Goodable

In Colorado, a passerby saw a bird caught on a fishing hook and struggling to swim.

So she rushed to a nearby fire station, where firefighters arrived to free the bird, giving it a second chance at life.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
❤️🐦

In Colorado, a passerby saw a bird caught on a fishing hook and struggling to swim. So she rushed to a nearby fire station, where firefighters arrived to free the bird, giving it a second chance at life. ❤️🐦

These Firefighters Just Rescued a Bird Caught in a Fishing Hook Line

Positive.News

Twenty years ago, the land at Knepp in Sussex was described as “depleted, polluted, dysfunctional.” Today, it’s one of the UK’s most remarkable rewilding success stories — and a powerful example of what happens when nature is allowed to recover.

A new ecological review of the 3,500-acre Knepp estate has revealed a 900% increase in breeding birds since rewilding began, including huge gains among some of Britain’s most threatened species. Turtle doves have increased by 600%. Nightingales by more than 500%.

“The trend is strongly positive and still increasing year on year,” said Fleur Dobner, an ecologist at Knepp.

The review also recorded major boosts in insect populations. Butterfly numbers have doubled in some areas, while dragonflies and damselflies have surged by nearly 900%. It marks a dramatic reversal on a site that was once struggling to turn a profit as a traditional farm.

“We have gone from a depleted, polluted, dysfunctional farmland to one of the most significant biodiversity hotspots in the UK,” said Isabella Tree, who runs the project with her husband, Charlie Burrell. Their story was chronicled in Tree’s widely read book Wilding, which documents how the couple stepped back from intensive farming and let natural processes take the lead.

They tore down fences and reintroduced free-roaming animals — English longhorn cattle, Tamworth pigs, Exmoor ponies — which play key ecological roles, echoing the impacts of long-extinct wild species. Over time, those changes created a mosaic of wood pasture, scrubland, and wetland habitat teeming with wildlife.

The success at Knepp is now serving as a blueprint for other landowners and conservationists across the UK. It also highlights how far the country still has to go. Britain remains one of the most nature-depleted nations in the world.

“The UK has pledged to return 30% of land to nature by 2030, and it’s not happening fast enough,” Tree said. “Rewilding is a powerful tool to get nature back. We should be much more ambitious for our nature reserves and rewilding projects.”

For many conservationists, the message is clear: biodiversity can bounce back, and faster than expected — but only if it's given space and time. Knepp's resurgence shows what’s possible. Now the challenge is scaling it.

Rewilding Success: Estate Sees 900% Increase In Breeding Birds Over Two Decades

BBC News

From camel rides in the desert to lantern-lit nights in China, Herry the teddy bear has racked up more stamps in his passport than most people ever will. Alongside his human travel companion, 81-year-old Bob Hall, the duo has explored over 30 countries — and they’re not done yet.

But Herry isn’t just a globe-trotting teddy. He’s also the beloved mascot of Hertford Vale CofE Primary School in Staxton, a tiny village in North Yorkshire, England. The bear was gifted to Bob by the school in 2019, and since then, the pair’s adventures have become a way to bring global cultures to life for local pupils.

“I’ve been all around the world maybe about five times, and Herry-Bear has been with me the entire time,” Bob says. “He’s my boss, friend and companion.”

On this particular day, Bob and Herry are back in Staxton, standing in front of a sea of eager faces at Hertford Vale Primary. Bob is clicking through a slideshow packed with snapshots of the bear in faraway places — riding camels, sightseeing in Asia, and grinning next to ancient temples.

Each new image prompts a guessing game from the students, with hands shooting up to identify the country in the picture.

Bob isn’t new to travel. His career in the army and civil service took him around the world in his younger years. But he paused those adventures to care for his wife, Mary, who lived with Alzheimer’s for more than ten years before passing away.

After her death, Bob leaned on the support of his community — including Hertford Vale’s headteacher Andrew Barber — to help him move forward. As a long-time resident and neighbor of the school, he wanted to give something back. That’s when the idea took shape: take the school’s mascot with him on his next trip to Australia, and report back with stories the children could connect to.

“With my pictures, they can actually visualise what these countries are like and it’s immediate for them,” Bob explains. “Particularly because Herry-Bear is there.”

Since then, Bob and Herry have traveled to cities and coastlines across the globe. Among the highlights? A safari in South Africa and Botswana.

Other tourists are often intrigued by the sight of a senior man posing for travel photos with a teddy bear.

“They’re very interested, and when I tell them they are absolutely amazed that somebody my age should want to share my life story with Herry-Bear,” Bob says.

After the presentation, the students are buzzing with travel dreams of their own.

Eight-year-old Bodhi says she’s already visited Bulgaria, Cornwall, and Wales, but now she’s set her sights on Korea. “Some of my favourite bands are from there,” she says.

Oliver, 10, hopes to visit Japan one day. “It’s really futuristic and there’s lots of nice food there,” he explains.

Hannah, 6, beams as she describes how “awesome” it was to hear about Herry-Bear’s adventures. She wants to take him on her next holiday.

And five-year-old Chester? He’s got one goal: “I only want to go to America.” Why? “So I can go to the shop where you get the sweeties,” he announces.

Bob doesn’t have a specific bucket list. “I think where I want to go, and when I want to go is how I feel at a particular time,” he says.

Next up for Bob and Herry: a trip to South America, with plans to end their journey at the Rio de Janeiro Carnival — where Herry-Bear will take a starring role. But before that, Bob is heading to Barbados. Alone.

“I’m not taking the bear,” he laughs. “It’s me time.”

Teacher Travels With School's Teddy Bear To Educate Students About The World

Science Alert

As we age, our immune systems slowly lose their edge, making us more vulnerable to infections, cancer, and other illnesses. But a new study from researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard offers a potential way to reverse some of that decline—by using the liver to kickstart immune cell production.

The research centers on the thymus, a small organ in the chest that plays a critical role in creating T cells. These are the body’s immune sentinels, hunting down viruses, bacteria, and abnormal cells. But the thymus starts shrinking and slowing down by early adulthood, meaning fewer T cells are produced over time.

"We wanted to think about how can we maintain this kind of immune protection for a longer period of time," said MIT neuroscientist Mirco Friedrich. "And that's what led us to think about what we can do to boost immunity."

The team’s solution was to use the liver as a kind of thymus stand-in. It’s not a typical immune organ, but it has a unique advantage: it continues producing proteins efficiently even in old age. It’s also accessible, and every bit of blood coming from the stomach and intestines passes through it—making it a prime candidate for targeted treatments.

First, researchers identified three signaling proteins that decline with age in mice—DLL1, FLT3-L, and IL-7. These molecules are key to creating and maintaining healthy T cells. They then designed a package of mRNA, the same type of technology used in some COVID-19 vaccines, to deliver instructions for those proteins directly into the liver.

After four weeks of mRNA injections in older mice, the results were striking: a marked increase in both the number and diversity of T cells. The mice showed stronger responses to vaccines and were better at fighting off cancerous tumors. In short, their immune systems started acting more like those of younger animals.

"Our approach is more of a synthetic approach," said MIT neuroscientist Feng Zhang. "We're engineering the body to mimic thymic factor secretion."

One important detail: the boost in T cell production didn’t last forever. It faded after treatment stopped, which may actually be a good thing. Prolonged overstimulation of the immune system can backfire, increasing the risk of inflammation and autoimmune problems.

Past attempts to rejuvenate the immune system have included pumping signaling proteins into the bloodstream. But that can cause side effects and doesn’t always target the right cells. This liver-based strategy may offer a safer, more controlled alternative.

The findings, published in Nature, are early-stage, and the next steps involve testing the approach in other animals and looking at other immune pathways. But if the strategy holds up in humans, it could be a breakthrough in helping people stay healthier for longer.

"If we can restore something essential like the immune system," said Zhang, "hopefully we can help people stay free of disease for a longer span of their life."

Scientists Find New Way to Reboot the Immune System Using the Liver

Euro News

A personalised mRNA cancer vaccine developed by Moderna and Merck is showing lasting promise for patients with high-risk melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.

New five-year follow-up data from a phase 2 clinical trial suggests that the therapy provides strong, long-term protection against cancer recurrence. Patients who received the combination treatment had a 49 percent lower risk of their cancer returning or dying, compared with those treated with immunotherapy alone.

The experimental therapy pairs Moderna’s personalised mRNA vaccine — called intismeran autogene — with Merck’s established immunotherapy drug, Keytruda. Keytruda is already used widely to treat a range of cancers by blocking a protein called PD-1, which tumours use to hide from the immune system.

The mRNA vaccine is custom-designed for each patient to train their immune system to identify tumour-specific markers. By flagging these unique mutations, the vaccine helps the immune system recognize and target cancer cells. When used alongside Keytruda, which removes the tumour’s defenses, the treatment appears to enable the body’s T-cells to launch a more powerful, sustained attack.

“We continue to invest in our platform in oncology because of encouraging outcomes like these, which illustrate mRNA's potential in cancer care,” said Kyle Holen, Moderna’s senior vice president.

Moderna and Merck are now awaiting the results of phase 3 trials — the final and largest stage of testing — to determine whether the benefits hold up across a broader group of patients.

High-risk melanoma refers to stage 3 and 4 cases where the cancer has spread beyond the original site or is likely to return even after surgery. These cases account for about 15 percent of all melanoma diagnoses, or around 15,700 patients each year in the European Union alone.

Melanoma itself has become more common in recent decades. In 2022, more than 330,000 people worldwide were diagnosed with the disease, which stems from the uncontrolled growth of melanin-producing cells in the skin.

The encouraging data from Moderna and Merck comes as other pharmaceutical companies race to develop similar treatments. BioNTech and Roche are both working on their own mRNA-based cancer vaccines targeting high-risk melanoma, but those therapies remain in earlier trial phases.

Moderna and Merck are also expanding their mRNA approach to other cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, and renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer.

If confirmed in larger trials, the findings could mark a turning point in the use of mRNA technology — first widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic — to treat cancer.

An mRNA Vaccine is Showing Long-Term Benefits for Skin Cancer Patients

ABC News

A new exhibition at Britain’s National Archives is putting love on paper — literally. Opening just in time for Valentine’s Day, Love Letters features handwritten confessions, pleas, and partings that span five centuries and every shade of affection.

The exhibition explores passion in its many forms — from doomed affairs and family bonds to longing and sacrifice — through documents from both the famous and the forgotten.

“There is a lot of connection in these items even though on the surface they seem very different,” said curator Victoria Iglikowski-Broad. “In common they have just this human feeling of love … that the sacrifice is actually worth it for love.”

Among the most striking items on display is a letter from Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, to Queen Elizabeth I — his final words to the monarch he had long courted. Written in 1588, just days before his death, the letter was found by her bedside nearly 15 years later when Elizabeth herself died. On the outside, Dudley had scribbled, “his last lettar.”

The exhibition doesn’t limit itself to traditional romance. Jane Austen’s will, written in 1817, leaves nearly everything to her sister Cassandra. A 1956 letter from the father of London’s notorious Kray twins begs a court for leniency, arguing that “all their concern in life is to do good to everybody.”

In a petition from 1851, Daniel Rush, a 71-year-old weaver, pleads with authorities not to send him and his wife to separate workhouses. The note sits beside one of British history’s most famous romantic gestures: the 1936 abdication letter of King Edward VIII, who gave up the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American. Together, they speak to love's power — whether in poverty or palaces.

Not all letters end in happy endings. A newly displayed 1944 letter from John Cairncross, later revealed to be a Soviet spy, reflects on a relationship that couldn’t survive wartime distance. “Would we have broken off, I wondered, if we had known what was coming?” he wrote to his former girlfriend Gloria Barraclough.

Another document, penned in 1890 by Lord Alfred Douglas, pleads for a royal pardon for Oscar Wilde, then imprisoned for “gross indecency” after their relationship was exposed by Douglas’ own father. The plea was unsuccessful. Wilde served two years in prison and died in exile.

Some letters are more tragic still. A 1541 note from Catherine Howard to her lover Thomas Culpeper reveals the panic of a queen under surveillance. She signs off “yours as long as life endures.” Weeks later, both were executed for treason.

The show also includes a rare glimpse into royal intimacy. A letter from Queen Henrietta Maria to her husband King Charles I, whom she calls “my dear heart,” was found among the king’s belongings after a battlefield defeat in the English Civil War. Charles was later executed in 1649, and the letter ended up in Parliament’s archives before its recent transfer to the National Archives.

According to historian Neil Johnston, letters like this between monarchs are exceedingly rare. “This is a little gem within the disaster of the English Civil War,” he said.

Other entries include same-sex personals from the early 20th century and soldiers’ love letters from the front lines. There’s even a medieval heartbreak song.

“We’re trying to open up the potential of what a love letter can be,” Iglikowski-Broad said. “Expressions of love can be found in all sorts of places, and surprising places.”

Love Letters opens Saturday and runs through April 12. Admission is free.

From Spies to Sovereigns, Five Centuries of Love Letters Go on Display in the UK

Talker News

Three critically endangered orangutans have been released back into the forests of Borneo, marking a hopeful step for a species on the brink.

Badul, Korwas, and Asoka were transported to Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park in Indonesia after years of rehabilitation. Each has a backstory shaped by habitat destruction and the illegal wildlife trade.

Badul spent years in a zoo enclosure, living next to animals like porcupines and sun bears, before entering a forest school to relearn how to survive in the wild. Korwas was rescued after being advertised for sale on social media by wildlife traffickers. And Asoka, taken from the wild as an infant, spent a decade in care before proving ready for release.

All three were under the care of the YIARI Orangutan Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, run in partnership with Indonesia’s wildlife protection agency, BKSDA. At the centre, they were taught vital survival skills including foraging, nest building, climbing, and social behaviour.

“Every orangutan successfully returned to the forest is the result of a long process: rescue, rehabilitation, and routine care by dedicated teams,” said Silverius Oscar Unggul, chairman of YIARI. “The release of these three orangutans is not only good news for YIARI but also for the future of Indonesia’s biodiversity.”

Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park was chosen as the release site due to its dense forest cover, ample food supply, and relatively low human impact. A team from YIARI and the park authority will now monitor the orangutans to make sure they adapt well to their new home. That includes tracking their ability to build nests, forage, and maintain natural behaviours.

Gavin Bruce, CEO of the UK-based International Animal Rescue (IAR), which partners with YIARI, said the release is the result of years of work.

“Without this intervention, their story would have been very different, and they would have been lost to the population,” Bruce said. “YIARI will now monitor these newly reintroduced orangutans to ensure they thrive in the wild and help rebuild the population.”

Bornean orangutans are critically endangered, with numbers in decline due to widespread deforestation for palm oil, mining, and agriculture, as well as poaching and wildfires. Conservation groups say restoring individuals like Badul, Korwas, and Asoka to the forest is vital — but only part of a much larger effort to protect their habitats before it’s too late.

Three Rescued Orangutans Returned to the Wild After Years of Rehabilitation in Borneo

When James and his grandmother Kate set up a jam stall outside their home, they never expected it to be targeted by thieves. But after their entire stock — including more than £40 worth of homemade preserves and cash — was taken overnight, their small village has come together to turn things around.

James, 10, has been making jam with his grandmother for two years. Every jar sold was part of his savings plan — he’s hoping to buy a motorbike when he turns 16. But the theft on 8 January hit hard.

“I went out in the morning just to put the eggs out and noticed everything was gone,” Kate told BBC Radio Somerset’s Charlie Taylor. “You get the odd pot going missing but to take the whole lot, it was a bit of a shock.”

Despite the setback, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Neighbours, friends, and strangers online have rallied behind James, raising more than £200 in donations and dropping off jars and fresh fruit to help him restart the business.

Kate said she was “quite shocked” by the theft, but her grandson didn’t stay down for long. “He is 10, so generally they do bounce back quite quickly from things like that,” she said. “He’s up for the challenge of starting it all again.”

James said the community’s support has made a lasting impression. “I felt like I had a nice community around me,” he said. With the help of local donations, they’ve now installed a new shed, a light, and even a security camera to prevent future thefts.

Kate said they’ve received over 300 supportive messages through social media, many from people offering donations, supplies, and words of encouragement. “People have been really kind,” she said.

What started as a sour moment for the young entrepreneur has turned into something far sweeter.

Community Rallies Around 10-Year-Old Jam Maker After Stall Theft

Space

The dazzling northern lights were captured by a cosmonaut from the International Space Station on January 19.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, who is currently on a mission aboard the ISS, posted the footage on Instagram describing the sight as “incredible.”

“Yesterday’s solar flare triggered an incredible aurora borealis. In addition to the familiar green glow, a red one appeared as well, which usually occurs at altitudes of 300–400 km. This is what it looks like when you fly right through it!” he wrote.

Cosmonaut Shares 'Incredible' Video of Aurora From Space Station

A teenager’s dream became a reality — and turned into something much bigger — when she shared the stage with Coldplay in front of 83,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, using the moment to raise awareness for scoliosis.

Fourteen-year-old Isla, from Plymouth, has been living with scoliosis — a curvature of the spine — for the past 18 months. Her treatment requires her to wear a back brace for 20 hours each day, something she admits has been both painful and difficult.

But when her favourite band came to town, Isla saw an opportunity.

The concert had been on her calendar for a year — coincidentally, the exact same amount of time since she picked up her first back brace. Determined to use the moment for good, she made a vow: “I'm going to get on that stage and raise awareness of scoliosis.”

She kept that promise.

Wearing her brace proudly over her clothes so the massive crowd could see it, Isla was invited on stage by Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin. Martin, who is from nearby Devon, asked Isla to sit with him as the band performed two songs. Videos of the moment show Isla smiling alongside Martin, singing as tens of thousands looked on.

Afterwards, Isla shared the video online as part of her campaign to educate others about scoliosis. The response was immediate.

She said the video racked up more than 200,000 views and prompted messages from other young people facing similar challenges. “I feel like I helped quite a lot of people that day,” Isla said.

Despite the physical discomfort, Isla wears her brace every day in the hope of avoiding surgery. It hasn’t been easy, but she’s embraced it. “I've come through a lot of challenges with it [scoliosis] and I've tried to spread awareness,” she said.

Getting serenaded by Martin, she added, was “unbelievable. I can't believe it happened.”

The moment also sparked a change in her own confidence. “It made me realise I didn’t mind wearing the brace outside of my clothing,” she said.

Isla’s mother, Leanne, said the experience meant more than Martin could possibly know. “I don't think he will realise what he did that day. It's incredible,” she said.

Through one night on stage, Isla not only met her hero — she became one to others.

Coldplay's Chris Martin Serenades Teen on Stage, Helps Shine Light on Scoliosis

GoodGoodGood

Amsterdam is taking a new step—literally—to help save its cats.

Following a spike in drownings among the city’s stray cats, officials have approved a plan to install dozens of small wooden staircases along canal walls to give trapped animals a way out. These “fauna exit points” will be built using €100,000 in previously unused city funds, after a push from Dutch councillor Judith Krom of the Party for the Animals.

In just the first six months of 2025, 19 cats drowned in Amsterdam’s canals, prompting alarm among local residents and animal welfare advocates. While the city’s historic waterways draw millions of tourists every year, they pose a hidden danger for animals—particularly cats, who often fall in by accident.

“It often happens due to a startle reaction,” said Maggie Ruitenberg, a behavior and welfare specialist at the Dutch Cat Knowledge Center. “A cat is sitting on the edge of the quay, gets startled by a dog or a person, jumps backward, and falls into the water.”

And in some cases, it’s not an accident. “Unfortunately, some people find it funny to throw a cat into the water,” she said.

Krom’s proposal followed a similar move in the nearby city of Amersfoort, which began installing 300 wildlife exit ladders along its own canals. At first, Amsterdam’s alderman Zita Pels said there wasn’t enough money to fund the project. But Krom combed through the municipal budget and uncovered €100,000 in unallocated funds.

That money will now be used to build and install the staircases—not just for cats, but for hedgehogs, frogs, and birds as well.

Eelco Miedema, operational manager of Animal Ambulance Amsterdam, said his team is already keeping track of hotspots where animal incidents are most common. “It’s quite a puzzle,” he said, explaining how the current of the canal water means animals are often found far from where they fell in.

Still, he supports the plan. “Every cat that can be saved by this is one less cat [lost],” he told de Volkskrant.

Cats are strong swimmers, but they tire quickly—especially when their fur becomes waterlogged. “A cat ladder can then truly be life-saving,” said Ruitenberg, “provided they are placed every few meters.”

She also explained why placement is so important. In a panic, cats tend to swim toward the nearest dark and sheltered space. “For example, under a bridge,” she said. “That feels safer for them than being in the middle of the open canal.”

In addition to the staircases, Ruitenberg has recommended installing floating platforms in high-risk areas. “That significantly increases their chances of survival,” she said.

Installation sites are being chosen with input from Animal Ambulance data, local ecologists, and residents who have witnessed animal emergencies. Ruitenberg has also offered advice to the city on where and how the staircases should be installed for maximum effectiveness.

The project is a rare mix of data-driven planning and grassroots compassion. And if it saves even one life, animal advocates say, it will have been worth it.

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