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

BBC News

For Ron and Marilyn Hill, the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool isn’t just a famous venue — it’s where their love story once came to life. And this week, thanks to their granddaughter and the kindness of strangers, they got one final chance to dance together under its dazzling lights.

Ron, 82, who lives with Alzheimer’s disease, is preparing to move into a care home. His granddaughter Olivia Watts wanted to give him and Marilyn, 80, one last spin on the ballroom’s iconic sprung floor — a place that holds decades of memories for the couple.

She turned to TikTok for help. What she didn’t expect was how far that plea would go.

“I was in tears,” Olivia said, watching the pair glide across the floor again. “My heart feels so full right now. It’s really incredible.”

BBC Radio Lancashire saw her video and stepped in, contacting Kate Shane, Managing Director of Blackpool Tourism. Shane not only arranged for Ron and Marilyn to have the ballroom to themselves, she also made sure the venue’s resident organist would play live as they danced.

The Tower Ballroom is a place Ron and Marilyn know well. During their years running the entertainment at Blackpool’s Empire Hotel, they would often take a break to enjoy a dance there. It was part of their rhythm, their relationship, their story.

Marilyn was emotional returning to the floor. “It’s exactly the same and it’s absolutely fabulous,” she said. “It’s a beautiful, beautiful ballroom.”

“To dance with Ron again was just wonderful. There are no words for it,” she added. “And this sprung floor is just fabulous.”

Ron, ever the showman, smiled: “My wife was a bit nervous to dance, but I pushed her around a bit,” he joked. “This is our place.”

And it didn’t stop at dancing.

After their turn on the floor, Ron — a former entertainer who no longer plays piano regularly due to his dementia — was invited to sit at the Tower’s legendary Wurlitzer organ.

He couldn’t resist.

“That really was something,” he said after playing. “I’m really honoured to sit at it, let alone play it.”

For Kate Shane, the moment was more than just a kind gesture.

“It was special, really special,” she said. “They are a beautiful couple with a beautiful family.”

She described the transformation as the music began. “Ron could obviously dance, he plays piano, but he’d forgotten. As soon as the organ started to play, he started to dance. Then he went and played [the organ]. It was still there, and that moment in here it came back.”

The visit brought tears, laughter, and a reminder about what really matters.

“We should think about that for our friends and relatives,” Shane said. “We just need to be making moments and celebrating people while we still have them.”

A Granddaughter's TikTok Plea Gives Retired Couple Final Dance at Iconic Tower Ballroom

People

Three-year-old Oliver Chu has become the first person in the world with Hunter syndrome to receive a groundbreaking gene therapy — and his recovery is surpassing every expectation.

Born in California and diagnosed in April 2024, Oliver was just a toddler when his parents, Ricky and Jingru Chu, learned he had mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II), a rare and life-threatening genetic condition that causes progressive damage to the brain and body. His older brother, Skyler, had also been diagnosed with the same disease.

“In severe cases, patients typically don’t survive past the age of 20,” said Ricky. “Like anybody, you look it up and you’re like, ‘Oh my goodness, is this what’s going to happen to both my sons?’”

But in December, the family connected with a team at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital in the UK, who were preparing a world-first gene therapy trial. They offered Oliver a spot.

Despite the emotional strain of splitting the family — Skyler remained in the U.S. to take part in a different clinical trial — the Chus didn’t hesitate.

“There are very few times where your child can have a reset on life,” Ricky said. “So if you can give them that chance, then it’s just something you do.”

The treatment involved removing Oliver’s stem cells, modifying them in a lab at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, and reinfusing them with a working copy of the faulty gene. The goal: to help his body produce a critical enzyme it was missing.

“When those go back to Oliver, they should repopulate his bone marrow and start to produce new white blood cells,” explained Dr. Karen Buckland of the Cell and Gene Therapy Service at GOSH. “Each of these will hopefully start to produce the missing protein in his body.”

Oliver received the infusion in February 2025. He was the first of five boys worldwide to undergo the treatment.

Now, just months later, he’s thriving.

“I’ve been waiting 20 years to see a boy like Ollie doing as well as he is,” said Dr. Simon Jones, one of the trial’s lead researchers. “It’s just so exciting.”

Oliver’s parents say the change has been nothing short of life-altering.

“Ollie is doing great since having the gene therapy,” said Ricky. “We have seen dramatic improvements, and he continues to grow physically and cognitively. Our hope is that he’ll continue to make his own enzymes and live a normal life without infusions.”

“We’re excited for Ollie’s future,” he added. “Seeing the difference for Ollie pre-and post-transplant has made us believers.”

Now the family hopes the therapy can be expanded to more children — including Skyler.

“My wish upon the star is for Skyler, to be able to get the same treatment,” said Ricky. “It feels like Oliver has got a reset in his life, and I want the same thing for Skyler, even though he’s a bit older.”

“Every time we talk about it I want to cry,” Jingru said. “Because it’s just so amazing.”

The family says they’re “forever grateful” to the doctors and researchers who gave their son a second chance — and possibly, a full life.

Toddler Becomes First in the World to Receive Gene Therapy for Rare Disease — and It’s Working

Two people brought together by a tragic loss have found hope and healing through an extraordinary act of kindness.

Tim Swinburn, from Melksham in Wiltshire, first met Clare Brixey in 2004 under the worst of circumstances. Then a family liaison officer with Wiltshire Police, Swinburn had to knock on her door to deliver the devastating news that her 20-year-old son, Ashley, had died in a car crash.

At the time, Brixey was already battling kidney failure and relying on dialysis to survive. Despite the heartbreak, the two stayed in touch.

Now, more than two decades later, their bond has taken a remarkable turn. When Swinburn learned that Brixey’s transplanted kidney was starting to fail, he offered her one of his own — and insisted on it.

“Giving the gift of life, to me it's just a human thing to do,” Swinburn said. “Anyone with a heart would give something to keep someone else alive.”

The transplant took place in October at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. The four-hour surgery was successful, and both have since recovered well. Swinburn is back at work as a support worker at The Salvation Army's Swindon Booth House, and Brixey, for the first time in years, has returned to one of her greatest joys: horse-riding.

She now calls Swinburn a “man in a million.”

“He was my family liaison officer — the person who knocked on my door to tell me my son had been killed in a road traffic collision,” she said. “He was such a compassionate man and very easy to talk to and supportive to our family. We just seemed to gel, and we've been friends for 21 years.”

The friendship has deepened over time, with both supporting each other through life’s challenges.

“When my first kidney transplant started to fail, he told me, ‘You’re going to have one of mine and I won’t take no as an answer,’” she recalled.

Swinburn said the decision wasn’t difficult.

“Clare is one of those special people. We've joked over the years we are like siblings,” he said. “She is an amazing friend. Over my life I've had my ups and downs and she's been there for me, and vice versa.”

“She kept saying ‘are you sure?’ when I knew she would do the same for me,” he added. “There was no question in my mind. To know she is out there riding her horse again, to see her out there with her granddaughter and daughter — that's the reason I did it.”

The pair are now planning to raise funds for transplant-related charities, hoping their story will inspire others to consider living donation — and to support those still waiting for a second chance.

He Donated His Kidney to the Woman He Comforted 21 Years Ago After Her Son's Death

Lucie Colebeck, a former world-class tumbler from Binfield, has flipped her way into the record books — again.

The 29-year-old ex-gymnast set a new Guinness World Record by completing 17 standing backflips in just 30 seconds, all while standing on the roof of London’s O2 arena.

The previous record for women stood at 14 backflips, but Colebeck cleared it with room to spare.

“I love a challenge and I thought, ‘It is only 30 seconds – how bad can it be?’” she said. “Adrenalin just took over and 17 came out of nowhere.”

Colebeck, who began her gymnastics career at age eight with Pinewood Gymnastics Club in Wokingham, wasn’t new to world-class feats. She won medals at both the world and European championships in tumbling and later joined Cirque du Soleil as a performer after retiring from competitive sport in 2018.

But this stunt — done on a cold, windy day on the curved, exposed roof of one of London’s most iconic venues — was unlike anything she’d done before.

“It was actually extremely windy,” she said. “I’ve never really done backflips outside so I didn’t really think about the external factors. I knew it would be really cold and I knew the surface of the O2 would be really firm, but normally I’m used to being on a trampoline or a softer surface.”

To prepare, Colebeck trained on pavements to get used to the unforgiving feel of the rooftop.

Her original goal? Just 15 flips.

This isn't her first brush with Guinness glory either — she previously set the record for most handsprings on a trampoline in 30 seconds.

“I think to be able to do a Guinness world record in something that I love, like gymnastics, it is just really incredible,” she said.

British Gymnast Lucie Colebeck Breaks Backflipping World Record on London Rooftop

Science Alert

For more than half a century, it sat sealed in a helium-filled chamber — untouched, untested, and largely forgotten. But now, one tiny speck of lunar dust is rewriting what we thought we knew about the Moon’s past — and possibly its origins.

The dust, part of a sample collected by Apollo 17 astronauts in 1972, contains a compound called troilite — a mix of iron and sulfur commonly found in space. But what scientists just discovered inside it is anything but common.

Using modern mass spectrometry techniques, planetary scientist James Dottin and his team at Brown University analyzed the sulfur isotopes in the troilite. Their findings were unexpected.

“My first thought was, ‘Holy shmolies, that can’t be right,’” Dottin said. “So we went back to make sure we had done everything properly, and we had. These are just very surprising results.”

Specifically, the sulfur in some grains of the sample showed a bizarre isotopic pattern — an unusually low amount of sulfur-33, unlike anything ever seen in lunar material before.

Until now, scientists assumed the Moon’s sulfur makeup closely matched Earth’s. This sample throws that theory into question. “That’s what I expected to see,” Dottin said. “But instead we saw values that are very different from anything we find on Earth.”

The anomaly may hold clues that stretch back more than 4.5 billion years — potentially predating the Moon itself.

There are two main explanations for the odd sulfur signature. The first is that the troilite formed on the Moon’s surface during its earliest, molten days, when it was covered in a global magma ocean. As the Moon cooled and solidified, sulfur may have evaporated under ultraviolet light, altering its isotopic signature and locking a chemical fingerprint into the rock.

But the second possibility is even more dramatic.

It could be a remnant from Theia — the Mars-sized body thought to have collided with Earth and helped form the Moon in the violent chaos of the early Solar System. If that’s the case, then the sulfur didn’t just come from the Moon. It came from a whole other planet.

If the sulfur did originate on Theia, this would be the first direct physical evidence of leftover planetary material from that ancient crash.

It also complicates one of the most widely accepted theories about the Moon’s formation — that it coalesced from a cloud of vaporized debris after the Earth-Theia impact. That kind of process should have evenly mixed all materials. But the strange sulfur signature suggests something else may have happened.

“There’s just no way we would expect sulfur to be unevenly distributed if the Moon formed entirely from a big impact cloud,” Dottin said. “This suggests there may be more going on.”

There’s also the question of how this ancient sulfur made it from the Moon’s surface down into the mantle, where the sample likely came from. On Earth, plate tectonics can shuffle surface material deep underground. The Moon doesn’t have tectonic plates — or so we thought.

“This idea of some kind of exchange mechanism on the early Moon is exciting,” Dottin said.

The findings were published in JGR Planets and have sparked renewed interest in Apollo-era samples — many of which were intentionally stored away by NASA for future study with more advanced technology.

This particular grain sat undisturbed since the 1970s, waiting for the right tools to unlock its secrets. And it's not just a curious anomaly. It may be a relic of the earliest days of the Solar System — a tiny, dusty breadcrumb leading back to the chaotic birth of Earth, the Moon, and everything else.

Solving the full mystery, though, will take more than one sample. Scientists say they’ll need more materials, from the Moon, Mars, and even asteroids, to paint a clearer picture.

For now, this single speck of sulfur stands as a reminder that the past — especially the distant, planetary kind — is often hiding in plain sight.

This Moon Sample Just Unlocked a 4.5-Billion-Year-Old Secret, Surprising Scientists

What started as a weekend camping trip turned into a real-life rescue mission for a group of Cub Scouts in British Columbia’s Golden Ears Provincial Park.

Eight young scouts, aged roughly 8 to 10, were hiking the West Canyon Trail on Saturday when they came across an unexpected scene — a washed-out bridge, a rushing river swollen with rain, and three teenagers on the far bank, soaking wet and yelling for help.

“They were shouting frantically,” said Luke Lunnin, the Cub Scout leader. “They were cold and clearly not prepared for the weather.”

The Cub Scouts, out for a midday hike in the middle of a rainstorm, sprang into action.

Lunnin called 911, then worked with the kids to gather supplies from their packs. “We came up with some rations from the kids to give to the guys and just tied it to a rock,” he told CBC News. “Some thermal blankets, hot paws, whatever we had with us, some trail mix.”

The kids hurled the bundle across the river to the stranded teens, who wasted no time tearing it open.

“They seemed pretty grateful,” said Lunnin. “As soon as they got that stuff, they threw it on and started munching away.”

The teenagers, as it turned out, were severely underdressed for the backcountry hike. One of them wore pyjama bottoms. None had rain gear. Their packs were light and their food supplies even lighter.

Rick Laing from Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue later said the situation could have taken a much darker turn.

“If they had not got a signal out for assistance, they would have had a very cold, cold, uncomfortable night,” he said. “One of them was so cold it’s possible he could have succumbed to hypothermia by the next morning.”

The rescued teens were eventually brought to safety after search teams reached them later that day.

One of the hikers, 17-year-old Kyle Lee, admitted the group had underestimated the conditions. “We’re just so happy that we found them,” he said of the Cub Scouts. “And then we’re just really grateful that they were there.”

The story has become a reminder of how quickly the outdoors can turn dangerous — and how a little preparedness can go a long way.

“The weather conditions can change very rapidly,” said Brent Boulet, another search manager with Ridge Meadows SAR. “And when they do, it’s always quite, quite drastic.”

Boulet emphasized the importance of carrying the “10 essentials” — items like a flashlight, food, water, first-aid supplies, and extra layers — whenever heading into the backcountry.

For Lunnin and his scouts, the experience left a lasting impression.

They later visited the search-and-rescue camp and got a behind-the-scenes look at how rescues are coordinated.

“It’s not just about being prepared for yourself,” Lunnin said. “You might run across people along the trail, right? So having a little extra supplies couldn’t hurt — and in this case, it definitely didn’t.”

It was a rescue born of preparation, quick thinking, and a few brave kids who came through when it mattered most.

Caught in a Storm, Canadian Cub Scouts Rescue Stranded Teen Hikers

The Guardian

At 95 years old, Raymond Hager isn’t slowing down.

The longtime bus driver from Wichita Falls just became the oldest active driver in the world, according to Guinness World Records. But ask him about retiring, and he’ll give you a smile and a shrug.

“I’ve always liked to drive – I still do,” Hager said. “And hopefully I stay safe and drive as long” as his boss and doctor allow.

Hager has been driving city buses for Wichita Falls since 1998. Before that, he spent most of his life farming and working as a crop-dusting pilot. But driving’s always been part of his story. He started hauling cotton to a gin at age 14 on his family’s farm, and he never really stopped.

“I get more tired at home than I do driving – honestly,” he said in an interview with local news station KFDX. “You know – if I get four or five hours of sleep at night, man, I’m ready to go.”

And go he does.

Every month, Hager gets a checkup to make sure he’s still fit to drive. So far, he says, his doctor has no complaints. “My doctor tells me I’m good,” he said. “So I don’t have no desire to quit.”

That work ethic earned him a formal proclamation from the city on his birthday. On November 18, the same day he turned 95, Wichita Falls officials declared it “Raymond Hager Day.”

“I’ll do my best to uphold and do what you’ve said of me,” he told Mayor Tim Short at the ceremony.

Short called him “a shining example of lifelong purpose and passion,” and added, “Age is not a limitation – but a testament to experience, wisdom and heart.”

Jenny Stevens, who oversees public transportation for the city, led the effort to get Hager’s record officially recognized. After years of service and thousands of safe trips behind the wheel, she said it was time he got the recognition he deserved.

On June 1, Guinness World Records certified Hager as the world’s oldest active bus driver.

Hager still remembers the moment it all sank in. “I’ve been blessed – a little country boy – to achieve something like that,” he said. He told his grandson it felt surreal. “It’s like I had a good dream. It’s hard for it to soak in yet.”

While some might see his story as a symbol of the rising cost of living or a cautionary tale about delayed retirement, many others see it as a reminder that joy can come from doing what you love — for as long as you’re able to.

For Hager, the job isn’t just about driving. It’s about people.

He says he enjoys chatting with passengers and being out and about far more than sitting around the house. That mix of purpose and routine, he says, is what keeps him going.

Asked about retirement, Hager admitted he once thought about it. That’s why the city planned its proclamation for his birthday — it was supposed to be his last day on the job. But then he changed his mind.

Now, he’s not making any promises about when that day will come.

“I don’t have no desire to quit,” he said. “Not yet.”

Texas Man, 95, Sets Record As Oldest Bus Driver: 'I Don't Have No Desire To Quit'

Kare11 NBC

On a quiet street in Plymouth, Minnesota, a 9-year-old girl named Millie Benjamin has become a local phenomenon — not for selling lemonade, but for giving out something much sweeter: free compliments.

Standing behind a homemade sign scrawled with “FREE COMPLIMENTS,” Millie greets every driver and passerby with a kind word or two. She’s made it her mission to brighten people’s days, one compliment at a time.

“She’s just been a compliment girl from the start,” says her mom, Holly Benjamin. And it’s true. At home, her sister Hazel is “a very good sister.” Her mom? “She has mesmerising green eyes.” As for her dad, Josh, “Every day I leave for work, she tells me I look very handsome,” he says.

Now, Millie’s warmth is spilling beyond the walls of the family home and out into the neighborhood.

“I'm giving free compliments,” she calls out to a driver pulling up to the end of the driveway. “Do you want one?”

Some kids set up stands to make a bit of cash. Millie isn’t interested in money. “No one should pay to be happy,” she insists, turning away any attempt to tip her for her words.

Miguel Auchcama pulled his truck over and received this: “I’m spell-bounded by your sense of fashion.” Plymouth police officer Haley Briesch, in full uniform, got this gem: “Even though you have all this stuff for robbers, they might just be knocked out because of your beauty.”

She’s even made a grown man cry — in the best way possible.

“I drove by and I started crying because the world needs more joy,” said Sawyer Radermacher, wiping away tears after pulling over. Millie hugged him and told him, “Don’t be sad.” His response? “These are not tears of sadness, these are tears of joy.”

Millie’s idea started as a whim. Her parents weren’t quite sure how people would react. “I was actually a little worried that people were going to think we're nuts,” Holly said. But then people started showing up. Lots of them.

Each visit brings a new exchange. A firefighter? “Well, that’s a very handsome name,” Millie told him. A mail carrier? “Let’s you know there’s still kindness and humanity,” he said after receiving his compliment.

Even on grey, rainy days, cars continue to pull up. A stranger having a bad day? “I have a pretty crappy day today,” one man admitted. Millie responded with a compliment that lifted him right out of it.

Millie keeps going for a simple reason: “Seeing people happy makes me happy.”

Her mom watches closely, not just to keep Millie safe, but to make sure the kindness is well-received. It always is.

“This, like, made my whole entire day,” said Alexa Sharp, beaming after a compliment through her dad’s truck window.

From a small stand in her front yard, Millie is quietly building something big — not a business, but a ripple effect of joy, kindness, and humanity. And judging by the growing line of cars on Northwest Boulevard, the world might just be ready for more Millies.

9-Year-Old Girl's Free Compliments Attract Throngs Of Grateful Visitors

A hidden corner of Covent Garden has become an unexpected frontline in the fight against phone theft — thanks to the sharp eyes and green thumbs of local volunteers.

At Phoenix Garden, a small community-run green space off Shaftesbury Avenue, staff and volunteers have been unearthing stolen phones buried in flowerbeds and bushes. The garden, located near major theft hotspots like Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road, has become a temporary hiding spot for phone snatchers who stash devices in the soil to retrieve later.

“We often find phones thrown over the fence from the night before,” said Louise Gates, the garden’s manager. “Some of our volunteers have dug up phones wrapped in tin foil.”

Tin foil, police say, is a common tactic used by thieves to block tracking signals — such as those emitted by Apple’s “Find My” app — in an attempt to delay detection.

But it hasn’t worked for long. Gates and her team have been quietly retrieving the phones and returning them either directly to victims or to the police. In some cases, victims have shown up at the garden after tracking their missing device’s location signal. When possible, Gates has charged phones and called emergency contacts to arrange returns.

“They're all really so grateful, which is nice,” she said. “Other times I charge it up, but nobody rings... so I just take it to the police station.”

Ron Chenery, who has volunteered at the garden for two years, said the finds have become surprisingly routine. “Most of us love the garden so much, we're constantly out in the fresh air. If we see something we hand it in,” he said.

Thefts in the area have surged in recent years, with gangs on electric bikes targeting unsuspecting pedestrians. The average smartphone now costs close to £1,000, making them easy targets for resale. Police believe the garden has been used by thieves as a low-risk place to stash loot temporarily, hoping to return later once the heat has died down.

But word appears to have gotten out. Gates said the number of buried phones has declined recently, possibly because of the garden's growing reputation as a place where phones don’t stay hidden for long.

Community worker Elliot Hughes, who brings students to the garden for outdoor learning, said the incidents have also sparked useful conversations with young people. “There’s young people now, walking around central London on their phones, in the middle of the street — which are essentially £1,000 computers,” he said. “The best we can do is give awareness... maybe highlight the things they shouldn’t be doing.”

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they’ve increased patrols in the area to crack down on phone snatching. A spokesperson said thefts have dropped by 16% since April.

“We’re catching more perpetrators and protecting people from having their phone stolen,” the force said, adding that several organised crime groups have also been dismantled.

The Met also urged tech companies like Apple and Samsung to do more to deter theft by improving device security and making stolen phones harder to sell.

Until then, a small garden in central London is doing its part — with trowels, gloves, and a bit of tech-savvy community spirit.

London community garden uncovers buried stolen phones — and helps return them to rightful owners

Science Daily

New research from the University of Birmingham suggests that eating foods high in flavanols, like tea, berries, apples, and cocoa, may protect men's blood vessels from the damaging effects of long periods spent sitting. This is welcome news given how much time many people spend seated daily—whether at a desk job or just lounging on the couch.

Sedentary habits have become common in today's society. Many young adults rack up about six hours of sitting each day, which can negatively affect blood vessel function. A small decrease in vascular function has been linked to an increased risk of conditions such as heart disease and strokes.

The study focused on whether flavanols could counteract this decline in vascular health during extended sitting sessions. Flavanols are naturally occurring compounds found in various fruits and teas and have been associated with cardiovascular benefits.

Dr. Catarina Rendeiro, Assistant Professor at the University of Birmingham, explained that while we may be stationary for significant portions of our day—at desks or even watching TV—our bodies experience stress. "Finding ways to mitigate the impact that sitting for uninterrupted periods has on our vascular system could help us cut the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases," Rendeiro said.

Cardiovascular disease remains a growing concern. In the UK alone, deaths from these conditions among working-age adults rose by 18 percent in recent years, costing roughly £29 billion.

To test the potential protective role of flavanols during sitting periods, researchers conducted experiments involving 40 healthy young men divided into two groups based on fitness levels. Participants consumed either a high-flavanol cocoa drink containing 695 milligrams of total flavanols or a low-flavanol version with just 5.6 milligrams before engaging in two hours of sedentary activity.

Interestingly, both fitter individuals and those less fit who drank low-flavanol cocoa experienced declines in arm and leg arterial function along with increased blood pressure and reduced blood flow. These results suggest higher fitness alone does not prevent negative vascular changes associated with prolonged sitting.

However, those who consumed high-flavanol cocoa did not show these declines. "Our experiment indicates that higher fitness levels do not prevent temporary impairment when only drinking low-flavanol cocoa," said Dr. Sam Lucas from the University of Birmingham. The study demonstrates that flavanols can effectively support vascular health regardless of someone's baseline fitness level.

Alessio Daniele, a PhD student involved in the study, noted that incorporating high-flavanol foods into one's diet is straightforward since they are readily available in supermarkets and health stores. Options include certain cocoa products as well as fruits like apples and berries and black or green tea.

Rendeiro highlighted that consuming these foods during periods spent sitting can help reduce inactivity's impact on vascular health: "Using flavanol-rich food and drink could be a good way to enhance long-term health.

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