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Are Earth-Like Exoplanets More Common Than We Thought?
A recent study using the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) has revealed that super-Earth exoplanets are more common in the universe than previously believed. This international team of researchers, including Andrew Gould, professor emeritus of astronomy at The Ohio State University, discovered these planets can exist far from their host stars, similar to the distance between our gas giants and the sun. "Scientists knew there were more small planets than big planets, but in this study, we were able to show that within this overall pattern, there are excesses and deficits," said Gould. "It's very interesting." The research suggests that for every three stars, at least one super-Earth with a Jupiter-like orbital period exists. These findings were made possible through microlensing—a technique where mass warps space-time enough to cause detectable changes in brightness when a star or planet passes between an observer and a distant star. Using microlensing signals, researchers identified OGLE-2016-BLG-0007, a super-Earth with twice Earth's mass and an orbit wider than Saturn's. This discovery allowed scientists to categorize exoplanets into two groups: super-Earths and Neptune-like planets versus gas giants like Jupiter or Saturn. The study was conducted by researchers from China, Korea, Harvard University and the Smithsonian Institution. It compared observational data with theoretical simulations of planet formation but found it challenging to distinguish between different formation mechanisms. Richard Pogge, another co-author from Ohio State University, emphasized the rarity of such discoveries, saying, "Finding a microlensing star event is hard. Finding a microlensing star with a planet is hard-squared."
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Childhood Pen Pals Reunite After 51 Years in Heartwarming First Meeting
More than 50 years after they first started writing to each other, two women who became pen pals through a children’s television show finally met face-to-face. In 1970s New Jersey, 11-year-old Debbie Houschild was captivated by Big Blue Marble, a half-hour program that spotlighted kids around the world and invited viewers to request a pen pal. She sent in a letter and was paired with Jane Bean, a girl her age living in Sittingbourne, Kent, England. Despite the 5,600 kilometres between them, the two quickly formed a bond. “We would tell each other about what was going on in our lives at the time,” Houschild told PEOPLE. “Over all the years, that changed from teenage types of things to getting married, jobs, having children and how our lives went from there.” For decades, the friendship lived on paper. Over time, it moved to phone calls, then to Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. Meeting in person always seemed too expensive or impractical. But last year, Bean reminded Houschild that they had reached their “golden anniversary” as pen pals, and that milestone pushed them to finally make it happen. “I replied that I need to take a trip to England, and she said, ‘Yes, you do,’” Houschild recalled. “I quickly thought this could be a great trip if my daughters can go too, and it all came together.” On August 26, 2025, Houschild and her two daughters landed in London to meet Bean for the first time. Her daughter Kimberly Johnson, 29, captured the moment. “To think they’ve been friends for over five decades but have never actually met… It’s crazy!” she said. The women embraced before setting off to see the city together. Bean led Houschild and her daughters on a tour that included Buckingham Palace, a stop at a pub, and lunch at the Hard Rock Café. At one point, Houschild pulled out photos and cards she had saved from Bean over the years. “It was a great day,” Houschild said. “I did wonder how we would get along in person, but it truly was like being with an old friend.” What started as a childhood experiment in cross-cultural connection grew into a lifelong friendship, spanning continents, marriages, children, and now, finally, a meeting in person. “Without realizing it, over time, I created a true friendship with someone without meeting them,” Houschild said. “It’s been a fun, happy thing.”
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Egyptian Strongman Attempts Jaw-Dropping Feat: Pulls Ship With His Teeth
On Saturday in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, Egyptian wrestler Ashraf Mahrous, better known as Kabonga, set his sights on another astonishing record: pulling a 700-ton ship with nothing but his teeth. “Today, I have come to break the world record,” the 44-year-old declared before the feat. Mahrous not only dragged the 700-ton vessel, but to prove his strength further, he also pulled two ships together, weighing an estimated 1,150 tons. “I pulled them both, thanks to God, to prove to my friends and the whole world that God blessed me by being the strongest man in the world,” he said. The current Guinness World Record stands at 614 tons, set in 2018. Mahrous plans to send video and photographic evidence of his attempt for verification. This isn’t the first time he’s attempted the impossible. Earlier this year, Mahrous was recognized by Guinness for pulling a 279-ton train with his teeth, as well as for the heaviest locomotive pull and the fastest 100-metre road vehicle pull. In 2021, he earned another Guinness title for pulling a 15,730-kilogram truck with his teeth, and earlier this year for cracking and eating 11 raw eggs in 30 seconds. His path to superhuman strength started early. Growing up in Ismalia, he hauled gas cylinders and bricks as a child after his father lost his job. By nine, he was already known for carrying heavy loads and once accidentally broke a friend’s arm during a game. Standing 190 centimetres tall and weighing 155 kilograms, he later trained in kung fu, kickboxing and wrestling, eventually founding his own wrestling team in Cairo. Mahrous insists his strength is more than muscle. He believes speaking to the object he pulls gives him a connection. “It’s important for me to treat the object that I will pull as part of my body that moves along with my heart beat,” he said. His preparation is equally extreme. In the lead-up to Saturday’s challenge, he ate 12 eggs, two chickens, and 5 kilograms of fish daily, training two hours three times a day. He uses a mouthguard during his pulls, but says he relies on a miswak — a traditional teeth-cleaning twig — rather than dentists to protect his teeth. Nicknamed “strong man” in his neighborhood, Mahrous has captivated Egyptians. Children run after him in the streets, and his stunts have made him a local legend. But his ambitions are even bigger. He hopes to one day pull a 263,000-ton submarine and, in perhaps his most daring plan yet, drag a plane using only his eyelids.
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Father With Incurable Brain Tumour Donates Tears To Pioneering Study Aiming For Early Cancer Detection
Alex Davies was a healthy 49-year-old father when he suddenly collapsed and was rushed to hospital. At first, doctors thought it was epilepsy. Months later, he was told the devastating truth: he had glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain tumour, and just 12 to 18 months to live. Now receiving palliative care at home in Lostock, Bolton, Davies has chosen to contribute to pioneering research that he hopes could change the way brain cancers are diagnosed. By donating his tear fluid, he is helping scientists at the Manchester Cancer Research Centre investigate whether a simple eye swab could one day detect glioblastoma. “It took months to get to my diagnosis and my initial MRI scan didn't spot the tumour,” he said. “My symptoms worsened over about three months including severe headaches, my speech became affected as well as my balance and I was getting confused. If helping with this research could mean someone like me can be diagnosed sooner, it offers real hope for the future.” Davies, who worked at Network Rail before his illness, said he had no underlying health problems before collapsing “out of the blue.” His wife Emma said the family had endured “a really horrible time,” but she too sees promise in the study. “If a simple tear test could be used to bring a diagnosis forward it would improve that awful time for so many others in the future.” Backed by nearly £500,000 in funding from Stand Up To Cancer — the joint campaign by Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 — the project is the first of its kind in the world. Researchers are calling it a “liquid biopsy” and say it could be a game-changer: faster, cheaper and far less invasive than traditional brain scans. If successful, the test could be made available in GP surgeries, giving patients earlier diagnoses and better chances of treatment. Professor Petra Hamerlik of the University of Manchester, who leads the project and lost her own father to glioblastoma, said her team is working on a tear-protein classifier that can already distinguish cancer patients from healthy volunteers with high levels of accuracy. “If successful, we'll seek further funding to develop a tool that can be rapidly deployed across health services, ultimately helping patients like Alex receive a timely diagnosis and better outcomes,” she said. For Davies, it is about more than science. It is about leaving a legacy. “I want to make a difference,” he said. “If this helps save even one life, it will have been worth it.”
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Study Finds Sense Of Purpose May Reduce Dementia Risk In Older Adults
Having a sense of purpose in life may do more than help people feel fulfilled. New research suggests it could also reduce the risk of dementia. A study from UC Davis, published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, tracked more than 13,000 adults aged 45 and older for up to 15 years. Researchers found that participants who reported a stronger sense of purpose were about 28 percent less likely to develop cognitive impairment, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia. The effect held true across racial and ethnic groups and remained significant even when accounting for education, depression, and genetic risk factors such as the APOE4 gene, which is strongly linked to Alzheimer’s disease. “Our findings show that having a sense of purpose helps the brain stay resilient with age,” said Aliza Wingo, senior author and professor in the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “Even for people with a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease, sense of purpose was linked to a later onset and lower likelihood of developing dementia.” The study did not ask participants about specific sources of purpose. Previous research, however, has found that people often draw meaning from relationships, faith, volunteering, hobbies, caregiving, or personal goals — a concept sometimes referred to as ikigai in Japan. Researchers also found that higher purpose delayed the onset of cognitive decline by about 1.4 months over an eight-year period. While modest, the delay is comparable to that of new Alzheimer’s medications, which come with significant costs and side effects. “Purpose in life is free, safe and accessible,” said Nicholas C. Howard, first author and public health researcher at UC Davis. “It’s something people can build through relationships, goals and meaningful activities.” The study followed participants from the long-running Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative survey funded by the US National Institute on Aging. All had normal cognitive health at the start. Researchers measured purpose using a seven-item psychological well-being questionnaire, with statements such as: “I have a sense of direction and purpose in my life.” Cognitive health was tracked every two years through telephone tests. While the research shows a strong association, it does not prove cause and effect. Still, the findings underscore the role of psychological well-being in healthy aging. “What's exciting about this study is that people may be able to 'think' themselves into better health,” said Thomas Wingo, co-author and neurologist at UC Davis Health. “Purpose in life is something we can nurture. It's never too early — or too late — to start thinking about what gives your life meaning.”
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Engineers Transform Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge Into Tourism Hotspot
China has opened the world’s tallest bridge to traffic, a record-breaking structure that doubles as a tourist destination. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in southwest Guizhou Province stretches 2,890 meters across a chasm known as the “Earth’s crack.” At 625 meters above the river, its deck holds the record for the greatest vertical distance of any bridge on the planet. With a main span of 1,420 meters, it also sets the record for the largest bridge span in a mountainous region. Crossing the canyon used to take two hours. Now the trip takes just two minutes. But the bridge is more than a piece of transport infrastructure. It has been designed as China’s first “bridge-tourism fusion complex,” combining sightseeing, adventure sports and leisure. Visitors can ride a 207-meter sightseeing elevator, reach the top in under a minute, sip coffee at a café 800 meters above the river, or step into a 1,000-square-meter glass observation hall with a sheer drop below. Thrill-seekers can try bungee jumping, a “sky balance beam,” or even low-altitude skydiving. The bridge is expected to become a major driver of economic growth in the region, attracting both domestic and international visitors while providing a critical link in the Liuzhi-Anlong Expressway. Construction began in 2022 and finished in just three years, relying on cutting-edge technology. Builders used the BeiDou satellite navigation system, drones, and digital modeling to achieve millimeter-level precision while working hundreds of meters above the ground. Fiber-optic “smart cables” embedded in the structure monitor stress, temperature and humidity in real time to safeguard durability. Engineers also overcame the challenge of the massive span by pioneering forged and welded saddle supports. Each saddle weighs 41.3 tonnes, yet is 44 percent stronger and easier to transport and install than traditional designs. In another cost-saving innovation, the team replaced scarce fly ash with locally sourced dolomite powder, reducing expenses by about 5 million yuan ($700,000). The bridge officially opened on Sunday, marking a new milestone in China’s rapid expansion of infrastructure and its effort to integrate tourism with engineering feats. Visitors now have the chance to not only drive across one of the world’s great bridges, but also to experience it up close, suspended high above the canyon floor.
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An Ancient Canoe Unearthed In Florida Was Just Unearthed After Hurricane Ian's Fury
Florida already boasts a reputation for being the golf capital of the world, the hotspot for shark bites, and the lightning strike capital of the United States. Now it has added another title: global leader in ancient canoe discoveries. State archaeologists have confirmed that a canoe uncovered in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in 2022 is unlike any of the 450 others previously found across Florida. The 2.7-meter vessel, pulled from a riverbed by the storm surge and left in the yard of a Fort Myers resident, is the first in the state’s collection believed to be made of mahogany, and possibly the first to have originated outside Florida. “We compared it to canoes that we have in our collection and previously recorded, and it’s a very unusual form, so that was the first hint it was not necessarily from Florida,” said Sam Wilford, Florida’s deputy state archaeologist. The canoe is undergoing extensive testing, including radiocarbon dating, to pin down its age. Early theories suggest it could be a dugout cayuco crafted by Spanish settlers in the 16th century, shortly after Europeans introduced iron tools to the Americas. Wilford noted that tool marks on the surface of the canoe were made with iron, placing it firmly in the historical era. But dating the vessel hasn’t been straightforward. “We sent in two samples for radiocarbon dating and unfortunately those dates we’re still working with, because they came back earlier than what we’d expect,” Wilford said. He explained that substances such as bitumen may have skewed the results, or that the date reflects when the mahogany tree died, not when the canoe was built. “The tree may have died much earlier than when the canoe was constructed from it. It might have been driftwood, or stored somehow before it was made as a canoe.” Hurricane Ian, which hit southwest Florida in September 2022 with winds of 240 kilometers per hour and an 18-foot storm surge, caused catastrophic destruction across the region. In the cleanup, the Fort Myers resident who found the canoe alerted state officials, leading to its preservation. “It had been clearly submerged in water; there’s lots of stain marks on it, [but] it was dry when we received it,” Wilford said. Conservation teams lightly vacuumed and brushed the vessel clean, documenting each step of the process. Florida has recorded more canoe discoveries than anywhere else in the western hemisphere, with more than 200 sites documented. Many of the canoes were used by Native American tribes such as the Miccosukee and Seminole, especially in the wetlands of the Everglades. The oldest known canoe, found near Orlando, dates back as far as 7,000 years to the middle Archaic period. Wilford said Florida’s watery geography explains why so many of these vessels survived. “It’s because of the environment. Native Americans and then later on Europeans needed canoes to get around, and then the wet environment also led to preservation.” Although the state’s central archaeological collections facility is not open to the public, 26 canoes are currently on loan to museums across the US. Each new discovery, Wilford said, offers a glimpse into the lives of the people who built and used them. “It’s incredibly exciting,” he said. “Every canoe, and every fragment of a canoe, tells a story, and each one is unique.”
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Mariners Fan Gifts Historic Ball To Young Stranger In Random Act Of Kindness
When Marcus Ruelos and his dad Galan showed up to watch the Seattle Mariners face the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night, they were hoping for a fun game. What they got instead was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Not only did the Mariners clinch their first division title in 24 years, but catcher Cal Raleigh smashed his 60th home run of the season — a milestone only six other major league players have ever reached. The ball came soaring into the Ruelos’ section. “Normally when you're at a baseball game, anytime a ball comes in your section, you're already excited, like, you're part of the game,” Galan said. “So all those layers adding up, the ball comes in our section over my shoulder, it ricochets off a couple sets of hands — come to find out later, it hits my wife — and then into the guy's hands.” That fan, Glenn Mutti-Driscoll, immediately turned and handed the historic ball to 12-year-old Marcus. “He caught the ball, and then I was trying to go for a high five, and he just gave me the ball,” Marcus said. Mutti-Driscoll later told MLB.com that the decision was instinctive. “The whole thing was surreal. It just was happening so fast, and like, standing there with it, and I was just looking down at a kid, and he deserves more than me.” Baseballs tied to milestone home runs have fetched enormous sums — Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball sold for $4.39 million last year. Raleigh’s 60th could have sold for six figures. But instead of holding onto it, Marcus chose to give the ball back. Escorted by Mariners security, Marcus and his dad met with team officials to arrange the return. The seventh-grader turned down the potential windfall in exchange for something simpler: a signed bat from Raleigh. “I don't really care about the money, so I just got the bat,” Marcus said. “I just kind of wanted to give it to Cal because that means more to him than it means to me.” The moment went viral, drawing comparisons to a recent viral clip of a Phillies fan who tried to demand a ball from a dad who had caught it for his son. “This is almost a complete opposite,” Galan said. “With the world that's going on now, it's a lot of turbulence. To know that good things can happen, and something like this could uplift people is cool, and it's cool to share this to make people feel better.” Back at school, Marcus has become something of a celebrity. But he’s quick to redirect the spotlight. “It feels kind of good,” he admitted. “But I think the guy who gave me the ball, he should be like two times more famous than me or even like three times because he was really nice.”
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Crab Named Craig Enjoys First-Class Adventure Without a Ticket on This Railway Train
Commuters on a South Western Railway train in England were in for a surprise when a live crab was spotted lounging in a first-class seat. The unusual passenger, quickly nicknamed “Craig” by conductor Mark Walsh, was discovered after a traveler alerted him during a journey from Guildford. “There’s a live crab on the seat over there, and it’s been there since I got on at Guildford,” the passenger said, according to the rail service’s Instagram post. Walsh removed Craig at Portsmouth near the Southsea stop, safely “rehoming” him while drawing smiles from passengers and social media users. South Western Railway leaned into the joke, posting, “Our colleagues are always eager to help a customer in a pinch!” Online reactions piled up. “Craig the crab was subsequently issued with a fixed penalty of £100,” one person joked. Another wrote: “I love the customer saying, ‘It’s been there since I got on at Guildford’ as if they were giving Craig a chance to get off the train of his own accord.” Walsh later told the BBC that while some people were concerned to see him walking through the station with a crab in hand, “most people didn’t bat an eyelid. They must have just thought another day in Pompey.” He guessed Craig may have hitched a ride in a fisherman’s bag or been placed on the train by pranksters. The crustacean’s adventure joins a growing list of animal transit tales. Earlier this year, a tiny kitten captured hearts after hopping onto a New York City subway car alone. Startled passengers watched as the kitten darted through the car until New Yorker Betsaida Mercado scooped her up. Mercado, who named the kitten “Emmie” as a nod to the MTA, took her home. A veterinarian found the stray to be about seven weeks old and in good health. “She’s a very fast learner. Extremely intelligent,” Mercado told PEOPLE. “Her personality is definitely coming out. She’ll be asleep one moment and then running around the house the next.” Emmie has since settled into life with Mercado’s 13-year-old Pomeranian–Shih Tzu mix. “She would smack him at first, but now they sleep together sometimes,” she said. While Craig’s journey ended on the Portsmouth platform, his unexpected trip — like Emmie’s subway debut — shows that sometimes, the commute comes with a surprise passenger.
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Golden Lion Tamarins And Sloths Become Unlikely Roommates and Friends At Palm Beach Zoo
In an unexpected twist, golden lion tamarins and Hoffman's two-toed sloths have become roommates at the Palm Beach Zoo in Florida. These South American natives now share a habitat that mimics their natural forest environment with a dense canopy of trees. The golden tamarins, famous for their bright orange manes, enjoy darting through the treetops, while the sloths prefer to hang out—literally. Devin Clarke, a senior supervisor at the zoo, notes that the sloths don't do much during the day. "Maybe the golden tamarins think of the sloth as more furniture because they don’t really do too much," he said. "They’re more sedentary." This new habitat opened in late August and is designed to let both species interact—or not—as they please. It includes vines, ropes, and tunnels to encourage exploration. Clarke hopes that seeing these animals up close will inspire visitors to think about how they can help protect wildlife. He mentioned that conservation efforts have significantly boosted golden tamarin numbers from fewer than 200 in the 1970s to over 5,000 last year. The previous tamarin habitat was smaller; Clarke explained that upgrading their space improves their well-being and allows them to act more naturally. Conservation remains central to Palm Beach Zoo's mission. They incorporate native Florida plants into habitats as a subtle nod toward local ecosystem preservation. “Planting those Florida native plants within that habitat is a great way to highlight something we can do at our own homes,” Clarke said. Margo McKnight, the zoo's president and CEO, expressed hope that visitors leave with a newfound appreciation for wildlife conservation. "We hope every person leaves inspired to be a wildlife hero in their own community," she stated.
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Musical Training Helps Musicians Feel Less Pain, Study Finds
Learning to play an instrument isn't just about making music. It turns out, it can also give your brain a workout. Research has shown that playing music can boost fine motor skills, language acquisition, speech, and memory. It might even help keep our brains younger. But there's more to this story. A new study set out to find if musical training could change how musicians experience pain. After all, playing an instrument often involves repeating movements thousands of times, which can lead to discomfort or even pain. The question researchers asked was whether the brain changes from musical training could influence how musicians feel and handle pain. Pain triggers several responses in our bodies and brains. For example, touching something hot makes you yank your hand back before you get burned. Pain usually reduces activity in the motor cortex, the part of the brain controlling muscles. This helps prevent further injury by discouraging use of the hurt body part. However, when pain sticks around for too long, it can cause problems. If you sprain an ankle and avoid using it for weeks, your mobility might suffer. Long-term pain can shrink the brain's "body map," where commands are sent to muscles regarding movement. This shrinking is linked with worse pain for some people. The study wanted to see if musicians' brains would react differently to pain due to their extensive training. Researchers induced hand pain over several days in both musicians and non-musicians using a protein called nerve growth factor. It's safe but causes temporary muscle ache when injected into hand muscles. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), researchers measured brain activity by sending small magnetic pulses into the brain, creating a map of how each person’s brain controlled their hands. Before inducing pain, musicians already showed a finely tuned hand map in their brains; more practice hours meant a more refined map. Once the pain kicked in, musicians reported less discomfort than non-musicians did. While non-musicians' hand maps shrank after two days of pain, maps in musicians' brains stayed stable; those with more training felt less pain. The study involved only 40 participants but revealed clear differences between musicians and non-musicians in handling pain. Musical training seemed to provide a buffer against typical negative effects related to both perceived pain levels and motor area reactions in the brain. This doesn't suggest music as a cure for chronic pain; however, it indicates that long-term practice might shape our perception of pain differently than previously thought. Lead researcher Prof Peter Vuust from Aarhus University commented on these findings: "Our team is now conducting further research on how musical training may protect us from altered attention and cognition during chronic pain."