Canada Games History Maker Jaida Lee Just Threw a Pitch on The Major League Field

Jaida Lee, a 16-year-old pitcher, made history at the Canada Summer Games and threw the ceremonial first pitch at the Toronto Blue Jays home game on Saturday. She told Sportsnet's Blue Jays Central that pitching the first pitch at the Jays' game will be an enduring memory. Lee said her interest in baseball started by watching her two older brothers play while her father coached them. Politicians have taken notice of the teenager's talent and her father told CBC that she relishes both the attention and the opportunity to connect with younger players.

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An Egyptian Tribe is Welcoming Tourists While Protecting Coastal Heritage — Here's How

In the far south of Egypt’s Red Sea coast, where the desert meets the ocean and mangroves rise from white sand, lies Al-Qula’an — a tiny village with a big reputation. What started as a quiet fishing community has grown into what some conservationists are calling a model for eco-tourism done right. Unlike the resort towns further north, Al-Qula’an has no hotels or paved roads. There are a few wooden huts, a simple café, and a tented restaurant that serves “whatever the fishermen come back with,” according to Abu Nessma, a community elder who manages the site. But this unassuming coastal outpost in the Wadi El Gemal protected area has become a powerful example of how environmental preservation and tourism can go hand-in-hand — as long as local communities are leading the way. “It gets a few tourists each day, but nothing like the crowds up north,” said Ali Sayed, a member of the Ababda tribe and part of the Abu Ghosoun Community Development Association (AG-CDA). “But what happens here is different. This is about stewardship, not profit.” The mangrove forests that fringe Al-Qula’an’s lagoon are among the last strongholds for endangered species like the hawksbill sea turtle and dugong. These trees, mainly grey mangroves (Avicennia marina), also act as nurseries for marine life and powerful carbon sinks, storing more carbon per square metre than most tropical rainforests. That makes the area both ecologically sensitive and increasingly attractive to investors — and that’s sparked debate across Egypt. As the government pushes for rapid tourism development, including inside protected areas, environmental groups have sounded alarms over projects like a proposed resort at nearby Ras Hankorab beach, which lacks a resident community to defend it. Al-Qula’an, however, is different. About two dozen Ababda families live here, and their presence is key to its protection. Many of the tribe’s traditions — such as never cutting mangroves for charcoal or allowing overgrazing — have been passed down for generations. “They didn’t change their relationship with nature until today,” said Sayed. “They keep it safe because they understand that their life is connected with nature.” Fishermen here routinely pull plastic from their nets. At the end of each day, locals collect litter left by tourists. If a visitor doesn’t respect the environment, “they are kindly asked to leave,” Abu Nessma said. “We don’t like plastic here; it destroys everything.” The transition from subsistence fishing to eco-tourism hasn’t always been easy. Until recently, the village lacked reliable electricity and clean water. But in 2018, the Red Sea Governorate installed solar panels and a desalination plant — upgrades that allowed the village to expand its tourism offering without sacrificing its environmental values. Today, guests can sip sage tea under a canopy of palm fronds, explore the mangroves, or browse local handicrafts made by Ababda artisans — skills passed down through generations and recently bolstered by training from a UNDP-backed program. That program is part of the Egyptian Red Sea Initiative, a $14.25 million effort launched in 2024 in partnership with the Egyptian government. It aims to reduce pressure for large-scale development and instead support community-led businesses and zoning plans. “Community participation turns tourism into a shared responsibility,” said Fatma Yassin, communications lead at UNDP Egypt. “This approach transforms tourism from a potential threat into a driver of conservation and inclusive growth.” According to Mahmoud Hanafy, head of science at Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA), Al-Qula’an shows that it’s possible to develop tourism without sacrificing the health of marine ecosystems. “They converted this village from living under harsh conditions to an eco-village,” he said. “Al-Qula’an is a very successful story.” By contrast, much of the Red Sea coast has followed a different path — one of rapid, high-density development that has strained coral reefs and displaced traditional communities. “We followed this model of very intensive development and we ended with what I call overuse of biodiversity,” Hanafy said. Al-Qula’an is now the only place in the region where tribal people still live directly by the sea. In other parts of the Wadi El Gemal protected area, the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency does not allow settlements — a policy that has slowly pushed nomadic and semi-nomadic communities away from their traditional territories. Despite not holding formal land titles, the Ababda’s role in caring for the area is deeply rooted and widely recognised. Tourists are guests in the truest sense — welcomed into a space where conservation is cultural, not corporate. “We teach our children here how to do things,” said Abu Nessma. “Because when they grow up, they need to know how to look after the mangroves.” And while tourists come for the views, many leave with something more lasting: a quiet respect for the people who have protected this land for generations — not with fences or laws, but with knowledge, patience, and an unwavering sense of responsibility.

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Artist Spends a Year Drawing Diverse Workforces Through 36 Vibrant Portraits

For the past year, David Lewry has been quietly capturing life in Bedford — not through grand scenes or dramatic moments, but by drawing people simply doing their jobs. From dog groomers and funeral directors to postal workers and farm shop staff, the 72-year-old artist has completed 36 coloured pencil portraits of people at work across the town and its villages. “I just wanted to show ordinary people going about their work in their local area,” said Lewry, who lives in Milton Ernest and has worked as a professional artist for 30 years. His project, Bedford at Work, is now on display at The Basement at Bunyan Gallery in Bedford, open from Tuesday through Saturday this week. Lewry, who trained as a botanical artist at the Eden Project in Cornwall, said the idea came to him during the COVID-19 pandemic. His wife Liz is a carer, and watching her work long hours under pressure made him think about how many people were quietly doing the same. “It occurred to me that people were carrying out their normal working lives and just doing their jobs,” he said. “I wanted to honour them.” One of the first portraits he created was of Mel, who works in a Sharnbrook farm shop and kept showing up with a smile throughout the pandemic. “She had a lovely smiling face and I thought it would be lovely to do a drawing of her,” he said. From there, the project grew. Lewry approached people around Bedford who he thought might be interested, including a market trader, charity worker, army padre, and mechanic. Some were hesitant at first, but once they saw examples of his work, they were happy to take part. “It's been challenging, as sometimes I had to explain the idea, but when I showed them some examples they were quite happy to take part,” he said. Each portrait is based on a photo Lewry took himself, showing the person in their working environment. While Bedford often gets a bad rap, Lewry said the project reminded him how much good goes on behind the scenes. “I hope everyone appreciates just what a diverse and vibrant community Bedford is,” he said. “It gets a lot of bad press, as a lot of towns do, but there's a lot of people working hard all around the town and villages. It's important we celebrate that as much as the headline services.” The exhibit runs through Saturday at The Basement at Bunyan, offering a quiet but meaningful look at the people who keep the town going — one job at a time.

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Inspiring Videos Boost Hope and Reduce Stress, Study Finds

Scrolling through social media doesn’t always feel great — and now researchers have fresh data on why. When you’re served a steady diet of negativity, outrage, or body-shaming influencers, it can quietly shape your emotions. But the good news? A new study shows that it only takes a few minutes a day to flip that script. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara found that just three to five minutes of inspiring video content a day can boost feelings of hope and reduce stress over time. The study, published in Psychology of Popular Media, tracked about 1,000 U.S. adults who were split into four groups: one watched inspiring videos, another watched comedy, one meditated, and a control group did nothing. The results were clear. “We found that people felt more hopeful after watching the inspiring videos,” said Robin Nabi, a professor of communication at UC Santa Barbara and the study’s lead author. “And that hope predicted lower stress over the next ten days.” The videos were all short and uplifting — think stories of underdogs triumphing over adversity. In one, cancer survivor Sean Swarner, who lost one lung to Hodgkin lymphoma, shares his journey to climb Mount Everest. Nabi said the effect size wasn’t dramatic — but it didn’t need to be. “These small effects can accrue over time,” she explained. Hope, even in small doses, can help people feel more capable of handling stress. “So the question is: What happens when we make this a habit?” Interestingly, comedy didn’t do much. People who watched humorous content reported similar levels of hope and stress as those in the control group. But those who watched the inspiring videos or meditated felt more hopeful, and that shift in hopefulness correlated with reduced stress. “We were actually quite surprised at how similar the effects of the inspiring videos were to the group that meditated,” Nabi said. Other experts in the field weren’t surprised. Judith Moskowitz, who researches positive emotions at Northwestern University, said, “It’s great to have the science tell us what we sort of know intuitively — that if we look at positive content, we’re going to feel more positive and more hope.” But applying this in the real world takes effort. In the study, participants were sent the videos and agreed to watch them. That’s not how social media usually works. “Media can be a powerful tool for coping and mood management,” said Allison Eden, a media researcher at Michigan State University. But she warns that social media algorithms don’t typically prioritize what’s good for your mental health — they prioritize what grabs your attention. And that’s often not the kind of content that lifts you up. “Her research shows people tend to seek out scary or sad content when they’re in bad moods, rather than something that will bring joy or calm,” the article notes. The worse people felt, the more they leaned into that darker content. To counter this, Eden suggests “counterprogramming” your feed — actively reshaping what you see. Her first tip? Seed your feed with the positive. “Make an effort that the first couple of things that you search for every day are things that are going to put you in a positive frame,” she said. That could mean watching videos of puppies, inspirational speeches, or even great sports moments. Eden recommends using hashtags tied to things you enjoy, like music, art, or hobbies. Second, keep a media log. Track what you watch and how it makes you feel. After a few days or weeks, you might notice patterns — and better understand which types of content fuel your stress and which ones lift you up. And finally, wipe your feed if you need to. “I do this myself,” Eden said, referring to deleting her account and starting fresh as a way to reset what she sees online. If that’s too extreme, she recommends taking a break — even just 24 hours — to give your brain a rest. The bottom line: You don’t need to quit social media to feel better. But you do need to be intentional about what you watch. A few minutes a day of uplifting content — like a story of someone who climbed Everest after beating cancer — might just be enough to give your mood a lift, and help you feel more hopeful in the days that follow.

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This Halloween House is Aiming For a Record-Breaking Fundraising Total

A Halloween-loving family in Stafford is once again turning their home into a spooky spectacle — all in the name of charity. Elliot Smith and his partner Tanya Quick have transformed the outside of their Oxford Gardens home into a Halloween attraction, complete with a witch’s hut and eerie nighttime projections. The goal? To raise more than £2,000 for local causes and top last year’s total. “People love it,” said Smith. “Some people are scared and other kids absolutely love it.” The couple started decorating big in 2021, shortly after moving into the end-terrace property. What began as an effort to lift their children’s spirits during the pandemic quickly snowballed into a yearly tradition embraced by the whole community. Their festive efforts initially began with Christmas lights, but after receiving an outpouring of positive feedback, they decided to go all-in on Halloween too. The installations have grown year after year — and so has the impact. In 2024, their Halloween display helped raise just under £2,000 for the Stafford-based Childhood Cancer Parents Alliance (CCPA). This year, they’re hoping to beat that. Passers-by can donate using a QR code posted on the gate or drop cash into a donation box mounted on the wall. And people have been giving generously. “It’s amazing when anyone chooses to support us,” said CCPA founder Rachael Olley. The money raised last Halloween funded four day trips for up to 20 families affected by childhood cancer. “We love our charity and we love our families,” she added. The family’s Christmas setup has also done well. Last December, they raised £3,575 for Hearts & Hands, a local group that supports working families in need of food parcels and financial advice. This Halloween’s setup is slightly scaled back — due to work commitments, Smith wasn’t able to complete the “scare maze” he built last year. Still, the crowds haven’t stopped coming. “The display becomes even more frightening once night falls and the lights and projections are activated,” Smith said, challenging local families to drop by during the school holidays “if they dare...”

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Scientists Just Spotted Hidden Waves Powering The Sun’s Corona

For the first time since they were theorized more than 80 years ago, scientists have found direct evidence of small-scale torsional Alfvén waves twisting through the Sun’s outer atmosphere — a breakthrough that could help solve one of solar physics' longest-running mysteries. The discovery, published October 24 in Nature Astronomy, was made using the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii. With its unmatched precision, the telescope captured the elusive magnetic waves in action, possibly explaining how the Sun's outer layer — the corona — becomes hundreds of times hotter than its surface. “This discovery ends a protracted search for these waves that has its origins in the 1940s,” said Professor Richard Morton of Northumbria University, who led the study. “We’ve finally been able to directly observe these torsional motions twisting the magnetic field lines back and forth in the corona.” Alfvén waves, first predicted in 1942 by Nobel Prize winner Hannes Alfvén, are magnetic oscillations that ripple through the plasma of the Sun. While larger, more dramatic versions have been seen during solar flares, these smaller, constantly present “twisting” waves had only been theorized — until now. Morton’s team was able to detect them using Cryo-NIRSP, the Cryogenic Near Infrared Spectropolarimeter attached to the Inouye telescope. The instrument, the most advanced of its kind, allowed researchers to track ultra-hot iron atoms in the Sun’s corona, which can reach temperatures of 1.6 million degrees Celsius. "The movement of plasma in the Sun’s corona is dominated by swaying motions,” Morton explained. “These mask the torsional motions, so I had to develop a way of removing the swaying to find the twisting.” Instead of watching the waves sway visibly across the Sun's surface, the researchers measured red- and blue-shifted light on opposite sides of magnetic loops — a subtle signal of plasma moving toward and away from Earth as the waves twisted magnetic field lines. The findings add weight to long-standing theories that Alfvén waves play a major role in heating the corona and driving the solar wind, a stream of charged particles that flows from the Sun and can disrupt satellites, power grids, and GPS signals here on Earth. “This research provides essential validation for the range of theoretical models that describe how Alfvén wave turbulence powers the solar atmosphere,” Morton said. “Having direct observations finally allows us to test these models against reality.” The study was part of an international collaboration involving scientists from China, Belgium, the UK, and the U.S., including institutions such as Peking University, KU Leuven, Queen Mary University of London, and the NSF’s National Solar Observatory. It also has implications for future space weather forecasting. Alfvén waves are thought to be behind so-called “magnetic switchbacks” — rapid reversals in the direction of solar magnetic fields recently detected by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. The Inouye Solar Telescope, with a 4-meter mirror and 20 years of development behind it, has already proven to be a game-changer. Northumbria University contributed to its Visible Broadband Imager, and Morton was among the early researchers granted observing time, even while the facility was still undergoing testing. This latest discovery is Morton’s third major paper this year on the topic. His earlier studies, published in The Astrophysical Journal and The Astrophysical Journal Letters, helped lay the groundwork by observing high-frequency Alfvén waves and exploring their origins. Looking ahead, the team hopes to study how the waves transfer energy and how they break down over time. With Cryo-NIRSP’s detailed spectra and Inouye’s powerful optics, scientists can now dive deeper into the physics of solar wave behavior. “It’s an exciting time in solar research,” Morton said. “We’re finally peeling back layers of the Sun that have kept their secrets for far too long.”

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This 95-Year-Old Swiftie is Sparking a National Fan Club Movement

Taylor Swift's latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl," isn't just topping charts; it's creating unexpected fans in unlikely places. At Remington Heights Retirement Community in Omaha, Nebraska, 95-year-old Frank Uryasz has become the face of an unusual fan club dedicated to the pop superstar. Frank's journey into the world of Taylor Swift fandom began with a simple conversation. A staff member at Remington Heights shared her disappointment that Swift hadn't responded to any of her fan letters. Frank decided to take action, fueled by his knack for networking. "I know some people," he said in an interview with KETV. What started as a small idea quickly gained momentum. Frank launched a Taylor Swift fan club at his retirement home, and membership grew from ten to more than 100 members. The club became so popular that Frank had to introduce membership rules: non-residents need sponsorship from a current resident. The story caught the attention of Swifties nationwide. Molly from North Carolina sent the group cookies and friendship bracelets—hallmarks of the Taylor fandom—with a heartfelt note welcoming them to the "Swiftie family." Another group extended an invitation for Frank and his friends to join their online community, Swifties for Taylor–50 Years Old+. Frank has fully embraced his role as an ambassador for both Taylor Swift and his retirement community's growing fan club. During his KETV interview, he sported an “I Love Taylor” button and orange bracelets while displaying a special Taylor Swift license plate on his walker. But Frank's ambitions don't stop with leading a fan club. His ultimate goal is to bring Taylor herself to Omaha for a visit—a campaign already in motion. The club is preparing a package for delivery to Kansas City, where her fiancé Travis Kelce plays NFL football for the Chiefs. In it are letters for both Swift and Kelce, including marriage advice from Frank, who proudly supports the Chiefs. There's also a letter for quarterback Patrick Mahomes and photos of this senior-led Swiftie fan club. Reflecting on this unexpected star-studded venture, Frank says they’re enjoying every moment of it all.

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Jetson Personal Aerial Vehicles Soar In World's First Race, Bringing Sci-Fi Dreams To Life

The dream of personal flying machines has hovered in our imaginations for decades, promising a future where traffic jams are left far below. While sci-fi shows like "The Jetsons" painted a picture of soaring off to work with ease, the reality is more complex. However, Jetson's new creation might be the closest we've come to that vision. Their offering, the Jetson ONE, is an electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicle (eVTOL), showcased at 2025's UP.Summit in Bentonville, Arkansas. This summit isn't your typical airshow. It's a gathering of 300 top transport innovators from around the globe. This year, one of its highlights was the first-ever race featuring the Jetson ONE. The event aimed to showcase the aircraft's technology and featured pilots like Tomasz Patan, Jetson’s Chief Technical Officer and co-founder. Jetson calls their craft a "Formula One racing car for the sky." While it doesn't quite match those speeds or thrills, it's still impressive. The aircraft weighs just 121 kilograms with its batteries included and can reach a software-limited top speed of 101 kilometers per hour when carrying a pilot who weighs up to 95 kilograms. Safety is a big deal—it's got features like a safety shell, ballistic parachute system, auto-landing capabilities, hands-free hovering, and even remains airborne if one motor fails. You don't need a pilot's license to fly this machine. Operating it involves using a four-axis joystick controlled one-handed. Jetson claims you can learn how to fly it in under five minutes thanks to their intuitive flight control system. However, its flight time is limited to about 20 minutes per charge. Interested? It’ll cost you $128,000 with deliveries starting in 2028. Palmer Luckey, known for co-founding Oculus and Anduril Industries, became the first customer to receive a Jetson ONE in early September 2025—two years later than initially planned. Despite Jetson’s claims about mastering flight controls quickly, Luckey took about 50 minutes for training before taking his eVTOL for a spin around a field. Jetson has roots in Poland but now operates out of Italy after being founded by Patan and Peter Ternström in 2017. With over 500 orders already placed and high-profile buyers like Luckey showing interest, Jetson seems poised for success as they aim for global expansion. Tomasz Patan witnessed Luckey’s initial flight alongside CEO Stéphan D'haene—and remarked on this milestone as "the beginning of Jetson's global rollout."

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Scientists Develop Living Computers Powered By... Mushrooms?

Researchers at The Ohio State University are looking at mushrooms in a whole new way. They’ve found that fungi, like the ones you might find on your dinner plate, could replace tiny metal components in computers. It turns out these humble organisms could be future stars in sustainable computing. The idea is simple but groundbreaking: use mushrooms to create memory cells that work like those in traditional microchips. John LaRocco, a research scientist from Ohio State's College of Medicine, explained the potential benefits. "Being able to develop microchips that mimic actual neural activity means you don't need a lot of power for standby or when the machine isn't being used," he said. This could offer significant computational and economic advantages. Mushrooms are already known for their toughness and unique biological properties, but now they’re catching attention as viable materials for bioelectronics—a field combining biology and technology to develop new materials for computing systems. These fungal electronics are not entirely new ideas, though they are becoming increasingly practical due to their sustainability. Fungal materials have some clear advantages over conventional semiconductors. For one thing, they’re biodegradable and cheap to produce. Unlike traditional chips that require rare minerals and lots of energy, mushrooms can help cut down electronic waste significantly. To see how well this works, the team grew shiitake and button mushrooms and dehydrated them before attaching them to custom electronic circuits. They then tested these mushroom devices by exposing them to different electrical currents. LaRocco noted the distinct electrical properties observed at different points on the mushrooms during testing. After two months of experimentation, results were promising. The mushroom-based memristor managed to switch between electrical states up to 5,850 times per second with about 90 percent accuracy. Although performance waned at higher frequencies, connecting multiple mushroom units seemed to stabilize operations—similar to how human brain neurons function together. Qudsia Tahmina, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Ohio State who co-authored the study, emphasized how easily mushrooms adapt for computing purposes. "Society has become increasingly aware of the need to protect our environment," she said. This awareness drives innovation toward eco-friendly solutions like these fungal devices. Tahmina also indicated the potential applications for larger-scale mushroom systems in edge computing or aerospace exploration; smaller versions could enhance autonomous systems or wearable tech. Though still in early stages, researchers plan to improve cultivation methods and shrink device sizes further down the line. Achieving more efficient fungal components will determine if they can truly compete with traditional microchips. John LaRocco summed it up: "Everything you'd need...could be as small as a compost heap...or as big as a culturing factory." With resources available today, exploring fungi's role in computing seems more accessible than ever. In addition to LaRocco and Tahmina's contributions, other Ohio State researchers Ruben Petreaca, John Simonis, and Justin Hill played roles in this study supported by Honda Research Institute.

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Scientists Just Revealed How a Simple Diet Change Could Improve Sleep Fast

Counting sheep, trying white noise, or using weighted blankets; people have tried many ways to get a good night's sleep. Yet, for many, restful slumber remains elusive and continues to affect heart health, memory, learning ability, productivity, emotional balance, and relationships. Now, scientists from the University of Chicago Medicine and Columbia University suggest that a simple trip to the grocery store might hold the key. Their research indicates that eating more fruits and vegetables during the day can lead to better sleep quality at night. "Dietary modifications could be a new, natural and cost-effective approach to achieve better sleep," said Esra Tasali, MD. She is the co-senior author and director of the UChicago Sleep Center. The study focused on understanding how diet influences sleep—a subject less explored compared to how lack of sleep affects dietary choices. In this study, healthy young adults used an app to log their daily food intake while wearing wrist monitors tracking their sleep patterns. The researchers analyzed "sleep fragmentation," which measures how often someone wakes up or shifts between lighter and deeper stages of sleep during the night. The results were telling: those who consumed more fruits and vegetables experienced longer periods of deep, undisturbed sleep. The analysis showed that individuals meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation of five cups (about 1.2 liters) of fruits and vegetables per day saw an average 16 percent improvement in their sleep quality compared with those who did not consume any. "Sixteen percent is a highly significant difference," Tasali pointed out. "It's remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours." Next steps in this research will aim to determine if this relationship is causal and explore the biological mechanisms involved. The team also plans to test these findings in broader and more diverse groups. But as it stands now, the evidence strongly suggests making fruits, vegetables, and whole grains a staple in your diet can improve long-term sleep health. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD from Columbia's Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research added her insight: "People are always asking me if there are things they can eat that will help them sleep better." She emphasized that small changes can indeed make an impact on sleep quality; better rest is within reach by adjusting daily eating habits. The study titled "Higher daytime intake of fruits and vegetables predicts less disrupted nighttime sleep in younger adults" was published in June 2025 in Sleep Health: The Journal of the National Sleep Foundation. Co-authors include Hedda L. Boege from Columbia University; Katherine D. Wilson from UC San Diego; Jennifer M. Kilkus from UChicago; Waveley Qiu from Columbia University; Bin Cheng from Columbia University; Kristen E. Wroblewski from UChicago; Becky Tucker from UChicago; Esra Tasali from UChicago; and Marie-Pierre St-Onge from Columbia University. This work received support through grants provided by various entities including the National Institutes of Health (R01HL142648), R35HL155670), UL1TR001873), CTSA-UL1TR0002389), UL1TR002389), R01DK136214) among others), as well as funding from Diabetes Research Training Center at University Chicago).

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Reading Habit Transforms Life of Homeless Man Thanks to This Local Cafe Owner

When Rob Toon picked up a battered copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes from a homeless charity in Nottingham, he didn’t know it would change the course of his life. He had been sleeping rough for months. His phone had been stolen. With nothing to do and nowhere to go, he reached for a book — just to pass the time. Then another. And another. Before long, he was reading a novel a day. “At first, it alleviated boredom and it gave me something to hide behind,” the 47-year-old said. “Less people bother you when you’ve got your head in a book. I didn’t want people to notice me.” But people did notice — and it ended up saving him. One of them was Naomi Wright, who runs a small café near where Toon used to sleep. “He always looked so peaceful and serene,” she said. “I’d often see him sitting there reading.” One day, she stopped to talk. She mentioned she had some Stephen King novels to give away, and offered them to him. That simple exchange sparked an unlikely friendship — and a community-wide effort. Wright posted online asking for more books. Within days, about 50 donations came in. She kept them stacked at her café, and Toon started carrying a rucksack filled with reading material — everything from horror to self-help to IT textbooks. “She set something in motion,” Toon said. “It was a real icebreaker. It gave me a chance to talk to people with no judgement, no politics, just talking to people about a good book they’d read.” At a time when he was angry at the world, reading gave him a reason to connect. “Meeting Naomi and everyone out here, it kept a connection with me and society,” he said. “I was in danger of losing that.” The simple act of reading — and being seen as a reader rather than a homeless man — changed how others treated him. It also changed how he saw himself. Through those conversations and friendships, Toon started to rebuild trust. “Not everyone was out to get me,” he said. By April this year, after two years on the streets, he moved into assisted living accommodation run by a homeless charity. And he didn’t stop learning. He earned a grade five — roughly a low B or high C — in English and maths, the equivalent of a GCSE. Now, inspired by books he read about coding while he was homeless, he’s thinking about a career in cyber security. He and Wright still meet regularly to swap books and talk about life, though he admits he has less time to read now. “I’m thankful for Naomi and everyone around here for bringing me out of myself,” he said. “Without reading and this book exchange, I’d probably still be out there. I’d like people to be more aware that there are homeless people out there who want a better quality of life and just need a bit of help.” For Wright, it’s been just as meaningful. “Getting to know someone like Rob, who was so intelligent and who had just fallen on hard times — to bond over books and things like that — it makes them feel like you’re seeing them for who they are,” she said. “Not just a charity case.” A single book pulled Toon out of isolation. The kindness of a stranger kept him there. And together, they turned a chance encounter over a few pages into the beginning of a new chapter.

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