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Deepwater Submarine Recovers Roman Battering Ram From Ancient Battle
An Italian cultural heritage group has announced the recovery of a Roman battering ram from the Mediterranean Sea. The ram, used in the Battle of Aegates, marked the end of Rome and Carthage's first Punic War after 23 years. Recovered by divers with Sicily’s Department of Cultural Heritage, this ancient artifact was found at a depth of 262 feet between Levanzo and Favignana islands. The discovery sheds light on ancient naval battles and adds to recent archaeological findings in the Mediterranean Sea.
Score (95)
How Yokohama’s Train Station Lockers Are Saving Leftover Bread — and the Planet
Commuters in Yokohama now have a new way to grab a snack and fight food waste at the same time. A growing number of train stations in the Japanese city are hosting “SDGs lockers” — staffless kiosks stocked with unsold baked goods that would otherwise be thrown away. The lockers, which debuted at Kanazawa-Bunko Station in early December, are part of a city-backed initiative to tackle food waste and meet sustainability goals. Here’s how it works: after nearby bakeries close up for the night, they load leftover bread and pastries into the lockers, slashing the prices by about a third. Hungry commuters can grab a discounted croissant or roll using cashless payment methods like tap-to-pay cards or smartphone apps. The lockers remain available through the final train departure of the day. Japan throws away millions of tons of edible food each year — around 5.11 million tons in the 2023 fiscal year alone, according to government estimates. That waste doesn’t just hit the wallet; it pumps out more than 11 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. That’s where the lockers come in. With tight space and huge foot traffic, train stations are an ideal location to give leftover food a second chance. Yokohama has already installed seven of the units, and city officials estimate that each one could prevent more than 13 tons of edible food from ending up in landfill every year. Other cities are paying attention. Sapporo and Fukuoka have started testing similar setups, and local governments across Japan are reaching out to learn more. In a press release quoted by Eco-Business, Yokohama officials explained the project’s purpose: “We decided to handle food loss reduction in order to target Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) goals that are familiar to citizens … Through this initiative, we are working to reduce food loss and CO2 emissions.” Japan isn’t alone in this trend. Around the world, apps and pickup points for surplus food are becoming more common. And for everyday consumers, it’s a simple way to save money and make a difference. If you live in a city with programs like this, picking up marked-down goods near their sell-by date can help keep perfectly good food out of the trash — and put a little extra back in your pocket.
Score (98)
15 Special Needs Dogs Set to Break Records at Puppy Bowl 2026
The Puppy Bowl is back — and this year, it’s making history. Puppy Bowl XXII, airing Sunday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. ET, will feature 15 dogs with special needs, the largest number ever to take part in the long-running call-to-adoption TV event. Now in its 22nd year, the Puppy Bowl continues to shine a spotlight on adoptable rescue dogs while celebrating every pup’s potential — regardless of their challenges. This year’s event will also showcase more adoptable dogs overall than ever before: 150 rescue puppies from 72 shelters across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands. The three-hour special will air on Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, HBO Max, and discovery+. Among the record-setting roster are dogs who are deaf, visually impaired, using wheelchairs, or missing limbs or eyes. Here are a few of the standout athletes set to take the field: • Anson, a deaf pup from Underdog Pet Rescue in Madison, Wisconsin • Brûlée and Dottie, both deaf and representing Green Dogs Unleashed in Troy, Virginia • Cricket, who was born with a heart condition, and Grasshopper, who has diabetes — both from Harley’s Haven in Perkasie, Pennsylvania • Eleanor and Foxy, deaf pups with visual impairments from Double J Dog Ranch in Hauser, Idaho • Knick Knack, another Green Dogs Unleashed player with both hearing and vision challenges • Litchi, missing one ear, from Angel City Pit Bulls in Los Angeles • Paddy and Riley, both blind and from Pets with Disabilities (Maryland) and Rescue Dogs Rock NYC, respectively • Polly, who has visual impairments, from Lucky Dog Refuge in Stamford, Connecticut • Teigan, a wheelchair-using pup from Perfect Imperfections Rescue in Watertown, Connecticut • Wynonna, a lovable three-legged dog representing Kentucky Humane Society in Louisville Each of these dogs has a different story, but they’ll all have the same chance to shine on the turf. To see the full lineup and learn more about the players, visit PuppyBowl.com.
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Score (97)
South Bend Man's Battered Truck Sparks Kindness — and a Surprise New Ride
South Bend, Indiana — For months, a battered green Chevy Silverado had been turning heads across town, racking up attention in real life and online. From the front, it looked almost normal. From the back? Crushed, crumpled, and barely hanging on. “I thought it was AI. I didn’t know if it was real,” one resident said. “I did a double take because I couldn’t believe the sight of it,” said another. The truck belonged to Mo Riles, and its condition was the result of years of wear, accidents, and what he describes as a long list of mishaps. “Let’s go with what didn’t happen to it,” he said, laughing. Because Indiana doesn’t require routine vehicle inspections, the truck remained legal to drive. So Riles kept using it — dents, scrapes, and all — as his only means of getting around South Bend, including trips to his job and medical appointments. Online, the truck became a local phenomenon, with photos circulating and people poking fun. But one South Bend resident saw something else. “I just thought, there’s got to be something more to why this truck looks like this,” said Colin Crowel, who owns a local car detailing shop. “I just put two and two together that this is the person’s only means of transportation.” Instead of mocking, Crowel took action. He got in touch with Riles and launched a crowdfunding campaign to help him get a safer ride. The response was immediate — and overwhelming. About 500 people donated, raising around $22,000. “That’s the part that knocked me over, man,” Riles said. “Here’s a human being seeing another human being struggle. And I’m like, wow, what did I do to deserve this?” Riles had worked most of his life, including at Dollar Tree, but had recently been dealing with health issues that made reliable transportation even more critical. Last week, he took his old Silverado on one final drive — to a local Chevy dealership. There, he was surprised with a newer model: a clean, shiny 2019 Silverado. Still, for Riles, the biggest takeaway wasn’t the truck. It was the people behind it. “This whole thing is not about me,” he said. “It’s about this community bonding together. God is good.”
Score (98)
Retired Firefighter Reunites With Baby He Saved 40 Years Ago at 90th Birthday Celebration
A 90th birthday party turned into an unforgettable reunion for retired firefighter Brian Passmore when he came face-to-face with the woman whose life he saved four decades ago. Passmore, a former sub officer with Lancashire Fire Service, rescued baby Carly Holden from a burning home in Blackpool back in 1986. Though he never forgot the moment — calling it the highlight of his 25-year firefighting career — he and Carly had never met again. That changed at his surprise birthday party. Now living in a care home, Brian thought he was heading out for a quiet lunch with his daughter Julie Henderson. Instead, he walked into a room full of friends — and Carly, now a mom of five. “It was a total surprise and dad was absolutely delighted,” Julie said. “He has often said that saving baby Carly that day was the highlight of his career, and last year when he wasn’t so well, he said he wondered where Carly was now.” Determined to find her, Julie turned to social media and tracked Carly down, still living in Blackpool. Carly, who had kept newspaper clippings of the rescue in a memory box, jumped at the chance to meet the man who saved her life. The emotional celebration even included a birthday cake decorated with a photo taken shortly after the rescue. Also in attendance was Brian’s former colleague Mick Goodson, who helped save Carly’s mother Cathy from the blaze that day. Like Brian, he had no idea Carly would be there. The fire, which broke out in a lower-ground apartment, had trapped Cathy and baby Carly in a top-floor flat. Thanks to the quick actions of Brian and his team, both survived. Carly called the reunion “wonderful” and said she was grateful to celebrate such a special milestone with the man who gave her a second chance at life.
Score (97)
New Antibody Design Could Supercharge the Immune System’s Attack on Cancer
Scientists in the UK may have found a smarter way to help the immune system fight cancer — by redesigning the very tools it uses to recognize and destroy tumors. Researchers at the University of Southampton have created a new kind of antibody that’s better at activating T cells, the body’s primary cancer-killing immune cells. The breakthrough, published in Nature Communications, could help boost the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatments, especially in patients who don’t respond well to current options. Antibodies are a key part of cancer treatment today. But they’re not perfect. Most are shaped like the letter Y and can only connect to two immune receptors at once. That’s a problem when T cells need a stronger push to go after tumors. The Southampton team tackled that limitation by building a four-armed version of the antibody — one that can latch onto more receptors at once and cluster them together. This clustering is important because it mimics the body’s natural way of flipping on immune responses. “When T cells fight infections, the body provides a matching signal to activate them. But cancer doesn’t produce that signal, so the response is often too weak,” said Professor Aymen Al-Shamkhani, who led the research at the university’s Centre for Cancer Immunology. “We already understood how the body’s natural CD27 signal switches on T cells, but turning that knowledge into a medicine was the real challenge.” CD27 is a receptor found on T cells that acts like an ignition switch. But it only works when paired with its natural ligand — a kind of molecular key the body produces during infections. Cancer doesn’t trigger that process, which means T cells often don’t get the full signal they need to launch an attack. To get around this, the team developed their four-armed antibodies to target CD27 more effectively. On top of that, the new design brings in a second immune cell to help pull all the CD27 receptors together — amplifying the activation signal in a way that standard antibodies can’t. Tests using mice and human immune cells showed that this new design sparked significantly stronger activation of CD8+ T cells, the so-called “special forces” of the immune system. These are the cells responsible for directly hunting down and killing cancer cells. “This approach could help improve future cancer treatments by allowing the immune system to work closer to its full potential,” said Al-Shamkhani. The research was funded by Cancer Research UK and reflects a growing focus on developing next-generation immunotherapies — ones that go beyond simply pointing T cells at cancer and instead give them the fuel and tools to fight harder and smarter. By offering a new way to activate CD27, the study provides a potential roadmap for more effective cancer treatments — especially for patients whose immune systems need an extra boost.
Score (98)
Chihuahua Missing for 5 Years Reunited with Family 1,000 Miles Away
A Texas family is celebrating an emotional reunion after their Chihuahua, missing for nearly five years, was found more than 1,000 miles away in Illinois. Bella, a tiny 1-year-old dog at the time, disappeared from her Houston backyard on a rainy New Year’s Eve in 2020. Her owner, Sergio Torres, launched an immediate search, distributing flyers and going door to door, hoping for any sign of the beloved pet his six children had grown up with. Then, on December 27, 2025, a 6-year-old Chihuahua was brought in as a stray to Winnebago County Animal Services (WCAS) in Rockford, Illinois — 1,070 miles from where she vanished. “She was very confident, very friendly from the get-go,” said Amber Pinnon, WCAS adoption and volunteer coordinator. “The happiest little Chihuahua you could meet.” Staff scanned her for a microchip and quickly discovered Bella's identity. The scope of the journey stunned even the rescue workers. “It’s larger than normal,” Pinnon said. WCAS partnered with local nonprofit Care for Pets to track down her family. On January 2, they called Torres — but the unexpected news triggered skepticism. “At first, he thought it was kind of a scam,” said Stephanie Hicks, executive director of Care for Pets. “He was a little skeptical initially.” But after confirming the match, Care for Pets raised funds for Bella’s return within an hour. A volunteer offered to fly the dog to Houston the same day. At the airport, the reunion was immediate and emotional. “Even she, when she first saw me, you could tell that she still recognized me a little,” Torres told Cleveland 19. “She was really attached to my oldest son, and when she saw my oldest son, she was reaching out her paw and everything.” Pinnon said she’s confident Bella and her family will pick up where they left off. “She’s very confident and sweet, so it doesn’t seem like they’re going to have any issues falling back in love with her again.” Torres called the reunion “a very emotional moment for everybody.” After five years and more than a thousand miles, Bella is finally home.
Score (98)
‘I Went to Thailand, Man!’: Inmates Use VR to Travel, Heal, and Prepare for Life Outside Prison
Inside a prison near Fresno, California, a group of men sat on metal folding chairs, strapped on headsets, and were instantly transported from their gray concrete surroundings to the vibrant markets of Bangkok. “I went to Thailand, man!” said Jacob Smith, a 20-year inmate at Valley State Prison. “I never knew the world was so beautiful.” Smith is one of dozens of incarcerated people in California now participating in a virtual reality program designed to give prisoners not only a mental escape, but also practical experience with real-world scenarios like job interviews, riding public transit, and navigating everyday tasks that many haven’t done in decades — or ever. The program is run by Creative Acts, a nonprofit based in Los Angeles. Its founder, Sabra Williams, calls the headset a “hope machine.” The project, which uses 100 Oculus VR headsets donated by Meta, currently runs at four California prisons, three times a year. And it’s growing. “You may physically be here, but mentally, spiritually you can actually transcend this environment,” said Richard Richard, a former inmate who used VR in prison and now volunteers with the group. Williams started Creative Acts as an arts-based project, offering theater, music, poetry, and painting to incarcerated people. But the shift to VR came when she began hearing the same concern from people after they were released: technology had passed them by. “They felt confounded by simple things like pumping gas, checking out at a supermarket, or going to the ATM,” she said. “And what I hear from them is that it made them feel like they didn’t belong, and that they only belong in prison.” So the team began collecting and filming VR footage. Some of it is escapist — like the two-minute Thailand clip — but much of it is grounded in everyday tasks. Inmates can now simulate job interviews, practice navigating civic responsibilities, or even meditate. Smith, who is eligible for parole in 2031, now helps others at Valley State Prison get used to the technology. He says the job interview simulations are especially helpful. “For a lot of us, the workforce has changed and things are different with the application process,” he said. “It’s a nerve-wracking experience going to sit in front of somebody and telling them why I’m good for the job.” After each session, volunteers work with inmates to talk through what they saw and how it made them feel. Some experience emotional triggers or confront trauma they’ve long buried. Others are simply overwhelmed by the beauty of the outside world. Williams said many of the men had never left their neighborhoods, let alone seen another country. “So many times people would take off the headsets and they’d be crying,” she said. “Because they’d be like, ‘I never knew the world was so beautiful.’” Nancy La Vigne, dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers-Newark, sees promise in the program. She said VR could play a big role in helping people reenter society after long prison sentences — especially those who haven’t interacted with the outside world in years. She also noted that virtual nature scenes could help reduce stress levels. “Research from the American Psychological Association found that incarcerated people who viewed short nature videos showed reduced levels of aggression and were subject to fewer discipline reports,” she said. But there are barriers. VR headsets are expensive, and not every prison is equipped to host the technology. La Vigne warned about potential unintended consequences if only some inmates have access. “You can’t just hand them out or sell them at commissary,” she said. At the moment, the program runs in general population, solitary confinement, and even with youth offenders. Williams wants to expand the reach statewide and eventually across the country. For now, Creative Acts is working with a limited number of facilities, while hoping the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation will back broader adoption. The department hasn’t responded to new questions about expansion. But last August, when announcing the introduction of VR at the California Men's Colony prison in San Luis Obispo, it said the technology has the potential “to heal trauma, regulate emotional response, and prepare for a safe, successful reentry into society.” To the men currently enrolled in the program, it already is. For Smith, it’s more than a headset and a few minutes of escapism. It’s a glimpse into a future he’s working toward. “It’s like a peek into the life I want,” he said. “And a reminder that it’s possible.”
Score (98)
Rescue Pup Shares Wholesome Encounter With Curious Elk In Colorado Yard
A curious elk wandered into a Colorado yard last month and found itself nose-to-nose with an equally curious husky mix named Lottie — and the result was pure sweetness. The unlikely interaction happened on December 15 in Genesee, a small town just west of Denver, where 3-year-old Lottie was enjoying her usual outdoor playtime. Her owner, Reese Dewey, watched nervously from nearby as the wild elk stepped closer to her rescue dog. “I held my breath,” Dewey told USA Today. “Lottie still being so young, I thought she might try to play with the elk.” Instead, Lottie held her ground — tail wagging — as the elk approached. In a moment caught on camera, the two animals gently sniffed each other, seemingly curious but calm. The meeting ended only when the sound of another dog barking in the distance pulled Lottie’s attention away. Dewey said she was ready to intervene if the meeting turned tense, but thankfully, it didn’t come to that. “She has also been trained as a service dog, but yard time is free time, so she can just be a dog for a bit.” While elk hadn’t appeared in the yard before, other animals had. The family recently moved into the area and now regularly spots wildlife near their home. “She occasionally plays with deer and birds, like magpies and crows,” Dewey said. “We also have wild turkeys, but they usually stay out of our yard when she’s out there.” Lottie, who is half husky with traces of Staffordshire terrier and German shepherd, seems to have a gentle streak for all animals — even farm animals. “We stayed at a farm, and she was kissing the donkeys and goats through the fence,” Dewey said. “We have cats, and she just wants to be with them when they allow it.” That love doesn’t always extend to every dog, though. Dewey joked that Lottie has a bit of a grudge against their neighbor’s dog, Deiter, who often barks at her. Still, Dewey said, “She loves him and would play if allowed.” As for the elk, Dewey said she isn’t sure if Lottie had ever encountered one before. But now that they live in an area that draws plenty of wildlife, it might not be the last time a wild visitor stops by. “She loves all animals,” Dewey said. “It doesn’t surprise me she wanted to make friends.”
Score (97)
Heroes Once Again: Gander Residents Rally To Provide Shuttle Service For Stranded Airline Passengers
When two planes were unexpectedly diverted to Gander, Newfoundland on Wednesday night, about 200 stranded passengers quickly found themselves wrapped in a familiar kind of hospitality. With poor weather in St. John’s forcing the aircraft — en route from Toronto and Montreal — to land early in Gander, hotel staff across the town scrambled to find rooms for everyone. But with only a few taxis available that late at night, getting them there was another challenge entirely. That’s when the people of Gander did what they’ve become quietly famous for: they stepped up, without hesitation. Jackie Freake, assistant manager at the Quality Hotel, said she posted a quick note in a local Facebook group around 10 p.m. asking for help getting people from the airport to four different hotels. She didn’t ask for volunteers directly — but within moments, her phone was lighting up with offers. “It was just, ‘Can we go get them, can we go get them?’” Freake said. Within the hour, every single passenger had a ride — and a warm room to sleep in. The town’s rapid, heartfelt response echoes the events of 9/11, when Gander sheltered nearly 7,000 passengers from grounded international flights. That moment of generosity was later immortalized in the hit Broadway musical Come From Away. Colleen Edwards, who helped coordinate supplies for stranded families back in 2001, joined the effort again on Thursday morning, this time giving rides to passengers heading back to the airport. “I’m glad I did it,” she said. “I love chatting. I love saying, like, ‘Where are you from, and how do you feel about being stranded?’” One of her passengers just wanted to stop for a drink. “I said, absolutely,” Edwards laughed. Freake’s husband was among the many who became impromptu taxi drivers overnight. By Thursday morning, so many locals had shown up at the Quality Hotel to help that some had to be turned away — simply because there were more drivers than passengers. Officials estimate about 200 people were on the two planes. Freake couldn’t say exactly how many helped, but the spirit of it was clear. “The town just pulled together, God love ‘em,” she said. “It was just overwhelming, how many people showed up.” Still, she insists this kind of response isn’t unique to Gander. “I really think that if you went in any small community in Newfoundland, this is what would happen.”
Score (99)
Tuneless Choirs Come to Vancouver Island — and Everyone’s Welcome to Sing Off-Key
Sharon Marnell was minding her own business in a public hot tub, treating her frozen shoulders, when she started singing. A woman nearby overheard her and offered an unexpected compliment: “You sing nicely. You couldn’t join our choir.” It was a joke — sort of. The woman explained she was part of a tuneless choir, a group designed for people who can’t sing well. And that offbeat concept struck a chord with Marnell, who has a background in music and teaching. Since that conversation, Marnell has gone on to lead three tuneless choirs in her home country of England. “We went from a couple people singing in the hall to 110 people performing at a music festival,” she said. Now living on Vancouver Island, Marnell is bringing that same joyful energy to Canada — launching two new tuneless choirs, one in Sidney and one in Langford, open to anyone who loves to sing (but maybe shouldn’t quit their day job). “If you love music, if you sing in the shower, if you’ve been told you sound terrible, you’re exactly who we want,” Marnell said. “You don’t need any musical ability at all.” There’s no sheet music, no voice parts, no pressure. Just enthusiasm, radio hits, show tunes, and as much laughter as the lungs can handle. The first tuneless choir began in 2016 in West Bridgford, England, when Nadine Cooper — desperate to sing despite being tone deaf — convinced local choir leader Bernie Bracha to help start something different. The idea caught on fast. Today, over 30 tuneless choirs operate across the UK, with a 10th anniversary retreat planned for February 2026, complete with karaoke and mass sing-alongs. Marnell says that for many members, the experience is transformative. “Many of the members avoided singing for decades because someone told them they were tone deaf,” she said. “But joining in with tuneless, that didn't matter. They sang their hearts out, they laughed endlessly, they formed real friendships. It was life-changing.” She plans to keep that same spirit alive on Vancouver Island. “We sing, we dance, we love loads of energy,” she said. The focus is on joy, confidence, and connection — not pitch.