Some Proteins Find Their 'Soulmate' at Birth

Scientists have discovered that many proteins start teaming up with their partners while they're still being made, a process called co-translational assembly. Proteins are like tiny machines that often need a partner to work properly. If they don’t find their partner quickly, they can break down or misfold, which can lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s or cancer. Using advanced tools like AI predictions and experiments, researchers found that some proteins expose their "partner-binding" parts early, allowing them to pair up immediately.

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The World’s Oldest Cat, Flossie, Just Turned 30 — That's roughly 136 in Human Years

Flossie, the world’s oldest living cat, turned 30 years old this week, an age that roughly equates to almost 140 in human years. Born on 29 December 1995, Flossie has defied expectations and earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records for her remarkable longevity. Despite her advanced age, she remains lively, waking early for breakfast and spending her days alternating between sleep and play. Flossie’s long life has been marked by loyalty and care from three different owners. She lived with her first owner for 10 years until his death, then spent another 14 years with his sister. After her second owner also passed away, Flossie was adopted by Victoria Green, who now cares for her in Orpington, England. Speaking to The Guardian last year, Green said Flossie still surprises her with how active she is. She even bought the cat a small ladder to help her onto the sofa—but Flossie ignored it completely and prefers to keep jumping instead. “She’s lived this long mostly thanks to luck and because her previous owners loved her,” Green said. These days, Flossie follows a special diet tailored to her age but shows no signs of slowing down. Flossie’s story has captured hearts worldwide—not just because of her record-breaking age, but because of the love and care that has followed her throughout her life.

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Memphis Zoo Celebrates Birth of Critically Endangered Orangutan

A team of specialists and experts collaborated to successfully deliver a critically endangered orangutan baby via cesarean section, Memphis Zoo announced on Saturday, December 27. In a press release, the zoo said it was “proud” to introduce Ruhana “Ru,” born earlier in December to mother Jahe. Ru was a cesarean birth, “uncommon” in orangutans, Memphis Zoo said in a press release. The zoo said a specialized team including veterinary experts, an OB-GYN, a neonatologist, and neonatal nurse practitioners supported Jahe before, during, and after the birth. “The name Ruhana means soul, spirit, or essence of life in Sanskrit and honors Ruhana Kuddus, the first female Indonesian journalist and a pioneering advocate for women’s rights. The name was chosen to reflect strength, resilience, and the legacy of powerful women,” Memphis Zoo said. “Ru and Jahe will remain behind the scenes until both are ready to explore their exhibit. We will be sure to share that with Zoo fans when the time comes.”

Rome Is Using Lasers to Clean the 1,800-Year-Old Column of Marcus Aurelius

For the first time in decades, the towering Column of Marcus Aurelius in central Rome is getting a deep clean — but instead of brushes and chisels, workers are now wielding lasers. Rising 47 meters above Piazza Colonna, just steps from the Italian prime minister’s residence, the marble column has stood since the second century C.E. It’s been cleaned before, most recently in the 1980s. But this time, conservators are trying something new: short-pulse lasers that strip away centuries of grime without damaging the delicate carvings underneath. “It was practically black when we started. It was in a really bad way,” said archaeologist Marta Baumgartner, who is leading the restoration. The lasers shoot concentrated bursts of light onto the column’s surface. That heat breaks up the dirt and pollution caked into the stone — much of it from smog — without abrasive scrubbing. Baumgartner told the Associated Press the method delivers excellent results and still shows “great respect” for the marble. The approach is similar to laser skin treatments used in medicine, according to Reuters, but scaled up for ancient stone. The Marcus Aurelius column was built between 180 and 193 C.E. to commemorate the Roman emperor’s military campaigns. Like the more famous Trajan’s Column nearby, it’s wrapped in a dramatic, spiraling frieze that climbs 23 turns up the shaft. More than 2,000 intricately carved figures depict Roman soldiers, enemy warriors, gods, and captives — including scenes of violence and tragedy. “The scenes are bloody and violent,” Baumgartner said. “You see women being grabbed by their hair as they try to save their children. They would have become slaves. They’re really dramatic images.” These carvings aren’t just for show. They’ve become valuable sources for historians studying Roman armor, battle tactics, and daily life in the legions. “It’s almost like a film or a series of photographs,” Baumgartner said. To reach the column’s upper levels, teams have surrounded the monument with scaffolding. Workers use hand-held laser devices from various angles to access tight corners and shadowed reliefs. They're also refreshing the spiral staircase inside, which leads to the top for sweeping views of Rome. Laser cleaning isn’t the only method being used. Crews are also relying on more traditional tools — including water, sponges, chemical poultices, and spatulas — to clean and stabilize the structure. They’re filling in small gaps with plaster where needed. The full restoration is expected to wrap by spring 2026 and will cost around $2.3 million. The project is being funded partly by the European Union’s post-pandemic recovery initiative. Originally, the column was crowned with a statue of Marcus Aurelius himself. But in 1589, Pope Sixtus V swapped it out for a statue of St. Paul, which still stands today. Despite the grime and damage that builds over time, the artistry remains striking. The figures near the top are carved slightly larger than those at the bottom — a visual technique meant to guide the viewer’s eyes upward, through the story. “It really drags the viewer in,” said restorer Valentin Nitu. “Seeing it phase by phase, scene by scene, with the truly wonderful details.” Now, thanks to lasers and a careful hand, that story is about to shine through more clearly than it has in decades.

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Bride Stuns Guests by Baking 13 Unique Cakes for Her Wedding

Samantha Frisby Kawall didn’t just bake her own wedding cake — she baked thirteen. The 33-year-old bride from Provo, Utah, turned her childhood love of baking into a full-blown wedding showstopper, creating a jaw-dropping spread of homemade cakes for her October 11 celebration. The results were so impressive, her wedding videographer, Taylor Nicholson, said she “leveled it up by 100.” “I have never seen anything like this at a wedding before,” Nicholson, 24, told PEOPLE. “The cake spread was absolutely the star of the show. The flavor combinations were so unique and different from anything I have ever seen.” Samantha didn’t stop at a traditional wedding cake. She made 13 different cakes — 15 if you count the tiers — each one crafted from scratch, with its own flavor profile, buttercream, and filling. Among them: raspberry white chocolate Chantilly, cinnamon roll, apple cider doughnut, salted caramel chocolate, chocolate Biscoff, and even one called “The Parent Trap,” made with chocolate and peanut butter. The centerpiece was a three-tier white cake flavored with pink Funfetti, red velvet, and Oreo — from bottom to top. And yes, she did it all herself. “I was stacking my wedding cake and finishing some piping in the middle of the reception in my dress and everything,” Samantha said. “But it’s such a good memory to have and I love sharing cake with people, especially on such a special day.” The week before the wedding, she took over her parents’ kitchen and freezer, working 10 to 12 hours a day. She baked each cake layer in advance, wrapped and froze them, and decorated everything herself. There were setbacks — a few cake failures meant she had to start over — but she kept going. “I started with my wedding cake to really give myself time to get it as perfect as I could,” she said. “None of them were perfect, per se, but I took my time with each one and wanted the decorations to be somewhat cohesive while still matching the flavors of each cake.” Her relatives pitched in by storing cakes in freezers and transporting them to the venue. Once everything was set up, guests were blown away. Nicholson recalled how people were hesitant at first to cut into the cakes — they looked more like artwork than dessert — but once the first slice was served, “guests were all over them.” “Everyone was trying to get the perfect photo,” Nicholson said. “The guests were stunned to see the full cake display… the consensus was that they tasted just as good as they looked!” The couple’s 150 guests weren’t the only ones talking about it. Samantha’s parents say neighbors and friends are still raving about the cakes — and she has plenty left in the freezer for anyone who wants more. “I cut all the leftovers up in individual slices, wrapped them up and froze them in my parents' freezer,” she said. “There's plenty more!” What started as a childhood dream ended in a personal, unforgettable moment. Samantha has since launched a custom cake side business, but says the wedding was always the heart of the plan. “We will have cake for a while,” she said, “but those memories forever.”

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11-Year-Old Lands Snowboard Magazine Cover After Sliding Down Hill on Plastic Lid

Mickey Watkins had never set foot on a snowboard. But that didn’t stop him from landing on the cover of one of the biggest snowboarding magazines in the country. It all started with a plastic bin lid. Last February, the 11-year-old was playing outside near his home when he spotted a group of snowboarders and photographers capturing shots on a snowy hill. Curious, Mickey wandered over to watch. The riders were sliding down the slope and grinding a rail — and Mickey decided to join in, with whatever he could find. He grabbed a plastic tote lid and started sliding. Photographer Mike Yoshida, in town for a professional shoot, noticed Mickey and encouraged him to try standing up on the lid. Yoshida snapped a photo between his sessions with pro riders — a single frame that would end up reshaping the magazine’s next issue. Mickey’s face was completely visible in the shot: no goggles, no expensive gear, just raw joy. It was different from the high-drama, high-performance photos the industry was used to. And it immediately stood out. Yoshida later posted the photo to Instagram. That’s where Colin Wiseman, content and brand director for The Snowboarder’s Journal, saw it. For a magazine known for its striking alpine landscapes and elite athletes, Mickey’s photo was a departure. But to Wiseman, it captured something deeper. The joy of the sport. “It wasn’t about technical skill or style points,” he said. “It was about why people fall in love with snowboarding in the first place.” So the magazine ran with it. Mickey and his plastic bin lid ended up on the cover — a decision that sparked a wave of reactions online. Readers called it one of the most meaningful covers the magazine had ever published. And it didn’t stop there. Snowboarding brands and organizations began reaching out, wanting to support Mickey’s unexpected entry into the sport. He was given a season pass to a local ski hill. Lessons were arranged. He’ll now be learning to snowboard — for real — with a full set of brand-new gear: a board, helmet, goggles, jacket, gloves, bindings, and pants. All thanks to a chance encounter, a plastic lid, and a kid who just wanted to slide down a hill.

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Shaquille O’neal Helps Texas Man Get Second Chance At Becoming Police Officer

Jordan Wilmore was ready to give up on his dream of becoming a police officer. After completing the academy, he missed the mark on Texas’s state peace officer exam. But what could have been the end of the road turned into a new beginning — thanks to a surprise appearance from one of the tallest legends in sports. NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal showed up in person to offer Wilmore something much bigger than encouragement. Wilmore, who hopes to become Texas’s tallest officer, had drawn attention for his height and ambition. After learning about Wilmore’s story on Instagram, Shaq paid a visit to the Kemah Police Department, where he announced he would sponsor Wilmore to go back through the academy and take the exam again. Standing before a crowd, Shaq spoke about the value of failure and the power of second chances. “He reminded everyone that setbacks are part of the path,” said one officer at the event, according to local coverage from KHOU 11. Shaq also shared that he failed his own state law enforcement exams before eventually becoming a certified officer in California and Florida. In addition to his law enforcement credentials, Shaq comes from a family with deep ties to policing. And he’s used his celebrity platform over the years to support others in the field. For Wilmore, the moment was overwhelming. He called the meeting “a blessing” and said he was incredibly grateful for the support. With Shaq’s backing, Wilmore plans to return to the academy in mid-January to prepare for the exam once more. Shaq, always one to deliver surprises, also hinted there could be another reward waiting once Wilmore officially earns his certification. For now, though, the focus is on giving the future officer a second shot — and a much-needed vote of confidence.

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Pilot Program Transforms Lives of Formerly Homeless Residents into New Life of Hope

Deborah Ann Badeau sits in her small apartment listening to Country 94 on the radio. The walls are covered with pictures and drawings. The unit is warm. It is quiet. It is hers. Nearly a year ago, the 61-year-old moved into the Somerset ACRES transitional housing site in Saint John after spending about six years living in a tent. Before that, she had escaped an abusive relationship she says she got out of “with my life.” Seven years ago, after being struck by a bus, she became homeless. “Then I chose to go with a tent because it was a lot freer,” she said. “I knew I was a tough little bird.” She managed through the summers. Winters were harder. When frontline workers told her she would be getting a home, she said the news changed her “whole life.” “Because I was losing all hope and was thinking about suicide,” she said. “I didn’t think there's any point.” On hearing about the housing, she began crying. “I told them, I got nothing — no clothes, no blankets.” When she arrived, she said, everything she needed was already there. “I walk in and everything is right there.” Badeau is one of more than 20 residents at Somerset ACRES, a pilot project run by non-profit Fresh Start Services. The site converted five trailers into 18 micro-units, each one essentially a small bachelor apartment with its own bathroom, kitchenette, basic furniture and storage. Some units accommodate couples. ACRES stands for Advancing Community With Respect, Empowerment and Support. Residents pay 30 percent of their income toward rent. The project’s focus is helping people move from encampments into stable housing and eventually into independent living. For Badeau, the biggest change is feeling safe and warm. “Out in the tent, I was bothered a lot,” she said. She has a mobility disability and chose tents over shelters because she felt her belongings were safer. “People would come and shake the tent because they knew I was a little bit disabled. And then one night I came home and the tent is burnt to the ground.” Melanie Vautour, executive director of Fresh Start, said the pilot is the first in Saint John built on a “housing first” approach, with most residents having experienced homelessness for at least three years. Three residents have already moved on from the site after rebuilding basic tenancy skills such as taking out garbage regularly, learning to cook again and practising good neighbour habits. “So working on a lot of those pieces so that when they move out from the support staff … they can manage maintaining an apartment themselves,” Vautour said. When Somerset ACRES opened a year ago, the site was little more than a gravel lot with trailers. Since then, staff and residents have added grass, flowers, barbeques and a fire pit area, though summer fire bans prevented its use. Residents formed a council to raise concerns, help create rules and shape how the community functions. “It was really about establishing it as a home where they had ownership and they could lead that discussion and those changes themselves,” Vautour said. The project did not arrive quietly. Early in its development, nearby residents expressed concerns about public safety. Since opening, Saint John police have logged 64 calls at Somerset ACRES. Most were non-criminal: 21 medical calls, 16 disputes and 27 well-being checks or reports about damaged or missing property. Vautour said challenges were expected, especially as people transition from life on the street. “They’re transitioning from street life,” she said, adding that residents are learning to “let that go and becoming neighbours.” Some of the calls, she noted, were initiated by residents seeking emergency help, which she sees as a positive shift. “We need to remember that asking for help is a positive thing, especially when, as stated, these calls are non-criminal in nature,” she said. Relations with the surrounding neighbourhood have improved, she added, as residents make efforts to connect locally. Still, many residents remain hesitant to speak publicly, aware of harsh comments and assumptions about homelessness. “When you're trying to make change and you're trying to move forward, it's really difficult to still see the negative comments and the negative assumptions about you,” Vautour said. “For them, there's always that fear: why do we want to talk about how good we're doing when no one's going to believe us anyway?” Somerset ACRES is part of Saint John’s Housing for All strategy and shares similarities with the city’s “green zone” transition housing sites launched this year, which also faced community resistance. Vautour said the main difference is independence. Somerset ACRES offers private units, while the green zone sites use shared kitchens and bathrooms. One of the project’s biggest challenges is finding permanent housing for residents once they are ready to move on. “But in the meantime, for us, it's really about keeping going with those goals and keep moving forward towards independent living,” Vautour said. The pilot was originally planned for two years. Provincial housing minister David Hickey has since confirmed the site will continue for at least one additional year while governments examine long-term options. Badeau hopes to be living independently within the next year. “Its only been a year, so it's pretty hard to get used to, but I'm doing a pretty darn good job, I think,” she said. “I think I'll probably be the first one out because I've had apartments before on my own. So I'm excited to get there.”

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Patrols Hit the Streets in Newfoundland to Rescue Stranded Birds Confused by City Lights

Every fall, along Newfoundland’s eastern coast, a small army of volunteers arms itself with flashlights, pet carriers, and patience — all for the sake of a small seabird that’s losing its way. Leach’s storm petrels, once found in the millions off Newfoundland’s shores, are turning up on land, dazed and vulnerable. At night, the birds can be thrown off course by bright lights from buildings, fishing boats, and offshore oil platforms — especially fledglings attempting their first flight between September and mid-November. “They were falling from the sky, circling, exhausted, falling, breaking their necks on the pavement. And it was absolutely awful,” said Karen Gosse, a volunteer with Rock Wildlife Rescue. “So we’ll take a not busy night any day.” Gosse is part of a growing community effort to save these seabirds, alongside organizations like Rock Wildlife Rescue, CPAWS-NL, and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Thanks to them, petrel rescues have become an annual tradition — a kind of bird-saving patrol. Each night, volunteers gather up stranded birds and bring them to a drop-off site, where they’re assessed and prepared for release. “We have a 24-hour petrel drop off unit,” Gosse said. “If they’re found around the city or brought in by anybody… any time of day or night — they can be dropped off to us at the rescue and we will assess them.” From there, other volunteers transport the birds to beaches in places like Witless Bay, where they can safely take off toward the ocean. Mother-daughter team Jennifer and Chloe Lahey are among the many night owls making it happen. “We go out at about 11 p.m. and we get home around 2 a.m.,” Jennifer said. Despite the hours, Chloe said the payoff is always worth it. “It’s my favourite thing to watch them fly off and just know that you saved their lives, and watch them get another chance.” The mission to protect the petrels has inspired more than just seasoned volunteers. In Musgrave Harbour, kindergarten to Grade 3 students at Gill Memorial Academy are joining the cause. Teacher Rebecca Vincent said her students leapt into action after spotting the birds near school grounds. “They think they’re saving the world is what we’re doing,” Vincent said. “They are very involved in it, and even the Grade 4s and 5s that are moved upstairs ask each day, 'How many birds, Miss?'” Wildlife biologist Taylor Brown understands the pull these little birds have on people. “They’re lovely, small, quirky birds. They make crazy sounds. They recognize each other by smell. They nest in burrows. They mate for life,” Brown said. “They’re just incredibly charismatic animals.” But charm doesn’t protect them. Petrel numbers are falling — dramatically. Ecologist Bill Montevecchi, who has studied petrels for decades, said the species is in real trouble. On Baccalieu Island in the 1980s, he recorded more than six million birds. But as the offshore Grand Banks filled with oil platforms and their blinding flares, things changed. “So what happened over those 30 years? Well, over those 30 years we lit up the Grand Banks,” Montevecchi said in a 2024 interview. And even though the population still numbers in the millions, he warned that large numbers don’t equal safety. “Things that are often really abundant are still highly vulnerable to extinction,” he said. “I mean, you can look at the commercial extinction of cod.” For now, the rescue work continues, carried out by dedicated volunteers, sleepy students, and late-night beachgoers. It’s a patchwork of passion and persistence — a reminder that even small efforts can help protect a species on the brink. And as Chloe Lahey watches each rescued bird take flight, she knows exactly why it matters. “They get another chance,” she said.

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Two Dogs, Two Christmas Miracles: How Loyal Pets Saved Their Owners’ Lives

One year after a near-death experience on a quiet beach in Dorset, David Howarth says he still wakes up each day in disbelief — and gratitude. The 71-year-old widower suffered a cardiac arrest on Sandbanks beach with no one around except his black labrador, Beau. But Beau didn’t panic. He sprang into action. The five-year-old lab began running in circles and barking loudly, eventually catching the attention of Claire Dashwood and her partner, who were walking about 100 metres away. “I feel I owe Beau my life,” Howarth said. “I feel like I’ve won the lottery… I’m just so glad to be alive, to be here, to have another chance.” Dashwood, a 65-year-old healthcare assistant from Bournemouth, initially thought the dog was playing. But as she approached, she saw Howarth lying motionless on the sand. “He was dead, purple and freezing cold,” she said. “I checked his pulse and his airway but there was nothing.” Dashwood called emergency services. Two off-duty doctors, also walking on the beach, rushed over and began CPR until paramedics arrived. Meanwhile, Beau stayed by Dashwood’s side, licking her and offering no resistance. “The dog could have growled at me or attacked me,” she said. “But he kept on licking me. He knew I was helping David.” Howarth was rushed to hospital, where he made a full recovery. Doctors later fitted him with an internal defibrillator. Since the incident, Dashwood carries a dog toy every time she returns to the beach — just in case she runs into Beau again. “Beau is my little hero,” she said. “Every time I see him, he licks my face — and I never let a dog lick my face.” But Beau isn’t the only dog credited with a life-saving act this past holiday season. In Wales, a golden retriever named Maple came to the rescue when her owner, Samantha Forrster, blacked out from hypoglycaemic shock at her home in Ebbw Vale. Forrster, 29, has type 1 diabetes and was home alone while her partner, Joshua Vaughan, was at work. Maple sensed something was wrong. She barked repeatedly, eventually alerting nearby neighbours who heard the commotion and jumped the fence to reach the back door. Inside, they found Forrster unconscious and began administering sugar to stabilize her. “I just remember the next-door neighbours coming in,” Forrster recalled. “I remember them giving me sugar and telling me that Maple had been barking.” Her partner believes Maple may have unknowingly been trained for that moment. “I used to play with Maple and flop over, and she’d lick and bark and wake me up — just playing,” Vaughan said. “I didn’t realise that would end up working. I know that golden retrievers like providing care, but she saved Sam.” Both dogs — a black lab and a golden retriever — acted without hesitation. And both owners now credit their survival to the instincts of their loyal companions. For Howarth, it’s added meaning to his quiet life by the sea. For Forrster, it’s a reminder that even games can lead to lifesaving habits. And for the rest of us, it’s a reminder: sometimes the most powerful kind of help doesn’t come from humans at all.

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For 81 Years, These Two Friends Have Been Mailing the Same Birthday Card Back and Forth

On her 95th birthday, Pat DeReamer opened her mailbox and found a familiar face: a cartoon dog with a red bow and a message that’s been part of her life for more than eight decades. The birthday card, originally sent to Pat in 1944, is now 81 years old — and still in active circulation. It’s the centerpiece of a birthday tradition between two childhood friends that began during World War II and shows no signs of slowing down. Pat was 14 when her family moved from Kentucky to Indianapolis. It was wartime, and she didn’t know many people. One of the first to welcome her was a girl named Mary Wheaton. “I didn’t know very many people, so Mary kind of picked me up out of the gutter and, you know, was nice to me,” Pat told WLKY News. “We became really good friends.” That first year, Mary gave her the card: a light-hearted greeting with a cartoon dinosaur inside and the punchline, “’Cause It’ll Be a Long, Long Time Before You’re an Old Fossil!” After her birthday, Pat didn’t toss it. She signed her name, added a note, and sent it back to Mary on her birthday a month later. That one-off gesture became a lifelong tradition. The two began mailing the card back and forth every year — one signs and dates it, then mails it on. What started as a simple exchange has now endured 81 years, multiple moves, technological shifts, and major life events. “We never said, ‘We’re going to do this.’ At least, I don’t remember ever saying that. It just happened,” Pat said. And it’s lasted far longer than either expected. The birthday card even earned a Guinness World Record after 60 years — officially recognized as the longest-running exchange of a single greeting card. The back-and-forth tradition gave the friends a reason to connect, even when life got busy. “Every year it would give us some reason to call each other and talk,” Pat said. Through the decades, everything changed — the world went to war and came back, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, email replaced handwritten letters — but the birthday card kept arriving like clockwork. Pat knew she’d see it again this year. And as always, she’ll add a new message, date it, and send it back to Mary in May for her 95th. The card itself has outlasted generations of trends and technologies. And while it may be slightly worn after more than 80 trips through the mail, it’s still bringing smiles — and still doing what it was meant to do: celebrate friendship. What began as a simple gesture between two teenage girls is now a living time capsule of their bond — one birthday at a time.

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