Man Re-Mortgages Home to Buy Favorite Pub And Save 100 Years of History: ‘Pete’s always been a legend’

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May 10, 2026

Quote of the Day: “A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.” – Bruce Lee (Happy Mother’s Day!)

Photo by: Michael Coghlan (CC license)

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

Good News in History, May 10

This Day In History

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May 10, 2026

Donovan-2007-cc-Thiago Piccoli — Thiago Piccoli, CC license, 2007

Happy 80th Birthday to the Scottish singer, songwriter, and guitarist, known by the single name, Donovan. He recorded a string of hits such as Catch the Wind, Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch, Mellow Yellow, Atlantis, and Hurdy Gurdy Man, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. He reminisced at the time about teaching Lennon and McCartney his distinct finger-picking acoustic guitar technique. WATCH a video in which he tells the story… (1946)

In a Thrilling Comeback Victory Cherrie DeVaux Becomes First Female Trainer to Win Kentucky Derby (WATCH)

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Nathan Frederick

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May 9, 2026

The buzzer rang, the gates opened, and before the first turn, the horse that would help make history at the Kentucky Derby was coming in dead last—not surprising as Golden Tempo had 23-1 odds to win the iconic race.

The odds seemed about right, as the horse had been battling a heel condition, but Cherie DeVaux was about to make history, becoming the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby.

The horse’s jockey, Jose Ortiz, had never won the race in 10 previous tries. And the horse, Golden Tempo, was starting from the 19th post, way on the outside, making things even more difficult.

Indeed, heading into the final turn of this month’s Kentucky Derby, the horse was still in last place, with 17 other horses to beat.

But then, Golden Tempo began making its kick…

Racing lanes opened as the horse headed into the final stretch. One after another, Ortiz and Golden Tempo passed horses while coming up on the outside.

“What a tremendous kick by Golden Tempo,” NBC announcer Jerry Bailey said on the broadcast. “That’s a lot of ground to make up in the stretch of the Kentucky Derby!”

As the pair raced toward the finish line, the leader was Renegade, the Derby’s betting favorite.

And with DeVaux watching from the rails nearby, the ‘Golden’ thoroughbred won by a nose, while the crowd erupted. (Watch the thrilling moment below…)

“I’m just so, so happy,” DeVaux told NBC. “Jose did a masterful job at getting him there. He was so far out of it, and he had so much faith in this horse….I’m glad I can be representative of women everywhere. We can do anything we set our minds to.”

AMAZING: Oldest Jockey and First Latino Ever to Win Triple Crown Donates Winnings

DeVaux grew up in New York with a big family that included seven brothers and two sisters, which she credits for her toughness. She spent more than two decades in the horse racing business, working all the way up from an exercise rider. She’s now been a stable owner for eight years.

Before her win at the Derby last Saturday, only one female trainer had ever won a Triple Crown race —Jena Antonucci, at the Belmont Stakes in 2023.

Now, thanks to Golden Tempo’s thrilling underdog victory, DeVaux has also made history.

HUMANS HELP HORSES BEAT THE ODDS: Heroes Corral 15 Horses in Raging Floodwaters to Rescue Them on Hawaiian Ranch

“It really is an honor to be able to be that person for other women or other little girls to look up to,” DeVaux told the Associated Press. “You can dream big, and you can pivot. You can come from one place and make yourself a part of history.”

WATCH the interview from the winner’s circle below…

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Africa’s Rarest Antelope Gets Boost as Zoos Send 4 Bongos to Kenya to Help Save the Species From the Brink

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LOOK: Once Extinct in the Wild, Bandicoot Marsupial to be Released Across Australia After Being Bred For Survival

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May 9, 2026

Credits: Petr Topič / Safari Park Dvůr Králové

Four mountain bongos, Africa’s rarest species of antelope, have just touched down in Kenya in a major step forward in efforts to save the species from the brink of extinction.

With fewer than 50 remaining in the wild, the historic translocation from European zoos to Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy provides a significant boost to its breeding and rewilding efforts.

Traveling more than 4,000 miles, the four male bongos were bred in European zoos as part of an international conservation breeding program. (Watch the video at the bottom…)

Found only in Kenya, the mountain bongo is recognizable by its rust red coat with bold white vertical stripes and long spiral horns. Experts say the population losses were a result of poaching, habitat loss, disease, and fragmentation.

The coordinated initiative led by experts at Chester Zoo also involved the Kenya Wildlife Service and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).

“This transfer is the result of years of planning—and is a shining example…” said Chester Zoo’s Dr. Nick Davis, who coordinates the conservation breeding program for the Mountain bongo in European zoos.

BONGO NEWS FROM 2025: Emotional Officials Watch 17 Endangered Mountain Bongos Arrive in Kenya for Reintroduction

“Through expert human care, international collaboration, and a shared commitment to conserving the species in their natural range, we can help secure the long-term future for the mountain bongo.”

After the four male Mountain bongos underwent rigorous veterinary care at the Czech Republic’s Safari Park Dvůr Králové, the animals boarded a KLM cargo plane and were welcomed on April 28 with an arrival ceremony, officiated by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Director-General of Kenya Wildlife Services, Dr. Erustus Kanga, said the four animals will strengthen the genetically diversity of the bongo populations.

“Our focus is not only on increasing numbers, but on restoring functional populations capable of thriving independently in secure habitats across the country… guided by science and a long-term vision for conservation outcomes.”

Since 2004, the Mount Kenya Conservancy has nearly doubled the population of bongos in their care through breeding, habitat management, and deliberate conservation efforts.

Two keepers travelled with the bongos to ensure smooth journey from Europe to Kenya – Credit: Petr Topič

“This is an important milestone as we continue to accelerate progress achieved over the years.

“These four male bongos will reinforce the existing population of over 100 individuals and enhance breeding capacity, providing an opportunity to expand our breeding herds and bringing us closer to a future where the mountain bongo once again thrives in the wild.”

The Conservancy Numbers

In 2004, the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy initiated its bongo conservation program with 18 animals already present on site and the importation of a further 18 individuals from various zoos in the United States. Since then, the population has adapted to the Mount Kenya ecosystem and has continued to breed successfully.

MORE ANIMAL SUCCESSES:
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To advance rewilding efforts, it established the Mawingu Sanctuary in 2022 inside the Mount Kenya Forest Reserve—a former natural range of the mountain bongo which is contiguous with Mount Kenya National Park.

The sanctuary provides a secure environment for breeding and gradual reintroduction into the wild. Today, the areas are home to over 100 Mountain Bongos, with more than 20 individuals already released into the sanctuary, making it the largest population of Mountain Bongos in Africa.

BEAT THE (BONGO) DRUMS For A Wildlife Success Story–Share it on Social Media…

Mom Gets to Touch Daughter’s Hand Again in Emotional Meeting With the Grateful Transplant Recipient

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May 9, 2026

Mum meets transplant recipient who received her daughter's hand — Jackie Kirwan and Kim Smith by William Lailey / SWNS

Jackie Kirwan and Kim Smith by William Lailey / SWNS

A mother shared some moving moments with the transplant recipient who received her daughter’s hand—and was “over the moon” to see how she’s made such a difference in someone’s life.

Jackie Kirwan lost her 33-year-old daughter Georgie last year in England following complications from a congenital brain malformation that caused constant debilitating seizures.

Georgie’s limbs and organs were donated, with her left hand becoming a transplant for Kim Smith who lost her hands as a result of sepsis in 2017.

Since the surgery last year, the women decided to meet up in an emotional reunion.

“I’d decided that if Georgie’s donor recipient got in touch, I would meet them,” Jackie told SWNS news.

“Meeting Kim was unreal. We were both crying and she told me she was forever grateful, and she would look after her hand forever.”

AWE-INSPIRING: Infant’s Organ Donation Creates Lifelong Bond for Two Families, Lets Mom Hear her Late Daughter’s Heart

Jackie Kirwan looks at Kim Smith’s new hand – Credit: William Lailey/SWNS

Georgie went to university and got a degree in English, and loved dancing and swimming, but her epilepsy was so severe, she was unable to drive, work, or take public transport on her own.

When she passed away in 2025, an organ donation nurse came to speak with Jackie, who was surprised to hear that limbs were an option.

“Georgie had joined the register when she was 17, but I never realized families still had to sign on their behalf.

“You don’t get to know where the donations go due to patient confidentiality, but, I later received a letter from Kim, thanking me and asking to meet.

“My first thought was that I could meet her and hold Georgie’s hand.”

“I think Georgie would be over the moon if she knew what it had done for Kim.”

Kim lost all her limbs after contracting an infection and getting sepsis while on vacation in Spain eight years ago, but is now thrilled after receiving a new, working left hand last year—Georgie’s gift.

“The first time I picked up a glass of wine with no problem and then held an ice cream without dropping it, I was in disbelief at how far I’d already come.”

As the ambassador for Sepsis Research, Kim enjoyed her first Christmas with her new limb last year and said Georgie had given her a “wonderful gift”.

“It is extremely rare for a donor’s family and the recipient to meet.

“I wrote a letter of thanks six weeks after my surgery but a thank you never seems quite enough.

“In the letter, I had said I’d love to meet my donor’s family and in February, I received a reply from Jackie.

“We met for the first time at the end of March and it was very emotional. I didn’t think I was nervous until she walked through the door and I then was shaking like a leaf!”

Kim Smith meets Jackie Kirwan, the mother of her hand donor Georgie – Credit: William Lailey / SWNS

“But we chatted like we’d known each other for years. It was lovely.

“It’s so nice that we’re still in touch.”

‘GAME-CHANGER’: First Human Cornea Transplant Using 3D Printed, Lab-Grown Tissue Restores Sight in a ‘Game Changer’ for Millions Who are Blind

Plastic surgeon Simon Peter Jabir Kay who performed the intricate surgery said: “Hands are so much more than mechanical parts, they play an irreplaceable role in human communication and connection, and so it is always an honor to be able to carry out such a life-changing surgery.”

The pair are now eager to continue raising awareness of both sepsis and epilepsy—and because Georgie always said it was a person’s soul that was most important, they’ll be keeping her spirit alive.

SHARE THE JOY AND GRATITUDE–And Hail All Donors on Social Media…

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

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May 9, 2026

Our partner Rob Brezsny, whose latest book is 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 May 9, 2026
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
When lightning from a cloud hits sand or soil, the current travels down into the ground. It melts material along its path and forms tubular, branching glass structures that can penetrate deep below the surface. I believe that metaphorically similar phenomena will soon happen in your life, Taurus. Sudden insights or electrifying feelings will leave permanent traces in your psyche, creating new pathways for energy and information to flow. These disruptive inspirations and inspiring disruptions will rewire your internal circuitry, creating channels that will enhance your receptivity to future revelations. You’ll be able to absorb clues and hints from life that you weren’t tuned into before.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
I invite you to ruminate on death not as the conclusion of physical life, but as a metaphor for discarding what’s stale and outmoded. In that light, what would be the best deaths you could generate during the coming weeks? Use your imagination with verve and vigor as you dream up scenarios in which you purge parts of your life that are not serving your strongest, most vital yearnings. Visualize how much fresh potency that will liberate. (PS: To reiterate: You are NOT in physical danger.)

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
What part of you is too tame? Maybe your imagination is politely well-behaved, or maybe your voice edits itself before it dares to say what it really thinks. Can you inspire it to be wilder and freer? Not reckless or destructive, but more honest and experimental? Here’s a suggestion: Go on regular excursions with your wild side, maybe once every two weeks. Follow it as it chooses what to explore and create. This might ultimately teach your tamed self that it’s safe to let primal wisdom help steer you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
According to quantum physics, particles can become “entangled,” which means they share a single connected quantum state. Observing and measuring one particle reveals information about the other, even if they’re not in close proximity. Einstein called this “spooky action at a distance.” I predict that different parts of your life will also interweave in unlikely ways during the coming weeks, Leo. Moves you make in one area will seem to produce mysterious effects in other domains. For example, adjusting your morning routine may boost your creative output. Healing an old alliance could unlock a professional opportunity. Everything will be more intermingled than the visible evidence suggests.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Your key power word for now is stretch. Speak it aloud multiple times every day, and write it on a card that you put in a place where you will keep seeing it. Also, make a point of physically and spiritually living out these three senses of stretch: 1. to lengthen, widen, or expand without snapping or tearing; 2. to unfurl your body to its full reach, boosting circulation and warding off stiffness or cramps; 3. to take on challenging tasks that push you to amplify your abilities and move beyond what you previously believed you could do.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Four oracles for you, Libra: 1. You’re in possession of keys to doors that haven’t been built yet. Tuck those keys away somewhere safe. 2. You’re ready to dream up titles for stories your life hasn’t lived through yet. Write those titles down. 3. You are being granted sneak previews of your future, even though you can’t yet see the bridge that will carry you there. Imprint these glimpses on your memory. 4. You have everything required to grow a more muscular faith that’s grounded in real evidence, not in vague hopes and wishful thinking. Take advantage.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
At the ancient Library of Alexandria, editors did far more than copy manuscripts. They compared multiple versions of important works and produced editions that aimed at definitively reliable texts. Their efforts at preservation required active intervention rather than mere reproduction. In the coming weeks, Scorpio, I think it will be fun and transformative for you to make similar adjustments to your own life story. How might your memories of the past need to be corrected and refined? How could you make your personal mythology more accurate and liberating? I invite you to revise and revivify the tales you tell yourself about your magnificent journey from the moment you were born until now.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
The speed of light is how fast it travels through a vacuum. When moving through water and other media, though, light’s swiftness decreases. The fastest possible speed in the universe only applies in emptiness. If you put anything in light’s way, it slows down. Let’s use this as a metaphor for your life. I suspect you may be frustrated by how incrementally things are moving. But you’re not in a vacuum. Your bright intelligence is traveling through the complex situations that life has brought you. So of course you’re not zipping along with maximum haste. My advice: Be grateful for the slowdowns. Learn all you can about how they are educating and transforming your brilliance.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Cryptographer Claude Shannon (1916–2001) was the father of information theory. His achievements were comparable to those of Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin. Here’s one of his secrets: He kept his office filled with juggling equipment, unicycles, and mechanical toys, which inspired him to solve abstract problems. His playful tinkering helped inspire breakthroughs that ultimately created the digital age. For him, recreation and innovation happened at the same time. I invite you to try a similar approach in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Blend “serious work” with “just messing around.” Be alert for key insights that emerge from improvisation and experimentation. Your diversions won’t be distractions from your purpose but rather pathways toward it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Master calligrapher Yukimi Annand is an Aquarius. She teaches that beautiful letters emerge not just from the hand that holds the brush, but from the entire body and relaxed awareness. Breath, posture, centered weight, and quiet mind all flow through the arm to create each stroke. Trying to control the outcome with arduous effort produces rigid, lifeless art. This is an excellent teaching for you right now, Aquarius. Whatever you’re striving to accomplish, I beg you to refrain from forcing results through grueling, overly laborious exertion. Instead, align your whole being so that graceful outcomes flow naturally from your soulful coherence.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
The placebo effect is getting stronger over time. Placebos in drug trials are becoming increasingly effective, to the point where it’s sometimes becoming harder to prove that actual drugs work better than sugar pills. Are we getting better at healing ourselves through belief? That would be a problem for pharmaceutical companies but interesting for the rest of us. Dear Pisces, I believe your placebo response is exceptionally strong right now. In the coming weeks, use it deliberately. Be daring and exuberant in your efforts to heal yourself.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Astronomers depend on instruments to collect the observations that fuel their work, but they don’t spend every night glued to the stars. On overcast nights, they turn to what they have already gathered, digging into past measurements and reworking the data. You’re in a comparable phase, Aries. For now, looking farther out into the glittering world won’t give you anything essential. The guidance you need is folded into what you’ve previously seen, felt, and taken in. It’s waiting for you to sort through and understand it on a deeper level.

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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“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.” – Samuel Beckett

Quote of the Day

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May 9, 2026

runner starting line track-pubdomain Serghei Trofimov — Serghei Trofimov

Quote of the Day: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.” – Samuel Beckett

Photo by: Serghei Trofimov

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, May 9

This Day In History

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May 9, 2026

Happy 80th Birthday to actress Candice Bergen, perhaps best known as TV’s Murphy Brown, a comedic role for which she won five Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards over ten seasons. At 75, she continues to shine—in recent films with blockbuster women co-stars in Book Club (with Keaton and Fonda in 2018) and Let Them All Talk (with Streep in a fully-improvised 2020 Soderbergh com-drama shot in 10 days for HBO). READ more about the award winning actress… (1946)

Walking an Extra 1,000 Steps a Day After Surgery Helps Patients Recover Quicker

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May 8, 2026

- credit, Getty Images for Unplash + — - credit, Getty Images for Unsplash +

Walking an extra 1,000 steps a day after surgery helped patients recover quicker, according to a new study of almost 2,000 adults.

The study showed that every extra 1,000 steps made per day after an operation was linked to 18% lower chance of complications, 16% lower odds of re-admission, and 6% shorter hospital stays.

The association stayed true across different types of procedures and patient health levels, according to the findings published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS).

The researchers say step counts from a wearable device offer a practical tool to track recovery in real time, and so they analyzed data from 1,965 adult patients undergoing inpatient surgery.

They findings show that a patient’s step count following surgery is a “powerful” predictor of recovery, outperforming other metrics such as heart rate variability and self-reported wellness.

“We tell patients that they need to get up and walk after an operation, but we don’t have a good sense of how much they’re actually moving,” said study senior author Professor Timothy Pawlik. “Wearables give us an objective, continuous readout.”

“Instead of asking how you feel, we can see that you’re up and moving, which is a very actionable signal of how your recovery is progressing.”

Incremental increases in daily steps were also associated with lower odds of 30-day and 90-day hospital re-admissions, potentially indicating a dose-dependent response.

In contrast to the pedometry findings, post-operative changes in heart rate variability and self-reported “wellness” scores were not independently associated with length of stay, complications, or re-admissions.

Professor Pawlik, also the chair of the department of surgery at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, said the results demonstrate a scenario similar to that of the chicken and the egg.

“People who feel better are naturally more likely to be up and around,” he said. “However, the signal is so strong that it suggests step count is not just a marker of wellness, but a key component of it.”

“Seeing a patient’s step count drop can be an early indicator to intervene, perhaps by involving physical therapy or checking in more frequently.”

He says the findings align with a 2023 study which found that patients who took more than 7,500 steps per day before surgery had a 51% lower risk of post-op complications.

“If a patient’s goal is 8,000 steps before surgery and 6,000 on postoperative day three, they can see if they’re hitting those targets. It gives them a concrete goal and gives us objective data to help decide if they’re ready for discharge or if they need more support at home.”

Pawlik also said that all exercise plans should be discussed with a doctor and that the number of steps any individual takes each day should be considered in light of other health issues.

In general, after an injury, basic movement is incredibly important, but it wasn’t always the doctor’s orders.

In 1966, a seminal study on exercise cardiology was completed called the Dallas Bed Rest and Exercise study. It found that when young athletes were prescribed 3 weeks of bed rest, which was a typical recommendation for a patient of any age that had survived a heart attack, their heart muscled atrophied 27%.

Their hearts were as correspondingly fit as someone 30 years older than they were, a fact that was confirmed when the same participants returned and undertook the same battery of physical fitness tests in 1996, and again in 2006.

THE POWER OF WALKING: Walking Just 4,000 Steps 1-2 Days a Week May Help Older Women Live longer

In 1996, their cardiorespiratory fitness as measured by VO2 max had reduced by 12% compared to their 20-year-old baseline: in other words, at age 50, their VO2 max was 15% higher than their 20-year-old selves after 3 weeks of bed rest.

In 2026, it was still 10% higher than after the bedrest. This powerful study and its incredible follow-up results go a long way toward demonstrating why movement—even as little as 1,000 extra steps, is so key to maintaining health into the final quartile of life, and why it was so key for these surgery patients to recovering faster and returning to hospital less often.

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Successful Homeless Village in Scotland Offers Residents Independence but Asks Responsibility

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May 8, 2026

Josh Littlejohn inside of a Social Bite homeless nest unit - credit Frame PR — Josh Littlejohn inside of a Social Bite homeless nest unit - credit, Frame PR

A small village for homeless residents has opened in the west of Scotland with the aim of empowering tenants with responsibility and time to get their lives back on track.

The charity Social Bite has partnered with the Salvation Army for the management of the South Lanarkshire homeless village, called Harriet Gardens, which it spent some $3.5 million to build.

Consisting of 15 “nest” units with 1 bed and 1 bath, Harriet Gardens residents will share a gym, community space, and cooking facilities. Social Bite’s Josh Littlejohn believes it will be a big improvement over government sponsored homeless hostels, which generally create an environment of chaos.

“Maybe these places aren’t fit for purpose anymore, and they’re expensive—Glasgow and Edinburgh councils are spending millions and millions on accommodation,” Littlejohn said to BBC News Scotland.

“If you create an environment where people grow in confidence, build relationships and then leave homelessness behind, then that is the first step in tackling homelessness as a problem.”

In South Lanarkshire, some 1,500 residents are considered homeless, an increase over the last 6 years of 33%.

Jacqueline Fernie, a homelessness and housing manager for South Lanarkshire Council, visited Social Bite’s village location in Edinburgh and decided she wanted to see the same in her own jurisdiction.

Harriet Gardens homes – credit, Frame PR

Fernie views the independence and responsibility of renting a tiny home as being the right catalyst for someone being able to reverse course. The Salvation Army will be on site 24/7 to provide support of any kind for residents, including “practical help, emotional support and guidance with day‑to‑day challenges,” Social Bite writes on its website.

SIMILAR SOLUTIONS TO THIS:

Weekly activities organized by Salvation Army and local community partners, as Harriet Gardens was built on disused land that was formerly a saw mill but which is nevertheless set amid a residential area, are aimed at building skills, better health, and the calm reassurance of a routine to people all too used to unpredictability.

While Social Bite was met with some opposition from local residents who didn’t want a homeless encampment in the middle of their community, Littlejohn said their concerns were mostly just that—thinking that he was building an encampment.

On the other hand, some groups, such as a local gardening club Grow 73, were proactive in reaching out to offer support and a line of connectivity for residents of Harriet Gardens with the broader community.

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US Alcohol Consumption Falls to 85-Year Low –Driven by Desire for Better Health

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May 8, 2026

drinking alcohol abstain - credit, Fred Moon, Zeynep, via Unsplash — - credit, Fred Moon, Zeynep, via Unsplash

– credit, Fred Moon, Zeynep, via Unsplash

Gallop reported in August that since it began tracking the US drinking rate in 1939, it has never been lower than in 2025.

Last year, just 54% of Americans polled on average said they consumed alcohol. The question didn’t regard frequency, but basically asked: do you abstain from drinking entirely.

54% marks the third year of consecutive declines, something the Gallup survey had never seen before despite some years in which the drinking rate fell below 60%.

It follows updated recommendations that suggest any amount of alcohol may negatively affect health compared to previous decades where it was believed that small or even moderate amounts may be protective.

Leading the decline in the broader sense are women and youth. The drinking rate among women surveyed fell 11% since 2023 to just 51%, while the young adult drinking rate fell 9% over that time to 50% in 2025.

The largest percentage declines were seen in those making less than $40,000 per year, and registered Republicans, which Gallup recorded as falling 19% since 2023, or put in other words, 19% of the Republicans that were drinking in 2023 now abstain from alcohol.

For the first time in Gallup’s trend, a majority of Americans—53%—say drinking in moderation is bad for one’s health, reflecting an emerging scientific consensus driven by higher quality and more diverse datasets.

In 2018, that opinion was held by just 28% of surveyed Americans, but it’s grown substantially since then year-over-year. Among youth, 66% of respondents believe drinking is bad for your health, compared to 50% and 48% for the two higher age brackets.

Even among those who do drink, Gallup reports, alcohol consumption is falling. “40% say it has been more than a week since they last consumed alcohol, the highest percentage since 2000,” the polling agency wrote in a release on their data.

MORE POSITIVE AMERICAN TRENDS: Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities in the US Declined More Last Year Than in Any Since Data was Counted

“The average number of drinks consumed over the past seven days is 2.8, the lowest figure Gallup has recorded since 1996. This is down from 3.8 drinks a year ago and closer to 4.0 drinks over the seven years prior to that.”

A 2022 population-based study of US adults found that 32.9% of the adult population has two or more conditions out of 20 common, chronic, diseases that significantly affect health and disease treatment, such as obesity, diabetes, or gut dysbiosis.

LIFTING THE DISEASE BURDEN: Smoking Rates Fall to Lowest Ever, Led by Our Young People and a Changing Culture

Certain organizations like the Commonwealth Fund and the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker suggest that the US leads the world, or at least ranks among the worst-performing nations, for per-capita population with two or more chronic diseases.

Alcohol can aggravate existing chronic diseases through inflammation and gut microbiome disruptions. It may be that for the good of the nation, the nation as a whole could do with cutting back on the sauce for a few decades until we get our health house in order.

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Catch Stunning Views of Venus and Jupiter as They Align with the Crescent Moon in Mid-May

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May 8, 2026

Lunar-Occultation-of-Venus-bossco-via-Flickr-1 — Bossco CC license via Flick.

Jupiter and Venus will appear in a line with the waning crescent Moon in mid-May, providing a perfect opportunity for some quality stargazing.

Jupiter, which has been shining brightly for months, and has been visible with both binoculars and the naked eye, will sit in the highest position of this stellar skewer.

Between May 18th and 20th when it lines up with Venus and Mercury, one will find our solar system’s largest planet in the western sky near the twin stars of Pollux and Castor, also known as Gemini.

Roughly one-third the way up from the western horizon to the top of the sky, the weak moon will permit dazzling views of Jupiter with a telescope, in which the planet’s cloud pattern and satellites like Io and Ganymede will be visible.

Lower in the western sky will be Venus, shining some 700% brighter than far away Jupiter. On May 18th, it will be positioned slightly higher and to the left of a slender crescent Moon.

Space.com’s Joe Rao writes of Venus that even with the naked eye, reflections of light off the Earth—known as Earthshine, “will make the view seem almost three-dimensional.”

All of this will be best viewed between sunset and midnight, meaning that one doesn’t even have to ruin their sleep schedule to enjoy the celestial show.

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“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

Quote of the Day

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May 8, 2026

Quote of the Day: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

Photo by: Jackie Best (cropped/adjusted)

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, May 8

This Day In History

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May 8, 2026

Happy 100th Birthday to Sir David Attenborough, the legendary naturalist, broadcaster and producer who created and wrote the influential documentaries Life on Earth (in 13 parts) and The Life of Birds, among many others. After studying Natural Sciences at Cambridge University, he launched his famous Zoo Quest BBC series in 1954. Life on Earth in 1979 led to The Living Planet (1984), The Trials of Life (1990), a celebration of Antarctica called Life in the Freezer (1993), and 1995’s epic The Private Life of Plants (1995). His services to television were recognized in 1985, when he was knighted as Sir David Attenborough. He is set to narrate one last documentary, which he says will be the most important of his career. READ his recent quotes about his new documentary releasing today and WATCH a trailer… (1926)

‘Exciting’ Fossil Find Reveals That Platypuses Swam with Dolphins 25 Million Years Ago

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May 7, 2026

An artist's impression of the toothed platypus that swam with dolphins 25 million years ago - credit, Flinders University via SWNS — An artist's impression of the toothed platypus that swam with dolphins 25 million years ago - credit, Gen Conway, Flinders University via SWNS

An artist’s impression of the toothed platypus that swam with dolphins 25 million years ago – credit, Gen Conway, Flinders University via SWNS

Everyone knows that the platypus is the world’s strangest mammal, obeying conventions as well as Alice Cooper or Ozzy Osbourne ever did.

But an “exciting” new fossil is revealing more about this ancient lineage’s long history: namely some serious gnashers.

Paleontologists made the rare discovery east of the Flinders Ranges in the remote outback of South Australia.

“Platypuses are extremely rare in the fossil record and are often restricted to teeth, so it’s exciting to find new material and learn more about these unique mammals,” said Dr. Aaron Camens, of Flinders University, Adelaide.

The well-preserved fossils of the oldest known species, Obdurodon insignis, described in the journal Australian Zoologist, show that a toothed ancestor of the modern platypus lived during the late Oligocene period around 25 million years ago in the huge lakes, slow-flowing rivers, and forested lowlands of central Australia.

Dr. Camens said Obdurodon insignis mainly differs from modern platypuses by having well-formed teeth—molars and premolars—while the modern platypus loses vestigial teeth shortly after birth, and uses only a small horny pad to chew its food as adults.

Previously, the ancient platypus was known only by one-and-a-half molar teeth, a jaw fragment and a pelvis fragment.

“The new premolar for Obdurodon insignis shows this species also had large, pointed front teeth, which with its large robust molar teeth could easily have crushed animals with shells or robust exoskeletons like yabbies,” (a freshwater shrimp) said sudy co-author Professor Trevor Worthy, from the Paleontology Lab at Flinders University.

A scapula showed that the animal swam and moved much like the modern platypus, and differed mainly by being slightly larger and having teeth.

MORE FRESHWATER FOSSILS: Antarctica Yields Intact Skull — An Ancestor of Today’s Waterfowl That Survived Dinosaur Extinction

The Flinders University team has organized expeditions to an outback desert location east of the Flinders Ranges for over 20 years to study rocks containing fossils.

More than a thousand fossils of non-fish vertebrate animals have been collected, including just three fossils of the toothed platypus.

Professor Worthy says the forests then were home to diverse communities of arboreal of tree-dwelling mammals, such as koalas and many types of possums.

“In the trees, numerous birds including the giant eagle Archaehierax lived,” he said. “Below, on the ground, sheep-sized marsupials browsed.”

“The lakes supported many kinds of lungfish and other smaller fish. Little known, is that a small dolphin also lived in these freshwater ecosystems. Its teeth and bones have been found at several places where the rocks expose this ancient community.”

“But as the new fossils show, another mammal swam with the dolphins: an ancient, toothed platypus.”

He says the rainforests and lakes have long gone, but platypuses have been swimming in Australian waterways ever since.

“I have studied this lost ecosystem for many years now,” said Worthy, “and it is for exquisite fossils like these that I return again and again to the desert; one never knows what erosion or one’s efforts will reveal next.”

SHARE This Interesting Biological History Of The Strangest Mammal…

Canadian Woman Gives Free Bikes and Trikes to Thousands of Kids in the Past 14 Years

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May 7, 2026

Krista Richard with Younis and Aws, two children who received one of her free bikes - credit, supplied by Richard to GNN

For 14 years, a generous soul in Moncton has been collecting donated bicycles and children’s tricycles and holding regular giveaways for families who can’t afford to buy one.

“The reward of seeing kids smile and ride off on their bikes is priceless,” said Krista Richard, organizer of the Bikes and Trikes for Everyone program.

Richard collects the bikes all year round and fixes them, while holding the giveaways between April and October. Last year, some 400 children were on her waiting list—like Younis and Aws, who put on their best Friday clothes and got their hair done for the big day when they’d ride off with their first real bikes.

Richard told CBC News that she’s given away thousands of bikes and trikes over the years, and says the fresh air and time spent outdoors has more benefits than just the health of the child.

“With all these video games, there’s no social contact and people don’t know who their neighbors are anymore,” Richard said.

“But if you get a bunch of kids on their bike, then they get to know each other and then the families get to know each other, and I think the more time you spend outside the better.”

FIXING BIKES, FIXING COMMUNITIES: Wheels for Winners Gives Hundreds of Free Bikes to Wisconsin Youth in Exchange for Community Service

Giveaways always take place on Sunday, and there’s a small team of volunteers who mostly go to collect the donated bikes, but Krista does much of the rest herself. She even started keeping adult bikes as well, in case parents want to go riding with their kids.

It’s reminiscent of a story GNN wrote last year. Working Bikes estimates it’s taken in, fixed up, and given away some 150,000 bicycles that would have been destined for landfills. Many are given away in Chicago, more still the US, but Working Bikes has collaborators in Mexico, Venezuela, Albania, Uganda, Angola, Egypt, Cuba, and many, many more countries besides where their bikes are shipped.

PEDAL This Story Over To Your Friends’ Social Media Pages…

85 Million Acres of Private Land Are Being Protected for Conservation in the US and Australia

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May 7, 2026

Gidgee trees on Pilungah Reserve, Wangkamahdla Country, QLD. Photo Bee Stephens. — Gidgee trees on Pilungah Reserve - credit, Bee Stephens.

Gidgee trees on Pilungah Reserve – credit, Bee Stephens.

Australia now boasts one of the world’s largest acreage of private land set aside for conservation, and the Guardian recently reported that generous and wealthy citizens are to thank for it.

Leaving land to conservation purposes in wills, and making bequests of estates has made a big part in amassing 24 million acres of privately-conserved land.

Bush Heritage Australia manages some 3 million acres of these, and its CEO Rachel Lowry told the Guardian that these kinds of contributions play an outsized role in their work.

Last year, for example, the organization reported a total of 4,600 bequests of this kind, almost double from 2022. They believe it stems from people truly attempting to, as we’re often taught, leave the world in a better place than when they found in.

“Some of Australia’s most threatened and fragile ecosystems and wildlife sit outside of the national reserve system,” said Lowry “They’re found on private land or pastoral country, and they may have deep cultural and ecological values, but they’re not protected from threats such as land clearing, mining or invasive species.”

Several organizations in the country, such as the North East Tasmania Land Trust, are carrying out similar work, and the governments of the Australian states are taking notice. One of Bush Heritage’s protected areas, the Pilungah Reserve, was granted protections under Queensland state law equivalent to a federal National Park, demonstrating how valuable the work is seen by the public sector.

In the United States, one of the largest protected areas in the country is actually a private-public partnership called American Prairie.

American Prairie has spent over 2 decades buying and leasing land between the Charles M. Russel Nat. Wildlife Refuge and Upper Missouri Breaks Nat. Monument in Montana to create America’s largest assemblage of wild prairie for the purposes of conservation and recreation. It’s also received donations of land on the way to reaching its current size.

GNN has reported on several major milestones of this massive and constantly growing mosaic of grasslands, hills, woods, and wetlands, including a substantial 22,000 acre land purchase that had blocked public access to Missouri Breaks, and the clearance of over 100 miles of derelict fencing across their land.

The organization has accumulated 603,657 acres, which comprises 167,070 deeded acres and 436,587 leased public acres. Their goal is ultimately to protect and some cases rewild 2.3 million acres.

In 2024, American Prairie set a new visitation record for the seventh year in a row with more than 6,600 overnight visitors to its huts and campgrounds, and over 5,000 visitors at its National Discovery Center in Lewistown, Montana.

An American organization that helps connect and advocate for private conservation land in the US reports that 61 million acres—more than all the US national parks—are privately held for the purpose of conservation. This amounts to about 3% of the 60% of American lands that are privately owned.

Called the Land Trust Alliance, it aims to double this number by the end of the decade.

“Dig deep in our own history and our doctrine and remember that we are not descended from fearful men.” – Edward R. Murrow

Quote of the Day

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May 7, 2026

Quote of the Day: “Dig deep in our own history and our doctrine and remember that we are not descended from fearful men.” – Edward R. Murrow (pioneering broadcast journalist)

Photo by: J Amill Santiago

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, May 7

This Day In History

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May 7, 2026

80 years ago today, the innovative electronics company, Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering, co-founded by Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka, first began operations. With 20 employees, and later taking the name Sony, they built Japan’s first tape recorder. In 1955, Sony’s transistor radio cracked open the US market, launching the new industry of consumer microelectronics–with teens being the biggest users. READ more about this remarkable company’s journey… (1946)