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Tiny Fan Melts Robert Irwin's Heart with a Precious Question
Bravery comes in many forms, and for the Irwin family, it's a way of life. Robert Irwin, following in his late father Steve Irwin's footsteps, continues to inspire with his fearless interactions with animals at their Australian zoo. Recently, a young visitor posed a question that left everyone in awe. During a typical day at the zoo, Robert fielded questions from curious visitors. However, it was a little girl's inquiry that stood out among the rest. She wanted to know the secret behind Robert's bravery when facing even the scariest creatures. The answer he gave was nothing short of profound. In response to the young girl's question, Robert shared, "There’s a difference between bravery and afraid. I’m afraid all of the time. The most important thing is how you respond to that fear." His words resonated deeply with those who witnessed this heartwarming exchange. Fans took to social media to express their admiration for Robert and his unwavering spirit. One fan remarked, "I love Robert Irwin. He has Steve’s spirit," while another urged, "Please protect Robert Irwin at all costs." The legacy of courage and compassion lives on through Robert as he continues to educate and inspire future generations. In a world where fear can be overwhelming, Robert Irwin reminds us that true bravery lies in how we choose to face our fears.
Score (98)
This Tattoo Artist is Transforming Scars Into Art, Helping Thousands Over the Past Decade
Ten years ago, tattoo artist Brian Finn decided to use his craft for more than art. On his day off each week, he began offering free or reduced-cost tattoos to people with scars from trauma. "It just kind of hit me one day that I had the tools to do something to help people. So, I kind of rolled with it," Finn said. When NPR first interviewed him in 2015, word spread quickly. Requests poured in, and since then Finn has completed thousands of tattoos for survivors of domestic abuse, human trafficking, self-harm, and other experiences that left physical marks. For Finn, who has been tattooing for more than 30 years, the meaning behind each piece is deeply personal. "Some people, you know, they want to cover up a scar with a tattoo so they can't see it. But there's a lot of people, too, that came in … they wanted to kind of highlight it," he said. "Everybody's different. And I think both are great ideas and just a different approach depending on what you want to do." The impact of his work extended beyond his own shop. After his 2015 interview, Finn began receiving messages not only from potential clients but also from tattoo artists around the world. "There's people that reached out from all across the world, different tattoo shops, different tattooers saying: 'Hey, I heard that on NPR. I'm kind of following suit and I'm doing the same thing.'" Still, the work has not been without its challenges. Finn admits he underestimated how difficult it would be to hear people’s stories day after day. "Emotionally, it was … there was a lot of pain to hear on a daily basis," he said. Over time, he’s found ways to manage the weight of it. "The only thing that's really changed is that I think it's less overwhelming … hearing everybody's story all at once was more than I expected." A decade in, Finn says he has no plans to stop. "I don't see any reason to stop," he said. "It's nice to help people out." What began as a small idea has now become part of a global ripple effect, inspiring others to turn tattoos into tools for healing.
Score (97)
How Lowrider Culture is Transforming Custom Cars Into Vibrant Artworks
On weekends in California, Sandy Avila steers her 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass lowrider through the streets, its hydraulics hissing as the car rises and dips at her command. For Avila, the cars are more than machines. “Lowriding for me isn’t just a pastime,” she says. “It’s a part of my culture—it’s something that I grew up around my whole life.” Her father once owned lowriders, and she remembers climbing onto them before she could even walk. Nine years ago, inspired by her husband’s car, she decided to get her own. Now 42, she owns two: the customized Cutlass and a 1966 Chevrolet Impala convertible she is still turning into a lowrider. “I’ve literally changed everything,” she says of the Cutlass. “It’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of money, it’s a lot of dedication—there’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears that people put into their cars.” That passion is at the center of “Corazón y Vida: Lowrider Culture,” opening September 26 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. The bilingual exhibition, which runs until October 2027, tells an 80-year story of Mexican American ingenuity, family tradition and mechanical artistry through the lens of lowriders. The show pairs photographs, posters and objects from the Smithsonian’s collection with two iconic cars: El Rey, a candy-red 1963 Chevrolet Impala built by three generations of one family, and Gypsy Rose, a 1964 Impala hand-painted with roses. Gypsy Rose, designed by Jesse Valadez of the Imperials Car Club in East Los Angeles, became famous after appearing on the 1970s TV comedy Chico and the Man and was added to the National Historic Vehicle Register in 2017. A sister version of the exhibition, “Corazón y Vida: Lowrider Culture in the United States,” launched this month in Anaheim, California. Created with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, it will tour through 2029, focusing on photographs and digital prints so that communities nationwide can connect with the culture. “We decided to do something that’s a bit more national in scope,” says curator L. Stephen Velasquez. “Something that was mainly more on the community, the heart and soul of what lowriding is.” Lowriding emerged in the 1940s, as Mexican American veterans returned from World War II with mechanical skills and modest savings. Cars became canvases. With limited means, young mechanics bought used vehicles and transformed them into mobile works of art. “Owning a car was kind of a symbol of the American dream,” Velasquez says. “They could only afford the used ones, so they started to do whatever they could to make that car their own.” For Maria del Carmen Cossu, project director for the traveling exhibition, the cars embody history and resilience. “Lowriding is a very important tradition that was started in the 1940s by Mexican Americans in the southwest of the United States after they came [home] from World War II,” she says. But lowriders also faced hostility. “Mexican Americans were kind of villainized as being not completely American,” Velasquez explains. Police routinely stopped drivers for cruising too slowly or lowering their cars too close to the ground. In 1958, California made it illegal to drive any car “lower than the bottom of the wheel rim.” Hydraulics became a workaround, allowing cars to ride low, then lift up when police approached. Discrimination persisted into the 1970s, when San Francisco police issued mass citations and arrests. In 1979, car clubs sued the city and Mayor Dianne Feinstein for civil rights violations. “It wasn’t about money,” Roberto Hernandez, who led the suit, told NPR years later. “It was about the whole discrimination and blatant selective racism and use of excessive force by the police department.” San Francisco eventually settled, but restrictions lingered until last year, when California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law ending local bans on lowrider cruising. Despite decades of stigma, lowriders became central to community celebrations, appearing at quinceañeras, weddings, funerals and club anniversaries. Paint jobs often tell stories with religious icons, portraits of family members, or symbolic designs. The exhibition’s name, “Corazón y Vida” (Heart and Life), reflects that spirit. “It’s all about the heart,” Velasquez says. “It’s not something that you can go out and buy.” Avila has worked to expand that tradition through the Lady Lowriders Car Club, which she founded in 2021. The group of about 25 women now includes members in the US, Canada, Mexico and Japan. “We want to encourage younger women that they can also build these beautiful cars and that these beautiful cars are not just for men,” she says. For her and others, it’s also therapy: “It’s definitely like a therapy for us to be able to go out and cruise in our cars and just kind of have our own time together.” Lowriding has spread well beyond its roots. Nick Muros, a lowrider builder in Washington state with German, Puerto Rican and Spanish ancestry, remembers falling in love with the culture in second grade after seeing a bluish-purple 1974 Impala bounce on three wheels. “That was the coolest thing I’d ever seen in my life,” he says. At 11, he was sanding and priming his first car, a 1963 Bel-Air station wagon. Today he runs a shop specializing in chassis reinforcement and hydraulics. For curators, that wide reach is part of the story. “It’s gone beyond the United States to influence places in Asia, Latin America and Europe,” says Cossu. Yet at its core, lowriding remains tied to the Mexican American experience. Avila sees the culture gaining new respect. “For so long, it wasn’t looked at as a positive thing,” she says. “I feel like now it’s really gotten a good name, and people can really understand and accept it for what it is, which is a passion to build cars and a part of a culture that I know a lot of people didn’t understand.” Whether rolling slowly down a boulevard or displayed under museum lights, lowriders remain what they have always been: expressions of identity, artistry and community, kept alive by people who see their cars as family.
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Score (97)
A British Charity is Hosting a Sleepout at Stonehenge to Support Homeless Veterans
Alabaré, a British charity dedicated to fighting homelessness, has been making waves by providing critical support to "rough sleepers" across the UK. One of their notable programs is Homes for Veterans, which assists former service members like Bryn, who found himself homeless after serving 14 years in the Royal Air Force Regiment. He ended up sleeping under a bridge during winter after exhausting all other options. “You don’t really sleep,” Bryn shared with the Salisbury Journal. “You’re constantly watching if anybody is going to try and steal your stuff.” Fortunately, Alabaré's intervention through their Homes for Veterans program gave him a fresh start. “That day changed my life,” he said about finding secure housing. In its 2024-2025 impact report, Alabaré revealed it supported 3,272 people during that period, marking a 12.3 percent increase from the previous year. However, this growth in assistance could not entirely meet the rising demand within communities. The report highlighted that there are over 3,500 homeless veterans across England and Wales alone. “Last year, we received 350 referrals for our veteran services,” Alabaré noted in their report; this reflects an increase of 122 percent in demand for their services for veterans specifically. Despite the surge in need, Alabaré managed to provide housing services to 158 veterans over the past year. Looking ahead to 2026, Alabaré plans to expand its reach through The Big Sleep event. For 15 years running, this initiative has encouraged participants to give up their beds for one night and sleep outside while raising funds for those experiencing homelessness. This year's Big Sleep will take place at Stonehenge on Friday, November 14. The event invites participants to get sponsored to sleep outdoors and raise money for homeless veterans in Wiltshire and the South West of England. “We are asking you to get sponsored to sleep out for one night,” Alabaré stated on their event page. To add an extra layer of intrigue, they’ve partnered with Cranborne Chase National Landscape team to explore the night sky with attendees after walking down to the stones. Registration is open but limited to 200 participants; interested individuals are encouraged to sign up soon. As described in their impact report, Homes for Veterans aims at providing tailored support pathways that address physical health, mental health, financial wellbeing, and employment readiness among veterans. By working closely with each veteran client, the program helps them secure stable housing and transition successfully into independent living situations while minimizing future risks of homelessness. “Together we can break the cycle,” pledges Alabaré in their ongoing mission statement aimed at supporting vulnerable veterans throughout England and Wales.
Score (96)
This Breast Cancer Survivor is Strutting the Catwalk to Raise Awareness and Support Research
Sarah Wheldon, a 35-year-old from Dorset, is taking to the catwalk in Dorchester to raise awareness for breast cancer. Her participation in the Charity Angels fashion show is personal, as she knows firsthand how critical it is to recognize and address symptoms early. Living in Lyon, France, a few years back, Sarah noticed a lump and red patch on her breast. Despite these concerning signs, she found herself dismissed time and time again by healthcare professionals who thought she was "too young" at 33 to have breast cancer. "I left in floods of tears and was feeling very alone," she shared about her frustrating experience after being denied a mammogram by a radiologist. Eventually, persistence paid off. On her 34th birthday, Sarah received the diagnosis she'd been dreading: breast cancer. What followed were months of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. But it wasn't just the treatment that weighed heavily on her; it was the initial struggle to be taken seriously. "That was the time I struggled to talk about," she said. "I start to feel angry." The emotional toll didn't end with treatment. Returning to Dorchester after her ordeal in France marked another low point in Sarah's life. It became a time for processing everything she'd been through while living with her parents Julie and John, who had supported her throughout. Now managing preventative drugs and hormone therapy side effects more effectively, Sarah has found solace in swimming and community support groups like the Purbeck Workshop. This group offers craft activities for those affected by cancer and has become an outlet for healing. It was through this workshop that Sarah got involved with the upcoming fashion show set for October 16 at Dorchester's Corn Exchange. The event will feature 14 women who have experienced breast cancer themselves, modeling clothes from six independent boutiques. All proceeds go toward Against Breast Cancer's research efforts into secondary breast cancer. Reflecting on what got her through such trying times, Sarah credits her parents—her "best friends"—and emphasizes not facing challenges alone: "Don't do it on your own," she advises others going through similar situations. Funds raised from the Charity Angels fashion show will support Against Breast Cancer’s junior research fellowship headed by Dr. Simon Lord at Oxford University’s Department of Oncology.
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How This New Yorker Found a New Life and Love in a Rural Italian Village
Sometimes moving abroad feels like a gamble, a leap into the unknown. For Caroline Chirichella, a 36-year-old New Yorker, relocating to a quiet Italian town became the best decision of her life. Tired of the pace and expense of New York City, Chirichella first visited Guardia Sanframondi, a village of about 5,000 people northeast of Naples, in 2014. The trip wasn’t planned. Her mother had suggested adding the destination after seeing it featured on the television show House Hunters International. “When we came here the first time in October of 2014, everything just clicked and I knew this was where I wanted to live,” she told CNN. What started as curiosity turned into permanence. Two years later, she made the move for good, swapping the stress of running her catering business in New York for a slower life in Campania. “I was living my life, but I didn’t feel like I was experiencing it,” she said. “I wanted a place where I could live life to the fullest and become a part of a community.” On her first visit, she fell in love not only with the cobbled streets and sweeping views, but also with the sense of belonging she said New York lacked. “I felt it in my heart. It was like I was coming home,” she said. She bought a three-story home with a terrace for just over $50,000, paid in full without a mortgage. Later, as her family grew, she and her husband upgraded to a larger four-bedroom house for about $80,000. Her move also changed her personal life. At an art exhibition in Guardia, she met Vito Pace, a local artist. The chance encounter turned into a long-distance relationship, then marriage in 2016. Today they have two children, Lucia, 7, and Nicola, 2. “Living in Guardia was the best decision I ever made because it gave me my future — my husband, my children and my own business,” she said. Life in the village has meant embracing “la dolce vita” and letting go of New York’s relentless rush. Chirichella now runs a public relations company with the flexibility she long craved. Her days include long walks, time in the park with her children, and frequent dinners with her parents, who have since moved from New York to join her in Guardia. Costs are manageable. The family spends about $3,500 a month, which covers utilities, groceries, car insurance, and regular meals out. “If we were to live in NYC with two children, what we live with here wouldn’t even cover our rent,” she said. The slower rhythm hasn’t always been easy to adjust to. Deliveries and appointments often run late. Utilities sometimes cut out without notice. But she says small-town quirks come with rewards too. Running into neighbors for coffee or an aperitivo has become one of her favorite parts of the day. “Working with Italians is very different than working with Americans, and that’s OK,” she said. “If I wanted things to operate the same as they do in America, then I should have stayed there.” As a dual Italian-American citizen with roots in the region, the move has also reconnected her to her family’s past. Her great-grandfather came from a town south of Naples. Nearly a decade later, she says she cannot imagine going back to New York. “When I was younger, I would ride the subway to school and see so many people who looked miserable and I told myself, I never wanted that to be me,” she said. “I have found a way to create my own version of happiness.”
Score (98)
Preschooler Surprises Beloved Custodian By Dressing Up Like Him On Career Day
In Clinton, Mississippi, a four-year-old preschooler’s hero is not a superhero or a cartoon character. Instead, he looks up to Mr. Bubba, the custodian at Weekday Preschool of the First Baptist Church. On career day, while his classmates dressed as firefighters and athletes, this young boy donned a bald cap and fake mustache to embody Mr. Bubba perfectly. The sweet moment was captured on video by the preschool and quickly gained attention after being reshared on Reddit's r/MadeMeSmile community. The clip shows Mr. Bubba bursting into laughter when he sees his mini-me for the first time. "Ask any of our Weekday Preschool Children who their favorite person is and the answer is easily 'Mr. Bubba!'" read the caption accompanying the video. Bubba Cable, affectionately known as Mr. Bubba, expressed surprise at being chosen as a role model during an interview with Baptist Press. "It’s just a surprise that anyone would even look up to me like that," Cable said. Despite seeing himself as an "average Joe," he has earned admiration from students who greet him enthusiastically whenever he passes by. Kim Evrard, Weekday Preschool Director, describes Mr. Bubba as indispensable to both the preschool and church community. “Mr. Bubba does everything for us,” Evrard told Baptist Press, highlighting how quick he is to respond to their needs. Reddit users were deeply touched by this heartwarming interaction between the student and Mr. Bubba. Comments poured in from custodians who empathized with Mr. Bubba’s joy and parents who appreciated the dedication involved in creating such an accurate costume. Evrard hopes that sharing this video brings joy to others during challenging times. She believes moments like these are essential in uplifting spirits and spreading positivity.
Score (98)
Anonymous Volunteer Revitalizes Historic Road Signs, Delighting Town Residents
An anonymous volunteer has been quietly brightening up the streets of Newark, Nottinghamshire, by restoring nearly 70 century-old cast iron road signs, leaving residents delighted. The mystery painter has spent the past few months sanding and repainting the historic signs, many of which had become faded and unreadable. Speaking to the BBC, he said: “It makes me feel good. It’s a lovely thing to see when they are done.” While he prefers to stay out of the spotlight, the volunteer said he has always been interested in architecture and old buildings. In some cases, his work has extended to signs above people’s doors or on the side of their homes, though he makes sure to ask permission before setting up his ladder. His work has started gaining attention on social media, but most of the time he goes unnoticed. Once, he was rewarded with a jar of homemade jam from a grateful resident. Margaret Metcalfe, who has one of the newly painted signs on her house, praised the effort. “There are a lot of signs in streets that you think could do with being done up, because you can’t even read what they are saying,” she said. “So good on him, well done, especially if he’s just done it off his own back, he deserves a medal.” Others in town share that admiration. Resident August Grinevicius, 34, recalled seeing the volunteer at work. “He smiled to me and I smiled to him, and I said ‘I love it, it really looks good’,” he said. “They look amazing, every time I go to work I look up at it because it’s beautiful.” For community volunteer Diane Spurr, the project has been an inspiration. “I think it’s amazing, everybody in the town needs to just take a little bit of responsibility to making the town a better place to live,” she said. “I think the town would be a much better place if there were more people like him.” Steven Angell, co-owner of Angell’s fish and chip shop, agreed. “I think it’s really good that someone has taken their time to go out and do something good for the town, when there is so much negativity around,” he said. “These signs are heritage aren’t they? So I think it’s quite good that we’ve got some sort of history being brought back to life.” For the painter, it’s all about community. “I think we should be working to bring the community together, not trying to divide it,” he said.
Score (97)
Sweden’s Bold Leap: Record-Breaking Solar Farm Goes Live in Småland
Sweden has switched on its largest-ever solar farm, a massive project the size of 185 American football fields that’s now delivering clean power to the grid. The Hultsfred Solar Farm, built on the grounds of Hultsfred Airport in the Småland region, is expected to generate about 100 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually — enough to power more than 18,000 homes, according to Interesting Engineering. Developed by French renewable energy company Neoen in partnership with Swedish solar firm Alight, the project represents the country’s biggest step yet into large-scale solar power. Warren Campbell, Alight’s CEO, called the launch “a landmark achievement in Swedish renewable power production.” He added, “Bringing this solar farm into operation with our partner Neoen and PPA offtaker H&M represents a milestone for us and demonstrates that the Swedish market can deliver large-scale, unsubsidized renewable energy fast.” The farm began producing earlier this year and is now running at full capacity. Its long-term power purchase agreement with H&M Group will help the fashion giant move closer to its pledge of sourcing 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030. While H&M’s sustainability commitments have been scrutinized in the past, with critics accusing the company of greenwashing, the agreement secures a reliable buyer for the solar farm’s output — providing both financial stability for the project and a major cut in carbon emissions. Big solar projects like this can reduce energy costs for communities, stabilize regional power grids, and increase energy independence by lowering reliance on imported fossil fuels. In Sweden, where hydropower and wind already dominate, adding large-scale solar further diversifies the renewable mix. By replacing polluting fuels with clean energy, the Hultsfred farm is expected to cut thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, marking another step toward Sweden’s target of becoming fossil fuel–free by 2045.
Score (57)
Ghost Shark Reappears: A Sailback Houndshark Was Seen for the First Time in 50 Years
For nearly 50 years, the sailback houndshark seemed to be a ghost of the ocean. Known only from a single specimen collected in the 1970s, many thought this unique species had slipped into extinction. But recent sightings in Papua New Guinea have breathed new life into its story. Researchers, working with the World Wildlife Fund, confirmed six new sightings of this elusive shark between 2020 and 2022. These are the first verified records in half a century. The sightings occurred near the mouth of the Gogol River in Madang Province, an area that appears to be the sole habitat for these sharks. Among these newfound individuals is an important discovery—the first documented male sailback houndshark. This adds a significant piece to understanding this species, which is described in detail in the Journal of Fish Biology. "The five females and one male G. filewoodi recorded in 2020 and 2022 near the Gogol River mouth are the first verified records of this species since its description from a single specimen in the 1970s," noted researchers involved with the study. The sailback houndshark is notable for its long dorsal fin and distinctively shaped teeth—features that set it apart on an evolutionary branch all its own. However, scientists warn that its limited range makes it vulnerable to threats such as overfishing. Astrolabe Bay's narrow stretch is where these sharks swim, making conservation efforts critical for their survival. For local communities in Papua New Guinea, this rediscovery highlights their waters' biodiversity richness. Sharks play an essential role in maintaining marine food webs balanced; they support fisheries that locals rely on for both food and income. Despite these promising sightings, conservationists urge caution. The International Union for Conservation of Nature still lists the sailback houndshark as "data deficient." There isn't enough information yet to assess how healthy or stable its population really is. Local fishers and market surveys are pivotal in providing new data about species like this one, potentially preventing them from slipping quietly out of existence. "The rediscovery offers both wonder and warning; nature can endure in hidden corners but only if those corners are protected," researchers said.
Score (97)
Mariners Fan Goes Viral for Giving Away Cal Raleigh's Historic 60th Home Run Ball to a Young Boy
Cal Raleigh’s record-setting swing on Sept. 24 gave the Seattle Mariners plenty to celebrate — but what happened in the stands may be just as memorable. During the game against the Colorado Rockies, Raleigh crushed his 60th home run of the season, becoming only the seventh player in MLB history to reach the milestone. The ball, potentially worth six figures, sailed into the right field stands where one fan managed to catch it. Instead of holding onto the prized souvenir, the unidentified man handed it to a nearby child. A video of the exchange quickly went viral, showing the stunned reactions of fans around him. After passing the ball to the boy, the man smiled, tipped his hat, and soaked in the cheers of the crowd. Security soon escorted the boy and his father out of the section so the ball could be authenticated. Mariners officials later confirmed that the child traded it in for a bat signed by Raleigh and an invitation to attend batting practice at a future game. The Mariners are still trying to track down the fan whose generosity stunned the stadium. “The Mariners would love to get in contact with this incredible fan. If you know him, please DM!” wrote Adam Gresch, the team’s senior manager of communications, on X. Raleigh’s historic blast didn’t just make team history — it cemented his place in the record books. He now holds the Mariners’ single-season home run record, as well as the MLB records for most homers in a season by a switch-hitter and by a catcher. This isn’t the first time a home run ball has created viral headlines this season. Earlier in September, drama erupted in Miami when a Phillies fan caught a Harrison Bader homer and a woman tried to claim it, sparking a confrontation that spread widely online. In Seattle, though, the mood was very different. One swing gave Raleigh his 60th home run — and one fan gave a kid a memory for life.