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A New Mural is Helping Patients at This Hospital Feel Calm and Supported
A new accident and emergency department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital is set to open, featuring a massive mural aimed at making patients feel more welcome and at ease. The mural, created by local artist Emily Kaye, incorporates local landmarks and symbols, such as the Malvern Hills and pears. Hospital officials hope that this beautiful artwork will bring smiles to patients' faces and provide a more positive and comforting environment in the emergency unit.
Score (98)
This Swiss Family’s Solar-Powered Tractor is Turning Heads Across Europe — Here's Why
A Swiss family has quietly revolutionized the farming industry with Europe’s first all-electric, solar-assisted tractor—and it’s now rolling across five countries. Built by the Knüsel family in the canton of Schwyz, the Rigitrac SKE 40 is the product of over two decades of tractor engineering and a leap of imagination sparked by a simple observation: many farms already had solar panels on their rooftops. Why not build a tractor that could use that energy? The idea took root in 2018 when Theres Beutler-Knüsel, one of four daughters of company founder Sepp Knüsel, was studying at the University of Dresden. She teamed up with her father to build a prototype for an electric tractor—something no one in Europe had done before. “The development of the electric tractor was a long process with setbacks,” Beutler-Knüsel told Swiss broadcaster SRF. “When we started, many of the necessary individual parts were not yet on the market.” The family had to work directly with suppliers to design and produce the required components from scratch. The final product, released in 2019, was a sleek, compact machine designed for real-world use—particularly for vegetable farming and snow plowing, rather than the most heavy-duty agricultural work. The Rigitrac SKE 40 features four electric motors generating a combined 84 kilowatts of power. One motor drives the front wheels, another the rear, a third assists with starting, and a fourth supports auxiliary functions. And yes, it includes a solar panel on the roof to help extend the battery life during daylight operations. While it’s not built to plow massive fields, it’s already proven valuable for smaller farms and tasks that require agility, precision, and lower emissions. It’s currently being sold in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Norway, and Denmark—and even made it into the popular PC game Farming Simulator. In 2025, the Rigitrac team won Switzerland’s Watt d’Or—or “Golden Watt”—award from the Federal Office of Energy. The prize, though symbolic and without monetary reward, gave the company a significant publicity boost. “It’s great recognition that shows us we are on the right path,” Beutler-Knüsel said. The business is still very much a family affair. Sepp’s wife Marlis and daughters Edith, Doris, and Ruth all work at Rigitrac AG. One runs advertising and HR, another leads sales, and a third oversees the supply chain. Together, they’ve taken an idea born under the Swiss sun and turned it into a growing European success story. From a workshop in Schwyz to fields across the continent, this family’s invention is helping power a cleaner, smarter future for agriculture.
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After 200 Years, Bison Return to the Illinois Prairie in a Powerful Homecoming
To the beat of drums and the sound of singing, six American bison rumbled out of a trailer and onto the frozen prairie in northern Illinois, marking a historic moment 200 years in the making. Three male and three female bison were released this week at Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve in Kane County, about 100 kilometers northwest of Chicago. The event, witnessed at sunrise by a large crowd including members of the Santee Sioux tribe, marked the return of a keystone species to its ancestral habitat. “It’s different when you’re welcoming them back home,” said tribal elder Robert Wapahi, speaking to CBS News Chicago. “That’s their home, not mine.” Blanketed in traditional woven shawls and modern down jackets, the Santee Sioux had gathered to welcome the animals as relatives, not just as wildlife. It was a moment charged with emotion, ceremony, and a sense of ecological restoration. The six bison were first released into a fenced cattle enclosure, allowing them to slowly acclimate to their new home after being away for two centuries. In the spring, they’ll be moved to a larger fenced prairie area where their presence is expected to help restore the local ecosystem. “It’s really important and awesome to see another herd that is hitting the ground in a good way,” said one attendee, as drums welcomed the trailer’s arrival. The project is a partnership between the American Indian Center of Chicago—the oldest urban Native American cultural institution in the U.S.—and the Kane County Forest Preserve District. A designated herd manager will oversee the animals, ensuring their health and well-being as they settle in. At one time, tens of millions of bison roamed North America. Their near-eradication in the 19th century, down to just a few thousand, devastated not only prairie ecosystems but also Indigenous communities that depended on them. Even without widespread farming, the loss of bison changed the land. These animals shaped the prairie like beavers shape waterways. Their hooves flattened grasses and kept dominant species in check. Their shaggy coats carried seeds far and wide. Their waste fertilized the soil, and their habit of wallowing in the dirt created water-retaining pits that helped the prairie survive drought. That kind of ecological engineering can't be easily replaced. Which is why even a small herd, like the one now in Illinois, matters. Across the continent, bison are slowly making a comeback. Conservation groups, tribal nations, and public land managers are working together to reintroduce them where prairie still exists. Six bison may be a modest beginning, but it’s a meaningful one. Judging by the cheers and the broad smiles from those who watched them step onto the snowy ground, the return of these animals was more than symbolic. It was deeply personal. For the Santee Sioux and for the land itself, this wasn’t just a release. It was a reunion.
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Score (96)
North Sea Set to Become World’s Largest Clean Energy Hub Under Landmark Wind Pact
A massive offshore wind initiative is taking shape across Europe’s North Sea. On Friday, 10 countries formally signed the Hamburg Declaration, pledging to develop 100 gigawatts of shared offshore wind power by 2050—enough to supply electricity to roughly 143 million homes. Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom are backing the agreement, which aims to transform the North Sea into the “world’s largest clean energy reservoir.” It’s the biggest joint offshore wind commitment of its kind, and it comes with a hefty €9.5 billion investment and an ambition to unlock €1 trillion in capital. The plan is expected to create more than 90,000 jobs and reduce electricity production costs by 30 percent over the next 15 years. “We’re standing up for our national interest by driving for clean energy, which can get the UK off the fossil fuel rollercoaster and give us energy sovereignty and abundance,” said UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. The pact marks a major acceleration in Europe’s wind energy buildout. Just three years ago, North Sea countries announced a collective target of 300GW of offshore wind by 2050 in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and the energy crisis it triggered across Europe. A third of that target is now expected to come from cross-border projects. For the first time, wind farms will be directly connected to multiple countries using a new approach called multi-purpose interconnectors, or MPIs. These cables will run under the sea and allow electricity to flow from one wind farm into more than one national grid. That’s a change from the current system, where wind farms typically send power to just one country. According to a joint statement from RenewableUK and National Grid Ventures, the new approach will require less infrastructure, reducing the burden on coastal communities and lowering the environmental impact. But not everyone is on board. In Norway, MPIs have stirred controversy over fears that electricity generated at sea could be sold to foreign buyers, driving up domestic prices and reducing supply. In response, some governments are now introducing rules to restrict electricity exports when domestic needs aren’t being met. Despite the pushback, Germany’s economy minister Katherina Reiche framed the initiative as a win for jobs and long-term security. She said it offers “reliable perspectives” for the offshore sector and will help ensure “creation of value in Europe.” The timing is pointed. The Hamburg Declaration comes just days after former U.S. President Donald Trump mocked wind power investments, calling countries that pursue them “losers.” But the numbers suggest otherwise. Last year, wind and solar combined generated more electricity in the EU than fossil fuels for the first time. Energy experts hailed the milestone, even as they warned that outdated transmission grids remain a bottleneck for renewable growth. That’s part of what makes the Hamburg Declaration notable—it doesn’t just boost generation, it tackles distribution too. There’s still a long way to go. But for countries trying to move away from volatile fossil fuel markets, the North Sea may soon offer more than just fish and ferries. It could be the backbone of a new energy era.
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"She Saved My Life”: Georgia Mom Thanks Teacher Who Rescued Her Son
Dalton Tomberlain, a seventh-grader in Georgia, thought he was going to die. He had been eating a burger at McClure Middle School in Cobb County when something went wrong. “I felt like a soreness in my throat, and then I just could not breathe,” Dalton said. “I thought I was going to die a little bit ... it was just scary.” As the blockage in his throat cut off his oxygen, Dalton placed his hands around his neck—a universal sign of choking—hoping someone would notice. Valerie Hodge did. Although she isn’t Dalton’s teacher, the middle school English teacher didn’t hesitate. “I didn't really even think, honestly,” she said. “I just kind of reacted. I saw a student who was in trouble and ... I just went into action.” She performed the Heimlich maneuver, clearing Dalton’s airway in time. The incident was shared in a video posted by the Cobb County School District. Dalton, safe and breathing again, said simply: “She saved my life, so it’s a big thing.” His mother, Courtney Tomberlain, got a phone call from the school about what happened. “From what I understand, he was turning blue,” she said. “I can’t thank her enough. She took care of business and she didn’t think twice, and I don't know what the outcome could have been; it could have been a tragic situation for our family.” Instead, Dalton was able to go home that day. The school district’s post highlighting Hodge’s quick actions has drawn praise from the community, with parents and staff calling her a hero. But Hodge herself downplayed the title. For her, it was instinct. A student needed help. So she helped.
Score (97)
Two Strangers Pulled a 9-Month-Old Baby from a Burning Car, Just Seconds Before It Exploded
A mother in Wales is calling two strangers her heroes after they rescued her baby daughter from a burning car—just moments before it was completely engulfed in flames. Alex McClean, 21, was driving through Ebbw Vale on January 14 when she noticed smoke coming from her car around 1:20 p.m. She immediately pulled over and jumped out of the driver’s side, but when she ran to the back door to reach her 9-month-old daughter Lilah, the door wouldn’t open. “I was panicking trying to open the doors,” McClean told the BBC. “I thought everything was just locked. I was hysterical and had no idea what was going on. I thought I was going to lose her.” She screamed for help as cars passed by, trying desperately to smash a window with her keys. That’s when Wesley Beynon, 39, and his uncle, Marc Willding, 58, happened to be driving by and saw the smoke. “It was horrifying,” Wesley said. The two men pulled over and rushed toward the vehicle. Wesley managed to climb in through the driver’s door and reach Lilah, carefully passing her to Marc through the front seat. “There were flames visible when we got in the car,” Wesley said. “I could see them through the windshield. It was pretty terrifying, I’m not going to lie.” Just 30 to 60 seconds later, the entire car was in flames. “If they weren’t there, it would have been so bad,” McClean said. “It was such a relief to get her out of the car. I’ve never been so appreciative of someone helping me. There were so many other people that didn’t bother stopping.” The two men said instinct simply took over. “We’d have tried to save her any way possible,” said Marc. Wesley added, “I couldn’t bear to imagine what they would have gone through if we didn’t get the baby.” McClean later reunited with the pair to thank them in person, calling them “real lifesavers.” She said she will make sure Lilah grows up knowing exactly who they are and what they did for her. “I’ll never forget them,” she said. Wesley hopes their actions serve as a reminder. “Just stop and help,” he said. “You could potentially change somebody’s life—as we have just done.”
Score (98)
Virginia High School Students are Fixing Up Cars and Giving Them to Single Moms in Need
Every few months, a garage door opens at Louisa County High School and a single mom is handed the keys to a newly repaired car—complete with a big red bow and a round of student applause. For eight years now, students in the school’s automotive technology program in Mineral, Virginia, have been doing more than just learning how to fix cars—they’ve been changing lives. Each semester, around 20 students work together to refurbish donated vehicles, which are then gifted to single mothers in the community. “The whole class is very rewarding,” said 16-year-old Holden Pekary, one of the students in the program. He recalled the moment he saw a mother holding a baby while receiving a car. “It gives you more of a purpose.” The course, taught by Shane Robertson, trains students in real-world vehicle maintenance—everything from brake repair and battery testing to tire changes and heating system fixes. But the lessons go far beyond the mechanical. “They get the real-life grit behind why they are really doing a task,” Robertson told ABC. “This is somebody’s real car and you’re really making a change in the world.” The program is a collaboration with Giving Words, a nonprofit started by Eddie Brown and his wife—both of whom were single parents themselves. Their goal: to help other single parents navigate transportation hurdles that can upend work schedules, school drop-offs, and daily life. “So far, we’ve given over 60 cars away, and repaired more than 260,” Brown told WTVR. One of those success stories is Jessica Rader, a single mom of three who overcame addiction and was relying on friends and family for rides. When the students presented her with a refurbished 2007 gold Toyota Prius, it changed everything. “It’s not just about the car, it’s about community,” she told The Washington Post. “Kids who never met me cared about me enough to put hard work into a vehicle to make sure myself and my kids were safe. I got to meet all of them. It was breathtaking.” Since receiving the car, Jessica has gone from part-time work to full-time employment. A reliable ride helped her reclaim independence and stability—proof of what a little under-the-hood kindness can do. Giving Words continues to work with repair shops and local donors to expand its reach, but the heart of the program remains the students at Louisa High, where the sounds of ratchets and tire irons double as the soundtrack to something much bigger. “It’s a helping hand,” Jessica said. “And a reminder that kindness can be delivered at any age.”
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New App Uses Drones and AI to Pinpoint Plastic Waste on Beaches
Volunteers cleaning up plastic waste from beaches now have a high-tech ally: drones powered by artificial intelligence. A research team at the University of Limerick has developed a mobile app and drone-based system that identifies plastic debris along coastlines and sends precise GPS coordinates to cleanup crews. The app, which is free to use, helps volunteers head straight to where trash is actually piling up—saving time, energy, and guesswork. The system was created to solve a common frustration in beach cleanups: not knowing where to go. Plastic rarely spreads out evenly along the shore. Instead, tidal flows and nearby waterways create concentrated “hot spots” of waste. Without good data, cleanup crews often end up covering the same low-impact areas while missing the worst offenders. By mounting machine-learning software on drones, the researchers taught the system to distinguish bits of plastic from natural materials like seaweed, driftwood, or rocks. That process took months of testing along Ireland’s rugged coastline. Early versions of the system struggled with shadows and false positives, but now it can detect plastic as small as one centimeter across from the air. “It has already been tested with five community groups around Ireland with positive results, averaging 30 plastics spotted per 10-minute drone flight, varying by location,” said Gerard Dooly, assistant professor in engineering at the University of Limerick, in an interview with The Conversation. Ireland’s coastline spans more than 3,000 kilometers, and plastic pollution is a growing problem there. A 2018 study found that 73% of fish in Ireland’s deep waters had ingested plastic. At least 250 species in the region, including seabirds and marine mammals, have been documented with plastic waste in their systems. Globally, the problem is staggering. The United Nations estimates that up to 23 million tonnes of plastic enter rivers and oceans every year. The new app makes it easy for volunteers to make an impact. Anyone can download it, receive drone-sourced coordinates, and head straight to the plastic. Users can also upload their own drone footage, creating a kind of crowd-sourced cleanup map. Community groups that have tested the system say it’s also turning into a fun, family-friendly experience. With GPS directions and a real-world goal, some have compared it to a treasure hunt. That gamified element is drawing in new participants—including children who enjoy tracking down the targets. The hope is that the combination of cutting-edge tech and grassroots participation can shift the odds in favor of those trying to protect coastlines. And with a drone’s-eye view, the plastic can no longer hide.
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Scientists Discover Promising Alzheimer's Treatment Using a Natural Compound
Singapore may boast one of the world’s highest life expectancies, but for many, the final decade of life is marked by poor health and cognitive decline. Now, researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) say a naturally occurring molecule could offer new hope—not just to treat Alzheimer’s, but to delay the aging process itself. In a study published in Aging Cell, scientists from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, led by Professor Brian K Kennedy, discovered that calcium alpha-ketoglutarate (CaAKG)—a compound already found in the body—may help restore brain functions that are lost in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings suggest that CaAKG could play a key role in protecting memory, improving neuron communication, and even promoting healthier brain aging overall. “Our findings reveal the exciting potential of longevity compounds in addressing Alzheimer’s disease,” said Kennedy, who also chairs the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme at NUS Medicine. CaAKG is a derivative of alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), a metabolite known for its links to cellular health and longevity. Levels of AKG naturally decline with age, and scientists believe that replenishing it could help counter the physical and cognitive effects of getting older. The team set out to see whether CaAKG could restore learning and memory functions in the Alzheimer’s brain, particularly by improving “synaptic plasticity”—the brain’s ability to form new connections. That ability is one of the first to deteriorate in neurodegenerative disease. In Alzheimer’s disease models, the compound had a notable impact: it repaired disrupted communication between neurons and restored associative memory, the function that allows people to connect experiences and form new memories. The effects extended beyond memory. CaAKG boosted long-term potentiation (LTP), a process vital to how the brain encodes learning. In healthy brains, LTP helps strengthen the link between neurons. But in Alzheimer’s, that connection breaks down. CaAKG appeared to restore LTP to normal levels. The compound also stimulated autophagy, the brain’s built-in system for clearing out damaged proteins. This internal “clean-up” process is crucial for keeping neurons healthy and functioning well into old age. Unlike other Alzheimer’s treatments, CaAKG bypassed the brain receptors commonly impaired by amyloid buildup—a hallmark of the disease—and instead acted through a newly identified signaling route involving calcium channels and AMPA receptors. This pathway helped increase neuronal flexibility without triggering damage-prone mechanisms. One of the study’s most promising discoveries was that CaAKG restored synaptic tagging and capture, a complex memory-building process that links separate experiences together. That mechanism is essential for higher-level learning and is among the first to decline in Alzheimer’s patients. “For us, the goal was to determine whether a compound originally explored for extending healthy lifespan could be helpful for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Sheeja Navakkode, the study’s first author and a research scientist at NUS Medicine. “Understanding the cellular mechanisms of how CaAKG improves synaptic plasticity sheds light on new ways to protect memory and slow brain aging.” Rather than treating Alzheimer’s as a standalone illness, the NUS team is part of a growing movement focused on geroprotective strategies—therapies that target the underlying biology of aging. The idea is to intervene before disease symptoms even appear, by delaying the deterioration that often accompanies age. Because AKG is naturally present in the body and already widely studied, researchers believe it could offer a safer and more accessible path forward than conventional drugs. Kennedy said compounds like CaAKG may one day be used alongside existing treatments to reinforce the brain’s resilience to decline. Clinical applications remain on the horizon, and more research is needed to explore how these findings might translate to humans. But the results offer a glimpse into a future where living longer doesn’t have to mean living with decline—and where the biology of aging itself could be the next frontier in fighting diseases like Alzheimer’s.
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How a Community Rallied To Save This 400-Year-Old Historic Barn
A 400-year-old barn in Lancashire is getting a major facelift. The Grade I-listed great barn at Gawthorpe Hall in Padiham is undergoing a £1.35 million roof restoration, part of a broader effort to revive the historic estate. Built in 1605, the 30-metre-long barn has weathered centuries of use and decay, and its leaky roof is finally being overhauled after years of patchwork fixes. Specialist conservation teams are restoring the structure using traditional heritage techniques, including oak timber repairs and stone slate roofing. Many of the original slates are being carefully removed and reused, one by one, to maintain the barn’s authenticity. Dan Taylor, general manager for the National Trust in South Cumbria and Lancashire, said the barn’s original roof structure is “jaw-dropping” and that its restoration opens the door to new uses for the community. “It soars above a structure which includes some of the earliest dated ox stalls in Britain,” he said. The barn has had a long and varied life. Once used for agricultural storage, it later served as an indoor training area for Burnley Football Club and more recently operated as an arts and exhibition space. But it has been closed to the public since 2008. The roof project is just one part of a wider plan to reimagine the site. The barn’s coach house and toilet block are also being worked on, and the restoration offers opportunities for local craftspeople to train in heritage skills, including stone pointing and timber construction. There are environmental benefits too. The barn is home to colonies of brown long-eared and pipistrel bats, and the improvements will make the space more suitable for breeding and hibernation. Ranger David Bevis said the Trust is gathering ideas for how the restored barn can serve the local community. Suggestions include craft markets, weddings, pop-up food events, and even medieval banquets once the building reopens in the summer. The restoration is also the first step in a larger, long-term development plan for Gawthorpe Hall itself. The Elizabethan mansion was built between 1600 and 1605 for the Shuttleworth family, and later redesigned by Sir Charles Barry—best known for the Houses of Parliament and Highclere Castle, the setting for Downton Abbey. Gawthorpe’s interiors remain a snapshot of Victorian life, shaped by the Kay-Shuttleworth family who lived there for nearly four centuries. The hall famously hosted Charlotte Brontë in the 1850s, and has since inspired authors like Elizabeth Gaskell and, more recently, Stacey Halls, who set her bestselling novel The Familiars at the estate. Once the roof is complete and the barn reopens, the National Trust hopes it will become a hub for both heritage and community—a place where the past supports the future.
Score (98)
UPS Driver Saves 101-Year-Old Woman From Burning Home In California
When a fire broke out in a Santa Ana home last week, it was a UPS driver—not emergency crews—who first rushed in to save a 101-year-old woman trapped inside. The fire started on the afternoon of January 15 in the kitchen of Ann Edwards’ home, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. Neighbors were the first to notice smoke pouring from the house. Several of them ran over and tried to help, banging on the door to get Edwards’ attention. But she was hesitant to leave. That’s when they spotted a UPS truck nearby. The driver, Willy Esquivel, had been making deliveries on the street. Without hesitation, he ran to the door, picked up the elderly woman, and carried her to safety. “I just did what I thought was right,” Esquivel later told KTLA 5. “At the end of the day, she’s someone’s mother, someone’s grandmother, great-grandmother.” Esquivel said he doesn’t see himself as a hero. “I’m just a UPS driver who was in the right place at the right time,” he said. “I’m just glad I was able to lend a hand when it was needed. I hope she has a quick recovery.” Neighbors didn’t stop there. Some grabbed fire extinguishers and tried to put out the flames that had erupted in the kitchen. One, a roofer by trade, grabbed a ladder, climbed onto the roof, and sprayed water into the kitchen vent using a garden hose. By the time firefighters arrived, the flames had spread into the attic, but the worst had been avoided. Emergency crews extinguished the rest of the fire, and Edwards was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. According to the fire authority, the damage could have been far worse. “A remarkable outcome made possible by quick action, teamwork and people looking out for one another in a moment of need,” the department said in a statement. Edwards’ son, Rick, was deeply moved by the rescue. “Thank you, because I bet you it took a little bit to get my mom out of there,” he said to Esquivel during an interview with KTLA 5. “God bless you, man, for sticking with her and getting her out of there.” The fire department hasn’t released further details about the cause of the blaze, but praised the collective effort of neighbors and Esquivel for preventing a tragedy. As for Esquivel, he was back on his delivery route the next day. Quietly, like always.