Milton Keynes, England doesn’t exactly scream “environment news,” but today’s roundup from the Misryoum newsroom is full of odd little human battles with their own realities. A devoted fan there has set a new Guinness World Record with her collection of “Tomb Raider” video games—291 distinct editions. Amy Dyson, who lives with a neurological condition, says the games help her manage her symptoms.
Sydney, Queensland had a different kind of pressure. At the Australian Athletics Championships, Lachlan Kennedy—22—became the first Australian to break the 10-second barrier on home turf. He ran the 100 meters in 9.96 seconds.
Meanwhile, Fujiyoshida’s Arakurayama Sengen Park tried to tackle over-tourism in the middle of peak cherry blossom season. The park canceled its cherry blossom festival this year, though that didn’t stop people from showing up anyway. Misryoum editorial desk noted that, since April 1 marked the season’s onset, the park increased security measures and prohibited tour buses and vehicles from entering the vicinity. Visitors can still stroll through the park, which has over 650 Yoshino cherry trees—so you’ll still get the spectacle, just with fewer ways to get there.
I keep thinking about the soundscape of a crowded spring outing—footsteps on packed paths, camera shutters, all that noise—and then the quiet when security holds someone back at the edge. That’s basically the tension Misryoum analysis suggests the park is trying to manage: protect the place, but also deal with how badly people want to see it. And honestly, even with stricter access, the blossoms draw crowds the way they always do.
Not far from that other kind of spring sweetness, Quebec grocery stores are dealing with a scandal over fake maple syrup. Misryoum newsroom reported that the investigative TV program “Enquête” lab tested five cans of the “pure maple syrup” made by a producer in Saint-Chrysostome after a journalist reported his tasted strange. All of the cans—bought in different stores—contained at least 50% cane sugar. After the exposé, shoppers still found cans on shelves, this time with a sticker hiding the disgraced company’s name.
Then, in a completely separate record chase, David Olvera of San Luis Potosí added another headline-worthy feat. Misryoum editorial team stated that just 10 months after setting a Guinness World Record for swimming the fastest ever 28.- mile lap around Manhattan—in just over 5 hours and 34 minutes—he set another record. The 31-year-old swam 52.8 miles nonstop from Cozumel to Cancún in 16 hours and 48 minutes. It’s the kind of endurance story that makes you wonder where the body draws the line, and where the world tries to measure it… before it moves on.
