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Miracle Recovery for World’s Rarest and Strangest Deer – Just 39 Became 8,200

By
Andy Corbley
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Pere David's deer at the Jiangsu Dafeng Elk National Nature Reserve - credit, Jiangsu Dafeng Elk National Nature Reserve
Pere David’s deer at the Jiangsu Dafeng Elk National Nature Reserve – credit, Jiangsu Dafeng Elk National Nature Reserve

Tramping through coastal marshlands in eastern China, a strange looking deer roams freely in herds of hundreds; a remarkable recovery from where they had been just a few decades ago.

Described in ancient China as a beast with the antlers of a deer, hooves of an ox, face of a horse, and tail of a donkey, Père David’s deer was at one time the rarest of its kind on Earth.

Hunted to extinction in the wild 125 years ago, captive animals clung to life in a far away land, until in 1985, their descendants could return to a wiser China where a more eco-conscious population welcomed them home to the quiet marshlands.

In the early 20th century, the British nobleman and politician Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford, acquired a few Père David’s deer from the Berlin Zoo and built up a large herd on his estate at Woburn Abbey.

In 1985 the duke’s great-grandson Robin Russell, 14th Duke of Bedford, donated 39 Père David’s deer to the Chinese government for a reintroduction program. They were placed in a park/reserve that once belonged exclusively for canned hunts conducted by the emperors in Beijing—the killing field had become a sanctuary.

A second re-introduction into China was conducted in 1986 where 36 Père David’s deer were chosen from five UK zoological gardens. From less than 100, these original animals have multiplied into 8,200 and seem—as if by a miracle—not be be suffering from low genetic diversity. They enjoy a 17% annual growth rate in the population.

Today, all of the deer that roam China are descended from Russel’s herd, and across China’s many elk sanctuaries like Tianezhou and Dafeng, dozens of square miles of pristine habitat are protected for this incredible animal. Plans are underway to reintroduce the deer to much more wild areas, where they will have to learn to avoid predators and battle the elements once again.

ALSO CHECK OUT: Kazakhstan Efforts to Restore Last Wild Equine Species Receive Huge Boost of 150 Horses

A Chinese-language moniker for the Père David’s deer translates to “the four dislikes” referring to the component appearance mentioned above. As is so often the case in Chinese society, this strangeness is paired with a legend.

The following was taken from Wikipedia,

According to Chinese legend, when the tyrant King Zhou of Shang ruled the land more than 3,000 years ago, a horse, a donkey, an ox and a deer went into a cave in the forest to meditate and on the day the King executed his minister Bigan, the animals awoke from their meditation and turned into humans.

MORE HANDSOME STAGS: Wild and Wonderful Saiga is No Longer Endangered with a Million Roaming Now in Central Asia

They entered society, learned of the King’s heinous acts and wanted to take recourse against the King, who was powerful. So they transformed themselves into one creature that combined the speed of the horse, the strength of the ox, the donkey’s keen sense of direction and the nimble agility of the deer.

This new animal then galloped to the Kunlun Mountains to seek the advice of the Primeval Lord of Heaven. The Lord was astonished at the sight of a creature that had antlers of a deer, hooves of an ox, face of a horse and tail of a donkey.

“It’s unlike any of four creatures!” he exclaimed. Upon learning of the animal’s quest, Lord gave his blessing and dispatched the creature to his disciple the sage Jiang Ziya, who was battling the King. Jiang Ziya rode the creature to victory over the King and helped found the Zhou dynasty.

SHARE This Conservation Success Story For The Ages… 

“More wonderful than the lore of old men and the lore of books is the secret lore of ocean.” – H. P. Lovecraft

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Good News Network
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By Shifaaz shamoon

Quote of the Day: “More wonderful than the lore of old men and the lore of books is the secret lore of ocean.” – H. P. Lovecraft

Photo by: Shifaaz shamoon (cropped)

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, November 4

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Good News Network
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Coolidge, seated in the middle, along with his 1925 cabinet

101 years ago today, “Silent” Calvin Coolidge was elected to serve as the 30th President of the United States. Undoubtedly the greatest domestic/peacetime President in the 20th century, Coolidge embodied not only the Founders’ vision of the Executive, but many of the most quintessentially American qualities we struggle to find today in our political caste. LEARN more about our 30th President… (1924)

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Woman Tracks Down Long-Lost Dad Using Newspaper Ad–and Discovers 11 Siblings

By
Andy Corbley
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Louise Walters with her father (left) after finding him in 2014, and with her sister Zoe (right) - credit, Louise Walters, via SWNS
Louise Walters with her father (left) after finding him in 2014, and with her sister Zoe (right) – credit, Louise Walters, via SWNS

Thanks to a good old newspaper back page ad, an English woman has found a whole new side to life—her father’s, whom she had never met.

It started when Louise Walters was 8 years old and found out the man she thought was her father, wasn’t.

Louise’s mom, Angie Ishmael was in a relationship and living together with another man in Brighton back in 1969 for around a year before finding out she was pregnant.

During Louise’s childhood and adolescence, her mother would say that her real father was irresponsible, and probably in prison or dead. One of those two prognostications turned out to be wildly accurate.

But Walters always wanted to know who her father was, and so in 2010, she placed an ad in the Lost Touch column of the Brighton Argus which read: “I am trying to trace a Gary Pavella who lived in Kemp Town in the late 1960s.”

“It’s really hard not knowing who your dad is,” Walters told England’s Southwest News Service. “It’s like there’s a piece missing. It was amazing to hear his voice for the first time on the phone.”

Ishmael had known Louise’ dad as Gary, and remembered he ran a barber shop, called Pavella’s. Despite her mother’s low opinion of Gary, they placed the ad together in 2010. Three years later, Ishmael got a call from a woman called Marie-Ann who said she was Louise’s half-sister.

“Mom phoned and said ‘I think we’ve found your dad,'” Walters remembers.

It happened during that year a Mr. Graham Peveller, now 81 years old found the ad when he was Googling his old name. He had always wondered about Louise, and so decided to send an intermediary to get in touch to reunite the father and daughter after more than 4 decades of separation.

MORE LOST FATHER STORIES: Woman Looking for Birth Parents Learns That Dad Was a ‘Friend’ on Facebook

The reunion led her to discover or acquaint herself with 11 new half-siblings from all across the world—a testament to her mother’s declaration of her former lover’s irresponsibility.

Including Walters, Graham Peveller fathered 12 children by 7 women, so Louise now has 11 siblings, to add to the two step-sisters she grew up with. Despite the ill-repute, Walters said that hearing her real father say “I love you,” was very moving.

“I felt complete,” she recalled. “We just hit it off straight away. I feel like I’ve known him forever.”

ANOTHER STORY LIKE THIS: Woman Hires Private Detective and Finds 2 Long-Lost Sisters After 44 Years and the Death of Adoptive Parents

From her home in England’s Nottinghamshire, she’s made the effort to acquaint herself with as many of her half-siblings as she can. These include 54-year-old Marie Ann who first contacted her, as well as Zoe, 43, and Jenny in her 20s.

She has half-brothers too: Jamie, Emil, Leslie, and Diamond, in their 20s.

One lives in Sweden, another’s a monk in Thailand, and one passed away. Louise is closest to Leslie, Zoe, and Marie-Ann, who she visits and speaks to regularly.

MORE FAMILIAL DISCOVERIES: Sisters Who Found Each Other Through DNA Discover They Had Mysteriously Named Their Kids After Each Other

“We’re all different and have had very different lives, but we’re all very kind and welcoming,” Walters said. “We all have a certain look about us: we have very similar shaped faces.”

“I have a lot of children and I love them all,” Mr. Peveller said. “No matter how long it is that we’re apart my feelings don’t change, I always think of them.”

SHARE This Woman’s Wild Reunion With Her Family’s Foreign Legion… 

Greatest Spectroscope Ever Built Can Tell What 2,400 Cosmic Objects Are Made of Every 20 Mins.

By
Andy Corbley
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ESO's 4MOST instrument - Credit, AIPA / Saviauk
ESO’s 4MOST instrument – Credit, AIPA / Saviauk

The world’s largest spectroscopic telescope has just recorded the first observations from its new perch high in the mountains of Chile.

Capable of revealing new information about any cosmic object or phenomena an astronomer cares to study, the telescope will feature in 25 important science programs over the next 5 years that involve 700 different scientists from all around the world.

Called the 4-meter Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST), it’s the newest instrument at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Paranal, Chile. Experts from University College London played a key role in its installation and operation.

One of the most important methods of examining space is spectroscopy, or the study of light spectra. It’s an observational science which can tell astronomers what distant objects are actually made of by examining the wavelengths of light and the colors which appear through them.

Different color ratios can tell physicists whether a distant object is made of gases, solids, or liquids, whether those gases include those which make up an atmosphere, whether those solids could be iced water, metals, or carbon-bearing silicates: any of which might suggest it’s an interesting body to study for closely.

But 4MOST is unlike any spectroscope ever built. It can unravel the light of 2,400 celestial objects simultaneously into 18,000 color components.

By analyzing these thousands of colors from thousands of objects every 10–20 minutes, 4MOST will build a catalogue of temperatures, chemical compositions, velocities, and other physical parameters of tens of millions of objects spread across the entire southern sky, which will be available to any curious astronomer looking for data to explore any number of hypotheses for decades to come.

“It’s fantastic to see the first light data arriving from 4MOST,” said UCL physics professor Richard Ellis, who will be using the instrument to study supernova explosions. “Our team will be undertaking follow-up spectroscopy of various transient events located by the newly-completed Vera Rubin imaging telescope in Chile.”

UCL was accompanying the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics at Potsdam, which was the lead institute in the development of 4MOST. Lead Investigator from the Leibniz Institute Roelof de Jong spoke with UCL press on his emotions at the instrument’s first spectra.

The image of the Sculptor Galaxy taken by 4MOST – Credit, Foreground: AIPR, de Jong, CRALJ.-K. Krogager / Background: Harshwardhan Pathak/Telescope Live

“It is incredible to see the first spectra from our new instrument. The data looks fantastic from the start and bodes well for all the different science projects we want to execute,” de Jong said.

MORE OF ESO’S INSTRUMENTS: Vera Rubin Observatory Debuts Stunning Celestial Photos to Rival the James Webb Space Telescope–LOOK

“That we can catch the light that has traveled sometimes for billions of light years into a glass fiber the size of a hair is mindboggling. An incredible feat only made possible by an incredible development team. Can’t wait till having the system operating every night.”

Those glass fibers, of which there are more than 2,400 at the heart of the telescope, enables 4MOST to execute many science programs simultaneously. For example, a few fibers can be used to study rare objects, while at the same time another program can use most other fibers to make large statistical samples of stars or galaxies.

LOOK: Thousands of Previously Unseen Colors Captured in the Sculptor Galaxy by ESO’s VLT – Very Large Telescope

An image released by the ESO of 4MOST’s first observations show the sky around the Sculptor Galaxy NGC 253, in which each colored dot represents the focus of one of the 2,400 fibers. The rainbow colored charts to the left and right show the wavelengths coming off these objects; each color representing different material elements.

SHARE This Exciting New Instrument For Studying The Stars On Social Media…

Farmworkers Are Heroes After Rescuing 20 Children from Burning School Bus in California

By
Andy Corbley
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credit - Madera County, released
credit – Madera County, released

Two California farmers were honored recently for being the first ones to help save over 20 students aboard a school bus that caught fire.

Long before the Madera Country Fire Department arrived on scene, Angel Zarco and Carlos Perea were there, and in fact, the pair noticed the smoke billowing from the back of the bus even before the driver.

They quickly alerted the driver and helped evacuate all the students on board before hightailing it to a safe distance as the school bus began to burn.

At a meeting of the Madera County Board of Supervisors, the men were proclaimed as heroes of the community, who acted to the “very highest standards.”

“We were just making sure the kids were far away enough so that they wouldn’t get hurt,” Zarco said. “The bus caught fire right away, probably within like two minutes, three minutes. It all happened right away.”

California Fire Division Chief Larry Pendarvis said simply that buses can be replaced, but lives cannot.

MORE SCHOOL BUS RESCUES: School Bus Catches on Fire, Driver Gets All the Kids Out–and Herself–Before it Explodes Behind Her

“We can’t thank you enough for assisting prior to our resources arriving,” he said live on ABC30 Action News.

Perea said he believes the Good Lord had put them at that intersection that morning to save those kids, and that seeing his daughter among the onlookers at the board meeting when he was honored by their community was one of the best feelings he could imagine.

WATCH the story from ABC30…

SHARE These Two Heroes From The Fields Of Madera CA With Your Friends… 

World’s Largest Sailboat Moves Cargo Across Atlantic on Maiden Sustainable Voyage

By
Andy Corbley
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The Neoliner Origin calling at the Port of Baltimore with folded masts - credit, Port of Baltimore
The Neoliner Origin calling at the Port of Baltimore with folded masts – credit, Port of Baltimore

A French shipbuilder has brought back the sail and schooner to decarbonize low to mid volume shipping.

Only historians can say how eager the world’s merchants marine were to replace frigates with steamships when the technology became available.

Now after more than 200 years of industrialization, new priorities will dictate to some firms that it’s time to reverse that switch, which the famous sailor Joshua Slocum lamented as taking the poetry off the high seas.

The Neoliner Origin leaving Turkey – credit, Neoline

The 450-foot-long Neoliner Origin was christened on October 13th when she made her maiden voyage from Nantes, on the coast of Brittany, to Baltimore, carrying a cargo of luxury goods and Renault cars that emitted 80% less carbon emissions.

She made a headline speed of 11 knots which she achieved by leveraging the timeless and need-no-explanations technology of sailing, but with the modern tweak of retractable carbon-fiber masts that rise 213 feet into the air.

With 5,300 tons in the hold, she is simply the world’s largest sailing ship; and the team from the French Merchant Navy which took the gamble on going back to sailing power has been backed by the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, as well as the French spirits brand Cointreau, that’s doing everything it can to zero out its carbon emissions.

“Until now, sailing ships could only transport modest volumes. Neoline is changing the game: entire containers can now be transported by sail, offering a concrete and scalable alternative to cargo ships powered by heavy fuel oil,” says company president Jean Zanuttini.

OTHER WIND-POWERED CARGO: Greening Our Shipping: Wind-Powered Cargo Ships Can Change Future of Freight Cutting Emissions By 90%

Zanuttini told Reuters that there’s a lovely degree of independence garnered by using the trade winds, in that pilots don’t need to wait or rely on port and harbor infrastructure for refueling. If the refueling apparatus is in use, or broken, or there’s no fuel available, it’s no concern for a Neoliner, which can just unreef the sails.

While other low-carbon container shipping methods rely on certain fuel blends unavailable in art port in certain countries, a Neoliner not only eliminates more CO2-equivalent emissions but it does so without needing these chemical innovations, making it ideal for container shipping to and from low and middle-income countries as well.

GOOD NEWS FROM SHIPPING: Pioneering Zero-Emissions Hydrogen Fuel-Cell-Powered Ship Successfully Tested in Japan

While the Origin did sustain damage to the aft sail in a storm on the crossing, it was able to carry on with just one sail and a backup motor; what’s known in the industry as “hybrid sailing” and which is also being proposed by Neoline and other firms to be a quick and effective way to reduce the carbon footprint of container shipping, which is responsible for an estimated 2% of total greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

WATCH a report from Reuters…

SHARE The Story About The World’s Largest Sailboat With Your Friends… 

“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.” – Jim Bishop

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Good News Network
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Credit: Joshua Woroniecki (cropped)

Quote of the Day: “Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.” – Jim Bishop

Photo by: Joshua Woroniecki

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?

Credit: Joshua Woroniecki (cropped)

Good News in History, November 3

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Good News Network
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Wizard of Oz

69 years ago today, The Wizard of Oz was televised for the first time, and was so successful—with 53% of US television viewers tuning in—that it was destined to become an annual event in American homes. CBS ran it again three years later during the holidays and gained an even larger television audience. READ more about this famous production… (1956)

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Evidence of Rhino Living in Frigid Arctic Circle 23 Million Years Ago Discovered in New Fossil

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Good News Network
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Artist recreation of Arctic rhino fossil Epiaceratherium itjilik - Canadian Museum of Nature
Marisa Gilbert left and Dr Danielle Fraser with fossil of Arctic rhino Epiaceratherium itjilik - Canadian Museum of Nature
Marisa Gilbert (left) and Dr. Danielle Fraser with fossil of Arctic rhino Epiaceratherium itjilik – Canadian Museum of Nature

An extinct species of rhino that lived inside the Arctic Circle 23 million years ago has been discovered.

The nearly complete fossilized skeleton was recovered from the fossil-rich lake deposits in Haughton Crater on Devon Island, in the Canadian High Arctic.

It is the most northerly rhinoceros species known.

Rhinos have an evolutionary history that spanned over 40 million years, encompassing every continent except South America and Antarctica.

The new species of ‘Arctic rhino’ lived about 23 million years ago during the Early Miocene period.

“The addition of this Arctic species to the rhino family tree now offers new insights to our understanding of their evolutionary history,” said study author Dr. Danielle Fraser, head of paleo-biology at the Canadian Museum of Nature (CMN).

“Today there are only five species of rhinos in Africa and Asia, but in the past they were found in Europe and North America, with more than 50 species known from the fossil record.”

Artist recreation of Arctic rhino fossil Epiaceratherium itjilik – Canadian Museum of Nature / SWNS

“More broadly, this study reinforces that the Arctic continues to offer up new knowledge and discoveries that expand on our understanding of mammal diversification over time.”

Scientists described the updated family tree for rhinocerotids in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, providing evidence that the new Arctic species migrated to North America across a “land bridge” that may have been a passage for terrestrial-mammal dispersal millions of years later than suggested by previous evidence.

The research shows Epiatheracerium itjilik was “relatively small and slight”, similar in size to the modern Indian rhinoceros but lacking a horn.

In the name, the researchers wanted to honor the rhino’s High Arctic home, so they consulted with Jarloo Kiguktak, an Inuit Elder and former mayor of Grise Fiord, the most northerly Inuit community in Canada.

Most of the rhino’s bones were collected at the Haughton Crater site by Dr. Mary Dawson from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, a trailblazer in Arctic paleontology.

“What’s remarkable about the Arctic rhino is that the fossil bones are in excellent condition,” said a senior researcher. “About 75% of the skeleton was discovered, which is incredibly complete for a fossil.”

Amazing New Fossils:
• Frozen in Time: 32,000-Year-old Woolly Rhino Found with Skin, Fur, and Organs Intact
• Prehistoric Saber-Tooth Cub First to Be Found Mummified in Ice, it Still Has Hair (LOOK)

The team’s analysis offers new insights into how rhinos dispersed over millions of years between North America and Europe, via Greenland, using the North Atlantic Land Bridge. Previous studies suggested the land bridge may have only functioned as a dispersal corridor until around 56 million years ago.

But the new analysis with Epiceratherium itjilik and its related species suggests that dispersals occurred from Europe to North America much more recently, potentially during the late Miocene period.

AMAZING:Paleontologists Hunted for Giant Bird Skull for Over a Century–Finally, a Complete ‘Thunderbird’

The fossil of Epiceratherium itjilik is housed and curated in the fossil collections of the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa.

SHARE WITH RHINO LOVERS On Social Media…

Mom Buys Used Car for Son, When Engine Dies 4 Months Later Salesman Decides to ‘Take Care of the Customer’

By
Nathan Frederick
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J.P. Knudsen, owner of Northtowne Auto Group outside of Kansas City, Missouri
J.P. Knudsen, owner of Northtowne Auto Group outside of Kansas City, Missouri

Don’t you wish all used car salesmen were like this one in Gladstone, Missouri?

Back in June, a mom came in to buy a vehicle for her college student who needed it for regular commutes to school in Kansas.

J.P. Knudsen, the owner of Northtowne Auto Group, sold her a 2017 Hyundai Tucson with 85,000 miles on it, and it came with a 30-day / 1,000 mile warranty.

Unfortunately, after a few months and 2,000 miles of driving, the motor went out. The parent who purchased the SUV asked J.P. for a free inspection, which only confirmed the dead motor.

“What are we gonna do,” J.P. asked his followers on TikTok… but he already knew the answer.

He’s been in the car business for over 30 years and has always made customer service his top priority. This time would be no different.

“So we’ve got nothing,” J.P. said about the warranty coverage. “But, I’m gonna take care of the customer.”

J.P. told her to come back to his suburban Kansas City showroom a little later in the week. He’d get her a different car for the same money she’d already invested in the old one. Whichever car she preferred, he’d find a way to make it happen, find a path to that old-fashioned customer service.

J.P. explained the whole ordeal in a TikTok video that has gone viral, getting more than 48,000 likes.

“She only put 2,000 miles on the car. Yeah, she signed a 30-day, thousand-mile warranty. We could’ve been (jerks) like every dealership in the United States and said, ‘Well, too bad, you own it.’

“Nope. Not at Northtowne, not with J.P…I take care of my people. Thirty-two years in the business. It’s just what we do.”

For most people, J.P.’s story (which first appeared online at Motor1.com) may seem unrealistic. A recent survey found that the vast majority of consumers don’t trust car dealerships to be honest about pricing. But thankfully, not everyone operates by the same ethics.

If you live long enough, you’ll probably run into people like J.P.

“That’s what we’re supposed to do in this world is take care of people,” he opined.

@jpthecarguy21 #FentySuperBrandDay #LanguageLearning #cardealership #customerservice ♬ original sound - King of cars KC, mo

Among the more than 6,000 comments on the video, the mom, Shannon Burger, chimed in with her appreciation, with many others echoing her vow to buy their next vehicle at Northtowne.

ANOTHER STELLAR BOSS: Boss Suggests His Employee Take a Sick-Day–and It Saved His Life

“Good man,” commented Marlin Hunter. “Pay it forward is the way to be in life.”

HELP BREAK A STEREOTYPE: Share the Used Car Salesman on Social Media…

Millennials and Gen Z Redefine ‘Asking for Help’ – Especially With Money

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Good News Network
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“Help” isn’t a dirty word: a new study has found younger generations are less likely to think that asking for help is a bad thing.

The poll of 2,000 U.S. adults, split evenly between Gen Z, millennial, Gen X and baby boomer generations found the two younger generations saw asking for help as a positive thing (71% for millennials, 66% for Gen Zers) more than Gen Xers and baby boomers (54% and 45%, respectively).

Likewise, both a majority of Gen Zers (57%) and millennials (60%) believe they’re better about asking for help or support when it’s needed than their predecessors.

If they were actually put in a challenging position where they had to decide to ask for help or manage it on their own, a quarter of all Americans (26%) said they’d prefer asking for help.

Commissioned by Upstart and conducted by Talker Research, the research found 67% of Americans — regardless of generation — believe society should destigmatize asking for help or support, whether financial or otherwise.

According to one respondent, “It’s okay to need something to lean on. It doesn’t emasculate a man and it doesn’t make a woman look like a damsel in distress.”

“I think for that to happen, we need to emphasize community more,” said another. “Society is very ‘individualist’ as of now, but there are ways to improve community.”

Although the perception of support is changing, 53% of Americans still admit they don’t like asking for help or support out of fear of being judged. Surprisingly, while Gen Z are more likely to ask for support, they’re also the most likely to feel a fear of being judged for doing so (64%).

When they need support, people are most likely to turn to their friends (39%), partner (36%), mom (24%) or extended family members (23%).

“It’s natural for people to feel this internal struggle when it comes to asking for help,” opined Erin Opperman, a VP at Upstart. “But no one should feel like they’re being judged simply because they could use a little extra support.

“Having systems in place to help people progress is how we grow together as a society.”

MORE POLLS:
• The Lengths Parents Will Go to Make Holidays Memorable For Their Kids
• Almost a Third of Americans Think They’ve Financially ‘Made it’ in Life

POST THIS THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUESTION to Family on Social Media…

Seniors Who Listen to Music May Slash Their Dementia Risk by Over a Third

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Good News Network
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Credit: Getty Images for Unsplash+
Credit: Getty Images for Unsplash+

Older people who listen to music often slash their risk of dementia by more than a third, according to a new study.

The researchers studied people over the age of 70 and found that listening to music—or playing an instrument—is linked to a reduction of up to 39% in the chances of developing the debilitating condition.

Increases in life expectancy due to advances in medicine and technology have seen a rise in the prevalence of age‐related diseases, including dementia and cognitive decline.

The new study, involving more than 10,800 older people, looked at the benefits of listening to or playing music.

The findings showed that always listening to music—compared with never, rarely, or sometimes doing so—was associated with a 39% decreased risk of dementia.

Playing an instrument was associated with a 35% reduction in dementia risk, according to the study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Always listening to music was also associated with a 17% lower incidence of cognitive impairment, as well as higher scores in overall cognition and ‘episodic memory’, which is used when recalling everyday events.

Regularly engaging in both listening to and playing music was associated with a 33% decreased risk of dementia and 22% decreased risk of cognitive impairment.

“Evidence suggests that brain aging is not just based on age and genetics but can be influenced by one’s own environmental and lifestyle choices,” said the study’s senior author Professor Joanne Ryan of Monash University in Australia.

MORE MUSIC RESEARCH: Parents Should Sing More to Their Babies For the Positive Impact on Infant’s Mood–And Their Own

“With no cure currently available for dementia, the importance of identifying strategies to help prevent or delay onset of the disease is critical.

“Our study suggests that lifestyle-based interventions, such as listening and/or playing music can promote cognitive health,” she added.

The results are promising, though “causation cannot be established,” suggested study co-author Emma Jaffa.

PREGNANCY ADVICE: Playing Classical Music to Babies in the Womb Can Stimulate Development, Affect Heart Rate and Nervous system

“Music activities may be an accessible strategy for maintaining cognitive health in older adults.”

MUSIC IS MEDICINE So Play This Advice On Your Social Media Channels…

“Energy, like the biblical grain of the mustard seed, will remove mountains.” – Hosea Ballou

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Good News Network
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Droid Gingerbread, CC license

Quote of the Day: “Energy, like the biblical grain of the mustard seed, will remove mountains.” – Hosea Ballou

Photo by: Droid Gingerbread, CC license

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Droid Gingerbread, CC license

Good News in History, November 2

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Good News Network
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Jersey Joe Walcott in 1937. CC 3.0. The Ring Boxing

64 years ago today, Jersey Joe Walcott, the Hall of Famer heavyweight boxer and three-time organization champ, became the first African American to be elected as a Sheriff in the United States. Elected on Tuesday, November 2 by a two-to-one margin, he ran as a Democrat and said he wanted to use the position to “help people and rehabilitate them.” READ a little more… (1971)

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Dogs Rescued from ‘Squalid’ House are Being Retrained as Police Sniffer K-9s

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Good News Network
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Springer spaniel dogs are rescued from a squalid house – SWNS RSPCA
Springer spaniel dogs being rescued – SWNS / RSPCA

Four dogs rescued from a ‘squalid’ and derelict house in England are being given a new purpose—they’re being trained as police K-9s.

The springer spaniels were found in April alongside dozens of other dogs crowded into a property in South Yorkshire.

Newly-named Bruce, Pablo, Lola, and Nellie are currently acing assignments in their training to become sniffer dogs with the Greater Manchester Police.

Their new lives are thanks to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). Not only did the charity rescue all 74 of the springer spaniels, they identified a number of clever dogs that could collaborate with the police.

Officer Wes Donnelly from the Tactical Dog Unit told SWNS news agency, “We’re giving them the best life possible.

“These dogs have gone from being neglected to having a real purpose.

“Providing their training continues, they’ll soon be helping us detect drugs, cash and other items that support investigations.”

Springer spaniel Bruce being trained for sniffer K-9 duties – SWNS / RSPCA

When RSPCA field workers joined Dog Legislation Officers from the local police department and entered the South Yorkshire home, they were immediately taken aback by the smell.

More than 80 dogs were then seized and moved to animal shelters.

Five of the spaniels were then selected due to their strong personalities and potential to become trainee K-9s.

One didn’t meet the grade but was immediately re-homed with a family in Wales, just in time for the holidays.

MORE DOG HEROES:
• Dogs in UK Are First to Be Trained to Sniff Out Bowel Cancer–After Nailing Parkinson’s and COVID
• Dogs Placed in Elementary Schools Making a Big Difference in Academics and Mental Health for Michigan Students

Springer spaniel Lola – SWNS / RSPCA

Bruce, Pablo, Lola, and Nellie are still undergoing their specialist detective training, but they may be smelling success on deployments in the near future.

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Six New Species of Bats Discovered – Just in Time for Halloween

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Good News Network
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Tube-nosed bat-Murina luzonensis (Credit: D. Balete / SWNS)
Tube-nosed bat-Murina luzonensis (Credit: D. Balete / SWNS)

Six new species of bats have been discovered inside the protected forests of the Philippines—just in time for Halloween.

The tube-nosed bats were identified by an international research team that pointed out how the nocturnal – and slightly spooky – group of mammals is incredibly diverse.

“I’m astonished at how much we still don’t know about the natural world, such as how many bat species there are,” said one of the researchers, Dr. Burton Lim, assistant curator of mammals at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto (ROM).

The Philippines was known to have 79 species of bats – even before the latest discovery.

“Before we started our research, there were only two species of tube-nosed bats reported from the Philippines, but we did find five new species that were masquerading as (one of those).”

Eating only insects, tube-nosed bats are found throughout Asia and they depend on forested areas for roosting.

Even without deforestation, this type of bat is notoriously elusive, says study co-author Professor Jodi Sedlock, of Lawrence University in Wisconsin.

Tube-nosed bat Murina baletei (Credit: D Balete / SWNS)

“As a result, it’s deeply satisfying to see our collection make such an important contribution to Philippine biodiversity studies.”

“I’m eager to learn what these newly described tube-nosed bats do with their tube-like nostrils that, presumably, offer them directional smell detection.”

Halloween is celebrated less in the Philippines than in the UK and US, but Filipinos have their own bat-related folklore about the ‘aswang’ – frightening and shape-shifting monsters inspired by fox bats.

In China, bats are thought to bring good luck; in India they bring fortune and wealth—and they were even worshipped as deities in Guatemala and Mexico.

HALLOWEEN LOVERS: Ring Camera Video Catches Teenage Trick-or-Treaters Refilling Empty Candy Bowl: ‘It feels really good’ – WATCH

A study of the six new species—Murina alvarezi, Murina baletei, Murina hilonghilong, Murina luzonensis, Murina mindorensis, and Murina philippinensis—was published in the journal Zootaxa, by the Canadian scientists at ROM, and American researchers from the Field Museum in Chicago and Lawrence University.

The first of the new species was named in honor of James Alvarez, a young bat biologist and student with the University of the Philippines who tragically died during fieldwork in 2018.

MORE BAT NEWS:
• Bats Hold Vital Clues for Cancer Prevention as Scientists Study Their ‘Extraordinary’ Immunity
• Struggling Bats Can Now Fly Freely Through Countryside Thanks to First-of-Their-Kind Street Lights
• Bats Are Recovering in a Big Way After Decimation by White-Nose Syndrome: Numbers Grow for the 3rd Year

Another is named after prominent Filipino biodiversity scientist Danilo ‘Danny’ Balete, who had been involved since 1989 with the Field Museum’s Philippine Mammal Project.

To determine their uniqueness, researchers examined tooth pattern, skull shape, fur banding, and other visible characteristics, and conducted genetic analyses in the ROM Laboratory of Molecular Systematics.

KNOW ANY BATMEN? Share The Spooky News With Them…

‘Instant Tears’ for Principal Who Wished Students Were at Her Wedding – They Surprise-Married Her at School (WATCH)

By
Nathan Frederick
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Courtesy of Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School video
Courtesy of Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School video

It was a wish that not many people would make—she wanted her wedding to be filled with kids, preferably every one of the hundreds that attend her school.

The principal at Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School in New York, Brianna Lanoye, believed they were such a major part of her existence that it was hard to imagine celebrating one of life’s major milestones without them.

However, with the cost of ballrooms and banquet food, Brianna resigned herself to the much smaller guest list.

But, her assistant principal, Courtney Champlin, had a better idea anyway.

In secret, she enlisted the kids and staff at Buffalo Academy to transform the school’s courtyard, and brought in Brianna’s fiancé to prepare a giant surprise.

They created a formal aisle, complete with a red carpet, and set up decorations framing a white backdrop. Students huddled in the audience, while Ms. Champlin broke the news inside the principal’s office.

She pulled on a tuxedo T-shirt so she could stand in for a bridesmaid, and dressed Brianna in a veil overtop something resembling a white dress. Then, they walked down the aisle drenched in sunshine. (Watch the moments in the Steve Hartman video below…)

Courtesy of Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School video

“Instant tears. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, just seeing our school community out here,” Lanoye told WKBW News.

A student officiated the ceremony, and Ms. Lanoye and her fiancee, Zach Klapp, then exchanged their own vows and presented each other with candy rings. The real ones would arrive at their actual wedding a few days later.

Pupils stood up and gave speeches, with one saying, “I want to personally thank you for all you did for me. I will never forget the difference you have made in my life.”

Though the couple weren’t surrounded by schoolmates during the legally-recognized wedding, having hundreds of students gathered for a dress rehearsal of her major milestone was a dream come true for Lanoye.

MORE EPIC WEDDING STORIES:
• Crushed by Car, a Stranger Comforted Him Until Help Came–Now They’re Getting Married
• Groom Breaks Down in Tears Hearing Daughter’s Adorable Wedding Day Message (WATCH)

“I was completely overwhelmed with joy and emotion,” Lanoye said. “To see the love and effort the students and team poured into this for me was one of the most touching moments of my life. This is a day I will truly never forget. They are all a part of my family.”

CELEBRATE SCHOOL SPIRIT by Sharing This with Teachers On Social Media…

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

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Good News Network
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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 November 1, 2025
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
In the late 18th century, Balloonomania came to Paris. Large crowds gathered to watch inventors and impresarios send hot air balloons into the sky. Spectators were astonished, fearful, and filled with wonder. Some wept, and some fainted. I suspect you’re due for your own exhilarating lift-off, Scorpio—a surge of inspiration that may bewilder a few witnesses but will delight those with open minds. Halloween costume prop: wings.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Don’t be too shocked by my unusual list of raw materials that might soon turn out to be valuable: grime, muck, scuzz, scum, slop, bilge, slime, and glop. Amazingly, this stuff may conceal treasures or could be converted into unexpected building materials. So I dare you to dive in and explore the disguised bounty. Proceed on the assumption that you will find things you can use when you distrust first impressions and probe beneath surfaces. Halloween costume suggestions: sacred janitor, recycling wizard, garbage genius.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
In the tidepools of America’s Pacific Northwest lives the ochre starfish, a keystone species that keeps mussel populations in check. Remove the starfish, and the ecosystem collapses into imbalance. Let’s make this creature your power symbol, Capricorn. The visible effect of your presence may not be flashy or vivid, but you will hold a stabilizing role in a group, project, or relationship. Your quiet influence can keep things harmonious. Your gift is not to dominate the scene, but to keep the whole system alive and diverse. Halloween costume suggestion: ochre starfish.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
For hundreds of years, the Blackfoot people of North America built buffalo jumps. These were steep cliffs where herds of bison could be guided and driven over the edge during a hunt. It required elaborate cooperation. Scouts tracked the herd, decoys lured them toward the drop, and prep teams waited below to process the meat, hides, and bones for the whole community’s sustenance. I hope you will engage in smaller versions of this project. Now is an excellent time to initiate, inspire, and foster shared efforts. Make it a high priority to work with allies you trust. Halloween costume suggestions: shepherd, sheep dog, cowboy, vaquero.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
In the ancient Greek world, oracles spoke in riddles. This was not because they were coy, but because they understood that truth must often arrive obliquely. Directness is overrated when the soul is in motion. Mythic modes of perception don’t obey the laws of logic. In this spirit, Pisces, I invite you to make riddles and ambiguities be your allies. A dream, an overheard conversation, or a misheard lyric may contain an enigmatic but pithy code. You should be alert for messages that arrive sideways and upside down. Tilt your head. Read between the flames. You will understand when your heart recognizes what your mind can’t name. Halloween costume suggestion: oracle or fortune-teller.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
On the outskirts of a village in Ghana, a healer gathers plants only when the moon says yes. She speaks the names of each leaf aloud, as if to ask permission, and never picks more than needed. She trusts that each herb has its own wisdom that she can learn from. I invite you to emulate her approach, Aries. Now is a good time to search for resources you need to heal and thrive. The best approach is to be receptive to what life brings you, and approach with reverence and gratitude. Halloween costume suggestion: herbalist, traditional healer, sacred botanist.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
A well-cut ship’s sail is not a flat sheet. It has a gentle curve that the sailmaker crafts stitch by stitch so the wind will catch and convert invisible pressure into forward motion. Too taut, and the cloth flaps, wasting energy; too loose, and power dissipates. The miracle lies in geometry tuned to an unseen current. I invite you to be inspired by this approach, Taurus. Build curvature into your plans so that optimism isn’t an afterthought but a structural feature. Calibrate your approaches to natural processes so movement arises from alignment rather than brute effort. Make sure your progress is fueled by what you love and trust. Halloween costume suggestion: Wear a sail.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
All of us can benefit from regular phases of purification: periods when we dedicate ourselves to cleansing, shedding, and simplifying. During these intense times of self-healing, we might check our integrity levels to see if they remain high. We can atone for mistakes, scrub away messy karma, and dismantle wasteful habits. Here’s another essential practice: disconnecting ourselves from influences that lower our energy and demean our soul. The coming weeks will be a perfect time to engage in these therapeutic pleasures, Gemini. Halloween costume suggestion: purifier, rejuvenator, cleanser, refiner.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Deep in the Pacific Ocean, male humpback whales sing the longest, slowest, most intricate love songs ever. Their bass tones are loud and strong, sometimes traveling for miles before reaching their intended recipients. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to compose and unleash your own ultimate love songs, Cancerian. Your emotional intelligence is peaking, and your passionate intensity is extra refined and attractive. Meditate on the specific nature of the gifts you want to offer and receive in return. Halloween costume suggestion: singer of love songs.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Between 1680 and 1725, Italy’s Antonio Stradivari and his family made legendary violins that are highly valued today. They selected alpine spruce trees and Balkan maple, seasoned the wood for years, and laid varnish in painstaking layers that produced sublime resonance. Their genius craftsmanship can be summed up as the cumulative magic of meticulousness over time. I recommend their approach to you, Leo. Be in service to the long game. Commune with people, tools, and commitments that age well. Act on the theory that beautiful tone is perfected in layers. Halloween costume suggestion: a fine craftsperson.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Trained women dancers in Rajasthan, India, perform the ancient art of bhavai. As folk music plays, they balance on the dull edge of a sword and hold up to 20 clay pots on their head. They sway with elegance and artistry, demonstrating an ultimate embodiment of “grace under pressure.” I don’t foresee challenges as demanding as that for you, Virgo. But I suspect you will have the poise and focus to accomplish the metaphorical equivalents of such a feat. Halloween costume suggestion: regal acrobat or nimble dancer.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
In 1968, researchers at Stanford conducted the “marshmallow test.” Children were offered a single sweet treat immediately. But if they didn’t quickly gobble down the marshmallow, thus postponing their gratification, they were awarded with two candies later. The kids who held out for the double reward didn’t do so by sheer willpower alone. Rather, they found clever ways to distract themselves to make the wait more bearable: making up games, focusing their attention elsewhere, and adjusting their surroundings. I advise you to learn from their approach, Libra. Cultivate forbearance and poise without dimming your passion. Harness small triumphs of willpower into generating big, long-term gains. Diligent, focused effort invested now will almost certainly lead to satisfying outcomes. So please prioritize incremental, systematic grunt work over stunts and adrenaline. Halloween costume trick: carry two marshmallows.

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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“November at its best has a sort of delightful menace in the air.” – Anne Bosworth Greene

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Good News Network
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Credit: Rula Sibai

Quote of the Day: “November at its best has a sort of delightful menace in the air.” – Anne Bosworth Greene

Photo by: Rula Sibai

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?

Credit: Rula Sibai
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