Cat Takes on Parachute-Skiing with Its Own Tiny Helmet

A daring cat named Thoth went on a parachute-skiing adventure with his owner in Russia. The Bengal-mix wore a tiny helmet and soared down the slopes of Gribanovka Ski Resort securely strapped to Ivan Kuznetsov. Thoth, who loves adventure, also enjoys biking, skiing, and swimming. The duo is now preparing for rafting, rock climbing, and even a parachute jump for the fearless feline. Watch their cool video below!

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Meet The Texas Grandma Reuniting Flood Survivors With Their Precious Memories

After record floods tore through central Texas this summer, a 54-year-old grandmother from Boerne has been quietly leading one of the most unusual recovery efforts. Not with bulldozers or rescue gear, but with a Facebook group. When the Guadalupe River surged out of its banks, homes and belongings were swept away. Dondi Persyn, who lives nearby, watched the aftermath and felt pulled to help. Her own home was safe, but her neighbors’ lives were scattered. She started small, picking up items along the riverbank while waiting for search crews. Then she launched a Facebook group, “FOUND on the Guadalupe River,” to post photos of what she collected. Within days, the page had grown to more than 20,000 members, all working to reunite flood survivors with the things they lost. Posts began flooding in: children’s shoes, life jackets, jewelry, even a totem pole with its feathers intact. A teacher spotted her missing necklace. Another woman got back clothes and jewelry. Dondi helped track down a dental retainer. Two weeks after the storm, the group even helped reunite a cat named Samson with its family. “I had this feeling that if it were my family, or my children or my grandchildren, I’d probably want something,” Dondi said. She now leads a loose network of volunteers who collect, wash, and organize the things they find. Everything gets labeled, sorted, and handled carefully. “We’re treating everything like it’s the most important thing,” she said. “We don’t know if that’s someone’s last remnant of a loved one.” Dondi isn’t a first responder. She used to run a vintage store and now works as a perfumer. But her instincts for care and connection have turned into something larger. “It’s really fated,” she said. “We have to teach other communities to do what we did.” What started as one woman’s act of kindness has grown into a community-wide effort that is putting lives back together, one found item at a time.

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Virtual Reality Reveals How Our Brains Fight Off Illness at First Sight

Just watching someone appear sick in virtual reality was enough to trigger the body’s immune defenses, a new study has found. Researchers in Switzerland outfitted healthy volunteers with VR headsets and showed them human avatars displaying symptoms like rashes and coughing. As the avatars walked closer, participants’ brains reacted as if they were facing an actual infection. The study was published July 28 in Nature Neuroscience. “We found that the brain activates front-line immune cells in response to the mere sight of a sick person,” said study co-author Andrea Serino, a neuroscientist at the University Hospital of Lausanne. “It shows the power of the brain to predict what is going on and to select the proper response.” Using brain scans and blood tests, the team discovered a chain reaction. First, brain regions that monitor personal space lit up. Then, the brain’s salience network — which processes important or threatening events — activated. That led to an increase in innate lymphoid cells, a type of immune cell that acts as a first responder to infections. The same immune cell boost was seen in a separate group of participants who received an influenza vaccine, showing that just the sight of infection can create a reaction similar to an actual pathogen. For the experiment, researchers used Oculus Rift headsets, avoiding the need to expose volunteers to real diseases. Control avatars appeared healthy and did not produce the same effect. Isaac Chiu, an immunologist at Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the research, called the results “a really interesting example of teamwork between two of the most complex systems of the body.” He added, “They coordinate responses with each other because both systems interface with the environment and establish protection against potential dangers like pathogens.” The authors say the findings could one day be used to improve vaccines. VR exposure to infectious-looking avatars might help prime the immune system to respond more strongly when an actual vaccine is administered.

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Ethiopia Aims for World Record: 700 Million Trees Planted in a Day

Ethiopia set out to plant 700 million trees in a single day on Thursday, part of an ambitious plan by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to green one of the most drought-prone countries in the world. The tree-planting push is a centerpiece of Abiy’s Green Legacy program, which aims to plant 50 billion trees by 2026. Since the project began in 2019, government officials say 40 billion have already gone into the ground. By dawn, city streets, fields, and hillsides were filled with people digging and planting. Tesfahun Gobezay, a government spokesman, said that by 6 a.m. alone, 14.9 million Ethiopians had already planted 355 million seedlings. These figures have not been independently verified. Abiy announced the campaign early on social media. “We have launched the annual Green Legacy planting campaign early this morning,” he posted. “Our goal this year is 700 million seedlings. Let's achieve it together.” The Nobel Peace Prize-winning prime minister planted trees himself in Jimma, while members of his cabinet spread out across the country to join local planting drives. Public offices were closed for the day so that civil servants could take part. In Addis Ababa, the planting took on a community feel. At one site, 72-year-old Almaz Tadu worked beside her grandchildren. “It’s an environmental mission and a community gathering,” she said. Thirteen-year-old Nathenael Behailu placed his third sapling into the soil, saying, “I want to see a green environment for my country.” Another participant, Ayanaw Asrat, said he had already planted 15 trees before mid-morning. While the campaign has galvanized millions, experts are questioning the numbers and the long-term results. A forestry specialist at Jimma University, who asked not to be named, said planting 700 million trees in one day would require 35 million people, each planting 20 seedlings. The specialist also warned that the program mixes native and exotic species without clear plans for site selection or long-term monitoring, and that the government has yet to publish data on how many of the previous 40 billion trees have survived. “Large-scale reforestation requires scientific precision that goes beyond mass mobilization,” the expert said. “We need transparent reporting on which trees actually thrive, not just which get planted.” Abiy has framed the campaign as a unifying effort in a country dealing with the aftermath of conflict in Tigray and unrest in the Amhara region. The initiative has drawn international attention as a potential model for other nations confronting deforestation and climate change. Whether the trees planted this week will survive and grow is uncertain. But for now, the sight of schoolchildren and grandparents planting side by side has offered Ethiopia a day of optimism — and a vision of a greener future.

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Adorable Canines Make Waves: Inside the Annual Paddleboard Pup Surfing Competition

Margo the whippet has become a standout in the canine surfing scene. She clinched the UK Dog Surfing Champion of the Year title with her owner, Carl Barnes, at an annual event held by Shaka Surf in Poole, Dorset. The competition took place on Sunday at Branksome Dene Chine Beach and drew more than 30 dogs and their human companions. Barnes and Margo dominated the "Dog Masters" segment of the event. The pair managed to paddle ahead of the competition on their board, securing first place. This was no small feat, as the event is likened to the Board Master surfing festival but tailored for four-legged surfers. Shaka Surf has organized this fun-filled contest for five years now. The event also featured several Guinness World Record attempts. Participants aimed for records like most dogs surfing a single wave, fastest dog-human 50-meter paddleboard sprint completed in 32 seconds, and fastest solo 50-meter paddleboard sprint. Barnes initially entered the race casually, motivated by Margo's love for water activities. "I've developed a relationship with Margo where trust is involved and a lot of love," Barnes explained. His bond with Margo runs deep; she gets visibly upset if he paddles without her. "If I go out on one of our paddleboards without Margo, she will cry and cry and cry at the gate until I return," said Barnes. After their victory, Barnes described seeing their faces pop up on social media as surreal. However, he is already looking forward to next year's showdown. "I entered for fun, but there's a little bit of competitiveness in me," he admitted. "When I realized I was in with a chance, I dug deep and bought the win home for all of us."

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Missing Kitty Reunited with Family After year-long Disappearance

At the Ontario SPCA in Midland, a routine intake of a stray cat turned into a joyful reunion after staff discovered the animal had been missing for more than a year. “A Good Samaritan brought a stray cat into our animal centre. When we scanned him, we discovered it was Fraser — a beloved cat who had been missing for over a year,” the Ontario SPCA team posted on social media. The grey cat was identified immediately thanks to a microchip. Staff contacted his family, who had spent over 12 months wondering what had happened to him. In June, Fraser finally went home. “Fraser was heading home to a four-year-old child who had never stopped missing their best friend,” the SPCA post said. The organization says the reunion is a reminder of how valuable microchips are when pets go missing. “It’s an important step that can make all the difference in bringing lost pets home,” the SPCA team said. The Ontario SPCA recommends that pet owners not only microchip their animals but also keep their contact information up to date.

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This Groundbreaking Play Sheds Light on ADHD Experiences of Women of Color

Dr. Candace Johnson, a vocal instructor from the University of California, Berkeley, is turning the spotlight on herself to share her personal story with ADHD through a one-woman show called "Scat-ter Brain: The Music of ADHD." Running at The Marsh in Berkeley until mid-September, this production aims to highlight the often-overlooked experience of Black women with ADHD. Johnson knows firsthand the frustrations that come with feeling different. "I understand what it's like to be at a place where you are wondering, 'What's wrong with me? Why can't I this, why can't I that?' And you just keep hitting a wall," she explained. Her candid performance not only addresses her challenges but also encourages others in marginalized communities to seek support for mental health issues. The timing of Johnson's show coincides with Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in July. By sharing her experiences, she hopes to empower others who might feel hesitant about seeking help. "I wasn't the best at being organized when I was by myself," she confessed. But despite the difficulties she faced juggling responsibilities and artistic pursuits, Johnson wants people to know that progress is possible. She emphasizes the importance of introspection and getting assessed to understand oneself better. Research supports Johnson's message. A 2022 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that Black women are less likely than white women to be diagnosed with ADHD, even when they show similar symptoms. This gap underscores the need for greater awareness and understanding within these communities. Stephanie Weisman, founder and director at The Marsh, appreciates what Johnson brings to their stage. "We give people the opportunity to use our resources and our space...important issues for people to hear about," Weisman said. Through music and storytelling, Johnson wants her audience to connect personally with her narrative. "I want them to see their family, their friends," she said. The show serves as an invitation for audiences to rethink mental health perceptions and consider how it affects those around them. For Dr. Candace Johnson, it's all about embracing one's truth through every note sung.

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Meet the Man Who Cataloged Every Book He Read Since 1962—and How His Family Is Sharing It With the World

In 1962, while serving in Nepal with the Peace Corps, Dan Pelzer started keeping a handwritten list of every book he read. Goodreads didn’t exist, so he used a notebook. By the time his eyesight failed in 2023, Pelzer had logged 3,599 titles. Pelzer died on July 1 at 92, but his reading record is now public at what-dan-read.com, a website created by his daughter, Marci, with help from her godson. It was originally built for his funeral, where guests could scan a QR code to see the list. After Marci shared it on LinkedIn as her family’s “most precious inheritance,” it began circulating more widely. When the Columbus Metropolitan Library posted his story on Facebook on July 21, the site went viral. “I just keep thinking about how crazy it is that we’ve spread the list to so many people,” Marci told WBNS-TV. She wrote to the library that “nobody loved the library more than Dan,” recalling weekly Saturday trips with her dad. His obituary even asked people to honor him by reading “a real page turner” instead of sending flowers. The library branch Pelzer visited most often has set up a display of books he read, including Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century and Garth Stein’s The Art of Racing in the Rain. The list doesn’t include books he read before 1962 or the Bible, which he read about a dozen times, according to his son John. It does show patterns in his reading life: books on teenage mental health from the 1980s, likely linked to his work as a social worker at a juvenile correctional facility, as well as politics, religion, memoirs, and plenty of fiction. His final book was Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, following Gabrielle Zevin’s 2022 novel Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. “We know he was sometimes reading at work,” Marci told CBC Radio. “But he also read on the bus and everywhere he went. He always had a book open, a book in his hand. And it stimulated great conversations with all kinds of people.” Pelzer averaged around 80 books a year, earning local press in 2006 when the Columbus Dispatch interviewed him about his reading habits. He didn’t shy away from tough books, even when he disliked them. After tackling James Joyce’s Ulysses, he called it “the worst… pure torture.” Still, he read it cover to cover, as he did every book he picked up.

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Nurse's Ride of Purpose Takes an Unexpected Turn: Saving a Life from Her Hospital Bed

Kristen McIntire, a Boston nurse, found herself in an unexpected situation last year. Instead of participating in the Pan-Mass Challenge, a charity bike ride she holds dear, she spent that weekend in a Florida hospital bed. The reason? She was donating stem cells to a leukemia patient. McIntire is no stranger to physical challenges. She has completed 10 marathons and several 160-kilometer bike races. "I love exercise. I love being active," she said, even joking about her daily commute by bike through Boston's infamous traffic. For McIntire, these athletic pursuits have always had deeper significance beyond physical fitness. "I've always needed to align that with a higher purpose," she explained. Her commitment led her to join Pedal for Pediatrics, a team of coworkers raising funds for children and families dealing with cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital. Her dedication took a different turn last year when she received news about being matched as a stem cell donor. "It was honestly so crazy. I was like, wait, what?" McIntire recalled. Instead of cycling that weekend, she focused on the life-changing task of donating stem cells to someone battling leukemia. The procedure wasn't the traditional bone marrow surgery most people think of; it involved an outpatient blood draw known as peripheral blood stem cell donation. Although this meant missing out on her beloved race, McIntire saw it as an excellent reason to pause training. Despite her absence from the event course, McIntire continued to support her cause by completing multiple 80-kilometer rides virtually after her donation. Her team helps provide essential services for patients and their families during challenging times. Though McIntire never met the person who received her stem cells and doesn't know their name, she's aware they are still alive today. Reflecting on the experience, she said simply: "I saved a person's life." Her message highlights how every contribution counts in such endeavors: riding, volunteering or cheering all play crucial roles in making positive impacts. For those interested in becoming potential donors like McIntire did through peripheral blood stem cell donation—or learning more about it—further information can be found online at relevant registries or medical resources.

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Tracee Ellis Ross Redefines Solo Travel with Mindful Adventure in New Docuseries

For nearly three decades, Tracee Ellis Ross has been doing things her own way. Now the Emmy-winning actor and producer is inviting viewers to join her on a different kind of trip. Her new Roku Channel docuseries, Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross, is all about what happens when you travel alone with a focus on joy instead of adrenaline. "I am sharing my particular version of solo travel, which is not about adventure," Ross says in the series. "It’s about how I can experience my own company in a joyful, holistic way—while still being in beautiful places and discovering new things." Across three episodes filmed in Morocco, Mexico and Spain, Ross dines by herself, wanders through markets and talks openly about what it means to feel empowered by solitude. Unlike the typical image of solo travel as constant action, her approach is rooted in planning and mindfulness. She has been taking at least one solo trip a year for years and says the key for anyone traveling alone, especially those who are more vulnerable because of gender, identity or disability, is preparation. "Ask yourself how to create safety with whatever vulnerabilities you have," she advises. "Do your diligence to ensure your destination respects who you are." Her suggestions include looking into local attitudes toward marginalized groups, practicing the confidence to walk into a restaurant alone, and making itineraries that leave room for surprise without ignoring safety. Ross says these trips have shaped how she handles life. "I gain muscle strength around being comfortable in discomfort," she explains, comparing it to a baseball player swinging two bats so that one bat feels lighter. "When I return to daily life, I have the tools to navigate challenges and still find joy."

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Steady Hands in a Shaking World: Doctors Hailed As Heroes During Massive Quake

When an 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on July 29, a team of surgeons in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky kept their focus on a patient lying open on the operating table as the room shook violently around them. Footage released by Kamchatka Health Minister Oleg Melnikov shows four medical staff at the Kamchatka oncology center bracing their patient and stabilizing equipment while the quake rattled the room. “Despite the danger, the doctors remained calm and stayed with the patient until the very end,” Melnikov wrote on Telegram, adding that the patient is now out of danger. He called the team “heroes in white coats.” Governor Vladimir Solodov said the medics will receive state awards for their courage and dedication. The quake, one of the most powerful ever recorded, struck at 7:24 p.m. ET about 125 kilometers east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was shallow, at a depth of 18 kilometers, which can make shaking more intense. At least six significant aftershocks followed, with magnitudes ranging from 5.4 to 6.9.

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