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Unprecedented Fish Sound Recordings Presented to the Library of Congress at Voices of the Ocean’s Convening to Inspire Ocean Regeneration

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On October 6, 2026, Wave and Conservation Nation convened over 300 ocean leaders, scientists, innovators, conservationists and ocean-lovers at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., for Voices of the Ocean—an immersive evening celebrating the discoveries, ideas and people shaping the future of our ocean.

The evening included an unprecedented moment when FishEye Collaborative presented a collection of fish sounds from Hawai’i’s coral reefs to the Library of Congress. The recordings represent the largest publicly accessible natural sound collection of fish species from the United States and from across the Pacific Ocean, to join the Library’s historic inclusion of the original “Songs of the Humpback Whale” recordings.

Opening the evening via video-link, Her Royal Highness Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Founder of Wave, said: “It is especially meaningful that we have gathered here to celebrate those who are dedicating their lives to understanding and protecting our ocean, and to amplify the ideas, discoveries and solutions that can help secure a healthy, thriving ocean for generations to come.”

Doro Bush Koch, Co-founder of Conservation Nation, said: “What brought us together tonight is a shared love of the ocean and a belief that we can do something meaningful to protect it.”

In the historic Coolidge Auditorium, the program featured guests from the depths of the ocean to the frontiers of marine science and innovation. Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, esteemed marine biologist, oceanographer, explorer and founder of Mission Blue, spoke about the power of exploration, conservation and collective action.

Wave Chief Scientist Professor Carlos Duarte explored the ocean’s next frontier, examining how marine life is unlocking new possibilities for medicine and human health. Peabody Awardwinning science journalist Lulu Miller shared the remarkable story of a whale calf birth, accompanied by footage revealing the extraordinary communal behaviors of marine life.

Internationally bestselling author Sy Montgomery invited guests to see the ocean through a different lens, bringing the character, intelligence and spirit of marine animals to life.

The evening opened with a cinematic celebration of the ocean, featuring extraordinary footage by ocean filmmaker Matthew David Kaplan set to an original score by Alex Lustig. The program culminated in an immersive cinematic journey created by the next generation of ocean storytellers—filmmakers, photographers and marine biologists—accompanied by a live orchestra performance.

From Ocean Ideas to Ocean Innovation
The evening continued in the Library of Congress’ Great Hall, where guests met the founders behind a new generation of ocean solutions.

Among them were Coastal Assembly, a public benefit corporation working to grow the world’s coastlines; Coral Vita, pioneering new approaches to coral restoration; FishEye Collaborative, a conservation technology nonprofit using acoustic monitoring to help protect coral reefs and nearshore habitats; GRoW Reefs, developing reef-building products designed to accelerate native oyster reef restoration; and Room 71, an innovation studio at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution focused on advancing solutions emerging from ocean science and exploration.

Giving the Ocean a Voice
In the Great Hall, the presentation of fish sounds to the Library included new discoveries for these species. These recordings stand at the frontier of listening to animals and represent a mere glimpse of the myriad voices still to be discovered in the world’s oceans. In 2010, the Library of Congress honored the 1970 “Songs of the Humpback Whale,” recording that changed how Americans see the ocean. Today, by adding the first fish sounds to the Library’s archives, the hope is that ocean voices will be valued, kept safe, and available to the world for study and wonder.

Voices of the Ocean brought together many perspectives, disciplines and generations around one shared message: the ocean’s future depends on our ability to listen, learn, collaborate and act.

About Wave
Founded by HRH Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Wave is a Collective Action Platform dedicated to restoring a thriving ocean by 2050. Powered by the Future Investment Initiative Institute and in partnership with the Ministry of Energy, Wave strives towards the ambitious yet attainable goal of Ocean Regeneration within a Human Generation.

For more information, visit thewave.global

About Conservation Nation
Conservation Nation is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the conservation movement by funding and supporting a diverse group of conservationists from all communities while educating and inspiring the next generation of leaders. Through free, in-school STEM education programs, Conservation Nation connects students with diverse role models, builds confidence and belonging in nature, and sparks interest in conservation careers. Their grants, fellowships, and capacity-building initiatives equip conservationists around the world with the resources they need to protect endangered species and ecosystems, and to create a more inclusive and effective movement for the future. For more information, visit conservationnation.org

About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

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SOURCE Conservation Nation

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Never forget breakfast again with the new UNCLE TOBYS Oat Ring

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October 9, 2026

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 UNCLE TOBYS is giving Australians the chance to get their hands on the world’s least advanced wearable, because breakfast shouldn’t need biometrics T&Cs apply.

SYDNEY, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In a world where everything from sleep to stress levels and recovery can be optimised, UNCLE TOBYS has identified the next frontier: remembering breakfast. Enter the Oat Ring – a wearable with one job of reminding you to put your overnight oats in the fridge for tomorrow’s breakfast. 

The UNCLE TOBYS Oat Ring features: 

Milk-proof technologyIndustry-leading non-charging capabilities Zero health trackingZero sleep data Fully wearable designA reminder to put oats in the fridge 

No app. No dashboard. No sleep score. No biometrics. Just a simple reminder that breakfast does not need to be optimised. 

The launch comes as nearly a third of Australians aged 18+ spend more than $3,300 a year on wellness products and services, while over half (55%) say they feel fatigued and overwhelmed by wellness content – from sleep scores, 4:30 am alarms and ice baths, to mouth tape, vagus nerve stimulation and the latest cottage cheese trend. 

Developed in response to over one in two (56%) Australians skipping breakfast at least once a week, the UNCLE TOBYS team is launching the Oat Ring as part of its Oatimisation Protocol — a no-fuss routine for making breakfast happen: 

POURCHILLEAT REPEAT 

To champion the Oatimisation Protocol, UNCLE TOBYS has appointed Liam Stapleton as its first C-OAT-O (Chief Oat Officer). His extensive lack of experience running a multinational tech company made him uniquely qualified to launch a tech ring that tracks absolutely nothing. He says: “The wellness industry keeps telling us we need more data, more tracking and more optimisation. We had a different idea. What if people just needed a reminder to make breakfast?”

UNCLE TOBYS Head of Marketing, Kimberley Finsten, said: “The Oat Ring is probably the least advanced wearable ever created, and that’s exactly the point. It doesn’t measure, monitor, or optimise a thing. It just reminds you to put your Overnight Oats in the fridge before bed. In a world obsessed with tracking everything, we’re celebrating something much simpler: making it easier to start the day with a nutritious breakfast.”

Limited Edition UNCLE TOBYS Oat Ring
A limited number of Oat Rings are up for grabs. To be in the running, visit the pinned Instagram post on UNCLE TOBYS social channels and comment on the pinned promotional post, providing an answer to the question: “What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve done to “optimise” your life?” (in 25 words or less). Competition Period: The competition commences at 6:00 am AEST on 28 September 2026 and closes at 11:59 pm AEDT on 11 October 2026. T&Cs apply.*
UNCLE TOBYS Overnight Oats are available in a range of flavours at major supermarkets nationwide. For more information about the Oatimise Your Life campaign, visit www.uncletobys.com.au/oatimise. 

END

Research methodology 
The UNCLE TOBYS Oatimise Your Life research was conducted among a nationally representative sample of n=1,019 Australians aged 18+, across all states and territories, in September 2026 by Pureprofile.

Abbreviated competition T&Cs
*Starts 6:00am AEST 28/9/26. Ends 11:59pm AEDT 11/10/26. Aus. res. 18+. Limit 1 entry/person. Prize: engraved UNCLE TOBYS ‘oat’ silver ring (6mm wide) with synthetic Ruby stone & 1 x sachet of UNCLE TOBYS Overnight Oats (prize valued at up to $350.70 ea) (30 to be won). Judging occurs 10am AEDT 14/10/26 at 1 Homebush Bay Drive, Rhodes NSW 2138. Prize winners notified via Instagram DM, and published at www.nestle.com.au/productnews/winners by 20/10/26. Claim prize by 11:59pm AEDT 17/11/26. Re-judging occurs 12pm AEDT 19/11/26. Promoter: Nestlé Australia Ltd, ABN 77 000 011 316, 1 Homebush Bay Drive, Rhodes NSW 2138. See https://www.uncletobys.com.au/oatimise for Terms and Conditions.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/never-forget-breakfast-again-with-the-new-uncle-tobys-oat-ring-302903251.html

SOURCE UNCLE TOBYS

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Singapore’s Space SME OculloSpace Successfully Flies First Rocket, AZAD “The Dreamer”, from Oman

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October 9, 2026

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Self-funded maiden flight achieves an apogee altitude of 10 km, marking a milestone in OculloSpace’s space technology development, six months after its first satellite launch, as the company advances towards its 100 km ambition.

SINGAPORE, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Singapore-based space technology company OculloSpace has successfully completed the maiden flight of AZAD “The Dreamer”, its first experimental sounding rocket, making a significant milestone in the company’s development of launch and space technology capabilities. The rocket achieved an apogee altitude of 10 km during its maiden flight from Etlaq Spaceport, Oman.

The mission, designed Karman X1, was conducted in collaboration with Oman-based aerospace company Stellar Kinetics MCT, with support from international partners across Singapore, Oman and Australia.

The two-stage rocket, measuring 4.3 metres and weighing 26 kg, successfully lifted off from Etlaq on October 1st, 2026, reaching an apogee altitude of 10 km. Both stages completed their burns, with telemetry received throughout the flight. While the upper-stage parachute did not deploy, launch operator Stellar Kinetics reported that the majority of the mission objectives were achieved, providing valuable flight data for future development.

A Singapore-Owned Space Technology Programme

Initiated by Dr Franco Gan, Founder and CEO of OculloSpace, the AZADRocket programme represents approximately two years of development and was self-funded by the company.

OculloSpace owns and leads the AZADRocket programme, retaining ownership of its programme intellectual property. The mission brought together international space industry expertise, with Stellar Kinetics serving as an engineering, manufacturing and launch partner in Oman.

“Six months ago, we sent our first satellite to orbit, and now we have flown our own rocket. I’ve always looked at the sky and wondered whether I could build something that reaches it. The Dreamer represents about two years of work by our team to take an idea from the drawing board to an actual flight,” said Dr Franco Gan.  

The mission also involved Orbit2Orbit (Australia), which supplied the 1kg Snowball experimental payload, and WWG Engineering Pte. Ltd. (Singapore), which contributed coated material samples for in-flight evaluation. Etlaq Spaceport provided launch infrastructure and range safety support.

Two Space Milestones in Six Months

The flight follows OculloSpace’s flight satellite mission, DECIMALSAT-1, a PocketQube satellite deployed into orbit through Alba Orbital aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-16 rideshare mission on 30 March 2026.

Within approximately six months, OculloSpace has achieved two important milestones: deploying its first satellite into orbit and completing the maiden flight of its first experimental rocket, achieving an apogee altitude of 10 km.

These achievements strengthen the company’s experience in satellite systems, experimental rocket development, flight operations and international space missions, laying the foundation for future space technology and commercial opportunities.

Next Ambition: Reaching 100 km

Building on the Karman X1 mission, OculloSpace is developing AZAD-2, its next-generation experimental sounding rocket targeting an altitude of 100 km, the Kármán line widely recognised as the boundary of space.

The company plans to apply lessons and flight data from The Dreamer towards AZAD-2, with future opportunities for suborbital research, space technology demonstrations and commercial payload services.

OculloSpace is exploring up to 5 kg of research payload capacity aboard AZAD-2, subject to further engineering validation, testing and regulatory approvals.

“Our next goal is AZAD-2 and a 100 km flight. We are now looking to work with partners who share our ambition to develop more accessible launch and space capabilities from the region, and to take what we have demonstrated with The Dreamer to the next level,” said Dr Franco Gan.

OculloSpace welcomes discussions with strategic investors, space industry partners, research institutions and prospective payload customers interested in participating in its next phase of development.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/singapores-space-sme-ocullospace-successfully-flies-first-rocket-azad-the-dreamer-from-oman-302903258.html

SOURCE OculloSpace

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‘Kung fu tea’: US journalist Douglas’ journey into the art of Wuyi rock tea

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October 9, 2026

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BEIJING, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from chinadaily.com.cn:

Three hundred years ago, a British man stole the seeds of Wuyi rock tea to plant them elsewhere. Three centuries later, US journalist Douglas travels to Xiamei village at the foot of Wuyi Mountain in Fujian province to learn the age-old craft.

After the entire experience, he understands why people call it “kung fu tea”. For him, picking tea requires “eagle claw skills” and shaking the leaves demands “tai chi hands”. Every step is filled with a sense of mastery and dedication.

Why did Douglas travel all the way to Xiamei village to learn the art of tea-making? What are his insights on the 13,000 km Tea Road? Watch the video to find out.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kung-fu-tea-us-journalist-douglas-journey-into-the-art-of-wuyi-rock-tea-302903196.html

SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn

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