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Check out this really cool breathwork meditation, designed to stimulate and activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which combats stress, anxiety and high cortisol levels.

Innovation

Electricity from Noise?

Have you ever experienced a stadium so loud that the concrete shakes? Gyeongyun Lily Min, a high school senior from Lake Charles, Louisiana, was inspired by Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. to explore how this noise could be converted into electricity.

The film features monsters who power their world by harnessing children's screams. Gyeongyun was intrigued by the idea of converting sound into usable energy and wondered if the noise in sports arenas could be used to generate electricity.

Her approach uses the piezoelectric effect, where certain materials generate electricity under pressure. This principle has been used in applications like electricity-generating roads and cochlear implants. In 2021, Jeremiah Thoronka was recognized for creating a piezoelectric machine that generates electricity from vehicles passing over roads, powering 150 homes without relying on weather or external power sources.

Gyeongyun’s idea was to harness soundwaves rather than direct kinetic force. She built a 22 by 12-inch model of an NBA arena and tested various placements of her harvester modules using sounds at 70 and 100 decibels. Although the results were limited due to the quality of the equipment—producing electricity in milliwatts rather than watts—she believes that with better equipment and on a larger scale, it could significantly reduce energy consumption in sports arenas.

Gyeongyun suggests that this technology could also be applied in urban environments. “In cities with heavy traffic, constant noise could be used to generate electricity for city infrastructure,” she told Smithsonian Magazine. “Manufacturing plants with continuous machinery noise could also use piezoelectric devices to capture sound vibrations and improve sustainability.”

Good News

Woman Who Left School at 15 Graduates as a Doctor at 41

A woman who left school at 15 has now earned her medical degree at 41. Dr. Becs Bradford, who graduated from the University of Bristol, faced numerous challenges, including being told she wouldn’t amount to anything.

Her journey began with personal setbacks—her father was paralyzed in an accident, leading to financial hardship and foster care. Despite this, she worked various jobs, including as a flight attendant, personal trainer, and in sales. At 35, Becs began self-studying for her high school equivalency exams while managing three jobs.

After being rejected by several universities, she was eventually accepted into the University of Bristol. To support herself, she taught gym classes daily and worked 12-hour nursing shifts on weekends, rising early to study. Her dedication paid off, and she is now using her experiences to relate to patients and mentor others from non-traditional backgrounds.

Professor Tansy Jessop from the University of Bristol praised her achievement, highlighting the transformative power of education. Dr. Bradford reflects on her journey with pride, encouraging others to persist in pursuing their dreams, regardless of obstacles.

Environment

Rare Wild Cat No Longer Endangered

After two decades of dedicated conservation efforts, the Iberian lynx, once one of the world's most endangered cats, is no longer considered endangered. The population has surged from fewer than 100 individuals in the early 2000s to over 1,000 today—a remarkable 20-fold increase.

This success is attributed to habitat restoration, prey management, captive breeding, anti-poaching measures, and public awareness campaigns. The lynx's status has improved to "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List, highlighting the effectiveness of these efforts and underscoring a major triumph in wildlife conservation.

Continued vigilance is essential to maintain this progress and ensure the species' long-term survival.

Mind Stretchers

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I am not alive, but I can die. What am I?

Yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:
 I can be seen in water, but I never get wet. What am I?
- A reflection

Gerry Moore got the answer first!

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected]

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.