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New Annual Shot Could Prevent HIV Infections
A groundbreaking drug called lenacapavir has shown 100% effectiveness in preventing HIV infections in women and girls. The drug only needs to be injected twice a year for full protection. Recent phase I trials have shown promising results, with volunteers still protected a year after receiving the injection. This new drug could revolutionize HIV prevention efforts and bring us closer to ending the epidemic. Plans are underway for larger trials and potential FDA approval, offering hope for easier and more affordable access to this life-saving treatment worldwide.
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From Prison to Graduation: How These Ten Inmates Transformed Their Lives Behind Bars
Ten Jamaican inmates serving time for serious crimes, including murder, have earned university degrees from behind bars — a rare milestone that’s given them what they call “a resurrection of purpose.” The graduates, all Black men and women, received degrees in business administration during a recent ceremony inside prison walls. Speaking on behalf of the group, a summa cum laude graduate called the moment “a celebration of hope,” crediting the achievement to vision, support, and courage. He thanked the local rights group Stand Up for Jamaica for helping make the transformation possible, according to the Jamaica Observer. Five of the incarcerated students earned associate degrees. The other five completed full bachelor’s degrees. All of them studied business administration through a partnership between the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC), the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), and Stand Up for Jamaica. The program started in 2018 with just four inmates and one correctional officer at St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre. Since then, it has expanded to Tower Street and South Camp, the country’s only women’s facility. Carla Gullotta, executive director of Stand Up for Jamaica, described the graduates’ success as nothing short of extraordinary. Despite being full-time inmates, several of them ranked among the top 25 out of 690 students in the program, she said. “These are people who have done the work,” Gullotta said. She praised UCC for backing a project “many would turn down” and detailed the logistical hurdles of delivering higher education behind bars — from securing computers and internet access to organising weekend classes inside the prison. But the road ahead may be even harder. Gullotta warned that stigma is already standing in the way of the graduates’ reintegration into society. Some of them, she said, are being denied parole, even after completing their degrees and showing leadership within the program. Letters denying their parole have claimed they need “more rehabilitation.” “That’s offensive,” Gullotta said. “You can’t claim to support rehabilitation and then turn your back when it succeeds.” The degrees, she stressed, will only have meaning if they lead to opportunities. Without jobs and support on the outside, she said, the program’s impact will remain symbolic — not systemic. She’s now urging businesses and civil society leaders to step up and give the graduates a second chance. The story of the ten inmates isn’t just about education. It’s also about how a prison sentence doesn’t have to mean the end of a life’s potential, and how meaningful rehabilitation needs more than just a classroom. It needs a community willing to say yes.
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Students Launched a Lego Man Into Space—Here's What Happened Next
Woodbridge School in Suffolk, England, launched a Lego figure into space dressed in their school uniform. Using a high-altitude balloon, the school sent this miniature astronaut soaring 35 kilometers above Earth, providing students with an extraordinary hands-on learning experience. The journey of this tiny explorer was captured on video as it ascended to the edge of space, revealing stunning views of the Earth's curvature and the thin blue line of the atmosphere. Alongside the Lego figure was a mural created by Woodbridge students, decorated proudly in their school colors. James Cooper, Head of Physics at Woodbridge School, expressed his excitement about the project: "It may just be another very small step for man, but it was a huge leap for Woodbridge School." He noted that this event marked an exciting milestone for both the Physics department and the wider school community. The project aimed to involve students from its inception, creating an engaging educational experience. "Our students were excited to be kept informed about the project from its earliest stages, fostering a real sense of ownership as well as excitement," Cooper said. For those involved in tracking the launch, timing was crucial. The team launched during clear weather conditions to maximize visibility and success. They tracked the balloon's journey from lift-off to landing meticulously. Data and images collected during this adventure are set to become valuable resources for future physics lessons at Woodbridge School. This unique initiative not only brought a touch of fun to scientific exploration but also inspired creativity and curiosity among students.
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Stunning Fossil Discovery: Ancient Predators and Giant Amphibians Were Just Unearthed in Africa
A sweeping 15-year fossil excavation project in southern Africa is reshaping what scientists know about the Permian period—the era just before the most devastating mass extinction in Earth’s history. Led by researchers at the University of Washington and Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, the international team has uncovered a treasure trove of fossils in Tanzania and Zambia, shedding light on the animals that thrived just before the so-called “Great Dying” 252 million years ago. “This mass extinction was nothing short of a cataclysm for life on Earth, and changed the course of evolution,” said Christian Sidor, biology professor and curator of vertebrate paleontology at the University of Washington’s Burke Museum. “But we lack a comprehensive view of which species survived, which didn't, and why.” Now, thanks to years of fieldwork and fossil analysis, researchers are starting to fill in those gaps. The team’s findings were published August 7 in a 14-article special edition of the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. The fossils come from three major basins: Ruhuhu in southern Tanzania, and Luangwa and Mid-Zambezi in Zambia. These regions are lesser-known than South Africa’s Karoo Basin, which has long served as the global reference point for Permian life. But the fossils from Zambia and Tanzania are now allowing scientists to compare ecosystems across different parts of the southern supercontinent Pangea. “These parts of Zambia and Tanzania contain absolutely beautiful fossils from the Permian,” said Sidor. “They are giving us an unprecedented view of life on land leading up to the mass extinction.” Since 2007, Sidor and his colleagues have led nine major expeditions to the region, often spending weeks trekking between field sites, staying in rural villages, and sometimes camping in the open. On one trip, the team was jolted awake by a nearby herd of elephants. Many of the fossils they collected were embedded in rocks for hundreds of millions of years—and will be returned to local institutions once studies are complete. The Permian period, which spanned from 299 to 252 million years ago, marked the end of the Paleozoic Era. Life was thriving, with a range of amphibians and early reptile-like animals dominating land ecosystems. But then came the end-Permian extinction, also known as the “Great Dying,” which wiped out roughly 70% of terrestrial species and over 90% of marine life. The cause remains debated, but the impact is clear: it reshaped life on Earth and paved the way for the age of dinosaurs. Among the new discoveries are several species of dicynodonts—tusked, beak-faced herbivores that lived underground and were among the most successful plant-eaters of their time. The researchers also described new saber-toothed predators known as gorgonopsians, and a large, salamander-like amphibian from the group known as temnospondyls. “The number of specimens we've found in Zambia and Tanzania is so high and their condition is so exquisite that we can make species-level comparisons to what paleontologists have found in South Africa,” said Sidor. “I know of no better place on Earth for getting sufficient detail of this time period to make such detailed conclusions and comparisons.” Importantly, the fossils span the time before and after the extinction event. That gives scientists a rare chance to track which species made it through the extinction—and why. “We can now compare two different geographic regions of Pangea and see what was going on both before and after the end-Permian mass extinction,” said Sidor. “We can really start to ask questions about who survived and who didn’t.” The collaboration includes researchers from nearly two dozen institutions across the U.S., Europe, and Africa, including the University of Chicago, the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, the University of the Witwatersrand, and the Chipembele Wildlife Education Center in Zambia. Several contributors are former UW students and postdocs. The research was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the National Geographic Society. For Sidor and his colleagues, the fossils offer more than a window into the distant past—they reveal how life responds to crisis on a planetary scale. In an era of accelerating climate change and biodiversity loss, the lessons from 252 million years ago may be more relevant than ever.
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This Solar-Powered Plane Just Shattered an Altitude Record, Dances with Commercial Jets
wiss pilot and eco-adventurer Raphael Domjan has flown into the history books, breaking the altitude record for a solar-powered electric plane in a landmark flight that reached 9,521 meters (31,237 feet) above Earth. The flight, completed on August 8 from Sion Airport in southwestern Switzerland, surpassed the previous record of 9,235 meters (30,298 feet) set in 2010 by fellow Swiss pilot André Borschberg in the Solar Impulse aircraft. Domjan piloted the SolarStratos HB-SXA, a sleek, carbon-fiber plane powered entirely by sunlight. The aircraft climbed beyond the clouds using warm air thermals and solar-charged batteries during a five-hour, nine-minute mission. The feat is now being reviewed by the World Air Sports Federation for official certification. “This achievement marks a major milestone on the path toward reaching the stratosphere using only solar power,” the SolarStratos mission said in a statement. “It already fulfils the mission's goal: to capture imaginations with emblematic, spectacular challenges that promote solar energy and the protection of our biosphere and planet.” At cruising altitude, Domjan briefly flew at the same height as a commercial airliner. SolarStratos described the moment as “a powerful symbol of what the decarbonized aviation of tomorrow might look like.” The 53-year-old pilot, known for sailing around the world in a solar-powered boat in 2010, has long been a champion of clean energy. “It’s important to demonstrate what we can achieve with solar energy,” he said. “My goal is to show the young generation that tomorrow it will still be possible to fly without burning any fossil energies. This is what we want to achieve: to show that the world of tomorrow can be better than what we have today.” The SolarStratos plane is lightweight but built for endurance. At 9.6 meters long with a wingspan of nearly 25 meters, its structure includes 22 square meters of high-performance solar panels spread across its wings. The aircraft can take off at just 50 kilometers per hour and cruises at around 80 kph, with a top speed of 140 kph. Unlike other record attempts, this one had very specific requirements to meet: the plane had to rely solely on solar power harvested by its onboard panels, including the energy used for takeoff, flight, and landing. At the time of touchdown, at least 16% of the battery’s charge had to remain. No backup gliding was permitted. The journey to the record wasn’t straightforward. A first attempt earlier in the month was abandoned when thermal conditions weren’t favorable. A warm-up flight on July 31 reached 6,589 meters, beating the plane’s previous best from 2024. A second attempt on August 4 reached 8,224 meters, before finally breaking through the 9,500-meter barrier just days later. Domjan's long-term goal is to push even further—to become the first pilot to fly a solar-powered plane into the stratosphere. At Switzerland’s latitude, that means reaching about 12,000 meters. “We are not just chasing records,” he said. “We’re chasing possibilities.” As solar aviation slowly inches closer to commercial viability, Domjan's flight offers a glimpse into a quieter, cleaner future—one where planes soar high without leaving a trail of emissions behind. The data from this flight, and others to follow, could help lay the groundwork for future clean-energy aircraft capable of long-duration flights without fossil fuels. For now, though, the SolarStratos team is celebrating a hard-won record, years in the making. “I share this moment of joy with all the people who have been preparing for this achievement for years,” Domjan said. “The dream of flight is probably the oldest dream of mankind. And now, we’re proving it can be done differently.”
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Rookie Archaeologist Strikes Gold: Uncovering a Medieval Treasure on Her First Dig
An American archaeology student has struck gold in Britain, and it's not just a figure of speech. Yara Souza, an undergraduate at Newcastle University from Florida, was digging in Northumberland National Park when she came across a small, ornate artifact dating back to the ninth century. This 3.8-centimeter piece may have had a ceremonial purpose. Souza made this remarkable find alongside fellow students during her first-ever excavation at Redesdale, a valley near Dere Street. This ancient road was laid by Roman soldiers between 79 and 81 CE and served as a major route connecting York in England to Firth of Forth in Scotland. Researchers suggest that such discoveries signal the continued use of Dere Street by high-status individuals long after the Romans left Britain. The gold artifact's discovery is not without precedent. In 2021, metal detectorist Alan Gray found another similar item in the same area. These artifacts could have been used by elites for religious or ceremonial purposes during a time when gold was scarce and reserved for the upper echelons of society. The location's proximity to Jedburgh and Hexham—two significant religious centers during the ninth century—supports this theory. James Gerrard, an archaeologist at Newcastle University, underscores the significance of these finds: "We know that Dere Street continued to be a major thoroughfare long after the Romans, and it’s clear from this discovery that high-status people were using it." He also suggests that these objects might have been deliberately buried. For Souza, who missed out on previous excavations due to illness, this find was particularly rewarding. "After I’d had to miss Birdoswald last year, it was amazing to discover something that hasn’t been seen for more than a thousand years," she says. Both gold artifacts will undergo further study before being displayed at the Great North Museum: Hancock. Andrew Agate from the museum highlights how collaborations like this one between universities and museums benefit both research and education: "This project is a great example of how metal detectorists and archaeologists can come together to add to our understanding of the past in Northumberland." While Souza's find is remarkable on its own merits, it also exemplifies how hands-on field experience can yield unexpected results—and sometimes even treasures from history itself.
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Venus Williams Defies Age: 45 and Making History at the U.S. Open
Venus Williams is making headlines once again. At 45, she's returning to the U.S. Open as the oldest singles player to hit the court in over four decades. The last time someone her age competed was Renée Richards at 47 in 1981. This marks Williams' 25th attempt at clinching a singles championship title at this prestigious tournament. Williams received a wild card invitation, meaning she didn't need a qualifying rank to participate. Currently ranked 654th in WTA singles, her recent performances have been affected by injuries and inconsistent results throughout various tournaments this year. Still, she remains hopeful of recreating past glories; after all, she is a two-time U.S. Open champion. This isn't the first time Williams has defied age this year. Back in July, she returned from a 16-month hiatus and beat Peyton Stearns at the DC Open. This victory made her the oldest player since Martina Navratilova in 2004 to win a WTA singles match. Tennis stands out from many sports as players often extend their careers beyond typical peak years. Navratilova herself was 49 when she won her final Grand Slam mixed doubles title in 2006. The U.S. Open has seen champions well into their later years secure titles, even before the open era began in 1968. Back then, Molla Bjurstedt Mallory became the oldest female winner at 42 in 1926, while William Larned set his record at age 38 in 1911 for male players. In more recent times, Flavia Pennetta claimed the title of oldest female singles winner at age 33 in 2015, and Novak Djokovic became the oldest male winner just this year at age 36. The Williams family has a knack for setting records on court. Serena Williams secured her place in history too when she nabbed her 23rd Grand Slam singles title at age 35 during the Australian Open against Venus herself, making her the oldest female player to hold that spot according to Guinness World Records. Venus isn’t just focusing on singles; she’s also teaming up with Reilly Opelka for mixed doubles at this year's Open. Attracting attention both for her experience and skill on court alongside Opelka, who’s nearly half her age, is yet another chapter in an impressive career spanning decades. As Venus Williams prepares for yet another shot under New York's bright lights this late summer season, fans eagerly await what could be another remarkable moment from one of tennis’ most enduring figures.
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Space Salad: Astronauts are Growing Fresh Greens Aboard the ISS
When Crew-11 blasted off to the International Space Station on August 1, they weren’t just carrying science equipment and supplies—they were also bringing salad. Or at least the beginnings of one. Packed into their cargo was the latest round of NASA’s space farming experiments, part of the VEG-03 series. This time, astronauts have more choice than ever, thanks to a mini “seed library” offering Wasabi mustard greens, Red Russian kale, and Dragoon lettuce. It’s a step forward in more ways than one. Growing fresh food in space isn’t just about nutrition, though that’s important. It’s also about morale. For astronauts spending months away from Earth, the act of tending to a living plant, watching it sprout, grow, and eventually harvest, can provide a rare and welcome mental boost. Space-grown greens don’t just feed the body; they feed the spirit. Inside the station’s Veggie facility, which is about the size of a carry-on suitcase, the growing happens in an environment built to mimic the needs of plants while adapting to the realities of microgravity. Red, blue, and green LED lights simulate sunlight. Bellows made of flexible plastic expand like an accordion as the plants mature, forming a soft, transparent barrier around the growing space. To get started, astronauts insert thin strips containing seeds into small fabric “pillows.” These are filled with a clay-based medium, similar to the kind found on baseball fields, and embedded with slow-release fertilizer. The clay helps water and air move around the roots more evenly in weightless conditions. Throughout the mission, astronauts will water the plants as needed and snap regular progress photos. Once it’s time to harvest, they’ll sample some of the fresh greens and freeze others for the trip back to Earth, where researchers will analyze them for nutritional value and food safety. It’s all part of a bigger push to make future missions to the Moon and Mars more self-sufficient. As NASA plans longer stays farther from Earth, fresh food will become a necessity, not a luxury. These experiments are helping scientists figure out which crops are best suited to space conditions, and which growing techniques give astronauts the most autonomy and variety. There’s another benefit too: what NASA learns up there could improve life down here. The methods used in Veggie—compact growing chambers, LED lighting, efficient use of water and space—could inform indoor agriculture on Earth. That might mean more sustainable urban farming, or horticultural therapy programs that let people with limited mobility experience the joy of gardening in new ways. NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division sees this kind of research as a win-win: solving hard problems in space that may also improve life on Earth. The more we understand how biology works in extreme environments, the better prepared we’ll be to explore beyond our planet—and to tackle challenges at home. For now, Crew-11 has work to do. There are seed pillows to plant, leaves to grow, and maybe even a bite of fresh kale to enjoy in orbit. It’s not quite a salad bar in space, but it’s getting closer.
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He Hasn't Missed A Day Of Running In Six Years — Now, He's Eyeing A World Record
A fitness enthusiast from England is on the brink of making history. Mridul Manoj, 23, has been running 3 kilometers every day for over six years, clocking up more than 6,258 kilometers in total. That’s over four times the length of the UK. Now he's setting his sights on a Guinness World Record for the most consecutive days running 3 kilometers. Mridul began this impressive streak when he was just 18, inspired by a YouTuber who completed a similar challenge. Initially aiming to run daily for a year, Mridul found himself unable to stop once he hit his target. “It's the guilt now which is keeping me from stopping,” Mridul said. “I don't think I ever want to break the streak.” His running journey started in November 2019 during his first year at Loughborough University, where he studied international business after moving from Dubai. Originally a professional cricket player in his home country, Mridul turned to running after stepping away from cricket and feeling restless without regular exercise. “The only exercise I was doing was walking to lectures,” Mridul shared about his early days at university. “I needed to do something or else I would have gone mad.” Inspired by a video of an American runner completing a similar streak, he decided to take on the challenge himself. Over nearly six years, Mridul has maintained his routine through various challenges including university exams, travel back home to Dubai, harsh weather conditions, and even injuries like ankle sprains and strains. He meticulously logs each run using the Samsung Health App as evidence for his Guinness World Records application. Currently in the final stages of submitting his application, Mridul is eager but patient about hearing back from Guinness World Records. “Once I send it off I will have to wait for 12 weeks before I hear back from them,” he explained. Aside from sheer distance and consistency, Mridul has some notable achievements under his belt including running a sub-20-minute 5-kilometer race and completing a half marathon. His dedication has seen him through three pairs of running shoes so far. In addition to seeking recognition for his efforts, Mridul hopes his story will inspire others to develop consistent habits of their own. “Discipline beats motivation,” he emphasized. Running has become more than just physical exercise for him; it's also had a significant impact on his mental health and well-being. “It has become meditation to me,” he said, reflecting on how much he's grown since starting this routine. Despite any pain or discomfort over time—"My legs have gone numb," he confessed—running remains an integral part of Mridul's life that brings him pride as he navigates life's ups and downs.
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Neuroscientists Reveal How to Unlock 'Lost' Memories You Thought Were Gone Forever
Think forgetting something means it's gone forever? Think again. New research suggests that memories aren't erased; they're just tucked away. This fascinating insight comes from a study published in the journal Cell, which reveals that our brains strategically forget some experiences to make room for new ones. When you can't recall details from a trip years ago or remember the steps to complete a task, don't worry—those memories might still be there, lying dormant. It's comparable to losing a file on your computer: you just need to know where and how to look for it. The process of reclaiming these hidden memories involves cued recall. This technique can be remarkably effective because it uses cues, like photos or familiar sounds, to trigger the retrieval of forgotten information. Imagine trying to remember all the ingredients for your special chili recipe. While standing in the grocery aisle, starting with known ingredients could help jog your memory for the rest. The concept of cued recall is gaining traction as an exciting way to engage with our vast brain capacity. It’s not just about remembering names from that lake trip 11 years ago; it's about realizing how much information we store and can potentially retrieve with the right prompts. This research underlines just how complex and powerful our brains are. According to the study, our minds regularly update and reorganize their storage system, temporarily shelving certain pieces of information until they're needed again. It's an intriguing thought: even if you don't have total control over what you remember at any given moment, understanding cued recall principles could offer more power over your own mental processes than previously thought. So next time you're struggling with a forgotten memory, consider looking at old photos or listening to familiar songs related to that time. These simple actions may serve as keys to bringing those distant memories back into focus.
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Beijing's Humanoid Robots Dazzle with Dance, Sports and Fashion at the 2025 Robot Games Kickoff
The 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games began in Beijing on Thursday, and it's all about showing off the latest humanoid robots. These robots are not just walking and talking; they're dancing hip-hop, performing martial arts, playing musical instruments, and even putting on Chinese opera shows. Some of them took it up a notch by demonstrating sports skills like soccer, boxing, gymnastics, and backflips. In a stylish twist, they also walked alongside human models to show off clothes that mix 3D printing with handmade touches. Taking place at the National Speed Skating Oval, this event gathers 280 teams from 16 countries, such as the United States, Germany and Italy. From Friday to Sunday, these teams will compete in 26 events. The challenges vary from athletic feats like running and long jump to skill-based tasks such as material handling, drug sorting, and cleaning in different scenarios. Li Yechuan from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology discussed how the games adapt formats from human sports to test out cutting-edge humanoid robot innovations. Li Zhiqi from the Beijing municipal government's counsellors' office expressed hopes that these advancements will push humanoid robots beyond labs into real-life settings like factories and hospitals. This sports event is part of a bigger picture following the 2025 World Robot Conference that began on August 8, with a focus on making robots smarter and more intelligent.