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Shy penguin wins New Zealand's bird election after campaign filled with memes
In a heartwarming victory, the hoiho or yellow-eyed penguin has been crowned New Zealand's Bird of the Year. The annual avian election saw no foreign interference this time around, with campaigns focusing on memes and celebrity endorsements instead. Despite a drop in voter turnout, the spotlight on native birds like the endangered hoiho is raising awareness for conservation efforts. This year's campaign was filled with fun and camaraderie, showcasing a sweet community united by their love for New Zealand's unique birdlife.
Score (95)
Zoo Puts on Big Birthday Bash for Beloved Gibbon
A female gibbon named Haddie was treated to a big birthday party with her family at Phoenix Zoo on her 26th birthday, filled with presents, toys, and treats. Video shared by Phoenix Zoo shows Haddie munching down on her birthday feast surrounded by several other siamangs. “The family feasted on a golden cake made of primate biscuit, topped with yogurt, cooked yam, yellow squash, pineapple, yellow tomato, yellow bell pepper and kale,” the zoo wrote to X.
Score (97)
France's Rehabilitation Program Transforms Prisoners Into Farmers, Offering Jobs And Housing
In a quiet village two hours from Paris, there’s a prison where inmates carry the keys to their own rooms, goats replace guards, and the focus isn’t punishment — it’s healing. La Ferme de Moyembrie looks nothing like a prison. There are no watchtowers, no barbed wire, and no uniforms. Instead, it’s a working organic farm where men care for chickens, milk goats, and tend vegetable fields. They live in private rooms. They cook together. They eat at a shared table with the staff. And for many, it’s the first time in years they’ve been treated like people. “It’s crazy to think this is called a prison,” said one resident. “But this is where I started to feel human again.” Moyembrie is part of a pioneering approach to incarceration in France known as “placement à l’extérieur” — work release with purpose. Most of the 20 or so men who live here come from traditional prisons. All are nearing the end of their sentences. At Moyembrie, they’re given structure, responsibility, and support — not surveillance. The result is extraordinary: while France’s national recidivism rate is around 60%, only 7% of Moyembrie’s former residents reoffend. A Second Chance on 24 Hectares The farm’s story began in 1990, not with a government initiative, but with two retired agricultural engineers — Jacques and Geneviève Pluvinage — who opened their home to ex-inmates with nowhere else to go. They offered beds, meals, and work in the fields. By the early 2000s, a forward-thinking judge took notice. With legal backing, Moyembrie became a formal reintegration facility. But it never lost its original spirit: small, human, and built on trust. Today, staff are social workers, not guards. Inmates are called residents, not prisoners. And every day starts the same — not with roll call, but with farm work. From 8 a.m. to noon, residents work the land, care for animals, or make fresh cheese and yogurt. They earn a small wage, and the produce is sold at local markets. But the goal isn’t profit. It’s purpose. “Work is about relearning essential life skills like punctuality or decision-making,” said Leila Desesquelle, one of the nine staff members. “In detention, even the smallest choices are made for you. Here, it’s about learning how to choose again.” What Comes After Lunch Is Just as Important After lunch — shared by staff and residents, no hierarchy in sight — the focus shifts to reentry. Residents take classes on managing paperwork, applying for housing, opening a bank account. Some work on language skills. Others sit with social workers to plan for life outside. For Mahamady, originally from Mali, it meant learning French from scratch after seven years in prison. “I used to cry when I received judicial letters because I couldn’t understand them,” he said. At Moyembrie, he took language classes and passed a French certification exam. Others rebuild more than resumes. They rebuild families. One man now spends weekends with his daughter, trying to repair what prison strained. Another, Olivier, now works at the farm as a supervisor. “I lost so much in prison — including my family,” he said. “But slowly, we became close again.” The Results Speak for Themselves Moyembrie prepares residents for release in the most practical ways: job searches, housing support, emotional stability. By the time they leave, most already have a roof over their heads and a plan for what’s next. That’s a huge reason why so few return. The project’s small size — about 50 people per year — is both its strength and its limit. It’s built on relationships, trust, and consistency. But demand far outweighs capacity. Since 2018, the model has begun to spread. New “farms of hope” are opening across France, including the first for women. Each one is rooted in the same idea: that justice and healing aren’t opposites, and that confinement doesn’t have to mean cruelty. For Christian, another former resident, the impact was lasting. “After prison, you start from scratch. I lost everything. My son was born during my incarceration; I didn’t know him. But at the farm, I found moral support and a family atmosphere. I went back to work like a normal guy.” Later, he returned to Moyembrie — this time as staff. “I wanted to thank the farm,” he said. “And to show the residents that we can get out of it.” A New Model for Justice Prisons rarely offer fresh air, second chances, or goats. But Moyembrie does. And in doing so, it’s offering a different answer to the question of what justice can look like. Because sometimes, what changes a life isn’t a sentence — it’s a sunrise over a field you planted yourself.
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Score (97)
12-year-old Surprised with a Bionic Arm by Youtuber Mrbeast
A 12-year-old boy in Texas who spent years dreaming of having a bionic arm just got one — hand-delivered by one of the world’s most famous YouTubers. Kai Pollnitz, who was born without his right hand, was surprised by Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, at an Open Bionics clinic in Austin. Donaldson, 27, presented Kai with a custom-designed Hero PRO arm, a cutting-edge prosthetic created by the UK-based company. “At first I couldn’t speak,” Kai said after the reveal. “I never thought I’d meet him in real life.” Kai had long hoped for a bionic arm that would help him with everyday activities — tying his karate belt, cutting food, riding a bike — and boost his confidence at school. He lives near Austin and, like many kids born with limb differences, has faced bullying. His family had explored options for a myoelectric prosthetic but hit a wall when their insurance provider wouldn’t cover the cost. “We tried crowdfunding and did everything we could as a family,” said his adopted mother, Charlotte Pollnitz. “It was humbling to make a video asking for help, but we just wanted Kai to have a fair chance at life. Every donation brought him hope.” Despite the challenges, Charlotte took Kai to the Open Bionics clinic in Austin for an initial evaluation. The company is known for developing high-tech bionic arms with multi-grip functionality and pop-culture-inspired designs. Its Hero Arm is available with themed covers from franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Call of Duty. “Even before we could afford it, Open Bionics treated us like we mattered,” Charlotte said. “Anytime I had questions, someone answered with real advice. We knew we were in capable hands.” Kai got to try a demo arm during his first visit. “We both cried,” Charlotte said. “He has never been able to use that hand, and suddenly he could. Watching him pick something up and drink from a cup with his right hand felt unbelievable.” Kai, excited but grounded, told his mom: “It would be so great to have a right hand, but I’m fine with waiting.” Unbeknownst to him, someone else had heard his story — and decided he shouldn’t have to wait. MrBeast, who has more than 230 million subscribers on YouTube, showed up at Kai’s next appointment with a surprise: a Hero PRO bionic arm built just for him, complete with customized MrBeast-themed covers, including the influencer’s signature blue-and-pink panther and Kai’s name. “He was completely in awe,” Charlotte said. “He kept whispering, ‘Mama, is this real? Is that really MrBeast?’” Tilly Lockey, an Open Bionics ambassador and bionic arm user herself, was also at the reveal. “Being part of this project with MrBeast feels full circle for me,” she said. “I was once the kid being surprised with a bionic arm, and now I get to be there for Kai. I know exactly how life-changing that moment can be.” The Hero PRO is one of the most advanced bionic limbs on the market. It’s wireless, water-resistant, and strong enough to lift up to 25 kilograms. It also features a touchscreen-compatible grip, a fully rotating wrist, and a quick-release mechanism to swap out activity-specific attachments. The device was developed using feedback from over 1,000 users during four years of research. Samantha Payne, co-founder and CEO of Open Bionics, said, “Seeing him receive a Hero PRO has been meaningful for everyone involved.” For Kai, the arm has already opened up new possibilities. He’s using two hands for the first time — shooting hoops, helping in the kitchen, and tackling everyday challenges with more confidence. “We never imagined something like this would happen for him,” said Charlotte. “It’s once in a lifetime, not just because he met his idol, but because he now has a bionic arm that will change his life.” Kai, now hoping to inspire others, had a simple message for anyone facing similar challenges. “Don’t let people put you down,” he said. “Nothing’s going to stop you. You just learn an alternative.”
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Scientists Discover Way To Boost Bone Health Without Physical Movement
Scientists in Hong Kong say they’ve cracked a key part of the mystery behind how bones get stronger during exercise — and their discovery could pave the way for new treatments for osteoporosis and age-related bone loss. A research team at the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Medicine has identified a specific protein, Piezo1, that acts as an “exercise sensor” in the body. When this protein is triggered by physical movement, it helps bones stay strong by encouraging stem cells to form new bone tissue instead of turning into fat. The findings were published in the journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. Crucially, this discovery could lead to the development of medication that mimics the effect of exercise — offering hope to people who are bedridden, frail, or living with chronic illness. “Osteoporosis and age-related bone loss affect millions worldwide, often leaving elderly and bedridden patients vulnerable to fractures and loss of independence,” said Professor Xu Aimin, who led the study. “This study is a critical step toward finding a way to replicate the benefits of exercise at the molecular level.” Why Bones Get Weaker With Age Osteoporosis affects one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50, according to the World Health Organization. In Hong Kong, the condition hits especially hard: nearly half of women and more than one in ten men aged 65 or older suffer from it. As people age, their bones naturally become less dense and more porous. Part of the problem lies within the bone marrow, where special stem cells (called mesenchymal stem cells) live. These cells can turn into either bone tissue or fat. Normally, physical movement nudges them toward making more bone. But over time, and especially without regular movement, the cells start to shift toward fat production instead. That fat buildup inside the bone weakens it even further, creating a downward spiral of bone loss. Piezo1: The Body’s Movement Sensor In experiments with both mice and human cells, the researchers found that Piezo1 plays a central role in how bones sense and respond to physical forces. Located on the surface of bone marrow stem cells, Piezo1 detects movement and pressure. When activated, it encourages new bone growth and limits fat formation. But when Piezo1 is missing or inactive, the opposite happens. More stem cells become fat cells, and bones weaken more rapidly. In addition, the absence of Piezo1 triggers inflammatory signals that further disrupt bone health. The team also found that blocking these inflammatory signals could help restore better conditions for bone growth — another potential target for future drugs. A New Kind of Medicine: Exercise Mimetics “We have essentially decoded how the body converts movement into stronger bones,” said Professor Xu. “By activating the Piezo1 pathway, we can mimic the benefits of exercise, effectively tricking the body into thinking it is exercising, even in the absence of movement.” The implications are significant for older adults, patients recovering from injury or surgery, and those with conditions that limit mobility. “This discovery is especially meaningful for individuals who cannot exercise due to frailty, injury or chronic illness,” said Dr Wang Baile, co-leader of the study. “Our findings open the door to developing ‘exercise mimetics’ — drugs that chemically activate the Piezo1 pathway to help maintain bone mass and support independence.” Professor Eric Honoré, a co-leader of the research and scientist at France’s National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), called it a promising step beyond traditional physical therapy. “In the future, we could potentially provide the biological benefits of exercise through targeted treatments, thereby slowing bone loss in vulnerable groups.” What’s Next? The team is now focused on developing these potential treatments. Their goal is to create therapies that can preserve bone strength and improve quality of life for aging populations, especially those unable to engage in physical activity. The international study brought together researchers from HKUMed and several French institutions, and received funding from a wide range of public science foundations across Hong Kong, China, France, and Macau. If successful, the research could fundamentally change how osteoporosis and bone loss are treated — not just by preventing fractures, but by restoring strength to bones, even without a single step taken.
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What Happens to a 1,000-Pound Butter Sculpture? In Pennsylvania, It Powers Homes
After drawing thousands of curious onlookers at the Pennsylvania Farm Show earlier this month, a towering butter sculpture featuring Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, and the Liberty Bell is now fueling homes with renewable energy. The 1,000-pound sculpture, titled A Toast to Our Nation’s 250th Anniversary: Inspired by Founders. Grown by Farmers, was dismantled by local 4-H students and sent to Reinford Farms, a dairy farm in Mifflintown that turns food waste into methane power. “Inside this tank, there’s a process that converts the butter, as well as manure and other food waste, into methane,” farm owner Brett Reinford told WPMT. “We have specialized motors that run on methane and a generator that produces power.” It takes just a few hours in the anaerobic digester for the butter to be transformed into methane, which then helps generate electricity for nearby homes. Before meeting its eco-friendly end, the sculpture had been kept in a refrigerated display room set to around 55 degrees Fahrenheit while artists were working, then dropped lower to preserve it during the week-long show in Harrisburg. It took students only four hours to take it apart, but the process of bringing it to life was months in the making. Philadelphia-based sculptors Jim Victor and Marie Pelton were behind this year’s buttery tribute to the nation’s founding. Their work showed the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, complete with founding fathers, the Liberty Bell, and Ross sewing the stars and stripes. It was designed to reflect “how agriculture has been the roots of our nation’s growth and prosperity for 250 years,” said Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding in a statement. “It’s an honor to be part of the tradition every year,” Victor told the Patriot-News at the unveiling. “Especially for this commemorative year.” The butter used in these sculptures isn’t fit for sale or consumption. It’s donated scrap butter that would otherwise go to waste. Once in the artists' hands, it's supported by custom welded metal frames, sketched into detailed designs, and molded into intricate forms. The sculpture was the 35th in the Farm Show’s long-running tradition of transforming dairy products into art. Since 1991, it’s become a highlight of the annual event—drawing visitors from across the state for a glimpse at the creamy creations. Past sculptures have depicted everyone from WWII soldiers to lunch ladies. This year’s display may be gone, but it isn’t wasted. Thanks to a growing effort to recycle food art into renewable energy, Pennsylvania’s butter sculptures are getting a second life—this time as electricity.
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‘Shared Among All’: French Man Donates Family Field to Become Orchard and Garden for Entire Town
When Michel Éprinchard inherited a quiet patch of overgrown land in western France, he didn’t see much use for it. The field, full of weeds and distant childhood memories, sat untouched for years—until he had an idea that would bring new life not just to the soil, but to his hometown. He decided to donate the entire parcel to the small town of Clussais-la-Pommeraie, population 560, on one condition: that it be turned into a fruit orchard and community garden open to everyone. “The first condition is to create a garden with specific varieties of fruit trees, and the second condition, undoubtedly the most important, is that the entire community can benefit from it, shared among all,” Éprinchard told Franceinfo. He estimated the project would cost around €11,000 (about $12,000), and warned local officials that accepting the gift would also mean taking on that responsibility. Mayor Étienne Fouché didn’t hesitate. The town accepted, and work began last year. The orchard includes apple, pear, and plum trees, with the first 50 saplings already in the ground. Another 50 will be planted this year, alongside hedges, flower beds, and flowering trees. Community members showed up in force to help with the planting. “Now we will let them grow, we will monitor the diseases, we will take care of the soil, and then people will come to pick their own apples or make jam,” Fouché said. It will be four years before the first real harvest. But that doesn’t seem to matter to anyone. The project has already done what it set out to do: bring people together and return an unused patch of land to a shared, meaningful purpose. This kind of grassroots generosity isn’t new in France, but it’s rare. It echoes the story of Roger Thiberville, who passed away and left €10 million to a town he’d never even visited—Thiberville, in Normandy. The man had no family heirs and, in a poetic gesture, chose to donate his inheritance to a town that happened to share his name. His ashes now rest there, under a plaque in the town cemetery. Elsewhere, similar visions of land reuse are taking shape. One college principal in India turned eight barren acres on campus into a mini forest and orchard, transforming the space into a thriving green zone for students and wildlife. Back in Clussais-la-Pommeraie, the sentiment is simpler but no less powerful. A man gave his land, a town came together, and now they wait—not in a hurry—for the trees to grow.
Score (97)
Capybara Trio Captures Hearts at Kent Wildlife Park with New Names
Three baby capybaras at a Kent wildlife park are winning over visitors—and the internet—after being officially named Colin, Clive and Cuthbert. The trio, born in October at Wingham Wildlife Park near Canterbury, were dubbed the “furry band of brothers” by keepers in a video posted to Instagram. In the clip, staff joked, “Forget heist movies, these cute 'baby potatoes' are stealing our hearts.” Their names were chosen through a public contest, where fans submitted suggestions and then voted on a shortlist. According to Meg Lawler, the park’s head of mammals, the final picks were a nod to the names of the beloved chocolate caterpillar cakes popular across the UK. Capybaras—the largest rodents in the world—have enjoyed viral fame since 2023, when a TikTok trend featuring a quirky capybara-themed song racked up hundreds of millions of views. That sudden surge in popularity translated into real-world demand, with zoos and wildlife parks reporting increased foot traffic and more visitors asking specifically about the laid-back animals. “Even before the babies were born, everybody wanted to see them,” Lawler said. “Now we’ve got the babies, they’re getting lots and lots of attention.” The park, known for its active social media presence, involved fans in every step of the naming process. “We got people to put some names in. We picked our favourites. We did a poll and that was the one that came top,” Lawler explained. While Colin, Clive and Cuthbert are still adjusting to life under the spotlight, their keepers say they’re handling it just fine. Capybaras are famously easygoing and social—qualities that have helped them earn a reputation as the ultimate “vibe” animals. Last year, capybara keepers in Oxfordshire described them as “chilled” creatures that “vibe through life,” typically starting their days in the afternoon and seeming entirely unbothered by much else. With their rising popularity and the warm reception to the new arrivals, the Kent wildlife park is hopeful there will be more baby capybaras in the future. For now, though, Colin, Clive and Cuthbert are the stars of the show—and they seem perfectly content with the attention.
Score (97)
NASA Tech May Soon Help Spot Ocean Plastic From Space — Thanks to a New ‘Fingerprint’ Database
Tracking the world’s marine litter is a logistical nightmare. Every year, more than 8 million tons of plastic flow into the ocean, much of it from land. Once it enters the water, debris can travel thousands of kilometers, carried by currents and wind, breaking down into smaller pieces that are nearly impossible to trace. But a new tool from space might soon change that. In late 2025, scientists using NASA’s EMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation) sensor aboard the International Space Station announced they had detected plastic pollution concentrations on land for the first time using space-based spectroscopy. Now, researchers are exploring whether that same tech could one day help track plastic in the ocean, too. It’s a challenge, but not an impossible one. And a new reference library, led by NASA intern Ashley Ohall, is laying the groundwork. The open-source database contains nearly 25,000 unique molecular “fingerprints” from marine debris — including items like tires, rope, bubble wrap, bottle caps, and buoys — covering everything from metals to 19 different types of plastic polymer. These spectral patterns, captured using handheld instruments in labs over many years, provide the essential training data for algorithms that could one day scan for the same materials from space. “My biggest hope is that people see remote sensing as an important and useful tool for marine debris monitoring,” said Ohall, a Florida native and recent graduate of the University of Georgia. “Just because it hasn’t been done yet doesn’t mean it can’t be done.” The problem, however, is that seawater absorbs infrared light — the same wavelengths that are key to spotting plastic using EMIT’s imaging technology. That makes detection at sea harder than it is on land. Still, the early success of EMIT in spotting plastic from orbit — like in landfills or in massive greenhouse structures — is encouraging. David Thompson of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a coauthor of the original 2025 EMIT study, said the sensor wasn’t designed for this mission, but it’s already proving remarkably adaptable. Originally launched in 2022 to study mineral dust and its role in climate, EMIT uses imaging spectroscopy to detect hundreds of compounds by the way they reflect sunlight. Similar tech has found water on the Moon and is being sent back to help astronauts choose where to sample lunar soil. The same precision could one day be applied to Earth’s oceans — but only if researchers know what to look for. That’s where the fingerprint library comes in. By standardizing years of fragmented lab data into one searchable database, scientists can begin training remote sensing models to differentiate one piece of trash from another. A waterlogged bottle looks different than a buoy, and both differ from sun-bleached packaging caught in a hurricane. Algorithms will need to recognize all of them. The effort also complements another area of research: using artificial intelligence to sift through satellite images and identify patterns that might indicate floating debris. “Detecting marine debris is the kind of incredible challenge that NASA can help solve,” said Kelsey Bisson, a program manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Humans have a visceral connection to the ocean and its health.” While dragging nets through the ocean or surveying beaches has been the norm for monitoring marine litter, those methods can’t cover the scale of the problem. Ocean plastic is spread out, constantly moving, and mostly invisible to the naked eye once it breaks apart. If EMIT and its future successors can be trained to spot the spectral signs of pollution, it could open a new era of global monitoring — helping identify pollution hotspots before the debris hits the water, or tracking it once it’s adrift. The technology isn’t quite there yet, but scientists are steadily closing the gap. “We’re still learning what current sensors can detect and what we’ll need in the next generation,” Ohall said. “But this is a huge step in that direction.”
Score (98)
Heroic Manager Rescues Homeless Woman From Winter Storm, Earns Heartfelt Gratitude
When a brutal winter storm swept through Texas, Faris Hussain didn’t hesitate. On the morning of January 22, a customer ran into the Evans Food Mart in northern Texas, calling for help after spotting a woman lying outside in the cold. Hussain, the store manager, recognized her name immediately. “When I heard her name, it was one of my good customers,” he told CBS affiliate KTVT. “So I instantly was like, ‘Hey man, no no no, there’s no way. We gotta go help her right now.’” The woman, known in the area as Bobbi, had spent the night outside as temperatures plummeted. Surveillance footage captured Hussain rushing out and lifting her off the ground, cradling her frozen body in his arms before carrying her into the store. “The second my hands touched her, it was like frozen solid,” he told ABC affiliate WFAA. “Her body was so stiff.” As he worked to warm her up, Bobbi turned to him and said, “I love you, thank you so much,” Hussain recalled. First responders arrived shortly afterward and transported her to a nearby hospital. The Fort Worth Fire Department confirmed they were dispatched to the store after 9 a.m., though no update was available on Bobbi’s condition. Hussain said he doesn't consider what he did to be extraordinary. “I don't really consider myself a hero or nothing,” he told KTVT. “But we just, we do this on a daily for our community. Doing it once in a while, it’s not going to cut it.” The storm that hit Texas was part of Winter Storm Fern, which moved across much of the United States over the weekend. At least 17 people were killed in the storm’s path, according to the BBC. For Hussain, it wasn’t about headlines or heroics. It was about helping someone he knew—someone who needed it. “We do it on a daily for our daily customers,” he said. “All the time. Every time.”
Score (88)
Scientists Identify Europe’s Oldest Bone Tool—a 480,000-Year-Old Hammer Carved From Elephant Bone
It sat quietly for decades in the collection of London’s Natural History Museum, overlooked and unassuming. But the four-inch fragment of elephant bone, unearthed in southern England in the mid-1990s, has now been reexamined—and redefined—as the oldest known bone tool of its kind ever found in Europe. Researchers say the artifact, pulled from an archaeological site in the village of Boxgrove, was shaped by early humans around 480,000 years ago and used as a “soft hammer” to sharpen stone tools. In a paper published January 21 in Science Advances, the team argues it likely served as a precision instrument to refine handaxes and other cutting tools. “It shows an advanced level of complex thinking and abstract thought,” said Silvia Bello, a researcher at the Natural History Museum and co-author of the study. The bone—possibly from a straight-tusked elephant, though researchers haven’t been able to confirm its origin—was originally set aside when it was first found. But recent analysis with an electron microscope revealed a dense pattern of marks: slicing and scraping damage, as well as tiny flint fragments embedded in the surface. That pattern matches what researchers would expect from repeated use in toolmaking. These kinds of bone instruments, called “soft hammers” or “retouchers,” were essential in early human tool production. Unlike stone or antler hammers, soft hammers allowed for greater control when flaking or sharpening edges. “Soft hammers enabled early humans to produce more finely shaped and efficient tools,” the researchers wrote. The team believes the Boxgrove tool was used for more delicate work—refining the cutting edge of flint handaxes or other butchery tools. That kind of precision would have been especially valuable for processing animal carcasses, a key part of survival in the Lower Paleolithic. Although other bone tools have been found in Europe, most are younger—dating to around 450,000 years ago—and are typically discovered farther south, where elephant and mammoth populations were denser. That makes the Boxgrove specimen particularly significant, not just because of its age but because of its apparent rarity. “No other elephant remains were found [at the site], so it is likely that this bone was brought in from somewhere else,” Bello told IFL Science. Researchers don’t yet know what part of the body the bone came from or how it was acquired. But they suspect it was used shortly after the animal died, while the bone was still relatively fresh. That detail, they say, offers a glimpse into the resourcefulness of early human ancestors—possibly Neanderthals or the species Homo heidelbergensis—who lived in what is now southern England. “These findings indicate our human ancestors were resourceful gatherers of available materials and savvy about how best to use them,” Bello said. The artifact also adds another layer to what we know about human interaction with elephants. In a separate study of 125,000-year-old bones in central Germany, researchers found evidence that Neanderthals learned how to hunt and butcher straight-tusked elephants—large enough to feed a group of 25 people for three months. Even further back, in Africa, archaeologists have uncovered 1.5-million-year-old elephant bone tools in Tanzania, showing that hominins were working with large bones long before they arrived in Europe. Whether crafted by Neanderthals or their predecessors, the Boxgrove hammer stands as a rare early example of abstract thinking and purposeful design—a quiet but powerful reminder of how long humans have been shaping the world around them.