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22 Of The Best Seasonings That Will Spice Up Your Food And Your Life
“It will transform chips, fish, boring salads, anything,” enthuses Sam Grainger, the chef-owner at Belzan in Liverpool. “I like its sweet-sour flavour on ice-cream and fruit,’ says Masaki Sugisaki, a chef at Nutshell in London. � “So good you’ll want it on everything.” “It’s very popular in Japan.’
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Archaeologists Discover World's Largest Medieval Cargo Ship Off Danish Coast
A medieval cargo ship long hidden beneath the waves near Copenhagen has just rewritten the history of maritime trade. Archaeologists from Denmark’s Viking Ship Museum have uncovered what they’re calling the world’s largest known cog—a 15th-century trading vessel measuring a staggering 91 feet in length, 29 feet in width, and 19 feet in height. That size would have allowed it to carry around 300 tons of cargo, making it a true “medieval super ship,” according to the team. The ship, dubbed Svælget 2, was found more than 12 meters deep in Øresund, the busy strait separating Denmark and Sweden. The wreck surfaced during seabed surveys tied to Copenhagen’s new Lynetteholm district. Buried under centuries of sand and silt, the ship has been remarkably preserved, including rare features that researchers say are changing what we know about shipbuilding in the Middle Ages. “It is extraordinary to have so many parts of the rigging,” said lead archaeologist Otto Uldum. “We have never seen this before, and it gives us a real opportunity to say something entirely new about how cogs were equipped for sailing.” Cogs were the cargo workhorses of medieval Europe. Built for durability and bulk capacity, they began to replace smaller Viking-style vessels from the 10th century onwards. Unlike sleek longships or knarrs, cogs had towering sides and wide, deep hulls—ideal for shipping goods over long distances and defending against piracy. With a capacity far beyond what was common at the time, Svælget 2 hints at a highly developed trading system in the early 1400s. “A ship with such a large cargo capacity is part of a structured system where merchants knew there was a market for the goods they carried,” said Uldum. “Svælget 2 is a tangible example of how trade developed during the Middle Ages.” Dendrochronological tests date the ship’s construction to around 1410, using timber sourced from regions now known as Poland and the Netherlands. While the ship’s cargo is long gone, everyday items left behind—shoes, combs, cooking pots, and ceramic bowls—offer glimpses into the daily life of its crew. One of the more surprising discoveries is the ship’s stern castle, a raised deck at the back of the vessel. These features had previously only been seen in old illustrations—never in actual shipwrecks. “It offers archaeological proof,” said Uldum. “And not just that—20 times as much material to study.” Also uncovered was a brick-built galley, the first of its kind ever found on a medieval ship in Danish waters. Constructed with about 200 bricks and 15 tiles, the galley allowed the crew to cook meals on an open flame while at sea. Nearby, the team found bronze and ceramic cookware, adding to the picture of a ship built not just for commerce, but also for function and comfort. “It speaks of remarkable comfort and organization on board,” said Uldum. While dramatic shipwreck finds often bring to mind tales of treasure, Svælget 2 tells a different story—one about infrastructure, innovation, and economy. The sheer scale of the ship implies significant investment and planning, pointing to a well-developed network of trade routes and economic demand across Europe in the 15th century. “We now know, undeniably, that cogs could be this large—that the ship type could be pushed to this extreme,” Uldum said. “Svælget 2 gives us a tangible piece of the puzzle and makes it possible to understand how technology and society evolved side by side in an era when shipping was the driving force behind international trade.” With so much of the ship intact, researchers say they’ve only scratched the surface of what it can reveal. But one thing is already clear: this wasn’t just a big ship. It was part of a big idea.
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North Carolina Town Returns Land To Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians
An ancient Cherokee mound in North Carolina is one step away from being returned to its original caretakers. The Noquisiyi Mound in Franklin, a sacred site that predates the United States by centuries, is set to be returned to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians following a unanimous vote by the town’s council on Monday. The move marks a major milestone in the decades-long effort to reclaim Indigenous lands with deep cultural, spiritual, and historical significance. “When you think about the importance of not just our history but those cultural and traditional areas where we practice all the things we believe in, they should be in the hands of the tribe they belong to,” said Michell Hicks, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. “It’s a decision that we’re very thankful to the town of Franklin for understanding.” The Noquisiyi Mound, whose name translates to “star place,” was once part of a Cherokee mother town. For roughly 200 years, the land was held by private owners and later the town itself. But the mound, which remains largely unexcavated, still stands tall—and so does its spiritual weight. “It’s a big deal for Cherokees to get our piece of our ancestral territory back in general,” said Angelina Jumper, a citizen of the tribe and a board member of the Noquisiyi Initiative, a nonprofit formed in 2019 to oversee the site. “But when you talk about a mound site like that, that has so much significance and is still standing as high as it was two or three hundred years ago when it was taken, that kind of just holds a level of gravity that I just have no words for.” The handover isn't final yet. The next step is for the tribal council to formally agree to take control, which will trigger the legal process to transfer the title. Elaine Eisenbraun, executive director of the Noquisiyi Initiative, said she’s been working with Franklin’s mayor for years to get to this point. The movement to return the site gained new urgency in 2012 after a town employee mistakenly sprayed herbicide on the mound, killing all the grass. That incident spurred fresh talks between the tribe and the town. Then in 2019, the nonprofit was formed as a first step toward shared stewardship. “Talking about Land Back, it’s part of a living people. It’s not like it’s a historical artifact,” said Franklin Mayor Stacey Guffey. “It’s part of a living culture, and if we can’t honor that then we lose the character of who we are as mountain people.” Noquisiyi is part of a series of earthen mounds that served as the civic and ceremonial centers of Cherokee civilization. The Eastern Band already owns another important site nearby, the Cowee Mound, and is working to develop a cultural corridor that spans from Georgia to its current territory, the Qualla Boundary. The mound site sits at the junction of two roads in downtown Franklin, surrounded by buildings but still largely intact. It will remain open to the public. The tribe also plans to open an interpretive center next door in a building it owns, to educate visitors on the site’s significance. For Jordan Oocumma, the mound’s current caretaker, the return is personal. He’s the first enrolled tribal member to serve in that role since the Cherokee were forcibly removed from their land nearly two centuries ago. “It’s also a place where when you need answers, or you want to know something, you can go there and you ask, and it’ll come to you,” Oocumma said. “It feels different from being anywhere else in the world when you’re out there.” With this vote, Franklin becomes one of a growing number of communities recognizing that Indigenous heritage sites aren’t relics of the past—they’re living places, still central to the identity and practices of Native peoples today.
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She Just Made Olympic History as the First Black Woman on Team USA’s Women’s Ice Hockey Roster
Laila Edwards is officially headed to the 2026 Winter Olympics — and making history along the way. The 21-year-old senior from the University of Wisconsin has been named to the U.S. women’s ice hockey roster for the upcoming Games in Milano-Cortina, becoming the first Black woman ever to represent Team USA in women’s ice hockey at the Olympics. “It still hasn’t really kicked in yet,” Edwards said. “Getting that call is like a dream come true. Always had dreams of playing in the pros, but the biggest dream was to go to the Olympics for sure.” Team USA announced the full 23-player lineup on January 2. Edwards joins a veteran squad that includes Olympic and world championship regulars like Alex Carpenter, Megan Keller, Taylor Heise, and Cayla Barnes. The women’s tournament kicks off February 6 and runs through February 22. Edwards, a Cleveland Heights native, has been blazing a trail in elite hockey for years. At 19, she became the first Black woman to join the U.S. women’s national team. By 20, she was the youngest American ever to be named MVP at the women’s hockey world championships. That same year, she helped the U.S. win its 11th world title — and became the first Black woman to win an IIHF Women’s World Championship. Her rise through the sport has been fast and barrier-breaking. Edwards’ family is now working to make sure they’ll be in Italy to support her in person. A GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly $19,000 to help cover the cost of travel. “We are asking for your help now so that we can be there to cheer Laila, to surround her with the love and support of family,” the campaign page reads. From local rinks in Ohio to the Olympic stage in Italy, Edwards’ journey has already made history — and her Olympic chapter is just beginning.
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After 50 Years, Scientists Finally Synthesize Potent Fungal Compound With Cancer-Fighting Potential
More than half a century after it was first discovered, a powerful cancer-fighting compound called verticillin A has finally been artificially synthesized in the lab — opening the door to new research and potential therapies. Verticillin A, found naturally in a rare fungus, has long intrigued scientists for its ability to kill cancer cells. But the compound has always been notoriously difficult to study. In nature, it only occurs in minuscule amounts, and its complex chemical structure made it nearly impossible to recreate synthetically — until now. Researchers from MIT and Harvard Medical School have developed a 16-step process to build verticillin A from scratch, marking a major scientific breakthrough. “Now we have the technology where we can not only access them for the first time, more than 50 years after they were isolated, but also we can make many designed variants,” said MIT chemist Mohammad Movassaghi, who led the synthetic work. “That can enable further detailed studies.” The compound’s structure is deceptively tricky. It's made of two identical halves, forming what's called a dimer molecule. But getting the 3D structure just right is essential — even small deviations can make the entire molecule unstable or ineffective. Movassaghi’s team adapted techniques he previously used to create similar compounds, but they had to significantly change the timing and order of certain steps. The synthetic process involved carefully protecting fragile bonds, rearranging the order in which molecular groups were added, and unmasking key functional groups only after the full structure had been assembled. “What we learned was the timing of the events is absolutely critical,” Movassaghi said. “We had to significantly change the order of the bond-forming events.” With a reliable synthetic version in hand, the team tested verticillin A — along with several related variants — on lab-grown cells of diffuse midline glioma (DMG), an aggressive pediatric brain cancer. The results were promising. Like earlier natural versions of the compound, the new synthetic version successfully killed DMG cancer cells. Importantly, researchers also confirmed that the compound was hitting its intended protein targets inside the cells, a key step in verifying its potential as a therapeutic drug. Jun Qi, a chemical biologist at Harvard Medical School and co-author of the study, said the breakthrough sets the stage for a new chapter in cancer research. “Natural compounds have been valuable resources for drug discovery,” said Qi. “We will fully evaluate the therapeutic potential of these molecules by integrating our expertise in chemistry, chemical biology, cancer biology, and patient care.” By finally synthesizing verticillin A, researchers now have the ability to not only study the compound in detail but also tweak its structure to potentially improve its effectiveness or reduce side effects. It’s a leap forward in a decades-long puzzle — and a step toward harnessing a powerful natural chemical in the fight against cancer. The study was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
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Smart Pads, Allergy Sensors, and LED Masks: The Health Tech That Turned Heads at CES 2026
The world’s biggest tech show wasn’t just about AI and foldable phones this year. At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, a wave of new health-focused gadgets showed that personal wellness — from hormones to heart age — is becoming more high-tech and more personalized than ever. Here are some of the standout innovations spotted by Euronews Next: 1. A pod for your brain and body Right in the middle of the buzz and chaos was something designed to do the opposite — calm you down. The French company Reconcept showcased a mental health pod that tilts users into a zero-gravity position, plays soothing bird sounds, and offers a massage. Climbing out of it and back onto the conference floor wasn’t easy. Reconcept says the pod helps reduce muscular tension, supports gut health, and aids emotional regulation. It’s already being used by athletes, armed forces, and some companies to combat stress and burnout. 2. A scale with 60 metrics French health tech company Withings returned to CES with a major upgrade: the Body Scan 2, a smart scale that tracks up to 60 health indicators. That includes everything from muscle-fat balance and heart age to metabolic and arterial health. During a demo, only four metrics were shown, but the feedback was detailed enough to include personalised advice — in one case, a suggestion to walk 3,000 more steps daily. Withings recommends using the scale at least 2-3 times a week for long-term progress reports. The scale is expected to retail for around €499 and launches later this year. 3. A menstrual pad that tracks hormones In a first for CES, menstrual health went high-tech with the debut of a smart menstrual pad from Vivoo. The device can measure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) directly from the pad, providing insight into fertility, hormone levels, and potential infections. Each pad will cost between €3 and €4, and the company plans to offer it through a subscription model. 4. A pocket-sized allergy detector For people with food allergies, dining out can be stressful. A new device from Allergen Alert aims to ease that anxiety. Roughly the size of a lipstick tube, the portable tool analyzes food samples on the spot. It crushes and dilutes the sample, then tests it for allergens like lactose and gluten. It was inspired by CEO Antoine Burgaud’s own experience with her daughter’s dairy allergy. The FDA-approved device is already in use in high-end kitchens, including Michelin-starred Paul Bocuse. It’s expected to cost around €200, plus a subscription fee. 5. A more wearable LED face mask L’Oréal made waves with its sleek, ultra-thin LED mask — a major shift from the bulky, rigid masks currently on the market. Made of silicon, the new design includes targeted sections for the under-eye area, something existing masks typically ignore. It uses 630nm red light and 830nm near-infrared — the same levels dermatologists recommend — to target wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and sagging. “You need to reach those wavelengths if you want real results,” said Guive Balooch, L’Oréal’s global VP of augmented beauty. The LED mask isn’t expected to launch until 2027, and pricing is still undecided. But given the current market, which ranges from €100 to well over €2,000, it could land anywhere in the middle.
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Sleeping In on Weekends May Help Teens and Young Adults Feel Less Depressed, Study Finds
Sleeping late on weekends might be more than just a guilty pleasure for teens and young adults — it could actually support their mental health. New research from the University of Oregon and the State University of New York Upstate Medical University found that people aged 16 to 24 who catch up on sleep over the weekend are significantly less likely to experience symptoms of depression. Compared to their peers who didn’t recover sleep on weekends, the study group showed a 41 percent lower risk of depressive symptoms. The findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders and draw from data collected in the 2021–2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants shared their usual sleep and wake times during the week and on weekends, and also reported on their emotional well-being. Anyone who said they felt sad or depressed every day was classified as having symptoms of depression. "Sleep researchers and clinicians have long recommended that adolescents get eight to 10 hours of sleep at a regular time every day of the week, but that's just not practical for a lot of adolescents, or people generally," said Melynda Casement, a licensed psychologist and associate professor at the University of Oregon’s College of Arts and Sciences. Casement co-authored the study with Jason Carbone, an assistant professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University. The researchers emphasized that consistent sleep throughout the week is still the gold standard. But in reality, most young people face packed schedules: school, homework, extracurriculars, social lives, and often part-time jobs. Weekday sleep gets squeezed — and weekends become the only time to catch up. "It's normal for teens to be night owls, so let them catch up on sleep on weekends if they can't get enough sleep during the week because that's likely to be somewhat protective," Casement said. Most past research on weekend catch-up sleep has focused on school-age teens in Asia, particularly in China and Korea. This study is one of the first to examine typical adolescent sleep habits in the United States. The research also fits into a growing conversation around how sleep affects mental health, particularly for young people. Depression is one of the leading causes of disability among people aged 16 to 24, Casement said, where “disability” includes disruptions in daily life — missing class, struggling with work, or falling behind on responsibilities. That makes this age group particularly important to study when looking at risk factors for depression and how to intervene early. The researchers point to biology as part of the explanation. During adolescence, sleep patterns naturally shift. Circadian rhythms — the body’s internal clock — start to favor later bedtimes and wake times. That means teens tend to fall asleep later, even if they’re exhausted. “Instead of being a morning lark you're going to become more of a night owl,” Casement said. “And sleep onset keeps progressively delaying in adolescence until age 18 to 20. After that, you start becoming more morning larkish again.” For many teens, the most natural sleep schedule runs from around 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. But most schools start much earlier than that. As a result, students routinely start the day sleep-deprived — a problem that sleep researchers say could be solved in part by pushing back school start times. Until that happens, though, weekends may offer a much-needed buffer. While it’s not a perfect fix, the study suggests that letting teens sleep in on Saturday and Sunday might help protect their emotional health, especially if their weekdays are packed and their nights are short. “It’s not the ideal solution,” Casement said, “but it’s a practical one.”
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This Smuggled Puppy Has Finally Found a Loving Home After a 26-Hour Journey from Slovakia
At just seven weeks old, Elsa the Yorkshire terrier had already endured more than most dogs do in a lifetime. Packed into a box with little food or water, she was smuggled in the back seat of a car on a 26-hour journey from Slovakia to the Port of Dover. With no paperwork or microchip, Elsa was seized by authorities in September on suspicion she was too young to legally enter the UK. Now, months later, she’s found a fresh start with a new family in Yorkshire. "She's settled in nicely and doesn't seem to have any ill effects from that early trauma," said her new owner, Lynne Austin. “I burst into tears when I heard about her and saw her. It’s just been perfect timing for Elsa but for me as well.” Austin adopted Elsa after losing her previous dog, also a Yorkshire terrier, in mid-2025. Elsa was one of three puppies intercepted at the border during that incident. All were underage, undocumented, and potentially destined for illegal sale. The case is far from unique. Over the last decade, Dogs Trust has cared for more than 3,200 illegally imported puppies through its Puppy Pilot scheme. The charity estimates those dogs would have fetched over £5 million if sold to unsuspecting buyers. The majority of seized puppies are between eight and 11 weeks old, according to Dogs Trust, and many show signs of neglect or trauma. Elsa, still shy but playful, is considered one of the lucky ones. “Some of the red flags [to spot illegal puppy sales] would be if the seller has a lot of different breeds available but doesn't have information on some of the puppies,” said Josh Heath, who works at the Dogs Trust centre in the South East. “If they have no details of the mum or aren't able to provide pictures of it, that can also be a serious red flag.” Puppy smuggling has become a growing concern, especially with the rise of online pet sales and pandemic-driven demand. Some sellers exploit loopholes to import underage dogs with fake or incomplete paperwork, often keeping them in poor conditions along the way. Matt Henning, who leads the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s anti-smuggling efforts in Dover, said the issue is widespread. “Some of the dogs we intercept can be on death’s door,” he said. “The main cause of issues is from the importers exploiting some of the loopholes that this bill aims to address.” That bill — the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act — was signed into law in December, after two previous attempts failed. It raises the minimum legal age for bringing puppies into the UK from 15 weeks to six months. Henning says the change makes enforcement easier. “It can be quite tricky to age some of the breeds, but raising it to six months will leave little doubt. It makes things much clearer.” As for Elsa, her future now looks far brighter than her past. Her story is one of many, but it’s also a reminder of what’s at stake — and why stronger protections matter. “She’s just lovely,” Austin said. “And she’s home now.”
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Athletes Are Competing For Top Honors At the British Transplant Games
When Jenny Glithero woke up in a hospital bed, disoriented and weak, she didn’t know she had nearly died. She had turned off the TV at home and blacked out. The next thing she remembered, a doctor was telling her she’d received a new liver. A viral infection had led to acute liver failure, and emergency surgery saved her life. “I couldn’t move, I was so weak,” she said. “There was nothing left on me. There was no muscle … no fat.” Fast forward, and Glithero is windswept and beaming after a 25-kilometre bike ride, still in her cycling kit, training for the British Transplant Games. It’s a turnaround that’s hard to believe, but one that plays out across hundreds of stories at the annual event. Before her transplant, she cycled 20 kilometres to work and back every day, with hill repeats in her spare time “for fun”. When a doctor mentioned the games during her recovery, she immediately knew she wanted to take part. Six months after relearning how to breathe, Glithero was back on her bike. “I went down the road for the first time without falling off,” she said. “I was like: ‘I’m doing it! Oh my gosh, I’m doing it!’” Each year, the British Transplant Games bring together athletes who aren’t just racing for medals. They’re racing in honour of the donors who gave them another chance at life. And every scar, every finish line, is a gesture of gratitude. “I am so grateful for this liver,” Glithero said, resting a hand on her abdomen. “For this life that was gifted to me.” Across the UK, more than 8,000 people are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Even with the 2020 shift to an opt-out system in England, where all adults are considered potential donors unless they opt out, families can still override the decision. “At the end of the day it’s the family that can refuse to give consent at the bedside,” said Lynne Holt, Transplant Team GB manager and a long-time supporter of the games. That’s why conversations matter, Holt said. People often don’t talk to loved ones about their wishes. “It’s an awful time … it’s normally a sudden death. But if [your family] know your wishes and they don’t have to make decisions, it’s like: ‘Oh, that’s what she wanted.’” The games began in the UK in 1978, launched by the charity Transplant Sport. They’ve since expanded into a global event, with the World Transplant Games featuring athletes from 51 countries competing across 17 sports. Participation at the British level is used to help select Team GB for the worlds. “It’s competitive,” said Holt. “If they think they can just turn up without doing any training, they’re not going to win a medal.” But winning isn’t the only goal. At the opening ceremony in Oxford this year, a parade of transplant recipients made its way into the west courtyard of Blenheim Palace. The loudest cheers were for the final group: families of deceased donors. “We call them the VIPs,” Holt said. “Because without them we wouldn’t have any transplant recipients. They’ve all given the gift of life.” Sue Burton was one of those VIPs. Her 16-year-old son Martin died of a brain haemorrhage, and his organs were donated. “It seemed like the absolute, natural thing to do,” she said. “He was young, he was healthy … It would have been sacrilege to let his organs go with him.” Looking around at the competitors, Burton said she could see the impact. “It’s completely inspiring. That’s Martin’s legacy.” That legacy was dancing nearby in the form of five-year-old Leo, who received a liver transplant at six months old. He sprinted around the courtyard, giggling and lifting his shirt to show the scar across his belly. “It’s definitely not stopped him,” his mother Gemma said, laughing. Leo, she explained, was taking part in the 25-metre sprint, the obstacle course, and the ball throw. The games are as much about community as they are about competition. For many, it’s a rare opportunity to feel understood. “Transplant people – we have experiences that nobody else has,” said kidney recipient Declan Logue. “We have very strange conversations. ‘What medications are you on?’ ‘What ailments do you have?’ You feel you’re not alone.” Mental health plays a big part too. “People [here], they open up. They actually relax,” he said. Kirsty Saville, a transplant team manager at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said the event gives people “a sense of belonging”. It also promotes a healthier lifestyle. The medication transplant recipients take to prevent rejection can cause weight gain and other complications. Saville said regular training helps recipients maintain their health — and their new organs. “It gives them that exercise, and keeps their graft longer,” she said. “It gives them a goal to achieve.” For some, that goal becomes a lifelong one. Louise, who had a kidney transplant at 13, wasn’t athletic before her surgery. But she first joined the games at 14, and this year — at age 36 — she’s still competing. “Every year she starts training before the games,” said her mother, Catherine Cook. “It’s given her something to aim for.” Ask anyone at the games why they show up, and the answer is nearly always the same. “Why do I train? Why do I do this? Because I’ve been given the gift of life,” said Glithero. “It’s about going to show up for my donor. To give thanks,” she said. “Some people go to church. I get on the bike.”
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Why This UK Woman Says Retraining a Retired Racehorse Saved Her Life
Claire Howie wasn’t expecting to find a lifeline when she bought a retired racehorse in 2021. But that’s exactly what happened. The 39-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent had been struggling with her mental health when she brought home Skeaping, a then-12-year-old thoroughbred who had recently wrapped up his racing career after 53 races and five wins. She retrained him in dressage and other equestrian disciplines — but says the horse gave her far more in return. “Going up to him every day and being able to ride him just gave me my life back,” Howie told BBC Radio Stoke. “He really helped me to overcome the difficult times in my life. Without him, I wouldn't be the person I am today.” Now, the duo are finalists for Horse of the Year in the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) Awards — a UK-based charity honouring ex-racehorses who go on to successful second careers. The winner will be decided by public vote and announced at Cheltenham Racecourse on January 24. From racehorse to dressage champion Since retiring from the track, Skeaping has taken to his new life with enthusiasm. Under Howie’s care, he became the RoR Dressage Intro champion in 2022 and qualified for the prestigious Bramham British Eventing 80 Championship in 2024. Even during a quieter 2025, while Howie recovered from back surgery, the pair still made it to the British Riding Club Arena Eventing National Championships. She describes Skeaping as “nothing but versatile” and says he deserves every bit of the recognition. “Skeaping is my best friend and has helped me, as I have had a lot of battles to deal with this year,” she said. “Our partnership and bond is closer than ever.” A life-changing friendship Howie juggles night shifts as a lorry driver and spends her mornings training horses in Leek, Staffordshire. It’s a demanding routine, but her time with Skeaping has become a constant source of support — a quiet routine that brought stability during her lowest moments. “He saved my life,” she said. “We’ve done it all on our own, and if we won [the award], it would be the pinnacle for us. We could look back with great pride at what we have achieved.” Voting for the RoR Horse of the Year closes Friday at 17:00 GMT on the charity’s website. Howie and Skeaping are one of three finalist pairs. Win or not, she says their journey together has already been a victory.
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New Magnetic Nanomaterial Could Target Bone Cancer and Help Heal Bone at the Same Time
A research team from Brazil and Portugal has developed a new kind of nanomaterial that could one day change how bone cancer is treated — by attacking tumors and helping damaged bones repair themselves, all in a single step. The material, described in the journal Magnetic Medicine, combines two hard-to-balance properties: magnetic heat generation for killing cancer cells, and bone-friendly bioactivity to support regrowth. It’s made from iron oxide nanoparticles — responsible for the magnetic heating — coated in a thin layer of bioactive glass that helps it bond with bone tissue. “Magnetic bioactive nanocomposites are very promising for bone cancer therapy because they can simultaneously ablate tumors through magnetic hyperthermia and support new bone growth,” said Dr. Ângela Andrade, lead author of the study. Two-in-One Solution The problem scientists have faced in this field is simple but difficult: materials that are good at generating the heat needed to kill cancer cells often aren’t great at bonding with bone, and vice versa. This new nanocomposite aims to do both. By wrapping the magnetic core in a shell of bioactive glass, the team created a “core-shell” structure that retains strong magnetization while encouraging bone regeneration. That structure allows it to generate heat when exposed to an alternating magnetic field — a process that damages or destroys cancer cells in the area — while also sticking to bone and triggering the body’s natural repair mechanisms. Fast Mineralization in Tests To simulate what would happen inside the body, the researchers placed the material in a solution that mimics human blood plasma. The results were promising: the particles quickly formed apatite, the mineral that makes up most of natural bone. That rapid formation suggests the material would bond well with bone after implantation. Different versions of the material were tested, and one stood out. “Among the tested formulations, the one with a higher calcium content demonstrated the fastest mineralization rate and the strongest magnetic response,” Andrade said. Minimally Invasive Potential The iron oxide core is what enables the treatment side of the therapy. When activated by a magnetic field, it produces enough localized heat to kill nearby cancer cells — a process called magnetic hyperthermia. It’s targeted and focused, reducing the risk to healthy surrounding tissues. Meanwhile, the outer bioactive glass helps trigger bone repair. That means the material doesn’t just treat the cancer — it also lays the groundwork for structural recovery, something patients often struggle with after tumor removal surgeries. “This study provides new insights into how surface chemistry and structure influence the performance of magnetic biomaterials,” Andrade said. “The findings open new perspectives on the development of increasingly advanced multifunctional materials that are both safe and effective for clinical use.” A Step Toward Smarter Therapies Bone cancer often requires aggressive treatment, including surgery that removes part of the bone along with the tumor. Recovery can be long and painful, and rebuilding the lost bone remains a major clinical challenge. The ability to treat the tumor and support bone healing at the same time could simplify care and improve outcomes. The study is an early-stage breakthrough, but it adds momentum to a growing field focused on smart materials that serve multiple medical purposes. If future trials are successful, this kind of nanocomposite could pave the way for more targeted, less invasive treatments for bone cancer — offering patients both a stronger chance of survival and a faster path to recovery.