66 years ago today, Things Fall Apart, believed to be the most read, best-selling African novel ever written, was published. Nigerian author Chinua Achebe depicts the events of pre-colonial life in Igboland, a cultural area in modern-day southeastern Nigeria, and the subsequent appearance of European missionaries and colonial forces in the late 19th century. The novel was first published in the United Kingdom in 1958 by William Heinemann Ltd and became the first work published in Heinemann’s African Writers Series before becoming is widely studied in English-speaking countries around the world. READ about the plot… (1958)
Mom Throws a FUN-eral for Late Husband with Bouncy Castle and Goodie Bags–Making Positive Memories for Their Kids
An Arizona woman held a ‘FUN-eral’ to celebrate her late husband’s life, complete with a bouncy castle, his favorite food, and ‘party bags’ for guests to take home, among the many good vibes.
Katie Young suddenly lost her husband, Brandon, after he suffered a stroke at the age of 39 and passed away a few weeks later on May 17.
The couple had three children together and Katie didn’t want them to have “horrible memories” of their dad’s send-off.
“I was thinking about my children and how the day would be, and it felt so wrong.
“All we were going to do was have these horrible memories. It didn’t feel true to Brandon.”
Instead of holding a traditional service and wake, the 40-year-old widow set out to make it a FUN-eral – ensuring the day would be a celebration of Brandon’s life—for her kids (aged 8-12) and the hundreds of guests.
She featured his favorite foods—chips and dips—and displayed his artwork and vast record collection so everyone could take home a goodie bag of items that would keep his memory alive. Crafting tables were even set up for people to make their own art.
“Every time I started thinking about planning a traditional funeral, I did not want to do it,” said the shop owner from Gilbert, Arizona.
She became adamant about holding a celebration that her husband of 16 years would have enjoyed.
“I have so many happy memories of Brandon. We loved to cook together (and) he taught me to have fun in the kitchen. I would follow a recipe and he would make things up.
Katie said she knew the day was “perfect” when she looked over at their children and they all had smiles on their faces.
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“They will only have the happiest memories from their dad’s funeral, instead of it being traumatic.
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“Brandon loved being a dad more than anything on earth. He would have been happy that his kids were happy.”
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Light Therapy Can Help People Recover From Major Brain Injuries, Shows Study
Lights of different wavelengths have been studied for years for their wound-healing properties.
Now, low-level light therapy appears to positively affect healing in the brains of people who suffered significant brain injuries, according to a study published last month in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital conducted low-level light therapy on 38 patients who had suffered moderate traumatic brain injury—an injury to the head serious enough to alter cognition or be visible on a brain scan. They all received light therapy within 72 hours of their injuries through a helmet that emits near-infrared light.
“The skull is quite transparent to near-infrared light,” said study co-lead author Rajiv Gupta, M.D., Ph.D., from the Department of Radiology at Mass General. “Once you put the helmet on, your whole brain is bathing in this light.”
The researchers used an imaging technique called functional MRI to gauge the effects of the light therapy. They focused on the brain’s resting-state functional connectivity, the communication between brain regions that occurs when a person is at rest and not engaged in a specific task.
The researchers compared MRI results during three recovery phases: the acute phase of within one week after injury, the subacute phase of two to three weeks post-injury and the late-subacute phase of three months after injury.
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Of the 38 patients in the trial, 21 did not receive light therapy while wearing the helmet. This was done to serve as a control to minimize bias due to patient characteristics and to avoid potential placebo effects.
Patients who received low-level light therapy showed a greater change in resting-state connectivity in seven brain region pairs during the acute-to-subacute recovery phase, compared to the control participants.
“There was increased connectivity in those receiving light treatment, primarily within the first two weeks,” said study coauthor Nathaniel Mercaldo, Ph.D., who noted the next step is to study long-term effects.
The precise mechanism of the light therapy’s effects on the brain is also still to be determined. Previous research points to the alteration of an enzyme in the cell’s mitochondria (often referred to as the “powerhouse” inside each cell), Dr. Gupta said. This leads to more production of adenosine triphosphate, a molecule that stores and transfers energy in the cells. Light therapy has also been linked with blood vessel dilation and anti-inflammatory effects.
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The 810-nanometer-wavelength light used in the study is already employed in various therapeutic applications. It’s safe, easy to administer and does not require surgery or medications. The helmet’s portability means it can be delivered in settings outside of the hospital.
It may have applications in treating many other neurological conditions, according to Dr. Gupta.
“There are lots of disorders of connectivity, mostly in psychiatry, where this intervention may have a role. PTSD, depression, autism: these are all promising areas for light therapy.”
One thing is true. The role of light therapy will only expand, as more study results come in
(SOURCE: Radiology, published by the Radiological Society of North America–RSNA)
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What Millennial Parents Do to Make Their Days More Joyful
According to a new poll, small moments of joy can turn even the most routine and ordinary day into memorable family time.
The survey of 2,000 American millennial parents found that moms and dads, on average, try to have fun with their kids outside the normal schedule, five days out of the week.
Commissioned by Hostess and conducted by Talker Research, the study found that 86% feel confident in their abilities to make small moments of joy for their family throughout the average day, and 91% believe finding moments of joy can have a positive impact both on their own and their kid’s wellbeing.
The parents were asked what makes their days feel more joyful: over half said making their kids laugh, or being silly with their kids; 46% said cuddling; and 43% also want to do something spontaneous and fun.
And when they feel like they’re stuck doing mundane tasks, parents said they like to make it more joyous by singing along to music (63%), generally being silly (46%) or dancing with their kids (43%).
The average parent said they try to surprise their kids with fun activities three times per week.
In fact, 68% like treating their kids to some sort of spontaneous activity, such as giving them a special treat or snack (59%), buying them something new (58%), or playing games together (57%).
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Meanwhile, 78% of parents said they actually prefer planning fun activities for their kids ahead of time. They like to schedule visits to local parks (60%), plan family activities (51%), and half of the parents surveyed said they plan ahead to reward their kids for good grades.
“Following a daily routine can be beneficial for families and helps everyday life run smoothly, but it can also become repetitive and monotonous,” said Chris Balach, a VP at The J.M. Smucker Co. “A small break away from a typical day to find and appreciate moments of joy makes a big difference.”
Over seven in 10 parents prefer weekends for creating spontaneous moments of joy because they are able to spend more time relaxing with family without worrying about school or work.
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But, nine in 10 are certain the more time their family plays together, the happier and more closely knit they will feel. And, 88% believed it’s important to have family outings outside the home at least once per week.
“Whether it’s planning a trip to the park or having an impromptu karaoke session at home, breaking away from the daily routine can encourage parents and kids to create lasting memories and appreciate those special moments of joy together,” added Balach.
TOP 10 WAYS PARENTS SAY THEY CAN MAKE THE DAY MORE JOYFUL
– Making my kid(s) laugh – 52%
– Being silly with my kid(s) – 48%
– Cuddling with my kid(s) – 46%
– Having nice weather – 43%
– Doing something spontaneous and fun – 43%
– Spending more time with my kid(s) at home – 43%
– Experiencing something for the first time with my kid(s) – 40%
– Spending time outdoors – 39%
– Learning new things alongside my kid(s) – 36%
– Finding a new mutual interest or hobby with my kid(s) – 33%
Disney Superfan Lost 230-lbs So He Could Play Prince Charming and Go on The Rides
A Disney superfan who was so big he couldn’t fit on the theme park rides has lost 230 pounds and now plays Prince Charming on stage.
Ben Clark weighed 420 pounds and had a 48-50 inch waist before traveling to Poland for gastric sleeve surgery in October 2022.
The Englishman realized the need to take action when he was denied boarding at some rides at Disney World after flying all the way to Florida, in September 2022.
Ben spent £5,000 on the procedure ($6,300), including flights and medication, and can now fit on the rides with ease.
“I’m a huge Disney nerd,” said the 35-year-old, who was involved in musical theatre as a young man and later as a dance teacher.
He’d always longed to return to the craft, and the hard work transforming his body allowed him to, finally, return to the stage. In fact, he landed his dream role in a stage production at St Lawrence College in Kent.
“I have been back on stage in three amateur shows (since losing weight), and finally played the role of Prince Charming in Cinderella.”
“The weight loss has given me confidence. I would not have been able to do this before.”
He’s grateful to his godmother, who recommended the clinic in Poland after she underwent the surgery a year before.
Ben described the operation—which removed two-thirds of his stomach so he could ‘feel full’ eating smaller meals—was painful. It was also hard work hitting the necessary dietary targets before and after the surgery.
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“A lot of people think it is ’the easy way out’ but you still have to do a lot of work after. The stomach is still a muscle and you can stretch it, so for eight weeks after you are on a very strict diet.”
“I can eat anything, but only small amounts—like, I will have a small chicken breast and some vegetables and be full.
He now weighs 177 pounds and his diet has completely changed, thanks to a couple hacks that help keep him disciplined. (See his before-and-after diet at the bottom...)
“Instead of using a normal plate, I will use a side plate. It still looks like a full meal that way.”
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One of his worst habits was drinking two-plus liters of soda every day. Now he drinks water, juice, or decaf coffee.
“I still treat myself to chocolate or sweets, or what I want, but it’s in small quantities and once in a blue moon.
Ben says his weight loss journey made him “a lot happier as a person” and inspired him to change careers and move from a small town to the big city of Manchester.
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He now intends to save money—both for procedures to have loose skin removed, and for a trip back to Florida to go on the Disney rides he missed two years ago.
DIET BEFORE WEIGHT LOSS:
Breakfast – nothing
Lunch – nothing
Mid afternoon snack – a cake or chocolate bar
Dinner – a fully cooked dinner portion for two, a roast
Late night snack – a take away – kebab, chips and chicken wings or a KFC or a large amount of McDonalds
Drinks – two litres of fizzy drink a day
DIET POST-SURGERY:
Breakfast – protein porridge or overnight oats
Mid morning snack – boiled egg or protein bar / shake
Lunch – chicken breast (flavoured) or a tin of tuna
Afternoon snack – nuts or hummus or protein bar / shake
Dinner – a heavy protein meal but side plate size
Drinks – water or squash, decaf coffee
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“Love is a fruit in season at all times—and within reach of every hand.” – Mother Teresa (Happy Father’s Day!)
Quote of the Day: “Love is a fruit in season at all times—and within reach of every hand.” – Mother Teresa
Photo by: Christiann Koepke
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, June 16
12 years/61 years ago today, two ladies became the first women to enter space for their respective nations. 60 years ago it was the first female Russian, Valentina Tereshkova, who was also the first woman ever to fly into space, while 11 years ago it was the first female Chinese astronaut aka a “taikonaut” Liu Yang. READ more about their respective flights… (1963/2012)
Incredible ‘Walking Tree’ is Named New Zealand’s 2024 Tree of the Year
A lone tree that looks like it’s out for a stroll has been crowned the 2024 Tree of the Year in New Zealand.
This extraordinary Metrosideros robusta, nicknamed The Walking Tree, ‘walked away’ with the award bestowed by the New Zealand Arboricultural Association.
Located near a cemetery in South Island, its quirky leg-style trunks immediately conjure Tolkien’s sentient walking Ents in the fantasy trilogy Lord of the Rings.
“The Walking Tree was nominated by Bryan Bell, who highlighted its remarkable form and captivating presence,” said the Association in a statement. “With its twin trunks stretched as if in mid-stride—and seemingly wearing high heels—this tree is a striking natural wonder.”
The majestic tree, from the species also known as northern rātā, is already registered on The New Zealand Tree Registry, and was the clear favorite here, running off with 42% of the total votes from among six finalists.
Addressing the tree’s age, the Association says, “It remains a mystery just how long this windswept walker has been strutting its stuff north of Karamea.”
The northern rātā, which can live for up to 1,000 years, is one of New Zealand’s tallest flowering trees. It begins as a plant-like epiphyte growing high in the forest canopy upon another host tree. Over time, its roots reach the ground, and it eventually envelops the original tree.
The third annual Tree of the Year campaign is meant to recognize and celebrate the significant role that trees play within our communities—not only enhancing our local environments but also “providing a sense of place for past, present, and future generations”.
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“The Walking Tree is a prime example of the remarkable trees that we, as New Zealanders, are fortunate to experience,” said the association’s president Richie Hill.
“It is a must-see destination, highlighting the uniqueness and diversity that exists within New Zealand’s notable tree population.”
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Man Injured in Work Accident Gets 3D-Printed Fingers – A Glove That Gives His Life Back
An amputee who lost his fingers in a work accident is thrilled to be doing everyday tasks again, after being being the first person to receive new 3D-printed fingers.
Michael Altheim who had four fingers on his right hand amputated finally had his independence restored after British company Open Bionics fitted him with their state-of-the-art ‘Hero Gauntlet’.
The 52-year-old is now returning to his beloved hobbies of fishing and cycling, and can grip everyday objects.
“I previously had partial finger solutions, but the weight was really heavy, operation minimal and it wasn’t waterproof,” said the former truck driver. “I could maybe fold a towel but that was it. I’ve never been able to properly hold a screwdriver or hammer, or use it for fishing.”
“When I slipped the Hero Gauntlet on and moved my joint and my fingers, I thought in amazement, ‘Oh yes, look there!’.
“They got a ball, then a screwdriver… I could finally control the hardness of my grip.”
After ten years of living without his fingers, the German from Frankfurt was particularly impressed by the speed at which he was able to grasp objects with the glove.
“The new hand works perfectly without any delay,” he said, adding that he was once again able to hold a shopping basket with one hand whilst using his free hand to select and pick up items.
The partial prosthetic hand is lightweight and works by flexing the wrist to control finger movement. Each Hero Gauntlet is custom-made for each wearer using 3D scanning, printing and modeling technology.
The waterproof device enables those born without fingers or those who’ve undergone partial hand amputation to regain the hand functionality needed to be able to hold cutlery and cut their own food.
Samantha Payne, co-founder of Open Bionics, said the company was deluged with requests to design and develop a partial hand solution that was comfortable enough to wear all day.
“It’s pure joy to see this piece of engineering have an instant positive impact on activities Michael loves doing.”
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Award-winning company Open Bionics is currently working with insurance groups across Germany to offer their technology to partial hand amputees.
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Michael was the first patient to undergo a successful trial of the new technology, but the company is also working with other German citizens who are being fitted for the prototype.
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US Crime Rate Drops to ‘Historic’ Lows With Murders, Rapes, and Robbery Plunging, New Statistics Show
The FBI released its latest Uniform Crime Reporting survey last week that revealed a notable positive trend continuing across the US—with violent and property crimes dropping by double digits.
Compared to January through March 2023, data from the first quarter of 2024 indicates that reported violent crime decreased by 15.2 percent.
Murder decreased by more than 26 percent.
Rape is down by 25.7 percent.
Robbery dropped by 17.8 percent.
Aggravated assault reports decreased by 12.5 percent.
Property crime also decreased by just over 15 percent.
The report includes data from more than 18,000 city, county, state, tribal, university and college, and federal law enforcement agencies.
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Last year, crime in the U.S. declined across nearly every category, with the FBI tallying one of the lowest rates of violent crime in more than 50 years and one of biggest drops in murder rates seen in history.
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Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ From Rob Brezsny
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 June 15, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Though 2024 isn’t even half over, you have already earned the title “Least Boring Zodiac Sign of the Year.” Or maybe a more positive way to frame it would be to award you the title “Most Scintillating, Interesting, and Stimulating Zodiac Sign of the Year.” Please keep doing what you have been doing, Gemini. Entertain us with your unruly escapades and gossip-worthy breakthroughs. Encourage us to question our dull certainties and dare us to be more fun. If we seem nervous to be in your stirring presence, disarm our worries with your humor.
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Your subconscious mind is full of marvelous capacities and magic potencies. But it also contains old habits of feeling and thinking that influence you to respond to life in ways that are out of sync with what’s actually happening. These habits may sabotage or undermine your conscious intentions. Now here’s the good news: In the next nine months, there’s a lot you can do to dissolve the outmoded imprints. You will have more power than ever before to perform this wizardry. So get started! How? Ask your subconscious mind to send you intuitions about how to proceed.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
The fairy tale “Jack and the Beanstalk” will serve as a prime metaphor for you in the coming weeks. Ruminate on its themes as being applicable to your life. I’ll refresh you with the main points of the story. Young Jack and his mother need money, so she decides to take drastic measures. She bids him to sell the family cow at the marketplace a few miles away. But on the way into town, Jack meets a man who coaxes him to sell the cow in exchange for magic beans—not money. When Jack returns home, his mother is angry at his foolishness. In disgust, she flings the beans out the window into the dirt. Later, though, the beans live up to their promise. They grow into a giant beanstalk that Jack climbs to reach the lair of a giant who lives in the clouds. There Jack retrieves three of his family’s lost treasures, which had been stolen by the giant long ago.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Before the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the third century BCE, Chinese people had built many local walls designed to keep out invaders. Qin Shi Huang initiated a great public works project to connect all of these fragments into what’s now known as the Great Wall of China. He also erected a vast system of roads and a city-sized mausoleum filled with the Terracotta Army: sculptures of 8,000 soldiers with their chariots and horses. Qin Shi Huang was a big thinker who was also highly organized! In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to glide into your very own Qin Shi Huang phase. What long-lasting structures do you want to build in the next 11 months?
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Psychologist Carl Jung believed we could accomplish profound self-transformation by working hard on our psyches’ unripe and wounded aspects. That might entail honest self-examination, objective observation of how we affect others, and a willingness to recognize and forgive our mistakes. Jung also recommended another way to heal our neuroses: through the power of numinous experiences. By “numinous,” he meant mystical, sublime, or awe-inspiring. Jung said that such visitations could radically diminish our painful habits of mind and feeling. They might arrive through grace, thanks to life’s surprising interventions. They may also be coaxed to appear through meditation, dreamwork, communing with nature or spiritual practices. I foresee a wealth of numinous events in your life during the coming months, Libra. May they bring you a steady stream of healing.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
In a moment, I will list events I foresee as being possible for you during the next 11 months. They are cosmic tendencies but not cosmic mandates. Whether or not they actually occur will depend on how you wield your willpower—which, by the way, could be freer and more muscular than it has been in a long time. Now here are the potential developments. 1. An offer to create one of the most symbiotic unions or robust collaborations ever. 2. Great chances for you to capitalize on the success of others. 3. Alterations in the family configuration. 4. Major shifts in loyalty and affinity. 5. A raise in rank. 6. Revelations of secrets you can use to your advantage.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Have you been metaphysically itchy and psychologically ticklish? Are you unsure whether those tingling sensations you’re feeling are worrisome symptoms or signs of healing and awakening? I believe they are signs of healing and awakening. They suggest you are doing the metaphorical equivalent of what a snake does when it sheds its skin. Expect imminent redemption, Sagittarius! Reframe the discomfort as a herald of relief and release.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
It’s time for Super Mom to make an appearance. Some circumstances in your life could benefit from healing tweaks best initiated by her. And when I say “Super Mom,” I’m not necessarily referring to your actual mother. I’m envisioning a wise older woman who sees you as you really are and who can assist you in living your destiny according to your own inner necessity, no one else’s. If you have no Super Mom in your world, see if you can locate one, even hire one. I also recommend creating an inner Super Mom in your imagination. You need and deserve sympathetic input from the archetype of the sage crone.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
I suspect that later in 2024, I will authorize you to commune with boisterous adventures and tricky risks. But right now, I advise you to flirt with modest adventures and sensible risks. Can you contain your burning, churning yearnings for a while? Are you willing to coax your crazy wild heart into enjoying some mild pleasures? By early autumn, I’m guessing you will have done the necessary preparations to successfully roam through the experimental frontiers. Until then, you are most likely to corral X-factors on your behalf if you pace yourself and bide your time.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
“Oh God, if there is a God, save my soul, if I have a soul.” That prayer was the handiwork of Piscean philosopher Joseph Ernest Renan. If his ironic minimalism is the only spiritual aspiration you can manage right now, so be it. The coming weeks will be an extra favorable time for you to speak and listen to mysterious powers beyond your rational comprehension. Please take advantage!
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
The term “maze” has various meanings. Most commonly, it signifies a puzzling cluster of choices that lead nowhere and bode frustration. But there are more positive meanings of the word. In ancient myths, a maze was where heroes underwent ritual tests. There they might summon ingenuity to win access to a hidden treasure. In modern psychology labs, the maze is a structure used to stimulate learning in rats. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the maze you are now in is metaphorically akin to the second two meanings, not the first.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
There is an abundance of good news, Taurus. In the coming weeks, your conversations could awaken realizations that will augment your wealth—both the financial and emotional kind. So be eager to commune with vigorous souls who inspire your power to attract resources and goodies. Furthermore, you could generate enriching benefits for yourself by engaging with unfamiliar influences that are outside your web of expectations. Don’t be too sure you already know everything you need. Helpful surprises could arrive if you’re extra open-minded.
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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“Life is a long lesson in humility.” – James M. Barrie
Quote of the Day: “Life is a long lesson in humility.” – James M. Barrie
Photo by: Oliver Cole
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, June 15
30 years ago today, The Lion King was released in theaters, receiving critical acclaim for its music, story, themes, and animation, winning two Academy Awards, and enshrining itself as one of the greatest animated films of all time. Keeping everything simple, and borrowing plots from the Bible and Shakespeare, the story of paradise—paradise lost—paradise reclaimed resonated with all who watched it, and it grossed $763 million on its theatrical run, the second-highest-grossing film of all time, behind Jurassic Park. READ more… (1994)
Fossilized Bones Found in Australia Identified as New Species of Pterosaur
Fossilized bones found in Australia have been identified as a new species of flying reptile—a “fearsome” predator that lived around 100 million years ago and had a 15-foot wingspan.
The bones, unearthed in western Queensland by museum creator Kevin Petersen in 2021, have been found to belong to a newly identified species of pterosaur, dubbed Haliskia peterseni, or “Peterson’s phantom of the sea.”
A research team led by Ph.D. student Adele Pentland, of Curtin University, Australia, identified the specimen as a member of the group Ornithocheiromorpha, based on the shape of its skull, arrangement of teeth, and shape of the shoulder bone.
Ornithocheiromorpha was a group of pterosaurs known to have lived all over the world, including in what is now England, Brazil, Morocco, China, Spain, and the United States.
“Careful preparation by Mr Petersen has provided the remains of the most complete specimen of an [Ornithocheiromorph], and of any pterosaur, discovered in Australia to date,” said Pentland.
“With a wingspan of approximately 4.6 meters, Haliskia would have been a fearsome predator around 100 million years ago when much of central western Queensland was underwater,” she added, calling the pterosaur family a bunch of “demonic pelicans,” owing to their large bucket-like mouths for scooping up fish.
Haliskia peterseni joins several marine fossil specimens on display at the Kronosaurus Korner Museum in Queensland, where Petersen is the curator. Working at a public dig site near the town of Richmond, Peterson saw the bones and knew they were a pterosaur, ABC News AU reports.
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“The specimen includes complete lower jaws, 43 teeth, vertebrae, ribs, bones from both wings, and part of a leg,” said Pentland. “Also present are very thin and delicate throat bones, indicating a muscular tongue, which helped during feeding on fish and cephalopods.”
Queensland was part of the shallow sea mentioned earlier, and Pentland said the area where the pterosaur was found is renowned for fossil deposits.
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“I’ve never seen anything like it in Australia. In Richmond, really it’s low effort, high reward,” Pentland said.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if someone digging at these public dig pits outside of Richmond found something even more complete. I think it’s only a matter of time.”
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Editor’s Note: Certain elements of the story have been changed to reflect that pterosaurs are not dinosaurs.
Thar’ Be a Kraken! First Video Footage of a Possible Colossal Squid in its Own Habitat Captured
Last year, a group of scientists attempting to capture footage of a colossal squid, the largest invertebrate on Earth, in its natural habitat may have hooked their prize when one of their underwater cameras captured a juvenile glass squid swimming by.
Colossal squids are members of the glass squid family, and so appear transparent to the eye—not that any eye has ever been laid on one in its day-to-day life. However, in the high-definition footage captured by the researchers, the vermillion tentacles and faint blue bioluminescence narrow down the list of potential species considerably.
In the epitomization of the phrase anti-climactic, the ‘colossal squid’ was a 12-centimeter-long juvenile, but because the expedition was privately funded, it gave the team immediate impetus to return to the Antarctic waters and search for longer, and at greater depths.
Kolossal Expedition leader Matthew Mulrennan was working on the Antarctic tourist boat Ocean Endeavour where 200 tourists shared quarters with him and his team between December 2022 and April 2023.
Hakai Magazine reports that the curiosity and support of the tourists was needed motivational drive to keep the team from flagging in their endless monitoring of the frigid waters below their vessel.
“We’d put the camera in the water at midnight or 1:00 a.m., be up until 4:00 or 5:00 a.m., and then have to get up at 6:00 or 7:00 a.m.,” Jennifer Herbig, a doctoral candidate at Memorial University in Newfoundland, told the coastal focused magazine.
In total the marine biologists captured 62 hours of footage, broken up by the constant efforts to unsnag the camera lines from sea ice around the South Shetland and South Georgian islands.
Then, paydirt—a tiny candidate for their colossal quarry swam by, although it could have been another large glass squid called Galiteuthis glacialis. The footage was sent to New Zealand’s Auckland University of Technology, a country in whose territorial waters the only live adult colossal squid was ever fished out of the depths—a female in 2007 that was over 12 feet long and closing in on 1,000 pounds.
“The two known Cranchiidae taxa seen in the Antarctic are Galiteuthis glacialis and Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni,” Dr. Aaron Evans, who studies the Cranchiidae family and has been peer reviewing the footage, told IFL Science.
“The squid seen here could belong to different life stages of either of those taxa—and is an exciting example of wild cranchiid behavior, as I cannot think of existing video footage of either of those squid in their natural environment.”
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Without bones or cartilage to support its massive bulk, the colossal squid relies on the intense oceanic pressures of its bathypelagic home to keep itself together, and simply falls apart at sea level. Almost all of what was known about the animal prior to the 2007 discovery came from bits and pieces recovered from the stomachs of sperm whales, the squid’s natural predator.
For this reason, studying them in their natural habitat is the only chance to unravel the mystery of an animal that is both the largest cephalopod and the largest invertebrate on Earth.
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Little if anything is known about the colossal squid. It’s believed they’re ambush predators, like most hunters in the lightless depths. They have the largest eyes in the animal kingdom—12 to 16 inches in diameter, or about the size of a volleyball, which is believed to give them best-in-class abilities to see through the murk, identify bioluminescent creatures, and detect sperm whales from a distance.
Kolossal and Mulrennan are planning to return in November to keep searching. They’re planning to bring more cameras and longer camera cables, and maybe also equipment for taking DNA samples in the water so they can be sure of their discovery if they make any bigger, potentially colossal ones.
WATCH the squid swim by at 2:23 seconds in the video below…
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All 4 Daughters Named Valedictorian of Their High School–Outsmarting the Odds of 1 in 11 Billion
In Titusville, Florida, the unbelievable occurred as each of a married couple’s four daughters was named valedictorian of the same high school.
Someone with probability calculations told Fox News Digital that the chance of this happening is 1 in 11 billion.
Celebrations were heightened at the Rendina Household and the sense of relief was palpable in the air when 18-year-old Ryleigh Rendina was named valedictorian at Astronaut High School.
Ryleigh followed her older sisters Taylor, 20; Alisa, 22; and Makaley, 24 in being named valedictorian, something which their mother Tracey said was never pushed on any of them, or even suggested as a target.
“We never told them they had to make As. There was no ‘You have to do this or else.’ It was always, ‘You just do your best,’” Rendina told Fox.
Tracey, the math department chair at Astronaut High, and her husband Mike said they always encouraged them to do their best and nothing more, but after their eldest Makaley was named valedictorian, and then two years later Alisa was too, and then two years later Taylor was also accorded the honor, there was an inescapable anxiety about Ryleigh.
Tracey and Mike were worried that with such a storied household sorority, Ryleigh would be too anxious about being named valedictorian and that if she were not, she would feel like she let herself and the family down, or that she wasn’t smart, talented, or good enough.
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“By the time we [reached] No. 4, and she knew that all of her sisters had been valedictorian, I do think she felt internally some pressure to do that as well,” Rendina said, adding that she and Mike had already established a family doctrine that everyone was supported in failure and success equally.
Then, in early June 2024, graduation called, and the family showed a four-of-a-kind.
“I think they all had that sense of relief that, ‘OK, we all did it. Now we’re all in this together and we all made it right,'” Rendina added. “It’s like a win for one is a win for all.”
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The parents are soon expecting to be “empty nesters” as the young women all go off on their own paths, including careers and university.
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Glowing Dye Clings to Cancer Cells Giving Doctors ‘Second Pair of Eyes’
A human trial in Scotland found that a dye that clings to cancer cells can give surgeons an unprecedented view of tumors as they enter to remove them.
Developed for use in the removal of prostate cancer, the dye could be adapted to other cancers but is already successfully helping to extract greater amounts of cancerous tissue.
News of personalized mRNA cancer vaccines and CAR-T cell therapy suggest that cancer treatments are in the middle of a revolution. By contrast, this relatively simple procedure gives surgeons a “second pair of eyes” to help them preserve as much healthy tissue as possible and also track down where any malignancies have spread.
Developed by Cancer Research UK, larger-scale trials are now underway to find out just how effective the marker dye is. At present, a trial of 23 men with prostate cancer underwent surgery and had more of their cancer removed and more healthy tissue unharmed.
“It’s the first time we’ve managed to see such fine details of prostate cancer in real-time during surgery,” said surgery professor, Freddie Hamdy from the University of Oxford and lead author of the study. “With this technique, we can strip all the cancer away, including the cells that have spread from the tumor—which could give it the chance to come back later.”
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Developed as part of a collaboration between Oxford and a private biotech company in Inglewood California called ImaginAb, the marker dye contains a targeting molecule that is engineered to attach itself to a protein called prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) found on the exterior of prostate cancer cells.
The developers believe that future versions of the dye could be developed for other forms of cancers just by changing the target protein.
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Further experts speaking to The Scotsman about the dye’s success in the trial explained that it’s nearly impossible for the naked eye to determine what is and isn’t cancerous beyond the site of the tumor. The dye, the expert said, could fundamentally transform prostate cancer treatment.
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“Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.” – Samuel Smiles
Quote of the Day: “Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.” – Samuel Smiles
Photo by: Mohamed Nohassi
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, June 14
98 years ago today, sumptuous singer Nat King Cole recorded The Christmas Song, written by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells, for the first time. It is still today, lo-fi be darned, one of the most preferred versions of this icon of iconic yuletide tunes. While it’s a little early in the year for Christmas songs, YouTube has the man singing the song on his short-lived variety show, The Nat King Cole Show. READ more and watch the video… (1946)
Group Wants Colorado Kids to Save the Bees This Summer–Giving Out 100,000 Free Packets of Wildflower Seeds
Next Monday is the start of National Pollinator Awareness Week, and one Colorado advocacy group is hosting a flower planting drive to rewild Colorado’s meadows, gardens, and just maybe, its children too.
Created by constitutional amendment in 1992, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) is a state-funded independent board that invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces.
This year, GOCO’s offshoot Generation Wild is distributing over 100,000 free packets of wildflower seeds to collection points at museums, Denver Parks and Rec. offices, and libraries all over the state to encourage kids and families to plant the seeds in their backyards.
The Save the Bees! initiative aims to make the state more beautiful, more ecologically diverse, and more friendly to pollinators.
According to a new report from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, 20% of Colorado’s bumblebees are now at risk of extinction. Even in a small area like a backyard, planting wildflowers can make a positive impact on the local ecosystem and provide native bees with a healthy place to live.
“The Western Bumblebee population has declined in Colorado by 72%, and we’re calling on kids across Colorado to ‘bee’ the change,” said GOCO Executive Director Jackie Miller.
“Through this effort, kids will be empowered to improve the environment and learn firsthand what helps our local ecosystems thrive. Most importantly, they’ll be outside engaging with nature in a fun and personal way,” she added in a statement.
Named after Generation Wild’s official mascot “Wilder,” the Wilderflower Seed Mix was developed in partnership with Applewood Seed Co. and packets are now available for pickup at designated partner sites including more than 80 Little Free Library boxes.
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By distributing 100,000 Wilderflower packets, Generation Wild is providing more than 56 million seeds for planting in every nook and cranny of the state. All seeds are regionally-native to Colorado, which is important for sustaining the living landscape of bees, birds, and other animals.
Additionally, by using flower species adapted to the Mile High climate, landscapers and gardeners need to use less water than if they were tending non-native plants.
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“Applewood Seed Co. was excited to jump in and help Generation Wild identify a seed mix that is native to the Colorado region and the American West, containing a diversity of flower species to attract and support Colorado’s pollinator populations,” stated Norm Poppe, CEO of Applewood Seed Co. “We hope efforts like this continue to educate the public on pollinator conservation and the need to protect our native bees and butterflies.”
Concluding her statement Miller firmly stated that children grow up better outside, and if you or a parent you know agree with her, all the information on how to participate in Save the Bees! can be found here on their website, including a map showing all the local pickup points for the Wilderflower Seed Packets.
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