Goodable

A little girl in Woodbury, Connecticut, was reunited with her kitten after volunteer firefighters rescued the pet from a chimney last week.

Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department said they were called to a home to rescue the kitten, which had gotten stuck approximately 6.5 feet down the chimney. When firefighters went to access the chimney clean-out to free the cat, they found the fireplace was abandoned and sealed off.

After removing some insulation and sheetrock to access the clean-out, the kitten was nowhere to be seen. She was in another clean-out, a few feet away.

Footage here shows the moment firefighters finally accessed the area in which the kitten was trapped, and gently scooped her to safety.

A little girl in Woodbury, Connecticut, was reunited with her kitten after volunteer firefighters rescued the pet from a chimney on Monday, October 13.Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department said they were called to a home to rescue the kitten, which had gotten stuck approximately 6.5 feet down the chimney. When firefighters went to access the chimney clean-out to free the cat, they found the fireplace was abandoned and sealed off.After removing some insulation and sheetrock to access the clean-out, the kitten was nowhere to be seen. She was in another clean-out, a few feet away.Footage here shows the moment firefighters finally accessed the area in which the kitten was trapped, and gently scooped her to safety.

Firefighters Rescue Tiny Kitten From Chimney and Reunite Her With Owner

BBC News

Trowbridge athlete Mila Stanazi just made history — and says she felt like she was “flying like a superhero” doing it.

The 27-year-old took home a bronze medal at the inaugural UIPM Obstacle World Championships in Beijing last month, securing her first ever podium finish on the international stage. Held at China’s National Olympic Sports Centre, the event featured a high-speed 100m sprint across 11 obstacles, resembling the intense, grip-heavy challenges seen on shows like Ninja Warrior.

Speaking on BBC Wiltshire’s Sport at Six, Stanazi called the experience “incredible and very surreal.”

“It’s very thrilling,” she said. “It’s like a puzzle — you need to try and solve it, but be fast as well.”

Obstacle course racing (OCR) is gaining serious momentum, with the sport set to replace equestrian as the fifth discipline in the modern pentathlon at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. But Stanazi is hoping for something more — that it will eventually be recognized as a stand-alone Olympic event.

With her recent performance, she’s in strong contention to represent the UK if that day comes. She’s already the fastest female OCR athlete in the country.

Stanazi first discovered the sport at 19, and has been climbing podiums and scaling walls ever since. She says it takes “incredible grip strength, precision, accuracy,” and “a bit of confidence” to succeed.

As for what’s next, she’s keeping it simple: “I’ll keep eating my rice and peas and just hope for the best.”

She Claimed Bronze at the Obstacle World Championships — Now, She's Aiming for the Olympics

Lancashire’s gritting fleet just got a winter upgrade — and a dose of personality.

Ten new gritters will be rolling out across the county’s roads this season with names like Taylor Drift, SnOasis, and Ctrl-Salt-Delete, after a public naming competition drew a wave of pun-filled suggestions.

Also joining the icy frontlines: Gritty Gritty Bang Bang, Gritzilla, I Skid You Not, Professor Dumblethaw, Ready Salted, The Greatest Snowman, and Walter the Salter.

Warren Goldsworthy, Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said the public’s creativity shone through. “We had a great response to the competition,” he said. “People have shown their boundless creativity and come up with some brilliant names for our new gritters.”

The winning entries were selected by Goldsworthy and Matt Townsend, director of highways and transport.

The new vehicles replace 10 older gritters and are equipped with smart technology that automatically adjusts where and how much salt is spread, helping conserve resources while keeping roads safe. Together, the expanded 55-vehicle fleet can treat up to 1,700 miles (2,735 km) of priority routes whenever icy conditions are forecast.

“These gritters are among our hardest-working vehicles,” said Goldsworthy. “Investing in their upkeep and replacing them when we need to is vital to make sure we can reliably deliver this vital service.”

Lancashire has a history of standout gritter names. Previous entries have included Snow Be Gone Kenobi, Freezy Rider, and Snowella de Vil.

Taylor Drift and Gritzilla Hit the Roads: UK Town Unveils Hilarious New Snow Plow Names

A sprawling sand tribute has appeared on the shores of Tregirls beach near Padstow, Cornwall — this time featuring a life-size Vulcan aircraft etched into the sand to mark Remembrance.

The artwork, created by artists Harry Maddox and Steve Rolfe, took around five hours to complete on Saturday and stretches an impressive 45 metres by 39 metres (147 by 127 feet).

“It was big,” Maddox said. “The Falkland conflict was in my mind when I came up with this one.”

The Avro Vulcan was a key part of Britain’s long-range bombing missions during the 1982 Falklands War. Its silhouette, now carved into the sand, served as a powerful visual tribute to those who served during the conflict.

Maddox is no stranger to commemorative sand art. In past years, he has used the beach as a canvas for Remembrance tributes, including a design dedicated to the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry last year, and in 2023, a piece featuring three life-size World War Two planes.

The temporary nature of the artwork adds to its emotional weight — a massive, detailed creation eventually reclaimed by the tide.

Artists Craft Stunning Sand Sculpture To Honor Remembrance Day

Science Daily

Why do living organisms slow down their growth even when nutrients are abundant? A team of researchers from Japan may have found the answer.

In a new study, scientists from the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at the Institute of Science Tokyo and Japan’s RIKEN institute have proposed a mathematical principle that helps explain why the growth of cells slows as conditions improve — a puzzle that has long stumped biologists. Their discovery provides a framework that could apply across the tree of life, from microbes to plants to animals.

They call it the “global constraint principle.”

The phenomenon it explains is familiar: add nutrients to a growing organism, and it grows faster — but only to a point. Eventually, each extra boost yields smaller gains. Scientists refer to this as the law of diminishing returns, and it’s seen in everything from crops to bacteria.

“Growth depends on nutrients, energy, and the inner workings of cells,” said Tetsuhiro S. Hatakeyama, Specially Appointed Associate Professor at ELSI. “But we’ve lacked a universal explanation for how cells coordinate these factors.”

Hatakeyama and his colleague, RIKEN researcher Jumpei F. Yamagishi, believe they’ve found one. Their work sheds new light on how living systems allocate limited internal resources — and why growth slows even when there’s plenty of food to go around.

Moving Beyond Old Models

Since the 1940s, microbiologists have used the Monod equation to predict microbial growth. It shows that organisms grow faster as more nutrients are added, but eventually level off. However, it assumes there’s only one limiting nutrient at a time.

That’s not how real cells work.

Inside every cell, thousands of chemical reactions are happening at once. Enzymes, proteins, and membranes all compete for space and energy. “It’s not just about one nutrient,” said Hatakeyama. “It’s about how the entire system manages all the constraints at once.”

By using a method called constraint-based modeling, the researchers simulated how cells like E. coli bacteria distribute their internal resources. They found that while each added nutrient helped, it also triggered new bottlenecks — such as not having enough enzymes or membrane space to keep up.

“The shape of growth curves emerges directly from the physics of resource allocation inside cells, rather than depending on any particular biochemical reaction,” said Hatakeyama.

The “Terraced Barrel” of Life

The team’s concept combines two classic laws of biology: the Monod equation and Liebig’s law of the minimum, which states that growth is limited by the scarcest resource, no matter how abundant the others are.

Their version of Liebig’s famous barrel analogy — where each stave represents a different nutrient — is more complex. In their “terraced barrel” model, every time one bottleneck is removed, another one appears. Growth continues, but with diminishing returns.

As Yamagishi put it, “Our model shows that cells hit new limits in stages, even as conditions improve.”

To test their theory, the researchers ran large-scale computer simulations of E. coli cells, incorporating details like protein usage, cell crowding, and membrane limitations. The results matched real-life lab experiments, including how cells responded to extra nitrogen or oxygen.

A New Framework for Life’s Limits

The discovery opens the door to new ways of understanding biology. Rather than focusing on one molecule at a time, the global constraint principle allows scientists to look at the big picture: how life grows when everything is interconnected and limited.

“This lays the groundwork for universal laws of growth,” said Yamagishi. “It helps us predict how cells, ecosystems, and even entire biospheres might respond to change.”

That could have wide-reaching implications — from designing more efficient bio-manufacturing systems, to improving crop yields, to building better climate models.

The research was supported by institutions at the forefront of interdisciplinary science. ELSI, one of Japan’s elite World Premier International research centers, is known for exploring fundamental questions about the origin of life. It recently joined the newly formed Institute of Science Tokyo, created by merging Tokyo Tech and TMDU in 2024. RIKEN, meanwhile, remains Japan’s largest research institute and one of its most globally respected.

By bridging cellular biology with ecological theory, Hatakeyama and Yamagishi’s work offers something rare in science: a principle that might actually apply to all life.

Researchers Unveil New Principle Explaining Growth Slowdown in Nutrient-Rich Environments

Euro News

Italy is one step closer to seeing its national cuisine recognized as a global cultural treasure. UNESCO’s technical committee of experts has given an initial recommendation for Italian cuisine to be added to its prestigious List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The proposal, jointly submitted by Italy’s ministries of culture and agriculture, was praised in a technical assessment released Monday. While not yet a final decision, the endorsement marks a significant milestone in Italy’s bid to have its culinary tradition formally recognized by the United Nations cultural body.

The final decision will rest with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee, which is set to meet in New Delhi, India, from December 8 to 13.

Francesco Lollobrigida, Italy’s Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, welcomed the news but urged caution. “It is wonderful to see the interest with which the recognition of Italian cuisine as a UNESCO heritage site is being followed,” he said. “We have nominated a great tradition, something that distinguishes us, but we have not yet crossed this great and well-deserved finishing line.”

He advised people to wait until “10 December” before celebrating.

Pier Luigi Petrillo, the professor who edited Italy’s candidacy dossier, echoed that sentiment, calling the preliminary approval an important but not definitive step. “The technical evaluation published today tells us that the dossier is well done,” he told the ANSA news agency. “This first 'yes' should not create illusions because the Intergovernmental Committee that will meet in India in December has the possibility of completely reviewing the decision.”

If approved, Italian cuisine would join several other Italian traditions already on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list, including the art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo (added in 2017), the art of glass beads (2020), opera singing (2023), and manual bell ringing (2024).

Italian officials have argued that the cuisine deserves recognition not just for its flavors, but for its deep social, regional, and historical significance. The application highlights the role of food in bringing families and communities together, its ties to regional biodiversity, and the craftsmanship that defines its preparation.

Should UNESCO give its final green light next month, it would mark another major cultural victory for Italy — one that goes far beyond the kitchen.

UNESCO Grants Italian Cuisine Status As Intangible Cultural Heritage

Science Alert

If you’ve ever lost at rock, paper, scissors and immediately thought, “Next time I’ll switch it up,” you’re not alone — and you’re probably doing it wrong.

According to a new study published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, most people can’t help but be predictable, even when the best strategy is to be completely random. Researchers at Western Sydney University recorded brain activity during 15,000 rounds of rock, paper, scissors and found that players who leaned too heavily on previous rounds were more likely to lose.

The key takeaway? The more you try to outthink your opponent by analyzing past rounds, the worse your chances get.

The setup: brains in competition

Most neuroscience studies look at individual brains in isolation. But this research used a method called hyperscanning, which measures brain activity in real time across two people as they interact. Traditionally, hyperscanning has been used to study cooperation. But in this case, researchers turned their focus to competition — specifically, a game where success depends on being unpredictable.

Pairs of participants played 480 rounds of rock, paper, scissors on a computer while researchers recorded their brain activity. In total, the study captured data from over 15,000 rounds.

The patterns we can’t break

Despite knowing that randomness is the optimal strategy, people still showed strong behavioral biases. More than half consistently favored “rock,” while “scissors” was the least selected. Most players also avoided repeating moves — they switched choices more often than would be expected by chance.

That tendency to avoid repetition wasn’t conscious, but it was measurable — and exploitable. According to the researchers, these patterns made players more predictable, and those who couldn’t break from them were more likely to lose.

Even more revealing, the researchers could predict a player's move from their brain activity before they made it. Not only did the brain reveal what move was coming, it also showed signs of past rounds: what the player had done, and what their opponent had played.

Here’s where it gets interesting — that retrospective thinking only showed up in the brains of people who lost.

“In the brains of winners, we found no trace of the previous round,” said co-author Manuel Varlet. “That means they were truly responding in the moment — not trying to outsmart their opponent by relying on past plays.”

Why this matters beyond the game

Sure, rock, paper, scissors is simple. But the implications reach much further. From sports to negotiations to political brinkmanship, competitive scenarios often reward adaptability and unpredictability.

“Our brains aren’t built to be random,” said co-author Denise Moerel. “And that’s often a good thing — it helps us cooperate and make sense of patterns. But in competitive settings, it can work against us.”

The researchers say the next step is to test these findings in more complex strategic environments where keeping track of past moves does help — like poker, business, or chess. But in pure games of chance and speed, like rock, paper, scissors, the best players are those who can shut off the urge to analyze what just happened.

So next time you're about to throw “rock” again because you just lost with “scissors”? Don’t. Or better yet, stop thinking altogether.

According to the science, your best move is to stop trying to be smart — and just be random.

Scientists Unveil Clever Trick To Win Rock, Paper, Scissors

CTV News

Whether it’s the smell of gingerbread, the shimmer of twinkling lights, or the hum of carolers on a chilly evening, Christmas markets have a way of pulling even the most reluctant among us into the festive spirit. And while their origins trace back to 13th-century Vienna, today these seasonal gatherings span the globe — each with its own flair.

Here’s a look at some of the most celebrated Christmas markets happening this year, from snowy European squares to tropical takes in Singapore.

Austria’s Original Magic

It all began in Vienna, and the Wiener Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz remains one of the city's most iconic. Think a reindeer train, a 110-square-metre ice rink, a giant Ferris wheel, and the beloved Tree of Hearts glittering in the winter night. Open from November 14 to December 26, with the ice rink extending to January 6.

Swiss Precision Meets Holiday Cheer

Switzerland’s largest market, Basel Christmas Market, is split between Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz, with over 150 stalls and family-friendly highlights like a fairytale forest and a towering Christmas pyramid. Running from November 27 to December 23.

France’s Festive Capital

Strasbourg’s Christmas Market is among the oldest in Europe. Launched in 1570, it now spans over 10 locations, drawing in more than 2 million people annually. Highlights include the towering tree at Place Kléber and stalls selling Alsatian wine and handcrafted gifts. Open November 26 to December 24.

Belgium’s Grand Holiday Festival

Winter Wonders in Brussels goes beyond a market — it’s a full-blown festival. Set against the backdrop of Grand Place, the event includes 200 stalls, ice skating, fairground rides, and a light and sound show. From November 28 to January 5.

Czech Charm in Prague

Prague transforms into a postcard come December. The markets at Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square (November 29 to January 6) feature local crafts, Czech sausages, and daily live entertainment.

Barcelona’s Historic Fair

Dating back to 1786, Fira de Santa Llucia in Barcelona unfolds in front of the city’s cathedral and is divided into four sections — from nativity figurines to musical instruments. Open November 29 to December 23.

Florence's German-Style Delight

Set against the backdrop of Santa Croce Basilica, I Mercati Natale in Florence offers gingerbread, strudel, and Italian staples like panforte. Nearby, Piazza del Duomo lights up with a life-size nativity. Open November 15 to December 24.

Zagreb’s Rising Star

Croatia’s capital continues to impress with Advent in Zagreb, which features 25 mini-markets, live music, food stalls, and even a “fooling around” zone. From November 29 to January 7.

Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens

Tivoli is a must in any season, but it becomes magical during Christmas in Tivoli (November 14 to January 4). Expect over 1,000 decorated trees, a Lucia candle procession, and fireworks on Christmas and New Year’s.

Tallinn’s Cozy Square

Estonia’s Tallinn Christmas Market takes over the Town Hall Square with traditional foods, choirs, and a reindeer-driven sleigh — all centered around a Christmas tree tradition dating back to 1441. From November 21 to December 28.

Stockholm’s Skansen Tradition

Held on Djurgarden Island, Skansen’s Christmas Market (Fridays to Sundays, November 28 to December 21) mixes Swedish cultural heritage with seasonal crafts and dancing around the tree.

Nordic Nostalgia in Helsinki

Helsinki’s Tuomaan Markkinat (November 28 to December 22) charms with glögi, handicrafts, a vintage carousel, and Santa’s wooden cabin in the heart of Senate Square.

Budapest’s Twin Markets

Hungary’s capital hosts Advent Bazilika and the Vörösmarty Square Market, with light shows on the basilica, a giant advent calendar, and Hungarian treats like langos and chimney cakes. Both markets open November 14, with varying end dates.

Germany’s Iconic Fairs

Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt (November 24 to December 31) remains a favorite with nightly concerts and artisanal stalls. Meanwhile, Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt, running November 28 to December 24, dates back to the 16th century and pulls in about 2 million visitors annually.

London’s Winter Wonderland

Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland is a mega event with over 200 rides, a giant wheel, ice sculpting workshops, and food villages. Running from November 14 to January 1.

Edinburgh’s Epic Setting

With views of Edinburgh Castle and the Scott Monument, the East Princes Street Gardens Market includes a Ferris wheel, an ice rink, and an Ice Queen’s Castle attraction. Open November 15 to January 4.

Polish Tradition in Krakow

Krakow Christmas Market (November 28 to January 1) fills Rynek Glowny with Polish sausages, folk music, and a Nativity scene contest beneath the city’s historic basilica.

Slovakia’s Fairytale Fair

Bratislava’s Christmas Fair spreads across Main and Franciscan Squares and includes a giant tree, local food, and a free Christmas tram. Runs from November 27 to January 6.

Singapore’s Tropical Wonderland

At Gardens by the Bay, Christmas Wonderland (November 29 to January 1) spans over 27,000 square meters with light shows, carnival games, and a festive train — proving you don’t need snow for Christmas magic.

Toronto’s Distillery Winter Village

Once known as the Toronto Christmas Market, this cozy Canadian event (open Thursdays through Sundays from November 13 to January 4) includes singalongs, handcrafted gifts, and Narnia-themed storytelling in the historic Distillery District.

New York’s Bryant Park Village

Winter Village at Bryant Park features 150 kiosks, a free ice rink, and a rinkside bar. Open since October 24, it runs through January 4.

Chicago’s Christkindlmarket

Chicago’s famed German-style market has three locations this year — Daley Plaza, RiverEdge Park, and Wrigleyville — featuring bratwurst, ornaments, and mulled wine. Daley Plaza opens November 21, with varying dates for the other sites.

No matter where you are this holiday season, chances are there’s a festive market nearby — or a plane ride away — ready to serve up mulled wine, twinkling lights, and a little Christmas magic.

Here are The Best Christmas Markets Happening Worldwide This Year — Did Your City Make The List?

For months, Diane Davis knew something was wrong. She had unrelenting nausea, back pain, and a total loss of appetite. CT scans, MRIs, and even a colonoscopy offered no clear diagnosis. Antibiotics didn’t help. Neither did the string of specialists she saw. “I just got sicker and sicker,” she recalled.

It wasn’t until January 2017, when she met Dr. Christopher Darus at Maine Medical Center, that she finally got answers. A gynecologic oncologist, Darus took one look at Davis’ extensive family history of cancer and scheduled exploratory surgery. The next day, he found a softball-sized ovarian tumor that had already spread.

“It was devastating, obviously, but I was relieved too, because at least now we knew,” Davis said.

Darus removed the tumor and laid out a treatment plan that began with chemotherapy. But midway through her treatment, scans revealed a new tumor growing in her pelvis. Her cancer was not only back — it was growing aggressively.

“It’s extremely rare, extremely ominous,” Darus said. Ovarian cancer that recurs during treatment typically leads to a grim prognosis. “Generally, women whose cancer does not return within six months have a better prognosis,” he explained. “Those whose cancer recurs faster typically live less than two years.”

To make matters worse, the cancer had also spread to her lymph nodes. “I did not expect, halfway through chemotherapy, to be in a worse situation than I was when I was first diagnosed,” Davis said.

Darus sent her tumor out for molecular testing. The results revealed that Davis had Lynch syndrome — a genetic condition that increases the risk of multiple types of cancer, including ovarian.

“Lynch syndrome is essentially a cancer syndrome,” said Dr. Paul Oberstein, a medical oncologist at NYU Langone. People with the condition are more vulnerable to DNA errors in their cells. Normally, certain proteins would catch and repair these mistakes. But in patients with Lynch, those proteins are missing or nonfunctional. As errors pile up, the body often struggles to recognize the abnormal cells — and tumors begin to grow.

That vulnerability, paradoxically, opened the door to a new treatment option. Because Lynch-related tumors tend to accumulate so many mutations — sometimes 50 or more — they often stand out to the immune system when it’s properly activated.

Enter immunotherapy.

In June 2017, the FDA approved pembrolizumab, a checkpoint inhibitor that removes cancer’s ability to hide from the body’s immune defenses. Darus prescribed it immediately. Davis received infusions every three weeks.

The results were almost immediate.

“Within two treatments, the new mass in Davis' pelvis was gone, and the cancer on her lymph nodes was receding,” the report stated.

“It was kind of like a ping-pong ball: You get diagnosed, and then you get sick again, and then having the immunotherapy just swung me right back to feeling good,” Davis said.

She stayed on the treatment for two years. Today, six years later, she is in complete remission.

Her Lynch syndrome diagnosis also prompted a reckoning for her family. The condition is hereditary, with a 50% chance of passing it to children. Tracing it back to her paternal grandfather, Davis saw patterns emerge. Her father and uncle, who both died of cancer in their 60s, likely had it. Her siblings were tested — and diagnosed. Her children were next.

Her son tested negative. Her daughter tested positive — and it may have saved her life.

At age 29, her daughter underwent a colonoscopy, far earlier than standard screening guidelines. Doctors found a large precancerous polyp and removed it before it became a serious threat.

“She would not have had that screening until she had much more serious symptoms,” Davis said. “So it's been really good in that respect.”

Now in her 60s, Davis is focused on the present. She goes hiking with her grandkids and takes them snowmobiling in the winter. She still gets regular scans. Her risk of future cancers remains high. But she’s not dwelling on what could happen.

"It's been amazing. It's getting further and further in the distance,” she said. “When the chemotherapy failed, I pretty much thought, ‘This is it.’ I thought I had maybe six months. But it was amazing. It was really, really amazing."

A Rare Genetic Discovery Just Saved This Woman's Life From Seemingly Incurable Cancer

Fox News

The idea of tackling a hissing, angry-looking swan would put most of us off, but an intrepid police officer in Germany was up to the challenge, even if the bird proved quite the handful.

According to the Rhineland-Palatinate Police, the officer, named as Marion, showed “full commitment” to the task in hand, as she carried the lurching swan to safety and set it back down on the banks of the Moselle River.

According to Sudwestrundfunk, the swan was reported to be going in and out of traffic, forcing drivers to “swerve and brake.”

Efforts to coax the bird off the bridge were unsuccessful, a police source told the outlet. “It hissed at the policewoman and behaved quite aggressively,” the spokesman said.

As the now-viral video showed, Officer Marion remained undeterred.

Officer Rescues Hissing Swan From Busy Bridge After It Blocks Traffic

Every morning, just before the sun rises, birds across the globe burst into song — a familiar but still puzzling phenomenon known as the dawn chorus. Now, a new study suggests at least part of the explanation may come down to impatience.

Researchers studying captive zebra finches found that when sunrise was artificially delayed, the birds sang more intensely and started earlier than usual — a kind of avian anticipation building up in the dark.

The study, conducted by a team led by Ednei Barros dos Santos at the Korea Brain Research Institute, hasn’t been peer reviewed yet but offers a revealing look into what may be driving this early morning racket. The researchers housed male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) in a controlled lab setting and manipulated their light schedules to observe how the timing of sunrise affected their singing behavior.

In normal light conditions, the birds sang hundreds of times each morning. But in total darkness, they fell completely silent. This contrast raised a key question: how much of their morning performance depends on the progression of night into day?

To find out, the team delayed “sunrise” by three hours, keeping the lights off longer than usual. Interestingly, the birds still woke up at the same time, even in the dark. They moved about actively but didn’t sing — at least not until the lights came on. Once light finally arrived, they unleashed a flurry of songs at a faster rate than normal and started singing immediately.

Their eagerness became even more apparent when researchers installed a light switch that the birds could trigger themselves. In the delayed dawn setup, the finches frequently used the switch to activate 10 seconds of light, effectively fast-tracking their own sunrise. In contrast, when sunrise came earlier, they didn’t bother with the switch at all.

The researchers believe this shows a clear buildup of internal motivation. “Birds wake up in the dark long before dawn, likely through the hormonal mechanisms associated with melatonin, and their intrinsic motivation to sing increases while spontaneous singing is being suppressed by the darkness,” the team writes.

In other words, the longer the wait, the stronger the urge — until they finally burst into song.

The findings add weight to an existing theory: that the dawn chorus may function as a kind of vocal warm-up. Like athletes stretching before a game, birds may be sharpening their performance after a night of silence to boost their reproductive chances during the day.

“Since a vocal exercise function has been proposed for the dawn chorus in wild songbirds as well, we propose that these mechanisms and function… may be applicable, at least in part, to the dawn chorus generally observed in wild birds,” the authors wrote in their conclusion.

The study was posted on bioRxiv as a preprint, which means it hasn’t yet undergone formal peer review. But the results point to something bird lovers and early risers have long suspected: that those first few notes at sunrise aren’t just beautiful — they’re full of pent-up energy.

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