This Dad Broke Two World Records With His Quintuplets In Tow

Chad Kempel is a data scientist from Idaho. He and his wife Amy welcomed quintuplets to their family in January 2018. Just one year later, he completed a full marathon while pushing all of them in a stroller. He set a new Guinness World Record for running a half-marathon while pushing 5 children.

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He Raised £16,000 for Charity by Pulling a Van Nonstop for 24 Hours

For 24 hours straight, Mike Land hauled a 1.5-tonne van around an industrial unit near Chippenham — raising an impressive £16,000 for Wiltshire Air Ambulance in the process. The 55-year-old charity champion completed 76 laps around the 31,935-square-metre facility, walking a total of 30 miles (49 kilometres) while pulling a van that weighed as much as an Asian elephant. His effort came just 2 kilometres shy of a Guinness World Record. “It has been a struggle with fuel, water and getting around the laps. But it's also been amazing with all the support,” Land said after finishing the challenge on Wednesday at 12:00 GMT. The fundraiser lasted from midday Tuesday to midday Wednesday, with Land taking only short breaks for food and toilet stops. He didn't sleep. What he did do was keep going — even as the unseasonably warm temperatures inside the warehouse started to wear him down. "It started off fine. But then we realised how warm this lovely big unit gets in the daytime," he said. “I spent a lot of time topless trying to stay cool and we opened every door and window we could.” By the end, he was exhausted but proud — and shared an emotional hug with family after catching his breath. His partner Sue French, who supported him throughout the campaign, said she was “so proud.” "He's worked so hard at bringing together companies locally to get funding and support,” she said. “The man is constantly out gaining funds for the air ambulance." The £16,000 raised is enough to fund four potentially life-saving air ambulance missions. That kind of impact wasn’t lost on the charity’s corporate fundraiser, Imogen Linham, who helped cheer Land on during his marathon effort. “It's been absolutely epic, we are so proud of Mike,” Linham said. “He's done an absolutely incredible job and it's amazing to feel part of something so special. The money raised goes straight towards the life saving work we do.” Although Land fell just short of setting a world record, he says he’s likely done for now. "The thought of me doing this again at 56 scares the hell out of Sue,” he joked. “I think we'll probably draw a line under it for now.”

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Park Walks May Slow Cognitive Decline In Alzheimer's Risk Individuals

A new study suggests that even modest amounts of walking may help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease — a potentially game-changing insight for millions of older adults. The research, published November 3 in Nature Medicine, tracked nearly 300 adults between the ages of 50 and 90, all of whom were at risk for Alzheimer’s but showed no cognitive symptoms at the start of the study. The team found that walking between 3,000 and 7,500 steps a day was linked to slower buildup of tau proteins in the brain — a key marker of Alzheimer’s — and delayed cognitive decline. “The very encouraging takeaway is that even a little bit of exercise seems to help,” said Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, the study’s lead author and a neurologist at Harvard Medical School, in an interview with Nature. Participants who walked 3,000 to 5,000 steps per day delayed the onset of cognitive symptoms by an average of three years. Those walking 5,000 to 7,500 steps per day saw an even greater benefit — an average delay of seven years. Researchers used waistband pedometers to track physical activity and conducted annual cognitive tests for an average of 9.3 years. Some participants also underwent periodic PET scans to monitor tau and amyloid-beta, another protein associated with Alzheimer’s. These proteins tend to accumulate in the brains of those at higher risk for the disease, often years before symptoms appear. The study found a clear pattern: people with high amyloid-beta levels who were more active had significantly less buildup of tau proteins over time, and their thinking and daily functioning declined more slowly. “[Exercise is] somehow slowing the spread of this tau protein, which is more strongly associated with people developing symptoms [of Alzheimer’s disease] than amyloid-beta,” Charles Marshall, a dementia researcher at Queen Mary University of London who was not involved in the study, told New Scientist. By contrast, participants with high amyloid levels who were sedentary showed faster tau accumulation and more rapid cognitive decline. While the study does not prove that walking directly prevents Alzheimer’s — it only establishes a correlation — researchers say it offers promising insight into one of medicine’s biggest questions: why some at-risk individuals decline rapidly, while others remain cognitively stable for years. “We need randomized clinical trials to prove cause and effect, but it’s very encouraging that physical activity may help to modify someone’s trajectory,” Yau told The Guardian. For people with low baseline levels of amyloid-beta, the study found little effect from exercise, likely because they were not at significant risk for Alzheimer’s to begin with. Even so, the findings challenge the idea that people need to hit the 10,000-steps-a-day benchmark to benefit from exercise. That’s a number many older adults may struggle to reach — and according to Yau, they might not have to. “Other studies have shown that different types of physical activity, beyond walking, [are] beneficial for brain health,” she told The Washington Post. “An important next step to look at is to clarify what aspects of physical activity—intensity, duration, pattern—[are] the most important in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease.” Jasmeer Chhatwal, the study’s senior author and a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, said the results help explain why some people with early signs of Alzheimer’s pathology don’t decline as quickly as expected. While more research is needed, one message is clear: moving your body — even a little — might help protect your brain.

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Friendship Centre Revives Indigenous Wolastoqey Tradition by Building Birchbark Canoes

In a small workshop near the banks of the Wolastoq River in Fredericton, a group of Indigenous builders has spent the last several months piecing together more than just a canoe — they’re rebuilding a connection to their culture. Since May, members of the Under One Sky Friendship Centre have been gathering a few times a week to construct a traditional Wolastoqey birchbark canoe, using techniques that date back generations. On Wednesday morning, their work culminated in the launch of the handbuilt canoe into the Wolastoq, also known as the Saint John River. “I’ve always wanted to build a birchbark canoe,” said Rodney Bear, one of the builders. “The more I can soak up, the more I can teach so that our culture isn’t lost forever.” For Bear and others, this has been about more than craftsmanship. It’s a way to reconnect with history — a time when canoes were essential modes of transport and rivers were the highways of the land. Until now, Bear had never had the opportunity to make one himself. The project was led by artist Shane Perley-Dutcher, a Wolastoqiyik craftsman who’s worked on six canoes, two of which he’s led from start to finish. He doesn’t call himself a master builder, but to the team at Under One Sky, his experience has been key. “All these little elements kind of have to work together in order to make a nice, strong canoe,” he said. That includes birchbark for the canoe’s skin, cedar planks for the ribs, ash wood for the thwarts, and spruce roots for lashing everything together. The group harvested each piece themselves, learning the old ways of gathering and preparing materials directly from the land. To collect the birchbark, Perley-Dutcher invited Gabriel Frey, a Passamaquoddy canoe builder from Maine. Frey scaled nearly 10 metres up a birch tree to peel the bark — without harming the tree. “It was a such a great learning experience for us too,” Perley-Dutcher said. The project was funded by TD Bank and organized through Under One Sky’s Wabanaki Land Based Program, which offers cultural programming for Indigenous community members. For Amber Hawkins, the program’s Wabanaki Wellness Coordinator, the canoe has been deeply personal. “I grew up off-community, I never really had that connection to culture or Indigenous artwork. So this has been extremely transformative,” she said. Candy Paul, who leads the land-based program, said the team initially struggled to see how the raw materials would become a canoe. “But once it started to form, it was like, wow,” she said. “It was pretty amazing.” Charlie Gaffney, who oversees strategic enrollment and community engagement at the Friendship Centre, said the goal was never just about building a canoe — it was about rekindling knowledge that once shaped everyday life. “This was part of our culture, our understanding of how to navigate the rivers and to portage from one place to another,” he said. “Our life depended on these beautiful canoes.” For now, the newly finished canoe will be used by participants of the Wabanaki Land Based Program. But eventually, it will be displayed at Under One Sky’s new Centre, which is set to open in late 2026. Still, for many of the builders, the real takeaway isn’t the canoe itself — it’s the hands-on experience of creating it together. “I’m really looking forward to the end result and seeing the actual canoe touch water,” said Perley-Dutcher. The launch into the Wolastoq River took place at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. But the knowledge passed on throughout this process is what will carry the community forward — one generation at a time.

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Lawnmower Man Rewards Alabama Teens for Completing 50 Yard Challenge

Rodney Smith Jr. isn’t just mowing lawns — he’s shaping futures. The Huntsville, Alabama native made headlines in 2023 when he gifted lawn care equipment to two 11-year-olds who completed his 50 Yard Challenge, a nationwide initiative encouraging kids to mow lawns for free for people in need. The recipients, Ja’Torrian Taylor and Tevin Rice of Gadsden, Alabama, had been borrowing an old mower from a neighbor to run their budding business, TJ & JT Mowing Service. “These are good, hard-working kids that deserve some gratitude,” Smith told KMBC. He drove down to meet them in person, handing over a brand-new mower, trimmer, and blower — tools he hoped would help the boys grow their venture. “Giving these boys lawn equipment is teaching them discipline,” Smith said. “If they tell someone they are going to mow a lawn, they need to mow the lawn.” He added, “Remember, this is not the end; it’s just the beginning. This could be the beginning of a successful lawn service.” Smith, now widely known as “The Lawnmower Man,” launched his grassroots movement in 2015 and quickly gained attention the following year when a photo of him helping a 93-year-old woman with her lawn went viral, racking up over a million likes. That viral moment fueled his mission: to offer free lawn care to elderly people, veterans, single mothers, and those unable to care for their own yards — and to inspire the next generation to do the same. He soon created the 50 Yard Challenge, inviting kids and teens across the U.S. to mow 50 lawns, completely free, for those in need. The idea exploded. Today, more than 5,000 young people across 8 countries accepted the challenge. If they all complete it, that would mean nearly 230,000 lawns mowed for free — a massive show of generosity sparked by one man with a mower. The challenge works like this: kids start by sending a photo holding a sign that reads, “I accept the 50 Yard Challenge.” In return, they receive a white Raising Men/Women Lawn Care Service t-shirt, safety glasses, and hearing protection. For every 10 lawns completed, they earn a new colored shirt to mark their progress: • 10 lawns: orange shirt • 20 lawns: green shirt • 30 lawns: blue shirt • 40 lawns: red shirt • 50 lawns: black shirt After completing all 50, they’re rewarded with their own lawnmower, trimmer, and blower — just like Taylor and Rice. Safety is a core part of the program. In videos, Smith emphasizes proper safety practices, like wearing protective gear, clearing debris from yards, and never mowing wet grass. “This challenge is meant to be fun and also to help people,” he said, “but first and foremost, like I said, safety comes first.” Beyond the equipment and shirts, the real impact lies in what the challenge teaches: responsibility, generosity, and pride in hard work. Smith believes it’s a chance for kids to learn how to serve their communities — and maybe even start their own businesses. In Taylor and Rice’s case, it’s already happening. They’ve gone from mowing lawns with a borrowed machine to running a service of their own, powered by grit, kindness, and a little help from a man who knows what it’s like to turn a blade of grass into something bigger. Rodney Smith Jr.'s story is proof that small acts can ripple into something massive. All it takes is a mower, a mission, and the willingness to pass it on. Listen to Rodney's audio sessions with Goodable Plus, right here in the Goodable app.

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Life-Size Paddington Bear Wows UK Audiences as Musical Adaptation Opens on West End

Paddington Bear is officially a West End star. Paddington: The Musical made its debut in London on November 1, and the beloved marmalade-loving bear has left audiences speechless — and in some cases, teary-eyed — with how convincingly he’s been brought to life onstage. First-look images and videos of the production quickly went viral. One Instagram user summed up the online reaction simply: “I’m genuinely crying, it’s beautiful.” The musical’s title character is portrayed through an innovative two-actor system. James Hameed provides Paddington’s voice and remotely puppeteers the bear from off-stage, while Arti Shah physically performs the role onstage. A four-person backstage crew supports them to bring Paddington to life, in a performance that’s being praised for its realism and heart. "Thank you, Paddington, for everything that you've given me right now," Shah said in a behind-the-scenes video shared by the production. "Because I never thought that I would be here doing this, ever." The show is playing at London’s Savoy Theatre and has already become one of the city’s most buzzed-about new productions. Social media lit up with reactions during opening weekend. “Gang I’m not kidding Paddington: The Musical is the best new musical I have seen in London in a looong time,” one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote. Another added, “Paddington is Paddington-ing beautifully. I have got something in my eye.” The story follows Paddington’s arrival in London from Peru, where he’s taken in by the Brown family in Windsor Gardens. But it’s not all marmalade sandwiches and polite adventures — a sinister villain soon appears, threatening the bear’s new home and forcing the Browns into a daring rescue mission. According to the synopsis, the family ultimately realizes they need Paddington just as much as he needs them. For producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley, bringing Paddington to life onstage was the product of years of work. “What we as producers always hoped to achieve was, quite simply, Paddington on stage,” they said in a joint statement. “And thanks to the immensely talented artists, both on and off stage, we believe we’ve realized that.” Tickets for Paddington: The Musical are now available and the show is currently scheduled to run on the West End through October 25, 2026.

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Hollywood Ending for Vince Vaughn's Coachella Valley Scorpions, Winning 2025 Pickleball Championship

Vince Vaughn’s Coachella Valley Scorpions are now National Pickleball League champions — and they did it in typical Hollywood style. The Southern California–based franchise clinched the 2025 NPL title with a 7–2 win over the top-seeded Seattle Tsunami at the Side Out Tsunami Pickleball Center, wrapping up a storybook season with a $50,000 payday. “Congratulations to the Coachella Valley Scorpions on winning the 2025 NPL Pickleball Championship! Well played!” Vaughn said in a statement. “The players brought teamwork, dedication and fun to the court all year. Well done Kim Jagd on lights-out coaching and playing. Big congrats to the entire league on an exciting and entertaining season. Onward.” The win capped a two-year turnaround for the Scorpions, who had lost twice to Seattle during the regular season. This time, though, they delivered when it mattered most. “This has been a culmination of two years of hard work building this franchise,” said head coach and co-owner Kim Jagd. “We are so grateful for the NPL and to the Seattle Tsunami for putting on a first-class championship event. Our ownership group... had a vision, and we are so pleased to execute that vision. I want to congratulate our players and staff for creating a top-notch organization built on sportsmanship, camaraderie and fun!” Vaughn, 55, became the team’s majority owner in July 2024 and has been a consistent presence throughout the season, backing the squad both courtside and behind the scenes. He shares ownership duties with Jagd — a former UCLA volleyball standout — along with Ruth Ann Poppa, Don Zuker, and Rob Zwemmer. “I have always enjoyed the game,” Vaughn told PEOPLE earlier this year. “And in meeting Kim, I was impressed with her — not only as a player, but her passion and style of coaching. I’m excited to support her and the Scorpions on their journey.” The $50,000 prize was part of a $100,000 championship purse awarded to the league’s top teams during the three-day event, marking a major milestone for both the NPL and the sport’s growing profile. Outside the pickleball court, Vaughn has been keeping busy. His film Easy’s Waltz premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and he’s currently filming season two of Bad Monkey for Apple TV. But for now, it’s all about the win. With a championship trophy in hand and momentum behind them, Vaughn and the Scorpions have served up one of pickleball’s most Hollywood-worthy storylines yet.

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New Gel Regrows Tooth Enamel And Could Transform Dentistry

Tooth enamel, once damaged, doesn’t grow back — until now. Scientists at the University of Nottingham have created a fluoride-free gel that can repair and regenerate tooth enamel, offering a potential breakthrough in dental care. The bioinspired material, published this week in Nature Communications, mimics the proteins that naturally form enamel during early development, helping to rebuild the tooth’s outer layer from the ground up. The gel works by forming a thin, durable layer over the tooth, which seeps into microscopic cracks and holes. It then acts as a scaffold, drawing in calcium and phosphate ions from saliva. Those minerals are reorganized into new enamel crystals through a process called epitaxial mineralization — essentially regrowing enamel in a way that blends seamlessly with the natural structure. And it’s not just for repair. The gel can also be applied to healthy teeth to prevent future decay or to exposed dentine, reducing sensitivity and improving the bonding of dental restorations like fillings or veneers. Dr. Abshar Hasan, the study’s lead author, says the new material performs under real-world conditions. “We have tested the mechanical properties of these regenerated tissues under conditions simulating ‘real-life situations’ such as tooth brushing, chewing, and exposure to acidic foods,” Hasan said. “We found that the regenerated enamel behaves just like healthy enamel.” That’s a big deal for a problem that affects billions of people. Enamel erosion plays a major role in tooth decay — which impacts nearly half of the global population. Once enamel is gone, the teeth become more vulnerable to cavities, infections, and even loss. And the consequences don’t stop at the mouth; poor dental health has been linked to broader conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Until now, treatments have focused mostly on prevention or symptom relief. Fluoride varnishes and remineralizing pastes can strengthen teeth, but they don’t actually rebuild enamel. This new gel may be the first to do just that. Professor Alvaro Mata, Chair in Biomedical Engineering & Biomaterials at Nottingham and lead investigator on the project, said the team designed the technology to be safe, fast-acting, and practical for everyday use. “It is safe, can be easily and rapidly applied, and it is scalable,” Mata said. “The technology is versatile, which opens the opportunity to be translated into multiple types of products to help patients of all ages suffering from a variety of dental problems.” Mata’s team has already launched a spin-off company, Mintech-Bio, to begin commercializing the gel. The hope is to have a product on the market by next year. If it succeeds, the gel could reshape the way dentists and patients think about enamel — from something that can only be protected to something that can be truly restored.

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"They Told us They Wouldn’t Live Past 14” — Now This Mum is Planning Her Twins’ 21st Birthdays

When Sarah Finney's identical twin boys lost their sight at age three, doctors told her they might not live past 14. This September, Freddie and Louie Dawkins turned 20. Diagnosed with the CLN5 variant of Batten disease — a rare and degenerative condition that affects the nervous system — the twins from Nottingham have defied every expectation. And for their mother, it’s meant making every moment count. “They’ve been so amazing and brave and resilient,” said Finney, 52, who left her nursing job to care for them full-time. The early years were harrowing. Both boys went blind at the same time, and the diagnosis followed soon after. “It was horrendous,” she said. But over time, they found joy again through music, online classes, and drumming lessons provided by the charity Sense. Finney says caring for two sons with complex health needs is a constant juggling act. “If one gets ill, I whizz between hospital and home to get the other to college,” she said. “I have to make sure one doesn’t miss out because the other is unwell.” “Normally, all my focus is on the lads and I do this and that — and then I’m shattered,” she added. That strength and devotion haven’t gone unnoticed. Finney has been nominated for Family Carer of the Year by Sense, the charity that’s supported the family over the years. The nomination, she says, is a chance to shed light on the everyday realities of family carers. “The thing about being a family carer [is] you find strength you never knew you had,” she said. Despite the challenges, Finney says the boys continue to thrive. “They’ve had close shaves,” she admitted, “but we’re still here.” When Freddie and Louie turned 18 — a milestone she was once told they’d never reach — the family celebrated with a Bob Marley-themed cake. “It was very emotional,” she said. “Now I’ve even started to think about their 21st.” Pamela Fitton, a consultant from Sense who works closely with the family, called Finney “an absolute superstar.” “Her dedication to looking after Louie and Freddie and advocating for their unique needs is unwavering,” she said. “She always puts her boys first, even though that means having no time left for her own needs.” Finney’s focus, as always, is on the future. “I’m just proud of them,” she said. “And I’m hopeful.”

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Family Stranded During a Hurricane Say They “Made Friends For Life” while Sheltering With Strangers

When Nikki Davies flew to Jamaica for a relaxing family holiday, she didn’t expect to spend two nights sleeping on a sunbed mattress inside a hotel conference room, surrounded by strangers, while a hurricane tore across the island. But that’s exactly what happened after Hurricane Melissa made landfall on the Caribbean island, just as Davies, her husband, and their daughter were due to fly home to Shropshire, England. “It was quite unnerving because you didn’t know what was going on,” Davies said, recalling how she first learned about the storm’s approach through social media. At the time, guests were still enjoying their vacations in the resort town of Negril. But by Sunday 26 October, hotel staff called a meeting to prepare everyone for what was coming. That’s when the family found out they’d be bunking down in the safest part of the hotel — a windowless conference room deep inside the building — along with about 200 other guests. “It was in the inner-most part of the hotel, with no windows,” she said. “You just start talking to people around you — what brought people there, and what they were up to. You make friends, chatting about anything and everything.” As the storm raged outside, those conversations became a lifeline. Guests swapped stories, passed the time, and found ways to keep their spirits up. Davies says the hotel staff played a huge role in that. “They were amazing,” she said, noting that staff made sure guests had access to internet and power throughout the lockdown. That allowed the family to stay in touch with loved ones back in the UK, something she said “kept everyone going.” The group finally emerged from their shelter on 29 October, after the worst of the hurricane had passed. What they found was sobering. “There were bits of building that had come down on the main reception area of the hotel,” Davies said. “There was debris on all the beaches. The area was completely trashed.” Seeing the damage firsthand gave her a sense of perspective. “You start to realise, ‘My goodness, how lucky were we?’” The family has since returned to Much Wenlock, shaken but safe — and carrying memories of a holiday that took an unexpected turn. Mrs Davies said the experience will “stay with [her]” for a long time. Despite the fear and uncertainty, she says the bonds formed during those sleepless nights were real. “We made new friends,” she said. “It brought people together.”

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Amy Poehler And Maya Hawke Celebrate 'Inside Out 2' As A Billion-Dollar Hit With Positive Impact

Inside Out 2 wasn’t just a box office hit — it was a lifeline. In a new episode of Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang, the comedian sat down with co-star Maya Hawke to talk about their shared experience on the Pixar sequel, which has now earned more than a billion dollars globally. But for both actors, the film’s biggest impact wasn’t financial. Hawke, who voiced the emotion Anxiety in the film, described the movie’s resonance as a rare kind of win. “For something that makes a billion dollars and is good for the world; I don’t think there’s anything that does that,” she said. Poehler, who returned as the voice of Joy, chimed in: “The word ‘billion’ and ‘good for the world’ [don’t] go together.” Inside Out 2 reintroduces viewers to Riley, the girl at the center of the first film, now grappling with adolescence. As new emotions like Anxiety emerge, the older ones — Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear — must adjust to a more complex emotional world. The sequel struck a nerve with audiences of all ages, many of whom found themselves tearing up during scenes that felt just a little too real. According to Poehler, the film’s creative team captured something deeply relatable. “When the time is very scary, like these times, you want to find a way to tune in, check out, help yourself, and help other people,” she said. “But when you’re just going, like, ‘toxic positivity,’ like, ‘this is great,’ it’s like, ‘Babe, things are bad. Things are real bad.’” Hawke agreed, emphasizing the importance of making room for all feelings. “You’re not helping anybody if you shut out joy completely,” she said. She spoke candidly about how voicing Anxiety affected her personally. “The Joy-Anxiety relationship taught me a lot about showing love to that part of myself and allowing other people to see it so they can show it love,” Hawke said. Instead of pushing away anxiety, she said, she’s learning to invite it in. “A way to calm [your anxiety] down is inviting it into the conversation, looking at what it thinks and is worried about, and kind of addressing each point,” she explained. “And then offering it a comfortable chair and saying, ‘OK, you’re invited. I’m not trying to shut you out behind a door.’ Because that just works it up even more.” She added, “The biggest thing I learned from doing this and being allowed to be welcomed into the beautiful world of this movie is to give my anxiety a comfy chair. I mean, anxiety might be the defining emotion of our time.” Poehler agreed, calling the work on their characters “so fun,” even in heavy emotional territory. “Because that is whatever we can do, babe — to make room for each other.” She also pointed to a small moment in the film that landed with her. In one of the final scenes, Riley regains her confidence and begins skating again. Joy starts to re-emerge, and Anxiety gestures to guide her back in. “It made me cry so hard,” Poehler said. “And I just thought, ‘Oh, like the tiny gesture of that is like what we must try to do during this bananas foster time we’re living in.’” With all the chaos in the world, Inside Out 2 struck a rare balance — offering a story that’s deeply emotional, culturally relevant, and somehow comforting all at once. Or, as Hawke put it: “You still need to welcome in some joy.”

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