1. A lonely dolphin with a spinal deformity was ‘adopted’ by a family of sperm whales.
Behavioural ecologists Alexander Wilson and Jens Krause witnessed the formation of a rather unlikely alliance, when a family of sperm whales took in an adult bottlenose dolphin with a s-shaped spinal deformity. Sperm whales are not usually known to bond with other species, so Wilson and Krause were surprised to see the dolphin traveling, foraging and playing with a family of sperm whales and their calves. Such a friendship, according to Wilson, is extremely rare and has probably never been witnessed before.(source)
2. The Kingdom of Bhutan uses the ‘Gross National Happiness’ index as an important tool to measure progress.
Instead of relying solely on economic indices like the ‘Gross Domestic Product’, the Kingdom of Bhutan places great value on the ‘Gross National Happiness’ (GNH) index to evaluate the country’s progress and development. GNH measures quality of life by assessing the physical and spiritual health of the people and the overall condition of the environment. The GNH consists of a number index that is derived from the ranking of 33 indicators, part of 9 different domains in a society. These 9 domains include psychological well-being, health, education and community vitality.
Major props to the Kingdom of Bhutan for recognising that sustainable development depends on both the economic and non-economic well-being of the country and its people.(source)
3. The next time you’re in Rottnest Island, Western Australia be sure to befriend the quokka – an animal that has no fear of humans and wears a perpetual smile.
Hanging out with these incredibly tame and furry rat-like animals is supposed to be quite the experience. They barely react to being handled and are well-loved for their gentle, happy nature. Rottnest( derived from ‘rat’s nest’) Island typically houses anywhere between 8,000 – 12,000 quokkas, subject to availability of food and water.(source)
4. 3D-printed ultrasound becomes a blind mother-to-be’s eyes and lets her ‘see’ her baby.
“What does his face look like, doctor?”, Tatiana Guerra asked as she was being examined at a clinic, 20 weeks into her pregnancy. Guerra lost her vision at the age of 17 and was unable to see ultrasound images of her unborn baby. Resigned to relying solely on her imagination and the doctor’s description, Guerra never imagined that she’d be able to see her baby. However, 3D-printing changed all of that.
At a mobile 3D printing station, ultrasound imagery was used to create a physical model of her baby boy. The heartwarming video of Tatiana being able to ‘see’ her baby quickly went viral and reaffirmed that technology does have an incredibly humane face as well.(source)
5. Separated at birth from its family, a lonely duckling finds a friend in a mirror!
7-day-old duckling, Alice, was separated from its family and subsequently mauled by a gull. Alice was then taken to a rescue centre but remained hungry and agitated. The grief of being separated from its family was far too much for this bird. So, quick thinking keepers at the rescue centre came up with a simple, yet brilliant, plan. They installed a mirror for Alice, tricking it into believing that its reflection was another duckling!
Before long, Alice warmed up to its new ‘companion’ and workers at the centre noticed a significant change in the bird’s demeanour. Interestingly enough, Alice was even named after the protagonist of ‘Through the Looking Glass’, in honour of its unlikely ‘friend’.(source)
