The Best Tips For Eliminating Procrastination

They say procrastination is the thief of time—actually deadlines are. New research from the University of Otago has found that if you want someone to help you out with something, it is best not to set a deadline at all. But if you do set a deadline, make it short.

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11-Year-Old’s Hand-Drawn Beach Cards Raise Over £1,000 for Ocean Conservation

Harry from Newquay is just 11, but he’s already made a splash in the world of conservation. Armed with pencils, paints, and a deep love for the sea, he’s been creating his own line of greeting cards featuring hand-drawn spider crabs, lobsters, and tropical fish. He sells them at a local beach shop in Crantock, with all proceeds going to the Marine Conservation Society. So far, he’s raised more than £1,000. “I would like to raise as much as we need to save the ocean,” Harry said. “We need the ocean for so many things and we're destroying it.” The young artist says his inspiration came from Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, a children’s book series he loved growing up. But his focus has shifted from dinosaurs to marine life — and protecting it. His passion hasn’t gone unnoticed. Harry has received messages of encouragement from both Sir David Attenborough and wildlife presenter Steve Backshall. And he's already passing on the message to others. “I just think even picking up the tiniest bit of plastic you find on a beach — you could have just saved a fish's life,” he said. His mum Sarah says she’s now thinking about setting up a website to showcase his work. “I just couldn’t be prouder, I just think he’s awesome,” she said. “I just love the way kids now are so passionate and so informed. I don’t think I knew half as much as he knows at his age.”

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Fluffy New Recruit Joins Washington County Sheriff’s Office as Therapy Dog

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office has just added a new member to the team — and she’s already stealing hearts. Penny, a golden retriever puppy, was welcomed as the department’s newest therapy dog. In a video shared by the sheriff’s office, the tiny, fluffy pup can be seen running through the halls, playing with toys, and making fast friends with staff. “As a therapy dog, Penny will provide support to victims and witnesses during difficult interviews, help reduce anxiety in high-pressure situations and support the overall wellness of our deputies and staff,” the office said in a statement. She’ll also be part of the department’s public outreach efforts, offering a friendly, approachable presence at community events. Penny was donated by Franks’ Field & Family, and her training is being guided by the organization Soldiers 6. The department said it’s excited to see the positive impact she’ll make in the years ahead — “because sometimes therapy comes with a tail.”

No Rosey Yet, But CES 2026’s Household Robots Show Real (and Honest) Progress

We’ve been promised robotic house helpers since the days of The Jetsons, but 60 years later, we’re still folding our own laundry. If you were hoping CES 2026 would finally deliver a real-life Rosey, the truth is: not yet. But for once, the robots on display aren’t trying to fake it — and that’s actually good news. The most attention-grabbing bot so far has been LG’s CLOiD, a humanoid-shaped robot with no legs but a wheeled base. On stage, it slowly took a towel from LG’s VP Brandt Varner and placed it in a washing machine — a small moment, but one that was done fully autonomously. Yes, it was slow. Painfully slow. But that’s not really the point. CLOiD is powered by LG’s new “Physical AI” system, which includes a Vision Language Model (VLM) to understand visual input and a Vision Language Action (VLA) model to turn that into real-world motion. LG says it trained CLOiD on tens of thousands of hours of household tasks, so it can recognize appliances, understand intent, and carry out actions like opening doors or handing you keys. That puts it ahead of many of the flashier robot demos we’ve seen in past years — and even now — that rely on teleoperation behind the scenes. Think of Tesla’s Optimus robot pouring beer or folding laundry... until you notice the human hand quietly guiding it off camera. Or the Neo robot from 1X Technologies, revealed last year to be controlled remotely. In that context, CLOiD’s slow and steady towel-folding feels like a win. It’s doing the work on its own, no smoke and mirrors. LG doesn’t plan to sell CLOiD anytime soon, and it’s unclear whether it ever will. But it wasn’t pretending to be something it’s not — which, in today’s robotics space, is surprisingly refreshing. CLOiD wasn’t the only robot turning heads in Vegas. Sharpa’s “North” robot made its debut with a ping-pong paddle in hand — and delivered a fully autonomous 0.02-second reaction time. In a demo video, North showed impressive upper-body motion from neck to wrist and some real-time object handling (with a sped-up 4x edit, but still). Like CLOiD, Sharpa says the robot isn’t being puppeteered. If true, that autonomy is what makes it exciting. Sure, it’s not about to take on a pro player, but North is another step toward general-purpose robotics that don’t just look impressive — they work. Other robots at CES leaned more into function than form. iGarden showed off robotic lawnmowers and pool cleaners — not new ideas, but steady upgrades to existing home tech. Meanwhile, Roborock debuted the Saros Rover, a legged vacuum cleaner that can climb stairs. That’s right — a robot vacuum that doesn’t get stopped by the one feature nearly every home has: stairs. It’s low-slung, oddly cute, and still without a release date, but the Saros Rover shows how the next generation of bots might focus on smart engineering instead of humanoid novelty. Notably absent were the heavily hyped, deeply vague robot promises that often dominate events like this. No vaporware, no glossy demos covering up remote control. That shift toward honest demonstrations — even if they’re slow, awkward, or limited — might be the real highlight of CES 2026. Because if robots are going to help around the house, they need to be more than just impressive stage acts. They need to function. Autonomously. Consistently. And that’s where the breakthroughs are starting to show. So no, Rosey the Robot isn’t rolling into homes just yet. But CES 2026 showed that we might finally be on the right track — even if the track is moving at towel-folding speed.

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This Nature Reserve Just Joined the Ranks As One Of the '7 Wonders Of the World'

A rugged stretch of moorland and gritstone in West Yorkshire, England, has just been given a global spotlight. The Bradford Pennine Gateway National Nature Reserve has been named one of Condé Nast Traveller’s “Seven Wonders of the World” for 2026 — the only UK location to make the cut. The reserve, officially designated last year, includes sweeping landscapes like Ilkley Moor, Penistone Country Park, Shipley Glen and the St Ives Estate. It now joins international destinations such as El Imposible National Park in El Salvador, the Faroe Islands, and Banff National Park in Canada on the prestigious list. “These are landscapes of unhurried drama,” the magazine wrote, praising the area’s “wind-polished gritstone tors and views that collapse into long, moody distances broken only by the slow, stately flap of a marsh harrier.” It called the reserve “stoic and un-showy,” adding: “If Britain ever needed proof that the everyday could still surprise, the Bradford Pennines Gateway delivers with quiet aplomb.” Bradford Council, which manages the site with support from Natural England, described the recognition as “a major coup.” Paul Duncan, deputy director for Natural England in Yorkshire, said the designation of the nature reserve last year was “a significant achievement in our efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment.” “By providing accessible nature near to urban areas, we are fostering a deeper connection between communities and nature, promoting wellbeing and supporting biodiversity recovery,” he said. Roughly 90 percent of the reserve is made up of natural habitats like peat bogs, heathlands, and wetlands, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The area sits on the edge of one of England’s most densely populated urban regions, giving local residents rare access to wild and protected landscapes within walking or cycling distance. The “seven wonders” list from Condé Nast also includes Matera in Italy, Djemila in Algeria, and Richtersveld in South Africa. For Bradford, the inclusion puts its newest national nature reserve on the international map — and offers a reminder that world-class beauty doesn’t always require a long-haul flight.

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Wild Mountain Gorilla Births Twins in Rare and Remarkable Event at National Park

Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is celebrating a rare and hopeful milestone: the birth of twin mountain gorillas. On January 3, trackers observed adult female Mafuko cradling two newborn males in the Bageni family, the park announced this week. “Both appeared to be in healthy condition at the time of the observation,” officials said in a release. Twin births among mountain gorillas are exceptionally rare and can be risky for the mother and infants, especially in the first few months when the babies are fully dependent on their mother for care and transport. The park has since implemented additional monitoring and protection measures to give the newborns the best chance of survival. Mafuko, now 22, is an experienced mother. She was born in 2003 into the Kabirizi family, but after her mother was killed in 2007, she eventually joined the Bageni family in 2013. This is her seventh birth — and her second set of twins. Her first, born in 2016, tragically died a week after birth. The Bageni family is now the largest in the park, with 59 members. “The birth of Mafuko’s new twins represents a major event for the dynamics of the Bageni family and for ongoing conservation efforts,” the park said. “It’s a rare and remarkable event.” Mountain gorillas are listed as endangered by the World Wildlife Fund, with only around 1,000 remaining in the wild. More than half live in the Virunga Mountains, a volcanic range spanning parts of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest, is a key stronghold for the species and one of the few places in the world where mountain gorillas live. The park credited the European Union and UNESCO for their continued support of conservation efforts. This is the first recorded gorilla birth of 2026 in the park — and conservationists are hoping it won’t be the last.

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Lost for 70 Years, a U.S. Airman’s Dog Tag Is Found in an English Garden — and Returned to His Family

The family of a late U.S. Air Force veteran say the unexpected discovery of his dog tag buried in an English back garden — seven decades after it went missing — feels like “a blessing.” Daniel Rapue served as a technical sergeant in explosive ordnance disposal for the U.S. Air Force during the 1950s. He was stationed at RAF Sturgate, near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, and for a time lived in a home in nearby Kexby. That’s where, more than 70 years later, his military identification tag resurfaced. The discovery was made by Adam Dreikluft, a metal detecting enthusiast who had been given permission to search the garden of Rapue’s former home. The tag was buried under just 8 centimetres of soil. “I just couldn’t believe what I was holding in my hand,” Dreikluft said. “I’ve always wanted to find a piece of living history and to try and track the family down. We’ve done it.” Once photos of the tag were shared online, amateur historian Anna Draper stepped in to help. Using historical records, she managed to trace Rapue’s descendants to Colorado in the United States. “I thought, ‘Ooh this is just the thing I love to do,’” Draper said. “It makes it so worthwhile that I’ve managed to connect them.” For Rapue’s daughter, Cathy Mosbarger, the news came as a surprise — and a comfort. “I just feel like he’s reaching out to us, and it’s a really neat way to start the year,” she said. “It’s just been wonderful. I will be forever grateful.” Rapue passed away in 2001, but the return of the tag has given his family an unexpected connection to his time in England. RAF Sturgate was used by the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War. While the base itself closed to military operations decades ago, remnants of that era continue to surface in unexpected ways. Dreikluft, who called the find the start of an “amazing story,” says it’s discoveries like this that keep him hooked on the hobby. “I just love it. I love metal detecting, just finding history like this. It makes my day.”

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Scottish Metal Detectorist Uncovers Oldest Known Scotland-Made Coin

A metal detectorist’s chance discovery in the Scottish countryside has turned into a rare and historic find — a 900-year-old silver coin believed to be the oldest coin ever made in Scotland. The coin, a silver penny from the reign of King David I in the 12th century, was unearthed near Penicuik, about 16 kilometers south of Edinburgh. It’s now in the care of National Museums Scotland, after being reported through the country’s Treasure Trove process, which encourages hobbyists and archaeologists alike to hand over significant finds. Experts say the coin isn’t just old — it marks a turning point in Scottish history. “It was minted in Edinburgh, making it the earliest example of a Scottish coin produced from a core Scottish mint,” said Alice Blackwell, a senior curator at National Museums Scotland. The coin bears a faint image of King David I on one side and a cross design on the other. Its darkened surface shows signs of patina, but the markings remain partially visible. David I ruled from 1124 to 1153 and is considered one of the most transformative figures in Scotland’s medieval history. He was responsible for major reforms to government and the church, and he helped turn scattered territories into something resembling a unified state. In the 1130s, he introduced Scotland’s first coinage by taking control of silver mines in Cumbria, then under his authority, and using the English mint in Carlisle to strike coins. While Carlisle was eventually retaken by Henry II of England in 1157, the coin in question is significant because it came from Edinburgh — the first truly Scottish mint. David I would go on to establish other mints in places like Perth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Aberdeen, St Andrews, and Roxburgh. His reign also saw the founding of royal burghs such as Edinburgh, Stirling, Dunfermline, and Perth, laying the groundwork for Scotland’s urban and administrative development. The penny is now a part of Scotland’s national collection, but there are no current plans to put it on public display. As for its value, Blackwell said it's difficult to estimate what the coin would be worth in today’s money. "Determining the modern economic value today is complex," she said. Scotland has had a run of intriguing archaeological discoveries lately. Just months ago, excavators at Culloden Battlefield uncovered new evidence about the final moments of the 1746 battle that ended the Jacobite uprising. On the island of Islay, archaeologists found ruins of a once-grand castle linked to a long-lost medieval kingdom. But unlike those findings, this small, weathered coin carries with it the origins of a national currency — and a glimpse into a time when Scottish kings were still carving out the foundations of the country we know today.

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New Study Finds Just 10 Minutes Of Intense Exercise May Help Fight Cancer

Just 10 minutes of intense cycling can kick off a chain reaction in the body that may help fight cancer, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Cancer. Researchers found that even a short burst of vigorous exercise releases molecules into the blood that appear to slow the growth of colon cancer cells in the lab. The blood chemistry shift triggered by exercise seems to speed up DNA repair and dampen the activity of genes linked to cancer growth. "What's remarkable is that exercise doesn't just benefit healthy tissues, it sends powerful signals through the bloodstream that can directly influence thousands of genes in cancer cells," said Sam Orange, a clinical exercise physiologist at Newcastle University in the UK. The study involved 30 overweight or obese volunteers between the ages of 50 and 78, a group at increased risk of developing cancer. After a short warm-up, each participant completed a 10-minute high-intensity cycling session. Blood samples were taken before and after the workout. Back in the lab, researchers exposed colon cancer cells to the blood serum collected after exercise. The result? The cancer cells responded to the post-exercise blood by reducing growth-related gene activity. Though the study only looked at cells in the lab, not in human patients, the biological effects observed were significant. "One bout of exercise, lasting just 10 minutes, sends powerful signals to the body," said Orange. "It's a reminder that every step, every session, counts when it comes to doing your best to protect your health." This study adds to growing evidence that physical activity doesn't just lower cancer risk in general—it may actually play a role in stopping it once it starts. Previous research has shown that regular exercise can cut the risk of death from colon cancer by up to 37%. What sets this study apart is the focus on immediate, molecular changes. The team was able to track how a single session of exercise changed the blood’s composition, producing a serum that had measurable anti-cancer effects. That’s more than just interesting science—it could shape future treatments. By better understanding how exercise alters cancer biology, scientists could develop drugs that replicate or amplify those effects, potentially helping people who can’t exercise regularly because of illness or injury. "In the future, these insights could lead to new therapies that imitate the beneficial effects of exercise on how cells repair damaged DNA and use fuel for energy," said Orange. Still, researchers are cautious. The results come from a small sample size, and the post-exercise blood serum was only tested on colon cancer cells grown in a dish. More studies are needed to see whether similar effects happen in real patients over the long term. Even so, the findings offer yet another reason to move. With over 100,000 new cases of colon cancer diagnosed each year in the US alone—and more than 50,000 deaths—any new approach is worth exploring. Short, intense exercise might not replace chemotherapy, but it could become a useful addition to standard treatment, or even a tool for prevention. For now, the takeaway is simple: even a few minutes of movement a day can have real effects on your body, and possibly, your future health.

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After 974 Days in Foster Care, This Tennessee Toddler Finally Found His Forever Home

After nearly three years in foster care, two-year-old Khaza David Koon is home for good. On December 19, inside a Hamilton County courtroom in Tennessee, Khaza was officially adopted by Anna and Brenden Koon, marking the joyful end of a 974-day journey through the foster care system. The Koons began fostering nearly five years ago through the Chambliss Center for Children. At the time, they didn’t have children of their own and often referred to themselves as the “fun aunt and uncle,” opening their doors for short-term stays, holidays, and weekend visits. Their goal was simple: to support children while their families worked toward reunification. That mission remained unchanged until April 2023, when they received a message asking if they would take in a new infant placement. The child was just 18 days old—his name was Khaza. Like other children they had fostered, the expectation was that Khaza’s stay would be temporary. But as time went on, it became clear his path might not lead back to his biological family. Weeks turned into months, and Khaza became part of the Koons’ daily life—and their hearts. By the time the state asked if they would consider adopting him, it no longer felt like a question. On December 19, surrounded by loved ones, Anna and Brenden finalized Khaza’s adoption and officially became a family of three. Khaza's adoption is not just a milestone for the Koons—it’s a powerful reminder of what it means to open your home and your heart, and how forever families are sometimes found in the most unexpected ways.

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Curiosity Rover Sends Back Striking New Image from High on Mars’ Mount Sharp

NASA’s Curiosity rover is still climbing, still exploring—and still capturing jaw-dropping views of Mars. Its latest image, released this week, offers a dramatic look across the rugged slopes of Mount Sharp, where the robot has been steadily working for over a decade. The new "postcard" is actually a carefully crafted panorama, pieced together from black-and-white images taken on two separate Martian days—Sols 4,722 and 4,723 (in November 2025). One set was captured in the late afternoon, the other in the early morning. The resulting image was then tinted with cool blues and warm yellows to highlight the differences in lighting and bring out new details in the terrain. “Adding color to these kinds of merged images helps different details stand out in the landscape,” NASA officials said in a statement. In the photo, Curiosity is perched on a ridge overlooking a region called the boxwork formation—a striking area laced with hardened, mineral-rich veins that trace the paths where water once flowed through cracks in Martian rock. Over time, softer rock eroded away, leaving behind this intricate latticework of natural sculpture. For scientists, these ridges are more than just beautiful. They’re clues. “These features preserve evidence of ancient water activity and environmental changes on Mars,” NASA explained, noting their importance for reconstructing the planet’s past—and determining whether it once supported life. In the foreground of the image, Curiosity’s wheel tracks mark its careful path up the mountain. The rover had just drilled into a rock site called "Nevado Sajama" at the top of the ridge, collecting a sample for analysis. In the distance, the image looks down the slope across boxwork terrain toward the vast floor of Gale Crater, with the crater’s rim faintly visible about 40 kilometers (25 miles) away. Another shallow dip behind the rover marks “Valle de la Luna,” where Curiosity had previously drilled another sample. Mount Sharp itself rises 5 kilometers (3 miles) above the crater floor and has been the rover’s main target since it landed in 2012. The mountain’s layered sedimentary rocks record a slow transition in Martian history—from a wet, potentially habitable planet to the cold, dry desert we see today. Curiosity’s job is to study these layers, examining the minerals and chemistry locked inside. And it's doing that more efficiently than ever. New software upgrades have allowed Curiosity to multitask, collecting science data while communicating with orbiters overhead. That’s a big win for the aging mission, which still runs on its original nuclear power source more than 13 years after touching down. The rover’s continued productivity is a testament to both engineering and perseverance. Even after all these years, Curiosity is still uncovering fresh insights—and sending home spectacular views from the Red Planet.

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