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Charity Designs Magical "Living" Picture Books for Kids Who are Blind
The Living Paintings Trust revolutionizes reading for the visually impaired with their Touch to See books. These creations combine tactile images and audio descriptions, allowing blind readers to "visualize" stories through touch and sound. Each page features raised pictures that bring narratives to life, supported by an audio guide. The charity offers a diverse library, from children's books to educational materials on art and nature.
Score (96)
Fungi Could Help Save the Planet — and This Scientist Just Won the ‘nobel of Climate’ for Proving It
Dr Toby Kiers, an evolutionary biologist at Vrije University in Amsterdam, has been awarded the 2026 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement — one of the most prestigious honors in climate science — for her groundbreaking work on one of the planet’s most overlooked ecosystems: fungi. Often described as the "Nobel Prize" for climate, the Tyler Prize comes with a $250,000 award and recognizes outstanding contributions to environmental science, health, and energy. Dr Kiers earned the honor by shining a spotlight on vast underground fungal networks that play a massive, yet invisible, role in absorbing carbon dioxide and supporting life on Earth. “These networks move massive amounts of nutrients and carbon,” Kiers explains. “They are responsible for drawing down 13 billion tons of CO2 into soil systems every year — that’s a third of emissions from fossil fuels.” The fungi in question are called mycorrhizal fungi. They form symbiotic partnerships with plant roots, creating underground superhighways that circulate water, nutrients, and carbon across ecosystems. In exchange for sugars from plants, the fungi deliver nutrients like phosphorus, boost drought resistance, and even make “bigger, sweeter” flowers that help pollinators thrive. For tens of millions of years, these fungi served as root systems for plants, long before plants evolved roots of their own. But today, they’re under threat — and largely ignored. “The destruction of underground networks increases global warming, accelerates biodiversity loss, and disrupts nutrient cycles,” Kiers warns. “Despite their critical importance, less than 0.02 percent of Earth’s terrestrial surface has been mapped for mycorrhizal fungi.” According to Kiers, this blind spot poses a major problem for conservation and climate strategies, which tend to focus on forests and oceans while ignoring what’s underfoot. To fix that, she and her team launched the Underground Atlas last year — the first global map of mycorrhizal fungi distribution. The atlas helps identify regions most vital for fungal conservation and supports efforts to protect these powerful carbon sinks from threats like deforestation, erosion, and harmful agricultural practices. Using lab experiments, her team also discovered that fungi don’t just absorb carbon passively. They actively transport phosphorus from areas of abundance to areas of scarcity, which in turn enhances their carbon-storing capabilities. “My job was just to become an Underground Astronaut, pull together a network of fungal-forward scientists, put on a jumpsuit and work with local collaborators around the world to start exploring,” Kiers said. Her collaborator, biophysicist Tom Shimizu, helped lead the robotic imaging efforts that allowed her team to visualize and study these networks in new ways. Kiers hopes the Tyler Prize helps bring attention to what she calls a “completely invisible” ecosystem. “My aim has been to pioneer a new way of understanding life on Earth,” she said. “But this is hard when the new understanding is completely invisible.” She’s also optimistic that the prize will offer her a rare opportunity as a working scientist: time to dream. “Scientists never get to just dream,” she said. “This will help me take a deep breath and actually dream.” And her goal is as bold as it is rooted in soil: to flip how the world thinks about what’s happening beneath our feet. “Once people are curious,” she says, “they’re hooked for life.”
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From Cafés to Classrooms, These UK Projects Are Transforming Life for Deaf Communities
Whether it’s ordering a latte, attending school, or managing your bank account, three new initiatives in the UK are pushing the boundaries of what accessibility can look like — not just in services, but in everyday life. At the Dialogue Express Café in east London, customers don’t speak their order — they sign it. Housed in a vintage train carriage on the Carpenter’s estate in Newham, the café is run by deaf and hard-of-hearing staff, all trained through the Dialogue Hub social enterprise. Customers are encouraged to use British Sign Language (BSL) with help from guides and video displays, making the café as much about shared experience as it is about coffee. “Having worked in museums and cultural projects, I saw how powerful encounters can be when people step outside their comfort zone,” said Dialogue Hub founder Hakan Elbir. “The café grew out of that belief – a place where deaf and hearing communities meet naturally, over something as simple and universal as coffee.” To Elbir, it’s not just about access. “It’s about celebrating diversity and making it part of everyday life.” That same philosophy is shaping the design of Heathlands School in St Albans — the UK’s largest school for deaf children and young people. Its layout is inspired by DeafSpace, an architectural approach that emphasizes visual communication and spatial awareness. First developed at Gallaudet University in the U.S., DeafSpace uses principles like clear sightlines for signing, soft colors to reduce visual fatigue, and quiet ventilation systems to minimize noise for hearing aid users. “It is amazing the difference that tiny details make and how welcoming the school feels,” said Lesley Reeves Costi, co-headteacher at Heathlands. Meanwhile, in the tech world, UK startup Silence Speaks is developing an AI-powered avatar that translates text into sign language in real time. Created by deaf engineers, the system accounts for regional BSL styles and aims to convey not just words, but emotion and intent — a crucial step toward meaningful communication. The avatar is being trialled for use in healthcare settings, shopping centers, education, and public transport — even in personal banking and video calls. The team is also testing more creative applications, including sign-language greeting cards where recipients scan a QR code to receive a personalised message from the AI avatar. “As a doctor, I’ve seen firsthand how silence can isolate – but I’ve also seen how the smallest act of communication can restore dignity,” said Dr John LeeAllen, an NHS doctor and tech investor who sits on Silence Speaks’ board. “Silence Speaks is more than innovation: it restores human connection.” Together, these projects reflect a broader shift toward inclusion that goes beyond minimum accessibility. By creating environments, experiences, and technologies designed with deaf people — not just for them — they’re helping to build a more connected society.
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Score (96)
Scientists Say They've Developed an Antibody to Unmask and Attack Pancreatic Cancer
Researchers at Northwestern University have discovered a sugar-coated trick that helps pancreatic cancer evade the immune system — and they’ve developed a promising way to fight back. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal forms of the disease, often diagnosed too late and resistant to even the most advanced treatments. Now, a team led by Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen, associate professor of medicine at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, has identified a key reason why: the tumors disguise themselves using a sugar signal that tells immune cells not to attack. “It took our team about six years to uncover this novel mechanism, develop the right antibodies and test them,” Abdel-Mohsen said. “Seeing it work was a major breakthrough.” Their findings, published in the journal Cancer Research, show that pancreatic tumors mimic healthy cells by displaying a sugar molecule called sialic acid on their surface. This molecule is usually a protective signal, helping normal cells avoid being mistakenly attacked. But in pancreatic tumors, the sugar is added to a protein called integrin α3β1, which then binds to a receptor on immune cells known as Siglec-10 — essentially telling the immune system to stand down. “In short, the tumor sugar-coats itself — a classic wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing move — to escape immune surveillance,” Abdel-Mohsen said. The team didn’t stop at identifying the disguise. They developed a monoclonal antibody that blocks the sugar-protein interaction, stripping away the tumor’s protection. In lab and animal tests, this allowed immune cells — particularly macrophages — to recognize and attack the cancer. In mice, the treatment slowed tumor growth significantly compared to untreated controls. Creating the antibody was no easy feat. “We screened thousands [of hybridomas] before finding the one that worked,” Abdel-Mohsen said. Pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of just 13%, and unlike other cancers, it often resists immunotherapy. Part of the problem is the low immune activity in and around pancreatic tumors. This study sheds light on why that is — and how it might be reversed. “There’s a strong scientific rationale to believe combination therapy will allow us to reach our ultimate goal: a full remission,” Abdel-Mohsen said. “We don’t want only a 40% tumor reduction or slowing down. We want to remove the cancer altogether.” The researchers are now refining the antibody for use in humans, with plans for early safety and dosing studies. They’re also testing how the antibody performs when paired with chemotherapy and current immunotherapies. Another priority is developing a diagnostic tool to identify which patients have tumors using this sugar-based disguise, allowing for more personalized treatment. If progress continues as expected, Abdel-Mohsen estimates that the treatment could be available to patients in about five years. The implications go beyond pancreatic cancer. His lab, which specializes in glyco-immunology — the study of how sugars influence the immune system — is already investigating whether this immune-evading tactic appears in other tough-to-treat cancers, like glioblastoma, or in non-cancer diseases where the immune system is misled. “We're just scratching the surface of this field,” Abdel-Mohsen said. “Here at Northwestern, we're positioned to turn these sugar-based insights into real treatments for cancer, infectious diseases, and aging-related conditions.” The study was supported in part by Northwestern’s Center for Human Immunobiology and multiple NIH grants. It represents a growing interest in sugar-based immunology, a field that could help reshape how scientists think about immune evasion — and how to outsmart it.
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This Glacier in Central Asia Is Growing — And Scientists Want to Know Why
While glaciers around the world continue to melt at alarming rates, one in Central Asia is doing something different: it’s growing. And now, scientists hope that a pair of newly extracted ice cores from the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan might hold the secret to its resilience. The glacier, known as the Kon-Chukurbashi ice cap, sits high in the mountains at the intersection of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and China. It has somehow managed to expand while thousands of others have shrunk or vanished completely. In early 2026, an international research team traveled to the remote site, drilled through 100 meters of ice, and extracted a record of glacial history going back 30,000 years. “If we could learn the mechanism behind the increased volume of ice there, then we may be able to apply that to all the other glaciers around the world,” said Yoshinori Iizuka, a professor at the University of Hokkaido’s Institute of Low Temperature Science, one of the institutions analyzing the ice. “That may be too ambitious a statement. But I hope our study will ultimately help people,” he told AFP. Each core, about the diameter of a soda can, contains compressed layers of snowfall dating back tens of thousands of years. Chemical markers, particles, and trapped air inside the ice can help reconstruct past climate conditions and changes in the environment. The Kon-Chukurbashi glacier wasn’t even the scientists’ first choice. Their original target was the Vanch-Yakh Glacier, the longest glacier outside the polar regions, but dangerous conditions prevented helicopter access. Kon-Chukurbashi became the backup — and may now offer unexpected insights. Like Vanch-Yakh, Kon-Chukurbashi has shown surprising resilience to warming temperatures. That makes it a prime candidate for understanding how some glaciers manage to persist in a rapidly changing climate. The team behind the expedition included researchers from Switzerland, Tajikistan, Russia, and Japan. With no easy access to the site, they carried the ice cores down the mountain in 20-inch segments stacked in trays inside coolers on their backs. From there, the precious cargo was loaded into a 4×4, then into a refrigerated truck. The operation was backed by the Swiss-based Ice Memory Foundation, which collects and preserves ice cores from endangered glaciers around the world. One copy of each sample is archived in Antarctica, where the stable environment can protect it for future generations of scientists. Some early observations are already raising questions. Russian scientist Stanislav Kutuzov told AFP that his team analyzed the first 50 meters of core in just one day. But starting around 70 meters down, the ice became dense with dust particles — more than they’d ever seen before. The final five meters of core were yellow in color, an unusual feature that could point to past environmental events or volcanic activity. What exactly those layers represent is still unknown. Research is ongoing at Hokkaido’s labs, where scientists are carefully cataloging every slice of the glacier’s ancient story. Glaciers are shrinking globally, not just due to rising temperatures but also changing weather patterns, loss of snowfall, and pollution. According to the UN, glaciers in many parts of the world are losing more than a meter of thickness each year. Some experts estimate that two-thirds of the world’s glaciers could disappear by the end of the century if emissions aren’t drastically cut. That’s why the Kon-Chukurbashi glacier matters. It’s not just a scientific curiosity — it’s a potential clue. If researchers can figure out what’s kept this glacier alive, they may be able to find ways to help others survive too. Or at the very least, preserve what’s left while there’s still time.
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How Food Banks Are Fighting Hunger — and Climate Change — at the Same Time
The Global Foodbanking Network (GFN) is proving that tackling hunger doesn’t have to come at the planet’s expense. In fact, it can help protect it. In their 2024 annual impact report, the nonprofit revealed that food banks in over 50 countries provided more than 1.7 billion meals to 40 million people worldwide. But they didn’t stop there. By intercepting food that would have otherwise gone to waste, these food banks also helped prevent an estimated 1.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. The report highlights a growing awareness that solving food insecurity and addressing climate change can go hand in hand — especially when communities are involved. “Nearly a third of the world’s food is lost or wasted at the post-harvest, retail, and consumer levels, never reaching the people who need it,” the GFN team wrote. “Food loss and waste proves costly for producers, takes up space in landfills, and emits harmful greenhouse gases, intensifying climate change.” Food is wasted at every stage of the supply chain, from fields that never get harvested to shrink-wrapped products that sit too long on store shelves. Supermarkets are some of the worst culprits, routinely tossing food that’s blemished, slightly damaged, or close to its sell-by date. Once in landfills, all that organic waste releases methane — a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term. GFN’s approach focuses on food recovery: partnering with producers, wholesalers, retailers, and farmers to rescue edible surplus food before it’s discarded. That food is then distributed through local food banks to people facing hunger. “Food banks offer an effective solution to this problem,” the report said, “[by] partnering with producers and actors at all stages of the supply chain to recover wholesome surplus food and redirecting it to people facing hunger.” The results speak for themselves. The 2023 data shows that food banks aren’t just a safety net for struggling communities. They’re also a key player in cutting food waste, reducing emissions, and building more sustainable food systems around the world.
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Florida Deputies Help Rescue an Entangled Shark at Manatee Public Beach
Two deputies in Florida jumped into action after spotting a shark in distress near a popular beach on January 9. Deputies Judy and Hernandez of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office were patrolling the swim zones at Manatee Public Beach when they noticed the shark struggling in the water. It had become entangled in fishing gear and was unable to swim free. They quickly called in marine experts from Mote Marine Laboratory, who arrived on the scene and removed several hooks and pieces of fishing line from the animal. According to the sheriff’s office, the shark had likely been hooked by a beach angler and then became further entangled after the fishing line wrapped around a crab trap buoy line. The line likely snapped between the angler and the trap, leaving the shark trapped. Officials said the shark probably wouldn’t have survived without the quick response from the deputies and marine team.
Score (96)
Island Community Rallies Together to Rebuild After Devastating Storm
Residents of St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly are rallying together after Storm Goretti tore through the island with 159 km/h winds, leaving behind a trail of destruction not seen in living memory. The January 8 storm, which struck as it crossed the Atlantic into Cornwall, hit the island community hard. Trees were uprooted, buildings were damaged, and long-time locals say they’ve never experienced anything like it. “It has completely changed the landscape of the island,” said Clinton Perry, a local tree surgeon. “I don't think anyone can remember so much devastation.” Perry described the dangerous and complex task of clearing windblown trees. “They land where they're blown, the root plate is up, they're resting against other trees and you've got a lot of broken stuff above you,” he said. “Everything is under tension, split, broken timber which is unpredictable when you're cutting it.” Tree surgeons are being flown in from the mainland to help, with some expected to stay for up to eight weeks. Damage to homes and buildings has added to the workload. Tony Dingley, who owns holiday accommodation on the seafront in Hugh Town, said the wind blew an entire UPVC window into one of his rooms. “We heard this incredible noise,” he said. “We couldn’t get into that room, we couldn’t move the door inwards because of the air pressure. When we did, there was a big hole in the wall.” His steel and glass balustrade was left “swaying in the wind,” but like many others, Dingley found comfort in the island’s tight-knit spirit. “Everybody’s looking after each other and that’s why it’s a nice place to be,” he said. Guest house owner Bryony Lishman echoed that sentiment. “It was definitely the worst storm that we’ve had in the 24 years I’ve been in Mincarlo,” she said. “Slates were flying off the front of the house, right over the back and smashing here, there and everywhere. It was quite scary.” Despite the damage, she added, “there’s still no place I’d rather be because everyone just pulls together to fix everything up.” With a population of around 1,800, St Mary’s is the largest inhabited island in the Isles of Scilly. Its remote location, while picturesque, makes emergency response and recovery efforts more challenging. Helicopters and ferries have been working overtime to bring in people, tools, and supplies. Dave Page of Penzance Helicopters said their first post-storm flight ferried National Grid workers and tree surgeons. Since chainsaws are classified as dangerous goods, they had to be carefully vented and stored for 48 hours before transport. “It’s been a challenge,” he said, “but it’s an honour to serve the islands.” Builder Tyrane Van Den Berg said the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group delivered a special sailing packed with much-needed building materials to help with the recovery. “The community has outshone itself again,” he said. “When we have moments like these, we all come together and make it happen.” That spirit of resilience and togetherness has defined the response so far. The physical scars from Storm Goretti may take time to heal, but residents say the strength of their island community is as solid as ever.
Score (98)
Missing Microchipped Dog Reunites With Family 5 Years After Disappearance
A Florida family has been reunited with their beloved dog five years after he disappeared—and the story is leaving people in tears. Parker, a now 13-year-old pup, was just 8 when he wandered out through an accidentally open gate at his family’s home in Hernando County. Despite a neighborhood search effort and weeks of heartbreak, the trail eventually went cold. His family never gave up hope completely, but as time passed, they feared the worst. Then, on Sunday, January 12, came the call they never expected. A good Samaritan found a tired-looking dog by the side of the road, not far from where Parker had originally gone missing. The dog was brought to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office Animal Services, where staff scanned him for a microchip. Within minutes, they had a match—and Parker’s family had their miracle. “Tired, thinner than he once was, and moving more slowly with age, Parker had clearly been through a long journey,” the sheriff’s office told Spectrum News. “Had he made a long trek that led him home or had he been with someone else nearby, we may never know.” The moment Parker’s mom arrived, she wasn’t sure it was really him—until she looked into his eyes. Despite the weight loss and gray hairs, she knew. It was her boy. The reunion has sparked an outpouring of emotion online. The sheriff’s office shared the story on Facebook, where it quickly went viral. “The chills, the happiness, the tears. Wow. I’m so glad they are reunited,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “This is amazing. So many senior dogs that people just dump or don’t care about anymore. But Parker’s people were waiting for him and will give him the best retirement, full of love and cuddles.” Officials used the moment to highlight how crucial microchipping can be. “Parker’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of microchipping, keeping information updated, and never underestimating the impact of a small tool that can lead to life-changing reunions,” the sheriff’s office said. “Most of all, it is a reminder that love has no expiration date—and sometimes, miracles really do happen.” Parker is now back where he belongs, curled up with his family, soaking in all the love and attention. Slower, yes—but home.
Score (98)
Cathedral Transforms With Stunning Immersive Light And Sound Show
Manchester Cathedral has been dramatically transformed into a living, breathing tribute to the city’s cultural legacy — and the results are nothing short of spectacular. In a UK-first, the historic cathedral is now home to an immersive light and sound experience that bathes its stone walls in vivid projections while a live orchestra and choir belt out Manchester’s most iconic anthems. From Joy Division to The Verve to Oasis, the soundtrack is pure Northern soul. Images from the opening nights show the cathedral’s ancient interior lit up like never before, with high-powered projectors turning the medieval space into a 360-degree storytelling canvas. While the music fills the air, the walls glow with visuals synced to narration by Manchester’s own Christopher Eccleston, who guides audiences through the city’s history and influence on the world stage. The project comes from LUMINISCENCE, the global collective behind similar immersive concerts in cathedrals across France, Spain, Brazil, and the U.S. But this is their first time bringing the experience to the UK — and they chose Manchester for a reason. Running from January 14 to March 26, 2026, the show combines cutting-edge tech with classical performance and local pride. Inside the cathedral, visitors are surrounded by massive digital displays that bring to life everything from the city’s industrial past to its music scene, all set to a powerful live performance. And it’s not just the visuals or music drawing people in. For many, the project is a reminder of what Manchester represents — grit, creativity, and the power of reinvention. One moment, projections ripple across the vaulted ceiling as an orchestra plays “Bittersweet Symphony.” The next, Eccleston’s voice cuts through, reflecting on the city’s punk roots and its global impact. By placing Manchester’s story inside its oldest sacred building, LUMINISCENCE has created something that feels reverent but current. It's not just a light show. It's Manchester, lit from within.
Score (98)
New Delhi Teens Recycle 2 Million Pounds Of Waste After Asthma Attack Inspires Action
Two brothers in New Delhi turned an asthma diagnosis into a city-wide cleanup movement—and picked up a major international award along the way. Vihaan and Nav Agarwal were just teenagers when they realized the air in their city was making Vihaan sick. The culprit? Rampant garbage burning, especially at towering landfills like Ghazipur, which regularly spewed smoke into Delhi’s already-polluted skies. When a portion of that landfill collapsed and caught fire in 2017, coating entire neighborhoods in toxic haze, the brothers knew something had to change. They started small. Vihaan and Nav began separating their household waste into recyclable categories, only to be told the city’s waste collectors wouldn’t pick it up. That might’ve ended things for most people, let alone two kids. But instead, they went door to door, convincing neighbors to do the same. Once they had 15 households participating, local officials finally agreed to collect the sorted trash. That tiny act of persistence sparked a movement. Today, the Agarwal brothers’ nonprofit, OneStepGreener, manages segregated waste collection for more than 3,000 households. Their work spans 14 cities across India and includes everything from recycling education to reforestation projects. Along the way, they’ve helped recycle more than 2 million pounds of waste—about the same amount New Delhi produces in a single day. “The main issue in waste management is that everybody thinks it’s not their job, or if the waste is out of their house, it’s out of their mind,” Vihaan told Euro News. The brothers have turned that mindset on its head. OneStepGreener doesn’t just collect trash. It sorts it meticulously—newspapers from office paper, PET bottles from other plastics, even computer monitors from keyboards—so that as much of it as possible can actually be recycled. The organization also plants trees in urban spaces, aiming to reduce the smog that first sparked their activism. Their efforts were recognized globally when they received the International Children’s Peace Prize, an award previously given to climate activist Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai. For the Agarwals, though, it’s not about the accolades. It’s about proving what’s possible. “If it can be done in Delhi,” Nav said, “one of the largest, most polluted cities in the world, it can be done anywhere.”