Goodable

Talk about an unexpected houseguest!

Staff at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore got the surprise of the season when Kipepeo, a four-year-old giraffe who wasn’t known to be pregnant, casually gave birth to a healthy baby girl. The calf made her grand entrance in the early hours of March 27, and zookeepers are still doing double takes.

“Kipi,” as she’s affectionately called, had only arrived at the zoo in November. So when keepers noticed a tiny shift in her behavior on March 26, they thought she might be having an off day—not a whole baby.

But sure enough, by the next morning, Baltimore had a brand-new resident: a 128-pound, six-foot-tall bundle of spotted joy.

Erin Cantwell Grimm, the zoo’s Mammal Curator, explained that giraffe pregnancies last around 15 months. The baby—who hasn’t been named yet—is nursing like a champ and adjusting well to zoo life, while first-time mom Kipi is absolutely crushing it in the parenting department.

We’re just hoping she gave the zookeepers a high-five. Or, at the very least, a very tall head nod.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom welcomed its newest addition, a young Masai giraffe named Tucker, to the Kilimanjaro Safaris’ savannah.
Its mother, Mara, gave birth to the calf earlier this year and park visitors got the chance to see Tucker make his debut on Monday.
The new arrival is the first giraffe born at Walt Disney World Resort since 2021. In an announcement celebrating this new family member, the resort promised its ongoing commitment to wildlife and species protection.

Surprise! This Giraffe Just Unexpectedly Delivered an Adorable Baby

People

River, the resident black bear of the Memphis Zoo, has taken the internet by storm with his creative use of a wheelbarrow. The zoo recently posted a video on Instagram showing River flipping over and then settling into a yellow wheelbarrow as if it were a makeshift chair. This adorable clip was shared on August 5 and quickly gained affection from viewers.

In the video, River can be seen trying to fit his 235-kilogram frame into the wheelbarrow before finding the perfect position to lean back and enjoy some sunbathing. The footage sparked playful comments from social media users who identified with River's quest for comfort in the summer heat. One commenter wrote, "Funnily enough, that is also how I look when I sit in this heat! Stay cool 🐻."

Amanda Moses, marketing and communications manager at Memphis Zoo, explained that River is no stranger to enjoying cozy environments. Born on January 26, this 20-year-old bear has a particular fondness for fall-inspired scents like pumpkin and cinnamon. According to Moses, "He's got a nose for the cozy things in life," adding that River's love for these scents brings warmth akin to an October morning with a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

While River enjoys his relaxing days at the Memphis Zoo, another bear faced a different kind of adventure in Wisconsin. A young female bear had her head stuck in a plastic jar for 12 days before being rescued by wildlife officials. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reported that local residents first spotted the distressed two-year-old bear. Despite several attempts using live traps, it took specialists from the USDA Wildlife Services to safely sedate and free her.

The DNR confirmed that once sedated, experts managed to cut off the jar without further harm to the bear. A local who helped locate the animal reflected on its survival: "Twelve days for a bear to be without food and not much water, it's impressive." This incident highlighted both human intervention and wildlife resilience.

Bear Necessities: Zoo Bear Masters the Art of Wheelbarrow Sunbathing

Sunny Skyz

On one of the summer’s hottest afternoons in Wyandotte, Michigan, Officer Jonathan Cox was patrolling with his K-9 partner, Jax, when he spotted something unusual. An older woman was in her yard, pushing a lawn mower with one hand and holding onto a walker with the other.

Cox pulled over and introduced himself. The woman, Dory Oliver, explained she had no one to cut her grass. She had called several lawn care companies, but no one followed through. Mobility issues made the work nearly impossible.

“When you’ve worked all your life… and then, suddenly, you can’t, it’s not a good feeling,” Oliver said. “Three different times somebody said, ‘Yeah, I’ll be there to help you,’ and nobody ever came.”

Cox told her to head inside and promised he would handle it. After finishing his 12-hour shift, he returned—without Jax, who went home for a nap—and started the job. The task was bigger than he expected: the grass was overgrown, storm debris was scattered around, and the gutters were clogged. Over two days, he transformed the property.

Oliver was deeply touched. “What a blessing it was – not only professionally, he would be there for me if I needed him but just out of the kindness of his own heart and the willingness to help someone,” she said.

She was so moved she called the police chief to share her appreciation, then brought donuts to the station as a thank-you. “I’m just still in awe of what he did for me. He doesn’t even know me. He just took care of what was impossible for me because I can’t walk without the walker. I just have to commend him, and I thank him so much.”

Cox, who has been with the department for eight years, downplayed the praise. “I’m very blessed in the position where I’m at, whether it’s personally and/or professionally, to help others,” he said.

For Oliver, the gesture meant more than just a tidy lawn. “I didn’t know this young man at the time, and now, he’s my adopted grandson,” she said. Cox has already promised to keep helping her with the yard in the future.

How An Officer’s Heartwarming Gesture Turned A Stranger Into Family

NBC News

In Sandusky, Ohio, the scene was set for an unusual celebration as lawn chairs filled the field along Lake Erie. It wasn't long before two festival-goers showed up with what appeared to be bombs strapped to their torsos, prompting a chorus of laughter rather than alarm. This weekend marks Tommy Boy Fest, a tribute to the cult classic "Tommy Boy," starring Chris Farley and David Spade.

Although the 1995 comedy was filmed in Canada, Sandusky has embraced its association with Tommy Callahan, the lovable character played by Farley. The city of about 25,000 residents is pulling out all stops for this celebration, which kicked off Thursday and wraps up Saturday.

Among the highlights was a look-alike contest drawing participants dressed as various characters from the film. Even props like the deer from Tommy and Richard's road trip made appearances. Jay Stevens took part in the contest and shared how watching "Tommy Boy" with his dad had become a cherished tradition. "I've watched it probably more than 10 times," he said.

The festival includes plenty of activities to keep fans entertained: a “Tommy Want Wingy Throwdown” fundraiser, movie screenings, and a car show featuring the destroyed convertible from the film. Director Pete Segal owns this iconic vehicle and expressed amazement at how beloved the film remains despite having directed more commercially successful movies. "I think it's a generational film," he noted.

Fans flocked to Sandusky from near and far; one such fan is Michael Pecker who traveled over three hours from Cincinnati. He praised Farley's comedic style as captivating: "To me, it’s just good old-fashioned comedy at its best."

Segal visited Sandusky for the first time during these festivities and was warmly welcomed by local businesses, joining in on transforming their establishments into nods to "Tommy Boy." One restaurant even changed its name temporarily from “Tony’s” to “Tommy’s.”

"It's so heartwarming," Segal commented on his experience in Sandusky, where banners and posters celebrating the film adorned every corner.

Chris Farley's brother Kevin also attended this milestone event honoring his late sibling, who passed away less than three years after "Tommy Boy" premiered. Reflecting on Farley's legacy, Kevin remarked: "He lived a relatively short life, but he lived a great life."

Why This Ohio Town is Throwing a Big Bash for "Tommy Boy's" 30th Anniversary

Jen Pawol made Major League Baseball history on Saturday, stepping onto the field at Truist Park as the first woman to umpire a regular-season MLB game.

Pawol, 48, debuted as the first base umpire for game one of a split doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. It was a quiet first inning for her, with both teams set down in order, but the significance of the moment was unmistakable. Fans held up signs reading “Pawol making HERstory” and “The time has come for one & all to play ball.”

“The dream actually came true today. I’m still living in it,” Pawol said. “I’m so grateful to my family and Major League Baseball for creating such an incredible work environment … I’m just so thankful.”

Her debut was closely watched. In the third inning, she made a safe call on a close play involving Braves catcher Sean Murphy — a call that went unchallenged — and later delivered an animated out call on a Miami double play. Braves manager Brian Snitker praised her work: “She did a good job. You can tell she knows what she does.”

Pawol marked the occasion by donating her MLB debut cap to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Commissioner Rob Manfred called her promotion “a reflection of her hard work, dedication and love of the game,” adding that she has set “a strong example … for all the women and young girls who aspire to roles on the field.”

A former Hofstra softball standout and NCAA softball umpire, Pawol began her professional baseball umpiring career in the Gulf Coast League in 2016. She worked her way through the minors, calling the Triple-A championship game in 2023 and participating in MLB spring training the past two years.

Her historic MLB debut comes decades after other U.S. pro sports leagues broke gender barriers for officials; 28 years after the NBA, 10 years after the NFL, and three years after the men’s soccer World Cup. The NHL has yet to have a female on-ice official.

Pawol will continue her debut series in Atlanta, working third base in Saturday night’s second game and calling balls and strikes behind the plate on Sunday.

She Became MLB's First Female Umpire, And Her Cap is Headed to the Hall of Fame

Euro News

Doctors in parts of Europe are taking a different approach to healthcare. Instead of just prescribing pills, they’re handing out recommendations for activities like forest walks or pottery classes. This method is called social prescribing, and it aims to improve patients' overall well-being by addressing their mental and social needs rather than solely focusing on medical treatments.

Natalie Viaux, a link worker at a medical clinic in Brandenburg, Germany, engages with patients by discussing their lives instead of diving straight into their medical history. Her role involves identifying social problems that could be affecting their health, such as loneliness or financial struggles. From there, she helps them create personalized plans to tackle these issues.

Dr. Sam Everington from the UK has been a trailblazer for this concept globally, saying it centers on what matters to patients personally rather than what's medically wrong with them. Research suggests that social prescribing can boost both mental and physical health while reducing visits to doctors and sparking motivation in patients’ lives.

Currently, 22 health centers across eight European countries are exploring how well social prescribing works for vulnerable groups like refugees and LGBTQ individuals. Dr. Wolfram Herrmann, leading this project at Charité University Hospital in Berlin, says it’s focused on those dealing with significant social problems.

Social prescribing isn’t entirely new; many programs address non-medical factors impacting health without being labeled as such. But this approach introduces fresh ideas—like community gardening—that go beyond standard support services. Julia Hotz, who wrote “The Connection Cure,” sees social prescribing as an umbrella term for any initiative tackling these non-medical factors.

Link workers play an essential role here by connecting patients with activities tailored to their interests and needs. When Natalie Viaux joined her clinic in Brandenburg, she expanded the list of services offered by suggesting local clubs and art initiatives that hadn’t been considered before.

Everington highlights the importance of emotionally intelligent link workers who can creatively solve problems and motivate people. He notes that a good link worker doesn’t just point out where the swimming pool is but also provides information about specific sessions that might make someone feel more comfortable attending.

Viaux worked with an older woman struggling with mental health issues who was hesitant about joining exercise classes due to her weight. Instead, Viaux found her a water exercise program better suited to her comfort level and helped her get a new wheelchair through bureaucratic channels. The woman eventually started leaving her house more often and even joined a card-playing group.

Proponents say the benefits of social prescribing are evident, but acknowledge challenges in proving its effectiveness conclusively through research. A European Union-funded project aims to explore these impacts further by conducting trials comparing outcomes between those receiving social prescriptions versus standard care.

Despite these hurdles, supporters like Everington remain committed to making social prescribing mainstream worldwide. His London clinic already hosts numerous projects under this model and attracts visitors from around the globe interested in adopting similar practices back home.

"We have a cure for a hell of a lot of disease and illness," Everington said about social prescribing's potential impact on healthcare systems worldwide—an idea catching attention far beyond European borders today.

Doctors Prescribing Nature Walks and Art Classes? The Surprising New Trend Transforming Healthcare

BBC News

In a small town in England, nine-year-old Lucy turned her driveway into a flourishing fundraising hub. She’s been busy selling plants to raise money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, and so far, she’s collected over £8,000.

Lucy started this endeavor in 2024 after her grandad, Derek, passed away from a rare type of cancer. He had received treatment at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London. The hospital provided six more years of life for Derek after his diagnosis—an invaluable "gift of time," according to the family. This inspired Lucy to contribute to the charity that supported her family during those challenging times.

“I am doing it in memory of my grandad,” Lucy said. “I love running the stall.” Her stall is always open for visitors from various nearby towns like Gorlston, Aylsham, and Reepham. Thanks to generous donations from neighbors and well-wishers, she keeps it stocked with plants, pots, compost, and seeds.

“We do have to restock quite a bit as a lot of stuff goes quite quickly,” Lucy added. Her plant selection includes favorites like pansies, impatiens, and lobelias.

Claire, Lucy's mum, expressed her pride: “We are incredibly proud of her. She is only nine.” Claire also reflected on the hospital's impact on their lives: “They gave him another six years of life.”

Lucy's efforts not only honor her grandfather but also support other families facing similar battles against cancer. As she continues selling plants and raising funds outside her home in Reepham, Lucy stands as an example of how even small actions can make a big difference for those in need.

This Teen Just Raised £8K By Selling Plants to Honor Her Late Grandfather

Yahoo

If you're sipping on milk to boost your protein intake, you might want to rethink the kind of milk you're choosing. A recent study from Peking University and Hyproca Nutrition in China has found that goat milk could be a better choice for muscle health as we age. Published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition, the research looked at four types of dairy milk and their effects on sarcopenia, which is age-related muscle loss.

The researchers experimented with mice to see how different milks affected muscle and bone health. The study involved several groups: a normal control group, a sarcopenia-induced group without dairy supplementation, and four groups given different types of milk—goat whole milk, goat low-fat milk, fortified vitamin D and calcium low-fat goat milk, and cow whole milk. The goal was to determine which type of dairy could best delay or counteract sarcopenia.

All groups receiving dairy showed improvements in muscle mass and bone strength. However, it was the low-fat goat milk fortified with vitamin D and calcium that stood out significantly. This particular variant not only aided in muscle regeneration but also lowered inflammation markers connected to muscle loss.

The researchers explained that this form of goat milk activates signals that promote muscle building while reducing inflammation. It also positively affected the gut microbiome by increasing beneficial bacteria like Lactococcus and Acinetobacter, which are known for supporting metabolism and reducing inflammation.

The study's authors pointed out the distinct benefits of goat milk over cow milk regarding muscle metabolism, autophagy (the body's way of cleaning out damaged cells), inflammation reduction, and gut health in relation to sarcopenia. They noted that "goat milk, particularly its low-fat and vitamin D/calcium-fortified variants," was more effective than cow's milk.

It's important to note that commercial cow milks are often fortified with vitamins A and D too, but the study did not examine if these could match the benefits seen with fortified goat milk.

While these findings are promising for those looking to maintain muscle health through aging, it's crucial to remember this study was conducted on mice. There is still work ahead before confirming these results apply directly to humans.

Still interested? You might consider checking out some goat milk options next time you shop or connecting with local producers at farmers markets for fresh supplies.

This Unexpected Milk Choice Could Be the Key to Stronger Muscles and Bones

Smithsonian Magazine

A rare letter written aboard the Titanic—one of fewer than ten known to exist on the ship’s official stationery—is now on public display for the first time, more than a century after the disaster.

Penned by passenger Archibald Gracie just days before the Titanic struck an iceberg in April 1912, the letter contains an ominous line: “It is a fine ship, but I shall await my journey’s end before I pass judgment on her.” Gracie mailed it from Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, one of the vessel’s two stops before heading across the Atlantic.

Gracie survived the sinking, which claimed more than 1,500 lives, and later began writing The Truth About the Titanic. He corresponded with fellow survivors, including Margaret Brown—the American philanthropist later dubbed the “Unsinkable Molly Brown”—to gather accounts. The Molly Brown House Museum in Denver already holds two letters he wrote to her shortly before his death in December 1912 from complications tied to the disaster.

The newly displayed letter, sold at auction in April for about $399,000 (£300,000) to an anonymous buyer, was loaned to the museum for its debut. “We were… thrilled and honored to have been chosen to be the very first museum to have such a significant artifact on display,” said museum director Andrea Malcomb.

The letter now appears in See Justice Done: The Legacy of the Titanic Survivors’ Committee, an exhibition about Brown’s experience and her work aboard the rescue ship RMS Carpathia, where she helped organize aid for surviving crew members and destitute immigrants. Artifacts on view include an Egyptian talisman Brown carried during the sinking, a handmade flag likely gifted by Titanic crew, a letter she sent her daughter joking about her new “Heroine of the Titanic” title, and medals awarded to the Carpathia’s crew.

Gracie’s correspondence, Malcomb said, offers a rare window into “the thoughts and feelings of those who had been excited and hopeful about their Titanic journey only to then perish… or those who had survived this tragic disaster and were trying to reconcile their experience.”

The exhibition runs at the Molly Brown House Museum through September 22.

Rare Titanic Letter Resurfaces: A Century-Old Mystery is Now on Display

Good News Network

On the sandy dunes of San Francisco's peninsula, an innovative attempt at rewilding is underway. Scientists are exploring if a close relative can step in to fill the ecological gap left by an extinct species. The focus here is on butterflies—specifically, whether the silvery blue butterfly can assume the role once played by the Xerces blue butterfly, which was a vital pollinator before disappearing post-industrialization.

The extinction of the Xerces blue was one of North America's first documented cases among invertebrates, largely due to habitat loss during California's rapid expansion following the Gold Rush. The Presidio Peninsula, where these butterflies once thrived among vegetated and forested dunes, now serves as a site for this fascinating ecological experiment.

Professor Durrell Kapan from the California Academy of Sciences spearheads this project. He and his team have matched the silvery blue as a genetic relative to the extinct Xerces blue. After three decades of habitat restoration efforts by organizations like the Presidio Trust and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, they're ready to see if these butterflies can thrive once more.

Kapan shared with CBS that this initiative presents "an amazing opportunity to try to regenerate those missing connections using its closest relative." It's about both repairing past environmental damage and testing methods for ecological restoration.

On a recent morning, Kapan and his colleagues released silvery blues onto native flowers in Presidio’s restored dunes. Volunteers observed them for an hour post-release; some butterflies immediately laid eggs while others gathered nectar. This marks the second consecutive year that silvery blues have been released in this area. Initial batches bore wing markings for tracking purposes, but sightings of unmarked individuals suggest successful reproduction.

Dr. Phoebe Parker-Shames, a wildlife ecologist involved in this effort, underscores its future significance: "If one year it’s too hot for a particular species and their population sort of has a dip," she explained, "there’s another species there that can help fill the same role."

This experiment could offer insights into how ecosystems adapt to climate change and how similar rewilding projects might be applied elsewhere. The sight of fluttering wings over San Francisco's dunes hints at what careful scientific intervention can achieve when nature gets just enough help to rebound on its own terms.

How A Long-Lost Butterfly’s Cousin Is Reviving California's Ecosystem

Upworthy

For decades, a diagnosis of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) has meant heartbreak for families. The aggressive childhood brain cancer is almost always fatal, with fewer than 10 percent of children surviving beyond two years. Surgery is rarely possible because the tumors grow on critical areas like the brain stem, and radiation or chemotherapy have never brought a cure.

That changed with Lucas Jemeljanova.

Lucas was six years old when doctors in Belgium found the tumor. His parents, Cedric and Olesja, were told he likely didn’t have long to live. Instead, they brought him to France to join a clinical trial called BIOMEDE, which was testing new drugs against DIPG.

Lucas was randomly given everolimus, a chemotherapy pill that blocks a protein called mTOR, which cancer cells use to grow and build new blood vessels. The drug is already approved in the UK and US for certain cancers in the breast, kidney, stomach and pancreas, but had never been tried for DIPG.

Doctors didn’t know what to expect. But over successive MRI scans, Lucas’ oncologist, Dr. Jacques Grill, watched the tumor vanish entirely. It has never returned. Now 13, Lucas is considered the first person cured of DIPG.

“I didn’t know when to stop, or how, because there was no other reference in the world,” said Grill, who continued Lucas’ daily treatment until about 18 months ago.

While Lucas is the only patient in the trial whose tumor completely disappeared, seven others have been “long responders,” with no tumor progression for more than three years. Grill believes Lucas’ tumor carried an exceptionally rare genetic mutation that made it highly sensitive to the drug.

Researchers now hope to recreate these results in lab-grown tumor “organoids” to better understand why the drug worked so well for some patients. “The next step will be to find a drug that works as well on tumor cells,” said BIOMEDE trial researcher Marie-Anne Debily.

There are other glimmers of hope. A separate trial of a new immunotherapy showed promising results, shrinking tumors and improving symptoms in many children. One patient, known only as Drew, has been thriving tumor-free for more than four years.

For now, DIPG remains one of the most devastating diagnoses in paediatric oncology. But Lucas’ case, Debily said, “offers real hope.”

Download the world's only news app designed to spread joy and happiness.

What's Good Now!