Bye-Bye Burps! How Neutral Foods is Reducing Cow Emissions The Healthy Way

Neutral Foods is making waves in the dairy industry! This innovative carbon-neutral food company is leading the way in reducing emissions on farms across America. The Milk company is enhancing cow diets with essential oils and separating solids from liquids when managing manure. The results? Reduced methane emissions, improved cow health, increased milk production and lower feed costs for farmers! Thanks to this creative approach, Neutral Foods is making strides to help save the planet while bringing eco-friendly milk to grocery stores across America.

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Wheelchair User Adapts Strictly Dance Routines to Inspire Others

When Fay Crockett was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis at 16, she thought her dancing days were over. Nearly a decade later, she’s not only dancing again — she’s adapting Strictly Come Dancing routines for wheelchair users and sharing them with thousands online. “I never imagined this would become part of my life,” says Crockett, now 25. “But my wheelchair has come to represent freedom, especially when it allows me to do things I love like dance.” Crockett began dancing as a child, long before her ME — also known as chronic fatigue syndrome — forced her to give up in-person classes and eventually rely on a wheelchair. The neurological disease affects around 390,000 people in the UK and can cause extreme exhaustion, pain, and mobility issues. For Crockett, it meant a period of being bedbound. But even then, she never stopped dancing — at least in her head. “Whilst I was stuck in bed I used to choreograph dances in my head to every piece of music I heard,” she said. “From that moment, I knew that if I ever got the chance to dance again, I would do everything I could to make it happen.” That chance came during the pandemic. Like many dancers and instructors, Crockett noticed a shift to online classes and realised she could participate — and even teach — from home. She earned several dance qualifications, launched her own weekly online classes, and began adapting Strictly Come Dancing routines to suit her wheelchair. By 2023, she was posting these adapted routines to her TikTok page. The response surprised her. “My videos were liked, shared, and commented on by celebrities, professional dancers, judges, and choreographers,” Crockett said. “I never expected the response I received.” Among her many supporters were dancers from the Strictly cast itself. Her growing popularity eventually earned her a feature on the BBC’s behind-the-scenes companion show It Takes Two. Crockett’s choreography process starts with watching Strictly performances and identifying which styles can be adapted. “I take note of which dances or styles might work best, avoiding routines that rely heavily on lifts or long periods in hold,” she said. Routines with strong upper-body movement, she added, usually “catch my eye.” She then breaks the dance down into accessible segments and records each video in one take. But her journey to embracing dance — and her wheelchair — wasn’t simple. After her diagnosis, Crockett says she was “incredibly reluctant” to accept that she needed a wheelchair. “There were the constant stares, the occasional judgmental comments, and the deep fear of being seen by anyone I knew – a reflection of my own, very human, internalised ableism,” she said. At first, she tried returning to ballet classes in person, but the travel took too much of a toll on her body. It was only when she began dancing from home that things started to click again. “Dance will always look different for me, but it's mine again. That, to me, is everything.” Crockett now hopes to see a wheelchair user competing on Strictly Come Dancing one day — not as a novelty, but as part of the show’s continued evolution. As her online audience grows and her routines continue to inspire, Crockett says the goal is simple: to make dance feel possible for people who’ve been told it isn’t. And in doing so, she’s not just reimagining choreography — she’s helping reframe what freedom can look like.

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Waste Disposal Workers Just Rescued And Adopted Kittens From a Woodpile

Four tiny kittens are lucky to be alive — and even luckier to have landed in homes with the workers who saved them. Oreo, Biscuit, Mittens and Bob were just three weeks old when they were unknowingly transported five miles in a skip full of wood to the Tancred waste transfer station near York. The two-tonne load was just minutes from being dumped by industrial shovels when the kittens' faint cries stopped everything. “They’re the luckiest cats to be around,” said Yorwaste driver Nik Smith, who had picked up the skip and was on-site when the meows were heard. He and his colleagues found the litter buried inside the pile, which also contained a half-eaten rabbit — possibly brought in by the kittens’ mother. There were no microchips, and the vet confirmed they were likely feral. But despite the close call, the kittens came out of it healthy. Just hungry. So began a stretch of bottle-feeding and round-the-clock care by Smith and his coworkers. Smith ended up keeping Bob, who he describes as “a terror.” His fellow workers Andrew Pattinson and Alan Dyer adopted the others. Pattinson took home Mittens, despite initial concerns about how she’d get along with his new English bull terrier puppy. Turns out there was no need to worry. “But obviously he's the boss now,” Pattinson said. Dyer, already a cat owner, had been thinking about adding a third to the family. Instead, he took two — Oreo and Biscuit. “I thought, ‘oh, they're really cute kittens, really young, really small,’” he said. Now four months old, the pair are thriving. Biscuit is the mellow one. Oreo? “Boss of the house,” Dyer said. He’s not exaggerating. “Biscuit, once he's had his dinner, he'll just come up, climb up on my chest or on my shoulder, and just goes to sleep,” Dyer added. No one knows exactly where the kittens came from. As a hooklift driver, Smith collects skips from all over North Yorkshire, so their original location is a mystery. The kitten rescue isn’t the first time Yorwaste employees have stepped in to help animals. Back in June, another driver pulled over on the A59 during rush hour traffic to rescue a lone duckling running down the road. He took the duckling home, named him Ruffles, and eventually found him a companion named Bourbon. Now, with their homes full of pets, Smith, Pattinson and Dyer haven’t ruled out taking in more rescues. But they’re keeping things in check — sort of. “Don’t you send the photos to my wife or she’ll say bring it home,” Pattinson joked. Smith’s response? “Never say never.”

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Photographer Sparks Viral Connection With Strangers Through Unique Photoshoots

When Brooke LeVesque picked up a camera six years ago, it was just a creative outlet. By 2021, she’d turned it into a full-time career. And in October 2025, a single photoshoot changed everything. LeVesque, 25, had been photographing couples and moments of love for years. But a friend's request led her to try something new — photographing two total strangers meeting for the first time. The idea was simple: skip the dating apps, the curated bios, the filtered selfies, and see what happened when two people just… met. What started as a favor has now become a full-blown project — and something of a social media phenomenon. “I’ve had over 1,600 applications so far, which just shows how many people are craving something real – a genuine spark, not a swipe,” LeVesque told PEOPLE. The project is based in Ocala, Florida. Applicants fill out a form with questions about their personality and interests, and LeVesque carefully pairs them up for a blind photoshoot. The strangers don’t know each other’s names. They meet for the first time on camera. LeVesque calls the series "stranger sessions." She never expected it to blow up. One particular shoot — her second — did just that. It featured 27-year-olds Ali Oswalt and David Barrett, two strangers whose chemistry was hard to ignore. In the photos, they laugh, slow dance barefoot in the sand, even attempt the famous lift from Dirty Dancing. It’s cinematic. And when they jumped into Lake Weir at the end, it felt like something straight out of a Nicholas Sparks film. Even the weather seemed to lean into the drama. Rain poured down, but the two refused to stop. “Ali and David’s photoshoot was memorable for many reasons,” LeVesque said. “They immediately connected, to the point where they couldn’t stop talking to one another.” The shoot racked up more than 3.5 million views on TikTok. Commenters were captivated by their chemistry, flooding the post with reactions like “I believe in love again” and “They have to get married.” And then came the question everyone was asking: did they stay in touch? Oswalt and Barrett gave it a shot, spending time together after the session. But ultimately, they decided friendship suited them better. “After getting to know each other more, we decided we’d be better off as just friends,” Oswalt told PEOPLE. Barrett said the experience was “like nothing I’ve ever done or felt before,” adding that when he first saw Oswalt, “she was so beautiful it took me a second to focus, but once I did, I didn’t want the session to end.” The outcome might not have been the fairytale fans were hoping for, but the magic of that single meeting — and the images that captured it — was enough to keep people watching. Since then, LeVesque has completed four more stranger sessions, and she’s not slowing down. Her inbox keeps filling, her schedule keeps booking, and the strangers keep showing up. “These sessions aren’t about perfect matches or fairytale endings,” she said. “They’re about taking a risk, being open, and letting yourself be seen.” What people respond to, she believes, isn’t just the possibility of romance — it’s the hope of connection. A reminder that even in a disconnected world, something real can still happen. Even between strangers. Even in the rain.

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Couple Adopts Blind, Deaf Dog Who Plays Special Role in Their Wedding

Meghan and Matt Rogers didn’t plan on adopting a blind and deaf dog. They certainly didn’t plan on making him a central part of their wedding. But Benjamin, an aging bully mix with a tuxedo bandana and a quiet presence, had other plans. The couple first connected with Benjamin through Wags & Walks, a Nashville-based animal rescue group. The dog had landed in their care after spending time in a shelter, and he was in rough shape — blind, deaf, suffering from seizures, and in need of a family willing to take him in for what time he had left. “We were a little nervous about having a blind and deaf dog and knowing how to communicate and make sure all his needs were met,” Meghan told PEOPLE. “I just didn’t want to set either of us up for failure.” Despite the hesitation, they brought Benjamin home that same night. “Ultimately, I know it’s cliché, but even though I was nervous, in the back of my mind I knew I was going to say yes,” she said. The couple had previously fostered a few dogs through the organization, but Benjamin was different. Adjusting to life with him wasn’t simple. He wasn’t affectionate at first and had trouble settling into his new environment. But gradually, something shifted. “My favorite memory of Benjamin would have to be when I knew he finally felt love and safe with us,” Matt said. “He wasn't very affectionate, but he fell asleep on my lap while I was rubbing his head and was just comfortable, maybe, for the first time in his life.” As the couple continued planning their wedding, they realized Benjamin had become family — and they couldn’t imagine having the ceremony without him. A traditional wedding with a dog who hated car rides wasn’t going to work, so they came up with an alternative: an intimate backyard ceremony with close family, right at home. “In his tuxedo bandana, he just wandered around outside,” Meghan recalled. “But once I walked up to meet Matt, the most amazing thing happened. Despite being completely blind and deaf, Benjamin walked up directly between us, like he just knew he needed to be there.” “It literally brought us all to tears,” she said. “It was so special. He could sense something was happening, and I like to think it was his stamp of approval.” Benjamin died the following weekend. The couple says the timing felt meaningful — like he had waited until after the wedding to say goodbye. “It still brings tears to my eyes,” Meghan said. “He held on just long enough, and it’s that much more meaningful that it was our last weekend with him.” The loss still lingers. Meghan says she misses seeing him sunbathe, knowing that was his happy place. But what stays with her even more is how much he changed their lives — and how much he taught them. “We would do it again in a heartbeat,” she said. “Our lives are forever changed because of him.” For others thinking about taking in an older animal, Meghan didn’t hesitate. “DO IT,” she said. “We truly can’t tell you how much Benjamin taught us about patience and perseverance, and to just enjoy the little things. They say old dogs can't learn new tricks, but they can sure teach some.”

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How This Giant Inflatable Bag Could Catch Asteroids And Space Junk

In the shadow of collapsing mines and climate-choked supply chains, some entrepreneurs are looking up — literally. Asteroids, rich in metals and minerals, are being eyed as a sustainable solution to Earth’s increasingly destructive mining practices. And one company, TransAstra, believes it’s found a low-cost way to catch them: a giant space bag. Yes, a bag. Based in California, TransAstra is designing inflatable Capture Bags that can snare everything from watermelon-sized debris to house-sized asteroids. The bags are made from aerospace-grade materials like Kevlar and aluminum, and they come in six sizes — from one that fits in a coffee cup to a version that could enclose a 10,000-ton asteroid. The company’s founder, Joel Sercel, an aerospace engineer who once taught at Caltech, says asteroid mining is one of the hardest problems in space — but it’s also one of the most promising. “To solve the asteroid mining problem, you actually have to solve four other problems: detect, capture, move, and process,” Sercel said. “We have tech in all those areas.” So far, TransAstra has raised $12 million in private venture capital and secured another $15 million through contracts and grants with NASA and the U.S. Space Force. With more than 20 patents and a new one filed almost monthly, the company has already completed a test of its Capture Bag aboard the International Space Station — minus any asteroid grabbing — and is now building a much larger, flight-ready version with support from NASA. Why Mine Asteroids? Asteroids contain precious and industrial metals — platinum, nickel, cobalt, and more — in concentrations often far richer than Earth’s mines. Unlike terrestrial mining, which is tied to ecological damage, political instability, and dwindling reserves, asteroid mining offers the potential for high-yield, off-world extraction — especially if the materials are used directly in space. Sercel doesn't believe in hauling resources back to Earth. His vision is bolder: mine and manufacture in space, creating the infrastructure to support satellites, spacecraft, and future missions using local materials instead of shipping everything from Earth. A Giant Bag With Big Ambitions TransAstra’s Capture Bags are central to this plan. The system is simple in concept: a spacecraft approaches an asteroid, releases the bag, which then inflates around the target, enclosing it safely. The bag is leak-proof and designed to accommodate a range of shapes, sizes, and even tumbling motion — something robotic arms often struggle with. The largest version could wrap around a small building. Right now, the company is developing a 10-meter Capture Bag — large enough to handle decommissioned satellites or a 100-ton asteroid. The engineering phase is nearly complete, with flight testing expected soon. Before any asteroid missions, however, the technology will get a test run in a more immediate space hazard: orbital debris. Thousands of defunct satellites, rocket parts, and fragments orbit the Earth at dangerous speeds. Cleaning up this “space junk” is becoming a priority for space agencies — and it’s where TransAstra hopes to prove its tech. “That 10-meter bag will be big enough to find satellites in graveyard orbits and move them to a safer place,” Sercel said. “It’s a risk mitigator for the full asteroid mining mission.” The First Space Gold Rush? TransAstra’s asteroid detection effort is already underway with its Sutter telescope network, named after the California site where gold was first discovered in 1848. The telescopes are scanning the skies from Arizona, California, and Australia, with a fourth site planned in Spain. The focus: small, slow-moving asteroids in Earth-like orbits around the sun. “These objects drift very slowly by the Earth,” Sercel explained. “We already know where hundreds of them are, and we’re planning on going and getting the first one in 2028.” That timeline is ambitious. Other private asteroid mining companies, like Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries, raised millions but folded before they could get a spacecraft off the ground. To date, only government missions from NASA and JAXA (Japan’s space agency) have successfully returned asteroid samples — and those cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Still, outside observers say TransAstra’s approach shows promise. Eleonora Botta, an aerospace engineering professor at the University at Buffalo, noted that the flexibility of the bag system is a major strength: “This versatility is valuable for asteroid capture and even more so for managing space debris.” She added that successfully scaling the technology for large missions will be a significant engineering challenge, but one the company seems poised to take on. John Crassidis, a NASA consultant and space debris expert, also sees potential. “If it works, then it’ll really open the doors for asteroid mining,” he said. “The big question is: can they find enough asteroids to make it cost feasible? We’ll find out — 2028 is pretty ambitious in my opinion, but I hope they make it.” Mining the Future While mining the stars might still sound like science fiction, the building blocks are starting to fall into place. With space becoming more congested and climate pressures intensifying here on Earth, ideas like TransAstra’s no longer feel so far-fetched. As Sercel puts it: “We think that the prospecting of asteroids will lead to the gold rush to space.” If he’s right, the next great mineral boom may not happen underground — but somewhere just beyond Earth’s orbit, tucked inside an inflatable bag.

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Meet The Top 5 CNN Heroes Of 2025: Changing Lives With Kindness And Courage

From transforming vacant lots into flower farms to offering comfort to frontline firefighters, this year’s Top 5 CNN Heroes are redefining what it means to give back. Each of them was nominated by the public and chosen by CNN for their remarkable contributions to their communities — and to the world. Each Hero will receive $10,000 and support from The Elevate Prize Foundation to expand their efforts. Now, they’re all in the running for the 2025 CNN Hero of the Year — a title that comes with an additional $100,000 grant to help grow their mission. Voting is open now at CNN.com/Heroes , and the winner will be revealed during the “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” on Saturday, December 6 at 8 p.m. ET, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Laura Coates. Here’s a closer look at the five inspiring finalists: Quilen Blackwell: Growing Hope on Chicago’s South Side After witnessing the challenges facing youth in Englewood, Blackwell didn’t just offer help — he moved in. Through Southside Blooms, he transforms vacant lots into vibrant, sustainable flower farms. The initiative employs at-risk youth and gives them a path to grow, literally and figuratively. “Our young people are blossoming and blooming every single day.” Heidi Carman: Bringing Comfort to First Responders When California’s wildfires raged in 2020, Carman and her golden retriever, Kerith, began visiting exhausted firefighters. The response was so powerful, it sparked a movement. Today, First Responder Therapy Dogs has trained more than 500 dog-and-handler teams, providing emotional support to over 150,000 first responders across 46 states. “I’m grateful to Kerith for showing me the way.” Hillary Cohen: Feeding L.A. With Hollywood Leftovers Hollywood sets often discard untouched gourmet meals — and Cohen couldn’t stand to watch. So she co-founded Every Day Action, a nonprofit that reroutes that food to those in need. Since 2020, the team has rescued over 270,000 meals, addressing hunger and reducing waste at the same time. “Giving someone that’s hungry, food – is the best thing one can do.” Debra Des Vignes: Giving a Voice to the Incarcerated After years as a crime reporter, Des Vignes stepped into a prison classroom — and never looked back. Her nonprofit, Indiana Prison Writers Workshop, helps incarcerated individuals process trauma through writing. More than 250 participants have found healing, self-expression, and a sense of belonging. “Learning their stories and where they come from puts it all into perspective.” Tim Woodward: Rescuing Animals from Cruelty Woodward has spent over a decade saving animals from large-scale abuse cases — puppy mills, hoarding situations, illegal breeders. His group, Animal Rescue Corps, has rescued more than 10,000 animals, giving them a second chance at life. “My hope is that they forget all about where they came from.” Each of these Heroes is a reminder that compassion, creativity, and courage can move mountains — and that everyday people really can change the world.

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‘Hope is a Prayer’: Singer HAZE on Finding Peace Through Music and Mental Health Struggles

For Harriet Laws, music wasn’t just a passion — it became a lifeline. The 26-year-old singer-songwriter, who performs under the name HAZE, has just released a new liquid drum and bass track titled Hope is a Prayer, a deeply personal anthem inspired by her experience living with bipolar disorder. “Music helped save me in many ways,” she said. Speaking to BBC Radio Guernsey, HAZE opened up about how songwriting and performance became central to her healing. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 19 and spent time in her early twenties on a psychiatric ward. That’s when everything shifted. “It wasn't until I became sick that I realised music and singing was an outlet for me,” she said. “It wasn't until then that I realised I have a way forward. I have hope here.” Born and raised in Guernsey, she discovered the liquid drum and bass genre as a teenager, listening to it in nightclubs on the island. She describes it as “very peaceful” — a contrast to the chaos she sometimes felt inside. Her latest track is more than just a new release; it’s a reflection of survival. “I was reflecting on being in hospital and coming out of it,” she said. “And I believe… there is hope. If you just reach out, you find that one thing that gives you hope, whatever that might be.” Now living in Brighton, HAZE moved to the UK at 18 and began writing music more seriously in recent years. The transition wasn’t easy. “Moving to the UK has brought about many new struggles for me that I've had to overcome,” she said. “I've overcome this through music, but also by meeting new people in the industry.” Whenever her mental health dips, she turns to creativity. “Whenever I feel sad or down, I start singing — I put pen to my pad, I start writing poetry, raps,” she said. Hope is a Prayer is ultimately about trusting yourself and following what you love. And for HAZE, that’s not just music — it’s connection, too. She hopes to maintain strong ties with Guernsey through future projects, including filming music videos back home. At its core, her message is simple: healing looks different for everyone, but for her, hope began with a beat.

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Parents Exchange Vows at Hospital That Saved Their NICU Baby Born at 25 Weeks

When Timeshay Brown went in for a routine ultrasound, she didn’t expect to meet her daughter that day — let alone get married just weeks later. But life had other plans. “We went to the ultrasound, and the doctor came in and she was like, ‘Well, you’re gonna have this baby today,’” Brown recalled. Baby Jayla was born at just 25 weeks, a tiny fighter from the start. What followed were long, anxious nights in the NICU at Fairfax Inova, where her parents watched over her, hoping for every small sign of progress. “She definitely puts things in perspective,” said Parrish, Jayla’s dad. “I get to watch her grow. Her being safe, her getting here the right way, was always the main objective.” But even amid the beeping monitors and hospital routines, love found its moment. Brown had been thinking about marrying Parrish for a while — and as they sat by Jayla’s bedside, she had an idea. “I was like, hmm, we could just get married here,” she said. “And my inside thought became an outside thought, and the nurses took it and ran with it.” The team at Fairfax Inova, who had been caring for Jayla since day one, quickly got to work. With decorations, support, and smiles, they turned a hospital room into a wedding venue. On Wednesday, surrounded by nurses and doctors who had become like family, Brown and Parrish exchanged vows in front of their daughter — the very person who brought their love into sharper focus. “Because of you, our daughter will never have to wonder what real love looks like,” Brown told Parrish during the ceremony. “She’ll see it in the way you love me, and the way you protect her.” Parrish’s vow was just as heartfelt: a promise to always be “a place of comfort and safety that you can rest your heart in completely.” For the couple, the moment was bigger than a wedding. It was a celebration of survival, of family, and of the strength they’ve found in one another. “I’m happy,” Parrish said. “I hit the lottery.” And so, in a NICU filled with monitors, medicine, and miracles, love found its way — not just between two people, but through the daughter they now raise together.

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A Radio DJ Just Finished a 5-day, 135-Mile Run for Charity, Helping Raise Over £7 Million

Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox has completed an extraordinary five-day, 135-mile running challenge across northern England — all while carrying a Pudsey Bear backpack. The gruelling feat, part of BBC’s annual Children in Need fundraiser, has already raised over £7 million for charity. The 50-year-old DJ crossed the finish line in Pudsey, Leeds at around 3:30pm on Friday, cheered on by crowds and treated to a performance by former Spice Girl Melanie C. “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Cox said, breathless and beaming. “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it… hello Yorkshire! I’m an honorary Yorkshirewoman now.” Starting in Kielder Forest in Northumberland, Cox’s route took her through County Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, running the equivalent of a marathon a day. Along the way, she endured icy rain, punishing hills, and physical pain — but also heartfelt encouragement from strangers, supporters, and even royalty. “It’s just the hardest thing I’ve ever done – I’ve never known pain like it,” she told fellow BBC presenter Scott Mills. “But then, I’ve never had eye contact with so many amazing women who have just powered me on.” From farmers pausing their work to wave her on, to lorry drivers honking support, to locals offering bathroom breaks, Cox said it was the public’s warmth that kept her going. “Thanks to everybody who let me stop for a wee at their house – it was a few people,” she added. The challenge marked the longest physical feat ever attempted by BBC Radio 2 for Children in Need. It generated attention across the country, bolstered by celebrity messages of support, including one from Prince William. “You’re so nearly there,” the Prince of Wales said in a video aired on Radio 2. “I know the people of Pudsey will all come out and welcome you with huge open arms, big hugs and, hopefully, lots of your favourite crumpets. Keep going – you’ve done fantastically well and the nation’s so proud of you.” Sporty Spice herself got emotional watching Cox’s final steps. “It’s like we’re taking every step with her,” Melanie C said. “I feel quite emotional already… This is a testament to humans – we are all capable of so much more than we realise and Sara’s our poster girl for that.” Cox also shared that during the toughest stretch — Thursday’s 30-mile slog from Richmond to Ripley — she happened to pass a telephone box and received a surprise call from her mother and sister, who are currently in India. The effort comes as part of the BBC’s annual Children in Need campaign, which supports projects across the UK that help children and young people facing disadvantage. The telethon, airing Friday evening on BBC One and iPlayer, will be hosted by Paddy McGuinness, Big Zuu, Mel Giedroyc, Rochelle Humes, Vernon Kay, and Lenny Rush. The night promises musical performances from Tom Fletcher and Remember Monday, plus sketches from The Apprentice, EastEnders, and Gladiators. As for Sara Cox, the finish line may have marked the end of the physical challenge, but the emotional high — and national admiration — is sure to carry on.

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The Sun Just Fired Off Another Powerful Flare — And It Could Light Up Earth’s Skies Again

The same region of the sun that dazzled skywatchers around the world with spectacular auroras earlier this week isn’t done yet. On Friday morning, the sun let loose a massive X4.0-class solar flare — one of the strongest types of solar eruptions — from the same active region responsible for recent geomagnetic storms. That region, known as AR4274, is now rotating out of view as it swings toward the far side of the sun. But not before delivering one last burst of energy. X-class flares are the most intense in the solar flare ranking system, and they often come with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are giant clouds of solar plasma and magnetic field hurled into space. If one of those clouds crosses paths with Earth, it can interact with the planet’s magnetic field and trigger auroras — colorful waves of light in the sky, usually seen near the poles. It’s not yet clear whether this latest CME will reach Earth. These solar blasts vary in speed and can take anywhere from one to several days to make the 150-million-kilometre journey from the sun. Still, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center say parts of the northern U.S. might catch another auroral show Friday night. Earlier this week, AR4274’s activity lit up skies with vivid greens, purples, and reds, visible as far south as Mexico. In parts of the U.S., auroras appeared in unlikely places, including Arizona and Texas. Despite its recent fireworks, AR4274 won’t pose a threat for a while. As it continues its path around the sun’s far side, it won’t be in a position to affect Earth directly. But with the sun completing a full rotation roughly every 27 days, the active region could come back into view in about two weeks — possibly ready to erupt again. This kind of behavior isn’t surprising. The sun is currently at or near the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, when sunspots and solar storms are most frequent. Scientists typically pinpoint the exact peak months later, using data on sunspot numbers. And even after the peak, strong flares and CMEs can continue for years as the solar cycle gradually winds down. Solar weather can affect more than just pretty lights in the sky. Strong CMEs can disrupt satellite systems, GPS, and even power grids, depending on their intensity and how directly they hit Earth. So far, though, the recent activity has mostly delivered awe rather than interference. For now, all eyes remain on the skies — and on the sun — as scientists continue tracking its outbursts and watching for what’s next.

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