🍄 Listen to Music by Mushrooms

Good morning. It’s been a busy week so far. Mushrooms are now capable of composing their own music with the help of bionic arms.

And a centuries-old geometry puzzle has finally been solved, closing a chapter on a royal bet that puzzled mathematicians for generations.

Meanwhile, the world’s rarest deer has made a miraculous recovery, bouncing back from the brink of extinction to thrive once again.

—Stephanie S

An English musical project called Bionic and the Wires is giving mushrooms and plants a creative voice by translating their bioelectrical signals into music. Using bionic arms, these signals are converted into movements that play keyboards and drum machines, letting fungi and flora create their own unique soundscapes.

The project is led by artist and technologist John Ross, who aims to challenge human-centric ideas of creativity. His work reveals the hidden intelligence of nature, showing that even mushrooms can express themselves in surprising ways.

Bandmate Andy Kidd helps turn these natural signals into synth sounds, resulting in electronica music that’s both unexpected and mesmerizing.

Beyond music, the team has experimented with mushrooms performing spoken word and even painting, expanding the boundaries of what non-human life can do.

This project invites us to see and hear the natural world in a whole new light, celebrating creativity in the most unlikely places.

Every November, Christmas Island transforms as 200 million red crabs migrate from the forest to the sea. Residents use rakes and leaf blowers to gently clear paths, embracing the spectacle despite daily disruptions.

Roads close, gardens fill with crabs, and even car tires are at risk. Locals and park rangers work together to protect the crabs, using special bridges and tools to guide them safely.

After laying eggs, tiny crabs return in December, and the community again helps them cross roads. Islanders cherish this annual wonder, seeing it as a privilege to witness nature’s marvel.

Once extinct in the wild, Père David’s deer has made a stunning comeback in China. Just 39 individuals were reintroduced from the UK in the 1980s, and now their numbers have soared to 8,200.

These unique deer, described in legend as having the antlers of a deer, the hooves of an ox, the face of a horse, and the tail of a donkey, now roam protected marshlands.

Their recovery is a testament to international cooperation and to hope for the conservation of endangered species everywhere.

A 300-year-old geometry puzzle, sparked by a royal bet, has finally been solved. For centuries, mathematicians believed that any shape could pass through a hole in another identical shape, a property known as the Rupert property.

Austrian mathematicians Jakob Steininger and Sergey Yurkevich have now discovered a unique 180-sided shape that defies this rule. Their breakthrough shows that not all shapes can pass through themselves.

Their work highlights the enduring power of curiosity and collaboration in solving age-old mysteries.

16 years ago today, legendary Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan became the first coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games with a single team. Known for his grit, discipline, and deep respect for the game, Sloan led the Jazz for 23 seasons, making the playoffs 18 times and recording 16 straight winning seasons, the second-longest streak in league history. After defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 104–97, Sloan’s record stood at an astonishing 1,000–596, averaging 50 wins per season.

“Winning’s fine,” he said after the game. “But that’s a short-lived thing. Losing sticks with you for a long time.” Under his leadership, players like Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Carlos Boozer flourished, cementing Sloan’s legacy as one of the most consistent and respected coaches in basketball history.

Other notable November 7 events:

1665: The London Gazette, the oldest surviving English-language newspaper, was first published.

1967: The U.S. established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, paving the way for Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and PBS.

1989: Doug Wilder became the first African-American governor elected in the U.S., in Virginia.

1990: Mary Robinson became Ireland’s first female president, later serving as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

🎵 Australia: Seniors who regularly listen to or play music can reduce their risk of developing dementia by over a third.

🔭 Chile: The world's largest spectroscopic telescope has begun operations in Chile, capable of analyzing the composition of 2,400 cosmic objects every 20 minutes.

📰 UK: After placing a newspaper ad, an English woman reunited with her long-lost father and discovered she has 11 half-siblings around the world.

🌈 China: The Weather Photographer of the Year contest crowned a stunning drone image of a rare full-circle rainbow over Lugu Lake as its winner.

🤝 USA: Millennials and Gen Z are helping to destigmatize asking for help by viewing it as a sign of strength and community rather than a sign of weakness.

— Henry Ward Beecher

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:

🤝 Startup Mentors: Online mentorship hubs are connecting entrepreneurs with experienced advisors.

🌾 Seed Banks: Community-based seed banks are ensuring farmers have climate-resilient crops.

🖐️ AI Prosthetics: AI-powered prosthetic hands are giving children the ability to draw and play music.

🔬 Virtual Labs: Virtual science labs allow students to experiment without costly equipment.

🌿 Vertical Gardens: Vertical gardens on building facades are improving air quality and urban aesthetics simultaneously.

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