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NASA Stunned by Discovery After Mars Rover Breaks Open a Rock

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Andy Corbley
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NASA
NASA

NASA’s old but still kickin’ Curiosity rover drove over a boulder, which crumbled to reveal yellow sulfur crystals.

Rocks made of pure sulfur have never been seen before on the Red Planet, and scientists say the conditions in which such crystals form aren’t associated with the location the rover was exploring.

Since October 2023, the rover has been exploring a region of Mars rich with sulfates, a kind of salt that contains sulfur and forms as water evaporates. But where past detections have been of minerals consisting of a mix of sulfur and other materials, the rock Curiosity recently cracked open is made of elemental, or pure, sulfur.

“It forms in only a narrow range of conditions that scientists haven’t associated with the history of this location,” a NASA spokesperson said.

“And Curiosity found a lot of it—an entire field of bright rocks that look similar to the one the rover crushed.”

Curiosity made the discovery while off-roading within Gediz Vallis channel, a groove that winds down part of the 3-mile-tall (5-kilometre-tall) Mount Sharp, the base of which the rover has been ascending since 2014.

NASA says it isn’t clear what relationship, if any, the elemental sulfur has to other sulfur-based minerals in the area.

Curiosity’s project scientist, Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, compared finding a field of stones made of pure sulfur to “finding an oasis in the desert.”

MORE NEWS LIKE THIS: Lava Tubes and Water Frost Found on Mars Offer Double Opportunity in Search for Life

“It shouldn’t be there, so now we have to explain it. Discovering strange and unexpected things is what makes planetary exploration so exciting,” said Vasavada.

CNN reports that Vasavada and the team have seen evidence of bright white calcium sulfate, also known as gypsum, within cracks on the Martian surface that are essentially hard-water deposits left behind by ancient groundwater flows.

MOST RECENT ROVER DISCOVERIES: Scientists Puzzling Over Bright White Rock on Mars – the First of its Kind, Never Seen Before

The mineral itself is no pink diamond: sulfur is the tenth most common element by mass in the universe, and the fifth most common on Earth. Elsewhere in the solar system, it may be present near the Lunar crater Aristarchus, while the distinctive colors of Jupiter’s enormous satellite Io are believed to result from forms of molten, solid, and gaseous sulfur.

Thankfully, while people associate sulfur with the smell of rotten eggs, the result of hydrogen sulfide gas, NASA confirms that elemental sulfur is odorless.

SHARE This Update On Martian Exploration With Your Friends… 

Man Builds an Electricity-Generating Windmill in His Own Garden

By
Andy Corbley
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Gareth Ross Buddell with his handmade backyard wind turbine – SWNS
Gareth Ross Buddell with his handmade backyard wind turbine – SWNS

Often called windmills out of habit, wind turbines generate electricity kinetically from the force of the wind.

However an Englishman has further complicated things by building both—a windmill based on a 12th-century example that also doubles as a wind turbine. Sitting in his garden, he believes it can power his whole house.

Gareth Ross Buddell built the structure in his home garden in Swindon. He is next looking to test its capabilities on a windy hillside, where he explains more than 10,000 of the structures would once have been visible across the UK.

“I think they would look fantastic,” he told English media outlet SWNS, gesturing to the hillside. “You could use them to pump up water for the farms at the top, or for heating, or you could run a line down to the school and get the school free electricity.”

To ensure his plans were based on historic originals, Gareth purchased over 1,700 survey drawings of the Bourn Windmill in Cambridgeshire, approximated the measurements, and then reconstructed a quarter-size copy in his garden.

Gareth relied on his skills and education as a classical boat builder at the Falmouth Marine School, which also serves him at his day job repairing furniture. The windmill is built mainly of green oak and can rotate to be directed at the wind. He sewed the sails himself from a curtain he bought in a thrift store.

The mill’s generator produces 100 amps at 12 volts when spinning at its optimum speed.

Although the mill currently looks “beautiful” on the main street of his hometown of Bishopsville, the wind is insufficient to turn the sails, so he will take the portable mill to higher land to test its functionality.

AT HOME RENEWABLES: Lebanese Man Builds Wind Turbine from Recycled Plastic–Producing Electricity for his Family and Neighbors

“God gives you the wind; you have just got to mill it!” said Gareth enthusiastically. “A green oak windmill costs less than £500 to knock up and it is 100 percent renewable and recyclable.”

– SWNS

In England, certain rural areas have protected aesthetics, and Gareth says he’s had no problems with local government because it’s an agricultural building at its heart.

Unlike wind turbines with dangerous blades that move at high speed, the sails move at a low speed.

IF YOU NEEDS DIY IDEAS: Baling Water: These Young Farmers Built a DIY Swimming Pool With Hay Bales to Beat the Heatwave

Gareth intends to send the design to King Charles to get the eco-conscious monarch’s opinion.

SEND This Great DIY Project With Your Friends Inspired By Home Building… 

Salmon Return to the Heart of UK for First Time in 100 Years After Dam Removal: ‘It’s very rewarding’

By
Andy Corbley
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Weir in the River Derwent at Chatsworth House, similar to the one removed to allow the salmon to pass - credit Tom Bendall
Weir in the River Derwent at Chatsworth House, similar to the one removed to allow the salmon to pass – credit Tom Bendall

In the north-central English county of Derbyshire, the removal of a dam has hundreds of salmon swimming up a beloved river once again.

It’s the first time in 100 years that salmon have reached so far up the River Derwent, and it’s caused quite a stir among the locals.

While the industrial activity in the East Midlands which first drove Atlantic salmon out of the Derwent is now gone, there were still weirs and other obstacles the fish can’t overcome on their journey upstream.

After years of feeding in the ocean, the incredible salmon can return hundreds of miles upstream to find the same stretch of river—even the exact same tributary—where they were born in order to breed and lay eggs.

It’s one of the most famous journeys in the animal kingdom, but it’s one the citizens of Derbyshire are only recently getting to know again.

“We’d started to see large salmon turning up in the Derwent in winter,” Dr. Tim Jacklin, a Conservation Officer for the Wild Trout Trust, told the UK Natural History Museum.

“They became sort of local celebrities really. People were going out with their head torches at night and looking into the river, because it’s not a particularly large watercourse and these fish were quite literally as long as your arm, without it being an angler’s tale.”

While the reduction in pollution allowed the salmon to return, it wasn’t until wildlife organizations like Wild Trout and Derbyshire Wild Trust began to remove river obstacles like weirs and dams that the salmon could reach the upper stretches of the River Derwent where it becomes the Ecclesborne.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Abandoned Ohio Golf Course Being Rewilded into Public Land with Native Fish and Wildlife Returning

In particular to this story was the weir at Snake Lane, which once removed allowed the salmon to continue on their journey. The weir was replaced with several boulders that created rapids.

“It’s very rewarding,” says Tim. “We opened up a good ten kilometers of spawning habitat upstream, so that translates into hundreds more juvenile salmon that make their way downstream and hopefully to come back and spawn.”

MORE UK RIVER RESTORATION: After Scenic Waterway Declines, Government Sides with Activists to Intervene on the Wye River’s Behalf

Dam removal has become a widespread conservation practice in Europe and North America. In cases too numerous to list here, the dams and other obstacles like weirs are no longer used, but are too complex and expensive a demolition job for most local governments to undertake. In America, millions of salmon will soon be returning to ancestral spawning grounds as three dams on the Klamath River are set for demolition in the largest operation of its kind in history.

SHARE This Great River Story With Your Friends Who Love Wildlife… 

“History is full of people whose influence was most powerful after they were gone.” – Rebecca Solnit

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Quote of the Day: “History is full of people whose influence was most powerful after they were gone.” – Rebecca Solnit

Photo by: Leon Seibert

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, July 22

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61 years ago today, Philadelphia’s first heavyweight boxing champion, Sonny Liston KO’d Floyd Patterson in a rematch of the bout that the year before won him the belt. The fight went much the same way, a knockout within the first round, only that the rematch had lasted four seconds longer. Never having a particularly good relationship with the public, his victory was roundly booed. “The public is not with me. I know it,” Liston said afterward. “But they’ll have to swing along until somebody comes to beat me.” READ more… 

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‘Shy’ Senior Lands Modeling Career at 70 After Stranger’s Instagram Post Goes Viral

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Senior Anne Flanagan starts a modeling career at age 70 – SWNS
Senior Anne Flanagan starts a modeling career at age 70 – SWNS

A retiree says she spent her life with low self-esteem, but now she can be seen on catwalks after a stranger approached her on the street, wanting to take a photo.

Irishwoman Anne Flanagan had never modeled before and always thought of herself as a serious person.

But after a chance meeting in January with a photographer in Belfast, she found her confidence—and a desire to have a little fun.

“I saw someone coming towards me with a camera,” said the 70-year-old, who is always happy to help a tourist by giving directions.

Christopher Ward didn’t need directions. He told her he runs the Instagram page Model Strangers, and wanted to snap her photo. Once he showed her the account, she said yes—and the post went viral.

Anne was delighted by the commenters saying how empowering the photos made them feel. Soon, people began recognizing her on the street.

“I was stopped in a coffee shop, and this lady said, ‘are you Anne?’

“They love seeing an older person being given a platform.”

SWNS reported she was “quickly snapped up by a modeling agency, a clothing brand, and a shopping centre fashion show”.

Anne Flanagan (via SWNS)

“The photos taken of me give me a boost,” said Anne. “If I’m able to represent older women, I’m thrilled with that.”

The mother of two spent her life working—as a career counselor, a social security officer, and a corporate services director—so after she retired, her daughters said she should be doing something a bit more fun.

After seeing her photos, a local boutique contracted Anne to model their clothes in April.

“The day of the shoot, I felt so sick and unprepared.” But, she went in, just being herself and ‘enjoyed it enormously’.

“That was my very first foray into this bizarre world.”

She is also booked to model at the Victoria Square ‘Park and Stride’ fashion show, this Autumn.

(via SWNS)

Anne says her favorite part about her “new career” is proving to herself that life doesn’t end at 70.

WATCH: Grandma Dances All Night at Granddaughter’s Wedding After Being Told She Wouldn’t Live to See it

“It’s not over as soon as you hit 70,” she said.

“I’ve been absolutely overjoyed by the amount of older people who stop me and say things to me.

“They say it’s ‘great to see someone our age, who’s been spotted for standing out.’

“I just think it’s great that an older woman is getting so much good publicity.”

WORK FOR LOVE: Senior Finds Love and Connection Greeting People at Walmart After Husband Dies: ‘Working is beautiful therapy’ (WATCH)

INSPIRE YOUR ELDERS By Sharing This on Social Media…

Boy in Foster Care Allowed to Stay With Disabled Brother When Loving Parents Agree to Adopt Them Both–WATCH

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Dalton and Dawson – Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Dalton and Dawson – Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

At the age of 7, Dawson lived in fear that he and his older brother Dalton wouldn’t get the chance to grow up together because they were floundering in foster care.

Adoption would be difficult because Dalton has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, is nonverbal, and a quadriplegic. Although several families were interested in Dawson, he was worried that finding a forever home could lead to separation.

Thankfully, with help from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Florida parents Robbin and Steven, the boys are now together—and thriving.

When Dawson first arrived at his new Florida home, he was in second grade, yet had a reading level of a kindergartner. But with the love and security provided for him and his brother, the boy began to flourish.

“The light clicked, and it was game on,” said his mom. “He reached the honor roll for four straight semesters.”

Today, Robbin gushes that she couldn’t have asked for two better sons.

“Dawson is the person he is because he got the opportunity to keep his brother. It’s half of him—that’s his heart.”

Robbin and Steve with adopted sons Dalton and Dawson – Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

COMMUNITY’S COMPASSION: Families in Tiny Texas Town Have Adopted 77 Hard-to-Adopt Kids Inspired By Their Baptist Church Leaders

His brother’s medical problems have also inspired Dawson to dream of becoming a doctor, wanting to take care of people the way Dalton’s doctors did.

“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for Dalton,” said his little brother. “I just love being with him.”

Steve and Robbin now have a handicap-accessible van and a new wheelchair for Dalton, and is currently working with local vendors to put in an accessible swimming pool.

“Dalton is the greatest gift I was ever given,” said Robbin, in a YouTube video by the Foundation. “He brings more joy, more love than any person I ever met.”

See the happy-ending vibes in the video below…

ALSO SEE: Newborn Left in a Florida Rescue Station Adopted by the Firefighter Who Found Her

SPREAD THE LOVE By Sharing the Inspiring Story on Social Media…

One in Three Americans Believe They Have a Way to Strike it Rich: New Poll

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By Giorgio Trovato (cropped)
By Giorgio Trovato (cropped)

One in three Americans believe they have an idea they think could one day make them wealthy, according to new poll.

From writing the next big novel to a hot stock tip or turning an invention into product, the survey found 33% saying they feel they have a tantalizing idea they think could make waves in the market.

And if that doesn’t come to fruition, there’s always pure hope for 19% of the respondents, who have a strong feeling that they’ll one day win big in the lottery.

The survey, conducted by Talker Research in partnership with Wealth of Geeks, found 17% of those with a wealth-generating idea hoping to use an inheritance or some family money.

Men were significantly more likely to feel confident that their idea was going to make them wealthy—39% vs. 26% of women.

Four in ten of those currently holding onto a wealth-driving idea want to start a business or service—and one quarter (26%) believe it is a game-changing product that’s never been done before.

From energy-creating mushrooms to a new type of burger or fresh ideas using AI to blow away the competition, many Americans are quietly working away on their big hope for later-day success.

DID YOU KNOW: 10 Major Metrics Show The American Recovery is Best in the World – And Still Improving

A new type of ceiling fan, ideas for a new social media platform or plans to launch an irresistible food truck were among the broad concepts for which these Americans were hatching plans.

Many are also putting hope in their creative endeavors by working on the next great American novel or developing the music they one day hope to share with the world.

But while many harbor an optimism that their finances could take a turn for the better, not all of us have faith that fortune will come our way.

Just 10% of those polled describe themselves as ‘very lucky’ when it comes to money, with 21% ‘somewhat lucky.’

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That might be why 39% say they’ll need some sort of luck or financial windfall in order to be comfortable later in life and 10% are relying on inheritance to feel the same way.

Luckily, a whopping 27% say they also have a stock tip they believe has the potential to make them a millionaire.

MORE OPTIMISM: Three-Quarters of Small Business Owners Believe They’re Equipped to Handle Any Economic Instability

Bat-like Drone Can Hurl Itself at Trees and Perch There–Inspired By a Flying Squirrel

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Good News Network
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Still shots from PercHug video – SWNS
Still shots from PercHug video – SWNS

An innovative bat-like drone can fly straight into a tree and perch there, folding its wings around the trunk to hug it and keep it in place.

The glider robot, called PercHug, can also latch onto poles and could be used for inspection, maintenance, and biodiversity conservation.

A team from the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) say they have taken influence from flying squirrels and geckos, the latter of which exhibits head-first “crash-landing”.

“While flying animals substantially reduce their kinetic energy at landing by wing flapping, specialized gliders, like flying squirrels and geckos, land on trees at high speeds and endure elevated forces utilizing their limbs or head,” explained the researchers.

“We took inspiration from flying geckos, which exhibit head-first crash-landing at speeds.”

The problem of perching using a winged Unmanned Aerial Vehicle has often been solved by means of complex control or intricate appendages.

The team investigated a method that relies on passive wing morphing for crash-landing on trees and other types of vertical poles.

An upturned nose design means the robot can passively reorient from horizontal flight to vertical upon a head-on crash with a pole—followed by hugging with its wings to perch. (See the video at the bottom…)

PercHug drone hugs a tree – SWNS

“Inspired by the adaptability of animals’ and bats’ limbs in gripping and holding onto trees, we design dual-purpose wings that enable both aerial gliding and perching on poles.”

They were able to demonstrate “crash-perching” on tree trunks with an overall success rate of 73%, according to their scientific paper published in the journal Communications Engineering.

DRONES HELP OUT IN WARTIME: Drones Find Dozens of Landmines Littering Ukraine So They Can Be Defused

The team believes their method opens up new possibilities for the use of aerial robots in applications such as inspection and maintenance of poles, and in conservation programs collecting data in the field.

Watch the PercHug video below…

“There are glimpses of heaven in every act, or thought, or word, that raises us above ourselves.” – Robert Quillen

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Quote of the Day: “There are glimpses of heaven in every act, or thought, or word, that raises us above ourselves.” – Robert Quillen

Photo by: pixle (CC license)

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, July 21

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Erden Eruc - CC Wikimedia Commons

14 years ago today, Turkish-American Erden Eruç became the first person to perform a human-powered circumnavigation of the world, in a journey of 41,000 miles and over 5 years. The trip crossed the equator twice and all lines of longitude, and passed over twelve pairs of antipodal points, meeting all the requirements for a true circumnavigation of the globe according to Guinness World Records, the title for which Eruç holds. READ more about this incredible feat… (2012)

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Girlfriends Battle 40ft Waves in Fastest Row Across the Pacific by a Duo–Beating Men’s Record by 2 Days

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Best friends Jessica Oliver and Charlotte Harris break record in 2024 World’s Toughest Row Pacific Challenge – SWNS
Best friends Jessica Oliver and Charlotte Harris break record in 2024 World’s Toughest Row Pacific Challenge – SWNS

Two best friends have become the fastest duo ever to row across the Pacific Ocean, battling 40-foot waves to break the previous record set by two men.

Jessica Oliver and Charlotte Harris completed the epic row in 37 days, 11 hours, and 43 minutes, breaking the record in the 2024 World’s Toughest Row Pacific Challenge.

The 33-year-olds set out from Monterey Bay, California for the 2,800 mile journey on June 8th, and when they arrived in Hawaii on July 16th they had beaten the existing women’s record by an astonishing 9 days.

The achievement comes after the pair, known as Wild Waves, set a world record in 2021 as the fastest female pair to row the Atlantic Ocean.

“It was absolutely grueling both from a mental and physical perspective – the hardest thing we have ever done,” said Jess, while standing at the winner’s podium with a Hawaiian garland draped around her neck.

There were ecstatic hugs and tears waiting for the dynamic duo on Hanalei Bay beach as they fell into the arms of family and friends.

“We gave it everything and are completely broken, but it was worth it,” said Charlotte.

Apart from sheer grit and determination, it was teamwork and solid friendship that got them through.

“We can read each other so well,” said Charlotte.

The pair took a southerly route and were pursued by bitterly cold northerly winds from Canada producing giant waves, and their boat Cosimo almost capsized.

Best friends Jessica Oliver and Charlotte Harris break ocean record in 2024 World’s Toughest Row Pacific Challenge – SWNS

Within a week, their automatic steering system broke, forcing them to steer manually which meant precious little sleep and lots of blisters to show for it.

“The first 10 days were really challenging and stressful,” said Jess. “We thought: ‘who on earth signed us up for this?’.

“Sometimes the winds were so difficult we were screaming: ‘how am I supposed to get out of this?’”

Team Wild Waves were neck and neck in the women’s pairs for most of the race with their nearest rivals: Liz Wardley, a three-times round-the-world sailor who holds the Atlantic race record as a solo rower, and Lena Kurbiel, her 17-year-old partner.

After four weeks, on Friday July 12, the UK duo edged past them to take the lead.

“We were constantly monitoring the competition. We’d make 15 miles of gains and then they’d be taken from us in one day. It was relentless.”

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The most frightening episode was a near-collision with a tanker whose AIS tracking system was not turned on.

“We were 30 seconds from a head-on collision which would have seen our boat smashed to pieces,” said Charlotte. “We just about managed to get out of their course and were thrown up and down in the wake of their boat, as it passed with just 10 meters to spare.”

The idea to conquer the Pacific was a no-brainer for Team Wild Waves, after their record-setting row in 2021 across the Atlantic: they had barely set foot on dry land when they decided that the Pacific had to be next.

Two years of tough training followed for the English university pals from Gloucestershire and Hampshire—mostly in the gym and on the North Sea, along with fundraising and securing corporate sponsorship.

BREAKS RECORD WITH AMAZING ABS: 59-year-old Breaks Women’s World Record for the Longest Time in an Abdominal Plank Position

They raised more than $120,000 for Shelter and Women’s Aid during their Atlantic crossing—and continued that fundraising this year, raising $40,000, so far.

“She’s an amazing girl,” said Jessica’s mother. “When she sets her mind to do something, nothing stops her from achieving that goal.”

“She certainly knows how to test her mother to the limit – it’s been a nerve-racking few weeks.”

CHALLENGE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND By Sharing the Motivation on Social Media…

Cosmic Penguin and Egg Honors Space Telescope’s 2nd Anniversary, Helping NASA Solve Longstanding Mysteries

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James Webb Space Telescope – NASA
James Webb Space Telescope – NASA

A cosmic penguin sparkling in space alongside an egg is marking the second anniversary of the James Webb Space Telescope.

The duo of interacting galaxies commemorates the NASA spacecraft that specializes in capturing infrared light—which is beyond what our own eyes can detect.

The image from Webb shows these galaxies, collectively known as Arp 142, locked in a “slow cosmic dance”.

The European Space Agency describes it this way: “Before their first approach, the Penguin held the shape of a spiral. Today, its galactic centre gleams like an eye, its unwound arms now shaping its beak, head, backbone, and fanned-out tail.”

Like all spiral galaxies, the Penguin is rich in gas and dust. The two galaxies’ interactions pull gravitationally on the Penguin’s thinner areas of gas and dust, causing them to crash in waves and form stars. Look for those areas in two places: what looks like a fish in its beak and the feathers in its tail.

“In contrast, the Egg’s compact shape remains largely unchanged. As an elliptical galaxy, it is filled with aging stars, and has a lot less gas and dust that can be pulled away to form new stars.”

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Two Meteor Showers Peak in the Same Region of the Sky on the Same Night Later This Month

The two-year-old space telescope continually observes the universe, capturing images and highly detailed data known as spectra, which can result in eye-catching images such as these.

Webb’s observations, which combine near- and mid-infrared light from Webb’s two infrared cameras, clearly show that they are joined by a haze represented in blue that is a mix of stars and gas, a result of their mingling.

NASA explained that their ongoing interaction was set in motion between 25 and 75 million years ago, when the Penguin (individually known as NGC 2936) and the Egg (NGC 2937) completed their first encounter, in their long waddle toward an eventual union.

“They will go on to shimmy and sway, completing several additional loops before merging into a single galaxy hundreds of millions of years from now.”

WEBB WONDERS: Earliest, Most Distant Galaxy Discovered with Webb Telescope Dates to 300Mil Years After Big Bang

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson is singing the telescope’s praises.

“Since President Biden and Vice President Harris unveiled the first image from the James Webb Space Telescope two years ago, Webb has continued to unlock the mysteries of the universe.

“With remarkable images from the corners of the cosmos, going back nearly to the beginning of time, Webb’s capabilities are shedding new light on our celestial surroundings and inspiring future generations of scientists, astronomers, and explorers.”

Mark Clampin, director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA, says: “In just two years, Webb has transformed our view of the universe, enabling the kind of world-class science that drove NASA to make this mission a reality.

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“Webb is providing insights into longstanding mysteries about the early universe and ushering in a new era of studying distant worlds, while returning images that inspire people around the world and posing exciting new questions to answer.

“It has never been more possible to explore every facet of the universe.”

SHARE THE CELESTIAL PENGUIN With Stargazing Lovers on Social Media…

Woman Who Fell 60-feet Down a Mountain Was Saved by What3words Location App

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Sarah Robert in the Alps – SWNS
Sarah Robert in the Alps – SWNS

A hiker says he was able to help save his aunt’s life because he had the what3words app on his phone.

Ed Farnworth was hiking in Switzerland and his 59-year-old Aunt Sarah when she fell 60-feet down a mountain and suffered serious injuries.

The two were in the woods, far away from flat ground, and there were no landmarks for Ed to tell the emergency services where they were.

Luckily, he remembered he had the what3words app on his phone which provides users with a unique three-word code that reveals their precise location.

The emergency personnel knew all about what3words—and the address ///crabmeat.hers.froze showed them the exact spot where Sarah landed.

The 31-year-old hiker from Manchester, England, regularly visits his auntie who now lives in Switzerland and hikes often. They had both researched the trail beforehand.

“The weather was great and we were having an amazing day,” recalled Ed. “I was leading the way in front of her on our decent down the mountain when I turned around and saw she had started to lose her balance.

“She was very close to the edge and started to fall, she had a backpack on, so her balance was all out of sync.

“She tumbled over the edge and from then on, she didn’t stop tumbling down. She was hysterical, shouting my name and shouting help.

Ed saw Sarah hitting her head on a tree extremely hard. “It was a dense whack and then she stopped making any noise.

“I lost sight of her as I tried to make my way down to her, I’d never dealt with anything like this before. I found her on her front unconscious, I thought that she was dead at this point.

“She had a huge cut in her forehead, an open wound and her face was purple already. Her arm was badly broken, and she was covered in blood.”

ANOTHER GREAT HIKING APP: Popular Hiking App Releases 27,000 Trail Maps to Download for Free, Increasing Hiker Safety

Ed knew he had to remain calm and call for help, but panicked that he had no idea where they were—until he remembered the what3words app.

What3words app screenshot

“I had downloaded what3words a few years ago, I remember downloading it because I go on all these hiking trips, I had genuinely forgotten about it.

Looking back, Ed says the free app saved Sarah’s life as It only took 25 minutes for the helicopter to find the pair.

While waiting, Sarah was revived and started saying she was cold.

“She was visibly concussed, she didn’t know who I was to start with, and she was asking me the same question over and over.

“She was crying out for her husband and daughter, and she still can’t remember a thing from what happened.”

Without the app, Ed would have had to potentially leave to find help or shout for help, both of which could have made my Sarah even more distressed.

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“It sped the whole process up and stopped any further injuries occurring, I am super super grateful that I had that app.”

Sarah suffered a broken arm, gashed forehead, and was severely concussed in the fall. Her face was completely misshapen and she remained in hospital for over a week, finally going home in a neck brace, with a metal plate in her arm.

Sarah still remains passionate about hiking, and Ed wants to make sure every hiker is aware of how important it is to download What3words, which divides the world into 10ft squares—each one named by a unique combination of three words.

what3words

“People having the app is reassuring to me,” said Ed. “I’m taking a group of people from work hiking tomorrow and I’ll make sure they all have what3words.”

The app addresses are accepted by over 4,800 dispatchers who answer 911 calls in the US. Emergency services in the UK are recommending the free app, because “it saves lives.”

What3words is also integrated into the navigation systems of many Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Land Rover, Subaru and Mitsubishi vehicles in the US, making it easy for drivers to enter the 3-word addresses straight into their car’s navigation system.

LOOK: Man Hikes With a Support Owl — Inspiring Others With PTSD Along His Way

Sarah Robert still has no recollection of the fall itself, but is thankful for the outcome.

“What3words helped speed up the whole process for which I am extremely grateful. Without it, I don’t see how I would have got the help I needed and things may have ended much worse.

“I had never heard of or used the app before my nephew explained it to me, but I’m so thankful he did.”

DON’T FORGET TO SHARE THE LIFESAVING TIP With Hikers on Social Media…

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

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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 July 20, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

 

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
In 1986, Cancerian singer-songwriter George Michael released his song A Different Corner. It was a big hit. Never before in British pop music had an artist done what Michael accomplished: wrote, sang, arranged, and produced the tune, and played all the instruments. I foresee the possibility of a similar proficiency in your near future, Cancerian—if you want it. Maybe you would prefer to collaborate with others in your big projects, but if you choose, you could perform minor miracles all by yourself.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
In the Biblical allegory of Noah and the Ark, God warns Noah about an impending flood and commands him to build a giant lifeboat to save living things from extinction. Noah obeys. When the heavy rains come, he, his family, and many creatures board the boat to weather the storm. After 40 days and nights of inundation, they are all safe but stranded in a newly created sea. Hoping for a sign of where they might seek sanctuary, Noah sends out a dove to reconnoiter for dry land. But it returns with no clues. A week later, Noah dispatches a second dove. It returns with an olive leaf, showing that the earth is drying out and land is nearby. Dear Leo, your adventure isn’t as dire and dramatic as Noah’s, but I’m happy to tell you it’s time for you to do the equivalent of sending two doves out to explore.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
According to an ancient Chinese proverb, “An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox.” I will add a corollary: An ant may be able to accomplish feats an ox can’t. For instance, I have observed an ant carrying a potato chip back to its nest, and I doubt that an ox could tote a potato chip without mangling it. Anyway, Virgo, this is my way of telling you that if you must choose between your ispiration being an ant or an ox in the coming days, choose the ant. Be meticulous, persistent, and industrious rather than big, strong, and rugged.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
“If it sounds too good to be true, it always is,” said stage magician Ricky Jay. I only partially agree with him. While I think it’s usually wise to use his formula as a fundamental principle, I suspect it won’t entirely apply to you in the coming weeks. At least one thing and possibly as many as three may sound too good to be true—but will in fact be true. So if you’re tempted to be hyper-skeptical, tamp down that attitude a bit. Open yourself to the possibilities of amazing grace and minor miracles.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Of all the signs in the zodiac, you Scorpios are most likely to regard that old pop tune by the Animals as your theme song. “I’m just a soul whose intentions are good,” croons lead singer Eric Burdon, “Oh, Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.” Maybe because you work so hard to compensate for this ache—you may also experience record-breaking levels of being seen and appreciated for who you are. For best results, do this: Inform your deep psyche that you have no attachment to being misunderstood. And tell your deep psyche that you would very much like to be well understood.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
An antiques dealer named Laura Young bought a marble bust of a distinguished man at a thrift store in Austin, Texas. Later she discovered that it was over 2,000 years old and worth far more than the $35 she had paid for it. It depicted a Roman military leader named Drusus the Elder. I foresee similar themes unfolding in your life, Sagittarius. Possible variations: 1. You come into possession of something that’s more valuable than it initially appears. 2. You connect with an influence that’s weightier than it initially appears. 3. A lucky accident unfolds, bringing unexpected goodies. 4. A seemingly ordinary thing turns out to be an interesting thing in disguise.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
My childhood friend Jeanine used to say, “The best proof of friendship is when someone gives you half their candy bar. The best proof of fantastic friendship is when they give you even more than half.” And then she would hand me more than half of her Snickers bar, Milky Way, or Butterfinger. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to give away at least half your candy to those you care for in the coming days. It’s a phase of your astrological cycle when you will benefit from offering extra special affection and rewards to the allies who provide you with so much love and support.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
If you’re a teacher, it’s a favorable time to enjoy a stint as a student—and vice versa. If you’re a healthcare worker trained in Western medicine, it’s an excellent phase to explore alternative healing practices. If you’re a scientist, I suggest you read some holy and outrageous poetry, and if you’re a sensitive, introverted mystic, get better informed about messy political issues. In other words, dear Aquarius, open a channel to parts of reality you normally ignore or neglect. Fill in the gaps in your education. Seek out surprise and awakening.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Jane Brunette, a writer I admire, uses the made-up work “plurk” to refer to her favorite activity: a blend of play and work. I have always aspired to make that my core approach, too. I play at my work and work at my play. As much as possible, I have fun while I’m doing the labor-intensive tasks that earn me a living and fulfill my creative urges. And I invoke a disciplined, diligent attitude as I pursue the tasks and projects that bring me pleasure and amusement. I highly recommend you expand and refine your own ability as a plurker in the coming weeks, Pisces.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Have you ever been given a Starbucks gift card but then neglected to use it? Many people fail to cash in such freebies. Believe it or not, there are also folks who buy lottery tickets that turn out to have the winning number—but they never actually claim their rewards. Don’t be like them in the coming weeks, Aries. Be aggressive about cashing in on the offers you receive, even subtle and shy offers. Don’t let invitations and opportunities go to waste. Be alert for good luck, and seize it.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
The coming weeks will be a favorable time to enhance your relationship with food. In every way you can imagine, be smart and discerning as you plan and eat your meals. Here are ideas to ponder: 1. Do you know exactly which foods are best for your unique body? 2. Are you sufficiently relaxed and emotionally present when you eat? 3. Could you upgrade your willpower to ensure you joyfully gravitate toward what’s healthiest? 4. Do you have any bad habits you could outgrow? 5. Is your approach to eating affected by problematic emotions that you could heal? 6. Are you willing to try improving things incrementally without insisting on being perfect?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Hybridization could be a fun theme for you in the coming weeks. You’re likely to align yourself with cosmic rhythms if you explore the joys and challenges of creating amalgamations, medleys, and mash-ups. Your spirit creatures will be the liger, which is a cross between a lion and a tiger, and a mule, a cross between a horse and a donkey. But please note that your spirit creatures will *not* be impossible hybrids like a giroose (a cross between a giraffe and a moose) or a coyadger (a cross between a coyote and a badger). It’s good to be experimental and audacious in your mixing and matching, but not lunatic delusional.

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

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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“If you wait to get all the information you think you need before you act, you’ll never act because there’s an infinite amount of information out there.” – Jeff Bridges 

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Quote of the Day: “If you wait to get all the information you think you need before you act, you’ll never act because there’s an infinite amount of information out there.” – Jeff Bridges 

Photo by: Andras Vas (cropped)

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, July 20

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Good News Network
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60 years ago today, the famous frontman Chris Cornell was born in Seattle, Washington. Fronting Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, and Audioslave, Cornell sold 14.8 million albums, 8.8 million digital songs, and 300 million on-demand audio streams in the U.S. alone, as well as over 30 million records worldwide. He was nominated for 18 Grammy Awards, winning three, and was voted “Rock’s Greatest Singer” by Guitar Player Magazine. Struggles with depression put an untimely end to his monstrous career in 2017, when he committed suicide in a Detroit hotel room. (1964)

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500 Giant Tortoises Reintroduced to Four Galapagos Islands in 2023

By
Andy Corbley
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Juvenile tortoises released into their natural habitat on Isabela Island ©Galápagos Conservancy
Juvenile tortoises released into their natural habitat on Isabela Island ©Galápagos Conservancy

2023 was a banner year for the Galapagos Islands: that wondrous archipelago so famous for its giant tortoises and other endemic species.

The long-serving conservation organization the Galapagos Conservancy, also endemic to the islands, recently published its annual report featuring standout figures like over 500 giant tortoises of 5 different species reintroduced to their natural habitat.

Additionally, a critically endangered species of albatross was identified to use giant tortoise feeding sites as take-off and landing areas. This key insight into co-dependency has given the Conservancy confidence that they can restore the populations of both animals to stable, flourishing numbers.

It underscores how far a donation to these endemic wildlife organizations really does go, and these two highlights of a successful year were only possible by the over $6 million in charitable contributions from supporters.

30 Chelonoidis chatamensis tortoises endemic to the smaller island of San Cristobal were repatriated to their natural habitat from the stock of a captive breeding program, while 97 native tortoises were returned to the second-largest island of Santa Cruz.

On the largest island of Isabella, 350 tortoises (214 C. guntheri and 136 C. vicina) were successfully reintroduced to their natural habitat after a survey found their numbers were not rising substantially on their own.

In March, the repatriation of 86 juvenile Chelonoidis hoodensis tortoises significantly contributed to enhancing the species’ distribution across their native habitat. They currently number 3,000 today on Española or Hood Island, a miraculous recovery from the 14 found there in the 1960s.

Also on Española, the endemic waved albatross was found to be taking off and landing on 50 additional parts of the island. These large birds, boasting an 8-foot wingspan, need ample space to get a running start before taking off, and this same principle applies when applying the brakes coming down from the sky.

GALAPAGOS HEADLINES: Historic Effort Returns 136 Juvenile Galápagos Tortoises Conservationists Release into the Wild

In the survey, the biologists observed that concentrations of giant tortoises were linked with the usage of areas as runways for the albatross. Because the tortoises are the largest herbivores in the ecosystem, they perform the same acts as bison do in North America and Europe, and elephants in Africa—clear space.

With their herbivorous diet and large bulk, the tortoise’s feeding habits produce cleared areas ideal for albatross use.

“This discovery underscores the interconnectedness of the Galápagos ecosystem,” the authors of the report write. “This newly acquired knowledge allows us to strengthen the synergies between our conservation strategies.”

ALSO READ: The Greatest Conservation Story Ever Told Isn’t Really Being Told

Of the $6.1 million received from donations and through other activities, the Conservancy was able to spend 77% of that on conservation programs, and that included some ambitious plans for this year—now already half done—which included drafting plans for restoration of the Pinta tortoise to the island of the same name, preparing tortoises for imminent reintroduction to the smaller Floreana island, and completely restoring the habitat for the Galapagos petrels on Santa Cruz.

MEANWHILE IN SPAIN: Iberian Lynx Slinks Back From Brink of Extinction Within Just Two Decades of Conservation

Operating since 1985, the Galapagos Conservancy has a long track record of restoring these islands to their pre-Colombian glory. Let’s hope 2024 is as successful.

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Eco-Friendly Sponges Made of Dairy Byproduct Can Extract Gold from Old Computer Parts

By
Andy Corbley
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The gold nugget obtained from computer motherboards in three parts. The largest of these parts is around five millimetres wide. (Photograph ETH Zurich Alan Kovacevic)
The gold nugget obtained from computer motherboards in three parts. The largest of these parts is around five millimetres wide. (Photograph ETH Zurich Alan Kovacevic)

Scientists have developed a way to dramatically reduce the cost of recycling certain electronic waste by using whey protein.

Their method allows for the easy recovery of gold from circuit boards at a cost of energy and materials amounting to 50 times less than the price of the gold they recover—these are the numbers that big business likes to see.

Indeed, the potential for scalability depends on this sort of cost savings, something traditional e-waste recycling methods just can’t achieve.

Professor Raffaele Mezzenga from ETH Zurich has found that whey protein, a byproduct of dairy manufacturing, can be used to make sponges that attract trace amounts of ionized gold.

Electronic waste contains a variety of valuable metals, including copper, cobalt, and gold. Despite gold’s public persona as being either money or jewelry, thousands of ounces of gold are used in electronics every year for its exceptional conductive properties.

Mezzenga’s colleague Mohammad Peydayesh first “denatured whey proteins under acidic conditions and high temperatures, so that they aggregated into protein nanofibrils in a gel,” writes the ETH Zurich press. “The scientists then dried the gel, creating a sponge out of these protein fibrils.”

The next step was extracting the gold: done by tossing 20 salvaged motherboards into an acid bath until the metals had dissolved into ionized compounds that the sponge began attracting.

Removing the sponge, a heat treatment caused the gold ions to aggregate into 22-carat gold flakes which could be easily removed.

How the gold is recovered Gold ions adhere to a sponge of protein fibrils. (Source Peydayesh M et al. Advanced Materials, 2024, adapted)

“The fact I love the most is that we’re using a food industry byproduct to obtain gold from electronic waste,” Mezzenga says. In a very real sense, he observes, the method transforms two waste products into gold. “You can’t get much more sustainable than that!”

They were able to extract 450 milligrams or around $38.70 worth of fine gold at current market value. The real value would be slightly lower because their nuggets were about 9% copper. Further smelting could remove the copper, but it would be a bit less than 450 mg.

However the real dollar value comes from the bottom line—which was 50 times more than the cost of energy and source materials. Because of this, the scientists have every intention of bringing the technology to the market as quickly as possible while also desiring to see if the protein fibril sponge can be made of other food waste byproducts.

E-waste is a quickly growing burden in global landfills, and recycling it requires extremely energy-intensive machinery that many recycling facilities do not possess.

YOU’VE GOTTA CHECK OUT: 580 Repair Shops Form a Flourishing Subculture Fixing Toasters, Electronics, Coffee Makers and Lamps

The environmental value of the minerals contained within most e-waste comes not only from preventing the hundreds of years it takes for them to break down in the soil, but also from the reduction in demand from new mining operations which can, though not always, significantly degrade the environments they are located in.

Other countries are trying to incentivize the recycling of e-waste, and are using gold to do so. In 2022, GNN reported that the British Royal Mint launched an electronically traded fund (ETF) with each share representing the value of gold recovered from e-waste as a way for investors to diversify into gold in a way that doesn’t support environmentally damaging mining.

MORE E-WASTE RECYCLING: America’s Largest Solar Panel-Maker Leads the World in Panel Recycling–Recovering 95% of Materials

The breakthrough is reminiscent of that old fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin who can spin straw into gold. All that these modern-day, real-life alchemists are doing differently is using dairy and circuit boards rather than straw.

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700 Cats Rescued After TikTok User Finds a Texas Tabby–and Rescues a Sanctuary in Trouble

By
Andy Corbley
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credit - SB Mowing, GoFundMe
credit – SB Mowing, GoFundMe

From south Texas comes the incredible story of how a TikTok content creator channeled his channel for good—rescuing a cat and a cat shelter by inspiring thousands in donations.

Broken by Victoria Lopez at My San Antonio, the story is a reminder of social media’s stunning potential to do good if it can just manage to capture enough people’s fleeting attention.

Spencer is the brains and motor behind the SB Mowing TikTok and YouTube channels, which document his hobby of finding people who can’t mow their lawns and doing it for them. With a combined following of 15 million people, it’s a great showing that kindness pays.

In Corpus Christi, Spencer was fighting back a terribly overgrown yard when he found a little tabby cat with puncture marks from a fight with a dog or another cat, which to Spencer’s mind seemed infected.

Spencer called rescue centers in the area to see if anyone would help the cat, who would later be named Esbee, and only one reached out: Edgar and Ivy’s Cat Sanctuary and Rescue.

Edgar and Ivy is run by Director Anissa Beal, who was falling into a growing financial pit attempting to fund the cat rescue center. She had vowed to call it quits at year’s end if she couldn’t manage to turn things around.

credit – Anissa Beal

“I’ve never seen so much passion put into helping people and helping animals,” Spencer wrote, who gave them all the cash he had on hand as a thank-you for saving the animal when no one else would.

He explained to Beal he had a large social media following and that he would set up a GoFundMe to try to help them better fund operations; Beal thought little of the gesture.

But in a matter of days, the fundraiser shot up to $190,000 in private donations, catapulting Edgar and Ivy’s Cat Rescue Mission out of debt.

Then, in the days that followed, some of the other followers of SB Mowing who had decided to pay for supplies had their contributions recognized: when four truckloads of orders showed up at Edgar and Ivy’s front door.

“He saved us,” Beal told My San Antonio, referring to Spencer. “I kept praying that I’d get some sort of a sign if I should continue because I told myself if I couldn’t make it this year, I was going to end it. I was not going to continue this rescue.”

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS: Restaurant Feeds Community With Free Fridge–Then Gets Paid Back When Business Faces Closure in Austin, Texas

Beal decided to dedicate the mission’s new building to Spencer, who was given the opportunity to name it: The SB Mowing Wellness and Recovery Center (for cats). Esbee, who has received dozens of offers for adoption, is right at home.

Anissa Beal, Esbee, and her staff at the opening of their new building – credit Anissa Beal

“Esbee, no doubt would have—with the wounds he had—would have died within the next 48 hours from sepsis,” Beal said, adding that she would only accept in-person adoption offers from genuinely interested parties and “not just while he was in his 15 minutes of fame.”

ONE CAT CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING: How a Tiny Injured Kitten Kickstarted an Entire Sustainability Initiative to Eliminate Plastic

Since this incredible act of charitable giving and compassion, Edgar and Ivy’s Mission has rescued 700 cats.

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