How the "World's Loneliest Sheep" Became a Mascot for Mental Health

Fiona, once known as the "world's loneliest sheep" after being rescued from remote cliffs, has become a heartwarming mascot for mental health, supporting campaigns like #KeepTalking and #AreEweOK? Her presence has not only raised £11,000 for charities like RSABI and the Scottish SPCA but also amplified vital conversations about mental well-being in the farming community. As visitors generously donate and engage with Fiona's story, the campaign emphasizes the significance of kindness and connection, especially during challenging times.

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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.

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Could a Few Small Lifestyle Tweaks Extend Your Lifespan? A New Study Says Yes

You don’t need a total lifestyle overhaul to live longer—just a few small tweaks. That’s the takeaway from a new study that suggests tiny improvements in sleep, diet, and exercise can add years to your life and health span. According to researchers who tracked nearly 60,000 people in the UK for eight years, getting five extra minutes of sleep, walking for two more minutes, and adding a few tablespoons of vegetables to your day could translate into one more year of life. If that sounds surprising, it’s because we’re often told that improving health means major commitments: strict diets, strict routines, or strict gym schedules. But lead author Nicholas Koemel, a dietitian and research fellow at the University of Sydney, says that’s a common misconception. “We always think that we need to make these massive overhauls, especially at the beginning of the year with New Year’s resolutions,” Koemel said. But, he adds, “tweaks add up to make something meaningful. And that might make us be able to sustain them much further in the long run.” The study, published in eClinicalMedicine, pulled data from the UK Biobank and tracked participants’ sleep and physical activity using wearable wrist trackers, alongside self-reported dietary habits. The team analyzed how minor adjustments impacted both lifespan and health span—the number of years people live free from major chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and dementia. The results were clear: small, realistic changes helped. For people with lower baseline health habits, getting just 24 more minutes of sleep, four extra minutes of exercise, and one more cup of vegetables per day extended their healthy years by an estimated four years. For those doing even more—getting seven to eight hours of sleep, exercising for at least 40 minutes daily, and eating a high-quality diet—the gain jumped dramatically: up to nine additional years of life and health span. What mattered most, Koemel says, wasn’t any one behavior, but the combination of sleep, diet, and physical activity. Making progress in only one area—say, sleep—required far greater effort to achieve the same benefit. In fact, the study found that to get the same longevity benefit by improving only sleep, people would need to increase their sleep by 60 percent per day. Another study, published the same day in The Lancet and led by one of Koemel’s colleagues, backed up the core idea. It showed that even a five-minute daily walk at a moderate pace could reduce mortality risk by up to 10 percent. That study included data from the UK, U.S., Sweden, and Norway. “What strikes me is that we converged on this idea that small changes make a difference without even talking to each other about the individual studies,” Koemel said. “Something that has resonated with a lot of the field is: moving the goal post closer to us makes it more accessible, makes things more practical—and, most importantly, makes healthy habits sustainable.” Amy Jamieson, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who was not involved in the study, called the findings encouraging. “The results are promising and align with my view about holistic health and lifestyle habits,” she said. “I do believe that small changes can make major impacts.” Jamieson added a note of caution: while the data is encouraging, it’s also heavily UK-centric. The average U.S. diet is higher in ultraprocessed foods, and differences in health care systems, environmental exposure, and access to care also play a role in longevity outcomes. Controlled clinical trials would be needed to confirm the findings globally. Still, for anyone feeling overwhelmed by lofty health goals, the message is reassuring. You don’t need to train for a marathon or adopt a perfectly clean diet. Sometimes, just grabbing a banana, getting a few more minutes of rest, or going for a short walk after lunch can begin to shift your health trajectory. “This doesn’t give you a magic button for longer life,” Koemel said, “but it could kickstart healthy habits that stick.”

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He Climbed Mont Blanc to Find Himself. Then He Saved a Stranger’s Life.

Madalin “Cris” Cristea didn’t set out to become a hero. He just wanted to feel something again. In early 2016, Cris was stuck in a rut. He was in his twenties, living in London, working as a lifeguard, and feeling aimless. Originally from a small Romanian town, the city didn’t quite feel like home. And one cold morning on his way to work, a joke he had made months earlier suddenly turned into a plan. He and his girlfriend Viv had been window-shopping in Barcelona when they passed a Montblanc boutique. Cris admired the watches but knew they were far out of reach. “Do you reckon if I went and climbed Mont Blanc, they’d give me a discount?” he quipped. Viv laughed. Back in London, the question kept bouncing around in his head. Then came the decision: I’m going to climb Mont Blanc this year. He had no real mountaineering experience — just one previous climb, Mount Olympus in Greece, done in summer without snow, crampons, or altitude. Climbing Mont Blanc without a guide is risky even for experienced climbers. Cris didn’t have the money for a guide or formal training. But the mission gave him energy and direction he hadn’t felt in a long time. Viv was understandably terrified. She couldn’t stop him, but she couldn’t support it either. Cris buried himself in preparation — watching videos, reading about the dangers, studying the route like scripture. By August, he was in Chamonix, staring up at the tallest peak in the Alps, repeating the promise he’d made to Viv: I’ll only go as far as I feel capable. I won’t take unnecessary risks. A Turnaround — and a Split-Second Decision On his climb, Cris reached a ridge near 4,600 meters. The winds picked up. He was exhausted, alone, and questioning his limit. That’s when he spotted two other climbers — a British father and son — also debating what to do. “This is a really bad idea,” the son told him. Cris took it as a sign. “Screw this. Let’s go back,” he said. They began descending together. Then, without warning, the father, James, lost his footing and began sliding down the slope — roped to his son, Matt, who was about to be pulled down with him. “I was in a state of shock,” Cris said. “Your whole spine lights up with fear.” He reacted instantly. He leapt toward the rope, jammed his ice axe into the snow, slammed his boot spikes into the slope, and held on. The rope went taut. Cris felt a violent yank in his arm. Then stillness. James had stopped sliding — just ten meters above a deadly drop. Other climbers arrived and helped pull James back up. He was uninjured, but shaken. All three men knew how close it had been. “If he hadn’t have been there, I think it would have been a terrible end,” James said later. “I’d have probably pulled my son to his death as well.” They got off the mountain safely. That night, James treated them to dinner in Chamonix. He sat with his back to Mont Blanc, unable to look at it. Before they parted ways, he handed Cris and Matt £50 each and said: “Go and get drunk, boys. You deserve it.” What Mont Blanc Gave Back For James and Matt, that was their last mountain. They’ve never returned to the high Alps. For Cris, it was the start of something bigger. Even though he never reached the summit on that trip, the experience changed him. It deepened his respect for the risks, and it set him on a new path. Two years later, he returned to Mont Blanc, far better prepared, and finally made it to the top. He’s now climbed mountains all over the world — many of them with Viv, now his wife and mountaineering partner. She’d grown tired of waiting anxiously at home, so she started climbing too. Years later, on a tipsy night in Italy, Cris spotted another Montblanc store and finally walked inside. He told the attendant the full story — how the mountain changed his life. Then he asked if he could get a discount on a watch. The answer? A flat, unimpressed “Sorry, sir, I don’t speak English.” Still, Cris says he doesn’t regret a thing. He never got the watch, but he found what he was missing: direction, resilience, and a sense of purpose. He still keeps in touch with James and Matt. They’re planning to reunite soon for what James calls a “survivors’ reunion.” “It’s a bit like old soldiers meeting after a war,” he says. As for Cris, he’s focused on a new goal — climbing the world’s highest peaks from sea level to summit. But no matter how far he climbs, Mont Blanc — and the people he met there — remain close. “When I reflect on everything that happened,” Cris says, “in a way, I feel that they saved my life.”

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Extremely Rare 1586 Tudor Map of Kingsbridge to Go on Display in Exeter After Centuries Hidden

A rare Tudor-era map of a Devon town is set to go on public display for the first time in over 400 years. The 1586 hand-drawn map of Kingsbridge, described as “extremely rare” by historians, has been secured by the South West Heritage Trust after centuries in private hands. Thanks to a £17,691 grant from the Friends of the National Libraries, along with support from the Friends of Devon Archives, the map will be housed at the Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter. “This is an exceptional example,” said Geordie Greig, chair of the Friends of the National Libraries. “Estate maps of the 16th century are extremely rare, and this sort of view even rarer.” The map offers a remarkably detailed glimpse into Elizabethan life in a provincial English town. It features illustrations of key landmarks including the parish church, a pillory, and the ‘Cheape House’ — a prominent building on the town’s main street that served as the manor court until its demolition in 1796. Despite being more than four centuries old, the document is in “outstanding condition,” according to the trust. It was likely commissioned by Sir John Petre, lord of the manor at the time, and maps land belonging to the Petre family — a powerful name in Devon’s history. Sir John’s father, Sir William Petre, held senior political roles under four monarchs, serving as Secretary of State to Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and briefly under Elizabeth I. “Contemporary visual representations of provincial towns from the Elizabethan period are remarkably scarce,” said Scott Pettitt, head of Devon archives and local studies. “Illustrations of smaller towns from this era are seldom found.” The trust said the map’s arrival at the Devon Heritage Centre means it will now be preserved and made accessible to academics, local historians, and the public. “We are delighted that this important piece of Devon’s past will now be preserved and made accessible for everyone,” Pettitt added.

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Stranger Crowdfunds New Truck For Elderly Man After Meme Goes Viral

Mo Riles’ truck was impossible to ignore. The battered 2000 Chevy Silverado — a patchwork of mismatched panels, dents, and scratches — had become something of a legend in South Bend, Indiana. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked. And for Mo, who worked at a local Dollar Tree and had been through a string of health problems, that was enough. Others weren’t so kind. The truck drew stares in parking lots and made the rounds on social media, where it was dubbed everything from “Franken-truck” to “one speed bump away from splitting in half.” “I thought it was A.I. and didn’t know if it was real,” one diner patron told CBS’s Steve Hartman. Another added: “It’s unbelievable how the thing even moves.” But while the internet piled on with jokes, one local business owner saw something different. Colin Crowel, who runs Carguys Auto Detailing, figured anyone still driving that truck had to be going through something. “I just thought there’s gotta be something more to why this truck looks like this,” Crowel said. “I just put two and two together.” Instead of making fun, he decided to take action. Crowel launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Mo, describing the vehicle as “dangerously broken” but praising Mo’s consistency and work ethic. “Parts fall off, the truck appears to be split in half, but Mo never lets that stop him from getting to work or handling his daily responsibilities,” he wrote. The community responded fast. More than 500 people donated, raising over $26,000 in a matter of weeks. Earlier this month, Mo said goodbye to the green-and-rusted truck that had carried him through tough times. In its place: a gleaming 2019 Chevy Silverado from a local dealership, looking like it had just rolled off the lot. That moment — the handoff, the reaction, the tears — was captured in a segment by CBS’s On the Road. And it left Mo nearly speechless. “That’s the part that knocked me over, man,” he said. “Here (are) human beings seeing another human being struggle. And I’m like, wow, what did I do to deserve this? “But this whole thing is not about me,” he added. “It’s about this community bonding together.” What started as a local joke ended up revealing something much bigger: the power of strangers to lift each other up when it matters most. Now, every time Mo walks out to his driveway, he’s reminded not just of the new truck — but of the people who made it happen.

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Divers Recover World's Largest Medieval Cargo Ship Off Country's Coast

Danish archaeologists have uncovered what may be the most complete and best-preserved example of a medieval cargo ship ever found — and it’s the biggest of its kind. The wreck of a 15th-century cog ship, named Svælget 2, was discovered in the waters off Copenhagen during seabed surveys for the city’s massive Lynetteholm construction project. The find was announced in late December by the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, which called the discovery “extraordinary.” “From the very first dive, the maritime archaeologists sensed they had uncovered something extraordinary,” the museum said in a statement. “Not just any wreck, but the largest cog ever discovered — a ship that represents one of the most advanced vessel types of its time and the backbone of medieval trade.” Built around the year 1410, the ship measures roughly 28 meters long, 9 meters wide and 6 meters high, with a cargo capacity of around 330 tons. The museum says the ship was constructed using timber from Pomerania — in today’s Poland — as well as the Netherlands. The dating was confirmed by tree-ring analysis. Cogs were the workhorses of their era — a type of single-masted cargo ship that revolutionized trade in northern Europe. They were sturdy, could be operated by small crews, and were capable of carrying heavy loads across long distances. Unlike earlier ships built for luxury goods, cogs like Svælget 2 made it possible to ship everyday commodities across the continent. “This was the super ship of the Middle Ages,” the museum said. “It transformed trade patterns.” The ship had been buried under layers of sand in the Øresund strait between Denmark and Sweden for more than 600 years. That natural cover protected it from erosion and helped preserve not just the hull but a range of artifacts that archaeologists say offer an unusually detailed glimpse into life at sea in the 15th century. Divers recovered objects including ceramic dishes, shoes, combs, and rosary beads. One of the most striking finds was the brick-built galley — a kitchen space with an open hearth where crew members could cook meals. Such amenities were rare on medieval ships. “The ship was very well-equipped, and the sailors were living in relative comfort,” said Otto Uldum, the maritime archaeologist who led the excavation. Another significant feature was the ship’s rigging — the ropes and fittings used to support the mast — which was found still intact. Even more surprising was the recovery of the ship’s stern castle, a raised structure long seen in medieval illustrations but never before confirmed archaeologically. “It’s the first time we’ve found one,” Uldum told Fox News Digital, calling it the first hard proof that these structures weren’t just artistic embellishments. There were no traces of cargo, but researchers say the ship was clearly used for trade. “Despite the missing cargo, there is no doubt that Svælget 2 was a merchant ship,” the museum noted. Barrels of salt, cloth, and timber were likely candidates. There are still many unknowns — including how common such large cogs were in the region at the time. Most examples from this period have only been found in protected environments like reclaimed seabeds in the Netherlands. “To find a cog lost at sea in this state of preservation is very rare,” said Uldum. “The fact that it was underway on the high seas when it was lost puts it in the company of only a handful of other wrecks.” Uldum said he hopes the artifacts — including the remains of fish and mammals found aboard — will help researchers learn more about what the crew ate and how they lived during long voyages. As for Svælget 2, it now stands as a unique archaeological benchmark — the largest known example of a vessel that once carried Europe’s trade on its back.

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Inside the World’s First ‘Dementia Village,’ Where Residents Live Freely and with Dignity

In a quiet corner of the Netherlands, a revolutionary approach to dementia care is redefining what it means to age with dignity. It’s called The Hogeweyk — and it looks nothing like a nursing home. Instead of hospital beds and fluorescent lighting, residents of this purpose-built village walk past shops, dine in restaurants, and live in cozy apartments. Everyone from the cashier at the grocery store to the hairstylist at the local salon is trained in dementia care. The streets are enclosed for safety, but within them, people are free to move about, explore, and live with as much independence as possible. Founded in 2009, The Hogeweyk was the world’s first "dementia village." Since then, the concept has spread across the globe. But its core idea has remained the same: treat people with dementia as people — not patients — and create a place that prioritizes their freedom, identity, and comfort. Eloy van Hal, one of the founders, explained to Vox that the guiding principle of the village is “normalcy.” “It’s about choice, choice, choice — where you want to be during the whole day and with whom,” he said. Unlike traditional care homes, where everyone is housed under one roof and follows a rigid program, residents at The Hogeweyk live in small households of six to seven people. The apartments are styled to reflect familiar environments. The village has distinct landmarks and separate buildings for everyday activities, which help orient residents and encourage natural movement throughout the neighborhood. The approach is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: people with dementia still have aspirations. They still deserve joy, agency, and connection. That stands in stark contrast to many institutional care models, which often focus more on managing risk than enhancing life. Van Hal and his team take a different approach: build for safety, but accept a level of controlled risk if it means giving people back a sense of normal life. “We don’t have to make people prisoners to keep them safe,” he said in previous interviews. It’s not a cheap model. Without public funding, dementia villages can be cost-prohibitive. But for those who have experienced the difference firsthand, the impact is undeniable. One commenter on Vox’s video described moving their grandmother from a traditional memory care unit into a village-style facility after a year of watching her spirit fade. “The quality of life difference is nothing short of ASTOUNDING,” they wrote. “She could function in a way that was familiar and comfortable to her and not be in a foreign hospital setting.” Another person, who worked in a nursing home, recalled patients begging to go outside, feeling trapped in a place that didn’t resemble the lives they once knew. “This concept is probably the closest thing possible to a normal life a dementia patient could ever have,” they wrote. It’s not just about logistics. Locked doors, sterile environments, and confusing layouts can cause deep emotional distress for people with cognitive impairment. One relative of a dementia patient shared how their loved one would become angry and frightened upon encountering locked rooms she didn’t understand. “These village-based models allow autonomy and an individual experience,” they said. “Just because someone has a brain disease doesn't mean they aren't entitled to the very best care.” The early data from The Hogeweyk is promising. While long-term outcomes are still being studied, what’s clear is how transformative the environment can feel — not just for residents, but for their families and caregivers too. And the need for solutions like this is growing fast. In the United States alone, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease is projected to nearly double by 2050 — from 7 million today to 13 million, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. That’s a staggering shift, and it raises urgent questions about how the country will handle long-term care for millions of older adults. Facilities like The Hogeweyk offer a glimpse of what’s possible when design, policy, and compassion come together. They show that it’s not only about extending life, but improving the quality of it. As one viewer put it: “Even if there is proven to be no benefits to this model over a care home, I would much prefer to have dignity in my final days than live in a clinical trap.” That sentiment, more than anything, speaks to why dementia villages matter. They treat people with memory loss not as problems to be managed, but as people — deserving of safety, freedom, and care that honors who they are.

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Scientists Unveil The Intricate Process Behind Unique Snowflake Formation

As winter storms roll across the United States, millions of snowflakes are drifting from the sky — each one a tiny, frozen work of art. But how exactly do these intricate crystals form? And why is it that no two snowflakes are the same? The short answer: science, symmetry, and a little chaos in the atmosphere. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), every snowflake begins its life high in the clouds as a microscopic speck — usually a bit of dust or pollen — surrounded by supercooled water vapor. When that water vapor freezes, it forms a tiny ice crystal. As the crystal begins to fall through the atmosphere, it grows by attracting more water vapor, which instantly freezes onto its surface. The process creates a six-sided structure, thanks to the molecular shape of ice. But what happens next depends entirely on the path that snowflake takes to the ground. Atmospheric conditions like humidity and temperature change as the snowflake falls, and that alters how the crystal grows. At colder temperatures, snowflakes tend to grow into slender columns. At warmer (but still subfreezing) temperatures, they form flat plates. If the air is more humid, more elaborate branches may form. The Japanese physicist Ukichiro Nakaya was one of the first scientists to create a system that mapped how temperature and humidity influence these shapes. Because each snowflake takes a slightly different journey, encountering different conditions along the way, each one develops a distinct pattern. That’s what makes every snowflake truly unique — even if they all share the same basic hexagonal structure. And just how many of these natural ice sculptures fall every year? According to the Library of Congress, the total is estimated at around 1 septillion — that’s a 1 followed by 24 zeroes. In other words, more snowflakes fall in one winter than there are grains of sand on Earth. So next time snow is falling outside your window, take a moment to catch one on your glove. You’ll be holding a fleeting piece of natural engineering — a frozen snapshot of the clouds above.

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Playful White Rhino Calf Zooms Around Its New Habitat

At two and a half months old, Kairu (the first ever southern white rhino born at a zoo in Valencia, Spain, began exploring the facility’s expansive multi-species savanna enclosure. Heartwarming footage released by Bioparc Valencia on January 23 shows the adorable calf alongside its mother, Kwanza, and Nombula, the zoo’s oldest female white rhino. Bioparc Valencia said the rhino’s birth on November 4 “represents hope” for the near-threatened species that poachers target for its horn.

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Feeling Hopeful Might Actually Boost Your Immune System, Study Finds

Positive thinking doesn’t just make you feel better — it might actually help your body fight off illness, too. New research published January 19 in Nature Medicine suggests that activating the brain’s reward system through hopeful, optimistic thinking can strengthen the body’s immune response to vaccines. “It’s the first demonstration in humans, in what seems to be a causal manner, that if you learn how to recruit your reward system in the brain, the effectiveness of immunization increases,” said Talma Hendler, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist at Tel Aviv University, speaking to The Guardian. Hendler and her team studied 85 participants between March 2020 and August 2022. A subset of 34 people were trained to activate their brain’s mesolimbic reward system — specifically the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens — using a technique called neurofeedback. Inside a brain scanner, participants engaged in guided mental tasks: recalling meaningful memories, thinking about their daily routines, or imagining a successful future. The scanner tracked their brain activity in real time and gave feedback, allowing them to adjust their thoughts to strengthen activity in the targeted regions. “We open a sort of window into an unconscious neural activity,” said Nitzan Lubianiker, a study co-author and neuroscientist at Yale University, in an interview with Scientific American. Once participants completed four sessions of training, they received a hepatitis B vaccine. Blood was drawn before the training, then again two and four weeks after the vaccine, to measure antibody production. A smaller group returned three months later for additional testing. The results were clear: the more participants activated the VTA, the stronger their immune response to the vaccine. That effect was especially linked to hopeful thinking about the future — a mental state the researchers called “positive expectation.” Other participants in the study were either trained to activate different brain areas or spent time in the scanner without any neurofeedback training. They didn’t show the same immune boost. The researchers are careful to point out that this kind of brain training isn’t a replacement for vaccines or medical treatment. “The approach we tested is intended solely as a complementary tool that may enhance immune responsiveness to vaccination,” Lubianiker said. “It cannot, and is not meant to, replace vaccines or standard medical care.” The findings also shed light on a potential biological explanation for the placebo effect — the well-documented phenomenon where people experience real physical improvement from a fake treatment, simply because they believe it will help. The mesolimbic reward system and positive expectations have previously been tied to that effect. In a commentary published alongside the study, immunologists Kyungdeok Kim, Ben Title, and Jonathan Kipnis of Washington University School of Medicine said the findings highlight how brain activity might influence immune function in medical settings. The results suggest that so-called “hope circuits” in the brain could have a measurable effect on health. This study doesn’t mean that good vibes alone can replace medicine. But it does suggest that how you feel — and what you expect — can shape how your body responds to it.

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