A six-planet solar system in perfect synchrony has been found in the Milky Way
29 November 2023 - Astronomers have discovered a rare in-sync solar system with six planets moving like a grand cosmic orchestra, untouched by outside forces since their birth billions of years ago. The find, announced Wednesday [29 November], can help explain how solar systems across the Milky Way galaxy came to be. (more)

Astronomers discover nearby six-planet solar system with 'pristine configuration'
29 November 2023 - Astronomers have used two different exoplanet-detecting satellites to solve a cosmic mystery and reveal a rare family of six planets located about 100 light-years from Earth. The discovery could help scientists unlock the secrets of planet formation. (more)

NASA's Webb Telescope reveals new features in heart of Milky Way
26 November 2023 - The latest image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope shows a portion of the dense center of our galaxy in unprecedented detail, including never-before-seen features astronomers have yet to explain. The star-forming region, named Sagittarius C (Sgr C), is about 300 light-years from the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A. (more)

Webb telescope spots the most distant Milky Way-like galaxy yet
25 November 2023 - Astronomers have spied an intriguing phenomenon in the distant universe -- a galaxy that closely resembles the Milky Way -- and it's challenging key theories on how galaxies evolve. (more)

Giving thanks isn't just a holiday tradition. It's part of how humans evolved
23 November 2023 - It's the season of giving thanks -- and it turns out humans have been doing it for a long, long time. As more researchers dig into the science of gratitude, they've found the feeling likely played a key role in helping our ancestors band together and survive. That legacy continues today, as being in the mood for gratitude shapes who we are as a species and how we connect with the people around us. (more)

Balloons, bands, and Santa: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade ushers in holiday season in New York
23 November 2023 - Beloved [cartoon] characters like Snoopy ... soared through the skies above New York City on Thursday and bands marched along the streets below as the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade ushered in the holiday season. ...The parade isn't just about what's going on in the skies, though. At street level, the procession includes more than two dozen floats, interspersed with marching bands from around the country. This is the 97th time the parade has been held since 1924. (more)

India restores e-visa services for Canadians. The move could ease diplomatic tensions
22 November 2023 - India restored electronic visa services for Canadian nationals, an Indian foreign ministry official said Wednesday (22 November) ...The move could ease tensions between the two countries that swapped accusations and expelled each other's diplomats, with India introducing a visa ban on Canadian nationals. ...Last month [on 25 October], India eased the ban and resumed services for entry, business, medical, and conference visas for Canadian nationals. (more)

Cosmic 'Christmas tree' dazzles in new image captured by Hubble and Webb
21 November 2023 - A panorama of colliding galaxy clusters glimmers in a new image, captured by the combined forces of the two most powerful space observatories ever created. The cosmic phenomenon, called MACS0416, is 4.3 billion light-years from Earth. Eventually, the merging pair of giant clusters will combine to form an even more massive collection of glittering galaxies. (more)

Solar power to the people: California program brings clean energy to Oakland
21 November 2023 - Once only accessible to the well-off, solar power is making inroads to low-income households thanks to federal and state programs. St Mary's Gardens is one of more than 100 projects in California that have had solar panels installed as part of the state-funded Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program. (more)

The Black Mambas: South Africa's all-female anti-poaching unit
21 November 2023 - The Black Mambas, named after the deadly snake, is the first all-female anti-poaching unit in South Africa. Since they were established in 2013, they've had a significant impact on local wildlife conservation. ...For many women from the local communities, employment opportunities are scarce. Becoming a Black Mamba has a wider impact, empowering women's social standing and gaining economic independence. The Black Mambas' ability to make a difference for local wildlife conservation also increases wider understanding of the issue. (more)

Webb telescope captures never-before-seen glimpse of the heart of the Milky Way
20 November 2023 - The James Webb Space Telescope has looked into the heart of the Milky Way galaxy, unveiling new features and mysteries within the chaotic region that could help astronomers unravel more details about the early universe. (more)

This Moroccan startup is growing crops in the desert
19 November 2023 - Sand to Green is a Moroccan startup that can transform a patch of desert into a sustainable and profitable plantation in five years, according to Wissal Ben Moussa, its co-founder and chief agricultural officer. Sand to Green says its techniques could be used in countries including Mauritania, Senegal, Namibia, Egypt, in the Arabian peninsula, some parts of the United States, and on the Mexican coast. (more)

GSM launched electric taxi service in Laos, aiming to promote green mobility in Southeast Asia
19 November 2023 - Vietnam's Green and Smart Mobility JSC. (GSM) has launched its pure electric taxi service in Vientiane, Laos, under the brand name ''Xanh SM''. Expanding into the first foreign market marks a step further in GSM's ''Go Green Global'' strategy to establish itself as an international electric mobility services provider and promote the adoption of green mobility beyond borders. (more)

Republic of Congo: Conkouati-Douli park gets 2,900 km2 marine extension
18 November 2023 - In the Congo, the government has approved the extension of the Conkouati-Douli National Park towards the Atlantic Ocean. This decision will strengthen the conservation of marine fauna, in particular marine turtles, dolphins, and humpback whales. (more)

Wildcats restored to Scottish Highlands
17 November 2023 - Scottish wildcats, which measure around 25 percent bigger than domestic cats, were once common in Scotland, but as of 2019, only around 30 remained in the wild. To boost their numbers, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland began nurturing young cats at a wildlife park in Kingussie. Over the past three months, conservationists set loose 19 of these cats into the forested Cairngorm Mountains in the first phase of a plan to release some 60 wildcats. (more)

US: Gila River Indian Community moves foward with solar canal project, first in country
16 November 2023 - To address the ongoing drought affecting the Southwest, the Gila River Indian Community of Arizona is taking an innovative step forward by launching its Solar Canal Project to construct the country's first solar-over-canal project. ''A tribe is leading the way'' Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis said, adding that the shovel-ready project will immediately address water conservation. ''This new technology fits and supports our culture and tradition as we look forward to being sustainable in the future in a very real way,'' Lewis said. The project may break new ground for the tribe, but he said it furthers their role as stewards of their water. (more)

Amazon women create sweet business success with wild, vitamin-C packed fruit
15 November 2023 - A women's group in Colombia's Amazon is successfully leading a sustainable, and profitable, business by harvesting camu-camu, an acidic wild fruit with more vitamin C than an orange or lemon. The business has been able to produce four to 14 tons of fruit pulp per year for sale around the country, while sustainably managing the plant species' population. (more)

US: How a small East Texas school district replaced its gas-guzzling buses with an all-electric fleet
14 November 2023 - The Martinsville Independent School District of Martinsville, Texas used a federal grant to replace four buses, which started transporting students last month. The principal believes he will save enough money on gas to hire a new teacher. So far, the Clean School Bus Program has awarded about $8.8 million to some 376 school districts, including 11 in Texas. The application window for another round of funding to be awarded next year is open. (more)

World Kindness Day
13 November 2023 - World Kindness Day is an international holiday that was formed in 1998, to promote kindness throughout the world and is observed annually on November 13 as part of the World Kindness Movement. It is observed in many countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia and the U.A.E. World Kindness Day presents us with the opportunity to reflect upon one of the most important and unifying human principles. On a day devoted to the positive potential of both large and small acts of kindness, try to promote and diffuse this crucial quality that brings people of every kind together. (more)

Britain's Prince William awards the Earthshot Prize to 5 winners and credits the finalists for giving hope
12 November 2023 - An Indian maker of solar-powered dryers, a soil carbon marketplace, and groups that work to make electric car batteries cleaner, restore Andean forests, and deter illegal fishing were awarded the Earthshot Prize at a ceremony in Singapore. Britain's Prince William, whose Royal Foundation charity launched the 10-year award program in 2020, said at the ceremony Tuesday that the solutions presented by all 15 finalists proved that ''hope does remain'' as the devastating effects of climate change are felt across the world. (more)

India: How over 160 wells were revived and given a beautiful makeover in this Tamil Nadu district
12 November 2023 - A water conservation project called 'String of Wells' has rejuvenated and beautified 163 defunct and abandoned open wells in the Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu, India. The project aims to create awareness about the need for the conservation of open wells and prevent rainwater stagnation in the area. Locals have expressed happiness and surprise at seeing water percolation inside the wells for the first time in years. (more)

Indonesia says 200,000 hectares of palm plantations to be made forests
11 November 2023 - Some 200,000 hectares (494,210 acres) of oil palm plantations found in areas designated as forests in Indonesia are expected to be returned to the state to be converted back into forests, a government official said. Indonesia has launched several programmes to improve governance in its massive palm oil industry, amid criticism by environmentalists of the crop's impact on deforestation (more)

Brazil: Indigenous Surui turn invaders' crop into high-quality Amazonian coffee
10 November 2023 - The Indigenous Paiter Surui people of Brazil have reclaimed the coffee farms established by invaders on their land, in the process opening up a new source of livelihood and strengthening community bonds. Growing coffee has also become an opportunity for the Surui to tell their own story, through ethnotourism and the training of Indigenous baristas (more)

US: Portland's new airport terminal is built out of locally-sourced, sustainable wood
10 November 2023 - When Portland, Oregon, opens up a soaring new airport terminal in May 2024, it's widely expected to become a signature building. Part of the draw will be the sweeping, mass timber construction, including a 9-acre roof boasting gracious curves and skylights. The project's uniqueness in no small way is thanks to its supply chain. Every piece of wood was sourced from within 300 miles of the airport, and about half of it came from 13 small and tribal landowners in Washington and Oregon. (more)