Good News Corner

There's been so much bad news in our newspapers, our feeds, and on our tellys lately. Here at Xplore Local, we know how easy it is to get overwhelmed by the doom and gloom, and that's why we've scoured the web and collected some of the most uplifting stories of the week to help make your day a little brighter. 

Stolen Springer Spaniel Reunited with Cork Family After 7 Months

Several months after she was snatched from her kennel in Greater Midleton, Co. Cork, Springer Spaniel 'Ruby' has been reunited with her family following her discovery in the UK. Ruby was reported missing in June 2020. A Gardaí investigation and Facebook appeal were launched to no avail. 

Ruby's journey back home began when a lady in the UK recognised her for sale on an English website and notified police. Soon after being recovered by local police, she was transported home to her beloved Cork family shortly before Christmas. 

Student Wins Young Scientist Award With Programme That Exposes 'Deepfakes'

17-year-old Greg Tarr won the coveted 2021 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) last Friday with his 'deepfake' detection programme. The programme, which judges deemed faster and more accurate than existing software, detects images and videos on the web that have been maliciously tampered with. With the advent of social media and new editing technologies in recent years, it's never been easier to spread misinformation to huge audiences, but it's also never been harder for us to detect with our naked eye whether or not a video or image has been messed with in some way. 

Greg Tarr's new and improved programme is promising news for us consumers and those in the tech industry currently battling this scourge. 

Irish Entrepreneurs Find Way to Convert Cigarette Butts Into New Products

Cigarette butts have always been notoriously difficult to recycle, due to the fact that they're made up of a combination of toxic organic compounds, paper and plastic. However, a couple of young Irish entrepreneurs have discovered an innovative new way of recycling some of the butts' components (like plastic filters) into new products such as eyeglass frames. 

Liam Lysaght, an engineering student at TCD, has developed a method of extracting the plastic from the butts so that it can be reused in the production of commercial products. Meanwhile, his partner Mike Wylde of NoButts.ie is working to collect discarded butts with his 'Stashtray' bin, which has been installed in a number of spots around the Capital. 

The partnership promises great things for the future of Irish recycling, not to mention our streetscapes!