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In a World-First Trial, Proton Beam Therapy is Being Used to Treat Cancer
The NHS is trialing proton beam therapy to treat breast cancer patients at risk of long-term heart problems. The trial will compare the efficacy of proton beam therapy with standard radiotherapy and will enrol 192 patients across 22 sites in the UK. So far, three patients have undergone proton beam therapy as part of the trial and have found it to be very effective with minimal side effects. If proven successful, this world-first trial could pave the way for more widespread use of proton beam therapy to treat a variety of cancers.
Score (98)
Meet the UK’s First Dog Bus: 340 Pawsengers and Counting
The UK’s first dog bus is making a lot of people smile. Launched just five weeks ago, the bus in Leeds and Bradford takes dogs on half-day adventures with plenty of play, socializing and surprise community visits. It’s the brainchild of Laura Mohan, who started it after struggling to find the right care for her own pup, Billy. “We found with dog walkers one hour wasn't enough. And full-day care was too much for him,” Mohan said. Inspired by a similar project in the US called Canine Convoy, she decided to try something new. “Everyone loves seeing dogs on a bus.” She runs the service as part of her dog walking business with help from driver Ray Welderend, a former HGV driver who now says he’s landed his “dream job.” “I thought, ‘I’ve got nothing better to do with my time,’ and if I’m out and about playing with dogs, and helping out with dogs, it’s win-win for me,” he said. “This is a dream job compared to lorry driving.” Each day, the pair drives around picking up their furry “paw-sengers” from homes across the region. Once on board, the dogs are safely secured for the ride, which includes stops at schools, nursing homes, and community cafés — all before heading out for a big group walk. “We're half dog service, half community based,” Mohan said. “We do drive-bys to old people's homes, nursing homes, schools and nurseries, everyone can come on board, say hi to the dogs, and then we just ask for a donation to a local dog charity that we're associated with called Aireworth Kennels.” The dogs spend about three to four hours out of the house. Their humans can even check in via a livestream from the bus. “It’s a bit like running a children’s nursery – the key is lots of engagement and lots of love, and that keeps everybody in a good mood,” Mohan said. The service has exploded in popularity. Mohan originally expected maybe 20 sign-ups. “We woke up the second day and we had 68,” she said. “Now we’ve got just over 340 dogs enrolled, so it’s second bus time.” For many owners, especially those juggling work or family life, the dog bus has been a lifeline. "I'm working all the time. I've got a new baby and I want him to go on as many walks as possible,” said Georgie Grove, who sends her dog Coco on the bus. “So this is just perfect.” Issey Giltrow says the service has been a huge help with her dog Alfie, who became clingy while she worked from home. “We saw it when we were walking through Ilkley and we thought this would be perfect for him – get him out with other dogs,” she said. The visits also bring joy to places like Outside the Box, a community café in Ilkley supporting adults and young people with learning disabilities. Catherine Taylor, a support worker there, said: “It’s such a treat to have the dogs. It’s tactile, it’s caring. They've been so excited preparing for them, preparing all their drinks, putting signs out to make sure they have space for the bus.” As the number of “pandemic pups” continues to create demand for creative care options, Billy’s Bus seems to have hit the sweet spot: part doggy daycare, part community connection, and full-time fun on four legs.
Score (95)
Trapped Water Molecules Could Supercharge Drug Design and Material Science, Scientists Find
Water might be everywhere, but it doesn’t always behave the same way — especially when it’s stuck in tiny, molecular-sized pockets. Now, researchers in Germany have discovered that water confined in these cramped cavities doesn’t just sit there passively. Instead, it becomes “highly energetic” and can actually boost the strength of nearby molecular bonds. The research team from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Constructor University in Bremen published their findings in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, suggesting this unusual water behavior could open up new possibilities in medicine and materials science. “Usually, water molecules interact most strongly with each other,” said Dr. Frank Biedermann from KIT’s Institute of Nanotechnology. “However, data obtained from experiment shows that water behaves unusually in such narrow cavities. We now could supply the theoretical basis of these observations and prove that the water in molecular cavities is energetically activated.” In simpler terms, when water is squeezed into tiny molecular spaces — like those found inside proteins or synthetic receptors — it stores extra energy. It’s like a crowded elevator: as soon as someone new arrives, the water “wants” to escape. And when it does, it creates room for another molecule to bind more tightly to the cavity. That’s exactly what researchers observed when they used cucurbit[8]uril, a molecule with a hollow interior that can hold other molecules. This made it a perfect test case for studying confined water in a simpler setup. “Depending on the guest molecule, computer models enabled us to calculate how much more binding force the highly energetic water yields,” said Professor Werner Nau of Constructor University. “We found that the more energetically activated the water is, the better it favors binding between the guest molecule and the host when it is displaced.” This energetic release plays a central role in helping molecules stick together — even in natural systems. “Even natural antibodies, for example against SARS-CoV-2, might owe their effectiveness partly to the way how they transport water molecules into and out of their binding cavities,” Biedermann added. To measure the impact, the team combined high-precision calorimetry — a method that tracks heat changes during molecular interactions — with computer simulations created by Dr. Jeffry Setiadi and Professor Michael K. Gilson at the University of California, San Diego. The implications for drug development are significant. One of the challenges in designing new medications is getting molecules to bind tightly to their targets, such as proteins inside the body. If researchers can identify energetic water inside those targets and design drugs that displace it, they could dramatically improve how well the drug sticks — and how effective it is. In materials science, the same principle could lead to better sensors or storage materials by engineering cavities that use water displacement to enhance performance. In short, what once looked like just a few stray water molecules trapped in a tight space may actually be a powerful driver of molecular behavior. The study not only helps settle a long-running scientific debate — whether trapped water does anything significant — but also offers a new way to think about how nature (and chemists) can take advantage of it.
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Score (97)
“Best time of my life”: Teen swimmer wins 8 golds for Britain at Down Syndrome European Championships
Sixteen-year-old Joe from St Albans just brought home eight gold medals — and he’s already thinking about how to beat that next time. Representing Great Britain at the European Down Syndrome Swimming Championships in Albufeira, Portugal, Joe dominated the junior division, claiming top titles in backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle, as well as four more in combined events. A total of 103 swimmers from across Europe took part in the competition, which wrapped up in early November. “Knowing I got these titles makes me want to train harder,” he said. “You've just got to get out there and do your thing; there's no fun in swimming if you're not going to train.” Joe swims four times a week with his team at Verulam Swim Club in Hertfordshire. He credits his success to hard work and his club’s support. His mother Anne said the environment has been key to helping Joe thrive. “He's really found something that he can excel in and he feels really at home with his club – they make him so welcome. He could not have hoped for a more inclusive club,” she said. Joe described the entire experience as “incredible,” adding, “150% it was the best time of my life.” For him, it’s not just about the medals. He wants to encourage other athletes to stay the course, even when it’s hard. “Keep learning, never give up on what you’ve started, keep on going to make sure it’s a learning experience, as we all learn from our mistakes,” he said. “There is always room for improvement.” Joe’s father Gary said the family was “so delighted” and praised his son for training “so hard” to get to this level. Joe is also a student at Oaklands College in St Albans, where he’s enrolled in the Learning for Independence and Future Employment (LIFE) programme. Roxanne Lowe, director of the LIFE programme, said his medal haul was the result of years of effort. “His achievements are the result of years of dedication, perseverance, and passion for his sport,” she said. “His hard work, determination, and positive attitude embody everything we stand for as a college.” She called him a “true champion in and out of the pool.” Joe’s already setting his sights on the future — and encouraging others to do the same. “Remain focused on the thing you're doing and when you're about to do something like a competition, don't quit,” he said. “Get out there and show the other team what you've got and maybe one day in the future they'll be the next generation to take the spot on the team.”
Score (96)
Seniors Marry After 15 Years Together, Defying Dementia Diagnosis
An elderly couple in Suffolk has tied the knot in a heartfelt ceremony driven by love, resilience, and memory. Terry Smith, 86, who was diagnosed with dementia two years ago, married his long-time partner Jo Johnson, 91, on Friday at Lowestoft Registry Office. Surrounded by family, the couple fulfilled a promise they had held onto for years: to spend the rest of their lives together — officially. The two had been together for 15 years, but after Mr Smith’s diagnosis, they decided not to wait any longer. “I've wanted to [get married] for a long time, but I've never said anything because he's been unwell,” Mrs Smith told BBC Radio Suffolk. “He's still ill, but he's happy and we're always walking around the house and singing.” For Mrs Smith, the day carried extra meaning — it also happened to be her birthday. Her grandson Adam gave her away. Their story began with a nudge from family. Mrs Smith had lost her husband and wasn’t sure she was ready to start something new. But her daughter, Vicky Sartain, thought otherwise. “She was so full of life and really upbeat, so she needed to share her love and she needed a companion,” Sartain said. Mr Smith recalled their first meeting with a smile. “She didn’t want to know me when I first met her. I don’t know [why],” he said. Despite that shaky start, the two became inseparable. And once the dementia diagnosis came, it only intensified Mr Smith’s desire to marry. “Every day for months [he said], ‘I want to marry your mum, I want to marry your mum,’” Sartain shared. The ceremony was officiated by registrar David Hunter, who called it one of the most memorable he's ever conducted. “It was a special ceremony for a special couple,” he said. “I’ve been on a journey with this couple. I first met them well over a year ago when they came in to inquire about how they get married... they’ve become almost good friends to me.” Now officially Mr and Mrs Smith, the couple is enjoying married life in Kessingland, filled with songs, smiles, and the memories they created — while they still can.
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Cornwall Seal Rescued And Released Back Into Sea After Care
A young grey seal named Smores has been returned to the wild after weeks of rehabilitation at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, in what rescuers described as a "heartwarming moment." Smores was the first grey seal pup rescued this season by the team in Gweek, Cornwall. She was discovered in September, severely malnourished and just four to five weeks old. After receiving emergency stabilization from medics, Smores was transferred to the sanctuary’s specialist clinic where she underwent intensive care, nutrition support, and treatment. Over the following weeks, she steadily recovered, eventually reaching a healthy release weight of 30 kilograms. On Wednesday, staff took Smores to a quiet beach in Cornwall for her release. The sanctuary described the scene as emotional, with the pup confidently entering the surf and vanishing beneath the waves. “Watching Smores head back into the water is exactly why we do what we do,” said Anne van Domburg, senior animal care specialist and research coordinator at the sanctuary. “She came to us vulnerable and exhausted, and seeing her now strong, healthy, and ready to thrive in the wild is incredibly rewarding for the entire team.” The sanctuary is currently caring for 12 more rescued seal pups as part of its ongoing work to support injured and orphaned marine animals.
Score (96)
Scientists Capture Stunning Real-Time Images Of DNA Damage And Repair
Scientists can now watch DNA damage and repair unfold in real time inside living cells, thanks to a new fluorescent sensor developed at Utrecht University. The breakthrough, published in Nature Communications, is already drawing attention from labs around the world — and for good reason. DNA in our bodies takes a daily beating. Sunlight, chemicals, radiation, and even our own metabolism can cause damage to the genetic code. Usually, the cell’s repair machinery fixes these problems quickly. But when that repair fails, it can trigger cancer, accelerate aging, or contribute to other diseases. The problem for researchers has been watching this process happen live. Until now, most tools only offered still snapshots, taken at different time points by killing the cells. This new sensor changes that. Built by lead researcher Tuncay Baubec and his team, the tool uses a small fluorescent tag connected to a protein domain that naturally binds to a marker on damaged DNA. That domain doesn’t interfere with repair — it simply comes and goes as the damage appears and disappears. That means scientists can observe the full sequence of DNA damage and repair like a movie, inside a living, functioning cell. “Our sensor is different,” Baubec said. “It’s built from parts taken from a natural protein that the cell already uses. It goes on and off the damage site by itself, so what we see is the genuine behavior of the cell.” That behavior includes not just the initial damage, but the timing of repair — when it starts, how quickly proteins arrive, and when the process ends. Richard Cardoso Da Silva, a biologist on the team, remembers the moment he realized the sensor worked. “I was testing some drugs and saw the sensor lighting up exactly where commercial antibodies did,” he said. “That was the moment I thought: this is going to work.” Compared to older techniques, the upgrade is significant. Instead of stitching together fragments of data from separate samples, researchers can now gather continuous, high-resolution footage of real-time repair — without disrupting the cell. The tool also works outside the Petri dish. The team tested it in C. elegans, a small roundworm often used in developmental and genetic studies. The sensor successfully picked up programmed DNA breaks that occur during the worm’s growth. That confirmed its usefulness not just in isolated cells but in entire organisms. “It showed that the tool is not only for cells in the lab. It can be used as well in real living organisms,” Baubec said. The sensor’s flexibility is part of what makes it so appealing. Because it’s modular, researchers can attach other components to it — for example, to map where damage happens across the genome or to identify which proteins gather around a broken strand of DNA. They can even move the damaged section of DNA inside the cell’s nucleus to study how location affects repair. “Depending on your creativity and your question, you can use this tool in many ways,” Cardoso Da Silva said. That includes drug development. Many cancer treatments intentionally damage DNA in tumor cells, and researchers need to measure how much damage different drugs cause. Currently, they rely on antibodies to do that — a process that’s often expensive, time-consuming, and less precise. This new sensor could make it easier, faster, and more affordable to track DNA damage in drug testing and safety studies. It could also help scientists understand how DNA repair slows down with age or becomes more error-prone over time — both critical questions in aging and disease research. The team at Utrecht has made the tool publicly available, with no restrictions. Interested labs can download the necessary information and start using it immediately. “Everything is online,” Baubec said. “Scientists can use it immediately.” Whether it’s used to build better drugs, study aging, or simply understand how cells protect their DNA, the sensor opens up a wide range of new possibilities.
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135 pianists play 111 Pianos at Once in Fundraiser — Possibly Breaking a UK Record
In what may be a record-breaking moment for British music lovers, 135 pianists gathered in a Mansfield piano shop on Saturday to play 111 pianos at the same time — all in the name of charity. The performance took place at Sherwood Phoenix, a piano showroom in Nottinghamshire, and raised £2,252 to help St Mary Magdalene Church in Newark-on-Trent buy a grand piano as part of its ongoing refurbishment. “There were four generations of one family, teachers with their students, and many more people from the local community that have this mutual connection — piano. It was mega successful,” said Helen Martyniuk, one of the organisers. Originally from Ukraine and now living in Nottinghamshire, Martyniuk said the event grew far beyond expectations. The team initially planned for 101 pianos but increased it to 111 due to overwhelming interest. Preparing the instruments took days, with efforts focused on tuning and matching pitch across all the pianos. “We rehearsed for about half an hour, took a break and then played again,” she said. The group performed two pieces — Prelude in C major by J.S. Bach and In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg — each lasting about 90 to 95 seconds. This wasn’t just a show for concert pianists. Participants included chip shop owners, engineers, doctors, organists, piano returners, and even local MP James Naish. Martyniuk said they made arrangements suitable for every skill level, from beginners to advanced players. “We made arrangements for all possible levels... so literally everyone could take part.” Rowan Cozens, deputy leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said the sound of over a hundred pianos playing in unison was “incredibly emotional.” “We’ve been talking for a long time to get a beautiful piano in Newark, and we found one whilst work to refurbish St Mary’s church was ongoing,” she said. “We saw the amount of pianos inside Phoenix piano shop and came up with the idea to try and break the UK record.” While the event wasn’t officially verified by a record-keeping body, organisers believe it’s the largest number of pianos ever played simultaneously in the UK. Stephen Bullamore, director of music at St Mary Magdalene Church, called the performance “epic.” He admitted they were initially unsure how many pianists they could attract. “When we opened up bookings, we thought we would struggle to get 101 pianists,” he said. “It got so popular we had to close bookings.” The idea of a formal record attempt may still be on the horizon. “Perhaps we will aim for an officially-verified record in the future,” Bullamore said. For now, though, the sound of 111 pianos ringing out across Mansfield is something those who were there won’t soon forget.
Score (95)
New Alzheimer’s Study Shows Brain’s Own Support Cells Can Help Clear Plaques and Preserve Memory
Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine have uncovered a natural brain process that may help remove harmful amyloid plaques — a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease — while preserving memory and thinking skills, at least in mice. The research, published in Nature Neuroscience, highlights the role of astrocytes, star-shaped brain cells, and a protein called Sox9 that may hold promise for future therapies. “Most current treatments focus on neurons or try to prevent the formation of amyloid plaques,” said Dr. Benjamin Deneen, the study’s senior author. “This study suggests that enhancing astrocytes’ natural ability to clean up could be just as important.” Astrocytes are support cells in the brain that help with everything from neural communication to memory storage. As we age, their function can change dramatically — but scientists still don’t fully understand how those changes contribute to diseases like Alzheimer’s. To investigate, researchers focused on Sox9, a protein that regulates many of the genes involved in astrocyte aging. “We manipulated the expression of the Sox9 gene to assess its role in maintaining astrocyte function in the aging brain and in Alzheimer’s disease models,” said Deneen, who is a professor and chair at Baylor’s Department of Neurosurgery. Rather than testing in mice before the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms — as many studies do — the team worked with mice that already showed signs of cognitive decline and had amyloid plaques in their brains. “We believe these models are more relevant to what we see in many patients with Alzheimer’s disease symptoms,” said Dr. Dong-Joo Choi, first author of the study. The researchers increased or reduced Sox9 levels in the mice and tracked their behavior and memory performance over six months. The results were clear: boosting Sox9 helped astrocytes clear out amyloid plaques more effectively, while also preserving memory. Lowering Sox9, on the other hand, led to faster plaque buildup and worsened cognitive function. “We found that increasing Sox9 expression triggered astrocytes to ingest more amyloid plaques, clearing them from the brain like a vacuum cleaner,” Deneen said. Choi added that the potential for astrocyte-targeted therapies is just beginning to be explored. “Astrocytes perform diverse tasks that are essential for normal brain function,” she said. “The role these alterations play in aging and neurodegeneration is not yet understood.” Though the results are limited to animal models, the team is hopeful that future studies will shed light on how Sox9 functions in the human brain and whether it could be used to develop treatments that slow the progression of Alzheimer’s or other neurodegenerative conditions. The research team included contributions from several scientists at Baylor, with support from the National Institutes of Health and other foundations. For now, the findings offer a fresh approach: rather than trying to stop Alzheimer’s at the source, perhaps we can help the brain clean up after it.
Score (97)
Lea Michele Returns To Broadway Stage, Reigniting Her Musical Roots
Lea Michele is back on Broadway, back at the Imperial Theatre, and back to doing what she loves most — singing her heart out under the lights. Now starring in a revival of Chess, Michele plays a cunning strategist caught between two world-class chess champions, played by Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher. It’s a role full of emotional complexity and powerhouse vocals, something Michele is more than comfortable with. After all, this is the same stage where she made her Broadway debut nearly 30 years ago — at age eight — in Les Misérables. “I think that [eight-year-old] would be so proud,” Michele said, reflecting on her return. “And she would just say, ‘Thank you,’ ‘cause that’s all she wanted. And it’s still what I want.” A lot has happened between then and now. Michele shot to fame with Spring Awakening, became a household name as Rachel Berry on Glee, and navigated both career highs and personal challenges — including a difficult pregnancy and public criticism about her past behavior. But it was her turn as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl in 2023 that reignited her love for the stage. Taking over a struggling revival of the classic musical, Michele delivered a standout performance that turned the show into a bona fide hit. She did it all while privately enduring a miscarriage during the run. “It was the first time that I was really sort of in the spotlight after everything that had happened to me personally,” she said. “I wanted to finally show everyone that I could play this part, and play her really well.” Then came the opportunity to star in Chess. Michele made it clear to producers that her family came first. “My husband and I ended up doing IVF, which was in its own right very intense and challenging,” she said. “But you know, we got pregnant and had our daughter, who is wonderful and wild.” Only after that did she say yes to Chess. Now 39 and a mother of two, Michele says she’s found a renewed sense of joy in performing. “My love for what I do was definitely reignited during Funny Girl,” she said. “And I’m very grateful for that. But I’m so happy to be here, and to be home.” Home, in this case, includes a beloved Broadway haunt just a few blocks away — Joe Allen’s. The longtime theatre-world hangout has been serving stars and fans since 1965, the same year Funny Girl opened just down the road. Michele has been going there since her earliest days onstage. “I just love this place so much,” she said, though she skipped the cheeseburger this time around. “I had a show to do.” It’s a full-circle moment for a performer who grew up in front of an audience, faced the scrutiny of fame, and came out the other side still hungry — not just for burgers, but for the stage. As for what’s next, Michele is focused on the present — raising her kids, doing the work, and living out a dream that began in that very same theatre decades ago.
Score (97)
Blueberry Pancakes And Lattes Fuel Revival Of Local Journalism In Camden, Maine
At the Villager Cafe in Camden, Maine, the blueberry pancakes come with a side of headlines. And not just metaphorically. Customers at the newly opened diner are helping fund a rare thing in American media: a growing local newspaper. Upstairs from the kitchen, the Midcoast Villager newsroom hums along, producing stories about food pantries, local sports, and town politics — all bankrolled, in part, by sales of coffee, eggs, and hash. “If comfort food were an Olympic sport, I’d be a contender,” says café co-founder Suzanne Tomlinson. But the real gold medal may belong to Reade Brower, the former newspaper magnate behind the café-newspaper hybrid model. “From the business standpoint, it achieves a sustainability,” he said. Brower once owned nearly every newspaper in Maine before selling most of them off. In 2024, he merged four struggling weeklies into the Midcoast Villager and launched the café next door in April. Throw in rental income from the rest of the building and a nearby inn — also under the same ownership — and you have an unusual but functional business model to support local journalism. "The accountability issues and local sports and all that stuff is important to a lot of people,” Brower said. “But I don't think that's enough to sell and keep newspapers alive right now. I think it has to revolve around community. And what better way to serve community than to invite people here for food and to mix all this stuff together?" At a time when two local papers vanish each week across the U.S., the Villager is bucking the trend — and doing so with a fresh stack of blueberry pancakes. Deputy editor Alex Seitz-Wald, who left a decade-long career as a national politics reporter at NBC News, now parks himself at the café every Friday morning, chatting with readers over breakfast. “Having a place where people can vent, or can say something, and have it be heard, I think is really valuable,” he said. The paper’s revenue already outpaces the combined circulation income of the four weeklies it replaced. Its mascot, Vern — a bearded sailor in a rain hat holding a telescope — is literally “looking at the future of newspapers,” said columnist and ad rep Glenn Billington, who’s been in local news for decades. The Villager model is intentionally low-tech, high-touch. It relies on trust, face-to-face conversations, and the kind of community engagement that doesn’t require a login or a paywall. "We're present, we're visible, we're real," said managing editor Kathleen Capetta. “We're not behind a screen.” Of course, none of it would work if the food didn’t deliver. “Absolutely not,” Capetta laughed. “It’s good, classic diner food — but a little bit elevated, which is, I think, kind of like our paper.” Dishes like haddock hash, grilled cheese with tomato soup, and those towering Maine blueberry pancakes aren’t just comforting. They’re quietly financing a new vision of local journalism — one booth at a time. “People are sitting down at tables, eating and talking and looking at each other eye-to-eye,” said Brower. “You’re picking up what we’re putting down.” And what they’re putting down, for now at least, is working.