All News - Page 915 of 1766 - Good News Network
Home Blog Page 915

Math Teacher Impresses Students With Most Genius April Fools Prank

Amidst the traditional slew of fake pregnancy announcements and social media jokes in celebration of April Fool’s Day, this math professor’s scheme is being hailed as the best holiday prank on the internet today.

Matthew Weathers impressed his class on April 1st by “accidentally” getting marker on his projector screen.

When he can’t seem to rub it off, he goes to Youtube to find a how-to video explaining how to remove the marker.

The class is surprised to find a video of Weathers himself, transcending internet barriers to assist his future self in removing the stain.

The trippy prank goes on to involve real-life Weathers and internet Weathers using cleaning fluid, cats, and lightsabers to try and fix the marker.

It must have taken a massive amount of elaborate video editing to execute the scheme.

LOOK: One-Legged Man Hops Into Funny Annual Halloween Costumes

On Reddit, users started begging the professor to make a “Behind the Scenes” video explaining how he did it, which he says he will do in the coming weeks.

(WATCH the video below)

 

Click To Share This Hilarious Story With Your Friends

Europe’s First Ad-Free City Replaced Billboards With Trees

The French city of Grenoble became the first European city to totally ban outdoor advertising, replacing over 300 billboards and installments with community notice boards and trees.

The city’s ban included 326 advertising signs – 64 of which were billboards – that were removed in the spring of 2015; although, bus and public transportation stations will still feature ads until the city’s contract with advertising company JCDecaux ends in 2019.

RELATED: Trees Growing Out of Buildings Could Help Heal China’s Air Pollution Problem

The change came as an election promise of Green party mayor Eric Piolle.

The municipality, which plays host to a population of 160,000, first started using outdoor advertising in 1976. By not renewing the outdoor advertising contract, the city stands to lose about $640,000 of income from the exchange.

“The municipality is taking the choice of freeing public space in Grenoble from advertising to develop areas for public expression,” said Piolle in a statement.

Don’t Leaf This Story Alone: Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by Caribb, CC)

Watch Toddler’s Overjoyed Reaction Inside Airplane Doing Loops and Rolls

We don’t know if the average 4-year-old would be terrified to participate in loops and barrel rolls inside an airplane – but not this little girl.

In this adorable video published by her father, Raphael, Lea Langumier is taken for a spin by her dad in an aerobatic airplane.

Though his daughter is very mild-mannered during takeoff, she cannot contain her excitement as the French pilot starts to show off his moves.

WATCH: Dog Starts Tickling Baby to Stop the Crying, Adorable Gigglefest Ensues

Before continuously yelling “Again! Again!”, Lea can be twice heard saying “I want to have my head upside down again”.

The daddy-daughter duo eventually agree to take a quick break and just glide before enjoying another spiral – probably to let all of that blood drain out of their sweet faces.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share This Sweet Video With Your Friends

Indian Farmers Harness the Monsoon Waters to Overcome Drought

For years, Indian farmers have struggled to survive the dry spells that plague their crops – but, they have finally learned to overcome the drought by planning ahead.

India is notorious for enduring intense monsoons and rainy seasons only to be followed by dry heat for the rest of the year.

RELATED: Solar Water Wheels Prevent 1Mil Pounds of Trash From Entering Baltimore Harbor

By digging irrigation ponds near the farms, they can collect the precious rainwater for use throughout the coming seasons.

Since roughly half of the nation’s population depends on agriculture, the construction of these ponds has worked wonders for India’s food production – farmers in 20 villages have already constructed over 800 ponds for local use. A single 100-foot pond can reportedly provide enough crop nourishment for up to four months.

The ponds also dispel the need for fossil fuel-powered trains having to deliver water from more plentiful areas.

(WATCH the video below)

 

Click To Share The Precious Positivity With Your Friends

Now You Can Speak 80 Languages at the Touch of a Button

There’s over 6,500 different languages in the world – and now, you can basically speak 80 of them.

Travis the Translator is a pocket-sized device that uses artificial intelligence to translate 80 different languages with a two-second processing time.

Since Travis uses artificial intelligence, the translations becomes smarter, more native, and accurate as you use it.

Though Google Translate already exists, it requires correct spelling and an excess of typing. Travis simply translates these languages at the push of a button, through voice recognition, allowing for more fluent and natural conversation.

RELATED: Parkinson’s Pen For Patients Who Want to Keep Writing Christmas Cards

The founders of Travis created an Indiegogo campaign to fund the manufacturing of the device with an $80,000 goal. With still a month left of the campaign, the page has already raised almost $200,000 with delivery dates estimated for July.

“Ever wished you spoke another language? Well you’re not alone,” say the company founders. “There are 7 billion people on this planet and over 6,500 languages, but most of us – 83% to be exact – speak maybe one or two. So call us crazy or naive, but here at Travis we think we can bring the world together, by making sure we can all have a chat.”

(WATCH the video below)

Share The News With Your Friends

Boy With Autism Sells Drawings to Buy Toys For Sick Brother

After living with bipolar disorder and autism all of his life, 10-year-old Haden Edwards has finally discovered one thing that can calm him down: taking care of his little brother Max.

Max, who is a 7-year-old struggling with a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis, usually suffers from many symptoms, such as gastrointestinal cramps, motor tics, and a weakened immune system. He underwent an unsuccessful brain surgery in August 2016 and the time is quickly approaching where his parents must decide to try again or start chemotherapy.

When Haden started escorting Max to his doctor’s appointments, he started to realize how tough his baby brother really was.

RELATED: Toys R Us Open Stores For ‘Quiet Hour’ to Accommodate Kids With Autism

So he asked his mother, Cynthia Davis, if he could have money to buy some toys for Max. Though she said that he could mow the lawn or do the dishes for allowance money, Haden decided he would use his skills as an artist instead.

Haden set up a table on the family’s front lawn with a sign saying “Selling Drawings For Mad Max: $1”.

When his mother put out a plea on Facebook for friends to take Haden up on his offer, 30 people arrived in under 30 minutes to request a picture from the young artist.

MORE: Shatner and Retailer Make Sure Boy With Autism Always Has Favorite Food

Haden has since raised over $1,000 through his special drawings. All of the money he earns, he puts towards Max; whether it’s taking him out for ice cream or buying him LEGOs.

His compassion has also infected the rest of his life; he now volunteers at Meals on Wheels, buys meals for local police officers, holds fundraisers for organizations in need, and grows out his hair so he can donate it to Locks of Love.

“Being autistic, it’s very hard to keep his self-esteem high,” Cynthia told Inside Edition. “That is no longer an issue. Every time he gets a new [picture] request, he just lights right up.”

You can assist the family with their financial needs by donating to their GoFundMe page located here.

Draw Up Some Positivity Amongst Your Friends: Click To Share (Photo by Cynthia Davis)

Bullied Boy With Buck-teeth Finally Gets New Smile

Evan Hill has endured ridicule his whole life because of his enlarged front teeth – so big they were that the teen was never able to close his mouth all the way.

But after five years of orthodonture visits and, most importantly, with the help of an embracing New Zealand community in Christchurch and strangers from far away, this youth finally has a smile he can be proud of.

MORE: Toothless Child in Poverty Gets Beautiful New Smile (LOOK)

The cost of procedures necessary for fixing Evan’s buck teeth amounted to a whopping $100,000. When the boy’s story went public, however, donations poured in from around the country, saving Evan’s mom from having to mortgage the family home.

Earlier this week, orthodontist Ronald Sluiter took Evan’s braces off, revealing a confident, happy smile underneath.

“It’s about time,” Evan’s mother Barbara Erickson told Newshub. “I don’t know where we would have been today without the generosity we had.”

(WATCH the video below)

Smile! – AND Click To Share it With Your Friends

Man Returns Library Book 35 Years Later With $200 Check And Author’s Autograph

 

A library book that was stolen in 1982 has finally found its way home after the thief could not carry it on their conscience any longer.

Kathy Mora, the library director of the Great Falls Public Library in Great Falls, Montana, recently received a package containing a 1975 edition of “Bid Time Return“ by Richard Matheson.

Enclosed with the book was a $200 check and an apology note written by the person who had stolen it 35 years ago.

The note detailed how the misdeed had been nagging the person’s mind for so long, they were now hoping for forgiveness after taking great pains to look after the book.

RELATED: Man Who Shot Up Mosque Goes Back For Forgiveness, Finds Hugs Waiting

The thief admitted reading the novel 25 times – and managed to get it signed by the author, who later passed away in 2013. As the edition had fallen into disrepair, they had it professionally restored – and in a gesture of redemption, finally returned it to the rightful owners at the public library.

“This is not my book, it belongs back in the Great Falls Public Library – wrongfully taken, yes, but if you can, kindly take into consideration it has been loved and cared for all these years and know I am sorry for taking it,” the anonymous sender wrote.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The News With Your Friends

In Poor Villages, These Teens are Taught to Be the Teachers

With 75% of Guatemalan residents living below the poverty line, it can be difficult for these children and families to get a proper and efficient education.

That’s why this program is teaching teens to read and write; so they can then teach the younger generation, in turn.

Linda Smith is the executive director of Reading Village, an organization that empowers and educates young leaders so they can encourage literacy in their own villages.

RELATED: Janitor Secretly Amasses $8Mil Fortune, Leaves it to Library and Hospital

40% of the teens that are instructed by Reading Village go on to start taking classes at university, which then increases family income of employed graduates by 98%. The young leaders are then given valuable leadership tools to use when they continue pursuing their educations and careers. This also creates interdependency within the community, rather than continuously relying on outside help.

Since the program started in 2007, 100 teens have started teaching children from surrounding local communities. Program directors plan on spreading the project to 35 more communities by 2020.

(WATCH the video below)

 

Click To Share The News With Your Friends

Boy Gives His Most Prized Possession to Grieving Cops to “Make Them Feel Better”

7-year-old Brady Duke was heartbroken to hear that one of his local police officers was killed in the line of duty. He could only imagine how sad the rest of the police force must be feeling after losing one of their own.

So Brady selected his most prized possession to send along as a gift to the grieving police officers of Wausau, Wisconsin: his beloved Nintendo Wii.

Included with the game console was a few of the boy’s favorite games and a note from Brady’s mother Jessica reading: “This is Brady’s favorite thing. He loves to play Wii so much. After yesterday’s events, he decided that he wants to give it to a police officer to make them feel better.”

RELATED: On His Last Day, Police Officer Gives Out Gift Cards Instead of Tickets

The boys in blue were overwhelmed with emotion after receiving the boy’s thoughtful gift.

“We have experienced great acts of compassion, love, and generosity from this community, but we had to share this story with our community,” wrote officials in the department. “Brady’s example is one we can all follow.”

The game console has become a popular installation at the station. Police chiefs are actually encouraging their officers to take breaks when they’re feeling overwhelmed and play a game, instead. The crowd pleaser? LEGO Star Wars.

MORE: Animal Shelter Enlists Help of Pokemon GO Players to Walk Dogs

The law enforcement team turned out to be so pleased with the gift, that they invited Brady to the station for an afternoon of video gameplay with the officers.

They also gifted him with a brand new game system as a thank you.

“He was over the moon excited to be invited to play Wii with the officers today (said to be the best day of his life so far),” wrote Jessica Duke. “After an hour of playing Wii (as if that were not enough), they surprised him by giving him an XBOX 360!!!!! Brady is so thankful!”

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends (Photo by Jessica Duke)

Pup Rescued From Meat Festival Now Frolicks on a Beautiful Vineyard in California

As the notorious Yulin Dog Meat Festival approaches, there will be more and more focus on the dogs of China.

Here in the USA and Canada, people unequivocally love our dogs and cats, whereas in China some people eat dogs all year around. Contrary to popular belief, Yulin is a festival that was started in 2009, and has never been part of Chinese culture. What is also shocking is that majority of dogs from the meat trade are stolen with collars and leashes on them.

My friends Jeffrey Beri, Deborah Hall and Lia Lee stayed behind in China for 8 months, putting their lives on hold to rescue over 120 dogs, rehabilitating them, and rehoming all of the dogs in the US.

RELATED: Mysterious Cat Rescues Injured Tourist From Swiss Mountains

Jeffrey has posted a video/story of Lady, a greyhound that was gasping for air, severely dehydrated, showed physical signs of hurt, and despondent when first rescued. Because of Jeffrey, Deborah and Lia’s round the clock care and loving devotion to the dogs, Lady survived and and now lives in a beautiful vineyard in California, where she was adopted by Deborah herself.

Lady proved to be a “mom” figure for all the dogs and boosted the morale for the other depressed dogs and the exhausted caretakers who tirelessly and selflessly fulfilled their mission – “No Dogs Left Behind”.

Jeffrey has always maintained that: “Money can buy a dog, time can heal a dog, but only love can rescue a dog.”

(WATCH the video below)

 

Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends

Wild Dog Thought to Be Extinct Resurfaces in the Mountains

For the first time in over half a century, a wild dog thought to be extinct was sighted in New Guinea.

The New Guinea Wild Dog, similar to the New Guinea Singing Dog (NGSD), is the rarest, most ancient canid currently living (Prior to this discovery, there were only known to be about 200 to 300 NGSDs living in captivity).

With no confirmed reports of wild specimens and only two potentially credible photographs, many feared that the New Guinea Wild Dog had become extinct in its native range and habitat along New Guinea’s remote central mountain spine.

RELATED: Baby Tortoises Survive on Galapagos Island for First Time in 100 Years

Then in September 2016, inspired by nearly three decades of study by Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia, and after 3 and a half years of preparation, scientists from the University of Papua conducted a rapid assessment survey that was able to locate and document definitive proof of an apparently healthy, viable population of New Guinea Wild Dogs.

Based on that evidence along with reports from locals, trail cameras were deployed which captured over 100 photographs of at least 15 individuals, to include males, females, and pups ranging in age from about 3 to 5 months, living in isolated locations across the mountain range.

The New Guinea Wild Dog is likely the best living canid example available to scientists outside the fossil record, predating human agriculture and representing a critical “missing link” species having evolved little – and more importantly, free from selective breeding influences imposed by humans – since the time before the dawn of agriculture.

Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photo by New Guinea Highland Wild Dog Foundation)

El Salvador Becomes First Country to Ban Toxic Metals Mining

The smallest country in Central America has just passed a pretty big law regarding metal mining.

El Salvador has just become the first country in the world to totally prohibit the exploration and mining of metals above or within the earth.

The law was passed by 70 different lawmakers on Wednesday in an effort to protect the environment, as well as the country’s water sources. According to El Salvador’s Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources in 2013, 90% of surface water was polluted from agricultural runoff.

RELATED: Zimbabwe Finally Bans the Beating of Children

Though mining for minerals such as salt and sand will still be allowed, the use of mercury and cyanide in the mining process is included in the ban.

“Large scale mining can cause environmental contamination and contribute to the violation of the rights of local communities to protect their personal security and livelihoods,” wrote 10 members Congress, discouraging the act of mining.  “In recent years, many countries of Latin America have experienced violence and conflict related to mining.”

“Mining is not an appropriate way to reduce poverty and inequality in this country,” said Ivan Morales, country director for the charity Oxfam in El Salvador, according to DW. “It would only exacerbate the social conflict and level of water contamination we already have.”

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by Game of Light, CC)

Shy 3-Year-Old Boy Hugs Police Officer: “It meant the world to me”

Kids are often told not to talk to strangers, but little T.J. Hubbard couldn’t resist expressing his appreciation for a police officer whom he met in a restaurant.

The Fort Worth, Texas cop first caught the 3-year-old boy’s eye when he rode up on a motorcycle outside of a McDonald’s.

When the boy asked if he could take the bike for a spin, the officer sensibly denied his request – but he did offer T.J. a police badge sticker as a peace offering.

WATCH: After Child’s Collection is Stolen, Cop Replaces Pokemon Cards with His Own

Though the youth was incredibly excited over the gift, he is also apparently very shy; so it took him a while to work up the courage to thank the officer.

When he was finally ready, he wandered up to the officer’s table as his mother Jamie exclaimed: “He wants to give you a hug!”

The officer was more than happy to oblige, making for the most heart-melting video encounter in the world.

The cop later told Jamie that the hug “meant the world to him”.

(WATCH the video below)

 

Click To Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends

Watch Villagers Pour Water into the Mouth of Thirsty King Cobra

Most people standing face-to-face with a 12-foot long King Cobra might run in the other direction, but these villagers are accustomed to reptilian visitors. In fact, they usually step forward to offer aid.

In a recently released video that has since gone viral, a massive King Cobra slithers into a populated village in search of water. A man in khakis can be seen pouring some of his own bottled water into the serpent’s mouth, which the creature peacefully accepts.

During the hot summer months of the Karnataka’s Kaiga township in India, snakes often wander into the residential areas looking for sources of water. Before calling animal control or police officials, locals offer water to the venomous snakes in order to quench their thirst and encourage them to move on.

WATCH: This Couple May Not Have Children But They Do Have a Bear

The man in the video, the Deputy Range Forest Officer of the Karwar forest range named CN Naykka, has refuted claims that the cobra was dying of thirst because of the area being affected by drought. According to the News Minute, CN says that the incident is reportedly a very common occurrence whenever temperatures run high.

“Whenever a snake wanders into civilian-populated areas, we first offer it water. There is nothing sensational about it. The Kali River, which runs through the Karwar Forest Range is flush with water and so are the backwaters located near the Kaiga Power Plant. During summer, many different birds and animals come for water, including cobras,” Naykka told the News Minute.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Sssssweet Video With Your Friends

Do Cats Prefer People or Food? Surprising Study Will Have You Purring

Even though cat lovers will vouch for their feline friends until the day they die, cats often receive a bad rap for being perceived as less affectionate than dogs – but this new study examining their behavior proves otherwise.

An endearing report published in Behavioural Processes showed that the majority of cats preferred social interaction with humans over food – or any other stimulation, for that matter.

Researchers placed a mixture of 50 different shelter cats and household cats in a room without entertainment or stimuli; no food, no toys, and no people. After letting the cats sit for a few hours, they were presented with all three options at the same time.

RELATED: Dogs Dream About How Much They Love Their Humans, Says Harvard Psychologist

Though there was some degree of individual variability, the overwhelming majority of felines preferred to interact with the humans over food. Only 37% of the cats preferred the nourishment.

“While it has been suggested that cat sociality exists on a continuum, perhaps skewed toward independency, we have found that 50% of cats tested preferred interaction with the social stimulus even though they had a direct choice between social interaction with a human and their other most preferred stimuli from the three other stimulus categories,” the study concluded.

If you’re still skeptical over the reliability or relationship of cats to humans, just check out our cat stories – they will be sure to change your mind.

Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photo by A. Davey, CC)

Shaq Tipped Waitress $4,000 Because That’s What She Requested

Shaquille O’Neil isn’t just an iconic basketball player – he is also an extraordinarily generous tipper.

The 45-year-old retired player appeared on Jimmy Kimmel last week to discuss the unveiling of his new statue outside of the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California when he mentioned his habit of leaving hefty gratuities for his servers and valets.

On average, the player tips his valet $300 “to show his appreciation” – if he isn’t carrying cash when he is passing his valet, he “just keeps driving”. But Shaq says that the largest gratuity that he has ever left for a worker was a $4,000 tip that he gave to a waitress.

RELATED: George Clooney Surprises 87-Year-old Fan With Birthday Flowers

Why the specific amount? Because he asked each and every server at the restaurant what they would like to receive as a tip.

When a woman asked for $4,000, Shaq happily granted her wish.

“I said ‘okay, no problem’,” Shaq told Kimmel during last week’s show. “It was a young lady. She started crying and saying ‘oh my god, you just paid my rent for two months’.”

Though Kimmel was aghast at the compassionate gesture, Shaq simply said that he wouldn’t go out if he couldn’t tip his workers properly.

(WATCH the video below)

 

Score Big With Your Friends: Click To Share

Secret Tiger Breeding Ground Equals Hope For Nearly-Extinct Species

A newly-discovered breeding ground located deep in the jungles of Thailand has revived hope for conservationists working to protect the critically endangered Indochinese tiger.

While most people are familiar with the Siberian and Bengal tigers – both of which have populations ranging above 3,000 – this specific subspecies is estimated to only have a few hundred big cats left, most of which reside in animal sanctuaries or in the jungles of Thailand or Myanmar.

However, recent video footage of 4 mother tigers and their 6 cubs has been hailed “miraculous”, as this is the first evidence ever captured of the big cats breeding since conservationists set up wildlife cameras in 2016.

RELATED: India Saves Its Tigers Instead of Mining For $330M in Diamonds

The cameras were set up as a collaboration between Panthera, the Thai Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and the Freeland Foundation in order to monitor the Indochinese tiger population.

The survey became the first to ever attempt observing the big cat subspecies, making the footage a rare find indeed.

“Combing through camera trap images is always exciting, but this time was unlike any other,” says Chris Hallam, monitoring advisor of Panthera. “In addition to establishing the first ever scientific estimate of tigers in that area, the cameras captured images of cubs, providing evidence that this is a breeding population of tigers—only the second known breeding population of the Indochinese subspecies in the world!”

Though poaching still remains a threat, officials say that Thailand is one of the best protected regions for tiger conservation in the world. The video discovery of the tigers residing in the eastern jungles is evidence of this.

(WATCH the video below)

 

Click To Share This Roaring Good News With Your Friends (Photo by DNP/Panthera/Freeland)

Simple Contraption Saves Women From Having to Break Their Necks Just to Carry Water

Over 750 million African people live in areas so devoid of clean water, they’re forced to walk miles every day just to carry painstakingly heavy buckets of water back on their heads.

This results in severe neck and spinal damage for all the women and children forced to make the daily journey, as well as less time for getting an education and other household duties.

However, this simple invention is revolutionizing the way that families gather water in Africa.

RELATED: African Farmer Delivers Water to Wild Animals During Drought

The Hippo Roller is a durable, 25-gallon drum that can be rolled across any terrain. The sealed containers provides more hygienic and safe storage of the water instead of families having use open 20-liter buckets.

Instead of having to travel across the land for water every day, families can now make one trip per week. Since the design is more accessible, men are also less self-conscious to participate in the journeys along with the women and children.

Since the Hippo Roller was developed in 1994, over 51,000 contraptions have been distributed throughout 20 countries, benefitting over half a million people.

(WATCH the video below)

 

Click To Share The News With Your Friends

Beer Giant Commits to 100% Renewable Energy

Anheuser-Busch InBev has just announced their commitment to becoming 100% dependent on renewable energy sources by 2025.

75% to 85% of the electricity is planned to be provided through direct power purchasing agreements, while the rest is expected to come from on-site power sources like solar panels.

The strategy, which will reportedly reduce the company’s carbon footprint by 30%, is the environmental equivalent of taking 500,000 cars off of the road. It will also make the beer giant the number one leading corporate consumer of renewable electricity in the consumer goods sector worldwide.

RELATED: California Breaks Solar Record, Generates Enough Electricity for 6 Million Homes

The shift was made in solidarity with the RE100, a global initiative of businesses that have committed to using 100% renewable electricity in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Other such corporate giants that have joined the RE100 include IKEA, Adobe, Apple, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Nike.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has already begun the process by signing a power agreement between Iberdrola and their largest brewery based in Mexico for 490 gigawatt-hours per year.

“Climate change has profound implications for our company and for the communities where we live and work,” said AB InBev CEO Carlos Brito in a statement. “Cutting back on fossil fuels is good for the environment and good for business, and we are committed to helping drive positive change. We have the opportunity to play a leading role in the battle against climate change by purchasing energy in a more sustainable way.”

Raise A Glass With Your Friends: Click To Share