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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

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Scientists may have found an unlikely ally in the fight against climate change — and it's a microscopic blob affectionately dubbed Chonkus.

Officially known as UTEX 3222, the fast-growing cyanobacterium was discovered off the coast of Sicily by microbiologist Braden Tierney and his team, who were collecting seawater samples near deep-sea volcanic vents. The organism caught their attention not just for its carbon-guzzling abilities, but for how unusually dense it is.

“When you grow a culture of bacteria, it looks like broth and the bacteria are very dilute,” said Max Schubert, a researcher on the team. “But we found that Chonkus would settle into this stuff that is much more dense — like a green peanut butter.”

That unusual consistency isn’t just a curiosity. It could make Chonkus particularly efficient at capturing carbon. The organism uses specialized internal compartments to absorb light and carbon dioxide — key ingredients for photosynthesis and potentially powerful tools in carbon sequestration.

The research is still in early stages, but Tierney and Schubert believe Chonkus could eventually play a role in engineered carbon capture systems. And with less than 0.01% of Earth’s microbes identified and studied, the potential for more climate-friendly discoveries is enormous.

“There’s more and more excitement about isolating new organisms,” Tierney told Grist. “They don’t represent the true arsenal of microbes that we could potentially work with to achieve humanity’s goals.”

The discovery was supported by the scientific nonprofit Align to Innovate, which helped identify the bacteria after initial collection.

As research continues, Chonkus may prove to be more than just a fun nickname — it might be a key player in cleaning up the planet.

Scientists Discover "Chonkus," A Potential Ally In Carbon Emission Cleanup

ABC News

A family in Montclair, New Jersey, just experienced the kind of reunion most pet owners dream about but rarely get. Ten years after their kitten slipped out of a window and vanished, the cat has returned, thanks to a microchip and the persistence of a stranger who decided to help.

The family had adopted two kittens from a shelter a decade ago. Not long after, one of them, a cat named Asa, escaped. They searched the neighborhood daily, put up signs and held onto hope for as long as they could. After weeks turned into months, they assumed Asa was gone for good. Eventually they moved to upstate New York, still carrying the memory of the missing kitten with them.

The story took an unexpected turn when a good Samaritan found a full grown cat wandering and brought her to an animal shelter to be scanned. The staff checked for a microchip and found a phone number still registered to Asa’s original family. The call that followed was the kind most shelters hope to make. After years of wondering, the family learned their long lost cat was alive.

They drove straight to the shelter to pick her up, thrilled to see the pet they once assumed they would never find again. It is unclear where Asa has been for the past decade or how she survived, but what mattered to the family was simple: she was safe, healthy and back in their arms.

The shelter, celebrating the reunion, also noted that it is facing a shortage of cat food. With more families needing help feeding their pets, staff are asking for donations to support households struggling to keep animals fed. The request comes as shelters across the country continue to see high intake numbers and rising costs of care.

Asa’s return highlights the value of microchipping, a simple procedure that often makes the difference between a lost pet staying lost and a story like this one. It also offered a rare moment of joy for shelter workers who see far more separations than reunions.

For the family, the ending was better than anything they expected. After ten years and a move to a new state, Asa walked back into their lives, proving that even after a decade, some pets still find their way home.

New Jersey Family Reunites With Kitten Lost 10 Years Ago

Smithsonian Magazine

Two newly authenticated organ pieces by a young Johann Sebastian Bach were performed publicly this week for the first time in over 300 years, offering a rare glimpse into the early genius of one of classical music’s most revered composers.

An audience gathered inside Leipzig’s historic St. Thomas Church — where Bach is buried — to hear the debut of Chaconne in D minor, BWV 1178 and Chaconne in G minor, BWV 1179. The performance was led by renowned Dutch conductor and organist Ton Koopman.

The two compositions had been hiding in plain sight since 1992, when Peter Wollny, now director of the Bach Archive in Leipzig, stumbled upon unsigned and undated manuscripts while researching in the Royal Library of Belgium. Even then, as a graduate student, he felt there was something special about the music.

“They were so strikingly original that I had copies made and set them aside,” Wollny told The New York Times. Though the handwriting didn’t belong to Bach, Wollny suspected the pieces were his, describing them as “highly individual” and “complex.”

The two pieces are chaconnes, a form built around a short, repeating bass line. Bach would have been around 20 years old when he wrote them — early in his career as an organist in the German town of Arnstadt.

For years, Wollny couldn’t definitively prove the works were Bach’s. Then, a key breakthrough came from colleague Bernd Koska, who uncovered a 1729 job application in a Thuringian church archive. The writer, Salomon Günther John, described himself as a former student of Bach during the Arnstadt years. That detail helped Wollny trace other documents penned by John — and match his handwriting to the mysterious manuscripts.

With the scribe now identified and the timing lined up with Bach’s early teaching period, Wollny concluded that John had likely copied the compositions while studying under Bach around 1705. He presented the findings to fellow scholars who maintain the official Bach catalog, and they agreed: the two chaconnes were indeed genuine works of J.S. Bach.

Ton Koopman said he was unaware of the research until Wollny called him earlier this year. “He said, ‘You know, I think I found two pieces by Bach. Would you be willing to perform them the first time?’” Koopman recalled. “When I played them through, I said, ‘He is completely right.’”

“You analyze the pieces and you see that [they] can only be a great composer,” he added. “It’s daring music. It’s someone who knows what harmony is.”

Canadian pianist and Bach specialist Angela Hewitt also reviewed the pieces and agreed. “For me they are quite identifiable with Bach’s early style, in which the contrapuntal writing is not yet what it would become, but the imagination, grandeur and sheer joy in playing are all there in abundance,” she told The Guardian.

The discovery adds two more entries to the over 1,000 surviving works of Bach, whose prolific output shaped the future of Western music. But many of his compositions have been lost to history, making any addition — especially one with such a dramatic backstory — a major event in the classical world.

Bach’s brilliance was evident from a young age. After being orphaned, he learned keyboard from his older brother, and by his schoolboy years was composing some of the most technically demanding organ music of his time. Koopman said the new chaconnes reflect that early ambition. “It’s not student music. It’s Bach music.”

A Lost Bach Composition Was Just Performed for the First Time in 300 Years

Saalumarada Thimmakka may be gone, but her life’s work is far from over.

The celebrated Indian environmentalist, who rose to global fame for planting hundreds of trees along a dusty highway in Karnataka, now has someone to carry her mission forward: her adopted son, Umesh B N.

“She has achieved a great feat in her lifetime,” Umesh told Deccan Herald. “She has asked me to carry forward her mission and always look after the environment, and that is what I’ll do.”

That mission began decades ago, when Thimmakka, with no formal education and no government support, began planting banyan saplings alongside her husband. The couple didn’t have children of their own, but they poured their love into nurturing trees. Today, their efforts have transformed a 45-kilometre stretch between the villages of Hulikal and Kudur into a living green corridor, home to hundreds of mature banyan trees and an entire ecosystem of birds and animals.

Veteran environmentalist and retired Indian Forest Service officer Yellapa Reddy first learned of Thimmakka’s work while serving as environment secretary in the early 1990s. He credits Dr Balakrishna Gowda for helping bring her story to light. “He was mighty impressed. He gave me an official report on her, and I had recommended her for the Indira Priyadarshini Award, which she won,” Reddy said.

Her legacy, Reddy added, is proof that individual action can ripple outward. “A small gesture is good enough to make a global impact,” he said. “You don’t need to be part of any big organisation or have huge funding. All you need is good intent.”

With that intent, Thimmakka created more than a row of trees—she cultivated a refuge for birds, animals, and future generations. She chose species that would help wildlife thrive, a detail that continues to inspire conservationists today.

“She was never focused on solely taking care of plants,” said Akshay Heblikar, director of the environmental group Eco Watch. “But also on what species are most essential to aid wildlife and birds. That’s a great outlook to have about environmental conservation.”

Her commitment ran deep. B K Singh, retired Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force in Karnataka, recalled just how determined she was to protect her trees. “Watering trees as far as 10 km from her house and protecting them is not an easy task,” he said. “But she has made it possible. She would not hesitate to quarrel with people who damage trees... It requires passion and dedication in an individual, and she has exactly demonstrated it.”

Thimmakka received global recognition during her lifetime, including praise from the United Nations and a place in countless environmental textbooks. But for those who knew her, the heart of her story wasn’t fame—it was persistence. A refusal to give up on the land, the animals, or the belief that small actions, done with care, could change the future.

Now, that future rests with Umesh, who’s vowed to keep planting, protecting, and teaching—just like his mother.

Saalumarada Thimmakka's Son Vows To Continue Her Environmental Legacy

When the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC face off in the National Women's Soccer League final on Saturday in San Jose, it won't just be a clash of elite athletes — it'll be a showdown of songbooks.

Supporters of both clubs are arriving with more than team scarves and painted faces. They're packing months of preparation in the form of chants, drumbeats, and reworked anthems that have become as central to the NWSL atmosphere as the players themselves.

In Washington D.C., the Spirit Squadron has been fine-tuning their game-day repertoire all season. Meredith Bartley, the group’s president, says each chant serves a purpose, from celebrating goals to rallying energy during slower moments. “We have a chant just for when we score,” Bartley said, referencing a raucous cheer set to the tune of “The Animals Went in Two by Two.” Another, more lighthearted one simply proclaims, “You’re my favorite soccer team!”

Not all of the chants are purely about the sport. One, shouted in the 51st minute of every match, is a direct nod to local politics. “This season, we’ve started in the 51st minute a ‘Free D.C.’ chant,” Bartley said, referencing the city’s long fight for statehood and local autonomy. That chant took on new urgency after federal authorities deployed troops to the capital during recent protests.

Much of the supporters’ energy draws from global soccer traditions. When things get quiet, the Spirit crowd sometimes breaks into a cheeky chant borrowed from English Premier League fans: “Let’s pretend we scored a goal,” they sing, turning dead air into shared laughter.

On the other side of the field, Gotham FC fans are bringing their own soundscape, inspired by Manchester United’s adaptation of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” But this version has a twist.

“To use ‘Country Roads’ was actually my idea,” said Marge Liguori, who leads Cloud 9, one of Gotham’s largest supporters’ groups. A Manchester United fan herself, Liguori helped rework the song into “Gotham Roads,” a tribute to both the club and the tri-state region.

For her, the lyrics hit a deeper note. “I think that’s what we find in our arena and in our community with our team,” she said. “A sense of home.”

That sense of belonging is what makes these chants stick. It’s not just about noise — it’s about identity.

“Really, the team is more of just a metaphor for the community,” said Max Jack, an ethnomusicologist and anthropologist at Indiana University. Jack studies how music shapes collective experiences at sports events. “It creates a sense of stranger intimacy that is incredibly deep and fulfilling,” he said. “It offers something that most people won’t access in their day-to-day life.”

That intimacy can be felt not just between fans, but between fans and players too. After Gotham FC’s championship win in 2023, defender Mandy Freeman walked toward the stands. Supporters serenaded her. She cried, hugged fans across the railings, and stood there soaking it in.

Moments like that are part of what drives the players.

“When we hear them chanting, we know that they are at our backs pushing us to victory,” said Jeff Greer, Gotham FC’s vice president of communications.

In Washington, it’s the same story. “Our players regularly credit ‘Rowdy Audi’ for being the 12th player on the field,” said Ben Kessler, communications director for the Spirit. “And a lot of that is because of how creative their chants and cheers are.”

As the final kicks off, the scoreboard will tell part of the story. But in the stands, the voices will tell the rest.

Fans Sing Their Way To National Women's Soccer League Finals

In Frederick, Maryland, a retired police officer has found a new way to serve his community — by doing laundry.

Wade Milyard, 45, used to work as a canine officer with the Frederick Police Department. These days, he spends his time driving around in a converted bus packed with washing machines, offering clean clothes to people experiencing homelessness — free of charge.

"This is just something that they don't have, you know?" he told CBS News.

The idea for what’s now called Fresh Step Laundry came to him in 2024, months before his retirement. Milyard had responded to a domestic dispute at a local homeless camp when, as he puts it, a voice told him to "ask them about their laundry."

He did — and the couple told him they washed their clothes in a nearby creek.

"I just kind of took it from there," Milyard said.

Using a combination of personal savings and donations, he built out the bus himself and launched the mobile laundry service. He now does dozens of loads a week, helping people get clean and feel human again.

"If you're clean, you just feel better," said Chris Washington, one of the people who relies on the service. "You feel a little bit more proud of yourself."

Milyard agrees. "That’s the thing — you’re doing it to maybe give them a little bit of boost," he said.

The work isn’t glamorous, but he says that doesn’t matter. "If having clean clothes can help them just a little bit, then my mission is fulfilled."

Retired Maryland Officer Turns From Fighting Crime To Doing Free Laundry For The Homeless

Two young cousins trapped in an elevator for three hours got the chance to thank the firefighters who rescued them in an emotional reunion on Thursday in Atlanta.

Johnny Jones and his cousin Malai Moore had been heading down to get lunch at Peachtree Center, a busy office and shopping complex in downtown Atlanta, when the elevator suddenly stopped between floors.

"We were going down to get lunch. Suddenly the elevator stopped and we were confused," Moore recalled. "I didn’t know what was going to happen."

Inside the stalled elevator, the kids tried every button, but nothing worked. "We called my auntie and his stepdad. They called the firefighters," said Jones. While they waited, his stepdad tried to reassure them. "He said they were coming to get you guys and they’re coming down from the steps on the roof."

Moore said the hardest part was not knowing how long they’d be stuck. "I didn’t know how long we were going to be stuck in there and if they were going to be able to get us out," she said.

According to Battalion Chief Lem Mullins, the rescue wasn’t simple. Once the crew figured out where the elevator had stopped, they had to build a custom rope system to reach the children. "We had to build a rope system to actually go on top and send one person down," Mullins explained. "We were able to see exactly where they were located and used the equipment that we actually needed and sent a rescuer down."

Jones admitted he was scared at first. "But then I became brave as we were coming up," he said. Once out, he added, "I’m thanking God it was over."

Asked whether he’d ever ride that elevator again, Jones hesitated, then said, "In that elevator? Maybe. If it’s fixed."

Kids Reunite With Firefighters Who Rescued Them From an Elevator

Upworthy

Sometimes, life throws unexpected challenges our way. A man found himself on the side of a busy road with a broken-down car, feeling at his wit's end. In a twist of fate, pop superstar Justin Bieber happened to spot him and decided to lend a helping hand.

The incident was captured in a video that has since gone viral. The stranded man is seen venting about his struggles and expressing frustration over trying to make it in a new city. His red car sat idle on the shoulder with its hood open, as vehicles sped by. Details about the location and timing remain unclear, though the video surfaced online six days ago.

As if straight out of a movie scene, Bieber pulled over upon noticing the distressed motorist. The man couldn't believe his eyes when he realized who had come to assist him. "I think Justin Bieber just stopped to help me," he exclaimed in amazement.

Approaching the vehicle, Bieber confirmed his identity when asked, introducing himself before exchanging pleasantries with the man. The two expressed mutual appreciation by saying "I love you" and shared a hug.

Bieber then inquired about the car's issues while the man began explaining his predicament: "My life is f*****." At this point, the recording cut off but what followed left an indelible impact on the stranded driver.

The encounter left him in shock yet grateful for Bieber's gesture of kindness. He later thanked the singer for providing "prayer and good energy" during such a trying moment.

For many fans and onlookers alike, this small act of goodwill resonated deeply—showcasing that empathy can emerge even from those least expected amidst everyday chaos.

Justin Bieber Stopped to Help a Stranded Driver, but the Real Impact Was Personal

The world’s oldest living pygmy hippo in managed care proved that age is just a number as she celebrated her 52nd birthday at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.

The San Diego Humane Society said that Hannah Shirley the pygmy hippo marked the occasion with a “Hungry Hungry Hippos–themed party complete with floating fruit treats and colorful decorations.”

Hannah Shirley was rescued from a private backyard in Escondido in 2002, and has been living her best life ever since.

“Her days are filled with spa-like back rubs, sprinkler showers and carefully prepared meals that support her advanced age,” the San Diego Humane Society said.

The world’s oldest living pygmy hippo in managed care proved that age is just a number as she celebrated her 52nd birthday at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.The San Diego Humane Society said that Hannah Shirley the pygmy hippo marked the occasion with a “Hungry Hungry Hippos–themed party complete with floating fruit treats and colorful decorations.”Hannah Shirley was rescued from a private backyard in Escondido in 2002, and has been living her best life ever since.“Her days are filled with spa-like back rubs, sprinkler showers and carefully prepared meals that support her advanced age,” the San Diego Humane Society said.

World's Oldest Pygmy Hippo in Managed Care Celebrates 52nd Birthday

Reasons to be Cheerful

n the Star Wars universe, moisture vaporators dot the desert landscape of Tatooine, extracting life-saving water from thin air. It might sound like science fiction, but that technology is already a reality here on Earth — and it’s helping communities with no reliable access to safe drinking water.

At the heart of this effort are atmospheric water generators (AWGs), machines that condense water vapor in the air and purify it for human use. As freshwater supplies dwindle and extreme heat fuels global drought, companies and social enterprises are racing to deploy these systems, from high-tech homes in the U.S. to remote communities in Australia.

“This reality is here. We’re already making that happen,” says Brian Sheng, co-founder of Aquaria Technologies, a U.S.-based company producing compact AWG units for household use.

Aquaria’s machines, like its Hydropixel model, can generate up to 10 gallons of drinking water per day by pulling in air, cooling it to extract moisture, and filtering the resulting water. The larger home-scale units can produce up to 200 gallons daily — enough to cover the average American’s needs, according to EPA estimates.

But that water doesn’t come cheap. The Hydropixel costs around $3,800. To make it more accessible, Aquaria offers payment plans and allows homeowners to connect units to solar panels to reduce energy costs.

In Australia, where an estimated 2 million people lack access to safe water, Shannon Lemanski has taken the same idea and turned it into a mission. After seeing people in Papua New Guinea reusing plastic bottles to collect rainwater instead of drinking from contaminated creeks, the former army officer co-founded Aqua Ubique in 2023.

His company leases AWG water coolers to offices, and for every five leased, one is donated to a community in need through their Drop 4 Drop program. “Returning to Australia, I discovered the issue wasn’t restricted to PNG,” he says.

One such community is Cherbourg, a First Nations town in Queensland that faced a nine-month boil water alert in 2024 due to E. coli contamination. The distrust in local tap water runs so deep, Lemanski says, “it’s not uncommon to see babies drinking Coke from bottles because soft drink is cheaper than bottled water at the only store.”

In May 2025, Aqua Ubique installed two AWG units in Cherbourg — one at a daycare and another at an elders village. Dozens of children and seniors now have access to safe drinking water, straight from the air.

In the U.S., the Moses West Foundation is doing the same on a larger scale. The organization’s founder, a former Army Ranger turned engineer, built and patented industrial-scale AWGs capable of supplying water to thousands.

When Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, Moses West deployed a massive unit that operated for six months, providing free water to 15,000 families. “We saved the island about $300 million in bottled water costs,” said Colin Hultz, the foundation’s chief business officer. The units are portable, solar-compatible, and effective in disaster zones or remote communities with no grid access.

Still, both Hultz and Lemanski caution that AWGs are not a silver bullet. Their output depends on local climate — warmer, more humid areas yield more water. In cold or arid regions, production drops, making them best suited as part of a broader system that includes rainwater harvesting, desalination, or greywater reuse.

“The hybrid approach is where AWGs really shine,” Lemanski says. “Safe drinking water, complemented by other sources for washing, irrigation and bulk use.”

Perhaps the biggest challenge isn’t technology — it’s awareness. “It’s frustrating sitting there with a real solution people still haven’t picked up on,” Hultz says. “Water scarcity is increasing. The best time to have started to use AWGs was yesterday — the second-best time is today.”

On a planet where only 2.5 percent of water is freshwater, and even less is readily accessible, solutions that once seemed sci-fi are becoming increasingly essential. Whether it’s a remote village or a drought-stricken city, AWGs offer a powerful reminder that the water we need is already all around us — we just need to catch it.

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