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Ellen Ochoa, the First Hispanic Woman in Space, Just Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space and a NASA trailblazer, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She flew on four shuttle missions and led as director of NASA's Johnson Space Center. Ochoa is only the second female astronaut to receive this honor among 18 others at the White House ceremony. Her journey from studying physics to reaching for the stars has inspired many, showing that dreams can take you beyond Earth's limits.
Score (96)
Moby-Dick Marathon Draws Record Crowd in New Bedford for 30th Annual Reading
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.”
Score (98)
He Reunited With Lost Dog After 4 Years — And a 16-Hour Drive Through a Snowstorm
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.
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Score (97)
Paramedic Brings Smiles and Stuffed Animals to Vancouver Island Hospitals
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.
Score (97)
Spain Performs World’s First Face Transplant From a Medically Assisted Death Donor
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.
Score (98)
Giant Butter Sculpture of Couple's Bulldog Captivates Wedding Guests
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.
Score (98)
Here's How This Single Parent Online Group Grew Into a Nationwide Community of 4,200 Members
What started as a way for one single mum to find a few friends has become a national lifeline for thousands of others. Krissie Edwards, 31, from Coventry, launched Single Parents Friendship and Community UK (SPFC) nearly a year ago, looking for support and connection from people who understood her life as a single parent. Today, the group has more than 4,200 members and continues to grow. “I have met some of my best friends through this group now,” Edwards said. SPFC officially celebrates its first birthday on 7 February with a party complete with live music, children’s entertainment and a photo booth. But the group’s biggest milestone is what it's become — a self-described “community in your pocket” that helps single parents across the UK build new friendships, find support, and create their own version of a village. SPFC runs on several platforms — a website, Facebook group, and WhatsApp communities that include specialised chats for SEND parents, local mums, and widows. Members regularly meet in person, too. At the weekend, one group walked together at Ryton Pools Country Park in Coventry, while others gathered for events in Leeds and Oldham. People travel from cities like Brighton, Leicester, and Derby to attend meetups. “It is amazing because it is nationwide,” Edwards said. “It’s grown legs.” She started the group after feeling isolated in her own circle. “I have no other single parent friends really around me,” she said. “A lot of my friends are at very different life stages, and it’s difficult to understand being a single parent unless you’ve lived it.” That gap — between understanding and lived experience — is what SPFC has bridged. “There are some really, really good friendships. And we come together and we support each other,” she said. The group isn’t just about the adults either — Edwards says the children are making new friends, too. Now officially registered as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC), SPFC shows no signs of slowing down. For Edwards, the most rewarding part is seeing people who once felt alone now finding community. “There’s so many people that were on their own and felt on their own,” she said. “Whereas now they feel like they have a family.”
Score (97)
He Converted a Classic Mini Car Into a Working Hearse to Honour His Late Grandfather
What started as a tribute to a beloved grandfather has become a full-on funeral service — and a bond between father and son. Jack Lonergan, a game design student in his final year at Staffordshire University, and his father Neil, an electrician, spent over two years converting a 1980s Mini Clubman estate into a fully functioning hearse. The result: a sleek black Mini capable of carrying a full-length coffin, complete with a plaque inside honouring Jack’s grandfather, George Lonergan. “It’s so special,” Jack said. “It’s sort of everything that my granddad loved through his life, and it’s dedicated to him.” George, a lifelong Mini enthusiast, passed away in March 2023. The idea to create a Mini hearse came during conversations with the family’s funeral director. Although there wasn’t enough time to finish the build in time for George’s service, the project moved ahead as a lasting tribute — and now it’s available for other families looking to give loved ones a unique, final "Mini adventure." Jack said the hearse is already being booked for funerals, something that would have delighted his grandfather. “I think he’d be more proud that me and my dad have done this together,” he added. “We’ve become a hell of a lot closer because of it.” The project brought together the family’s practical and creative skills — Neil’s experience as a hands-on Mini mechanic, and Jack’s design eye and attention to detail. That combination made the build not just possible, but personal. “My granddad passed on his love of Minis to my dad, and my dad passed it on to me,” Jack said. “Now we’re passing that love on in a completely new way.”
Score (98)
Minecraft Helps 10-Year-Old Girl Navigate Cancer Treatment in Innovative Hospital Program
A 10-year-old girl in the UK is helping reshape how young cancer patients experience hospital care — by exploring her treatment environment inside Minecraft. Rama, who is undergoing proton beam therapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma at The Christie hospital in Manchester, is one of the first children in the country to be guided through a virtual version of her treatment center built inside the popular video game. The project, believed to be a UK first for a working NHS hospital, is designed to help children feel more prepared and less afraid by letting them “walk through” a familiar, game-based version of the clinical spaces before they experience them in real life. “Children learn and find their own way to cope through play,” said Charlotte Cooper, a senior health play specialist at The Christie. “Minecraft is a world that they’re really familiar with and comfortable with. To marry that up with a clinical experience here is absolutely perfect.” The Minecraft model includes a replica of the proton beam therapy suite, with a digital version of the massive machine used to deliver the precisely targeted radiotherapy. Rama navigates the game’s hospital like a tour guide: “Here’s the bed where I sleep every single day!” she said. “I think kids are gonna love it,” she added. “Because it’s a game mixed with a hospital.” The Christie treats about 120 children a year with proton beam therapy, a highly specialized form of radiotherapy that targets tumors with pinpoint accuracy, reducing damage to surrounding tissue. Only one other NHS hospital, University College London Hospital, offers the same level of treatment. Rama, who is halfway through her therapy, says the experience has been far less intimidating than she feared. “Actually, it’s not that bad,” she said. “Because if I tell you the truth, whenever I’m in the radiotherapy, I go to sleep so I don’t feel anything.” But she knows not every child is as calm heading into treatment. That’s why she believes Minecraft can make a real difference. “I don’t want any kids to be scared about coming to a hospital,” she said. “Before looking at the actual machine, you can see it on Minecraft and you know how it looks... and you know what you have to do.” The Christie’s team says the game is already helping young patients gain confidence. “We see children come who can be really, really terrified at the start,” Cooper said. “To send them away feeling really confident about having their scans or treatment... that’s everything.” Rama’s story is part of a special edition of You, Me and the Big C, airing Tuesday on BBC Radio 5 live.
Score (97)
Green and Golden Bell Frogs Return to Canberra After 40 Years — With Saunas and Spas to Keep Them Alive
For the first time in nearly half a century, green and golden bell frogs are once again hopping through the wetlands of Canberra — and scientists are giving them every luxury they can think of to stay alive. On Tuesday, researchers released 25 of the endangered frogs at Mawson Ponds in the Australian Capital Territory, marking the start of a carefully designed effort to bring the species back from local extinction. The frogs are part of a larger plan that will eventually see around 375 released across 15 wetland sites around the city. Each frog is immunised, microchipped, and named — with help from volunteers. Among the first batch: James Pond and Dua Leaper. “It felt quite incredible and really significant to return [the species] back to this region for the first time in almost 50 years,” said Associate Professor Simon Clulow of the University of Canberra. The frogs vanished from the ACT in the early 1980s, victims of a deadly fungal disease known as chytridiomycosis, caused by chytrid fungi that have wiped out 90 amphibian species worldwide in the last 50 years. While the reintroduced frogs have been vaccinated, future generations will not be — so researchers are giving them a leg up with “frog spas” and “frog saunas.” That’s not just cute branding. These are purpose-built features designed to protect vulnerable offspring from the deadly fungus. The “frog saunas” are perspex pyramids covering towers of black-painted bricks that soak up the sun and create hot microclimates that the fungus can’t tolerate. “The pathogen doesn’t like temperatures over 25C,” said Clulow. “Temperatures of 27 or 28C are quite lethal to it.” The frogs, however, thrive in heat — green and golden bell frogs prefer around 30C. Even in chilly Canberra weather, the saunas can heat up to the high 20s on sunny days, said Dr Jarrod Sopniewski, a postdoctoral researcher on the project. “They’ve been trialed for over a year here, and they work,” he said. The “frog spas” are satellite ponds built around the main wetlands. They contain slightly saltier water — about three parts per thousand — just enough to knock back the fungus without harming the frogs. “It’s absolutely fine for frogs to use,” Sopniewski said. The species, which can grow up to 8.5cm long, was once common along Australia’s east coast but is now endangered in New South Wales. In recent years, small populations have survived in isolated spots, often where water salinity is naturally higher — a clue that helped shape the reintroduction strategy. The goal is to build a self-sustaining population of 200 frogs at each of the 15 sites. And with each female frog capable of laying up to 8,000 eggs, the scientists are hopeful that the population could grow quickly — if the interventions work. “It’s almost like letting your children go out into the world themselves,” Sopniewski said. “A bit daunting, but overwhelmingly exciting.”
Score (98)
Kenyan Woman Sets World Record by Hugging a Tree for 72 Hours — And Sparks a National Movement
Truphena Muthoni stood, arms wrapped around a tree, for three days straight — and made history doing it. The young Kenyan environmentalist has broken her own Guinness World Record by hugging a tree for 72 consecutive hours from Dec. 8 to 11, 2025. Her goal wasn’t just the record. It was to spotlight climate change and protest the destruction of Kenya’s Indigenous forests. “I’m encouraging people to first protect what we have,” Muthoni said in a video, pushing back against tree-planting efforts that fail to preserve native ecosystems. “We are cutting down Indigenous forests, Indigenous trees, replacing them with saplings and calling that mitigation.” This wasn’t her first feat. Muthoni previously set the record in February 2025 by hugging a tree for 48 hours. Her latest attempt pushed even further — no sleep, no food, no breaks — though she did have access to medical care and was surrounded by supporters throughout the challenge. Guinness officially recognized her new record on January 26. Days earlier, she had already been named one of Timely Kenya’s 20 Most Impactful Women of 2025, honored alongside national leaders in governance, health, politics, and the environment. Muthoni said she undertook the effort to honor the wisdom of Indigenous communities, whose knowledge she believes is central to solving the climate crisis. “I yield my life and my work to You,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “Before the people of Kenya and before the nations of the earth, I commit myself to be an instrument of healing for the world.” That message has clearly resonated. Since her record-breaking hug, Kenyans across the country have taken up the challenge — using trees to send a message. In Nanyuki, 43-year-old Paul Kago hugged a cedar tree for 96 hours to promote peace ahead of the country’s 2027 elections. In Murang’a, James Irungu attempted 80 hours for cancer awareness but collapsed just 20 minutes short. In Nairobi, 14-year-old Stephen Gachanja hugged a tree for 50 hours to raise money for his brother’s surgery. None of them registered their feats with Guinness. But they say they were inspired by Muthoni. That groundswell of support has turned into something larger. Muthoni now works with the Kenya Forest Service to help restore a local forest reserve and is an ambassador for the Kenyan government’s goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032. She also leads youth planting drives, urging young people to connect with nature not just symbolically, but actively. For her, the tree hugs are not stunts. They are statements. “We must fall in love with nature again,” she said. “That’s where healing begins.”