The Most Important Phase Of The James Webb Telescope Activation Has Begun

The James Webb Space Telescope began the most critical phase of its initial activation on Friday. A fragile five-layer sunshield the size of a tennis court that's essential to its mission. The two pallets holding the sunshade's hair-thin Kapton layers were unfolded and locked in place Tuesday.

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America’s Favorite Eagle Pair Lays Second Egg in Closely Watched California Nest

Millions of eagle watchers got something new to cheer about this week after Jackie the bald eagle laid a second egg at her Southern California nest — a key moment in the now-famous nesting season that’s playing out live on camera. The egg, laid Monday evening at 5:09 p.m., was announced by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley, who operate a livestream of Jackie and her mate Shadow’s nest. The group gave a precise breakdown of the timeline: “Egg #2 is here! Jackie laid the 2nd egg of the season at 17:09:24,” the organization wrote. “The process started at approximately 16:57:08.” Located in Big Bear Valley, the nest has become one of the most closely followed bald eagle habitats in the country. Thousands tune in each day to watch the birds eat, rest, defend their nest, and now, incubate eggs. But incubation doesn’t start right away. As the nonprofit explained, “Bald Eagles practice delayed incubation,” a strategy that helps the eggs hatch closer together. “Since Jackie consistently lays eggs 3 days apart, this process slows the development of the first egg(s) laid, so hatching will occur closer together,” they added. That means a third egg could still be on the way. “Only Jackie knows for sure, so we will continue to observe and see what unfolds,” the group said. The nesting season began with the first egg’s arrival on January 23. According to the livestream update, “At 16:22 cam time, Jackie showed the first signs she was in labor with her first egg. She stood up at 16:27 and laid the egg at 16:32:24 cam time.” Her mate, Shadow, returned to the nest a few minutes later. “Shadow came in briefly at 16:41:30 and saw the egg!” Since then, the pair has shared duties at the nest, including nest maintenance and food deliveries. In one update posted earlier this week, the group described how Shadow returned with food. “Shadow landed just inches from Jackie’s beak with the fish in his talons,” they wrote. “As she was thanking him with her softer vocals, she sweetly accepted it and happily ate every bite.” There have also been tense moments. “A hawk came swooping down at Jackie, in a possible attempt to knock her off the branch,” the nonprofit reported. “She fended it off using her wings and vocals and the hawk flew away.” These kinds of interactions are part of why the livestream has built such a loyal following. Viewers not only get a rare, up-close look at a bald eagle nest, but also witness the highs and lows of nesting season in real time. And for fans of Jackie and Shadow, there’s more to come. “Jackie and Shadow will take turns caring for the eggs and they should continue with nest deliveries such as fish, sticks and fluff,” Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote in an email to Fox News Digital. “We will see if Jackie lays another egg this week.” Even when the parents aren’t on the nest, there’s no need to worry. “In the coming days, you may see Jackie and Shadow stand next to or over the eggs, and they may even leave them tucked snug and safe in their nest bowls while they look on from another tree close by. It is all normal.” Jackie and Shadow’s growing fame comes as public interest in bald eagles continues to rise. Long seen as a symbol of strength and freedom, the bald eagle has been America’s national emblem since 1782. But in 2024, Congress formally codified it as the official national bird — a move that has brought even more attention to eagle conservation and nesting behavior. According to the American Eagle Foundation, bald eagles usually lay one to three eggs per year. The eggs hatch roughly 34 to 40 days after incubation begins, and both parents help keep them warm and safe. For now, eagle fans across the country — and the world — will be keeping a close watch on Jackie and Shadow’s next moves. “Thank you for being a part of Jackie & Shadow’s adventure!” Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote. “We will continue to observe and see what unfolds.”

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Buddhist Monks Surpass Halfway Mark Of 'Peace Walk' Despite Snow And Freezing Temps

In late October, a group of 19 Buddhist monks and their canine companion set off from Fort Worth, Texas, on a 2,300-mile journey to Washington, D.C., carrying a simple message: peace, unity, and healing. They’re calling it the Peace Walk. Now more than halfway through, the monks recently crossed into North Carolina — just in time to be greeted by a powerful winter storm that blanketed the region in snow and subzero wind chills. Still, the group pressed forward. “Our walk takes us through sun and rain, dry roads and wet, through snow and heat, through noise and silence,” the monks wrote on social media. “Some days are gentle. Some days test us. Some days surprise us with unexpected beauty or unexpected difficulty.” The group’s message isn’t just something they share — it’s something they live with every step. Most days they walk barefoot or with minimal footwear. They travel light. They sleep in churches and community centers. And they move slowly, pausing for conversation, reflection, and connection wherever they go. As the storm rolled through the Southeast, the monks adjusted. Though not barefoot in the snow, they were still walking. Photos show them bundled in scarves and hats, while their dog, Aloka — recovering from surgery — was kept warm and indoors as much as possible. Local supporters provided medical care, food, and shelter. Flowers, warm meals, and even reverent bows greeted them in towns large and small. Still, the storm forced them to pause their usual lunchtime visiting hours with the public. But their presence, and message, continued to ripple outward. In Raleigh, North Carolina, Governor Josh Stein declared January 24 as “Walk For Peace Day” in their honor. “We live in a time of partisan rancor and political discord,” Stein said at the Capitol. “In our heart of hearts, we don't want to feel on guard against our neighbors. We want to come together. Thank you for reminding us of that.” The monks responded with their own account of the day, reflecting on the contrast between the biting cold and the warmth of human kindness: “Today, in these harsh conditions, surrounded by white snow and biting cold, we saw something even more clearly: the warm faces of people who care,” they wrote. “Their kindness stood out against the frozen landscape like light in the darkness, reminding us why we walk, why it matters, why we keep going.” Their reflections often feel more like poetry than blog posts, reminding readers that peace is something found not in perfect conditions, but in presence and awareness. “This is the peace that lives beneath all circumstances — steady, quiet, unshakeable,” they wrote. “It doesn’t depend on perfect weather or smooth roads. It simply asks that we show up, breathe consciously, and meet whatever comes.” The monks plan to walk through at least 10 states before reaching Washington, D.C., where they’ll gather at the U.S. Capitol and share reflections with the public. Until then, they continue — one quiet step at a time — with Aloka by their side and thousands of supporters tracking their journey online. “This journey began with hope,” they wrote, “but you have given us something greater: The lived experience of human kindness.”

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She Got Rear-Ended by a 97-Year-Old — and Gained a Best Friend

What began as a fender bender turned into one of the sweetest friendships the internet has seen. Destiny Smith was leaving church in September 2024 when a car rear-ended her. When she got out to check, she found a 97-year-old man named Jim behind the wheel — and immediately sensed something was off. Jim had no insurance, no driver’s license, and had clearly been struggling on the road. “But honestly, I was just really worried because he was swerving everywhere,” Smith shared on TikTok. “And then after he hit me, I got out and asked him if he was okay.” He told her he was — just trying to get home. After they talked more, Smith learned Jim lived alone, with no nearby family and no one regularly checking in on him. “Who helps you?” she asked. His answer: “Nobody.” That stuck with her. So she made him a promise: she’d come by and check up on him. And she did. The accident sparked a series of TikTok updates on Smith’s account (@iamdonshay) that quickly went viral. As more people followed the story, many pitched in to help. Thanks to donations, Jim received essentials like a more comfortable mattress topper, and Smith coordinated with a local social worker to ensure he’d get regular in-home care. Nurses were soon assigned to visit Jim, and Destiny remained a steady presence — taking him to lunch, celebrating his birthday, and just showing up to say hi. “He’s 97,” Smith explained in one video. “He’s outlived a lot of his family members. His brother and wife recently passed, and they never had kids. He’s really sweet.” Viewers have embraced the unlikely friendship, calling her Jim’s “new granddaughter” and “heaven-sent.” One person wrote, “You are such a kind person 🥺❤️this has me tearing up,” while another added, “You are literally changing his life.” Their connection became a source of joy online, with viewers hooked on their hilarious, heartwarming exchanges — like the time Smith visited to share that she had moved just two minutes away. Jim’s sleepy response? “Okay… some other time,” before flashing a big smile and telling her he loved her. But by the end of last year, Smith shared a new update: Jim had been temporarily moved into a nursing home. Although she hasn’t been able to visit him directly, she stays in close contact with his sister-in-law and checks in regularly. They're hopeful Jim will return to his home soon. “I try to visit her at least once a week to check on her,” Smith told her followers. “We believe Jim will be home soon! 🥰” From a minor accident to an unforgettable bond, Destiny and Jim’s friendship is a reminder of what can happen when someone chooses compassion over frustration — and follows through.

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A Nova Scotia Animal Shelter is Celebrating After an Unprecedented Surge In Pet Adoptions

It’s not often you walk into an animal shelter and find nothing but empty cages. But at Bide Awhile Animal Shelter in Nova Scotia, that’s exactly what’s happening — and it’s a problem they’re more than happy to have. “It’s crazy to say but today we actually have no one available for adoption,” said Sam Cole, the shelter’s communications and marketing coordinator, in an interview with CTV News. “Everyone is either adopted and waiting for their veterinary health certificate.” In just the first few weeks of January, the shelter has adopted out 30 animals — and demand isn’t slowing down. Listings for available pets are getting scooped up so quickly that many don’t even last a full day on the shelter’s website. “The majority are adopted the same day they’re posted,” said Cole. What’s even more remarkable is that it’s not just the typical kittens or puppies flying out the door. Older animals, those with medical issues, and even senior pets — who traditionally stay longer in shelters — are getting adopted within hours of being made available. “Last year around this time, adult cats and senior cats or cats with medical complications were staying in the shelter a little bit longer than your average kitten that is quickly scooped up by a fun-loving family,” Cole explained. “But this year we are not even seeing that.” The shelter saw strong demand last year as well, with over 500 pets adopted in 2023 — an average of more than 40 a month. At one point, the waitlist just for the next available kitten hit 300 people. In response, Bide Awhile switched from an online waitlist system to walk-in visits to better handle the volume. Now, staff are encouraging hopeful adopters to check the shelter’s website before heading over, just to be sure there’s still someone available. For three days in a row, the line has reportedly stretched out the door before they’ve even opened at 9 a.m. “There aren’t many businesses that look good with barren shelves,” one staffer joked, “but this shelter is certainly an exception.” With no animals currently available and a community eager to welcome them into their homes, Bide Awhile is celebrating what it hopes is a long-lasting trend — one where every animal finds a family.

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Mom Who Gave Birth at 24 Weeks and Survived Double Lung Transplant Returns to Thank Hospital Staff

Aimee, a 37-year-old mother from Rotherham, has returned to Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge with her daughter to thank the staff who saved both their lives after a traumatic year that saw her give birth at 24 weeks, suffer a cardiac arrest, and undergo a double lung transplant. “It was a real breath-taking moment,” Aimee said of the first time she held her daughter Jessica. “Having that spark between us, I think, was the turning point for me.” Just a year earlier, Aimee had been living an active life as a professional dancer. But in February, she went to A&E in Nottingham struggling to breathe. She assumed it was a mild illness. Doctors initially treated her for pneumonia, but further scans revealed significant abnormalities in her lungs. She also learned she was three weeks pregnant. Because of the pregnancy, some of the testing and treatment was delayed — and her condition worsened. Eventually, she was transferred to Royal Papworth Hospital, where specialist teams from both Papworth and the Rosie Maternity Hospital in Cambridge coordinated her care. Doctors aimed to carry the pregnancy as long as possible, but while Aimee was in critical care at 24 weeks, she went into premature labour. Jessica was born weighing just 705 grams — about the same as two cans of soup. “It was an emergency in the sense of we needed to deliver baby Jessica in a safe way and making sure we had everybody together,” said Catherine Barlow, lead midwife for maternal medicine in the East of England. “Once the decision had been made, we had the appropriate people and equipment here within two hours.” Aimee said the aftermath of the emergency Caesarean was terrifying. “I knew I had a baby but I did not know where she was,” she said. Days later, her condition took a sharp turn. Aimee went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated. She was placed on ECMO — the most advanced form of life support — and added urgently to the transplant list. She received a double lung transplant shortly after. Recovery was slow and intense. Aimee had to relearn how to eat and walk before she was discharged in September. Jessica, meanwhile, stayed in the NICU at The Rosie before being moved to Doncaster Royal Infirmary to be closer to her mum. “She was such a fighter,” Aimee said. “You could tell she had the fight to survive. She still has that fight now.” Doctors later discovered that Aimee carries a gene variant that may have been triggered by the pneumonia, contributing to her lung failure. On Tuesday, Aimee and Jessica returned to Royal Papworth to reunite with the staff who had cared for them through their ordeal. “Even in the scariest moments, I always felt safe,” Aimee said. “When I couldn’t speak or move, the nurses still made me feel human – washing my hair, putting on moisturiser, talking to me, reassuring me.” For Barlow, seeing Jessica again was emotional. “When I last saw her, she was absolutely tiny and would have fitted into my hands,” she said. “It’s really nice to see her looking so healthy and well.” Now back home, Aimee says both she and her daughter are doing well — and she’s deeply thankful to the team who gave them both a second chance.

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Scientists Create a New Type of Ice — at Room Temperature

When most people think of ice, they picture cubes in a drink or the frozen sheets of Antarctica. But in the lab, frozen water is far more complex — with researchers now identifying more than 20 different forms of ice. The latest addition is called Ice XXI, and it’s unlike anything most of us have ever seen. Created by a team of scientists under intense pressure using a high-tech device known as a dynamic diamond anvil cell (dDAC), Ice XXI can form at room temperature — a remarkable twist in how we usually understand water’s behavior. At the heart of the experiment was a deceptively simple goal: squeeze water until something new happens. The team used two diamonds to exert more than 2 gigapascals of pressure on liquid water (that’s about 20,000 times atmospheric pressure), forcing it to stay liquid at room temperature. Then, by slowly releasing that pressure while monitoring the changes with ultra-fast X-ray lasers, they witnessed the water crystallize into a new phase: Ice XXI. The X-rays snapped images a million times per second, capturing what researchers described as a complex and previously unknown crystallization pathway. Ice XXI appeared briefly during the transformation into a known phase called Ice VI. “Ice behaves in fantastical ways under pressure compared with the water we’re used to,” wrote physicist Jonas Sellberg of Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Nature Materials. Though not involved in the study, Sellberg noted the new research uncovers “hidden valleys” in water’s phase diagram — pathways that may hold clues to the behavior of water across the solar system. While Ice XXI is unlikely to form naturally on Earth, it may exist on other worlds. Some of our solar system’s icy moons — including Jupiter’s Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, as well as Saturn’s Titan and Enceladus — are thought to have deep layers of high-pressure ice beneath their frozen crusts. According to Yun-Hee Lee, lead author of the study, the density of Ice XXI matches what’s predicted in these extreme environments. “This discovery may provide new clues for exploring the origins of life under extreme conditions in space,” Lee said. Water is known to behave strangely under pressure, taking on different crystalline forms depending on the surrounding environment. Ice VI, for example, forms at pressures over 0.96 GPa, even at room temperature. But the route it takes to get there — the precise steps as molecules rearrange themselves — is still an active area of research. Physicist Ashkan Salamat of the University of Nevada, who wasn’t involved in the project, said the research shows how important high-speed observation can be. “Looking at things at a very, very fast rate allows us to observe weird and wonderful phenomena,” he told Scientific American. Ice XXI’s internal structure, based on X-ray images, is surprisingly complex. Its repeating unit cell — the smallest structural building block of a crystal — is shaped like a rectangular prism with a square base, larger and more intricate than typical ice. For now, Ice XXI is a fleeting visitor, created only under the controlled pressures of a lab. But in the search for life and habitability beyond Earth, even brief glimpses of what water can become are valuable. After all, when it comes to the building blocks of life, few things are as deceptively simple — or as full of surprises — as H₂O.

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Three Strangers Risk Lives To Save Child From Submerged Taxi

Three men in Dagestan, Russia, are being hailed as heroes after pulling off a daring rescue to save a child from a taxi that plunged into a freezing, fast-moving canal. The dramatic scene unfolded in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, where a taxi veered off the road and into the October Revolution Canal on Sunday. As the car began to float downstream, video footage captured bystanders springing into action. The men climbed onto a narrow metal pipe stretched across the canal, balancing above the icy current as they reached the partially submerged vehicle. One man stripped down to his underwear to help, ignoring the freezing temperatures. Working quickly, the rescuers leaned into the car’s open window and carefully pulled the young boy out, lifting him safely onto the pipe and passing him back toward the canal bank. The child was unharmed and, remarkably, remained dry throughout the ordeal. According to Russian news outlet Izvestia, the taxi driver, Nurislam Ramazanov, said the crash happened after he swerved to avoid a parked car blocking the road. He estimated he was traveling around 50 km/h when he lost control. Once the vehicle hit the water, the brakes and gas pedal stopped responding. Despite the panic, Ramazanov said he tried to remain calm. “The child went out the window first,” he said. “The guys caught him. The child didn’t even get wet — there was no water inside the cabin. The baby was dry.” Witnesses said bystanders also jumped into the canal with a rope to help rescue the child’s mother and the driver, who both made it out safely. The video quickly spread online, with viewers praising the rescuers’ courage and quick thinking. Many pointed out that without their intervention, the outcome could have been tragic. Local authorities have not yet released the names of the three men, but on social media, they’re being widely celebrated for risking their lives to save another.

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“The Jellyfish,” “Ant Mode,” and Other Cleaning Hacks That Actually Work

Cleaning can be overwhelming — and not just because of the mess itself. For many, the hardest part is simply starting. That’s where the jellyfish comes in. No, not the sea creature. “The jellyfish” is a whimsical, inefficient, oddly effective cleaning method that’s gaining traction online. The idea is simple: you drift around your home, picking up whatever’s out of place and putting it somewhere better. No plan, no system. Just floating from task to task like a jellyfish on autopilot. It’s one of many quirky cleaning strategies making waves on social media — and for some, it’s a game-changer. The trend took off after a resurfaced post from Hacker News user Pontifier went viral on X. It described something called “ant mode”: “In ant mode, I pick up one thing, and then I put it in a place it belongs. If I don't know where it belongs, I put it down with something else of the same type... I envision myself becoming a colony of ants.” The post racked up more than 300,000 views and sparked thousands of responses from people who said it mirrored their own unstructured approaches to cleaning. Others shared their own. One user explained: “I do this all the time. No method, just clean something, put something away, wash something. No order, no plan, just keep going.” Another shared their personal twist: “I call this action ‘entropy walking.’ I walk from room to room never with hands empty and slowly decrease entropy.” There’s also “the GAP method” — short for Grab, Assess, Put — or “kindred piles,” where everything gets grouped into basic categories: tools, books, office supplies, cables. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be grouped. Still others rely on chaining tasks together: “Return nail clippers to bathroom. Oh shoot, trash needs emptied. Drop off trash, see a charger that belongs in the bedroom. Fewer wasted return trips.” And for those who need a bit of structure, timers and item-counting can help. “I started saying I’ll pick up 30 things and count them. Once I hit 30, it’s noticeably cleaner — and I’m usually in a good groove to keep going.” “Another trick is just to clean for five minutes. Set a timer. Everyone can spare five minutes. You’ll be amazed how much space you can clear in that time.” That sense of micro-accomplishment is key — especially for people with ADHD or task paralysis, where the thought of cleaning the whole house can be so overwhelming it leads to doing nothing at all. One thing, one minute, one small win at a time is often a more realistic entry point. Even parents have adapted the method for kids: “Pick up ONE thing and put it away. Don’t even look at everything else. Now do ONE more thing. With four kids and two adults doing this, cleanup is a breeze.” Inefficient on purpose, these methods reject perfectionism. For some, trying to clean “the right way” is the reason nothing gets done. These hacks offer an alternative: embrace the chaos, move through the mess, and just get started. Because whether you’re a jellyfish, an ant, or a procrastinator with a 5-minute timer, the goal isn’t a spotless home — it’s progress.

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Doorbell Cam Captures Neighbor Dog Asking If Gus Can Come Out and Play

It’s a daily ritual that feels straight out of a kid’s summer movie — only it stars two dogs. A video shared by ViralHog has melted hearts online, showing a neighbor’s dog stopping by a home as if to ask, “Is Gus home?” Captured by a Ring doorbell camera, the pup patiently waits outside the front door until its friend appears. “Our neighbor dog comes over to see if Gus can play every day,” homeowner Matthew Davis said, according to ViralHog. The clip shows the visiting dog standing calmly in front of the door, clearly familiar with the routine. A few moments later, the door swings open and Gus steps out. The visitor perks up, and the two dogs immediately take off together — like clockwork. It’s the kind of wholesome moment that quickly struck a chord online. “Smart dog. Knows what the camera is for,” one viewer joked. Others loved how much the visit resembled a planned playdate. “The way she just opened the door for two kids,” one person commented. As the video made the rounds, people flooded the post with comments hoping the dogs’ friendship lasts. “I hope they get to be friends for a very long time,” one user wrote. At this point, there’s no mistaking the neighbor dog’s intention. When it shows up at the door, the message is clear: if Gus is home, it’s time to play.

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Zoo Puts on Big Birthday Bash for Beloved Gibbon

A female gibbon named Haddie was treated to a big birthday party with her family at Phoenix Zoo on her 26th birthday, filled with presents, toys, and treats. Video shared by Phoenix Zoo shows Haddie munching down on her birthday feast surrounded by several other siamangs. “The family feasted on a golden cake made of primate biscuit, topped with yogurt, cooked yam, yellow squash, pineapple, yellow tomato, yellow bell pepper and kale,” the zoo wrote to X.

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