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Cape Verde Becomes the First African Country in 50 Years to Eradicate Malaria

By
Andy Corbley
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Lao focused on preventative medication in at-risk areas - credit, WHO/Enric Catala
Lao focused on preventative medication in at-risk areas – credit, WHO/Enric Catala

Becoming the first sub-Saharan African country to eliminate Malaria in half a century, Cape Verde has gone three years without a single case of transmission.

Malaria kills most people who die every year, and now that the complex phenomenon of various parasites and various mosquitoes has been quelled, it should stay that way owing to the fact that Cape Verde is a nation of islands.

Indeed, all international travelers and migrants have free access to malaria diagnoses, which has been one of the nation’s strategies for controlling the spread of the parasite. Active mosquito control has also helped, as well as a general rise in the standard of testing and treatment.

“This success reflects the hard work and dedication of countless health professionals, collaborators, communities and international partners. It is a testimony to what can be achieved through collective commitment to improving public health,” Cape Verde’s Health Minister Dr Filomena Gonçalves told the BBC.

Mauritius, another island nation in African seas, was the last country to eliminate malaria—doing so in 1973.

Not needing the natural benefits of islands and oceans, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic was recently hailed by the WHO for its successful eradication of the disease lymphatic filariasis.

Commonly known as elephantiasis, it’s a debilitating parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes. For centuries, this disease has afflicted millions of people worldwide, causing pain, severe disability and social stigmatization.

MORE TRIUMPHS AGAINST DISEASE: Cancer Plummets, Guinea Worm Eradicated, Bye-Bye Ebola—3 Huge Wins for Humanity

Lao PDR is the 18th country in the Asian and Pacific tropics to have eradicated the disease from their society, proving that determined measures can succeed against it even among low-income countries.

It’s also the second neglected tropical disease that the country has eliminated following the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in 2017.

To eliminate the disease, which by 2002 was endemic in only one southern Lao province (Attapeu), local health authorities and partners gave preventive medication to at-risk communities from 2012 to 2017. Elimination efforts also benefited from activities to reduce malaria and dengue, including distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and health education campaigns.

MORE NEWS LIKE THIS: New Oxford Malaria Vaccine is ‘Huge Advance’ to Protect Children From Deadly Killer

“Our country’s achievement has been made possible through years of collective efforts by dedicated health workers together with support from WHO and partners,” said Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, the Health Minister for Lao DPR at a ceremony celebrating his ministry’s efforts.

SHARE These Pathological Triumphs In The Developing World… 

Bear Rescued from Abandoned Zoo in Ukraine Finds New Home in UK

By
Andy Corbley
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Yamil in his new enclosure in Scotland - Five Sisters Zoo, via SWNS
Yamil in his new enclosure in Scotland – Five Sisters Zoo, via SWNS

A bear trapped in a zoo in Ukraine that had been hit by shelling has been saved by Scottish zookeepers.

The Asiatic black bear was discovered when Ukrainian soldiers entered the village of Yampil which had been under Russian occupation for five months.

The striking bear with dense black fur that was given the same name as the village was concussed from the shelling and had to be carried out of the rubble by soldiers on a tarp. Once out of the warzone, Yampil the bear eventually reached Belgium, where he was cared for by the wildlife charity Natuurhulpcentrum.

Staff at Five Sisters Zoo in West Lothian, Scotland heard about Yampil from the charity, and they decided to fly down to visit him, unsure of what to expect.

“Bears can often suffer mental health problems after going through a traumatic experience, and so it was really important we understood Yampil and what to expect from him,” said Garry Curran, the head of carnivores at Five Sisters. Speaking to the Guardian, he recounted that the team breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw the bear contentedly chomping on a cucumber when they arrived.

“Although he appeared a little nervous at first, he seems to have adapted surprisingly well and didn’t actually show any concerning stress-related behaviors. He seems to be a calm and gentle individual, which was reassuring for all of us,” Curran told the Guardian.

Arrangements were made to transport the bear to Scotland, and after travelling 690 miles over 12 hours, Yampil arrived at his new home last Friday.

READ ABOUT THESE LUCKY LIONS: A Zoo Is Fighting to Bring Lioness and Her 3 Cubs Abandoned in War-Torn Ukraine to Britain

Now, Five Sisters Zoo are fundraising to finish construction of a permanent enclosure for Yampil. The zoo has raised £60,000 through their efforts so far, and are hoping to reach their target of £200,000, which will be used to fund Yampil’s specialist enclosure, care and upkeep. Any interested souls can donate through their appeal link here.

Staff at the zoo are grateful for the money raised so far through donations from individuals and for the materials donated from local businesses used to construct the enclosure.

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS: ‘World’s Loneliest Lion’ Returns to Africa After Years Alone in Zoo–WATCH His First Steps

“We have rescued bears before and have some terrific facilities,” said the owner of Five Sisters, Brian Curran. “However, Yampil is the first rescued Asiatic black bear we will care for, and he requires a whole new enclosure to match his special needs.”

Curran said that if Yampil feels comfortable in his temporary surroundings, he may go into hibernation, which would allow the construction to proceed at a more tranquil pace. WATCH him explore his new environment…

SHARE This Inspiring Animal Rescue Story With Your Friends… 

“They invented hugs to let people know you love them without saying anything.” – Bil Keane

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Good News Network
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Anastasia Skylar - Unsplash

Quote of the Day: “They invented hugs to let people know you love them without saying anything.” – Bil Keane (Creator of The Family Circus)

Photo by: Anastasia Sklyar

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?

‘Dead’ Man is Jolted Back to Life by the Endless Bumps of India’s Potholes

By
Andy Corbley
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credit, released by Mr. Brar's family.
credit, released by Mr. Brar’s family.

They breed anger and derision; they cause annoyance, discomfort, and even expensive repairs, but India’s famous potholes actually saved a life on Friday.

The ‘late’ Darshan Singh Brar was being transported to the Indian version of a wake after his untimely death from a chest infection at the age of 80.

Family, relatives, and friends had already gathered for a banquet and cremation, when the ambulance he was being caried in received a nasty jolt from a pothole on the roads in Nising, in far-Northern India’ Haryana state.

It was then that Mr. Brar’s grandson who was onboard the ambulance at the time noticed his hand moving. Checking his pulse and finding—to his great shock—there was one, he notified the driver to immediately turn toward the nearest hospital.

He was declared alive and savable, and was referred to the Rawal Hospital in the city of Karnal.

“It is a miracle. Now we are hoping that my grandfather recovers soon,” said Balwan Singh, another of Mr. Brar’s grandsons. “Everyone who had gathered to mourn his death congratulated us, and we requested them to have the food we had arranged. It is God’s grace that he is now breathing and we are hoping he will get better.”

SIMILAR: Doctor Ditches Car Stuck in Traffic to Run 45 Minutes and Perform Critical Surgery

A valued and respected member of his local community in Nising, NDTV news reports that “an entire colony” was named in his honor.

He had been feeling very ill and was taken to the hospital in Nising and put on a ventilator. After four days, his heartbeat stopped. He was taken off the ventilator and declared dead.

MORE INDIA GOOD NEWS: Youth Volunteers Form ‘Grandpals’ to Connect Lonely Senior Citizens With ‘Grandkids’ to Hang Out With

Doctors at Rawal Hospital said that the grandfather is breathing without the aid of a ventilator and his heartbeat has normalized. They can’t say for certain why the other hospital declared him dead, but speculated it may have been a technical error.

The next time you are planning to go to town hall or the council about the potholes on your street, consider the story of Darshan Singh Brar.

SHARE This True Miracle With Your Friends Who Know India… 

Say Cheese… for a Thousand Years: Camera Set up to Capture a Millennium-long Exposure of Tucson

By
Andy Corbley
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Mr. Keats' pinhole "millennium camera" - SWNS
Mr. Keats’ pinhole “millennium camera” – SWNS

Dubbed the ‘Millennium Camera,’ a device dreamed up by an experimental philosopher in Arizona aims to capture a one thousand year-exposure of Tucson.

Along with some colleagues, Jonathon Keats, a research associate at the University of Arizona College of Fine Arts, installed the camera next to a bench in Starr Pass with the aim of encouraging people to imagine a thousand years into the future.

Any photographer who has turned their camera off auto shoot mode will know that if you let in even just 10 minutes of light, much less 1,000 years, you’ll have a blank white image.

Keats has planned for that, and chose to use a pinhole camera equipped with rare materials.

Through a pin-sized hole in a thin sheet of 24-karat gold, light will slip into a small copper cylinder mounted atop a steel pole. Over ten centuries, sunlight reflected from Tucson’s landscape will slowly fade a light-sensitive surface coated in many thin layers of rose madder, an oil paint pigment.

When, or perhaps if, humans remove the surface from the camera in the year 3024, there will be a millennium-long exposure of the changes of Tucson’s cityscape.

“Most people have a pretty bleak outlook on what lies ahead,” Keats said ahead of his project. “It’s easy to imagine that people in 1,000 years could see a version of Tucson that is far worse than what we see today, but the fact that we can imagine it is not a bad thing. It’s actually a good thing, because if we can imagine that, then we can also imagine what else might happen, and therefore it might motivate us to take action to shape our future.”

The bench at Starr Pass invites hikers to pause and look down at the city, and the camera encourages hikers to imagine what the future will hold.

“One thousand years is a long time and there are so many reasons why this might not work. There are forces of nature and decisions people make, whether administrative or criminal, that could result in the camera not lasting,” he said.

CURIOUS ARTISTIC PROJECTS: Artist Creates Fantasy Sculptures By Repurposing Dead Insects

If the camera does last, however, Keats outlines what we can assume the final image will look like. The landscape’s most steadfast features will appear sharpest, although the land is not completely stable, so there will be some inevitable blur to the image.

Conversely, the most dynamic parts will be softest. Sudden changes will result in what will look like multiple images overlapped.

“Let’s take a really dramatic case where all the housing is removed 500 years in the future. What will happen then is the mountains will be clear and sharp and opaque, and the housing will be ghostly,” he said.

“All change will be superimposed on one image that can be reconstructed layer by layer in terms of interpretation of the final image.”

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Thousands of Native Plants Remain Unphotographed, But You Can Help Fill the Gaps for Scientists

The philosopher is also looking to install the cameras around the globe. In China, he is planning to put one in the once-industrial, yet fast-modernizing city of Chongqing, as well as in Griffith Park in Los Angeles. In May, he will install one in the Austrian Alps.

“This project depends on doing this in many places all over the world. I hope this leads to a planetary process of reimagining planet Earth for future generations,” he adds.

SHARE This Time Capsule Project With Your Friends In To Photography…

Test That Can Spot 18 Early-Stage Cancer Signals Shows 84% Sensitivity in First Human Trial

By
Andy Corbley
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An experimental cancer test already being studied in humans shows that by examining blood proteins instead of tumor DNA, it may be possible to detect up to 18 early-stage cancers with exceptional accuracy.

Cancer tests don’t often use the same methods of detection, and having one or two unified testing options would likely save thousands of lives.

A US biotech firm called Novelna recently presented their findings of a trial of 440 humans with a total of 18 different cancers. Blood plasma samples were taken from each patient, along with 44 healthy blood donors.

By analyzing trace proteins in the blood, the Novelna team were able to achieve a high “sensitivity,” or the detection rate of early-stage tumors, and a high “specificity” or the control for false-positives. Furthermore, the proteins controlled for in the test are sex-specific.

At stage I (the earliest cancer stage) and at the specificity of 99%, the panels were able to identify 93% of cancers among males and 84% of cancers among females.

“This finding is the foundation for a multi-cancer screening test for the early detection of 18 solid tumors that cover all major human organs of origin for such cancers at the earliest stage of their development with high accuracy,” the authors wrote in the journal BMJ Oncology. “These findings pave the way for a cost-effective, highly accurate, multi-cancer screening test that can be implemented on a population-wide scale.”

The team acknowledged the small trial size and admitted that larger trials would be needed to confirm the accuracy already established, but they also highlighted that almost all of the proteins for almost all of the cancers were present in the blood samples at very low levels, indicating the importance of such tests for catching tumors before they form.

SEE ALSO: AI Can Accurately Detect 20% More Breast Cancers than Traditional Screening by Radiologists

“If the assay performance in future, well-designed sequential studies is anywhere close to what this preliminary study suggests, then it could really be a gamechanger,” Dr. Mangesh Thorat, of the Centre for Cancer Prevention at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, told the Guardian. He was not involved in the study.

Dr. Peter Attia, the well-known MD, science communicator, and proponent of “medicine 3.0” which places strong emphasis on prevention over treatment, said recently that in order to truly bring down mortality levels of common cancers like breast, colon, and prostate cancer, early test detection should start in mid-life as often as twice a year.

MORE TESTING INNOVATIONS: Vaccine Targeting Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Shows Good Response in First Clinical Trial of Patients

Indeed, the rate of survival for women who catch breast cancer in its earliest stages is in the ninetieth percentile, while for those who catch it at stage 4, it’s very low.

Tests that would cover a variety of cancers at early stages could facilitate wider testing regimens around the world, where cancer is now responsible for one out of every six deaths.

SHARE This “Gamechanger” Cancer Test On Social Media… 

Hyundai Unveils ’Crab-Walking” Car That Can Parallel Park For You (WATCH)

By
Andy Corbley
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Hyundai Crab-Walking” Car MOBION at 2024 CES – Rumble screenshot
Hyundai Crab-Walking” Car MOBION at 2024 CES – Rumble screenshot

Korean car giant Hyundai have fulfilled the dreams of every teenager who never learned the tricks to parallel parking in driving school by unveiling a car that can turn its wheels 90 degrees.

Selecting a spot, drivers of the new Hyundai Mobion simply press a button and a partially automated driving procedure will see the fully electric four-door “crab walk” into the spot.

Like AMG to Mercedes or Abarth to Fiat, Mobis is a special engineering workshop within Hyundai that’s producing a special range of cars based on existing Hyundai models and technology.

“The Mobion represents the embodiment of Hyundai Mobis’ core technologies, all of which are ready for immediate mass production,” Vice President Lee Seung-Hwan, the Head of Advanced Engineering at Hyundai Mobis confirmed.

A ‘FLAT-PACKED’ CAR: Swedish Firm Will be Mailing Flat-Packed Car with Top Speed of 55 for Urban Commuting

Part of the reason why the car can crab walk is because the engineers at Mobis replaced the large central electric motor with one small individual motor for each wheel. This design also allowed them to incorporate suspension, braking, and turning hardware into each wheel.

As a result, the Mobion can also strafe, or drive diagonally. It can turn on a dime 180 degrees with a turning circle of zero centimeters beyond the front and back bumpers.

MORE FUTURE TECHNOLOGY: Flying Car You Can Park in Your Garage Lifts Off on Maiden Voyage: Meet the $200,000 Switchblade

Since these movements would be incredibly unpredictable for fellow motorists, the Mobion carries its own set of special signaling indicators. Light projectors along the chassis will actually place a strobing arrow onto the roadway to indicate when the car is going to move in a strange direction.

Like all concept cars, there’s no indication of when the Mobion will be purchasable, however, T3 reports that a recent reveal from company affiliate Kia also featured a crab-walking electric car, suggesting that this isn’t just a showpiece to bump stock prices, but the future of parallel parking—at least in South Korea.

WATCH the Mobion in action… GNN has no affiliation with any ads displayed

SHARE This Awesome Car With Your Friends Who Hate Parallel Parking… 

“Associate reverently, as much as you can, with your loftiest thoughts.” – Henry David Thoreau

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Good News Network
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Robert Pearce

Quote of the Day: “Associate reverently, as much as you can, with your loftiest thoughts.” – Henry David Thoreau

Photo by: Robert Pearce

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?

Robert Pearce

Woman Defrosts Frozen Kitten Nursing it Back to Health Using a Hairdryer (Watch Her Video)

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Good News Network
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Frozen kitten when kind woman first brought it into her home in China –Released via SWNS
Frozen kitten when kind woman first brought it into her home in China –Released via SWNS

A heartwarming outcome followed a frigid emergency when a woman found a kitten, frozen solid in the snow outside her home, during a deadly winter storm in Eastern China.

She was able to revive the small kitten after finding it motionless and completely stiff near the shrubbery in Dezhou, Shandong.

The kitten was still alive but her tail was as rigid as a stick.

The kind hearted woman brought the feline inside and nursed it back to health, using a hairdryer and towels to warm it up.

After the stranger’s determination and hard work, the kitten regained its strength and made a full recovery.

And the woman decided to adopt her, naming her Mimi.

WATCH the video to see the progress as the kitten comes back to life…

SEND THE HEARTWARMING Video to Cat Lovers on Social Media…

Archaeologists Unearth Ancient Egyptian Tombs With Colorful Mummy Masks and Treasured Statues

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Good News Network
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Egypt Ministry of Tourism and Heritage / Facebook
Finds from Saqara – Egypt Ministry of Tourism and Heritage / Facebook

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered a series of rock tombs in Saqara, 1,800-4,800 years old, that contained colorful mummy masks, plates, statues, and artwork.

The joint Egyptian and Japanese archaeological mission with Kanazawa University has succeeded in uncovering a rock tomb, a number of architectural elements, burials and archaeological finds of different historical eras, inside the Catacomb tombs in the Saqara region.

They even found a statue of Harpocrates, the child god of silence, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Dr. Mustafa Waziri, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Archaeology, explained on a Facebook post from Ministry of Tourism and Heritage that studying the architectural design of the discovered cemetery and the ceramic plates and pots found inside it points to the historical period of its construction dating back to the Second Dynasty era.

“The burials that have been revealed consist of the remains of a human burial of a man with a colored mask, another burial of a young child, as well as a number of late and heroic burials with a coffin from the Eighteenth Family Era inside an alabaster plot in good condition,” said Dr. Mohamed Youssef, Director General of Saqara Archaeology who’s leading the Egyptian side.

Artwork with words saying it was created for a man named Heroide – Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Heritage on Facebook

Ahram Online explained that the discovery includes intricate designs that “offer a glimpse into the craftsmanship of ancient Egyptian builders” and a window into the lives of those who lived in this ancient civilization.

DID YOU KNOW? Archaeologists Find 24 Bronze Statues ‘Without Equal’ Preserved in Tuscany for 2,300 Years That ‘Rewrite History’

Archaeology in Saqara – released by Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Heritage on Facebook

Nozumo Kawai, leading the Japanese side, said that the mission found two white terracotta statues of the idol Isis, and of the child idol riding a bird, masked with remains of green and white colors.

They also found parts of two mascots of Isis and the idol Oshabati made of limestone with hieroglyphic inscriptions; a pottery saddle; and a pottery pieces with hieratic inscriptions.

SUPER POPULAR: Little Known Ancient Site in Ohio Crowned by UNESCO–for Incredible Alignment with Moon and Sun

The mission has completed archaeological recording and documentation of all the findings, expressing hopes that the mission will make more discoveries in the area during its upcoming excavation seasons to reveal more secrets of the Saqara Archaeological Region that are still revealed.

REVEAL THE TREASURES By Sharing Them With Friends On Social Media…

Space-Loving Schoolgirl Gets to Send Time Capsule Into Lunar Orbit on Recent Rocket Launch

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Good News Network
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Elizabeth Norman ‘Astro Liz’ is a 10-year-old astronaut in training and has become the first child ever to send something to the moon - released to SWNS
Elizabeth Norman ‘Astro Liz’ is a 10-year-old astronaut in training and has become the first child ever to send something to the moon – released to SWNS

A British schoolgirl who is passionate about space was chosen to contribute to a time capsule headed for the lunar surface—on the first US commercial launch to the Moon.

The Vulcan Centaur rocket blasted off in Florida Monday and the 10-year-old secured the spot on the voyage after catching the eye of space bosses with her own backyard rocket launch.

Elizabeth Norman from Leicester, England made a model of the Vulcan Centaur and launched it 30-ft into the air in her garden a few years ago.

She then uploaded a video to Twitter @AstroLizsLab where it was seen by senior staff at the United Launch Alliance (ULA)—a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin behind the Vulcan Centaur rocket.

It successfully launched from Cape Canaveral at 7:18 carrying the Peregrine lunar lander, with Elizabeth watching live with her mom, dad, and brother, counting down to the big moment.

“Go Vulcan! Go Peregrine! Go Astro Liz!” Elizabeth shouted as ULA Mission Control commenced the launch countdown.

“It’s such a privilege to experience Elizabeth’s payload on its way to the Moon,” said her father Steve.

The primary payload of this mission is the Peregrine lunar lander—developed by Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic—and it was successfully deployed 50 minutes after liftoff following two burns of the Centaur upper stages.

Of the 20 payloads that Peregrine seeks to land on the moon, five are NASA science instruments. The other 15 come from a range of customers, with a charge of $1.2 million per kg. But ULA also offered to take something belonging to ‘Astro Liz’.

Inside her payload—part of the first ever lunar ‘time capsule’—Elizabeth placed a sticker saying ‘Astro Liz’, the name of her blog and social media pages, and a message for her brother.

OTHER GREAT 10-YOs:Girl’s Idea for a ‘Postbox to Heaven’ is Rolled Out Nationally Across Cemeteries in UK

SWNS

The lander reached lunar orbit 225,000 miles from Earth and is expected to make a hard landing on the moon near the Gruitheisen Domes scheduled for February 23. However, an unexpected challenge arose post-launch, and the complication may pose a threat to the spacecraft’s ability to land on the moon. The team should learn more soon.

Elizabeth’s passion for space took off after watching coverage of NASA’s Perseverance Rover’s flight to Mars in July 2020.

She threw herself into learning all about space—and has always got multiple science experiments going. She even started a science-themed YouTube channel in July 2020, to upload educational videos to get other kids passionate about space.

But things really kicked off for the budding astronaut after she decided to make a model of the ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket out of cardboard, which caught the eye of Tory Bruno, the CEO of ULA.

KUDOS To THIS KID: Hero Teen Saves Brother Being Swept Away: ‘Mom…I Might Not Be Back’

7-year old Elizabeth Norman launched a model Vulcan rocket in 2021 – ULA / SWNS

He watched the launch of her 7-foot cardboard version of the rocket sent to the Moon, as it sailed 30ft into the air, impressing Elizabeth’s neighbors.

He was so impressed, he reached out and asked if she could be part of the real launch.

“We are overwhelmingly grateful to Astrobotic for providing the opportunity for Elizabeth to launch her space dream and send her very own payload to the moon,” said her mom Jennifer Norman. “This is not only a chance for her to achieve her mission but also to show other young people that a future in space is within their grasp and big adventures can start at any age.”

“None of us, including her, could ever have imagined that her dream would take off so rapidly. We can’t even put it into words because it’s so surreal that it’s actually happened.”

DID YOU HEAR? Boy Struggling at School is Now a Math Genius After His Mom Taught Him to Use An ABACUS–May Help Today’s Kids

Astro Liz tweeted: “Big hug, Peregrine! I’m with you to the end and tonight my hometown of Leicester celebrates the Astrobotic mission, that of ULA and the incredible teams that worked so hard to get us this far! Love from Liz.”

BLAST HER STORY To Space-Loving Friends By Sharing on Social Media…

Restaurant Feeds Community With Free Fridge–Then Gets Paid Back When Business Faces Closure in Austin, Texas

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Good News Network
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A husband and wife in Austin, Texas have been honored as heroes for nourishing neighbors-in-need by hosting a community fridge outside their restaurant.

Now, the owners of Nixta Taqueria are feeling a boomerang of good karma, after the community found out their business was in trouble.

In 2019, Edgar Rico and Sara Mardanbigi opened Nixta Taqueria in East Austin, an area known as a food desert—where options for fresh produce and groceries are scarce.

They weathered the pandemic by offering curbside delivery—and their compassion came to life when they became the pilot location of the new Austin Free Fridge Program.

Edgar and Sara began replenishing the community fridge sometimes upwards of 20 times a day with everything from fresh meals to ‘hydration packs’ during heatwaves.

It became a lifeline for many folks, and the couple were happy to keep it stocked.

Nixta Taqueria hosts and refills a Free Fridge

But this summer they were forced to shut operations due to an electrical issue, which they said was caused by “city oversight”.

They knew that with so many people relying on them they had to figure out a solution. A week later, they created a GoFundMe page—and in two days surpassed their $80,000 goal.

“It’s the best feeling in the world when you can tell that people have your back,” they wrote on the donation page where a stream of comments provided praise and encouragement.

“Help is there—and asking for it isn’t anything to be ashamed of.”

MORE COMPASSION: When Builders in Maui Constructed Tiny Homes for Man’s Family, it Grew into Crowdfunded Rehousing Project for Wildfire Victims

Strangers and customers stepped up to support the taqueria, saying thank you for taking care of the community during winter storms, heatwaves, and pandemics. Donors contributed $118,000 so far. One wrote:

GoFundMe

“The feeling I get when I read those words is, ‘We got you.’’’

The restaurant is back up and running, with Edgar and Sara relieved that they can continue paying their workers and serving customers (but with limited capacity through the construction period).

SWIFTIE SUCCESS: Taylor Swift is a Hero to Food Banks Across the U.S. at Each Stop of Her Eras Tour

“More than anything, it affirmed my belief that there is this unspoken bond and connection that we have with one another that transcends the day-to-day.”

WARM THE HEARTS of Friends By Sharing This Sweet Story on Social Media…

“Over every mountain there is a path, although it may not be seen from the valley.” – Theodore Roethke

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Quote of the Day: “Over every mountain there is a path, although it may not be seen from the valley.” – Theodore Roethke

Photo by: GWC (copyright 2016)

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?

Celebrities Have Helped Make Beekeeping the Hot New Hobby

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Jason Statham tries his hand at beekeeping during filming of new action movie The Beekeeper SKY / SWNS
Jason Statham tries his hand at beekeeping during filming of new action movie The Beekeeper SKY / SWNS

Beekeeping is one of the hottest hobby trends of 2024 thanks to a host of fans learning from celebrity bee-enthusiasts, according to a new poll.

Stars creating a buzz around the pastime include Beyoncé, Scarlett Johansson, David Beckham, Sting, and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The poll of 2,000 adults revealed that nearly half (47%) are looking for more unusual hobbies, such as origami and foraging for food in the wild.

Olympic diver Tom Daley loves to knit. He and fellow-knitter Julia Roberts were voted as two of the most inspiring celebrity hobbyists.

Other activities gaining momentum among survey participants include open mic poetry, arranging flowers and geocaching—a public treasure hunt that uses GPS locations to bury hidden containers.

49 percent of recipients choose to opt out of sedentary hobbies, like reading, in favor of ones that get them outdoors and moving.

And half of those surveyed favor pastimes that are in some way good for the environment—like creating bug ‘hotels’ in their gardens. The small, artificial buildings serve as long-term lodging or a winter hibernation habitat for crawling and flying insects

The double opt-in randomized survey by OnePoll was commissioned by Sky ahead of the action film release of The Beekeeper, starring Jason Statham.

Jason Statham trying beekeeping during filming of new action movie The Beekeeper SKY / SWNS

“I’m not surprised there’s so much buzz around beekeeping,” said the film’s director, David Ayer. “I’m hoping our film will only enhance that.

CHECK OUT: U.S. Airport Calls in the Beekeepers to Save Pollinators

Indeed, 14 percent of survey respondents reported they’d found some hobby inspiration from a movie.

Ayer and his film colleagues actually practiced beekeeping on the set, and Jason Statham genuinely learned how to open a hive and work with the bees.

“Always one to immerse himself in a movie, he really connected with the whole zen of beekeeping, which was quite therapeutic between all the grueling action sequences.”

GREAT IDEA: Appalachian Coal Miners Who Lost Their Jobs Are Being Retrained as Beekeepers – for Free

From trendy beekeeping to meditative birdwatching or zen gardening, hobbies can be a doorway into a deepening relationship with nature.

TOP INSPIRING CELEBRITY HOBBYISTS

1. David Beckham – Beekeeping
2. Tom Daley – Knitting
3. Scarlett Johansson – Beekeeping
4. Rod Stewart – Model railways
5. Beyoncé Knowles – Beekeeping
6. Sting – Beekeeping (promotes and supports the hobby, tho he owns no hives)
7. Julia Roberts – Knitting
8. Brad Pitt – Pottery
9. Richard Branson – Chess
10. Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers – Beekeeping
11. Nicole Kidman – Sky diving
12. Henry Cavill – Warhammer
13. Will Smith – Fencing
14. Francis Bourgeois – Trainspotting
15. Bill Gates – Playing Bridge
16. Claudia Schiffer – Collects insects
17. Susan Sarandon – Ping Pong (Founder of Spin clubs)

SEND A BUZZ To Bee-Enthusiasts By Sharing on Social Media…

She’s on Path to Be a Top Gun or Cancer Researcher–But First She Wins the Miss America Crown

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U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh is Miss Colorado gunning for for Miss America crown – SWNS
U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh is Miss Colorado gunning for for Miss America crown – SWNS

Madison Marsh is not only the current Miss Colorado–she’s a Harvard student and a U.S. Air Force 2nd lieutenant who has earned a coveted spot to train as a fighter pilot.

But on Sunday night, the 22-year-old was gunning for the Miss America crown, an event that now features high pressure interviews on stage and a fitness competition—and she won it all.

“Pageants are changing and one of the ways is in what being physically fit means to women,” the Arkansas native explained.

“For me, it’s great because I need to stay physically fit and in the gym for the military, so it already coincides with pageant training.”

As a young girl, Madison had a love of science and a dream to be a pilot and astronaut. Her parents encouraged her dreams, sending her to Space Camp when she was 13, where she met astronauts and fighter pilots.

At 15, she started flying lessons earning her pilot’s license two years later and then began to work towards her goal of becoming a cadet in the Air Force Academy.

She also wanted to try competing in pageants as an extracurricular activity.

“My cousin had competed in pageants for a long time, and one of the big things about it that I love is the community service aspect and the focus on public speaking.”

Just before graduating from the Academy and being commissioned as an Air Force Officer, Ms. Marsh was crowned Miss Colorado in May 2023.

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Harvard student and Air Force 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh is the 2023 Miss Colorado, posing at the USAFA vs. U.S. Army football game at Denver (SWNS photo released)

“It was very surreal,” said Madison, who is quick to address preconceived notions and stereotypes about modern beauty pageants and their contestants.

“The Miss America organization is all focused on what you can provide for the community through your social impact, making sure that you have a stellar resume, that you’re good at public speaking, that you can connect with people, and are empowered to lead in other ways that’s not just about you.”

As Miss Colorado, Marsh enjoyed talking with other young girls about being a pilot and sees it as an opportunity to dispel stereotypes that exist about military women. Now, as Miss America, she has unlimited opportunities to do more.

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“It’s an awesome experience to bring both sides of the favorite parts of my life together and hopefully make a difference for others to be able to realize that you don’t have to limit yourself.”

Madison’s future may see her as a Top Gun fighter pilot, but she’s currently determining which career opportunities and personal projects she wants to pursue—and the sad loss of her mother to pancreatic cancer may have pulled Madison toward a career in cancer research.

“I lost my mom about five years ago and I started a nonprofit immediately afterwards with my family to raise money and awareness of pancreatic cancer for people in our town.”

She started to realize that her bigger passions were in policy-making and cancer research so she entered a master’s degree program at the Harvard Kennedy School through the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Civilian Institution Programs.

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“I’m now trying to take the next step and use my studies from the Kennedy School to learn about the inner workings and the difficulties of what policy really looks like—issues like economic environments and other social pressures that might be inhibiting our ability to implement cancer policies that can affect all Americans.”

She will also work with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and a professor from the Harvard Medical School to research early detection of pancreatic cancer.

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Watch the Pandemonium as Hockey Fans Break Record Hurling 75,000 Teddy Bears Onto the Ice for Charity

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Screenshot from video by Hershey Bears / AHL

A professional ice hockey team in Pennsylvania broke a franchise record last week, not for goals scored, but for the number of teddy bears tossed onto the ice by fans to help local kids.

The plush pandemonium broke out in the second period as the Hershey Bears scored a goal to trigger the annual Teddy Bear Toss that collects toys for charity—while the announcer screamed, “Let the sweet cuddly mayhem commence!”

The exuberant downpour of plushies began 4 minutes into the second period at the Giant Center last week, with 74,599 stuffed toys raining down.

“You see it on video, but when you’re actually part of it, it was amazing. Just an incredible sight,” said Bears coach Todd Nelson.

“First, you’re celebrating the goal, and then you start getting pelted with bears,” said new Hershey player Chase Priskie, experiencing the event for the first time. “It’s just a phenomenal atmosphere when tens of thousands of bears start raining down on you.”

The event surpassed the club’s previous record of 67,309 teddies collected last year for donation to more than 35 local charities as part of the club’s Hershey Bears Cares program.

Since its inception in 2001, the tradition has collected nearly a half million cuddly creatures for children in need.

Watch the fantastic official video of the bear barrage below…

The Sweigart Family Foundation also donated $55,000 to Children’s Miracle Network in Hershey to recognize the efforts of local fans this year.

Based in the town of Hershey, The Bears would go on to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms—after a 40 minute delay to cart off all the toys—improving their AHL-best record to 29-7-0- this season.

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Watch the fun begin, with the bear drop at 1:08…

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Your Horoscope for the Week: A ‘Free Will Astrology’ From Rob Brezsny

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

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of January 13, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
In 2024, I predict you will be blessed with elegant and educational expansion—but also challenged by the possibility of excessive, messy expansion. Soulful magnificence could vie for your attention with exorbitant extravagance. Even as you are offered valuable novelties that enhance your sacred and practical quests, you may be tempted with lesser inducements you don’t really need. For optimal results, Capricorn, I urge you to avoid getting distracted by irrelevant goodies. Usher your fate away from pretty baubles and towards felicitous beauty.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Some people feel that “wealth” refers primarily to financial resources. If you’re wealthy, it means you have a lot of money, luxurious possessions, and lavish opportunities to travel. But wealth can also be measured in other ways. Do you have an abundance of love in your life? Have you enjoyed many soulful adventures? Does your emotional intelligence provide rich support for your heady intelligence? I bring this up, Aquarius, because I believe 2024 will be a time when your wealth will increase. The question for you to ruminate on: How do you define wealth?

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
“No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life,” said philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Here’s my response to that bold declaration: It’s utterly WRONG! No one in the history of the world has ever built anything solely by their own efforts, let alone a bridge to cross the river of life. Even if you are holed up in your studio working on a novel, painting, or invention, you are absolutely dependent on the efforts of many people to provide you with food, water, electricity, clothes, furniture, and all the other goodies that keep you functioning. It’s also unlikely that anyone could create anything of value without having received a whole lot of love and support from other humans. Sorry for the rant, Pisces. It’s a preface for my very positive prediction: In 2024, you will have substantial help in building your bridge across the river of life.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Why do birds sing? They must be expressing their joy at being alive, right? And in some cases, they are trying to impress and attract potential mates. Ornithologists tell us that birds are also staking out their turf by chirping their melodies. Flaunting their vigor is a sign to other birds of how strong and commanding they are. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you Aries humans to sing more than ever before in 2024. Like birds, you have a mandate to boost your joie de vivre and wield more authority. Singing is even good for your health—so let loose in the shower, find a choir, or join a jam session near you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Which zodiac sign is most likely to have a green thumb? Who would most astrologers regard as the best gardener? Who would I call on if I wanted advice on when to harvest peaches, how to love and care for roses as they grow, or how to discern which weeds might be helpful and useful? The answer, according to my survey, is Taurus. And I believe you Bulls will be even more fecund than usual around plants in 2024. Even further, I expect you to be extra fertile and creative in every area of your life. I hereby dub you Maestro of the Magic of Germination and Growth.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Research I’ve found suggests that 70 percent of us have experienced at least one traumatic event in our lives. But I suspect the percentage is higher. For starters, everyone has experienced the dicey expulsion from the warm, nurturing womb. That’s usually not a low-stress event. The good news, Gemini, is that now and then there come phases when we have more power than usual to heal from our traumas. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the coming months will be one of those curative times for you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
At their best, Libras foster vibrant harmony that energizes social situations. At their best, Scorpios stimulate the talents and beauty of those they engage with. Generous Leos and Sagittarians inspire enthusiasm in others by expressing their innate radiance. Many of us may get contact highs from visionary, deep-feeling Pisceans. In 2024, Cancerian, I believe you can call on all these modes as you brighten and nurture the people in your sphere—even if you have no Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Leo, or Pisces influences in your astrological chart.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Here are my wishes for you in 2024. 1. I hope you will rigorously study historical patterns in your life story. I hope you will gather robust insights into the rhythms and themes of your amazing journey. 2. You will see clearly what parts of your past are worth keeping and which are better outgrown and left behind. 3. You will come to a new appreciation of the heroic quest you have been on. You will feel excited about how much further your quest can go. 4. You will feel gratitude for the deep inner sources that have been guiding you all these years. 5. You will be pleased to realize how much you have grown and ripened.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Virgo author Eduardo Galeano mourned how our institutions condition us to divorce our minds from our hearts and our bodies from our souls. Even sadder, many of us deal with these daunting schisms by becoming numb to them. The good news, Virgo, is that I expect 2024 to be one of the best times ever for you to foster reconciliation between the split-off parts of yourself. Let’s call this the Year of Unification. May you be inspired to create both subtle and spectacular fusions of your fragmented parts. Visualize your thoughts and feelings weaving together in elegant harmony. Imagine your material and spiritual needs finding common sources of nourishment.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
According to ancient Greek myth, the half-divine hero Heracles consulted the Oracle of Delphi for guidance. He was assigned to perform 12 daunting feats, most of which modern people would regard as unethical, like killing and stealing. There was one labor that encouraged integrity, though. Heracles had to clean the stables where over a thousand divine cattle lived. The place hadn’t been scrubbed in 30 years! As I meditated on your hero’s journey in the coming months, Libra, I concluded that you’d be wise to begin with a less grandiose version of Heracles’ work in the stables. Have fun as you cheerfully tidy up everything in your life! By doing so, you will earn the power to experience many deep and colorful adventures in the coming months.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
I will name two taboos I think you should break in 2024. The first is the theory that you must hurt or suppress yourself to help others. The second is that you must hurt or suppress others to benefit yourself. Please scour away any delusion you might have that those two strategies could genuinely serve you. In their place, substitute these hypotheses: 1. Being good to yourself is the best way to prepare for helping others. 2. Being good to others is the best way to benefit yourself.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
“Doubt has killed more dreams than failure ever will,” says Sagittarian author Suzy Kassem. Many of us have had the experience of avoiding a quest for success because we are too afraid of being defeated or demoralized. “Loss aversion” is a well-known psychological concept that applies when we are so anxious about potential loss that we don’t pursue the possible gain. In my astrological estimation, you Centaurs should be especially on guard against this inhibiting factor in 2024. I am confident you can rise above it, but to do so, you must be alert for its temptation—and eager to summon new reserves of courage.

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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“Sincerity is the way to heaven.” – Mencius

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Quote of the Day: “Sincerity is the way to heaven.” – Mencius

Photo by: Omid Armin

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?

Cardboard Steering Wheels Let Children Pretend to Be Steering New Driverless Trains Through London

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Andy Corbley
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The front cabin of the new DLR trains with stickers instead of controls; steering wheels to be added later - credit TfL, released.
The front cabin of the new DLR trains with stickers instead of controls; steering wheels to be added later – credit Transport for London, released.

Governments can so often appear like grey, amorphous, by-the-bookworms with no imagination or taste visible in their duties, but in designing the new light rail cars for east and southeast London, the city’s transportation department is thinking of making the seats in the front car a children’s make-believe area.

With fake steering wheels, and a suite of buttons which do nothing, Transport for London (TfL) is looking to increase “community engagement” with their new fleet of driverless trains.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said TfL is considering different ways to bring a “driving the train” experience to the new DLR carriages.

“[TfL is] exploring a number of other customer and community engagement activities to support the introduction of new DLR trains,” Mr. Khan said, according to the Weekly Standard. “TfL will review learnings from the front seat ‘driving the train’ vinyl sticker trial in early 2024 before finalizing plans.”

The front seats of the front cars are being changed to two, forward-facing benches, across from control stations that control nothing, and steering wheels that steer nothing.

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“We have made sure we’ve got a front seat on the new DLR trains as well, because I know what a prize that is,” said Khan, after referencing his childhood of always trying to call shotgun, or “bagsies” as it’s called in Britain.

The Docklands Light Rail (DLR) network serves a variety of locations in South London, and can bring passengers to several key transfer areas where they can board the London Tube to wherever it is they are going.

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Scientists Spot Mysterious Aurora on Distant Celestial Object

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Andy Corbley
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This artist concept portrays the brown dwarf W1935, located 47 light-years from Earth – NASA
This artist concept portrays the brown dwarf W1935, located 47 light-years from Earth – NASA

Everyone who’s given five seconds to look into it knows that the Aurora Borealis is cause by charged particles from the Sun interacting with the Earth’s magnetic field, but what if there were no Sun, could there still be an aurora?

That’s what astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope seem to have observed after finding an object displaying what is probably an aurora like the familiar Northern Lights on our world.

The object in question is a brown dwarf, something larger than Jupiter but smaller than a star, known as W1935, and unlike any planets in our solar system that experience aurorae, it’s an isolated object in space with no nearby star to create one.

“This is an unexpected discovery because the brown dwarf is cold and lacks a host star; therefore, there is no obvious source of energy to heat its upper atmosphere and make the methane glow,” NASA writes.

The findings are being presented at the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society in New Orleans this week.

To help explain the mystery of the infrared emission from methane, the team turned to our solar system.

“Methane in emission is a common feature in gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn. The upper-atmosphere heating that powers this emission is linked to aurorae.

On Earth, the energetic particles that create the Northern Lights cascade down into our atmosphere along magnetic field lines near Earth’s poles, colliding with gas molecules and creating eerie, dancing curtains of light.

Jupiter and Saturn have similar auroral processes that involve interacting with the solar wind, but they also get auroral contributions from nearby active moons like Io (for Jupiter) and Enceladus (for Saturn).

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NASA say that for isolated brown dwarfs like W1935, the absence of a stellar wind to contribute to the auroral process and explain the extra energy in the upper atmosphere required for the methane emission is “a mystery”.

A team led by Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, was awarded time with the Webb telescope to investigate 12 cold brown dwarfs. Among those were W1935—an object that was discovered by citizen scientist Dan Caselden.

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The team surmises that either unaccounted internal processes like the atmospheric phenomena of Jupiter and Saturn, or external interactions with either interstellar plasma or a nearby active moon, may help account for the emission.

“With W1935, we now have a spectacular extension of a solar system phenomenon without any stellar irradiation to help in the explanation.” Faherty noted. “With Webb, we can really ‘open the hood’ on the chemistry and unpack how similar or different the auroral process may be beyond our solar system.”

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