🦦 Cute Sea Otter Saved Off Coast

Good morning. Along the Central California coast, a baby sea otter was reunited with its mother thanks to the compassion and teamwork of dedicated rescuers. In another act of quick thinking, a golf buddy’s life was saved during a video call, turning a frightening moment into a story of hope and friendship.

And on the basketball court, a 7-foot-9 Canadian athlete made history as the tallest college player ever…and he can dunk without jumping.

—Stephanie S

A baby sea otter named Caterpillar was recently rescued in Morro Bay, California, after being found alone and crying. The Marine Mammal Center responded quickly, using a recording of the pup’s cries to help locate its mother along the coastline.

For two hours, the team played recordings of a boat, hoping to draw the mother near. Finally, a female otter appeared and showed interest in the calls, a rare behavior for these usually shy animals.

The team gently placed Caterpillar back in the water, where the mother swam over, sniffed her pup, and reunited with it. The emotional rescue was captured on film, highlighting the dedication of conservationists.

Olivier Rioux, a 7’9” freshman from Quebec, just became the tallest player in college basketball history. The University of Florida crowd erupted as he stepped onto the court, making history in a game against North Florida.

Though he played only two minutes and didn’t score, Olivier was grateful for the support and cheers from fans and teammates.

His journey began with viral videos at age 12 and years of hard work at IMG Academy. With an 8-foot wingspan, his future looks bright.

A new study of over 86,000 Europeans found that speaking two or more languages is linked to slower aging. Multilingual people were about half as likely to experience accelerated aging compared to those who spoke only one language.

The more languages spoken, the greater the protective effect, even after accounting for other health and lifestyle factors.

Researchers suggest that promoting language learning could be a low-cost way to support healthy aging across communities.

When Darren Oliver suffered a heart attack during a video call, his friend Shannon Jeffries sprang into action. She quickly got his address, rushed to his car, and called for an ambulance, helping save his life.

Darren was resuscitated twice and underwent emergency surgery. He has since lost 112 pounds and returned to golf with Shannon.

Together, they’ve raised over $2,000 for the British Heart Foundation, turning a crisis into hope and inspiration.

40 years ago today, U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev met in Geneva for their first-ever summit, an encounter that marked a turning point in the Cold War. The two leaders spoke candidly on global tensions, nuclear risk, ideology, and the future of U.S.–Soviet relations, setting the stage for a historic thaw after decades of hostility. Their personal rapport would lay the groundwork for the INF Treaty just two years later, the first agreement to eliminate an entire class of nuclear weapons.

The summit also produced agreements on air safety, renewed diplomatic dialogues, cultural exchanges, and new consulates in Kiev and New York. Both leaders left Switzerland believing they had “started something,” with Reagan later saying the talks expressed a shared desire to find answers that would benefit “all the people of the world, and the yet unborn.” Geneva paved the way for the Reykjavik Summit a year later, where, for a brief moment, the complete abolition of nuclear weapons came within reach.

Other notable November 19 events:

1620: Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower first sighted Cape Cod.

1805: Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific Ocean after crossing the American West.

1863: President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.

2006: Nintendo released the Wii, introducing motion-controlled gaming.

🌍 World: Despite ongoing global challenges, more people than ever report living better lives and feeling hopeful about the future.

🌸 Australia: Aboriginal elders led a traditional prescribed burn in Barrington Tops, resulting in the spectacular return of thousands of rare veined doubletail orchids.

🌊 Niger: After decades of treating millions with ivermectin, Niger has become the first African country to eliminate river blindness.

💎 Austria/Canada: Royal Habsburg jewels hidden for a century to protect them from the Nazis are set to go on public display for the first time since World War I.

🏛️ Greece: A Chilean man returned his father's "Parthenon souvenir" to Greek authorities, only to discover it was an even older relic from the ancient Hekatompedon temple.

— Will Durant

Every day brings amazing advances and uplifting moments that remind us just how wonderful the world can be. Here are five reasons why today is the best time ever to be alive:

🎨 Prosthetic Art: AI-assisted prosthetic arms are giving artists the ability to paint and sculpt again.

🫶 Peer Support: Online peer support networks are helping people overcome addiction together.

🏠 Green Shelters: Community disaster shelters are integrating renewable power for self-sufficiency.

🌍 Climate Data: Global open data platforms are empowering citizens to track climate progress.

🌞 Seawater Greenhouses: Solar-powered desalination greenhouses are growing crops with seawater in arid regions.

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