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Score (97)
Archaeologists Uncover 'Treasure Trove' of Artifacts Spanning Eras
Archaeologists in Pacé, Brittany made exciting discoveries spanning from the Late Bronze Age to the medieval era. A well-preserved gold ring depicting Venus Victrix was found, dating back to the 2nd or 3rd century A.D. Additionally, a cache of silver coins from the Carolingian period was uncovered, possibly linked to Viking raids. Remnants of a medieval hamlet and artifacts from the Late Bronze Age were also found, offering insights into centuries of history in the area.
Score (98)
Family’s Surprise Sleepover for Grandparents Turns into Viral Christmas Moment
What started as a simple family tradition in California has turned into a viral celebration of love, time, and pizza. Daniel Miller and his cousins brought back their cherished “Grandparents Christmas” tradition this year with a surprise pre-Christmas sleepover at their grandparents’ home. A video posted on December 21 capturing the moment has since drawn more than 14 million views across social media. The video begins with Miller and his wife walking through the front door. “I’m here to spend the night,” Miller tells his unsuspecting grandmother, who responds warmly, “That’s fine. You can spend the night if you’d like to.” One by one, more cousins and family members begin trickling in. Miller said he was texting them cues from inside. At one point, his grandmother pauses and asks, “Are we doing Grandparents Christmas?” The realization hits her — and the tradition is reborn. The night included all the staples of their longtime family event: making homemade pizzas, crafting, and sharing stories. The moment that’s resonated with so many viewers comes later in the video, when Miller’s grandfather, Carroll Blackstock, addresses the family. “I do thank you for all coming,” he says. “I can tell you that this room has not felt this kind of love ever, and we appreciate it. Thank you so much.” Miller credits the idea to his wife, who recently lost her own grandparents and wanted to revive the tradition that had gone quiet in recent years. “She kind of brought up the idea of doing this old family tradition that we had that kind of hasn't happened,” Miller told Fox News Digital. “I was like, 'All right, I'm gonna go ahead and do it,' and so we did it.” The tradition stretches back 25 years, originally started by Miller’s grandmother, Toni Blackstock, who used to host regular pre-Christmas events at her home. Homemade pizza was always part of it — a nod to her Italian roots. Miller said his grandparents have always shown up for their family — at every birthday, every sports game, every milestone. “The greatest gift you can give someone is your time,” he said. “I think that's taught us that time is very valuable and that [we] should always come together as family.” As for their viral fame? Miller said his grandparents don’t quite know what “going viral” means, but they understand the impact. “We kind of put it in perspective,” he said. “This is touching a lot of people’s hearts, and this has created a lot of tears of joy. And so, it made them feel really good.”
Score (95)
With One Eye and Mushy Colours, This Photographer Is Capturing the Peak District Like Few Others Can
If you blur your camera lens on purpose, you’ll get a sense of what William Hickie sees out of his left eye. It’s not much — but it’s never stopped him from chasing the perfect shot. The 23-year-old photographer from Tameside, Greater Manchester, lives with amblyopia, commonly called lazy eye. It’s a condition that’s left him functionally blind in one eye since childhood. He also has deuteranopia, a type of colour blindness that makes greens, browns, greys and pinks all blur into one. Even so, his work has been featured on BBC Countryfile, and his images of Derbyshire and the Peak District have earned him a growing following. “A camera only has one lens and one sensor, rather than two lenses and one sensor,” he said. “So only being able to see out of one eye might actually benefit me.” Hickie first picked up a camera at 14, drawn to the way it brought together his love of creativity and the outdoors. “I’m not too sure what actually sparked the interest,” he said. “I enjoyed it, and that was it.” He was diagnosed with a lazy eye as a child and underwent several unsuccessful attempts to correct it. Eye patches, drops, glasses — none of it stuck. “I had to use patches over my strong eye, but because I couldn’t see where I was going, I just used to rip them off all the time,” he said. Eventually, his brain simply stopped using the left eye altogether. That’s what amblyopia is: a neurodevelopmental condition where the brain ignores input from the weaker eye. Hickie sees almost exclusively out of his right. And then there’s his colour vision. “In between a gradient, most people can see all the different shades of colours,” he said. “Whereas for me, in the centre, that’s just one block of colour. It all looks the same.” Still, Hickie doesn’t believe his colour blindness affects the quality of his work. In fact, he believes his visual impairments have only pushed him harder to prove himself. “If there is something you’re really passionate about and someone tries to take you off the path, just stay on,” he said. That determination paid off when one of his photos — a striking image of a stag in Froggatt Woods near Calver — caught the attention of the BBC Countryfile team. They invited him to contribute to an episode featuring the Chatsworth Estate, with presenters Anita Rani and Sean Fletcher. “Photography now has pretty much totally consumed my life, in a good way,” Hickie said. “Landscape photography gives me the opportunity to get out of the house, go for a nice walk and enjoy nature and being outside. I think it’s just a really good thing to do.” With just one eye and a limited view of colour, Hickie has managed to see — and show — the world in a way that many others can’t.
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Score (97)
Anonymous Donor Covers Pet Emergency Fees At Colorado Animal Hospital
A Colorado animal hospital got an unexpected visit from a mystery man who left a trail of kindness behind — and a stack of checks. Staff at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital say the man walked in around 8 a.m., told them he planned to stay for a few hours, and quietly began covering emergency exam fees for anyone who brought in a pet that day. Each payment came in a plain envelope with a check inside, covering the nearly $200 cost for an emergency room visit. “He didn’t know any of the people he was helping,” said veterinary staff member Veronica Suazo. “There was no heads-up, no big announcement. He just wanted to help.” Over the next few hours, the man paid for at least 10 pet owners, some of whom were overwhelmed by the gesture. A few offered to pass the help along and let the next person use the money instead. Others were moved to tears, unsure how they would’ve managed to pay for care without the surprise donation. Emergency vet fees can be a financial burden, especially in high-stress moments when a pet’s health is at stake. The anonymous donor made it a little easier, not just for the people he met, but for those who arrived later too — he left behind additional envelopes for staff to hand out after he left. And before walking out the door, he added one more gift: a $400 donation to the hospital’s charity fund, ensuring more animals would get care even after he was gone.
Score (98)
Archaeologists Uncover 10 Astonishing Discoveries In 2025
From Egypt to the Atlantic, 2025 Was a Banner Year for Archaeology It’s been a remarkable year for archaeology, with discoveries coming from deserts, ruins, libraries, and the ocean floor. Some were powered by advanced technology, others by sheer human curiosity—and in one case, a lucky stroll past a monument. Together, they’ve deepened our understanding of ancient civilizations, rewritten historical narratives, and even called into question the capabilities of one of antiquity’s most mysterious devices. In Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, archaeologists from the New Kingdom Research Foundation unearthed the tomb of Thutmose II, a pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. It’s the first royal tomb found since Tutankhamen’s in 1922. Though the chamber was in poor condition and largely empty—likely due to flooding soon after the burial—experts believe Thutmose’s wife and half-sister, Queen Hatshepsut, may have overseen the interment. Another ancient Egyptian surprise came not from a tomb, but from a monument hiding in plain sight. While walking past the obelisk of Ramses II in Paris’s Place de la Concorde during the pandemic, Sorbonne lecturer Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier spotted something others had missed. After getting permission to climb the 70-foot structure, he confirmed that the topmost hieroglyphs included a royal boast: Ramses had been chosen by the gods to rule. From its original position in Luxor, these glyphs would have been clearly visible to boat-bound nobles arriving for festivals. At the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, preparations for an exhibition led to the discovery of something more personal: a 4,000-year-old handprint on a funerary object known as a “soul house.” The clay structure, shaped like a building, would have been used to hold food offerings for the dead. Researchers believe the print was left in the still-wet clay before firing—possibly by the maker themselves. Pompeii also yielded its share of stories this year. At the necropolis of Porta Sarno, archaeologists uncovered two life-sized statues of a man and woman, likely a married couple from the late Roman Republic. The woman wore a crescent moon pendant, a protective charm, and evidence suggests she may have held the title of priestess—an uncommon role for a woman in that period. Meanwhile, at Oxford University’s Bodleian Library, a chance discovery may change how scholars read one of Shakespeare’s most famous works. A lecturer specializing in early modern literature found a handwritten copy of Sonnet 116—but this wasn’t the version most people know. The manuscript includes alternate lines and revised couplets, suggesting the sonnet may not just be about love, but also carry coded commentary on the English Civil War. In the realm of technology, underwater robots named Romeo and Juliet completed a full 3D scan of the Titanic’s wreckage on the Atlantic seabed. The high-resolution model captured details down to individual personal items and lifeboat mechanisms. Contrary to the century-old rumor that first officer William McMaster Murdoch fled his post, the scan shows that he likely stayed and helped with the evacuation until the very end. A different kind of digital tool helped researchers unlock a hidden voice from ancient Mesopotamia. A team from the University of Baghdad and Ludwig Maximilian University used A.I. to analyze cuneiform tablets and uncovered a 250-line hymn celebrating Babylon and its people. The hymn appears in over 30 surviving manuscripts, a discovery that would have taken decades to assemble without machine learning. Researchers believe it served a unifying, nationalistic role—comparable to a modern-day pledge of allegiance. In Greece, a long-standing mystery was put to the test, and came up short. The Antikythera mechanism, often described as the world’s first analog computer, has fascinated historians since its discovery in 1901. A new study by researchers in Argentina used digital reconstructions to test the device’s accuracy. The result? It jammed in 90 percent of simulations. Despite its sophisticated appearance, the ancient gadget may not have functioned particularly well. The Tower of London also revealed more of its past this year. Excavations on the historic site, part of a long-term study of the fortress’s construction, turned up coffins from the 12th and 13th centuries, and a mass grave from the 14th-century Black Death. Some of the remains are believed to belong to high-status individuals, shedding light on who lived—and died—within the castle’s shadow. And finally, a new theory about Easter Island’s massive stone statues has gained ground. When Dutch explorers first arrived in 1722, the local Rapanui people said the statues had “walked.” For decades, this was dismissed as myth. But new research from Binghamton University and the University of Arizona suggests they may have been right. Using experiments with replica statues, researchers showed how the figures could have been rocked side to side using ropes, essentially “walking” them across the landscape thanks to their design and low center of gravity. Whether pulled from the ground, spotted in a library, or revealed by a robot deep underwater, these discoveries highlight the evolving—and often surprising—nature of archaeology. One thing’s clear: the past still has plenty of stories left to tell.
Score (94)
After Wildfires Ravaged Their Town, a Community Just Won Half a Billion Dollars in the Lottery
Just months ago, the small Spanish town of La Bañeza was reeling from devastation. A massive wildfire had scorched 120,000 acres of surrounding land, forcing 8,000 residents to evacuate. Smoke, grief, and economic uncertainty hung over the region in Castilla y León. Now, that same town is celebrating one of the biggest windfalls in recent memory. Residents of La Bañeza pooled their luck — and their lottery tickets — into Spain’s famous El Gordo Christmas lottery, and it paid off. The town had purchased 117 ticket numbers in the draw, and each one hit for €400,000 (about $437,000 USD). In total, the payout is estimated at close to half a billion U.S. dollars. For a town of around 10,000 people, the winnings break down to somewhere between $20,000 and $30,000 per person, depending on taxes and ticket shares — a massive financial shot in the arm for families still recovering from the fire. “Winning the lottery, as well as cause for joy and excitement, is something that has fallen from the heavens to a place that needs so much,” said La Bañeza Mayor Javier Carrera. He described the moment as “a cascade of emotions after such a terrible year.” Spain’s El Gordo (which means “The Fat One”) is the world’s largest lottery by total payout, and it holds a special place in Spanish holiday tradition. But there’s also a long-held superstition that makes this year’s result feel almost poetic: many believe that luck often follows misfortune. It’s common for people to buy tickets from towns that have recently suffered tragedy, under the belief that lightning won’t strike twice. In the case of La Bañeza, that superstition paid off — spectacularly. The story has already started to spread beyond the region, reinforcing the idea that good fortune can rise from ashes. For a town that was praying for rain, this unexpected downpour of green has brought a much-needed sense of hope. And maybe, just maybe, the belief that better days are ahead.
Score (91)
1,435 Couples Break Kissing Record Under D.C.’s Giant ‘National Mistletoe’
Love was quite literally in the air in Washington, D.C., as a towering 10-foot bundle of mistletoe became the centerpiece of a record-breaking night. Suspended 30 feet above Anthem Row, the oversized holiday decoration—dubbed the National Mistletoe—set the stage for what organizers called a “Merry Kiss-mas” moment. A total of 1,435 couples gathered to simultaneously kiss for five seconds, setting a new Guinness World Record for most people kissing under mistletoe at once. The previous record was held by 480 couples in St. Louis back in 2019. Each couple arrived armed with their own small sprig of mistletoe and took part in the public smooch, surrounded by greenery, ribbons, and what one organizer described as “pure holiday joy.” “Last night felt bigger than a world record attempt,” said Gerren Price, one of the event’s coordinators. “It was a reminder of what happens when a city shows up for joy, love, and community above all else.” The National Mistletoe, which has been hung for two consecutive years, is part of a public art project funded by the District’s Streets for People grant. It will stay up throughout January—just in case anyone wants to kick off the new year with a kiss of their own. While mistletoe's association with kissing feels like a modern tradition, its romantic roots go back much further. Ancient Europeans saw the plant as a symbol of fertility and renewal during winter solstice festivals. Centuries later, the 1784 musical Two for One included one of the earliest references to kissing under mistletoe, and the tradition grew from there. For the organizers, this year’s event was about more than breaking a record. “Whether you’re sealing the deal, rekindling the spark, or just joining for the fun—this is the holiday kiss you won’t forget,” Price said. “Events like this bring people together in such a memorable, joyful way and show the true vibrancy and energy in the city that we love.” Plans are already in the works to keep the mistletoe tradition going in 2026. Organizers are even considering adding a matchmaking twist to help singles get in on the fun. Because in D.C., it turns out mistletoe really is for everyone.
Score (97)
Experts Urge Embracing Active Rest to Combat Holiday Stress and Enhance Well-Being
Sleep isn’t the only kind of rest humans need. And during the holidays, many people find themselves emotionally drained — despite spending more time at home, on the couch, or curled up with a hot drink. So what’s going on? According to psychologist and researcher who studies rest, learning, and well-being, rest isn’t just about sleeping in. We also need active recovery — moments during our waking hours that replenish mental and emotional energy. And it turns out, not all downtime is created equal. The holidays promise a break, but for many, it doesn’t quite deliver. Financial stress, travel, family tensions, and changes in routine often pile up at the exact time we expect to relax. The result: stress rises and well-being drops. The solution? Planned, intentional rest, not just idly collapsing into the sofa. “Reaping the full benefits of rest and leisure requires more than a slow morning or a mug of hot cocoa,” the psychologist writes. “It’s also about intentionally scheduling active recovery periods that energize us and leave us feeling restored.” What active rest actually looks like Walking in nature, playing an instrument, spending time with loved ones, or doing a creative hobby — all of these are examples of active rest. Research shows they can lower stress hormones like cortisol, ease anxiety, and even lift symptoms of depression. Take nature walks. They don’t just get you fresh air. They also calm the part of the brain linked to rumination and sadness. Or consider artistic hobbies like piano or calligraphy — studies show these activities trigger real physiological relaxation. Still, one of the most important factors in effective rest is how satisfying the activity feels. Watching TV is one of the most common ways people “relax,” but research shows that people often rate it as one of the least enjoyable ways to spend free time, especially after long binge sessions. “People often spend their free time doing things that are not satisfying,” the psychologist explains. “Distractions like social media might pass the time, but they rarely leave us feeling reenergized.” So how do you fix poor-quality rest? Plan your rest like you’d plan your work. Studies show that scheduling enjoyable activities, and sticking to those plans, improves mental health outcomes. That might mean going for a walk after opening presents instead of heading straight into cleanup. Or blocking out time to read a book after a long day of shopping. The key is to follow a schedule, not a mood. Waiting to “feel like it” can trap you in cycles of poor rest. What about rest guilt? Many people feel uneasy when they’re not being productive, even when they’re supposed to be relaxing. This “leisure guilt” can undercut the benefits of downtime — especially during the high-pressure holiday season. To fight it, the psychologist suggests: 1. Lower expectations. Not every holiday moment has to be picture-perfect. Letting go of over-the-top plans can free up time and energy for real rest. 2. Choose immersive activities. Video games, playing with kids, and outdoor walks require attention and prevent your mind from drifting back to your inbox. 3. Accept the guilt. Don’t try to suppress it — just acknowledge it and move on. Research shows that accepting negative emotions can actually reduce their intensity over time. The bottom line: Humans need more than sleep. We need meaningful moments of peace — the kind that engage us and actually help us feel better. And especially during the holidays, those moments may need to be scheduled with just as much care as the to-do list.
Score (98)
This Deaf Woman Passed Her Driving Test After Teaching Her Instructor Sign Language
In North Yorkshire, England, a chance encounter between a deaf teacher and a curious driving instructor turned into a mutual exchange of skills — and a life-changing moment for both. Sarah-Jade Walker, 35, recently passed her driving test after months of lessons with Adele Oldroyd, a 39-year-old instructor from Selby. But this wasn’t a typical learner-instructor relationship. As Sarah-Jade worked on her driving, she was also teaching Adele British Sign Language (BSL) — and together, they made it work. “I wanted someone who could do BSL to teach me,” Sarah-Jade said. She had taken lessons before, but wanted an instructor who understood deafness, could sign, and wouldn’t rely solely on spoken instruction. That’s when she met Adele — and it clicked. “We gelled,” she said. “She understands deaf people and doesn’t shout at them. She’s patient, she’s kind, and she shows me what I need to learn.” The two originally met during a BSL “bootcamp” that Sarah-Jade was running in January. Adele, who had “always” wanted to learn sign language, was one of the students. It quickly became clear that they could help each other. They began lessons soon after, and while Adele hadn’t taught a deaf learner before, she adjusted quickly. Lessons involved frequent stops, lots of face-to-face communication, and a mix of lip-reading, BSL, and facial expressions to keep the car — and the learning — moving. “We just sat and we spoke about the importance of her being clear with me,” Adele said. “If something wasn’t working, what were we going to do about it?” Sarah-Jade uses a cochlear implant, which gives her some hearing ability, but she practiced driving both with and without it. “A few times, my battery died and I thought Adele would say, ‘Let’s finish and go home,’” she said. “But no, we carried on. She taught me in sign language how to drive. It gave me confidence.” The experience was full of challenges for both. Adele’s Yorkshire accent made lip-reading harder at times. “The way we shorten words doesn’t always translate the same way,” she said. “Driving’s tiring as it is. But Sarah had to concentrate even more — on lip-reading, on signs, on my facial expressions.” But it paid off. When Sarah-Jade took her test in October, Adele called it “my most favourite test ever in the world.” “I tell everyone that’ll listen to me,” she said, adding that the examiner, Colin, was “phenomenal.” Sarah-Jade didn’t expect to pass. “It felt like my head exploded,” she said. Adele, overwhelmed with pride, “did a couple of laps around the car park” when she got the news. “I was over the moon for Sarah because I knew what it meant to her with the kids and work,” she said. “It opened up so many avenues for her that I think we both cried for a little bit.” Since passing, Sarah-Jade says life has become much easier. She’s now able to drive her children to school and get around on her own schedule. “I can drive around, take my children to school. Life is so much easier,” she said. Adele has since started teaching another deaf student, though she notes it’s a different experience. The new student doesn’t communicate verbally in the same way, and regional differences in BSL add to the complexity. “The sign for ‘stop’ is different up north and down south,” she explained. Her new student is from further away, attending the Royal School for the Deaf in Derby. Through it all, Adele and Sarah-Jade have stayed friends — bonded not just by the lessons they shared, but by what they learned from each other. “She gave me patience, as well as vice versa,” Adele said. “And I’ll never forget it.”
Score (97)
These Jazz Musicians Just Recreated a Historic Album at a Legendary Pub
A group of jazz musicians in Bristol have come together to recreate a landmark album recorded more than four decades ago — and in doing so, they’re helping to revive a festival that’s been struggling to stay alive. Jazz at the Duke Volume II is the sequel to a live LP recorded in 1979 at the Old Duke, a historic pub on King Street that has hosted jazz since the 1960s. The new album, produced in 2025, features both returning performers from the original session and a new generation of musicians. Proceeds will go toward the Bristol Jazz Festival, which was postponed this year due to lack of funding. Andy Leggett, one of the few musicians to appear on both records, said the project is a reminder that the music still has something to say. “I hope this album demonstrates the music isn't dead and has a lot of life in it yet,” he said. “I never considered there would be a part two when we recorded the original.” The idea came from jazz musician and producer Joe Trudgeon, who stumbled on a copy of the original LP in a charity shop and noticed some familiar names — musicians he had performed with himself. “A lot of the musicians who were on the original one are sadly no longer with us now, and that's part of the impetus to get it done now as people don't stick around forever,” Trudgeon said. Rather than record the sequel in a studio, Trudgeon and his collaborators returned to the Old Duke to capture the same spirit, in the same room. “We could have done the record somewhere else,” he said. “But I wanted to make sure the people on it didn't fade into obscurity, and we should give them a chance to make volume two.” Co-producer and jazz player Paul Archibald said the venue itself was as much a part of the story as the music. “As an early jazz live music venue, this pub has to be one of the oldest in Britain doing it, which has been played here since the 1960s,” Archibald said. “It screams legacy.” The original Jazz at the Duke LP captured a moment in time — a vibrant local jazz scene rooted in traditional New Orleans sounds and a venue packed with loyal fans. Volume II aims to honour that while showing how the music has evolved. The Old Duke, with its dim lighting and vintage charm, remains one of the few British pubs to offer live jazz seven nights a week. That sense of continuity — and community — is part of what made the new record feel so urgent to the musicians involved. “It’s a privilege to play alongside these musicians,” Archibald said. “And in another 40-something years perhaps someone will find this album and think it's time for volume three, if the music is still going.” The team behind Volume II hopes the album not only supports the return of the Bristol Jazz Festival but also introduces the Old Duke’s legacy to a wider audience — and a new generation of listeners.
Score (97)
MIT Scientists Create Foldable Structures That Spring to Life With Just One Pull of a String
A team of MIT researchers has created a new material that lies flat like a sheet of paper—until you pull a string. With a single tug, it transforms into a fully formed 3D object, from a sturdy chair to a medical splint. It’s not magic, but it’s close. The breakthrough is inspired by kirigami, the Japanese art of cutting paper, and is detailed in a new study published in ACM Transactions on Graphics. But instead of making decorative shapes, the team used a clever algorithm and a bit of material science to create real-world objects that can be flattened, stored, and deployed on demand. The research comes out of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and could open up possibilities for everything from pop-up medical devices to collapsible space habitats. “The simplicity of the whole actuation mechanism is a real benefit of our approach,” said lead author Akib Zaman, a graduate student at MIT. “All they have to do is input their design, and our algorithm automatically takes care of the rest.” How It Works The process starts with a 3D design. The algorithm then translates that object into a flat pattern made of quadrilateral tiles—imagine a grid of carefully sliced pieces that can hinge and shift into shape. This mimics how kirigami artists cut paper in a way that encodes new structural behaviors. The system relies on what’s known as an auxetic mechanism, which refers to materials that behave unusually when stretched—they get thicker instead of thinner. That unique property gives the structure strength and flexibility when moving between flat and formed states. Once the layout is calculated, the algorithm determines an “optimal string path”—essentially, the most efficient route for a pull-string to travel across the surface and lift each tile into place. The result? A structure that folds itself together with one smooth motion. A Chair You Can Flatten After running simulations, the team moved to real-world testing. They built a number of objects using laser-cut plywood, including igloo-shaped shelters and medical tools like splints or posture correctors. One standout was a human-sized chair. The researchers laid it flat, pulled the string, and watched it come to life. It wasn’t just for show—the chair held up under actual weight. There are still hurdles to overcome. “There will likely be scale-specific engineering challenges” when trying to build much larger structures, the researchers note. But because the algorithm doesn’t depend on any particular material or fabrication method, it’s versatile and easy to experiment with. The goal now is twofold: tackle those larger engineering problems, and push the technique further by creating smaller, more intricate designs. Modular robots, lightweight shelters for emergencies, and even foldable space architecture could all be in play. “I hope people will be able to use this method to create a wide variety of different, deployable structures,” Zaman said.