Good Morning 🌞

Heads up, folks—May 23 is Lucky Penny Day! 🍀💰
So if you spot a shiny (or even crusty) little coin on the ground today, don’t just walk past it. That humble cent might be your golden ticket to good vibes and unexpected wins.

As the saying goes:
“See a penny, pick it up… all day long you’ll have good luck!”
(And hey, if it's tails up—flip it over for the next lucky soul. Good karma’s a real thing.)

Keep your eyes peeled and your pockets ready—today, even spare change is feeling magical. ✨

Innovation

‘Brainless’ Robots

Engineers at the AMOLF research institute in Amsterdam have created a soft robot that moves with remarkable speed—without motors, electronics, or software. Powered entirely by air and simple mechanics, the robot walks, hops, and swims, reaching speeds of about 30 body lengths per second. “The legs simply fall into sync spontaneously, and the robot takes off,” said lead author Alberto Comoretto. For comparison, that’s roughly twice as fast as a Ferrari when scaled by body size.

The robot’s movement is based on the same principle as inflatable tube dancers: air inflates its legs, causing them to wobble. But when linked together, the legs begin moving in sync automatically—no code or commands required. Once this motion locks in, the robot reaches top speed. Unlike typical air-powered robots that depend on centralized control and move slowly, this design adapts fluidly. It can even adjust to obstacles by re-synchronizing its legs, much like a millipede regaining rhythm after a misstep.

Its adaptability goes beyond land. In water, the robot transitions seamlessly from hopping to swimming, triggered purely by changes in its physical environment. “In biology, we often see similar decentralized intelligence,” said Dr. Mannus Schomaker, referencing sea stars and other organisms. Lead investigator Professor Bas Overvelde adds, “It’s a machine—but one that, if designed well, can outperform many robotic systems.” With potential applications in medicine and space, the research shows that smart design—rather than smart software—can lead to powerful innovations.

Environment

Olive Waste into Fuel

In northern Tunisia, engineer Yassine Khelifi has found a way to turn the country’s mounting olive oil waste into a sustainable fuel—reducing emissions, easing deforestation, and building a business in the process. His company, Bioheat, produces briquets from olive pomace, the pulpy byproduct left after olives are pressed for oil. Once a largely discarded waste, the pomace is now being sold locally and exported abroad as clean-burning fuel.

Tunisia may be smaller than neighbors like Libya and Algeria, but it punches above its weight in agriculture—ranking third globally in olive oil production and second in date exports. Olive farming is part of the country's cultural fabric, with roots dating back to Roman times. While rural communities have traditionally burned olive waste or used it for livestock, today’s production generates over 600,000 tons of pomace annually—far more than households can repurpose.

Khelifi began experimenting in 2018, intrigued by how long pomace could burn. After a research trip to Europe, he returned with a specialized machine and spent three years perfecting a process to produce fuel logs with just 8% moisture—far lower than traditional firewood. At Bioheat’s factory, a 10-person team sun-dries the pomace, feeds it into the machine, and cuts the output into hollow briquets. One pizza shop owner in Tunis reported less smoke and better flavor, while others noted major savings on heating costs. With 60% of production exported and a goal of 600 tons annually, Khelifi’s project may only tackle a fraction of Tunisia’s waste—but in a nation blanketed in olive trees, it's a smart and sustainable step forward.

Good News

Workmen & Nap Time

Some TikToks make you laugh. Some make you cry. And then there are the rare gems that gently bonk your heart and remind you that humanity? Still wholesome sometimes. One mom and her toddler just dropped one of those gems — a short but striking video that’s taking over everyone’s FYP. The premise? Simple: a curious little boy, wearing his best “workman” outfit, asks the internet’s actual workmen a deeply important question:

"Is nap essential for working?"

From mechanics to delivery guys, construction workers to linemen — workmen across the country (and even beyond) have been replying in full gear, still on site, sending photos of themselves napping on lunch breaks, between shifts, on cardboard mats, or slouched blissfully in forklifts. One even curled up behind a stack of cement bags like it was a five-star mattress.

It’s beautiful. It’s hilarious. It’s basically a grown-up version of “Elf on the Shelf” but with hard hats and exhaustion.

Nap Time, but Make It Blue Collar

What’s striking about the responses isn’t just the visuals — it's the warmth. These replies come with captions like:

• “Naps are sacred, little man.”

• “Best part of the job, not gonna lie.”

• “Tell your mama she’s raising a wise one.”

There's a sense of camaraderie, a shared exhaustion that feels… weirdly comforting? Like the entire workforce is collectively saying: Yes, we’re tired. And yes, we’d like to lie down for 20 minutes, please and thank you.

Let’s be honest — a toddler dressed like a foreman asking deep life questions is peak internet content. But this hit different. Maybe it’s the way the workmen responded, not with snark, but with sincerity. Maybe it’s the tired smiles behind safety goggles. Or maybe we’re all just that sleep-deprived and this video tapped into our shared dream of mid-shift naps and blanket forts.

Whatever it is, this video reminded us that rest isn't a weakness — it’s part of the grind. And if the guys laying down literal foundations can pause for a power nap, maybe we should all give ourselves a little more grace, too.

So here’s to the toddler with the tough questions, and the men in steel-toes who answered with softness. 🧡

@jessclee

#toddlersoftiktok #workmans #naptime #fypシ゚viral

Mind Stretchers

⁉️

Yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:

— right on! Debbie Ettinger got this correct first! 🌞 

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected]or reply to the email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.