Houston, We Have a Cookie Conundrum at Holiday bake-off!

NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston brings holiday cheer to its hardworking teams with a festive cookie-decorating contest. Flight director Fiona Antkowiak recalls the fun from 2018 and revives the tradition for 2024, inviting the Expedition 72 crew to judge. Astronauts aboard the ISS join in, showcasing their zero-gravity icing skills. The competition features creative designs from space themes to comic books. Jaclyn Poteraj wins with an astronaut-reindeer creation, highlighting camaraderie and joy during holiday shifts.

Read More

These Nurses Just Saved a Passenger's Life While Flying To Abu Dhabi For New Jobs

Two Indian nurses headed to the UAE to begin new medical careers found themselves performing life-saving CPR at 30,000 feet — before they even started their first day of work. Abhijith Jees, 26, from Wayanad, and Ajeesh Nelson, 29, from Chengannur, were on their first-ever international flight when the emergency unfolded on board an Air Arabia flight from Kochi to Abu Dhabi on October 13. “It was like someone gasping,” Jees said. “When I looked, I saw a man unresponsive. I checked his pulse, but there was none. I knew he was in cardiac arrest.” The 34-year-old passenger, from Thrissur, had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Jees immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while alerting the flight crew. Within moments, Nelson joined him, and together they performed two rounds of CPR until the man regained a pulse and began breathing again. “When I saw him move, I felt a deep sense of relief,” Jees said. “It reminded me that we carry our responsibility wherever we go.” A doctor on the flight, Arif Abdul Khadir, also stepped in to assist. The trio stabilised the patient, started IV fluids, and monitored his condition until the flight landed safely in Abu Dhabi. “When we saw him respond, it felt like a blessing,” Nelson said. “It was our first journey abroad, and to be able to save a life before even starting our new jobs felt like the best welcome we could have received.” Both men had worked as staff nurses in Kerala and were travelling to begin new roles as registered nurses with Response Plus Medical, a subsidiary of the UAE’s largest emergency medical provider, Response Plus Holding. Dr Mohamed Ali, medical director of RPM Projects, said the incident showed how vital rapid intervention is during cardiac emergencies. “In any cardiac arrest, every second counts,” he said. “Early recognition and prompt CPR can make the difference between life and death, whether it happens mid-flight or on the ground. What these two nurses did reflects the very essence of medical readiness and teamwork.” The passenger was reported to be in stable condition after being treated by the airport medical team upon arrival. His family later shared a message of gratitude: “We cannot thank these nurses enough. They were strangers to us, yet they gave our loved one another chance at life. Their kindness and courage will always stay in our prayers.” For Jees and Nelson, the experience was more than a dramatic welcome to their new country — it was a powerful reminder of why they entered the profession. “We came to the UAE to start our careers,” said Nelson. “Saving a life on the way made us realise what this profession truly means.” “You never expect something like this to happen,” Jees added. “But when it does, you just do what you are trained for. That morning in the sky will stay with us forever.”

Read More

Woman's Wheelchair Has Crazy Horsepower...Literally

A Belgian equestrian with a passion for the outdoors found a quirky way to get around as she recovered from a bicycle accident that left her temporarily unable to walk or ride horses. Footage here shows wheelchair user Samantha Salmon, an equestrian teacher, being pulled by a horse harness-racing-style through the streets of a sleepy suburb of Liege. “This stallion has received many years of training,” Salmon told Storyful. “He responds with great precision to voice commands and works here in a halter.” “Life reminded me of its fragility through an incident that could have ended much worse,” she said of the September bike accident that injured her. “I was trying to rediscover a bit of a zest for life and this wonderful stallion helped me with that.”

Swedish Man Digging For Worms Stumbles on One of The Country’s Largest Medieval Silver Hoards

A man in Sweden looking for fishing bait has accidentally uncovered one of the country’s most remarkable archaeological finds in years — a massive stash of medieval coins and jewelry buried in a cauldron. Authorities say the discovery, made in Stockholm County near the man’s summer cottage, includes thousands of silver coins, ornate rings, pendants, and beads dating back to the early Middle Ages. The cauldron holding the objects weighed about six kilograms — roughly 13.2 pounds — and could contain up to 20,000 coins, according to the County Administrative Board of Stockholm. Officials described the hoard as “unusually large and well-preserved.” Sofia Andersson, an antiquarian with the board, called it “one of the largest silver hoards from the early Middle Ages ever found in Sweden.” “We don’t yet know exactly how many coins there are, but I believe it could be up to 20,000,” Andersson said in a translated statement. “Most of the objects are well-preserved, though unfortunately the copper cauldron that contained them is not.” Photos released by the board show the treasure: a gleaming pile of weathered coins mixed with medieval jewelry, many of which have intricate designs and religious symbolism. The man who made the discovery was digging for worms to use as fishing bait when he came across the buried cauldron. Authorities have not released his name or the exact location of the find, citing an ongoing investigation. The collection includes several rare coins, including one inscribed with a reference to 12th-century Swedish king Knut Eriksson, and another from the island of Gotland depicting a church. Officials also highlighted coins showing bishops holding croziers — known as “bishop’s coins” — which were historically minted under the authority of religious leaders in certain parts of medieval Europe. “During the Middle Ages, so-called bishop's coins were minted in parts of Europe — coins produced on behalf of a bishop,” the County Administrative Board said. “The hoard contains several such coins depicting a bishop holding a crozier in his right hand.” Sweden’s Cultural Environment Act requires that discoveries like this be reported to the government, and the finder followed the law precisely. The County Administrative Board is now working with the Swedish National Heritage Board, which will determine whether the state will redeem the treasure — meaning the government compensates the finder and keeps the artifacts. “The finder did exactly the right thing by contacting us at the County Administrative Board,” said Andersson. “According to the Cultural Environment Act, anyone who finds an ancient object made of silver or a hoard is required to offer it to the state for redemption in exchange for payment.” Archaeologists are now studying the hoard in detail, documenting and cataloguing the items to better understand their historical significance. The discovery joins a growing list of exceptional hoards found across Northern Europe in recent years. In 2023, a plumber in the UK uncovered a cache of ancient coins in a field, while a British family stumbled upon a trove of Tudor-era coins in their backyard in 2020. That collection is set to be auctioned this November in Zurich. As for the Swedish hoard, it offers a rare and detailed glimpse into the region’s medieval economy, trade routes, and religious influence — all thanks to a routine fishing trip that took a very unexpected turn.

Read More

Navy Sailor Rescues Driver From Burning Car In Illinois Mall Parking Garage

A Navy sailor is being hailed for his bravery after helping rescue a man from a burning vehicle at a shopping mall in Schaumburg, Illinois. The incident happened on the afternoon of Saturday, October 25, in the upper-level parking garage of the Macy’s store at Woodfield Mall. According to Schaumburg Police, a driver suffered a medical emergency before his vehicle caught fire around 2:20 p.m. local time. Video footage captured by local news outlet WLS showed thick black smoke pouring from the car as flames spread, eventually damaging three other nearby vehicles. The fire did not reach the mall’s interior or nearby buildings. Bystanders quickly jumped in to help — among them, William Thompson, a U.S. Navy sailor who had recently completed boot camp. "Instantly, it's like my body moving on itself," Thompson told WLS. "It’s like everything the Navy taught me, just instantly erupted inside of me." Thompson broke the vehicle’s window to reach the driver and said he sustained injuries in the process. With help from other Good Samaritans, he managed to pull the man to safety before firefighters arrived. Crews extinguished the fire using a foam-and-water blanket, designed to control fuel leaks, according to the Daily Herald. The driver was transported to a hospital for treatment. His condition has not been publicly released. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, but praised the quick action of those who intervened. Thompson, for his part, downplayed his role, but his actions are drawing praise from both local officials and his fellow service members.

Read More

New Sleep Database Reveals Your Brain is Dreaming Far More Than You Think

Dream research just got its biggest leap forward in decades — and it’s turning some long-held sleep science myths upside down. In a landmark collaboration led by Monash University, scientists have created the DREAM database, the first large-scale, standardized collection of brain recordings tied to dream reports. The open-access project combines data from 2,643 awakenings across 505 people in 20 different studies — making it the largest and most consistent snapshot of what actually happens in the human brain during sleep. “Understanding how, when, and why we dream could help us answer a fundamental scientific question: how can we determine whether someone is conscious when they are unable to communicate?” said Nao Tsuchiya, one of the project’s lead researchers at Monash. The database shatters the old assumption that dreams only occur during REM sleep. Brain activity linked to dream recall appeared in: • 88% of awakenings during light sleep • 56% during moderate sleep • 48% during deep, slow-wave sleep In other words, your brain is far busier while you sleep than scientists once thought. Even during stages considered the most “unconscious,” people reported vivid and complex dreams — including some with brain wave patterns that closely resemble wakefulness. That’s the kind of insight that wasn’t possible before. Until now, dream research was stuck in silos: isolated studies, inconsistent methods, and small sample sizes that couldn’t be easily compared. The DREAM database solves that, offering a centralized, high-quality set of EEG data with strict technical standards — including consistent sampling rates, quality control measures, and detailed documentation for each awakening. It’s already paying off. Using machine learning, researchers trained algorithms to detect whether someone is dreaming — just from their brain activity — with up to 70% accuracy during REM, and still well above chance in other stages. The tech is not only exciting for dream science, but it could eventually be used to detect consciousness in people who can’t communicate, such as coma patients or those with severe brain injuries. “This could be a game-changer for sleep medicine and consciousness research,” Tsuchiya said. Beyond the science, the implications are broad: the findings may help improve sleep-tracking devices, inform new treatments for sleep disorders, and pave the way for tools that can better measure internal experiences — like pain, emotion, or awareness — in patients who are otherwise unresponsive. Researchers can now stop reinventing the wheel with every small study and instead build on a shared foundation. The DREAM database isn’t just a tool — it’s a turning point for understanding what the sleeping brain is truly capable of. And, as it turns out, that strange dream you had last night? It might be far more real, and far more meaningful, than anyone thought.

Read More

Elijah Wood Surprises Guests At Hobbiton Wedding, Leaves Ring Intact

A lucky couple were surprised by an unexpected guest during their Lord of the Rings themed wedding in New Zealand on Monday, October 27. Footage posted by the official Hobbiton Movie Set account shows Hollywood star Elijah Wood gatecrashing the ceremony at the iconic tourist spot to the joy of the bride and groom. The couple’s wedding photographer Cath Ullyett recounted the moment in an Instagram post. “While Sharik and Jessica were signing their wedding documents, Elijah and his family were escorted past the ceremony garden, and had stopped to watch,” she wrote. “After the couple had finished signing, I rushed around to meet him and asked him to come and have a few photos with the couple. Being the gentleman he is, he didn’t want to interfere, however, with some friendly encouragement he stepped in and was welcomed by all.”

Scientists Discover Powerful New Antibiotic Hidden In Plain Sight For Decades

In a major step forward against antibiotic resistance, scientists have discovered a potent new antibiotic compound — not by exploring unknown microbes, but by taking a second look at one that’s been studied for decades. The new compound, called pre-methylenomycin C lactone, was identified by researchers from the University of Warwick in the UK and Monash University in Australia. It comes from Streptomyces coelicolor, a bacterial species that has served as a model organism for antibiotic research since the 1950s. “Finding a new antibiotic in such a familiar organism was a real surprise,” said Lona Alkhalaf, a chemist at the University of Warwick. What makes the discovery even more striking is that the compound isn’t a newly evolved molecule. It’s actually an intermediate — a chemical step in the natural production of another antibiotic, methylenomycin A. Until now, no one had thought to test this intermediate for its own antibiotic properties. Turns out, it's remarkably effective. In lab tests, pre-methylenomycin C lactone was found to be 100 times more potent than methylenomycin A against Gram-positive bacteria — a group that includes some of the most dangerous drug-resistant pathogens. Specifically, the compound proved effective against MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus), both of which are responsible for severe hospital-acquired infections. Even more promising: the bacteria didn’t develop resistance to it, even after 28 days of continuous exposure. That resilience is rare — and increasingly valuable in a world where antibiotic resistance is rendering many existing treatments useless. “Methylenomycin A was originally discovered 50 years ago, and while it has been synthesized several times, no one appears to have tested the synthetic intermediates for antimicrobial activity,” said Greg Challis, another researcher from Warwick. The discovery came after the team decided to genetically tweak the bacterium’s biosynthetic pathway — essentially modifying the genetic assembly line that produces methylenomycin A. By isolating and testing each step in the process, they identified the intermediate compound with unexpectedly powerful antimicrobial properties. This approach could signal a new direction in the search for antibiotics. “By identifying and testing intermediates in the pathways to diverse natural compounds, we may find potent new antibiotics with more resilience to resistance,” said Challis. “This discovery suggests a new paradigm for antibiotic discovery.” With antibiotic resistance now causing millions of deaths worldwide each year, the pressure to find new treatments is higher than ever. While pre-methylenomycin C lactone still needs further preclinical testing before it can be developed into a usable drug, the early signs are promising — and suggest there may be more hidden gems waiting to be uncovered in even the most familiar bacteria. The research was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Read More

World's Largest Museum Dedicated To Ancient Egypt Opens This Week

The wait is nearly over. This Saturday, Egypt will officially unveil the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilisation. Located just outside Cairo near the iconic Pyramids of Giza, the massive complex will display more than 100,000 ancient artefacts, from the famed golden mask of Tutankhamun to pharaoh Khufu’s full-sized ‘solar boat’ — a 4,600-year-old cedar vessel buried beside the Great Pyramid and rediscovered in 1954. The centrepiece of the opening will be the long-anticipated Tutankhamun Galleries, showcasing over 5,000 objects from the boy king’s tomb — many of which have never been seen by the public. These include dazzling jewellery, ceremonial chariots, and life-size statues, all offering a glimpse into the life and death of one of Egypt’s most legendary pharaohs. Visitors will enter the museum through the Grand Hall and Grand Staircase, flanked by towering columns inscribed with hieroglyphs and colossal statues of ancient rulers. These lead to the Main Galleries, first previewed by a select group of 4,000 visitors in October 2024. The public will be able to visit the museum starting 4 November. Tickets for adult foreign visitors will cost 1,450 Egyptian pounds, or about €30. The opening ceremony, expected to draw leaders and dignitaries from around the world, will be live-streamed on TikTok — a nod to the museum’s efforts to bridge ancient history with modern technology. In total, GEM offers 22,000 square metres of exhibition space and aims to attract up to five million visitors annually. But it’s not just a display space; the museum also houses one of the world’s most advanced conservation and research facilities. An underground tunnel links the main exhibition halls to 19 state-of-the-art laboratories dedicated to preserving everything from fragile papyri to mummified remains. Architecturally, the GEM is as ambitious as the treasures it holds. Designed by Irish architect Roisin Heneghan, the building mirrors the pyramids in both form and spirit, blending geometric structures with cutting-edge sustainability features. Reinforced concrete helps regulate internal temperatures, reducing the need for air conditioning. Outside, triangular gardens designed with Dutch landscape firm West 8 draw inspiration from the lush flora of the Nile Valley. The Grand Egyptian Museum has been in development for over two decades and faced several delays. But with its doors finally opening, it’s set to become one of the world’s most significant cultural landmarks — a modern tribute to an ancient civilization.

Read More

JWST captures cosmic ‘Red Spider’ in stunning Halloween-ready image

If there were ever a perfect Halloween stop in space, the Red Spider Nebula might be it. At first glance, it sounds like something crawling out of a haunted house. In reality, it’s the dazzling wreckage of a dying star — and it’s just been imaged in rich detail by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Don’t be fooled by the name. Planetary nebulas, like the Red Spider, have nothing to do with planets. The term comes from a centuries-old mistake, when astronomers using early telescopes mistook the round shapes for distant planets. That naming error stuck, even as astronomers learned they were actually looking at the ghostly remains of sun-like stars. Viewed through JWST’s infrared eye, however, the trick becomes a treat. This new image, built from invisible infrared light and then color-coded to highlight various structures, shows the Red Spider Nebula in all its gory beauty. At its core is a single star, nearing the end of its life. But scientists believe there may be a second star hidden in the frame, based on the nebula’s hourglass shape — a pattern often linked to binary systems. Surrounding that central star is a glowing shroud of hot dust, stretching into enormous lobes on either side. Each lobe spans about three light-years across — roughly 30 trillion kilometers — inflated by stellar gas pushed outward over thousands of years. The reddish lobes visible in the image contain streaks shaped like an “S” from northeast to southwest. That shape comes from iron atoms that have been ionized — in other words, stripped of electrons. Elsewhere, the cooler, blue-toned lobes highlight light emitted by molecular hydrogen (H₂). The visual result is a complex, colorful display — the final fireworks of a star’s life before it fades into a white dwarf. This is also a preview of Earth’s distant future. Our sun will one day bloat into a red giant, swelling over 200 times its current size. When that happens, it could engulf Mercury, Venus, and possibly Earth before shedding its outer layers in a display not unlike what we see in the Red Spider. While the nebula is the star of the show, the background isn’t just filler. The JWST’s deep-space clarity reveals an entire tapestry of stars beyond the nebula. Some shine with eight-pointed patterns — a visual signature of JWST’s hexagonal mirror design. That iconic starburst shape has become a recognizable feature of Webb’s images, and a reminder of just how much the telescope sees, even when it’s not looking for anything in particular. Scientists were thrilled by that level of detail when the telescope’s first images were released, and the excitement hasn’t worn off. The Red Spider Nebula, located in the constellation Sagittarius, is a vivid example of what JWST was built to do — unveil the structure, chemistry, and evolution of the universe with unprecedented clarity. It might not be a real spider, or a planet, or a door to knock on — but in the spirit of Halloween, it’s exactly the kind of cosmic trick that comes with a treat.

Read More

Researchers Uncover Striking Fish-Made Geometric Patterns on Antarctic Seafloor

When scientists launched a 2019 expedition to the Weddell Sea in search of the famed shipwreck Endurance, they didn’t expect to stumble onto a biological marvel instead: thousands of carefully arranged, geometric fish nests covering the icy seafloor. The nests were spotted in an area that had only recently become accessible, after a colossal iceberg the size of Delaware — dubbed A68 — broke off from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in July 2017. That event opened up a rarely seen section of Antarctica’s western Weddell Sea, giving researchers the opportunity to study its untouched ecosystem for the first time. The Weddell Sea Expedition set off in January 2019 aboard the South African research vessel SA Agulhas II. But just like Endurance over a century earlier, the ship encountered thick sea ice that made it impossible to reach the presumed wreck site. Instead, scientists focused on what lay beneath the ice-choked waters — and ended up discovering a seafloor full of surprises. “The sea ice in particular was a challenge,” said Dr. Michelle Taylor, senior lecturer in life sciences at the University of Essex. “We were heading directly towards this, playing chicken with icebergs as we went.” Using a remotely operated vehicle nicknamed Lassie, the team began surveying the seafloor. What they saw stunned them: over a thousand fish nests, meticulously spaced out in various shapes — circles, crescents, lines, even U-shapes — dotting the muddy bottom. “Over a thousand maintained nests within the areas studied goes to show that exploration of our world is still underway,” said lead author Russ Connelly, a postgraduate researcher at the University of Essex. The nests belong to the yellowfin notie (Lindbergichthys nudifrons), a species of rockcod found in the Southern Ocean. These hardy fish are extremophiles, thriving in frigid, high-pressure environments where few others can survive. Male yellowfin noties build and guard these circular nests in fine sediment for months, protecting their eggs from predators like brittle stars and ribbon worms. Researchers believe the elaborate nest arrangements are more than just chance — they’re a sophisticated survival strategy. In the study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, researchers documented 1,036 active nests across five sites. They found six distinct patterns: some nests were clustered closely together, others arranged in lines, crescents, ovals, or U-shapes. Some stood alone, larger than the rest. Clustered nests were by far the most common, making up more than 42% of the total. That’s likely not a coincidence. The scientists believe the fish are using a well-known biological tactic called the “selfish herd” strategy. By grouping together, each fish reduces its own chances of being picked off by a predator. Fish in the middle of the cluster are the safest, while those on the edges are more vulnerable. “In the absence of refuge, they can group together to form greater levels of protection,” said Connelly. The researchers also noticed that individual nests on the outskirts were larger. These may belong to bigger, stronger fish capable of fending off predators on their own. Meanwhile, the dense clusters could confuse ribbon worms — one of the primary egg predators — by creating a chaotic sensory environment that makes it harder to zero in on a single nest. The footage also revealed that about 15% of the nests included pebbles, which scientists believe may have been dropped by drifting icebergs. These small rocks play a vital role: they provide oxygenation to the eggs and physically shield them from predators burrowing in the seafloor mud. “(The rocks) are ideal to lay eggs on as they allow good oxygenation of the eggs, helping to prevent rotting on the seafloor,” said Dr. Autun Purser, a senior researcher at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany, who wasn’t involved in the study but previously led similar research in the region. Purser said new underwater camera technology is allowing scientists to detect large-scale fish nesting behavior that previously went unnoticed. “With mobile camera systems, we can now investigate larger structures and areas of seafloor in studies than was possible in the past,” he said. In 2021, Purser’s team discovered a sprawling colony of icefish — with transparent skulls and blood — in the same sea. Together with the yellowfin notie nests, the discoveries point to a much more complex and active marine ecosystem than previously assumed. That’s why scientists are now calling for legal protection of the Weddell Sea. The area is part of a proposed Marine Protected Area by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. If approved, it would limit human activity in the region to preserve its vulnerable biodiversity. “If successfully designated as [a Marine Protected Area], it would mean these vulnerable marine ecosystems are protected,” Connelly said. “It is incredibly important to explore and study these unique environments before we lose something we never knew we had.” In the end, while the Endurance shipwreck was later found in 2022 by a separate mission, the 2019 expedition may have uncovered something just as valuable: proof that even in Earth’s most extreme and remote corners, life continues to adapt, innovate — and surprise us.

Read More