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Owners Didn’t Think Dachshund Could Do Any Tricks But He’s Now Famous for Balancing Things On His Head

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This adorable dachshund has become a viral sensation for balancing a series of random objects on his head.

30-year-old Paul Lavery was amazed to discover his dog Harlso’s “hidden talent” for balance after he jokingly placed a squeaky toy on the pup’s head and watched as the pup stood still as a statue.

Wearing a jazzy bowtie, the 5-year-old pooch is now always showing off his talent for balancing various items on his head, including a globe, a glass of water, and a stack of doughnuts.

His talent has naturally catapulted him to internet stardom, with over 92,000 followers on Instagram alone.

RELATED: Need a Smile? Here’s a Video of a Man Walking Briskly Through NYC With His Dog on a Skateboard

Lavery, who lives with his partner Jen Scott at their home in Belfast, said: “We got him five years ago and we just fell in love with him at first sight and brought him home.

“For us, we didn’t know he knew any tricks. We tried teaching him to sit, lie down, roll over and he wasn’t interested!” Lavery mused. “When he was about two years old I sat a chicken toy on his head and he just sat there looking at it really still.

“I called Jen down and said: ‘Jen! Harlso has a hidden talent!’”

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Soon after their discovery of Harlso’s unique skill in February 2016, the bewildered couple set up various social media accounts—and in a few months, Harlso had 14,000 followers.

“It really started growing quite quickly. People from all over the world follow him,” said Lavery. “When we created the Instagram account it was mainly just for us, family and friends. We never expected it to take it off. I just thought ‘who is going to be interested in seeing these photos and videos?’

CHECK OUT: Watch This Bulldog Share a Sweet Smooch With a Curious Wild Manatee

“Harlso’s got his very own VIP fan club for the most dedicated fans and we get messages from people wanting to meet him.

“We got one message from an Australian couple who said they were in the area and asked if they could pencil in a time to meet him and pet him.”

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Lavery takes photos and videos of the wiener dog balancing all sorts of things on his head, while dressed in an impressive array of outfits—with more than 300 bow ties to choose from.

“We always try to match his bow tie to what he’s balancing on his head. We try to do themes for Halloween, Christmas and Easter too,” explained Lavery. “You can put pretty much anything on his head as long as it’s not too heavy and too dangerous.

LOOK: 6-Legged Puppy Given the Perfect Forever Home After She Was Adopted By Bullied Boy

“I get people messaging me asking for training tips like I’m Cesar Millan! I do not know how he does this, one day he might decide to just stop,” he added.

“It’s amazing because when he was balancing things it used to surprise us but he can balance almost anything and 99% of the time, he manages to do it first time.”

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Harlso has won a 2019 Webby Award due to his talents and is even listed as one off the Guinness World Records ‘Amazing Animals.’ He also recently won Northern Ireland’s Social Media Personality of the Year—all while beating several humans to the prize.

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Scientists Develop New Test That Can Diagnose Lyme Disease in Just 15 Minutes

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Zoomed photo of fluid moving through a small channel in the microfluidic chip – Columbia University in the City of New York

300,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Lyme disease every year, but current testing methods require days or weeks—sometimes even more—devoted to lab work and processing.

Finally, a team of scientists have developed a rapid microfluidic test that can detect Lyme disease in just 15 minutes.

Caused by the bacterial species Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by the bite of infected Ixodes ticks, the disease can cause serious neurologic, cardiac, and/or rheumatologic complications if left untreated.

Current testing for Lyme disease, called the standard 2-tiered approach (STT) involves running two complex assays (ELISA and western blot) to detect antibodies against the bacterium, and requires experienced personnel in a lab, as well as a few hours to carry out and interpret.

Now, a research team led by Sam Sia, professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia Engineering, has developed a rapid microfluidic test that can detect Lyme disease with similar performance as the STT in a much shorter time.

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“Our findings are the first to demonstrate that Lyme disease diagnosis can be carried out in a microfluidic format that can provide rapid quantitative results,” says Sia. “This means that our test could easily be used directly in a doctor’s office, obviating having to send the samples out to a laboratory.”

Sia’s group worked in collaboration with Maria Gomes-Solecki from Immuno Technologies, which found a combination of three proteins that identified antibodies specific to the B. burgdorferi bacterium, and OPKO Health, which provided microfluidic cassettes. Their findings were published this week in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

The researchers evaluated 142 samples, including patients with early Lyme disease, healthy individuals from areas where Lyme disease is endemic, and those with Lyme arthritis. They first screened a set of known diagnostic Lyme disease biomarkers for their ability to detect Lyme disease infection. They then tested the top three biomarkers using a standard enzyme immunoassay, and then mChip-LD, the advanced microfluidic platform developed by Sam Sia, to test the samples.

While also exhibiting high specificity, the team found that Sia’s method was better at picking up signs of Lyme disease infection in early-stage samples—possibly because it was able to detect antibodies that peak in the first weeks after someone is infected with Lyme disease.

Zoomed photo of fluid moving through a small channel in the microfluidic chip – Columbia University in the City of New York

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When the test was run on Sia’s mChip-LD platform, it worked very well, showing strong potential for the development of a point-of-care test for Lyme disease. “While the assay will require more refinement and testing before it can be approved for widespread use as a test for Lyme disease, our results are very exciting,” says one of the study’s lead authors, Siddarth Arumugam, who is a PhD student in Sia’s lab. “It will help so many people if we can develop a single, rapid, multiplexed diagnostic test to identify Lyme disease stage that can be used in doctors’ offices.”

Sia is the co-founder of Claros Diagnostics, whose underlying microfluidics technology is now being commercialized by OPKO Health and was recently approved by the FDA for testing for prostate cancer. He and Gomes-Solecki are now planning a more thorough clinical validation study to see whether the performance of the Lyme microfluidic platform holds up.

LOOK: Father Uses Scuba Therapy to Restore His Paralyzed Son’s Motor Function—And is Doing the Same for Others

Reprinted from Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science

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In Helping His Dad With Diabetes, Young Mexican Chemist Pioneers Healthy—and Cheap—Sugar Substitute

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Andy Corbley
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Javier Larragoiti and Team—Xilinat

When 18-year old Javier Larragoiti was told his father had been diagnosed with diabetes, the young man, who had just started studying chemical engineering at college in Mexico City, decided to dedicate his studies to finding a safe, sugar-alternative for his father.

“My dad tried to use stevia and sucralose, just hated the taste, and kept cheating on his diet,” Larragoiti told The Guardian. Stevia and sucralose are both popular sugar alternatives, and many reduced-sugar products available today contain one or the other.

With stevia and sucralose out of the picture, the young chemist needed to keep searching. He started dabbling with xylitol, a sweet-tasting alcohol found in birch wood but also in many fruits and vegetables. Xylitol is used in sugar-free products such as chewing gum and also in children’s medicine, but is toxic to dogs even in small amounts.

“It has so many good properties for human health, and the same flavor as sugar, but the problem was that producing it was so expensive,” said Larragoiti. “So I decided to start working on a cheaper process to make it accessible to everyone.”

AMAZING: Bedridden for Years, Man Proves Experts Wrong By Inventing Surgery to Cure Himself

Xylitol Made Cheaper

Corn is Mexico’s largest agricultural crop, and Javier has now patented a method of extracting xylitol from discarded corn cobs. Best of all, with 28 million metric tons of corn cobs generated every year in Mexico as waste, there’s no shortage of xylitol-generating fuel.

Simultaneously, Larragoiti hit on the idea of how to make xylitol less expensive, while inventing a way to reuse the 28 million tons of corn cobs, substantially upgrading the traditional means of disposal: burning them.

Especially in a pollution-heavy country like Mexico, reducing the amount of corn waste burned, would eliminate a portion of the carbon emissions.

His business, Xilinat, buys waste from 13 local farmers, producing 1 ton of the product each year. His invention was awarded a prestigious $310,000 Chivas Venture prize award, which will enable him to industrialize his operation and scale up production 10-fold, diverting another 10 tons of corn cob from the furnace.

A Better Choice for Diabetics

Obesity affects a dizzying number of people worldwide. Some estimates range as high as 1 in 7 people, while type-2 diabetics and those at risk for type-2 diabetes account for 10% of the world population.

MORE: Exciting New Study Says That Crops Thrive Underneath Solar Panels—and the Panels Produce More Energy While Making Farmers Healthier

Javier says that sugary diets are a real problem in Mexico; a country with the world’s second-highest rate of obesity. The nation has already taxed sugary drinks as a means to combat one of the main sources of the problem.

In a strange coincidence, Larragoiti’s method of extracting a sugar substitute happens to incorporate the same vegetable whose other byproduct incites the obesity epidemic in the United States: high-fructose corn syrup.

“It’s kind of ironic,” Larragoiti continues in The Guardian interview, “High fructose corn syrup is just a bomb of carbs and concentrated sugar that makes a high peak of insulin. It’s many times sweeter than regular glucose. Companies use and pay less and that’s the issue.”

Javier Larragoiti and Team—Xilinat

MORE: ‘For the First Time’, Researchers Use Healthy Stem Cells for Future Type 1 Diabetes Cure

High-fructose corn syrup is added into most processed and packaged foods and drinks, and plays a big part in the obesity epidemic in the United States, according to the CDC, which reports it affects 93 million adults.

Using Corn For Sugar Substitutes—Instead of Sugar Bombs

However, with North America growing more corn than anywhere else on the planet, and with the Department of Agriculture (DOA) subsidizing its growth, the supply of corn for conversion to corn syrup is cheap and guaranteed.

If Javier’s method of extracting a sugar-free substitute were implemented, the United States could convert corn fields into a more nutrient-dense row crop, shift supply away from the creation of high-fructose corn syrup, or even increase the utilization of corn for bio-ethanol, which would cause the price of different petroleum products to drop.

Regardless, Larragoiti says that he is simply happy that his project has helped to keep his dad from succumbing to a sugary diet that would provoke his diabetes.

“My dad is super-happy,” Larragoiti says, finishing his interview. “He uses my product every day and he’s willing not to cheat on his diet any more!”

MORE: Drought-Proof ‘Cooling Houses’ Use Saltwater and Cardboard to Grow Tons of Healthy Produce in the Desert

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“I’d far rather be happy than right any day.” – Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (published 40 years ago today)

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Kurt Stocker (CC license)

Quote of the Day: “I’d far rather be happy than right any day.” – Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (published 40 years ago today)

Image: by Kurt Stocker – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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

 

Reader’s Digest Names the ‘Nicest Place in America’ For 2019, A Town Where Nobody Gets Left Behind

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A baker who donates freely to support causes of every kind, the real-estate developer who offers a year rent-free to promising entrepreneurs who may not have the resources to get started on their own, the local philanthropist who returned to his hometown to donate $500,000 to rebuild the town’s beloved Firestone Park.

These are just some of the examples of people giving back to the community of Columbiana, which has been named by Reader’s Digest as the 2019-designated Nicest Place in America.

Nestled in the green, rolling hills of eastern Ohio, about halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, Columbiana is a small town that’s been going through some changes. Downtown, restaurants now outnumber antique shops. There’s a new development that offers housing, golfing, and shopping on the land where Firestone Farm once stood. Men who used to gather for coffee in the morning outside of a place called Newtons now do it at McDonald’s.

But one thing hasn’t changed: Nobody gets left behind, from blue-collar workers, to retirees, to folks who sometimes need a little extra accommodation. In Columbiana, giving back without wanting anything in return is a way of life.

A spirit of community infuses this town, just as it has for the better part of a century, ever since tire magnate Harvey Fire­stone donated 52 acres of land to ­create the sprawling Firestone Park. Time and again, residents come together to boost their neighbors, whether it’s volunteering with Project MKC to deliver diapers to needy moms or donating money to help the Columbiana Community Foundation offer more service grants.

RELATED: After Rural Pizzeria Burnt to the Ground, Dozens of Amish Folks Rallied to Repay Their Kindness

Greg Aker, a pastor at the Upper Room Fellowship, a church in town, says that, no matter your station in this town, you get pulled along by your neighbors’ kindness. “Columbiana is a community imbued with faith—but you don’t need to be a person of faith to be embraced by the community.”

Mayor Bryan Blakeman told Reader’s Digest, “A certain morale, an ethic, is instilled in everyone here from a young age. It’s a pay-it-forward mentality.”

Another extraordinary example of leading with kindness is on display at the Main Street Theater, owned by Don and Dawn Arthurs. They started directing theater productions put on by special needs residents, using their theater to enrich the town life and spread a message of love and inclusion—and it’s been a big success.

NICEST PLACES RUNNER-UP: In a Town That Straddles Two Different US States, the Border Actually Brings People Together

Crown Theater Productions was one of the main reasons Columbiana was chosen as the ‘Nicest Place in America’, a contest for which GNN was one of the judges.

(WATCH the video below to experience the town and see the theater in action…)

SHARE with Your Ohio Buddies, and Special Needs Friends, on Social Media…

Did You Know Your Pet Can Donate Blood to Save the Life of Another Dog or Cat in Need?

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Jennifer Zolper
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Jax, one of the blood bank's enthusiastic donors, and Indy, one of the pups who was saved thanks to blood donations from dogs like Jax—North American Veterinary Blood Bank

If you love your pet, you hope they never get hurt. But, when accidents happen, or they need surgery, or treatment for infection, the outcome for your precious pooch or curious kitty may well depend on a blood transfusion.

Jax, one of the blood bank’s enthusiastic donors, and Indy, one of the pups who was saved thanks to blood donations from dogs like Jax—North American Veterinary Blood Bank

Luckily, there are blood and plasma donation programs for cats and dogs to help save the lives of their fellow animals in crisis.

“Many people do not realize the significant impact their dog could make,” Casey Mills of North American Veterinary Blood Bank told NBC.

RELATED: Pit Bull Hailed As a Hero After Reportedly Fighting Off a Shark to Save Its Owner

Did you know that dogs and cats actually have blood types that are specific to their species? Cats have three different blood types, and dogs have twelve, so a wide donor pool is needed. It’s worth noting that greyhounds seem to have a universal blood type, similar to O-negative in humans.

Each state has their own requirements and a screening process for animal blood and plasma donations, but asking your veterinarian about it is the first step.

Right now, there are only a few animal blood banks across North America: you can find them in the California cities of Dixon and Garden Grove; in Stockbridge, Michigan; in Richmond and Bristow, Virginia; and Annapolis, Maryland. If you live in one of these areas and your pet meets the criteria for donation, he or she could become a lifesaver. Not only that, it takes about 30 minutes and doesn’t require anesthesia.

The pets that donate are pampered and given lots of treats, and in return for their donations, their owners are often given discounts on exams and screenings—a nice bonus for the pocketbook.

CHECK OUT: When Pup’s Death Left Man Heartbroken, He Healed By Adopting 8 Senior Dogs That No One Wanted

“[The animals are] always so excited when they come in the door to see us because they know we’re going to give them tons of peanut butter or Milk-Bones … whatever their little heart desires,” added Mills.

As the need for canine and feline blood continues to grow, you and your pet could become heroes to another pet and their family. As with human blood, it is by donation only, so the more people who know about the need, the better. Tell your animal-loving friends about how they can save lives and prevent the loss of a companion, and ask your vet during your next visit how you can get started with this very special kind of rescue.

Be Sure And Share This Pawesome News With Your Friends On Social Media…

Politician Hailed as Nationwide Hero After He Rescues Father and Son From Burning Car

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Photo by OSP Regut
Photo by OSP Regut

A Polish politician is being hailed as a hero across the political spectrum after he rescued a toddler and his father from a burning car earlier this week.

Reporters say that 43-year-old Robert Biedron witnessed the automotive collision from his own vehicle on the road in Tabor.

The party leader and MEP then rushed to the aid of the injured driver and his 2-year-old son so he could tend to them until emergency crews arrived.

Not only that, OSP Regut firefighters say that “like a real fireman,” Biedron tackled the burning car with a fire extinguisher.

RELATED: Watch ‘Superhero’ Woman Rescue Trapped Deer From Not One, But Two Different Fences in a Matter of Minutes

The fire department then published a photo of the politician to Facebook so they could praise him for his heroic actions and ask their followers if they were aware of the man’s identity.

Once he was recognized as the left-leaning Biedron—the first openly gay politician to be elected to the Polish parliament in 2011—his story was shared by left- and right-wing citizens and news outlets nationwide.

Be Sure And Share The Inspiring Story With Your Friends On Social Media…

LEGO is Now Offering to Pay For You to Ship Your Unused Bricks to Children in Need

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Earlier this week the LEGO Group announced the launch of a new project to encourage their fans to donate their old LEGO bricks so they can be used by less fortunate children.

LEGO Replay is a new pilot program that will accept any and all previously used LEGO bricks and donate them to children’s nonprofits in the United States. The process is simple, because it needs to be. The number of donations they receive is critical to a successful campaign, so they’ve made it as easy as possible for folks at home to send in their idle bricks.

Collect any loose LEGO pieces, sets, or elements, place them into a cardboard box, and visit the LEGO Replay website to print out a free shipping label, and possibly call the service, either UPS or FedEx, depending on your location and the label, to have them pick up the package at your door.

The package will be sent to the Give Back Box facility, where each brick will be sorted, inspected by hand, and given a rigorous cleaning.

The effort is a collaboration with Give Back Box, Teach For America, and Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston.

WATCH: He Built His Own Prosthetic Out of LEGOS and Hopes to Provide Cheap Solutions for Others Who Need a Hand

Most people don’t throw away their LEGO bricks, according to Tim Brooks, the Environmental Responsibility Vice President at the LEGO Group. “The vast majority hand them down to their children or grandchildren. But others have asked us for a safe way to dispose of or to donate their bricks. With Replay, they have an easy option that’s both sustainable and socially impactful.”

Brooks and his team spent the past three years working on the project to ensure the process met the highest quality and safety standards and adhered to U.S. regulations. They then connected with Give Back Box, a charity dedicated to “recycling” 11 million tons of unused clothing, footwear, and other textiles that end up in U.S. landfills each year.

“I am excited to join the LEGO Group in this pilot program,” said Monika Wiela, founder of Give Back Box. “Growing up in Poland, I didn’t have many toys as a child, so this collaboration is rather personal for me. What’s better than giving a child the gift of play?”

CHECK OUT: LEGO Bricks on Sale Now Are Plant-based Instead of Plastic

Teach For America will receive the majority of the elements and will provide them to thousands of classrooms across the country.

“Learning through play can have a tremendous impact on a child’s cognitive development. Through play, children develop fine motor skills, think creatively, and can learn how to problem solve through teamwork,” said Susan Asiyanbi, Teach For America’s chief operating and program officer. “But not everyone has access to such resources. LEGO Replay, and the instructional resources they provide educators, will help give more students access to this opportunity.”

MORE: Colombians Are Building Houses With Wasted Plastic—Shaped Into Huge Lego Bricks

Bricks will also be sent to Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston for their after-school programs. Both non-profits can expect to receive the first shipments in November 2019. Once the pilot is complete in spring 2020, the LEGO Group will evaluate a possible expansion of the program.

LEGO Replay is one of the many sustainable and philanthropic efforts the LEGO Group has announced in the past year. Recent efforts include Plants from Plants, LEGO Braille Bricks and LEGO Audio and Braille Instructions.

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“One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach – waiting for a gift from the sea.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh

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Quote of the Day: “One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach—waiting for a gift from the sea.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Photo: by RJR in NB – CC license on Flickr

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

 

New Power Plant Turns Waste into Energy—and Doubles as a Ski Slope and Climbing Wall

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Denmark, with a landscape as flat as a pancake, might be a new whimsical destination for skiing, thanks to Copenhagen’s new power plant.

That’s right. Last weekend in Copenhagen, an 8-year dream was realized when the first paying skiers took their runs down a one-third-mile course, wrapping around what is possibly the greenest power plant in the world.

The plant is so clean and safe that designers were able to turn its building mass into a new hub for social life.

A hybrid between a building and a landscape, the huge glass and mirrored structure contains planters covering the façade in a checkerboard pattern that might one day give the illusion of a green mountain from every direction.

Copenhill, as it’s called, features ski-lifts on the outside and also a glass elevator for seeing the inner workings of how the city’s trash is transformed into both electricity and heating for more than 200,000 homes.

The waste-to-power plant itself opened in 2017 under the name Amager Bakke (Amager, for the island Copenhagen is on, and Bakke, the Danish word for “hill”).

Bjarke Ingels is the architect whose company, Bjarke Ingels Group, came up with the idea eight years ago of designing a power plant structure that would incorporate mountain sports into its very nature.

“It is the cleanest waste-to-energy power plant in the world. It is a crystal clear example of ‘Hedonistic Sustainability’ (a phrase he coined because) a sustainable city is not only better for the environment—it is also more enjoyable for the lives of its citizens.”

Ingles says 97% of city residents get their heating as a byproduct of energy production, from an integrated system where the electricity, heating, and waste disposal are combined into a single process. He believes that it is also becoming a beacon that others can look to and say, ‘if Copenhagen can do it, why can’t we?’

MORE: This Revolutionary Blast Furnace Vaporizes Trash and Turns It into Clean Energy (Without Any Emissions)

There are no hills on this island city, but now residents can ski and snowboard locally, while enjoying the best views ever seen of the harbor. Another thing missing here is snow cover throughout the winter, so designers installed a specially-coated “plastic grass” that provides the perfect friction for downhill winter sports.

In a country where 600,000 skiers always had to travel to practice carving their turns, to be able to finally ski in their backyard—and, all year-round—is, as one skier said, “EXTRAORDINARY.”

Visitors can relax in the restaurant and bar at the highest point of the building, or meander on the steep hiking and running trails. It even features the tallest climbing wall in the world— 270-feet (85 meters) high, designed with overhangs and ledges of white, like an icy mountain. (For certified climbers only at the top.)

The $660 million power plant will process up to 440,000 tons of waste each year using furnaces, turbines, and steam. The electricity it produces can heat 160,000 homes and provide electric power to another 60,000. And though these numbers are impressive, the 24-hour operation of the entire facility can reportedly be handled by just two engineers.

The developers hope to see 300,000 visitors enjoying the multi-purpose experience of CopenHill each year, with the ski slope costing $22 an hour or just $366 for a full season pass.

Copyright Amélie Louys – Used with permission

Professional skier Nikolaj Vang said, “I’ve been skiing for 35 years, and I was very surprised and pleased that the coating had the perfect friction. I had feared that one would either get too little or too much slip, but I think the coating is perfect for all levels.”

Meanwhile, the city is one step closer to its ambitious goal of becoming the world’s first carbon-neutral city by 2025. We think it might be all ‘downhill’ from here.

LOOK: Engineer Creates Green Oasis by Growing Glaciers in the Desert

WATCH some freestyle skiers using the jumps and railings on the building, and meet the designer…

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UK University Installs Free ‘Vending Machines’ to Dispense Tiny Short Stories Printed on Eco-Friendly Paper

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SWNS
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This university has become the first in the United Kingdom to install vending machines that are designed to dispense free short stories for students to read on campus—and any writer will soon be able to submit their own prose.

The machines on the campus of the University of Lincoln print out tiny works of literature that are dispensed after someone chooses how long they want to be reading— one, three, or five minutes—all at the touch of a button.

Students will be able to read on a whim anything from crime to contemporary fiction, including authors like Virginia Woolf, Lewis Carroll and Charles Dickens.

LOOK: School Installs Vending Machine That Dispenses Free Books to Kids Who Read

The machines also contain an exclusive story written by British author Anthony Horowitz—a whodunnit called “Mrs. Robinson” that was designed to be read in less than a minute.

The stories are delivered randomly from a database of 100,000 titles on a receipt-sized scroll of eco-friendly paper using heat transfer instead of ink.

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Ian Snowley, Dean of Student Learning Development and University Librarian said: “Not only will the new machines offer the opportunity to access stories at seemingly unexpected spots around campus to encourage people to engage more with reading, but we also hope that it will encourage students, staff, and people across the city to become published authors by submitting their own work.”

The machines are made by French publishing company Short Édition and were previously installed at London’s Canary Wharf following success in France and Hong Kong.

RELATED: Two Sisters Have Been Reading Bedtime Stories for Children on Facebook Live Every Night

Later in the year, students and the public will be able to submit their own stories for possible inclusion in Short Édition’s repertoire of over 9,000 authors.

Professor Mary Stuart, the University’s Vice Chancellor, said: “I’m delighted that Lincoln is the first UK university to use this innovative technology to support the development of reading and writing in our university and city communities.”

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Woman Who Lives With 27 Sick Dogs Dubbed ‘Miracle Worker’ After Getting Paralyzed Pups to Walk Again

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A dog-lover who cares for sick and disabled pooches from around the world has been dubbed a “miracle worker” after getting many of them back on their feet again.

48-year-old Claire-Louise Nixon shares her modest home with 27 dogs that no one else wanted.

Many of them are injured street dogs who have been abused—or lost limbs from landmines and explosives in former war zones. But, no matter what condition the dogs arrive in, Nixon is determined to get them walking again through intense physical therapy sessions and walks on wheels.

Her motley crew of dogs all share her four-bedroom semi-detached house in Milton Keynes with her husband Gary and 22-year-old daughter Rhia-Louise.

MORE: Man Moves into Shelter Kennel So He Can Help Unwanted Pup Get Adopted

While Nixon’s strategy is to find forever homes for the dogs, their immediate needs are quite often too complex. Several of her pups are—or were—paralyzed; and some of them even have to wear nappies (diapers).

For long walks the dogs are put in specially-made harnesses with wheels to act as false legs so they can enjoy getting outside while those that can’t walk are put in buggies. Other dogs are regularly taken for doggy hydrotherapy, while all those that can walk are taken out for exercise in rotation, a few at a time.

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“When I get these dogs who are in such a bad way, the vet would say ‘Claire, you won’t get them walking again,’” says Nixon. “But now they say nothing is impossible! They say we work miracles with them!

“I think all they need is love, kindness and patience,” she continued. “When they walk into my house, they see other dogs like them so they don’t feel any different that’s why I think they do so well here.

LOOK: 6-Legged Puppy Given the Perfect Forever Home After She Was Adopted By Bullied Boy

“If you give them a reason to walk again, then they will,” she added.

Her addiction to caring for sick dogs all started 12 years ago when a puppy who was only a few days old was brought into the vet’s office to be put down. He had a hair lip and cleft palate which prevented him from suckling milk and feeding—but Nixon was determined to save him.

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Nixon painstakingly hand-reared the puppy by feeding him with a bottle every few hours—and it escalated into having 27 disabled or sick dogs from there.

All her dogs are named after celebrities which she feels describes their personalities.

Sir Elton John, which Nixon named because of the song “I’m Still Standing”, was rescued from Romania after he was hit by a car and left with a broken spine. Thanks to Nixon’s help, he can now go on small walks.

CHECK OUT: When Pup’s Death Left Man Heartbroken, He Healed By Adopting 8 Senior Dogs That No One Wanted

Sherlock Holmes, who was aptly named for his intelligence and curiosity, was a street dog in Oman who was shot by a security guard.

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“The dogs arrive with the most horrible pasts and we give them love and wonderful futures. They come from all over the world but with me, they are home forever.

“I’m really lucky in that all the neighbors have dogs themselves so we don’t get complaints. And although 27 dogs sounds a lot, they are really quite well behaved.”

In order to finance the dogs’ medical treatment, rehabilitation, and mobility equipment, Nixon raises funds through her organization, Wheels to Paws UK.

MORE: When Animal Shelter Uses Area 51 Internet Meme to Appeal for Adoptions, They Are Flooded With Support

Vets bills can be a huge drain on resources, but local vets are sympathetic to her cause and often offer a discount.

Nixon added: “The dog rescue charities abroad all know of me. So if they get a badly injured or disabled dog in need of specialist care they will pay to transport them to me in the UK. I can never say no.

“It is tremendous hard work but I can’t tell you how rewarding it is. The love these dogs give back is amazing. I would not be without any single one of them.”

SWNS

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“What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action.” – Meister Eckhart

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action.” – Meister Eckhart

Photo: by seabamirum – CC license on Flickr

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

 

U.S. Contributes to $100 Million Public-Private Partnership to Preserve Wetlands and Waterfowl

By
Andy Corbley
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Reprinted with permission from World At Large, a news website of nature, science, health, politics, and travel.

Marking its 30th anniversary, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) has been renewed by U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt with $28 million dollars  for conservation of coastal and non-coastal wetlands across the country.

Wetland areas constitute one of the most important and also fragile ecosystems in the nation and the world. They’re home to a panoply of specialized plants that act as a buffer between storm surges and property, they help to prevent soil erosion, and provide nesting and feeding habitat for hundreds of waterbird species.

Of the funds issued, $23.9 million was allocated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners to conserve or restore more than 150,000 acres of wetland and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds in 20 different states. These grants will be matched by more than $72 million in partner funds.

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Lucky Ducks

For instance, the Upper Snake River in eastern Idaho will receive $1 million to ensure the protection of one of America’s great rivers—surrounded by 1,691 acres of migrating, breeding, and wintering habitat for birds like the trumpeter swan, northern pintail, and mallard.

Programs benefitting the Missouri River Valley Wetlands and the Texas Bays, Wetlands, and Prairies II will get $1 million each to acquire, restore, and enhance major wetland and grassland complexes within the Missouri River Alluvial Plain in western Iowa and northwest Missouri and on the mid-coast of Texas. The funding will aid populations of northern pintail and lesser scaup, and in the South, mottled ducks, black-bellied whistling ducks, and fulvous whistling ducks.

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The commission also approved $4.2 million from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to conserve 2,200 acres in Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. These funds were raised largely through the sale of Federal Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as “Duck Stamps.”

Funds raised from the sale of Federal Duck Stamps go toward the acquisition or lease of habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Duck Stamps—while required for waterfowl hunters as an annual license—are also voluntarily purchased by birders, outdoor enthusiasts, and fans of national wildlife preserves who understand the value of protecting some of the most diverse and important wildlife habitats in our nation.

31 small grants were already approved in March. The commission has authorized $5 million for more grants to fund small scale conservation projects—and this year, $3 million in grants were matched by $11.1 million in private partner funds.

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“These public-private grants help uphold President Trump’s important promise to America’s sportsmen and women to preserve our nation’s wildlife and provide access to our public lands for future generations,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt.

“Landmark legislation like the North American Wetlands Conservation Act has made that possible for all Americans and these treasured natural resources during the past 30 years.”

Multiply The Good By Sharing The Positive News With Your Friends On Social Media — File photo by Bureau of Land Management, CC

Woman Reunited With Last Text Messages From Late Father Thanks to Diver Who Found Her Long-Lost Phone

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Good News Network
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SWNS
SWNS

A woman was thrilled to be reunited with the last text messages from her late father after a diver managed to find the iPhone she had lost in a river 15 months earlier.

39-year-old Erica Bennett was doubly stunned to hear a diver had found the device buried in silt on the Edisto River bed, in Ridgeville, South Carolina. Not only that, the phone still worked.

Bennett had originally lost the iPhone after it fell overboard during a river float trip in June 2018. Her husband had dived into the water to try and retrieve the cell phone, but couldn’t find it.

When Erica realized the device was gone—along with all of the last text messages from her father William Sikes—she couldn’t help but cry tears of grief.

LOOK: Stranded Family is Rescued Thanks to Dad Sending Creative SOS Message Down River

Sikes had died that month from leukemia at the age of 63.

“That was one of the things that hit me hard [about the phone],” says Erica. “I thought I would never be able to read those words again.

“All I remember is thinking of all the photos and texts I had just lost in the bottom of that river. Memories I thought I would never get back.”

Erica Bennett and William Sikes-SWNS

A year later in September 2019, Michael Bennett (no relation) was scuba diving in the Edisto River and saw a large rock in eight feet of murky water. When he saw a phone lanyard trailing behind it, he managed to uncover the lost iPhone.

“I have found hundreds of phones on my dives, but most of them do not turn on. I figured it would never work,” said the 25-year-old diver.

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Michael, who is also a full-time YouTuber, took the iPhone home with him, plugged it into a charger and the device turned on. Since he did not know the iPhone’s password, he removed the SIM card and inserted it into a different phone. He the found Erica’s cell phone number by retrieving her contacts.

Luckily, Erica had kept the same cell phone digits.

The personal trainer was getting into bed when she received Michael’s call on September 22nd.

“I thought it was a spam call at first,” she said. “It was unbelievable. I felt like I was getting punk’d.”

The next day, Michael delivered the long-lost iPhone to Erica, reuniting her with the messages from her late father.

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“There were big waves of emotions. I felt really happy and relieved,” said Erica.

The cell phone’s screen is dimmer and the battery drains quicker after spending more than a year on a river bed—but Erica said the most important thing is that she can now read her father’s last words again.

“I have those memories back now,” she said. “It’s just a phone. But then again, it’s not.”

(WATCH the video below)

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Scientists Create First Ever Lab-Grown Meat in Space Lab 248 Miles From Earth

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Good News Network
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NASA

This week, a food company announced that they have successfully taken “one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind” in producing lab-grown meat in space.

Aleph Farms, an Israeli food company that grows cultivated beef steaks, says that they managed to grow the material aboard the International Space Station 248 miles (339 kilometers) away from any natural resources.

Aleph Farms’ production method of cultivated beef steaks relies on mimicking a natural process of muscle-tissue regeneration occurring inside the cow’s body, but under controlled conditions.

Within the framework of this experiment on the Russian segment of the ISS, a successful proof of concept has been established in assembling a small-scale muscle tissue in a 3D bioprinter developed by 3D Bioprinting Solutions, under micro-gravity conditions. This cutting-edge research in some of the most extreme environments imaginable, serves as an essential growth indicator of sustainable food production methods that don’t exacerbate land waste, water waste, and pollution. These methods are also aimed at feeding the rapidly growing population, predicted to reach 10 billion individuals by 2050.

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Through an international collaboration set to reach new heights with 3D Bioprinting Solutions, Meal Source Technologies, and Finless Foods— Aleph Farms, co-founded with the food-tech incubator The Kitchen, and Professort Shulamit Levenberg of the Technion university, is making a significant progress toward fulfilling its promise: to enable on Earth unconditional access to safe and nutritious meat anytime, anywhere, while using minimal resources.

In an historic report published on the 10th of September 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, established by the United Nations, has emphasized the integral contribution of the conventional animal farming methods on climate change, creating “a challenging situation worse and undermining food security.” The 107 authors who contributed to the report have shed light on climate change effects on land, especially desertification, land degradation, and diminishing availability of food supplies.

“In space, we don’t have 10,000 or 15,000 liters (4,000 gallons) of water available to produce one kilogram (2.205 pound) of beef,” says Didier Toubia, co-founder and CEO of Aleph Farms.

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“This joint experiment marks a significant first step toward achieving our vision to ensure food security for generations to come, while preserving our natural resources.

Jonathan Berger, who is CEO of the mission’s partnering organization The Kitchen, added: “The mission of providing access to high-quality nutrition anytime, anywhere in a sustainable way is an increasing challenge for all humans. On Earth or up above, we count on innovators like Aleph Farms to take the initiative to provide solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems, such as the climate crisis.”

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by NASA

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Arab Plumbers Refuse to Charge Israeli Woman After Learning She is a Holocaust Survivor

By
McKinley Corbley
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When two Arab brothers found out that one of their clients was a Holocaust survivor, they insisted on performing their services free of charge.

According to a recent online report from the Times of Israel, Simon and Salim Matari are two Israeli plumbers who were called to fix a broken pipe in an elderly woman’s home in Haifa earlier this week.

The house belonged to 95-year-old Rosa Meir. As Simon fixed the leaky plumbing fixture, Salim chatted with the woman about her life and learned that she was a Holocaust survivor.

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Once the Matari brothers had successfully fixed the plumbing system, they knew that they could not charge the woman for the $285 service fee.

Instead, they left a note for Meir saying: “Holocaust survivor, may you have health until 120 [years old], from Matari Simon and Matari Salim.”

Not only that, they added that their services cost zero shekels—and if she ever had need for additional services in the future, then they would be more than happy to return to her home and fix her plumbing for free.

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“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” – Rabindranath Tagore

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” – Rabindranath Tagore

Photo: by Joseph Walker – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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Bride and Groom Betrothed to History After She Wore a Wedding Dress Made From the Parachute That Saved Him

By
Jennifer Zolper
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Smithsonian photo used with permission – Division of Cultural and Community Life, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Not many brides wear a parachute to their own wedding—but a woman named Ruth did just that when she married her childhood friend, Claude Hensinger shortly after World War II.

The parachute survived, along with the groom, during an aborted WWII mission, when Maj. Hensinger was a B-29 pilot. In August of 1944, he was returning to an Allied base from a bombing run over Yowata, Japan when an engine caught fire. The entire crew had to abandon ship over China, and that’s when the epic parachute unfurled to save his life. That night, it also served as a blanket and pillow for Hensinger as he waited for daybreak.

Luckily, the crew was able to reassemble the next day, and they were taken in by friendly Chinese. Maj. Hensinger was able to return safely to the US, and when the war ended a year later, he resettled in his native Pennsylvania, taking his lifesaving parachute with him.

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Back in civilian life again, Claude decided to look up his friend Ruth and began courting her. When it was time to propose marriage, Ruth was startled to see Hensinger on his knee offering not a ring, but the precious fabric that aided him during wartime.

“This is the parachute that saved my life. I want you to make a wedding dress out of it,” he said.

While Ruth wasn’t exactly sure what to do with the massive yardage of nylon, inspiration hit when she saw a billowing dress in a store window designed to look like the one featured in Gone with the Wind. She hired a local seamstress to sew the bodice and veil, and Ruth herself designed and created the skirt from the parachute. She used the parachute cords to create ruching all around the skirt, hiking it higher in front and leaving it longer in back for a train.

With his request for a parachute wedding dress finally realized, Claude married Ruth in Neffs Lutheran Church in Neffs, Pennsylvania, July 19th, 1947, getting his first glimpse of the gown as she walked down the aisle.

Photo used with permission – Division of Cultural and Community Life, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

The historical dress was later worn by both their daughter and their son’s bride, and today is housed at the Smithsonian Institution as a significant item in American History.

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Nine Latin American Countries Have Set Goal for 70% Renewable Energy—More Than Twice the European Union

By
McKinley Corbley
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New reports say that countries in Latin America have set an ambitious new goal for renewable energy that is more than double what has been pledged by the European Union.

Back in September, Colombia’s energy minister Maria Fernanda Suarez told Reuters that nine Latin American countries have collectively set a target for achieving 70% renewable energy use by 2030.

The countries participating in the historic pact include Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia, while Panama and Brazil are reportedly still considering participation.

RELATED: First Fully Rechargeable Carbon Dioxide Battery is Seven Times More Efficient Than Lithium Ion

With the EU only maintaining a goal for 32% energy, Suarez says that Latin American legislators made the announcement for their ambitious new initiative with the intention of putting themselves at the forefront of the international fight against the climate crisis with the UN climate change summit taking place in Chile in December.

“It’s the most ambitious goal in terms of a global region. Right now nine countries in the region have agreed to this plan and we will continue to get more countries to be part of this goal ahead of the upcoming summit,” she told Reuters, adding that “the introduction of viable renewables, meaning wind, solar biomass or other clean energy, is the first priority” for Colombia’s own renewable energy goals.

Power Up With Positivity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media — File photo by Steven Damron, CC

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