Goodable

In Livingston Texas, coach Heather Mosser started a program that paired her varsity softball athletes with students who have disabilities. They exercised and trained together for months. This is what happened when she brought the students onto the field to throw the opening pitch. Want more videos like this? Follow us on YouTube and Twitter @Goodable. Tap the share button to send this inspiring story to a friend.

In Livingston Texas, coach Heather Mosser started a program that paired her varsity softball athletes with students who have disabilities.
They exercised and trained together for months.
This is what happened when she brought the students onto the field to throw the opening pitch.

WATCH: These Texas High School Softball Players Help Students With Disabilities Throw The Opening Pitch

Science Alert

For more than half a century, it sat sealed in a helium-filled chamber — untouched, untested, and largely forgotten. But now, one tiny speck of lunar dust is rewriting what we thought we knew about the Moon’s past — and possibly its origins.

The dust, part of a sample collected by Apollo 17 astronauts in 1972, contains a compound called troilite — a mix of iron and sulfur commonly found in space. But what scientists just discovered inside it is anything but common.

Using modern mass spectrometry techniques, planetary scientist James Dottin and his team at Brown University analyzed the sulfur isotopes in the troilite. Their findings were unexpected.

“My first thought was, ‘Holy shmolies, that can’t be right,’” Dottin said. “So we went back to make sure we had done everything properly, and we had. These are just very surprising results.”

Specifically, the sulfur in some grains of the sample showed a bizarre isotopic pattern — an unusually low amount of sulfur-33, unlike anything ever seen in lunar material before.

Until now, scientists assumed the Moon’s sulfur makeup closely matched Earth’s. This sample throws that theory into question. “That’s what I expected to see,” Dottin said. “But instead we saw values that are very different from anything we find on Earth.”

The anomaly may hold clues that stretch back more than 4.5 billion years — potentially predating the Moon itself.

There are two main explanations for the odd sulfur signature. The first is that the troilite formed on the Moon’s surface during its earliest, molten days, when it was covered in a global magma ocean. As the Moon cooled and solidified, sulfur may have evaporated under ultraviolet light, altering its isotopic signature and locking a chemical fingerprint into the rock.

But the second possibility is even more dramatic.

It could be a remnant from Theia — the Mars-sized body thought to have collided with Earth and helped form the Moon in the violent chaos of the early Solar System. If that’s the case, then the sulfur didn’t just come from the Moon. It came from a whole other planet.

If the sulfur did originate on Theia, this would be the first direct physical evidence of leftover planetary material from that ancient crash.

It also complicates one of the most widely accepted theories about the Moon’s formation — that it coalesced from a cloud of vaporized debris after the Earth-Theia impact. That kind of process should have evenly mixed all materials. But the strange sulfur signature suggests something else may have happened.

“There’s just no way we would expect sulfur to be unevenly distributed if the Moon formed entirely from a big impact cloud,” Dottin said. “This suggests there may be more going on.”

There’s also the question of how this ancient sulfur made it from the Moon’s surface down into the mantle, where the sample likely came from. On Earth, plate tectonics can shuffle surface material deep underground. The Moon doesn’t have tectonic plates — or so we thought.

“This idea of some kind of exchange mechanism on the early Moon is exciting,” Dottin said.

The findings were published in JGR Planets and have sparked renewed interest in Apollo-era samples — many of which were intentionally stored away by NASA for future study with more advanced technology.

This particular grain sat undisturbed since the 1970s, waiting for the right tools to unlock its secrets. And it's not just a curious anomaly. It may be a relic of the earliest days of the Solar System — a tiny, dusty breadcrumb leading back to the chaotic birth of Earth, the Moon, and everything else.

Solving the full mystery, though, will take more than one sample. Scientists say they’ll need more materials, from the Moon, Mars, and even asteroids, to paint a clearer picture.

For now, this single speck of sulfur stands as a reminder that the past — especially the distant, planetary kind — is often hiding in plain sight.

This Moon Sample Just Unlocked a 4.5-Billion-Year-Old Secret, Surprising Scientists

What started as a weekend camping trip turned into a real-life rescue mission for a group of Cub Scouts in British Columbia’s Golden Ears Provincial Park.

Eight young scouts, aged roughly 8 to 10, were hiking the West Canyon Trail on Saturday when they came across an unexpected scene — a washed-out bridge, a rushing river swollen with rain, and three teenagers on the far bank, soaking wet and yelling for help.

“They were shouting frantically,” said Luke Lunnin, the Cub Scout leader. “They were cold and clearly not prepared for the weather.”

The Cub Scouts, out for a midday hike in the middle of a rainstorm, sprang into action.

Lunnin called 911, then worked with the kids to gather supplies from their packs. “We came up with some rations from the kids to give to the guys and just tied it to a rock,” he told CBC News. “Some thermal blankets, hot paws, whatever we had with us, some trail mix.”

The kids hurled the bundle across the river to the stranded teens, who wasted no time tearing it open.

“They seemed pretty grateful,” said Lunnin. “As soon as they got that stuff, they threw it on and started munching away.”

The teenagers, as it turned out, were severely underdressed for the backcountry hike. One of them wore pyjama bottoms. None had rain gear. Their packs were light and their food supplies even lighter.

Rick Laing from Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue later said the situation could have taken a much darker turn.

“If they had not got a signal out for assistance, they would have had a very cold, cold, uncomfortable night,” he said. “One of them was so cold it’s possible he could have succumbed to hypothermia by the next morning.”

The rescued teens were eventually brought to safety after search teams reached them later that day.

One of the hikers, 17-year-old Kyle Lee, admitted the group had underestimated the conditions. “We’re just so happy that we found them,” he said of the Cub Scouts. “And then we’re just really grateful that they were there.”

The story has become a reminder of how quickly the outdoors can turn dangerous — and how a little preparedness can go a long way.

“The weather conditions can change very rapidly,” said Brent Boulet, another search manager with Ridge Meadows SAR. “And when they do, it’s always quite, quite drastic.”

Boulet emphasized the importance of carrying the “10 essentials” — items like a flashlight, food, water, first-aid supplies, and extra layers — whenever heading into the backcountry.

For Lunnin and his scouts, the experience left a lasting impression.

They later visited the search-and-rescue camp and got a behind-the-scenes look at how rescues are coordinated.

“It’s not just about being prepared for yourself,” Lunnin said. “You might run across people along the trail, right? So having a little extra supplies couldn’t hurt — and in this case, it definitely didn’t.”

It was a rescue born of preparation, quick thinking, and a few brave kids who came through when it mattered most.

Caught in a Storm, Canadian Cub Scouts Rescue Stranded Teen Hikers

The Guardian

At 95 years old, Raymond Hager isn’t slowing down.

The longtime bus driver from Wichita Falls just became the oldest active driver in the world, according to Guinness World Records. But ask him about retiring, and he’ll give you a smile and a shrug.

“I’ve always liked to drive – I still do,” Hager said. “And hopefully I stay safe and drive as long” as his boss and doctor allow.

Hager has been driving city buses for Wichita Falls since 1998. Before that, he spent most of his life farming and working as a crop-dusting pilot. But driving’s always been part of his story. He started hauling cotton to a gin at age 14 on his family’s farm, and he never really stopped.

“I get more tired at home than I do driving – honestly,” he said in an interview with local news station KFDX. “You know – if I get four or five hours of sleep at night, man, I’m ready to go.”

And go he does.

Every month, Hager gets a checkup to make sure he’s still fit to drive. So far, he says, his doctor has no complaints. “My doctor tells me I’m good,” he said. “So I don’t have no desire to quit.”

That work ethic earned him a formal proclamation from the city on his birthday. On November 18, the same day he turned 95, Wichita Falls officials declared it “Raymond Hager Day.”

“I’ll do my best to uphold and do what you’ve said of me,” he told Mayor Tim Short at the ceremony.

Short called him “a shining example of lifelong purpose and passion,” and added, “Age is not a limitation – but a testament to experience, wisdom and heart.”

Jenny Stevens, who oversees public transportation for the city, led the effort to get Hager’s record officially recognized. After years of service and thousands of safe trips behind the wheel, she said it was time he got the recognition he deserved.

On June 1, Guinness World Records certified Hager as the world’s oldest active bus driver.

Hager still remembers the moment it all sank in. “I’ve been blessed – a little country boy – to achieve something like that,” he said. He told his grandson it felt surreal. “It’s like I had a good dream. It’s hard for it to soak in yet.”

While some might see his story as a symbol of the rising cost of living or a cautionary tale about delayed retirement, many others see it as a reminder that joy can come from doing what you love — for as long as you’re able to.

For Hager, the job isn’t just about driving. It’s about people.

He says he enjoys chatting with passengers and being out and about far more than sitting around the house. That mix of purpose and routine, he says, is what keeps him going.

Asked about retirement, Hager admitted he once thought about it. That’s why the city planned its proclamation for his birthday — it was supposed to be his last day on the job. But then he changed his mind.

Now, he’s not making any promises about when that day will come.

“I don’t have no desire to quit,” he said. “Not yet.”

Texas Man, 95, Sets Record As Oldest Bus Driver: 'I Don't Have No Desire To Quit'

Kare11 NBC

On a quiet street in Plymouth, Minnesota, a 9-year-old girl named Millie Benjamin has become a local phenomenon — not for selling lemonade, but for giving out something much sweeter: free compliments.

Standing behind a homemade sign scrawled with “FREE COMPLIMENTS,” Millie greets every driver and passerby with a kind word or two. She’s made it her mission to brighten people’s days, one compliment at a time.

“She’s just been a compliment girl from the start,” says her mom, Holly Benjamin. And it’s true. At home, her sister Hazel is “a very good sister.” Her mom? “She has mesmerising green eyes.” As for her dad, Josh, “Every day I leave for work, she tells me I look very handsome,” he says.

Now, Millie’s warmth is spilling beyond the walls of the family home and out into the neighborhood.

“I'm giving free compliments,” she calls out to a driver pulling up to the end of the driveway. “Do you want one?”

Some kids set up stands to make a bit of cash. Millie isn’t interested in money. “No one should pay to be happy,” she insists, turning away any attempt to tip her for her words.

Miguel Auchcama pulled his truck over and received this: “I’m spell-bounded by your sense of fashion.” Plymouth police officer Haley Briesch, in full uniform, got this gem: “Even though you have all this stuff for robbers, they might just be knocked out because of your beauty.”

She’s even made a grown man cry — in the best way possible.

“I drove by and I started crying because the world needs more joy,” said Sawyer Radermacher, wiping away tears after pulling over. Millie hugged him and told him, “Don’t be sad.” His response? “These are not tears of sadness, these are tears of joy.”

Millie’s idea started as a whim. Her parents weren’t quite sure how people would react. “I was actually a little worried that people were going to think we're nuts,” Holly said. But then people started showing up. Lots of them.

Each visit brings a new exchange. A firefighter? “Well, that’s a very handsome name,” Millie told him. A mail carrier? “Let’s you know there’s still kindness and humanity,” he said after receiving his compliment.

Even on grey, rainy days, cars continue to pull up. A stranger having a bad day? “I have a pretty crappy day today,” one man admitted. Millie responded with a compliment that lifted him right out of it.

Millie keeps going for a simple reason: “Seeing people happy makes me happy.”

Her mom watches closely, not just to keep Millie safe, but to make sure the kindness is well-received. It always is.

“This, like, made my whole entire day,” said Alexa Sharp, beaming after a compliment through her dad’s truck window.

From a small stand in her front yard, Millie is quietly building something big — not a business, but a ripple effect of joy, kindness, and humanity. And judging by the growing line of cars on Northwest Boulevard, the world might just be ready for more Millies.

9-Year-Old Girl's Free Compliments Attract Throngs Of Grateful Visitors

BBC News

A hidden corner of Covent Garden has become an unexpected frontline in the fight against phone theft — thanks to the sharp eyes and green thumbs of local volunteers.

At Phoenix Garden, a small community-run green space off Shaftesbury Avenue, staff and volunteers have been unearthing stolen phones buried in flowerbeds and bushes. The garden, located near major theft hotspots like Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road, has become a temporary hiding spot for phone snatchers who stash devices in the soil to retrieve later.

“We often find phones thrown over the fence from the night before,” said Louise Gates, the garden’s manager. “Some of our volunteers have dug up phones wrapped in tin foil.”

Tin foil, police say, is a common tactic used by thieves to block tracking signals — such as those emitted by Apple’s “Find My” app — in an attempt to delay detection.

But it hasn’t worked for long. Gates and her team have been quietly retrieving the phones and returning them either directly to victims or to the police. In some cases, victims have shown up at the garden after tracking their missing device’s location signal. When possible, Gates has charged phones and called emergency contacts to arrange returns.

“They're all really so grateful, which is nice,” she said. “Other times I charge it up, but nobody rings... so I just take it to the police station.”

Ron Chenery, who has volunteered at the garden for two years, said the finds have become surprisingly routine. “Most of us love the garden so much, we're constantly out in the fresh air. If we see something we hand it in,” he said.

Thefts in the area have surged in recent years, with gangs on electric bikes targeting unsuspecting pedestrians. The average smartphone now costs close to £1,000, making them easy targets for resale. Police believe the garden has been used by thieves as a low-risk place to stash loot temporarily, hoping to return later once the heat has died down.

But word appears to have gotten out. Gates said the number of buried phones has declined recently, possibly because of the garden's growing reputation as a place where phones don’t stay hidden for long.

Community worker Elliot Hughes, who brings students to the garden for outdoor learning, said the incidents have also sparked useful conversations with young people. “There’s young people now, walking around central London on their phones, in the middle of the street — which are essentially £1,000 computers,” he said. “The best we can do is give awareness... maybe highlight the things they shouldn’t be doing.”

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they’ve increased patrols in the area to crack down on phone snatching. A spokesperson said thefts have dropped by 16% since April.

“We’re catching more perpetrators and protecting people from having their phone stolen,” the force said, adding that several organised crime groups have also been dismantled.

The Met also urged tech companies like Apple and Samsung to do more to deter theft by improving device security and making stolen phones harder to sell.

Until then, a small garden in central London is doing its part — with trowels, gloves, and a bit of tech-savvy community spirit.

London community garden uncovers buried stolen phones — and helps return them to rightful owners

Science Daily

New research from the University of Birmingham suggests that eating foods high in flavanols, like tea, berries, apples, and cocoa, may protect men's blood vessels from the damaging effects of long periods spent sitting. This is welcome news given how much time many people spend seated daily—whether at a desk job or just lounging on the couch.

Sedentary habits have become common in today's society. Many young adults rack up about six hours of sitting each day, which can negatively affect blood vessel function. A small decrease in vascular function has been linked to an increased risk of conditions such as heart disease and strokes.

The study focused on whether flavanols could counteract this decline in vascular health during extended sitting sessions. Flavanols are naturally occurring compounds found in various fruits and teas and have been associated with cardiovascular benefits.

Dr. Catarina Rendeiro, Assistant Professor at the University of Birmingham, explained that while we may be stationary for significant portions of our day—at desks or even watching TV—our bodies experience stress. "Finding ways to mitigate the impact that sitting for uninterrupted periods has on our vascular system could help us cut the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases," Rendeiro said.

Cardiovascular disease remains a growing concern. In the UK alone, deaths from these conditions among working-age adults rose by 18 percent in recent years, costing roughly £29 billion.

To test the potential protective role of flavanols during sitting periods, researchers conducted experiments involving 40 healthy young men divided into two groups based on fitness levels. Participants consumed either a high-flavanol cocoa drink containing 695 milligrams of total flavanols or a low-flavanol version with just 5.6 milligrams before engaging in two hours of sedentary activity.

Interestingly, both fitter individuals and those less fit who drank low-flavanol cocoa experienced declines in arm and leg arterial function along with increased blood pressure and reduced blood flow. These results suggest higher fitness alone does not prevent negative vascular changes associated with prolonged sitting.

However, those who consumed high-flavanol cocoa did not show these declines. "Our experiment indicates that higher fitness levels do not prevent temporary impairment when only drinking low-flavanol cocoa," said Dr. Sam Lucas from the University of Birmingham. The study demonstrates that flavanols can effectively support vascular health regardless of someone's baseline fitness level.

Alessio Daniele, a PhD student involved in the study, noted that incorporating high-flavanol foods into one's diet is straightforward since they are readily available in supermarkets and health stores. Options include certain cocoa products as well as fruits like apples and berries and black or green tea.

Rendeiro highlighted that consuming these foods during periods spent sitting can help reduce inactivity's impact on vascular health: "Using flavanol-rich food and drink could be a good way to enhance long-term health.

Drinking Cocoa Could Help Protect Blood Vessels from the Damage of Sitting, Study Finds

A 10-year-old boy with a rare genetic condition may have sparked one of the most memorable goals of the year for Leicester City striker Patson Daka — just by kissing his boot.

Teddy, who is severely visually impaired due to Alström syndrome, was invited to Leicester City’s match against Stoke City on Saturday to test the club’s new audio descriptive commentary service. Before kickoff, he got a tour of the dressing room and was introduced to his favourite player, Daka.

While in the boot room, Teddy leaned in and kissed Daka’s right boot — just for luck.

Minutes later, in the 44th minute of the game, Daka scored his first goal of the season.

"Just for luck, I thought I'm going to kiss his boot and then in the 44th minute he scored," Teddy said. "I felt great — it was amazing. I had a small bit to play. Patson did everything, all I had to do was kiss the boot."

Teddy, who lives in Quorn, Leicestershire, was born with Alström syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive vision and hearing loss. There are only around 90 known cases in the UK, according to the charity Alström Syndrome UK.

His visit to the King Power Stadium came about by chance, after his family bumped into a Leicester City staff member while on holiday. That encounter turned into a full matchday experience, including a dressing room tour and the chance to meet Daka with the help of the club’s kitman.

"Patson is a great role model because he has real power," Teddy said.

For his father Philip, the whole day was unforgettable. "Watching my son meet the players was a special moment," he said. "I couldn't believe it when the goal went in — it was unbelievable. He was the lucky charm."

"Teddy said it was the best day of his life. To share it with him and to see his face — you can't put a price on that."

'Lucky Charm': Boy Kissing Footballer’s Boot — Moments Later, Scores First Goal of the Season

CTV News

A pink Jellycat bunny that went on a globe-trotting adventure after being left behind at Vancouver’s airport has finally been returned to its rightful owner — a young girl in Edmonton.

It all started when Joey Gibbs, an Alberta resident, spotted the plush toy alone in the terminal while waiting to board a flight to Seoul. Rather than leave it behind, Gibbs scooped up the floppy-eared bunny and decided to take it along for the ride.

What followed was a journey straight out of a Hallmark script. Gibbs created a photo travelogue of the bunny’s adventures and posted it online. The posts quickly caught fire, drawing in thousands of comments and messages from strangers who cheered him on and tried to help identify the owner.

Weeks later, with the help of WestJet staff and some online sleuthing, Gibbs got the update he’d been hoping for. The owner had been found — and as it turned out, she lived just 10 kilometres away from him.

“I said I was open to mailing the bunny, whatever they were most comfortable with, and they told me that the family wanted to meet me directly,” Gibbs told reporters.

That meeting happened at their local airport, where the bunny’s long trek came to a fittingly emotional close. The owner was a mother who had recently moved to Canada to study, and had just brought her husband and daughter over from China. The family lost the toy while making a connection through Vancouver.

Gibbs said the reunion was emotional. “The mother was crying, and was pretty excited that we found her,” he said. As for the young girl, she didn’t waste a second. “She grabbed the bunny and hugged her and smelled her,” he said. Then she sat down on the airport floor to flip through the photo album Gibbs had made, filled with pictures from the bunny’s travels.

The mother gave Gibbs a basket of snacks as a thank-you gift, but for him, the return was more than enough. “The bunny’s adventure had wrapped up exactly how I had wanted,” he said.

By his estimate, the bunny had travelled over 30,000 kilometres before making it home. And for all the odds stacked against finding a single missing toy in an international airport, it all came together in a surprisingly tight radius. “Not to mention she’s in the same city as me, and on the same side of the city. I think we’re only 10 kilometres away from each other,” he said. “It’s a pretty interesting fate.”

Gibbs credited the happy ending to a mix of persistence and community. “Never underestimate the power of the people,” he said, thanking the RCMP, the WestJet crew, and the many strangers who followed the journey and tried to help.

“I think it’s just a pretty cool thing,” he said. “To be able to give that girl a warm welcome to Canada — with her bunny — is something I’ll never forget.”

Stuffie Found At Vancouver Airport Reunites With Owner Month After Viral Adventure

A golden retriever in Northern Ireland is being hailed as a hero after her barking helped save her owner's life during a sudden cardiac arrest in the middle of the night.

Polly, a four-year-old golden retriever from County Fermanagh, is credited with waking up her owner's wife, Hannah Cooke, just in time to save his life. Now, both Hannah and Polly have been honoured as "CPR Heroes" by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) for their life-saving actions.

The incident happened in 2024, when Polly, who normally sleeps quietly through the night, let out a bark that jolted Hannah awake. That single bark turned out to be the difference between life and death.

“When I heard the noise Adam was making I sat bolt upright in bed,” said Hannah, 33. “I previously worked as a carer and it hit me that it was the same noise I’ve heard when people are taking their final breaths.”

Hannah turned to her husband, Adam, and found him breathing irregularly. Then he stopped breathing altogether.

She immediately called for an ambulance and began performing CPR while waiting for paramedics to arrive. On the way to the hospital, Adam had to be shocked seven times with a defibrillator before his heart rhythm was restored.

Adam spent six days unconscious in the hospital before waking up to the news: he had suffered a cardiac arrest caused by dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that affects the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. After weeks of recovery and surgery to implant a cardioverter defibrillator in his chest, Adam was finally discharged.

Returning home, the first thing he did was embrace Polly.

“When I got out of hospital, I’ll never forget seeing Polly again and knowing how she had intervened that night. I just cuddled her and cried for 20 minutes,” he said.

The couple believes Polly instinctively sensed what was happening and acted immediately.

“Polly alerted me, possibly within seconds of Adam’s cardiac arrest. She was the first responder,” Hannah told the BHF. “Because of her, I was able to start CPR almost immediately.”

The BHF shared their story ahead of its Heart Hero Awards in London on Tuesday, where Hannah and Polly were both officially recognized for their role in saving Adam’s life.

“This story shows just how powerful that human-animal bond can be,” said a spokesperson for the BHF. “Thanks to Polly’s instincts and Hannah’s quick action, Adam is alive today.”

Polly may not know she’s now a decorated hero — but to the Cooke family, there’s no question. She’s the dog that saved a life.

Golden Retriever Polly Honoured as a 'CPR Hero' for Saving Owner’s Life During Cardiac Arrest

A barn owl sighting in southeast Calgary has stunned birders and wildlife photographers alike — not just because of the owl’s striking appearance, but because it shouldn't be there at all.

Wildlife photographer Brendon Clark was out searching for a long-eared owl on November 20 when he heard loud ravens calling in a local park. What he found instead left him speechless.

"I just thought my mind was kind of playing a trick on me," Clark said. "I saw the black eyes and the beak of a barn owl. I couldn't believe it."

Barn owls are found across much of the world, but not in Alberta. In Canada, they’re only known to nest in small pockets of Ontario and British Columbia. With poor tolerance for cold, the species isn't considered capable of surviving Prairie winters — making this particular sighting extremely unusual.

Clark managed to snap a few photos of the elusive owl before it took off. It was the first time he’d ever seen one in the wild, a bucket-list moment for the Alberta-based photographer.

"When it looked at me, it was like a movie," he said. "It was so surreal."

Later that same day, fellow Calgary wildlife photographer Jennil Modar also caught a glimpse of the bird. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment to see it here,” she said.

A Bird Far From Home

This isn’t the first time a barn owl has been spotted in Alberta — but it's close. Verified sightings are rare, and the province’s first confirmed live barn owl was recorded northeast of Red Deer in December 1999.

Colin Weir, managing director of the Alberta Birds of Prey Foundation, said barn owls are “extremely rare” in the province.

“In the last 40 years, we've only had two wild barn owls come into our care,” Weir said. The foundation rehabilitates injured birds of prey from across Canada.

Barn owls aren’t migratory, which makes it even more unusual for them to turn up so far outside their established range. Weir said that many past reports turn out to be misidentifications — often young great horned owls mistaken for barn owls.

“But it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that they could show up,” he added.

Endangered in Canada

The barn owl is one of three owl species officially listed as endangered in Canada, alongside the northern spotted owl and burrowing owl. In British Columbia, the western population of barn owls is considered threatened, while the eastern population in Ontario is classified as endangered.

According to Birds Canada’s NatureCounts platform, only around 650 barn owls are estimated to remain across the country.

Urbanization and agricultural expansion are the primary threats to their survival. True to their name, barn owls often nest in older buildings — barns, sheds, church towers — which are becoming increasingly scarce as development replaces rural architecture with modern structures.

“In Europe, they’re known as the graveyard owl, or churchyard owl,” said Weir. “They’re quite common in churches and graveyards because the old buildings are still standing.”

That’s less true in Canada, where habitat loss continues to shrink their already limited range.

A Magical Moment

For Clark, spotting the barn owl was both thrilling and bittersweet.

“It was at the top of my wildlife photography list,” he said. “I’ve been dreaming of seeing one. I just never expected it would happen here.”

So far, the owl hasn’t been seen again. But for those lucky enough to witness it, the moment won’t be forgotten.

“A lot of people will never see one in their lifetime,” Modar said. “To see one here — in Alberta, of all places — it’s like a gift.”

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