Goodable

Today is Giving Tuesday and we’re giving back to the environment in a big way! For every Goodable app review in the App Store and Google Play store today, we will plant a tree. It's that simple. We want to plant hundreds of trees with your help. Another way you can help is share <a href="https://twitter.com/Goodable/status/1597619165833334784" target="_blank">THIS TWEET</a> on social media. For every Goodable app download today, we'll plant a tree! Let's give back and make a difference — together.

Giving Tuesday: Leave us a Review and We'll Plant a Tree!

CGTN

Researchers in China have unveiled a new kind of underwater gripping tool that could reshape how robots interact with delicate objects. Inspired by octopus tentacles, the adaptive hydrogel biomimetic suction disc marks a major breakthrough in underwater manipulation and soft-material handling.

Developed by the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the device combines advanced materials and 3D printing to tackle some of the toughest challenges in robotic grasping — especially in complex and sensitive environments.

“Drawing inspiration from the octopus, our primary innovation lies in mimicking the deformation of its tentacles while incorporating a specific structural design for the suction cups,” said Wang Xiaolong, a researcher at LICP.

At the heart of the invention is a custom-designed supramolecular hydrogel that blends extreme softness with high tear resistance. That combination allows the suction disc to hold fragile or irregularly shaped items without damaging them — a key requirement for tasks like deep-sea exploration or delicate surgery.

To bring the idea to life, the research team used high-precision 3D printing to construct a suction disc embedded with micro-channels and flexible films. These features give it the ability to adaptively form close contact with a wide range of surfaces, regardless of their shape or texture. Tiny air channels within the disc allow it to generate suction on demand, making it ideal for gripping soft, wet, or curved materials.

Unlike traditional robotic grippers, which often struggle in wet or unpredictable environments, the hydrogel disc is specifically engineered for such conditions. It’s designed to work under water, on soft tissues, and in places where rigid tools fall short.

“This enables the handling of ultra-soft items without causing damage,” Wang said.

The suction disc, which holds independent intellectual property rights in China, is expected to be paired with a wide range of robotic arms. Its potential uses include deep-sea resource recovery, high-end manufacturing, and minimally invasive medical procedures.

Researchers believe the technology could fill a major gap in current robotic systems, which often rely on rigid or semi-rigid components that aren’t well-suited for delicate tasks. By mimicking nature — specifically, the unique adaptability of octopus tentacles — the hydrogel disc offers a new kind of precision and flexibility.

Looking ahead, its creators say the invention could help drive innovation across multiple Chinese industries. In underwater robotics, it could improve exploration of fragile marine ecosystems. In medicine, it may enable gentler surgical tools. And in manufacturing, it could make it easier to handle soft or irregularly shaped products during assembly.

For now, the device stands as a promising example of how bioinspired engineering and material science can come together to solve long-standing technical problems — and potentially change how robots interact with the physical world.

China Develops Octopus-Inspired Suction Disc for Underwater Grasping and Precision Tasks

People

The FDNY-Uniformed Firefighters Association continued its 35-year tradition of supporting the families of fallen New York City firefighters with a special holiday shopping spree at FAO Schwarz on Sunday, November 23.

The iconic toy store, located near Rockefeller Center, opened its doors exclusively to the FDNY-UFA Widows & Children’s Fund, giving children who’ve lost a parent in the line of duty a day filled with toys, fire truck rides, and holiday cheer.

Each child received a $200 gift card to spend freely in the store, which remained closed to the public in their honor. The day also included a visit with Santa Claus and a ride high above Manhattan in the bucket of an FDNY fire truck.

“For decades, this event has been a lifeline for families who have endured tremendous loss,” the association said in a message shared on Instagram. “Offering support, connection, and a reminder that the FDNY family always stands together.”

Photos posted from the event showed beaming kids with overflowing shopping bags, excited to show off their gifts. In one photo, 6-year-old Charlotte summed up her morning with a big smile: “I saw Santa and I got a purse. It’s good.” Her older brother Joseph, 8, had his own special moment upstairs in the store. “There was a case upstairs with a fireman’s hat in it and the fireman’s hat had 325 on it. That’s my dad’s engine,” he said, referring to their father, Joseph Mulvey.

Teenager Juliette, 15, whose father, Tommy Oelkers, died of 9/11-related cancer in 2021, said the event was more than just a shopping trip. It’s also a space to feel understood. “It’s nice to be around other kids who get it,” she said.

The day is meant to bring comfort and community — but also serves as a reminder that these families are never alone.

“Reminding them that they’re not forgotten and they will always be a part of our family,” said FDNY-UFA President Andrew Ansbro in an interview with 1010 WINS.

Many of the children who once attended the event have grown up and returned as volunteers. That includes the four children of Eileen Bellew, whose husband, firefighter John Bellew, died in the 2005 Bronx tenement tragedy known as “Black Sunday.”

“We haven’t missed the event in 20 years,” Bellew told the New York Post. “As we received, we moved into giving. We like to give back because we received so much from this event.”

For the FDNY-UFA, the goal is simple — to make the holidays a little brighter for families who carry the weight of tremendous loss. As they shared online, they hope these moments are ones “these families will carry with them for years.”

Families of Late FDNY Firefighters Just Enjoyed a Shopping Spree at FAO Schwarz

Science Daily

The story of how complex life evolved on Earth is being rewritten.

New research led by scientists from the University of Bristol suggests that eukaryotic life — organisms with complex cells that eventually gave rise to animals, plants, fungi, and algae — began evolving much earlier and over a longer timespan than scientists previously believed. The findings, published December 3 in Nature, challenge the long-held idea that high levels of atmospheric oxygen were a prerequisite for cellular complexity.

Instead, the study shows that early versions of complex life were already forming in an Earth with little to no oxygen in its oceans — up to 2.9 billion years ago.

“This insight ties evolutionary biology directly to Earth's geochemical history,” said Philip Donoghue, professor of palaeobiology at the University of Bristol. “The archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes began evolving complex features roughly a billion years before oxygen became abundant, in oceans that were entirely anoxic.”

A long, quiet beginning for complexity

Earth is about 4.5 billion years old. Microbial life emerged more than 4 billion years ago, dominated for hundreds of millions of years by simple, single-celled organisms known as prokaryotes — which include bacteria and archaea. These organisms don’t have nuclei or other internal compartments.

Eventually, eukaryotic cells emerged — cells that do contain nuclei and other internal structures. This leap in complexity set the stage for every multicellular organism alive today.

Until now, it was generally believed that this evolutionary leap happened in tandem with a rise in atmospheric oxygen. But according to this new study, the process may have started long before that oxygen appeared.

“The process of cumulative complexification took place over a much longer time period than previously thought,” said Gergely Szöllősi, who heads the Model-Based Evolutionary Genomics Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.

Rewriting the origin story of complex cells

To find out just how and when complex cellular features started evolving, the team used an enhanced version of the “molecular clock” — a method that estimates when species diverged by analyzing genetic differences and known fossil timelines.

They gathered gene sequence data from hundreds of species and applied it to a “time-resolved tree of life,” allowing them to track the development of specific gene families tied to complex cellular systems.

“What sets this study apart is looking into detail about what these gene families actually do — and which proteins interact with which — all in absolute time,” said lead author Dr. Christopher Kay, a research associate at the University of Bristol.

Their results suggest that structures like the cell nucleus began to form around 2.9 billion years ago — far earlier than the 1.8-billion-year estimate cited in previous studies. Surprisingly, mitochondria — often considered one of the earliest defining features of eukaryotic cells — came significantly later.

“One of our most significant findings was that the mitochondria arose significantly later than expected,” Donoghue said. “The timing coincides with the first substantial rise in atmospheric oxygen.”

Out with old models, in with CALM

The study’s conclusions also force a reevaluation of many current theories on how complex cells evolved. Since none of the existing models fully matched the evidence, the team introduced a new one: CALM — which stands for Complex Archaeon, Late Mitochondrion.

The CALM model suggests that the archaeal ancestors of eukaryotes began acquiring complex features on their own, before forming a symbiotic relationship with mitochondria. The mitochondria — often described as the cell’s powerhouse — are believed to have originated from a bacterial cell that was engulfed by a larger host.

“Previous ideas on how and when early prokaryotes transformed into complex eukaryotes has largely been in the realm of speculation,” said Davide Pisani, professor of phylogenomics at the University of Bristol. “Estimates have spanned a billion years, as no intermediate forms exist and definitive fossil evidence has been lacking.”

The new model doesn’t just shift timelines. It suggests that cellular complexity didn’t happen suddenly or all at once. Instead, it unfolded gradually — and likely over a billion years — long before oxygen flooded the atmosphere.

By combining paleontology, molecular biology, and advanced phylogenetics, the study offers one of the clearest timelines yet for how the building blocks of complex life took shape. It also raises new questions about what conditions are truly necessary for complexity to evolve — not just on Earth, but perhaps elsewhere in the universe.

Complex Life May Have Evolved Nearly a Billion Years Earlier Than We Thought, Study Finds

Scientific American

You’ve probably never heard it before: “Leftover pizza is better for you than fresh.” It sounds like the kind of half-baked trivia someone blurts out at a party while holding a slice. But this one’s got some solid science behind it.

Researchers have found that cooling certain starchy foods—like pizza, rice, and pasta—actually changes their chemistry in a way that makes them healthier. The trick? Cooling them down creates something called “resistant starch,” a form of carbohydrate that behaves more like fiber in the body. And it could have real benefits, especially for people with Type 1 diabetes.

Here’s how it works.

When starchy foods like pizza crust are cooled to below 4°C (about 40°F), some of their starches reorganize into longer chains. These chains form what scientists call resistant starches, which don’t break down during digestion the way regular starches do. Instead of being absorbed as sugar, they pass through the digestive system more like dietary fiber.

Even if you reheat the food later, the new structure mostly sticks around.

That’s a big deal for anyone who needs to manage blood sugar levels. Resistant starch doesn’t cause the same spikes in glucose that normal carbs do. It also feeds the good bacteria in your gut and may improve overall digestive health. The process is a bit like tempering chocolate or forging steel—the heating and cooling changes the material at a molecular level.

And it isn’t just pizza. The effect shows up in rice, potatoes, pasta, beans, lentils, and other common staples. Reheating won’t undo the transformation, making your leftovers potentially a healthier choice than the original meal.

The science behind this isn’t just theoretical—it’s been studied in labs, in detail. In one experiment, researchers used electron microscopes to examine rice after it had been cooked, cooled, and digested in simulated conditions. They found those long, sturdy chains of resistant starch still intact even after simulated digestion.

In another study, researchers went a step further. Human volunteers showed up at a lab at 6 in the morning to eat pre-cooked, chilled rice, all in the name of science. Researchers controlled every variable, including how long each participant chewed their rice. It might sound like overkill, but the scientists had a good reason: digestion begins in the mouth, and chewing plays a role in how foods break down.

That kind of rigor is exactly what turns a passing fun fact into a meaningful discovery.

“Humans have been eating food the entire time humans have existed,” said Tom Lum, a science communicator featured in the video series Innovations In: Type 1 Diabetes. “But the way it interacts with our body is so complex that we’ve only just learned that apparently our fridge is a forge for fiber.”

While you might not win any friends at a party by explaining starch crystallization and digestive enzymes, the takeaway is simple: chilling your leftovers could be a small, easy way to support better health. Especially for people living with diabetes, it might offer one more tool for keeping blood sugar in check.

So next time you open the fridge for cold pizza, remember—it’s not just tasty. It might actually be helping your body, one slice at a time.

Leftover Pizza Might Actually Be Better for You—Here’s the Science Behind It

CTV News

It started with three kids, a bottle of wine, and a green message on the wall.

A few years ago, Kurt Neesley from Redondo Beach, California, needed a spot to hide the family’s Elf on the Shelf. He got creative. Using Tootsie Rolls, he built a mini climbing wall on the kitchen wall, posed the elf with a paintbrush, and scrawled a message reminding his children to behave. Paint splatter completed the scene.

“The paint was left over from St. Patrick’s Day when a leprechaun visited and made a mess,” Neesley said. He wasn’t worried about the mess — the wall needed repainting anyway. “Three glasses of wine usually gets the creativity flowing. Elf on the Shelf can be very stressful.”

If you know, you know.

The annual tradition — where parents secretly move the elf doll to a new spot each night — is now as much a part of December as wrapping paper and half-eaten advent calendars. It’s also a source of joy, guilt, comedy, and panic for families trying to keep the magic alive. This year marks two decades since the idea first found its way into homes across the United States.

How it started

The modern version of Elf on the Shelf goes back to the 1970s in Atlanta, when Carol Aebersold introduced her twin daughters to a magical elf named Fisbee. He would visit during December and perch in a different place each morning after flying to the North Pole to report to Santa.

Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts, Aebersold’s daughters, believed Fisbee gave them a direct line to Santa Claus. “It’s the most wholesome thing you’ll ever see,” said Bell. The rule was simple: you couldn’t touch the elf, or he’d lose his magic. That part of the lore stuck.

In 2004, Aebersold and Bell self-published The Elf on the Shelf, a children’s book that came with a doll. Pitts helped market it. It eventually exploded in popularity. Today, the company they co-founded, Lumistella, has turned Elf on the Shelf into a full-fledged Christmas empire, complete with Netflix specials and even a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

How it’s going

For many parents, Elf on the Shelf has become a nightly creative challenge.

Antonia Katsanos, who lives in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, has been doing it year-round. Her family’s elf, named Twinkle, has been spotted dressed as a mermaid in the shower, hiding in the ice machine, and dangling upside down in the car.

“I am a creative person, but you do go dry at some point doing this over and over again, year after year,” she said. “I Google ideas and look at Instagram. It’s sometimes a nuisance. I’ve popped up from sleep at 3:30 a.m. remembering I need to move the elf.”

Still, she keeps going — for the look on her daughters’ faces each morning.

Others take a more relaxed approach. Ashley Zavala of St. Paul, Minnesota, keeps it simple. “We don’t get elaborate, we just move the elf,” she said. As a bartender who works late, she doesn’t want to come home and build a miniature elf zipline.

“Our kids like it and they don’t know the difference because they haven’t had their elf do crazy things,” she said. Instead, she sends clever ideas to her cousin who goes all out.

The cheat code

Some parents outsource the job to older kids who’ve figured out the game. Actor Alan Ritchson, star of Reacher, says his teenage son now handles the nightly elf duties.

“Here’s the cheat code,” Ritchson said. “You get a 13-year-old who figures it out a couple years earlier than he should, and then he becomes your little Elf on the Shelf weapon. So they get excited. They’ll never miss a night.”

More than one elf

For Jewish families, there’s Mensch on a Bench — a Hanukkah-themed alternative created by Ohio dad Neal Hoffman. Inspired by Elf on the Shelf, Hoffman designed the Mensch doll and accompanying book to teach kids about Hanukkah traditions. He pitched the idea on Shark Tank in 2014 and landed investors.

Some households do both. Sandi Celentano, also from Franklin Lakes, once introduced both Elf on the Shelf and Mensch on a Bench to her interfaith family. It didn’t last.

“The amount of time and energy that it took thinking of creative ways to display these things every single day — it just took over everyone’s lives,” she said. “I’ve boycotted it for about three or four years.”

As for Neesley in California, he’s still embracing the chaos, Tootsie Rolls and all. Just don’t ask him to do it sober.

Parents Share Creative Tips For Moving Santa’s Spy Elf On The Shelf

ABC - Australia

Brodie Taylor didn’t set out to make history. He just wanted to be part of the game.

The 18-year-old from Lavington, a town straddling the Victorian-New South Wales border, has become the first person in Australia to earn national netball umpire accreditation while using a wheelchair.

“Honestly it was never something that I thought I would have wanted, and didn't think umpiring was going to be that serious,” he said. “But all the great umpires around me have their badges, and I thought that is one step closer for me having a purpose in the sport.”

Brodie is a familiar face on local courts, where he regularly officiates social matches and games in the competitive Hume League. What’s routine for him now was once unimaginable.

Growing up, he often found himself on the sidelines as his siblings played sport. Netball became his way in — first as a spectator alongside his mum, then as a coach, and eventually, an umpire.

“I enjoy having control over the games,” he said. “It can really dictate the way the game is played, and also produces fairness for everyone on the court.”

That passion didn’t go unnoticed. Amanda McLachlan, regional manager for Netball NSW’s Riverina branch, first saw Brodie in action during a local game.

“He was keeping up with the play, he knew the rules really well, his rapport with the players and his communication on the court was fantastic,” she said.

His mum, Del Taylor, remembers being stunned — and thrilled — when they learned Netball NSW was scouting him for official accreditation.

“I said to Brodie this will open a lot of doors for him,” she said. “He's watching all his peers and his siblings all go and get jobs, and so with opening up the umpiring it also gave him a leeway to … earn some extra money by doing something that he loves.”

Brodie earned his national C-badge — the first of four levels in Netball Australia’s umpiring pathway — without a single rule being changed. The only adjustment he needed was where he positioned himself on court to move smoothly in his motorised chair.

According to McLachlan, there was initial concern about how his wheelchair might affect play, but “Brodie proved us all wrong in that case.”

“We’re really lucky with Brodie because he already had some really good umpiring skills and he's just a natural find,” she said.

For Brodie, breaking a barrier wasn’t on his radar — not at first.

“But when I found out I was like — that is pretty darn cool.”

Since his accreditation, other state netball organisations have reached out to McLachlan for advice on how to support aspiring umpires with disabilities.

“I think it's just having an open mind that it can look different, and it's OK to look different as well,” she said.

With his Year 12 exams now behind him, Brodie has his sights set on university in Melbourne, where he hopes to study politics.

“My biggest passion is to make this world more understanding around disabilities, where it's not a question, it's just the norm,” he said.

Still, netball remains close to his heart. And he’s not done with it yet.

“I would still love to further my career in netball.”

This Teen Ref Just Made History — and He Did It In a Wheelchair

inspiremore

A bouncing baby elephant has made his debut at the Columbus Zoo, and the public has now helped give him a name: Oliver.

Born on October 21 and weighing in at 222 pounds, the hefty calf was introduced to the world two days later when the zoo shared his first photo. The zoo’s team said both baby and mom were “doing well and are under the watchful care of the Animal Care and Conservation Medicine teams.”

To celebrate the birth, the zoo opened up a naming contest, inviting fans to vote between four finalists: Frederick, Oliver (with the nickname Ollie), Ozzy, and Theodore (Theo). Over 20,000 people cast their votes, and the winner wasn’t even close—Oliver took the lead with nearly 40% of the total.

“He has a name!” the zoo announced on Instagram. “Walking away with almost 40% of the 20,000+ votes we received, a name has been chosen by YOU for our newest elephant calf…Meet OLIVER!”

Fans were thrilled with the result. One commented, “Yay! I submitted the name Oliver for his name. Maybe others did too but excited it was the one chosen.” Another celebrated their mom’s role in the vote: “My momma submitted the name!!!! You did it momma!”

Not everyone stuck to the script—some had their own ideas for what Ollie should be called. One person joked, “His name may be Oliver aka Ollie, but as Bindi Irwin put it years ago…by the way he looks I’ll call him Frederick,” referencing a sweet throwback moment from Irwin’s childhood.

Still, the majority of voters agreed—Ollie just fits. As one commenter put it, “That’s perfect! He looks like an Ollie.”

The Columbus Zoo hasn’t yet said when the public will be able to see Ollie in person, but based on the online excitement, it’s safe to say he’s already a star.

Columbus Zoo Celebrates Arrival Of Newborn Elephant With Perfect Name

ABC News

It took 15 years, a Kickstarter campaign, and a couple of unexpected detours, but RoboCop has finally taken his place in Detroit.

The towering bronze statue — 11 feet tall and weighing over 1.5 metric tons — now stands in Detroit’s Eastern Market district, just northeast of downtown. On Wednesday afternoon, despite heavy snow, fans came out to catch a glimpse of the city’s newest and most unusual landmark.

“Even in a snowstorm in the dark, people were driving by to see it,” said Jim Toscano, co-owner of FREE AGE, the film production company that now houses the statue outside its building.

RoboCop, the 1987 cult classic, depicted a dystopian Detroit plagued by crime and corruption. The film’s solution: a nearly indestructible cyborg law enforcer played by Peter Weller, designed by a powerful and shady corporation.

For years, Detroit distanced itself from the movie’s gritty portrayal. But times have changed. Violent crime in the city has steadily declined, and recent years have seen homicide numbers drop to levels not seen since the 1960s. When the statue finally went up this week, no one at city hall objected.

“I think there will be a lot more acceptance,” said Toscano. “Detroit has come a long way. You put in a little nostalgia and that helps.”

The idea to build the statue dates back to 2010, when a Twitter user suggested that RoboCop — like Philadelphia’s Rocky — would be a “GREAT ambassador for Detroit.” Then-Mayor Dave Bing responded politely, but shut it down. That only fired people up.

By 2012, a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter had raised more than $67,000 from over 2,700 backers around the world. Detroit-based sculptor Giorgio Gikas completed the statue in 2017, but for years, it sat in storage.

The Michigan Science Center had once planned to host it, but scrapped the idea in 2021 due to budget constraints during the pandemic. At one point, the city of Stevens Point, Wisconsin — hometown of actor Peter Weller — even offered to take it in.

It wasn’t until Toscano and his business partner bought their Eastern Market building that the statue finally found a permanent home. He initially thought it was a joke when the statue’s creators approached him. But when the Eastern Market Corporation got on board too, it became real.

“It’s too unusual, too unique, too cool not to do,” Toscano said.

He confessed he’s only seen the original RoboCop once. “It wasn’t a big film in our house,” he said. Still, he figures one line from the movie fits the moment: “Thank you for your cooperation.”

Not far from the statue, 52-year-old James Campbell was taking in the moment. “I own this. Do you guys know that?” he joked with a group taking photos. He had donated $100 to the Kickstarter more than a decade ago. “That makes me a .038 percent owner of this statue,” he said.

“I’m here to see this big, beautiful, bronze piece of art,” Campbell said. “What a piece of cinematic history to represent the city of Detroit.”

When asked why RoboCop makes sense as a Detroit symbol, Campbell didn’t hesitate: “He’s a cyborg crime fighter! In the movie, in the futuristic Detroit, he’s there to save the city. He’s a symbol of hope.”

Detroit Finally Welcomes its Cyborg Crime-Fighter — a Towering RoboCop Statue

GoodGoodGood

Cafeteria workers aren’t usually the ones making headlines — but in Beaverton, Oregon, one school food professional went far beyond her job description to help a student feel seen, supported, and independent.

Endelia Mottram has been serving lunch in the Beaverton School District for 18 years. This year, she turned her attention to a 6-year-old named Julian Worsham, a student with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism.

“My bones grow slower,” Julian explained in an interview with WHAS11 News. “I’m a little person.”

To help him navigate the school cafeteria, Julian had been using a makeshift cart built from milk crates and duct tape. It worked — barely — but Endelia saw a chance to do better.

“I thought we could do so much more for him, you know,” said her husband, James Mottram, a custom metal builder. “I wanted to make something cool that he would be happy to push around and be proud of.”

Working with his colleagues, James crafted a custom metal lunch cart designed just for Julian. It has handlebar grips, sleek detailing, and a matching stool so Julian can see over the lunch counter on his own. And, for a touch of flair, the cart features flame decals and personalized license plates.

Julian was thrilled. “I got this cart for lunch, and my favorite part was that it had my license plates, and it had flames on it,” he said in a video shared by the school district.

“He’s independent now,” Endelia said. “Before, a staff member [would] have to be there to help him.”

Julian’s parents, Heather and Aaron Worsham, were deeply moved by the gesture.

“There’s just wonderful people in this world that, you know, they have their eyes open,” Heather said. “They’re seeing needs that need to be met, and they’re meeting them. I hope that other kids can get their needs met, too, through this.”

The custom cart may seem small, but for Julian, it represents something much bigger — freedom, confidence, and the knowledge that someone cared enough to build something just for him.

Flashback Friday: Lunch Lady Builds Custom 'Cafeteria Cart' For First Grader To Ease Mealtime Struggles

BBC News

An 18-year-old from Herefordshire who once struggled to make eye contact or leave the house has received a national award after finding confidence through horses.

Kaden Wilson, a student at Shropshire Adventure Academy, was honoured with the Pamela Almond Changing Lives Through Horses Achieve Award at the British Horse Society’s annual ceremony. The award, presented by BHS president and actor Martin Clunes, recognises Kaden’s progress in overcoming severe social anxiety and building new life skills.

“I thought I was in trouble, because I had a private chat about it,” Kaden joked about the surprise announcement.

Kaden joined the BHS’s Changing Lives Through Horses programme, which offers young people an alternative path to education through working with horses. For Kaden, who was home-schooled and largely housebound before starting at the academy in Stottesdon, Shropshire, the change was profound.

“I wasn’t leaving the house or anything,” he said. “My mum wanted me to get into horses because my mum’s dad used to live at a house in Leominster with horses.”

At first, even approaching the animals felt impossible.

“I refused to get on, I was scared to get on [the horses],” he said. “I couldn’t make eye contact at first, eye contact was a big no. I’ve started speaking a lot more, telling lots of jokes.”

Asked what helped him open up, Kaden said the horses themselves were a big part of the breakthrough.

“They go at your pace,” he said. “When you want to do something, they’ll do it. They’re friendly. They’ll never judge you.”

The equine programme is one of several unique offerings at the Shropshire Adventure Academy, which provides outdoor learning and support for students with special educational needs and those seeking post-16 education. Other activities include forest school, caving, laser tag, and badminton — though Kaden is quick to point out caving wasn’t his favourite.

Academy director Daniel Eddies-Davies said Kaden’s transformation has been remarkable.

“When Kaden first started, he wouldn’t get out of the car,” he said. “Eventually he built up the confidence to go down to the yard. Initially, he was just walking with the horses.”

But things changed the day he met a horse named Flash.

“His first time when he got on a horse called Flash… this smile that came from Kaden — we knew we had conquered something,” Eddies-Davies said. “From that young person to then shaking hands with Martin Clunes, it just shows that horses work.”

The BHS programme is designed to support children and young people who may not thrive in traditional classrooms. For Kaden, it’s done more than that — it’s helped him reconnect with the world.

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

What's Good Now!