From Queensland, Australia, comes the story of how a little salt can go a long way to restoring an ecosystem. Near the area of Mackay, tidal gates and embankments built between 50 and 60 years ago to keep out tides of seawater are being removed by the dozen. It’s reestablishing salt marsh and estuarine ecosystems […] The post Salt Water Restores Native Queensland Ecosystems After Dozens of Tidal Gates Removed appeared first on Good News Network.

A woman taking her husband’s last name is no longer a given. Couples have been mixing things up for a while now, but one couple decided to turn old and new norms on their heads. Instead of the new husband and wife arguing over why one of them should relinquish their surname, they decided to let the “best family” win. Women have been expected to give up their family’s last name for their husband’s for hundreds of years. This goes back to when women were considered property transferred from a father to a husband. While the thought of women being considered property stopped with women’s rights movements, the tradition of adopting a husband’s surname persists today. Bride and groomPhoto Credit: Canva Why women changed surnames The practice originated in 14th-century England and was part of “coverture,” which transferred nearly all of a woman’s assets to her new husband, according to Cambridge University. Taking the husband’s last name wasn’t required, but it was widely practiced and spread to other Western countries. In recent years, women have been choosing to hyphenate or retain their birth surname. But one cheeky couple decided to throw all the norms out of the window in favor of a more inclusive process that involved everyone. Brett Borland and Gorgie Abela recently tied the knot in front of their loved ones. When the time came for reception activities, Borland got on the mic to announce that their families would be competing in a “Battle of the Surname.” Guests at an outside weddingPhoto Credit: Canva Battle of the Surname “What we’ve decided is that neither one of our names is going to disappear,” Borland says. “So what we’re going to do is that we’ve organized some games where we’re going to battle the families out against each other, and the winning family, we will be taking the last name of them.” That’s right. If Abela’s family wins, then she keeps her name and Borland changes his, and vice versa. In the video uploaded to Instagram, the families (still dressed in their formal attire), played tug of war, potato sack races, and more. By the end of the activities, the scorekeeper announces the couple’s new last name–Mr. and Mrs. Borland. View this post on Instagram It seemed that the Borland family had a ringer. While everyone was playing in sock feet and fancy clothes, one participant was sporting sneakers, shorts, and a t-shirt. Some could argue that it gave them an advantage, though it was only beneficial in the game of tug-of-war, not the booty-shaking ping-pong balls out of a tissue box game. Viewers of the unique surname wedding competition were thoroughly amused, with one saying, “This should’ve been televised.” One person takes notes, “When dressing for a wedding, pick dress that I could play field games in. GOT IT!” People playing tug of war outsidePhoto Credit: Canva Another quips, “Imagine losing your last name bc your cousins got too day drunk to win field day games.” “Planning this while knowing they’d all be in wedding attire is diabolical,” someone else notes. “This is actually the best thing we’ve ever seen at a wedding reception ever,” one wedding attendant says. Someone else writes, “The modern human version of natural selection, only the (last name) of the strong will survive.” One person jokes, “Imagine having your wifes last name because your sister wore a skirt and couldnt potato sack right lol.” The post Newlywed couple has their families compete to see who takes their partner’s last name appeared first on Upworthy.

Dr. Richard Harris is an associate professor at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. He’s also the first white pastor in the 140-plus-year history of Good Hope Missionary Baptist, a historically Black church in Bartow, Florida. However, if you met him in the late ‘70s, you would have no idea his life would take such a turn. From the age of 16 to 20, he was a member of the Ku Klux Klan, and for the final two years, he served as the youngest Grand Dragon north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Harris was a lonely child in elementary school and was bullied by his classmates. In the late 1960s, when desegregation began at his Indiana school, Harris decided to take out his frustrations on the new students.  Harris is indoctrinated into the Ku Klux Klan “I got to sixth grade, and all of a sudden my school has changed,” Harris told the Herald-Tribune in 2021. “It was the first time I had ever spoken to a person of color … they’re in my school. I looked at the African-Americans in my school, and I realized that they were displaced. I thought, ‘Maybe I could be the bully for once.’ And that’s exactly what I did.” The Ku Klux Klan in Muncie, Indiana. Credit: William Arthur Swift/Wikimedia Commons Harris’ behavior caught the attention of the KKK, who indoctrinated him into their violent hate group by offering family and protection. He was groomed to be a leader in the organization and, after just two years in 1976, he became the Grand Dragon, the highest-ranking member of the Indiana KKK. In a recent interview with LADBible, Harris shared how he was able to get out of the terrorist organization. It began with a life-changing realization: the Klan was lying to him. After learning one of his guards was plotting to kill him, he realized he needed better protection. So, he turned to God.  “I didn’t know what to do. And in my 20-year-old mind at that time, all I could think of was, ‘I need better security,’” he told LADBible. So, he began reading the gospels and came to the story of the Samaritan woman. He realized that the Klan had completely changed the message to be one of division rather than acceptance. Harris realized he was being lied to by the Klan “The whole point of the Samaritan woman at the well story was Jesus accepted Samaritans, race mixers,” he said. “And he loved them, and they believed in him. That’s when the light bulb went on. ‘The Klan has been lying to me. They’ve been twisting the scriptures.” Harris then called the Imperial Wizard and quit the KKK. “We’re gonna let you out. We’re gonna let you live. If you keep your mouth shut,” he was told with a gun pressed to his head.  Harris then did a complete 180 and began working for racial justice. In 2012, he documented his time in the KKK in his award-winning book, One Nation Under Curse, and would go on to serve as a senior pastor in the Free Methodist Church for 31 years in churches in Illinois, Indiana, and Florida. “I changed,” he said in a 2023 TEDx Talk in which he explained his transformation from racist to antiracist and discussed his R.A.C.E. framework. “I’m not that guy anymore, thank God. But I know that I caused pain and hurt to so many that today, my life’s purpose is to help others radically reduce racial bias.” Watch his TEDx Talk below: The post Former KKK Grand Wizard shares the life-changing moment when he knew he was being lied to appeared first on Upworthy.

Every day, hair salons sweep countless hair clippings off their floors and toss them into the trash without much thought. But in parts of France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, those discarded strands are finding an entirely different purpose: helping forests grow. French recycling company Capillum has developed a surprisingly effective way to reuse human hair by turning it into biodegradable mulch that protects young trees from hungry deer. The company collects hair from participating salons and transforms it into flattened fiber sheets that can be wrapped around vulnerable saplings. What sounds unusual at first actually solves several environmental problems at once. A second life for salon clippings Hair salons generate an enormous amount of waste each year. Most clippings are simply thrown away, even though human hair is remarkably durable because it is made largely from keratin, a fibrous protein that breaks down slowly over time. Capillum saw potential in a material most people never think twice about. The company accepts hair regardless of texture, length, color, or whether it has been dyed. Once gathered, the hair is fed into a machine that minces everything together into dense fiber sheets that can be laid around the base of trees. The process transforms something typically viewed as garbage into a practical tool for conservation efforts. Why young trees need protection A tree sapling, Canva Many forests depend on saplings surviving long enough to mature and replenish the ecosystem. However, young trees often struggle in areas with large deer populations. Deer are known to chew on bark, especially during seasons when food is scarce. Because saplings have thin bark and delicate trunks, even small amounts of damage can stunt their growth or kill them entirely. Foresters have historically relied on plastic fencing and tree guards to keep deer away. While those barriers can work well, they also create waste and require maintenance over time. Capillum’s recycled hair mats offer another approach. The scent of human hair naturally discourages deer from getting too close to the trees, steering them toward other vegetation instead. The method protects saplings without harming wildlife. A biodegradable alternative to plastic Unlike plastic guards, the hair fibers gradually decompose and return nutrients to the soil. As the keratin breaks down, it releases nitrogen and amino acids that can support plant growth. That nutrient-rich quality is one reason some gardeners have long experimented with placing hair into compost piles or using it directly in garden beds. Knowing this, Capillum sells its eco-friendly hair mulch to home gardeners interested in more sustainable growing methods.  Human hair is more useful than most people realize A small clump of hair, Canva This is far from the first time Capillum has found creative uses for human hair. The company previously mixed hair with wool to help absorb pollutants from water because both materials naturally attract oil.  Around the world, scientists and environmental groups have similarly explored using recycled hair for oil spill cleanup, agricultural mats, and composting projects. Some studies have even examined whether hair fibers could eventually help create insulation materials or textiles. All this to say: a routine haircut may not seem connected to forest conservation, yet thousands of discarded strands now helping protect young trees suggest otherwise. This is a brilliant example of humanity using creativity for good, and how making just one element of human life less wasteful can have a profound impact.  The post Hair salons in Europe are dumping their clippings into forests and it’s miraculous appeared first on Upworthy.

William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett met while studying acting at Northwestern University and married in 1951. They’ll celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary in 2026. Their marriage has lasted nearly as long as the average American’s life. William, now 99, and Bonnie, 96, raised two sons, and both had incredible careers. They have the longest-recorded active marriage in Hollywood history, something the pair surprisingly credits to an open marriage. Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels Truly Love Each Other Bonnie Bartlett explained to Daily Mail that she and William Daniels love each other very much, but they also understand being human. “There was never any discussion as to what we were going to do, but in 75 years, the two of you together, you know, it would be abnormal if you… weren’t attracted occasionally to other people,” Bonnie said. Bonnie admitted that she and he husband each explored outside their marriage vows, but that was a long time ago, and they always wound up back in each other’s arms. “Our lives just went on, but we never got unhinged,” she said. “We never got unhinged, but our lives did go in different directions occasionally.” Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels realize that time is fleeting, and they pair love spending the years together. But their age is beginning to show. “Physically, you know, we’re a little bit, hampered, I guess? My vision isn’t good and… I can walk, I mean, I can walk,” Bonnie said. “Bill has trouble, some trouble walking, and his memory isn’t as good as mine, but we’re fine, and we’re happy, and we have this wonderful family of ours right near us.” Of course, after 75 years, there has to be some advice to share. When asked about how to have a long and successful  marriage, William Daniels made Bonnie Bartlett laugh when he said, “’Don’t.” This story’s featured image is by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images