First Frogspawn Found in UK Survey on Scilly Isles

The first frogspawn sighting of the year was recorded in the Isles of Scilly, kicking off the national PondNet Spawn Survey. More sightings quickly followed in Cornwall and Devon. These early records provide valuable data on how wildlife is adapting to climate change. The Freshwater Habitats Trust runs the survey to monitor amphibian breeding patterns, emphasizing the importance of small water bodies for conservation efforts.

Read More

Kung-Fu Master Achieves Highest Honor, Level 10 Grandmaster, at 83 Years Old

For Henry Sue, kung fu started as a way to push back. As a teenager in Brisbane in the 1950s, he learnt martial arts after bikie gangs repeatedly targeted his father's Chinese restaurant. "The bikie gangs would come to the place, eat, and don't want to pay, just go out," he told ABC News Australia. "You'd ask them for money and they'd smash your stuff. "Because of the White Australia policy there was fighting almost every Friday, Saturday, Sunday." Mr Sue said the shop windows were smashed so often that insurers refused to cover them. He said kung fu taught him to stand up for himself at a time when the Chinese community was marginalised in Australia. Now, decades later, the 83-year-old is set to receive the highest rank in the art he turned to in those years. On Saturday, Mr Sue will become a level 10 kung fu grandmaster, the highest possible rank in kung fu. He will receive the honour at his Chinese Kung Fu Academy in East Brisbane, the oldest surviving kung fu school in Australia. Mr Sue teaches Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu, a style known for its aggressive, close quarters techniques. He teaches his own variant, Circular Tong Long, which incorporates the circular movements of Tai Chi. Among his students is Marc Webster, who now teaches Circular Tong Long at his own academy on the Gold Coast. Grandmaster Webster said the tenth level was kung fu's highest honour, with only a few existing in the entire world. He said Mr Sue's role as a sifu went well beyond training students in martial arts. "Sifu is a teacher, [a] father," Mr Webster said. "If we have a problem and want to come see him he'll make time for us. "It's not just about the art, but making sure we're moving ahead with our lives in the right direction." Mr Sue said that approach has shaped the way he has run his school. He said he followed a strict "no thugs" policy and had expelled students in the past for using kung fu to bully others. For him, kung fu was never meant to be used as a tool for violence. He said it was a pathway to living an honourable life. "Kung fu is the last thing you learn," Mr Sue said. "You've got to respect your parents, respect your teacher, respect the teaching, and learn to be kind, forgiving and courageous." 📸 credit: ABC News: Luke Bowden

Read More

'Bikes Not Bombs' Marks 40 Years Promoting Social Justice

When the CIA was supporting rebel attacks against the socialist government of Nicaragua, a Boston bike mechanic helped start a movement that became Bikes Not Bombs. Elijah Evans, the CEO of the Jamaica Plain-based nonprofit, said the idea was simple from the start. "Our founders wanted to build a community-wide effort to support the community there in Nicaragua. Instead of sending bombs, we sent bikes," Evans said to WCVB. More than 40 years later, Bikes Not Bombs is still operating from its hub and bike shop on Amory Street in Boston. Today, the nonprofit ships about 3,500 bikes each year to countries in Central America, the Caribbean and Africa. Evans said the group does that with goals of advancing environmental, economic, and social justice. The organization’s work in Boston has also grown over the decades. Evans said Bikes Not Bombs has been running youth programs since the 1990s. "At the time in the '90s, there was a pretty high rise in violence and there were limited opportunities for young people to be engaged after school and during the summer and so our Earn-A-Bike program became our intervention strategy," Evans said. The Earn-A-Bike program lets kids choose a bike, learn how to fix it, learn how to safely navigate the city, and then take the bike home. It is also how Evans first connected with the organization. "I was 14 years old," Evans said. "It was the first time when I really felt embraced by a community that didn't know me but wanted me to feel welcomed and to be a part of the joy that they were experiencing." That sense of connection is something Kelvin Gonzalez and Erwin Gonzalez say they also found at Bikes Not Bombs. The brothers, who are both in high school, said the nonprofit has had a big impact on them. "The people that worked alongside me, I felt very drawn to them," Kelvin said. "I've never really felt like that before, not even in school. I felt like I had like a second family here." Both brothers said they are grateful to Bikes Not Bombs for hiring them as Youth Apprentices. The career development program includes learning repairs and teaching other people. "You could learn how to communicate," Erwin said to WCVB. "How to work with your friends … community, and learn how to bond, teamwork." Alongside its youth programs and international shipments, Bikes Not Bombs also depends on support from the local community. The nonprofit accepts bike donations, sells bikes, and repairs them for the public. It also relies on volunteers. "When we need to pack a container (for a) shipment or if we're teaching a class, often we'll train volunteers in how to do that," Evans said. The organization also holds an annual Bike-A-Thon. This year’s event is in May, and registration is underway. For Evans, the nonprofit’s history and its current work are closely linked. The group started as an effort to support people in Nicaragua by sending bicycles instead of weapons, and it now ships thousands of bikes each year while continuing youth programs in Jamaica Plain. Those programs have introduced generations of young people to bike repair, city riding, and work opportunities. For Evans, that started when he was 14. For Kelvin and Erwin Gonzalez, it includes jobs as Youth Apprentices. Bikes Not Bombs welcomes bike donations from the community and support from volunteers. Evans said volunteers are often trained to help pack shipping containers or assist when the nonprofit is teaching a class.

Read More

Too Late For Football? Not For This 50-Year-Old Dad

Most college football players worry about midterms. Orson Villalobos has a son in middle childhood and a dream he refused to leave behind. At 50, the Compton College player is doing something most people would have talked themselves out of years ago. He is back in school, back in pads and back chasing a goal he first set aside about 30 years ago. “I came back to finish something I started a long time ago... 30 years ago,” Villalobos told ABC7. His return has turned heads for the obvious reason. Junior college football is usually a young man’s game. Villalobos is old enough to be the father of many of the players around him. That reality is not lost on Compton College head football coach David Banuelos. “Well, you’ve got to have great respect for a guy that’s 50 years old and wants to play this game,” Banuelos said to ABC7. But Villalobos is not on the field for a novelty act or a personal stunt. He says this chapter is tied to something bigger than one season. He is taking classes at Compton College and working toward degrees in kinesiology and coaching, while also suiting up for the team. “That’s my real wish. It’s my real dream to be a coach,” he said. For Villalobos, the finish line is already in sight, even if it is still years away. He wants to be ready to coach his son, Orson Villalobos II, by the time the boy reaches 9th grade. That goal gives his comeback an extra layer. This is not only about reclaiming a part of his own life. It is also about being present for his son in a way that is practical, visible and lasting. The push to join the team, Villalobos said, started with one simple comment from that same son. “He said one day, ‘I wish I could have seen you play football.’” That sentence seems to have done what decades could not. It moved the dream from memory into action. Now his son does not have to imagine it. He gets to watch it happen. And from his seat, the older Villalobos does not look out of place. “His friends told me that when people tried to tackle him, they would just bounce off him,” Villalobos II said. It is the kind of line that sounds like playground exaggeration, except it comes with a little awe and a lot of pride. When asked directly how he feels about his dad’s game, the younger Villalobos did not hesitate. “Very much,” he replied. That may be the simplest part of the story, and maybe the biggest. A father went back to finish what he started. A son got to see it with his own eyes. And somewhere between the classes, the practices and the collisions, Villalobos is building the version of himself he still wants to become. His path is hardly typical. Most people do not return to college football at 50. Most do not try to restart a dream while raising a child and working toward a second act. But Villalobos seems to be making the case that dreams do not expire just because life got busy. For now, he is still in school, still in uniform and still working toward the sideline job he wants most. “That’s my real wish. It’s my real dream to be a coach,” he said.

Read More

Los Angeles Woman Marks 80th Birthday By Serving Meals To People In Need

Some people mark an 80th birthday with a party. Marcia Brous marked hers by asking people to help feed others. The Los Angeles woman celebrated the milestone by giving back to the community, inviting family and friends to make meals for people struggling, especially after SNAP benefits were cut for many Angelenos. "I like to be able to help other people," Marcia said to KABC. The effort took place at the Sova Community Food and Resource Center, a program of Jewish Family Service L.A. Marcia’s daughter, Sharon Brous, said the family did not know how many people would come. "Honestly, we didn't know how many people were going to show up," Sharon Brous said to KABC. Ninety-four people turned out. During Thanksgiving weekend, Marcia’s guests put together meals of veggies, rice, falafel and tomato sauce, all labeled kosher. Marcia said the response left her overwhelmed. She has also been volunteering every week for the past six months. "I get the joy out of being able to continue to feed people with anywhere from 0 to 700 meals in an hour and a half," Marcia said to KABC. Her family said the service has become a big part of her life. "The real story is, my dad died just two years ago. My mom, in her grief, has gotten really, really involved in the community, and I feel for her. This is an expression of her love and a commitment to this next chapter of her life, really being about service," Sharon said. Sharon described her mother as deeply committed to showing up for others. "She's a pretty dedicated member of the community. She never misses a shiva. She always shows up," Sharon said. Marcia’s other daughter, Devorah Brous, said that focus on other people has always come first. "She's always prioritizing the needs of people around her. She puts that before her own needs," Devorah Brous said. Marcia is now urging others to help too, especially people in need. "If you really want to help, help the homeless, help the needy, and let's do something together," Marcia said.

Read More

Sperm Whales Observed Gathering to Assist a Calf's Birth

A group of sperm whales did something scientists had never seen this clearly before. Off Dominica in July 2023, two family groups came together and took turns helping a calf be born, then kept the newborn at the surface so it could breathe. The event is described in a new study published in Science Advances. Researchers say it is the first detailed record of this kind of coordinated birth support in sperm whales. Over several hours on July 8, 2023, scientists recorded two sperm whale family groups in the Caribbean Sea off Dominica. The groups were unrelated matrilines that usually forage separately. “Our results suggest that kin and non-kin engaged in sustained, cooperative postnatal care, taking turns to support the newborn and maintain group cohesion, in contrast to historical kin-segregated foraging patterns,” wrote a cross-disciplinary team led by computer scientist Alaa Maalouf of MIT’s Project CETI. “These findings provide rare quantitative evidence of direct allocare [caring for non-biologically related offspring] in cetaceans and can lend support to the hypothesis that transient, structured cooperation during birth is a key mechanism sustaining complex sociality in sperm whales.” Sperm whales are highly social animals and live in groups. Their smallest clan units can include up to 10 individuals and are matrilineal, led by a mother and made up of her daughters. Adult males usually live separately and only visit female groups for reproduction. Scientists do not know much about how that social structure works during births. Before this event, only four sperm whale births had been reported in the past 60 years, and all were either anecdotal or observed in whaling contexts. Those reports suggested some level of group support, but it had not been documented in detail. Maalouf and his colleagues were already in the field off Dominica in July 2023 as part of Project CETI, which is trying to decipher sperm whale communication using recordings and machine learning. At 9:50 am local time, researchers came across a group of 11 sperm whales gathered at the surface. The behaviour was unusual enough that the team stopped and deployed observational tools including hydrophones for audio and drones for overhead video. At 11:12 am, a pregnant whale known as Rounder began delivering her calf. The birth took 34 minutes. Other adult females positioned themselves around her in a tight, synchronized formation. At 11:46 am, scientists saw plumes of blood and the newborn calf. What followed lasted about an hour. According to the study, newborn sperm whales are likely unable to stay afloat on their own, so members of the extended group took turns lifting and pushing the calf to the surface to breathe. “The group rapidly transitioned to cohesive and highly active behavior; individuals took turns lifting the newborn, physically supporting and pushing it to the surface, consistent with supporting a negatively buoyant neonate. This phase continued for about an hour, during which time the entire unit remained tightly grouped,” the researchers wrote. The study also recorded other cetaceans nearby during the birth. “In addition, there were close passes by Fraser’s dolphins (Lagenodelphis hosei) and brief interactions with pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), which encompassed the sperm whale cluster and occasionally dove beneath them.” To work out exactly what happened, the team used machine learning and computer vision to identify individual whales, track their movements and examine how they interacted during and after the birth. That analysis found all 11 whales in the group took at least one turn supporting the calf in the hour after birth. About 96 percent of that support time came from four whales: Rounder, the mother; Aurora, her half-sister; Ariel, a juvenile unrelated to Rounder; and Atwood, an older relative of Rounder. Researchers also recorded an active acoustic environment throughout the birth, but the new study did not analyse what the whales were vocalising. It focused on their actions. Still, the team says the observations add to the understanding of sperm whale social behaviour. “Our results provide quantitative evidence for the paradigm that calf survival, particularly around births, drives selection for the social bonds underpinning the complex social organization that has evolved in sperm whales,” the researchers wrote. “These findings place the complexity of sperm whale birth behavior and coordination in comparative context with terrestrial mammals, including primates and humans, raising questions about the cognitive architectures and communication systems that support and mediate these behaviors.” 📸credit: Project CETI

Read More

This 10-Year-Old, Who is Blind, Learns Boxing With Punch-by-Numbers System

In Archie Hayes's boxing lessons, the punches come with numbers. The 10-year-old from Bristol, who is blind, has learned to box through a simple system from his coach. "One" means jab, "two" means cross, "three" means hook and "four" means upper cut. Archie trains three times a week with coach Andy O'Kane, 62, at Paddy John's Boxing Gym in Bristol. During sessions, Andy calls out number combinations to guide him in the ring. Archie was born blind, but that did not stop him from taking up the sport and following his brother Josh, 15, who is also a boxer. Andy has been a boxing coach at the gym for more than 20 years and said he is "really proud" to be able to teach a young blind boy how to box. "Archie is hard working," says Andy. "He pays attention, he soaks up every single thing you tell him and he picks it up really quick. He has been with us for 18 months and he can box - he understands boxing. He does everything that any young person involved in boxing does. Because he is blind he is having to put complete faith in what I tell him. "He memorizes everything that I say to the point that if I make a mistake he will tell me. I'm really proud that a blind young boy can be included in the sport and in this club." Archie was born blind, but it took doctors seven months to get a full diagnosis. After several tests, he was diagnosed with Leber's Congenital Amaurosis, or LCA, a rare, inherited eye disorder that affects the retina. For training, Archie uses punch bags and pad work. He also takes part in sparring sessions with fully-sighted colleagues. Andy said it started gradually before becoming a regular part of club life. "I was starting to do little bits with him and then he really got interested and his dad asked if we could make this a regular thing and that's what we did," he said. It was about trying to get him to be part of the club as well. "Now he comes into the classes and he trains and the other kids are completely oblivious to it, they don't have any issue. The fact that he can't see doesn't change anything." Archie said boxing makes him feel stronger. "I like it because it makes me really strong and powerful," he said. "Boxing teaches you to become tough because I'm punching bags and stuff." His parents, Fred Hayes, 37, and Natalie Hayes, 40, said they have never "wrapped Archie up" and have always allowed him to do what he wants. "He was born blind so we don't know any different to everybody else so that's his way of life," said Natalie. "It doesn't affect him that he can't see, he is happy the way he is. I call him the champ." "Me and mum have never wrapped him up, we have just let him get on with it," said Fred. "He is got to learn with it. There's nothing that can be done to bring Archie's vision back at the moment but we don't know what the future technology might bring. He is happy the way he is." Archie often tunes in to hear boxing combats and said he wants to keep boxing for a long time. "It's really fun," he said. "It's a good sport and I like hearing it on the telly." He has also met Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker and Conor Benn. Andy said he hopes Archie's experience encourages other blind children to try boxing. "If that sends out a message to other blind kids that wanna they can try their boxing club then that's fantastic," he said. "It's nice to think that boxing can move on and the coaches have got open minds. "I'm really proud that he chose our club."

Read More

Canadian Lands National Geographic Cover With This Underwater Seahorse Photo

A seahorse in a Bahamian pond has put Saskatchewan-born photographer Shane Gross on the cover of National Geographic. Gross, who specializes in marine life photography, took the photo while in a pond in the Bahamas. The image features a seahorse floating in underwater weeds. “I picked that seahorse because it wasn’t shy. All the elements were there for a good picture. Did I think it would end up on the cover of National Geographic? Absolutely not,” he explained to CTV News. Gross said he has returned to the pond many times over the years. He has camped there for days at a time to put in the work needed to catch the right pictures. “Some of the seahorses in there are very shy. You find the right seahorses that are curious and you can start to make some good pictures,” he said to CTV News. His photography has taken him to all seven continents, most recently Antarctica. Gross said the water there was so cold that he was only able to dive underwater for roughly 40 minutes at a time before his equipment began to freeze up. He also had trouble getting the right shots because visibility was low. Gross said it was not until the final day of the trip that he was able to capture pictures of fur seals and penguins moving through the water. “Having those penguins circle around us was one of those encounters you dream about and hope for,” he said. Gross said he was a National Geographic reader as a child. At the time, he said the idea of being part of the magazine in some way felt farfetched. For people who want to pursue top-quality photography and possibly be featured in well-known magazines, Gross said focusing on a specific subject is the best approach. “They need people who are passionate about a certain thing. To be able to withstand the hardships that you go through when you are shooting these things. It’s passion that gets you through that,” he told CTV News. 📸credit: National Geographic/Shane Gross

Read More

This City Council’s Youngest Regular Is Inspiring More Parents To Seek Office

A seven-week-old baby made an appearance at Fredericton city council this week, even if she did not get a vote. Councillor Cassandra LeBlanc brought her daughter, Josie, to Monday’s regular council meeting as she balanced parenthood and politics, and said she hopes others will feel able to do the same. The first in-person meeting since Josie’s arrival came with some nerves. “I was worrying about my baby having a blowout. And where am I going to change them? If it’s a big council, I don’t want to miss a vote,” LeBlanc told CTV News. She also had to think about breastfeeding and what to do if Josie cried. But LeBlanc said Josie fit right in. At 27, LeBlanc was the youngest woman to run for Fredericton city council. She said that at the time, she knew she wanted to start a family at some point. She had been attending meetings virtually, but Monday night marked her first council meeting in person since giving birth. LeBlanc said she had support from her colleagues and from Mayor Kate Rogers, Fredericton’s first female mayor. Rogers said the city, like other political spaces, has taken time to make women feel welcome. “The conversation was, ‘Why aren’t there more women at the table?’ And I would say, ‘Women don’t want to be at that table because that table is not welcoming to us. And when we come to this table, we’re very aware it wasn’t designed for us,’” Rogers said. “I wanted to create a space where women knew that it was their place.” Very few sitting New Brunswick politicians have given birth while in office. Five years ago, MLA Megan Mitton asked the provincial legislature to install change tables so she could bring her newborn to the house. At the time, Mitton said that kind of change was needed so more young women would feel they could run for public office. “It tends to be a space that has been traditionally dominated by men, and so even going into politics I had heard recommendations to do it later in life, not do it when you have a kid,” Mitton said. “I haven’t followed that.” LeBlanc said she hopes Josie grows up in a world with even more women and young mothers around the professional table. “I hope one day she looks back on that and is proud of her mom. And maybe it inspires her and other little girls to run for council or other offices,” she told CTV News. 📸credit: City of Fredericton

Read More

Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossoms Are in Peak Bloom, National Park Service Says

Spring has hit its mark in Washington. The National Park Service said on Thursday that peak bloom has arrived for the city’s cherry blossoms. Warm temperatures near 15.5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, followed by warmer conditions on Thursday, sped up the process and pushed many Yoshino cherry trees from Stage Five, known as Puffy White, into full bloom. The Park Service said about one-third of the trees were still in Stage Five early Wednesday, but the mild weather lifted that number. The trees pass through six stages: Green Buds, Florets Visible, Extension of Florets, Peduncle Elongation, Puffy White and Peak Bloom. The National Park Service defines peak bloom as the point when about 70 percent of blossoms have opened. Peak bloom usually happens between late March and early April. Weather shifts have pushed it as early as March 15 in 1990 and as late as April 18 in 1958. The blossoms reached peak bloom on March 28 in 2025 and March 17 in 2024. The Yoshino trees usually stay in bloom for several days, depending on the weather. Cool, calm conditions can stretch out the display, while rain, wind or a late frost can cut it short or stop blossoms from opening. Most Yoshino cherry trees circle the Tidal Basin and extend onto the Washington Monument grounds. Part of the Tidal Basin will stay closed through the 2026 Cherry Blossom Festival because of a 112 million dollar seawall reconstruction project aimed at reducing flooding and improving accessibility. 📸credit: National Mall NPS / @NationalMallNPS Photo by Haoshuang Lou on Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/photo/pink-cherry-blossom-998958/)

Read More

Two Maryland State Troopers Just Saved a Choking Infant While On an Unrelated Call

It turned from an ordinary call into an emergency in seconds. Two Maryland State troopers are being praised after helping save a choking infant when a frantic grandmother ran to them for help while they were on an unrelated call across the street. Trooper First Class Taylor Hersh and Corporal Jonathan Stoltzfus were nearby when the woman approached them with a baby who was unable to breathe. Bodycam footage shows the troopers running to her and starting life-saving measures right away. Within moments, they cleared the infant’s airway and the child was able to breathe again, bringing the ordeal to a safe end. Maryland State Police later highlighted the speed of the response. “Without hesitation, the troopers immediately began lifesaving measures and were able to clear the infant’s airway… Their quick actions and training made all the difference, preventing what could have been yet another tragic outcome,” the agency said. Hersh said the moment showed how training takes over in a crisis. “All the good training that we have, it just becomes second nature at that point,” he said. “We’re presented with critical situations a lot of times, and from that experience, you kind of just learn to stay calm and just not hesitate.” Stoltzfus said the incident also reflects the broad range of work state troopers handle in their communities. “A lot of people look at the state police and think we’re traffic cops… But what people don’t realize, in Southern Maryland specifically, is we do everything,” he said. “We do everything from going to medical calls to a traffic accident, to dealing with situations like this.” Maryland State Police praised the pair in a post, writing: “Job well done by Maryland's Finest!👏”

Read More