9 years ago today, the European Southern Observatory confirmed the existence of Proxima Centauri b, the closest exoplanet to Earth orbiting within the habitable zone of the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri. It’s just over the hedge at 4.2 light years from Earth, and its discovery has led to numerous research activities attempting to establish whether it would harbor conditions for life. READ more about this 10th rock from the Sun… (2016)
Good News in History, August 24
Two 10-Year-old Girls Just Defeated Chess Grandmasters on Separate Continents Just Hours Apart
Two ten-year-old girls have recently conquered one of the world’s oldest board games, taking down two grandmasters in chess, men considered to be the kings of the sport.
It all started at the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool, England earlier this month. London’s Bodhana Sivanandan (10 years, 5 months, 3 days) beat 60-year old grandmaster Pete Wells to become the youngest female ever to defeat a chess grandmaster.
“She’s on course to be one of the best British players ever,” Malcolm Pein, manager of the England chess team, said in an earlier article from the BBC.
Bodhana, who started playing chess during the COVID pandemic, previously won three world championships in the under 8 age group. Now, she has a new milestone.
But Bodhana is not the only female chess player making recent headlines. A few hours after she defeated the British grandmaster in England, 10-year-old Keya Jha beat American grandmaster Bryan Smith at the Joe Yun Memorial chess tournament in Akron, Ohio.
Keya recorded the victory at the age of 10 years, nine months, and two days to become the youngest American female ever to defeat a grandmaster.
HERE’S ANOTHER CHESS KING: 18-year-old Is Youngest World Chess Champion–Besting Garry Kasparov Who Did it in 1985 at Age 22
The Ohio resident also began playing chess during the pandemic. In addition to chess, Keya is a black-belt in taekwondo as well and a top-ranked table tennis player in the state.
Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest girl to defeat a GM at just 10 years old (5 months and 3 days) in the final round of the 2025 British Chess Championships! 👏 The previous record was held by IM Carissa Yip. pic.twitter.com/xB2w2KtX2x
— Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) August 10, 2025
She plans to compete in the Ohio Chess Congress competition at the end of the month and will likely have many other highlights in her future.
But for now, becoming the youngest female in America to beat a grandmaster is pretty special. She called it “a dream come true” in a recent article. Bodhana probably feels the same way.
Dreams were reached, grandmasters were vanquished, and history was made.
In a game where every move matters, two 10-year-olds are making big ones.
SO INSPIRING: Homeless Nigerian Boy Becomes U.S. Chess Champion at 10-Years-old After Immigrating to US
And on a single day earlier this month, the queens were king.
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Great-Grandad Gets Hole-in-One at Age 93 – May Be the Oldest Golfer in Britain to Do it
A 93-year-old great-grandfather could be the oldest golfer in Britain to get a hole-in-one after achieving the feat in a recent round.
Jack Ponsford notched the ace on a 135-yard third hole at Pannal Golf Club in North Yorkshire, England.
It was his first ever hole-in-one—and due to his age it could make him a record-breaker.
It is thought Derek Jackson previously held the title for Britain’s oldest golfer to get an ace, which he achieved at age 92.
Mr. Ponsford watched his ball roll in for a one alongside regular playing partner George Bruce, 97.
Pannal Golf Club has now placed a plaque on the bar announcing the achievement.
“I hit the ball and it landed on the green and George said ‘I think that’s gone in the hole’,” recalled Jack. “I didn’t believe him.
“We walked down, and there it was down the hole.
“It was the first hole-in-one I have ever had so I couldn’t believe it. I was really excited.”
Jack says he has quite a lot of family members who play golf and none of them have ever scored a hole-in-one either—and he’s quite tickled about that.
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“I was definitely the oldest to ever get a hole in one at that golf course, and the pair of us might be the oldest duo in the country to get one. It could be a record.”
Jack has been playing golf his whole life and first played Pannal Golf Club when he moved to the area in 1985. He currently plays twice a week to keep active, and says he always walks to keep fit instead of using a cart.
“I have never been a great golfer, but I enjoy it anyway,” he told SWNS news. “My wife and I used to play golf together before she died in 2018.
The senior says he is hoping to get many more hole-in-ones in the future.
“To get a hole in one was a lifetime achievement. A lot of people never see one.
“All my friends and family were excited. It really was amazing.”
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The Pannal Golf Club wrote on Facebook: A huge congratulations to Jack Ponsford aged 93 for getting his first ever hole in 1 on the 3rd hole. Even more remarkable was that it was witnessed by his playing partner and friend, George Bruce aged 97!
“Could this be a world record for the oldest pairing involved in a hole-in-1?
“Fantastic achievement and another reason we love golf!”
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Grandma Delivers Daughter’s Baby in the Back Seat of Car and Then Saves His Life
A proud grandma says she is ‘thrilled’ after helping deliver her daughter’s baby in the back seat of her car—and then saving its life.
Shelby Cook was one week overdue when she arrived flustered at her mom’s house in early August.
Her mother Sonja Cook thought she would only be babysitting the couple’s other children while they gave birth at the hospital in South Yorkshire, England, but suddenly she heard her daughter shout, ‘it’s coming,’ from the car.
After finding Shelby lying on the back seat she telephoned for an ambulance.
It was anything but smooth sailing in the following moments—but it was Sonja’s quick thinking that saved Mason’s life due to the “caul birth,” as a part of the unbroken amniotic sac membrane covered the baby’s face.
“The whole time I was telling myself ‘this is not happening’,” the 46-year-old grandmother told SWNS news.
“After I saw his head he just flew out. He literally flew out into my arms, and I couldn’t believe what had just happened.”
“The men were running around to get towels and blankets to keep the baby warm.
But Sonja’s delight was quashed when they noticed the baby wasn’t crying and that’s when she realized something was wrong.
“I began patting his back and rubbing his airways but still nothing.
“He began turning bluey green, and I was panicking, but that’s when I felt a thin sack over his face, which I pulled off and sure enough he started having a little cry.
“I had watched TV programs before where stuff like goes on but I couldn’t believe it was happening to me.
“It all happened quite fast,” said Shelby, who named the baby Mason. “I was scared when I couldn’t hear him cry as that’s what you want to hear.”
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When Shelby arrived at her mom’s house at 4:39 that morning, her ‘water’ hadn’t broken yet, as usually happens during labor. The amniotic sac was still in tact and she was also worried the hospital wouldn’t accept her, because her contractions weren’t coming every three minutes.
Sonja urged her to come drop the kids off and get to the hospital.
“Delivering Mason was terrifying, as his life was in my hands,” she recalled. “It was dark in the back of the car so I couldn’t see it at first. But it was a huge relief.”
“Mason is doing absolutely amazing, he is a such a lovely baby.”
He weighed eight pounds and five ounces.
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“I’ve been there for each of my grandchildren’s births. But to actually deliver your final grandson was special.”
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“Mason is a good healthy baby, and now we have a good story to tell him when he is older.”
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Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ by Rob Brezsny
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 August 23, 2025
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
In Mesoamerican myth, the god Quetzalcoatl journeys to the underworld not to escape death, but to recover old bones needed to create new life. I propose you draw inspiration from this story, Virgo. In recent weeks, you have been gathering pieces of the past, not out of a sense of burdensome obligation, but as a source of raw material. Now comes the time for reassembly. You won’t rebuild the same old thing. You will sculpt visionary gifts for yourself from what was lost. You will use your history to design your future. Be alert for the revelations that the bones sing.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
In the Hebrew language, the word for “face” is plural. There is no singular form for panim. I love that fact! For me, it implies that each of us has a variety of faces. Our identity is multifaceted. I think you should make a special point of celebrating this truth in the coming weeks, Libra. Now is an excellent time to explore and honor all of your many selves. Take full advantage of your inner diversity, and enjoy yourself to the max as you express and reveal the full array of truths you contain.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
In the ancient Hindu holy text known as the Upanishads, ananda means bliss, though not so much in the sense of physical or psychological pleasure as of deep, ecstatic knowing. I believe you are close to attracting this glorious experience into your soul, Scorpio—not just fleetingly, but for a while. I predict you will glide into alignments that feel like coming home to your eternal and perfect self. Treasure these moments as divine gifts. Immerse yourself with total welcome and gratitude. Let ananda inform your next steps.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
In Daoist cosmology, the nature of life is characterized by cyclical, flowing patterns rather than linear, static motions. In my study of its gorgeous teachings, I exult in how it inspires me to honor both contraction and expansion, the power of circling inward and reaching outward. With this in mind, Sagittarius, I invite you to make the spiral your symbol of power. Yes, it may sometimes feel like you’re revisiting old ground. Perhaps an ex will resurface, or an old goal will seek your attention. But I guarantee it’s not mere repetition. An interesting form of evolution is underway. You’re returning to longstanding challenges armed with fresh wisdom. Ask yourself: What do I know now that I didn’t before? How can I meet these interesting questions from a higher point of the spiral?
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Inuit artworks are often made from materials available in their environment, like driftwood, stones, walrus ivory, whale bones, and caribou bones and antlers. Even their tools are crafted from that stuff. In part, this is evidence of their resourcefulness, and in part, a reflection of how lovingly they engage with their environment. I recommend you borrow their approach, Capricorn. Create your practical magic by relying on what’s already available. Be enterprising as you generate usefulness and fun out of scraps and leftovers. Your raw material is probably better if it’s not perfect.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
The medieval alchemists had a central principle, rendered in Latin as follows: Visita interiora terrae, rectificando invenies occultum lapidem. Translated, it means, “Seek out the lower reaches of the earth, perfect them, and you will find the hidden stone.” I invite you to go on a similar underground quest, Aquarius. The purpose is not to wallow in worry or sadness, but rather to retrieve a treasure. Some magnificence beneath your surface life is buried—an emotional truth, a creative impulse, a spiritual inheritance. And it’s time you went and got it. Think of it as a quest and a pilgrimage. The “hidden stone,” an emblem of spiritual riches, wants you to find it.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
In ancient Greece, the god Janus presided over doorways. He had two faces, one looking outward and forward, one gazing inward and backward. I believe this is your Janus phase, Pisces. Before you launch into your next fluidic quest, pause and take inventory. Peer behind you, not with regret but with curiosity and compassion. What cycle has fully ended? What wisdom has settled into your bones? Then face the future, not with shyness or foreboding, but with eager intention and confidence. What goals, rooted in who you are becoming, can inspire an exciting new plot thread?
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
When glassmakers want to cool a newly blown piece, they don’t simply leave it out to harden. That would cause it to shatter from the inside. Instead, they place it in an annealing oven, where the temperature drops in measured increments over many hours. This careful cooling aligns the internal structure and strengthens the whole. Let’s invoke this as a useful metaphor, Aries. I absolutely love the heat and radiance you’ve expressed recently. But now it’s wise for you to gradually cool down: to allow your fervor to coalesce into an enduring new reservoir of power and vitality. Transform sheer intensity into vibrant clarity and cohesion.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
To paraphrase Sufi mystic poet Rumi: “Don’t get lost in your pain. Know that one day your pain will become your cure.” In my astrological opinion, Taurus, you have arrived at this pivotal moment. A wound you’ve had to bear for a long spell is on the verge of maturing into a gift, even a blessing. A burdensome ache is ready to reveal its teachings. You may have assumed you would be forever cursed by this hurt, but that’s not true! Now it’s your sacred duty to shed that assumption and open your heart so you can harvest the healing.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
As you enter a Tibetan Buddhist temple, you may encounter statues and paintings of fierce spirits. They are guardian figures who serve as protectors, scaring away negative and destructive forces so they can’t enter the holy precincts. In accordance with astrological omens, Gemini, I invite you to be your own threshold guardian. Authorize a wise and strict part of you to defend and safeguard what truly matters. This staunch action doesn’t have to be aggressive, but it should be informed with fierce clarity. You can’t afford to let the blithe aspect of your personality compromise your overall interests by being too accommodating. Assign your protective self to stand at your gate and say: “I protect this. I cherish this. I won’t dilute this.”
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
“Dear Dr. Feelgood: Lately, you seem to be extra nice to us hypersensitive Crabs. Almost too kind. Why? Are you in love with a Cancerian woman, and you’re trying to woo her? Did you hurt a Cancerian friend’s feelings, and now you’re atoning? Please tell me you’re not just coddling us. —Permanently Drunk on a Million Feelings.” Dear Drunk: You use your imagination to generate visions of things that don’t exist yet. It’s your main resource for creating your future. This is especially crucial right now. The coming months will be a fertile time for shaping the life you want to live for the next 10 years. If I can help you keep your imagination filled with positive expectations, you are more likely to devise marvelous self-fulfilling prophecies.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
In traditional Chinese medicine, the heart is the seat of joy. It’s also the sovereign that listens to the wisdom of the other organs before acting. Dear Leo, as you cross the threshold from attracting novelty to building stability, I encourage you to cultivate extra heart-centered leadership, both for yourself and for those who look to you for inspiration. What does that mean? Make decisions based on love and compassion more than on rational analysis. Be in service to wholeness rather than to whatever might bring temporary advantage.
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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“Nature uses human imagination to lift her work of creation to even higher levels.” – Luigi Pirandello
Quote of the Day: “Nature uses human imagination to lift her work of creation to even higher levels.” – Luigi Pirandello
Photo by: Muralist Ernest Zacharevic paints among shrubbery in Kuala Lumpur
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, August 23
2 years ago today, the chief of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) exclaimed “India is on the Moon!” after the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3, the Indian Lunar lander. In doing so India became the fourth nation to operate on the Moon after the US, Russia, and China, while also beating Japan to our nearest satellite after their attempted mission failed after hitting a crater rim. India is the first-ever nation to visit the South Polar Region. READ more about this event from GNN’s coverage… (2023)
Astronomers Capture Jaw-Dropping New Image of a Hand Amid the Stars
A coalition of telescopes have allowed astronomers to produce an image of the nebula MSH 15-52 in unprecedented color and detail.
Centered in the middle of the nebula is a pulsar, or the rapidly-spinning, extremely dense remnant of an exploded star. Captured together, some astronomers see in the mixture of the two the image of a hand.
In 2009, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Space Observatory released a captivating image of this pulsar, designated B1509-58, located approximately 17,000 light-years from Earth.
Since then, astronomers have used Chandra and other telescopes to continue to observe this object. Now, new radio data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) has been combined with Chandra’s X-ray data to provide a fresh view of this exploded star and its environment, to help understand its peculiar properties and shape.
This tiny object, called a pulsar or neutron star alternatively, is responsible for producing the intricate nebula which spans over 150 light-years, or about 900 trillion miles.
The researchers from Chandra do not fully understand all that the data is showing them.
“One area that is perplexing is the sharp boundary of X-ray emission in the upper right of the image that seems to be the blast wave from the supernova.”
“Supernova blast waves are usually bright in radio waves for young supernova remnants like RCW 89, so it is surprising to researchers that there is no radio signal at the X-ray boundary,” some of the study authors wrote in a statement.
Further work is needed to provide better understanding of the complex interplay between the pulsar and the supernova debris.
MORE IMAGES FROM CHANDRA:
- LOOK at All the Dark Matter in This New Image from the James Webb Telescope
- New James Webb Image Shows ‘Crowded, Tumultuous’ Heart of Our Galaxy in Never-Before-Seen Detail
A paper describing this work, led by Shumeng Zhang of the University of Hong Kong, has been published in The Astrophysical Journal.
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Sense of Smell May Be Restored Using Radio Waves-Without Need for Surgery
A patient’s of smell could be restored using radio waves without having to undergo surgery, according to new research.
Worldwide, there are actually very few effective treatments for those who have lost their sense of smell, perhaps from a brain injury. Treatments that do exist often use strong ‘scentas’ or medicines that can cause discomfort in patients.
Now, a new study by researchers in South Korea suggests that a “simple and painless” way to regenerate the olfactory is to utilize radio waves to directly target the part of our brain responsible for smell, without causing pain.
Researchers from Hanyang and Kwangwoon universities asked volunteers with a healthy sense of smell to sit while a small radio antenna was placed near, but not touching, their forehead.
For five minutes, the antenna gently sent out radio waves to reach the smell-related nerves deep in the brain.
Before and after the short treatment, the research team tested how well the patient could smell very faint odors, such as diluted alcohol or fruit scents.
The researchers also recorded the patients’ brain signals to see how active their smell nerves were.
The findings, published in the journal APL Bioengineering, showed that the method improved subjects’ sense of smell for over a week after just one treatment.
“The method is completely non-invasive—no surgery or chemicals needed—and safe, as it does not overheat the skin or cause discomfort,” said study author Professor Jang Yon-woong.
“This study represents the first time that a person’s sense of smell has been improved using radio waves without any physical contact or chemicals, and the first attempt to explore radio frequency stimulation as a potential therapy for neurological conditions.”
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One potential weakness in the study pursuant to the idea that the method could help those with olfactory dysfunction is obviously that the patients didn’t suffer from it.
Being that the focus was on people with a normal sense of smell, however, the authors note it could help professionals such as perfumers, chefs, or sommeliers who need to distinguish aromatic subtleties.
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Dr. Jang next plans to conduct a similar study on people with olfactory dysfunction such as anosmia, a complete loss of smell, or hyposmia, a reduced sense of smell.
“This will help us determine whether the treatment can truly benefit those who need it most.”
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Archaeologists to Excavate Glasgow’s First Skatepark with the Help of Former Skateboarders
Though it might make someone feel old, a Scottish skatepark from 1978 is set to undergo archaeological excavation—with help from the city’s skaters who once hung out there.
Kelvin Wheelies in Glasgow was a radical design when it first opened to host the first Scottish Skateboard Championships. It incorporated a half pipe, several bowls, and a dual slalom run.
Just 5 years later, however, a dip in the popularity of skateboarding combined with a lack of maintenance led Kelvin Wheelies to be closed down and eventually buried under ruble and overgrowth in Kelvingrove Park.
Speaking with the Guardian, Dr. Kenny Brophy, a lecturer in archaeology at the University of Glasgow, who’s helping to organize the excavation said it was an opportunity to explore the city’s modern heritage.
“Glasgow city council spent £100,000 building it, which was a large investment at the time and it was designed with skaters in mind, and for teenagers who were involved in an activity that many people deemed to be antisocial and marginal,” he said.
It’s not everyday that archaeologists excavate with the help of people who were active at the site they’re digging down into, but with Kelvin Wheelies, that’s exactly what will happen for the volunteer excavation efforts.
MORE ARCHAEOLOGY: A 16th c. Scottish Plaid was Found in a Bog–Now Becomes Oldest Historical Tartan Available to Wear Today
Part of the university’s New Audience’s program, volunteers will work alongside middle-aged skaters who once used the park to dig several trenches down to the original concrete with hand-tools, just as if they were excavating a Roman villa.
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Their hope is that they may expose some original 1980s graffiti.
“It’s such a rare opportunity for an archeologist that we’ll be digging the site with people that used it,” said Dr. Brophy said. “We’ll have skateboarders on site who used the park as teenagers and will be re-living that experience at the end of a trowel.”
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China’s ‘Bulldozer Hero’ Saves Over 100 Stranded Neighbors During Recent Beijing Flooding
A freak rain event dumped 40% of Beijing’s average yearly precipitation down in a single week, triggering floods.
From out of the chaos, Chinese social media rose to salute the “Bulldozer Hero,” Wang Tianyu, a business owner turned rescuer.
On July 28th far outside the city limits, Wang woke to an urgent phone call from his friend, asking the 35-year-old owner of a construction company to come help rescue an elderly couple that was trapped in a village.
Wang immediately got into his bulldozer and headed to the village through floodwaters 3 feet high.
Along the way, they encountered several others sheltering on the roofs of their homes. Wang would stop, raise the scoop, and allow them to jump down into it. Wang continued working all day ferrying people to the evacuation areas from their lowland homes. At one point, there were 10 people perched in his dozer scoop.
At times he carried firefighters and other rescue personnel out to affected areas in the scoop, before bringing people back the other way. South China Morning Post also reports that he used the bulldozer like a dam to allow rescuers to access flooded areas.
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Wang kept at it for hours; finally turning off the engine at 7:00 p.m., having started 13 hours earlier.
There were several times that Wang was afraid even his bulldozer would be washed away, and the waters reached his cabin more than once.
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Fire station chief Zang Hui said that the bulldozers—no less than 15 were helping in the area—were real assets in the rescue effort.
It didn’t take long for images and videos of the bulldozers to go viral, earning the drivers the moniker of “Bulldozer Hero.”
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“Treat a work of art like a prince. Let it speak to you first.” – Arthur Schopenhauer
Quote of the Day: “Treat a work of art like a prince. Let it speak to you first.” – Arthur Schopenhauer
Photo by: Barbara Burgess
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, August 22
75 years ago today, Althea Gibson became the first black competitor in international tennis, after US officials, bowing to pressure, invited the 23-year-old to play in the National Championships (now the US Open). Born in South Carolina to sharecropper parents who moved to Harlem when Althea was six, their neighbors took up a collection to pay for her tennis lessons. SEE her accomplishments in a short video… (1950)
This New Bionic Knee Is Changing the Game for Lower Leg Amputees
An advance in prosthetics 7 years in the making has jumped into life with a lower-leg device that feels more like a part of the body than any other commercially-available product.
Considered something like a prosthesis in three layers, tests have shown it to grant greater agility, comfort, and sense of “embodiment,” a sensation of oneness that’s usually reserved for upper body prosthetics.
“We actually are pushing the definition of what a prosthesis can be, and that’s why we say it’s a tissue-integrated prosthesis,” said Tony Shu, lead author of the study from MIT’s Yang Center for Bionics. “There’s a part that you will never be able to take off without another surgery.”
The three layers begin with a restoration of the push-pull function of muscles—in this case, with above the knee amputees—which was done by connecting the severed tissue directly to the prosthetic.
Along with being vital for using muscles with force, the push-pull function also gives a sense of “proprioception” or the natural awareness of where limbs are in space at any given moment.
The next layer is that of the bone—a titanium rod drilled directly into the severed femur. Almost all lower-leg prosthetics are a socket or a cup that’s placed over the patient’s stump, placing load on the soft muscle tissue that covers the end of the amputation, opening up the chance for nerve pain and chafing.
By reestablishing the natural load-bearing functions of bone, patients achieved lower fatigue rates and greater mobility.
The third layer is the robotic limb that’s attached to the skeletomuscular implants, which can be replaced as better technology becomes available over the next few decades.
In a series of tests performed at Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Shu was able to compare the fruits his 7 years of work with currently-available prosthetic options.
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In tests of walking up and down stairs, as well as avoiding obstacles while walking, the three-layer prosthetic performed substantially better. It also scored higher in patients’ perceptions of whether the object was part of their body or just a tool, known as embodiment.
“Embodiment is actually hugely critical for patient well-being,” Shu says, according to Smithsonian Magazine. “This is one of the first studies that really actually asks a lower limb amputee, ‘How do you feel about your prosthesis?’”
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Scientists not involved with the development or the study said the enhanced capabilities on top of a greater sense of agency was a very exciting development, as agency is directly tied to how much amputees trust their prosthetic.
In a way similar to an athlete learning to trust their body again after a bad injury, fully trusting the capabilities of one’s prosthetic may actually go farther than better neuro-muscular integration in allowing patients to unlock more of their missing performance.
WATCH the leg in action below…
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Woman Received Thousands of Letters from Dad Growing Up, Now Anyone Can Request a ‘Letter from Dad’
A woman who was blessed with a loving father as her pen pal while growing up has decided to share her gift—her father—with the world.
Starting the Dad Letter Project, she’s now connecting the love of letter writing among a group of fathers with a world of lonely, discouraged, or simply curious people.
The story centers around the heartwarming 30 year-relationship of Buz Ecker and his daughter Rosie Paulik. Whatever the event was—a weekend, the week before summer camp, the first day of university, the day she moved into her first apartment, Paulik would receive a letter from her dad in the mail.
Throughout her young life, she received a letter from dad virtually every 10 days, until a box in her house contained 3,500. With so many letters they often began to feel like journal entries, with dad Ecker actively narrating what was happening around him, or even small curiosities like the sandwich he was eating at the time.
Paulik’s 2-year-old son Andrew is now the recipient of the prolific paternal figure, but she began to wonder if Ecker’s gift could be used to spruce up both the world, and her dad’s retirement.
“Sometimes, you just need a dad to remind you that you’re doing great, to offer unsolicited life advice, or to tell you a joke so bad you have no choice but to laugh. It’s like a hug, but on paper,” the project’s website said.
“People wanted to hear from a dad. They wanted to hear from a father figure,” Paulik told ABC News about the Dad Letter Project. “So many people don’t receive anything in the mailbox besides maybe coupons and bills. [The dads] are coming up with words to say for you, they’re putting the address on the envelope, putting a stamp on it and sending it out. It’s so authentic and special.”
THE POWER OF A GOOD DAD: Son Surprises Dad with Dream Car He Gave up for Diaper Money 41 Years Ago
Ecker is currently spending his summer in Michigan, and he’s writing sometimes 3 or 4 letters to people a day. Such was the demand that Ecker and Paulik had to find other pen-happy dads to join the program.
Each participant requests a letter based around a topic or event in their lives, which may be somber or celebratory, or something else entirely.
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“I address the problems that they have as best as I can. I’m honored that they write me, and I’m happy to write them back,” Ecker told ABC News.
WATCH the story below from ABC…
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Masked Hero Goes Viral for Painting Over Graffiti on Buildings in Northern Italy – WATCH
Under cover of darkness in the north Italian city of Brescia, a masked man has become famous for performing “acts of urban love.”
Armed with a paint roller and the moniker “Ghost Painter,” this unknown citizen stalks the city streets, painting over graffiti left by vandals.
Like all Italian cities, going back to the days of the Roman republic and likely earlier, Brescia has seen its fair share of graffiti.
It can seem ludicrous that anyone would get the urge to vandalize the stately facades of buildings between 100 and 400 years old.
Nevertheless, it happens, and Ghost Painter ensures it “unhappens.”
Little is known about Ghost Painter, but he has revealed to passersby that he is in fact a painter by trade, who works during the day and emerges at night, hooded and masked.
“Not all heroes wear capes,” one commenter wrote in Italian while sharing the painter’s Tiktok video that had already racked up 4.7 million views.
Once his work is done, he pastes a flyer on the wall—a calling card—reading “This is an act of urban love.”
WATCH the masked man in action below…
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Conservationist Hail Recovery of 150 Struggling Species Thanks to Projects by Natural England
Two years ago, the UK government gave roughly $15 million to its own conservation organ called Natural England for the purpose of preventing species decline.
Now, its report card has arrived, and its A+ work has seen the recovery of 150 struggling or declining species.
Natural England used the money to fund 63 projects involving 78 different partners across the country.
For the nature lover, the list of wild beneficiaries of the work will gladden the heart. Standout achievements include a breakthrough for the iconic lady’s slipper orchid, with the first known case of natural propagation in the wild after over 30 years of dedicated work to collect seeds.
686 acres of vital nesting islands were created or enhanced for seabirds such as common tern, little tern and Sandwich tern. 56,000 plugs of food plants were laid for butterflies, such as marsh violet for the small pearl-bordered fritillary, and devil’s bit scabious for marsh fritillary, at the new sites.
A grant-funded breeding and supervised release program saw the first wild hatching of a red-billed chough in Kent for the first time in over 200 years. 633 new breeding areas (nest boxes and similar structures) were created through the program for otter, dormouse, bats, willow tits, and other birds.
A huge focus as well fell on habitat creation or restoration, including over 642 acres of flower-rich grassland meadows, 1,000 acres of floodplain grasslands, 874 acres of broadleaf woodland, and 240 acres of marsh.
215 ponds and streams were dug or restored which became the new haunts of water voles and the rare Eurasian bittern.
Volunteers were a huge part of these various grant-funded projects. 100,000 hours of volunteer work were donated by members of the public during the 2 years of operations, a component which Natural England said would form a vital backbone if these achievements are to be sustained and built upon.
“This and a feeling of real engagement with an amazing natural environment has been a huge psychological boost for me,” said Steve, a volunteer with the ‘White Cliffs and White Chalk’ National Trust project.
“This has been, and continues to be, a great way to gain a better understanding of local ecology and to improve my understanding of the protected areas and species at risk.”
Natural England will shortly be making an announcement about future plans.
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“I know the joy of fishes in the river through my own joy, as I go walking along the same river.” – Zhuangzi
Quote of the Day: “I know the joy of fishes in the river through my own joy, as I go walking along the same river.” – Zhuangzi
Photo by: Ivan Stepanov @evil_bumblebee
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, August 21
86 years ago today, civil rights protestors quietly entered the library in Alexandria, VA to stage a sit-in. One young black man, well-dressed and polite, entered and requested a library card. When he was declined, he picked up a book, sat down, and began to read just 2 minutes before another young African American repeated the same act. This continued until five young men were silently reading at tables, and the flustered library staff called the police. READ all the other details of this lesser-known moment in the Civil Rights Movement… (1939)
These Silly Signs Are One Man’s Campaign Against His ‘Anti-Fun’ City
In a provincial English city, a man has taken it upon himself to address what he referred to as a “fun deficit” in town.
By placing humorous signs in the style of public notices and road signs around town, he hopes they will disarm people into seeing issues in a new perspective, whether that’s the fun he focuses on, or poorly managed roads.
Chichester is located in West Sussex, and was actually found in one study to be ranked as the best place to live in the historic county. However, the “Chichester Anti-Recreation Partnership” or CARP, as he refers to himself, says there are significant shortfalls in the amount of things that could be construed by any reasonable person as “fun.”
“I absolutely adore Chichester,” CARP told the BBC, explaining his modus operandai. “But it does have some notable gaps—particularly when it comes to fun and things for younger people to do.”
Attempting to brighten up the place, he has for some months been placing trick signs, noting for example that one was entering a “formal attire only zone” or a “coffee control area” monitored between 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
“Humor has this unique ability to disarm people—it lowers their defenses and allows them to consider issues from a fresh perspective,” he said. “It reframes problems in a way that’s more approachable and less confrontational, which makes it easier to get your message across and spark discussions.”
BBC spoke with the Chichester City Council, which “doth protest too much,” one might say.
Working hard, they noted, to put on more exciting events for all ages including light shows and concerts after dark, the council said they had been met with appreciation from the citizenry.
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They currently run an “after dark” working group to collect views on what young people would like to see in the future. Young people are a very important part of the community, they state, again noting a sum of $1.3 million currently earmarked for play area refurbishment.
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CARP, however, isn’t waiting around. His handiwork gains traction on social media, and even though the council takes his signs down very quickly, they can’t stop him from sharing images of them online.
He says he isn’t concerned about what becomes of the signs, so long as they spark a smile, a laugh, a conversation, or, in the best case scenario, action to make Chichester a more fun-focused borough.
SEND Your Friends A Laugh On Social Media With This Funny Story…