🌞 Therapy dogs, sunflowers and gender parity in science

Happy Sunday!

Welcome to all the new Good Newsletter readers this week. Just a heads up: you can expect cute dog pics, heartening community stories and scientific success stories, all wrapped into one, bite-sized newsletter.

Thanks for being here - I absolutely love going through this good news journey every Sunday!

🔬 Eureka Prize

This week saw the nation’s best scientific discoveries and research recognised in the annual Eureka Prizes. 19 different individuals and teams were recognised across a range of categories, and it’s fair to say their research was…varied. From developing the world’s first method to catalogue and describe all ecosystems on Earth to drone management technologies, there was no shortage of inspiration among the winners.

As I was reading up on the winners, one person caught my eye in particular. Professor Kate Jolliffe from the University of Sydney was awarded for her research and leadership, which has “enhanced Australia’s standing in the relatively young field of supramolecular chemistry”.

I loved reading about how Prof Jolliffe has helped to close the gender gap in her field by supporting the foundation of the international ‘Women in Supramolecular Chemistry Network’. Her mentorship has resulted in more than 150 researchers being appointed to senior academic and industry roles in the field.

She said: “When I started my research on Supramolecular Chemistry, I was the only woman in the room. That’s why I’ve dedicated the past two decades to mentoring and inspiring young female researchers…Bringing underrepresented groups into the field is essential for achieving equality in science and producing outstanding research.”

🛶 Fox sisters honoured

Hamilton Island? Kangaroo Island? Rottnest Island? What about Fox Island?

That’s right. This week, the NSW Government announced that Olympic gold medallists Jess and Noemie Fox will be honoured in Sydney with the naming of ‘Fox Island’.

The artificial island is in the centre of Penrith’s Whitewater Stadium and will be on the world stage next year, when the stadium hosts the Canoe and Slalom World Championships.

Announcing the name, NSW Premier Chris Minns said: “To recognise the significant contribution of the Fox family to Australian sport – from Jess and Noemie to their parents Richard and Myriam, we are very proud to be naming the island at Penrith Whitewater Stadium, Fox Island.”

There, Minns is referring to the fact that not only do Jess and Noemie have three gold medals between them (from Paris alone), but their parents both also competed in Olympic Games.

Reflecting on this frankly ridiculous achievement, NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said “There is no doubt that the Fox family are the first family of paddling in Australia. The contributions that each of them has made have lifted the sport to new heights.”

🌻 Flowers brighten busy airport

Singapore’s Changi Airport has opened the world’s largest sunflower display. The airport’s exhibition features over 5,000 sunflowers of more than 10 varieties. All of the sunflowers have been grown in Changi airport’s own nursery (yep, they have a nursery).

They’re hoping that other than just looking at the cheery blooms, you will also “discover their cultural significance, ecological importance and the diverse human uses of this remarkable plant”.

🎵 Feel good song of the week

 🐶 Graduation doggos

This week, Guide Dogs hosted Therapy Dog and Guide Dog Graduation Day. The graduation ceremony was held during Therapy Dog Month (honestly, half the fun of writing this newsletter is learning about all the different ‘days’) and Nick and Marcie were among those who graduated.

Nick and Marcie have already been placed with two individuals, one who has Batten Disease and another who has Vanishing White Matter Disease.

According to Guide Dogs, the two dogs are “already bringing so much joy and love to the families” they are with.

While reading up on therapy dogs, I learned that they are characterised by their “friendly, affectionate, and engaging temperament. They excel in leash walking, can settle and relax in various environments, and are sociable with other dogs and animals”. How good!?

🧳 Message from Intrepid Travel

Did you know 71% of Australians are concerned about overtourism?

Here are a few of our top picks:

Disko Island, Greenland: Known for its dramatic landscapes and Inuit heritage, Disko Island offers a chance to experience Arctic life in remote, quiet communities.

Sainshand, Mongolia: Journey along the Trans-Mongolian Railway through the Gobi Desert, and immerse yourself in Mongolia's rich traditions and natural beauty.

These are just a few of the unique destinations on this year's Not Hot List. If you're interested in spreading the positive impacts of tourism more evenly with your next travel destination, check out the full list here.

⭐️Why does TDA do good news?

Having a healthy news diet is about having light and shade.

It’s about having a grasp on the big stories that matter – politics, conflicts and the economy – while also allowing for an appreciation for all the good out there.

This newsletter is a new addition to TDA’s content offering, and we need your help getting the word out there.

If you want your friends to get their good news from us, send them this:

😊 What made me happy this week?

Ok, so the content of this recommendation isn’t actually light. That’s important to state first up.

However, listening to ‘Glass’ by Michelle Andrews made me reflect on how far we’ve come in terms of talking about women’s health…and that made me happy. Glass is a deeply personal account of Mich’s fertility journey. It’s just her, a microphone and an experience to share.

I especially loved the time she took to highlight the tireless work of her doctors and nurses. So often in the news, we only talk about the issues - staffing shortages, pay disputes, rogue freak accidents. This was a timely reminder of the brilliant work health workers do each and every day.

TDA asks