Good News in History, February 1
125 years ago, the African-American writer, poet, and playwright Langston Hughes was born on what would become the first day of Black History Month. Hughes became a prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance, writing often for The Crisis, the official magazine of the NAACP, as well as a weekly column in a primarily black newspaper […]
One Armed Golfer Gets Hole-in-One After Learning the Game Since His Accident: ‘Golf Gave me the Will to Live’
Golfers as old as 103 have hit holes-in-one—but have you ever heard of the feat being achieved by someone with only one arm? But recently, an Irish golfer celebrated sinking his first ever hole-in-one, after learning how to play the game since an accident left him with only one arm. A physically-challenged golfer is celebrating […]
Helping with Grandkids May Protect Against Cognitive Decline, Shows New Research
Being an involved grandparent is good for the brain, according to a new study which showed that caring for grandchildren may serve as a “buffer” against cognitive decline and dementia in older adults. “Many grandparents provide regular care for their grandchildren—care that supports families, and society more broadly—but an open question is whether caregiving for […]
Polar Bears are in Better Physical Shape than 25 Years Ago, Despite Sea Ice Losses
Polar bears are in better physical health than they were 25 years ago, despite the decrease in sea ice, reveals new research. The well-being of the iconic white mammals living around the Norwegian island of Svalbard has improved in the face of climate change, likely due to better opportunities to hunt. The scientists were ‘surprised’ […]
Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ by 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 […]
Good News in History, January 31
56 years ago today, My Sweet Lord by George Harrison reached number 1 on the UK pop charts. It would hold the same position in the US, Ireland, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, West Germany, Japan, and others. His first single as a solo artist, the song was the first number-one single by an ex-Beatle. It […]
18 Outdoor Dogs Rescued from Winter Storm–and One Gives Birth Safe and Warm Inside Shelter
In southeast Missouri, the nonprofit Animal Rescue Corps helped save a pregnant female dog along with 17 others from the snow and freezing temperatures that battered so much of the United States. Safe and warm at their rescue center outside Nashville, the ARC staff helped her welcome a litter of 9 adorable puppies into the […]
Citizen Scientist Spots Earth-like Planet: Now Astrophysicists Will Focus Most Powerful Telescopes on it
In a story that proves you don’t have to be a star to find a star, astronomers are excited to train the next generation of telescopes at an Earth-like exoplanet discovered by a citizen scientist. Alexander Venner, currently studying studying at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, picked his way by hand through the data […]
Simple Amino Acid Identified as Perhaps the Difference Between Life and Death from Illness
Not all diseases are caused nutrient deficiencies, but they often do come with one. A deficiency of vitamin D, for example, is found most cases of illness, from cancer to upper-respiratory tract infections to sepsis and osteoporosis. Recently, researchers at the renowned Salk institute for Biological Studies have identified that a simple amino acid called […]
Scientists Hail Record Number of Sightings in January as Auspicious for Endangered Right Whales
As the Critically-Endangered North Atlantic right whale continues its long, slow journey back from the brink of extinction, there have been many joyful milestones worth celebrating. With the year still so young, there’s already been another: a record-number of sightings taken by a single aerial survey flight when a local marine life organization flew over […]