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Just a Handful of Walnuts 3x Weekly Boosts Attention and Brain Growth in Adolescents, Especially Those With ADHD

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Artizone, CC license on Flickr
Artizone, CC license on Flickr

A handful of walnuts three times a week is enough to boost attention and brain growth in secondary school kids, according to a new study of students in Spain.

The nuts contain a type of omega-3 oil that is particularly beneficial to growing brains.

Scientists who studied 700 kids aged 11-16 found the cognitive development and psychological maturation increased in those that ate the nuts regularly.

They also found a big difference in those diagnosed with ADHD wherein the walnut-munchers were much more able to concentrate in class than before and were less hyperactive.

Students from 12 different schools in Barcelona were randomly divided into two groups. A control group, which received no intervention of any kind and the experimental group, which received packages containing 30 grams of walnut kernels that they were told to consume every day for a period of six months.

CHECK OUT: ‘MIND’ Diet Linked to Improved Memory and Thinking Skills in Old Age

The research team from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, the Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), and the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, found the benefits even in those who only ate them 100 times in the 182 days.

Walnuts are rich in alpha-linolenic fatty acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 that plays a fundamental role in brain development—especially at this life stage when kids’ bodies are changing a lot as they grow.

“Adolescence is a time of great biological changes,” said Principal investigator Dr. Jordi Julvez from the IISPV.

“Hormonal transformation occurs, which in turn is responsible for stimulating the synaptic growth of the frontal lobe—the part of our brain that enables neuropsychological maturation, i.e., more complex emotional and cognitive functions.

“Neurons that are well nourished with this type of fatty acids will be able to grow and form new, stronger synapses.”

They also found an increase in functions relating to fluid intelligence, which is less influenced by learning. It is inherent to the person’s biology.

ANOTHER TIP FOR TEENS: Snacking on Grapes May Add 4-5 Years to Lifespans of Those Who Regularly Eat Fast Food

“We assessed (fluid intelligence) with increasingly complex tests, such as having adolescents figure out what pattern a row of letters followed,” explained Dr. Julvez.

While there have been previous studies on the effect of nuts on our health, the impact of their consumption at such a critical stage for cognitive development as adolescence has never been examined.

Ariadna Pinar, a doctoral student from IISPV and first author of the study published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, said their findings demonstrate that following a healthy diet is as important as maintaining these habits over time.

“Adolescence is a period of great brain development and complex behaviors that requires a significant amount of energy and nutrients.

RELATED: Holy Mackerel! Fish Really Is Brain Food – Even if You Only Eat a Small Amount

“If boys and girls would heed these recommendations and actually eat a handful of walnuts a day, or at least three times a week, they would notice many substantial improvements in cognitive abilities and it would help them face the challenges of adolescence and entering adulthood.”

DOLE OUT This Fantastic Food Tip to Friends on Social Media–SHARE IT! 

“I‘m learning how to grow into the space I was always meant to occupy.” – Jane Shore

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Quote of the Day: “I‘m learning how to grow into the space I was always meant to occupy.” – Jane Shore

Photo by: Belinda Fewings

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?

Black Holes Chew Up Wayward Stars Like Messy Toddlers–Taking a Few Bites Before Flinging Leftovers Across the Galaxy

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A star (bright orange dot) flying across the galaxy after being ejected from an intermediate-mass black hole – SWNS
Remnants of a wayward star, circling around a black hole – SWNS

A research team that analyzed black holes determined they are a bit like a messy toddlers when they swallow up wayward stars—taking a few bites before flinging the leftovers across the galaxy.

The protracted and violent meals were unveiled in remarkable detail using computer simulations, because black holes are invisible—and their gravity is so strong that even light can’t escape.

“We obviously cannot observe black holes directly because they don’t emit light,” said lead author Fulya Kıroglu, a PhD student at Northwestern University in Illinois. “Instead, we have to look at the interactions between black holes and their environments.”

“We found that stars undergo multiple passages before being ejected. After each passage, they lose more mass, causing a flair of light as it’s ripped apart. Each flare is brighter than the last, creating a signature that might help astronomers find them.”

Finding black holes is important because they may be the source of a mysterious force known as dark energy. It has even been posited that they are tunnels between universes, a type of wormhole.

The findings apply to medium-sized black holes (between 100 to 10,000 solar masses), which are much harder to detect than their supermassive counterparts.

“Astrophysicists have uncovered evidence that they exist,” said Ms. Kiroglu. “But that evidence can often be explained by other mechanisms. For example, what appears to be an intermediate-mass black hole might actually be the accumulation of stellar-mass black holes.”

Her team developed new hydrodynamic models including a large star, which was sent towards it. Then they calculated the gravitational force acting on its particles during the approach.

They were able to calculate specifically which particle was bound to the star and which particle was disrupted, and flung loose.

CHECK OUT: Mars Rover Discovers Liquid Salt Water on the Red Planet For the First Time

A star (bright dot, right) flying across the galaxy after being ejected from an intermediate-mass black hole – SWNS

The study showed stars could orbit an intermediate-mass black hole as many as five times before finally being ejected. With each pass around, the star loses more and more of its mass as it’s ripped apart.

The black hole kicks the leftovers back out into the galaxy, moving at searing speeds.

The repeating pattern would create a stunning light show that should help astronomers recognize, and prove, the existence of intermediate-mass black holes.

“It’s amazing the star isn’t fully ripped apart,” she added. “Some stars get lucky and survive the event.

“The ejection speed is so high that these stars could be identified as hyper-velocity stars, which have been observed at the centers of galaxies.”

LOOK: Hubble Sees a Possible Runaway Black Hole Creating a Trail of Stars

She next plans to simulate giant and binary stars to explore their interactions with black holes.

Supermassive black holes are believed to power their galaxies—and one currently sits at the heart of the Milky Way.

The findings were presented at a virtual meeting of the American Physical Society.

FLING This Fascinating Research Toward Stargazers on Social Media…

Endangered Sturgeon–A Fish Once So Popular a King Declared Them ‘Royal’–Making a Comeback in UK

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‘Royal Sturgeon’ caught in the Hundred Foot River at Oxlode, Pymoor in 1906 - SWNS
‘Royal Sturgeon’ caught in the Hundred Foot River at Oxlode, Pymoor in 1906 – SWNS

A giant armor-plated fish once so popular King Edward II declared it ‘royal’ is being reintroduced to British waters.

Conservationists are bringing back the critically-endangered native sturgeon decades after the ancient species was nearly wiped from UK rivers.

A team led by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has launched the UK Sturgeon Conservation Strategy and Action Plan—a science-based guide developed by experts that outlines the actions needed to recover numbers of both the Atlantic and European sturgeons in the UK.

Growing up to 16 feet in length (5m), the fish has long whisker-like barbels and diamond-shaped armored plates along their backs.

“Sturgeons look like they’ve swum straight out of a paleontologist’s textbook,” said Hannah McCormick, ZSL’s conservation project officer for estuaries and wetlands.

“These impressive and ancient animals were once common in UK rivers and along our coastline. Fast-forward 700 years, and sturgeons have all but disappeared from our waters, after dam construction in rivers blocking their migration routes and overfishing caused numbers to plummet in the latter half of the 20th century.”

This UK-wide plan follows successful conservation in France and Germany that helped save European sturgeons from the brink of extinction. In 2020, juvenile sturgeon of two different species, both of which were feared extinct, were spotted in a river in the Republic of Georgia.

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SWNS

After increased sightings in British waters. the team will be identifying essential habitats, restoring migratory passages, and trying to keep the fish from being accidentally caught by fishermen.

“These ancient fish outlived the dinosaurs and in fact still closely resemble their ancestors, which swam in Earth’s seas and rivers 100 million years ago,” McCormick said.

Both European and Atlantic sturgeons are fully migratory species—beginning their lives in rivers, before traveling out to the sea.

Once at sea they live most of their 60-year-long lives in coastal and marine waters, only returning to freshwater as adults every few years to reproduce.

CHECK OUT: Massive 1100-Pound Sturgeon Reeled in by British Tourist in Canada (See Below)

1100-pound sturgeon caught
After fishing tourists take photo, sturgeon was tagged and released in Canada

Jenny Murray, Blue Marine Foundation’s senior restoration projects manager, said: “The development of this Action Plan has been an exciting first step that contributes to the European efforts of restoring sturgeons.

The public can support the sturgeon’s return by raising awareness of this beautiful species and reporting any sightings to UK’s Save the Sturgeon website.

LOOK: Holy Mackerel! Fish Really Is Brain Food – Even if You Only Eat a Small Amount

REEL IN This Story to Share With Your Fish-Loving Pals On Social Media…

What You Should and Shouldn’t Be Doing With Your Elderly Dog – It’s National Pet Week

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Veterinarian Dr. James Greenwood - SWNS / OnePoll
Veterinarian Dr. James Greenwood – SWNS / OnePoll

To mark National Pet Week which begins May 7, a pair of dog experts compiled the top things you should and shouldn’t be doing with your senior pooches—including, keeping them mentally stimulated, but not expecting them to run for more than 60 minutes.

A dog’s life cycle runs much quicker than a human’s, so older pups may not be able to keep up with their owner’s multi-mile walks. The same goes for expecting them to run long distances or climb steps with slippery flooring.

A survey of 2,000 dog owners, commissioned by Forthglade (a British company that makes natural dog food) found that 43 percent believe you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

But veterinarian Dr. James Greenwood and dog behaviorist Caroline Wilkinson agree that teaching your old dog new tricks is a great idea when it comes to keeping your pet healthy–and their brains active—in their golden years.

Mental Health

“It’s absolutely possible to teach an old dog new tricks, to keep it mentally stimulated later in life, and reduce cognitive decline,” said Wilkinson, who believes a dog is considered senior when they’re 8-10 years old.

“We know that half the time spent on mental activity is just as stimulating for your dog as double the time on physical activity, and so this is a really easy way to keep their life enriched and happy as they get older.”

Respondents in the poll listed the top ways they spend ‘quality time’ with their dog: 65 percent cited playing games, 55 percent said taking their dog to their favorite walking spots and 53% said treating their pup to their favorite foods.

Exercising

When it comes to exercise, a quarter of dog owners believe elderly dogs should be walked for 30 minutes a day on average, according to the survey by market research company OnePoll.

Dr. Greenwood confirmed that as a dog ages, it’s important to keep them moving, but only within their individual capabilities.

“If stiff joints or mobility problems do start to become an issue, speaking to a vet should always be the first step, as lots can be done to keep older dogs mobile”.

Diet

Wilkinson says a nutritious diet should be at the top of the list for senior dog care, yet 37% of those polled feel unsure if they should even change their dog’s diet as it ages.

“Like us humans, not only does a diet boost their long-term health physically, but the stomach is the second brain, so it also affects how the dog is feeling. A healthy diet helps with everything from energy to play and good behavior, right through to improving sleep.”

Look for natural dog foods made specifically for elderly canines.

DOs and DON’Ts For Elderly Dogs

DO: Keep an eye out for any changes to your dog both physically but also mentally—anything that differs from the norm.

DON’T: Put your own agenda and lifestyle before the dog. Ensure their walks are tailored to their age and try and minimize drastic changes to their lifestyle or routines.

DO: Remember your dog’s abilities may be changing. Older dogs may struggle on hardwood floors and steps for example, so putting runners and rugs down will help them with mobility.

MORE DOG POLLS: Vast Majority of Dog Owners Believe They Can Read Their Pooch’s Mind

DON’T: Don’t dismiss an older dog by presuming they don’t want to still be active, or thinking that once an old dog gets a condition, we can’t do anything with them anymore.

DO: Keep their brain active by engaging with them in simple training exercises, which could have both a physical and mental element. Consider teaching these tricks (and use healthy treats as a reward for completing the task):

• Running through your legs
• Speaking
• High five or waving
• Dancing – great for dogs with wiggly butts
• Shaking with its paw
• Walking backwards
• Putting away their toys
• Bowing down

CONSIDER Sharing This Advice With Aging Pets and Their Owners…

Your Inspiring Weekly Horoscope From Rob Brezsny: A ‘Free Will Astrology’

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

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of May 6, 2023
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
I’ve selected a passage to serve as one of your prime themes during the rest of 2023. It comes from poet Jane Shore. She writes, “Now I feel I am learning how to grow into the space I was always meant to occupy, into a self I can know.” Dear Taurus, you will have the opportunity to grow ever-more assured and self-possessed as you embody Shore’s description in the coming months. Congratulations in advance on the progress you will make to more fully activate your soul’s code.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Georges Rouault (1871-1958) was a Gemini painter who bequeathed the world over 3,000 works of art. There might have been even more. But years before he died, he burned 315 of his unfinished paintings. He felt they were imperfect, and he would never have time or be motivated to finish them. I think the coming weeks would be a good time for you to enjoy a comparable purge, Gemini. Are there things in your world that don’t mean much to you anymore and are simply taking up space? Consider the possibility of freeing yourself from their stale energy.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Britain occupied India for almost 200 years. It was a ruthless and undemocratic exploitation that steadily drained India’s wealth and resources. Mahatma Gandhi wasn’t the only leader who fought British oppression, but he was among the most effective. In 1930, he led a 24-day, 240-mile march to protest the empire’s tyrannical salt tax. This action was instrumental in energizing the Indian independence movement that ultimately culminated in India’s freedom. I vote to make Gandhi one of your inspirational role models in the coming months. Are you ready to launch a liberation project? Stage a constructive rebellion? Marshal the collaborative energies of your people in a holy cause?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
As crucial as it is to take responsibility, it is also essential to recognize where our responsibilities end and what should be left for others to do. For example, we usually shouldn’t do work for other people that they can just as easily do for themselves. We shouldn’t sacrifice doing the work that only we can do and get sidetracked doing work that many people can do. To be effective and to find fulfillment in life, it’s vital for us to discover what truly needs to be within our care and what should be outside of our care. I see the coming weeks as a favorable time for you to clarify the boundary between these two.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Virgo-born Marie Laveau (1801–1881) was a powerful herbalist, activist, and midwife in New Orleans. According to legend, she could walk on water, summon clairvoyant visions, safely suck the poison out of a snake’s jowls, and cast spells to help her clients achieve their heart’s desires. There is also a wealth of more tangible evidence that she was a community activist who healed the sick, volunteered as an advocate for prisoners, provided free teachings, and did rituals for needy people who couldn’t pay her. I hereby assign her to be your inspirational role model for the coming weeks. I suspect you will have extra power to help people in both mysterious and practical ways.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
What are the best methods to exorcize our personal demons, ghosts, and goblins? Or at least subdue them and neutralize their ill effects? We all have such phantoms at work in our psyches, corroding our confidence and undermining our intentions. One approach I don’t recommend is to get mad at yourself for having these interlopers. Never do that. The demons’ strategy, you see, is to manipulate you into being mean and cruel to yourself. To drive them away, I suggest you shower yourself with love and kindness. That seriously reduces their ability to trick you and hurt you—and may even put them into a deep sleep. Now is an excellent time to try this approach.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
As she matured, Scorpio poet Sylvia Plath wrote, “I am learning how to compromise the wild dream ideals and the necessary realities without such screaming pain.” I believe you’re ready to go even further than Plath was able to, dear Scorpio. In the coming weeks, you could not merely “compromise” the wild dream ideals and the necessary realities. You could synergize them and get them to collaborate in satisfying ways. Bonus: I bet you will accomplish this feat without screaming pain. In fact, you may generate surprising pleasures that delight you with their revelations.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Some primates use herbal and clay medicines to self-medicate. Great apes, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas ingest a variety of ingredients that fight against parasitic infection and help relieve various gastrointestinal disturbances. Our ancestors learned the same healing arts, though far more extensively. And many Indigenous people today still practice this kind of self-care. With these thoughts in mind, Sagittarius, I urge you to spend quality time in the coming weeks deepening your understanding of how to heal and nurture yourself. The kinds of “medicines” you might draw on could be herbs, and may also be music, stories, colors, scents, books, relationships, and adventures.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
The mythic traditions of all cultures are replete with tales of clashes and combats. If we draw on these tales to deduce what activity humans enjoy more than any other, we might conclude that it’s fighting with each other. But I hope you will avoid this normal habit as much as possible during the next three weeks, Capricorn. I am encouraging you to actively repress all inclinations to tangle. Just for now, I believe you will cast a wildly benevolent magic spell on your mental and physical health if you avoid arguments and skirmishes. Here’s a helpful tip: In each situation you’re involved in, focus on sustaining a vision of the most graceful, positive outcome.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Is there a person who could serve as your Über Mother for a while? This would be a wise and tender maternal ally who gives you the extra nurturing you need, along with steady doses of warm, crisp advice on how to weave your way through your labyrinthine decisions. Your temporary Über Mother could be any gender, really. They would love and accept you for exactly who you are, even as they stoke your confidence to pursue your sweet dreams about the future. Supportive and inspirational. Reassuring and invigorating. Championing you and consecrating you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Congratulations on acquiring the Big New Riddle! I trust it will inspire you to grow wiser and kinder and wilder over the coming months. I’ve compiled some clues to help you unravel and ultimately solve this challenging and fascinating mystery. 1. Refrain from calling on any strength that’s stingy or pinched. Ally yourself solely with generous power. 2. Avoid putting your faith in trivial and irrelevant “benefits.” Hold out for the most soulful assistance. 3. The answer to key questions may often be, “Make new connections and enhance existing connections.”

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Before forming the band called The Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney performed under various other names: the Quarrymen, Japage 3, and Johnny and the Moondogs. I suspect you are currently at your own equivalent of the Johnny and the Moondogs phase. You’re building momentum. You’re gathering the tools and resources you need. But you have not yet found the exact title, descriptor, or definition for your enterprise. I suggest you be extra alert for its arrival in the coming weeks.

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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“Something unexpected: The heart cannot actually break, it can only break open.” – John Welwood

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Quote of the Day: “Something unexpected: The heart cannot actually break, it can only break open.” – John Welwood 

Photo by: Isaac Quesada

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?

Small Town is Giddy With Excitement That it Appears in Background of World’s Most Famous Portrait–the Mona Lisa

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Andy Corbley
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Mona Lisa with Approximate original colors CC 4.0. Dianelos
Mona Lisa with approximate original colors CC 4.0. Dianelos

The Tuscan-town of Laterina is thrilled to see news that an Italian historian has determined a ruined Etruscan-Roman era bridge in their area was the backdrop of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.

Using drone photographs and historical records of da Vinci’s whereabouts, including those owned by the De Medici family, historian Silvano Vinceti says he feels very sure that the bridge over Mona Lisa’s left-shoulder is the Romito di Laterina bridge.

The most telling clue was the number of arches. Three candidates for the bridge depicted in the Mona Lisa all have different numbers of arches. The Ponte Buriano near Laterina has 6 arches, while the Ponte Gobbo, in the town of Bobbio near Piacenza, has more than 6.

The bridge in the Mona Lisa, however, has 4. Using drone photographs and by measuing the distance between the two banks of the river in Laterina, as well as the size of the single arch that remains from the historic bridge, Vinceti came to a mathematical conclusion that the Romito di Laterina surely had 4 arches.

MORE HISTORIC DISCOVERIES: Renovation Unearths Paintings Behind Kitchen Walls Nearly 400-Years-old

Laterina, in the province of Arezzo, sits on a river called the Arno in a valley where Da Vinci worked at the pleasure of the cardinal Cesare Borgia, and then for Piero Soderini, a statesman of the Republic of Florence—both of whom lived near the river. It was at this time that he painted the Mona Lisa in Florence in the early 16th century.

La Rocca Cultural Association – credit

The Romito di Laterina bridge across the Arno was a shortcut to a town called Fiesole, where Da Vinci also stayed, and then on to Florence, cutting travel times by 3 hours compared to other routes.

SIMILAR NEWS:  Teen Started Painting in Lockdown and is So Good She’s Exhibiting in Galleries, and Getting $10,000 For One Canvas

Tuscany is no stranger to rivalries; the rivalry between Florence and Siena went back and forth for hundreds of years. The Mayoress of Laterina Simona Neri joked with the Guardian that the nearby town of Buriano, who boast about their bridge being used in the Mona Lisa, and who have posters and signposts up, will undoubtedly be unhappy to hear the news.

“There’ll be some rivalry; we’ll need to put a poster up, too,” she said, adding that “We need to try to protect what’s left of the bridge, which will require funding.”

SHARE This Cool Discovery In The Famous Painting With Your Friends… 

Formerly Homeless Hero Stops Runaway Baby Stroller Moments Before it Rolls into Traffic

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Andy Corbley
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In the town of Hesperia, California, a great aunt watched helplessly as a baby stroller was carried by a gust of wind toward a busy street.

It was then that a good samaritan loitering outside a car wash named Ron Nessman reacted quickly to avert the disaster—all the while his heroics were being captured by a surveillance camera from the car wash.

The speed limit on Bear Valley Road in Hesperia is 40 miles per hour, but with three lanes in each direction, it’s hardly pedestrian friendly.

“Didn’t even have time to think about it, you just react,” Nessman told local news. “She sees the child going into the street, and that’s all she sees, she can’t do nothing.”

Indeed, in trying to catch the stroller she fell hard on the blacktop. Though homeless, Nessman has nieces and nephews whom he loves, and couldn’t imagine the lady must have been feeling.

MORE RESCUE STORIES: Hero Honeymooners Rescue Sleeping Babies from Burning Nursery in Spain: ‘Instinct Took Over’

But a personal tragedy in his life allowed him to relate. Nessman’s girlfriend passed away in 2018, and the heartback derailed him a little bit. He had only recently moved back to Hesperia to reconnect with his family, and had just finished a job interview when he jumped into action.

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I did nothing,” he said. “I’m just glad I realized it and was on it.”

WATCH the rescue below from KHOU 11… 

CELEBRATE This Fine Man’s Awareness And Quick Thinking… 

World’s Tallest ‘Hempcrete’ Building in South Africa Captures More Carbon than it Emits

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Andy Corbley
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The Hemp Hotel - credit Harrington, retrieved from SA People
The Hemp Hotel – credit Harrington, retrieved from SA People

With breathtaking views over Table Mountain, the world’s tallest building made of industrial hemp is set to open in Cape Town this June.

At 12 stories tall, the Hemp Hotel at 84 Harrison st. used carbon-negative materials that captured more carbon in the walls of the building than it emitted manufacturing them.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa believes that the cannabis and hemp industry could create 130,000 jobs in places like Afrimat Hemp—the producer of the so-called “HempCrete” blocks which went into the hotel.

Made from water, lime, hemp, and a cement binder, the blocks from Afrimat Hemp are made of entirely South African hemp, which along with selling to corporate clients, are also used to build a number of social housing projects in South Africa and neighbouring Mozambique.

For the Hemp Hotel, Afrimat Hemp partnered with Wolf Architects in Cape Town for the build.

The company admit that hemp construction is 20% more expensive than traditional materials, but the urgency with which some corporations want to help tackle climate change offers them a unqiue opportunity: selling carbon credits—but with buildings, rather than trees.

MORE ALTERNATIVE SKYSCRAPERS: The New Green Building Revolution Uses Timber to Build ‘Plyscrapers’ That Save Tons of CO2

“We can fund forests, or we can fund someone to live in a hemp house. It’s the same principle,” Afrimat Hemp’s carbon consultant Wihan Bekker told African News.

Company data shows that a 430 square foot house (40 square meters) produces 30 fewer tons of carbon than traditional methods, around what a mature tree can sequester in its roots across its lifetime.

WATCH the story below from Africa News… 

SHARE This Radical Use Of The Famous Plant With Your Friends… 

African Psychedelic Plant Medicine Inspires Two New Drugs to Treat Addiction and Depression

By
Andy Corbley
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Tabernanthe iboga - Giorgio Samorini CC 2.0
Tabernanthe iboga – Giorgio Samorini CC 2.0

A traditional African psychedelic plant medicine has inspired two new drugs to treat addiction and depression.

Ibogaine has been used for thousands of years during shamanistic rituals as a hallucinogen, to suppress hunger and tiredness, and even as an aphrodisiac.

But ibogaine, the main active ingredient of Tabernanthe iboga, a West African shrub that grows in the Congo and Angola, can be fatal and even in smaller doses can cause heart problems.

Now scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) have developed two new drug candidates for potentially treating addiction and depression, modelled on the pharmacology of ibogaine.

The “addiction” part is very interesting. Rates of addiction to opioid pain medication in the US are extremely high. Sales of these drugs have tripled since the 1990s, alonside a commensurate increase in overdose deaths.

There is serious interest in the US for studying ibogaine as a way to reverse opioid withdrawal symptoms, as one observational study found it “was associated with substantive effects on opioid withdrawal symptoms and drug use in subjects for whom other treatments had been unsuccessful.”

The UCSF team took inspiration from ibogaine’s impact on the serotonin transporter (SERT), to screen over 200 million chemical compounds that have the same effect on SERT as ibogaine.

MORE PSYCHEDELLIC NEWS: MDMA and Psilocybin-Assised Psychotherapy Approved in Australia for Treatment-Resistant Depression and PTSD

“Our compounds mimic just one of ibogaine’s many pharmacological effects, and still replicate its most desirable effects on behaviour, at least in mice,” said lead-author Dr. Brian Shoichet.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, doctors in Europe and America experimented with ibogaine’s use in treating a variety of ailments, but the drug never gained widespread acceptance and was ultimately made illegal in many countries.

MORE DRUG DEVELOPMENTS: Drugs From Mark Cuban’s Pharmacy Could Save Medicare Billions Every Year, Harvard Says

Dr. Shoichet explained that part of the problem is that ibogaine interferes with many aspects of human biology, but that dropping the dose 200-fold could be of a benefit to patients.

Shoichet has submitted the structures of both new molecules to Sigma Aldrich, the chemical manufacturing company, aiming to make the them available for further testing by other scientists, while he continues to hunt for more precise molecules.

SHARE This Potentially-Lifesaving Drug Finding With Your Friends… 

“Let the pain visit. Allow it to teach you. But you must not allow it to overstay.” – Ijeoma Umebinyuo

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Quote of the Day: “Let the pain visit. Allow it to teach you. But you must not allow it to overstay.” – Ijeoma Umebinyuo

Photo by: Paola Chaaya

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?

Looking for a Beautiful Mom’s Day Gift? Check Out this Wonderful Book That Benefits Charity

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It’s been a tough year for everyone, and extra stress always seems to fall on our moms. No matter how old you are, if mom is alive, she’s probably still there for you, and she probably still worries. Well, here’s an inspiring Mother’s Day idea that will make her day.

Inspired by the life-changing impact small acts of kindness had on his family during a very difficult time in their lives, author Brad Aronson decided to start collecting real-life stories about moments when a small act of kindness changes a life or has a ripple effect transforming thousands of lives.

Read the story about a $20 gift that gave birth to thousands of Secret Santas who have given away over $1.5 million to people in need. And the story about Gabriel Aljalian, who at six years old created a “Day of Kindness” that inspires thousands of kind acts around the world every year.

And the one about Pamela Rainey Lawler, who saw opportunity in the food that restaurants threw away. Although experts told her she was crazy, she started delivering that food to nonprofits in her station wagon with her kids in tow, and her efforts sparked a movement that now feeds more than 90,000 people a week.

Brad’s book, HumanKind: Changing the World One Small Act At a Time is a national bestseller that has been called “the most uplifting and life-affirming book in years” (Forbes) and has been lauded by Deepak Chopra, People magazine and many others.

“The most satisfying part of writing my book has been the emails I’m getting from people who tell me how much better they feel after reading it and how they’re inspired to take action,” Brad told GNN.

Brad Aaronson and family

It’s the perfect antidote for these times. The stories will remind you that despite the crises that seem to hit us one after another, there’s also a powerful force of good in the world.

And on a practical level, HumanKind provides the tools to be part of that force. Every chapter includes suggestions for improving your own community through small acts of kindness, and the comprehensive resources section lists avenues for aiding and donating to just about any cause devoted to filling the massive needs out there.

The book will touch your heart and leave you grateful for what you have. You’ll also shed a few happy tears when you read the beautiful stories. It’s a great gift for someone who has been a source of kindness in your life.

And, on top of that, all proceeds from sales of HumanKind go to the nonprofit Big Brothers Big Sisters, so consider the book for your next gift or graduation purchase, available for under $15.

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WWII Hero of Dunkirk Who Was Still Pumping Weights at 100-yo Shares His Secret Reaching 105: ‘I’m So Full of Life’

By
Andy Corbley
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John Hamilton at Harridges Gym at 100 – SWNS
John Hamilton (Right, 100 years old) – SWNS

One of Britain’s last remaining Dunkirk veterans still walks a mile every day after celebrating his 105th birthday.

John Hamilton said the secret to staying young was keeping fit, and despite now living in a care home he continues to live an active lifestyle.

To wit, the retired army major and great-grandfather spends 90 minutes in the gym daily and smashed the world rowing record for 1000 meter time trial at 95 years old.

“I feel good but it’s confusing—I’m so full of life and almost waiting for something to go wrong,” Hamilton said. “The key to a long life is exercising—it makes you physically well but is mentally stimulating too. If I didn’t go (exercising) I think my last days would be long gone by now.”

John was a keen sportsman and regularly played cricket, rugby, golf, tennis, squash, and polo during and around his 25-year career in the Royal Army.

MORE VETERAN NEWS: 105-Year-old WWII Veteran With No Surviving Relatives Receives 3,000 Birthday Cards

During World War II, he like so many others was stranded on the beach at Dunkirk, France, in 1940 with his unit, the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards. They were rescued in one of the more memorable operations for the British, when dozens of civilian industrial and recreational ships crossed the English Channel to help the soldiers stranded there.

He met his wife that same year, sheltering under a storm in London’s Hyde Park. He eventually retired at age 39 having served in Palestine, Jordan, and Germany.

Hamilton now lives in a bungalow on the grounds of a nursing home where he is regularly visited by a caretaker as well as friends and family. But apart from that, he is entirely self-sufficient, and still walks a mile a day to keep fit.

John Hamilton at Harridges Gym at 100 – SWNS

“I gave up smoking my pipe six months ago because I went to buy some tobacco from the shop but I lost it,” he said, explaining his state of health. “I took it as a sign and quit after that—I feel better without it—after rowing I used to gasp for air but now I’m full of breath.”

The sire of three children, eight grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren, he nevertheless continues drinking a glass of wine every other night.

MORE SPRITLY OLD TIMERS: 80-Year Old Powerlifter Can Still Pump 800 Pounds And Inspire Seniors to Hit the Gym

Reporters heard a close friend of his, Adela Forestier-Walker, suggest he was “probably more alert than most people half his age,” and that he still read “voraciously.”

As part of his 105th birthday celebrations, Hamilton’s former school, Clifton College, flew a flag in his honor while members of his regiment were present.

His memories of Dunkirk, despite being more than three-quarters of a century in the past, were “clear as [a] bell,” and they involved his time as an anti-aircraft gunner defending the retreating British from German bombers during the evacuation.

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A Pair of the World’s Rarest–and Most Adorable—Piglets Are Born in a UK Zoo

By
Andy Corbley
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Pair of Visayan warty piglets born at Newquay Zoo – SWNS
Pair of Visayan warty piglets born at Newquay Zoo – SWNS

A pair of the world’s rarest piglets have been born at the Newquay Zoo in Cornwall.

Known as Visayan warty piglets, one of the rarest breeds of pig in the world, there are thought to be as few as 200 of them left in the wilds of the Philippines.

The pair of pigs is the second successful litter born at Newquay Zoo following the birth of their older siblings, Kevin Bacon and Amy Swinehouse last year.

Their mother, May, and her partner, Randy, are part of a breeding program to help increase the number of Visayan warty pigs worldwide.

“After our breeding success with two warty piglets last year, we are so pleased to welcome these new arrivals and to continue helping increase the Visayan warty pig population,” said Dave Rich, Keeper Team Leader at the Newquay Zoo.

“Our warty pigs are full of character, and the new arrivals are no exception! They have already been exploring their enclosure under mum, May’s, watchful eye.”

RELATED STORIES: Conservation Zoos Have Powerful Potential to ‘Reverse Extinction’ Study Shows

Though the species are called ‘warty’ pigs, it’s only the males that sport the characteristic three pairs of warts on their faces to protect them while fighting.

Visayan warty piglets and their mom – SWNS

Males also grow impressive long manes during the mating season, which help to attract mates and also intimidate other males.

MORE ENDANGERED BIRTHS: Critically-Endangered Amur Leopard Twins Born at San Diego Zoo: ‘A Glimmer of Hope’

Unlike domesticated or feral pigs, litters of piglets for this species tend to be small, likely a result of them evolving on the six Visayan islands of the Philippines, Cebu, Panay, Masbate, Negros, Guimaras, and Siquijor.

Dozens of zoos in Europe and North America have captive breeding programs for this Critically Endangered species that’s also the first swine ever to be recorded using tools—when a female was recorded using a piece of bark at a French zoo to dig a nest.

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Skyscraper Bursting with 80,000 Plants Opens to the Public in Singapore–LOOK

By
Andy Corbley
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Credit Courtesy Finbarr FallonBjarke Ingels Group
Credit Courtesy Finbarr FallonBjarke Ingels Group

In case you’re planning a trip to the other side of the world’s richest city-state, the “biophilic” CapitaSpring tower in Singapore is now fully bursting with a publicly accessible urban forest.

In Singapore’s business district, you have to go 17 to 20 stories above street level to find wide open greenery.

On CapitaSpring’s “Green Oasis” floor, accessible to the public, a spiral path winds through gardens and small replicants of tropical forests, like the kind that stood there before Singapore came to be.

On the roof, three rooftop market gardens supply fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers to three on-site restaurants, and trees grow in nooks in the building’s facade as often as windows.

Ground broke in 2018, under the supervision of two of Europe’s greatest architecture firms—Carlo Ratti Associati and the Bjarke-Ingels Group.

“Due to the unique character of Singapore’s urbanism—both extremely dense and green—we decided to make the design a vertical exploration of tropical urbanism,” founder, Bjarke Ingels said in a statement.

Courtesy of Finbarr Fallon / Bjarke Ingels Group

They say the tower is “like a vision of a future in which city and countryside, culture and nature can coexist.”

In total, the 51-story building houses over 80,000 trees and plants across 90,000 square feet of landscaped area.

Credit Courtesy Finbarr FallonBjarke Ingels Group

It’s a reflection of the belief of the nation’s founder, Lee Kuan Yew, who referred to the city-state as a “garden city.” Despite 6 million people filling an area smaller than Greater London, plants are easy to come by and are, in fact, a legal requirement in building local regulations.

MORE BIOPHILIC BUILDINGS: When Architect Asks AI to Design Futuristic Skyscrapers It Proposed a Vertical Forest

Take a tour with the video below…

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Mars Rover Discovers Evidence of Liquid Salt Water on the Red Planet For the First Time

By
Andy Corbley
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The Zhurong rover - credit CNSA
The Zhurong rover – credit CNSA

The Chinese Zhurong Martian rover recently found evidence of salty liquid water droplets that indicate it may have had snow and frost as recently as 400,000 years ago.

To put that into perspective, scientists believe that Homo sapiens evolved around 300,000 years ago, meaning our earliest modern ancestors might have walked at the same time that water was flowing on Mars.

Though calculations have previously demonstrated that conditions for water are possible on Mars today, this is the first occasion in which evidence of liquid water has been found on our neighboring planet.

The study team found important morphological features on the dune surfaces such as crusts, cracks, granulation, polygonal ridges, and a strip-like trace. Salts in these dunes, which are estimated to be between 0.4 and 1.4 million years old, cause frost or snow to melt at low temperatures to form salty liquid water.

“We inferred that these dune surface characteristics were related to the involvement of liquid saline water formed by the subsequent melting of frost/snow falling on the salt-containing dune surfaces,” said Qin Xiaoguang, a geophysicist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and first author of the new study.

The discovery was hailed by the IGG team as providing key observational evidence of liquid water at Martian low latitudes, where surface temperatures are relatively warmer and more suitable for life than at high latitudes.

MORE MARTIAN NEWS: 3,000 Orbiter Images Produce Unprecedented Atlas of Mars–Perfect for the Wall of a Bedroom or Classroom

The Zhurong rover, which is part of China’s Tianwen-1 Mars exploration mission, landed on Mars in 2021 at a landing site at the southern edge of the Utopia Planitia plain—the largest impact basin in our solar system.

It was the first time that a spacefaring nation’s inaugural mission to Mars contained an orbiter, lander, and rover, and all three succeeded in deployment.

OTHER CHINA NEWS: ‘Vast Canyon of Books’ Splits Open in Stunning New Public Library in China

Currently, Zhurong has yet to wake up from hibernation during the Martian winter, and the scientists believe that a layer of dust has coated the solar panels and prevented it from recharging—a common fate for Martian equipment, including most recently NASA’s Insight Lander.

“This is important for understanding the evolutionary history of the Martian climate, looking for a habitable environment and providing key clues for the future search for life,” said Dr. Qin.

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“Age is not important unless you’re a cheese.” – Helen Hayes

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Age is not important unless you’re a cheese.” – Helen Hayes

Photo by: Max Nayman (Bologna, Italy)

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?

Man Summits Highest Peaks of England, Scotland and Wales with Fridge on his Back For Mental Health–WATCH

By
Andy Corbley
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Michael Copeland during his challenge - SWNS
Michael Copeland during his challenge – SWNS

A man who attempted to summit the highest mountains in England, Scotland, and Wales to raise money for charity has now completed the challenge—with a refrigerator strapped to his back.

The 38-year-old former soldier Michael Copeland conquered the three peaks challenge in just under 24 hours to raise money for the mental health charity Mind.

He started with the Scottish peak Ben Nevis at 6:54 AM last Saturday before scaling Scafell Pike in the Lake District, and then Snowdon in Wales with just 10 minutes to spare.

“The fridge represents the burden that mental health can have on us all,” said Copeland. “I’m a massive overthinker and always think I’m not good enough. I always want to be doing more.”

The daredevil had to overcome grueling weather conditions including heavy rain, snow, and 40mph winds. He ended up running downhill with the fridge from the summit of Snowdon to complete the challenge just in time.

“The whole challenge felt like a movie with the changing weather conditions… 30-40mph winds as we were going up Snowdon so it almost felt like a grown adult was trying to push me over,” he said.

Michael Copeland summiting Scafell Pike – SWNS

“Climbing Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike was okay as there wasn’t any wind however, when we got to the top of Ben Nevis we were met with 12 inches of snow and minus conditions.”

“I was running with the fridge on my back, it was banging against my back and it was very uncomfortable, but I couldn’t not finish it,” he said. “I felt like Forrest Gump.”

Copeland wasn’t always a mountain-goer. He took up the hobby during his country’s strict and total lockdowns as a means to help with his struggles against depression and anxiety.

Dedicated to the army, when he left after the birth of his second child, he said he found it difficult to reintegrate with society. He directed his discipline and physical fitness into a bodybuilding passion, which he continued for 10 years.

ALSO CHECK OUT: Hero Passerby Scales Building in China to Save Boy Who Fell Out Window Onto a Ledge

With gyms closing during lockdowns, he had to find another outlet for his energy and dedication. And, he’s impressing everyone now…

WATCH Michael’s Herculean hiking below… 

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See 40 Shooting Stars Per Hour Under the Aquariid Meteor Shower in May Night Sky

By
Andy Corbley
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By Bill Dickinson, CC license
By Bill Dickinson, CC license

Three stargazing events in the month May stand out as the best chances to connect with the cosmos.

During the pre-dawn hours of May 7th, the Earth will pass through the Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower, when 40 meteors may be seen per hour, with those closest to the Equator seeing more than those closer to the poles.

The “radiant point,” that is, the place in the sky where the meteors seem to radiate from, will be the constellation Aquarius and will be hanging low in the southern sky (or northern sky if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere).

The morning of May 7th is predicted to be the peak, but the meteors can be seen several weeks either side of the peak.

The full moon of May will happen two nights before the meteor shower’s peak. On Cinco de Mayo, in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia/Oceania, there will be a penumbral lunar eclipse. For those in the US, UK, many islands in the Pacific, and the Kamchatka Peninsula, it will be too bright and sunny to see.

The Earth’s partial shadow—known in stargazing as the “penumbra,” will shade the full “Flower moon” or “Budding moon” a dusty brown color that’s usually not noticeable by the naked eye. However, the magnitude of this penumbral eclipse is well above the degree to which the human eye can see the changes.

The next such deep penumbral lunar eclipse will be in September 2042.

Valerie at Space Tourism Guide explains in her May stargazing chart that 2023 is a big year for “lunar occultations” or events when the moon as we see it passes in front of other objects.

She notes that, for example, a few people on Earth will be positioned correctly on the night of May 17th-18th to see the moon pass in front of Jupiter, the solar system’s largest planet.

For most of Earth, they will be seen making a close approach, just like the Moon will do with Saturn on the night of May 13th-14th.

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