Brainy Monkey (2026)

08/10/2026

He was Muslim. They were Christian. On Christmas Eve, he gave his life to protect them.

In 2000, 25-year-old Riyanto, a Muslim youth volunteer in Indonesia, was helping guard a church in Mojokerto, East Java, during Christmas Eve services.

Then a suspicious package was found.

Riyanto realized it was a bomb. With more than 100 Christian worshippers still inside, he picked it up and tried to carry it away from the congregation.

He never made it far enough.

The bomb exploded, killing him, but his final act helped prevent an even greater tragedy.

Riyanto became a powerful symbol of courage, sacrifice, and religious solidarity in Indonesia.

A Muslim man gave his life to save Christian worshippers on Christmas Eve. That is humanity and faith at their very best.

08/10/2026

They were offered more than $26 million for their family farm, and they still said no.

A Kentucky mother and daughter reportedly rejected about $26.48 million for roughly 534 acres of farmland that had been in their family for nearly 200 years.

The land was being sought for a massive 2.2-gigawatt data center project linked to the growing demand for AI infrastructure.

Their family owns around 1,200 acres in the area, but they chose to protect the land rather than sell it for industrial development.

For them, preserving generations of family farmland was worth more than a multimillion-dollar payday.

$26 million to sell, or keep the land in the family. Would you have made the same choice?

08/10/2026

A rock legend quietly turned 157 acres of farmland into a living forest for wildlife.

While millions know Brian May as Queen’s legendary guitarist, he has also spent years helping nature make a comeback.

In 2013, May began transforming 157 acres of former farmland in Dorset, England into a wildlife haven now known as May’s Wood.

The project has since grown into a major rewilding effort, with more than 100,000 trees and shrubs planted across the land. As the woodland matured, insects, birds, and small mammals began returning, helping restore biodiversity to an area once dominated by intensive agriculture.

What was once open farmland is now a growing ecosystem designed to give wildlife more space to survive and thrive.

Brian May helped create music history with Queen. Now he’s helping create a forest that could outlive us all.

Image was made using AI and for illustration purposes only.

07/10/2026

Texas is making drunk drivers pay for the lives they destroy. 🚨

Under a law that took effect in 2023, anyone convicted of intoxication manslaughter can be ordered to pay monthly financial support for a child who lost a parent or legal guardian in the crash.

Those payments can continue until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later.

The court decides the amount based on the child’s needs and the family’s financial situation.

And Texas is not alone. Tennessee, Kentucky, Maine, Utah, South Dakota, Montana, and Missouri have passed similar laws aimed at supporting children left behind after fatal impaired-driving crashes.

If a drunk driver takes a parent’s life, should they be required to help support the child left behind?

07/10/2026

A 2.5 meters tall naked, gold-covered Donald Trump statue has appeared inside the European Parliament.

The satirical sculpture, displayed in Strasbourg, France, stands about 2.5 meters tall including its pedestal and is covered in 23-karat gold leaf.

Created by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, the piece is titled “The Orange Plague” and is also known as “King of Injustice.”

It depicts Trump sitting on the shoulders of a much smaller man while holding an oversized golf club.

The work was brought into the European Parliament as part of a temporary exhibition hosted by a Danish member of Parliament, not as an official commission by the institution.

The artist says the sculpture is meant as political satire criticizing Trump’s approach to issues including climate change, international cooperation, and inequality.

07/10/2026

One father turned online bullying into a Minecraft community that now connects more than 21,000 players.

In 2013, Canadian web developer Stuart Duncan, whose son is autistic, created Autcraft after seeing how autistic children were being bullied and mistreated on public Minecraft servers.

He wanted to build a place where children could play without constant harassment, trolling, or being targeted simply for being different.

What started as a small private server quickly grew into a global community. By 2026, Autcraft had surpassed 21,000 registered players.

The server is carefully moderated and gives autistic children and their families a place to play, make friends, connect, and feel accepted.

More than a decade later, a simple Minecraft server has become a safe online home for thousands of people around the world.

07/10/2026

Scientists develop plastic from cactus that can disappear in weeks instead of lingering for centuries. 🌵

Mexican chemical engineer Sandra Pascoe Ortiz developed a biodegradable plastic alternative made from nopal cactus juice, creating a material that could offer a cleaner option for some single-use plastics.

The cactus juice is mixed with natural ingredients such as glycerine, proteins, waxes, and colorants to form a flexible bioplastic. Unlike conventional plastic made from fossil fuels, it is designed to break down naturally after use.

What makes it remarkable is the speed. Researchers say it can biodegrade in soil in about 1 month and dissolve in water in roughly 1 week. It has also been reported as non-toxic and safe for humans and animals.

The material could potentially be used for bags, packaging, cutlery, and containers, offering a promising new weapon against plastic pollution. 🌎

06/10/2026

Trump is backing congressional term limits that could dramatically shake up Washington. 🇺🇸

The proposal: 6 years in the House, 12 years in the Senate.

That means a maximum of 3 House terms and 2 Senate terms.

One 2026 analysis found that if those limits were applied to lawmakers’ existing years of service, about 85% of House members and 74 senators would already be over the proposed limit.

That scenario is hypothetical, since current proposals generally would not count years served before the rules take effect. But it shows just how many longtime lawmakers could eventually be affected.

6 years in the House. 12 years in the Senate. Would you support it?

06/10/2026

Indonesia has officially said the elephant ride is over.

In a major move for animal welfare, Indonesia has banned elephant-riding activities at conservation institutions and wildlife tourism facilities nationwide, shifting the focus from rides to observation, education, and more ethical wildlife experiences.

The policy was introduced in late 2025 and began taking effect in 2026.

Officials said the goal is to protect the physical and psychological well-being of elephants and move away from using them as tourist entertainment.

Wildlife parks and conservation centers are now being required to end elephant-riding programs and replace them with more animal-friendly alternatives.

Several major facilities have already made the switch, allowing visitors to observe and learn about elephants without climbing onto their backs.

2025: policy introduced.
2026: implementation begins.
1 nationwide shift away from elephant rides.

For Indonesia’s elephants, tourism is starting to look a lot less like entertainment and a lot more like respect.

06/10/2026

Japan now classifies using threats of hell or other fear-based religious tactics to frighten or control children as a form of psychological abuse.

In December 2022, Japanese authorities issued official guidance addressing child abuse linked to religious beliefs.

The guidance says that using threats, frightening images, or fear-based religious teachings to intimidate or control children can be treated as a form of psychological abuse.

Examples include telling a child they will “go to hell” as a way to frighten them into obeying or participating in religious practices.

The policy does not mean that simply teaching children about religion or hell is automatically abuse. The concern is when fear and religious threats are used as tools of coercion, intimidation, or control.

Japan’s message is clear: religious belief does not excuse psychological harm to children.

Brainy Monkey

08/10/2026

08/10/2026

08/10/2026

07/10/2026

07/10/2026

07/10/2026

07/10/2026

06/10/2026

06/10/2026

06/10/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Listing takedown request