ScienceThe good news
Hubble pictures a galaxy with a different spin
A new image of NGC 4698 reveals a tilted centre. Astronomers are tracing the galaxy’s complicated past.
From the archive: the edition of , with the original dates and sources for every story. Read the latest edition.
Edition of 19 September 2026
N° 013 8 stories to take with you
Perspectives.
SocietyThe good news
L’Aquila opens a workshop for possibilities
A new Autismo Abruzzo hub will build routes towards work around people’s abilities and aspirations.
SocietyThe bright side
Turin makes room for a more welcoming neighbourhood hub
Refurbished public baths on Via Agliè now offer showers, practical support and space to meet in Barriera di Milano.
EnvironmentThe bright side
The Western Balkans agree on a shared nature plan
Two regional plans set conservation and restoration goals. Funding and clear responsibilities are the next test.
Archive · Mathieu Mars · CC BY-SA 4.0
Moving forward.
CultureThe good news
In Pistoia, words step off the page
San Giorgio Library hosts Rossana Loperfido’s graphic exploration of literature until 29 October.
Archive · Coclea · Public domain (PD-self)
CultureThe good news
Rocca Farnese prepares a special opening
The restored fortress at Capodimonte will offer free visits on 27 September. Booking is required by 24 September.
Archive · LigaDue; ritaglio · CC BY-SA 4.0
WorldThe bright side
Tunisia works on a safety net for its fishers
FAO reports work to widen fishers’ access to social protection. A market for invasive blue crabs cannot provide security alone.
WorldThe bright side
Nigeria builds skills for HIV prevention
WHO reports further health-worker training on PrEP, medicine used to prevent HIV acquisition.
A little more to discover.
Design · Philosophy · Plants · Curiosities · Words · Food · Cultures & peoples. Ideas worth a closer look.
01Design
Rietveld: a chair you can see through
The Red Blue Chair brings planes, bars and empty space into conversation. Its famous colours came later: even icons have histories.
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Zhuangzi: the butterfly that unsettles a point of view
A dream does not prove that nothing is real. In the Zhuangzi, it raises a subtler question about where certainty comes from.
Read the full story03Plants
Strelitzia: that beak is part of a pollination system
Its outline resembles a bird, but the discovery is botanical: shapes and colours accompany an encounter between flower and pollinator.
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A bat flies with a very different kind of hand
Bat wings are transformed forelimbs: elongated fingers support a membrane, while the thumb stays free. Familiar parts, remarkable proportions.
Read the full story05Words
Cultura: the Italian word with soil on its shoes
The Italian word cultura traces back to Latin cultivation. Its history connects personal learning and shared life without making them identical.
Read the full story06Food
Popcorn: the big leap starts inside a kernel
Water, starch and a strong outer hull explain the pop. A spectacular transformation begins with what is already inside a tiny kernel.
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Washi: a learned movement inside a sheet of paper
Handmade Japanese paper is not a single recipe. In Mino, moving a papermaking frame brings fibres and learned skills together.
Read the full storyOriginal illustrations made with AI assistance. Facts and sources stay in plain sight.
That is quite a lot of good for one day.
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