Good Morning! 🌞 

You might think that February the 9th is not a particularly special day. Here’s what history has to say to that:

• On February the 9th 474, Zeno was crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire, a notable event in the history of the empire.

• Fast-forward to the American Revolutionary War, on this day in 1775, the British Parliament declared Massachusetts in rebellion.

• In the realm of science and technology, on February 9th, 1825 was the year when, after no clear winner emerged from the presidential election, the United States House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams as President in a contingent election.

• The day also marks a significant advance in weather prediction, as in 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant signed a joint resolution of Congress establishing the U.S. Weather Bureau.

Environment

Not Everything is as Bad as it Seems

There are a lot of things that are less than ideal in the world. Luckily, not everything is as bad as it is made out to be by doom and gloom click bait articles. Mainstream news and culture have perpetuated a lot of myths, and we would like to dispel one of those today.

We recently ran an article about the surprisingly sharp drop in deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. This is great news in our opinion, but not because of the misconception that many people push, that the Amazon produces 20% of the oxygen in the world and that if it is cut down we will lose all of that air.

The truth is that while the Amazon does produce a lot of oxygen, it is so densely packed and so teeming with life that it uses up all that it creates. While it is impossible to know exactly, it is calculated that its net oxygen output is around 0%.

The Amazon does do some helpful things. The rainforest helps recycle the water in the region, extending the wet season ensuring that plants in the area can grow without drying out and dying during the dry season.

The Amazon (and all forests) also helps improve air quality. Trees and plants feed on carbon dioxide to grow. If you have trees near to where carbon dioxide is being produced, the trees can absorb the gas and use it as fuel. The Amazon is able to pull in and absorb around 1.7 billion tons of CO2 per year, which is nearly 5% of the world's annual emissions.

Hopefully you can come out of this article with a few positives. We will not all suffocate to death because of Amazon deforestation. We also have seen a large drop in deforestation. And with this knowledge, we all have some fun facts to repeat at our next social event.

Innovation

Futuristic Food Scanner

A balding man once sagely remarked, "Fruit is a gamble." (Seinfeld reference fyi). Imagine if producers and retailers could assess the odds before fruits hit supermarket shelves.

A new device developed by a British company, now available in supermarkets, distribution centers, and supply-chain hubs, uses light to scan fruit and detect its molecular freshness. Algorithms analyze water, sugars, and other compounds, such as ethyls and alcohols, to calculate the remaining days of freshness accurately. This enables suppliers and retailers to make informed decisions about the optimal utilization of each piece of fruit.

The company, named OneThird, aims to address the significant issue of food waste, which accounts for one-third of the food produced by humans. The extensive transportation of produce contributes to unpredictably perishable goods. OneThird's food scanner aims to reduce this waste, benefiting not only those facing hunger globally but also minimizing financial losses for major grocery chains. Additionally, the technology helps mitigate the environmental impact of wasted produce, which contributes to increased methane levels in landfills, potentially affecting the planet over nine years.

OneThird's portable scanners, initially developed in the medical sector, are now deployed to tackle challenges in the food supply chain. Marco Snikkers, the founder and CEO, highlighted the broken nature of the current system, where 40% of food waste is attributed to fresh produce due to a lack of knowledge about shelf life.

Currently capable of determining the shelf life of strawberries, tomatoes, avocados, and blueberries, OneThird plans to release an update to include grapes, bananas, mangoes, and raspberries. Each fruit requires individual study to establish its unique molecular fingerprint indicating proximity to rotting.

Accurate readings from the scanner empower grocery store workers to discount fruit at the right time or assign precise best-by dates to produce. In cases of impending spoilage, the store can proactively collaborate with food banks to redistribute items before they go bad.

World News

Special Police Unit Tracks Down $27 Million in Stolen Cars

The Essex-based Stolen Vehicle Intelligence Unit (SVIU) has successfully completed a highly productive year, identifying and recovering 737 stolen cars valued at over 30 million dollars. Specializing in vehicle recovery, the SVIU employs evidence from these operations to enhance future searches for missing cars.

In the final week of December alone, the team retrieved more than £1 million ($1.28 million) worth of vehicles, intercepting shipping containers concealing a Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, and Range Rover belonging to Premier League soccer players.

Officers Phil Pentelow and Paul Gerrish, known as "Police Constable (PC)," emphasized that carjackers are targeting not only high-profile athletes but also everyday Britons. Officer Gerrish mentioned a current trend where thieves focus on family cars like Hyundais, Toyotas, and Lexuses, relabeling and reintroducing them to the market with false identities.

The SVIU's efforts have been highly impactful, with over 1,800 vehicles worth over $60 million recovered or identified since the beginning of 2021. The recovery of 626 cars in 2022 marks a 30% increase over the previous year. Officer Gerrish proudly stated, "We are continuing to dismantle the organized criminal networks behind these thefts," citing recent successful operations where large quantities of cars were recovered.

Recognition for their outstanding contribution in the fight against vehicle crime came in the form of awards from the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators in 2022 for Pentelow, Gerrish, and analytics partner Hannah Gerrish. Luxury manufacturers such as Mercedes and Jaguar are now collaborating with SVIU to enhance security and tracking on their models.

In addition to individual car recoveries, the SVIU plays a significant role in identifying and shutting down illegal chop shops—locations where cars are stripped or have their identification altered. Since its inception, the SVIU has closed over 100 such grey and black market garages, contributing to their mission of making the county a safer place to live in.

Culture

Scottish Kilt Master Launches Online Course to Preserve Art

Marion Foster, a master kilt tailor, addresses the decline of traditional kilt craftsmanship with her online program, Askival of Strathearn Kilt College.

In response to the fading knowledge in the industry, Foster initiated the program in 2020, offering comprehensive online training via Zoom tutorials. The curriculum delves into intricate kilt tailoring techniques, including restoration—a unique feature often overlooked by mainstream kiltmakers. With a global reach, students from America, Australia, Shetland, and Germany participate in monthly gatherings with guest speakers, historians, leatherworkers, and sporran makers.

Foster's vision is to equip her students to establish highlandwear businesses, restore historic kilts, and create personalized kilts for various occasions.

The program not only emphasizes craftsmanship but also imparts the technical expertise needed for kilt restoration, a vital skill absent in many mainstream kiltmaking establishments.

It is great to see this cultural tradition still being practiced and surviving into the future.

Mind Stretchers

⁉️ 

My twin lives at the reverse of my house number. The difference between our house numbers ends in two. What are the lowest possible numbers of our house numbers?

Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:
888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1,000 😲 Props to Eugene Hostetler for getting this right and sending it in 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] or reply to the email.

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.