wayfinding. Don’t underestimate the value of your steady, luminous signal. For some travelers, your presence could be the difference between drifting and docking. So burn with purpose, please. Keep your gleam strong and visible.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
The ancestors of my American friend Arisa lived in Ukraine, Indonesia, the Choctaw nation, and the Great Lakes region. Her new husband Anselme is of Japanese, Italian, and French descent. Their wedding was a celebration of multi-cultural influences. Guests delivered toasts in five languages. Their marriage vows borrowed texts from three religious traditions. The music included a gamelan ensemble, a band that played Ukrainian folk music, and a DJ spinning Choctaw and Navajo prayers set to Indian ragas. I bring this to your attention in the hope you will seek comparable cross-fertilization in the coming weeks. It’s an excellent time to weave richly diverse textures into your life.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
I predict a future when women will hold half of the leadership roles, and their income will match men’s. Until the bloom of that wonderful era, I invite Geminis of all genders to invoke your tender ingenuity as you strengthen female opportunities and power. In my view, this work is always crucial to your maximum spiritual and psychological health—but even more so than usual in the coming weeks. Boost the feminine in every way you can imagine.

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)

SHARE The Wisdom With Friends Who Are Stars in Your Life on Social Media…

“If one way be better than another, that, you may be sure, is nature’s way.” – Aristotle

Quote of the Day

By

-

Jul 12, 2025

Quote of the Day: “If one way be better than another, that you may be sure is nature’s way.” – Aristotle

Photo by: Arnaska – CC license

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?

Good News in History, July 12

This Day In History

By

-

Jul 12, 2025

The Montreal Biosphere - credit Eberhard von Nellenburg - CC 3.0. BY-SA

130 years ago, the architect, visionary, and writer Buckminster Fuller was born. Fuller developed numerous inventions, mainly architectural designs, and popularized the widely known geodesic dome structural shape, which he most famously used to design the Montreal Biosphere. Soaking with honors, awards, and appointments, Fuller published 30 books in his life, invented numerous words, and held 28 US patents. READ some details about the great inventor and watch a video… (1895)