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Single-Dose of Gene Therapy Hailed as ‘Magic Wand’ for Patients with Deadly Condition, Transforming Lives

By
Andy Corbley
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A CT scan of the human abdomen during swelling from hereditary angioedema - Case courtesy of Frank Gaillard, Radiopaedia.org, rID 16239
A CT scan of the human abdomen during HAE swelling – Case courtesy of Frank Gaillard, Radiopaedia.org, rID 16239

CRISPR is at it again: this time providing a single-dose option to cure a debilitating genetic disorder called hereditary angioedema.

Patients who took part in the first human trial have reported dramatic improvements in their health and quality of life, easing or completely removing the painful and potentially fatal swelling that arises from the condition.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder that affects about 1 in 50,000 people, and causes bouts of painful swelling arising from leaky blood vessels. The swelling can occur at any time, as often as twice a week, and can last for hours or even days.

In some cases the swelling will occur in the throat, and hospitalization is required.

HAE is caused by a mutation in the C1 inhibitor gene, which codes for the regulation of the protein kallikrein, which itself helps regulate another protein called bradykinin. The dysfunction of this three-part interaction leads to the leaky blood vessels inherent in the disease.

MORE GREAT MEDICAL NEWS: New Enzyme Allows CRISPR Technology to Accurately Target Almost Any Human Gene

The phase-one human trial was conducted in the UK, Netherlands, and New Zealand, and saw 10 patients receive a dose of nanolipids delivered via the Nobel Prize-winning CRISPR gene-editing technology that corrects the C1 kallikrein gene.

“I’ve had a radical improvement in my physical and mental wellbeing,” said 54-year-old Cleveland, from Suffolk, UK. “The randomness, unpredictability, and potential severity of the attacks have made trying to live my life almost impossible. I spent my life constantly wondering if my next attack would be severe.”

Another patient described it acting as sure and thorough as a “medical magic wand,” and described herself as having a “whole new life.”

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: CRISPR Gene Editing Reverses ‘Permanent’ Vision Loss in Mice–Offering Hope for Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients

A phase-two trial has already been completed, and the authors hope to have the information to publish a paper on it next year.

The news comes a few months after the FDA approved the treatment of sickle-cell disease with a CRISPR-derived method, after several trials found it safe and effective.

These single-dose gene therapies are eye-wateringly expensive, however, with this treatment bearing a tag comparable to a higher-end Lamborghini.

However, since HAE will require years of constant medical attention, some insurance companies may pay at least a part.

SHARE Another Triumph Of This Revolutionary Medical Technology… 

Whimsical Street Art Catches Everyone Off Guard and Delights Downtown Boston at 16 Locations–LOOK

By
Andy Corbley
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In celebration of winter, a group of Canadian artists have come to Boston and put together all kinds of art installations as part of a walking exhibit called Winteractive.

Presented by the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District, Winteractive contains 16 works with interactive elements meant to delight, confuse, or inspire.

These two clown heads located on Washington St., for example, turn heritage building facades and a small space between them into a ludicrous scene from a Samuel Beckett play.

Endgame tells the story of Nagg and Nell who live out their days in a dumpster after losing their legs, and the sculpture takes the name and the spirit of this story.

WINTERACTIVE Photos by Annielly Camargo / Downtown Boston Business Improvement District
WINTERACTIVE Photos by Annielly Camargo / Downtown Boston Business Improvement District

This installation is an interactive, musical, visual, and luminous experience—an urban bonfire comprising 220 light bulbs that flicker in response to spectators’ movements.

Whether they sway or dance, festivalgoers stir the virtual embers and trigger flames that dance, spark, and swirl, creating warmth, light, and music. A shared experience conceived as a tribute to Montreal’s inclusive festive tradition.

Unicorn sculpture in WINTERACTIVE – Photos by Annielly Camargo – Downtown Boston Business Improvement District

Here, at the corner of Court and Washington, a frosted glass box hints at a legendary beast.

Both on display and yet also concealed, it does well to represent our fascination with mythical creatures such as dragons and unicorns. Lit up at night, it’s sure to leave you dazzled.

Upside down man in Boston WINTERACTIVE public art exhibit – Photos by Annielly Camargo: Downtown Boston Business Improvement District

Entitled ‘Untitled’, a smattering of figures engage with the urban landscapes in different ways, that are whimsical, shocking, and socially unacceptable.

These plain clothes “trompe-l’oeil sculptures” have had people passing through the Business Improve District doing second takes to make sure they aren’t real.

Boston public art is WINTERACTIVE – Photos by Annielly Camargo / Downtown Boston Business Improvement District
Guitar playset in Downtown Boston – WINTERACTIVE Photos by Annielly Camargo / Downtown Boston Business Improvement District

Winteractive is open 24-7 until April 14th.

For anyone looking to plan a visit to Winteractive, it’s about a 20-minute circuit to see all of the installations. Located east of Boston Common, both the subway stops ‘State’ and ‘Chinatown’ are good places to start. North to South, most of the installations can be seen along Washington St. and the adjoining streets in between those two stops.

For the rest, it’s a matter of following Summer St. southeast until High St., and following it northeast.

SHARE THE FUN With All The Boston-Loving Folks on Social Media…

Social Media Goes Crazy for Customer Who Went Above and Beyond to Mail $20 Tip

By
Andy Corbley
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credit - Side Street Pour House and Grill
credit – Side Street Pour House and Grill

Side Street Pour House and Grill in North Carolina went viral on social media with the story of a customer who went above and beyond to ensure his server, Hope, received the tip he intended.

The letter, written by Ted, details that he had come in the final days of 2023 to dine at the restaurant with his wife, and that days later he realized an error had been made.

When he was taking a look at his bank statement, he noticed the total charged to his Visa card from Side Street was lower than it should have been. Going through his receipts, he found that instead of the customer copy, he had taken the signed merchant’s copy.

A merchant copy is a copy of the receipt that includes an area to write down a tip amount and sign off on it. Without it, the restaurant had no way of knowing whether Ted intended to leave a tip to Hope or not.

“We are loving this letter so much — it’s a beautiful example of how to do the right thing!!” the restaurant wrote on Facebook after Ted mailed a crisp $20 bill to ensure his reputation and Hope’s earnings sheet were corrected.

ANOTHER STORY YOU’RE SURE TO LIKE: Juice Bar Workers Were Shocked By a New Year’s-Themed Tip of $2021 – And Assumed it Was a Mistake

“That was no way for either of us to end 2023. Here’s to a fresh start,” Ted wrote in his letter.

“Perfect example of an absolute class act,” one commenter wrote on Facebook, where the post was shared 6,000 times amid 140,000 interactions. “I wish the world was full of this. We’d all be so much better off. 💝 Thank you, Ted.”

KEEP The Viral Train Rolling By Sharing This Story With Your Friends…

Child Naturalist Discovers a Giant New Stick Insect Then Co-Authors the Paper and Names the Bug

By
Andy Corbley
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Courtesy of Davis Martin Damaledo
Courtesy of Davis Martin Damaledo

By Ebed de Rosary

In March 2021, Davis Marthin Damaledo set out on foot accompanied by his father, Dantje, to pursue his childhood fascination with the natural world around his home in eastern Indonesia. As the father and son made progress through the countryside near Oemasi village, in the west of Timor Island, 14-year-old Davis was grateful to have a companion.

“The location was quite far away,” Davis, now aged 17, told Mongabay Indonesia. “If I was by myself, I’d have just searched near home.”

As the pair walked further into the interior, Davis came across a creature that looked unusual to him.

Davis decided to gently collect the unknown insect to make further inquiries. On returning home, he contacted Garda Bagus Damastra, founder of the Indonesian Mantis and Phasmid Forum (IMPF), a science collective with around 3,600 members.

Garda’s own story mirrors that of Davis: In 2016, he found a leaf insect that looked similar to another known species, except for unusual patches of purple. A 2020 paper would go on to describe the leaf insect as a species new-to-science, and named it in honor of its discoverer: Phyllium gardabagusi.

Now with Davis reaching out to him, armed with live insect specimens as well as eggs, Garda tapped his research and entomology contacts abroad: Hennemann, Royce T. Cumming, and Stéphane Le Tirant.

The group then went to work, waiting for the eggs to hatch and observing over time the development of the insects until maturity.

The new stick insect Nesiophasma sobesonbaii. Image by Davis Martin Damaledo.

Stick to the plan

“Every phase of the growth was monitored by Davis,” Garda told Mongabay Indonesia in January.

In March last year, Frank H. Hennemann, an associate researcher at Canada’s Montréal Insectarium, together with colleagues from the American Museum of Natural History and City University of New York, published the findings of Davis’s exploration from that day in the journal Faunitaxys.

OTHER CHILD NATURALISTS: 10-year-old’s Backyard Discovery Reveals ‘Mind-blowing’ Interaction Between Plants and Insects

“The new stick insect Nesiophasma sobesonbaii n. sp. from the island of Timor is described and illustrated from both sexes and eggs,” the authors noted. “It is the first species of the genus Nesiophasma Günther, 1934 to be recorded from Timor and the second species of Phasmatodea known from the island.”

The female’s body size reaches around 20-35 centimeters (8-14 inches).

Davis said he and the foreign scientists chose the name Nesiophasma sobesonbaii in honor of Sobe Sonbaii III, the last ruler of the Sonbai Besar kingdom, which fought the Dutch colonial forces in Timor for much of the 19th century.

Davis’s novel discovery is expected to live across the entire island of Timor, which is politically divided between Indonesia in the west and the independent nation of Timor-Leste in the east.

MORE MIND-BLOWING INSECTS: Smithsonian Says These Moths Are So Gorgeous, They Put Butterflies to Shame: It’s National Moth Week

“Other species are likely to occur throughout Timor and certainly await discovery once more detailed investigations of the Island’s vegetation and different ecozones have been conducted,” the researchers concluded.

Davis with the newly described species. Image courtesy of Davis Marthin Damaledo

Sticks and stones

Davis said that as a child some of his schoolmates found his fascination with insects to border on the strange.

For the IMPF’s Garda, who is also credited in the March 2023 Faunitaxys publication, Davis’s achievement at just 14 years old is crucial for better understanding our world.

“Public awareness of biological riches must be increased. Furthermore, there are unique flora and fauna that exist only in NTT,” Garda said, referring to East Nusa Tenggara province, which includes Indonesian Timor.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Look How Gently this Marmoset Handles a Giant Katydid in Incredible Video

About 1.6 million distinct species of animals and plants have been identified and cataloged to date. Approximately 18,000 previously unidentified species are described every year, according to the UK’s Royal Society, the world’s oldest academy of sciences. Unidentified species are estimated to account for around 80% of all species on Earth.

“I am proud that my hobby is useful for science,” Davis said. “Insects are often underestimated.”

Originally published by Mongabay (CC BY-ND 4.0 license)

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“The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” – Eden Phillpotts

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” – Eden Phillpotts

Photo by: Aziz Acharki

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

Dying Aviator Gets Final Tribute With Smiley Face Drawn in Sky Over Hospice

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Good News Network
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Ray Stanton with family at St Richard's Hospice in Worcester, England – SWNS
Ray Stanton with family at St Richard’s Hospice in Worcester, England – SWNS

A heartwarming moment was captured outside a hospice room when family members said farewell to an aviation super-fan diagnosed with a terminal cancer.

The 66-year-old was stunned when he was invited outside by hospice staff and told to look up.

His family had arranged for a pilot to draw a smiley face in the sky over Worcester, southwest of Birmingham, England.

Aerobatic pilot Rich Goodwin skillfully sketched a huge smiling face above Ray Stanton, a former transportation engineer.

Ray, who had a lifelong passion for aircraft, enjoyed the show with his wife, Angela, and his son and daughter.

Angela said his children fondly remember going to air shows and museums with their dad, who would share his extensive knowledge with them.

The surprise was organized with help from the staff at St Richard’s Hospice—where Chief Executive Mike Wilkerson witnessed the precious moments being made for Ray and his family.

“This was such a special moment for everyone watching. We feel privileged to have helped make it happen.”

LOOK: Cemetery Posts Personal Ad for Lonely Goose Whose Mate Died–and they Find a Match

Angela was grateful for the compassion shown on the ground—and the kindness that showed up overhead.

“To see the smile in the sky and then look at Ray’s smile was just fantastic.

“I haven’t seen him smile for a while. The care here is above and beyond anything.”

ANIMAL GOODBYE: Watch a Moving Moment As Horse Says Goodbye to His Human for Last Time

SHARE THE IDEA With Folks on Social Media…

353,000 U.S. Jobs Added in January; Monthly Report Smashes Expectations

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Good News Network
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File photo by Daria Pimkina
File photo by Daria Pimkina

The jobs report released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed much stronger growth than expected to start the 2024 new year.

353,000 non-farm jobs were added in January, while average hourly wages continued to grow and the unemployment remained at the historically low level of 3.7 percent for the third month in a row.

The January total was similar to the gain in December of 333,000 jobs. The new hirings occurred in professional and business services, health care, retail trade, and social assistance.

The average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 19 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $34.55.

Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 4.5 percent. Wage growth was also strong last month, at 0.6 percent for the month. While we don’t have CPI inflation yet for January, in December, it was 3.4 percent, year-over-year. The inflation number being well below December’s 4.3 percent wage gain (year-over-year), which is good for workers.

Employment showed little change in January for other major industries, including construction, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, leisure and hospitality, and other services.

Revisions make things look even brighter

The change in nonfarm payroll employment for November was revised up by 9,000 (from +173,000 to +182,000) and the total for December was revised up by 117,000 jobs (from +216,000 to +333,000).

With these revisions, employment in November and December combined is 126,000 higher than previously reported.

The U.S. economy has defied expectations for a while now

The January jobs number is consistent with other recent economic outcomes, including the third quarter GDP growth ending in September 2023—which rose a whopping 4.9%—and the record Stock Market heights that continued to build in 2024.

The unemployment rate has been below 4 percent for 2 years running, the best such record since the 1960s. Real GDP also surprised to the upside last quarter and over the full year. The real GDP at the end of 2023 was just under $1 trillion higher than expected, according to the Blue Chip forecast at the end of 2022.

“The combination of strong job growth, rising nominal wages, and slower inflation has led to solid gains on aggregate compensation,” said the Council of Economic Advisors in a statement February 2.

You can do a deep-dive into the employment details at the Bureau’s report.

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82% of U.S. Adults Are Hopeful About Their Own Future and Their Community’s Future

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Good News Network
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By Jon Tyson
By Jon Tyson

The United States has a reputation for being a hopeful nation, and a new survey indicates this optimistic outlook is still as American as apple pie.

The results revealed a whopping 82% of Americans are currently hopeful about their own futures. An even larger portion, 85 percent, are hopeful about the future of their family.

Three in four respondents also felt hopeful about the future of their local community, according the Human Flourishing Lab, a program from the Archbridge Institute.

The Lab says their 2024 report, “Hope in America: Visions of the Future,” is based interviews with a nationally-representative sample of more than 2,000 U.S. adults.

One of the takeaways: Hopefulness is felt across all demographic groups, with three-quarters (or more) of Americans in every gender, age, household income, and racial or ethnic group expressing hope for their own future and the future of their family.

Nearly 70 percent (or more) of each group surveyed were hopeful about the future of their local communities, with the only exception being Black Americans, 65 percent of whom reporting being hopeful about their community.

Director of the Human Flourishing Lab, Clay Routledge, who co-authored the report, is convinced that hope is “a critical component of individual and societal flourishing.”

TURNING IT AROUND: Improving Her Depression, Woman Tries Something New Every Day for a Year–And Vows to Keep it Up

One main indicator of hopefulness is the respondent’s mental health: those who perceive their mental health as good expressed more hope, while those who perceive their mental health as poor expressed less hope—likely because hope is a positive mental state.

82 percent in this study considered their mental health to be good.

“Despite our many debates, disagreements, and divides in an election year, hope is still alive and well in America,” said Routledge.

The survey of 2,049 respondents was conducted last year between October 5-9 (the weekend of the deadly attack on Israel).

Despite the news headlines, 56 percent of the Americans polled reported being hopeful for the future of their country as a whole.

HOPE DELIVERED: U.S. Stock Market Hits Record High as Dow Jones Closes Over 37,000 for the First Time

Routledge is urging people to monitor mental health while nurturing hope. “Hope is a necessary ingredient for making the world a better place.”

“The benefits of a hopeful mindset extend beyond personal achievement. Hopeful people can inspire others to adopt a hopeful way of thinking about and approaching their lives,” says the report, which can be downloaded here.

“For example, hope increases community engagement and the motivation to help address large societal and global challenges. Thus, hope has the potential to play an important role in advancing societal flourishing and human progress.”

ONE SOLUTION: Striking a Power Pose Can Give a Person More Self-Confidence

POLL YOUR FRIENDS to Gauge Mental Hopefulness by Sharing This on Social Media…

Traditional Chinese Herb Delivered by IV Improves Stroke Victims’ Recovery, Shows Large Scientific Study

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Good News Network
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Leaves and seeds of Ginkgo biloba by Olga Drach
Leaves and seeds of Ginkgo biloba by Olga Drach

A traditional Chinese herbal remedy made from one of the oldest living tree species was shown to aid in the recovery of stroke victims, according to a new study.

The large randomized controlled study found that active components in ginkgo biloba could improve early recovery of thinking skills after a stroke caused by a blood clot.

The herb, extracted from the dried leaves and seeds of the ginkgo tree which is native to East Asia, is already the basis for treatments widely used in China for these ischaemic strokes because of its antioxidant properties that may protect nerve cells from damage.

Ginkgo biloba, though it is sold as a nutrition supplement, is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for any medicinal use whatsoever, due to “lack of evidence,” but maybe studies like this will lead to a reevaluation.

Early last year, the researchers analyzed the overall recovery of 3,163 stroke survivors with an average age of 63, treated for mild to moderate ischemic stroke at 100 centers in China.

The patients were treated for 14 days with intravenous injections of ginkgo diterpene lactone meglumine (GDLM)—a combination of biologically active components of ginkgo biloba, and then again at 90 days.

Not only did they show improved recovery from overall stroke symptoms in the randomized controlled study, but further analysis showed better cognitive recovery for participants treated with the herbal concoction.

MORE SUCCESS: Herbal Extract May Improve Mild Dementia Using Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, and Crocus Sativus – Study

“I did not find the results of the study surprising at all,” Dr. Sheryl L. Chow, a professor at Western University of Health Sciences and University of California, Irvine told the American Heart Association. “There have been studies looking at patients with dementia that seem to show some very modest benefits, but pertaining to acute ischemic stroke, there have also been other studies in these types of patients that have actually shown improvement in outcomes.”

Ginkgo tree by Jerry Wang

Starting within 48 hours of the stroke, about half of the stroke survivors were randomly selected to receive daily, intravenous injections of 25 mg of GDLM for 14 days, while the other half received daily, intravenous placebo injections.

Cognitive performance was assessed before treatment, at 14 days and at 90 days.

After 14 days, compared to their initial cognitive screening results, the stroke survivors who received the ginkgo biloba compound boosters had improved cognitive scores in comparison to those who received the placebo. And by Day 90, those who received the ginkgo biloba compound injections had even more improved cognitive scores compared to those who received the placebo.

“The proportion of patients who reached a clinically significant level of improvement was 20 percent higher in the GDLM group,” reported Associate Professor Anxin Wang, a clinical epidemiologist at the Capital Medical University in Beijing, who conducted the study.

HUNGOVER? CHECK OUT THIS NEWS: Drink Made From Fruit and Plant Extracts May Be the Scientifically-Backed Hangover Cure We’ve Been Waiting For

In the future he would like to test beyond 90 days, to gauge the longer-term effect of GDLM injections.

“GDLM has shown a neuro-protective effect through multiple mechanisms, such as expanding brain blood vessels and improving brain cells tolerance to hypoxia—inadequate oxygen—and increasing cerebral blood flow.

“GDLM also has neuroprotective antioxidation, anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis (cell death) properties.

“Additionally, laboratory studies have previously indicated that GDLM may promote secretion of chemicals associated with avoiding neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.”

The findings of the preliminary study are due to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, February 7-9.

MEMORY LINKED TO SCENTS: Rosemary Scent Boosts Memory by 15% –Peppermint Also Works

Dr. Chow, who was not involved in this study, said the anti-platelet effects of the ginkgo were notable and “very relevant”.

“Ginkgo is believed to be a platelet activity factor receptor antagonist, meaning that it prevents the platelets from binding or sticking to each other essentially. So it does have some mechanisms that seem to promote benefits in this particular population.”

“If our positive results are confirmed in other trials, GDLM injections may someday be used to improve cognitive function for patients after ischemic stroke,” concluded Professor Wang.

SHARE The Results With Alternative Medicine Fans on Social Media…

“When you’re through changing…you’re through.” – Martha Stewart

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Good News Network
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By Tim Kilby

Quote of the Day: “When you’re through changing…you’re through.” – Martha Stewart

Photo by: Tim Kilby

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

Most Americans Say the BEST Part of the Super Bowl is Not the Actual Game

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Good News Network
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Photo by djanimal
Photo by djanimal

According to an American survey of 2,000 Super Bowl watchers, 40% look forward to attending or hosting a party for the big game, rather than simply watching at home.

But they often spend little time in front of the TV.

The overall average viewing time watching the actual athletes was just 29 minutes out of the 3-hour official broadcast.

That number was dragged down by nearly one-third of respondents (29%) who spent more time in front of the snacks and food table, than anywhere else.

9% admit they are unlikely to know which teams are playing in the February 11th game. But, when asked who won last year’s Super Bowl, one-third were able to correctly identify the Kansas City Chief as the reigning champions.

Besides the athletic play, the survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Charbroil, revealed three items more important

55% say they look forward to the half-time show, 45% are eager to see the commercials, and 40% like the drinks—while 38% say they want to see the competition on the field.

Pro-Tip if you are attending a party: more than three-quarters (77%) agree that it’s rude to stand and talk in the same room that people are watching the game. Move to the kitchen!

KANSAS CITY KINDNESS: Chiefs Player Celebrates Super Bowl By Covering the Adoption Fees for 109 Shelter Animals

By Hybrid Storytellers

Americans take their Super Bowl parties seriously. When hosting a viewing party, respondents typically spend about eight DAYS planning the menu, inviting guests, and preparing.

31% are likely to spend more time planning for the Super Bowl party than for a holiday celebration (24%) or a graduation party (8%).

NFLcommunications.com – Fair Use / Wikimedia

Fully 77% believe that the food and snacks are imperative to the Super Bowl experience. The best game-time party foods are reportedly chips (55%), dips (50%), hot dogs (42%), pizza (39%), and hamburgers (37%).

And for all that goes into this feast, the average respondent will start cooking five hours before game time and ideally need three people helping them out.

What elements specifically make up the perfect Super Bowl snack? 64% said that means something relevant to the game—such as Philly cheesesteaks for the Eagles who played last year, barbecue in support of Kansas City this year, or sourdough bread for San Francisco, their opponents.

ROLE MODELS: 30,000 Pounds of Leftover Super Bowl Food Saved From Landfill and Donated to Charity

“Super Bowl snacking is all about that unique twist, and 43% of fans are craving something out of the ordinary this year,” said Penner. “From classics like wings, to on-trend smash burgers, we invite everyone to make this Super Bowl spread one to remember.”

“Super Bowl gatherings are about celebrating the highs and lows of the big game with good friends and great food,” said Tom Penner, CEO, Char-Broil.

SHARE With Super Bowl Friends and Organize a Party on Social Media…

Sea Otters Returned to a Degraded Coastline Ate Enough Crabs to Restore Balance and Cut Erosion by 90%

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Good News Network
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Released by Sonoma State University / Photography by Jessica Saavedra
Released by Sonoma State University / Photography by Jessica Saavedra

Against all odds, a distressed California coastal ecosystem is on the mend, in large part, thanks to the insatiable appetite sea otters have for crabs.

In a groundbreaking study published this week in Nature, scientists revealed that the return of sea otters to their former habitat in a Central California estuary has slowed erosion of the area’s marsh banks by up to 90%.

The resurgence of these charismatic marine mammals to the salt marshes of Elkhorn Slough in Monterey County sparks hope for improving coastal ecosystems and marks a significant ecological success story.

“Restoring the otter population was achievable without significant effort, and as a result, we are now unlocking several decades of benefits from that one act of conservation,” said Christine Angelini, Ph.D., one of the study’s authors and director of the Center for Coastal Solutions at the University of Florida.

At a time when rising sea levels, elevated fertilizer run-off, and stronger tidal currents should be causing the opposite effect, findings show that erosion has been slashed after reintroducing a top predator—the sea otter—whose insatiable appetite for plant-eating marsh crabs is making the difference.

“It would cost tens of millions of dollars for humans to rebuild these creek banks and restore these marshes. The sea otters are stabilizing them for free, in exchange for an all-you-can-eat crab feast,” said senior author and marine conservation biology professor Brian Silliman, Ph.D. at Duke University.

By documenting for the first time that reintroducing top predators to their former habitat can bring stability to a collapsing ecosystem, researchers wondered if similar results could be achieved in ecosystems worldwide.

IN OTT’ER NEWS: Otter Spotted in Detroit River May be First Sighting in 100 Years

A sea otter in the estuary of Elkhorn Slough in Monterey Bay, California – by Emma Levy Eurekalert / SWNS

Reintroducing sea otters allowed these ecosystems to restabilize, despite all the other pressures they are subject to, said the study’s lead author Brent Hughes, Ph.D., associate professor of biology at Sonoma State University. “That suggests this could be a very effective and affordable new tool for our conservation toolkit.”

Like many California estuaries, Elkhorn once was a foraging habitat for sea otters, which need to eat the equivalent of about 25% of their body weight every day—around 20 to 25 pounds of food, with crabs being one of their favorite meals.

But after fur traders hunted the local otter population nearly to extinction, the number of crabs exploded over the next century. Crabs eat salt marsh roots, dig into salt marsh soil, and over time can cause a salt marsh to erode and collapse.

Today, years after the otters were recolonized, aerial photography confirmed marshes and creek banks became more stable (despite rising sea levels, increased water flow from inland sources, and greater pollution). Some marshes were even expanding.

ADORABLE OTTERS: Woman and Her Pet Otters Have Spent the Last 40 Years Protecting the Species From Extinction in England

Angelini said that tool is an encouraging sign for her and colleagues as they confront similar threats to Florida’s coastlines from sea level rise, intense storms, and excess nutrients spilling into coastal waters.

“All these challenges can feel unsurmountable,” Angelini said. “This study indicates to us that, if we truly understand the ecosystem and know what levers to pull, we can see significant benefits to the health and stability of these systems.”

WATCH: Amazing Video Shows How Mama Otter Teaches Her Pup to Swim in Dramatic Fashion

The research team conducted large-scale surveys across 13 tidal creeks, as well as small-scale field experiments at five locations around the estuary over a six-year period. Otters were excluded from some test sites but allowed to recolonize others, using a caging system designed by Angelini.

“As a graduate student in biology at UF, I had been setting up these types of cages and manipulating access to predators and their prey in salt marshes all over the Southeastern U.S.,” Angelini explained. “I’ll never forget building all the cages in the parking lot of the estuary out in California. And all these years later, we now see these amazing results.

“It’s an uplifting story about the benefits of conservation and persistent, long-term research.”

Watch an animation of the otters’ effortless work…

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Solid State EV Batteries Overcome Safety, Climate Concerns of Lithium-ion While Charging Faster and Lasting Longer

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Good News Network
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Volkswagen EV car – Bill Abbott (CC license)
Volkswagen EV car – Bill Abbott (CC license)

Solid-state batteries have emerged as a promising advancement that could potentially revolutionize the electric vehicle industry, making EVs even cleaner and more sustainable than they are today.

What is pushing this innovation are the many drawbacks to lithium-ion batteries in EVs today: limited energy storage, fire safety concerns, short lifespans, and a challenging carbon footprint due to the mining of lithium and other heavy metals all have prompted researchers to explore alternatives.

Solid-state batteries address many of these issues by replacing the liquid electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries with a solid electrolyte. This cuts the risk of fires, and allows for more storage.

Solid-state batteries have a lower carbon footprint while providing longer lifespans, so they’re a more durable and sustainable EV option. Emagazine.com reported that solid-state batteries use fewer materials, and could reduce climate impacts by 39% compared to lithium-ion batteries, according to Scott Gorman at the Centre for Process Innovation.

Our climate would significantly benefit from a move to solid-state batteries, especially because EV sales are skyrocketing, as the cars (and lithium-ion batteries) get cheaper.

So far, Toyota is one of the leaders in the race to develop solid-state batteries. After discovering a “technological breakthrough” in June, they said this month they were accelerating development to launch solid-state EV batteries with 10-minute fast charging and a 750-mile range. But they are still a few years away.

Volkswagen, Hyundai, Nissan, and Honda are also developing their own solid-state batteries.

In Taiwan, the startup ProLogium has already ramped up its “giga-scale” solid state battery factory for delivery to electric vehicle manufacturers this year, with plans for a second factory in France.

ALSO IN THE HUNT: NASA May Have Just Cracked the Code for Replacing Lithium in Batteries: ‘Double or even triple the energy’

Other companies—Schaeffler (which works with Honda), SolidEnergy Systems, QuantumScape, Solid Power, Sila Nanotechnologies, Albemarle and Ilika—are dedicated exclusively to developing solid state batteries that can be mass produced inexpensively.

Many other advancements in solid-state batteries documented over at CleanTechnica, make us believe that some day soon EVs will have the safest, greenest batteries possible under the hood.

SPEED THIS Positive News to EV-Lovers on Social Media… 

Weekly ‘Free Will Astrology’ For This Perfect Moment–From 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 February 3, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
It’s the fifth annual Brag Therapy Holiday—for you Aquarians only. During this celebration, we expect you—indeed we want you—to boast with panache. Tell us all in exquisite detail why you are such a marvelous creation. Explain how you have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to transform yourself into a masterpiece of intuitive intelligence. Regale us with stories of your winsome qualities, your heroic triumphs, and your hilarious and poignant adventures on the edge of reality. Make sure we understand how educational and healing it can be to bask in your influence. Show us why we should regard you as a role model.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
I invite you to resolve old business, draw unrewarding projects to a close, and finish your lessons at the School of Tough Love. You don’t have to carry out my next proposal, but if you do, I will be glad: Politely and quietly scream, “Get out of my life” at anyone who doesn’t give you the respect and kindness you deserve. I also recommend that you do a Wrap-It-Up Ritual. Start by making an altar that pleases you with its beauty. Take scraps of paper and write on each one a description of an influence or experience you want to purge from your life. As you rip each scrap into bits, say this: “I’m grateful for what I have learned from you, but now I am leaving you behind.”

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
“Happiness” is an amorphous term with a different meaning for everyone. What makes me feel happy may be unlike what works for you. Besides that, any kind of perfect happiness is impossible to achieve. However we define it, we are always a mix of being happy and unhappy. Nevertheless, I invite you to ruminate about the subject in the coming days. I believe you are primed to arrive at a realistic new understanding of your personal version of happiness—and raise your happiness levels by at least 15 percent. Maybe more! Now here are helpful clues from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: “Precisely the least thing, the gentlest, lightest thing, the rustling of a lizard, a breath, a whisk, a twinkling of the eye—what’s *little* makes up the quality of the best happiness. Soft!”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
I invite you to take an inventory of your taboos, inhibitions, and restrictions. Meditate on why you originally adopted them. Evaluate how well they have served you and whether they are still meaningful. If you find any of them have become unnecessary or even injurious, jettison them. And be excited and happy about being free of them. If you decide that some taboos, inhibitions, and restrictions are still wise for you to maintain, thank them for their service and honor the self-protection they provide.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Gemini novelist Gregory Maguire says there are a “thousand ways people shrink from life, as if chance and change are by their nature toxic and disfiguring.” Your assignment in the coming weeks is to contradict his theory. I’m hoping you will interpret all chance and change as potentially expansive, redemptive, and interesting. You will never shrink from life, but will boldly meet challenges and embrace twists of fate as interesting opportunities. I have abundant faith in your ability to carry out this vigorous project!

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
You could be a masterful eliminator of toxins and wastes in the coming weeks. Do it both for yourself and for those you care about. Start by purging nonessentials that obstruct the flow of the good life. These might include defunct fantasies, mistaken understandings, apathetic attitudes, and unloving approaches. Among the other dross or dreck you could root out is any clutter that’s making familiar environments feel oppressive. By the way, fellow Cancerian, this should be fun. If it’s not, you’re doing it wrong.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
My goals right now are to inspire you in the following three ways: 1. to be full of love for your daily life; 2. to adore yourself exactly as you are; 3. to shed any numbness or boredom you feel and replace them with alert aliveness. To help you in this exalted effort, I offer the inspiration of three quotes. 1. “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson. 2. “The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” –Eden Phillpotts. 3. “I have the mysterious feeling of seeing for the first time something I have always known.” –Bernardo Bertolucci.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
In the coming weeks, I hope you avoid sucking up to egotistical manipulators. Please also refrain from being an unappreciated beast of burden and a half-willing pawn in boring games. If you are interested in paying off karmic debts, make sure they are yours, not anyone else’s. If you plan to work hard to lay the foundation for a future liberation, get a guarantee that YOU will be one of the liberated people. PS: I’m fine with you doing unselfish things as long as they will also have selfish benefits.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
One of the great maladies affecting modern people is the atrophy of the soul. It’s related to another affliction: the apathy of the soul. A key contributor to these misfortunes is the entertainment industry. Its shallow and artificial stimuli are engineered to overfeed our egos, leaving our poor souls malnourished. Please note that I have no problem with our egos. They are an important part of our make-up and are essential for healthy functioning. But it’s a shame they hog all the glory and sustenance. Now here’s my climactic message for you, Libra: It’s high time to celebrate a holiday I call Nurture the Soul. Make it last at least three weeks. Homework: Identify three actions you will take to excite, cherish, and enhance your soul.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
In myth and legend, pregnancies don’t always begin with two humans having sexual communion. The well-known story of the Virgin Mary tells us she was impregnated when the Holy Spirit, disguised as a dove, whispered in her ear. The Roman goddess Juno conceived her son Mars solely with the help of an enchanted lily flower. The Greek hero Attis germinated inside his virgin mother Nana after she placed a pomegranate in her lap. This might sound outlandish, but I foresee you having a metaphorically comparable experience. Do you believe in the possibility of being fertilized by miraculous magic or a divine spirit?  Might you be dramatically awakened or inspired by a very subtle influence? I think it will happen even if you don’t believe.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Sagittarian computer scientist Grace Hopper (1906–1992) wrote, “The most damaging phrase in the language is: ‘It’s always been done that way.’” I will expand on that wisdom. The most obvious meaning is that we risk ignoring our individualized needs and suppressing our creative inspirations if we mindlessly conform to the habits of society. But it’s equally important not to mindlessly repeat our own longstanding ways of doing things. Maybe they were brilliant and appropriate in the past, but there’s no guarantee they will always be so. In conclusion, Sagittarius, I recommend you rebel against your own personal “it’s always been done that way” as well as everyone else’s.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Being in love is as desirable for you Capricorns as it is for everyone else. You may be less open and dramatic than the rest of us in expressing your yearnings, but they are still a driving force. Here’s an important point: Even if you are not constantly chattering to others about your urges to give and receive intimate care, it’s crucial that you acknowledge them to yourself. To keep your soul healthy, you must be in close touch with this core fuel. You must love your need for love. Now is an excellent time to deepen your appreciation for these truths.

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

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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

“The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Photo by: PICSAR

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

New Moon Welcomes Saturn and Jupiter for Unparalleled Stargazing This Month With ‘Gas Giants’

By
Andy Corbley
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Saturn in Spring-NASA
Saturn in Spring-NASA

February is always the shortest month, so it seems appropriate that there isn’t so much to see in the night sky for those in the Northern Hemisphere in the next 4 weeks.

But the New Moon on February 9th will set the stage for some excellent opportunities to see the gas giants Saturn and Jupiter, as they will come to extreme proximity to the young moon, thereby giving stargazers both an easy time finding the planets, and very little light pollution.

On February 10th, just after sundown in America, and at around 23:00 in Central Europe, the ringed planet of Saturn will be situated about 1.8 degrees north of the Moon, which will be just one day old.

This is a perfect opportunity to see Saturn as the Moon will allow you to quickly find it, but at one day old, will produce almost no light pollution. While you can’t see the famous rings with your bare eyes, a pair of binoculars or a telescope will do the trick.

The same principle will allow Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, to be easily found and seen on February 15th after midnight in the USA or around dawn in Europe. You can find the gas giant at 3.2 degrees south of the Moon, which will be one day short of the first quarter, a beautiful combination to be sure.

Also in February, the α-Centaurid meteor shower will reach its peak late at night in the USA on the 8th. It’s a small shower of around 5 shooting stars per hour, but arriving just one day before the New Moon, the sky will be exceptionally dark.

February’s full moon is going to be a “micromoon” which is the opposite of a supermoon. If a supermoon is caused when the date of the full moon corresponds to the Moon’s position in “perigee” meaning the closest point to Earth in its orbit, a micromoon occurs when the date of the full moon corresponds to the Moon’s position in “apogee,” or the farthest point from Earth in its orbit.

According to Old Farmer’s Almanac, In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver visited with a group of Dakota Indians called the Naudowessie, and wrote that they termed this full moon the “Snow Moon” because more snow usually fell during this period.

The Cree traditionally called this the Bald Eagle Moon, while the Tlingit called it the Black Bear Moon, because bear cubs were born at this time. The Cherokee called it the Hungry Moon, because food was hard to come by.

SHARE What’s Up In The Night Sky On February With Your Friends… 

Explorers Think They’ve Found Amelia Earhart’s Long-Lost Airplane After Using Undersea Sonar

By
Andy Corbley
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Amelia Earhart’s Electra airplane (to scale) with sonar image – Credit: Deep Sea Vision
Amelia Earhart’s Electra airplane (to scale) with sonar image – Credit: Deep Sea Vision

The mystery behind the disappearance of Amelia Earhart over the Pacific Ocean has fascinated people for years. But after a recent deep-sea sonar survey, some closure to the final chapter of her life may be forthcoming.

87 years after her disappearance, Deep Sea Vision, an ocean exploration company based in Charleston, South Carolina, claims to have found something that could be the wreckage of her plane.

16,000 feet (4,877 meters) below the sea, an anomaly that the company believes could be the Lockheed 10-E Electra aircraft she was piloting, appeared on their screens.

“Some people call it one of the greatest mysteries of all time, I think it actually is the greatest mystery of all time,” said the company’s CEO Tony Romeo, a pilot and former US Air Force intelligence officer. “We have an opportunity to bring closure to one of the greatest American stories ever.”

The discovery was made with sonar, a machine that sends a soundwave out into the ocean and detects the echoes generated as it bounces off of objects in its path. Repeated applications of sonar can generate something like a picture in sound waves. The sonar was sent from an autonomous underwater vehicle called a Hugin 6000.

The announcement was first made on Instagram.

Deep Sea Vision surveyed 5,200 square miles (13,468 square kilometers) of ocean, and managed to detect the anomaly 100 miles away (161 kilometers) from Howland Island.

OTHER GREAT MYSTERIES: Barnacles Could Lead Investigators to the Wreck of the Missing Malaysian Airways Flight 370

CNN reports that this position was along the path that Amelia was expected to arrive on following her ultimate departure from Papua New Guinea.

“We always felt that Earhart would have made every attempt to land the aircraft gently on the water… the sonar image suggests that may be the case,” said Romeo.

Romeo says that the venture is going to return to the area and investigate the anomaly further, hoping to get a visual confirmation of the serial number “NR16020” printed underneath the wing of the 10-E Electra. This could be possible because at 16,000 feet below the surface, objects can be preserved for long periods of time.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: He Found His Dad’s 1930s Car at An Auction–and Got it Working Again (LOOK)

If he and his dedicated team can get a confirmation, they hope to be able to get the plane out of the ocean and bring it to the Smithsonian Institute for future exhibit in the Museum of American History.

WATCH the story below from ABC7 News… 

SHARE This Exciting Potential End To A Great American Mystery… 

1,000 Manatees Converge on Florida State Park to Keep Warm in Record-Breaking Sighting

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Andy Corbley
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Blue Spring State Park, released on Facebook
Blue Spring State Park, released on Facebook

Those are not rocks you see in this beautiful turquoise water. They aren’t fish either; as incredible as it sounds, those are manatees.

At Blue Spring State Park in Florida, rangers and wildlife biologists have been bowled over by the number of manatees coming into the park’s warm and shallow lagoons to wait out the winter.

The park has been a refuge for the animals against sudden cold snaps for decades, and it’s tradition for rangers to take a “manatee count” every winter. This year the numbers were higher than ever before, with no morning being more memorable than January 21.

On that day, 932 manatees were found throughout the lagoons, 200 more than the highest previously recorded “aggregation,” which is the term for a group of manatees.

Despite their large rotund bodies reminiscent of seals and walruses, manatees have just 1 inch of fat, and can’t survive in water that’s colder than 68°F indefinitely, according to Smithsonian’s Christian Thorsberg.

When winter weather drops water temps, these animals, called “sea cows” because of their gentle, ho-hum grazing demeanor, seek out warm waters further inland.

MORE AMAZING ANIMALS: Drone Captures Mesmerizing School of Rays that Appear Like Confetti in the Water

The fact that so many were able to come to Blue Springs “is really encouraging” says Cora Berchem, a manatee research associate at the nonprofit Save the Manatee Club. Talking with NPR, Berchem explained that it means they have a good intergenerational understanding of their environment, increasing the odds of intergenerational survival from similar weather events.

Between 7,000 and 11,000 manatees live across Florida—a significant increase from 50 years ago, when they numbered only 1,000.

SHARE This Incredible Opportunity To See Manatees En Masse… 

Irishman Whips Out Fiddle to Entertain Passengers in Flight–and People Dance a Jig in the Aisle (WATCH)

By
Andy Corbley
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Musician Sean Magee, credit Danny Walters, SWNS.
Musician Sean Magee, credit Danny Walters, SWNS.

A flight from Belfast to Lanzarote had a spontaneous folk music performance after a passenger whipped out his fiddle and a stranger started doing a river dance in the Aisle.

The footage was recorded by Danny Walters who was jetting off for a holiday in The Canaries with his wife.

Musician Sean Magee, also on vacation with his wife, asked his pal to “pass him the fiddle” midway through the flight, claims Danny.

Sean then launched into a lively rendition of Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal, made famous in the 90s by folk group Goats Don’t Shave.

Accompanied by fellow musicians Nathan Carter and Matthew Crampsey, the trio are currently some of the biggest names in Irish folk music.

Video taken from the flight shows fellow passengers laughing, singing, and clapping along, as the plane makes its way to the Canary Islands, with one person even leaping up to do a traditional Irish dance in the aisle.

“Sean had paid to have an extra seat for his fiddle, so he didn’t have to leave it in the hold,” explained Danny.

A passenger dances a jig in the aisle of a Ryanair flight from Belfast as musician Sean Magee plays the fiddle – SWNS

“We got on the plane and the boys were sitting behind us,” said Danny. “About an hour or so in, we heard someone say ‘guys, give us me fiddle over!'”

MORE IRISH SPIRIT: Christmas Fairytale Rings out: Mourners Dance at Epic Irish Funeral for Beloved Pogues’ Singer Shane MacGowan–LOOK

In the video, Magee calls out “‘Ave we got anyone from Donegal?” and many of the passengers cheer in return.

“I just happened to be sitting in front, so once I saw the fiddle come out, I brought out my camera. Then it all broke into Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal; everybody loved it!” he said.

OTHER SPONTANEOUS STORIES: He Crowdsurfed in a Wheelchair to the Stage and Coldplay Pulled Him Up to Play Harmonica (Watch)

Magee had some gigs lined up on the island, and Danny was able to go and meet up with the flying fiddler.

“While we were in Lanzarote, a couple of the boys from the plane got gigs, so we went down there for the craic—and they were very good!” he said, using a uniquely Irish term for hanging out at the center of the night’s action.

WATCH, LISTEN, and maybe DANCE to the tune below… 


SHARE This Delightfully Irish Story With Your Friends Who Love The Emerald Isle…

“Happiness is good health and a bad memory.” – Ingrid Bergman

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Happiness is good health and a bad memory.” – Ingrid Bergman

Photo by: Dim Hou

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

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