How To Photograph Birds

Get to know Graeme Carroll, a fine wildlife and theatrical photographer. Many thanks to BBC News for sharing the story.

Useful links:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd1x5g22r2xo

https://graemecarrollphotography.co.uk

Olympic Village: The World's Biggest Restaurant

Paris 2024 intends to use the Games as an opportunity to highlight how creative and sustainable food can be produced at a major international event, as is highlighted in its Food Vision. Many thanks to BBC News for sharing the insightful story.

Useful links:

https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/our-commitments/the-environment/food-vision

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240708-paris-olympics-2024-worlds-biggest-restaurant

A23a

The ice island is a marvel to watch. Nature has no rules. Many thanks to BBC News for sharing the insightful story.

Useful link:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-f4de435a-d215-4a7c-86e9-9b838701c993

Jenny NH 95 - Position 49

A rare US postage stamp has been sold for US$2 million at Robert A Siegel Auction Galleries, setting the record for the most expensive single US stamp sold. Take a look.

Useful links:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67409534

https://siegelauctions.com/auctions/sale/1299

The Iron Age Gold Ring

A storyteller. I hope the gold ring ends up with the right collector at the auction.

Useful link:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-63590575

Queen Elizabeth II Has Died

Truly a global icon and there will never be another. Queen Elizabeth was great. She represented that women can do what they want when they put their mind to it. Women are powerful too. 

Useful links:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61605149

https://www.royal.uk

Looty

Take a look at Looty, a brilliant initiative by Chidi and his team to reclaim artwork looted from Africa by colonial powers.

Useful links:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-61318785

https://www.looty.art

Taryn de Vere

I love colors and surprises. Taryn de Vere is a colorful storyteller. Take a look.

Useful links:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60075139

https://taryndevere.com

https://www.instagram.com/taryndevere

The Vegan Violin

Padraig O'Dubhlaoidh has made the violin, entirely free of animal products, in his Malvern Hills workshop during the COVID lockdown. The body of the bespoke instrument is the first in the world to be registered with The Vegan Society's trademark. Take a look.

Useful links: https://www.veganviolins.com I https://www.vegansociety.com/news I https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester

The BBC 100 Women Of 2021

The BBC has revealed its list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2021. Take a look.

Useful link:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-59514598

Serendipity Sapphire

The gem trader who found the stone while digging a well in his home in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka, weighing 510 kilograms, believes the stone has an estimated value of US$100 million dollars, which is questionable. He must be delusional. Most likely the stone will stay in his home for a very long period of time. Finding a buyer with US$100 million during a pandemic is wishful thinking. I wish the gem trader good luck.

Useful link:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57981046

Future Food System

Get to know Joost Bakker, a brilliant zero-waste activist.

Useful links:

https://www.futurefoodsystem.com

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20210629-joost-bakker-on-why-zero-waste-living-is-the-future

Astronomy Photographer Of The Year Shortlist

The Royal Observatory Greenwich's 13th Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition has announced its shortlist of extraordinary celestial scenes. Take a look. 

Useful links:

https://www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum/astronomy-photographer-year-2021-shortlist-images

https://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures

Freddie Figgers

Inspiring story. Don't let your circumstances define who you are.

Useful links:

https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-57081087

https://figgers.com

Franz Kafka Papers

Franz Kafka Papers are now publicly available online. Log on to the National Library of Israel.

Useful links:

https://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-57267874

https://www.nli.org.il/en/discover/literature-and-poetry/authors/franz-kafka

Benin Bronzes

Fascinating story. In the real world, 99 times out of 100 art objects from Africa are fake, and often the remaining 1% has been stolen. Provenance is everything.

Useful links: https://www.bbc.com I https://www.entwistlegallery.com

Pokémon At 25

The Pokemon series, created by Japanese tech giant Nintendo along with games developers Game Freak and Creatures, turns 25 today. The Pokemon franchise is more valuable than those of Star Wars and Harry Potter combined. A card game based on the Pokemon series was created in 1996 with millions playing and trading the cards globally. The phenomenon is going to continue.

Useful links: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56164918 I https://www.pokemon.com

Cambridge Moonflower

The experts at Cambridge University Botanic Garden believe their moonflower Selenicereus wittii is the first to flower in the UK. Take a look.

Useful links: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-56139243 I https://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

Lisa Wood Macro Photography

Lisa Wood has used Macro photography---extreme close-ups---for some of her pictures of icicles and frozen puddles. Take a look.

Useful links: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-55886758 I https://www.flickr.com/photos/lisa-37-lethen

Ivory: Elephant Decline Revealed By Shipwreck Cargo

Every tusk is an elephant's life story. Many thanks to Victoria Gill for sharing an insightful story.

Useful link: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55340975