Good Morning! 🌞 

Did you know that honey can practically last forever? Archeologists have found pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that are over 3,000 years old and still perfectly edible.

Honey's natural low water content and high sugar and acidity make it an inhospitable environment for bacteria and microorganisms. Honey also has small levels of hydrogen peroxide and other antibacterial compounds.

However, not all honey can last this long. If the honey is contaminated, improperly sealed, or adulterated (other sweeteners added to reduce costs), it can go bad.

Innovation

Hydrogen Powered Flight

In a groundbreaking development for aviation, startup ZeroAvia has successfully completed a test flight of a 19-seat aircraft powered in part by hydrogen fuel cells. This marks the largest plane the company has tested in the air to date.

The test flight took off from Cotswold Airport in the UK and lasted approximately 10 minutes. During the flight, the aircraft's left engines were powered by a combination of hydrogen fuel cells and batteries, while the right side relied on traditional kerosene.

This achievement has garnered significant attention, being voted the Breakthrough Technology of 2023 in a survey by MIT Technology Review. The successful test flight highlights the scalability of ZeroAvia's technology and the rapid progress being made in the field of hydrogen aviation.

As the world continues to focus on reducing carbon emissions, the aviation industry has been under increasing pressure to find greener solutions. ZeroAvia's successful test flight represent one potential solution to reducing emissions from the aviation industry. However, scaling this technology to power larger aircraft will be necessary to make a significant impact on emissions.

ZeroAvia has raised over $140 million in funding from investors such as United Airlines and American Airlines, as well as Breakthrough Energy Ventures. The company has also received over 1500 pre-orders for its hydrogen fuel-cell systems.

Entertainment

MrBeast's African Wells Project

MrBeast's recent video featuring the construction of wells in Africa.

In the 10-minute video, Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, also documented his contributions to Kenyan schools, including donations of furniture, soccer balls, computers, whiteboards, and projectors. He also built a bridge connecting a village with local schools and a hospital. Additionally, he provided bikes to a village in Zimbabwe to improve children's access to school.

MrBeast is committed to using his platform for positive change. As YouTube's most popular individual creator, he has built a philanthropic reputation, contributing to a potential billion-dollar empire and earning recognition as one of Time magazine's most influential people in 2023.

Environment

Nuclear Waste to Glass!

A major nuclear waste treatment facility at the Hanford cleanup site in Washington which was built through a public-private partnership with Bechtel National is set to start operations soon.

The facility transforms liquid and solid nuclear waste into non-radioactive glass bricks, which can be safely stored underground. This initiative aims to address the environmental and health concerns associated with nuclear power plants, particularly the legacy of radioactive plutonium from Cold War-era nuclear warheads.

The Hanford site recently advanced its plans after completing a successful test that produced 30,000 pounds of vitrified glass. The first of the two 300-ton melters is expected to be operational next year, marking a significant step in the risk reduction for the Hanford environmental cleanup mission.

Out of the over 100 tanks of radioactive plutonium waste stored underground at the site, 20 of these have some sort of leak. This new waste treatment will be a great solution for addressing this problem.

World News

Japan's 'Moon Sniper' Successfully Enters Lunar Orbit!

Japan's "Moon Sniper" lander, developed by JAXA, entered lunar orbit on Christmas Day, advancing the nation's goal of landing a robotic explorer on the moon. Orbiting every 6.4 hours, the lander will tighten its orbit for a precision touchdown near the Apollo 11 site in mid-January, aiming to be the fifth country to achieve this and the third in the 21st century.

Named SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon), the mission’s target landing zone is 328-feet wide, deviating from the typical kilometer range. The elliptical orbit, ranging from 370 to 2,500 miles, will descend to 9 miles over the next 3 ½ weeks. They are aiming for extreme precision with a scheduled pinpoint landing for 10:20 a.m. ET on January 19th.

Recent lunar attempts by Japan, Russia, and a private Japanese company faced challenges, while India succeeded in landing near the lunar south pole in August.

Mind Stretchers

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:
A hole! 🕳️ 

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.