This Doctor Dressed Up as a Unicorn to Celebrate a Four-Year-Old Patient's Recovery

Kyla is a 4-year-old girl from Florida who has an aggressive brain tumor. After eight months of receiving chemotherapy treatment at St. Jude Children’s hospital, her doctor determined that her tumor had shrunk enough that she could stop chemo and go home. To celebrate Kyla's milestone, the staff at St. Jude dressed up in costume - with Kyla's doctor donning an inflatable unicorn costume! Kyla was thrilled, and the party was a joyous moment for everyone involved.

Read More

Studying Dogs Could Unlock Longer, Healthier Lives For Pets — And People

For Pat Schultz, this research started at home. She enrolled her German shepherd-poodle mix, Murphy, in the Dog Aging Project while her husband was suffering from Alzheimer's, and the project her dog joined aimed to advance research into both canine and human aging. Murphy, now 12, is one of more than 50,000 dogs in the project. Scientists around the country collect data on dogs' diets and exercise, analyze blood samples and do MRIs of dogs' brains. Dogs develop many of the same aging-related diseases as humans, and because they age more rapidly, researchers can gather answers faster, according to veterinary neurologist Stephanie McGrath. "We can get a ton of information that would take decades to do in humans," McGrath said to CBS News. Biologist Matt Kaeberlein, who has spent decades trying to understand and reverse the causes of aging in both humans and dogs, co-founded the Dog Aging Project in 2014. "I realized, 'Oh my God, we know about three or four or five ways to slow aging in laboratory animals. Some of those are going to work in dogs,'" Kaeberlein said to CBS News. Kaeberlein said much of the biology of aging is similar across the animal kingdom, particularly across species of mammals. Researchers see dogs as a possible bridge between mice and people. Many treatment trials move from tests on mice directly to human trials, but the latest data shows many drugs that work on mice do not work on people. Dogs live alongside humans and are exposed to the same environments. They exercise with people, drink the same water and even eat human food. All the information collected in the Dog Aging Project goes into a public database that researchers around the world can access. The database has already been used in more than 50 scientific studies. Many of those studies found correlations between lifestyle, environment and disease risk. The project has found that dogs living with other dogs appear to suffer from fewer diseases. It also found that dogs that do not exercise have a six times greater chance of developing dementia. As part of the project, dogs go through tests that measure physical and mental fitness. In one test, dogs are shown where a treat is hidden. Seconds later, they are allowed to go get it, if they can remember where it is. Murphy has gone through testing for the past three years. During one test, he showed signs of anxiety, which McGrath said is a possible sign of dementia. The project also studies what happens in dogs' brains. When some of the dogs in the project die, their brains are donated and examined. Dr. Dirk Keene, a neuropathologist who has studied human brains for 20 years looking for causes of Alzheimer's, works with the veterinarians and researchers in the Dog Aging Project. Keene said his interest in the work was personal. He watched his mother suffer from Alzheimer's and also saw his dog Spring decline from what looked to him like the same disease, sometimes called "doggy dementia." Near the end of her life, Spring would get confused and lost. She would stare into space and lean against things, Keene said, something that happens to people too. "It's not just memory when we start to have dementia," Keene said to CBS News. "Dementia's a very complex thing that includes confusion, it includes the loss of the ability to remember where you're supposed to be, sort of spatial references. Very similar to what we're seeing in dogs, it happens in people." Keene said dog brains, like human brains, have a frontal lobe, temporal lobe and occipital lobe. He said they share the same basic shape as the human brain, and dementia changes brain size and structure in very similar ways in both species. Brains from people and dogs that suffered from dementia weigh less than healthy brains, Keene said. As the disease kills neurons, the brain shrinks and the space in the middle cavity enlarges. In dogs, dementia also results in enlarged spaces and brain shrinkage. Under a microscope, Spring's brain, one of the first donated to the Dog Aging Project, showed beta amyloid plaques, which Keene said are a hallmark of Alzheimer's in people. The project is also testing ways to help dogs live longer and stay healthier as they age. One focus is rapamycin. In mice, the drug has been shown to slow cognitive decline and increase life expectancy by 60 percent. That has led some longevity researchers and influencers to suggest rapamycin for human use. Molecular biologist Julie Moreno helped run a pilot study involving 12 dogs, all showing signs of dementia, to see how rapamycin would affect them. One dog, 10-year-old Qbert, received a placebo. Another, 13-year-old Monkey, received rapamycin. After the dogs died, Moreno studied their brains. She found Monkey's brain showed fewer microglial cells, which produce inflammation commonly associated with dementia. Two other dogs that received rapamycin have since died, and their brains also showed fewer cells associated with inflammation. "If it works in a dog, and it's safe, and it's helping their cognition, then, maybe, it would help humans," Moreno said. The Dog Aging Project is now running a larger clinical trial funded in part by the National Institutes of Health. Hundreds of dogs, including Murphy, are being given either a placebo or rapamycin to test if the drug can extend life. Outside the project, biotech startup Loyal is also testing aging drugs for dogs. The for-profit company was founded in 2019 by Celine Haliou and is testing three drugs. "My vision is that this is, you know, it's a daily beef-flavored pill that are given preventatively to keep them healthier longer, similar to a statin, you know, for older Americans," Haliou said. Haliou said her hope is an estimated "one healthier year of life." One of Loyal's drugs is in a clinical trial involving dogs older than 10, who are monitored for signs of aging. The Food and Drug Administration has signed off on the drug's safety data and says it has a "Reasonable Expectation of Effectiveness," but final trial results will not be known for several years. Haliou said the aging drug is not something to give a dog on its deathbed. Loyal has raised more than $250 million to bring its drugs to market. Haliou said that if the company succeeds with dogs, it may open the possibility of work on human longevity. "I think going dogs first is the fastest way to work on and understand the biology of human aging," she said. Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/photo/short-coated-tan-dog-2253275/)

Read More

This Teenager Just Became The Youngest Ever World Indoor 800m Champion

Spring break usually comes with a story or two. For Cooper Lutkenhaus, it came with a world title. The 17-year-old from outside Dallas showed up at the World Indoor Track and Field Championships in Torun, Poland, and left as something no one his age had ever been before. A world champion. Lutkenhaus won the 800 metres in 1:44.24, edging Belgium’s Eliott Crestan by 0.14 seconds. It was tight. It was tactical. And it made him the youngest athlete ever to win an individual world title, indoors or outdoors. Not bad for someone who still has high school classes waiting. “I came out here thinking I probably wasn’t the favorite, but any time I feel like I can step into a final I have a chance to win,” Lutkenhaus said, according to World Athletics. “Maybe it came from confidence or maybe from being too young, but I really wanted to try to make a defining move. I believed in that on the third lap — I just wanted to try to take it from there.” That move came late, and it stuck. At 17 years and 93 days old, Lutkenhaus broke a record that had stood for more than a decade. Ethiopian runner Mohammed Aman had been the youngest individual world champion when he won the same event in 2012 at 18 years and 61 days. Lutkenhaus also became the youngest medalist of any kind in World Indoor Championships history, edging out Cuban high jump legend Javier Sotomayor by four days. Those are big names. Lutkenhaus is now one of them. The win did not come out of nowhere. His last year has been a fast climb, even by track standards. In 2025, at just 16, he finished second in the 800 metres at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships. That result made him the youngest American to compete at an outdoor world championship. He turned professional shortly after. But that first global stage did not go the way he wanted. At the outdoor world championships last September, Lutkenhaus was knocked out in the first round. He was also missing time from his junior year of school to compete. It stayed with him. “The hardest part about Tokyo was that was my 17th month of racing,” he said. “I don’t think a lot of people realized that. I had been racing for over a year. I’m not using that as an excuse, but just being able to be fresh for this one and a lot more confident.” Fresh legs, sharper timing, better result. Three weeks before his world title run, Lutkenhaus had already won the 800 metres at the USATF Indoor Championships. He entered the world championships ranked third based on his best time of 2026. Some of the biggest names in the event were not there. That is not unusual. Many athletes skip indoor competitions to focus on the outdoor season, where Olympic and world titles often carry more weight. Still, the field was strong. And Lutkenhaus ran like he belonged from the start. He already had proof he could compete at that level. His 1:42.27 run at the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships did more than win attention. It shattered the under-18 world record by 1.1 seconds. That kind of time usually comes with experience. Lutkenhaus is still building his. The win in Poland now places him firmly among the top middle-distance runners in the world. It also raises a new question. How fast can he go from here? For now, the answer might be simple. Back to school. The championships themselves told a broader story too. The United States once again topped the medal table, marking a 10th straight edition of world indoors where it led all nations. American athletes collected 18 medals, including five golds. Italy and Spain each won five medals, while Great Britain led in golds behind the U.S. with four. Elsewhere on the track, Bahamas hurdler Devynne Charlton defended her 60 metre hurdles title for the third time, matching her own world record of 7.65 seconds. In the women’s 1500 metres, American Nikki Hiltz took bronze after a late surge, finishing just ahead of France’s Agathe Guillemot by 0.03 seconds. She finished behind Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell and Australia’s Jessica Hull. Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson dominated the women’s 800 metres, winning by 1.34 seconds in 1:55.30. It was the second fastest time ever recorded, just behind her own world record set last month. American Addy Wiley earned her first global medal in that race, taking bronze at age 22. Anna Hall added another podium finish to her growing resume, taking silver in the pentathlon after winning the outdoor heptathlon world title. With indoor season wrapped, attention now shifts outside. Athletes will build toward the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in New York this July, followed by the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest in September. Lutkenhaus will be part of that conversation now. For a teenager who just made history, the next race is already waiting. "2025 UIL 6A M 800 m" by KnowledgeIsPower9281 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Read More

Stranger Finds Missing Cat In Basement, Reunites Her With Family After 5 Years

Five years is a long time to wait for a cat to come home. For one Maryland family, that wait ended with a phone call they never expected. Melissa and Brooke Garci were reunited with their cat, Artemis, five years after she went missing in 2021, according to WJZ-TV. The Garcis had tried to find Artemis after she disappeared. WJZ reported that Melissa Garci canvassed the neighborhood with flyers, but she was not able to locate the indoor-outdoor cat. The break came years later, when a woman brought a cat to the Humane Society of Harford County and said she had found it in her unfinished basement. "Artemis was brought into our shelter by a caring community member," the Humane Society said in a Facebook post. The nonprofit said staff scanned the cat for a microchip as part of standard protocol and found one. "We traced her chip with the manufacturer and called the owner. Her owner picked up the phone and was speechless. Artemis had been missing for 5 years!!" the Humane Society wrote. The shelter added, "Tears were shed over this sweet reunion. We are so happy to have brought this family back together again!" Erin Long of the Humane Society told WJZ what happened when staff reached out to the family. "This woman answered, 'Hello?' And we said we have your cat, and she was unbelieving. And she said, 'Are you sure? My cat has been missing for five years,’" Long said. For Brooke Garci, seeing Artemis again did not feel real at first. She told the station she felt like she could not even cry yet when she saw Artemis again, "because I was in disbelief, but when I saw her, I was like, 'Omg, she looks exactly the same.’" Brooke Garci also told WJZ, "Her instincts are strong." Long said Artemis quickly reconnected with the family after leaving her kennel. When Artemis first came out, Long said, she walked over to the Garcis and got on both of their laps. "It was a beautiful thing," she said.

Read More

Rescuers Save Small Dog Stranded On Train Track Beam

A frightened little dog ended up in a dangerous spot on Philadelphia train tracks, then got a careful rescue and a new name. ACCT Philly said in a March 15 Facebook post that its Animal Protection Officers responded to a call from local authorities about a dog trapped on a train track support beam in east Philadelphia. “Witnesses had seen the small dog running along the tracks before she became stuck on top of one of the support pillars,” ACCT Philly said. Officer Kevin Collins arrived at the scene, and with Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority maintenance workers, who brought a cherry picker, the team was able to “carefully and safely” remove the small black female dog from the top of the beam without any injuries. Video from the rescue showed the dog shivering as Collins called to her. When she did not respond, he used a leash to grab hold of her and pull her toward safety. She was then wrapped in a warm blanket and brought back to the ground. The dog was later named Dottie and she is believed to be a 2-year-old Shih Tzu mix. Dottie was placed on a 48-hour stray hold and transferred to Street Tails Animal Rescue on March 18, where she will be available for adoption, ACCT told USA TODAY. “We’re incredibly relieved that this little dog is safe,” ACCT said, while thanking Collins, SEPTA Police and SEPTA maintenance for their efforts. 📸credit: ACCT Philly

Read More

Researchers Identify 67,800-Year-Old Handprint As Oldest Known Art

Sometimes the oldest evidence of human creativity is as simple as a hand on a cave wall. Researchers say a hand stencil found in a limestone cave in Indonesia is now the oldest known example of rock art on Earth, dated to at least 67,800 years ago. The find, on the island of Sulawesi, is at least 15,000 years older than a previous discovery in the same region. An international team led by Griffith University, Indonesia's national research and innovation agency, BRIN, and Southern Cross University made the dating from paintings preserved in caves in southeastern Sulawesi, on the nearby island of Muna. Scientists identified a partial hand stencil in Liang Metanduno cave, surrounded by much younger paintings. To work out its age, the team used uranium-series dating on tiny mineral layers that had formed over and, in some cases, beneath the artwork. That allowed the researchers to establish when the paintings were created. They found the hand stencil was made at least 67,800 years ago, making it the oldest reliably dated cave art yet found. The researchers said the results also show people kept making art in the cave for a very long time. Artistic activity there spanned at least 35,000 years, continuing until about 20,000 years ago. "It is now evident from our new phase of research that Sulawesi was home to one of the world's richest and most longstanding artistic cultures, one with origins in the earliest history of human occupation of the island at least 67,800 years ago," said Professor Maxime Aubert, an archaeologist and geochemist from the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, who co-led the study. The team said the hand stencil is an unusual version of a common motif. After it was first made, the image appears to have been deliberately changed. The outlines of the fingers were narrowed, giving the hand a claw-like appearance. Professor Adam Brumm of Griffith University's Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, a co-leader of the study, said researchers do not yet know what that change meant. "This art could symbolize the idea that humans and animals were closely connected, something we already seem to see in the very early painted art of Sulawesi, with at least one instance of a scene portraying figures that we interpret as representations of part-human, part-animal beings," Professor Brumm said. The team said the discovery also sharpens questions about when and how humans first reached Australia. According to the researchers, the people who made the Sulawesi paintings were likely part of the broader population closely related to the ancestors of Indigenous Australians. Dr Adhi Agus Oktaviana, a rock art specialist at BRIN and a team leader whose doctoral research at Griffith University contributed to the study, said the finding carries major implications for the deep history of Australian Aboriginal culture. "It is very likely that the people who made these paintings in Sulawesi were part of the broader population that would later spread through the region and ultimately reach Australia," Dr Oktaviana said. Archaeologists have long debated when humans first arrived in Sahul, the ancient landmass that once joined present-day Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. Some support a short chronology of about 50,000 years ago. Others argue for a long chronology of at least 65,000 years ago. "This discovery strongly supports the idea that the ancestors of the First Australians were in Sahul by 65,000 years ago," Dr Oktaviana said. Researchers have proposed two main routes into Sahul. One is a northern path through Sulawesi and the Spice Islands toward New Guinea. The other is a southern route that carried early seafarers more directly to Australia through Timor or nearby islands. Professor Renaud Joannes-Boyau of the Geoarchaeology and Archaeometry Research Group at Southern Cross University said the new dating adds weight to the northern route. "With the dating of this extremely ancient rock art in Sulawesi, we now have the oldest direct evidence for the presence of modern humans along this northern migration corridor into Sahul," Professor Joannes-Boyau said. The study, titled "Rock art from at least 67,800 years ago in Sulawesi," was published in Nature. 📸 Credit: Max Aubert

Read More

Portland Airport Brings In Therapy Llamas And Alpacas To Calm Stressed Travelers

A llama in a sweater is not a normal airport sight. At Portland International Airport, it is a real one. About once a month, llamas and alpacas from the Ridgefield, Washington-based nonprofit Mountain Peaks Therapy Llamas and Alpacas visit PDX to spend time with travelers. Since 2023, the animals have been part of the airport's animal-assisted therapy program, joining a lineup that began with dogs in 2019. The therapy animals have become a popular part of the airport experience, with travelers lining up to meet them. "PDX is known for doing things differently, and the llamas and alpacas – with their gentle nature and quirky personalities – have reached icon status in the airport, beloved by all," PDX spokesperson Molly Prescott told USA TODAY. "There’s nothing quite like the delight and surprise you’ll see on people’s faces when they encounter the llamas and alpacas for the first time." With handlers alongside them, the trained animals spend time at the entrance and in the main terminal. They are hard to miss. Llamas and alpacas can stand about 6 feet tall and weigh up to 450 pounds, and they usually arrive in themed outfits. Pirate and western cowboy costumes are among the looks they wear. Their visits last about an hour and a half. During that time, passengers can pet and hug the animals. Some also get a chance to give them a carrot kiss, feeding a small piece of carrot to the animal from their mouth or hands. Each camelid has its own trading card, which some frequent fliers collect. "The whole purpose of the therapy is to help with anxiety and de-stress, so I'm always watchful," said Mountain Peaks owner Lori Gregory to USA Today. "We get quite a few people traveling for not fun reasons, they're going to visit their loved one for the last time, or they're going to a funeral or you know, things that are hard. We always try to watch for those people to give them extra time with the animal and just express our love and care." The airport visits grew out of Gregory's long involvement with llamas. She said it started after her family moved to rural Washington and had enough acreage for large animals. Her daughter, Shannon Joy, first wanted a horse, but changed course after joining a school program and learning about other animals. Through that program, Joy borrowed a local llama named Shania, after Canadian pop star Shania Twain, to show at fairs. "We decided to join that to learn about these animals and just fell in love," Gregory said. Later, in 2002, the family bought a young llama named Rojo, along with two others because llamas are herd animals. Gregory said Rojo stood out for his gentle disposition. He grew to about 350 to 400 pounds and, she said, stayed unusually social. "and never grew out of that dog-like personality and people-friendly personality," Gregory said. Gregory took Rojo to parades and fairs, where people were drawn to him. He liked the attention and enjoyed hugs and pets. She said not every llama is suited to that kind of work. Llamas can be smart, protective and stubborn, and they are often known for spitting. Gregory said a llama's behavior depends heavily on how it is raised and socialized, along with its natural demeanor. Alpacas, she said, are smaller, more timid and shy, but the more independent ones can do well as therapy animals if they are comfortable away from the herd. "We try to educate a lot when we go out because people have such misconceptions and kind of put them all in the same basket," Gregory said to USA Today. "Oh, he doesn't like being here. He'd rather be in the pasture. I say, well, some are different and really actually enjoy new environments and are curious." In 2007, Gregory said she saw a boy in a wheelchair light up after meeting Rojo at a fair. She said that moment showed her Rojo could help people as a therapy animal. Gregory and Joy, who had just finished high school, then took Rojo through the now-discontinued animal therapy program at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital in downtown Portland. He became the first llama to graduate from the program. After his new status was announced at a gala that year, Rojo's popularity took off. He began visiting places around Portland, including charity events, senior homes and schools. Mountain Peaks now has six llamas and five alpacas on the farm, though not all of them are suited to therapy visits. The organization also runs a for-profit branch that brings llamas to events such as weddings, and the proceeds help fund the nonprofit. The airport connection began in 2020, when PDX invited Mountain Peaks llamas to help celebrate the opening of a new concourse. Wearing outfits that said "I heart PDX," two llamas walked through the airport greeting travelers. They returned during the holiday season, and videos of them in Christmas sweaters went viral. Now the visits are a regular part of the airport's official therapy program. The airport says the llamas add "a dose of novelty and surprise." "There’s nothing quite like a wagging tail and friendly face to bring a little bit of comfort and joy," said Prescott. "Especially in a city like Portland, known for being animal-friendly." When the animals arrive at PDX, they get valet parking and skip the security checkpoint line to be patted down. Gregory said the visits also help the animals by exposing them to different settings as part of their training. The animals also spend time with airport staff, who often work in stressful jobs. "It just really made me appreciate our airport," said Gregory. "It's very unique and the effort to try to make travel amazing for the people that go through the airport, I've just been very impressed with everybody." Photo by Adrijana on Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-llama-1575857/)

Read More

Pompeii Project Revives Ancient Winemaking Tradition With A Modern Twist

At Pompeii, the ruins are growing grapes again. Dozens of grape vines have been planted among the archaeological site’s ruins in a project aimed at bringing back the southern Italian volcanic region’s long history of producing quality grapes from inside Pompeii’s walls. The project will produce thousands of bottles of wine from grapes grown within the site. Pompeii was buried under about six metres of volcanic ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. Archaeologists found signs on frescoed walls beneath that ash showing wine was an important part of ancient Roman society. Parties and meals included rituals linked to Dionysus, the God of wine. They also found ceramic jars buried in the ground for holding wine and amphorae used to export it. The move to revive the vineyards is tied to that history, and it is also intended to help the local economy. “In Pompeii 2,000 years ago there were vineyards and today there are again vineyards where we cultivate wine and this helps us to lower the costs for maintenance,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Director of Archaeological Park of Pompeii to Euro News. “[This is] a fantastic opportunity to let people know about the history of Pompeii which is in large part the history of agriculture and the countryside and of the balance between human communities and environment,” added Zuchtreigel to Euro News. According to Zuchtreigel, wine was part of everyday life for ancient Pompeiians. Soldiers drank it in the morning. People added herbs and spices to it, and heated it to make mulled wine in winter. He said they produced so much wine that they exported it across the Mediterranean, including to Spain, North Africa and modern Turkey, and north to what is now Germany and Britain. The grape being used for the new vineyard is Aglianico. It originally came from Greece and was introduced to Italy around the seventh to sixth centuries BC. Aglianico is one of the most famous varieties of ancient grapes, and it is now also found in many vines in California and Australia. The vineyard says the grapes will be cultivated using sustainable agricultural methods. The project is being carried out with Italian wine producer Feudi di San Gregorio. Together, they plan to produce about 30,000 bottles of wine to be sold at the park and online. Photo by Elle Hughes on Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/photo/glass-filled-with-wine-2954929/)

Read More

TikTok Celebrates 76-Year-Old Office Icon Carmella For Her Bold, Timeless Style

Some people get dressed for work. Carmella turns it into a statement. A 76-year-old woman named Carmella has gone viral on TikTok after her co-worker, Tatum, shared videos of her outfits, with viewers quickly locking in on her style and her shoes. Tatum told People that Carmella had long been an office standout. “What first struck me about Carmela’s style was how effortlessly cool it is, stylish in a way that feels completely timeless,” Tatum told People. “Her style is incredible, but it’s really her energy and personality that make it so special, and I just wanted to share that with the world.” According to People, Carmella’s looks have been a fixture at PureLife Dental, where Tatum said co-workers look forward to her “look of the day.” Tatum also told People that Carmella’s style has inspired others in the office to change the way they dress for work. Carmella told People she still loves putting together outfits well into her 70s. “I would describe my style as confident, polished, and unapologetically bold,” she told People. She also said her style reflects how she feels about herself at this point in her life. “Getting dressed at 76 is an act of self-respect and joy,” Carmella said. “Never let age dictate your confidence.” TikTok users responded quickly after the videos spread, with many focusing on one detail in particular. “Her heels OMG,” one person commented. “Noting for next years Coachella heels??” another added. “Who is this diva !!!” another commenter wrote. Others kept it simple. “Omg so iconic,” a fan wrote. People reported that Carmella may be new to viral attention, but in her workplace she has already been known as a style icon. Tatum told the outlet that Carmella’s fashion sense, along with her personality, is what made her want to post the videos in the first place. “What first struck me about Carmela’s style was how effortlessly cool it is, stylish in a way that feels completely timeless,” Tatum told People. “Her style is incredible, but it’s really her energy and personality that make it so special, and I just wanted to share that with the world.”

Read More

Teen Entrepreneur Wins $200,000 Prize For His Two-Hour Cooling Towel

It started with a towel. Now it’s turning heads. At just 16, Harrison Nott has built a six-figure business from his bedroom, balancing schoolwork with a company that pulled in more than £100,000 last year. And recently, that hustle paid off in a big way. The Essex teenager won the Ali Baba CoCreate Pitch competition, beating thousands of entrepreneurs from around the world and walking away with a $200,000 top prize. Along the way, he also caught the attention of former England footballer Rio Ferdinand, who was so impressed he gave Harrison his number. “I felt like a celebrity,” Harrison told Essex Live. “It felt like a dream... It was out of this world.” Not bad for a business that started with a simple idea and a box of 100 towels. Harrison launched CoolTowel in 2023, inspired by his own frustration as a squash player trying to find a quality cooling towel in the UK. His version is straightforward. Wet it, wring it, snap it, and it cools down, thanks to a three-layer polyester material that holds moisture. From there, things moved quickly. He began selling through TikTok Shop and Shopify, documenting the process as he packed orders himself. At one point during the summer, he hit £15,000 in sales in a single day. To date, he has shipped more than 30,000 orders. “It’s gone from a relatively small side hustle run from my bedroom to a big business,” he said. “I’ve had to grow up very fast.” That growth has meant changes at school too. Harrison now follows a part-time timetable to keep up with demand, with support from teachers who have helped him navigate the balancing act. This is not his first attempt at business. He started selling items on eBay at age eight and has launched several ventures since, many of which failed. He says those early setbacks helped him figure out what works. “They’ve given me the skills I needed to start a new one,” he said. Support at home has played a role as well. His father, Matthew, who runs his own business, loaned him money to manage cash flow during a busy stretch. Harrison also used his dad’s warehouse during peak periods, although much of the operation still runs out of his bedroom. That hands-on approach has become part of the brand. Harrison films himself packing orders and shares the clips online, giving customers a direct look at the person behind the product. “I think it’s tangible for people to see the business owner do it,” he said. “It’s real.” Despite the strong revenue, he is quick to point out that costs add up, from advertising to affiliate commissions. On average, he brings in about £1,000 a day. Still, the bigger picture is already taking shape. Harrison has trademarked the brand, turned it into a limited company, and is now planning international expansion. He is also thinking beyond the towel itself, with ambitions to build a personal brand and eventually help others start their own businesses. “I want to help people be their best self and launch their business,” he said. Back at school, he has sponsored sports day, presented his business story in assembly, and even carries a CoolTowel-branded backpack and phone case. For his dad, the trajectory is not surprising. “When he fails at something, he doesn’t just say ‘Oh I tried’,” Matthew told Essex Live. “He works out where he went wrong.” From a bedroom idea to a growing company, Harrison’s story is still unfolding. But if the early chapters are any indication, he is not slowing down anytime soon. 📸credit: cooltowel.com

Read More

Zoo Manager Stays 3 Nights To Protect Animals During Massive Blizzard

At Wildwood Zoo, the snow came down so hard that even the people caring for the animals got trapped. When a blizzard dumped more than two feet of snow on the zoo in Marshfield, Wisconsin, manager Kyle Kirk stayed at the facility for three straight nights to care for animals across all 27 species. “This is the most snow I think I’ve ever seen in my whole life,” Kirk said. At one point, the storm pinned him inside the staff building. “There was a solid hour that I really couldn’t help really anybody because I was completely snowed in,” he said. Once he could get back outside, Kirk started digging out smaller animals that had been buried under the snow, including quail, prairie dogs and skunks. “I was able to dig them out… our skunks were completely snowed in,” he said. Even in the middle of the storm, Kirk said there was a lighter moment with the skunks. “It was kind of comical because I think our skunks thought that I brought the snow… they were stomping at me and saying, ‘Oh, you can take away the snow now,’” he said. Kirk also carved paths through enclosures so porcupines and skunks could move around again. He checked on foxes that had already shed their winter coats to make sure they were warm enough during the sudden freeze. Some of the larger animals handled the conditions with little trouble. The Kodiak bears lounged comfortably, and the lynx appeared well-suited to the deep snow. “It was really fun to see him walking on top of the snow with his great big paws,” Kirk said. “He could have went for another two feet for sure.” Not every animal managed as easily. Kirk said he had to lift sandhill cranes out of the snow after they got stuck. For him, staying at the zoo through the blizzard was simply part of the job. “A lot of other people can call in sick or get snowed in, but simply, I can’t,” Kirk said. “There’s really no reason to have these animals if we’re not going to care for them in the best possible way at our disposal.” 📸credit: WSAW Newschannel 7

Read More