Smithsonian Magazine

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo just got a whole lot cuter.

In the early hours of February 2, a female Asian elephant calf was born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) in Washington, D.C., marking the first elephant birth there in more than two decades.

Weighing in at 308 pounds and standing 98 centimeters tall, the calf was born at 1:15 a.m. after a 21-month pregnancy. Zoo staff performed an exam shortly afterward and described her as “healthy, alert and bright-eyed.”

“She was born very quickly after the signs began,” said Robbie Clark, the zoo’s elephant manager and acting curator of Elephant Trails. “I’m honestly still absorbing what happened. I haven’t slept since she was born.”

The calf is the first offspring of 12-year-old Nhi Linh, who came to the zoo in 2022 as a gift from the Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands. Her father is Spike, a 44-year-old bull on loan from Zoo Miami since 2018. Their pairing was the result of careful planning under the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, which aims to increase the genetic diversity of endangered animals in human care.

Clark described Nhi Linh as “feisty and rambunctious,” while keepers say Spike is easygoing. Genetics, health, and temperament all played into the decision to breed the two.

The newborn is not yet on public view and may remain behind the scenes for several weeks while she bonds with her mother, the herd, and animal care staff. For now, the calf and Nhi Linh are separated by a barrier, but they can hear and smell each other. Caretakers say that Nhi Linh is the only elephant responding to the calf’s calls, a promising sign.

“Once we can secure that bond — and typically, the magic point is nursing — then we’ll give them a little time to learn how to orientate around each other,” Clark explained.

To mark the occasion, the zoo is inviting the public to help name the calf. Through February 13 at noon, fans can vote for one of four Vietnamese names by donating at least $5 to the zoo’s Asian elephant conservation efforts. Each dollar equals one vote. The options are:

Linh Mai (“spirit” + “apricot blossom,” associated with Lunar New Year)

Thảo Nhi (“gentle little one”)

Tú Anh (“talented and intelligent”)

Tuyết (“snow,” in honor of her winter birth)

The winning name will be announced later this month.

This birth is a milestone for a species that needs every bit of help it can get. Fewer than 52,000 Asian elephants are left in the wild, scattered across South and Southeast Asia. They're now 10 times more endangered than African elephants, according to Peter Leimgruber, NZCBI’s director of conservation and science.

“Many of the things we learn here — technologies, the science — we can directly transfer to these places [where the animals live],” Leimgruber said.

Staff are already doing that, he added, from tracking hormone levels to guide breeding, to sharing tools for monitoring reproductive health and selecting genetically diverse pairs.

The zoo has been monitoring Nhi Linh closely for months. In late January, staff noticed a significant drop in her progesterone levels — a key sign that labor was near. By January 25, the team began a 24/7 watch for more obvious signs, like tail flapping and abdominal contractions.

Then, just after 12:30 a.m. on February 2, came a visible “bulge,” a sign the calf had entered the birth canal. Within 30 minutes, Nhi Linh’s water broke and the calf was born.

The last Asian elephant born at the zoo was a male named Kandula, delivered in 2001. He left for the Oklahoma City Zoo in 2015. His mother, Shanthi, lived out her life at the National Zoo and passed away in 2020 at the age of 45.

This time, it’s Nhi Linh’s turn — and so far, all signs point to her being a devoted mom once that first connection is made.

“She’s alert. She’s listening,” said Clark. “And she’s the only one responding to her calf.”

In a few short weeks, the zoo hopes mother and daughter will be inseparable — and ready to meet a public eager to say hello.

This Fuzzy Asian Elephant Calf Was Just Born, And The Public is Invited To Help Name Her

BBC News

The Dalmatian pelican, a massive bird with a wingspan of up to three metres, could one day return to Britain’s skies after being extinct for centuries.

Nature restoration group RESTORE is studying whether it’s feasible to reintroduce the species to wetlands across England, including the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, the Essex marshes, and the Somerset Levels.

“Experts are of the view Britain is definitely worth exploring further [as to] whether the Dalmatian pelican could be reintroduced,” said Benedict MacDonald from RESTORE.

Fossil records show that the species was once common in parts of Somerset, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, and Yorkshire. But it disappeared from Britain during medieval times, mainly due to the draining of wetlands and hunting. “They were considered a very good source of food,” MacDonald added.

The Dalmatian pelican is one of the largest flying birds in Europe. Worldwide, their population is estimated between 10,000 and 20,000, with the largest known colony found at Lake Mikri Prespa in northern Greece.

For the species to survive in Britain again, it would need healthy wetlands, strong fish populations, and safe nesting areas. According to Rewilding Britain, the pelican’s return could also help drive large-scale wetland restoration, benefiting a range of wildlife and ecosystems.

Giorgos Catsadorakis, chair of the pelican specialist group at the IUCN, said the return of the bird could be an important signal. “Healthy pelican populations could serve as a powerful indicator of successful wetland management,” he said. “Reflecting the care, coordination and long-term commitment needed to conserve these landscapes while supporting the many social, cultural and ecological benefits they provide.”

Could Giant Pelicans Return to British Skies? A New Plan Says Yes

A month ago, the Milano Santagiulia hockey arena looked more like a construction site than a venue for Olympic dreams. Cranes loomed, drywall dust coated everything, and a broken-down car blocked the front entrance. Today, it holds one of the most pristine ice surfaces ever prepped for Olympic play — thanks to Don Moffatt, a 67-year-old ice master from Peterborough, Ontario.

“I’ve never had a challenge like this,” Moffatt said. “I waited until the last possible second.”

The job nearly broke him. Just last week, Moffatt was still unsure whether the surface would be playable. Dust and debris from the surrounding construction had crept into the rink, turning the ice grey. A test game earlier in the month was nearly a disaster. A hole opened up in the surface during the first period, forcing a mid-game repair that quickly went viral.

Moffatt knew he had to start over. He shaved the surface all the way down to the refrigerant pipes and began again — layering it slowly, carefully. Then, just as his crew arrived to rebuild, construction delays struck again. The Zamboni room was flooded with muddy water.

Undeterred, Moffatt pulled a 12-hour overnight shift, then returned after just two hours of sleep to paint fresh hockey markings and the Olympic logo at center ice. He followed with flood after flood until a new rink emerged.

“That went just fabulously,” he said. “On Monday, I was 50-50. On Tuesday, I was more like 80-20.”

Now? “I’m completely confident,” Moffatt said. “This ice is ready for the NHL.”

The transformation has been nothing short of remarkable. Moffatt watched the French women’s team skate on it during practice and smiled. “It’s like a muscle. You need to break it down and then build it back stronger.”

The women’s tournament opens later this week, with Czechia facing Switzerland. Despite the beautiful surface, there’s one quirk Moffatt can’t fix: the sound. Because the Santagiulia arena is actually a concert hall retrofitted for Olympic hockey, the refrigerant pipes sit on top of the concrete floor rather than embedded beneath it. That design gives the ice an unusual, almost hollow quality.

“There’s nothing they’ve skated on that sounds like this,” Moffatt said. “It’s so loud. When the big guys are cutting corners, it sounds like they’re tearing the ice apart.”

He plans to warn the teams.

As drills buzzed and hammers echoed around the still-unfinished building, Moffatt stood in the middle of the arena, finally able to breathe. His fifth Olympics nearly broke him — but he made it.

“I lost a lot of weight here,” he said, glancing up at the lights. “I somehow haven’t lost a lot of hair.”

Construction workers were still wiping scuff marks from the glass and polishing counters that hadn’t existed a month ago. A brand-new scoreboard had just been installed, and a network of 60 cameras was in place to capture every angle of the action.

The building might have been behind schedule, but Moffatt’s ice is ready.

Forty-six years after the Americans stunned the world with a “Miracle on Ice,” Milan might be preparing for its own — with a little Canadian magic beneath their skates.

How This Canadian Ice Expert Delivered Italy Its Own 'Miracle On Ice' As Olympic Arena Opens

Leah Cullen was 13 when she was told she’d never be able to carry a child. Doctors said the tailbone cancer she was being treated for would leave her infertile.

Now 25, she’s a mom to a healthy one-year-old daughter named Aria.

“I was in shock,” said Leah, from Blyth in Northumberland. “The nurse said ‘you didn’t tell me you were pregnant,’ and I said, ‘I didn’t know I was pregnant!’”

In 2024, Leah had been experiencing bladder pain when a scan revealed she was already 30 weeks pregnant.

She calls the moment she found out “pure joy.”

Leah’s cancer treatment involved surgery and radiotherapy. It left her with long-term pain and mobility issues. She uses a wheelchair to leave the house and takes daily painkillers. But during her pregnancy, she had to stop the medication.

“It was incredibly tough,” she said. “I was worried about how the drugs might affect her and at times I physically couldn’t move from the pain.”

Aria was born in December 2024. She was healthy and showed no side effects from the pregnancy.

Leah is now sharing her story as a spokesperson for Children with Cancer UK. The charity says 10 children are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK. Two of those won’t survive. Of the eight who do, over half will face long-term and often life-limiting side effects.

“Life after cancer is tough,” Leah said. “I struggled a lot with my mental health and at times you do feel ‘why me?’”

She added: “Even at 13 I knew I wanted to have children, so to be told I couldn’t was incredibly difficult and it stayed with me.”

Chief executive Gavin Maggs said: “We have to share stories like Leah’s which can help young people through their cancer journeys. We know that children can be left suffering with their mental health after cancer, but it’s important that they know they still have a life to lead.”

Leah believes more open conversation could help.

“You may think this is not the life I imagined growing up,” she said, “but it is a life and we’ve got to be so thankful.”

“If someone had told me I’d be here with a one-year-old, I would have said that was impossible. Yet here I am, in the best place I’ve ever been. Things really can get better — not just in small ways, but in ways you never imagined.”

‘I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant’: Woman Defies Odds After Childhood Cancer

People

A group of kids with “serious medical challenges” were granted the celebrity treatment with a trip to the 2026 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 1.

The Make‑A‑Wish foundation provided this footage, which shows nine kids being styled before attending the music awards.

In a press release, Make‑A‑Wish said, “United Airlines provided flights, tickets, behind‑the‑scenes access and other enhancements for the families. Each child’s journey showed how music supported them through serious medical challenges.”

Once at the event, the group met celebrities such as Jeff Goldblum, Paris Hilton, Kesha, and Lady Gaga.

Make‑A‑Wish Kids Received the Celebrity Treatment at the Grammy Awards This Year

On a frigid January afternoon in New Bedford, Massachusetts, a reverent crowd gathered in what could only be described as a literary pilgrimage. Inside the New Bedford Whaling Museum, the voice of Massachusetts Poet Laureate Regie Gibson rang out, delivering the immortal first line of Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick to an audience clutching dog-eared copies of the novel: “Call me Ishmael.”

So began the 30th annual Moby-Dick Marathon, a 25-hour reading of Melville’s 1851 masterpiece by more than 300 volunteers from across the country and around the globe. Over 3,100 people attended this year’s event, which started on January 3, the anniversary of Melville’s own departure from the port city in 1841 on a whaling voyage that would inspire his most famous work.

“This is one of our oldest, greatest American novels,” Gibson said. “Reading it aloud, you really hear the poetic techniques—repetition, alliteration, subtle rhyme—it’s a cavalcade of sound that brings you in like the sea does.”

The annual marathon transforms New Bedford into a shrine for Melville enthusiasts and curious visitors alike. The weekend-long event includes lectures, panel discussions, and readings at the historic Seamen’s Bethel, where Melville once sat in the pews. At 3 a.m., dedicated readers still fill the museum’s gallery, where they take turns at the podium in front of a half-size replica of the Lagoda, a whaling ship that once sailed from the city.

Among this year’s readers were Don Kreis and his daughter Rose Keller, who traveled from New Hampshire and Maine respectively to participate in what they call their “Moby-Dick Miracle.” Assigned the 3 a.m. slot, Kreis began reading “Chapter 81: The Pequod Meets the Virgin,” only to realize it was Rose’s favorite passage. “I started reading it and then she took over after five minutes,” he said. “We call this our ‘Moby-Dick Miracle.’”

For the uninitiated, Moby-Dick is more than a sea story. It’s a complex, metaphysical exploration of obsession, identity, and society in decline. Through the eyes of Ishmael, readers follow the doomed voyage of the Pequod, led by Captain Ahab, whose hunt for the white whale Moby Dick spirals into madness and ruin.

Melville published the novel at a time when the United States was headed toward civil war, and scholars say its themes of hubris and destruction still echo today. Nathaniel Philbrick, author of Why Read Moby-Dick?, calls it “a metaphysical survival manual… the best guidebook there is for a literate man or woman facing an impenetrable unknown.”

Yet in Melville’s lifetime, Moby-Dick sold fewer than 3,200 copies and was largely dismissed as incoherent. Its critical revival came decades later, helped along by admirers like William Faulkner and a 1919 centennial celebration of Melville’s birth. Today, it’s widely considered the greatest American novel.

New Bedford, once the wealthiest city per capita in North America thanks to the whale oil trade, has reclaimed its whaling history in no small part due to Melville’s descriptions of the port. The city’s legacy lives on in the cobblestone streets, grand homes, and the sprawling Whaling Museum, home to the largest collections of scrimshaw and whaling logbooks in the world.

“This town is perhaps the dearest place to live in, in all New England,” Melville wrote in Moby-Dick. “All these brave houses and flowery gardens came from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans… they were harpooned and dragged up hither from the bottom of the sea.”

The Seamen’s Bethel across from the museum also plays a key role in the marathon. Readers gather there for the dramatic sermon chapter, which features a preacher’s thunderous retelling of the biblical story of Jonah and the whale. The pulpit, remade in 1961 to resemble a ship’s prow, evokes the 1956 Moby Dick film adaptation starring Gregory Peck.

Later this year, New Bedford will unveil a bronze statue of Melville on the grounds of the Bethel, depicting the author framed by whale ribs and standing in a sea swell.

And while the whaling era is long gone, New Bedford remains the world’s largest sea scallop fishery and celebrates with an annual scallop festival. But during the Moby-Dick Marathon, it’s literature—not seafood—that draws the crowds.

“We had our largest crowd in history this year,” said Annelise Conway, the museum’s chief engagement officer. “Some are Melville die-hards. Some are literary tourists. But they all come for the same thing.”

Whether it’s the rhythm of Melville’s prose, the connection to history, or simply the challenge of making it through all 135 chapters, the marathon offers something deeper than just a reading. It’s a rite of passage for those who believe Moby-Dick still speaks to the anxieties, beauty, and chaos of modern life.

“We know people still want to read that book and understand it and really dissect it,” Conway said. “It’s not just a tradition. It’s a kind of spiritual experience.”

Moby-Dick Marathon Draws Record Crowd in New Bedford for 30th Annual Reading

Leovigildo Ramirez didn’t hesitate when the phone rang. His dog Cipi, missing for nearly four years, had just been found — 1,500 kilometers away in Philadelphia.

Ramirez jumped in his car in Wisconsin and drove straight through a major East Coast winter storm to get her.

“I wasn’t going to wait,” he said. “She is my best friend.”

The two were reunited at ACCT Philly, the city’s largest animal shelter, where staff had scanned the dog — known there as Rosie Posey — and discovered her microchip. The information had remained updated all this time, even though Ramirez and his wife had long since moved away from Philadelphia.

Back in 2021, Cipi vanished outside a hotel near Philadelphia International Airport while the couple was unloading groceries. At the time, Ramirez was working as a welder at the nearby shipyard, and the family was living in an extended-stay motel.

“She was gone in a flash,” he said.

Despite efforts to find her, Cipi never turned up — until January 20, when Philadelphia Police picked her up as a stray in Southwest Philly, not far from where she had last lived with the Ramirez family.

“Based on her location, it is believed that someone may have found her years ago and kept her without ever checking for a microchip,” ACCT Philly said.

That microchip made all the difference. When the shelter scanned it and got in touch with Ramirez, he immediately started the 16-hour drive east — even as snow and ice swept across the region.

“Stories like Cipi’s are exactly why microchips matter,” said Mikayla Allen of ACCT Philly. “A collar can fall off or get caught on something, and even AirTags can be lost. A microchip is permanent. It’s a pet’s voice when they’re lost and can be the reason families are reunited after years apart.”

After arriving in Philly and reuniting with Cipi, Ramirez stayed the night in a hotel before beginning the two-day return trip through more winter weather.

Now back home, he says he’s not taking any more chances. Cipi will be staying close — very close.

He Reunited With Lost Dog After 4 Years — And a 16-Hour Drive Through a Snowstorm

YR - Google News Paramedic

Isabel Smith knows her way around an emergency room — usually as a paramedic or volunteer firefighter near Ladysmith. But last December, she made a very different kind of visit to West Coast General Hospital in Port Alberni.

On Dec. 19, 2025, Smith arrived with bags full of toys: sanitized stuffed animals, colouring books, and small gifts, all destined for children in hospital care. It was her second stop of the day as a volunteer with Helmet Head Canada, a toy drive initiative started by motorcyclists that delivers directly to hospitals across several provinces.

“We do lots of donation drop-offs in central Island and south Island,” Smith said.

That day alone, she made deliveries to Ucluelet’s new health-care centre, Tofino Hospital, Port Alberni’s ER, and Parksville’s urgent care facility — all before the day was done.

Helmet Head Canada, founded in Crofton in 2016, focuses on fun and heart. The group collects toys through fire departments and community drives, avoiding warehouse storage by distributing donations directly to hospital staff for kids who need comfort in a tough moment. Smith said her own station, North Oyster Fire Department, is one of the larger toy collection spots on Vancouver Island.

The group is tightly knit and motorcycle-driven — quite literally.

“Helmet Heads is a group of people that all get together over these helmet covers; all motorcycle riders,” she explained. “It’s all related to having fun and supporting the kids. We do lots of charity work, we go to sick kids’ birthday parties, we’ll take them for their last ride.”

Smith discovered the group three years ago after meeting one of the founders, Scott Ferron, during a group ride. She hadn’t even bought her first helmet cover yet.

“I met Scott and I liked his story,” she said. “Then I bought myself a couple of helmet covers and I realized this is where I want to be helping.”

Now, she wears an orange octopus on her helmet. She’s also got a green frog and hopes to collect more.

For Smith, it’s more than just a ride — it’s a mission.

“Helping sick kids is amazing,” she said. “As a paramedic, sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture.”

Helmet Head’s motto says it all: Delivering toys one smile at a time.

Paramedic Brings Smiles and Stuffed Animals to Vancouver Island Hospitals

Euro News

A hospital in Spain has carried out the world’s first face transplant using tissues from a donor who underwent medically assisted dying, marking a global medical milestone and opening new pathways for complex transplantation procedures.

The operation took place at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona. The recipient was a woman who had suffered extensive facial damage from a severe infection, losing key functions such as breathing, eating, and speaking. The transplant partially rebuilt her face and began her path to functional recovery.

The donor had given advance consent for her organs and tissues to be donated following her medically assisted death, a practice that has been legal in Spain since 2021. That foresight gave the surgical team time to plan the intricate transplant in detail, including preparing a matched set of facial tissues ahead of time.

Dr Joan Pere Barret, head of Plastic Surgery and Burns at Vall d'Hebron, led a team of nearly 100 professionals—including surgeons, anesthesiologists, microsurgery experts, immunologists, mental health professionals, and nursing staff. He said the procedure requires long-term follow-up care due to the complexity of transplanting muscles, skin, nerves, and bone tissue. Lifelong immunosuppressive treatment is also necessary to prevent rejection.

Hospital officials stressed that strict ethical and legal protocols were followed throughout. They also recognized the extraordinary generosity of the donor and her family, calling it essential to the success of the groundbreaking surgery.

Spain Performs World’s First Face Transplant From a Medically Assisted Death Donor

When Nabilah-Iman Jiwani and Cameron Porsandeh tied the knot in California, their beloved bulldog Hera didn’t just attend — she stole the show in dairy form.

The couple, who were married over a three-day celebration that included a New Year's Eve reception in 2024, surprised their 160 guests with a life-size butter sculpture of their 5-year-old Olde English bulldog, Hera. The creamy centerpiece sat surrounded by an array of Persian breads, allowing guests to tear off chunks of butter and spread them on flatbreads and rolls. Hera herself even enjoyed a bite.

“She was the standout of the wedding,” Jiwani said. “She might have stolen the show.”

Jiwani wanted to honor Hera in a way that was personal and fun. The couple had already created a custom martini ice luge labeled “His, Hers, and Hera’s,” but the butter sculpture took things to another level. After discovering butter artist Brighid Burnes on Instagram — thanks to a viral sculpture of Céline Dion — Jiwani knew it was the perfect touch.

“It took me roughly three to four days if I remember correctly, and 65 lbs. of butter!” Burnes said.

To complete the installation, Jiwani partnered with Kouzeh Bakery, a local Persian bakery, to encircle the sculpture with an assortment of Iranian breads including Barbari, Kelaneh, Gisou, Moshtak, Kopou, and Lakou.

The result was a whimsical, edible tribute that captured the couple’s love for their dog — and Porsandeh’s love of butter. The newlyweds even took home the leftovers.

“The leftovers were cleaned off (took a layer off), and then I actually froze it in multiple containers with some mix-ins — dried dill, sumac, cinnamon,” Jiwani said. “We still have one container remaining! We consider it our leftover wedding cake.”

Hera didn’t just appear on the table. She also walked down the aisle, joined the couple at dinner and the cake cutting, and wore a custom collar made from hems of Jiwani’s Vera Wang wedding gown.

“She walked down the aisle at our ceremony, fell asleep during most of the vows, and joined us for dinner and the cake cutting,” Jiwani said. “And then she made it into bed before midnight!”

Hera has come a long way since Jiwani first met her in 2021. At the time, Porsandeh had adopted her just five months earlier, and Hera wasn’t sold on the new relationship.

“She ate my shoe (has never destroyed anything before), she would pass gas next to me and leave, she would glare at me for hours,” Jiwani recalled. “She was hilariously jealous of my presence.”

Eventually, during a quiet evening watching Spanglish, Hera laid her head on Jiwani’s shoulder, and everything changed. “We’ve been inseparable ever since,” she said.

Now, Hera’s family is about to grow again. Jiwani and Porsandeh are expecting a baby girl in May.

“I’m sure Hera is not thrilled,” Jiwani joked.

But based on her wedding-day behavior — where she napped through vows and mingled like a pro — Hera seems more than ready for her next starring role.

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