Good News Notes: “The legend says that vanilla was introduced to Europe by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, who had seen the Aztec Emperor Montezuma drink his xocolatl (sort of a chocolate drink) with a bit of vanilla. The Mesoamerican flavoring gained massively in popularity in the 19th century, when botanists found a way to hand-pollinate it, which…
Month: April 2020
Thanks to the All In Challenge, Celebrities Are Changing Lives Amid the Coronavirus Outbreak
Good News Notes: “Celebrities are quite literally going all in to help others amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Since April 14, stars have been participating in the All In Challenge to raise money for those struggling with food insecurity. The digital fundraiser was started by sports retail company Fanatics and will benefit hunger relief…
Deep sea expedition uncovers 30 new species, plus longest-known animal
Good News Notes: “The expedition was conducted by scientists from the Western Australian Museum, Curtin University, Geoscience Australia, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Schmidt Ocean Institute. Over the course of 20 dives and 180 hours, the team explored the Ningaloo Canyons in the Indian Ocean down to depths of 4,500 m (14,765 ft). Using a…
Osceola church giving away masks to help protect the community
Good News Notes: “One church in Osceola County is finding a way to make sure everyone can keep their faces covered during the pandemic. Pastor Jay McCaig said he figured the face covering order would be difficult to enforce, but he still thinks it is important to wear one and to encourage others to do…
Dallas Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott Raises Money for Charity With Food T-Shirts
Good News Notes: “Famous for his “feed me” celebration on the football field, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is now raising funds to help feed people in need during the coronavirus pandemic. Over the weekend, Elliott announced via Twitter that he would donate 100% of proceeds of sales from his merchandise line to the North Texas…
Houston Zoo offers animal encounters you can enjoy from the comfort of your couch
Good News Notes: “Attracting more than two million visitors each year, the Houston Zoo is among the most-visited zoos in the country and one of the most-attended attractions in the Houston area. But, nearly a month ago, its seemingly endless stream of guests evaporated when the zoo closed its doors to the public amid efforts…
Good, Better, Best — Eliminating Plastic Waste
Good News Notes: “The top three materials filling American garbage bins are paper, food waste, and plastic. Of the three, plastic may be the most problematic. Not only does its production use nonrenewable natural resources and energy, but unlike paper and food waste, it is neither biodegradable nor easily recyclable. Nonexistent a century ago, plastic…
Celebrities participate in virtual dance-a-thon, raise over $3 million for health care workers
Good News Notes: “Around the world, non-profits and charity groups are working hard to feed the hungry and provide essential supplies to healthcare workers during the global health crisis. In harmony with those efforts, a handful of musically-inclined (and some not so musically-inclined) celebrities are finding a fun way of raising money for healthcare workers….
It’s a zonkey! Zebra gives birth to rare baby after mating with a donkey
Good News Notes: “If you thought baby donkeys were cute, wait until you get a load of this zonkey! A zebra at the Chyulu Hills National Park in Kenya was recently found with a peculiar-looking foal by her side. It had stripes, but they weren’t dark and barely covered her body. When caregivers at the…
World’s wind power capacity up by fifth after record year
Good News Notes: “The world’s wind power capacity grew by almost a fifth in 2019 after a year of record growth for offshore windfarms and a boom in onshore projects in the US and China. The Global Wind Energy Council found that wind power capacity grew by 60.4 gigawatts, or 19%, compared with 2018, in one of…