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Five metres beneath the surface off the coast of Tokunoshima, a new presence is taking shape — not just as art, but as life.

The 40-tonne sculpture Ocean Gaia, unveiled in late 2025, now rests in a limestone basin beneath the waves of this small Japanese island, known for its dramatic mountain ridges and unique marine ecosystems. The sculpture depicts a pregnant woman, sleeping in stillness, her arms wrapped protectively around her belly. Her name is Gaia — Earth, the mother of all life.

Crafted by renowned underwater artist Jason deCaires Taylor, Ocean Gaia is both an artwork and a sanctuary. It was built using low-carbon, pH-neutral materials specifically designed to attract coral growth and provide shelter for fish. Over time, the edges and hollows of the sculpture will become part of the reef, gradually transforming into a habitat for marine life.

Though it spans 5.5 metres wide, Ocean Gaia doesn’t feel imposing. The folds of the figure echo both the concentric sand circles made by the local white-spotted pufferfish and the surrounding limestone ridges above water. Light filters through the sea and dances across the surface of her form. Currents pass silently, shifting shadows and silt. She waits.

Taylor, known for his underwater museums and installations around the world, says the sculpture is meant to be reclaimed. “Ocean Gaia stands as both a symbol of renewal and a gesture toward reconnection between people, the sea and the continuity of life itself,” he told Positive News.

It’s also a way to protect what’s already there. As an artificial reef, the sculpture helps ease pressure on nearby natural reefs, diverting tourist activity to a controlled environment and giving fragile ecosystems a chance to recover. But its impact reaches further than ecology.

Taylor hopes the installation will reconnect young islanders with their coastal heritage. In a region where modern pressures have pulled communities inland or away altogether, Ocean Gaia offers a reason to return to the water — and to care for it.

The project is part artwork, part ecological tool, and part meditation. A gesture of hope, sleeping patiently beneath the surface, waiting to come alive.

This Sculpture Beneath Japanese Waters is Now a New Habitat for Marine Life

BBC News

A loggerhead sea turtle, a species rarely seen in UK waters, has been rescued after being found near-dead on a storm-swept beach in Suffolk.

Steve Foreman, visiting Dunwich with his wife Sue, was walking along the coast when he spotted what he initially assumed was debris washed ashore. “It had been really stormy, and there was a lot of debris, but as I got closer, I realised this was a turtle — but it looked very dead,” Foreman said. “I picked it up and thought I saw a movement in one flipper, so I carried it back to the campsite.”

After a quick online search, the couple contacted British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), who arrived within 20 minutes. The turtle was assessed and then transferred to the Sea Life centre in Hunstanton, Norfolk, one of the few facilities in the UK equipped to care for loggerheads.

While loggerhead turtles are the most common sea turtles in the Mediterranean — nesting on beaches in countries such as Greece, Turkey, and Libya — they are not native to British waters. A BDMLR spokesperson confirmed the sighting was highly unusual for Suffolk, though more rescues have been reported around the UK in recent years, including in Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands, and Kent.

“Sea temperatures are rising, and they get washed up here in storms, usually suffering from cold shock or being ‘cold-stunned’, so they can't move, and some people think they are dead,” the spokesperson said. “The people who found this loggerhead did exactly the right thing — some try to put them back in the water, but that is the worst thing for them.”

The turtle, which the Foremans affectionately nicknamed "Steve" — though BDMLR believes it may be a juvenile female — is now undergoing rehabilitation. If all goes well, it could take up to a year before it’s healthy enough to be released into warmer waters.

“We might have to refer to her as Stevie, then,” Foreman said, adding that they’re keeping their fingers crossed for the “stunning little creature.”

Rare Loggerhead Turtle Rescued After Washing Up on a Beach During a Storm

ABC News

As the world gathers for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, one quiet but powerful symbol has taken its place alongside the global spectacle: the Cross of the Athletes.

Now standing near the main altar inside Milan’s Basilica of San Babila, the cross is far less known than the Olympic flame. But for those who encounter it, it offers a striking message — not just of faith, but of connection through sport. It’s crafted from 15 pieces of wood, each sourced from a different part of the world, representing all five continents.

“We think of sport not as an instrument that separates, but as one that unites,” said Rev. Stefano Guidi of the Archdiocese of Milan. “The cross represents this precisely through the way it was created.”

Built by English artist Jon Cornwall ahead of the 2012 London Games, the cross has since traveled to every host city for the Olympics — except Tokyo, due to pandemic restrictions. Its arrival in Milan continues that tradition. For a few weeks, the historic San Babila church has been designated the “Church of Athletes.”

On a recent morning, locals stopped by to admire it during Mass. Giovanna Spotti, a Milan resident, said the cross held deep meaning. “It moves us a great deal,” she said. “And San Babila is important because it is a very old church, truly characteristic of Milan.”

The cross is part of a broader initiative by the Catholic Church to recognize sport as a force for good — for peace, for growth, and for human dignity. In a message titled Life in Abundance, released to coincide with the Games’ opening, Pope Leo XIV emphasized sport’s ability to unite across differences.

“It teaches us that we can strive for the highest level without denying our own fragility,” the pope wrote. “That we can win without humiliating others, and that we can lose without being defeated as individuals.”

To reflect the international nature of the Olympics, San Babila is also hosting Masses in multiple languages, including Italian, English, French, and German. At one recent German-language service, the priest, Rev. Stefano Chiarolla, smiled as he asked German speakers to raise their hands — and found just one, an Italian man named Marino Parodi.

“I searched on the web and I found this option,” Parodi said. “I was glad to find it.”

The Archdiocese of Milan is using the Games as an opportunity to highlight values of fraternity and inclusion. Alongside the cross and multilingual services, there’s a youth-focused “Tour of Sports Values,” plus art exhibitions, concerts, and inclusive sporting events.

The Cross of the Athletes will travel again in 2028 to the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. But for now, in the heart of Milan, it offers athletes and visitors alike a moment of calm — and a reminder of what the Games, at their best, are really about.

In Milan, a Wooden Cross Built from Five Continents Stands as a Symbol of Olympic Unity

People

As Erin Jackson laces up for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, she’s carrying the legacy of two people who helped shape her journey — her late mother Rita and her father Tracy.

Jackson, who made history at the 2022 Beijing Games as the first Black woman to win an individual medal at the Winter Olympics, was raised in Ocala, Florida. Before she ever stepped onto ice, she dominated the world of inline speed skating and roller derby. Her transition to ice didn’t come until adulthood, but her discipline and drive were already deeply ingrained — thanks in large part to her parents.

“They were really education-focused,” Jackson told Forbes in 2021. “At a young age, I was tricked into thinking that books and dictionaries and all that were really cool.” Her parents started a college fund for her early on and made sure she had the resources to excel. She later graduated with a degree in materials science and engineering from the University of Florida in 2015.

Her mother Rita, a pharmacy technician, passed away in 2011 while Jackson was still in high school. In a tribute post on Instagram, Jackson wrote, “I wish she could have seen me graduate from high school or college or compete in the Olympics… I miss her every day.”

Jackson has spoken candidly about the grief she still carries. During her time on FOX’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, which she went on to win, she reflected on the pain of her mother missing out on life’s biggest milestones — especially seeing her win gold in Beijing. “I cried a lot in those moments, and part of it was thinking, ‘Oh, my mom would really love to see this,’” she said.

Her father, Tracy, a U.S. Army veteran and retired fire truck builder, has remained a constant source of support. After her Olympic debut in 2018, he moved to Utah so they could live near the Olympic Oval. Jackson often refers to him as her “biggest supporter” and said he’s always been in her corner — even when he didn’t know she was chasing Olympic dreams.

In fact, when she first showed up to the 2018 Olympic trials in Milwaukee, she didn’t even tell him. “I didn’t even tell my dad and my family that I was going to the Olympic trials,” she told Sports Illustrated. “To me, it wasn’t the Olympic trials. I was going to do this race that just happened to be a place where other people were trying to qualify.”

She made the Olympic team anyway.

Now a two-time Olympian, Jackson carries with her not just the hopes of a nation, but the memory of her mother and the unwavering support of her father. “I will forever be grateful to my parents for the sacrifices they made to help me excel in academics, athletics, and life,” she wrote.

Erin Jackson Honors Parents' Sacrifices As She Aims For Gold At 2026 Winter Olympics

A Virginia sheriff’s office is celebrating the swift and successful efforts of two deputies and their K-9 partner after a missing man with autism was found safe just hours after he disappeared.

The Halifax County Sheriff's Office reported that on the afternoon of February 7, they were alerted to a missing 21-year-old man who had wandered from his home in the Omega/Midway area. Deputies Clark and Wilborne, along with K-9 officer Phoebe, responded to the call at 2:31 p.m.

Phoebe, a brown bloodhound trained in scent detection, quickly picked up on a trail. The team began in nearby woods and later moved to a power line corridor, where Phoebe indicated a strong scent. Just over an hour and a half after the search began, the man was located safely at 4:13 p.m.

In a statement, the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office praised “the coordinated teamwork, professionalism, and dedication of Deputy Wilborne, Deputy Clark, and K-9 Phoebe, whose combined efforts led to a positive and safe outcome.”

To protect the privacy of the individual and his family, no further details were released. A photo shared on Facebook shows the two deputies posing proudly with Phoebe after the mission was complete.

The successful outcome follows another recent K-9-assisted rescue in Maryland, where a teenager with autism was located after going missing from home. In that case, a bloodhound named Margo led officers through snow-covered terrain, ultimately reuniting the teen with his family.

As Bel Air Police Chief Charles Moore noted at the time, “The dog seemed pretty sure about the trail they were following.” And according to Maryland State Police trooper Taylor Bracken, even in snow, “a bloodhound sees a trail like a layered archive of scent.”

In both cases, it was the incredible noses of specially trained K-9s — and their coordination with human partners — that made all the difference.

K-9 Hero Phoebe Helps Virginia Deputies Locate Missing Man With Autism

Upworthy

In the baking desert of Rajasthan, where summer temperatures can soar past 49°C, architect Diana Kellogg has helped make the unimaginable real: a school for girls that stays cool without any air conditioning.

The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School, located near the rural community of Jaisalmer, was built in one of India’s most conservative regions — a place where education for girls has long been out of reach. The project was spearheaded by Michael Daube, founder of the nonprofit CITTA, who wanted to provide a safe and dignified space for learning in a region where the literacy rate for women has historically ranked among the lowest in the country.

The challenge? Jaisalmer had virtually no infrastructure. The nearest city was 40 kilometres away. Electricity was unreliable. And building a traditional school in an open-air environment would be unbearable under the relentless desert sun.

But Kellogg, an American architect who had never designed a building in India before, leaned into the limitations. “There was something very captivating about Jaisalmer,” she told Stir World. “I also learned more about the situation of women and girls in that area… education is better not just for individuals, but for the society as a whole.”

Her design uses ancient local techniques and sustainable architecture to make the space not just functional, but empowering.

The building is made entirely from locally sourced golden sandstone, the same material used for centuries in desert structures across Rajasthan. The porous stone helps deflect heat and keeps the interiors cooler. The elliptical design allows wind to flow around and through the building, while high ceilings with small vents help hot air escape. A central open-air courtyard provides shade and ventilation throughout the day and can be covered when needed.

Inside, the temperature stays 10 to 15 degrees cooler than outside — even without a fan, let alone AC. That difference matters in a place where the outdoor heat often climbs past 45°C for weeks at a time.

The school is also fully powered by solar and wind energy, and a rainwater harvesting system helps collect and recycle water — a critical feature in a region where water is scarce.

Importantly, the building isn’t just functional — it’s designed to feel familiar, calming, and safe to the girls who use it. It uses the materials and shapes they’ve grown up around. It gives them room to breathe, literally and figuratively.

“The comments that have come in are heart-warming,” Kellogg said. “The girls find the space to be free and comfortable.”

That sense of comfort and confidence is already changing lives. In an interview with CNN, Kellogg said she’s watched students evolve from shy and hesitant to outgoing and hungry to learn. “[I've seen] the change in the girls, from being quite shy to being these bright lights that are devouring whatever kind of information you put in front of them.”

There are plans to expand the project further. CITTA and Kellogg envision additional buildings to house a women’s cooperative, a market, a library, a museum, and a gallery — all designed to support and uplift a community that has long been underserved.

Since opening, the school has won multiple architecture awards, including recognition from the 2023 AIA Architecture Awards. But the bigger impact may be harder to quantify — girls who now walk to school in one of the hottest places on Earth with a real chance at building their future.

Kellogg hopes the school becomes a global model. "It proves that, through design, we can create safe, sustainable spaces for learning — even in the most remote parts of the world."

In India’s Harsh Desert, a School for Girls Is Doing the Impossible — Without Air Conditioning

Dogs already know how to get our attention — a bark, a nudge, a stare that says “I want a treat.” But some dogs, like Ripley, a 2-year-old Australian Shepherd, are going well beyond the basics.

Ripley uses talking buttons — programmable devices that play words when pressed — to communicate with his humans. And according to more than a million viewers on TikTok, he’s surprisingly good at it.

In one viral clip posted in March 2024, Ripley interrupts his parents' lunch by pressing the button for “smell.” When they ignore him, he starts barking. When they ask, “What do you smell?” he hits “outside” followed by “gardens.” It sounds random — until they discover a leaking bottle of detergent in the laundry room. The scent of the floral cleaner had filled the air, and Ripley had been trying to tell them something was off.

It wasn’t an emergency — but it could’ve been. And it’s what makes his communication attempt feel so remarkable.

“He was so mad y’all weren’t moving,” one viewer commented.

Others were more direct: “Give him all of the treats.”

Ripley’s TikTok page, @letsgoripley, has amassed over 85,000 followers and countless moments like this one — him asking for water, for food, for his grandma (who, as you’d guess, brings treats). His owners say he doesn’t just press buttons for fun or reward. They’re convinced he knows what he’s saying.

And science might be catching up.

Studies show dogs can recognize hundreds of words and distinguish between real words and gibberish. In 2023, researchers even found that dogs can tell the difference between familiar and unfamiliar languages — suggesting their grasp of language is deeper than we thought.

Of course, whether dogs understand grammar or sentence structure is still up for debate. But dogs like Ripley — along with others in the growing “talking dog” community — are making a compelling case that canines may be closer to human-like communication than we ever imagined.

Speech-language pathologist Christina Hunger pioneered the button method with her dog Stella in 2019. Since then, kits like FluentPet have become popular with curious pet parents eager to try it themselves.

As for Ripley, he’s not just a smart dog — he’s a smart Australian Shepherd, a breed long recognized for its intelligence and drive. “They thrive when they have a job,” says the American Kennel Club. For Ripley, it seems, that job is telling his humans exactly what’s on his mind.

And maybe, just maybe, reminding the rest of us to listen a little more closely.

Can Dogs Really Talk? Ripley the Aussie Might Be the Closest Proof Yet

Talker News

A local photographer has created a breathtaking visual guide to Scotland’s North Coast 500 — after driving the route a record 17 times and racking up more than 10,000 miles behind the wheel.

Steve Campbell, 51, who lives near Inverness, has made it his mission to showcase the NC500 like it’s never been seen before. The result is a rich gallery of photographs taken across years of road trips through one of the most scenic parts of the country.

Often dubbed “Scotland’s Route 66,” the NC500 stretches 516 miles, looping through the Highlands from Inverness to the far north and back again. Since it was officially launched in 2014 to boost tourism, it has become one of the country’s most iconic drives — and a magnet for adventurers, influencers, and international visitors.

“I have made the North Coast 500 my life’s passion,” Campbell said. “Although I have been so many times, no two trips are the same.”

His obsession with the route dates back to childhood holidays before it even had a name. After returning to Scotland in 2017 following years of living abroad, Campbell decided to retrace those early memories with a camera in hand. That first full trip turned into 16 more — with an 18th already in the works.

Even during the pandemic, he found himself pulled back to the Highlands. “Covid gave me more time,” he said. “I really missed photography, and I missed getting out and about taking pictures.”

For Campbell, the NC500 isn’t just a stunning drive. It’s personal. He revisited Loch Carron, where he spent time as a kid, and Torridon Valley, where he once took girlfriends on first dates.

“Torridon Valley is still my favorite area in the whole of Scotland. It’s so romantic and incredibly atmospheric to drive through,” he said. “It is probably as close as you can get to the Rocky Mountains. The scale of the mountains as you pass along the bottom of them is so immense. Sometimes when the light comes through the clouds there, it is like a postcard.”

Campbell has spent roughly 2,000 hours photographing the route, often waiting for the “perfect light.” He’s driven it in every season, through some of Scotland’s harshest conditions. In 2021, he even completed the full loop in a single day — leaving Inverness at 5am and returning at 11pm.

But not every moment has been idyllic. One of the most intense experiences came on Bealach na Bà, the steep and winding mountain pass that has become infamous among drivers.

“I was on a narrow mountain pass with a sheer drop on one side and a camper van and I came face to face,” he recalled. “It was like a Mexican standoff, except there was absolutely nowhere for either of us to go. There was one point when I thought my car was going to slip off the edge of the mountain.”

The NC500 has exploded in popularity in recent years, earning nicknames like the “Instagram Highway” for its appeal among younger tourists eager to share photos at jaw-dropping viewpoints. Tens of thousands of visitors each year now take on the route, starting and ending in Inverness.

While Campbell hopes his visual guide inspires others to explore it, he’s also sounding a note of caution about the toll that heavy tourism can take on the Highlands.

“It is so important that people look after the Highlands and treat these locations with respect,” he said. “Many people live along the route, and tourists need to take that into consideration when they are driving the route. So, if you come, please leave it as you found it.”

For now, he’s planning his next trip — and it likely won’t be his last. As Campbell sees it, the NC500 offers something new every time. The weather shifts, the light changes, and the route keeps evolving.

“You have a route to explore and places to see,” he said. “That’s part of the appeal. Not just driving around Scotland aimlessly.”

Photographer Captures Scotland’s ‘route 66’ After Driving It 17 Times and Logging 10,000 Miles

GoodGoodGood

Every month, Dolly the black Lab takes a trip to DoveLewis Veterinary Hospital in Portland — not for a check-up, but to donate blood.

Dolly is one of 94 dogs and 48 cats who are regular donors at the DoveLewis blood bank, one of only a handful of its kind in the U.S. Her owner, Denise Duncan, says the 7-year-old Lab isn’t thrilled about the donation process itself, but there’s a treat at the end — baby food and a new toy — and that’s enough to keep her tail wagging.

“She’s not crazy about the actual donation, but she gets a treat of baby food after and a toy, so that’s what she’s looking forward to,” Duncan told Oregon Live.

Pet blood donations play a vital role in saving lives, especially in emergency and critical care situations. But according to DoveLewis blood bank manager Kelsey Reinauer, demand far outweighs supply.

“There’s a very large deficit between the need and the supply in veterinary medicine for blood right now,” she said. “There’s maybe just a handful of blood banks our size in the United States.”

Each donation takes less than 10 minutes. Reinauer often tells new pet owners that the process is built on trust and communication — not just with the animals, but with the humans who care for them.

“What I tell owners is, it’s a relationship that we’re going to build here,” she said. “I will tell you what I see, if I see stress or nervousness in them, and you tell me how you think they feel, and then we’ll just go from there.”

That approach seems to work. Many pets return month after month — like Rocket, a 2-year-old golden-Lab mix, who bounded off the donation table straight to the reward stash.

“As people, we don’t necessarily think that animals need blood transfusions,” said Rocket’s owner, Kim Laird. “But with critical care for your pet, it’s very important. This is one way we can give to help dogs across the country.”

If you’re interested in signing up your pet as a donor, you can visit We Are The Cure to learn more.

Because whether you’re human or animal, saving lives can start with a single pint.

These Dogs and Cats Are Saving Lives — One Blood Donation at a Time

ESPN

When the unmistakable beat of “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” hit the arena speakers during Friday’s rhythm dance competition in Milan, the crowd didn’t wait for the skaters to start moving. They were already on their feet.

Polish ice dancers Sofiia Dovhal and Wiktor Kulesza were only the second team to perform that morning, but their leopard print, high-energy routine ignited the crowd in a way rarely seen before noon. And it didn’t stop there.

As more teams took the ice with routines set to 1990s bangers—from Madonna’s “Vogue” to RuPaul’s “Supermodel (You Better Work)” and the Offspring’s “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)”—the atmosphere turned electric. Medleys from the Backstreet Boys, Lenny Kravitz, and even a full “Men in Black”-themed routine added to what felt more like a throwback concert than an Olympic skating event.

The International Skating Union’s choice to assign the 1990s as this season’s rhythm dance theme raised some eyebrows when it was first announced. But what followed was a surge of creativity and nostalgia that’s brought new life—and new audiences—to ice dance.

For Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, the decision to build their program around RuPaul’s “Supermodel” was instant. “We really wanted this program to be fun and for people to be smiling and dancing along with us and strutting along with us,” Poirier told ESPN. The pair added Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy” for extra flair, a nod to the era’s fashion excess and playful energy.

Their program, choreographed with Alexandra Crenian, isn’t just campy fun—it’s deeply personal. “It being a style of dance that emerged from the queer community made it really meaningful,” said Poirier, who came out in 2021. The duo shared the behind-the-scenes process in Netflix’s new Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing, revealing how they fine-tuned every detail, from facial expressions to character development.

For some skaters, the path to performance hasn’t been so smooth. After returning to competition last year, U.S. siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani debuted a rhythm dance they called “A 90s Night in Tokyo,” with music from Wu-Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest. Their program honored the influence of American hip hop on Japanese street culture. But at the national championships, they were met with low scores and confusion from judges unfamiliar with the references.

“Not all of the judges… were familiar with hip hop or Wu-Tang Clan,” Alex said. “We came up with something that was very individual to us… but we’re competing because we want to score well.”

Ultimately, they scrapped the program and built a new one to Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat” in just six weeks. They placed ninth and missed out on the Olympic team.

Others faced different hurdles. French contenders Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron had to abandon their original plan to skate to Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” after learning the single came out in 1989—technically ineligible under ISU rules. They pivoted to Madonna’s “Vogue” and have since won two Grand Prix titles and the European Championship.

Meanwhile, Team USA’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates are skating to a medley of Lenny Kravitz hits, channeling what Chock describes as Kravitz’s “unique style.” They’re three-time world champions and the heavy favorites heading into Monday’s rhythm dance portion of the individual competition.

But medals aside, the biggest win this season may be how the ‘90s theme has transformed the sport’s public image. Even the Spice Girls got in on the action, posting a video of Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson’s “Wannabe” routine to their Instagram Story. Dressed in Union Jack and leopard print tributes to Geri Halliwell and Mel B, the British duo finished third in the team event—and helped prove that ice dance can be fun and fiercely nostalgic.

“It’s not my favorite decade,” Gibson admitted, “but I do love knowing so many of the tracks. It makes it way more fun during practice just to be able to sing along and get out of your head.”

As the rhythm dance competition moves into its final stages, one thing is clear: skaters and fans alike are vibing with the ‘90s. And for a sport often stuck with classical expectations, that’s a revolution worth dancing to.

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