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Wind Power is Now So Cheap, It Could Start Paying Money Back to UK Consumers

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Good News Network
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File photo by Andy Dingley, CC

Wind energy is now so cheap in the United Kingdom that offshore wind farms could start bringing down household electricity bills, according to a new study.

Renewable energy projects, including onshore and offshore wind and solar farms, have so far been subsidized by government support schemes, which has raised some complaints about clean energy pushing up electricity bills.

However, the most recently approved offshore wind projects will most likely operate with “negative subsidies”—paying money back to the government. The money will go towards reducing household energy bills as the offshore wind farms start producing power in the mid-2020s.

This is the conclusion of an analysis by an international team led by Imperial College London researchers published last week in Nature Energy.

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“Offshore wind power will soon be so cheap to produce that it will undercut fossil-fuelled power stations and may be the cheapest form of energy for the UK,” said lead researcher Dr. Malte Jansen, from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial. “Energy subsidies used to push up energy bills, but within a few years cheap renewable energy will see them brought down for the first time. This is an astonishing development.”

Negative subsidies

The analysis for five countries in Europe, including the UK, focused on a series of government auctions for offshore wind farms between February 2015 and September 2019. Companies that want to build wind farms bid in the auctions by stating the price at which they will sell the energy they produce to the government.

These are known as “contracts for difference”—or CfDs. If a company’s bid is higher than the wholesale electricity price on the UK market once the wind farm is up and running, then the company will receive a subsidy from the government to top up the price.

File photo by Andy Dingley, CC

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However, if the stated price is less than the wholesale price, then the company will pay the government back the difference. This payback is then passed through to consumer’s energy bills, reducing the amount that homes and businesses will pay for electricity.

The UK’s September 2019 auction made the headlines as winning companies said they could build new offshore wind farms for around £40 per megawatt hour (MWh) of power. This was a new record set by these wind farms with bids 30% lower than just two years earlier.

While this was an impressive reduction, researchers could only speculate whether this meant offshore wind had become subsidy free or even subsidy negative, because that depends on how future wholesale electricity prices evolve.

RELATED: Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Estimated to Fall by 8% in 2020—the Largest Recorded Drop in History

The team analyzed likely future electricity price trends and found that contracted price is very likely to be below the UK wholesale price over the lifetime that these wind farms would produce electricity, from the mid-2020s onwards.

The team say that these wind farms are likely to be built and run with these costs, since financing is now accessible at lower costs for such projects, owing to trust in the now mature technology.

A cheap tool for decarbonization

The researchers analyzed similar offshore wind auctions held by governments of five European countries. They found that Germany and the Netherlands have seen some zero-subsidy offshore wind farms winning auctions, but that the UK projects are likely to be the world’s first negative-subsidy offshore wind farms.

“The price of offshore wind power has plummeted in only a matter of a decade, surprising many in the field,” said Dr. Iain Staffell, from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial. “The UK auctions in September 2019 gave prices that were around one-third lower than those of the last round in 2017, and two-thirds lower than we saw in 2015.

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“This amazing progress has been made possible by new technology, economies of scale and efficient supply chains around the North Sea, but also by a decade of concerted policymaking designed to reduce the risk for investing in offshore wind, which has made financing these huge billion-pound projects much cheaper.

“These new wind farms set the stage for the rapid expansion needed to meet the government’s target of producing 30% of the UK’s energy needs from offshore wind by 2030. Offshore wind will be pivotal in helping the UK, and more broadly the world, to reach net-zero carbon emissions with the added bonus of reducing consumers’ energy bills.”

Mega turbines and hydrogen fuels

One reason the price of offshore wind has fallen so rapidly is technology development, in particular the ability to build larger wind turbines further out at sea. Larger turbines can harness more wind energy and have access to more consistent wind speeds at higher altitudes.

RELATED: Exciting New Data Says Renewables Accounted for Almost Three Quarters of New Energy Capacity in 2019

The biggest wind turbines under construction have rotor diameters of 220 meters—twice the diameter of the London Eye. At the same time, wind farms are getting larger; the newest wind farm at Dogger Bank has the same installed capacity as Hinkley Point C and is expected to produce about two-thirds of its annual electricity.

The success of UK offshore wind farms, which are now primarily built in the Dogger Bank region of the North Sea, also means the UK has considerable skills and expertise than can be exported around the world.

The researchers also say this success means even more ambitious projects may now be attempted at offshore wind farms, such as producing hydrogen fuels using the wind power on site, out at sea. Hydrogen fuels could be another key technology in helping decarbonize the UK, by replacing petrol used in transportation and natural gas used for heating homes.

Reprinted from Imperial College London

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Pigs May Rival Dogs As Man’s Best Friends, Says Adorable New Study

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Photo by Eotvos Lorand University / Paula Perez

Dogs may be considered man’s best friend, but new research says that pigs actually rival other pets in their adoration of human companionship.

Photo by Eotvos Lorand University / Paula Perez

Miniature pigs became popularized as pets when the public began seeing them living in homes with celebrities, such as Miley Cyrus, David Beckham, Paris Hilton, and George Clooney—whose pet pig Max lived for 18 years.

According to Hungarian researchers from Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, pigs are as trainable as dogs, and—unless they have a problem to solve—turn to us for support in the same way that canine companions do.

“The similarities we found between the two species point to their similar capacities for engaging in communicative interactions with humans,” said animal behavior expert Paula Perez Fraga who worked on the studies.

The Family Pig Project was launched in 2017 at the Department of Ethology in Budapest. The animals were raised in a similar environment as family dogs from as early as 6-8 weeks of age, which provides the basis for unique comparative investigations between these two species.

“Dogs, already as puppies, are known to be uniquely skillful in communicating with us, even without any specific training,” added the study’s lead author Dr. Linda Gerencser. “We were curious whether family pigs also exhibit similar communicative signals as dogs, and whether they spontaneously rely on human cues.”

LISTEN: New Bird Song That ‘Went Viral’ Across This Species of Sparrow Was Tracked by Scientists For the First Time

The animals were observed behaving with an experimenter without the presence of food and also after they had been fed. Perez Fraga, a PhD student, explained: “In the presence of food, both pigs and dogs oriented more towards the experimenter—they touched her more often and looked at her face more frequently.

“As an interesting difference, though, only dogs looked up at the human face when they did not expect to receive any food.”

Photo by Eotvos Lorand University / Paula Perez

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In a second test, the animals were allowed to choose between two hiding locations several different times. The experimenter always pointed at the one that contained the hidden piece of food.

“Without having been trained for this, only dogs followed the pointing, pigs did not,” said Perez Fraga. “Pigs did not choose randomly either, but they rather followed a side-preference strategy, going to the same hiding location over and over again.”

She said dogs are known to look at humans in a problem-solving context to establish joint attention and initiate communicative interactions from an early age.

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Perez Fraga and colleagues wanted to find out if this is their speciality or whether other companion animals do the same.

“Similarly socialized wolves and cats communicate less with humans than dogs in the same problem-solving context, but maybe it is because wolves are not domesticated, and cats are not a social species,” said Perez Fraga. “So we designed a study to compare dogs’ behavior with that of another domestic and social species: the pig.”

Pigs, which are renowned for their intelligence and cleanliness, can live up to 20 years. They can also quickly become loving companions and get along with cats. Some fans of these porcine friends have even claimed they are more suited to being kept as domestic animals than dogs.

Forest Simon

Perez Fraga said “species-specific predispositions” might be responsible for the found differences. “Dogs are naturally more dependent on and co-operative with humans. This explains their unique success in interacting with us,” she added.

The study, which was published in Animal Cognition earlier this month, is the first to analyze similarities and differences in family dogs’ and pigs’ interactions with humans.

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“We used the so called ‘Unsolvable task paradigm’ where the animal first faces a problem that he can solve, in our case an easy-to-open box with food inside,” said Perez Fraga. “After some trials, the problem becomes unsolvable because the box is securely closed.”

“When the box was first in the room without food in it, pigs and dogs performed similar human-oriented behaviors,” said Dr. Gerencser. “The differences appeared when we put food in the box and opening it became an exciting challenge.

“Pigs were faster than dogs already in solving the task and getting the reward, perhaps due to their better manipulative capacities. Then, when the task became unsolvable, dogs turned to the humans more than before.

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“In contrast, pigs performed less human-oriented behaviors, but they were more persistent than dogs in trying to solve the task, which may reflect their predisposition to solving problems independently.”

Dr. Gerencser said the extent of the behavioral similarities—which are the result of environmental effects such as learning by experience—still needs further investigations.

“We think the primary difference between pigs and dogs lies in the fact the natural salience of the human as a social stimulus for dogs can facilitate learning about communicative cues even without specific training.

“Furthermore, our results are also informative with regard to the potentials of involving miniature pigs in comparative ethological research.”

That’s Some Fine Pig! Be Sure And Share The Sweet Scientific Story With Your Friends On Social Media…

“Their attitude of doubt made me more determined than ever to succeed.” – Harriet Quimby (became first woman pilot in U.S. 109 years ago)

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Quote of the Day: “Their attitude of doubt made me more determined than ever to succeed.” – Harriet Quimby (became first woman pilot in U.S. 109 years ago)

Photo: by George Grantham Bain

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?

 

Artist Sends 1,800 of His Flower Paintings to a Brooklyn Hospital–One for Every Cook, Nurse, and Janitor

By
Andy Corbley
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Photo by Taylor Crichton

Although this artist is based in Los Angeles, he wanted to send hundreds of his paintings 3,000 miles away to New York City to remind hospital staffers that he—and the whole country—is grateful for their hard work in the fight against COVID-19.

Photo by Taylor Crichton

As a means of commemorating their heroics, Michael Gittes gifted a unique floral painting to every doctor, receptionist, janitor, inventory manager, cook, administrator, and nurse at the Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn.

At the height of the pandemic, the nonprofit healthcare facility was chock-a-block full of patients, sometimes treating over 100 people per day.

Gittes wanted to say a special ‘thank you’, and used syringes to create the expressionist paintings.

“When they actually got to touch and see the paintings, it was like Christmas,” Interfaith chief financial officer Tracy Green told CNN. “They just felt like … they’ve been working tirelessly the last couple of months and for someone to see that, and just give them a gift, they were just so happy.”

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“We love you, everybody loves you. You’re loved by millions of people you’ll never meet. You’re not a stranger to anyone. These flowers are from everyone,” Gittes relayed to the Interfaith staff.

Gittes’ work has been exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery in London, the Park Avenue Armory in New York, and even in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. The framing and shipping of the paintings was facilitated by money amassed by Gittes from private collectors purchasing his paintings.

Every unique flower represents each employee’s contribution to tending a garden of life in the Big Apple, while the use of the syringe, he feels, represents the healing power of both the hospital workers and his gifted pieces.

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“I think a lot of people don’t realize how mental and physical and emotional this pandemic has been, not only to our medical workers and hospital workers, but to their families,” Eli Bronner, Gittes’ manager and dealer, told CNN.

Gittes’ hoped that seeing the painting in the staffers’ houses or offices might help to offer “a moment of peace from the madness,” Bronner said.

Watch a video and follow the unique artist on Instagram…

Need more positive stories and updates coming out of the COVID-19 challenge? For more uplifting coverage, click here. 

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Why Americans Think it’s a Good Idea to Remember to Smile – And New Yorkers Get a Huge Reminder

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A Smiley face emoji is projected onto the Brooklyn Bridge, New York, July 27 2020 –SWNS

A smile can go a long way toward cheering people up—especially these days when it’s more important than ever to find solace.

A Smiley face emoji is projected onto the Brooklyn Bridge, New York, July 27 2020 –SWNS

A new survey of 2,000 Americans found that half of respondents believe it has been important during the pandemic to find things to smile about in order to ‘stay positive’. And, they say that they can easily get that lift from others.

56 percent said seeing someone else look happy improves their mood—and in recent months 31 percent have made more of an effort to smile at others.

The survey by OnePoll for Ciaté London found U.S. adults believe they are smiling about 11 times every day, amounting to almost a quarter million times over the course of an average lifetime.

52 percent cite ‘hearing good news ’ as being something that most easily triggers them to beam—which makes us, here at Good News Network, respond with a big grin. 40 percent said a top smile-generator is hearing a joke, and 41 percent pointed to being with family.

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Further smile-inducing moments included getting a compliment from a stranger (36 percent), getting a check on payday (30 percent), and eating a nice meal (32 percent).

More than three in five of those polled have had their smile complimented on.

After being in quarantine and exposed to possibly more negativity than on average, 37 percent of those polled want to actively find more things to beam about following lockdown—and a third vowed to have more of a positive outlook in the future.

CHECK OUT: UC-Berkeley is Offering Up Their Popular ‘Science of Happiness’ Course for Free Online

Smiley face emoji projected onto the Brooklyn Bridge, New York, July 27 2020 –
SWNS

Ciaté London elevated the simple smile to another level this week, when they project a huge smiley face on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.

Earlier this month, the same image—a traditional smiley face with whimsical lashes and lipstick added—was projected on the Parliament building in London, England, to uplift patients in a hospital across the river.

SWNS

Charlotte Knight, Founder and CEO, said, “The research proved how often people enjoy smiling and the difference it can make to both self-confidence and overall moods—especially one that is 25 meters wide!”

RELATED: Survey Finds Working From Home Has So Many Benefits, 48% of Workers Would Take Pay Cut to Continue

“Particularly at times like this it’s important to stay self-confident, emotionally aware, and see the positives in everyday moments by sharing smiles.”

More than a third of American polled believe that they have smiled more with age—so maybe we all have something to look forward to.

Need more positive stories and updates coming out of the COVID-19 challenge? For more uplifting coverage, click here. 

SHARE A Mood-Booster On Social Media For Friends And Family…

Simple New Blood Test For Prostate Cancer Determines Presence and Stage of Cancer With 99% Accuracy

By
Andy Corbley
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Photo by Senior Airman Julianne Showalter / US Air Force

A new blood test for prostate cancer is producing a 99% accuracy rating—precision that has never before been achieved for a blood test of this particular kind of cancer.

Furthermore, the test can determine the exact stage and progression of the cancer, which also reduces the need for invasive biopsies and scans.

The team behind the breakthrough, involving researchers from Nottingham Trent University and University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust, determined that changes in the patient’s immune system could be examined through blood markers—specifically white blood cells.

By developing a series of sophisticated computational tools for analyzing the samples, the team can now determine the presence and stage of the cancer at unparalleled rates of accuracy.

WATCH: Color-Changing Inks Can Be Printed onto Clothing to Warn the Wearer About Potential Health Issues

“Our approach not only identifies presence of the disease, but also—crucially—its clinical significance. We can also do this with higher accuracy than current approaches,” said Professor Graham Pockley, Director of Nottingham Trent University’s John van Geest Cancer Research Center

“This will spare men from having unnecessary invasive procedures and help clinicians to decide whether to ‘watch’ or ‘actively manage’ patients, even when they are asymptomatic.”

With an estimated 1.8 million new cases in 2018 alone, prostate cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the world and the second most common form among men in the United States—a country that sees almost 200,000 diagnoses every year. It is the most common form of cancer for men in the UK with roughly 47,000 diagnoses annually.

Photo by Senior Airman Julianne Showalter / US Air Force

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The cancer can be treated successfully in its early stages, but is difficult to detect. The standard blood marker, unusual levels of a protein called PSA, will appear normal in 15% of people who have the disease, and so is not a reliable indicator.

This new test will not only save lives, but save millions of dollars in treatment and patient care, stemming from catching the cancer in early stages and reductions in the numbers of more expensive, invasive procedures.

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‘Vegetable Orchestra’ Musicians Perform Songs Using Only Fresh Veggies Before Cooking Spare Parts for the Audience

By
McKinley Corbley
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For the last 24 years, this musical group has been showing that vegetables aren’t just good for your health—they’re good for your ears as well.

Prior to each of their performances, the members of the Vienna-based Vegetable Orchestra purchase fresh produce from a farmer’s market—all of which is later carved into instruments on stage for a live audience.

The Austrian musicians use everything from onion peels and carrots to pumpkins and bell peppers to perform their original songs.

WATCH: Church Uses Only Kitchen Utensils and Microwave Beeps to Record ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’ – With Amazing Results

And do you want to know the best part of the orchestra’s shows? After each of their performances, the musicians cook up all the spare parts from their carved veggie instruments into a healthy meal served to their audience.

Although the orchestra has been in quarantine since the start of the COVID-19 outbreaks, they recently reunited over Zoom to perform a new original song called “Green Days.”

(Want to see more of the Vegetable Orchestra? Check out their live 2016 performance in the video below—or if you want to check out the video performance of “Green Days,” press play on the video at the top of this article.)

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“Whatever happens around you, don’t take it personally… Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves.” – Don Miguel Ruiz

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Quote of the Day: “Whatever happens around you, don’t take it personally… Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves.” – Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements

Photo: by Karl Magnuson

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?

 

America Civil Rights Leader John Lewis Pens a ‘Letter to The Nation’ Leaving a Final Inspiring Farewell

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With President Obama at the 50th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Four former presidents honored Congressman John Lewis at his funeral in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, but none could match the eloquence of Lewis himself who wrote a letter to the nation, offering his final words, in the wake of his months-long battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

“While my time here has now come to an end, I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me,” he said, of the recent rallies in support of racial equality. “You filled me with hope about the next chapter of the great American story when you used your power to make a difference in our society.”

“Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself,” wrote the Civil Rights Movement giant in his essay, published in the New York Times on July 30, the day of his funeral.

“Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.”

“Though I may not be here with you, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe. In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.”

“When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war,” Lewis continued.

“So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.”

With President Obama at the 50th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

A close comrade of Martin Luther King, Jr., he was the last surviving person to have spoken during the 1963 March on Washington For Jobs and Freedom. Lewis’ signature achievement was the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He had his skull fractured that same year while marching with King, leading more than 600 peaceful demonstrators across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama in a rally for those rights.

A Georgia statesman reelected to the House of Representatives every two years since 1987, Lewis died on July 17 at age 80.

SHARE These Inspiring Last Words With Friends on Social Media…

Two South African Women Take On Mission to Tackle Plastic Along One of Worst Rivers For Ocean-Bound Pollution

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Sunshine Cleaning

Two South African women, neither having previous experience in the plastic recycling or waste management industry but with a shared vision of plastic-free rivers and oceans, decided to put their heads together to work towards a sustainable solution to the plastic pollution problem in Cape Town.

Santie Gouws and Ursula van Eck co-founded Sunshine Cleaning to address plastic pollution within neighborhoods that are adjacent to rivers and canals, to prevent such plastic from entering rivers—and ultimately ending up in the ocean.

“Our research led us to the Blue Downs canal and river system, right under our noses in Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities in the world,” they told GNN.

The Netherlands Ocean Cleanup project, which has begun to collect plastic from rivers, too, has identified this particular canal as being amongst the top 1000 most severely plastic polluted river systems on the planet.

The pair realized that in order to achieve a sustainable solution, they would need to gain an understanding of the types, volume, and condition of plastic waste that makes its way to settle on the banks of of their canal. To do so, they would need some expert help—and they found it in South Africa’s largest waste management company.

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“Two weeks into our Covid 19 lockdown we contacted EJ of Enviroserv, with whom Santie had met at a Waste Management Seminar earlier in the year. EJ’s positive open engagement with us and pro-active attitude quickly resulted in a plan of action for a clean-up and waste assessment of the Blue Downs canal banks set for 18 July.”

Coincidentally, it would fall on the 10th anniversary of Mandela Day.

They then engaged Cape Town officials to obtain the necessary permissions, as well as the Blue Downs community, to ensure their buy-in, involvement, and blessing for the clean-up.

“Notwithstanding their challenges of trying to feed hundreds of people, arising as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, the Blue Downs Community Women Action group and local Ward Councillor Jerome Fitz received us with open arms and gave us their full commitment and support without hesitation.”

CHECK OUT: Slam Dunk for Team Green: Adidas Creates Shoe From Ocean Waste

Following a week of some of the most extreme Cape heat, the volunteers were blessed that day with the most spectacular Cape Town weather anyone could wish for—brilliant sunshine and blue sky, with snow still visible on the mountains in the far distance.

Sunshine Cleaning

“Masked, sanitized, and keeping necessary social distancing,” 28 volunteers came together from Enviroserv, Blue Downs Women Action, and the Neighborhood Watch (which offered security from the area being known for gang activities), to join the ward counselor and Santie and Ursula to collect 826 pounds (375kg) of plastic waste from the banks of the canal that morning.

“The Community Women Action ladies supplied piping hot coffee and sandwiches, and even the Neighborhood Watch joined in picking up plastic whilst ensuring our safety.”

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They now await the results of the sorting and assessment of waste from Enviroserv—which also generously provided bags, gloves and masks—that will inform Sunshine Cleaning’s next steps on their journey to save their little corner of the globe from ocean-going plastic pollution.

As Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

SHARE The Good News Story On Social Media to Inspire Action in Your Town…

Woman Reunited With Lost Teddy Bear Containing Late Mother’s Voice, Thanks to Ryan Reynolds

By
Sarah Bregel
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Lost Teddy Bear
Twitter

Losing a parent is one of the most painful parts of life. No matter how old we are when they leave us, it can be a heart-wrenching experience. Our memories are all that is left of them—and happy reminders of their love turn into our most valuable treasures.

That’s how Mara Soriano feels about a very special teddy bear that she tragically lost in her recent move to a new apartment.

The Build-A-Bear plush toy didn’t cost a lot, but it contained a recording of her late mother’s voice telling her that she loved her and was proud of her. The bear, called “Mama Bear,” was in a backpack that contained electronics like an iPad and a Nintendo Switch. When the bag was stolen last week during the move, the 28-year-old, was heartbroken—not for the gadgets, but for Mama Bear.

So she posted online about the item lost in Vancouver, Canada, and the story behind it, which caught one viewer’s attention in a big way.

Diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago, Mara’s mother, Marilyn, gave her daughter the bear as a gift in 2017. As her cancer progressed, until her death last June, the gift felt even more special. “That bear was basically the last reminder of the mom that I knew—it was her voice that I remembered growing up,” she said in an interview with CTV News. 

Luckily, the internet did its thing and Mara’s search soon went viral. Meanwhile, Mara was out searching. She put up posters, dug through dumpsters, and communicated with others online, following any leads she could.

Actor Ryan Reynolds, a native of British Columbia, then posted a plea for its safe return. “I think we all need this bear to come home,” he wrote. Along with the message, he also offered a huge incentive for the thief—a $5,000 reward, “no questions asked.”

Then on Tuesday night, Mara’s special bear came home. “I’m not gonna lie I kind of buckled. As soon as I saw (him) pull her out of the bag… I just started sobbing and I grabbed her out of his hands and I couldn’t let her go.” she told CTV. 

RELATED: Nurse Finally Locates NYC Firefighter Who Pulled Her From Burning Building 37 Years Ago, Thanks to Coronavirus

It’s a bit of a modern day miracle that would never have happened without the wonders of social media. Mara said she got an email from a good Samaritan who told her they had the bear. Though she was skeptical, she set up a safe meeting space with a member of the media also present. Luckily, it wasn’t a scam—two unnamed people brought her the bear, safe and sound.

Lost Teddy Bear
Twitter

Mara is getting married next summer and the bear is going to have a special seat at the ceremony—the one her mother would’ve sat in. For now, she’s keeping “Mama Bear” close and sending thanks to those who helped with the happy reunion.

She tweeted an excited message of gratitude to Ryan Reynolds, who is also an entrepreneur, referencing his gin company. “BREAK OUT THE @AviationGin, @VancityReynolds! MAMA BEAR IS HOME!” she wrote. Ryan seemed almost as happy.

Check Out: Minnesota Woman Reunited With Long-Lost Dog After It Was Featured on Florida Beer Advertisement

After having wired the money to the person who returned the bear, he took to Twitter to share the news with his followers, writing, “In happier news… thank you everyone who searched high and low. To the person who took the bear, thanks for keeping it safe. Vancouver is awesome.”

Vancouver certainly is—but this story just might show that humanity totally is, too.

WATCH the video below from CTV…

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How Costa Rica Slowed, Stopped, Then Reversed Deforestation in Their Rainforests

By
Andy Corbley
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In the 1970s and 80s, Costa Rica had the highest deforestation rates in Latin America—but the next few decades saw the country halt her forest loss, initiate replanting and conservation efforts, and regrow almost all of her lost tree cover.

Their methods have set up the most successful forest management model on earth.

Leading the way in the fight against human-accelerated climate change, Costa Rica’s success story of sustainable forestry was strengthened by a simple strategy of valuing forests by paying for their restoration, through their Payment for Environmental Service (PES).

In the 1940s, 75% of the country was shrouded in rainforest, cloud forest, and mangrove. But over the next 40 years, it is estimated that as much as half of all the trees were cut down. Intense logging bans were instituted in 1996, with PES programs arriving the year after.

Harnessing the indefatigable forces of economics, PES conservation strategies mean the forest is essentially treated like a utilities company, with companies or beneficiaries of the resources and processes provided by the forest, ‘paying’ the forest for the service or resource.

For example, a stand of old trees sit on a farmer’s acre who knows he could chop them down and plant cacao, coffee, bananas, or other tropical agriculture products. Instead he receives money from a fund which businesses and citizens pay into so that he can afford to keep the forest intact.

Now 60% of the country is forested once again, and every year, the Costa Rican Forest Fund collects $33 million which it uses to make sure the forests of Costa Rica which sit on privately-owned land are taken care of. $500 million has been paid out to landowners and farmers over the last 20 years, stewarding 2.4 million acres (1 million hectares) of rainforest, and incentivizing the planting of 7 million new trees.

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A society in balance with the Earth

“People in Costa Rica receive a lot of money because of tourism and that changes the incentives of land use,” Juan Robalino, an expert in environmental economics from the University of Costa Rica, told CNN.

That’s because almost three million tourists come to see the country’s national parks and other protected areas, which cover a quarter of the nation and are home to half a million documented plant and insect species, including iconic animals like the sloth and great green macaws.

Employing 200,000 people, the tourism sector generated $4 billion in revenue last year, encompassing luxury beach-side resorts, and little agro-tourism spots like Pedro Garcia’s farm, who took advantage of the PES opportunity to transform a 7-hectare cattle ranch into a pristine slice of Costa Rican rainforest with native trees and wild agricultural products that provide homes for macaws, poison-dart frogs, and more.

RELATED: Costa Rica Announces Ambitious Plan to Ban Fossil Fuels and Become World’s First Decarbonized Society

Environmental ministers of Costa Rica and Rwanda: Carlos Manuel Rodriguez and Vincent Biruta

Costa Rica’s PES system has been adopted by other nations across the world in recognition of its success—notably Rwanda, whose commitment to restoring its natural forest ecosystems saw them sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Costa Rica in 2019.

“We’ve been working together for the last 3 years. We look forward to implementing it [MoU] and possibly expanding the scope in the future,” said Rwandan Environmental Minister Biruta at the time.

RELATED: Man Succeeds Where Government Fails: He Planted a Forest in the Middle of a Cold Desert

“We have learned that the pocket is the quickest way to get to the heart,” Carlos Manuel Rodríguez told CNN. As Costa Rica’s Minister for Environment and Energy, Rodríguez understands that while placing a dollar value on the natural world may seem dirty and unethical, it’s the best incentive for people to work to conserve the environment.

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Single Dose of Covid-19 Vaccine Proved Successful in Pre-Clinical Study, Human Safety Trials Begin

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Andy Corbley
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File photo by Pan American Health Organization, CC

A safe single-shot vaccine for COVID-19 has been successfully trialed in Rhesus macaques, one of our closest relatives, and human trials began today.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine called Ad26 was produced using a common cold virus, an organism that stimulates our immune system. In 52 of the primates, robust antibody activity neutralized the viral functions and properties of the Sars-COV-2 virus.

“The optimal Ad26 vaccine induced robust neutralizing antibody responses and provided complete or near-complete protection in bronchoalveolar lavage and nasal swabs following SARS-CoV-2 challenge,” read the study, published in Nature by scientists from the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Harvard.

This protection aspect is critical, as Ad26 produced “complete or near-complete protection” in the respiratory tract, a theorized necessity for any COVID-19 vaccine since that is the principle way in which the virus has spread across the globe.

It was clear that the observed antibody response was elicited by the vaccine, while also correlating with the efficacy rating of the defense following administration. These results suggested that the protective effects observed were due to the vaccine and not the monkey’s immune system.

RELATED: Possible ‘Breakthrough’ Coronavirus Treatment With Natural Protein Cuts Risk of Death and Serious Symptoms by 79%

“These data demonstrate robust single-shot vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 in nonhuman primates. The optimal Ad26 vector-based vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, termed Ad26.COV2.S, is currently being evaluated in clinical trials,” finished the Harvard team.

Funded by the U.S. government, the drugmaker said it had started early-stage human trials in the US and Belgium, according to Reuters, and would test its vaccine candidate in more than 1,000 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 years, as well as older adults.

The authors noted that a single-shot vaccine, as Ad26 would likely be, is the perfect solution for the pandemic, but admitted a two-dose administration would produce a stronger immune defense.

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“Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” – Franz Kafka

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Quote of the Day: “Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” – Franz Kafka

Photo: by Erol Ahmed

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Trading a Trumpet For a Gun: New Orleans Musicians Are Making a Good Deal With The City’s Youth

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Andy Corbley
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New Orleans is famous for its jazz music, but the city also has a problem with gun violence, something that local jazz trumpeter Shamarr Allen experienced while he was growing up.

After hearing of the fatal shooting of a boy from the city’s 7th ward, he thought he might be able to turn the surplus of trumpets lying around his house into meaningful opportunities for changing the tune played by kids who might be susceptible to gun violence.

“People don’t understand that these kids are trying, and wanting to do other things,” Allen told NPR. “But there’s just nothing for them to do.”

Allen posted a simple quid-pro-quo offer on social media which read “To the youth of New Orleans, bring me a gun, and I’ll give you a trumpet, no questions asked.”

In order to ensure total secrecy, because Allen guessed the kids wouldn’t make the switch if they feel they couldn’t trust him, he contacted the mayor, who put him in touch with the chief of police. The police department agreed that they would accept the guns without any strings attached and without asking anything about the kids.

According to Allen, officials were as happy as he was just to see the weapons off the street.

So far Allen has collected 4 guns—and completely depleted his stock of spare trumpets. One of them was a handgun with ammunition given to him by a young girl.

“I would never suspect that she would have [a gun]. And she was the most excited about getting [a trumpet],” said Allen.

RELATED: ‘Guitars Over Guns’ Keeps Kids Off Mean Streets With Celebrity Jams

Instagram: @shamarrallen (right) with @flowtribe who supported the cause by donating a trumpet

Hoping to continue the success despite losing all his trumpets, Allen garnered the support of local musicians who have volunteered to give free music lessons to anyone who puts down the gun and picks up music. Additionally, an online fundraiser allowed him to collect $34,800 for musical instruments and supplies. He has also received a number of instrument donations for his program, he now calls Trumpet is My Weapon.

LOOK: Nursing Home Residents Recreate Classic Album Covers While in Lockdown

The trumpet was the first thing that inspired Allen as a youth to believe there was actually a “whole other world out here,” and he hopes it will have the same effect on the children he meets.

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Great News For Tiger Populations Surging in India and Discovered in Thailand – On World Tiger Day 2020

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In a triumphant moment for the endangered species, new photos released today on World Tiger Day 2020, revealed sightings of numerous new tigers in a region of western Thailand for the first time in four years.

Issued for the 10-year anniversary of global awareness around tigers, the high-definition videos and photos were obtained with remote camera traps utilized as part of an ongoing wildlife monitoring program by Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), Panthera, a global wild cat conservation group, and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

The region is adjacent to the largest remaining, and only second-known breeding population of Indochinese tigers in the world.

“These sightings are extremely encouraging for the future of tigers in our country and beyond,” said Chief of the Wildlife Research Division for DNP, Dr. Saksit Simcharoen.

The partners ultimately hope to achieve Thailand’s goal of increasing tiger populations by 50% by 2022.

RELATED: Couple Buys Up Acres Around Indian Tiger Reserve For Reforesting So Big Cats Can Roam

Panthera’s Dr. John Goodrich, stated, “In a sea of news casting doubt on the future of our planet’s wildlife, this development is a welcome sign of hope and potential turning of the tide for the Endangered tiger in Thailand.”

Panthera

At the first global tiger summit, and the launch of the first International Tiger Day, the governments of the 13 tiger range countries resolved to double the number of tigers by 2022—and “great” progress has been made.

“Tigers are finally making a remarkable comeback in much of South Asia, Bhutan, Russia, and China,” said WWF in a statement today.

Nepal reported it was the first country to double its tiger population in 2019, but India, in particular, has been touting its success.

A tiger census released last year in India, where 70% of tigers are located, reported that populations there had nearly doubled in 12 years—from 1,400 to nearly 3,000 in 2019.

LOOK: Tiger Family Pose For Amazing Selfies Before Knocking Out Camera’s Memory Card

In 1973, India had just 9 tiger reserves, but today, the nation has 50 reserves with a total of 2,967 tigers, reported Union Forest and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar yesterday.

Around 3,900 tigers remain in the wild across the globe, according to World Wildlife Fund.

WATCH the HD camera trap video… (Top photo by Vincent van Zalinge in India)

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Hero Teacher Spent Every Day in Lockdown Preparing Food for His Pupils and Delivered 7,500 Packed Lunches

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SWNS

An award-winning “hero” teacher in England who spent each day preparing food for his students has made his final delivery—after delivering 7,500 packed lunches.

Zane Powles diligently prepared 85 lunches each morning after fearing his students would struggle to access food when school’s were shut during the pandemic.

The determined teacher walked 7.5 miles every day making his rounds for 17 weeks—and totaled over 600 miles over the course of his runs in North East Lincolnshire.

The 48-year-old estimates that he carried roughly four tons of food during that time, but said it was all “well worth it” after seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces.

When the school—where he packs lunches—closed for the summer on July 17, Zane delivered his final food package on the emotionally charged Friday afternoon.

“When I started these walks I was concerned about the kids and their wellbeing and I wanted to make sure I could see them all, said Zane, who works at Western primary school in the large coastal seaport of Grimsby. “I needed to know if they were safe, if they were healthy, and if they had access to food.”

SWNS

“After all these months it was a bit emotional for it to come to an end—I love seeing my students and checking up on them. It’s so important to me.

“I’m just doing my job at the end of the day. My role is to help nurture and educate children, and to take care of them.

RELATED: Man Rescues 2.4 Million Pounds of Farmers’ Crops Going to Waste, Gets Them to Food Banks Across State

He added: “I can’t believe how far it’s gotten—I never expected to do any of this, but it’s crucial that it doesn’t end here.

SWNS

The early riser got to school at 7am to start preparing and packaging the food before heading out on his two-hour journey—and he didn’t take a single day off during the pandemic while undertaking the mammoth task.

While delivering the lunches, he occasionally left his students some homework—which he says they were “less keen on”.

The dad-of-three said, “It’s been relentless and exhausting but it’s been well worth it. They’re always so happy and grateful.”

One time, Zane Powles donned a tutu just for fun – SWNS

Zane also commended Manchester United star Marcus Rashford who successfully campaigned for free school meal vouchers for children in the summer.

But said his mission is far from complete and he wants to continue to help children in need.

RELATED: New Website “Pandemic of Love” Connects 132,000 People in Need of Aid With Those Who Can Help

He will be cycling through all of the UK’s city castles in a journey which will take him 1,500 miles to finish. With stops include Edinburgh Castle, Belfast Castle, Dublin Castle, Cardiff Castle, and the Tower of London, he is raising funds for Meals and More, which provides support to children who live with poverty. You can donate to his cause here.

“In the summer the children’s struggles are invisible to us because we don’t see them, but it’s essential that we ensure they’re safe.”

Parent taking his photo through the window on final day – SWNS

Zane has always put others first and works as assistant headteacher with challenging students in the school’s behavior unit.

Because of his work, he won the Inspirational Primary School Teacher award in 2019 after he was nominated by a parent.

Speaking at the award ceremony, he said: “We should never give up on children. Having a tough upbringing is never their fault.”

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“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William Arthur Ward

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Quote of the Day: “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William Arthur Ward

Photo: by Ben White

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Flu Shots Significantly Cut Risk of Heart Attack Or Stroke For People Over 50, Says Study of 7 Million Patients

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Good News Network
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One of the largest studies of its kind looked at data from more than seven million patients and found that a seasonal flu shot cut the risk of heart attacks by up to 85 percent, and halved the number of strokes.

The study of high-risk hospital patients also found that deaths from any cause (all-cause mortality) fell by almost three-quarters among patients over 50 who were vaccinated.

“The results we found are staggering,” said lead author Roshni Mandania, a medical candidate at Texas Tech University in Dallas. “It’s hard to ignore the positive effect the flu vaccine can have on serious cardiac complications.”

“Some people don’t view flu vaccinations as necessary or important, and many may face barriers accessing health care, including receiving the flu vaccine.”

Being immunized against flu helps prevent chest infections that weaken the immune system, but flu vaccination among high risk groups, such as nursing home residents, is extremely low.

Mandania’s team compared 168,325 participants who had been vaccinated, with the vast majority who did not between people over 50 who had heart complications.

Immunized over 50s were 85 and 28 percent less likely to suffer a cardiac arrest or heart attack—caused by electrical and circulatory problems in the organ, respectively.

RELATED: Possible ‘Breakthrough’ Coronavirus Treatment With Natural Protein Cuts Risk of Death and Serious Symptoms by 79%

They also had a 47 percent lower risk of a mini stroke, or TIA (transient ischaemic attack). Overall, mortality rates fell by 73 percent.

The flu’s effects are nothing to sneeze at

The stress flu puts on the body is well known, and can actually cause a heart attack or stroke, explained the researchers.

But as the study was released on July 27 during the American Heart Association’s Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS) 2020 Scientific Sessions held online, participants were told these high risk groups were much less likely to be vaccinated compared to the general population—1.8 versus 15.3 per cent.

Vaccination rates for HIV/AIDS patients, care home residents and the obese was also around two percent, compared to roughly nine percent for others.

Mandania said, “These groups should have the highest vaccination rates because they are the most at risk. However, our findings show the opposite—flu vaccinations are under-utilized.”

“As health care providers, we must do everything we can to ensure our most vulnerable populations are protected against the flu and its serious complications.”

RELATED: Potential Drug Candidate Emerges as Llama Antibodies Found to Neutralize COVID-19’s Spike Protein

She used the 2014 National In-patient Sample to assess the rate at which the jab was administered to those considered high risk for flu and its complications.

Dr Eduardo Sanchez, the American Heart Association’s chief medical officer for prevention, said, “We have partnered with the American Lung Association and the American Diabetes Association to collectively deliver a message to providers.”

“In particular, for patients who have chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes or emphysema, it’s critically important to get the annual flu vaccine. The potentially serious complications of the flu are far, far greater for those with chronic diseases.”

In the UK, the NHS flu program is preparing to offer flu shots to all over-50s, and those who live with them and children in their first year of secondary school. This will involved about 30 million people, preparing for the annual winter flu season.

Heart and circulatory diseases cause more than a quarter (27 percent) of all deaths in the UK, nearly 170,000 each year. Flu claims around 10,000 lives in the UK annually, although that can rise to over 30,000 in a bad year.

(File photo by Pan American Health Organization, CC license)

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Possible Breakthrough in Alzheimer’s Research: ‘Love Drug’ Oxytocin Found to Reverse Damage in Mice Brains

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SWNS licensed, Adam Harnett

Scientists are hopeful that their discovery might be a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research, after experiments with oxytocin showed it might be useful in treating, and maybe even reversing, degenerative disorders.

The research, published on July 20, has revealed for the first time that the chemical oxytocin, also known as the ‘cuddle hormone,’ could have therapeutic benefits for cognitive disorders, including dementia.

Oxytocin is released by the pituitary gland and is known for its role in the female reproductive system and in inducing feelings of love and happiness. It can also can boost learning and memory, scientists found.

The study suggests that signals in the brain that become blocked, leading to dementia, may be able to be unblocked.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder in which the nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain and the connections among them degenerate slowly, causing severe memory loss and deterioration in motor skills and communication. One of the main causes is the accumulation of a protein called amyloid beta (Aβ) in clusters around the brain neurons, which hampers their activity and triggers their degeneration.

This deterioration affects a specific trait of the neurons, called “synaptic plasticity”, which is the ability of synapses—where neurons swap signals—to adapt to an increase or decrease in brain activity.

RELATED: New Alzheimer’s Nasal Spray Shown to Reduce Proteins Which Cause the Disease in Mice

Synaptic plasticity is crucial to the development of learning and cognitive functions in the hippocampus—the area of the brain where new memories are formed and skills are learned.

SWNS licensed, Adam Harnett

Love is the drug

When oxytocin was added to the brains of mice, scientists found the signaling abilities increased, which researchers say suggests that oxytocin can reverse the impairment of synaptic plasticity caused by the amyloid beta protein.

Scientists also artificially “blocked” oxytocin receptors in the brain samples from mice to show that the hormone needs these receptors to still be effective in boosting the synapses.

Researchers also found that oxytocin itself does not have any effect on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, but it is somehow able to reverse the ill-effects of amyloid beta.

Oxytocin is known to facilitate certain cellular chemical activities that are important in strengthening neuronal signaling and formation of memories.

RELATED: Scientists Find the Key to Delivering Turmeric Ingredient So It Can Be Absorbed to Treat Alzheimer’s and Herpes

Professor Akiyoshi Saitoh, who led a team of scientists from Japan at the Tokyo University of Science, says, “This is the first study in the world that has shown that oxytocin can reverse Aβ-induced impairments in the mouse hippocampus.”

“Oxytocin was recently found to be involved in regulating learning and memory performance, but so far, no previous study deals with the effect of oxytocin on Aβ-induced cognitive impairment.”

This is only a first step and further research needs to be carried out in living animals and then humans before sufficient knowledge can be gathered to use oxytocin as a drug for Alzheimer’s, the team said.

But, Prof. Saitoh remains hopeful their new study could be the start of a breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s.

ALSO: Plant Compounds Used to Successfully Treat Alzheimer’s in Mice Now Shown to Prevent Other Effects of Aging

“At present, there are no sufficiently satisfactory drugs to treat dementia, and new therapies with novel mechanisms of action are desired.

“Our study puts forth the interesting possibility that oxytocin could be a novel therapeutic modality for the treatment of memory loss associated with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

“We expect that our findings will open up a new pathway to the creation of new drugs for the treatment of dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease.”

The findings were published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communication.

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