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Score (96)
This Lobsterman is a Hero After Saving a Driver From a Sinking Car
In a courageous act of heroism, a Maine lobsterman leaped from his boat into Casco Bay to rescue a driver trapped in a sinking car. The incident unfolded when the car plunged into the bay, prompting police and fire crews to act swiftly. With the water temperature at approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit, lobsterman Manny Kourinos, who was nearby, jumped into action and assisted in pulling the driver to safety, earning praise for his brave and selfless act.
Score (97)
Thousands of Knitters Set a World Record—And Helped Thousands of Shelter Cats in the Process
Readers of Woman’s Weekly have always had a knack for combining kindness with craft. This year, they broke a Guinness World Record doing exactly that—while also helping thousands of rescue cats across the UK. The magazine launched its biggest-ever charity challenge earlier this year, inviting readers to knit or crochet woolen mice to donate to cats waiting for adoption. The goal was simple: provide comfort and stimulation to animals living in rescue shelters. The response was anything but small. Using a free pattern shared exclusively with subscribers, volunteers got to work. Parcels flooded the magazine’s London offices, stuffed with handmade mice in every color and style imaginable. By the time the final tally came in, they had created a staggering 46,506 toys. That’s enough for each cat in over 300 shelters to have their very own enrichment buddy. “The volume received has been extraordinary,” said Nicola Murray, manager of the North West London Cat Centre. “Enrichment items like these play a vital role in supporting the wellbeing of cats in our care, and we are extremely grateful for the thousands of knitted mice donated.” The mice are more than just cute. Shelter workers say they help cats feel calmer, more playful, and more confident—especially during long stays without families. For some animals, a small comfort can make a big difference. Woman’s Weekly editor Geoff Palmer called the project “a remarkable testament” to the spirit of the magazine’s readers. “Every mouse was handmade with care,” he said. “The response from our readers surpassed all expectations, and we are thrilled that their collective effort has resulted not only in a Guinness World Record but in tangible impact.” It’s not the first time the magazine has mobilized its readers for good. Past projects have included: • 6,000 hats for people experiencing homelessness • 3,000 blankets for children in Ukraine • 6,651 baby vests to help families facing fuel poverty • 2,000 blankets for animals at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home • But this year’s “mice mission” was by far the largest—and the most pawsitively received. The hand-stitched toys are now being shared across hundreds of UK rescue centers just in time for the holiday season, bringing joy to cats and staff alike. And yes, it’s official: 46,506 woolen mice is now a world record.
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Want to Build a Kinder School? There’s a Calendar for That
Educators looking to create more compassionate classrooms this December have a new tool at their fingertips: the Happiness Calendar for Educators, a daily guide packed with practical tips to promote kindness and belonging in schools. Published monthly by the Greater Good Science Center, the calendar offers small, science-backed actions teachers and school staff can take each day to boost well-being—for themselves and their students. This month’s theme focuses on giving back, and how acts of generosity can spark joy and nourish the spirit during the holiday season. Each square on the calendar features an idea or resource, from gratitude practices to community-building activities. The format is easy to follow and designed specifically for busy educators. Alongside the calendar, the Center is also inviting teachers to join one of its “communities of practice,” which run through the winter and spring. These online groups bring together educators who want to explore well-being, resilience, and emotional intelligence in their schools, while learning from peers and experts. To open the calendar or sign up for future updates, users are encouraged to click the image link. (If you're using Chrome and the links aren't working, the Center recommends switching browsers or following simple troubleshooting tips.) Emily Brower, a communications specialist on the Greater Good Education Team, helped bring the calendar to life. Based in San Diego, Brower has a background in journalism and currently contributes to The Science of Happiness podcast. Her work has appeared in publications including Pure Nowhere, Fifty Grande, and KCPR. The Happiness Calendar for Educators is free and updated monthly. You can subscribe to receive it via email and access additional resources for well-being at greatergood.berkeley.edu.
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Score (100)
Army Veteran’s Overgrown Yard Was Making Him Feel Trapped — Until a Stranger Transformed His Life
Nick Joyce had been waiting four years for help. The 63-year-old British Army veteran, living with COPD, arthritis and PTSD, could barely access his backyard through the wall of 8-foot weeds. Isolated, unable to work, and stuck in a home with no car or public transit, he said it felt like life kept “knocking him down.” But everything changed when Ben Saunders, a cleaning company owner in Sidcup, stepped in. After hearing Nick’s story, Ben knew he had to act. His team at Flawless Cleaning Services spent two full days clearing the yard, hauling out an entire dumpster of debris. They didn’t stop there — they repaired gutters, rebuilt a canopy, and even created raised vegetable beds so Nick could start growing his own food. Then came the real surprise. Moved by Nick’s story, Ben launched a GoFundMe campaign that raised over £11,000 ($14,500) — and surprised Nick on camera with a giant check. Nick broke down in tears. “I feel like a five-year-old on Christmas morning,” he said. “It’s better than the lottery—because it came from kind people who actually care.” And Ben wasn’t done. He handed Nick the keys to a car, fully insured and taxed for a year. The lack of transport had been a huge barrier in Nick’s life. That one gift opened the door to everything else. Now, Nick plans to return to work. “I don’t want to be on the scrapheap,” he said. “I need a purpose.” Ben, who now runs a charitable arm called Flawless Blessings, says that’s what it’s all about. “Kindness ripples,” he said. “Seeing how one act can change someone’s life reminds me why I do this.”
Score (97)
Engineers Just Developed a Device That “Shakes” Water From Air—45x Faster Than Sun-Based Systems
Even in the driest places on Earth, there’s water in the air. The challenge has always been how to get it out—especially without waiting hours for the sun to do the work. Now, MIT engineers have developed a breakthrough ultrasonic device that can extract clean drinking water from the atmosphere in just minutes, using sound waves instead of heat. The technology taps into a method known as atmospheric water harvesting (AWH). While researchers have created many promising materials over the years that act like sponges to soak up moisture from air, getting that water out of the material typically takes hours of sun exposure to evaporate and condense it into droplets. MIT’s new approach skips the sun entirely. “We have a way to recover water quickly and efficiently,” says Svetlana Boriskina, principal research scientist at MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and lead author of the study, published in Nature Communications. A “Dancing” Solution The key innovation is a small ultrasonic actuator—a flat ceramic ring that vibrates at frequencies above 20,000 cycles per second. When placed beneath a saturated sorbent material (the moisture-absorbing material used in AWH), these ultrasonic waves physically shake the water molecules loose. “It’s like the water is dancing with the waves,” says Ikra Shuvo, who co-developed the device. “This targeted disturbance creates momentum that releases the water molecules, and we can see them shake out in droplets.” The researchers tested their design on quarter-sized sorbent samples and found that their ultrasonic system dried out the material in just minutes, even under various humidity levels. Compared to heat-based systems, the ultrasonic method is 45 times more efficient at extracting water from the same material. From Lab to Desert Unlike solar-only methods, this device does need power—but only a small amount. The researchers say a simple solar cell is enough to run the actuator and could even double as a sensor to detect when the sorbent is full. A smart system could operate continuously throughout the day, cycling through moisture collection and extraction over and over again. “In desert regions and places without access to even saltwater to desalinate, this could be a huge source of drinking water,” says Boriskina. “It’s all about how much water you can extract per day. With ultrasound, we can recover water quickly, and cycle again and again. That can add up to a lot.” Practical Applications in Sight Boriskina envisions a compact unit for homes—something about the size of a window—made up of a fast-absorbing material and an ultrasonic actuator. Once the material is saturated with moisture, the actuator activates briefly to collect the water, then the system resets and starts again. This isn’t just theoretical. Similar AWH devices are already being used in Jordanian desert homes, pulling dozens of liters of water from dry air. Others are making waves too: a 92-year-old Indian man recently helped his village save 200,000 liters of water with simple atmospheric collection and energy-saving methods. As global water security becomes increasingly urgent, especially in drought-prone and remote regions, innovations like MIT’s ultrasonic water harvester offer hope. It’s fast, scalable, and solar-powered—making it a serious contender in the race to turn air into water.
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Amid Music Industry Struggles, Artists and Communities Step Up to Keep the Beat Alive
Beneath a pub in north London, the air inside Camden Underworld pulses with sound and sweat. Sisters Nyrobi and Chaya Beckett-Messam — better known as Alt Blk Era — are on stage, blasting a set that blends punk, metal, hip-hop, and drum’n’bass. The mosh pit thrashes. The crowd is locked in. The music is loud, unfiltered, and fiercely independent — just like the band. Alt Blk Era started out writing songs in their bedrooms during lockdown. They’ve since played Glastonbury, topped the rock and metal charts, and picked up a MOBO Award. And they’ve done it all without a traditional record deal. That’s thanks in part to the PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading funder of new music. “We saw it as a chance to get support from people who understand the value of originality,” says Nyrobi. “Especially for artists like us who don’t fit neatly into one box.” In a time when grassroots venues are closing, streaming pays next to nothing, and the cost of touring continues to rise, public funding, community support, and creative resilience are helping keep new music alive. Since its founding in 2000, the PRS Foundation has invested more than £50 million into over 9,000 music projects. Six of the past seven Mercury Prize winners received its backing. Alt Blk Era used their grant to record Rave Immortal and tour the U.S., including a set at SXSW — the same stage that helped launch Billie Eilish and Florence + the Machine. “Funding has helped us in so many ways,” says Nyrobi. “We’ve been able to take our live shows to new spaces, reach international audiences and build real momentum.” But that momentum is hard to maintain. Since 2010, the UK’s cultural budget has been slashed by 6%, while countries like Germany and France have increased theirs by as much as 70%. Working-class artists, in particular, are four times less likely to break into the creative industries than their middle-class peers. And while streaming is more popular than ever, it doesn’t pay the bills. Spotify’s royalty payouts range from £0.002 to £0.004 per stream — meaning an artist needs 50,000 plays just to earn £100. Only 0.4% of UK artists make a living from streaming alone. “Everyone knows money from streaming is a pittance,” says Stephanie Phillips of the punk trio Big Joanie. “Everything is much more expensive than it used to be, but revenue from live shows has not gone up.” For Big Joanie, a PRS Foundation grant helped fund a proper promotional campaign for their second album Back Home. That support led to press coverage, new fans, and a wider touring reach. Live gigs remain one of the only dependable income streams for musicians. But even that is under threat. In Bedford, Gareth Barber runs Esquires, a 250-capacity venue that’s hosted the likes of Coldplay and Muse. The building is now for sale, and Barber fears it’ll be turned into flats. He’s working with the Music Venue Trust (MVT) to save it. MVT’s Own Our Venues scheme buys at-risk music spaces and places them under cultural leases to shield them from developers. The scheme has already saved venues like The Ferret in Preston and The Joiners in Southampton. “It’s good to be able to support people who are integral to supporting so many others,” says Matthew Otridge of Music Venue Properties, MVT’s charitable arm. The challenge is urgent. In 2023, 125 grassroots venues shut down. Over 40% operated at a loss. Musician Frank Turner, a longtime MVT supporter, now donates £1 from every ticket sold on his 2025 tour to the cause. “Live music is noisy and cannot be repeated in virtual environments,” he says. “If these spaces die, then it won’t happen.” Youth programmes are also part of the solution. Kinetika Bloco, where Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective got their start, brings young people together to make music in big, joyful ensembles of brass, drums, and steel pans. “Many are starting bands and projects earlier than ever,” says CEO Tamzyn French. “Their attitude is: ‘We can do it now.’” Youth Music, a national charity backed by the Arts Council and other partners, supported more than 80,000 young creatives in 2024, with 87% of funding going outside London. The Leeds-based band English Teacher, who recently became the first non-London Mercury Prize winners in a decade, received a NextGen Fund grant from Youth Music — £3,000 and expert advice to help them navigate the industry. “Our society loves music but often forgets what it takes to make a career from it,” says Youth Music CEO Matt Griffiths. “It’s down to us to support ambition as much as possible.” Whether it’s a DIY tour, a youth club session, or a community venue holding on by its fingertips, Britain’s music scene is finding ways to survive — not because the system makes it easy, but because people still believe it matters. “We’ve had to get creative,” says Nyrobi. “But the people around us, the communities that show up — they keep us going. And we want to do the same for them.”
Score (98)
Volunteers Surge During the Holidays — But the Benefits Last All Year
The holidays often bring out the best in people — from gift-giving to meal-sharing to lending a helping hand. Across the U.S., volunteering typically spikes between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, as food banks and charitable organizations welcome a wave of seasonal helpers. But experts say the impact of volunteering isn’t limited to one time of year — and neither are its benefits. Alfred Del Grosso, a retired chemist in Maryland, volunteers regularly at Shepherd’s Table, a food assistance center in Silver Spring. On Thursdays, he also helps clear brush and debris from local hiking trails. “I feel more connected to the broader community,” he said. That feeling of connection is a key part of why giving back matters — not just for recipients, but for volunteers themselves. Psychologists say the impulse to help others is deeply rooted in human nature. “There’s a nice upwards reciprocal spiral between gratitude and generosity,” said Sarah Schnitker, a psychologist at Baylor University. That spiral tends to strengthen during the holiday season, when expressions of gratitude are more common. Around the world, similar seasons of giving and reflection exist in many cultures. In Hinduism, Diwali is a time of celebration but also generosity. In Islam, Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr emphasize reflection, gratitude, and charitable acts. Buddhist traditions, too, often highlight selflessness and service. “Nearly all cultures have events or public festivals that allow people to express gratitude,” said Amrisha Vaish, a developmental psychologist at the University of Virginia. The goal, she said, is often to reinforce cooperation — something that’s been essential to human survival. “In human evolutionary history, we’ve had to become cooperative in order to work together and survive as a species,” Vaish said. “We don’t have claws or speed. But what we do have is the ability to work in groups.” Of course, human nature is complex. “We have all these motives mapped together,” said Duke University psychologist Michael Tomasello. “Sometimes we’re generous. Sometimes we’re selfish.” But studies show that gratitude and seeing others do good can bring out our best instincts. And the benefits of volunteering aren’t just psychological. “There’s a quick dopamine hit sometimes called the ‘helper’s high,’” said Jenae Nelson, a developmental psychologist at Brigham Young University. “But there’s also a deeper reward — helping us establish purpose and meaning. By helping other people and believing that small acts can change the world, you bring coherence to your own life.” For Mia Thelen, a retired nurse in Michigan, volunteering has become a new chapter. She started out answering phones for the American Red Cross and eventually moved into organizing blood drives and managing logistics. “It’s a good way to spend your time, making the lives of others a little easier,” she said. “I’m learning new things — computer skills, communication skills — and I have great co-volunteers. It’s helped me feel more connected to the community.” Even smaller acts — like sending a holiday card — can have unexpected emotional payoffs. Lara Aknin, a social psychologist at Simon Fraser University, has studied how people feel about reconnecting with old friends. Her research found that many hesitate to reach out, fearing they’ll be a burden — but the reality is usually the opposite. “People who’ve just heard from old friends report it as a really positive experience,” Aknin said. “So go ahead and write those cards or make those phone calls.” Holiday traditions may offer a natural excuse to connect, reflect, and give back. But as these experts and volunteers show, there's never a wrong time to help someone — or to find new meaning in the process.
Score (96)
Rembrandt and Friends Arrive in Florida, in a Show That’s as Monumental as the Art Itself
Rembrandt van Rijn’s name alone is enough to stop most art lovers in their tracks. But at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida, his work isn’t the only draw. A sweeping new exhibition, Art and Life in Rembrandt’s Time: Masterpieces from the Leiden Collection, brings together the Old Master’s paintings alongside a rare assembly of works by his students, peers, and fellow Dutch Golden Age artists — including the only Vermeer painting held in private hands. The show is already being called historic. It’s the first major Rembrandt exhibition ever held in Florida, the largest display of 17th-century Dutch art from a private collection in the United States, and it coincides with the 400th anniversary of the founding of New Amsterdam (modern-day Manhattan). Why the debut is in Florida instead of New York is anyone’s guess, but for visitors heading to Miami for the art fairs, the Norton is just under two hours away by train. The works come from the Leiden Collection, a private trove of over 200 paintings and drawings that includes 17 Rembrandts — more than any other private collection in the world. Only Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum holds more. Alongside Rembrandt, the show features works by Frans Hals, Carel Fabritius, and Johannes Vermeer, as well as numerous artists from Rembrandt’s orbit, including Ferdinand Bol and Arent de Gelder. But the exhibition isn’t just a greatest-hits showcase. It’s thematically organized, which means Rembrandt’s paintings appear not in isolation but in dialogue — with students, peers, and rivals. The result is a richer view of the Dutch Golden Age, a time of cultural and economic bloom that spanned roughly the late 1500s through the 1600s. Rather than leaning into the familiar flower-filled still lifes and ornate table scenes that often define the period, the exhibition takes a different route — focusing on figuration. Portraits, genre scenes, and religious works dominate, bringing the human experience to the forefront. Some of the most striking works show the tension between Calvinist ideals of modesty and the wealth that fueled the era. In Portrait of Samuel Ampzing (1630) by Frans Hals and Rembrandt’s own Young Girl in a Gold Trimmed Cloak (1632), the sitters wear subdued clothing. But the details — gold earrings, delicate ruffs, hints of finery — betray affluence beneath the surface. Elsewhere, Pieter van Laer’s Self-Portrait with Magic Scene (ca. 1635–37) offers a darker, more fantastical take on the period’s religious anxieties. Claws from a demonic figure lunge at the artist, while skulls, candles, and occult symbols appear in the frame — nodding to memento mori traditions and the era’s fascination with morality and the supernatural. Of course, Rembrandt remains the star. His well-known self-portraits — modest, introspective, honest — are joined by grander, more theatrical works like Minerva in Her Study (1635) and Unconscious Patient (Allegory of Smell) (ca. 1624–25). The range is staggering: from personal, quiet moments to sweeping, multi-figure compositions that highlight his technical brilliance and dramatic flair. That variety underscores what makes Rembrandt’s legacy so enduring. As the exhibition suggests, he wasn’t an outlier so much as a masterful reflection of his time — someone who synthesized the innovations around him and pushed them forward. Seeing his work interwoven with that of his peers makes clear that his genius was part of a wider, thriving ecosystem of creativity. Art and Life in Rembrandt’s Time doesn’t just celebrate Rembrandt’s greatness. It reveals the world that made his greatness possible — and shows how, even 400 years later, that world still has much to say. The exhibition runs at the Norton Museum of Art through March 29, 2026.
Score (97)
Metallica's Scholarship Fund Is Quietly Changing Lives — Just Ask This Baltimore Delivery Driver
Carmen DeBerry didn’t expect a legendary rock band to change her life — but they did. The newly-certified commercial delivery driver from Baltimore says her job has transformed everything. “It feels awesome,” she said. “I take care of my daughter, and I also take care of my mother.” That job wouldn’t have been possible without a scholarship to cover her commercial driver’s license training — a program that can cost up to $7,500. The scholarship came from an unlikely source: Metallica. Yes, that Metallica. The band’s charity, All Within My Hands (AWMH), has quietly donated more than $10 million to fund workforce education, mostly through community colleges and trade schools. DeBerry got her CDL through the Community College of Baltimore County thanks to what’s officially called the Metallica Scholars Initiative. “I didn’t know when I first signed up that it was through Metallica,” DeBerry said. “They just called it a scholarship.” The goal is to support people like her — hardworking, determined, and often overlooked. “Not everyone is built for college, and not everyone needs college,” said Metallica frontman James Hetfield, who knows the working class well: his own father was a truck driver. Hetfield and his bandmates — Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo — say their philanthropic mission grew out of a simple question: what to do with leftover food after concerts. That led to food bank donations, then disaster relief, and eventually to a national push for skilled trades education. “It was very evident during COVID,” Hetfield said. “We weren’t able to go out and do our thing. But the plumber, the electrician, the truck driver — the people that needed to help keep America running — were there. And thank God for them.” Bass player Robert Trujillo put it more bluntly: “At a certain point you realize, like, hey, you know, we're selling tickets, we're doing well, the ship's not sinking. What can we do to make people's lives better?” For DeBerry, the answer was clear. When she went in for her job interview, she told them she was a Metallica Scholar. “Once I told them… they were like, ‘Whaaaaat?’” she said. “I got an entrance, and they took a chance with me.” She finally got to thank Hetfield in person, backstage before a show in Maryland. The hug was genuine. The appreciation was mutual. “I really think that your scholarship is what got me the job,” she told him. “And I appreciate it.” “Right on,” Hetfield replied, visibly moved. Hetfield, who hadn’t met a Metallica Scholar until that moment, said experiences like DeBerry’s reframe what the band’s legacy can be. “We get to go make some people smile out there, deliver the goods by playing songs that saved us in our lives,” he said. “But to get a one-on-one, heart-to-heart with somebody whose life you've changed? It changes mine.” Even as Metallica continues selling out arenas, the band’s focus is increasingly grounded in service — not just loud guitars. This Giving Tuesday, the band’s All Within My Hands foundation is partnering with Carhartt to help provide five million meals through Feeding America. Their annual fundraising concert in Los Angeles raised $3.5 million last year and drew fans like Aquaman star Jason Momoa. “They’ve kind of been the soundtrack of my life,” said Momoa. “These are my heroes.” Turns out those heroes aren’t just shredding solos — they’re changing lives. One scholarship, one meal, one hug at a time.
Score (96)
When Renovations Threatened a Food Bank, This Toronto Priest Turned Her Garage Into a Lifeline
When renovations began at the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Scarborough, Rev. Gerlyn Henry knew what was at stake. The church’s food bank served hundreds every week, and without it, many in the neighbourhood would be left without reliable access to food. “Food banks used to be an emergency service,” Henry said. “Now it’s an essential lifeline.” So she did what she felt she had to: she moved the food bank into her garage. After getting the OK from her spouse and others living in the rectory, Henry cleared out the garage behind the church and transformed it into a makeshift food bank. For the past six months, metal shelves stocked with canned goods, pasta, and bread have lined the space during Tuesday evening pop-ups, when up to 300 people arrive for support. Most of those who visit are from the local community — people Henry knows by name. “If the food bank were to close, I’d be wondering, ‘Did you eat today?’” she told CBC Toronto. The effort to keep the food bank close to its original location was intentional. Many clients walk to pick up food, and moving it too far could have cut them off entirely. Volunteer Linda Luciani said shutting down wasn’t an option. “Had we changed to a different location altogether or even shut down, then they wouldn’t have that opportunity anymore,” she said. “These people mean so much to us that it was important that we find a way to keep the process going.” Not everyone was on board immediately. The garage sits at the end of a residential dead-end street, and Henry said it took some explaining to reassure her neighbours. She reminded them that the people visiting the food bank aren’t strangers — they’re local. “These are your neighbours,” she said. “These are people you see on the street.” Suman Roy, who runs the food security network Feed Scarborough, said Henry’s situation reflects a broader reality for many community food banks across the city. Finding affordable and appropriate operating space is a major challenge, especially as demand grows. “This is the real story of what's happening with the whole system of food banks,” said Roy. “Normally the food bank operators on the ground are left to fend for themselves.” Roy added that neighbourhood food banks aren’t a burden on communities — they’re a support system that helps prevent people from falling through the cracks. “That is taking them one step away from a life of crime or a life of destruction,” he said. “Having a food bank in the neighbourhood is not a bad thing.” Back in Scarborough, Henry is hopeful the move is temporary. Renovations at the church are expected to finish in the summer of 2026, and the food bank will return to its old home when they’re done. Until then, Henry’s garage will stay open — stocked, staffed, and standing in the gap for those who need it most.
Score (97)
Forget AI — This Dog’s Nose Might Be Better at Detecting Low Blood Sugar
As diabetes technology gets smarter with continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and AI-powered alerts, one tool is proving to be just as powerful — and much furrier: a dog’s nose. Across the United States, specially trained diabetic alert dogs are helping people with diabetes stay safe by detecting dangerous changes in blood sugar before medical devices do. In some cases, these dogs are alerting their owners up to 30 minutes earlier than high-tech monitors, according to SWNS. One of those dogs is Kona, a 1-year-old Labrador retriever in Ohio, who lives with 7-year-old Kennedy Berce. Kona gently places a paw on Kennedy’s arm whenever her blood sugar starts to rise or fall — often before her continuous glucose monitor even sounds an alarm. “At just 7 years old, she can be full of energy even when her blood sugar is 45,” said Kennedy’s mom, Lindsey Berce. “That’s why Kona is such a lifesaver. He can sense the change before Kennedy feels anything at all, and often before we even know something’s wrong from her technology.” Kona completed two months of scent detection training and now works 24/7 as Kennedy’s companion and early-warning system. He’s one of hundreds of diabetic alert dogs now working across the country. These dogs are trained to smell the chemical changes that happen in the body when blood sugar drops too low or spikes too high — changes humans can’t detect. According to the American Kennel Club, alert dogs use signals like pawing, licking, or nudging to notify their person when something’s off. While continuous glucose monitors are a big step forward in diabetes care, they still have a key limitation: lag time. “One of the main limitations of current diabetes medical devices is the lag between what's going on in the body and the blood vessels,” said Dr. Frank Dumont, an internal medicine physician and executive medical director at Virta Health. Dogs, on the other hand, don’t rely on data or sensors. They respond to subtle hormone shifts and scent changes in real time — even when their person is asleep. That kind of speed can be critical. For people with diabetes, sudden drops in blood sugar can lead to seizures, coma, or even death. Dumont noted that early detection is especially important for those who don’t feel their blood sugar changing until it’s dangerously low. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes involve high blood sugar, but the causes — and treatments — are different. Type 1 is caused by the body’s immune system attacking insulin-producing cells. Type 2 involves insulin resistance. “The treatment is very different,” Dumont said. “Sometimes we have to resort to medicines like insulin, but we're usually trying to do other things to help people get their nutrition right.” While diabetic alert dogs can be life-changing, they’re not a replacement for medical devices. They don’t give exact blood sugar readings, and they require ongoing training to stay accurate. Experts say anyone interested in getting one should first talk to their doctor. But for families like the Berces, the extra layer of protection — and companionship — is priceless. For Kennedy, that protection comes on four paws, with a nose that’s as smart as any machine.