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Buddhist Nations Team Up to Use Heavy Lifting Drones to Clear Everest Slopes of Trash

By
Andy Corbley
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A DJI drone used during the test flight. Photo Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality
A DJI drone used during the test flight. Photo Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality

Buddhist nation Nepal and a drone manufacturer in majority Buddhist China, have signed an agreement to supply Mount Everest’s Buddhist authorities with heavy lift drones that will help clear trash off Everest’s holy slopes.

Dealing with trash on the world’s highest mountain is a complex and multifaceted operation, but the drones, piloted by the same Sherpa porters who for decades have been clearing trash on foot, will allow them to work in the most dangerous areas without risk to their lives.

Da Jiang Innovations, the largest drone manufacturer in China, will supply the equipment to a drone operator, who signed a memorandum of understanding between the rural municipality where Everest is located, and the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) for the use of drones in cleaning the sacred mountain.

“After a successful test in April, we plan to use drones commercially in the Everest region,” said Jagat Bhusal, chief administration officer of the rural municipality Khumbu Pasang Lhamu.

The SPCC works to ensure as much pollution of trash and dead bodies as possible is removed from the slopes every year. Along with hiring Sherpas to pack out trash from higher altitudes, and using helicopters to recover bodies, every climber who plans to reach Everest Base Camp must return back down with 8 kilograms (17.2 pounds) of garbage or lose a $4,000 deposit put down to ensure compliance.

If the climber goes to Camp I, or Camp II higher up the slopes, they must return with lower and lower weights of trash to ensure they aren’t overburdened in the low oxygen.

Reporting from Mr. Sangam Prasain at Kathmandu Post details the dangers of crossing the Khumbu Icefall during the first part of the climb from Everest Base Camp to Camp I. A river of ice 0.6 miles long, it’s one of the most dangerous features on Everest, as the rays of the Sun cause the ice to melt, shift, become unstable, and trigger avalanches, or crevasses to open up.

According to statistics cited by Prasain, from 1953 to 2023, nearly 50 Sherpa porters lost their lives on the Khumbu Icefall, which is typically crossed during the early morning or late evening after the ice has cooled back down.

NEWS FROM THE ROOF OF THE WORLD: Sherpa Convinces Climber to Let Him Make Rare ‘Death Zone’ Rescue on Mt. Everest

“Yes, there are concerns that the machines may actually cut jobs. But our sole purpose is to reduce potential deaths in the Khumbu Icefall, the danger zone,” said Bhusal. “We will train Sherpas, as drone operators cannot handle tasks at the higher camps. In the future, all work will be done by Sherpas.”

Based on trial data, the heavy lift drones could carry 30 kg, or over 60 pounds of material from Camp I, but as the altitude increased, the load capacity reduced, down to just 18 kg at Camp II at 6,400 meters above sea level.

NEWS FROM THE ROOF OF THE WORLD: Sherpas Laughing in the Face of Death While Saving Partner Who Fell 200 Feet into an Everest Crevasse

As warmer summers melt snow and ice on Everest, garbage and bodies from decades past are uncovered and risk polluting meltwater which feeds streams and rivers all over the valleys around the mountain.

The SPCC is conscientious of this, and is working hard to try and remove these potential contaminants from one of the holiest mountains in Buddhism.

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“No day shall erase you from the memory of time; nessun giorno vi cancelli dalla memoria del tempo.” – Virgil (The Aeneid)

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “No day shall erase you from the memory of time; nessun giorno vi cancelli dalla memoria del tempo.” – Virgil (from The Aeneid, the Latin epic poem written by the Roman poet about 30 to 19 BCE)

Photo by: Valentin Antonucci

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?

13,000 Years Ago, These Ancient Builders Carved a Calendar into Stone to Mark Destructive Occasion

By
Andy Corbley
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Göbekli Tepe excavations - Teomancimit CC 3.0. BY SA
Göbekli Tepe excavations – Teomancimit CC 3.0. BY SA

Whatever we learned in school about the earliest human civilizations, the discovery of Göbekli Tepe in southern Turkey has made it all null and void.

This sprawling, monolithic complex, of which over 90% remains unexcavated, dates back over 10,000 years—a date which is ascertained by the evidence of the entire complex being deliberately buried by whoever built it.

It’s quite simply the greatest mystery in archaeology since the pyramids, and new examinations of the markings on the pillars inside the stone enclosures suggest the builders could record an astronomical event that triggered a key shift in human civilization, researchers say.

The research claims ancient people were able to record their observations of the Sun, Moon, and constellations in the form of a solar calendar, created to keep track of time and mark the change of seasons.

Fresh analysis of V-shaped symbols carved onto pillars at the site has found that each V could represent a single day. This interpretation allowed researchers to count a solar calendar of 365 days on one of the pillars, consisting of 12 lunar months plus 11 extra days.

The summer solstice appears as a separate, special day, represented by a V worn around the neck of a bird-like beast thought to represent the summer solstice constellation at the time (it was made so long ago that star charts would have been different to ours). Other statues nearby, possibly representing deities, have been found with similar V-markings at their necks.

Since both the cycle of the Moon and that of the Sun are depicted, the carvings could represent the world’s earliest lunisolar calendar, based on the phases of the Moon and the position of the Sun, pre-dating other known calendars of this type by many millennia.

Once considered a fringe theory roundly dismissed in archaeology, Göbekli Tepe presents robust evidence that ancient people used a large stone monument to record the date a swarm of comet fragments hit Earth nearly 13,000 years ago (11,600 BCE) the authors write.

The theory goes that the comet strike caused a mass melting of glaciers that ended the last Ice Age and caused sea levels to rise around 400 feet. It could also have triggered changes in lifestyle and agriculture thought to be linked to the birth of civilization soon afterwards in the fertile crescent of West Asia.

Another pillar at the site appears to picture the Taurid meteor stream, which is thought to be the source of the comet fragments, lasting 27 days and emanating from the directions of Aquarius and Pisces.

credit – University of Edinburgh

The find also appears to confirm that ancient people were able to record dates using precession—the wobble in Earth’s axis which affects the movement of constellations across the sky—at least 10,000 years before the phenomenon was documented by Hipparchus of Ancient Greece around 150 BCE.

MORE ANCIENT ARCHAEOLOGY: 5,000-year-old Rock Art of Boats and Cattle Unearthed in the Sahara Shows Grassland Came Before Desert

The find also supports a theory that Earth faces an increased risk of comet strikes when it crosses the path of orbiting comet fragments, which we normally experience as meteor streams.

“It appears the inhabitants of Göbekli Tepe were keen observers of the sky, which is to be expected given their world had been devastated by a comet strike,” Dr. Martin Sweatman, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering, who led the research.

In contrast to existing theories about this comet strike, known as the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis, Dr. Sweatman’s paper details that the comet strike ushered in a mini ice age, and that societies practicing agriculture could no longer do so because of the encroaching cold, making it seem to us, until Göbekli Tepe’s discovery, as if civilization started in the Near East, where temperatures were more mild.

DIG THIS: Archaeologists Discover Ancient Cities Hidden in the Ecuadorian Amazon

One of the largest and most vocal proponents of the merits of the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis is none other than the world’s most famous podcaster: Joe Rogan. He has welcomed numerous scientists, writers, and archaeologists on his show over the last 8 years who have made contributions to getting the theory recognized by mainstream archaeological historians.

SHARE This Amazing Deduction And Changing Views Of Our Past… 

YouTuber Rescues Senior Great Pyrenees Dog During Cross-Canada Canoe Trip

By
Andy Corbley
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credit - Tom Hudson / Instagram
credit – Tom Hudson / Instagram

A Kiwi kayaker on a cross-country trip on Canada’s creeks and rivers took a brief detour to rescue a man’s dog who was trapped under a log.

For all her strength, Ivy, a 14-year-old Great Pyrenees had been wasted by the mud of a river in Manitoba, and after wandering too far beyond her owner’s property, was trapped and couldn’t escape.

Ivy’s fortitude had been sapped away by the heavy mud weighing down her fur, and with only enough energy to keep her head above water, Tom Hudson—a quite unlikely hero, found her just in time.

Flying to BC from his home in New Zealand Tom Hudson had crossed Canada as far as Manitoba near The Pas when he heard faint barking and decided to take a detour to investigate on the morning of July 29th.

Unbeknownst to him, Ivy’s owner had been looking for her all the previous day, but heavy brush prevented him from seeing or hearing the elderly pooch, who was stuck just a quarter of a mile from her home.

Hudson tied up his canoe, lifted the log off her back, and carried her through knee-deep mud before attempting to position her comfortably on the canoe. She had never been afloat before, and Hudson, who was documenting his cross-country canoe quest on Instagram and YouTube, snapped a self-explanatory photo of Ivy’s first impressions.

He paddled about 400 yards downstream and found a dock. He plopped the Pyrenees down and went to ring the doorbell, hoping whoever answered would be able to help.

credit – Tom Hudson / Instagram

As it happened, they could.

“She’s a pretty lucky old dog that he came by when he did,” said owner Tom Stait, who opened the door and saw the pair covered in mud. “Because he could have went the other way on the other side of the river and he would never have seen her. I probably would have never found her.”

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The New Zealand accent must have been as startling as the fact that a stranger was returning his dog. Hudson stuck around to help wash Ivy off, after which Stait invited him to eat with his family and rest for the night. Hudson accepted, and told CBC News reporting on the story that he could have done nothing else but help the dog.

“Being hundreds of meters from your home, probably able to hear your owner, probably able to smell your owner … I just thought it would have been a terrible way to go,” he said. “So there was no way I could have not done what I did.”

IMPERILED POOCHES: Helicopter Herder Follows a Dog’s Tracks from the Air to a Miracle Rescue

His time on the canoe ended before he could reach Montreal, but Hudson plans to return next spring to finish the voyage. He told CBC News that he left with a feeling that all the world’s kind people were located in Canada, endearing the nation to him as much as the wilderness and wildlife he had seen along his route.

WATCH The story below from CBC News…

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Female Entrepreneur Set to Revolutionize Transportation for All of Africa, After Transforming her Native Ghana

By
Andy Corbley
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Delivery drivers on their Wahu! bikes - courtesy of Valerie Labi-Wahu Mobility
Delivery drivers on their Wahu! bikes – courtesy of Valerie Labi-Wahu Mobility

Early this year, GNN reported on the woman behind the wheels of Wahu!, an electric bicycle company and the only native electric vehicle manufacturer in Ghana, Valerie Labi.

From 100 bikes sold to delivery drivers on a pay-per-week basis, Wahu! has shifted another 200 units, driven down the cost of insurance, and is set in the coming months to unleash Africa’s first native 4-wheeled electric vehicle.

Valerie Labi, her three children, and the ebike – courtesy of Valerie Labi-Wahu Mobility

The bikes are sold under an affordable payment plan of around $23 per month for 18-24 months. They cost around $13.5 per month in electricity to charge, a huge drop from the $250 in gasoline that comparative petrol-powered delivery bikes cost.

All this adds up to significant savings for the riders who are plugged into Wahu!’s proprietary riding system through which they can access work immediately through companies like Glovo and Bolt.

“The average age of a vehicle in Ghana is 14 years,” Labi, of Ghanaian origin but brought up in England, told the Guardian. “We know there are going to be a lot of Amazon-type businesses needing last-mile mobility – do we really want them to be 14-year-old petrol vehicles?”

Anyone who’s visited Accra, Ghana, in the dry season will remember the incredibly poor air quality. Poor roads mean that cars are stuck in second and third gears, and old cars traveling in second and third gears mean plenty of extra car exhaust.

Poor roads also mean exposed dirt, and exposed dirt means fine-grained dust. Combined with a lack of rain, the smog, dust, and car exhaust make the air in parts of the capital unfit for human health.

To make matters even worse, cheap two-wheeled electric vehicles imported from Asian manufacturers are not built for the rigors of African roads. They often break down, require owners to constantly replace parts, and generate unnecessary waste.

IMPROVEMENTS FOR AFRICA BY AFRICANS: 

By contrast, Wahu!’s bikes were designed with Africa in mind, and the earliest models are still running well. Additionally, GPS tracking of the bikes has meant that of the 300 units sold and running in Ghana, only one has been stolen—and was quickly located.

Should the notorious aggression of African drivers become too dangerous, Labi and her team can simply deactivate the e-bike from their headquarters. This, as mentioned earlier, has meant that insurance costs for the drivers are remarkably low for a brand-new, pioneering electric vehicle.

Another update from GNN’s January story is that Labi and Wahu! have just closed a funding round in which they received $8 million in capital to expand production at their plant on Spintex Road, Accra. In the coming months, they plan to launch a four-wheeled vehicle, as well as open new locations in Lusaka, Zambia, and Lagos, Nigeria.

SHARE This Amazing Entrepreneurial Woman With Your Friends… 

Student Dreams of Stadiums Harnessing Crowd Noise for Electricity–Inspired by Monsters Inc.

By
Andy Corbley
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- Frankie Lopez, Unsplash
– Frankie Lopez, Unsplash

Have you ever been in a sports stadium when the crowd is so loud it shakes the concrete skeleton of the stands? What if you could harness that passion and energy into a power source?

Gyeongyun Lily Min, a high school senior in Lake Charles, Louisiana, was inspired by Pixar’s Monster’s Inc. to design a collection system that could harness the soundwaves generated by sports fans and convert them into electricity to power the stadium.

If you’ve never seen the classic Pixar film, the plot centers around two monsters, who work as employees of a utilities company that powers a civilization of monsters through harnessing children’s screams.

“This imaginative concept sparked my curiosity about the potential of converting sound into usable energy,” explains Gyeongyun. “I began to wonder if, in reality, we could harness the abundant noise in environments like sports arenas and use it to generate electricity.”

The concept involves the piezoelectric effect, which allows certain mechanisms to generate electricity in response to applied pressure. The principle has been applied before to make electricity-generating roads, and was recently utilized to design an internal cochlear implant.

In 2021, another youth engineer, Jeremiah Thoronka, was honored with the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2021 for a piezoelectric machine that delivers electricity to homes by absorbing kinetic energy from vehicles passing over roadways.

The device powers 150 small homes, doesn’t rely on changing weather patterns, and needs no battery or external power infrastructure.

Gyeongyun had another idea which was rather than absorbing direct kinetic force like that applied from a footstep or the movement of a car, she would arrange a series of harvester models that could absorb the kinetic force from soundwaves.

To test her theory she built a 22 by 12-inch scale model of a typical arena according to the NBA court size specifications. She then played sounds at either 70 decibels or 100 decibels to simulate crowd noise in the arena while experimenting with different placements of the harvester modules.

The experiment’s piezoelectric equipment wasn’t ideal or of high quality, unfortunately, and while able to generate and deliver electricity during the testing, the amounts gathered were small—measured in the milliwatts, rather than watts.

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Gyeongyun hypothesizes that with more sophisticated equipment and on a larger scale, enough power could be generated to make a meaningful contribution to reducing the energy consumption of a typical sports arena, even if the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing.

The harvesting of soundwaves to generate electricity lends itself to a variety of large-scale environments typical of modern cities. Gyeongyun explains to Smithsonian Magazine. 

OTHER YOUNG GENIUSES: Ghanaian Woman Entrepreneur is Revolutionizing Transportation–Building Electric Bikes to Improve Air Quality

“In urban areas with heavy traffic, the constant noise from vehicles could be harnessed to generate electricity, contributing to the energy needs of city infrastructure,” Gyeongyun says. “Manufacturing plants, which often have continuous machinery noise, could integrate piezoelectric devices to capture and convert these sound vibrations into electrical energy, thereby reducing their overall energy consumption and improving sustainability.”

While coming up short of other young geniuses, Gyeongyun’s entry of her experiment in the latest run of the Regeneron International Science Fair, the oldest and most prestigious in the country, did secure her a spot among the finalists and a number of plaudits besides.

WATCH Gyeongyun explain her device… 

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“Pollution is: the resources we are not harvesting. We allow them to disperse because we have been ignorant of their value.” – Buckminster Fuller

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Good News Network
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copyright GWC 2017

Quote of the Day: “Pollution is the resources we are not harvesting. We allow them to disperse because we have been ignorant of their value.” – Buckminster Fuller

Photo by: ©GWC 2017

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?

copyright GWC 2017

There’s a Surprisingly Easy Way to Remove Microplastics From Drinking Water: Boil it

By
Andy Corbley
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Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Recently GNN reported that the world may be overestimating the amount of plastic entering the ocean by 3,000%.

It also turns out that maybe there’s not such a danger of plastics in the water supply either, since a group of scientists found that simply boiling it first can remove between a quarter and 90% of all the microplastics therein.

It’s reminiscent of the revolution in sanitation that occurred after tea drinking was introduced into Western Europe. For the first time ever, societies were regularly consuming boiled water which had the added effect of purifying it of pathogens first.

A study from Guangzhou University tested two types of tap water, hard tap water and soft water. Aside from a discussion of industrial contaminants, the difference between the two is that so-called hard tap water is richer in minerals, particularly calcium carbonate, or limescale.

Anyone who uses an electric kettle or coffee maker knows that the limescale builds up and needs to be addressed every few months. When the scientists boiled the hard tap water, the pushing out of the calcium carbonate from the water solution effectively trapped a variety of plastic particles ranging from 5 micrometers to 10 micrometers in length.

90% of these components were trapped in the limescale layer.

“This simple boiling water strategy can ‘decontaminate’ [nano and microplastics] from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption,” write the researchers in their paper, published in February.

Even in soft water, where less calcium carbonate is dissolved, roughly a quarter of the plastic was snagged from the water. Most bottled water sold in the US is hard water because most tap water in the US is too.

ALSO CHECK OUT: Drinking Black Tea May Reduce the Risk of Early Death From Heart Disease, Says Study of Half-Million Brits

Some brands use reverse osmosis or other methods to dissolve the minerals found in tap water. It’s either sold as soft water or ‘mineral water’ after re-adding minerals to it.

“Our results have ratified a highly feasible strategy to reduce human NMP exposure and established the foundation for further investigations with a much larger number of samples,” write the authors.

It’s believed that, even as you read this news story, there is around 7 credit cards worth of plastic circulating in your body. The broad, long-term effects of this contamination are unknown, but they’ve been found in every organ in mice studies, including brain, and even the placenta.

THE FIGHT AGAINST CONTAMINANTS: U.S. Unveils First-Ever Regulations to Remove ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water

If you don’t feel like waiting for the government to gather evidence to put restrictions on microplastics in water, this study offers a key insight. Stick a water filter on your kitchen tap that is graded for 99.99% purity, and if you boil the water that comes out of that—removing 90% of whatever remains, you’re probably in the clear.

SHARE This Critical Discovery About Drinking Water With Your Friends… 

Woman Who Left School at 15 Graduates as a Doctor at 41: ‘You can 100% do the crazy things you’ve always dreamed’

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Dr. Becs Bradford graduates from the University of Bristol at 41 – SWNS
Dr. Becs Bradford graduates from the University of Bristol at 41 – SWNS

A woman who dropped out of school at age 15 finally studied for her GED (known in the UK as GCSE)—and now has graduated as a doctor at 41.

She recalls being sick and tired of people telling her she couldn’t do things because she dropped out of school. Now, Dr. Becs Bradford officially holds a degree in Medicine from the University of Bristol.

“I don’t know if I’m just a little delusional, but I really believe that if your heart is in it, you can 100% do the crazy things you’ve always dreamed of.

“When I was young I was constantly told I would amount to nothing, that I was stupid.

“I wanted to prove that people like me do deserve good things, that they can get jobs that are fulfilling and well paid.”

Becs’ father fell from a ladder and was left paralyzed when Becs was just 12 years old, and the family lost their home. Soon, Becs ended up in foster care.

Despite this rocky start, Becs became a hard worker in various fields as a flight attendant, a personal trainer, and in sales. But she knew there was something else waiting for her, and when she realized she wanted to be a doctor, she said ‘everything just fell into place’.

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At 35, she bought the books needed to self-study for her high school math and science equivalencies and earned a place in a pre-med course to which she’d drive a six-hour round trip—all while working three jobs.

Becs aced the course but was devastated when she was rejected from all the universities she applied for—until she received an offer from the University of Bristol. Despite getting financial support from the University, she still taught gym classes seven days a week and worked 12-hour assistant nursing shifts on the weekends.

She would often get up at 4am to study, driven by her desire to help people. “I just had an inner knowing that this is what I’m meant to do with my life”.

Dr. Becs Bradford during her medical training – SWNS

SO INSPIRING:Man Who Didn’t Read or Write Until His Late Teens Becomes Cambridge University’s Youngest Black Professor

Now Dr. Bradford uses her life experiences to better understand patients, and mentors people from ‘non-traditional backgrounds like me’ to strive for their own success.

“I want to be a role model for people like me. I want to show them that you are worthy, and that it doesn’t matter where you come from—that it can be done. People along the way will say it can’t, but you have to ignore them.

Professor Tansy Jessop, Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students at the University of Bristol, wants her to know her University is immensely proud of her.

“Becs has achieved so much, and so often against the odds. She is not only inspirational, but her story shows the transformative power of education.”

ACHIEVING HER DREAM: After Collecting Over 8000 Titles, Woman Fulfills Dream of Opening a Bookstore While Recovering From Diagnosis

“It feels quite surreal to be graduating after all these years! It really does feel like a dream come true.

“I’m proud of myself for never giving up along the way and I hope my journey can inspire others to follow their hearts in the same way.

“It doesn’t matter when you get there, never give up on yourself!”

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Routine Blood Tests Could Speed Up Early Cancer Diagnosis For People With Stomach Pain

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Good News Network
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Karolina Grabowska
Karolina Grabowska

Routine blood tests could be used to more accurately diagnose cancer, even earlier, for people with stomach pain or bloating, according to a new study.

Most people who report such symptoms to their doctors are referred for blood tests, say scientists, but it was not known how well those tests, used to explore a range of possible causes of illness, can predict cancer risk.

But researchers found that, in 19 commonly used blood tests, abnormal results were linked to a higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer within a year.

The new study looked at data from more than 400,000 people in the UK aged 30 or older who had visited a GP due to stomach pain and more than 50,000 who had visited their GP due to bloating. Two-thirds of the group had blood tests following their appointment.

The research team, led by University College London (UCL) scientists, estimated that, if the abnormal results were taken into account, there would have been a 16% increase in the number of people with undiagnosed cancer who were given an urgent referral, compared to assessment based on symptoms, age and sex alone.

They say it translates to an extra six people with undiagnosed cancer being urgently referred out of 1,000 people who had visited the GP with stomach pain or bloating, on top of 40 people with cancer being urgently referred already, without using blood test results.

If any patient had one or more blood tests that increased their risk to above 3%—and they would not have been referred based on their age, sex and symptom alone— they were included as an extra urgent referral.

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“Our study suggests we can improve cancer detection with blood tests that are already available and that are routinely given to patients with symptoms whose cause is unclear,” said Dr. Meena Rafiq, the study’s lead author. “This could be an efficient, affordable way to improve early cancer diagnosis and in some cases increase the likelihood of successful treatment.

“Given that in practice it may be challenging for GPs to interpret a range of blood test data, our study points to the need for an automated tool that could assess cancer risk based on multiple variables.”

The study published in the journal PLOS Medicine used anonymized patient data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), collected from a network of general practitioner (GP) offices across the UK between 2007 and 2016.

The team found that just over one in 50 people (2.2%) who went to their GP reporting stomach pain were diagnosed with cancer over the next 12 months. Exactly the same proportion of people (2.2%) reporting bloating were also diagnosed with cancer within a year.

In the UK, guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) state that people should be given an urgent cancer referral, to a specialist or for tests, if their risk of cancer is higher than 3%.

The research team also found that people aged 60 or over who had gone to the GP with either stomach pain or bloating had a high enough risk to warrant an urgent cancer referral, regardless of blood test results.

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Currently, over-60s with stomach pain or bloating are only given a cancer referral in the UK if they have an additional potential cancer signal such as weight loss.

Risk of cancer was estimated to be 3.1% for men in their 60s reporting stomach pain, rising to 8.6% for men in their 80s with the symptom. The risk for women in those age groups was 3.1%, rising to 6.1%.

The research team pointed out that the incidence of cancer was likely to be higher in the study sample than among a broader group of people experiencing stomach pain or bloating who would not necessarily go to their GP or have blood tests.

They found that among people aged 30 to 59 with abdominal pain or bloating, anaemia, low albumin, raised platelets, abnormal ferritin, and increased inflammatory markers strongly predicted a risk of undiagnosed cancer.

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For example, in women aged 50 to 59 with abdominal bloating, pre-blood test cancer risk of 1.6% increased to 10% with raised ferritin, to 9% with low albumin, to 8% with raised platelets, to 6% with raised inflammatory markers and to 4% with anaemia.

Currently, only raised platelets and anaemia are included in guidelines for cancer referral.

The researchers noted that the UK guidelines focused on the presence of “alarm” symptoms and risk of cancer of a single organ, with limited guidance existing for vague symptoms that could be a sign of cancer in a number of different organs.

“Half of all people with as-yet-undetected cancer will first go to the doctor with vague symptoms that can be challenging to diagnose,” said Dr. Rafiq. “Many of these patients are investigated in primary care with commonly used blood tests that could help to identify which patients are most likely to have underlying cancer and should be prioritized for referral.”

The study also showed which types of cancer were most common for people with the symptoms. Overall, bowel cancer was most common, followed by prostate and pancreatic cancer in men, while bowel cancer was followed by breast and ovarian cancer in women.

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“This research shows these common tests can substantially enhance assessment of cancer risk,” he added.

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Things Americans Forget Most When Traveling – Thankfully, 23% Have a ‘Mom Friend’ Who Always Remembers

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Good News Network
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SWNS / Talker Research
SWNS / Talker Research

Nine in 10 Americans have had a “Home Alone” moment—realizing they forgot something essential en route to their destination, according to new research.

While they aren’t forgetting their kids at home, over a third have forgotten a charger, and a third have forgotten their toiletries and beauty products. 27% have left behind their sunscreen and 18% even forgot to pack their medications.

That’s according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults that asked about the most inconvenient things they’ve forgotten—including socks (17%), water bottles (14%) and even their wallet (8%).

Nearly four in ten characterized themselves as more forgetful when traveling—with, on average, three items being left behind every trip, forcing one-quarter of them to spend money on purchasing alternate products.

Fortunately, 23% of respondents have a “mom friend” when traveling—someone who keeps the group together, happy, and healthy.

And one-quarter of respondents reported that THEY are usually “the mom” of the group.

“Mom friends” showcase their role by keeping supplies on hand, such as napkins or bandaids and reminding everyone to eat and stay hydrated (35%)—two good habits that the survey showed often get left behind when traveling.

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Commissioned by Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water and conducted by Talker Research, the poll also found that two in five (40%) Americans find it difficult to stay hydrated while traveling. For 32%, this is mainly because they’re out of their usual routine or because they simply forget to drink. But others are more focused on having fun (31%) or are too busy doing other activities (31%).

“Everyone knows that summer brings travel and fun, but it also brings higher temperatures and a greater chance for dehydration,” said CG Roxane VP of Marketing Anne-Charlotte de La Porte.

She recommends monitoring how much water you are drinking every day (the survey revealed only 22% of Americans do that) and to set reminders so you can keep on track.

Or, you can always rely on your “mom friend” for help…

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Lost Altar Discovered on the Site Where Jesus was Crucified: It’s ‘Sensational’ and was Sitting in Plain Sight

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Credit: Israel Antiquities Authority via
Credit: Shai Halevi / Israel Antiquities Authority via Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW)

Inside one of the most extensively researched historic sites—the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where Jesus was crucified and buried—researchers have discovered the largest known medieval altar, which had been considered lost for decades.

After its unveiling in 1149, the magnificently carved ‘high altar’ made a great impression on visitors for many centuries, until it abruptly disappeared from public view following a major fire in the Romanesque part of the church in 1808.

“Since then, the ‘Crusader’s altar’ was lost—at least that’s what people thought for a long time,” says Ilya Berkovich, historian at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW).

So Berkovich and archaeologist Amit Re’em from the Israel Antiquities Authority were shocked when they made their sensational discovery right in the middle of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

In a rear corridor of the publicly accessible church, a stone slab weighing several tons had been leaning against the wall for an unknown period of time. People even left graffiti all over the front side of the slab. When it was turned around due to construction work, it revealed its true, much older artistic heritage.

It was decorated with beautiful ribbon ornaments which enabled its identification as the once magnificent front panel of the medieval Crusader altar, which seemed to have been lost after the fire two centuries ago.

For historians, this find is “a sensation” in several respects. Firstly, the fact that the slab could have remained hidden for so long in such an intensively researched building—especially as it was in view of thousands of pilgrims and tourists every day.

Amit Re’em / Israel Antiquities Authority

“The fact that something so important could stand unrecognized in this of all places was completely unexpected,” said Berkovich, who co-authored a recently published article (in Eretz-Israel, Volume 35, 2024).

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No less significant is the new information which the discovery provides about the medieval high altar’s origin—and the previously unknown connection between Rome and the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem.

The unusual decorations are achieved by a special stonemason production technique for marble decoration called ‘Cosmatesque’.

This was practiced exclusively by guild masters who served papal Rome. They passed the skill down from generation to generation. A characteristic feature of this technique was its masters’ ability to decorate large surfaces with small quantities of precious marble. In medieval Rome marble was mainly scraped from ancient buildings, forcing the Cosmatesque masters to optimize whatever marble they could find.

Their solution was to put small marble pieces together with the utmost precision, attaching it in such a way as to create complex geometric patterns and dazzling ornaments.

For any Pope, the Cosmatesque art was a cherished status symbol. Only a few Cosmatesque works of art are known outside of Rome, and, so far, only one outside of Italy: in Westminster Abbey, where the Pope had sent one of his masters.

The Cosmatesque altar now rediscovered in Jerusalem must also have been created with the Pope’s blessing. By sending one of the Cosmatesque masters to the Kingdom of Jerusalem to make the new high altar in Christianity’s holiest church, the Pontif supported Christianity’s “claim” to the church.

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Digital reconstruction of the Crusader high altar by Roy Elbag – Ilya Berkovich / Amit Re’em

The rediscovered high altar is proof of a previously unknown direct connection between Rome and Jerusalem, which is also important for European art history.

“With an original breadth of more than 3.5 meters (11 feet), we have discovered the largest medieval altar currently known,” said Berkovich.

He hopes that further research in the papal archives will reveal more details about the history of the altar, possibly even the identity of the Cosmatesque master who created the artwork.

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Historians do know a lot about the exact day of the altar’s unveiling on July 15, 1149.

It was a celebration day in Jerusalem, marking the 50th anniversary of European Crusaders conquering the Holy City to establish a Latin Kingdom, after centuries of Muslim rule.

The highlight of the jubilee was the re-consecration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In the middle of the church building, which had been magnificently extended in the Romanesque style in the preceding years, a special work of art saw the light of day: a newly created high altar that has been praised by pilgrim accounts from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries as simply the “magnificent marble altar in Jerusalem”.

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“Practice until it becomes boring, then practice until it becomes beautiful.” – Harry Blackstone Jr. 

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By Adam Hoffman

Quote of the Day: “Practice until it becomes boring, then practice until it becomes beautiful.” – Harry Blackstone Jr. (magician)

Photo by: Adam Hoffman

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?

New Electric Bandages Heal Wounds 30% Quicker Than Conventional Dressings

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Water-powered electronics-free bandage (WPED) for electrical stimulation of wounds – Credit: Rajaram Kaveti (via SWNS)
Water-powered electronics-free bandage (WPED) for electrical stimulation of wounds – Credit: Rajaram Kaveti (via SWNS)

A water-powered electric bandage can heal serious wounds 30% quicker than conventional treatments, according to a new study.

The inexpensive bandages use an electric field to promote healing in chronic wounds, which are slow to heal, if they heal at all—like sores that occur in some diabetes patients.

Doctors say such wounds are “particularly problematic” because they often recur after treatment and significantly increase the risk of amputation and even death.

They explained that one of the key challenges associated with chronic wounds is that existing treatment options are extremely expensive, which can create additional problems for patients.

In animal tests published this week in the journal Science Advances, the international research team evaluated their water-powered, electronics-free dressings (WPEDs), which are disposable bandages with electrodes on one side and a small, biocompatible battery on the other.

“Our goal was to develop a far less expensive technology that accelerates healing in patients with chronic wounds,” said study co-author Dr. Amay Bandodkar, of North Carolina State University.

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“We also wanted to make sure that the technology is easy enough for people to use at home, rather than something that patients can only receive in clinical settings.”

Co-author Professor Sam Sia, of Columbia University, said the lightweight bandages provide electrical stimulation simply by adding water, and they work better than bulkier and more expensive wound treatments.

The dressing is applied so that the electrodes come into contact with the wound. A drop of water is then applied to the battery, activating an electric field for several hours.

The electric field is critical, explained co-author Dr. Rajaram Kaveti, who said it is “well established that electric fields accelerate healing in chronic wounds.”

The electrodes are designed so that they can bend with the bandage and conform to the surface of the chronic wounds, which are often deep and irregularly shaped.

(SWNS)

They tested the wound dressings in diabetic mice, which are a commonly used model for human wound healing.

“We found that the electrical stimulation from the device sped up the rate of wound closure, promoted new blood vessel formation, and reduced inflammation—all of which point to overall improved wound healing,” reported co-first author Maggie Jakus, a graduate student at Columbia University.

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The mice who received treatment with WPEDs healed about 30% faster than mice who received conventional bandages.

“It is equally important that these bandages can be produced at relatively low cost – we’re talking about a couple of dollars per dressing in overhead costs,” said Dr. Bandodkar.

“There is urgent need for new therapeutic approaches, as the last one that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration was developed more than 25 years ago,” said co-author Professor Aristidis Veves, of Beth Israel Deaconess Center in Boston.

“Diabetic foot ulceration is a serious problem that can lead to lower extremity amputations. (This) may have the potential to revolutionize the management of diabetic foot ulcers.”

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Once applied, patients can move around and easily take part in daily activities, after conveniently receiving treatment at home.

“Next steps for us include moving forward with additional testing that will get us closer to clinical trials and—ultimately—practical use that can help people.”

SHARE THE INNOVATION With Medical Staff on Social Media…

D-Day Hero Gets Over 200 Cards to Celebrate His 100th Birthday

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100-year-old veteran John Dennett – SWNS
100-year-old veteran John Dennett – SWNS

A D-day veteran who defended landing troops from Nazi fighter planes has received more than 200 cards from well-wishers for his 100th birthday.

John Dennett, who now lives near Liverpool, England, was surprised by the haul of 217 cards and letters sent to him from across the county to mark his special day.

The widower celebrated with friends and family at a private party that featured wartime music, food, and entertainment.

“It’s a funny feeling. It’s only now that I’ve reached 100 that I realize I’m that old. I will just have to take it easy now,” he joked.

“All I hope is I reach 200!”

John was just 17 when he signed up to serve at the start of the war, against his mother’s wishes. He was an apprentice bricklayer, but after concealing his age, he managed to join the Royal Navy in 1941 and went to train in the US aboard the Queen Elizabeth.

Three years later, on June 6, 1944, he served as an anti-aircraft gunner aboard one of the 7,000 ships that delivered soldiers onto the beaches of Normandy, which turned the tide of WWII against the Nazis.

John also took part in the other major allied landings during the Second World War, both in North Africa and Italy.

This summer, he returned to France to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, where he met the King and paid his respects to the fallen.

John Dennett next to a mural of himself at Ashville AFC, the football club he founded (SWNS)

“It was exceptional, the trip of a lifetime.

“I also met the King and Queen again; we’re on first name terms now!

“I enjoyed my time out there so much, the memories will remain with me for the rest of my life. It was very moving.

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“I had to say a few words at Bayeux. I said the line that went, ‘For your tomorrow, we gave our today’.”

“There was one veteran who was 103 who was acting a lot younger. It really gave me hope.”

Following the war, John founded the Ashville Football Club in 1949 to give local kids a place to play. He’s still its president to this day.

And, on its building is a giant mural featuring a portrait of John with his chest full of medals (pictured above).

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He said the Club has helped him get through so much in his life, including his wife’s death in 1994.

Over the last 30 years, since becoming a widower, he’s been a member of the Royal British Legion, embarking on several commemorative trips and selling red poppies to benefit his fellow veterans.

GIVE THANKS TO A HERO By Sharing John’s Inspiring Life on Social Media…

New Way of Protecting Tomatoes From Deadly Bacteria Lets Plants Sniff Out Danger Naturally

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UPV-CSIC professor spraying tomato plants (via SWNS)
UPV-CSIC professor spraying tomato plants (via SWNS)

A new spray that protects tomatoes from a deadly bacteria has been dubbed the ‘aroma of resistance’ because it allows plants to ‘sniff out’ the danger naturally.

Spanish scientists found that an aromatic compound called alpha-terpineol effectively protects plants from Pseudomonas syringe, a pathogenic bacterium that causes severe damage to crops.

The research team calls it a “significant breakthrough” that could improve crop management by providing environmentally-friendly protection that is highly effective.

Study co-author Julia Pérez-Pérez explained that, like human interactions, plants have their own way of communication and self-defense. They emit volatile compounds to alert their neighbors to danger. The nearby plants use their sense of smell which perceives the message.

“Imagine a field of tomatoes where the bacteria penetrate the leaves of a plant through the stomata,” said Ms. Pérez-Pérez, a PhD student at Valencia Polytechnic University.

“As it spreads, the plant defends itself from attack by releasing volatiles such as terpene.

“Other parts of the plant itself and neighboring plants ‘smell’ this chemical message and quickly close their stomata, preventing the entry of the pathogen and thus protecting the crop.”

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The same research team, partnering with the company Meristem, has already patented and licensed another volatile compound, HB, which also protects plants.

“Both compounds are part of what we call ‘the aroma of resistance’, which symbolizes the smell of survival for tomato plants.”

She says it is a very simple, cheap, and natural application that can be sprayed directly on the plants or applied by diffuser devices.

Dr. Purificación Lisón, co-author of the study published in the journal Plant Physiology, said, “The use of these compounds offers the agricultural sector a new economic, fast, and highly effective alternative to improve the yield of such an important crop as tomato.”

The natural strategy could serve as a protective barrier against bacteria and other infections—and even protect plants from the effects of drought.

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Using the compounds in agricultural treatments would also reduce the use of chemical pesticides, according to the research team.

“This is not only beneficial for the environment but also promotes more sustainable agriculture,” said the University’s Dr. Pilar López Gresa.

A-Terpineol, a natural monoterpene, is also commonly used in cosmetics, soap, insect repellent (like limonene), and other household items.

HELP MORE GARDENS GROW By Sharing the Good News on Social Media…

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

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

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of August 10, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
I love the fact that Antarctica doesn’t belong to anyone. Thirty nations have research stations there, but none of them control what happens. Antarctica has no government! It has a few laws that almost everyone obeys, like a ban on the introduction of non-indigenous plants and animals. But mostly, it’s untouched and untamed. Much of its geology is uncharted. Inspired by this singular land, I’d love for you to enjoy a phase of wild sovereignty and autonomy in the coming weeks. What can you do to express yourself with maximum freedom, answering primarily to the sacred laws of your own ardent nature?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Babylonia was an ancient empire located in what’s now Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Among its citizens, there was a common belief that insomnia was the result of intrusive visitations by ancestral spirits. Their urge to communicate made it hard for their descendants to sleep. One supposed cure was to take dead relatives’ skulls into bed, lick them, and hold them close. I don’t recommend this practice to you, Virgo. But I do advise you to consult with the spirits of deceased family members in the coming weeks. I suspect they have a lot to tell you. At the very least, I hope you will explore how you might benefit from studying and pondering your ancestors’ lives.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Libran tennis player Naomi Osaka is one of the highest-paid women athletes ever. She is also a staunch political activist. That blend of qualities is uncommon. Why do I bring this to your attention? Because now is an excellent time to synergize your pragmatic devotion to financial success with idealistic work on behalf of noble causes. Doing both of these activities with extra intensity will place you in alignment with cosmic rhythms—even more so if you can manage to coordinate them.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Scorpio actor Sally Field told a story about an agent who worked for her early in her career. In those formative years, all her roles were on TV. But she aspired to expand her repertoire. “You aren’t good enough for movies,” the agent told her. She fired him, and soon she was starring in films. Let’s make this a teaching story for you, Scorpio. In the coming months, you will be wise to surround yourself with influences that support and encourage you. If anyone persistently underestimates you, they should not play a prominent role in your life’s beautiful drama.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
One Sagittarius I know is building a giant sculpture of a humpback whale. Another Sagittarius is adding a woodshop studio onto her house so she can fulfill her dream of crafting and selling fine furniture. Of my other Sagittarius acquaintances, one is writing an epic narrative poem in Greek, another is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Northern California to the Columbia River in northern Oregon, and another has embarked on a long-postponed pilgrimage to Nigeria, the place of her ancestors’ origin. Yes, many Sagittarians I know are thinking expansively, daring spicy challenges, and attempting fun feats. Are you contemplating comparable adventures? Now is an excellent time for them.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
When I opened my fortune cookie, I found a message that read, “If you would just shut up, you could hear God’s voice.”  In response, I laughed, then got very quiet. I ruminated on how, yes, I express myself a lot. I’m constantly and enthusiastically riffing on ideas that are exciting to me. So I took the fortune cookie oracle to heart. I stopped talking and writing for two days. I retreated into a quiescent stillness and listened to other humans, animals, and the natural world. Forty-five hours into the experiment, I did indeed hear God’s voice. She said, “Thanks for making space to hear me. I love you and want you to thrive.” She expounded further, providing me with three interesting clues that have proved to be helpful in practical ways. In accordance with your astrological omens, Capricorn, I invite you to do what I did.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Scientists at the University of California devised a cheap and fast method for unboiling an egg. Their effort wasn’t frivolous. They were working with principles that could be valuable in treating certain cancers. Now I’m inviting you to experiment with metaphorical equivalents of unboiling eggs, Aquarius. You are in a phase when you will have extra power to undo results you’re bored with or unsatisfied with. Your key words of power will be reversal, unfastening, unlocking, and disentangling.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Every week, I imbibe all the honey from an eight-ounce jar, mostly in my cups of hot tea. To create that treat for me, bees made a million visits to flowers, collecting nectar. I am very grateful. The work that I do has similarities to what the bees do. I’m constantly gathering oracular ideas, meditating on the astrological signs, and contemplating what inspirational messages my readers need to hear. This horoscope may not be the result of a million thoughts, but the number is large. What’s the equivalent in your life, Pisces? What creative gathering and processing do you do? Now is a good time to revise, refine, and deepen your relationship with it.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Legend tells us that the first person to drink tea was Chinese Emperor Shennong in 2737 BCE. As he lounged outdoors, tree leaves fell into his cup of water and accidentally created an infusion. Good for him that he was willing to sample that accidental offering. It took many centuries, but eventually tea drinking spread throughout the world. And yet the first tea bag, an icon of convenience, didn’t become available until 1904. I don’t expect you will have to wait anywhere near that long to move from your promising new discoveries to the highly practical use of those discoveries. In fact, it could happen quickly. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to ripen your novel ideas, stellar insights, and breakthrough innovations.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
I hope that in the coming months, Taurus, you will be refining your skills with joy and vigor. I hope you will devote yourself to becoming even more masterful at activities you already do well. I hope you will attend lovingly to details and regard discipline as a high art—as if doing so is the most important gift you can give to life. To inspire you in these noble quests, I offer you a quote by stage magician Harry Blackstone Jr.: “Practice until it becomes boring, then practice until it becomes beautiful.”

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Wohlweh is a German word that means “good pain” or “pleasurable pain.” It might refer to the feeling you have while scratching a mosquito bite or rubbing your eyes when they’re itchy from allergies. But my favorite use of the word occurs when describing a deep-tissue massage that may be a bit harrowing even as it soothes you and provides healing. That’s a great metaphor for the kind of *wohlweh* I expect for you in the coming days. Here’s a tip: The less you resist the strenuous “therapy,” the better you will feel.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
I earn my living as a writer now, but for many years I had to work at odd jobs to keep from starving. One of the most challenging was tapping the sap of Vermont maple trees during the frigid weather of February. Few trees produce more than three gallons of sap per day, and it takes 40 to 50 gallons to create a single gallon of maple syrup. It was hard work that required a great deal of patience. According to my analysis, you Cancerians are in a metaphorically comparable situation these days. To get the good results you want, you may have to generate a lot of raw material—and that could take a while. Still, I believe that in the end, you will think the strenuous effort has been well worth it.

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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“I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.” – Helen Keller

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Quote of the Day: “I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.” – Helen Keller

Photo by: Jeremy Bishop

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?

Scientists Identify 7 Stars That Could be Hosting a ‘Dyson Sphere’–the Sci-Fi Concept Turned Realistic Hypothesis

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Andy Corbley
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An artist's impression of a Dyson Sphere - credit, Flickr, CC 3.0. 紅色死神
An artist’s impression of a Dyson Sphere – credit, Flickr, CC 3.0. 紅色死神

Astrophysicists recently put one of the great hallmarks of science fiction culture to the test, and used it to identify 7 stars that may harbor an alien civilization.

The 7 stars are glowing with infrared radiation in a way that cannot be explained by naturally occurring phenomena yet known to science.

The theoretical superstructure known as the ‘Dyson sphere’ was designed back in the 1960s by renowned British American physicist Freeman Dyson.

His idea was that, similarly to how metal smelting marked the end of the Stone Age and the start of the Bronze Age, all advanced civilizations would eventually harness the power of the star at the center of their home star system.

They would likely build a sphere, Dyson wrote, consisting of “a loose collection or swarm of objects traveling on independent orbits around the star.” However, his idea was captivating, and the concept of a Dyson sphere expanded to include fictional depictions of stars that were ensconced at the center of a twenty-sided sphere that included panels covered in cities and power plants.

Dyson was a serious scientist, but he openly admitted he got the idea for the sphere from Olaf Stapledon’s 1937 sci-fi novel Star Maker.

His official position was that if humanity wanted to search for signs of intelligent life in the galaxy, they would need a reliable signature to look for, which could be a biological sign like liquid water, or it could be a technological one.

Although the technology to do so didn’t exist in 1960, he proposed looking at stars to see if they bore a signature of waste heat like power plants give off here on Earth that would be detectable as infrared radiation, and that such radiation would indicate a civilization may be using the star as a power source.

Enter ‘Project Hephaistos.‘ A team of Swedish scientists along with colleagues from Penn State and the Indian Institute of Technology at Indore used historical data from telescopes that have picked up infrared signatures from any star located less than 1,000 light years from the Earth.

Their initial survey included 5 million hits, and the team applied several filters to remove as much data as possible before looking at each one individually.

“So far, we have seven sources that we know are glowing in the infrared but we don’t know why, so they stand out,” said lead study author Matías Suazo, a doctoral student at Uppsala University in Sweden.

“It’s difficult for us to find an explanation for these sources because we don’t have enough data to prove what is the real cause of the infrared glow,” he said. “They could be Dyson spheres, because they behave like our models predict, but they could be something else as well.”

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All 7 candidate stars are classified as Red Dwarf stars, the most common type in the universe, and smaller than our Sun. According to NASA, planets orbiting red dwarfs have a higher chance of being inhabitable.

Other potential explanations for the infrared heat could be galaxies directly behind the observed stars whose radiation signature appears to be emanating from the latter. It could also be that the stars are young enough to maintain their protoplanetary disks which emit such radiation.

credit – Mysterio2013, Creative Commons 3.0 License, retrieved from Deviant Art.

The authors admit it could be a natural phenomenon, and suggest that telescopes with greater capabilities for direct imaging be used to investigate, rather than the surveyor observatories WISE and Gaia they used for in their dataset.

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As the decades since Dyson’s original hypothesis have marched on, humanity’s space organizations and astronomers have gotten their hands on more and more sophisticated tools. The universe is becoming increasingly familiar to us, and realistic dialogue of turning the Moon into a gas station, mining asteroids, and colonizing Mars, is sounding less and less like a distant, out-of-reach dream.

32 years after the first exoplanets were discovered, the confirmed number has grown to over 5,000, and some are hypothesized as liveable.

Yet it’s important to take a step back and realize that as infeasible as it is to imagine colonizing another world, a Dyson sphere is many orders of magnitude more challenging.

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“If you picture ourselves having as much energy as the sun is providing every second, we could do unheard-of things,” Suazo told CNN. “We could do interstellar travel, maybe we could even move the entire solar system to our preferred location, if we wanted.”

Suazo added that the Dyson sphere would be larger than the combined mass of all material on Earth, and that Dyson suggested we “dismantle” Jupiter and use that for raw materials.

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Visitors to Scotland Can Play ‘Real’ Tennis’ on the World’s Oldest Court Dating Back 500 Years

By
Andy Corbley
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Falkland Palace Royal Tennis Court, with the town of Falkland in the background - credit, SWNS.
Falkland Palace Royal Tennis Court, with the town of Falkland in the background – credit, SWNS

Twenty miles from the birthplace of golf sits a different kind of sporting pilgrimage site—the oldest tennis court in the world.

But this is no Wimbledon. The Falkland Palace Royal Tennis Club’s 50 active members play a form of the sport boasted of as “real” tennis based on the fact that it predates lawn tennis by over 300 years.

Nestled near the picturesque Lomond Hills just half an hour by car from St. Andrews, the Falkland Palace court was built in 1539 by King James V of Scotland.

‘Real’ tennis is played on a hard court surrounded by four walls. It became popular with nobility across Europe in the 15th century and includes the use of complex wall and floor markings to calculate scores.

The members are keen to invite visitors to try it out, as they believe they are keeping a centuries-old tradition alive.

Club member Kevin Gilbert became introduced to the sport whilst living in Australia, where a few of the 50 remaining courts are located. After retiring to Scotland he sought out another place to play the game since half of all the real tennis courts in the world are found in the UK.

“It’s played quite differently to lawn tennis, which originated in the 19th century,” Kevin told the British news media outlet SWNS. “The game involves hitting the ball off a penthouse roof, and you’re allowed to hit it onto the walls, and there are other quirks of the game that can win you points.”

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“We have about 40 members from Scotland, and we have others who come and play once in a blue moon. The palace allows us to use the court, and their visitors sometimes arrive during the sessions that we run—they can see us play and we often invite them to join in.”

“We love to provide the opportunity to visit us and play on the court,” he added.

A complex series of markers denote where points are scored – credit, SWNS.

Modern tennis, or lawn tennis, was created to allow the average person to participate in the game without the need for a purpose-built court, but fans of real tennis say they value the opportunity to play the game as it was originally intended.

“In those days, it was only the royalty and the upper class could afford to play on these courts,” said Gilbert. “Once lawn tennis was invented in the mid-19th century, a journalist is said to have coined the term “real tennis” to refer to the original game.”

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The Falkland Palace, where the court is simply a part of the grounds, is maintained by the National Trust of Scotland, but the club hopes to raise money to contribute to maintenance and upgrades as part of their 50th-anniversary celebrations next year.

Falkland Palace Royal Tennis Court – credit, SWNS.

The palace welcomes thousands of visitors per year, and some will email or write in advance to see if they can get game time on the court.

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