Scientists Explore Fungi-Based Hydrogels for Future Biomedical Uses

Fungi might soon do more than recycle life — they could help rebuild it. Scientists at the University of Utah have discovered that a common soil fungus, Marquandomyces marquandii, can grow into a hydrogel that mimics the soft, layered structure of human tissue. The finding could someday lead to new, living materials for healing wounds, regenerating cartilage, or even engineering artificial organs. Hydrogels — spongy, water-rich materials — are prized in medicine for their ability to replicate the flexibility and moisture of natural tissue. Engineers have long tried to design synthetic versions, but this fungus seems to make one all on its own. “Hydrogels are regarded as a promising alternative for applications in tissue regeneration and engineering, cell culture scaffolds, and wearable devices,” said lead author Atul Agrawal, a materials engineer at the University of Utah. “They closely mimic the viscoelastic properties of soft tissues.” A fungus with layers Marquandomyces marquandii might not look like much — just a yellowish mold that grows in soil — but under the right conditions, it produces a naturally structured hydrogel. When researchers grew it in a stationary liquid culture, the fungus formed a thick, multilayered mat that retained up to 83 percent water. “What you are seeing here is a hydrogel with multilayers,” Agrawal said. “It’s visible to the naked eye, and these multiple layers have different porosity. So the top layer has about 40 percent porosity, and then there are alternating bands of 90 percent and 70 percent.” The team believes these variations form naturally as the fungus adjusts its growth pattern — spreading sideways near the surface and branching downward as it expands. By tweaking oxygen levels, temperature, or nutrients, scientists could fine-tune these layers to suit different medical needs. Tough, flexible, and biocompatible Unlike other fungi tested for biomedical use — which often dried out or broke apart easily — M. marquandii formed what materials engineer Steven Naleway described as “big, beefy mycelial layers.” “Mycelium is made primarily out of chitin, which is similar to what’s found in seashells and insect exoskeletons,” Naleway explained. “It’s biocompatible, but also highly spongy.” That structure could make it a powerful base material for future implants or tissue scaffolds. “In theory, you could use it as a template for biomedical applications or mineralize it to create a bone scaffold,” Naleway said. Nature’s own blueprint Fungi grow through long filaments called mycelium — an underground network that can stretch indefinitely as long as nutrients are available. “They will grow forever as long as there’s enough nutrition around,” said Bryn Dentinger, a mycologist at the Natural History Museum of Utah. “There’s a lot we could exploit from those behaviors that really haven’t been explored fully.” Though the idea of mushroom skin or a fungus-grown hip replacement might sound far-fetched, the team’s research — published in The Journal of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society — marks the first known instance of a fungus naturally forming a hydrogel under submerged conditions. The next step will be testing how the fungal material interacts with living tissue. While M. marquandii isn’t known to be harmful, scientists caution that mold-based materials could still trigger allergic reactions in some people. Still, the potential is vast. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a mycelium species achieving such hydrogel-like properties,” the researchers wrote. “It positions M. marquandii as a novel and promising material for biomedical applications.” It may be a while before doctors prescribe fungi for healing wounds — but someday, the same organisms that help forests grow back could help people do the same.

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Poland Votes To Ban Fur Farming By 2033, Offers Payouts For Early Closures

Poland is set to phase out fur farming by the end of 2033, after lawmakers in the country’s lower house voted overwhelmingly to approve a new ban. The measure passed with 339 votes, ordering fur-farm operators to shut down operations by December 31, 2033. Those who close earlier—by the end of 2031—will qualify for financial compensation under new amendments to the country’s animal protection law. Support came from across the political spectrum. The centrist Civic Coalition (KO) contributed 150 votes, joined by 100 from the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS), 30 from the Polish People’s Party (PSL), and full backing from the Left and Poland 2050. Only the far-right Confederation party voted unanimously against the bill, while a few lawmakers from PiS and one from PSL either voted no or abstained. “Most voters of every party wanted a ban,” said Anna Iżyńska-Tymoniuk from Otwarte Klatki, an animal-rights group that has pushed for the measure for years. She pointed to consistent polling showing about 70 percent of Poles in favor of ending the industry. She called the vote “a breakthrough for millions of animals” and said it will also improve life in rural communities, many of which have long complained about the smell and swarms of flies surrounding fur farms. Poland currently ranks as the world’s second-largest fur producer after China, killing around 3 million animals each year, according to Iżyńska-Tymoniuk. She said the move puts Poland in line with more than 20 other European countries that have already banned fur farming, and could give momentum to the EU-wide “Fur Free Europe” initiative, which aims to end fur production across the bloc and bar such imports from global markets. The design of the new law may also prompt farms to shut down even before the 2033 deadline. Those that exit the industry by 2031 will receive government compensation, while falling demand for fur has already made the business less profitable. Lawmakers also amended the bill to boost severance for fur-farm workers, increasing it from three months’ salary to a full year’s pay. Employers will be able to apply for reimbursement through Poland’s national social insurance authority (ZUS). Data from Statistics Poland (GUS) suggests the industry has already been shrinking. In 2015, there were 810 fur farms in the country—mostly raising mink. That number has dropped to 209 in 2024. Exports have fallen as well, from more than 10 million pelts in 2015 to around 1.8 million this year. The new legislation marks one of the most significant animal welfare reforms in Poland in years, and a major shift for an industry that once made the country a global player in fur exports.

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Experts Celebrate Landmark Moment For Elephants After Vaccine Breakthrough

After years of heartbreak and research, scientists at Chester Zoo have made a major breakthrough in the battle against a virus that has killed young elephants around the world. A new trial vaccine for Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) has shown promising results, safely triggering a strong immune response in adult elephants. EEHV is the leading cause of death for young Asian elephants, both in captivity and in the wild, and until now, there has been no effective treatment or cure. The trial, a collaboration between Chester Zoo, the University of Surrey, and the UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency, marks the first time researchers have demonstrated that a vaccine can stimulate the specific immune response needed to fight the virus in elephants. “This is a landmark moment in our work to develop safe and efficacious vaccines,” said Professor Falko Steinbach, senior author of the study and a veterinary immunology expert at the University of Surrey. “For the first time, we have shown in elephants that a vaccine can trigger the type of immune response needed to protect them against EEHV.” The study, published Friday in Nature Communications, involved a two-dose vaccine strategy: the first shot carried a harmless version of the virus, followed by a booster to strengthen the immune system’s response. Blood tests confirmed that the elephants developed a robust reaction to the vaccine, with no side effects. This breakthrough comes after a string of devastating losses at Chester Zoo, where five young elephants died from EEHV in 2015, including calves Bala and Hari. In 2018, three-year-old Nandita Hi Way and her 18-month-old half-brother Aayu Hi Way also died from the virus, despite attempts to save them using what the zoo at the time described as “groundbreaking” blood transfusion treatments. The researchers say the new vaccine could be a turning point, particularly for young elephants, who are most at risk. The goal now is to move forward with trials in calves and eventually deploy the vaccine in wild elephant populations across Asia. “Our findings give real hope that vaccination can become a practical tool for preventing severe disease and death due to EEHV,” said Dr Tanja Maehr, lead author of the study. “The next step could be to trial the vaccine in calves and in range countries, so we can begin to protect those most at risk.” The research also marks the first time a technique called systemic immune profiling has been used on elephants, helping scientists understand exactly which parts of the immune system are activated by the vaccine. The team administered the first vaccine dose to an elephant at Chester Zoo back in 2021, after years of development. The results from that early dose, and subsequent boosters, laid the groundwork for the broader trial and the current findings. For conservationists, the potential impact of the vaccine goes beyond individual zoos. With EEHV affecting elephants in the wild as well, the vaccine could eventually help support conservation breeding programmes across Asia and other regions. Dr Katie Edwards, lead conservation scientist at Chester Zoo, described the findings as a “watershed moment.” “EEHV has taken the lives of so many elephants, both in human care and in the wild, but this vaccine offers hope,” she said. “We can’t yet say this will be the end of EEHV deaths, but we have taken a massive step towards that goal.” With Asian elephants listed as endangered and their global population already under pressure from habitat loss and poaching, a vaccine against one of their most lethal diseases could prove to be a critical tool in their survival.

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Scientists Turn Undersea Cables Into Whale Listening Devices For Orca Conservation

At dawn on San Juan Island, a group of scientists stood on the deck of a barge and carefully lowered more than a mile of fiber-optic cable into the icy waters of the Salish Sea. Their goal wasn’t to connect more homes to high-speed internet — it was to eavesdrop on whales. The team, led by researchers from the University of Washington, is testing whether the same cables that carry the internet across oceans can double as giant underwater microphones. If it works, the experiment could turn the world’s vast network of undersea cables into a continuous listening system for marine life — one that could transform how scientists track and protect endangered species. The technology, known as Distributed Acoustic Sensing, or DAS, was originally designed to monitor pipelines and detect infrastructure problems. But oceanographers quickly realized it could do much more. Unlike traditional hydrophones that listen from a single location, DAS effectively turns an entire fiber-optic cable into a chain of thousands of tiny sensors. “We can imagine that we have thousands of hydrophones along the cable recording data continuously,” said Shima Abadi, a professor at the University of Washington Bothell School of STEM and the University of Washington School of Oceanography. “We can know where the animals are and learn about their migration patterns much better than hydrophones.” The system works by detecting minute vibrations along the cable — changes in light patterns caused by sound waves in the surrounding water. Researchers have already used the technique off the Oregon coast to pick up the deep, low-frequency songs of blue and fin whales. Now, they’re testing whether it can capture the sharper clicks and whistles of orcas, which vocalize at much higher frequencies. A new tool for a species in trouble The stakes are particularly high in the Salish Sea, where the Southern Resident orcas are teetering on the edge of extinction. Only about 75 remain, facing what scientists describe as a “triple threat” of noise pollution, toxic contamination, and dwindling food sources. “We have an endangered killer whale trying to eat an endangered salmon species,” said Scott Veirs, president of Beam Reach Marine Science and Sustainability, a nonprofit that develops open-source acoustic systems for whale conservation. The orcas’ main food source, Chinook salmon, has declined by about 60 percent since the 1980s because of overfishing, dams, and habitat loss. That scarcity forces the whales to travel farther and rely heavily on echolocation — rapid bursts of clicks that bounce off fish and obstacles. But as ship noise increases, those sounds are harder to hear. If DAS proves sensitive enough to detect orcas, it could help solve that problem. By tracking the whales’ movements in real time, scientists could alert ship operators or ferry systems when whales are nearby, reducing the risk of interference or collisions. “It will for sure help with dynamic management and long-term policy that will have real benefits for the whales,” Veirs said. The data could also answer deeper scientific questions: How do orcas change their calls in different social or hunting situations? Do family pods coordinate attacks with specific signals? Could scientists one day identify individual whales by their voices? A global network waiting to listen Globally, there are about 870,000 miles (1.4 million kilometres) of undersea fiber-optic cables already in place — enough to circle the planet more than 35 times. That infrastructure could, in theory, become a planetary-scale listening system for the ocean. “One of the most important challenges for managing wildlife, conserving biodiversity and combating climate change is that there’s just a lack of data overall,” said Yuta Masuda, director of science at Allen Family Philanthropies, which helped fund the project. “We think this has a lot of promise to fill in those key data gaps.” The timing is significant. The United Nations’ High Seas Treaty, which takes effect in January, will allow for new marine protected areas in international waters. But scientists still have limited information about how marine species move or where protection would do the most good. A global DAS network could help fill in those blind spots. Waiting for the whales On the barge, the researchers worked by headlamp as they fused the delicate fiber ends together using a fusion splicer — a tool that melts the strands with a precise electric spark. Each time the boat rocked, they had to steady their hands and start again. After several attempts, the weld held. Data began streaming to a computer on shore, appearing as colourful waterfall plots that translate sound into a visual cascade of frequencies. Cameras were aimed at the water’s surface, ready to match each detected call with a specific behavior. Then came the hard part: waiting. Somewhere in the dark, the Salish Sea’s orcas swam and hunted, unaware that a silent cable now lay beneath them — a thread that might soon allow scientists to hear, in real time, the voices of a vanishing species.

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Repair Cafes Gain Popularity, Bringing New Life To Cherished Items

In a world hooked on next-day deliveries and disposable goods, a small but growing movement is quietly fighting back — one mended toaster, clock, and lamp at a time. Across the UK, repair cafés are giving broken items a second life and their owners a reason to smile. Run entirely by volunteers, these community events invite people to bring in everything from frayed clothes to faulty gadgets, where skilled fixers roll up their sleeves and try to bring them back to life. In Shropshire, the Shrewsbury Repair Café has become a local institution since it began in 2017. What started with half a dozen volunteers helping a few visitors has grown into a monthly gathering of more than 45 repairers handling 50 to 60 items each time. The café meets on the third Saturday of every month at the United Reformed Church, where people line up outside well before opening time. Pete Martin, one of the café’s coordinators, specialises in clocks — though he insists he’s not an expert. His love of repair began with a personal story. “When my father died, the family passed on his wall clock to me,” he said. “I saw a local course about repairing your clock so I went and managed to get it repaired, and it still ticks in my house. Ever since then, I've enjoyed trying to get clocks to work again.” Martin and his fellow volunteers will take a look at almost anything that can be carried through the door. “We see if it can be repaired, whether we have the skill and the expertise in the room,” he said. “We try and make the repair as fun as possible. The idea is to help people to repair the item themselves if they can, but the vast majority of the time, we sit there and repair the item for them.” The idea of a “repair café” began in Amsterdam in 2009, when Dutch journalist Martine Postma launched the first one as a way to keep fixable items out of landfills. The concept quickly spread across Europe and beyond, catching on in the UK as environmental awareness — and cost-of-living concerns — grew. In Shrewsbury, the range of repairs has widened from everyday items like vacuum cleaners and clothes to more sentimental pieces. “I think that's partly because people have nowhere else to take them or they're being priced way out of the market,” Martin said. “I had a lady come in with a 1920s gramophone player. You can't take that down to Currys.” One of his most memorable repairs involved a wooden Lazy Susan engraved with a wedding design. “She’d had it engraved in pyrography for her wedding day, so it had her and her husband's name and the date of the wedding burnt into the surface of it,” he said. Over time, the lettering had begun to fade. “Sadly, her husband died fairly soon after they got married,” Martin recalled. “She said, ‘I don’t know if anybody can fix that.’ We deep-engraved everything into the Lazy Susan so that it was going to be as permanent as could possibly be.” The woman now volunteers at the café herself. Moments like these, Martin said, show that repair cafés are about far more than fixing objects. “Sometimes I have people bring me a clock that’s not been going for a long, long time, and just to hear it striking and ticking away brings back a lot of memories,” he said. “As well as the laughter, we do have tears, but they're mostly tears of joy.” For many, those tears — and the ticking of a once-silent clock — are proof that repair isn’t just practical. It’s personal.

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Parents Across U.S. Embrace Cargo Bikes, Ditching Cars for Kid-Friendly Commutes

If you live in a major U.S. city, you’ve probably seen them by now — parents pedaling their kids to school on long, bulky bicycles that look like mini minivans on two wheels. They’re called cargo bikes, and they’re quietly reshaping how families get around. Once a rare sight in North America, cargo bikes are now rolling through urban neighborhoods from Washington, D.C. to Minneapolis, and even car-dependent Houston. Families are using them for everything from daycare drop-offs to grocery runs, and some are ditching their second car — or going fully car-free. “I’m a very lazy person,” laughs Lelac Almagor, who lives in Washington, D.C. “I thought I’d give the bike a try and probably return it. But by the third day I was like, ‘Oh, this is actually going to change my life.’” Six years later, Almagor rides her three kids to school every morning, rain or shine. “It’s such a better start to my day, that now there’s truly not weather that I would rather drive in,” she says. Back when she started, she’d see one other cargo bike at the school racks. Now, she says, there are dozens. She got so into it she even left her teaching job to work for a bike company. Bikes built for families Modern cargo bikes are a far cry from the clunky haulers of the past. Today’s models are built with kid-carrying in mind — think padded seats, seatbelts, and clear rain canopies — and, most importantly, they come with electric motors that make pedaling heavy loads effortless. “Most people don’t want to be sweaty when they get to work,” says Philip Koopman, who owns a bike shop in D.C. “So having these different options, it just makes cycling so much more attainable for so many more people.” At a recent DC Family Bike Fest, Koopman helped parents test ride models that can carry multiple kids and bags of groceries. Hundreds showed up, including Patricia Stamper, who was eyeing a $2,500 e-cargo bike. “I’m 39, I’m losing weight, I need some help,” Stamper said. “And this is cheaper than bariatric surgery, it’s cheaper than Wegovy.” Expensive? Sure. But many riders say the math still works out. Between gas, parking, insurance, and maintenance, a cargo bike is far cheaper than a car. And with electric assist, it turns errands and commutes into easy exercise. Safer streets, more riders Better infrastructure has helped, too. The first protected bike lane in the U.S. was built in 1967 in Davis, California, but only in the last two decades have major cities started catching up. Minneapolis, for example, now boasts more than 200 miles of bike lanes and trails. “If it’s not safe to ride a bike, it’s going to be hard to get people on bikes,” says Laura Mitchell, who lives in the city. For her, buying a cargo bike was a “game changer.” Earlier this year, Mitchell launched the Minneapolis Cargo Bike Library — a community program where residents can borrow bikes for free to try them out or make big shopping trips. “It’s been so popular I had to cap the number of users,” she says. Even in places without great cycling networks, families are adapting. In Houston, Brian Jackson regularly drops off his two kids by cargo bike, often drawing double-takes. “A lot of people are like, ‘I’ve never seen anything like it,’” he says. But he also notices a quiet shift: “Houston has a secret strong bike culture. Drivers usually give me plenty of space, especially when they see the kids on board.” A new kind of bicycle boom Cargo bikes aren’t new. Around the early 1900s, cities teemed with tradesmen on two wheels. “There’d be knife sharpeners with a little studio set up on the back of their bikes. There were glaziers — people who fixed broken windows,” says Jody Rosen, author of Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle. That era faded as cars took over, but Rosen says we’re now in the middle of a new bicycle boom — one driven by electric motors, safer infrastructure, and climate-conscious families. Almagor agrees, but she thinks the biggest reason for the surge isn’t technology or policy. It’s visibility. Seeing other parents doing it makes the idea feel normal — and doable. “The very best advertisement for cargo biking,” she says, “is the carpool line at school. When the car line is wrapping around the block, just gliding past in our little flotilla of cargo bikes — there’s no way, as a parent, not to be like, ‘maybe we should do that.’”

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Study Links Social Support To Better Mental And Physical Health

Having people you can count on — even if you don’t always ask for help — can make a measurable difference to your health, happiness, and success, according to new research. A sweeping new analysis led by Dr. GeckHong Yeo of the National University of Singapore found that people who feel supported by friends, family, or colleagues tend to have better mental and physical health, perform more effectively at work, and experience stronger educational outcomes. The study, published in the journal Psychological Bulletin, analyzed data from 604 previous studies involving nearly 900,000 participants in more than 30 countries. Researchers focused on perceived social support — the belief that help would be available if needed — rather than on received support, or help that’s already been given. Prior evidence suggests that perceived support plays a more powerful role in overall well-being. “This study underscores the importance of considering the associations between multiple types and sources of perceived social support and multiple domains of human thriving,” Dr. Yeo said. “Our findings also suggest that adolescents, in particular, can benefit from perceived social support — especially from parents — for improving physical health and reducing risk-taking behavior.” Across all data, people who felt supported showed the strongest improvements in mental health and work performance, followed by gains in physical health, reduced risk-taking, and better academic achievement. The impact also varied across cultures and age groups. In non-Western societies, support was linked more closely with doing well in school, while in Western countries it was more connected to workplace performance. And for children and teens, the sense of having reliable support mattered most for physical health and avoiding risky behaviors. Dr. Yeo said the results show how critical social bonds are for a thriving society. “By identifying the types and sources of support that matter most, we can design targeted interventions to improve mental health, physical health, and overall quality of life,” she explained. She added that the findings could help policymakers, educators, and health professionals “build stronger support networks that promote thriving across different areas of life and contribute to overall well-being.” In short, it’s not just about having people around — it’s about believing they’d be there when you need them.

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Meet Thunder, The Real Bronco Leading Denver's Charge For 33 Seasons

For three decades, one Denver Broncos legend has charged down the field after every touchdown — and he’s not wearing a helmet. Thunder, the team’s iconic white Arabian horse, got some national attention this week in a CBS Mornings feature by Kris Van Cleave. For 33 seasons, a Thunder horse has led the Broncos onto the field at Empower Field at Mile High, symbolizing the heart and spirit of Broncos Country. Today’s Thunder — officially Thunder IV — carries on the proud tradition started in 1993. With his rider and trainer Ann Judge, he sprints across the field before kickoff and after every Broncos touchdown, to the roar of thousands of fans. “Sometimes, the players go in and out of favor,” Judge said. “Thunder never goes out of favor.” Judge has worked alongside Thunder for decades, caring for him and sharing the pregame spotlight before each home game. “Every time they see Thunder, something good has happened,” she told CBS News. The tradition began when the Broncos wanted a live mascot that could truly represent the team. The call went to Sharon Magness Blake, who owned a white Arabian stallion that fit the bill perfectly. “They said, ‘We need a white horse to be the mascot,’” Magness Blake recalled. “They had one, but he got fired. And, ‘Would you like to do it?’ I said, ‘I’d love to do it.’” Thunder has had a front-row view of Broncos history ever since — galloping through all three Super Bowl victories, countless touchdowns, and generations of fans. He even has his own stall at the stadium and a stallion-sized Super Bowl ring to match. Before each game, Magness Blake spends time with Thunder in his private stable beneath the stands. “You be a good boy,” she told him before a recent game. “It’s stressful because you want to keep the horse safe, and you want to keep everybody around him safe. But it’s so cool.” During the CBS interview, Magness Blake joked that Thunder “spoke” to her before the game. “He said, ‘I think I’m going to have to work hard today. I think we’re gonna win.’” That day, Thunder streaked down the field four times — a good omen for any Broncos fan. When he’s not at Mile High, Thunder lives on the Colorado Eastern Plains in Bennett, surrounded by open pastures and loyal fans who know exactly what he means to their team. “I think it’s kind of one of those critical things, especially with Thunder,” said longtime fan Russ Barnum. “You know, the ride that he does.” After 33 seasons and four Thunders, one thing is clear: players may come and go, but the Broncos’ most faithful champion will always be the one who leads the charge.

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This New At-Home Appliance Transforms Plastic Bags Into Recyclable Blocks For Park Benches

Even the most eco-conscious households struggle with soft plastics — the grocery bags, wrappers, and mailers that recycling programs rarely accept. Now, one Texas engineer may have cracked the code to finally make them recyclable. Ivan Arbouzov, founder of the startup Clear Drop, has created the Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC) — a sleek, stainless steel bin that transforms everyday soft plastics into dense, easy-to-recycle blocks. Here’s how it works: Users fill the bin with soft plastics like Ziplocs, bubble wrap, and cling film. When full, the SPC uses heat and pressure to compress the material into a clean, shoebox-sized block. Each block includes a prepaid shipping label and is sent to Clear Drop’s verified recycling partners, such as Frankfort Plastics Inc. in Indiana, where it’s shredded and turned into raw materials for things like park benches and decking. “Nothing is landfilled or incinerated,” Arbouzov said. “There’s real economic value in these compacted materials — and importantly, the entire cycle stays within the U.S.” Arbouzov calls the process “pre-recycling” — a way to prepare materials so they’re actually processed instead of rejected. Soft plastics are notoriously hard to recycle because they jam sorting machines and blow away during collection. By compacting them, the SPC makes them manageable for recyclers — and more efficient to ship, reducing emissions in the process. David Nix, a recycling expert at the University of Pittsburgh, called the SPC “a missing link between households and recycling facilities,” noting that it “reduces the amount of air being shipped” and helps promote a circular economy. According to Clear Drop, if just 1% of U.S. households used the SPC, nearly 300,000 tons of soft plastic — the equivalent of 7.2 billion grocery bags — would be kept out of landfills and oceans each year. The device costs $200 upfront plus a $50 monthly subscription, which covers installment payments, recycling pickup, and a two-year warranty. Each household receives prepaid mailers to recycle one block per month, and the unit runs quietly on just $0.52 worth of electricity monthly. “Soft plastic is like sand through fingers,” Arbouzov said. “The only way to catch it is to stop pretending it’s someone else’s job.” He hopes Clear Drop’s innovation will turn recycling from a confusing chore into a daily, visible act of environmental care — one compact block at a time.

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Rescued Cat Thriving After 8,000-Mile Journey From China to Minnesota

A cat named Xiao Mao — which means “little cat” in Mandarin — has survived an 8,000-mile journey from China to Minnesota after being trapped inside a shipping container for weeks without food or water. When the container was opened in Oakdale, Minnesota, workers were stunned to find the frail, dehydrated feline hiding under pallets. Somehow, she was still alive. “It’s actually amazing she survived that journey, and we are not 100% sure how she did it,” said Kerry D’Amato, executive director of Pet Haven Inc., the Minneapolis rescue now caring for her. “Three weeks without food or water, she would not be alive. She must have been drinking condensation, maybe eating bugs and rodents there.” Xiao Mao’s story began in June, when she accidentally became trapped inside a container bound for the United States. After arriving in Minnesota roughly three weeks later, she was sent to Northwoods Humane Society. But because of her critical condition — she was emaciated, terrified, and too weak to eat — the shelter transferred her to Pet Haven’s Wallflowers Program, which specializes in rehabilitating fearful or traumatized animals. “When she arrived to us, she was deathly thin and very ill,” D’Amato said. “She would charge at us, hiss, and lunge. Today, she chirps at us and comes out when we call her. Her eyes are bright, her ears are forward, she is giving us all the indications she is trusting.” Months of patient care and slow trust-building have transformed Xiao Mao. She’s gained weight, learned to relax, and even bonded with another cat named Prince — a calm companion who helped her come out of her shell. “She’s blossomed,” said D’Amato. “It’s incredible to see the difference.” Pet Haven hopes to adopt out Xiao Mao and Prince as a bonded pair in the coming months. The organization, which relies almost entirely on donations and volunteer fosters, is using her story to highlight the urgent need for more adopters and foster homes amid overcrowded shelters. Xiao Mao’s survival is extraordinary — but for the team at Pet Haven, her recovery is the real triumph. “She’s a symbol of resilience,” D’Amato said. “After everything she went through, she’s learning to trust again — and that’s the most heartwarming part of all.”

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Fishermen and Scientists Team Up to Save Sea Turtles — With Solar-Powered Light-Up Nets

For decades, sea turtles have been dying in fishing nets around the world — victims of accidental entanglement that conservationists call “bycatch.” It’s one of the biggest threats facing the endangered species, alongside climate change and habitat loss. But a team at Arizona State University may have found a surprisingly simple fix: lights. Researchers from ASU’s Senko Lab have developed solar-powered fishing nets equipped with small green LED lights that dramatically reduce the number of sea turtles and other marine animals caught by accident — without hurting fishermen’s catches. Early results show a 63% drop in turtle entanglements. “The results were pretty exciting,” said Jesse Senko, an assistant professor in ASU’s School of Ocean Futures. “It’s a win-win. You’re getting a light that lasts significantly longer, and it also seems to reduce bycatch just as effectively as lights that require replaceable batteries.” The idea came not from a lab, but from local knowledge. While working in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, Senko’s team was brainstorming with fishermen Juan Pablo and Felipe Cuevas Amador when the brothers suggested illuminating the nets. The concept turned out to be transformative. “They took us into account and gave us the freedom to give our opinions and make modifications,” said Juan Pablo. “Because of that, we wanted to keep using them — and we still do.” The Amador brothers now fish exclusively with the solar-powered nets, making them the first in the world to do so. Senko says that kind of fisher-led collaboration is key. “That’s where the real magic happens,” he explained. “When their ideas go into it, they’re more likely to use it, to share it, and to spread it to other communities.” The technology also helps fishers save time and money by reducing the number of animals they have to untangle. The LEDs are charged by sunlight, eliminating the need for batteries — cutting costs and waste. The project is now expanding to coastal North Carolina, where researchers are testing the nets in collaboration with local fishermen. Every day, graduate students paddle out to attach the lights to study-area nets, then remove them the next morning to compare catch rates. Underwater cameras are also capturing how turtles respond to the glow. “We have no clue what is going on,” Senko said. “Is the light simply illuminating the hazard? Is it making the net less attractive? Video recordings will provide all sorts of new information on behaviors.” The team’s work, recently published in Conservation Letters, is still in its early stages, but the potential impact is enormous. Senko hopes the nets will be available for small-boat fleets within two to three years, and he believes conservation agencies or governments could eventually help subsidize their adoption. The technology also represents something larger: rebuilding trust between conservationists and fishing communities that have often been at odds. In North Carolina, for instance, fishing restrictions meant to protect turtles once devastated local livelihoods. “It shut down the gillnetting here and there was a lot of people dependent on that,” said fourth-generation fisherman Eddie Willis. “It put a lot of people out of work.” Now, efforts like Senko’s aim to bridge that divide — protecting sea turtles and preserving fishing traditions. “A 63% reduction in sea turtle bycatch is a magnificent starting point,” Senko said. “But there’s no reason why that can’t be improved. My goal is to get that 63% reduction to 95%.” For the first time, it looks like conservation and fishing might finally be pulling in the same direction.

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