All News - Page 12 of 1627 - Good News Network
Home Blog Page 12

Gen Z Stonemason Restores Iconic European Landmarks Damaged in WWII –And Shares Amazing Videos (WATCH)

By
Good News Network
-
22-year-old stonemason Charlie Gee (photos via SWNS)
22-year-old stonemason Charlie Gee (photos via SWNS)

Meet the Gen Z stonemason who restores historical landmarks in Europe damaged during World War II.

Charlie Gee has followed in the footsteps of his father who is also a stonemason.

The 22-year-old specializes in cathedral masonry and has worked on iconic buildings, including the Cologne Cathedral in Germany and the Palace of Justice in Brussels, Belgium.

At the Cologne Cathedral, Charlie oversaw the completion of restoration on the final eight pinnacles atop one of the church’s spires.

He says it’s an “honor and privilege” to work on the historical sites, some of which date back as far as the 13th century.

“I feel incredibly lucky to be able to work on a building that is hopefully going to be there for centuries,” said the Englishman from Bath.

“Cologne Cathedral specifically has been on my bucket list and it’s been a great one to tick off. I was only there for two months but I hope to be returning for a longer period of work soon.

“It’s truly incredible,” Charlie told SWNS news agency. “I really feel the fact that I’m working on a piece of history when I’m at a cathedral like that.”

Gen Z stonemason Charlie Gee (via SWNS)

Watching his father Matthew Gee restore historic landmarks inspired him to follow in his footsteps and become a stonemason.

“When I was five years old, we actually moved from Bath to Tuscany for six years for my dad’s work.

“Living in Italy and seeing my dad work on churches out there inspired me to get involved in the same trade.”

The youth began his studies at Weymouth College at age 15 where he did a three-year stonemasonry course.

After that, he was accepted for a four-year apprenticeship at York Minster where apprentices work alongside masters while taking part-time classes at York College.

“It was a big deal for me. York Minster has the best cathedral stonemasonry training—as opposed to commercial stonemasonry—in England, and it’s really competitive to get an apprenticeship.

WOW! Lost Altar Discovered on the Site Where Jesus was Crucified: It’s ‘Sensational’ and was Sitting in Plain Sight

“The difference between commercial and cathedral stonemasonry is that commercial stonemasons use a lot more power tools and usually want to get the job done as quickly as possible.

“You can see in my videos that I’m always using a mallet and chisel, which is a lot more traditional.” (Watch below…)

Finishing his apprenticeship in late 2023, he has been self-employed ever since. Thanks to his training, he gained access to a global network of cathedrals seeking stonemasons.

ALSO CHECK OUT: Masterpieces Saved from Notre Dame Fire Now Restored and Back on View: It’s ‘Miraculous’

SWNS

He has also worked on the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy, and the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York—also known as York Minster.

LOOK: Tuscany’s New Airport Terminal Will Have a Vineyard on the Roof, Obviously

Stonemasons all have a mark which they leave on stones they’ve crafted and Charlie’s is his initials CG. “It’s so special to think your mark is on such an important landmark.

“I hope to bring my future kids one day and be able to point up and tell them that’s my work up there—just like I had with my dad growing up.”

Charlie hopes his videos can get younger people interested in the trade again, like his sister is now. Check out his in-spire-ing work on Instagram and on his YouTube channel.

“There doesn’t seem to be much interest from the younger generation in stonemasonry. I can understand why, because it’s a lot of hard work and training, and each job takes a lot of time and care.

“But I hope that if people see how amazing it is to be working on these sites, they’re more likely to consider it.” (WATCH his videos below via SWNS…)

SHARE THE CAREER IDEA With Young People On Social Media…

Number of Monarch Butterflies Wintering in Mexico is Way Up–Doubling the Forest Acreage Over Last Year

By
Good News Network
-
Monarch butterflies in Michoacán, Mexico forest by Alex Guillaume
Monarch butterflies in Michoacán, Mexico forest by Alex Guillaume

The number of monarch butterflies overwintering this year in Mexico has nearly doubled, according to the annual census released last week by the World Wildlife Fund in Mexico and their partners.

During the last few months in 2025, the population of eastern monarchs occupied 4.42 acres of central Mexico’s forests—up from 2.22 acres during the previous winter.

The encouraging survey was conducted with help from Mexico’s National Commission of Protected Natural Areas and local communities, and it serves as an important indicator of the health of a monarch population that has been clawing its way back from dangerously low levels this century.

“It’s now time to turn this year’s increase into a lasting trend with an all-hands approach where governments, landowners, conservationists, and citizens continue to safeguard critical habitats along the monarch’s North American migratory route,” said Jorge Rickards, director general of WWF Mexico, who recognized the key role of local communities and the government of Mexico in conserving the forest that provides an annual respite to this iconic species.

Scientists attribute much of this year’s population growth to better weather conditions in 2024—with less severe drought than in previous years along their migration route from the U.S. and Canada to Mexico.

Forest protections are also improving

A second report shows that forest degradation in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve where they overwinter has improved by 10%. Between April 2023 and February 2024, nine acres of forest were damaged, down from 10 acres reported the previous year. The causes of habitat degradation were either illegal logging (6 acres); natural causes or drought (2.5 acres); or the removal of trees to prevent disease spread (.5 acre).

“If we want these butterflies to recover, they need more habitat restoration and better protection from pesticides,” said Emma Pelton, the western monarch lead for the Xerces Society. “They were proposed to be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act last December, and this listing urgently needs to be finalized.”

The numbers of these hardy yet delicate flyers have jumped and dipped—both up and down—in the last three decades. For instance, the Western migration of monarchs in California bounced back in a big way in 2021, 2022 and 2023, but are dipping again this year.

Come to the rescue: plant the only food monarch babies eat

There are many ways you can help this species thrive in North America, but one of the best is to plant milkweed. The milkweed plant is essential to the monarch: It is the only plant on which they lay their eggs and the only source of food for baby monarch caterpillars. As spring arrives, the butterflies start their migration back north, seeking out milkweed to lay their eggs. They also need nectar plants to eat themselves.

Your small action can make a big difference, but different species of milkweed grow better in different parts of the country. Use this milkweed map to find the one that thrives in your region of the United States.

GET INVOLVED: Help the Monarch Population by Raising Them Yourself

Every year, monarch butterflies make an extraordinary journey: at summer’s end, they migrate from southern Canada and the northern United States to mountain forests in Mexico, with some traveling nearly 3,000 miles. After winter, these same butterflies fly an additional 600 miles north to the United States. There they lay eggs on milkweed plants, completing their unique eight-month life cycle.

CHECK OUT: Listen to Millions of Monarch Butterflies Make One of the Rarest Sounds on Earth: ‘Just like a waterfall’

The next three to five generations, each living only three to five weeks, continue the migration northward. Eventually, they reach breeding sites in the northern United States and southern Canada, completing the annual migration cycle.

SHARE THE GOOD NEWS FOR MONARCHS On Social Media to Get People Involved…

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

By
Good News Network
-

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

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of March 15, 2025
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
I’m not exactly sure where you are going, Pisces, but I’m certain you are headed in the right direction. Your instincts for self-love are at a peak. Your ability to see your best possible future is lucid and strong. Your commitment to gracefully serving all that gracefully serves you is passionate and rigorous. I will congratulate you in advance for locating the exact, robust resources you need, not mediocre resources that are only half-interesting.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
What can you do to show how much you care about everyone and everything that deserves your love? Now is a fantastic time to unleash a flood of gratitude and appreciation that takes very practical forms. Don’t just beam warm and fuzzy feelings toward your favorite people and animals, in other words. Offer tangible blessings that will actually enhance their lives. Find your own personally meaningful ways to nourish all that nourishes you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Ancient Egyptians loved the color blue. The mineral azurite and the semiprecious stones turquoise and lapis lazuli satisfied their fascination to some degree, but were rare and difficult to work with. So the Egyptians decided to fabricate their own pigment. After extensive experimentation, using copper, silica, and lime, they succeeded. The hue they made is known as Egyptian blue. I heartily endorse a comparable process for you in the coming weeks, Taurus. Identify the experience, substance, or feeling you really, really want more of, and then resolve to get as much of it as you really, really want.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Dandelions germinate quickly and grow fast. Because of their deep taproots, they are hardy. Once they establish their presence in a place, they persist. Dandelions are adaptable, too, able to grow anywhere their seeds land, even from cracks in concrete. Their efficient dispersal is legendary. They produce large quantities of lightweight seeds that are easily carried by the wind. Bees love dandelions in the spring when there are few other flowers yet to provide them with nectar. I propose we make the dandelion your symbol of power in the coming weeks, Gemini. Be like them! (PS: They are also beautiful in an unostentatious way.)

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
About 36,000 years ago, humans created remarkable drawings and paintings in the Cave of Altamira, located in what we now call Spain. When an early discoverer of the art published his findings in 1880, he was met with derision. Experts accused him of forgery, saying such beautiful and technically proficient works could not have been made by ancient people, who just weren’t that smart. Eventually, though, the art was proved to be genuine. I propose we meditate on this as a metaphor for your life. It’s possible that your abilities may be underestimated, even by you. Hidden potentials and unexpressed capacities may be close to ripening, but they will need your full confidence and boldness. Don’t let skepticism, either from your inner critic or others, hold you back.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
In 1977, NASA launched two Voyager probes to study our solar system’s outer planets. Their original mission was designed to last a few years. But in 2025, they still continue to send back useful information from the great beyond, far past Uranus and Neptune, and into interstellar space. I suspect that now is also a good time for you Leos to seek valuable information from adventures you began years ago. Even if those past experiences have not yielded relevant revelations recently, they may soon do so. Be alert for ways to harvest new riches from old memories.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
About 3,775 years ago, a Babylonian man named Nanni wrote a crabby letter to Ea-nasir, a merchant who had sold him substandard copper ingots. Nanni was also upset that his servant was treated rudely. It is the oldest customer complaint in history. With this as our touchstone, I remind you that maintaining high standards is always crucial for your long-term success. Others may be tempted to cut corners, but your natural integrity is one of your superpowers. Please redouble your commitment to providing highest value, Virgo. And ask for it from others, too.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Blogger Yukiko Kisaki writes about the Japanese concept of ma. She says it’s “the emptiness full of possibilities, like a promise yet to be fulfilled. It’s the purposeful pauses in a speech that make words stand out; the quiet time we all need to make our busy lives meaningful; the silence between the notes that make the music.” According to my analysis, Libra, you will be wise to make ma a central theme in the coming weeks. I invite you to research the power of pauses. Rather than filling up every gap, allow space for pregnant blankness. Trust that in being open to vacancy, you will make room for unexpected riches.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
The literal meaning of the Japanese word yohen is “kiln mutation.” It refers to a type of glaze that undergoes unpredictable variations in color when baked in a kiln. The finished pottery that emerges displays patterns and hues that are blends of the artist’s intention and accidental effects created by the heat. I would love to see you carry out metaphorical versions of yohen in the coming weeks, Scorpio. Suggested meditations: 1. Collaborate to create beauty with energies that aren’t entirely manageable. 2. Undertake projects that require both careful preparation and a willingness to adapt to shifting conditions. 3. Engage with opportunities that will have the best outcomes if you relinquish some control.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
A big party is underway in your astrological House of Self-Understanding and Self-Definition. The near future will be a favorable time to discover yourself in greater depth and bring your identity into clearer focus. I see this mostly as a task for you to carry out in intimate conversation with yourself. It’s also fine to solicit the feedback of allies who have insight into your nature, but I urge you to rely heavily on your private investigations. How can you deepen your knowledge of the reasons you are here on earth? Can you learn more about your dormant potentials? Who are you, exactly?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila was selected by his country to compete in the 1960 Rome Olympics. But the honor was offered shortly before the games began, and he had to scramble to get there in time. When he arrived for the main event, he couldn’t find any running shoes in local stores that fit comfortably. So he decided to go barefoot for the 26.2-mile race. Success! He won, setting a new world-record time. I propose we make him your role model, Capricorn. May he inspire you to respond to an apparent scarcity or deficiency by calling on earthy alternatives. May you adjust to a problem by deepening your reliance on your natural self.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
After being part of two journeys to Antarctica, Aquarian explorer Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922) assembled a team to try what no one had ever done: crossing the entire continent on foot with pack dogs and motorized sledges. But the proposed 1,800-mile expedition failed soon after it began. That’s when Shackleton did what he is most famous for. His leadership during the harrowing struggle to survive became legendary. I don’t think you will face anything remotely resembling his challenges in the coming weeks. But I suspect that your response to tests and trials will define your success. As you encounter obstacles, you will treat them as opportunities to showcase your resourcefulness and adaptability. You will inspire others to summon resiliency, and you will bring out their best as together you engage in creative problem-solving. Trials will become triumphs.

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…

“I have learned to pay attention to right now. The precise moment I am in is always the only safe place for me.” – Julia Cameron

By
Good News Network
-
Credit: Ray Hennessy

Quote of the Day: “I have learned to pay attention to right now. The precise moment I am in is always the only safe place for me.” – Julia Cameron

Photo by: Ray Hennessy (Yellow warbler)

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

Credit: Ray Hennessy

Good News in History, March 15

By
Good News Network
-
2012 photo by Glenn Francis of PacificProDigital.com

Happy 50th Birthday to singer–songwriter, record producer, actor, fashion entrepreneur, and NASA enthusiast Will.i.am (pronounced Will I am).

Legally named William James Adams Jr., he was best known as a rapper in the group Black Eyed Peas, which has released nine studio albums. He also became a coach on The Voice UK, and a prolific producer, recording artists like Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, U2, Rihanna, Usher, Lady Gaga, and Justin Timberlake. WATCH a Bio and Learn About His Humble Roots And Stargazing Heights… (1975)

Continue

‘Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Returns to New Orleans After 20 Years Being Closed By Hurricane Katrina

By
Nathan Frederick
-
Credit: LaShawn Dobbs

Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina, another rebuilding effort is underway in New Orleans.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship organization is relaunching in the Big Easy for the first time since they were forced to close in the wake Hurricane Katrina.

Kalli Christ has been the CEO of BBBS in the wider area of Acadiana & Greater New Orleans since 2017. She says there are thousands of local kids who could benefit from a mentor.

And, in an encouraging development, there seems to be an emerging interest in people willing to volunteer.

New data from Big Brothers Big Sisters shows that there is a 7% increase in black males who are volunteering—a critical demographic for the organization.

Since the New Orleans relaunch, the group has already made 15 matches.

Mentorship typically occurs in one of two ways. The first option is school-based, in which a mentor visits their “little brother” or “little sister” in school and meets with them weekly.

The other option is a community-based experience in which the child and mentor participate in an activity together for two to three hours a month.

“Spending time together over pizza, 15 minutes over a cup of coffee or 30 minutes of playing football,” Christ told WGNO news. “This makes an incredible impact on young people by providing guidance, fostering hope, and inspiring resilience in that person.”

GRATEFUL! Big Brothers Big Sisters Receives $122 Million Donation From Mackenzie Scott

Nationally, the program serves approximately 400,000 kids, with about 55% of them living below the poverty line. But, there are 30,000 children on the waiting list across the country, so volunteers are needed.

Recently, The TODAY show helped to reconnect a Big Brother with his ‘Little’, after 18 years. Their reporter Trymaine Lee first met Jonathan Harris in 2006 when Lee volunteered to be a Big Brother. Harris was just 10 years old. The two met frequently to hang out, talk, and sometimes just throw a football.

After Hurricane Katrina, the organization struggled to maintain its staff and volunteers, with the turmoil affecting the city, and eventually had to close its doors.

Harris and Lee drifted apart over the years but, in the end, their mentorship experience proved impactful for both parties. Lee credits the program for helping him envision marriage and family life—and he now has a daughter of his own..

“People think it’s all about the youngsters,” Harris said in the video below. “But he poured into me as much as I poured into him.

“And after all these years, to see this grown man from that little boy, it just touches my heart.”

INSPIRING: Young Man Rebuilding His Life Receives Guidance and Friendship From the Very Cop Who Arrested Him

It’s a shining example to inspire new ‘Big Brothers’ to pair up with New Orleans youth—and make new memories 20 years in the making. Find out more about volunteering on their website.

ALERT VOLUNTEERS IN NEW ORLEANS By Sharing This on Social Media…

Mesmerizing Ocean Currents From NASA Being Compared to Van Gogh Art – LOOK

By
Good News Network
-
Earth ocean currents around Florida look like Van Gogh painting – NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio (via SWNS)
Earth ocean currents around Florida look like Van Gogh painting – NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio (via SWNS)

A mesmerizing new visualization of ocean currents has been compared to the paintings of Van Gogh.

NASA used the space agency’s ocean model, ‘Perpetual Ocean 2’, to release a video.

‘Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean’ (ECCO) is a sequel to the popular first version from 2011—and the new visualization now shows currents not just at the water’s surface.

‘Perpetual Ocean 2’ quickly went viral, with many comparing the current swirls to Vincent van Gogh’s iconic painting Starry Night from 1889.

The ECCO ocean circulation model incorporates observations from spacecraft, buoys, and other on site measurements to keep the model accurate. The data used here is from ECCO-2 and covers the years 2021-2023.

“In 2011, we used ECCO2 to create a visualization called Perpetual Ocean. Perpetual Ocean continues to be extremely popular, but it only shows ocean currents on the surface,” said a statement from NASA Goddard.

Starry night, Swirly ocean

“In this new visualization, we use the ocean’s 3D velocity field to visualize some of the strongest ocean currents. We release virtual particles in the ocean and allow them to move with the ocean’s three dimensional velocity field.”

Earth ocean currents look like Van Gogh – NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio (via SWNS)

“Each particle has a trail to better see its direction of movement. The particles initialized above 600 meters in depth have a trail length of 3 days, those initialized deeper than 600 meters have a trail length of 6 days.”

FUN LOOK INTO SPACE: 
• NASA Visualizes What it Would Be Like to Plunge into a Black Hole – WATCH
• A Formation That Looks Like a Grizzly Bear Spotted on Mars by NASA Camera

“The particle trails help identify the strongest currents in the world that are squeezed in narrow belts on the western side of each ocean basin.”

See the videos from NASA at their website, here.

SHARE NATURE’S BEAUTY With Friends On Social Media…

Over-the-Counter Ibuprofen Can Speed Up Recovery From Concussion By 20%, Shows Study

By
Good News Network
-
High school football by Katrina Berban
High school football by Katrina Berban

Over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen speed up the recovery from concussion, according to a new study.

Concussion injury patients who took the pain reliever pills recovered 20% faster than those who did not take them, said scientists from the University of Washington in Seattle.

“These results are exciting as there are limited treatment options for concussion, and over-the-counter pain relievers are readily available and inexpensive,” said study author Dr. Kyle Arnold.

The study involved athletes and military cadets who had been diagnosed with concussions.

Out of 1,660 patients, 813 took over-the-counter pain relievers after their concussion—including acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs—while 848 didn’t take any pain relievers.

Researchers looked at the amount of time it took the athletes to be cleared to return to activities with no restrictions—at both 50% recovery and 90% recovery, meaning when 50% of the athletes in the study recovered, and then later when 90% were recovered.

People who took the pain relievers were 20% more likely to return to unrestricted activities faster than those who didn’t take painkillers.

Those who took the medications were cleared at 50% recovery an average of two days faster, and at 90% recovery an average of seven days faster than those who took no medication.

RELATED: Frequent Aspirin Use is Linked to Lower Risk of Ovarian Cancer in Women Most Likely to Develop the Disease

People who took painkillers were also about 15% more likely to return to having no symptoms more quickly than those who didn’t take them.

Of those who were 50% recovered, the people taking over-the-counter painkillers achieved zero symptoms one day sooner than those not taking the medications.

At 90% recovery, they had no symptoms three days sooner.

Those who took painkillers also had better scores on tests of how severe their symptoms were overall and how severe their headaches were.

The research team found another benefit: the earlier that people took painkillers after the injury, the faster they recovered.

ALSO CHECK OUT: First Study of Its Kind Shows Aspirin May Reduce the Harms of Air Pollution By Half

At 50% recovery, those who started using painkillers on the first day of their injury returned to their work and had resolution of symptoms around eight days faster than those who started taking them after five or more days.

Also, they found no difference in performance between the pain relievers, whether acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or others.

“These preliminary results may help inform potential treatment options for people recovering from concussions,” said Dr. Arnold, who added that additional studies were needed to provide more definitive recommendations.

DID YOU KNOW? Michael Bloomberg Donates $1 Billion to Provide Free Tuition for Future Doctors at Johns Hopkins

The findings are due to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting in San Diego, California April 5–9.

SEND THE TIP TO ATHLETES EVERYWHERE By Sharing On Social Media…

Little Boy Calls 911 After Mom Ate His Ice Cream: ‘Mommy Is Being Bad’–But Cops Solve the Case

By
Andy Corbley
-
- credit Mount Pleasant Police Department
– credit Mount Pleasant Police Department

There’s an old saying about something being as easy as taking candy from a baby.

Well one 4-year-old Wisconsinite was not about to roll over when his mom helped herself to his ice cream.

The Village of Mount Pleasant Police Department received a 911 call last Tuesday from a recalcitrant boy, demanding they “come get my mommy.”

“What’s the address of your emergency?” asked the 911 operator. “My mommy’s been bad,” said the boy in response.

“OK, what’s going on?” the operator asked. “Come and get my mommy,” the boy said several times in a row until the culprit snatched the phone out from his hands.

“Oh, this little one got the phone, and he’s four,” said the boy’s mother. “We tried to catch him because he said he was going to call 911. I ate his ice cream,” she admitted before interrupting her son’s plea to have her arrested by hanging up on the operator.

It’s a typical police response to visit houses if a 911 call is hung up abruptly, and they wanted to make sure the ice cream allegations were not a cover for something more serious. Knocking on the door, his mother opens it, clearly humored by the whole thing.

“Oh it’s the police, they came for real.” She said she was impressed by her son, who used Siri to call 911.

However, when the boy realized the police had arrived, he took charge of the situation, demanding his mother be hauled off to the slammer because she ate his ice cream.

MORE 911 CALLS GONE RIGHT: 

They asked the boy if he preferred ice cream over his mother’s arrest, and he reluctantly admitted it was, in fact, preferable to pressing charges.

Two days later the officers obliged, surprising the young whistleblower with two scoops of ice cream topped with blue sprinkles.

WATCH the body cam footage below… 

SHARE This Boy’s Righteous Indignation Turning To Comedy With Your Friends… 

“Our suffering is not punishment, it is a reminder that we are not alone. It is what connects us with everyone else.” – Sharon Salzberg

By
Good News Network
-
Curated Lifestyle for Unsplash+

Quote of the Day: “Our suffering is not punishment, it is a reminder that we are not alone. It is what connects us with everyone else.” – Sharon Salzberg

Photo by: Curated Lifestyle for Unsplash+

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

Curated Lifestyle for Unsplash+

Good News in History, March 14

By
Good News Network
-
(right) Smiling in 2015 by Tonk Berlin, CC license

Happy Birthday to the British film icon Michael Caine who turns 92 today. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, the 2-time Oscar winner also had 6 nominations for his roles in The Quiet American, The Cider House Rules, Hannah and Her Sisters, Educating Rita, Sleuth, and Alfie. Alongside Laurence Olivier, Paul Newman, and Jack Nicholson, Caine is the only other male actor to be nominated for an Academy Award for acting in five decades. WATCH some birthday highlights… (1933)

Continue

Record-Breaking Migration of Orange-Bellied Parrot Will be Flying High After Years of Conservation Work Pays Off

By
Andy Corbley
-
An orange-bellied parrot to be released into the wild this year - credit, supplied to ABC by Natural Resources and Environment Ministry Tasmania
An orange-bellied parrot sent into the wild – credit, supplied to ABC by Natural Resources and Environment Dept. Tasmania

With the news headlines around the COP events full of general doom and gloom about species decline, it’s worth taking the time to meet one lucky bird that’s on the mend.

From as few as 17 known individuals, the orange-bellied parrots of Tasmania now number in the low hundreds after years of hard conservation work.

Recently, a new group of 28 captive bred juvenile parrots was sent to be released into Melaleuca, southwest Tasmania, to join an adult breeding and nesting colony near Five-Mile Beach.

One of 28 captive-bred parrots to be released into the wild this year – credit, supplied to ABC by Natural Resources and Environment Dept. Tasmania

This is vital for this species, which migrates to the coast of Queensland, Australia during the winter. During their short migration, the juveniles have to learn the various migration routes from experienced parrots who have made the flight before.

The release was carried out by the Orange-bellied Parrot Tasmanian Program, managed by the state’s Natural Resources and Environment Department, whose secretary, Madeleine Ogilvie, was ecstatic over the success of the program.

“Our wildlife experts predict that over 200 orange-bellied parrots will migrate north this breeding season, which would set yet another record,” she said.

BIRDS COMING BACK: Beloved Birds Return to Islands for First Time in 40 Years After Damming Damage Reversed

“That’s a remarkable turnaround compared to the 2015-16 breeding season, when only 15 nestlings were produced, and an estimated 35 birds migrated north.”

Last year, 92 parrots returned from their winter migration, which combined with 15 parrots released last spring, led to 105 nestlings being recorded, the most since the program began in 1994.

TASMANIAN WILDLIFE: A Baby Boom For Cutest Animal Not Seen in Australia for Decades: ‘Feels Like a Modern Jurassic Park’

It demonstrates the birds’ ability to survive and reproduce self-sustainably. Many of Tasmania’s birds are threatened with extinction, and they above all other animal families are on the steepest declines in the island state.

But the Department’s success with the orange-bellied parrots shows that if there is a will there’s a way.

SHARE This Nearly-Gone Bird Taking Wing Again Over Tasmanian Forests… 

Swiss Man Reunited with Beloved Dogs After Polish Police Foil Kidnapping Plot

By
Andy Corbley
-
- credit KMP Szczecińscy
– credit KMP Szczecinie

A Swiss man has his lucky stars and the Polish police to thank after they managed to foil a kidnapping plot against his two dogs.

The story comes from the Polish town of Szczecin, where a former municipal councilman from a suburb of Zurich fell into an elaborate theft and extortion campaign at the hands of a Polish man and a Norwegian.

Seduced by the Norwegian, whose name for statement purposes has been released merely as K, 59-year-old Rolf Wegmüller instead had his two Bolonka dogs stolen before facing a ransom demand of 1 million Swiss francs.

“They knew that I have a very emotional bond with my dogs. If I’d had a million francs at home, I would have handed over the money immediately,” Wegmüller told Swiss newspaper 20 minuten.

Eventually the ransom was reduced to a quarter, but Wegmüller demanded to see proof of his dogs’ life. At first they responded that proof would come in the mail in the form of the two animals’ heads, but they eventually sent a picture of the two dogs in a wood near the Polish border.

OTHER POLISH STORIES: Polish Olympian Auctions Silver Medal for Infant’s Heart Surgery, but Winning Bidder Won’t Accept It

It was this photo that led the Polish police to the northwestern city of Szczecin, where the suspects were arrested and the dogs taken into police custody and eventually into animal care. Arriving in Poland last week, the desperate Wegmüller was relieved to see his little fur babies again.

The police would end up catching K at the airport before he could fly home, with one Swiss lawyer commenting that such behavior carries a penalty of around 5 years in jail, whilst in Poland, the native member of the plot faces as much as 10.

INTERPOL AT WORK: Significant Blow to the Illegal Pet Trade: Big Bust Rescues Dozens of Lemurs and Tortoises

“I am sorry that K messed up his life at the age of 30, but I cannot forgive the fact that I was tortured in such a way,” Wegmüller said according to Notes From Poland. Despite the trauma, he is relieved to have his beloved pets back.

“The two of them are my everything. I can’t live without them. The police in Szczecin did the best job in the world.”

SHARE The Story Of This Very Relieved Dog Owner With Your Friends… 

Boy Who Offers Tombstone Cleaning Services Wins National Attention And Donates Profit to Funeral Charity

By
Andy Corbley
-
Courtesy: Guardians of the Headstones
Courtesy: Guardians of the Headstones

A boy in England who came up with a simple business washing tombstones has been flooded with offers and donations from all over the country.

After the national publicity, the young entrepreneur decided to donate 10% of profits to Stevie Stones, a charity that pays for memorials on behalf of families who have lost children.

It started as a class project; a pocket money idea. Ben from Derbyshire was washing his grandmother’s headstone, and decided to offer the service to his neighbors.

After his mother posted the job offer on social media, which Ben decided to call Guardians of the Headstones, it went viral, triggering thousands of responses.

“I found my mom, at half-five or six in the morning, counting all the responses we had,” Ben told the BBC. “There were almost too many to count, hundreds, maybe thousands. People were offering free haircuts, free sweets from a shop, free photography, lots of amazing things.”

Walking into school the following day, everyone had seen what had happened thanks to the school principal. Ben said that he was roundly congratulated for his enterprise, and felt that people he had known for years were kinder towards him.

OTHER DRIVEN YOUNGSTERS: Torn Between Volunteering and Dream of Adopting a Cat, 6-year-old Starts Poop Scooping Business

“It’s just how some people are just so kind and support even some of the weirdest ideas,” he said. “And there’s always a bit of good in the world and that’s lovely.”

KNOWING RIGHT FROM WRONG: 8-year-old Boy Trades His Skateboard for the Feral Kitten Kids Were Picking on

After Ben followed up on the offers by saying he would donate part of his proceeds to Stevie Stones, it too received a glut of attention, including one man among dozens who offered to donate $75 every month.

SHARE This Bright And Joyful Lad Who’s Set For A Comfortable Future… 

Total Lunar Eclipse Will Pass Over North America Tonight – Here’s What to Know About This ‘Blood Moon’

By
Andy Corbley
-
The path of 2025's total lunar eclipse - credit NASA's scientific visualization studio
The path of 2025’s total lunar eclipse – credit NASA’s scientific visualization studio

The full moon in March will appear orange-red in the early morning sky as a result of a total lunar eclipse, and North Americans are positioned perfectly to see it.

Sometimes called a Blood Moon in the media for the coloration, it should probably be called a coral or a jasper moon, because it doesn’t look like any blood you’ve ever seen.

In any case, at 2:59 a.m. EDT (6:59 GMT) on March 14th, the Moon will pass into the deepest part of Earth’s shadow, known in eclipse lingo as the umbra and the moment of totality. The Sun, Earth, and Moon will be in perfect alignment, with the shadow from the light of the former falling over the latter.

32 minutes either side of totality, the Moon will still be in Earth’s shadow, and still appear orange-red, but the deepest red coloration won’t be seen. In total you get just over an hour of moon viewing time.

The reason the Moon turns orange red has to do with how the light from the Sun breaches the atmosphere. Sunlight contains a full color spectrum, and different wavelengths possess not only different colors, but different properties. Blue light scatters easily, NASA writes, when it comes in contact with the atmosphere, which is why the sky appears blue during the daytime.

As the Earth passes between the Sun and Moon, red light from our star, which moves at a more direct and lower velocity, penetrates Earth’s atmosphere at a shallow angle and is cast on the Moon in red.

Space.com shared a variety of links to watch parties and livestreams that will be tracking the lunar eclipse as it grows and wanes. Some will have visiting astronomers to answer viewers’ questions about lunar eclipses.

These include the Adler Planetarium in Illinois, and the Griffith Observatory in California.

Some South American time zones may also be able to watch, but at the longitude of Rio de Janeiro, dawn will be well underway.

WATCH a graphic on how and when it will happen…


SHARE This Must-Watch Celestial Phenomenon With Your Friends… 

“Resilience means you experience, you feel, you fail, you hurt. But you keep going.” – Yasmin Mogahed 

By
Good News Network
-

Quote of the Day: “Resilience means you experience, you feel, you fail, you hurt. But you keep going.” – Yasmin Mogahed 

Photo by: Karim MANJRA (public domain)

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

Good News in History, March 13

By
Good News Network
-
Seikan Tunnel - public domain

37 years ago today, the Seikan Undersea Tunnel was opened in Japan, leading to a dramatic increase in freight traffic between the northern island of Hokkaido and the central island of Honshu. The Seikan holds a variety of records, including being the longest undersea tunnel by total length (33.46 miles), as well as having the second-longest segment under the seafloor, being the second-longest main-line tunnel of any kind, and the second-deepest undersea tunnel at 740 feet below sea level, and 250 feet below the sea bed. The tunnel was built mainly on expectations of traffic between the two islands, but the government couldn’t predict the rise in air travel making the Seikan virtually redundant for passengers even before it was finished. READ more… (1987)

Continue

Mysterious Tunnels Sketched by Da Vinci Confirmed After 500 Years to be Hidden Under a Castle

By
Nathan Frederick
-
Ground-penetrating radar reveals secrets under Milan Castle – Credit Politecnico di Milano
Ground-penetrating radar reveals secrets under Milan Castle – Credit Politecnico di Milano

A long-rumored network of secret tunnels associated with the Renaissance legend Leonardo da Vinci has been uncovered in Italy.

Italian researchers from Polytechnic University of Milan recently discovered the secret passageways beneath Sforza Castle—using radar, laser scanners, and other groundbreaking technology to verify their hunches.

Construction of the castle in Milan began in 1358, but the landmark was damaged during political unrest and was not finished until a renovation was completed about a hundred years later. Da Vinci was one of several artists eventually hired by the Duke of Milan to decorate the castle’s walls.

During that time period, Da Vinci also created sketches of secret passages underneath a castle. The drawings became famous, generating centuries of speculation. (See images of sketches, which are copyrighted, in a video below…)

Are there secrets buried beneath the castle? Do those passages actually exist?

Now, more than 500 years later, researchers have seemingly verified their accuracy.

“The results were far more significant and intriguing than we had anticipated,” wrote Polytechnic University architectural historian Francesca Biolo, in a recent article on Live Science. “We uncovered rooms on a second underground level and an additional passage running parallel to the known one.”

Da Vinci’s sketches, which date back to the 1490s, featured defensive fortifications below a structure that strongly resembled the silhouette of Sforza Castle.

The building has an extensive network of known underground passageways. One of the tunnels allowed Duke Ludovico to visit the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where his late wife who died during childbirth was buried. (That church also contains Da Vinci’s mural of The Last Supper). Some of the Sforza Castle passageways are still accessible today.

However, Biolo and her team of researchers believed the castle was still holding numerous secrets and thought that further exploration would reveal additional discoveries.

They were right.

Just one or two feet below ground

The researchers collaborated with Sforza Castle authorities and the engineering company Codevintec Italiana to conduct their surveys. Hoping to locate passageways or castle spaces that were either inaccessible or not previously identified, they used laser scanning, GPS, 3D ground-penetrating radar, and photogrammetry, which uses numerous photographs to construct a virtual 3D model.

Their efforts discovered a new passageway and additional subterranean rooms – some of which were just 1-2 feet below ground. Soldiers could have used this hidden tunnel to defend the castle in the event of an attack. The study also identified areas for further exploration in the future.

RELATED FUN: Read Leonardo Da Vinci’s To-Do List From 1490 and Be Inspired By His Insatiable Appetite for Everything

But perhaps the greatest byproduct of the Polytechnic University exploration is that it provides a little more clarity on a mystery that has prevailed for centuries.

“This passageway is immortalized in Leonardo’s drawings and has long been the subject of legends and considerable speculation,” according to a press release. “But now, thanks to technology, it seems that its existence can be confirmed.”

REVEAL THE RENAISSANCE SECRETS For Art-Lovers By Sharing On Social Media…

Scientists Discover New Part of the Immune System

By
Andy Corbley
-
Staphylococcus bacteria, one healthy on the left and one being destroyed as its outer layer is torn open by antimicrobials made by the proteasome - credit Weizmann Institute of Science
Staphylococcus bacteria, one healthy on the left and one being destroyed as its outer layer is torn open by antimicrobials made by the proteasome – credit Weizmann Institute of Science

Most adults, especially considering what happened 5 years ago, now understand at least a little of how the human immune system works.

But a new study out of Israel has demonstrated that even after 120 years of research, there was a whole new component of that system which is now being theorized as a “gold mine” of potential antibiotics.

Inside each of our cells, the discovering team explains in their study, a tiny structure called a proteasome recycles damaged and dead proteins to make new ones, a vital and normal function of cellular repair and maintenance. However, the proteasome has another responsibility that immunologists have never identified: fighting off bacterial infections.

When infected by a bacteria like Salmonella for example, the proteosomes start turning those damaged proteins into weapons—immune compounds that rip into the external membrane of bacterial cells and kill them.

“We discovered a novel mechanism of immunity that is allowing us to have a defence against bacterial infection,” Professor Yifat Merbl, from the Weizmann Institute of Science, told the BBC’s James Gallagher on his team’s discovery. “It’s happening throughout our body in all the cells, and generates a whole new class of potential natural antibiotics.”

DRUG DISCOVERY: CRISPR Identifies Commonly Available Drug That Works as Cobra Venom Antidote

Once the team identified the proteasome’s immune function, they tested the compounds it made on mice with pneumonia and sepsis. They found results similar to some established antibiotics. If their proteasome were inhibited, the mice were easier to infect with Salmonella.

Dr. Lindsey Edwards, a senior lecturer in microbiology at King’s College London told the BBC that because these proteasome-derived antimicrobials are made within us, any trials to test antibiotics based on these compounds would likely achieve safety requirements much faster.

MORE ON ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: Thousands of Sources for New Antibiotics to Fight Superbugs Found Using AI–and Dozens Worked

Antibiotic resistant bacteria are one of the greatest challenges facing modern medicine, and they are likely to grow greater still.

“In previous years it’s been digging up soil [to find new antibiotics], it is wild that it’s something we have within us, but comes down to having the technology to be able to detect these things,” Dr. Edwards said.

SHARE This Wild Medical Surprise With Your Friends On Social Media… 

A Circular Wooden ‘Stonehenge’ Discovered in Denmark Is 4,000 Years Old

By
Andy Corbley
-
The circle was found during construction in a small town in northern Denmark -credit Vesthimmerlands Museum
The circle was found during construction in a small town in northern Denmark -credit Vesthimmerlands Museum

In Denmark, the remnants of a ritual circle henge of wooden posts has archaeologists very excited.

Its connection with existing Neolithic structures in the vicinity—and further—to its similarities with henges in Britain, points to inter-connected Northern European beliefs and even organization.

Dating back 4,000 years to the late Neolithic, early Bronze Age period, it was found in the town of Aars during recent construction work. 45 timber posts once formed a circle that may have been aligned with celestial events, but they’ve long disintegrated.

In their place, a circle of post holes hint at their presence, as well as the possibility there may have been later modifications to the site.

“This is an extraordinary find,” says Sidsel Wåhlin, a curator at the Vesthimmerland Museum in Aars, in a statement. “The timber circle provides valuable insights into the ritual practices and social structures of this internationally connected prehistoric society. It is a testament to the rich archaeological heritage of Denmark.”

The timber circle is located in a ritual landscape that includes one of the few already known woodhenges from Denmark, 1.2 miles to the northwest, a significant burial ground with burial mounds from the late Neolithic and several settlements from the same period.

This context reinforces the significance of the discovery and suggests a complex and connected ritual and social environment in the area around Stenildgaard and Vesthimmerland.

“The timber circle is a window into the past, giving us an insight into the ceremonial and ritual activities of our ancestors,” said Andreas Bo Nielsen, excavation manager at the site.

As well as sharing similarities with other Danish woodhenges, there is also a striking parity with a known woodhenge in England, near Wiltshire.

STORIES FROM THE PAST: Young Craftsman Resurrects ‘Extinct’ Musical Instrument by Consulting Ancient Literature (LISTEN)

“It shows us that [prehistoric Britons and Danes] are sharing the same worldviews … on how to be farmers, how society connects with the supernatural,” Wåhlin told the Guardian.

The henge in Wiltshire is believed to have served the same purpose for local people as that which Stonehenge provided for the Neolithic Britons on the Salisbury Plain—a center for ceremony, perhaps festivities, and funerals.

SIMILAR ANCIENT EUROPE: 13,000 Years Ago, These Ancient Builders Carved a Calendar into Stone to Mark Destructive Occasion

It’s well known that Stonehenge was built to align with the Summer solstice, and other henges, both stone and wood, are believed to be constructed to similar standards, although official research and excavation of the Aars henge only began on February 24th.

Along with more precise dates, they hope to answer outstanding questions including whether the henge was enlarged at some point and whether the posts had been decorated.

SHARE This Story With Your Friends Who Love Learning About The Ancients… 

1...111213...1,627Page 12 of 1,627
© Copyright 1997–2025 GNN, LLC