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Rarest Monkeys Now Number Close to 2,000 Thanks to One Man’s Jane Goodall-like Passion

By
Andy Corbley
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A golden snub-nosed monkey in Tanjiahe National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province - credit, David Blank CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.
A golden snub-nosed monkey in Tanjiahe National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province – credit, David Blank CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.

From the BBC comes the story of an intrepid and dedicated scientist who has spent decades working in China’s mountain forests in an effort to protect and understand one of the nation’s most amazing animals.

The golden sub-nosed monkey is revered alongside the giant panda as “national treasures” of Chinese wildlife, yet this couldn’t protect them from logging and hunting that followed in the wake of Mao’s Cultural Revolution.

Members of this sub-species located in the UNESCO-listed Shennongjia mountains of Hubei Province, were the subject of intense study by Professor Yang Jingyuan, a research ecologist who arrived in these mountains in 1991.

For Yang, the golden sub-nosed monkey was Jane Goodall’s chimpanzees. By the time Yang arrived in Shennongjia, the population had collapsed to just 500 or so individuals across 6 family groups. Years of illegal logging as a form of subsistence living had reduced forest coverage in the mountains to 63%.

But before Yang could protect the animals, he had to first learn to understand them. With his research colleagues, he began striking out into the newly-created Shennongjia Forest Reserve to study these incredible animals.

The monkeys were at first so wary of humans that Yang and his team had to stay half a mile away to be able just to observe the monkeys in their habitat. Eventually though, with repeated encounters, half a mile became and quarter mile, and a quarter mile became 200 yards, 100 yards, 20 yards—until Yang and whoever he brought with him were accepted by the troupes.

The BBC’s China Correspondent, Stephen McDonell, experienced this treatment as baby monkeys and curious juveniles climbed all over him on a visit to special, 100 square kilometer monkey zones hat are off-limits to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come to enjoy a mountain ecosystem that is without exaggeration unique in the world.

“Even after logging was banned there were still people illegally felling timber. If they didn’t cut down trees, how would they have money?” Professor Yang, director of the Shennongjia National Park Scientific Research Institute, told McDonell.

Golden snub-nosed monkeys in Tanjiahe National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province – credit, David Blank CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.
Shennongjia virgin forest – credit, Evilbish CC BY-SA 3.0

“There were also people secretly hunting here to survive. It was only after a long period of building awareness that the consciousness of local farmers changed.”

In the 1990s, with a shifting focus from forestry to forest conservation, local residents eking out this subsistence living were offered government money to relocate so that the forests could regrow. Many accepted the offer, and now benefit from the tourism boom the mountains are experiencing.

There is no place on Earth that has greater biodiversity of deciduous woody plants than Shennongjia, and a dizzying 3,400 higher-order plant species, and over 600 invertebrates have been recorded there. The golden snub-nosed monkey is very much a fuzzy golden cherry on top of a biodiverse cake ten layers-high.

“I’m very optimistic,” said Prof Yang. “Their home is now very well protected. They have food and drink, no worries about life’s necessities and, most of all, their numbers are growing.”

Golden snub-nosed monkeys captured via camera trap – credit, eMammal CC 2.0. via Flickr

Indeed, an archived report from Xinhua claimed that those 500 remnant individuals became 1,200 by 2013. This represents major progress since females give birth to only one baby at a time.

At the time McDonell visited, their numbers had jumped again to 1,600, and forest cover along the hills and valleys had increased to around 96% of the reserve’s total area.

ALSO CHECK OUT: China Achieves ‘Excellent’ Water Quality in 90% of Rivers and Lakes, Now Looks to Improve Whole Ecosystems

Professor Yang can live freely among them like some character of fable. He speaks to them in their calls, having learned the meanings of each vocalization during his many years of observing them.

Like Goodall, his research has yielded incredible insights into their lives. For example, each monkey has an egg timer-like understanding of its lifespan, and when it’s time to pass away, they silently leave their families behind and visit special, secluded areas to die alone in the forest.

MORE MONKEY BUSINESS: In the Amazon, One Woman’s Ingenious Canopy Bridges Are Helping Monkeys Cross the Road Safely

According to Yang, there hasn’t been a single successful attempt to find these sites, either by researchers or rangers.

Yang’s institute estimates that the monkeys will come to number 2,000 individuals in Shennongjia sometime over the next 10 years, a testament to the magnificent outcomes conservation can provide, providing there’s someone in the right place at the right time to make the effort to make a difference.

SHARE This Amazing Story Of A Man, A Monkey, And The Mountains… 

The Seine in Paris Now Cools 800 Buildings in the Summer: ‘People Are So Proud’

By
Andy Corbley
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The Seine featuring the Saint Alexander III Bridge and the Eifel Tower - CC 2.0. ilirjan rrumbullaku
The Seine featuring the Saint Alexander III Bridge and the Eifel Tower – CC 2.0. ilirjan rrumbullaku

The world’s most romantic river also helps prevent residents from getting all hot and bothered, cooling their offices and homes through a heat transfer system.

Currently, around 60 miles of piping channels water to and from the Seine in Paris, but it has nothing to do with plumbing. Rather, this network, which includes pumps and heat exchangers, naturally cool 800 Paris buildings.

The heat exchanger works by bringing the cool temperatures of the Seine’s undercurrent and using them to cool the air that circulates through the buildings. The water gradually absorbs the heat that was present in the air, and when it loses its cool, it returns to the Seine to deposit that thermal energy into the water.

Water is 800 times denser than air, so using it to store temperatures is much more efficient. It’s so efficient that the Seine’s district cooling services are set to more than double through ongoing expansion work.

Those 100 kilometers of pipes are set to become 245 kilometers, allowing the system to welcome an additional 2,200 buildings into the fold.

Another advantage district cooling has, and one reason why it’s so desired in central or downtown districts, is that there’s no heat discharge back out into the city. Air conditioners pump heat into the alleyways and streets they face, contributing to the urban heat island effect that is more intense the more buildings there are.

One of the system’s largest clients is none other than the world’s most famous museum. The Louvre uses 12 megawatts of cooling power—12-times more than the average building—to keep its countless galleries and halls at the ideal temperature and humidity for preserving artifacts and works of art. That means the only cost of cooling this massive underground building is the cost of pumping the water.

Compared to other district cooling systems that use deep, colder lakes rather than shallow, UNESCO-protected rivers, the capacity for the Seine to expand is minimal. The riverbed cannot be deepened, while excavating to lay new pipes is excruciatingly slow because of the layers of history in a city like Paris and the requirements for archaeological surveying.

BEATING THE HEAT: Four Frugal Methods to Cool Down Without A/C This Summer

But the city is experiencing extreme heatwaves routinely during the summers; each of the last 4 years included, and access to cooler spaces is becoming more and more of a priority; somewhat like how warm spaces were 100 years ago.

In the 19th century, one could go swimming in the Seine if it got too hot, a possibility that was gradually removed by rampant pollution. But with the clean-up of the Seine complete, Paris has now effectively doubled its cooling power—by refreshing those both in and out of river.

MORE COOLING STRATEGIES: New York Building Proves Ice Is Nice for Staying Cool Without Power-Hungry A/C Units

GNN has also reported on the brilliance of district heating systems, which, like the Seine’s cooler depths, utilize excess heat produced by factories and data centers to warm water that is transferred to office spaces. There, it heats the air that circulates through the building before being pumped back into reservoirs under the factories to be re-heated again.

SHARE This Brilliant Use Of A City River With Your Friends… 

“That the birds of worry fly above your head, this you cannot change. But that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent.” – Chinese proverb

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “That the birds of worry fly above your head, this you cannot change. But that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent.” – Chinese proverb

Photo by: © GWC

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

Good News in History September 23

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Good News Network
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Robert Bosch in 1925

164 years ago today, Robert Bosch, founder of the corporation Robert Bosch GmbH, was born in Ulm. One of the most important German industrialists of the 19th and 20th centuries, Bosch and the engineers at his company pioneered the high-voltage magneto ignition system that created the first commercially-viable spark plug for internal combustion engines. Bosch launched other automotive innovations like diesel fuel injection, and by 1927 was present on every continent. One of the most responsible companies in Germany, Bosch introduced the 8-hour workday and other early employment benefits, while donating all the proceeds from the lucrative munitions contracts he received from weapons manufacturing in WWI to charity. The company today is worth $91 billion, and is the world’s largest automotive parts manufacturer. READ more about the man behind this famous brand… (1861)

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Birth of UK’s Only Bonobo Baby Gives Fresh Hope for World’s Most Endangered Ape

By
Andy Corbley
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credit - Adam Kay, Twycross Zoo / SWNS
credit – Adam Kay, Twycross Zoo / SWNS

Conservationists and zookeepers are celebrating our closest living relative giving birth to a healthy baby.

Heart-tugging photos show the bonobo mother Yuli cradling her tiny newborn after it was born at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire last Thursday.

Experts have hailed the birth as a ‘globally significant’ moment which could help save one of the world’s rarest apes and humanity’s cousin.

Twycross Zoo is the only UK zoo to care for the species, and says the new arrival has the distinguished status as the only baby bonobo in the whole country.

The infant’s mother Yuli arrived at Twycross Zoo from Vallée Des Singes in France as part of the European-led conservation program in 2023.

“Bonobos are human’s closest living relatives, yet they remain one of the most endangered and least understood apes on Earth,” said Dr. Rebecca Biddle, chief conservation officer at Twycross Zoo. “Every birth is a true milestone and a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when zoos work together.

“As the only UK zoo caring for bonobos, here at Twycross Zoo, we are immensely proud and feel a great responsibility to play our part in protecting this incredible species,” she added.

credit – Adam Kay, Twycross Zoo / SWNS

Bonobos, which are listed as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, are indeed as Biddle says—Homo sapiens’ closest living relatives, sharing more than 98% of our DNA.

CONSERVATION FOR THE GREATS: Camera Traps Reveal New Babies Born to World’s Rarest Great Ape Species, Sparking Hope For its Survival

In the wild, their population is said to be decreasing due to many human-caused threats such as poaching and deforestation.

Found only in the wilds of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the bonobo is a highly unique ape due to their matriarchal society. Typically, primate troops are led by a dominant male, but bonobos are one of few primate species, and the only great ape, to live in female-led societies.

MORE APES ENTERING THE WORLD: Doctors Called in for Rare Emergency C-Section on Gorilla in the Zoo–and the Baby Pics Are Incredible

The conservation program looks after 10% of all the bonobos in Europe, and is a key part of a collaborative effort between EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) member zoos.

At the moment, neither mother nor newborn will be visible to the public as they enjoy a critical period of bonding and nurturing.

SHARE This Amazing Photo And The Even More Amazing Species In The Lens… 

Deep Sea Divers Recover Bell, Other Artifacts From Titanic’s Sunken Sister Ship–The Britannic

By
Andy Corbley
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credit - Greek Ministry of Culture
credit – Greek Ministry of Culture

A team of deep-sea divers has recovered a slew of artifacts from the wreck of Titanic’s sister ship, a vessel sunk by a mine during the First World War.

Called the HMHS Britannic, it was one of three Olympic-class ocean liners built by the White Star Lines company in the early 20th century, with the others being HMS Titanic and HMS Olympia. 

The dive was organized by British historian Simon Mills, founder of the Britannic Foundation and owner of the wreck, and saw 11 professional divers enter the Aegean Sea in May and conduct a survey of the ship for artifacts they might recover.

Details were kept secret until last Monday when images of what was recovered were published by the Greek Ministry of Culture.

Included among the items were a porcelain wash basin, binoculars, a portside navigation lamp, tiles from Turkish baths, equipment from first and second-class cabins, and most excitingly, the lookout’s bell.

Connected to air balloons, they floated up from the depths to be secured by waiting crews who packaged them up for transfer to a conservation center in Athens.

A porcelain wash basin covered in marine life – credit Greek Ministry of Culture (2)

Once cleaned of marine organisms, they will go on display in the war section of the National Museum of Underwater Antiquities in Piraeus.

The loss of Titanic would have been a terrible one for the company’s fortunes, but was likely less than the confiscation and subsequent loss of HMHS Britannic by the British Government for use as a hospital ship in World War I.

SHIPWRECKS AND THEIR TREASURES: 

With one sunk by an iceberg, and the other by a German mine, and with several other vessels lost during the war that had also been “requisitioned” for the war effort, the company had to conduct a post-war triage until three liners obtained from Germany as war reparations were given over to White Star Lines as something approaching compensation.

The HMHS Britannic

Thankfully, and quite unlike her more famous sister ship, the sinking of Britannic claimed only 30 of the more than 1,000 souls onboard; the others escaping via an adequate number of life boats.

Today, the vessel is the largest intact passenger ship on the seabed in the world.

SHARE This Underwater Effort To Resurface The History Of This Great Liner… 

Engineering Student Turns Red Solo Cups into Stylish Sweaters That Don’t Shed Microplastics

By
Andy Corbley
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A college engineering student is making headlines for her clothing line that spins red solo cups thrown away after fraternity parties into soft sweaters and beanie caps.

The process addresses every concern or question one might have, and is finding a second life for these hard-to-recycle cups.

Made by companies like Solo and Hefty, solo cups are a staple at American parties across the nation. God only knows how many are used and tossed every year, but many recycling facilities won’t have the equipment needed to process their plastic blend.

Enter Lauren Choi, an engineering student formerly at Johns Hopkins University, who founded the New Normal Collective after discovering a way that these cups could be turned into textiles.

She had long had an interest in sustainable fashion, but it was after she graduated in 2020 that she was able to secure grant funding to buy an extruder machine which can turn shredded plastic cups into thread. She had tried to build one of these machines herself in her parent’s garage during school years, and knew that they were the key to turning her vision into a reality.

Choi relied on two other engineering colleges to provide a non-toxic, natural material that would turn the icky, plasticy feeling thread into a soft and comfortable, knitwear-ready yarn.

Final solution ready, and missing only the machinery, Choi received further grant funding from none other than Reynold’s Consumer Products, the parent company of Hefty—one of the largest producers of plastic solo cups in America.

Her supply chain now is anchored in North Carolina and Virginia where the yarn is made from the shredded cups. It’s then shipped to a facility in Brooklyn where a 3D knitter creates the sweaters and beanies available on the New Norm’s collection in a single knit using filament yarn rather than spun yarn.

Spun yarn—typical of wool products, is made from many small threads spun together, while filament yarn is a continuous, unbroken thread. The advantage of the latter is that it prevents a major source of pollution from artificial textiles: microplastic shedding.

Every time spun-yarn made from polyester or other artificial textiles is washed, it sheds some of its threads. These in turn enter the environment as air and water pollution and represent a major contributor to the overall burden of microplastics.

Another advantage of 3D knitting is that it produces a whole garment without any fabric scraps.

“3D knitting has a lot less waste compared to traditional cut-and-sew, where many fabric scraps are wasted,” Choi told the Guardian. “Instead, our pieces are knit straight out of the machine without any seams – it’s just one full garment that doesn’t need additional sewing.”

No artificial dyes are used in the production process, as the pastel shades of yellow, green, blue, and pink, come from the cups themselves.

The Guardian reports that The New Norm product drops will occasionally sell out within hours, generating thousands in revenue. It’s encouraged Choi to seek future opportunities in the business-to-business side, and she’s now undergoing trials with several large firms who are testing the thread for strength and durability.

The sweaters retail for between $45 and $85.

WATCH how they’re made below… 

SHARE This Student’s Vision And Execution With Someone In Need Of Knitwear…

Six Baby Cheetahs Born in the Richmond Zoo’s Prolific Breeding Program – 167 Cats Since 2013 (WATCH)

By
Andy Corbley
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Six cheetah cubs with their mother –Courtesy of Metro Richmond Zoo
Six cheetah cubs with their mother –Courtesy of Metro Richmond Zoo

At a zoo in Richmond, a raucous litter of cheetah cubs is delighting onlookers having spent the summer months growing in secret.

One of the largest litters born at the zoo, the three-month-old cubs are hitting milestones and progressing well towards adolescence.

Named after African capitals, such as Lusaka, Kampala, and Cairo, the cubs were born in April but were kept hidden away to develop in peace through their most sensitive period with mother Zuri.

Sprinting, jumping on each other, and investigating every object in their enclosure, they seem well on their way to becoming the world’s fastest land animal.

“Some are shy; one is bold and brave — that’s Lusaka,” said Kristina Coonley, a lead zookeeper at the Metro Richmond Zoo, Virginia. “[Cairo] is always the last one out and the last one to come in.”

Though just the 99th most populated city in America, the Richmond Zoo nevertheless boasts one of the country’s most prolific and successful cheetah breeding program for purposes of conservation. Zuri’s litter of 6 takes the total number of captive-born cubs in the program’s history to 167 since 2013.

Coonley told the Washington Post that the Cheetah Conservation Center looks carefully and genetics and disposition when deciding which of their cats are suitable for breeding. Zuri is 5 years old, and has already mothered one litter. Her partner was Ramses, a 13-year-old sire of 25 other cubs.

MORE CAT CONSERVATION PROJECTS:

Though losing out on conservation column inches to the likes of the lion and tiger, cheetah are considered Vulnerable by the IUCN. With around 6,500 individuals across the whole of Africa, a relic populations in Iran, and a diminishing introduced population in India, they are the most at-risk of the African big cats because of their need for space befitting the world’s greatest sprinters.

It’s no bad thing then that the Metro Richmond Zoo has seen even bigger litters than these 6, with a resident female last year bringing 9 little mohawked babies into the world.

WATCH the cubs play with their mom below… 

SHARE These Adorable Newcomers And The News Of Their Birth… 

“I’ve never known any trouble than an hour’s reading didn’t assuage.” – Arthur Schopenhauer

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “I’ve never known any trouble than an hour’s reading didn’t assuage.” – Arthur Schopenhauer

Photo by: Aaron Burden

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

By Aaron Burden

Good News in History September 22

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Good News Network
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40 years ago today, the first Farm Aid benefit concert was held to raise money for family farmers in the United States. The concert was organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, spurred on by Bob Dylan’s comments at Live Aid earlier in that year that he hoped some of the money would help American farmers in danger of losing their farms through mortgage debt. The show at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium in Champaign raised $7 million, with a crowd of 80,000 people enjoying performances by Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, John Fogerty, Bonnie Raitt, and Tom Petty. WATCH a little story about how it happened… (1985)

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Scientists Find a Switch That Could Stop Osteoporosis, Making Bones Stronger in Old Age

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Good News Network
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Credit: BHLNZ - Biodiversity Heritage Library NZ (public domain)
Credit: BHLNZ – Biodiversity Heritage Library NZ (public domain)

There is a high demand for safe and long-lasting medications to treat bone loss for the millions of people with osteoporosis.

Discovering new targets for drug development is therefore a key step towards better therapies.

In a recent study, scientists at Leipzig University in Germany demonstrated that the G protein receptor called GPR133 plays a central role in building and maintaining healthy bone

“If this receptor is impaired by genetic changes, mice show signs of loss of bone density at an early age—similar to osteoporosis in humans,” explains Professor Ines Liebscher, lead investigator of the study published in Nature.

The team was able to significantly increase bone strength in both healthy and osteoporotic mice using the substance AP503, which was recently identified as a stimulator of GPR133.

In bone tissue, GPR133 is activated through the interaction of neighboring bone cells and mechanical strain. This triggers a signal that stimulates bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) and inhibits bone-resorbing cells (osteoclasts).

The result is stronger, more resilient bones.

In the future, it could be used both to further strengthen healthy bones and to rebuild weakened ones—for instance, in cases of osteoporosis in women going through menopause.

MORE BONE SCIENCE: Prunes Can Protect Older Women Against Osteoporosis, Says Penn State Study

Great potential for an aging population

In an earlier study, researchers at Leipzig University had already found that activation with AP503 also strengthens skeletal muscle.

“The newly demonstrated parallel strengthening of bone once again highlights the great potential this receptor holds for medical applications in an aging population,” says Dr Juliane Lehmann, lead author of the study and a researcher at the Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry.

CHEESE FOR THE BONES: Trendy Type of Norwegian Cheese May Stave Off Bone Thinning, Shows New Study

The Leipzig research team is already working on several follow-up projects to further investigate the role of GPR133 in the body.

Olympic Boxer Gives His Gold Medal to American Who Rightfully Beat Him Decades Ago (Watch the Tears)

By
Nathan Frederick
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It’s never too late to make amends.

Nearly 35 years after his gold medal-winning boxing match, the guilt still weighed on South Korea’s Park Si-hun.

He knew he lost in 1988, but was awarded the gold with a controversial 3-2 win over American Roy Jones Jr. at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, in front of a hometown crowd.

Most observers thought Roy Jones dominated the match.

An announcer said during the broadcast of the fight, “If he doesn’t win the gold off this, I think there’s something rotten in Korea because that was absolutely one of the most dominant things I’ve seen”.

Jones even received the Val Barker Trophy given to the best boxer in the Olympic Games. And yet, the gold medal was awarded to someone else.

“Well there it is,” another announcer said after the fight. “Park Si-hun has stolen the bout!”

Rumors circulated for years that the judges were corrupt. In 1996, documents were reportedly discovered from East Germany’s Stasi secret police that some judges were paid to favor South Korean boxers. Many people believe the East Germans did it to stay ahead of the United States in the medal rankings.

However, an International Olympic Committee Investigation a year later found no significant evidence to prove that there was a bribery scheme.

The medal remained with Park, but the guilt persisted.

Many people viewed him as a victim too, a pawn in a bribery scheme that gave him a result he didn’t request. Park retired from boxing soon after the Games—and called his life with the gold medal a nightmare.

Jones, meanwhile, grew into one of the best fighters in boxing history, perhaps using that Olympic disappointment to fuel his illustrious career. He ended up winning championships in four different weight classes and compiling an overall record of 66-10 with 47 knockouts.

The only win that seemed to elude him was the gold medal in 1988.

But finally, years later, the two boxers would meet again.

Park sought closure and traveled to Jones’ hometown in Pensacola, Florida to surprise his former Olympic rival.

That day, Jones thought he was heading to the gym for a routine interview. Instead, Park was there to hand over the medal that had been denied for 35 years.

Park said through his son, who translated, “I had the gold medal, but I wanted to give it back to you. It belongs to you.”

More than three decades of emotions erupted in Jones.

MORE OLYMPIC KINDNESS: Polish Olympian Auctions Silver Medal for Infant’s Heart Surgery, but Winning Bidder Won’t Accept It

“Wow, that is crazy,” the boxer said as he fought the tears welling in his eyes.

News of Park’s actions were shared for the first time ever on Jones’ YouTube page earlier this month—and the good deed has captivated sports fans worldwide.

Discussions are underway to turn the entire ordeal into a documentary or movie. There is simply too much inspiration and too many lessons within the feel-good story for it not to be shared.

And it’s clearly never too late to make amends.

CHECK OUT: Five Classy Olympic Moments That Should Win a Gold Medal For Inspiration

“Park lost that fight but he never lost his soul,” one commenter wrote on YouTube. “A couple of minutes like these are what life is all about. (The) man beat the game of life. Imagine the integrity he’s bestowed upon his son. Such a legendary moment for such a small clip on YouTube…”

SHARE THIS on Social Media with your gold medal friends…

Unlikely Animals Snuggling Together at the Denver Zoo Have Melted the Internet with Their Cuteness

By
Nathan Frederick
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Capybara and howler monkey snuggling –Courtesy of the Denver Zoo
Capybara and howler monkey snuggling –Courtesy of the Denver Zoo

We could all learn a few things from the animal world.

This week’s lesson comes courtesy of a capybara and a howler monkey, two animals you would not expect to see together in close contact in the wild.

The world’s largest rodent, capybaras are typically found in marshy grasslands and swamps. Howler monkeys spend most of their time in trees, living in the dense canopies of the Central and South American forests.

But captivity in the Denver Zoo has given this unlikely pair a chance to get acquainted. ‘Baya’, the 16-year-old monkey was visited by 6-year-old ‘Rebecca’ of the very docile capybara species. The two, in real life, share geographic locations in the southern hemisphere.

Currently, a Denver Zoo exhibit features Baya and Rebecca as the only females in an enclosure filled with other male animals, so, the females have looked past their differences and everything else that might divide them.

Instead, Rebecca and Baya have become best friends, spending tons of time cuddling together and piggybacking across their enclosure.

“I think Baya just really finds Rebecca as a comforting friend,” Jessica Newell, the Denver Zoo’s assistant curator of Tropical Discovery told Axios Denver.

MEANWHILE, THESE GUYS: Zoo Officials Baffled When Lost Otter Cub is Found Snoring Among the Flamingos

“Rebecca’s pretty calm, and Baya’s able to go to her for comfort. They are very content with each other.”

The furry, golden-haired roommates have captivated the attention of spectators at the zoo and others beyond its walls. Pictures of the animals in various snuggling poses were posted to social media recently and the images have been spreading joy across the internet ever since.

“Animals can teach us a lot,” a Facebook commenter named Maureen wrote. “Love one another. We are all in this together.”

BEAR-Y GOOD NEWS: Bear Shocks Vets By Going into Remission From Terminal Cancer After Taking Meds in Honey–a Rare Treat That Delights Her

“We humans could take a page from their playbook,” added Ann, another Facebook commenter. “Kindness. Sharing. Mutual respect. Once again, love is re-imagined through nature.”

SPARK A CONNECTION By Sharing These Sweeties on Social Media…

Acupuncture is an Effective Treatment for Back Pain in Seniors–And Sometimes it’s Covered by U.S. Medicare

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

Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for back pain in older people, according to new research.

Chronic back pain for the study participants (aged 65 and older) showed greater improvement—in both physical function and reduced pain—when treated with the traditional Chinese method of inserting needles into specific meridians on the body, when compared to common medical care, according to new research.

Affecting over one-in-three older adults, the condition is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and one of the key drivers of the opioid addiction. But treatment options like pain-relieving drugs have a somewhat modest effect.

“They often reduce pain by about a third at best—and can help people function better,” said study lead author Dr. Lynn DeBar, who researched alternative solutions.

The BackInAction clinical trial by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research enrolled 800 participants including men and women over 65 with a medical history of low back pain for at least three months.

While acupuncture has been found to be safe and effective for chronic low back pain in adults overall, few studies have focused on senior citizens.

A third of the participants received up to 15 acupuncture treatments over three months, while another third received an additional six acupuncture treatments over the following three months.

At three study milestones—after 3, 6, and 12 months from enrollment—participants provided self-assessment of their pain and physical limitations. They agreed or disagreed with 24 statements that describe everyday activities made difficult because of back pain.

Their findings, published in JAMA Network Open, showed that—at the six-month and 12-month assessment—both groups who received acupuncture had greater reductions in pain disability than those who received usual medical care alone.

The acupuncture-treated groups also had reduced pain intensity and greater physical function after six months compared to participants who did not receive acupuncture.

MORE ACUPUNCTURE GOOD NEWS:
• How Acupuncture May Ease Symptoms of Menopause
• Tortoise Gets Second Chance After Healing With Acupuncture

“We found that the size of this effect, while modest, was positive and sustained,” said Dr. DeBar, who works with the California-based Kaiser Permanente research group.

She explained what sets the BackInAction study apart, apart from the fact that it’s large and randomized controlled.

It was focused specifically on adults 65 years of age and older, and it was pragmatically designed to involve seniors from multiple regions of the country so the demographics were consistent with the US census.

Most importantly, they worked with licensed acupuncturists in these communities, who are most likely to deliver these services.

The research team suggested that access to acupuncture is important, but if the practitioners could bill Medicare directly it could greatly improve access to such services.

Five years ago, Medicare agreed to begin covering limited numbers of acupuncture treatments for lower back pain, but only when administered or supervised by a physician or other qualified provider in a hospital or clinic setting.

That means state-licensed, independent, community-based acupuncturists, who comprise the vast majority of providers, are not considered qualified and thus cannot bill Medicare directly under current law.

Today, Medicare covers a maximum of 12 acupuncture treatments within a 90-day period in a doctor’s office or hospital. If the patient shows improvement, Medicare may cover up to 8 additional treatments within the same 12-month period, with the patient responsible for a 20% copay after meeting their Part B deductible.

The Backinaction study was undertaken as part of the NIH’s Helping to End Addiction Long-term, or HEAL, Initiative, which seeks to speed scientific solutions to stem the opioid crisis, according to UPI news.

UPI talked to experts who were surprised that the effects lasted until the end of 12 months after only three months of the once-weekly sessions, which can’t be said about pain pills. The effects stop after you stop taking the pills. Not so for acupuncture, according to this study.

“This study shows that achieving back pain relief from acupuncture is verifiable and replicable, and that treatments can make a huge differences in people’s lives at one year out,” Amy Mager, for the American Society of Acupuncturists told UPI.

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“Love’s greatest gift is its ability to make everything it touches sacred.” – Barbara De Angelis

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Credit: Getty Images For Unsplash+

Quote of the Day: “Love’s greatest gift is its ability to make everything it touches sacred.” – Barbara De Angelis

Photo by: Getty Images for Unsplash+

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

Credit: Getty Images For Unsplash+

Good News in History September 21

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Good News Network
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Sandra Day O'Connor being sworn in - public domain

44 years ago today, Sandra Day O’Connor was sworn in as the first female Supreme Court Justice. She was approved in the Senate 99-0, with one Montana Senator being absent from who vote, who later sent her a copy of A River Runs Through It, by way of an apology. In her first year on the Court, she received over 60,000 letters from the public, more than any other justice in history. READ more about this famous justice… (1981)

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Farmer Pops the Question with Sky High Proposal Over a Special Canola Crop

By
Andy Corbley
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Will Henderson and Steph Carter get engaged – Photo supplied
Will Henderson and Steph Carter get engaged – Photo supplied

An elementary school teacher in Australia has her head in the clouds after an elaborate marriage proposal from her new fiancé.

Will Henderson’s sky-high idea hatched in the spring when he was preparing to seed the canola crop.

Williams handiwork – credit, supplied

Blooming yellow in September, he took Steph Carter up on a plane and popped the question, hoping a 10,000 foot view of their relationship would be the winning formula to make a bride out of his childhood sweetheart.

“It was really special,” Carter, who said yes, told ABC News AU. “I thought that he would propose soon, but I wasn’t expecting him to do it the way that he did.”

The way he did took months of planning and a few “white lies.”

The 25-year-old farmer in New South Wales spaced out 12-meter-long rows to form each letter, marked them out on a GPS file, and used that as a guide in his air-powered seed spreader.

“You can see the “E” and the start of a couple of letters struggled a bit … so I had to re-sow that by hand weeks later,” he said. “[Ms. Carter] usually wanted to go on a crop tour and I had to say no, which she didn’t like too much.”

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS: 

Almost as surprising as the proposal was the extra touch of inviting friends and family to cluster at their house for their triumphant homecoming. In the Blighty District of New South Wales, going anywhere takes time, and many of their relations live hours away.

24-year-old Carter explained that they are aiming for a 2027 marriage, in the garden at mom and dad’s house.

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Diligent Barber May Have Saved Boy’s Life After Spotting Cancerous Lump on His Neck

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Barber Firat Davutoglu and Owen Norgrove - SWNS
Barber Firat Davutoglu and Owen Norgrove – SWNS

An eagle-eyed barber saved a teenager’s life by spotting a lump that turned out to be a rare cancer.

A Turkish stylist name Firat Davutoglu spied it the 17-year-old’s neck after he’d come in for a trim of his back and sides.

He advised him to “get it checked out”—and the next week Owen went to his doctor who referred him to a specialist.

Following a series of tests, Owen was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, an uncommon cancer that develops in the lymphatic system—and he immediately started aggressive chemotherapy following the diagnosis in January.

Owen Norgrove, from Shropshire, England, is now in remission and hoping to be given the all clear next June.

“Owen had just gone for his normal haircut and Firat noticed the tiny lump on his neck,” his mother Hayley told SWNS news agency. “When Owen came home he told us what Firat had advised and we immediately got him an appointment with his GP.

“Once we saw it, it did start to grow; by the time he was diagnosed it was a sizable lump in his neck.

“Firat really helped Owen have the cancer diagnosed much quicker so he could start treatment sooner. He underwent five months of chemotherapy at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and is being supported by the Teenage Cancer Trust.

“He had his last chemo on May 1. Then in early June he was in remission.

“You just don’t expect cancer at that age, it was a shock for everyone. But everyone rallied around and we had a strong support network. With his age and resilience, his body fought back.

This week Owen was reunited with Firat for the first time since he took the barber’s life-saving advice.

Teen Boy Owen Norgrove getting chemo VERTICLE – via SWNS

Recalling the day he had his trim, Owen said: “I came to the barber as I do every few weeks. Suddenly Firat stopped and said to me ‘do you realize you’ve got a lump on your neck? You might want to get that checked by a doctor.’

“I’m really grateful that the barber noticed the lump,” he said recently.

ANOTHER CLOSE CALL:
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• ‘Hero’ Gamer Thwarts Attack on California School by Reporting Teens Discussing Bombing Intentions Online

Firat, who runs New Styles hair salon, said: “I’m just giving him a haircut and I saw that his neck, the right side of it, is swelling. I just asked what is it?

“He said he didn’t know and I got the mirror and he said he hadn’t seen it before. I told him, ‘Mate, you should go see the doctor’.

“He came with his dad (five months later) and I didn’t remember him because he had chemotherapy and had no hair. His dad told me the story and I feel emotional.

“He’s alright now and that’s what’s important now.

“I hope he’s going to have a long life, healthy, and he’s never going to see the hospital and doctors again.”

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9-Year-old Goes to College to Be Brain Surgeon for Kids His Age –And Wait ‘til You Hear Him Talk

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Nathan Frederick
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Aiden Wilkens Family photos
Aiden Wilkens Family photos

At a time when most of his peers are navigating elementary school cafeterias, playgrounds, and yellow buses, Aiden Wilkens is embracing an entirely different challenge.

The 9-year-old Pennsylvania boy is already off to college—a fitting outcome for the lad who lives with his family in ‘Collegeville’.

As the youngest student ever to enroll at Ursinus College, studying anatomy and chemistry fits perfectly for Aiden, who’s been exceptional his entire life.

His mother, Veronica, said he was reading signs and correcting people’s sentences almost as soon as he could speak. As other toddlers watched cartoons, he became fascinated with the brain after watching dozens of intricate anatomy videos.

Aiden has been able to write algebraic equations for years—and passed his high school’s gifted test when he was only about six years old. A year later, he was enrolled in high school and is now a sophomore at Reach Cyber Charter School.

The articulate boy attends college classes three days a week and spends his other days working through high school coursework. He has set his sights on becoming a brain surgeon—and no one doubts he will achieve it.

“The reason why I want to be a pediatric neurosurgeon is mainly because I like helping kids my age,” Aiden told NBC Philadelphia in the video below. “It’s sad to see kids around my age with neuro-disabilities so I want to help them out.”

If Aiden stays on his present path, he might continue making history. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Balamurali Ambati currently holds the record for being the youngest doctor, having graduated from New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine in 1995 at the age of 17 years, 294 days.

At Aiden’s pace, he may smash that record. But regardless of where he goes next, the 9-year-old college kid has already provided plenty of inspiration.

MORE INSPIRING KIDS:
• 4-Year-old Brit Taught Himself All 195 World Flags And Knows Every Country on the Map
• Two 10-Year-old Girls Just Defeated Chess Grandmasters on Separate Continents Just Hours Apart

“What I really want people to know from my story (is) all you have to do is put in work to do whatever you want.”

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Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ by 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 September 20, 2025
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
A supple clarity is crystallizing within you. Congratulations! It’s not a brittle or rigid certainty, but a knack for limber discernment. I predict you will have an extra potent gift for knowing what truly matters, even amidst chaos or complication. As this superpower reaches full ripeness, you can aid the process by clearing out clutter and refining your foundational values. Make these words your magic spells: quintessence, core, crux, gist, lifeblood, root. PS: Be alert for divine messages in seemingly mundane circumstances.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
The ancient Mesopotamian goddess Inanna was called “the Queen of Heaven.” Her domains were politics, divine law, love, and fertility. She was a powerhouse. One chapter of her mythic story tells of her descent into the underworld. She was stripped of everything—clothes, titles, weapons—before she could be reborn. Why did she do it? Scholars say she was on a quest for greater knowledge and an expansion of her authority. And she was successful! I propose we make her your guide and companion in the coming weeks, Libra. You are at the tail-end of your own descent. The stripping is almost complete. Soon you will feel the first tremors of return—not loud, not triumphant, but sure. I have faith that your adventures will make you stronger and wiser, as Inanna’s did for her.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
In ancient Rome, the dye called Tyrian purple was used exclusively for garments worn by royalty and top officials. It had a humble origin: murex snails. Their glands yielded a pale liquid that darkened into an aristocratic violet only after sun, air, and time worked upon it. I’m predicting you will be the beneficiary of comparable alchemical transformations in the coming weeks. A modest curiosity could lead to a major breakthrough. A passing fancy might ripen into a rich blessing. Seemingly nondescript encounters may evolve into precious connections.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Bees can see ultraviolet patterns in flowers that are invisible to humans. These “nectar guides” direct bees to the flower’s nectar and pollen, functioning like landing strips. Let’s apply these fun facts as metaphors for your life, Sagittarius. I suspect that life is offering you subtle yet radiant cues leading you to sources you will be glad to connect with. To be fully alert for them, you may need to shift and expand the ways you use your five senses. The universe is in a sense flirting with you, sending you clues through dream-logic and non-rational phenomena. Follow the shimmering glimmers.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
At the height of her powers, Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut declared, “I have restored what had been ruined. I have raised up what had dissolved.” You now have a similar gift at your disposal, Capricorn. If you harness it, you will gain an enhanced capacity to unify what has been scattered, to reforge what was broken, and to resurrect neglected dreams. To fulfill this potential, you must believe in your own sovereignty—not as a form of domination, but of devotion. Start with your own world. Make beauty where there was noise. Evoke dignity where there was confusion.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
In the high Himalayas, there’s a flower called Saussurea obvallata—the Brahma Kamal. It blooms only at night and for a short time, releasing a scent that legend says can heal grief. This will be your flower of power for the coming weeks, Aquarius. It signifies that a rare and time-sensitive gift will be available, and that you must be alert to gather it in. My advice: Don’t schedule every waking hour. Leave space for mystery to arrive unannounced. You could receive a visitation, an inspiration, or a fleeting insight that can change everything. It may assuage and even heal sadness, confusion, aimlessness, or demoralization.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
The human heart beats 100,000 times per day, 35 million times per year, and 2.5 billion times in an average lifetime. It’s the most reliable “machine” ever created, working continuously and mostly without special maintenance for decades. Although you Pisceans aren’t renowned for your stability and steadiness, I predict that in the coming weeks, you will be as staunch, constant, and secure as a human heart. What do you plan to do with this grace period? What marvels can you accomplish?

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Hindu goddess Durga rides a tiger and carries weapons in her ten hands, including a sword, axe, and thunderbolt. Yet she wears a pleasant smile. Her mandate to aid the triumph of good over evil is not fueled by hate but by luminous clarity and loving ferocity. I suggest you adopt her attitude, Aries. Can you imagine yourself as a storm of joy and benevolence? Will you work to bring more justice and fairness into the situations you engage with? I imagine you speaking complex and rugged truths with warmth and charm. I see you summoning a generous flair as you help people climb up out of their sadness and suffering. If all goes well, you will magnetize others to participate in shared visions of delight and dignity.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Born under the sign of Taurus, Maya Deren first expressed her extravagant creative urges as a writer, poet, photographer, clothes designer, and dancer. But then she made a radical change, embarking on a new path as experimental filmmaker. She said she had “finally found a glove that fits.” Her movies were highly influential among the avant-garde in the 1940s and 1950s. I bring Deren to your attention, Taurus, because I suspect that in the coming months, you, too, will find a glove that fits. And it all starts soon.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
In medieval times, alchemists believed mercury was a sacred substance and divine intermediary. They knew that it’s the only metal that’s liquid at room temperature. This quality, along with its silvery sheen (why it’s called “quicksilver”), made it seem like a bridge between solid and liquid, earth and water, heaven and earth, life and death. I nominate mercury as your power object, Gemini. You’re extra well-suited to navigate liminal zones and transitional states. You may be the only person in your circle who can navigate paradox and speak in riddles and still make sense. It’s not just cleverness. It’s wisdom wrapped in whimsy. So please offer your in-between insights freely. PS: You have another superpower, too: You can activate dormant understandings in both other people’s hearts and your own.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
In the western Pacific Ocean, there’s a species of octopus that builds its lair from coconut shells. The creature gathers together husks, dragging them across the seafloor, and fits them together. According to scientists, this use of tools by an invertebrate is unique. Let’s make the coconut octopus your power creature for now, Cancerian. You will have extra power to forge a new sanctuary or renovate an existing one, either metaphorically or literally. You will be wise to draw on what’s nearby and readily available, maybe even using unusual or unexpected building materials.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
I invite you to contemplate the meaning of the phrase “invisible architecture.” My dream told me it will be a theme for you in the coming weeks. What does it mean? What does it entail? Here are my thoughts: Structures are taking shape within you that may not yet be visible from the outside. Bridges are forming between once-disconnected parts of your psyche and life. You may not need to do much except consent to the slow emergence of these new semi-amazing expressions of integrity. Be patient and take notes. Intuitions arriving soon may be blueprints for future greatness. Here’s the kicker: You’re not just building for yourself. You’re working on behalf of your soul-kin, too.

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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