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FSU Students Deliver Cuban Sandwiches, Honoring a Shooting Victim's Legacy
Florida State University students have found a heartfelt way to express gratitude to law enforcement officers following a tragic mass shooting on campus. Maria Carla Gonzalez Paz, vice president of FSU's Cuban-American Student Association (CASA), and her peers decided to honor the bravery of first responders by delivering food and notes of appreciation. The Tallahassee Police Department shared one such note on social media, which read, "Thank you for risking your life on Thursday, April 17th. As students at Florida State, we are so thankful for your bravery and courage." The gesture was part of a broader community effort to acknowledge the officers' swift response during the incident that left two dead and six injured. Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell expressed his gratitude for the support from students. "The outpouring of love from the community has been outstanding," he said. Students not only delivered cookies but also brought water, sandwiches, and other treats to show their appreciation. In a special tribute, CASA members provided Cuban sandwiches catered by Habana's Boardwalk to both the Tallahassee Police Department and FSU Police Department. This choice was significant as it honored Robert Morales, a Cuban-American restaurateur who was among those killed in the shooting. Morales had deep ties with FSU and regularly participated in CASA events. Revell noted that these gestures hold particular meaning coming from students who may have limited resources themselves. "It means the world to my officers," he said. "Their desire to say 'thank you' truly means even more."
Score (98)
Adorable White Rhino Calf Born at UK Wildlife Park — and Her Birth Was Caught on Camera
Cotswold Wildlife Park has welcomed a rare and heartwarming addition: a baby white rhino named Mo, born unexpectedly to mum Ruby in one of the only white rhino births in the UK this year. The calf, a female, arrived earlier than expected — catching keepers by surprise — but was healthy and on her feet within 30 minutes of being born. Even more remarkably, her birth was caught on camera, a rare feat since rhinos usually give birth at night. The video, captured by Conservation Officer Bethan Peacock, shows Ruby gently encouraging her newborn to stand, even offering a nudge with her horn to help her get up. “It’s a moment we don’t often get to witness, let alone film,” said a spokesperson for the Park. Mo is Ruby’s sixth calf with breeding male Monty and the thirteenth rhino born at the park in the last twelve years. She’s also the second white rhino calf born in the UK in 2025 — both delivered at Cotswold Wildlife Park. The first, a male named Markus, was born earlier this year to another rhino, Nancy. These two births make Cotswold the only wildlife collection in the UK to successfully breed white rhinos in 2025. Across all of Europe, only six white rhino calves have been born in zoos this year. “To have such a successful record breeding this incredible species is down to our team of dedicated keepers,” said Park Curator and Managing Director Jamie Craig. “A paddock full of rhino is a great sight, and the new arrivals are certainly keeping the team on their toes.” Mo is named in honour of Maureen “Mo” Clifford, a beloved member of the Cotswold Wildlife Park staff who worked in the main office from 1978 until her retirement in 2017. Her nearly four-decade tenure made her a cornerstone of the Park community, and she still visits regularly with her family. The proud new mum, Ruby, was named after writer and comedian Ruby Wax when she arrived at the Park from South Africa in 2009. She’s proven to be a key part of the Park’s breeding success. Visitors to Cotswold Wildlife Park can now see Mo and Markus in the solar-powered Rhino House or, weather permitting, out in the large rhino paddock. The park is home to nine rhinos in total — the highest number in its 55-year history and one of the largest family groups on public display in the UK. Cotswold Wildlife Park is also a conservation partner of UK-based charity Tusk, which supports protection efforts for Africa’s threatened species, including rhinos. For now, Mo will stay by her mother’s side for at least two years, learning the ropes and staying under her fierce protection. Female rhinos are known for guarding their young aggressively — and Ruby is no exception. With cameras rolling, rhino numbers rising, and Mo taking her first steps into the world, this surprise birth marks a rare and joyful moment for both conservationists and visitors alike.
Score (98)
Las Vegas Mom Travels 1,500 Miles to Attend Graduation — With Baby in Tow
After a year of late nights, a full-time job, and raising a newborn, Katelyn Wittman wasn’t going to miss the chance to walk across a stage and grab the diploma she’d worked so hard for — even if it meant traveling more than 1,500 miles to do it. The Las Vegas-based mom completed her master’s degree in mass media management entirely online through Arkansas State University. But when graduation rolled around in December, she packed up her baby son, brought along her parents, and made the long trip to Jonesboro, Arkansas. “I haven’t had my in-person community, but my online community has been awesome,” she told KCRG News. “Seeing the campus and seeing everything makes me proud that I chose this school in the first place.” Wittman enrolled in the program while juggling a newborn and a demanding job teaching high school broadcasting and video production. When she first spoke to a recruiter, she wasn’t sure it was even possible. “He told me about the benefits and how the program works, and I was like, ‘I can do this,’” she said. “And I did it in a year.” Now a graduate, Wittman said attending the ceremony wasn’t just a personal milestone — it was a way to recognize everything that had gone into earning the degree. “This degree represents such a significant chapter of my life,” she told Arkansas State. “I worked through late nights, busy school days, and the transition into becoming a new mom, and walking in person feels like the perfect way to celebrate all that dedication.” Standing on stage with her family in the audience, Wittman said the moment marked a turning point — and a new direction for her future. “This degree marks a major moment of growth, dedication, and fulfillment,” she said. “It means even more knowing that my lifelong love of media has now evolved into something bigger: a career path with purpose, clarity, and momentum.” She’s currently teaching high school, but she hopes the next stop on that path will be in higher education. For now, she’s enjoying the payoff — and a well-earned celebration with her son in her arms.
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Score (97)
12,000 Years of History Could Soon Be a “National Park” — But What Would That Actually Mean?
Ocmulgee Mounds, a sprawling site of Indigenous history in central Georgia, is on the verge of a symbolic upgrade. If a bill before Congress passes, the 3,000-acre park could become the next U.S. national park — one of just 63 with that title out of more than 430 properties managed by the National Park Service. But while the name change might make headlines and boost tourism, it won’t do much to change how the land is protected. For the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Ocmulgee is more than a collection of ancient earthen mounds — it’s sacred ground. Archaeological evidence traces human presence at the site back 12,000 years. The park protects remnants of the Mississippian culture, whose people began building the mounds roughly 3,000 years ago. Today, seven ceremonial and burial mounds rise from the land, including one that stretches 15 meters high and spans 2 acres. There’s also a museum on-site that houses millions of artifacts, from pottery and jewelry to stone tools and bells. The National Park Service has managed the site since the 1930s, most recently as a national historical park since 2019. So what would change if it becomes a “national park”? Not much, at least legally. The protection level, funding, and management responsibilities would remain the same. The designation shift is largely about marketing and perception. But that can still carry weight. “It does not typically change the funding available to run the site,” wrote geographer Seth T. Kannarr of the University of Tennessee, who studies place names and parks. “That’s especially true at a time when National Park Service funding and personnel are being cut.” Still, the new title matters to locals and lawmakers. It can boost tourism, draw attention to regional history, and serve as a point of pride. More visitors mean more money for local businesses — and a bigger spotlight on a culturally rich, often overlooked site. The proposal to redesignate Ocmulgee Mounds also includes expanding the protected area. While national parks ban hunting, national preserves — which would apply to the newly added areas — allow public hunting, including traditional Indigenous practices. That flexibility could allow for co-management with local Indigenous communities, something that’s gaining momentum across public lands. Unlike some past redesignations, this one doesn’t appear to be facing backlash. In other regions, proposed national park status has raised concerns about increased tourism or land-use restrictions. But in central Georgia, the plan has bipartisan support and no organized opposition. That’s not always the case. When the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was redesignated in 2018, critics questioned whether it fit the mold of a national park. At just under 200 acres and focused on a single steel monument and museum, the site lacked the sweeping natural features that most people associate with the title. The Park Service itself had recommended against the change, noting that the area was “too small and limited in the range of resources” to qualify. But Congress approved it anyway, and local officials saw a bump in tourism. Similarly, Indiana Dunes and White Sands were redesignated as national parks in 2019, followed by New River Gorge in 2020. In each case, the upgrades were less about conservation and more about public image. For Ocmulgee Mounds, the core mission of preservation will continue — regardless of the name on the signs. But the move could help more people understand and appreciate its deep cultural roots, particularly its connection to the Muscogee (Creek) people, who were forcibly removed from the region in the 1830s. If approved, Ocmulgee would become the first U.S. national park with deep ties to a removed Indigenous nation. It would also signal growing recognition of the country’s Indigenous history as worthy of its highest public landmarks. Other places are seeking the same spotlight. Active redesignation efforts are underway for the Delaware Water Gap in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Chiricahua in Arizona, Buffalo River in Arkansas, and Apostle Islands in Wisconsin. In each case, the biggest change won’t be how the land is managed. It’ll be how it’s seen. A new name, a new park, and a new reason for people to visit.
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An Irish Paramedic Just Built an AI App to Help Carers and First Responders Decode Medications Instantly
At 3am, when someone’s life is on the line, time matters. Paramedic Declan Watters knows that all too well — especially when a patient points to a plastic bag stuffed with tablets, with no idea what they all do. “I’m just a boy from Letterkenny,” Watters says, but he might be on to something big. He’s built MediSnap, a simple app that uses AI to identify medication packets and provide instant information about what they are, what they do, and whether they could dangerously interact with other drugs. It’s designed for paramedics, yes — but also for carers, occupational therapists, and everyday people looking after loved ones. The app went live in beta at the end of October. Since then, it’s quietly racked up users around the world, with hits from the US, Europe, and South Africa — all on just €15 worth of Facebook ads. “It’s been crazy,” Watters said in an interview with Silicon Republic. “It really shows that this tool is needed.” The idea is deceptively simple: scan a packet, and the app gives you critical drug details, including warnings and interactions. But under the hood, it’s powered by optical character recognition software and a custom-built AI tool trained on a medication database that Watters created and updates himself. It’s the kind of tool that feels obvious — but it didn’t exist. So Watters, who has a background in computer science and two decades of experience in pharmaceutical logistics, decided to build it. He worked in pharmacy warehouses before retraining as a paramedic, and also served as a vaccinator during the pandemic. With that mix of tech know-how and frontline experience, he was well-positioned to spot a gap in the system. He’s also still working full-time as a paramedic and is a father of two young children. So how does he find the time? “Late nights,” he said — including one the night before the interview, spent adding a new dosage selector to the app after a paramedic suggested it. “The feedback has been brilliant,” he added. “Paramedics have been particularly positive.” Watters says MediSnap was built with privacy in mind. Patient data is stored locally on a user’s phone and never accessible to him or anyone else. The app can save images and automatically generate an up-to-date list of medications as a PDF — a feature he believes could be especially helpful for family members or healthcare assistants managing long medication lists. For now, the app includes a disclaimer stating it’s for educational use only. It’s not approved yet by Ireland’s Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), and users remain responsible for any clinical decisions. But regulatory approval is next on his list. He’s actively seeking funding to build out the app further, hire developers, and navigate the regulatory process. He’s already been in touch with Donegal’s local enterprise office and plans to approach Enterprise Ireland. Eventually, he hopes to bring MediSnap to the HSE, the NHS, and beyond. His ultimate vision? A home version, MediSnap Home, alongside the professional app. And someday, global reach. “The potential of [the app] to be exported all over the world — it’s crazy,” he said. “And we’re not competing with anyone else.”
Score (96)
Scientists Say They Solved a Quantum Mystery That Stumped Researchers For Decades
A long-standing mystery in physics may finally be solved — and it starts with a strange crystal that refuses to behave like any normal magnet. An international team led by Rice University physicist Pengcheng Dai has confirmed the existence of emergent photons and fractionalized spin excitations inside a rare compound called cerium zirconium oxide (Ce₂Zr₂O₇). The findings, published in Nature Physics, mark the first time these hallmarks of a 3D quantum spin liquid — a bizarre and highly entangled state of matter — have been directly observed in a material this clean and well-characterized. “This confirms that Ce₂Zr₂O₇ behaves as a true quantum spin ice,” said Dai, a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice. “We’ve answered a major open question by directly detecting these excitations.” Unlike ordinary magnets, which tend to settle into a tidy arrangement of north and south poles, quantum spin liquids stay in a state of flux even near absolute zero. Their magnetic moments never freeze or align. Instead, they remain in a constantly shifting, entangled dance that produces unusual behaviors — including the emergence of phenomena that mimic particles found in quantum electrodynamics. One such phenomenon is the "emergent photon," a signature that has eluded direct detection until now. Another is the presence of "spinons" — quantum particles that carry spin but no charge, a clear departure from conventional physics. To find them, the Rice-led team used a specialized tool called polarized neutron scattering. The technique helped the researchers zero in on the magnetic signals they were chasing, filtering out the noise that plagued previous efforts. By cooling their samples close to absolute zero, they were able to observe energy signatures that looked like emergent photons — a key prediction for a quantum spin ice. The team also took careful measurements of the material’s specific heat, which backed up their neutron scattering data. The results suggest that these emergent photons behave in a way that mirrors how sound waves travel through a solid. The implications go beyond just proving a theory. Quantum spin liquids like Ce₂Zr₂O₇ could one day be used as building blocks for quantum computers, or even as part of future technologies that transmit energy without loss. “This surprising result encourages scientists to look deeper into such unique materials,” said Bin Gao, the study’s lead author and a research scientist at Rice. “It could change how we understand magnets and the behavior of materials in the extreme quantum regime.” Part of what makes this study stand out is how clean the data is. Earlier attempts to confirm these phenomena were often muddied by imperfect crystals, imprecise tools, or background interference. The Rice team worked with collaborators across North America and Europe to refine their sample preparation and use high-precision equipment. That international partnership paid off. The work involved researchers from the University of Toronto, the Paul Scherrer Institut in Switzerland, the Vienna University of Technology, the Institut Laue-Langevin in France, the Jülich Centre in Germany, and Rutgers University in the U.S. Funding for the study came from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Robert A. Welch Foundation. With solid proof in hand, the field of condensed matter physics may now pivot from asking if these quantum spin liquids exist, to figuring out what else they can do — and how far scientists can push them.
Score (97)
Specialized Care Gives Chloe A New Smile And The Courage To Pursue Her Dreams
At just four years old, Chloe’s journey was already remarkable. Born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, she faced complex challenges that affected her ability to eat and speak. But after being adopted and brought to the United States, her new family immediately began building a care plan — one that would eventually lead them to Shriners Children’s. Now, thanks to years of specialized treatment, Chloe can do the things she loves — playing piano, making art, and dreaming big about becoming an art teacher someday. For Chloe, medical care wasn’t just about closing a cleft. It was about opening doors. Cleft lip and palate affects roughly 1 in 1,700 babies in the U.S. every year. While some might think it’s a single surgery and done, it’s often a lifelong condition that impacts multiple aspects of a child’s development — including speech, dental health, and self-confidence. Shriners Children’s offers comprehensive care that includes surgeries, therapy, orthodontics, and speech support. Importantly, they provide this care regardless of a family’s ability to pay. In Chloe’s case, that care meant multiple surgeries and years of therapy. It also meant a team that understood not just the medical side of her condition, but the emotional and developmental side, too. “I want Chloe to be confident with herself and her speech,” her mom, Casey, said. “Shriners Children’s has gone a long way in helping us get there.” Each year, Shriners Children’s welcomes tens of thousands of new patients and performs hundreds of thousands of procedures, funded in large part by donors. That generosity fuels everything from surgeries and prosthetics to outreach clinics and telehealth programs that reach kids in underserved areas around the world. For families like Chloe’s, it’s not just about access to care — it’s about the freedom to dream without limitations. Now, Chloe smiles and speaks with confidence. She loves Sour Patch Kids, art class, and is already thinking about traveling back to China, where she was born. For her, Shriners isn’t just a hospital. It’s the reason she can chase every dream with her head held high.
Score (96)
Rome Opens Two New Metro 'Archeostations' Showcasing Ancient Treasures
Rome just opened two long-awaited metro stations — and they come with ancient ruins built in. After years of delays, the city has unveiled new terminals beneath the Colosseum and Porta Metronia, part of its ongoing efforts to expand the C line of the metro system. But these aren’t ordinary train stops. Thanks to the trove of archaeological treasures uncovered during construction, officials have dubbed them archeostations. “Thanks to major projects like this, we are also rediscovering layers of the past that we would never have known about,” said Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, who called the new stations “full-blown tourist and cultural attractions.” The station beneath the Colosseum — one of the world’s most visited landmarks — now gives tourists a much easier alternative to navigating Rome’s hectic streets. Even before reaching the famous amphitheatre, visitors are treated to a mini museum: display cases line the terminal with ceramic vases and plates, stone wells, and ruins of an ancient cold plunge pool and thermal bath from a first-century AD home. At Porta Metronia, an entirely new museum is set to open in February, showcasing the remains of a Roman barracks dating back to the second century, as well as frescoes and mosaics uncovered during the dig. Screens at the Colosseum station also play footage of the excavations — both to satisfy curious visitors and to explain why the project took so long. The C line has been under construction for more than a decade, its progress slowed by a combination of bureaucracy, budget hurdles, and, more understandably, the frequent discovery of ruins dating back to imperial Rome and the medieval era. “The challenge was to combine extraordinary archaeological heritage with engineering works,” Gualtieri said. With the opening of these two new stops, the C line now connects more of the city and offers an easy transfer to the B line. The next major addition, Piazza Venezia station, is scheduled to open in 2033. Located near the Capitoline Hill and the imperial forums, it promises another cultural landmark — and likely more underground surprises. The full C line is expected to be complete by 2035, with 31 stations in total. For now, though, passengers can already experience a rare kind of commute: one that starts with ancient history, and ends with a train ride.
Score (97)
Astronomers Think They’ve Just Witnessed Something the Universe Has Never Shown Us Before
Astronomers think they’ve just witnessed something the universe has never shown us before: a cosmic explosion that may combine the forces of a supernova and a kilonova in one unprecedented blast. The event, dubbed a potential superkilonova, was detailed this week in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. If confirmed, it would mark the first time scientists have observed such a hybrid explosion — and could open a new chapter in how we understand the most extreme deaths of stars. “We could rule out all other candidates except this one,” said Mansi Kasliwal, an astronomer at Caltech and co-author of the new study. To understand what makes this explosion so unusual, you have to look at what typically happens when stars die. A supernova occurs when a massive star runs out of fuel. Without the outward pressure from fusion, the star collapses, triggering a powerful explosion that lights up the galaxy. What’s left behind is usually a neutron star — an incredibly dense, city-sized core made almost entirely of neutrons. A kilonova, on the other hand, happens when two of these neutron stars collide. The resulting blast is much rarer, extremely bright, and produces heavy elements like gold and platinum. So far, astronomers have confirmed only one kilonova: the 2017 detection linked to a gravitational wave event. What Kasliwal and her team observed doesn’t fit neatly into either category. The new explosion, detected with help from global telescopes and gravitational-wave observatories, appears to be a mix of both. According to the researchers, this explosion likely began with a massive, rapidly spinning star going supernova. But instead of forming a single neutron star, its collapsing core may have split in two — a process called fission that has been theorized but never confirmed. The result? Two newly formed neutron stars that then immediately spiraled into each other, collided, and created a kilonova. The overlapping timing of the supernova and kilonova could explain the enormous energy signature and unusual light curve astronomers recorded — more powerful than either event alone. Put together, this double-barreled sequence may be what the team is calling a superkilonova. “Nature is very creative,” said Kasliwal. “And when we attempt to unlock its mysteries, we should do so with eyes wide open!” The discovery, if verified through future detections, would mark a major advance in our understanding of stellar death and the formation of heavy elements. It also highlights how much we still have to learn about the extreme physics playing out in deep space. And, as always, it shows that when it comes to the cosmos, the universe is still full of surprises.
Score (95)
Orphaned Orangutans in Sumatra Learn Survival Skills at Jungle School
More than 80 percent of Sumatra’s orangutan population has vanished in the past 75 years. But deep in the forests of northern Sumatra, a group of orphaned orangutans is getting a second chance at life — one jungle lesson at a time. At the Orangutan Information Centre (OIC), staff are running what they call a "jungle school" — a place where rescued baby orangutans learn how to climb, build nests, forage for food and, eventually, survive in the wild. Many of the orangutans here were taken from the illegal wildlife trade or orphaned by poaching. Now, with the help of human caretakers acting as surrogate mothers, they’re relearning the skills they would have picked up in the wild. “Normally, skills like these would be learned from their mothers,” one keeper explains. “As most of them are orphans, they are learning from the keepers here.” This isn’t just playtime in the trees. Each orangutan is closely monitored as part of their rehabilitation. Field staff keep detailed records of their progress — from how well they’re building nests to how confidently they choose branches to climb. In the beginning, many couldn’t even forage or build shelter. But now, according to staff, “they have mastered almost all of those things.” Sumatra is one of only two places in the world where wild orangutans still live, but that reality is under threat. Deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and human conflict have devastated orangutan populations. As forests shrink, the animals are pushed into smaller and more isolated patches of land, making them easier targets for poachers. “Forest fragmentation is very bad for orangutans because they need such a big forest to roam,” a staff member says. “Many, many poaching for wildlife trade is happening in the fragmented forest. Orangutans are isolated in a small pack and then easily targeted by poachers.” The orangutans at OIC are the lucky ones. Once they’re old enough and have shown they can fend for themselves, they’ll be released into protected wild areas. But even with the training, release isn’t guaranteed. Every orangutan is assessed to see whether they’ve developed enough skills to survive without human help. Beyond conservation, the staff see their work as a fight for justice. “They’re victims of wildlife trade, poaching, and also victims of forest loss,” one says. “They have a very important role in the ecosystem and they have the right to have a second chance at life.” Until that day comes, the forest classroom continues. And every tree climbed, every nest built, and every fruit found brings these orangutans one step closer to going home.
Score (97)
A Professor Just Discovered Hidden Symbols in This Ancient Roman Glass at the Metropolitan Museum
In the soft-lit stillness of a New York museum gallery, Hallie Meredith did something no one else had thought to do—she turned a 1,600-year-old Roman glass cup around. What she saw may reshape how scholars understand one of antiquity’s most intricate crafts. Meredith, an art history professor at Washington State University and a practicing glassblower, was studying a collection of rare Roman “cage cups” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in early 2023 when she noticed something on the back of a vessel that others had long overlooked: small, abstract shapes—diamonds, leaves, maybe crosses—carved beside an inscription wishing the owner a long life. For decades, these patterns were dismissed as decorative flourishes. But Meredith saw something else. “Because I am trained as a maker, I kept wanting to flip things over,” she said. “When that happens, patterns appear that everyone else has literally photographed out of the frame.” Her insight: those carved symbols weren’t just decoration. They were makers’ marks—a kind of ancient branding used by workshops to signal where and by whom the object was made. Rethinking Roman Craftsmanship The objects in question are diatreta—elaborately carved glass vessels made between 300 and 500 CE, known for their double-layered latticework structure. For years, debates over how these fragile masterpieces were made centered on technique: carving, blowing, casting. But Meredith’s research adds something long missing from the conversation—the people who made them. In two recent academic papers, Meredith documented the same carved symbols appearing on multiple Roman glass pieces, showing a repeatable visual language shared by artisans across time and geography. “They weren’t personal autographs,” she explained. “They were the ancient equivalent of a brand.” The marks suggest that diatreta were not solo masterpieces, but the product of complex workshop collaboration. “Engravers, polishers, apprentices—they all worked together,” Meredith said. Tool marks, unfinished pieces, and inscriptions support the idea that Roman glassmaking was a team effort requiring immense skill and coordination over long periods. Turning Objects into Archives of Labor The discovery reframes ancient luxury goods as more than elite collectibles. It highlights the anonymous labor and knowledge systems behind them. “This wasn’t just about technique—it was about organization,” Meredith said. “These marks reveal a shared system of communication among artisans, a kind of invisible network across the Roman world.” Her findings are now part of a broader research project, including a forthcoming book titled The Roman Craftworkers of Late Antiquity: A Social History of Glass Production and Related Industries, due from Cambridge University Press in 2026 or 2027. Meredith’s dual role as a scholar and maker uniquely informs her work. She understands, from experience, how glass behaves in its molten state. At WSU, she teaches a course called Experiencing Ancient Making, where students use 3D printing, attempt ancient crafting methods, and explore digital models to break down historical objects. The goal, she says, is not accuracy but empathy: “We understand ancient artisans differently when we attempt the labor ourselves.” A New Lens on Ancient Mistakes Meredith’s next research venture brings together art history and data science. In collaboration with WSU computer science students, she’s building a searchable database of unconventional inscriptions found on Roman portable objects. It includes everything from misspellings and code-like letters to mixed alphabets. These quirks have long been dismissed as illiterate errors. Meredith thinks otherwise. “They might reflect multilingual artisans intentionally adapting text for different audiences,” she said. Reclaiming Invisible Histories Above all, Meredith’s work urges scholars and museum visitors alike to look beyond the elegance of ancient artifacts and see the fingerprints of the people behind them. “These glass vessels aren’t just beautiful,” she said. “They’re records of hands and labor and decisions. When light hits a diatretum, we’re not just seeing craftsmanship—we’re seeing collaboration, history, and human experience that’s been hidden in plain sight.” All it took was turning the object around.