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Score (86)
Feel The Force: Why 'May The 4th' Is A Special Day For Star Wars Fans
Every May 4, the force of "Star Wars" fans is felt across the globe as they celebrate Star Wars Day. This unofficial holiday, known as "May the 4th," cleverly plays on the iconic phrase, “May the force be with you.” Though not officially recognized, its popularity has soared to such heights that even former President Joe Biden acknowledged it when actor Mark Hamill visited the White House last year. Steve Sansweet, founder of Rancho Obi-Wan in California, home to the largest collection of "Star Wars" memorabilia, praised it as a clever way for fans to express their passion. The phrase first gained traction after appearing in a British political ad celebrating Margaret Thatcher's victory on May 4, 1979. While some purists prefer May 25—the original release date of the first film—as Star Wars Day, May 4 has become widely embraced. Social media and businesses have amplified this celebration. Brands like Nissan and Jameson Whiskey join in with themed promotions. Disney capitalizes on this enthusiasm by launching new merchandise and events. However, not all fans are thrilled about its commercialization. Chris Taylor from Mashable describes himself as a “May the 4th grinch,” wary of over-commercialization. This year’s festivities include Disney+ debuting “Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld” and Major League Baseball teams hosting themed events. In New Hope, Pennsylvania—a town sharing its name with one of the films—celebrations include costumed characters and themed menu items like a “YodaRita.” Michael Sklar from New Hope’s Chamber of Commerce said he’s embraced his inner fan: “I would always joke around and wish people ‘May the 4th’ — but taking it to this level, I've definitely upped my ‘Star Wars’ nerdiness.”
Score (95)
Ed Sheeran Surprises New York Commuters with Impromptu Subway Performance
Ed Sheeran is taking over New York — one song, one street, and one shot at a time. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is stepping in front of the camera again, this time for a new Netflix special titled One Shot with Ed Sheeran, premiering Friday, November 21. The project captures Sheeran performing across New York City, from subway cars to crowded sidewalks, all filmed in a single, continuous take. Directed by Philip Barantini (Adolescence) and produced by Barantini, Sheeran, and Emmy-winner Ben Winston, the one-shot special aims to bottle the unpredictable magic of the city and the spontaneous joy of live music. Netflix describes it as “a groundbreaking, one-shot music experience,” following Sheeran “through the streets of New York City, performing his greatest hits, captured in a single take.” First-look photos released Tuesday show Sheeran strumming his guitar inside a packed subway car as surprised commuters look on. Another black-and-white image features Barantini gazing toward the Empire State Building, hinting at the film’s cinematic tone and sense of place. The hour-long special unfolds in real time, tracking Sheeran over a single afternoon as he brings impromptu performances to life and interacts with fans and passersby. The concept, according to Netflix, is to immerse viewers in “the pandemonium and excitement” that naturally follows one of the world’s most recognizable musicians. The project comes on the heels of Sheeran’s latest album, Play, released in September. Known for pairing his music with imaginative visuals, the artist recently appeared in two ambitious music videos from the record. In “Azizam,” Sheeran plays a musician who escapes his writer’s block by being transported to a Persian wedding, celebrating with guests before finding inspiration back in the studio. “He wanted to make it like other non-Persians would experience a wedding for the first time — how full on, but fun it is,” Sheeran said in April, praising director Saman Kesh. Another video, “A Little Bit More,” reunites Sheeran with actor Rupert Grint, more than a decade after the pair first teamed up for the 2011 “Lego House” video. This time, Grint’s character — once an obsessive fan — finds himself unable to escape Sheeran instead. “I had this wild idea after writing the song, and thankfully Rupert was up for it,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram. “It’s an utterly bonkers video for a very upbeat, fun, but angry song.” With Play out now and One Shot soon to premiere, Sheeran continues to blur the line between live performance and storytelling — taking his music to where it first began: the streets. One Shot with Ed Sheeran streams on Netflix starting November 21.
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Rescue Teams Save Trekkers From Blizzard-Struck Mount Everest
Hundreds of trekkers stranded by a fierce blizzard on the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet have been rescued after one of the region’s largest-ever search-and-rescue operations, Chinese authorities said. Nearly 900 people—including 580 hikers and more than 300 local guides and yak herders—were led to safety after being trapped for days in freezing temperatures in the remote Karma Valley, according to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency. The final group of around 200 stranded hikers was evacuated on Tuesday, following the rescue of about 350 others on Sunday. The storm hit late last week, dumping heavy snow and cutting off access to the isolated valley, which sits at an altitude of roughly 4,200 metres (13,800 feet) at the base of Everest. Rescue teams carrying food, medicine, oxygen supplies, and thermal blankets trekked through deep snow to reach the stranded group. Photos released by local media showed villagers leading oxen and horses loaded with supplies up the mountain to assist with the evacuation. “All the trekkers have now reached safety,” Xinhua reported, adding that officials in Dingri county, part of the Tibet Autonomous Region, were coordinating the return of the rescued hikers to their homes “in an orderly manner.” The rescue coincided with China’s National Day holiday week, an eight-day period beginning October 1, which saw an influx of tourists to the country’s scenic interior. Many of those stranded were outdoor enthusiasts drawn to the relatively untouched Karma Valley, first explored by Western travelers in the early 20th century. While the north face of Everest—accessible by road—sees far more visitors, the east face and the Karma Valley remain rugged and less developed, known for their pristine landscapes and sudden weather shifts. Some hikers described harrowing escapes. “Thankfully, some people ahead of us were breaking trail, leaving footprints we could follow,” said Eric Wen, a 41-year-old trekker who hiked nearly 19 kilometers (12 miles) through heavy snow. “Otherwise, it would’ve been impossible for us to make it out on our own.” On Chinese social media platforms WeChat and Douyin, the rescue sparked heated debate. Some users criticized what they saw as reckless adventuring by wealthy tourists, while others marveled at the scale and speed of the operation. One commenter asked if the hikers would be charged for the cost of the rescue, while another wrote, “Even when I have enough money, I still want to bury myself at the foot of Mount Everest.” The Tibetan Plateau—spanning from Nepal’s border through western China—is home to some of the world’s highest and most dramatic landscapes. It feeds the Yangtze, Mekong, and other major rivers across Asia. But as this week’s storm showed, it’s also a place where beauty and danger coexist—and where nature can still command the upper hand.
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Score (94)
Grand Central Terminal Transformed by Massive Art Installation from 'Humans of New York' Creator
For the first time in its 111-year history, New York City’s Grand Central Terminal has been completely cleared of advertisements — replaced instead with a massive photographic love letter to the city itself. The project, titled Dear New York, is the latest work from Brandon Stanton, creator of the beloved Humans of New York series. Known for his portraits and interviews that capture the spirit of everyday New Yorkers, Stanton has spent the past 15 years photographing more than 10,000 people across the city. “I had 15 years of photos and stories of people from all over New York City,” Stanton told ABC News. “And I thought to myself, ‘You know, I could just about recreate the humanity of New York City in a single building.’” The installation transforms Grand Central’s main concourse into a sprawling exhibition of human connection. Fifty-foot-tall photographs and interview excerpts are projected onto the station’s marble walls, while every one of its 150 digital screens — normally used for ads and transit updates — now displays portraits of New Yorkers. Additional images cover the walls of the terminal’s subway level. In a statement, Stanton described the project as “a love letter to the people of this city,” staged in the one place “where the entire city comes together.” Designer David Korins, best known for his work on Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen, served as the installation’s creative director. “We’ve intentionally captured every single square inch of advertisement—plus much, much more surface area—not to bombard people, but to engulf them,” he told ARTnews. “We want this to wash over you like a meditation. For some, it’ll be a mirror; for others, a portal into deep empathy.” Korins called Dear New York the largest public artwork in the city since Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Gates, which filled Central Park with orange arches in 2005. During the two-week exhibition, Juilliard School students, faculty, and alumni will perform piano music in the main concourse, while a companion community art showcase in Vanderbilt Hall features works from local artists and more than 600 New York City public school students. The installation grew out of Stanton’s upcoming book of the same name, a nearly 500-page collection of portraits and stories capturing the full sweep of New York life. “I took two years and covered every inch of this city, photographing and interviewing every type of person,” he told NY1. “That book was really the inspiration for what’s going on in Grand Central right now.” Stanton personally funded the installation using proceeds from the book, and says any additional profits will be donated to local charities. “It’s designed to be an artistic and financial gift to the city,” he said. Opened in 1913, Grand Central Terminal remains one of the busiest transit hubs in the world — connecting the subway, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad, with roughly 750,000 people passing through each day. For Stanton, that makes it the perfect canvas. “I just want to create as many of these little intersections and interventions in the lives of the people streaming through here,” he told ARTnews. “I can’t change anyone’s life, but if even one person pauses and feels something — connection, solitude, a thought they’ve never had before — that’s my artistic goal.”
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How Embracing The 'Empty Boat Theory' Helps Keep Anger And Anxiety In Check
A centuries-old Taoist parable is getting a modern revival on TikTok — and it’s teaching millions of people a surprisingly simple way to find peace. The story, known as The Empty Boat, has resurfaced as a kind of viral mindfulness hack. TikTok creator @sean.of.the.living summed it up like this: imagine you’re out on a calm lake, minding your own business, when another boat drifts straight toward you. As it nears, you feel your frustration rising. You brace for impact, ready to curse out whoever’s steering so carelessly — until you realize the other boat is empty. “There was never anybody to be angry with in the first place,” he says in his video. “That’s life, isn’t it? We assume everything’s about us. ‘They’re just doing that to screw me, to piss me off.’ Most of the time, nobody’s thinking about you.” The lesson is simple but profound: not everything that bumps into us in life is personal. In the original Taoist version, a young monk sets out on a lake to meditate in peace. When another boat collides with his, he lashes out — only to find that it’s empty. With no one to blame, his anger instantly dissolves. The story became a metaphor for one of life’s hardest truths: we create much of our own suffering by assuming other people’s actions are directed at us. In modern psychology, that idea overlaps with what’s known as the spotlight effect — our tendency to overestimate how much other people notice or judge us. It’s a form of everyday egocentrism, not narcissism, but it can quietly drive anxiety and resentment. “Sometimes a bump is just a bump,” as the saying goes. The Empty Boat Theory encourages a mental shift from blame to mindfulness — to pause before reacting, and to question whether an “offense” was ever about us in the first place. It’s a deceptively simple perspective that can diffuse anger, cool ego-driven reactions, and even make daily life a little lighter. Call it ancient wisdom or a psychological insight, the takeaway is the same: we all move through waters full of empty boats. Recognizing that can make every collision a little less personal — and the journey a lot more peaceful.
Score (97)
Sir Gary Oldman Joins Storyline Online to Promote Childhood Literacy
Sir Gary Oldman is lending his voice to inspire a new generation of readers. In honor of National Book Month, the Oscar-winning actor has joined Storyline Online, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Emmy-winning children’s literacy program, to read a retelling of The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen. The program, which features celebrities reading beloved children’s books aloud, aims to spark kids’ imaginations while improving reading and communication skills. More than 90 stars — including Viola Davis, Meryl Streep, and Michelle Yeoh — have participated. “Gary Oldman is one of the most transformative actors of our time, and he brings that same versatility and passion to his reading of The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” said Courtney B. Vance, President and Chairman of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. “We’re thrilled to share his performance with young audiences everywhere, and we know children will be spellbound.” For Oldman, storytelling has always been central to his work. “The written word has always been a central part of my life,” he said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. “When reading and selecting scripts, it is always the imagination and beauty of the written word that grabs me. The stories contained in the written word shape the way I see stories and characters to this very day.” He added that joining Storyline Online felt like a natural way to give back. “It’s my way of sharing, and hopefully promoting, that love of reading with the next generation — encouraging children to discover, to see, to imagine the possibilities that live between the covers of every book.” Oldman’s reading comes with a free activity guide for parents and teachers, aligned with Common Core Standards, to help build lessons around the story. His video is available now at storylineonline.net and on the organization’s social media platforms — a fitting reminder that even one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors started his journey with a good story.
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How the Hollywood Film 'Toxic Avenger' Helped Eliminate Over $15 Million in Medical Debt
Macon Blair's reimagining of "The Toxic Avenger" hit theaters in August after a long delay. If you didn't catch it then, the horror comedy starring Peter Dinklage is now available digitally. A physical release is set for October 28. But behind the laughs and gore, there's a heartwarming success story tied to the film: a campaign to help relieve medical debt. In late August, just before the film's theater debut, Cineverse—the company distributing "The Toxic Avenger"—announced a fundraiser aiming to tackle $5 million in medical debt. The initiative promised that for every $1 million the movie made at the box office, Cineverse would wipe out an equal amount of debt. Fast forward to today, and that goal has not only been met but exceeded threefold. According to a press release from Cineverse, fans' generosity has helped erase over $15 million in medical debt for more than 10,000 people. "What started as a heroic quest to eliminate $5 million has tripled," the release stated. It praised fans' enthusiasm and contributions as proof that storytelling communities can significantly impact real-world issues. This charitable effort ties back neatly to the movie itself. In "The Toxic Avenger," Dinklage's character faces fatal health challenges without adequate insurance coverage—a scenario all too familiar for many individuals today. Cineverse organized this campaign with Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit specializing in purchasing medical debt in bulk for pennies on the dollar. This approach allows donations to stretch further; one dollar donated typically erases $100 of unmanageable medical debt. For those interested in contributing or learning more about Undue Medical Debt's operations, details are readily available online. According to Cineverse's release, each $10 donation eradicates approximately $1,000 of medical debt. As for "The Toxic Avenger," its physical formats will be hitting shelves soon—with options including a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray and 4K version, plus an Amazon exclusive featuring the original 1984 film as a bonus—on October 28.
Score (97)
300-Year-Old Mural Unveiled For Public Viewing At England's Oldest Hospital
For the first time in nearly three centuries, visitors to London can step inside one of the city’s most historic hospital buildings — and see two monumental works by one of Britain’s greatest artists up close. The North Wing of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, built in 1732, has reopened to the public following a five-year, $12.8 million restoration. Inside, visitors can admire The Pool of Bethesda and The Good Samaritan, two massive biblical murals painted by William Hogarth, better known for his biting social satire and political cartoons. “Hogarth didn’t do anything else at this scale, other than one other later commission,” said Will Palin, chief executive of Barts Heritage, the charity responsible for restoring the building. “The results are quite extraordinary.” The two paintings line the hospital’s grand stairwell — part of an interior that also includes a gilded Great Hall, a sweeping timber staircase, and intricate plasterwork by Jean Baptiste St. Michell, believed to be his only surviving work in Britain. Hogarth’s murals depict acts of compassion and healing: in The Pool of Bethesda, Jesus restores a disabled man’s ability to walk; in The Good Samaritan, the title figure tends to a stranger’s wounds with oil and wine. According to Barts Heritage, many of the people Hogarth used as models were real hospital patients. “None of the illnesses are exaggerated,” the charity notes, “perhaps unusually for an artist known for caricatures.” The North Wing’s restoration brought together experts in painting conservation, masonry, ironwork, and gilding to preserve both the building’s exterior and interior. It marks the first time the public has been able to view these spaces as they were originally intended — as a fusion of art, architecture, and philanthropy. Founded in 1123, St. Bartholomew’s — or “Barts,” as it’s affectionately known — is the oldest hospital in England still operating on its original site. The institution survived Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries after Londoners petitioned him to keep it open. In gratitude, the Tudor monarch granted the hospital to the City of London in 1546. Centuries later, Barts remains woven into British history and culture. It’s where Sherlock Holmes first meets Dr. Watson in Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet, and it continues to feature in the BBC’s Sherlock series today. Interestingly, Hogarth’s involvement in the project was not originally planned. The hospital had commissioned Italian painter Jacopo Amigoni to decorate the stairwell. When Hogarth, who was born just streets away, heard the news, he was incensed. “He knew the hospital well and almost felt an ownership of this project,” Palin told The Guardian. Determined to see an English artist take on the work, Hogarth offered to paint the murals for free — an offer the hospital quickly accepted. “Few people in the 1730s were entirely convinced by Hogarth’s essays in the grand manner to date,” wrote Kirsten Tambling in Apollo magazine. “But once they heard the price, it was an offer the hospital authorities could hardly refuse.” Now, nearly 300 years later, the North Wing will reopen as a space for art, culture, and community. The Great Hall, inscribed with the names of more than 3,000 historic benefactors, will host concerts, events, and guided tours. “This hidden gem will welcome the public as a place for art, culture and wellbeing at the heart of the city,” Palin said. The North Wing is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and the first Sunday of every month — offering a rare glimpse of Hogarth’s only large-scale religious works, and a reminder of how art and healing have long intertwined at the heart of London.
Score (97)
2 Austrian Women Switched At Birth Just Reunited with Their Moms After 35 Years
Two women in Austria who were accidentally switched at birth have finally met each other—35 years after the mix-up at a hospital in the city of Graz. Doris Grünwald and Jessica Baumgartner were both born prematurely at the LKH-Uniklinikum Graz in October 1990. Shortly after birth, hospital staff mistakenly handed each baby to the wrong parents, according to Austrian public broadcaster ORF. For decades, neither family knew the truth. In 2012, Doris discovered something was wrong when she donated blood and learned her blood type didn’t match that of her mother, Evelin Grünwald. Genetic testing later confirmed she was not biologically related to her parents, Evelin and Josef Grünwald. ORF reported on the case in 2016, but at the time, the other family couldn’t be located. Meanwhile, Jessica—who had been raised nearby by Herbert and Monika Derler—made a similar discovery years later. When she became pregnant, she found out that her blood type didn’t match her parents’ and was told about the unsolved “switched at birth” case. She reached out to Doris on Facebook, and the two arranged to meet. “It was like meeting a sister,” Jessica told ORF’s Thema programme. “We got along right away,” Doris said. “It was an indescribably good feeling.” Recently, the two families met for the first time, captured by an ORF TV crew. For the parents, the reunion was emotional and complex. Mrs Derler recalled her reaction when she first learned the truth: “It was emotional turmoil. But my first thought was Jessica will always be our child. And when I saw Doris, I thought she is such a sweetheart.” Evelin Grünwald said the meeting brought comfort after years of uncertainty. “For me, my family has just got bigger and I finally have certainty,” she said. Her husband added simply: “It was a relief.” The hospital has formally apologised for the mix-up. “We deeply regret that this mistake was made at the time,” said Gebhard Falzberger, operations manager at LKH-Uniklinikum Graz. In 2016, the Grünwalds sought legal advice and formally adopted Doris to secure her inheritance rights, later receiving compensation from the hospital. The Derlers are now pursuing similar legal steps. Jessica said that, while the truth brought closure, it also came with complicated emotions. “It’s emotionally huge,” she said. “With beautiful sides to it, but also a lot of pain.”
Score (96)
New Study Finds Eating More Of This Vitamin May Lower Dementia Risk By 49%
A long-term study out of Japan is adding fresh evidence to the idea that what you eat may help protect your brain as you age. Researchers found that adults who consumed the most riboflavin (vitamin B2) had up to a 49 percent lower risk of developing disabling dementia compared with those who ate the least. The findings, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, also linked higher intakes of vitamin B6 and folate with a modestly lower risk, while vitamin B12 showed no clear connection. The study followed more than 4,000 Japanese adults aged 40 to 69 for about 15 years, tracking diet and dementia diagnoses using national health records. Participants’ food intake was assessed through a 24-hour dietary recall, and researchers accounted for variables like age, lifestyle, and medications. “Riboflavin really stood out,” the authors reported, noting that people who got the most vitamin B2 from food had nearly half the dementia risk of those with the lowest intake. The protective link appeared especially strong in participants who had never experienced a stroke—hinting that these vitamins may play a role in non-vascular forms of dementia as well. While the research doesn’t prove that B vitamins directly prevent dementia, it fits with existing evidence that they help regulate homocysteine, an amino acid tied to both heart and brain health. “That a simple dietary factor could be linked to long-term cognitive function is intriguing, but we need more studies before drawing firm conclusions,” said registered dietitian Alyssa Pike, RDN, who reviewed the findings. Importantly, the study only captured vitamin intake from food and drink, not supplements. “More isn’t always better,” Pike added. “It’s best to focus on consistent, balanced eating patterns that naturally include these nutrients.” Here’s where to find them: Riboflavin (B2): milk, yogurt, eggs, lean meats, fish, mushrooms, almonds, spinach Vitamin B6: poultry, salmon, potatoes, bananas, chickpeas, squash Folate: leafy greens, asparagus, avocado, citrus, beans, lentils, fortified grains Experts suggest aiming for a food-first approach—like starting the day with whole-grain cereal and milk, adding lentils or chickpeas to salads, or pairing salmon with sautéed greens for lunch. “While no single nutrient can prevent dementia, this research reinforces the value of everyday, nutrient-rich eating,” Pike said. “It’s another reminder that what’s on your plate can make a meaningful difference over time.”
Score (96)
Scientists Accidentally Create Tiny "Rainbow Chip" That Could Supercharge The Internet
What started as a routine experiment in a Columbia University lab has turned into a major breakthrough that could transform how data moves through the world’s computers. A few years ago, researchers in Michal Lipson’s lab were testing high-power chips meant to improve LiDAR, the light-based sensing technology used in everything from self-driving cars to drones. As they pushed more power through the chip, something unexpected happened. “As we sent more and more power through the chip, we noticed that it was creating what we call a frequency comb,” said Andres Gil-Molina, a former postdoctoral researcher in Lipson’s lab and now a principal engineer at Xscape Photonics. A frequency comb is a special kind of light that contains dozens of distinct colors, or frequencies, spaced evenly apart—like the teeth of a comb. Each color can carry its own data stream, allowing for multiple channels of communication through a single light source. Creating such combs has traditionally required bulky, expensive lab equipment. But in a new paper published in Nature Photonics, Lipson and her collaborators show how to generate them on a single silicon chip. “The technology we’ve developed takes a very powerful laser and turns it into dozens of clean, high-power channels on a chip,” Gil-Molina said. “That means you can replace racks of individual lasers with one compact device, cutting cost, saving space, and opening the door to much faster, more energy-efficient systems.” Lipson, the Eugene Higgins Professor of Electrical Engineering and professor of Applied Physics, said the achievement marks a new milestone for silicon photonics, a field focused on using light instead of electricity to transmit information. “As this technology becomes increasingly central to critical infrastructure and our daily lives, this type of progress is essential to ensuring that data centers are as efficient as possible,” she said. The discovery began with a simple question: What’s the most powerful laser we can put on a chip? The team chose a multimode laser diode, a type commonly used in medical devices and laser-cutting tools. It can produce enormous light output but is notoriously “messy” and unstable for precise work. To fix that, the researchers built a locking mechanism that purified the laser’s light using silicon photonics. The result was a clean, stable beam that could be split into dozens of evenly spaced colors—the defining feature of a frequency comb. That single breakthrough could have massive implications for the technology that powers modern life. Today’s data centers rely on fiber optics to transmit information, but most systems use single-wavelength lasers, meaning one beam carries one stream of data. Frequency combs allow dozens of beams to travel in parallel through the same fiber, dramatically multiplying bandwidth. The technique, known as wavelength-division multiplexing, is the same principle that revolutionized the internet in the 1990s—but now it fits on a chip small enough to hold in your hand. With artificial intelligence driving explosive data demand, this innovation could make the world’s servers faster and more energy-efficient. Beyond computing, compact frequency comb chips could also power next-generation LiDAR, optical clocks, quantum sensors, and portable spectrometers. “This is about bringing lab-grade light sources into real-world devices,” said Gil-Molina. “If you can make them powerful, efficient, and small enough, you can put them almost anywhere.”