This week, there’s a hint of spring in the air, the R number has dropped in all areas of the country, and there’s a new royal bun in the oven! Dare we say it, we’re feeling quite chipper… But if you’re not quite there yet, then maybe some of these stories will boost your spirits.
Ancient Oasis
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Archaeologists have made another fascinating discovery this week — this time, in the desert of Abydos in Egypt. The Egyptian-American team unearthed what is thought to be the world’s first known brewery, dating back 5,000 years to King Narmer who founded the First Dynasty. Forty pots that appear to have been used to heat mixtures of grain and water were found within the large-scale beer factory.
Wedding Parade
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Over fifty couples got married on elephant-back in the Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, located to the east of Bangkok, on Valentine’s Day. The annual tradition sees lovers parade atop elephants, accompanied by dancers and music, before they arrive at the garden and are married by an official who is, yes, also on the back of an elephant.
Bio House
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A house has been built in Paris that could be the blueprint for many future eco buildings. The structure, called La Petite Fabrique (which translates as ‘The Little Factory’), is constructed pretty much completely from bio sourced materials, including straw and cardboard. It features an oak staircase made from recycled doors and digital radiators heated by computer processors.
To The Rescue
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Not just one, but two dramatic rescues were made this week! In Ireland, Golden Retriever Neesha went missing for two weeks in the Wicklow Mountains, but was rescued when some hikers spotted her and carried her back to safety.
Meanwhile in the Caribbean, three people from Cuba were rescued from an uninhabited island 33 days after their boat capsized nearby. They had managed to swim to safety and survived on coconuts!
RheEnergise
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More potential renewable energy sources are on the horizon — literally — as engineers have proposed new hydropower systems that would transform hills across the UK into underground ‘batteries’. To find out more about how the technology would work, see the video above!
Mardi Gras at Home
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The Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans is one of the most colourful events in the calendar, so it was hugely disappointing when it had to be cancelled due to coronavirus. But the city’s resilient residents decided to brighten up the streets anyway, by decorating their houses like parade floats!
Pay it Forward
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A little girl from Hertfordshire who had two teeth removed by the dentist was given a whopping £50 by the tooth fairy, but instead of spending it on herself, Amaya Thompson decided to make goodie bags for homeless people. She put useful items such as deodorant, wipes and food in the packages as well as a letter and a drawing. There’s now a Crowdfunding page where people can donate money so that Amaya can continue making her little bags of love.
And Finally…
Further proof that even a pandemic can’t stop us creating, learning and growing comes courtesy of music students at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School in London, who recorded parts of Andra Day’s ‘Rise Up’ separately, before musician Mark Payne put the finished video together.
Rise Up Andra Day
