Living in the Age of Information, at times we are faced with grim stories and predictions.  Despite this, we must take time to appreciate all of the amazing things that we encounter everyday.  There are good people, places, events, and news even when times may seem dark, you just need to bring a flashlight.

For example, the US recently returned 600 stolen ancient artifacts, which included Roman coins, Umbrian bronze statues, pottery, and oil paintings, back to their countries of origin.  These pieces had either been dug up during illicit archaeological excavations or stolen from churches and museums in high profile art crimes in places such as Calabria, Campania, Puglia, Sicily, and Lazio many years ago.  After being seized from private collections and museums convinced of the works’ stolen origins, they were collected and processed by the Art Trafficking Unit (ATU) at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.  From there they were returned back to their countries of origin.  307 were returned to India, 278 to Italy, 133 to Pakistan, 55 to Greece, 16 to Egypt, including the infamous Fayum Mummy Portrait and one to Bulgaria, a bronze helmet of Alexander the Great’s father, Philip of Macedon.

“I feel that returning these stolen artifacts to their countries is a very good thing as it adds to the bounty of cultural heritage that was otherwise lost,” said junior Nyra Mehra. 

In other news, a potential breakthrough in renewable energy has been discovered in sand batteries.  Utilizing the physical properties of sand such as its ability to store heat at high temperatures, these batteries provide a new avenue for harnessing and retaining energy collected by solar and wind sources.  This is very useful for periods when there is low sunlight or wind, which is often the main criticism against these renewable sources.  This technology has many benefits, as sand is abundant, eco-friendly, low cost, and is able to store thermal energy for long periods of time.  Its viability as an energy source is currently being studied, along with how to integrate it into already existing energy infrastructure.  Despite the potential of sand batteries, it is also important to acknowledge some of the current challenges, such as deploying this new technology on a large scale.  These issues can be mitigated with investments and research, through the help of governments and private investors, which are key in pushing forward innovation and widespread adoption. 

“This is a huge step for technology. It would be great to produce a power source from such an abundant resource,” said junior Isabel Epstein.

Another piece of good news is Santiago Bernabeu’s promising recent renovations.  Real Madrid’s iconic stadium saw many changes, among the most significant being the retractable roof and even a retractable field.  When the field isn’t being used, the entire natural grass field is moved using hydraulic platforms and shelved into an underground greenhouse four stories deep.  The greenhouse has ventilation, climate control, lighting, monitoring, and irrigation systems.  This ensures the natural grass is preserved under optimal conditions and under continuous maintenance without interfering with the events at the stadium. The fixed and retractable roof allows for the stadium to be used every day of the year, regardless of the weather.  What is so remarkable is that these developments are entirely within the stadium’s existing floor plans without occupying external space.  Suspended from the roof will be a one of a kind LED screen in a ring around the stadium that displays multiple forms of content including live video, instant replays, statistics, graphics, animations, and sponsorships.  The renovations also increased stadium capacity with a full suite for accessibility and disabled seating to make sure everyone can enjoy one of the most famous stadiums in the soccer world.

“This is an amazing engineering feat, kicking off a new standard for stadiums in the world of soccer,” said junior Chiara Amodeo. 

Of course there are even more great things to have happened, this is simply a few fun and great ones to have happened recently.  The news often tends to herald a doomsday narrative, but there is plenty to be hopeful for.  Despite the existential threat of climate change, the world has made significant climate progress compared to the past.  Despite recurring global conflicts, the world is safer now than ever before in human history.  Despite the threat of AI, it also offers the possibility of finding cures for cancers, fighting climate change, and optimizing existing systems.  Despite corruption seen sometimes by few in the government, there are still thousands working hard to make this country the best it can be.  Even when times seem dark, there are still plenty of good people out there helping to bring about good news and make the world a better place.