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Over 80 farms in the US and Canada have created "Peanuts"-themed attractions to honor Charles M. Schulz, the creator of beloved characters like Charlie Brown and Snoopy. The first "Peanuts" strip was released 75 years ago by Schulz when he was just 27 years old, eventually becoming syndicated in over 2,600 newspapers worldwide. Jill Schulz, his daughter, expressed gratitude for farmers dedicating their land to her father's legacy while joking about her own lack of a green thumb.

Why Are Farmers Across US and Canada Carving ‘peanuts’ Comic Characters in Corn Mazes?

Science Alert

A 110-million-year-old barf pile just gave paleontologists a prehistoric surprise: a brand new species of pterosaur.

The species, named Bakiribu waridza, was discovered in what scientists believe to be fossilized dinosaur vomit—officially called a regurgitalite—unearthed in Brazil. The remains included two pterosaurs and four fish, leading researchers to conclude that a predator, likely a spinosaurid dinosaur, had a rough meal and lost its lunch.

The name Bakiribu waridza means “comb mouth” in the Indigenous Kariri language, a nod to the pterosaur’s striking jaws, lined with bristle-like teeth used to filter-feed tiny creatures, much like modern-day baleen whales. It’s the first filter-feeding pterosaur ever discovered in Brazil.

Some of the bones were fractured, likely from the predator's teeth, but the spiny jaws of the pterosaur may have proved too uncomfortable to digest. The researchers believe the dinosaur likely ate the pterosaurs first, followed by the fish, before ejecting the mix due to “mechanical discomfort.”

Beyond the comedy of the discovery method, Bakiribu offers important clues into the evolution of filter-feeding among flying reptiles, and provides a rare snapshot of ancient food chain interactions: predator, prey, and the aftermath.

The study was published in Scientific Reports.

Scientists Uncover Bizarre New Flying Reptile Species in Fossilized Dinosaur Barf

GoodGoodGood

A sleek, black snake discovered in the remote Nicobar Islands has been named in honor of late wildlife icon Steve Irwin — a tribute from researchers whose own love for reptiles was shaped by his legacy.

The newly identified species, Lycodon irwini, is a nonvenomous wolf snake native to the Nicobar Archipelago, a biodiverse chain of islands in the Bay of Bengal. Researchers R.S. Naveen, S.R. Chandramouli, and Zeeshan A. Mirza announced the discovery in a study published in Evolutionary Systematics.

Measuring up to 3.3 feet in length, the glossy, dark-colored snake was found slithering through the moist evergreen forests of Great Nicobar Island, a UNESCO biosphere reserve known for its fragile and unique ecosystems. The snake is believed to feed on reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals — and to live only in this isolated region.

Given its limited range and the threats of habitat loss, the researchers recommend that the species be listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Naming it after Irwin, they said, felt like the perfect tribute.

“His passion and dedication to wildlife education and conservation have inspired naturalists and conservationists worldwide, including the authors of the paper,” they wrote.

Steve Irwin, known globally as The Crocodile Hunter, was one of the most beloved wildlife educators of his time. Through his TV show and tireless conservation work, he changed the way millions of people viewed reptiles and other misunderstood creatures. Since his passing in 2006, his family — wife Terri, daughter Bindi, and son Robert — have continued his mission through Australia Zoo and the Wildlife Warriors foundation.

Lycodon irwini is not the first species to bear his name. A turtle (Elseya irwini), a parasitic koala bloodworm (Haemoproteus irwini), and even a snail have all been named in his honor.

This latest namesake is not just a nod to Irwin’s reptile expertise, but a reminder that there is still so much left to discover — and protect — in the natural world.

“New species continue to be discovered,” the researchers noted, “highlighting the ongoing progress in taxonomy and the incomplete understanding of herpetofaunal diversity and distribution in the region.”

And for those who grew up watching Irwin cradle crocodiles and beam with excitement over every animal encounter, it’s a fitting legacy: the Crocodile Hunter’s name now lives on in the forests of the Nicobar Islands, wrapped around the branches of conservation.

Scientists Name Newly Discovered Black Snake Species After Steve Irwin

CTV News

Jerry Stephenson didn’t pick up a paintbrush until he was 85. Now, as he turns 100, he’s surrounded by his own artwork — and no shortage of wisdom.

Living in an assisted living community in Overland Park, Kansas, Stephenson is the embodiment of the phrase he lives by: It’s never too late to try something new.

“My bucket list is getting lower and lower, and I’ve had a pretty exciting life, really,” he said.

That exciting life took a creative turn after he and his wife moved into a retirement facility. She envisioned a slower pace. He had other plans.

“Art in the purest form is hard to resist,” Stephenson said.

A fellow resident encouraged him to give painting a shot. He did — and never looked back.

“I’d wear out just painting,” he said. “But because you get so involved and concentrated…”

Fifteen years later, he’s not just a hobbyist. He’s an artist with a collection of vibrant, personal pieces — including one that means more than the rest.

“My favorite, though, right here,” he said, pointing to a portrait. “That’s my wife.”

He doesn’t regret starting late. In fact, he says the timing was perfect.

“I don’t,” he said when asked if he wished he’d discovered painting earlier. “That’s my life’s history now.”

Stephenson credits his outlook with helping him reach 100 — he thinks young, stays curious, and believes in the power of saying yes.

“I had no idea I had such talent and ability,” he said. “It goes to show we have unknown capability.”

As for the secret to a long, fulfilling life?

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret,” he said with a smile.

But Jerry Stephenson doesn’t need to say it. He’s painting it — one brushstroke at a time.

100-Year-Old Discovers Artistic Talent, Proves It's Never Too Late to Start Something New

In the winter of 2023, Chris Hyde was feeling what he calls “borderline depressed.” Retired and spending long days alone in his Olympia, Washington home, the cold and gray Pacific Northwest skies only made things worse.

Then, one day, he had what he describes as an epiphany — not a fleeting idea, but a full-body sensation that stopped him in his tracks.

“Giving soup away for free to your community is going to really do something,” he recalled thinking.

So he started cooking.

From a Pot of Soup to a Movement

That moment of inspiration turned into Souper Sunday, a grassroots food-sharing initiative that has grown into a network of community-run meal groups across three states. The concept is simple: make soup, give it away.

Hyde began by preparing 25 to 35 portions of soup every day, five days a week. He’d then post in a Facebook group, letting his neighbors know what was available. People responded to claim a portion and arranged pick-up directly with him. No sign-up forms. No income verification. No judgment.

Today, that original Facebook group has nearly 6,000 members. And Souper Sunday has expanded to include 11 similar groups across Washington, California, and Montana — all volunteer-powered, all focused on the same principle: free meals, for anyone, no questions asked.

“The Sacred Circle of Giving and Receiving”

“We believe in ‘the sacred circle of giving and receiving,’ in which accepting a meal is as important as making a meal,” Hyde explains in the group’s mission. “Neighbor helping neighbor.”

It’s this inclusive approach that sets Souper Sunday apart. Meals aren’t just for those in dire straits. They’re for the overworked parent, the college student, the artist, the underpaid employee — anyone who could use the gift of a hot, nourishing meal.

“There are countless situations where community members can benefit from a free meal,” Hyde writes. “Not everyone who struggles qualifies for assistance.”

That last point stuck with him — and inspired him to launch a second nonprofit: The Food Source Foundation.

Filling the Gaps Where Government Can’t

According to local data, 44% of food-insecure households in Thurston County, where Hyde lives, make too much to qualify for federal SNAP benefits but still can’t afford their grocery bills. The Food Source Foundation was created to help fill that gap.

“As the group developed, I began to see a need above and beyond soup,” Hyde wrote. “I was surprised at how many of the people coming to me for food support were fully employed. They’ve been priced out of their basic needs by high rent, a car payment, insurance, and basic bills.”

The nonprofit now distributes free groceries throughout Olympia and surrounding areas — no application, no paperwork, just food for people who need it.

“At The Food Source Foundation, we believe that access to nourishing food is a basic human right — not a privilege,” Hyde says.

There’s only one rule: “As long as you’re, you know, a fairly nice person,” you’re welcome.

Soup as a Form of Connection

More than just a meal, Souper Sunday has become a way to connect people who might otherwise remain strangers. The act of sharing food, Hyde says, “transcends the powers that work to divide us.”

What started as a coping mechanism for one man’s difficult winter has become a lifeline for thousands. And in a world that often divides and disconnects, soup — and the generosity behind it — has turned out to be a surprisingly powerful force.

Those who want to support the movement can donate to Souper Sunday or The Food Source Foundation, or even start a group of their own.

As Hyde puts it, “The soup may be free, but the connection is priceless.”

Retired and Feeling Low, He Started Giving Away Soup — and Ended Up Feeding Thousands

People

In the middle of devastation, a Missouri couple has found a glimmer of hope — their wedding rings and photo albums, miraculously intact among the ashes.

Danielle and her husband, residents of Herculaneum, were forced to flee their home in the early hours of November 12 when a fire broke out in their garage. Danielle said she woke up to the smell of smoke and, upon opening the garage door, quickly grabbed her two young children and evacuated before calling 911.

The fire spread fast. Flames engulfed not only their house but also their neighbor’s. Firefighters arrived quickly and were able to contain the blaze within an hour. All residents were safely evacuated without injury, but the fire claimed the lives of three of the family’s cats. Two others remain missing.

“It’s really been miraculous what things have survived,” Danielle told First Alert 4, standing in the charred remains of their home. “Because when you look at this, it looks like nothing. It looks like there would be absolutely nothing.”

Among the soot and ash, the couple recovered their wedding rings and photo albums — small treasures that have taken on enormous emotional weight after the loss of their home.

“We were lucky,” Danielle said.

The fire’s cause is still under investigation, according to Herculaneum Fire Chief Kevin Baker, who praised the swift response from firefighters and local police, including their quick action in helping nearby residents.

But in the days following the fire, the family faced another cruel blow. Danielle said looters had attempted to steal items left in the rubble.

“If it wasn’t bad enough, we’ve got people trying to take what little we have left,” she said. “It’s just putting salt in wounds.”

Despite the heartbreak, the couple is holding onto the keepsakes that made it through the fire — and the fact that their children made it out safely.

“We lost so much,” Danielle said. “But we’re here. And we’ve still got each other.”

Couple Finds Precious Wedding Keepsakes in Rubble After Devastating Fire Tore Through Their Home: 'Miraculous'

Artnet

**Ronnie Wood Marks 50 Years With the Rolling Stones by Painting the Band That Made Him a Legend**

Five decades ago, Ronnie Wood officially joined the Rolling Stones. This year, he’s marking that milestone not with a guitar riff, but with a brushstroke.

To celebrate his 50th anniversary with the band, Wood has released a new set of artworks titled *Paint It Black*, now on view at Redhouse Gallery in Harrogate, U.K. Each piece captures his iconic bandmates in bold, expressive portraits — Mick Jagger in full swagger, Keith Richards caught mid-balance with his guitar, and Wood himself leaning toward an unseen audience. Charlie Watts is there too, frozen in motion with a drumstick in hand.

The images are high-energy, rendered in a loose, almost improvisational style against black backdrops. It’s a fitting visual metaphor for the music that’s defined Wood’s life for half a century.

Signed and personalized prints of the series are available in limited editions of 100, each priced at £1,250 (about $1,630). In a statement, Wood described how his art echoes his music: “I apply musical theory to my art. I build limited editions in much the same way as studio overdubs; the more defined ones are things that stand out in the mix.”

The release coincides with the reissue of *Black and Blue* (1976), the first Stones album on which Wood played as an official member. At the time, he was in competition for the job after Mick Taylor’s departure in 1974. What clinched it, Wood says, was “the ancient art of weaving,” referring to the famously seamless interplay between his and Keith Richards’s guitars. That, and, as he put it, his “musical versatility and bonhomie.”

Wood’s creative career, though, didn’t begin with music. He’s been painting since childhood — longer than he’s played guitar — and attended Ealing Art College before fully diving into the rock world. Raised in a West London home where music and design coexisted, he was immersed in the arts from an early age. His website hosts works dating back to the 1970s, covering everything from trees and racehorses to nudes, guitars, flowers, and celebrity portraits, including Robert De Niro.

Wood’s range doesn’t stop at the canvas. He’s also worked in bronze, sculpting torsos, horses, and even a rhinoceros. In 2020, a major show of his paintings and sculptures in Hertfordshire raised funds for the U.K.’s National Health Service.

Not all critics have been kind. When Wood reimagined Picasso’s *Guernica* with the Stones at its center, *The Guardian*’s Jonathan Jones called it a mix of fascination and horror. “The Rolling Stones are the sexiest and most demonic rock band in history,” Jones wrote. “And Ronnie Wood seems as entranced and appalled by their devilish antics as any bystander.”

Still, Wood has never shied away from putting his band on canvas. For the man who helped write the wistful lyrics to *Ooh La La* at 26 — “I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger” — 50 years of perspective seems to have only deepened his need to document.

Now 76, Wood continues to balance his dual roles as rock star and visual artist, still finding new ways to express the legacy he helped shape — this time, with paint instead of sound.

Ronnie Wood Marks 50 Years With the Rolling Stones by Painting the Band That Made Him a Legend

NBC News

Jack Carlin looks like any other 4-year-old boy — full of energy and obsessed with monster trucks. But just over a year ago, his life nearly ended in the back seat of his mother’s car.

In July 2024, what began as a routine trip to the hospital turned into a nightmare when Jack suddenly stopped breathing on the way to Huntington Hospital in Suffolk County. By the time he arrived, his lips were turning blue. He had no pulse.

“I brought in a dead child,” said his mother, Maria Carlin. “And they brought him back to life.”

Maria, a nurse, had recognized the signs of what she thought was croup, something she'd seen before. But during the 10-minute drive from their home in Lloyd Harbor, Jack’s condition rapidly worsened. At the halfway point, he went limp.

“None of my choices at the time were ideal,” she said, her voice breaking. “They were terrible, but I had to decide.”

On a dark road, with no good options, she chose to keep driving.

“It was horrible making this decision,” she said, recalling the terrifying ride.

When she pulled up to the hospital, ER doctor Jennifer Gibb and her team were waiting. Within minutes, they had revived Jack.

“This is exactly why I do what I do,” said Gibb. But even for experienced staff, the moment hit hard.

“The mom started cheering him on, saying, ‘C’mon Jack,’ and then it hit me — that human emotion,” Gibb said. “I got choked up because my own son’s name is Jack.”

Jack was quickly transferred to Cohen Children’s Hospital, where doctors discovered the cause of his cardiac arrest: a rare and serious separation between his trachea and esophagus. He underwent surgery, made a full recovery, and went back to being a kid — racing trucks and asking big questions.

One of those questions is something his mother says she’ll never forget.

“He turned to me and he said, ‘Mommy, why didn’t you want me to go to heaven?’”

Now healthy, Jack returned to Huntington Hospital on Wednesday to say thank you to the team that saved him.

“Thank you so much,” he said shyly, prompting smiles and applause from the room.

His father remembers the first thing Jack said after waking up in the hospital.

“He just looked up at me and was just like, ‘Dad, can I have a hug?’” he said. “It was like he never missed a beat.”

For the Carlins, the reunion was a celebration — but also a powerful reminder of just how close they came to losing their son.

And for the medical team, it was a rare chance to witness the impact of what they do.

Jack is now back to being a regular kid with a second chance — and a monster truck collection to prove it.

‘I Brought in a Dead Child’: Long Island Mom Reunites With Medical Team That Saved Her Son’s Life

For all we know about galaxies billions of light-years away, one of nature’s most dramatic displays — lightning — remains a mystery much closer to home. Now, a curious accident in an Austrian lab might have nudged science a step closer to solving it.

When physicist Andrea Stöllner at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria set out to study how light-based tweezers charge tiny particles, she didn’t expect her work to touch on the origins of lightning. But when things didn’t go quite as planned, she stumbled into something bigger: an ultra-precise method to study how particles charge and discharge — possibly mimicking what happens in the early stages of a lightning strike.

One of Science’s Big Unsolved Puzzles

Despite decades of research and millions of lightning bolts striking Earth every day, scientists still don’t fully understand how lightning begins. The basic setup is clear: inside thunderclouds, ice crystals and soft hail (called graupel) collide, separating positive and negative charges and creating electric fields. But the catch is that the fields measured inside clouds are much weaker than what should be needed to make lightning happen.

“This suggests that there is either something wrong with our measurements,” wrote lightning experts Joseph Dwyer and Martin Uman in 2014, “or there is something wrong with our understanding of how electrical discharges occur in the thunderstorm environment.”

That gap in understanding has fueled theories involving high-energy cosmic rays, hidden charge pockets, or the idea that ice crystals might act as the first trigger for the massive electrical cascade that follows.

Tiny Particle, Big Potential

Enter Stöllner, a PhD student working with physicist Scott Waitukaitis and climate scientist Caroline Muller. In a new study, her team used laser tweezers to trap a microscopic silica particle — smaller than a speck of dust — and study how it builds up electric charge.

As they increased the laser’s intensity, the particle began to shake inside the electric field. That movement gave them a precise way to measure its charge. It turns out that the particle likely absorbs two photons from the laser, kicking off electrons and becoming positively charged.

But then came the surprise: after days of stable measurements, the particle would suddenly discharge — a rapid, spontaneous drop in charge. It wasn’t supposed to happen, and it was eerily similar, on a vastly smaller scale, to what might trigger lightning.

“We don’t know how it happens,” Stöllner said. “But basically, the charge just drops very quickly.”

That mystery discharge became the team’s new focus.

Why This Matters for Lightning Science

Lightning is complex. Most lab experiments to simulate it use strong electric fields and metal electrodes — a setup far removed from the messy reality of a cloud. What makes Stöllner’s method different is its precision and realism. The particle hovers in air, not attached to wires. The electric fields are weaker, more like the ones measured inside actual clouds. And the system is small enough to pick up subtle effects missed in larger experiments.

“This is exactly the level of precision needed,” said Dan Daniel, a physicist at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, who was not involved in the study. “It’s a step toward a truly microscopic understanding of lightning.”

He added that the technique could help scientists study how water droplets or ice crystals — key players in thunderclouds — get charged.

More Than Just Lightning

While the link to lightning is still speculative, the implications stretch far beyond weather. The way particles get charged or discharged is also a factor in atmospheric science, planetary research, and even space exploration. Lunar dust, for example, gets charged under ultraviolet light and solar winds, causing it to levitate and interfere with equipment — a real problem for future Moon missions.

Stöllner’s system could help probe that phenomenon too.

For now, she’s continuing to study what causes the spontaneous discharges. Could it be the size of the particle? The humidity or pressure in the chamber? She’s testing them all.

“In one way, it’s a limitation,” she admits. “Ten electrons doesn’t make lightning. But it’s a very high-resolution way to probe this charging and discharging of a single particle.”

And sometimes, in science, that’s all it takes — one particle, one idea, one spark — to light the way.

A Single Particle, a Tiny Spark: Could This Be the Key to Understanding Lightning?

Goodable

A young dog was saved after falling into a well in an abandoned yard in early November, according to Romanian authorities who posted this heartwarming footage of the rescue operation.

Emergency officials in the Tulcea region said the female dog tumbled into the well, which was about 50 feet (15 meters) deep, in the town of Valea Nucarilor, and that she “wouldn’t have stood a chance” of getting out had she not been spotted.

Footage shows a member of an emergency response team using ropes to rappel down to the dog, then hoisting her back up to safety.

The dog, who was later named Snow by her rescuers, was “brave and cooperative” throughout the operation, authorities said.

The well was “secured” to prevent further accidents, they added.

A young dog was saved after falling into a well in an abandoned yard in early November, according to Romanian authorities who posted this heartwarming footage of the rescue operation.Emergency officials in the Tulcea region said the female dog tumbled into the well, which was about 50 feet (15 meters) deep, in the town of Valea Nucarilor, and that she “wouldn’t have stood a chance” of getting out had she not been spotted.Footage shows a member of an emergency response team using ropes to rappel down to the dog, then hoisting her back up to safety.The dog, who was later named Snow by her rescuers, was “brave and cooperative” throughout the operation, authorities said.The well was “secured” to prevent further accidents, they added.

Rescue Team Saves Young Dog Named Snow From 50-Foot Well In Romania

The Guardian

he future of medicine might start with a drop of blood.

Scientists say a groundbreaking new dataset — the world’s largest of its kind — could soon lead to pinprick tests capable of detecting early signs of diseases like cancer, dementia, heart disease and diabetes up to a decade before symptoms appear.

The advance comes from the UK Biobank’s newly completed project, which measured nearly 250 key proteins, fats, sugars and other molecules in blood samples taken from 500,000 volunteers. The resulting metabolic profiles offer a detailed snapshot of each person’s health and how their body is functioning at a molecular level.

“It’s going to be a real gamechanger for our work,” said Dr Joy Edwards-Hicks of the University of Edinburgh, who studies how blood metabolites influence the immune system. “If we have early predictors of disease, we can tell someone in their 40s that their biomarkers are not looking good for their age and advise on changes they could make.”

Unlike static genetic tests, metabolic profiles capture the influence of both genes and environment — including diet, exercise, pollution, stress, and medications. And because these profiles change over time, they can provide a real-time window into how the body responds to damage, disease, or recovery.

Working with Finnish company Nightingale Health, UK Biobank scientists measured hundreds of molecules involved in energy production, hormone regulation, tissue repair and waste clearance. When organs fail or malfunction, these compounds shift in detectable ways. A damaged liver can raise ammonia levels; failing kidneys increase urea and creatine; muscle damage shows up in lactate; cancer drives higher glucose uptake.

“These metabolic profiles capture all of the genetic predisposition and the downstream consequences of that, as well as the environmental exposures,” said Dr Julian Mutz of King’s College London. “It gives us a snapshot of a person’s physiological state.”

Researchers like Dr Mutz are already using the profiles to study dementia risk, with hopes that tests could one day flag warning signs 10 to 15 years before memory loss begins. That kind of lead time would allow for earlier interventions and lifestyle changes to reduce long-term risk.

Others are using the data to study how diseases progress differently across sexes. Dr Najaf Amin, a molecular epidemiologist at the University of Oxford, said early analysis has revealed differences in how men and women age and how they respond to medications. Her team plans to investigate further, looking at whether certain treatments work better for one sex than the other.

The UK Biobank, which began recruiting volunteers in 2006, has long been a key resource for medical research. It links detailed health records with genetic, imaging, and now metabolic data — giving scientists an unparalleled look at how biology and lifestyle combine to shape health outcomes.

Prof Naomi Allen, chief scientist at the UK Biobank, said the new data could help researchers understand how diseases start and evolve, and how effective treatments really are. “Studying metabolites is a powerful way to unveil new warning signs of disease,” she said.

While some metabolic data has been available to researchers in the past, having access to full profiles for half a million people is expected to accelerate the development of early diagnostic tools — including simple blood tests that could be taken at home or in a GP’s office.

That shift could have major implications for healthcare systems by allowing doctors to focus more on prevention than treatment.

“It fits with the model of prevention that we are moving towards,” said Dr Edwards-Hicks. “To be able to send off a little pinprick blood sample and get an idea of your health — that’s where we’re headed.”

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