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Meet Stumpy, the Cherry Blossom Tree Stealing Hearts by Persevering
Move over, lush and full cherry blossom trees — Stumpy is here to steal the show! Despite being a little different from the other trees in the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial, this scraggly and worn-down tree has captured the hearts of many Washington, D.C. residents. While the flooding in Stumpy's neighborhood unfortunately means his days are numbered, there's good news: Stumpy is still going strong three years later and even reached peak bloom with his friends on March 23, 2023.
Score (96)
Tiny Tumor Terminators: New Nanoparticles Promise Big Wins Against Cancer
In a breakthrough for cancer treatment, researchers at MIT have developed polymer-coated nanoparticles that could revolutionize how we approach chemotherapy. These innovative particles, designed by Professor Paula Hammond and her team, target tumors directly, minimizing the side effects typically associated with traditional treatments. Over the past decade, Hammond's lab has been perfecting these nanoparticles using a method called layer-by-layer assembly. Their effectiveness in combating cancer has already been demonstrated in mouse studies. Now, the team has devised a manufacturing technique to produce these particles more efficiently and in larger quantities. "There's a lot of promise with the nanoparticle systems we've been developing," said Hammond. "Ultimately, we need to be able to bring this to a scale where a company is able to manufacture these on a large level." The new process employs a microfluidic mixing device that streamlines production by adding polymer layers as particles flow through microchannels. This eliminates time-consuming purification steps and aligns with FDA good manufacturing practice standards. "This is a process that can be readily implemented in GMP," said Ivan Pires PhD '24, one of the lead authors of the study published in Advanced Functional Materials. Using this method, researchers can produce 15 milligrams of nanoparticles—enough for about 50 doses—in just minutes. The technology shows promise not only for ovarian cancer but potentially other cancers like glioblastoma. The team is working with MIT's Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation to commercialize their findings. Funded by several institutions including the National Institutes of Health, this research could mark a significant step forward in cancer treatment options.
Score (96)
Researchers Astonished By Rediscovery Of This Creature Missing For 130 Years
A frog species not seen for over 130 years has been rediscovered in Chile, offering a glimmer of hope for biodiversity. The Alsodes vittatus was located in the Araucanía region of central Chile after previous expeditions failed to find it. Originally documented in 1893 by French entomologist Philibert Germain, the search was complicated by vague historical records. "The main challenge in locating it was the lack of precision in the description of its type locality," researchers said, according to Phys.org. Germain's notes mentioned finding the frog on a large estate but did not specify an exact location. Researchers painstakingly retraced his steps to locate the habitat. The Alsodes vittatus is distinguished by a white or yellow stripe along its back. A recent study calls for further research to assess the population's health and its relationship with related species. While biodiversity has been declining globally due to climate change and habitat destruction, this discovery provides some positive news. "The rediscovery of A. vittatus allowed us to obtain, more than a century after its description, the first biological and ecological data on the species," researchers noted. However, challenges remain as other members of its genus are either elusive or threatened. Field observations suggest that this amphibian faces significant threats and could be considered endangered.
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Score (98)
Long Island Man Receives Rare Triple Transplant, Saves Life
Sergio Arias Cestoni returned to North Shore University Hospital on Thursday, reflecting on the months he spent there fighting for his life. The 47-year-old from Hollis faced heart, kidney, and liver failure late last year, with a rare triple transplant as his only hope. "I used to think sometimes, 'Just let me go home and I am going to die,'" Arias Cestoni recalled. Against all odds, a team of 13 surgeons and two nursing teams performed the life-saving transplants in February during a grueling 14-hour surgery. All three organs came from the same unidentified donor. "But it happened. Miracles exist," said Arias Cestoni. Dr. Ahmed Fahmy expressed pride in the outcome: "Listening to Sergio talking today is very rewarding to all of us. It’s why we’re doing this." The procedure was one of only about 80 such surgeries performed nationwide over the past two decades. Dr. Nabil Dagher noted the rarity of finding a single donor match for all three organs: "To have all three be a match for him is indeed a miracle." Arias Cestoni now feels his heart beating strong and looks forward to new opportunities with his wife by his side. Despite taking nearly 40 pills daily to prevent organ rejection, he remains optimistic about the future. "Now is different...I hope everything from life," he said.
Score (97)
Amputee Influencer Helps Develop World’s Most Advanced Bionic Arms
At just 19, Tilly Lockey is redefining what it means to be a superhero. The singer and model, who lost both hands to meningitis as a baby, now wields the world's most advanced bionic arms, thanks to her collaboration with Open Bionics. This Bristol-based robotics company has spent four years and $2 million developing the Hero Pro bionic hands, which are twice as fast as previous models and uniquely waterproof. Lockey has been instrumental in shaping this cutting-edge technology since she began working with Open Bionics at age nine. "The arms launched today are completely wireless!" she exclaimed. "I can remove my own hand and have it crawl across a table and back to me, controlling it via the wireless sensors in my socket." The new Hero Pro offers features like 360-degree wrist rotation and flexing capabilities unmatched by any other prosthetic arm. Lockey shared her excitement about newfound abilities: "To be able to pull a suitcase and drink hot chocolate at the same time is like something that everybody does... but for me, it has never been that easy." Open Bionics was founded in 2014 by Samantha Payne MBE and Joel Gibbard MBE with a mission to make advanced bionic technology accessible. Their innovations have garnered global recognition, including from HRH Princess Anne. With over 1,000 users worldwide, Open Bionics continues to push boundaries in engineering. The Hero Arm devices use MyoPods—wireless EMG electrodes—to read muscle signals for seamless control of bionic fingers. "It's a very exciting time," said Payne.
Score (95)
Moon Mission Crew Unveils Emblem That Pays Tribute to All
A new chapter in space exploration is on the horizon as four astronauts prepare to journey to the Moon under NASA's Artemis campaign. The crew, consisting of Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with mission specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, have unveiled a specially designed emblem for their mission. The emblem, revealed in an April 2 photo, symbolizes both their celestial destination and their return home. It cleverly incorporates "AII," representing Artemis II and highlighting this as the second major flight of the Artemis campaign. The design features Apollo 8’s iconic Earthrise photo, capturing both Earth and Moon—symbols of exploration and homecoming. "The Moon represents our exploration destination," explained the crew. "The Earth represents home...and what it is to be uniquely human." This dual imagery underscores the mission's goal: exploring unknown frontiers while gaining perspective on our shared planet. Scheduled for 2026, Artemis II will see these astronauts embark on a 10-day flight around the Moon. This mission will test NASA’s deep space capabilities using the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft with humans aboard for the first time. Through Artemis, NASA aims to advance scientific discovery and economic benefits while laying the groundwork for future Mars missions.
Score (97)
Giant Sea Turtle Returns Home Thanks to Florida Photographer and Rescue Team
A loggerhead turtle named Lenny has made a remarkable recovery after being found injured near Alligator Reef off Islamorada in the Florida Keys. Underwater photographer Mike Papish discovered the 322-pound turtle struggling to swim in mid-March, noting that Lenny had a severely damaged flipper and facial injuries from a shark attack. Papish, along with friends from Sundance WaterSports, brought Lenny to the surface and transported him by boat to shore. From there, he was taken via "turtle ambulance" to the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida. The hospital is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rehabilitating endangered sea turtles and is unique in its mission within the state. Bette Zirkelbach, manager of the Turtle Hospital, emphasized the urgency of Lenny's situation. "There are not a lot of predators that could get a mouth around a turtle that size," she said. "So we are assuming it was a very large shark." Lenny received treatment including IV fluids, subcutaneous fluids, and broad-spectrum antibiotics for his injuries. His survival is particularly significant given that only one in 1,000 sea turtle hatchlings reach adulthood, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “These turtles face numerous challenges as hatchlings,” Zirkelbach explained. “Everything eats baby turtles once they enter the ocean.” After several weeks of care at the hospital, Lenny was deemed healthy enough for release back into his natural habitat. On March 25, he returned to the reef where he was initially found. As Papish captured his final moments on camera before swimming away, Lenny seemed to acknowledge his rescuer with what Papish described as a wave goodbye.
Score (95)
Gen Z Pumps Up Social Lives, Boosts Gym Membership To Record High
A new wave of fitness enthusiasm is sweeping across the UK, driven largely by health-conscious Gen Zers who are swapping pub nights for gym sessions. According to a report by UKActive, 11.5 million Britons aged 16 and over now hold gym memberships—a record high and an increase of 1.6 million from last year. This surge is particularly notable among Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, who are increasingly prioritizing physical and mental well-being. "This is a significant moment as it shows that more people are making a conscious decision to get active," said Huw Edwards, CEO of UKActive. The report highlights that younger adults view health and fitness as integral to their identity, with many preferring gyms over traditional social venues like pubs. This trend aligns with findings from Sport England's research on rising physical activity among teenagers. David Minton, founder of Leisure Database, notes that Gen Z's healthier lifestyle choices extend beyond exercise. "They are drinking less alcohol than their predecessors and are much more conscious about what they eat," he said. Interestingly, the social aspect also plays a crucial role in this generational shift. Many young people see gyms as places to meet friends or even romantic partners—offering real-life interactions in contrast to virtual connections on social media. The UK's health and fitness market has grown to £5.7 billion, with over 5,600 clubs nationwide seeing increased participation due in part to affordable membership options. With motivations ranging from improving physical strength to boosting mental well-being, it's clear that for many young Britons, hitting the gym is becoming an essential part of life. As this trend continues, Gen Z may indeed become the most health-aware generation yet.
Score (98)
This Astronaut's Furry Reunion Steals Hearts After 286 Days in Space
Astronaut Sunita Williams experienced a joyful reunion with her dogs after returning from an extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The NASA astronaut, who served as a flight engineer on Expedition 72, shared the heartwarming moment on social media, declaring it the "Best homecoming ever!" In a video posted on April 1, Williams is seen greeting her two pets, who excitedly jump and wag their tails upon seeing her. "Do you know who I am?" she asks them before embracing them as they lick her face. After a minute of enthusiastic greetings, Williams is heard saying, "Alright, I got to sit down." Williams and fellow ISS crewmate Butch Wilmore spent 286 days in space due to technical issues with their original spacecraft, the Boeing Starliner. They safely returned to Earth on March 18, landing in waters near Tallahassee, Florida.
Score (95)
This Rock Used As a Doorstop For Decades Is Worth €1Million
A seemingly ordinary doorstop in Romania has turned out to be an extraordinary find, now classified as a national treasure. An elderly woman discovered a 3.5-kilogram reddish "rock" in a stream bed in southeast Romania and used it to prop open her door for decades. After her death in 1991, a relative inherited the property and decided to have the rock appraised. The verdict? The doorstop was one of the largest intact pieces of amber deposits in the world, valued at around €1 million. According to El Pais, the Croatian government purchased the fragment and sent it to the Museum of History in Krakow, Poland. Estimated to be between 38 and 70 million years old, this amber likely originated from prehistoric coniferous trees' resin. Over millions of years, geological pressure preserved and fossilized it. Amber is known for its medicinal properties and value as a gemstone. Now housed at the Provincial Museum of Buzău, this discovery holds significant scientific and cultural importance. "Its discovery represents great significance both at a scientific level and at a museum level," said Daniel Costache, director of the museum. The museum plans further scientific analyses on its composition and potential ancient biological inclusions. This story echoes another case from Michigan where a stone used as a doorstop was identified as a rare meteorite worth $100,000 by Central Michigan University (CMU) in 2018. Mona Sirbescu, CMU geology professor who examined it said: "I could tell right away that this was something special."
Score (95)
Tiny Pacemaker Brings Big Hope: A Breakthrough For Newborns
A groundbreaking innovation from Northwestern University engineers has introduced a pacemaker so small it can be injected with a syringe. This tiny device, ideal for newborns with congenital heart defects, is smaller than a grain of rice and pairs with a soft, flexible wearable device on the chest to control heart pacing. When an irregular heartbeat is detected, the wearable emits light pulses that activate the pacemaker through the skin and muscles. Designed for temporary use, this pacemaker dissolves naturally in the body once it's no longer needed, eliminating the need for surgical removal. "We have developed what is, to our knowledge, the world's smallest pacemaker," said John A. Rogers, who led the development. "There's a crucial need for temporary pacemakers in pediatric heart surgeries." The study will be published April 2 in Nature journal and demonstrates efficacy across various animal models and human hearts from deceased donors. "Our major motivation was children," said Igor Efimov, co-leader of the study. "About 1% of children are born with congenital heart defects... Now we can place this tiny pacemaker on a child's heart without additional surgery." This innovation builds on previous work by Rogers and Efimov to create dissolvable devices for temporary pacing. The new design uses biofluids as part of its power source and employs infrared light to activate pacing. "The heart requires a tiny amount of electrical stimulation," Rogers explained. "By minimizing size... we eliminate any need for secondary surgical extraction procedures." This versatile technology could also enhance other medical devices like heart valve replacements or aid in healing nerves and bones.