Historic Philanthropic Gift Will Expand Veterinary Care Access to Millions of Americans and Their Pets

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Sep 21, 2026

Quote of the Day: “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” – George Washington Carver

Photo by: Clay Banks

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Good News in History September 21

This Day In History

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Sep 21, 2026

Sandra Day O'Connor being sworn in - public domain

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

Cavemen Used Mammoth Tusk Patterns to Create Unique Art, Reveals New Research

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Sep 20, 2026

Ice Age craftspeople mimicked lines of mammoth ivory SWNS — Ice Age craftspeople mimicked lines of mammoth ivory – SWNS

[Stephen Beech | SWNS news]

Cavemen used mammoth tusk patterns to create unique art, reveals new research.

Ice Age craftspeople mimicked the lines of mammoth ivory / SWNS

Intricate designs engraved on the surface of 18,000-year-old female figurines carved from mammoth ivory were inspired by “distinctive” growth patterns visible in the tusks, say scientists.

An analysis of 18 “Venus” figurines found at Mizyn in Ukraine shows that Ice Age craftspeople carefully observed and mimicked the natural lines of the ivory, using them to structure their artistic engravings.

The discovery was made possible using high-resolution microscopic analysis and 3D digital modeling.

The artifacts were recorded as part of urgent heritage preservation efforts led by Ukrainian NGO Archaic.

Researchers from the UK, Germany, Norway and Ukraine found that the carvers explicitly incorporated Schreger and Owen lines – the natural growth rings found in mammoth tusks – into the surface patterns of the figures.

The team say their findings, published in the journal Heritage Science, challenge traditional views on how Stone Age art evolved across Europe.

“This discovery offers an extraordinary window into how Paleolithic peoples perceived and engaged with their material world,” said Dr. Aimée Little, from the University of York’s department of archaeology.

“Identifying visual evidence of how mammoths were integrated into artistic traditions, both through the use of their ivory and the deliberate inscription of its natural patterns, represents a genuine breakthrough in our understanding of prehistoric art and material culture.”

She said access to the physical artifacts at the National Museum of History of Ukraine in Kyiv was limited due to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, making digital scanning essential to ensure their preservation and study into the future.

The analysis highlights a significant gap of 1,000 to 3,000 years in the creation of human figurines across Europe, coinciding with the Last Glacial Maximum – the coldest peak of the last Ice Age.

“When figurine-making re-emerged around 18,000 years ago, it began earlier in Eastern Europe than in the West,” explained her university colleague Dr. Andrew Needham.

“While later Western European styles also featured abstracted female forms, none reproduced the internal tusk patterns seen at Mizyn.

“This indicates that Ice Age artists in Eastern Europe forged their own independent artistic path rather than simply following trends from Western Europe.”

The research team said there are several theories regarding the spiritual or ritualistic purpose of Stone Age “Venus” figurines.

But their findings reveal the crucial elements of its artistry.

“We are optimistic that our future digital research will shed more light on the emergence and development of artistic expression in Europe, showing an even more complex, and intriguing picture than we have now,” said Dr. Simon Radchenko, from the University of Stavanger, Norway.

Dr. Dmytro Kiosak, from the Leibniz Centre for Archaeology in Germany, believes their findings challenge the long-held assumption that ancient art simply evolved in a straight line from basic to complex forms.

Couple Fosters 59 Dogs in Retirement: ‘We love to get them out of the kennels’

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Sep 20, 2026

Dog foster parents w husky Credit Battersea Dogs Home - SWNS — Nicole and Gary Wordsworth – Credit: Battersea Dogs Home / SWNS

Nicole and Gary Wordsworth – Credit: Battersea Dogs Home / SWNS

Meet the British couple who spent the last 15 years fostering 59 dogs—with no plans of stopping.

While working from home and designing electronics, Nicole and Gary Wordsworth have been taking in pups from the Battersea Dogs Home in Buckinghamshire.

Now retired, the two in their 60s opted for part-time pups in a fostering situation, and now live with a variety of dogs—from a Siberian husky to a Staffie.

The duration of each dog’s stay ranges from a couple of nights to 18 months, but they ensure no one feels pressure if a second stay is needed.

“In late 2011, we saw an advertisement for sponsoring dogs.

“Because we had been looking after friends’ dogs—and loving it, we went in for a chat and had our first little Staffie called Marcel as our first dog.

“A lot of people ask us if we find it difficult… We find it so easy.

“We love to help get them out of the kennels when they are too stressed and need a quiet spot to perch.

“It’s always a joy to hear how they are doing after they leave us. We don’t mind that their stay with us is temporary, as we know each dog will have the best new home and that we are a part of all their stories.”

Having fostered 59 dogs, they’ve come to realize the truth that there really is a dog suited for everyone.

“It is impossible to pick a favorite,” said Gary. “But some stick in your mind more than others.

“They all have characters though—and it’s great to see all their nerves dissipating, and their actual personality coming out to shine.”

Their early encounters with the foster animals provide helpful intel for the adoption staff at Battersea—what toys they prefer, when they like to eat their dinner, how far they like to walk, and sleep times.

“You help them find the best home for them by giving them the space and quiet to show you.”

Among their favorite dogs was a huge American bulldog, who learned new tricks like offering its paw, lying down, and sitting.

“He got his fairy tale ending too, because his original owner had found him on the ad and taken him back home!”

Their recent guest, a sweet husky named Stormy who loves a snuggle on the sofa, stayed with them for four months.

“She had a smiley face and lovable quirks, including her ‘happy food dance’, when she would excitedly move from toe to toe as her food was being prepared.”

“The people at Battersea Dogs Home don’t expect you to know everything about dogs—and in fact they give you a lot of time, training, and pay for everything.”

“And they often give you the easy dogs to start with. If you don’t think you can take on a certain type of dog you can always say that one is too much of a challenge, as well.” Cats are also available to foster.

“It is so rewarding to see them relax and find their little personality poking out. You are doing a good thing and you get to have a furry friend by your side. It’s a win-win.”

IF YOU KNOW ANY RETIREES, Share The Volunteer Idea on Social Media…

165-Mile Bike Trail Through Minnesota Finally Completed After 30 years, One of the Longest in America

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Sep 20, 2026

Mesabi Trail – Courtesy of the St Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority

After more than 30 years of planning, construction, and fundraising, a paved bike trail ambling through 165 miles of Minnesota beauty has officially been completed—and now becomes one of the longest paved cycling trails in America.

From the Mississippi river to the wilderness of the Boundary Waters, the Mesabi Trail winds through some of the most scenic parts of the state along the Iron Range with its historic iron ore mines that fueled the US during World War II, and supplied the American steel industry—especially the Mesabi Range, which the trail was named for.

Both hilly and flat, the “well-mapped and well-maintained trail” connects 28 communities, from Grand Rapids to Ely. (Watch a video below…)

Many of the shady woods and hills were created decades ago, as heaps of earth from the mines formed man-made mountains with forests regrowing and lining the edges of the trail.

Along the way, you can explore historic buildings, mining artifacts, early industry, and ethnic and cultural history.

A unique state agency, the Department of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation (IRRR), helped fund the trail; it uses profit from the mines to enrich the community. But the project rallied partners from across the board.

Courtesy of the St Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority

“No single organization, funding source, or individual could have built what we see here today,” said IRRRB commissioner Ida Rukavina who joined a dozen officials at a ribbon cutting ceremony last Tuesday.

“This trail is the product of three decades of partnership and persistence.”

The official website can be used to plan a trip to the trail. Also, learn how you can become a volunteer caretaker.

SAME IN TEXAS: Pioneer is First to Cross Texas Along His New xTx Trail, 1500 Miles Devised for Hikers, Cyclists and Horses

Although great for summer activities, including inline skating and hiking, winter activities include cross-country skiing and snowshoeing—and some portions of the trail offers snowmobile access.

Many campgrounds and local parks are easily accessible from the trail, highways, and nearby communities, with food, lodging, shopping, golfing, swimming, canoeing and fishing all in close proximity to segments of the trail—with communities and services available near all entry points.

Tens of thousands of people have already been using the trail each year, with 5 stars being awarded regularly.

(Watch the striking video below…)

SEND THIS ROLLING 165 MILES–By Sharing on Social Media…

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his income depends upon his not understanding it.” – Upton Sinclair

Quote of the Day

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Sep 20, 2026

Quote of the Day: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his income depends upon his not understanding it.” – Upton Sinclair

Photo by: Nohe Pereira

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Good News in History September 20

This Day In History

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Sep 20, 2026

46 years ago today, Blizzard of Ozz, the debut solo album of the great and lately deceased metal singer Ozzy Osbourne, was released to moderate reviews and success. However it grew to become a staple of the genre, and was ranked as the ninth-greatest heavy metal album of all time by Rolling Stone. It includes the iconic singles “Mr. Crowley” and “Crazy Train,” both of which were sung by the great man in 2025 during his farewell tour, a week before his death at the age of 76 from Parkinson’s disease. READ more about the album… (1980)

New York City is Putting ‘The Park’ Back in Park Avenue – And Adding a Protected Bike Lane (LOOK)

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COOL: Neighbors Get Swept Up in Man’s Viral Journey to Clean a NYC Street Block Every Day for 100 Days

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Sep 19, 2026

Credit: Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners

Until the 1920s Park Avenue in Manhattan actually park running through it.

Now, New York City has unveiled a new plan for transforming Park Avenue back into its original natural character, adding trees, benches, and a protected bike lane.

Mayor Mamdani and the NYC Department of Transportation are updating 11 blocks of the wide street, based on feedback from New Yorkers who want more green spaces and safety for cyclists.

The updated boulevard design makes it a “more people-centered corridor” by expanding the avenue’s median, add pedestrian space, seating, and landscaping. Two car lanes are being converted, with one existing southbound vehicle lane being converted into a two-way protected bike lane.

“New Yorkers asked us to make more room for people to walk, bike and enjoy their city, and we listened,” said Mayor Mamdani.

“This final design converts underused median space into vibrant public space while incorporating a dedicated, world-class bike connection that lays the foundation for future bike network upgrades in East Midtown,” explained NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn.

The updated design covers 11 blocks from 46th Street to 57th Street. It would remove one travel lane in each direction and convert a southbound travel lane into a two-way protected bike lane. The expanded medians will accommodate seating, plantings, and public art, with crosswalks connecting along the corridor.

Illustration By: Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners -released

The project area sits directly above the Grand Central Terminal train shed, which is undergoing a major capital rehabilitation by Metro-North Railroad. As the MTA replaces and waterproofs the structure below, the City is using the opportunity to transform the avenue above, aligning major infrastructure investment with a broader vision for public space shaped by community input.

“As more people turn to biking and walking as cleaner, more effective modes of transportation, we must continue updating our infrastructure to keep our riders and pedestrians safe,” said NY Congressman Jerrold Nadler.

“I’m grateful to Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Flynn for advancing this ambitious reimagining of one of Manhattan’s most iconic thoroughfares, and I look forward to seeing work get underway.”

“The reconstruction of the Grand Central Train Shed is part of the MTA’s commitment to modernize the infrastructure that keeps New Yorkers moving,” said MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer.

“This century-old structure made it possible for Midtown to grow into one of the world’s most important business districts—and now, as we rebuild it, we’re thrilled to partner with the city to deliver a greener, more vibrant public space.”

DO YOU LOVE NEW YORK? Share The Reimagined Avenue on Social Media…

Fox Left For Dead After Being Run Over is Now Recovering Thanks to Swimming Lessons

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Sep 19, 2026

Fox gets hydrotherapy at Mansfield Canine Centre by Tom Maddick for SWNS — Fox gets hydrotherapy at Mansfield Canine Centre – Credit: Tom Maddick / SWNS

Fox gets hydrotherapy at Mansfield Canine Centre – Credit: Tom Maddick / SWNS

A fox cub that was left for dead after being hit by a car is making a miracle recovery thanks to hydrotherapy swimming sessions.

The young kit, aptly named Chance, was reportedly stuck for days with its back legs unable to function after the accident last June in Nottinghamshire, England.

A member of the public raised the alarm after seeing the injured fox, which a veterinarian initially feared would have to be put down.

But wildlife rescuers took him into their care and started a painstaking rehabilitation program that now includes assisted swims in a hydrotherapy pool normally used by recovering dogs.

Chance was vaccinated before receiving free sessions at the Mansfield Canine Centre, where his designated caretaker Chelsea guides him through the hydrotherapy waters.

According to their website, “hydrotherapy is a highly effective, low-impact treatment used to support dogs with injuries, medical conditions, post-operative recovery, and long-term mobility issues. Using the natural resistance and buoyancy of water, hydrotherapy helps dogs regain strength, improve movement, and recover safely under professional guidance.”

Chance the fox has started using his back legs more to support himself, is regaining sensation and can now kick them while in the water.

To give him the best possible chance of returning to the wild, contact with humans has been kept to a minimum. And, if his recovery continues, rescuers hope he can one day be released back into the English countryside.

SWEET! Man Builds Special Bond With a Fox He Rescued–Now She Wants to Hug Him Every Day (WATCH)

Cathy Fraser, who works at the canine centre, said the transformation had been incredible.

“When you see that it looked like there was no chance he was going to survive, to now, it’s just an incredible journey and to be a part of it is just so lucky.

“It’s amazing that this little act of kindness is going to go a long way to potentially Chance being released and living a full, wild life, like he should.”

Mansfield Wildlife Rescue founder Cheryl Martins said the centre had seen a worrying rise in foxes being struck by vehicles this year. She explained how the super-hot weather has definitely been the main driver.

“A lot of the rodents that they would normally find and hunt are keeping out of the way because of the weather.”

WILDLIFE WONDERS:
• Banjo Player Serenades a Fox in Colorado – Watch It Come Back for an Encore
• Man Reveals Heart-Warming Friendship With Young Fox He Cured of Illness in the Wild

“They’re moving more into towns and cities looking for food, so they’re getting into the busier roads while they’re out searching.”

Fortunately, the rescue centre located in Mansfield is ready to help. They’ve nursed back to health five foxes hit by vehicles this year.

WHO CAN RESIST THAT FACE? Share the Foxy Kindness on Social Media…

Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Numbers See Encouraging Bounceback in New Survey

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Sep 19, 2026

Blue crabs by J Thomas -vM1Lz1ftMU8-unsplash — Credit: J Thomas

Conservationists working to turn the tide on declining numbers of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay, found some good news in their latest field surveys.

After years of worryingly low numbers, the population appears to be responding to some of the measures implemented to build a crustacean comeback.

This year’s field sampling estimated a total population of 349 million blue crabs in the bay—a 46% increase over last year, according to the annual winter dredge survey.

This raised the population overall to the highest it’s been since 2019, says the report from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences.

The population of juvenile crabs in winter 2025–26 was estimated to be 228 million, which is also the highest since 2019.

The largest estuary in the US, spanning 200 miles from Maryland to Virginia near Washington DC, the Chesapeake supports more than 3,600 plant and animal species—and the crab remains a cornerstone of the region’s heritage and culture.

In the past 30 years, the surface water temperature of the Chesapeake Bay has increased 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, but our climate craziness—colder in the winter (which crabs don’t like) and hotter in the summer—isn’t the only cause of the crab conundrum. Human industrialization also plays a role.

Chesapeake Bay tributary – Credit: Forsaken Fotos (CC license via Flickr)

MORE GOOD NEWS FROM THE BAY:
• Locally Extinct for a Century, Bay Scallops Thriving Again in Virginia’s Chesapeake
• World’s Largest Oyster Restoration Is Big Success – Fulfilling Virginia’s Promise to Chesapeake Bay Rivers

Also a problem, invasive ‘blue catfish’ are hunting and digging up dormant blue crabs year-round, after having been (stupidly) introduced in the 70s for recreational fishing.

Although recreational and commercial fishing was once a major contributor to falling numbers of blue crabs, the catch limit laws from Maryland and Virginia had solved that issue: separate research from the 2026 Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Assessment and Advisory report showed no overfishing in the bay.

The numbers can go up and down abruptly, due to many factors, but the neighboring states and federal agencies continue to share data and commit resources to ensure a healthy ecosystem.

And their efforts are paying off. Maryland just released a new report confirming the abundance of underwater sea grasses in the Bay and its tidal tributaries in Maryland last year.

A BAY BEAUTY: Scientists Work to Turn the Tide of Oyster and Seagrass Decline in Chesapeake Bay, Often by Hand

Seagrass coverage—critical for the Bay’s health—expanded from 36,799 acres in 2024 to 41,419 acres in 2025, an increase of nearly 13% in a single year. Bay-wide, acreage reached an estimated 89,385 acres – up 7% from 83,252 acres in 2024.

SHARE THE GOOD NEWS With Crab Lovers on Social Media…

Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ by Rob Brezsny

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Sep 19, 2026

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

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of September 19, 2026
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Now is a time when vices and sins are more likely than usual to sow chaos and spawn big messes. However, since you are reading my oracle in a genteel publication and are almost certainly a refined person of high integrity, I’m confident there will be minimal uproar if I dare my Virgo readers to tap into your raw animal energy and unruly instinctual nature. I believe it’s time to at least experiment with wilder aspects of your deep self.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
The Real You and the Semi-Real You have been embroiled in a showdown with the False You. This is as tough and heroic a struggle as you’ve had to deal with in quite some time, though it has often been subtle and partially cloaked. I am of course rooting for the Real You and the Semi-Real You to emerge victorious from the conflict, though I also hope you don’t feel the need to humiliate and crush the False You. That part of you has sometimes served a valuable purpose and doesn’t deserve to be trashed. And what will become of the Semi-Real You after this drama is finished? I suggest you give it a modest place in your repertoire. Like the False You, it sometimes proves to be useful.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Hummingbirds can fly backward. They’re the only birds capable of sustained reverse flight. This requires extraordinary wing flexibility and energy expenditure, but it gives them access to nectar that forward-only fliers have more difficulty sampling. Let’s treat this as a useful metaphor for you in the coming weeks, Scorpio. It may be that your progress and success won’t always come from advancing. Some rich resources may require the equivalent of reverse flight. Consider returning to conversations you thought were finished, revisiting places you’d mentally filed away as “done,” and extracting value from sources you’ve already passed by.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
In chemistry, catalysts are substances that accelerate reactions without being consumed in the process. A tiny amount of catalyst can dramatically transform how quickly elements combine. An example is the enzyme catalase in our cells, which breaks down hydrogen peroxide (a byproduct of our metabolism) into water and oxygen millions of times faster than it would decompose on its own. I believe you are now in a phase when your catalytic powers are at a peak, Sagittarius. Be careful where you point that potency of yours! Make sure you really want to change what you’re capable of changing.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Every species adapts to its surroundings. Even harmful microbes evolve over time in order to survive. Syphilis, for instance, was once ferociously swift and deadly, but that intensity limited how far it could spread. So a gentler strain gradually evolved that allowed its hosts to live longer and pass it on more widely. Let this serve as a metaphor for how you handle your dark moods, odd compulsions, and brief bouts of craziness. Befriend the mild, manageable versions of these states and give them space to be felt and understood. Over time, the harsher, more destructive versions will lose ground and fade from power.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Paleontologists know that some dinosaurs traveled in herds with a specific formation: the most vulnerable members gathered in the center, protected by stronger individuals on the perimeter. It was a savvy way to run things, ensuring the group would thrive. I hope you’re willing to borrow some dinosaur wisdom, Aquarius. The coming weeks will be a good time to apply it to your own life. Who or what needs protection? What vulnerable projects or relationships deserve to be surrounded and shielded? Are you willing and able to use your strength to guard what’s tender and growing? Be a shepherd, a steward, a defender.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
In ancient times, Hawaii’s Coconut Island was renowned for its healing powers—but on one condition. Those who sought its medicinal help couldn’t just expect the local spirits to do all the work, but had to take part in awakening the magic. Legend tells us that a seeker could be cured by swimming three times around the island. This participatory approach to healing mirrors your current situation, Pisces. You are close to a source of renewal, but if you hope to unlock its full strength, you must coax it out with your ingenuity.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Realities you’ve been oblivious to will soon pop into view. Hints and signals you’ve been unconsciously pushing away will start flocking toward you. A lingering emotional numbness will thaw, and surges of feelings will pour into your awareness. Warning! At first, it may feel like an overload: too much sopping wet data arriving too quickly for you to organize or interpret. If you’re willing to be patient and focus on slowly metabolizing the influx, though, the apparent chaos will ultimately weave itself into a luminous web of new understanding.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
In Peru’s Andean mountains, Indigenous and smallholder farmers cultivate a rich diversity of potato varieties, continuing a farming tradition rooted in the crop’s domestication thousands of years ago. Each variety thrives in slightly different soil, altitude, and climate. By planting many types at once, the farmers ensure that at least some crops will flourish no matter what conditions arise. I suggest you apply this way of thinking to your own life in the coming weeks, Taurus. Diversify your efforts instead of depending on a single plan or expectation. Plan for multiple small initiatives that will evolve with unique growth patterns.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
In biology, many organisms survive harsh or unpredictable conditions by entering dormancy. This is a reversible state of greatly reduced metabolism and development. Seeds, spores, and the dormant stages of some small animals can remain viable for years until cues such as water, temperature, light, or nutrients signal that conditions are favorable again. Then they can resume growth, development, or activity, often rapidly. I suspect you may experience a comparable upsurge in the coming weeks, Gemini. A project or aspiration that seemed inert may reawaken and reignite.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Novelist Kurt Vonnegut advised us to try some task that scares us every day of our lives. That may be a viable experiment for a Scorpio like him, but is it a wise prescription for us Cancerians, who like to feel secure and protected? Normally, I would say no. I’d recommend that you and I dare ourselves to wrestle with one of our fears no more than once per month. But the coming weeks may warrant a departure from our typical rhythms. I suspect we can fortify our long-term safety and peace through more frequent encounters with unpredictable episodes that rouse our hidden reserves of courage.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
The ancient Greeks believed that the goddess Harmonia presided over the blending of opposites into balanced beauty. Her dad was the god of war and her mom the goddess of love, so she had a lot of practice. In her line of work, tension between different forces could produce elegant unity rather than conflict. In alignment with astrological omens, I’ve appointed Harmonia to be your guardian angel in the coming weeks, Leo. I urge you to call on her dynamically and frequently. Rifts and splits and divisions that have never before been possible to heal are now swayable by the collaborative efforts of you and the goddess.

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

SHARE The Wisdom With Friends Who Are Stars in Your Life on Social Media…

Good News in History September 19

This Day In History

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Sep 19, 2026

51 years ago today, Fawlty Towers premiered on the BBC. John Cleese boldly stepped out into the situational comedy scene without the support of his legendary troupe, Monty Python, and created what the BBC considers “the British sitcom by which all other British sitcoms must be judged.” Capable of withstanding multiple viewings, the BBC continues, the show featuring John Cleese as a high-brow yet largely incompetent hotel owner is “eminently quotable, and stands up to this day as a jewel in the BBC’s comedy crown.” WATCH a video… (1975)

“The little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance.” – C.S. Lewis

Quote of the Day

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Sep 19, 2026

Quote of the Day: “The little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance.” – C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Photo by: Astrid Schaffner

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?

Company’s Textile Dyes Work Through Magnetism, Cutting Fashion’s Water-Use, Energy, and Pollution

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Sep 18, 2026

Hoping to tackle the 50% of textile emissions associated with the dyeing process, a vaunted French startup has created non-toxic dyes that require substantially less water to activate and last just as long.

Additionally, they take hold electromagnetically at room temperature, rather than over long periods at boiling temperatures, and don’t require chemical fixatives.

EverDye’s biowaste and mineral-based pigments rely on static electricity. Carrying a positive charge, they affix themselves upon textiles that are pre-treated to carry a negative charge.

“Textile dyeing is a tough problem because it’s deeply resource-intensive and historically very entrenched,” EverDye CEO Philippe Berlan explained recently.

“Traditional processes need high temperatures to make dyes stick to fibers, and they consume huge amounts of water. On top of that, many dyes are made from petrochemicals and require toxic auxiliaries, which makes it very hard to decarbonise while keeping performance high.”

By contrast, EverDye’s room temperature electrostatic method requires no heating of anything, reducing production costs from energy by 800%.

And that’s the secret to Berland and EverDye’s entrepreneurial approach. The pigments they make cannot compete for traditional dyes as measured in cost per unit, but when the life-cycle costs are considered—the consumption of energy, water, and chemical additives—EverDye makes economic sense even for the lowest-cost dyehouses.

The firm seems to really have ticked every box in their approach to the market. Any operation that wants to add EverDye’s pigments to the production process need change very little hardware. Berland says only employee training is required.

Dyeing accounts for an estimated 20% of global industrial water pollution. Not only are EverDye’s pigments non-toxic, the process uses about 40% less water, and stress testing has shown they last just as long as conventional dyes. Again, all boxes ticked.

MORE GREEN REVOLUTIONS:

“Collaborations with brands like AdoreMe have demonstrated that our approach doesn’t compromise on quality,” Berlan told Move the Needle News. “Our pigments achieve vibrant, durable colors that meet the same industry standards for washing and wear as conventional dyes.”

In the summer of 2025, EverDye completed a $17.5 million series A funding round amid substantial investor influence. With it, the company plans to advance its product to industry scale.

COLOR Social Media GREEN With This Sustainable Dye Alternative…

Unsealed for the First Time, This 600-yo Tomb in Peru Was Just Declared the ‘Discovery of the Decade’

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Sep 18, 2026

The newly-discovered tomb, seen in the center - © ANDINA Editora Perú

An unspoiled, undiscovered tomb containing the remains of an elite society belong to a major Andean civilization has been uncovered in Peru.

Located in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site of Chan Chan, inside a palatial complex called Utzh An, its contents of 38 skeletons and a wealth of grave goods have remained undisturbed to our day.

Chan Chan was built by the Chimú, an impressive society that reached its zenith in the 15th century with a series of large settlements characterized by substantial irrigation canals and kingly residences. Their highly-stratified society, political organization, and civil infrastructure were all adopted by the later Inca, it’s believed, who conquered the Chimú in the 1460s.

The tomb platform is one of several known to have been built by the Chimú elite, and excavations found a mausoleum measuring 4 feet wide and 16 feet deep at the bottom of a staircase. Therewithin, a single individual, whose skull bears traces of a red pigment, was found. Two secondary chambers branched off either side of the central chamber, one of which contained the remains of 20 people and various artifacts.

These included metal weapons, copper and gold artifacts, ornate jewelry, and colorful textiles, suggesting they belonged to the society’s aristocracy. 17 other skeletons were found in the surrounding tomb platform, above the mausoleum.

Jorge Meneses lead the archaeologists excavating the tomb, and he’s been making the media rounds explaining the significance of the discovery.

“[W]hat was known about elite burials in Chimú society came from looted platforms, private collections, and museum holdings,” he told El Pais. “There was no scientific data on the individuals and their corresponding artifacts and associations.”

ANDEAN ARCHEOLOGY:

Meneses told the state-run Andina news agency that the red-painted individual was buried with his body fully extended, an unusual arrangement compared to other Chimú burials, which were characterized by flexed or seated positions.

His body was also missing several bones, suggesting perhaps that the individual had been moved there from another location—a common practice in Chimú and other Andean societies.

Gabriel Prieto, an anthropologist at the University of Florida who wasn’t involved in the research, was interviewed by the New York Times about the news, which he called “the discovery of the decade,” for offering the first undisturbed glimpse of an elite Chimú burial.”

Meneses added that just 7% of Chan Chan has been excavated—making it a veritable Peruvian Pompeii in terms of the possibility for future discoveries.

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Cataract Surgery Restores Sight for 54-Year-Old Chimpanzee–the First Such Procedure at Chimp Haven

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Sep 18, 2026

Pierre the Chimp recovering from cataract surgery - credit, Chimp Haven, supplied

After becoming completely blind from cataracts, a 54-year-old chimpanzee named Pierre is seeing again following a successful surgery at Chimp Haven, the world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuary.

The procedure, the first cataract surgery performed for a resident at Chimp Haven, restored functional sight and allowed Pierre to quickly begin reconnecting with the people, chimpanzees, and activities familiar to him.

As Pierre’s vision had declined, caregivers adapted his daily routines and environment to help him continue navigating as independently as possible. Staff used sound cues and specialized feeding approaches and added handholds, ladders and other supports to areas Pierre used regularly.

Eventually though, it was agreed that a surgical procedure was necessary, something which would require months of preparation.

In preparation for his recovery and potential post-operative needs, the team used positive reinforcement training to teach Pierre to voluntarily present his eyes for care, including positioning that would allow staff to administer eyedrops and closely monitor his eyes if needed. Pierre learned to participate in this care while he was still blind, helping the team prepare to safely provide treatment without compromising his comfort or welfare.

A board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, Dr. Kenneth Pierce, performed the procedure to remove cataracts from Pierre’s eyes. The results were noticeable almost immediately.

Within hours of surgery, he was responding visually to a longtime caregiver, and within days he was reuniting with Jill, one of his closest chimpanzee companions. Pierre was ultimately able to return to his social group earlier than initially expected.

Scenes from Pierre’s surgery – credit, Chimp Haven, supplied

“Pierre’s recovery is a wonderful example of what individualized care can look like for an aging chimpanzee,” said Dr. DaShaunté Coleman, veterinarian at Chimp Haven.

“The surgery itself was only one part of the process. Months of preparation and collaboration across our care teams helped ensure Pierre was comfortable participating in any follow-up care that might be needed and gave him the best opportunity for a successful recovery.”

Among the first people Pierre saw was Colony Director Michelle Reininger, who has known and cared for him for more than 25 years.

“Watching Pierre look at me again was something I will never forget,” Reininger said.

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As lately as the 1980s, chimpanzees were still widely subjected to medical research trials in the US through captive breeding programs. Ethical debates about this practice became more common as the years went on, while at the same time the National Institutes of Health was required to care for an ever greater number of captive chimps and the complex full-time care they need to thrive.

Varied groups proposed a species-specific sanctuary for chimps of all ages retired from medical research, and in 2000, the Caddo Parish Commission in Northwest Louisiana donated 200 wooded acres of the Eddie D. Jones Nature Park to build the new facility.

Chimp Haven has been providing hundreds of chimpanzees ever since with a large territory to live enriched and fulfilling lives, which includes sophisticated medical care such as what Pierre received.

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“Every chimpanzee ages differently, just like people do,” Dr. Coleman said in a statement. “Our goal is to understand what each individual needs and help them remain comfortable, active and connected to their social group as they age.”

“In Pierre’s case, months of preparation made it possible for him to receive this specialized care and get back to the routines and relationships that are important to him.”

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New Cat Species Identified for the First Time in Over 100 Years–Meet the Tilcayo

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Sep 18, 2026

imrs — The tilcayo, the first new cat species discovered in 100 years - credit, Fernando Faciole, National Geographic Society / Handout via Reuters

The tilcayo, the first new cat species discovered in 100 years – credit, Fernando Faciole, National Geographic Society / Handout via Reuters

In a story that proves ‘explorer’ is still a good answer to the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” a whole new cat species has been identified for the first time in over 100 years.

Found in Bolivia, the animal is smaller than the average housecat, but now enters the scientific record because of a National Geographic Explorer’s dedication to wild cats, and a willingness to step outside her field of expertise.

The fruit of that labor is Leopardus tilcayo, an animal which diverged from its nearest common ancestor around 1.4 million years ago, or about as much time as modern lions diverged from the extinct cave lion.

The story began with a phone call in 2016 to Bolivian biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, founder of the Bolivian Felids Research Program. A man had found a “weird cat,” and had brought it to a wildlife sanctuary. The sanctuary explained to Nogales-Ascarrunz that the man had at first taken the kitten home, but realizing it didn’t have a domesticated bone in its body, brought it to the sanctuary.

Curious, the National Geographic Explorer arrived to see the animal, which struck her immediately as rather unique. It had these long whiskers, small ears, and big rosettes on its fur—suggesting it was a member of the genus Leopardus, and perhaps an oncilla, or tiger cat (a bit of a misnomer because these small felids are related neither to the leopard nor the tiger).

Nogales-Ascarrunz thought it was a Leopardus tigrinus, called tigrinas, oncillas, tigrillos, or little spotted cats, and a species widely dispersed around South America. 3 years later, while preparing a booklet on Bolivia’s cat species, Nat Geo reports, she realized the two animals had substantial differences.

National Geographic Explorer Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz and the tilcayo – credit, Fernando Faciole, National Geographic Society / Handout

She then embarked on a half-decade long foray into genomic analysis to get to the bottom of the “weird cat’s” identity, and with the help of Eduardo Eizirik, a geneticist at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, made a startling breakthrough: a species never recorded by science before.

In a paper published yesterday in Cell, Nogales-Ascarrunz, Eizirik, and their co-authors described the first new feline species since 1923, proposing the cat should be called Leopardus tilcayo, in recognition of the indigenous community’s name for the animal.

“We asked the local people, ‘Why do you call it tilcayo?’” Nogales-Ascarrunz told National Geographic Magazine, which broke the story to the world. “And they said, ‘I don’t know! My grandpa called it tilcayo, so I call it tilcayo.”

The only thing scientists know about the lifestyle of L. tilcayo is that it lives in the Yungas forest ecosystem on the eastern slopes of the Bolivian Andes. What it eats or eats it, what it’s reproductive cycle looks like, or how social it is all remain a mystery. Despite this, the investigation into L. tilcayo’s genomics has opened up a whole new conceptual schema for the Leopardus genus, practically redrawing whole branches of its family tree.

“We’ve been working on tiger cats for 25 years or so, trying to sort out the whole genus, Leopardes,” Eizirik told Nat Geo. “What we once thought to be a single species, we’ve started to see that it was actually a species complex.”

MORE AWESOME NEW SPECIES: New Species of Monkey Found in DR Congo Shows How Much There’s Left to Discover

From the first tiger cat species recorded in 1775, to that species being reorganized as two in 2013, now the new study builds on Eizirik’s 2024 work to expand it further to 5 members.

“Our world is extremely complex,” Nogales-Ascarrunz says. “Sometimes we think that most of it is known, that there’s not a whole lot to discover, but in fact, it’s the other way around.”

In 2020, Leopardus contained 8 species: the ocelot, margay, oncilla, kodkod, pampas cat, Geoffrey’s cat, Andean mountain cat, and the southern tigrina. Multiple subspecies exist, at least one of which was recommended in 2024 by Eizirik to be established as a distinct species: the clouded tiger-cat (L. pardinoides).

The tilcayo had evolutionarily separated from its closest cousin among these 1.4 million years ago, giving it time to develop its own ecology, and find its own role in the ecosystem food web.

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While almost none of these cats are considered endangered outright, their continual division into different species has also divided their perceived populations. At best, the tiger cat section are considered Vulnerable by the IUCN.

These days, when GNN reports that a new species of animal has been identified, it’s often a deep-sea dweller, insect, or some little frog in a far-off forested mountain. But if you think that’s all there is left to find, think again—think about the tilcayo.

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Good News in History, September 18

This Day In History

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Sep 18, 2026

188 years ago today, the Anti-Corn Law League was established in England by the economics-savvy liberals who understood that protectionism is immoral and useless in benefiting the economy. The League, led by Richard Cobden and heavily influenced by economist Daniel Riccardo, succeeded in seeing the Corn Laws of 1815 abolished, laying out the first laizzez-faire arguments against mercantilism to be heard in Europe, and establishing for all time the case study on their use. READ more about this successful political movement… (1838)

Team Sequesters Plastic and Makes New Products Before it Breaks Down in Environment

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