Goodable

The world’s oldest living pygmy hippo in managed care proved that age is just a number as she celebrated her 52nd birthday at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.

The San Diego Humane Society said that Hannah Shirley the pygmy hippo marked the occasion with a “Hungry Hungry Hippos–themed party complete with floating fruit treats and colorful decorations.”

Hannah Shirley was rescued from a private backyard in Escondido in 2002, and has been living her best life ever since.

“Her days are filled with spa-like back rubs, sprinkler showers and carefully prepared meals that support her advanced age,” the San Diego Humane Society said.

The world’s oldest living pygmy hippo in managed care proved that age is just a number as she celebrated her 52nd birthday at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.The San Diego Humane Society said that Hannah Shirley the pygmy hippo marked the occasion with a “Hungry Hungry Hippos–themed party complete with floating fruit treats and colorful decorations.”Hannah Shirley was rescued from a private backyard in Escondido in 2002, and has been living her best life ever since.“Her days are filled with spa-like back rubs, sprinkler showers and carefully prepared meals that support her advanced age,” the San Diego Humane Society said.

World's Oldest Pygmy Hippo in Managed Care Celebrates 52nd Birthday

A team at MIT has developed a noninvasive blood glucose monitor that could spare millions of people with diabetes from having to prick their fingers multiple times a day.

The device, which uses a technique called Raman spectroscopy, analyzes how near-infrared light scatters off molecules in the skin to measure blood glucose levels—without needing to break the skin or insert anything under it.

In a recent study published in Analytical Chemistry, the MIT researchers reported that their shoebox-sized device provided glucose readings comparable to commercial continuous glucose monitors, which require a small wire to be implanted just under the skin. Since then, they’ve built a wearable version and are now testing it in a small clinical study.

“For a long time, the finger stick has been the standard method for measuring blood sugar, but nobody wants to prick their finger every day, multiple times a day,” said Jeon Woong Kang, a senior research scientist at MIT and the study’s senior author. “If we can make a noninvasive glucose monitor with high accuracy, then almost everyone with diabetes will benefit from this new technology.”

Most diabetes patients still rely on blood draws or under-the-skin sensors to monitor glucose levels. Those who use continuous monitors must replace the sensor every 10 to 15 days, and many experience skin irritation. The MIT team hopes its work can lead to a more comfortable, reliable option that’s easier to use.

The underlying technology isn’t new, but until recently it hadn’t worked well for glucose tracking. Raman spectroscopy can reveal the chemical makeup of tissues by observing how light scatters after hitting different molecules. But in the case of glucose, the signal is faint and easily drowned out by other molecules in the skin.

In 2010, researchers at MIT’s Laser Biomedical Research Center showed they could estimate glucose levels by comparing Raman signals from interstitial fluid with a reference blood glucose measurement. That method was accurate but clunky. Now, the team has found a way to directly measure glucose by adjusting the angle of the incoming and outgoing light, filtering out background noise and capturing a cleaner signal.

The latest study involved a small prototype device used in tests with a healthy volunteer at the MIT Center for Clinical Translation Research. The subject rested their arm on a window of the device while a near-infrared beam passed through the skin. The process took about 30 seconds per reading, with measurements taken every five minutes over a four-hour period.

To simulate a glucose spike, the subject consumed two 75-gram glucose drinks. The device’s readings tracked the changes in blood sugar in line with two commercially available monitors, suggesting similar levels of accuracy.

One of the major innovations in the new model is that it no longer requires a full Raman spectrum, which typically includes about 1,000 bands. Instead, it focuses on just three key bands—one corresponding to glucose and two for background—which dramatically reduces the complexity and cost of the device.

“By refraining from acquiring the whole spectrum, which has a lot of redundant information, we go down to three bands selected from about 1,000,” said Arianna Bresci, the study’s lead author and an MIT postdoc. “With this new approach, we can change the components commonly used in Raman-based devices, and save space, time, and cost.”

That reduction in complexity has allowed the team to shrink the hardware significantly. The next-generation prototype is about the size of a cellphone, and a version the size of a watch is currently in development.

The device is now being tested in healthy and prediabetic volunteers, with plans for a larger clinical study next year that will include patients with diabetes in collaboration with a local hospital.

The team is also working to ensure accuracy across a variety of skin tones, a known challenge in optical-based health monitoring devices.

The research is backed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the Korean Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs, and South Korea–based biotech company Apollon Inc., whose researchers also contributed to the study.

If successful, the technology could represent a major leap in diabetes care—turning what is now a painful and often inconvenient process into something as simple as shining a light.

Noninvasive Imaging May Replace Finger Pricks for People With Diabetes

Reuters

Mexico is hiking its minimum wage and taking steps to shorten one of the world’s longest workweeks, a dual effort by President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration to tackle inequality and improve quality of life for workers.

Starting in January, the minimum wage will rise 13 percent to 315.04 pesos per day, or about $17.27, Labor Minister Marath Bolaños announced Wednesday. For workers in northern border zones, where wages are typically higher, the daily rate will jump to 440.87 pesos.

It’s the latest in a string of wage increases supported by Mexico’s leftist government. President Sheinbaum said the 2026 raise will mark a total increase of 154 percent in minimum salaries since 2018.

At her morning press conference, Sheinbaum said the decision was reached through consensus with business leaders, the finance ministry, and the central bank. “For years it was said that the minimum wage couldn't go up, that it would cause inflation, that there would no longer be investment in the country, foreign investment — and we are at a record level of foreign investment,” she said.

Sheinbaum, who took office in 2024, has continued the wage policies of her predecessor and political mentor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Both leaders have argued that minimum wage hikes have helped reduce poverty in Latin America’s second-largest economy.

The wage announcement comes amid signs of economic strain. Mexico’s economy contracted 0.3 percent in the third quarter, the first year-on-year decline since 2021. Sluggish industrial output and ongoing uncertainty over the 2026 review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) have weighed on growth, as have volatile trade policies out of Washington.

Still, the government is pushing ahead with a broader labor reform agenda. On Wednesday, officials said they would introduce a bill to gradually reduce the legal workweek from 48 hours to 40 by 2030. Under the proposed plan, the limit would drop by two hours each year starting in 2027.

That would bring Mexico closer in line with international norms. According to OECD data, the average Mexican worker logged 2,193 hours in 2024 — more than any other country in the organization.

Trimming the workweek was one of Sheinbaum’s signature promises during the 2024 campaign, but the proposal has faced resistance from business groups worried about higher labor costs.

By sequencing the reduction over several years, the administration hopes to win broader support. Whether the plan passes Congress remains to be seen, but Sheinbaum appears committed to rebalancing the scales for Mexican workers — even as economic headwinds continue to build.

Mexican Government Raises Minimum Wage And Proposes Shorter Work Week

BBC News

More than 600 people — and plenty of pups — gathered in festive spirit on Sunday for the annual Christmas Dog Parade at The Valley in Evesham, where holiday costumes stole the show.

Dogs in antlers, elves, baubles and sleighs marched alongside their owners as the popular event marked what many locals see as the unofficial start of Christmas.

Organisers handed out medals to every four-legged participant, but the biggest cheers were reserved for the event’s overall winners: a group dressed as the Polar Express, complete with a Father Christmas and a handmade wagon.

“We were blown away by the outfits,” said Phil Maclean, retail director at The Valley. “People have been planning and making their outfits for months.”

Maclean said this year’s parade benefited from dry weather and continued to grow in popularity. “It’s a highlight for us at The Valley,” he said. “A wonderful way to bring our community together and celebrate the joy pets bring to our lives.”

The parade has built a loyal following over the years, with returning families often going above and beyond in the costume department. Maclean recalled a standout entry from 2023: “One family went Aladdin-themed and even had a magic carpet.”

While every entry is welcome, Maclean admitted he has a soft spot for group efforts. “My personal favourite is always when dogs are part of families that go all in.”

The Valley, located near Stratford Road in Evesham, promotes itself as one of the most dog-friendly destinations around, with nearby countryside walks and a free dog agility course available in warmer months.

The holiday celebrations won’t end with the parade. Other events on offer this season include a festive trail featuring hand-built brick penguins and a winter solstice sunrise walk on December 21. Both are free to attend.

For many locals, it’s not just about the costumes or the prizes. It’s about community, creativity, and kicking off the holiday season with wagging tails and cheerful crowds.

Dressed-Up Dogs Impress Judges In Festive Parade

Indonesia just welcomed a new kind of citizen — and he’s got fur, tiny paws, and a growing global fanbase.

Taman Safari Indonesia, a zoo and conservation center in West Java, has announced the birth of the country’s first locally born giant panda cub. The baby male, named Satrio Wiratama — or Rio, for short — was born on November 27 to 15-year-old mother Hu Chun, and is already showing strong signs of good health.

In a statement released Sunday, the zoo called the birth “the result of a long-term international cooperation program that has been ongoing for a decade,” highlighting a conservation partnership with China that brought Hu Chun and her mate, Cai Tao, to Indonesia in 2017.

“The name symbolizes the hope, resilience, and shared commitment of Indonesia and China in protecting endangered species,” the zoo said.

Rio is currently being kept under round-the-clock supervision in an incubator at the zoo’s panda facility in Cisarua, about 70 kilometers from Jakarta. According to officials, the cub is nursing well, gaining weight, and already vocalizing — all strong indicators of early health.

Over the next month or two, Rio is expected to develop more motor control, begin growing fur, open his eyes, and start regulating his body temperature — all crucial steps for newborn pandas, who are born nearly hairless and weigh just a few ounces.

At this stage, the public won't be able to view him.

“Taman Safari Indonesia will continue to prioritize the health and welfare of the mother and her baby, and invites the public to join in praying for the baby panda's development so that it remains healthy and safe in the early stages of its life,” the statement read.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto formally announced the baby’s name on Thursday during a meeting with Wang Huning, a top Chinese political advisor. The moment also served as a gesture of goodwill, underscoring China’s ongoing “panda diplomacy” — a decades-old practice of loaning giant pandas to zoos around the world as symbols of cooperation and cultural ties.

The pair of adult pandas living in Indonesia, Hu Chun and Cai Tao, reside in what the zoo has described as a “palace-like” habitat built specifically for them at Taman Safari. Since their arrival eight years ago, staff have worked closely with Chinese counterparts to monitor their health and encourage breeding — no small feat, given how notoriously difficult pandas are to breed in captivity.

There are fewer than 1,900 giant pandas living in the wild, mostly in the mountainous forests of China’s Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Conservation efforts ramped up in the early 2000s amid concerns over habitat destruction and shrinking populations. These efforts, including improved breeding programs and expanded reserves, led to giant pandas being reclassified from “endangered” to “vulnerable” by Chinese authorities in 2021.

“The living conditions of China's rare and endangered species have seen notable improvements amid the country's active efforts on biodiversity protection and ecological restoration,” China’s State Council Information Office said at the time.

Keeping baby pandas alive has been a central challenge for researchers and zookeepers alike. Newborns arrive pink, blind, and helpless. For weeks, they rely entirely on their mothers — and their caretakers — for survival. As 60 Minutes reported in 2020, raising a panda cub requires intense, hands-on care and meticulous planning, especially in the first few months.

That’s why the birth of Rio isn’t just an exciting milestone for Indonesia — it’s a moment of celebration for panda conservationists around the world.

Indonesia Celebrates First Locally Born Giant Panda Cub, a Symbol of Cross-Border Conservation

People

Amber Renae isn’t trying to go viral. She’s just doing what she’s always done—bringing energy and joy wherever she goes.

The 38-year-old actress and mother of two moved from Dallas, Texas to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in August 2025. It was a big family shift that meant saying goodbye to her beloved job teaching middle school theater. Between filming self-tapes and auditioning for new roles, Renae realized she needed something more than just waiting for callbacks. She needed something that was hers—something upbeat, consistent, and filled with people.

So she applied at HomeGoods.

It wasn’t about making ends meet. It was about staying grounded while navigating the uncertainty of a new chapter. “When I thought about where I’d actually enjoy spending my time, especially during the holidays, there was only one store that made perfect sense,” she told PEOPLE.

Renae picked up shifts on weekends, usually working evenings. But she didn’t stop being a performer just because she was wearing a name tag. She turned the store’s closing announcements—those typically robotic reminders about the time—into theatrical mini-performances. Sometimes she’d sing them. One holiday-themed remix of “Jingle Bells” racked up more than 500,000 views on social media.

Her coworkers took notice. So did the customers.

“Some would say ‘it’s just a small-time job,’ but I think you should have pride in every single thing you do,” Renae said. “That’s my style.”

Each night, HomeGoods makes several announcements leading up to closing: 30 minutes before, then 15, then five, and finally the last one telling customers the store is shut. That last one is where Renae shines.

“I usually do the special singing one once we reach the very last announcement,” she said. “The customers that are there by that last one have always loved it, just like social media does. They cheer and leave with huge smiles on their faces.”

At a time when customers and workers alike often feel rushed or disconnected, Renae has managed to turn the end of the shopping day into a shared moment of delight. Her coworkers now look forward to hearing what she’ll come up with next. Some even pitch in with holiday-themed ideas. It’s become a small but meaningful team tradition.

“No matter what job I’ve ever had, in between shows or contracts, I always perform,” she said. “Teaching middle or high school theatre? Perform for my students. Property manager for student housing? Perform for my staff. Working as a cashier at HomeGoods? You better believe I’m gonna find a way to perform.”

Her attitude reflects something deeper than just showmanship. For Renae, performance is a form of connection—a way to meet people where they are, even if it’s just for a moment.

“This country can be so divided sometimes. I want to bring people together. I want to give them a different experience while shopping,” she said. “Maybe when they go home, something I said to them will stick or make them be kind to the next person.”

Being upbeat isn’t always easy. She’s honest about that. “I’m tired all the time,” she admits. But she doesn’t let it stop her. “Life is short, and you shouldn't waste any day or any situation,” she said. “You never know when something could change your life for the better.”

Her message is simple: show up fully, even in the small things. Whether it’s behind a cashier’s counter or in front of a classroom, Renae treats every moment as a stage.

“My goal, at the end of the day, is to always be a light and shine bright,” she said. And for shoppers at her local HomeGoods—she is.

Amber Renae Brings Joy to HomeGoods Shoppers With Her Unique Closing Announcements

The Guardian

A team of researchers in Wales is working to compile the first comprehensive dictionary of ancient Celtic — a project that could reshape our understanding of how early people in Britain and Ireland spoke more than two millennia ago.

The dictionary, led by academics at Aberystwyth University, will draw on surviving words dating as far back as 325 BCE and extending up to around 500 CE. It’s expected to include more than 1,000 words, collected from a range of sources including Roman military records, ancient memorial stones, and writings by classical historians such as Julius Caesar.

Although the language itself has largely vanished, its remnants have survived in surprising places. Some Celtic words appear in Latin or Greek texts that mention personal names, places, or tribes. Others are carved into stone using the Ogham script — a system of marks designed for inscriptions on stone, metal, wood, or bone.

Dr Simon Rodway, a senior lecturer in Welsh and Celtic studies at Aberystwyth, described the project as a rare opportunity to gather all these traces in one place.

“These disparate sources have never before been brought together in a way that offers such an insight into the nature of Celtic languages spoken in these islands at the dawn of the historical period,” he said.

Though the resulting dictionary may be small in comparison to modern lexicons, it’s the first of its kind — and significant for a language whose written record is both scattered and fragile.

The team will mine texts from the Roman period in Britain, when Celtic was still spoken widely, even as Latin became dominant. Most surviving evidence comes from the 1st to 4th centuries CE in Britain, and from slightly later in Ireland, which was never conquered by Rome.

Rodway explained that while the texts are mostly in Latin, they sometimes include Celtic names and words. “We’ve got quite a lot of material from Roman Britain, including letters from soldiers stationed here. It’s almost all in Latin but you get the odd Celtic word in there,” he said.

Celtic languages were once widespread across northern and western Europe but were largely supplanted by Latin and later by Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Norman French. Modern Celtic languages — including Welsh, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, and Breton — trace parts of their vocabulary and structure to these ancient roots.

The dictionary will attempt to chart those roots by linking ancient forms to known words in descendant languages. For instance, the ancient Celtic word Mori, meaning sea, appears in place names like Moridunum (“sea fort”) — an early name for Carmarthen in Wales. Its echoes can still be seen in the Welsh môr and the Old Irish muir.

While scholars have studied Celtic place names and inscriptions in isolation before, this project will mark the first time the full range of surviving evidence is brought together systematically.

Rodway said the work would be of interest far beyond linguistics. “The picture of the linguistic landscape of Britain and Ireland will be of interest not only to linguists but to historians, archaeologists and archaeogeneticists.”

The project also reflects how thin the historical record is for northern Europe compared to the Mediterranean. “If you’re in the Mediterranean, you’ve got Greeks and Phoenicians and Romans and Etruscans writing stuff all the time,” Rodway said. “Once you get to the north of France and Britain you don’t have much at all.”

That’s why Ogham inscriptions — often found on stones in Cornwall and Ireland — are crucial. They’re some of the only first-hand records of early Celtic writing in these regions.

The final dictionary will be available in both printed and online formats, offering researchers and the public alike a chance to explore the linguistic roots of these islands.

Though the number of surviving words is small, the team believes the project could offer a powerful window into a world where language, identity, and place were deeply intertwined — and mostly lost to time.

Why Linguists are Compiling the First Complete Dictionary Of Ancient Celtic

A family in Brockholes, near Huddersfield, is trying to piece their life back together after a devastating fire destroyed their home in seconds.

Daron and Eunice Healy, along with their daughter Charlotte, had just moments to escape after a van exploded outside their house on New Mill Road on the morning of November 27. The fire tore through their home, leaving them with nothing but the clothes they were wearing.

“There was a massive bang and then flames all over our windows,” said Daron. “Our home is wrecked and it’s heartbreaking.”

Eunice recalled the terrifying moments that followed. “I think we had about 20 seconds between the first explosion, which sent flames up the walls, and the second blast when the fire became really bad all over the door and windows,” she said. “At first I was in shock; I just stood there and stared at it, but Daron grabbed me and shouted that we had to move.”

The fire has been logged as "accidental" by West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service. The van was parked near the property as part of utilities work being carried out by subcontractor Lanes Group on behalf of Yorkshire Water. A full investigation is under way.

"This was a distressing incident for those involved, and we are very thankful that no one was hurt," Yorkshire Water said in a statement.

In the aftermath, the Healy family has been left with no permanent place to stay. For now, they are staying in Huddersfield hotels, living out of suitcases. But they say it doesn’t feel like home.

“We’ve been in Brockholes 16 years. We got married here, Charlotte went to school here, and to be forced out like this is devastating,” said Daron. “There’s a house available on the same street, but it’s much more than we were paying in rent, and we’re not sure how we would fund that at the moment.”

Friends and neighbours have stepped in to help. A GoFundMe campaign has raised over £2,000 to support the family with temporary accommodation, food, and basic essentials.

Eunice said she’s overwhelmed by the kindness. “We’re so grateful for all the donations and the support, but it’s not really about the money; we just want somewhere to live. At the moment we don’t know where we will be from one day to the next.”

The timing has made everything harder. With Christmas around the corner, the family is feeling the absence of normalcy.

“We should be putting the tree up and wrapping our presents,” said Eunice. “But we can’t do any of that, and we don’t even know where we will be on Christmas morning. Fortunately, we have an amazing community here looking out for us and we are so grateful for that.”

Lanes Group has pledged to continue working with all affected parties as it investigates the cause of the fire. In the meantime, the Healys are trying to stay hopeful.

“It’s terrifying to lose your home,” Daron said. “But we’re alive, and that’s what matters most.”

How a Community is Rallying To Support This Family After a Devastating Fire

Archaeologists have uncovered a rare first-century pleasure boat off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt — and it appears to match descriptions written by the ancient Greek historian Strabo nearly 2,000 years ago.

The 35-metre-long vessel, discovered beneath just 7 metres of water near the submerged island of Antirhodos, is thought to have once belonged to the royal court or been used in ceremonial processions. It was likely outfitted with a central pavilion and a luxuriously decorated cabin, designed for leisure and spectacle on Alexandria’s waterways.

“It’s extremely exciting because it’s the first time ever that such a boat has been discovered in Egypt,” said Franck Goddio, the underwater archaeologist leading the excavations. “Those boats were mentioned by different ancient authors, like Strabo, and they were also represented in some iconography … but [an actual boat] has never been discovered before.”

Strabo, who visited Alexandria around 29–25 BCE, wrote about such lavish boats used for festivities, describing them as “luxuriously fitted out and used by the royal court for excursions,” packed with people “who play the flute and dance without restraint.”

Goddio’s team, working under the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM) and in partnership with Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities, found the boat just 50 metres from the ruins of the Temple of Isis, which may help explain its purpose. The wreck is currently believed to date to the first half of the first century CE, and may have sunk during the destruction of the temple around 50 CE, when a series of earthquakes and tidal waves submerged much of Alexandria’s ancient coastline.

“The bow is flat and the stern is round — designed to navigate in very shallow water,” Goddio said, noting the boat’s unusual construction and well-preserved timbers. At about 7 metres wide, the vessel may have needed more than 20 rowers to operate.

While it’s possible the boat was used for elite leisure, another theory is that it served a sacred function. Goddio suggested it may have played a role in the Navigatio Iside — a religious procession honoring the goddess Isis, where a richly decorated ceremonial boat known as the Navigium Isidis represented Isis’ solar barque.

Graffiti in ancient Greek was found on the central carling of the ship, though it has not yet been deciphered.

The find is just the latest in a series of high-profile discoveries made by Goddio’s team in the region. In 2000, they uncovered the lost cities of Thonis-Heracleion and parts of Canopus in the Bay of Abu Qir — finds hailed as some of the most significant underwater archaeological discoveries of the century. In 2019, they found another shipwreck that matched descriptions by Herodotus.

“This is a type of ship that’s never been found before,” said Prof Damian Robinson, director of the Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology. “While we can read about cabin-boats in ancient texts and see them in the artistic record, it’s phenomenal to have the archaeological correlate.”

The team will leave the newly discovered wreck where it is, in line with UNESCO regulations for underwater heritage. Only a fraction of the area has been excavated so far, and future explorations are expected to shed more light on daily life, religious customs, and the luxurious lifestyles of ancient Alexandria.

“We’re just beginning to understand how much is still down there,” Goddio said.

Archaeologists Discover An Ancient Egyptian Luxury Boat Described by the Greek Historian Strabo

A 74-year-old veteran known for selling poppies on trains was left speechless after receiving a surprise £12,300 donation from a stranger on Instagram — pushing his decade-long fundraising total to more than £38,000.

Denis Scaife, who served with the Royal Engineers and lives in Retford, had just celebrated raising £25,770 over the last ten years when he was told about the donation. The gift came without warning, and the identity of the donor has not been shared.

"I'm amazed," Scaife said. "It was totally unexpected. The money just came out of the blue."

He shared the news with fellow volunteers on Saturday during their regular veterans' Breakfast Club in Bridlington. The announcement was met with disbelief and joy from the group, many of whom have supported his efforts over the years.

"Quite astonishing, isn't it?" said Andrew Budd, a fellow veteran. "Ten years of it now, but this year has blitzed all records."

Martin Jolly, another member of the group, called the final total "phenomenal" and emphasized that the cause was bigger than any individual. "It's not about us, it's about what that money can do… and it helps in a lot of areas."

Scaife has long used train journeys to raise funds for the Royal British Legion by selling poppies and sharing conversations with commuters. His efforts have become well known in the area — not only for the money raised, but for the warmth and persistence behind them.

The Army veteran, who served in Northern Ireland, has previously spoken about living with post-traumatic stress disorder. "It's sometimes a battle," he said.

But the poppy campaign, and the community around it, has provided a sense of purpose. Now, thanks to one generous stranger, Scaife’s mission has taken on new meaning.

He said the donation was a powerful reminder of the impact even one person can have.

"I'm just trying to do my bit," he said. "This really means a lot."

Veteran fundraiser stunned by £12,300 donation from Instagram stranger

Lando Norris is officially a Formula 1 world champion — and back home in Somerset, the people who knew him as a shy, trophy-winning schoolboy say it couldn’t have happened to a nicer kid.

The 26-year-old driver clinched his first F1 title in Abu Dhabi over the weekend, finishing third in the final race of the season to edge out rival Max Verstappen by just two points. It marks the biggest moment of Norris’ racing career — and it’s sent waves of pride through the communities where he grew up.

“There’s a massive influx into karting and motorsport in general, really. Especially because Lando is so personable,” said Rob Dodds, Norris’ former karting coach from BKC Racing. Dodds began training Norris when he was just seven years old.

Dodds said it’s been “very surreal” to watch the once-quiet young boy become the face of the sport.

“It’s massive. I don’t think people actually realise how much pressure these young lads are under,” he said.

Born in Bristol and raised in Glastonbury, Norris has always been competitive. Dodds recalled a healthy sibling rivalry between Lando and his brother Oliver that helped push him forward.

“He had his brother to aspire to. He was a competent driver himself and there was a sibling rivalry. Whenever he went testing or racing, Lando wanted to be the fastest.”

At Millfield Prep School, where Norris was a student before going fully international, staff remember a grounded and humble boy who just happened to be racking up racing wins around the globe.

“He’s got everything he deserves. He’s been on this journey since he joined us in Year Three,” said Dan Close, deputy head of the school.

“He would take time off school, to travel the country and eventually the world. He’d come back with these trophies and initially didn’t want them presented in assembly because he was too shy. We are very proud of everything he’s achieved.”

Sue Lewis, a teaching assistant at Chew Stoke Church School, where Norris attended primary school, said he was determined to succeed from an early age.

“Even as a little boy, Lando had always wanted to win,” she said.

Watching the final race of the season was “really nerve-racking,” she admitted, but she and others at the school had no doubt.

“We were all very confident our Lando could win it,” she said. “Lando has always been and always will be a lovely, thoughtful little boy and young man.”

As news of his title win spreads, Norris is being hailed not only as a champion driver but as a role model, especially for young people across the UK.

For Dodds, who still coaches young drivers, the impact has already been visible on the ground.

“When Lando’s career took off, we started seeing more kids wanting to try karting,” he said. “And now that he’s world champion? I think it’s just going to explode.”

At just 26, Norris now joins the ranks of F1’s elite, but to many back home, he’ll always be the shy kid who didn’t want his trophies shown off in assembly — and who quietly built himself into a champion.

Download the world's only news app designed to spread joy and happiness.

What's Good Now!