Fake Skin, Real Progress: New Model Boosts Wearable Tech Testing

Exciting news in health tech! Scientists have developed a biomimetic skin phantom to test wearable devices more effectively. This model mimics human skin's electrical behavior, making testing easier and more reliable. The phantom has two layers that replicate the skin's surface and deeper tissues, allowing for accurate testing of different skin conditions. This innovation will lead to faster development of wearable health technology and improve device reliability for everyone.

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Scientists Just Discovered the Oldest Dome-Headed Dinosaur Fossil

A pint-sized dinosaur with a polished dome on its head is rewriting what scientists know about a famously oddball group of plant-eating dinosaurs. Researchers working in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert have identified Zavacephale rinpoche, the oldest known pachycephalosaur and the most complete specimen ever found. The discovery, published Wednesday in Nature, fills in a missing chapter in the evolutionary story of these dome-headed dinosaurs. Anyone who grew up with dinosaur books will remember pachycephalosaurs, often drawn slamming their skulls into rivals like prehistoric bighorn sheep. But in reality, paleontologists rarely find anything more than the thick skull domes, leaving much about the animals a mystery. “The exception is their cranial domes, which were practically indestructible and are usually all we find of these critters,” said Lindsay Zanno, a paleontologist at North Carolina State University. “Almost all of these skull caps date back to the Late Cretaceous, when pachycephalosaurs were already established across the Northern Hemisphere, obscuring the group’s early evolution.” That’s what makes Zavacephale so important. In 2019, Mongolian paleontologist Tsogtbaatar Chinzorig spotted the top of a skull sticking out of a cliffside in the Gobi. The rocks dated back 115 to 108 million years, to the Early Cretaceous, far older than most pachycephalosaur finds. As researchers carefully removed the fossil, they realized they had struck scientific gold: a nearly complete skeleton. It included the first known pachycephalosaur hand, a complete tail reinforced with petrified tendons, and even gastroliths—small stones once used by the animal to grind plants in its stomach. The team named the new species Zavacephale rinpoche. The species name, meaning “precious one” in Tibetan, refers to the way the rounded skull looked like a polished gemstone when it was first uncovered. Despite its name, Zavacephale was no giant. It was roughly the size of a miniature poodle but had already developed a full dome and had likely reached adulthood. How exactly pachycephalosaurs used their signature headgear has long been debated. Some experts think the domes were for attracting mates or helping individuals recognize each other, while others point to evidence of healed injuries on skulls suggesting they were used for headbutting. “This fossil tells us that the dome head evolved early in pachycephalosaur evolution and arose long before Zavacephale’s bigger cousins started littering the latest Cretaceous fossil record with their skull caps,” said Stephen Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh who was not involved in the study. Still, Zavacephale’s dome had quirks. Unlike later pachycephalosaurs, its cranium was formed mostly from a single skull bone, and it lacked the ornamental knobs and spikes that became common among its descendants. Zanno sees this as just the beginning. “Zavacephale was just an opening act,” she said, “and now we get to see more of the show.”

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This Turtle Trapped By Brexit Has Finally Returned Home

Barnacle Bill, a loggerhead turtle stranded in Guernsey for nearly two years because of Brexit red tape, is finally heading home to the Atlantic. The young female turtle was rescued by the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) in November 2023 after Storm Ciarán washed her ashore, weak, covered in barnacles, and weighing less than one kilogram. She is now more than 13 kilograms and ready to be released near the Azores. “To get the news Barnacle Bill is finally on route to warm waters to be released is such amazing news,” said GSPCA manager Steve Byrne. “We’ve been told she now weighs over 13kg compared to under 1kg when we rescued her, which means Barnacle Bill is ready to return to her natural habitat near the Azores, where she will have the chance to thrive in the wild and is currently on route to Horta.” When Barnacle Bill first arrived at the shelter, she was only the second loggerhead turtle ever recorded in Guernsey. But efforts to return her home quickly ran into complications. Post-Brexit rules on CITES health certificates made it impossible to transport her abroad, even with a local islander offering a private jet. The GSPCA described the paperwork hurdles as “insurmountable.” After more than a year of care, and with no confirmed support from the Royal Navy, the GSPCA coordinated with Sea Life Brighton, which had just opened a sea turtle rehabilitation and repatriation centre. Thanks to cooperation between UK and Guernsey authorities, Barnacle Bill was transferred there in December 2024 with the help of Condor Ferries. At Sea Life Brighton, curators worked to prepare her for life back in the ocean. She was kept in conditions that mimicked the wild, including artificial waves and rain, limited human interaction, and opportunities to forage for food. “Getting to put her in the water – going back off to hopefully live a long, healthy life – I'm sure will be emotional,” said Sea Life Brighton curator Joe Williams. Loggerhead turtles are listed as a vulnerable species by the World Wildlife Fund, facing threats such as habitat loss, marine pollution, and accidental capture in fishing nets. Joe noted that while turtles can wash into UK waters due to storms and changing ocean conditions, the seas around Britain are too cold for them to survive. Steve Byrne urged the public to call rescue teams if they come across turtles on local beaches. “If people find turtles stranded on beaches, it would be almost a death sentence for that turtle to return them to the sea,” he said. “This recent stormy weather could easily wash turtles in to our shores if in the area so keep an eye out.” After nearly two years in care, Barnacle Bill’s return to the ocean has become more than just a rescue story. “Barnacle Bill’s story is a testament to the power of collaboration, compassion, and determination,” Byrne said. “The GSPCA extends heartfelt thanks to all who played a role in her recovery and journey home.”

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Move Over Nicolas Cage, the National Archives Has the Real Treasure

For the first time, visitors to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. will be able to view the entire United States Constitution. From September 16 through October 1, the museum’s Rotunda will feature all five pages of the document, including the rarely seen transmittal page. That final sheet instructed the states on how to implement the Constitution and bears the signature of George Washington, then president of the Constitutional Convention. The National Archives usually has the Declaration of Independence, the first four pages of the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights on permanent display. But this limited exhibition will be the first time that all five Constitution pages, along with the Bill of Rights and the 17 other amendments, are shown together. The transmittal page was briefly exhibited in 2012, but never alongside the full Constitution. “As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, the National Archives is playing a major role in the coast-to-coast commemorations by providing the American people access to their history,” said Jim Byron, senior adviser to the acting archivist, in a statement. “This extraordinary installation welcomes all Americans to celebrate the bedrock of our national life: our Constitution.” The Constitution currently has 27 ratified amendments. The first ten are collectively known as the Bill of Rights, and visitors will also be able to see the remaining 17 amendments on display. Admission to the National Archives is free, and tickets are not required, but officials expect heavy crowds for the special showing. Timed-entry reservations are available online, and the Archives is extending weekend hours to accommodate more visitors. The exhibition is part of a wider effort by the National Archives to mark America’s 250th anniversary. In October, the museum will complete a $40 million renovation and open a new permanent exhibition, The American Story. The 10,000-square-foot galleries will feature digital display cases, media stations, and interactive tools powered by artificial intelligence to let visitors explore the Archives’ records. For now, guests can visit Opening the Vault, a rotating display of artifacts tied to pivotal people and events in U.S. history. Other institutions are also preparing anniversary projects. The Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia will soon debut The Declaration’s Journey, tracing the global impact of the Declaration of Independence. The Concord Museum in Massachusetts is organizing its own series of special shows. Next year, the New York Public Library will exhibit one of Thomas Jefferson’s handwritten copies of the Declaration, penned just days after Congress adopted it in 1776. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will open In Pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness, a museum-wide exhibition of 250 historical objects. And the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is preparing America at 250, an exhibition examining how artists have shaped ideas of nationhood and identity.

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How Floating 'Pinecone Huts' are Protecting Ducks From Heat And Typhoons

As climate change drives hotter summers and more violent storms, humans aren’t the only ones needing to adapt. At a bed and breakfast resort in Taiwan, the owners worried about the ducks living on their property and how they would cope with rising heat and frequent typhoons. So they turned to artist and architect Cheng Tsung Feng, who designed a set of floating shelters meant just for the ducks. The project, called Nesting Plan VI Call Duck, is part of Feng’s series exploring how humans can borrow from nature’s nest-building techniques. This version takes the form of pinecone-style huts, crafted with rope-weaving methods and pine wood arranged in overlapping slats for ventilation, drainage, and shade. Feng studied the behavior of the resort’s call ducks before finalizing his design. Staff placed prototypes in the pond and filmed how the ducks interacted with them, allowing adjustments to details like buoyancy and window height. He noticed the ducks often gathered in four distinct groups, so he built four shelters of different scales and heights to suit them. “The structures were intended to provide a safe, comfortable, and weather-resistant habitat for the ducks, especially during Taiwan's intensely hot summers and frequent typhoons,” Feng told Dezeen. He added that the birds prefer dry, secluded corners, where they usually gather leaves and straw to make hidden nests. Circular windows give the ducks a view from inside, while guests at the resort can look through telescopes in their rooms to watch them. Each hut even has automatic lighting that switches on during winter evenings, offering a warm glow for both animals and human spectators. About 25 ducks now call the shelters home, enjoying a refuge that blends function with a nod to the natural pinecones already scattered around the landscape. What started as a practical solution has turned into something that feels almost poetic: a piece of architecture that protects wildlife while drawing inspiration directly from it.

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Widow Finds Solace and Community on TikTok Through Late-Night Snack Videos

For more than four decades, Donna and Patrick Clement ended their days the same way: with a snack and a quiet chat before bed. The LaFayette, Georgia couple raised three children and juggled busy lives, but no matter how hectic the day, they carved out time late at night to connect. Sometimes they shared the same treat, but often it was different — Patrick preferred sweets, especially ice cream, while Donna leaned salty. “A lot of the nights, he would've already gone upstairs and I'd come in with our snacks and he'd just light up to see I'd brought him something to eat,” Donna, 66, told PEOPLE. That nightly ritual came to an end in March when Patrick died at 68. For months, Donna leaned on her family, her faith, and her community, but nights felt especially heavy. “There got to be nights I would ache to talk to somebody, and I try not to bother my kids late at night,” she said. One evening, she decided to share her snack and her thoughts with TikTok instead. She filmed a short video as if she were talking to Patrick beside her. In July, it went viral. Now, Donna has nearly half a million followers, many of whom tune in nightly to see her snack, listen to her reflections, and leave messages of encouragement. “I’ve just gained a community,” she said. “I feel like I have half a million new friends.” Comments pour in from strangers who say her videos bring them comfort. One wrote, “You could talk about how dry the dirt is for an hour and I would listen. You do you! You are FABULOUS and you bring so much joy to so many people.” Another thanked her for making “being in a new city alone a lot better.” For Donna, the videos have transformed her nights from something she dreaded into something she looks forward to. “I used to just dread nighttime — and of course I think things are always worse when the sun goes down. But now I can’t wait until it gets here. I usually film around 10 o’clock at night, and it just gives me something to look forward to.” Her followers often suggest new snacks to try, which she takes with good humor. “It’s so fun. People will comment suggestions like, ‘You should try this’ or ‘You should try that.’ So I’ll take their advice, and sometimes it’s the same, sometimes it’s different — but it’s really fun.” Though Patrick never got to see his wife’s TikTok following grow, Donna believes he’d get a kick out of it. “He just would not believe it, you know? But I think he can see it, and I sure hope he can. Of course, he’s probably just shaking his head, but I’m sure he’s getting a big kick out of it.” Donna says sharing her story has also helped her understand grief in a new way. “I was fortunate — I had almost 44 years with my husband. He saw his kids grow, he saw his first grandchild. But there are people who share that their husband passed when their kids were babies, or that they’ve lost a child.” Her late-night ritual may have started as a private act of love, but today it’s helping others feel less alone. “If everyone could know how much they’ve healed me, and how much they mean to me, I wish they could,” Donna said. “I wish everybody could know that.”

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Animal Experts Rescued an Entangled Whale Amid 45 MPH Winds; Most Challenging Mission Of The Season

Rescuers in Australia have freed a humpback whale that became tangled in a fishing line and thick rope off the coast of South Golden Beach. The operation unfolded on September 11 after a member of the public spotted the animal “in a compromised state” and alerted the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA). The group then called in the Sea World Foundation and Marine Rescue Brunswick Heads to assist. When crews reached the whale, they saw the rope wrapped tightly around its tail. Initial attempts to lasso and pull it free didn’t work, made even harder by strong winds gusting up to 40 knots. The team then deployed a buoy to stabilize the situation and give rescuers closer access to cut through the line. After about an hour of work, the rope was finally cut loose and the whale swam away. Despite the difficult conditions, rescuers said the animal stayed calm throughout the effort. “Yeah, that final cut, all the gear comes off, it’s always a great feeling, even more so today,” Sea World Foundation skipper Andy Mulville told 9 News. The foundation described it as their most challenging rescue of the season. Entanglements remain a deadly threat to marine life, with the International Whaling Commission estimating that around 300,000 whales and dolphins die every year from becoming caught in fishing equipment. This time, the whale was one of the lucky ones.

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NASA Confirms Discovery Of 6,000 Exoplanets, Heralds New Era Of Exploration

NASA’s list of known exoplanets just hit a major milestone: 6,000 confirmed worlds beyond our solar system. The agency announced the news on September 17, noting that only three years ago the count was at 5,000. With more than 8,000 additional candidates still awaiting confirmation, the pace of discovery appears to be accelerating. “We’re entering the next great chapter of exploration — worlds beyond our imagination,” a narrator says in a NASA video marking the occasion. The announcement comes near the anniversary of one of astronomy’s biggest breakthroughs. On October 6, 1995, astronomers Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz confirmed the first planet orbiting a sun-like star: 51 Pegasi b, a gas giant about 0.64 times the mass of Jupiter and 50 light-years away. Earlier discoveries had been made around pulsars, but 51 Pegasi b was the first “normal” exoplanet detection. Unlike that landmark moment, there’s no single “6,000th” exoplanet. “Confirmed planets are added to the count on a rolling basis by scientists from around the world, so no single planet is considered the 6,000th entry,” NASA explained. Still, one of the newest additions is KMT-2023-BLG-1896L b, a Neptune-like planet with about 16 times the mass of Earth. NASA’s telescopes are behind much of the growing list. The Kepler Space Telescope, retired in 2018, identified more than 2,600 planets, while the still-active Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has confirmed nearly 700 so far. The catalog spans an astonishing variety. Of the 6,007 exoplanets confirmed as of this week, 2,035 are Neptune-like, 1,984 are gas giants, and 1,761 are super-Earths — planets larger than Earth but lighter than Neptune. There are also about 700 rocky worlds and seven classified as “unknown.” Each one represents an entirely new world, and in some cases, they defy imagination. Astronomers have found planets with molten surfaces, ones racing through space at 1.6 million kilometers per hour, and even a diamond-like planet capable of regenerating its atmosphere. “Each of the different types of planets we discover gives us information about the conditions under which planets can form and, ultimately, how common planets like Earth might be, and where we should be looking for them,” said Dawn Gelino, who leads NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “If we want to find out if we’re alone in the universe, all of this knowledge is essential.” For all the discoveries, one remains elusive. As NASA’s video puts it: “There’s one we haven’t found — a planet just like ours.” At least, not yet.

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‘God is Blessing Me So I Can Bless Others’: Woman Wins Lottery, Donates Entire Prize to Charities

Carrie Edwards could have kept her lottery winnings for herself. Instead, she gave all of it away. The Virginia woman won $150,000 in the September 8 Powerball drawing after matching four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball number. Normally that pays out $50,000, but because Edwards had paid an extra dollar for the Power Play option, her winnings tripled. On Tuesday she collected her prize and immediately donated the entire sum in three $50,000 gifts. The first went to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, in honor of her late husband Steve, who died from the disorder. “This cause is deeply personal,” Edwards said. “During World FTD Awareness Month, I wanted this gift to shine a light on the families who are fighting this disease and on the researchers working toward a cure. God is blessing me so I can bless others through him.” Her second donation went to Shalom Farms, a nonprofit in Richmond that promotes food justice and sustainable farming. The third supported the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, which helps active-duty members, veterans, and their families with financial, educational, and emergency assistance. “These three organizations represent healing, service, and community,” she said. “Shalom Farms heals through food and soil, AFTD brings hope through research, and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society carries forward the tradition of supporting military families in times of need.” By parting with her entire prize, Edwards said she wanted her windfall to serve as an example. “I feel blessed that this unexpected lottery win can serve a greater purpose,” she said.

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Colossal Biosciences Achieves Breakthrough in Dodo De-Extinction Efforts, Predicts Return Within 7 Years

Colossal Biosciences says it has crossed one of the biggest hurdles yet in its quest to bring back the extinct dodo bird. The Texas-based company announced on September 17 that its scientists successfully cultured pigeon primordial germ cells, or PGCs, the reproductive precursors needed to recreate extinct bird species. Until now, this kind of breakthrough had only been achieved in chickens and geese. “Only three bird species have ever had [PGC culture conditions], and now pigeons,” said Ben Lamm, Colossal’s co-founder and CEO. “It’s very, very hard to do, and we did this in 18 months, so this was a very, very big step. This was a huge technology unlock for the dodo.” Culturing PGCs not only pushes avian science forward, it also lets Colossal put a timeline on its most high-profile project. “We couldn’t tell people [if] dodos are going to take 20 years to bring back or 30 years to bring back until we got to this PGC,” Lamm said. “Now that we’ve got to PGCs, we are confident that in the next five to seven years we can see a dodo.” The announcement came alongside news of another $120 million in funding, pushing Colossal’s total to $555 million and raising its valuation to over $10 billion. With the new resources, the company is expanding its Avian Genetics Group, investing in genome sequencing, and building out conservation programs beyond the dodo. On Mauritius, where the dodo lived before it was hunted to extinction in the 17th century, Colossal has formed the Mauritius Dodo Advisory Committee to guide cultural and ecological efforts. “This journey is more than reviving a lost species — it is about honoring our island’s unique heritage,” said Devina Lobine, a research officer with the Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology and chair of the committee. The dodo project is not Colossal’s only venture. Its dire wolf initiative, launched earlier this year, has already produced three wolves — Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi — now living on a 2,000-acre preserve. The animals have shifted from being hand-fed to forming a natural pack, with Remus showing signs of becoming the alpha. “They’re behaving more and more like wolves, less like animals raised by humans,” Lamm said. While future generations of dire wolves could be reintroduced into larger preserves, the current pack will remain in managed care. For Colossal’s team, seeing instincts return to animals long extinct is a powerful validation of their work. Not everyone shares the enthusiasm. De-extinction projects raise questions about animal welfare, ecological risks, and the ethics of reviving species for uncertain futures. But Colossal’s chief science officer, Beth Shapiro, argues that those debates are part of the point. “Colossal is a de-extinction company, but we’re a species preservation company,” she said. “We are interested in developing technologies that we can use to make entire ecosystems more resilient… One of the ways to do that is to restore species that used to be there.” She points to Yellowstone as a case study: when wolves were reintroduced, entire landscapes shifted. “We don’t know exactly what the dodo’s role was in Mauritius,” Shapiro added, “but putting these pieces back can help ecosystems recover in ways we can’t yet predict.” For Lamm, education is as central to the mission as science itself. “What we’re doing is complicated — sometimes exciting, sometimes scary,” he said. “The only way to make science cool again, like NASA was for me as a kid, is to have all the hard conversations and bring people along for the ride.” Teachers have already told Shapiro that students inspired by Colossal’s work are shifting ambitions — some moving from wanting to be influencers to wanting to become genome engineers. “That’s winning,” she said. With projects spanning dodos, dire wolves, mammoths, and moas, Colossal’s ambitions extend well beyond a single species. For Lamm and Shapiro, the return of the dodo is not just a headline but a signal of what conservation could become. “It’s a massive development, a massive unlock,” Lamm said. “And it’s just the beginning.”

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This Endangered Bonobo Baby Was Just Born In an 'Extraordinary Moment' for the Species

A zoo in Leicestershire has announced the birth of a rare bonobo, an ape regarded as the closest living relative to humans. Twycross Zoo said the infant was delivered safely on 11 September to first-time mother Yuli. Bonobos share around 98.7 percent of their DNA with humans but are classed as endangered, with fewer than 20,000 remaining in the wild. Dr Rebecca Biddle, the zoo’s chief conservation officer, described the birth as a “truly extraordinary moment.” She added: “Bonobos are humans’ closest living relatives, yet they remain one of the most endangered and least understood apes on Earth. Every birth is a true milestone and a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when zoos work together.” Twycross is the only zoo in the UK to care for the species and looks after 10 percent of the entire European bonobo population through a conservation programme. Yuli arrived from Vallée des Singes in France in 2023 as part of that effort. The programme is designed to build healthy zoo populations while wild bonobos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to face severe threats from poaching and deforestation. Dr Biddle said the new arrival showed the importance of collaboration. “It is only through the dedication, expertise, and collaboration of conservation zoos that moments like this are possible,” she said. The zoo hopes the birth will inspire visitors to learn more about bonobos, one of the least studied great apes, and the challenges they face in the wild.

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