1. Dutch House Approves to Make Work From Home a Legal Right
The Dutch parliament approved legislation to establish work-from-home as a legal right, making the Netherlands one of the first countries to grant remote working flexibility by law.
The pandemic has fueled a shift in attitudes about work, with many workers seeking to maintain some of the flexibility they’ve experienced over the last two years.
2. Dolphin poo is the secret weapon for coral reef survival, says groundbreaking new study
Dolphin poo could be the key to saving the world’s coral reefs, according to a new study. Spinner dolphins, famous for their acrobatic marina displays, have some very special excrement. Their poo has “reef-enhancing nutrients”. Coral reefs are facing profound threats around the world, but this research has identified a clear ally for them.
"Simply by going to the toilet in the shallow atoll lagoons, these dolphins are providing a vital nutrient supply for the corals - making the strongest possible case for protecting the dolphins in order to save these reefs."
3. James Webb Space Telescope operating better than expected.
Bigger and better than the famous Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope launched back on Christmas Day. Six months later, it’s now sending back pictures and data from outer space while still being ‘commissioned,’ or tested.
Also, Webb's Fine Guidance Sensor, built by the Canadian Space Agency to help it lock onto targets, recently captured this stunning test image — an unexpected peek into how Webb will unfold the universe:
The full images from the telescope will be posted by NASA on July 12th.
4. A Blind, Older Dog Is Found Alive In Alaska, 3 Weeks After Wandering Off
An Alaska family had given up hope of finding their blind, elderly golden retriever who wandered away from their home three weeks ago, but a construction crew found Lulu in salmonberry bushes after initially confusing her for a bear. Lulu was barely alive after being found Tuesday, but she is being nursed back to health and is back home with her family.
“She means everything,” owner Ted Kubacki said. “I have five daughters and they’re 4 to 13 years old, so they’ve spent every day of their life with that dog.”
Lesbian and gay couples in Switzerland rejoiced as they legally tied the knot Friday when the rich Alpine nation formally joined many other western European countries in allowing same-sex marriage, with some saying better late than never.
The first same-sex marriages came about nine months after 64.1% of voters backed the “Marriage for All” law in a national referendum. It puts same-sex partners on an equal legal footing with heterosexual couples, including allowing them to adopt children together and to sponsor a spouse for citizenship.
6. After 40 years of extinction, rhinos return to Mozambique
Over four decades after they became extinct locally, rhinos are roaming again the wilds of Mozambique, which is bringing the endangered species from South Africa in efforts to breathe new life into its parks and boost local tourism.
The Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) conservation group, which is conducting the operation, aims to relocate over 40 rhinos in the next two years to Mozambique. This initiative is a part of a campaign to save the endangered species by relocating them to safe havens where they have a chance to increase their population.
Western monarch populations have declined precipitously since the 1990s. Last year, less than 2,000 monarchs were counted in the entire California state. Butterfly researchers despaired, since the number was well below the level theorized to lead to collapse and extinction. And they rejoiced when, unexpectedly, the species made a dramatic comeback last year.
California’s Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation announced today that with the help of volunteers it counted nearly 250,000 butterflies in 2021, a more than hundredfold increase. News of the Western monarch’s dramatic return is still fresh, so any ideas as to what might be driving the population surge are yet to be thoroughly researched.
As seen on Twitter:
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