Vets Saved a Sick Donkey's Life Using 24 Liters of Coca-Cola

Vets at The Donkey Sanctuary in Devon came up with a creative solution to help Joey, a sick donkey suffering from gastric impaction. They administered 24 liters of fizzy cola through a tube in his nose over the course of four days, successfully dissolving the blockage and relieving his pain. Now back to his cheerful self, Joey has made a new friend named Ben and they happily roam around together, showing remarkable recovery and resilience.

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Boston Museum Returns Pottery by Enslaved Artist David Drake to Descendants

In a first-of-its-kind move, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is returning two rare 19th-century stoneware vessels made by David Drake—better known as “Dave the Potter”—to his descendants. Drake, an enslaved African American craftsman in South Carolina, created thousands of pots during his lifetime, many of them inscribed with his name and short poems. He never owned any of them. Now, more than 150 years later, his family finally will. “This is a historic moment,” said Pauline Baker, Drake’s great-great-great-granddaughter. “Our great-great-great-grandfather never got to own one single piece of his own pottery or to pass them on to his children and grandchildren. But today the Museum does all it can to right that wrong.” The move marks a breakthrough in the broader conversation around restitution in the art world. Until now, the global movement to return stolen or looted art has largely focused on works taken by the Nazis or plundered from former colonies. The MFA’s decision is one of the first major cases where a museum has applied the same ethical standard to works created by an enslaved artist. Under the agreement, legal title for two of Drake’s jars will transfer to a trust formed by his descendants. One jar will remain on loan to the museum, while the other will be repurchased by the MFA. A certificate of ethical ownership will distinguish it from other pieces whose provenance lacks family engagement. The goal is to set a precedent. “The return of Drake’s works is groundbreaking,” said George Fatheree, attorney for the family and one of the architects of the deal. “It affords descendants of enslaved African Americans the same rights and dignity bestowed on descendants of Jewish people persecuted under the Nazis.” The agreement also creates space for other potential descendants to come forward. The family has launched a website—DescendantsOfDave.org—to invite people to check for possible ancestral links to Drake. Distribution of any proceeds from the agreement has been paused for two years to give others time to be identified. David Drake was born into slavery around 1800 in South Carolina and spent most of his life working in the potteries of Edgefield District, a region known for its distinctive alkaline-glazed stoneware. Despite laws that forbade enslaved people from reading or writing, Drake boldly signed and inscribed many of his works with verses and his own name—an act that was illegal and deeply defiant. By the time he died in the 1870s, Drake had become a legend in local lore. An 1859 article in the Edgefield Advertiser noted how children loved watching vessels emerge from the wheel under his “magic touch.” In recent years, the art market has caught up with that legacy. Drake’s work now commands huge prices. A single inscribed jar sold for $1.56 million in 2021—a record for American pottery. Yet none of that wealth has reached his descendants. The MFA’s decision isn’t just about financial restitution, though. It's also about cultural and personal dignity. “Even while enslaved, and forced to work day in and day out, his mind and soul, his personality and character were always free,” Baker said. “That ability to hold onto his sense of self is what resonates down through the centuries and inspires us as a family.” The MFA has played a key role in elevating Drake’s work to international audiences. In 2023, the museum co-organized a major exhibition titled Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina. The show featured 60 works by African American potters, including some of Drake’s most monumental pieces. “These jars are not only extraordinary works of art—they are tangible evidence of a life of brilliance and resilience lived under oppression,” said Pierre Terjanian, the MFA’s Ann and Graham Gund Director. “By returning them to David Drake’s descendants, we acknowledge the artist as their first rightful owner and seek to restore the cultural—and familial—dignity that was lost when the works were taken from him.” Drake’s artistry lives on through his pots, but now, for the first time, his legacy will also live on through the hands of his family—who finally get to claim what was always his.

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Dan Brown is Bringing The Da Vinci Code to Life — With the Creator of Van Gogh Immersive

Bestselling author Dan Brown is stepping into the immersive art scene, teaming up with Van Gogh Immersive creator Massimiliano Siccardi to create a new, high-tech exhibition based on The Da Vinci Code. The show is set to open in 2026. The experience will blend Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions and artwork with the storylines and mysteries of Brown’s 2003 religious thriller, which has sold over 80 million copies and inspired a hit film starring Tom Hanks. Visitors can expect a multi-sensory journey through “the mind of Leonardo — his inventions, his obsessions, his brilliance,” according to Siccardi. While specific venues and creative collaborators haven’t been announced yet, the team has revealed some of what’s in store: flying over Tuscany in a virtual ornithopter, riding through Paris in an armored tank, and meeting Da Vinci’s mechanical lion — all while unraveling a murder mystery steeped in religious symbolism. “The visceral power of immersive experiences has always fascinated and moved me,” Brown said in a statement. “I’m beyond excited to be developing this project with the legendary artist Massimiliano Siccardi.” The exhibition is being produced by Brett Kerr and Andrea Bari, whose latest feature film Waltzing with Brando starred Billy Zane as the Hollywood icon trying to build an eco-retreat in Tahiti. “This is about expanding how audiences experience wonder — and rewriting the boundaries between art, technology, and emotion,” Kerr and Bari said. This isn’t the first time Da Vinci’s legacy has been brought into the immersive world. Last year, Melbourne’s Lume gallery launched “Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius,” which featured massive projections, a 360-degree replica of the Mona Lisa, and pages from the Codex Atlanticus, a 12-volume collection of Da Vinci’s writings and designs. But this new project goes a step further — combining Da Vinci’s real-life inventions with the fictional conspiracy that made The Da Vinci Code a global phenomenon. The story follows Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu as they unravel a trail of clues linking the bloodline of Jesus Christ to a secret society hidden within the works of Da Vinci. The upcoming experience builds on the success of other immersive art shows that have taken over cities worldwide — from Van Gogh to Monet, Klimt, and even David Hockney. Many credit the breakout moment to the viral popularity of Immersive Van Gogh, which reached new audiences after appearing in the Netflix series Emily in Paris. With immersive exhibitions now a booming global trend, Brown’s leap into the space marks a new kind of storytelling — one where audiences won’t just read the mystery, they’ll walk through it. As Siccardi put it, it’s about “the unveiling of Da Vinci works the world has never seen.”

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Dictionary.com Names '6-7' Word Of The Year — It's Still Leaving Many Confused

It’s a number. It’s a shrug. It’s an internet inside joke. And now, it’s the Word of the Year. Dictionary.com announced on Wednesday that “67” — also stylized as “6-7” or “six-seven” — is its official pick for 2025. The term, which has exploded across TikTok, classrooms, and chaotic group chats, is described as “classic brainrot slang” that means almost nothing — and maybe that’s the point. “Few slang terms have captured the cultural mood of 2025 quite like 67,” said Steve Johnson, director of lexicography for Dictionary Media Group, in a statement. “It’s part inside joke, part social signal and part performance.” Often shouted with a raised-palms gesture, “6-7” is used like an interjection — the way someone might say “meh,” “whatever,” or literally nothing at all. Think: a kind of exaggerated, absurdist shrug, popular in rowdy classrooms, sports arenas, and especially on social media. Teachers, for one, are not amused. Its origin story is murky. Some trace it back to the 2024 viral hit Doot Doot (6 7) by Skrilla. Others point to chaotic meme edits of NBA star LaMelo Ball, who just happens to be 6-foot-7. Wherever it started, it snowballed — hard. According to Dictionary.com, the use of “6-7” in digital media spiked sixfold in October 2025 compared to the 2024 average. TikTok videos tagged #67 have racked up more than two million posts, featuring everything from choreographed handshakes to restaurants erupting when order number 67 is called. The term even made it into a recent episode of South Park, confirming its place in the cultural ether. Still, not everyone’s convinced. “ITS NOT EVEN A WORD,” exclaimed one post on X (formerly Twitter) by user @Zigzaglawyer, racking up nearly 300,000 likes. “I can feel myself turn into an old man,” comedian Gianmarco Soresi posted, summing up the confusion felt by many adults trying to make sense of the phrase. Johnson acknowledged the backlash but defended the pick. “It’s one of the first words of the year that works as an interjection,” he said. “It reflects the absurdist, internet-driven, post-irony culture we’re all swimming in — and often trying to keep up with.” Social prescribing may be on the rise, but so is social posting — and 67 seems to capture the energy of people trying to say something, anything, in a culture where meaning is constantly up for grabs. Other contenders on Dictionary.com’s shortlist this year included “aura farming,” “Gen Z stare,” “tariff,” and “tradwife.” But none, apparently, had the chaotic staying power of two numbers and a meme. In a year full of contradictions, it makes a strange kind of sense. Or as one TikTok creator put it, while stacking chicken nuggets into the shape of a 6 and a 7: “It’s not that deep. 6-7.”

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Doctors in Montreal Are Now Prescribing Free Symphony Tickets — and it Might Just Help Your Health

In Montreal, a visit to the doctor could soon land you a night at the symphony — on prescription. The Montreal Symphony Orchestra has launched a new program with Médecins francophones du Canada that allows doctors to prescribe free concert tickets to patients as a form of treatment. It’s part of a growing movement in Canada known as social prescribing, where healthcare providers recommend non-medical activities — like nature walks, art classes, or time spent with animals — to support mental and physical health. Under the new program, doctors will be given actual prescription slips they can hand to patients, who then call the orchestra to claim two free tickets to a performance of their choice. “Physicians will get prescriptions that they will give to patients. The patients will call us. And we will give each patient that calls us two tickets for free,” said Mélanie La Couture, CEO of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, in an interview with CBC’s As It Happens. While it may sound novel, there’s solid science behind the idea. “There is an abundance of data, evidence-based data, that have shown that music influences the body and mind in remarkable ways,” said Nicole Parent, executive director of Médecins francophones du Canada. Listening to music, Parent explained, stimulates the release of endorphins and dopamine — natural chemicals that help regulate pain, boost mood, and improve memory. It also reduces cortisol, the stress hormone. Together, these effects can lower anxiety, relieve pain, and enhance cognitive function. But for many patients, especially in lower-income or marginalized communities, those benefits can feel out of reach. Concert tickets can be expensive. Cultural venues might feel unfamiliar or unwelcoming. That’s where a doctor’s prescription can make a difference. “We all know the influence of a physician towards his patient,” Parent said. “If he prescribes that intervention, there's a better chance that the patient will acknowledge and might go for a concert.” The idea is already catching on. Doctors have shown strong interest, and other orchestras in Toronto and Quebec City are exploring similar initiatives. It’s part of a national shift in how we think about health and healing. Kate Mulligan, a public health expert and founder of the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing, says these kinds of programs help patients access the things that bring them joy — especially those who otherwise might not feel welcome in traditional cultural spaces. “So these kinds of programs can be really helpful in making people feel more welcome and learning what they want and need from these programs, and then helping them to engage in the arts more regularly,” she said. Social prescribing isn’t just about music. Doctors have prescribed everything from national park passes to community gardening memberships to, in one Toronto case, a puppy — with instructions for “walks twice daily and lots of love.” At its core, Mulligan said, it’s about asking patients what matters to them, and giving them tools to reconnect with life beyond the clinic. In some models, community health workers act as intermediaries to help patients follow through on the prescriptions in ways that fit their lives. The benefits aren’t just emotional. A recent report from Mulligan’s organization found that for every dollar invested in social prescribing, there was a return of $4.43, largely through reduced emergency room visits, ambulance calls, and hospital admissions. And then there’s the human factor: “We also get to focus on the idea that you matter,” Mulligan said. “And I don't know about you, but that's not a feeling I get very often encountering health-care systems these days.” For La Couture, the project is just getting started. But the response so far has been enthusiastic, and the goal is to expand. “It’s a first step,” she said. “I would love to expand that project really widespread.” In a city where many people feel isolated or overwhelmed, a concert hall might seem like an unlikely place to heal. But for those who need it, a seat at the symphony could be just what the doctor ordered.

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Wildcats Have Just Returned To Scotland: First Wild-Born Kittens Spotted In National Park

The Scottish wildcat, once on the brink of extinction, is creeping back into its historic territory — and now, for the first time in decades, kittens born in the wild have been spotted in Cairngorms National Park. The milestone comes three years after conservationists began releasing captive-bred wildcats into the park as part of the Saving Wildcats project, a rewilding initiative led by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and backed by the European Union. In total, 35 wildcats have been released since the project began. “These kittens are the first wild-born Scottish wildcats in the Cairngorms as part of this effort,” Earth.org reported, calling it a significant step toward reestablishing a self-sustaining population. Scottish wildcats are slightly bigger than house cats, with stockier builds, distinctive tabby markings, and bushy tails tipped in black. Locals often describe their expression as “crabbit” — the Scots word for grumpy. But while they may look fierce, their numbers have long told a different story. Hunted for decades because they were seen as a threat to game, wildcats have also been pushed to the edge by habitat loss and interbreeding with feral domestic cats. By 2013, estimates from Nature Scot suggested just 115 to 314 individuals remained in the wild. Now, the goal is to restore these elusive predators to the forests and moorlands they once ruled. “This species plays a vital role in Scotland’s ecosystem,” said project partners. As natural predators of small mammals, wildcats help control rodent populations in a country that lost its large carnivores long ago. But reintroducing a species isn’t as simple as opening the gates. It involves tracking the health of released animals, monitoring their survival, and, just as critically, winning support from local communities. One of the biggest challenges has been public engagement. Conservationists say projects like this only work when the people who live nearby are part of the effort. That’s why the Saving Wildcats team works closely with residents, landowners, and organizations like Nature Scot to educate the public and reduce potential conflicts — including managing feral cat populations to prevent crossbreeding. Scottish folklore even adds a layer of mystique. The wildcat is believed to have inspired the Celtic legend of the Cat Sith, a supernatural feline said to roam the Highlands. With the birth of these new kittens, the species — sometimes called the “Highland tiger” — may be turning a corner. There’s still a long road ahead. Conservationists stress that true success will only come when a stable, independent population can survive without human intervention. But after years of decline, the sight of wild-born kittens in the Cairngorms feels like something worth celebrating — not just for the wildcats, but for anyone who wants to see nature return to the places it once called home.

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New Brain-Training App is Reversing 10 Years Of Decline In Key Brain System

A brain training app originally designed to sharpen mental skills is now showing signs it might do something far more powerful: reverse age-related changes in the brain. A new study from neurologists at McGill University found that older adults who used the BrainHQ app by Posit Science showed brain activity typically seen in people a decade younger. The app, which offers quick-paced attention and memory challenges, was tested in a controlled, double-blind trial involving 82 healthy adults aged over 65. Participants used either BrainHQ or a standard recreational computer game for 30 minutes a day over 10 weeks. In those who used BrainHQ, researchers saw a boost in cholinergic activity, a form of brain signalling linked to attention and memory, in a region of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex. That’s important, because this region is known to shrink with age. The McGill team described the observed change as equivalent in magnitude to about 10 years of aging. “The training restored cholinergic health to levels typically seen in someone 10 years younger,” said study co-author Dr. Etienne de Villers-Sidani, a neurologist at McGill. “This is the first time any intervention, drug or non-drug, has been shown to do that in humans.” The findings, published in JMIR Serious Games, offer promising early evidence that digital brain training could one day help offset the effects of cognitive aging — though researchers are quick to note there’s still a long way to go. The cholinergic system acts as a kind of communications hub across the brain. It connects to areas like the hippocampus, which plays a key role in memory and learning. Strengthening this system could, in theory, help slow or reduce common aging symptoms like forgetfulness or difficulty concentrating. The researchers used a rare type of brain imaging scan that detects changes in this system with precision. “We used a rare technology,” said de Villers-Sidani. “The [Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital] is one of the few centers worldwide that can produce the tracer and run the scan.” Still, the trial had a relatively small sample size, and the research was partially incentivized by commercial interests — BrainHQ is a for-profit product with monthly and yearly subscriptions. That introduces potential bias, even in a well-designed study. Posit Science, the company behind the app, says it has developed the training based on scientific research, with hundreds of peer-reviewed papers testing its various exercises. While initial results are promising, the study didn’t measure whether changes in the brain actually led to better memory or attention in real life — something researchers say needs further testing. It’s also unclear how long the brain effects last. “Identifying and implementing effective strategies to support brain health has the potential to reduce health care costs, increase workforce participation and community engagement, and improve quality of life,” the study authors wrote. The team emphasized that these results lay the groundwork for larger studies, particularly those involving more diverse populations. For now, the research suggests that working out your brain — just like your body — may one day become a key part of healthy aging.

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Cheese Lovers Unite: Study Suggests Eating Cheese Once A Week May Lower Dementia Risk

A new study out of Japan suggests that eating cheese regularly may help reduce the risk of developing dementia. Researchers tracked data from nearly 8,000 adults aged 65 and older over a three-year period. They found that people who ate cheese at least once a week were 24% less likely to develop dementia compared to those who rarely or never ate it. By the end of the study, 3.4% of regular cheese eaters had been diagnosed with dementia, compared to 4.45% of non-cheese eaters — a modest but notable difference of about 10 fewer cases per 1,000 people. The findings were published in the journal Nutrients, and the analysis accounted for age, sex, health status, and socioeconomic background. Why Might Cheese Help? Cheese contains several nutrients that may support brain health, including: • Proteins and amino acids are important for maintaining neurons • Vitamin K2, which supports vascular health and calcium balance • Fermented compounds, which may reduce inflammation and positively affect the gut-brain axis The study also notes that fermented dairy has been linked to lower rates of heart and metabolic diseases — both of which are risk factors for dementia. A Word of Caution Researchers emphasize that the results show a correlation, not causation. It’s still unclear whether cheese itself is protective, or if other factors — such as overall diet, lifestyle, or even the type of cheese — play a role. Still, with dementia affecting over 50 million people globally and projected to more than triple by 2050, the findings point to the importance of further research into simple, everyday dietary habits that could support brain health.

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Sting is Making a Big Donation to a Local Arts Center, Says He Has a Lifelong Debt to Its Creative Spirit

Sting has credited the art galleries and music venues of his youth with sparking the dream that led him to global stardom — and now, he’s giving back. The Wallsend-born musician has made an undisclosed donation to support the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, backing a £10 million Endowment Fund to ensure “creative futures on Tyneside.” Speaking ahead of an intimate fundraising concert at the venue, Sting reflected on how the arts opened doors for him growing up in north-east England. “I didn’t want to work at the shipyard, I didn’t want to work in the coalmine,” he told the BBC. “I had no idea [what I wanted], but art gave me some sort of clue as to what I would aspire to be.” As a teenager, he would venture across Newcastle to watch Jimi Hendrix at the Club a’Gogo, catch black-and-white European films, or hear Andrés Segovia perform with the Northern Symphonia. “There was this exposure to something that was outside of what was offered to me,” he said. “It lit a fire.” Now 74, Sting described himself as “a curious child” who found hope and identity through art. The Baltic, which he remembers as a flour mill from childhood visits to the quayside with his father, has since become a symbol of cultural renewal — and he’s proud to support it. “I never imagined that building would become a world-famous contemporary art gallery,” he said. “It’s free to enter, and our future artists will come from this place.” Sting emphasized the importance of accessible creative spaces, especially for young people who might not see a future in the industries around them. He also urged fellow “successful Geordies” to help sustain the region’s cultural life. The former Police frontman also reiterated his criticism of government cuts to the arts, calling them a “short-term solution, but a long-term false economy.” “Britain punches well above its weight in storytelling — the world loves our songs, our plays, our art,” he said. “But the shop floor for that is in galleries and music venues.” He called the north-east a “hotbed of talent” that deserves more investment, not less. For Sting, giving to the Baltic is more than a donation — it’s a tribute to the venues that shaped him, and a vote of confidence in the next generation of artists waiting in the wings.

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Mindfulness in Schools Is Helping Students of Color — and One Program Is Leading the Way

Across the U.S., schools are turning to mindfulness, meditation, and yoga to help students manage stress and support their mental well-being. And research shows these tools may be especially impactful in communities with fewer resources — including schools serving more students of color. In Atlanta, that impact is being felt firsthand. Thanks to support from GreenLight Fund Atlanta, school systems across Georgia are adopting a program called Inner Explorer — an audio-based platform that guides students and teachers through daily five- to 10-minute sessions of breathing, meditation, and self-reflection. It’s now being used in Atlanta Public Schools and more than 100 districts across the country. The goal: make accessible mental health support part of the school day — especially for Black youth, who face a growing mental health crisis. According to the CDC, the suicide rate among Black youth surged by 144% between 2007 and 2020 — the fastest rise of any racial group. But mental health professionals are in short supply — and even more so for psychologists of color. “There are not enough psychologists of color,” said Joli Cooper, executive director of GreenLight Fund Atlanta. While mindfulness doesn’t replace professional care, educators say it’s helping. Teachers at Roberta T. Smith Elementary School in Atlanta told the Associated Press that incorporating Inner Explorer into the classroom has made a noticeable difference. And students are feeling it, too. “I love myself how I am,” said 9-year-old Aniyah Woods. “But Inner Explorer just helps me feel more like myself.”

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Scientists Discover Remarkable Viability in 4,000-Year-Old Buried Wood

A 3,775-year-old log unearthed in Quebec is offering scientists a surprising clue in the fight against climate change — and it involves burying wood. Discovered in 2013 under six feet of clay in Saint-Pie, Quebec, the ancient eastern red cedar was recently carbon-dated after being dried for nine years. Remarkably, it had retained 95% of its original carbon, suggesting that burying biomass could significantly slow decomposition and lock away carbon for thousands of years. “The wood was carbon-14 dated to be 3775 ± 35 years old,” researchers noted in a new study published in Science, calling it “direct evidence for the viability of wood burial as an approach for carbon removal and durable storage.” The implications are significant. Photosynthesis removes over 220 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide from the air annually, but most of it reenters the atmosphere through natural decay. Burying even a small portion of trees, plants, or other organic matter could drastically reduce emissions — and do so cheaply. Current estimates suggest that the burial method could cost between $100 and $200 per 1.1 tons of CO₂ in the first decade, dropping to $30–$100 after scaling. By comparison, traditional direct air capture costs range from $100 to $300 for the same amount. Other emerging technologies include a Minnesota-based reactor that turns captured carbon into a coal-like substance, and a Bill Gates–backed startup producing plant-based bricks for carbon storage. Researchers are now studying how different soil and wood types affect results. They see wood burial as a potentially scalable, nature-based solution — one that could also bring economic benefits to forest communities. “In practice, it can be incorporated into a sustainable forest management plan,” the study said, “providing a new income source for a struggling industry and local communities around the world.”

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