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Katie Ledecky Shatters Her Own 800-Meter Freestyle World Record—again!
Katie Ledecky continues to redefine excellence in the pool. On Saturday, the 28-year-old swimming sensation shattered her own world record in the 800-meter freestyle at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ledecky clocked an impressive 8 minutes and 4.12 seconds, surpassing her previous record set during the 2016 Rio Olympics by 0.67 seconds. USA Swimming reports that Ledecky now holds the top ten performances of all time in this event, a testament to her enduring dominance. Her achievements extend beyond records; at last year's Paris Olympics, she secured four medals, including gold in the 800-meter freestyle. This victory made her only the second swimmer to win gold in an event at four consecutive Summer Olympics, joining Michael Phelps. In Paris, Ledecky also became the most decorated female American Olympian with a total of 14 medals—nine golds, four silvers, and one bronze—and had the honor of carrying the American flag at the closing ceremonies. "There are many days that are hard," Ledecky shared with CBS Mornings last September. "There are many races that are challenging, but I love it. I love being with my teammates. I love setting goals for myself and pursuing them."
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Meet The Illinois Boy Spreading Joy With Unexpected Acts Of Kindness
On a sweltering July afternoon in Sycamore, Illinois, 9-year-old Ethan Wargo decided it was time to open a stand — not for lemonade, but for kindness. Perched on a folding chair by the sidewalk, Ethan set up shop with a handmade sign offering free compliments to anyone who stopped by. His inspiration? A scene from a “Dog Man” graphic novel, where one of the characters runs an insult stand. “And then I just got inspired by it,” Ethan told CBS News. Instead of tearing people down, he wanted to lift them up. So, with no drinks, no snacks, and no sales pitch, Ethan launched his free compliment stand in mid-July. Business was slow at first. But then his dad, Brandon Wargo, posted about it online. That’s when things took off. “Yeah, it’s really blown up,” Brandon said. Word spread quickly, and soon people began showing up to get a boost — not in temperature, but in self-esteem. “I was really kind of caught off guard by just how strong a reaction people had to it,” said Ethan’s mom, Jessica Wargo. “It’s just very heart-warming to them,” Ethan added. Ethan admits the compliments don’t always come easily. “Sometimes I struggle,” he said. “But I usually just persevere.” And when asked what he’d say to someone who had the same idea? “If you had that idea,” he replied, “I definitely would compliment you on that.” In a world that often feels short on kindness, Ethan’s little sidewalk stand is proof that sometimes, a few nice words really can go a long way.
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The Mesmerizing 'Time Crystal': A Clock That Ticks Forever Without Electricity
Physicists in Colorado have built something that sounds like it belongs in science fiction: a clock that ticks without batteries, electricity, or winding, powered only by light and the strange properties of liquid crystals. The team at the University of Colorado Boulder has created what is known as a **time crystal**, a phase of matter where particles remain in constant motion, repeating the same patterns endlessly. While other groups have made time crystals before, this is the first version people can actually see with their eyes. “They can be observed directly under a microscope and even, under special conditions, by the naked eye,” said Hanqing Zhao, a graduate student in CU Boulder’s physics department and lead author of the study, published in *Nature Materials* on September 4. Working with professor Ivan Smalyukh, Zhao designed glass cells filled with rod-shaped liquid crystal molecules. On their own, the crystals stayed still. But when illuminated with light, they twisted into intricate patterns that looped continuously, resembling “psychedelic tiger stripes” under a microscope. The motion lasted for hours, behaving like an endlessly ticking clock. “Everything is born out of nothing,” Smalyukh said. “All you do is shine a light, and this whole world of time crystals emerges.” The idea of time crystals dates back to 2012, when Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek proposed matter that could be organized not in space, like diamonds or salt, but in time. While his original vision proved impossible, researchers have since created close approximations using quantum computers and lasers. The Colorado team achieved it with liquid crystals that behave like both solids and fluids. When squeezed, the molecules form “kinks” that act like particles, moving, colliding, and regrouping in endlessly repeating steps. “You have these twists, and you can’t easily remove them,” Smalyukh explained. “They behave like particles and start interacting with each other.” The patterns proved unusually stable. The researchers could raise or lower the temperature of the samples without stopping the dance of the kinks. “That’s the beauty of this time crystal,” Smalyukh said. “You just create some conditions that aren’t that special. You shine a light, and the whole thing happens.” Beyond the physics breakthrough, the researchers see real-world uses. A banknote embedded with a time crystal could carry a watermark that only reveals itself when lit, making counterfeiting far harder. Stacking multiple time crystals could also create highly complex patterns, a potential tool for storing vast amounts of digital data. “We don’t want to put a limit on the applications right now,” Smalyukh said. “I think there are opportunities to push this technology in all sorts of directions.” For now, the endlessly looping patterns offer something equally remarkable: a rare glimpse at matter keeping its own rhythm, like a clock that never stops ticking.
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Missed The Stunning Blood Moon? Here's Why It Turned Red And When You Can See It Again!
The moon turned a striking shade of red on Sunday night and early Monday, dazzling millions of skywatchers across the globe during a total lunar eclipse. The rare spectacle, often called a “blood moon,” was visible in varying degrees to more than 7 billion people worldwide, according to Time and Date. Asia and Western Australia had the clearest view, while much of Europe and Africa saw the moon already in full eclipse as it rose. The Americas missed out this time. “A lunar eclipse is rare. It occurs when the Earth moves directly between the moon and the sun, blocking sunlight from reaching the lunar surface,” said Kou Wen, an expert at the Beijing Planetarium, in remarks to China Media Group. He added that this particular eclipse lasted unusually long at nearly 80 minutes, as the moon passed deeply into Earth’s shadow. The reddish glow comes from Earth’s atmosphere. As sunlight bends around the planet, shorter wavelengths scatter, while the longer red wavelengths slip through and bathe the moon in a coppery light. “That’s why during a total lunar eclipse, the moon can appear red, orange or even bronze,” Kou explained. Observers were treated to an extra sight as Saturn appeared just above the eclipsed moon, looking like a bright star hanging nearby. The next opportunity to see a total lunar eclipse will come on March 3, next year. Until then, Sunday’s deep-red moon stands out as one of the longest and most widely visible eclipses in recent years.
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80 Years Later, 100-Year-Old Navy Veteran Finally Honoured for WWII Service
At 100 years old, Audrey Farmer has finally received the medal she earned for her World War Two service more than eight decades ago. Farmer, who was based in Liverpool during the war, worked to monitor supply ships bound for the UK, which were under constant threat from German U-boats. This week, a special delegation from the Royal Navy presented her with her medal at her home in Oxfordshire. "I feel immensely proud," she said. "I feel so grateful that anybody should think I'm even worthy really. So that's very gratifying and I really am very grateful to you all." Farmer was eligible for the award when she left the Women’s Royal Naval Service in 1945, having served more than the required 28 days. But like many others, she never applied for the medal at the time. Earlier this year, she decided to finally request it. "It wasn't until I got grandkids and I thought, everything's so big about ancestry nowadays, that they might one day be quite proud that I had gotten a medal," she explained. Her application was verified by medal assessor Martin Shurmer, who cross-checked her service records. "She served in the armed forces between September 1939 and September 1945," he said. "They used that information along with the criteria for each medal and proved that Mrs Farmer was entitled to the medal." The Ministry of Defence Medal Office in Gloucester issues around 15,000 medals a year, to serving personnel, surviving veterans, and the families of those who have died. According to Gary Pyatt, the officer in charge of the team, many who are eligible have yet to apply. "It's the recognition that they rightly deserve," Pyatt said. "Even in current years there are people who served in the Falklands who have yet to receive their medals. But if they apply to us we will look into their case." For the Navy, presenting Farmer with her medal carried special significance. Commodore Tim Green, the Naval regional commander for the East of England and London, praised her and her peers. "It's always inspiring to meet our veterans, particularly from the Second World War, and particularly in this year, the 80th anniversary of the end of that war," he said. "They're an amazing generation, utterly inspirational to those of us that still serve. It was a privilege today to present the War Medal to Audrey on behalf of the King and the nation." After 80 years, Farmer said the recognition was worth the wait.
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8,000-Year-Old Underwater Discovery Reveals Stunning 'Time Capsule' Secrets
An ancient coastal settlement long buried beneath the sea has been uncovered off the coast of Denmark, offering a rare glimpse into life 8,000 years ago — and a warning about our climate future. Divers in the Bay of Aarhus, in northern Denmark, discovered the remnants of a Stone Age village submerged 8 meters below the surface. The find is part of a six-year, \$15.5 million EU-funded research project to map parts of the Baltic and North Seas. “Here, we actually have an old coastline. We have a settlement that was positioned directly at the coastline,” said underwater archaeologist Peter Moe Astrup, who is leading the expedition. “What we actually try to find out here is how was life at a coastal settlement.” The site has been remarkably well preserved, thanks to the unique environment beneath the sea. Once sea levels rose and submerged the village, the oxygen-free conditions halted decomposition. “It’s like a time capsule,” Moe Astrup said. “When sea level rose, everything was preserved in an oxygen-free environment … time just stops.” So far, the team has uncovered worked wood, hazelnuts, stone tools, arrowheads, animal bones, and even a seal tooth — all clues pointing to how early humans hunted, built homes, and prepared food at the edge of the sea. The small piece of carved wood, in particular, is believed to be a rare example of Stone Age craftsmanship. The settlement, which would have sat on the shoreline at the time, is now buried beneath the seabed, the result of dramatic sea-level rise that followed the end of the last Ice Age. Astrup explained that when the massive ice sheets melted, oceans rose by roughly 2 meters per century, reshaping coastlines and swallowing up entire communities. “It's hard to answer exactly what it meant to people,” he said of the rapidly shifting landscape. “But it clearly had a huge impact in the long run because it completely changed the landscape.” The parallels with today are hard to ignore. Scientists estimate that global sea levels could rise up to 2 meters by the end of this century — a pace comparable to the changes seen 8,000 years ago. That kind of rise would threaten millions of people living in low-lying coastal regions around the world, from the Netherlands to Bangladesh. Researchers say that studying how prehistoric people adapted to environmental shifts could offer insights into how modern societies might prepare for similar changes. “We find completely well-preserved wood. We find hazelnut... Everything is well preserved,” Astrup said, noting how the find allows scientists to reconstruct daily life in startling detail. The project is one of the most extensive efforts yet to uncover and understand submerged prehistoric settlements in Europe. The team plans to continue exploring the Bay of Aarhus and other coastal areas, hoping to find more sites that shed light on how early humans interacted with the sea — and how they responded when the sea came for them. As the waters continue to rise in our time, the lessons of this forgotten village may become more relevant than ever.
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Warsaw's Underground Oasis: A Metro Library with 16,000 Books and Coffee
Warsaw has turned a new page in its urban development with the opening of "Metroteka," its first library located in the metro system. Opened on September 4 at the Kondratowicza metro station, this library offers more than just books to commuters and locals alike. Spanning only 150 square meters, Metroteka boasts a collection of over 16,000 books. The design team from pracownia Grzegorza Kłody GK-Atelier made clever use of space by incorporating undulating bookshelves to store an impressive number of volumes. Visitors can also find tables for work or study, a children's corner, and even laptops available for use. To complement the reading experience, a self-service coffee machine is on-site offering coffee, tea, or cocoa to enjoy while you browse or read. But it isn’t all about books at Metroteka. For those looking to unwind with friends, board games are available to play. Adding a touch of nature to the mix are several hydroponic plants grown without soil under artificial lighting; these include vines and fragrant herbs and flowers that add some greenery to the setting. Modern technology plays a significant role in how Metroteka operates. Patrons can borrow and return books independently using automated systems. This makes accessing both popular reads and hidden gems easier than ever before. Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his excitement about the new addition. "Didn't I say that the metro is a good place to read?" he posted. The library also serves as an educational hub for Targówek's local community. Plans are underway for author meetings, workshops, and various classes suitable for children and adults alike. Metroteka is open weekdays from 10:00 until 19:00, thanks to collaboration between the Targówek Public Library, Targówek District Council and Board, and the Warsaw Metro Authority.
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These Windows Can Secretly Generate Solar Power Without Blocking Your View
A new solar technology from Nanjing University could change the way we think about windows and energy. The research team has developed a transparent, colorless solar concentrator that can be directly applied to standard window glass. This device uses cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) multilayers to guide sunlight toward the edges of the window, where photovoltaic cells are placed. Here's why this is exciting: traditional solar concentrators often distort visuals or have low efficiency. This new concentrator keeps things clear while achieving broadband polarization-selective diffraction and waveguiding. In simpler terms, it lets light in without making your windows look different. According to the study published in PhotoniX, it maintains an average visible transmittance of 64.2 percent and a color rendering index of 91.3. Dr. Dewei Zhang, co-first author of the study, explains how they did it: "By engineering the structure of cholesteric liquid crystal films, we create a system that selectively diffracts circularly polarized light, guiding it into the glass waveguide at steep angles." This technique captures up to 38.1 percent of incident green light energy at the edge. In practical terms, a small prototype with a diameter of just 2.5 centimeters managed to power a 10-milliwatt fan using sunlight alone. If you scale this up to a typical 2-meter-wide CUSC window, it could concentrate sunlight by fifty times. This innovation means fewer photovoltaic cells are needed—up to 75 percent less—which can lead to cost savings. The manufacturing process is also designed for scalability. The multilayered CLC films are created through photoalignment and polymerization techniques and can be produced using roll-to-roll manufacturing methods. These films remain stable even with long-term exposure and can be applied to existing windows. Professor Wei Hu highlights the broader implications: "The CUSC design is a step forward in integrating solar technology into the built environment without sacrificing aesthetics." It offers a practical solution for carbon reduction and boosts energy self-sufficiency. Looking ahead, the team plans to improve efficiency and polarization control further while exploring applications in agricultural greenhouses and transparent solar displays. Their goal is straightforward: transform passive glass surfaces into active energy generators worldwide. With this innovation, turning everyday windows into sources of clean energy might soon become as simple as applying a new coat of paint, or in this case, film, to your existing panes.
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Boston Transforms Empty Offices Into Affordable Homes For Over 1,000 Residents
Boston is turning empty downtown offices into much-needed homes — and the first new residents have officially moved in. Mayor Michelle Wu’s Office-to-Residential Conversion Program, launched in 2023, is already showing results just two years in. The initiative offers generous tax breaks — up to 75% for 29 years — to building owners who convert underused office buildings into housing. The catch? Projects must meet strict energy efficiency and affordability requirements, making sure new homes are both sustainable and accessible. Now, the first families are settling into their newly converted apartments. “This morning, we celebrated a huge milestone and welcomed the inaugural tenants of 281 Franklin Street — the first building to go through the City’s Office to Residential Conversion Program — to their new homes,” Wu shared in a Facebook post earlier this month. That building alone will eventually house over 140 new units. So far, 15 are complete, with 126 under construction. Across the city, the pipeline is even bigger: nearly 825 units are in the works, and 683 more are on the way. It’s part of a broader strategy to tackle Boston’s housing crunch while breathing life back into a downtown still adjusting to post-pandemic shifts. With office vacancies hovering around 20% — and projected to reach 30% — the city is betting big on housing to reimagine the future of its urban core. In total, Boston has received 15 applications to convert 20 office buildings, unlocking 600,000 square feet of space and potentially housing 1,500 new residents downtown by 2026. The city’s goal is to reach one million square feet. Applications are open until December, so those numbers could grow even further. “Boston is building the foundation for a stronger, more vibrant downtown through our dedication to housing, public safety, and economic growth,” Wu said in a press release over the summer. The program has already made a dent in revitalizing foot traffic. According to the mayor’s office, downtown vacancies have nearly been cut in half. Businesses are seeing more customers. Developers are seeing new opportunity. “It’s a great key to unlock the potential in this building because it’s been empty for a long time,” said Mark Callahan, who’s heading up one of the approved projects. His development will add 45 rental units — seven of them income-restricted — while keeping retail space on the ground floor. The Franklin Street building, now home to Boston’s newest tenants, has also preserved a post office at street level — a nod to the mixed-use vision the city is aiming for. Michael J. Nichols, president of the Downtown Boston Alliance, sees the shift as critical to building an “18-hour neighborhood” — one that doesn’t go quiet after the 9-to-5 crowd leaves. “Adding residences near downtown offers improved local foot traffic to support downtown restaurants and retailers,” he said. “This program is making a meaningful difference in providing workers and families with new opportunities to live in the heart of our city.” Affordability remains a key focus. Of the units currently approved, 142 will be income-restricted. The city has also expanded the program to include housing for students and middle-income workers, addressing the needs of residents squeezed out by Boston’s rising costs. Developers, business leaders, and community groups have largely welcomed the change. But it’s the new residents who may be the biggest indicator of success. “It allows you access to live in places where you couldn’t before,” said Ernestine Tiongson, who just moved into one of the converted downtown apartments with her husband, George. “The downtown area is a super cool place; a lot of our favorite restaurants and cafes and bars are here. So we’re just happy to be in the thick of it and be close to everything that we love.” Mayor Wu greeted the couple at their new home with a houseplant. “Every new home matters,” she said. “Every new family moving into Boston and getting involved in our community makes a huge difference.” With the city still accepting proposals and more conversions under construction, Boston’s once-empty office spaces may soon be home to thousands of new residents — and a very different kind of downtown.
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Meet The Adorable Highland Cattle Taking TikTok By Storm
A quiet nature reserve near Norwich has found itself at the center of a viral stampede — all thanks to a herd of photogenic Highland cows. Taverham Mill, run by Anglian Water, typically attracts a few hundred visitors a year. But after videos of its flame-haired cattle started making the rounds on TikTok, the site has seen thousands of fans pouring in to catch a glimpse of the now-famous herd. “It’s gone a bit crazy, we’ve never seen numbers like it,” said reserve manager Harry Waye-Barker. “People have always had a close connection to the cows, but I’ve never seen anything like the past couple of weeks — it was bonkers.” Some visitors have travelled remarkable distances just to meet the cows. Waye-Barker recalled a group who drove all the way from Devon after seeing the animals online. “I was shocked. I said, ‘You must have come past thousands of Highland cattle, but you’re here now, enjoy yourselves.’” The viral fame has created a summer unlike any the reserve has ever experienced. Bank Holiday Monday alone saw thousands of people descend on the site. Local schools and community members chipped in by offering car parking, and even Waye-Barker’s own family helped manage the crowd and keep an eye on the cattle. The herd of seven females has grazed at the reserve for more than a decade, playing an important role in conservation by chomping on the water meadows. But their sudden rise to stardom started interfering with their day job. “We went through 100 bags [of treats] in the first hour one day,” said Waye-Barker. The reserve had been selling sugar beet-based snacks for visitors to feed the cows, but the popularity proved overwhelming — not just for staff, but for the cows themselves. The treats have now been temporarily banned to help the herd return to a healthier, grass-based diet. While the exact reason for the cows’ sudden TikTok fame remains a mystery, videos showing people having close — and pun-filled — “en-cow-nters” with the fluffy, ginger-haired animals have racked up hundreds of thousands of views. The reserve is now trying to balance the unexpected attention with the well-being of its animals. But Waye-Barker says the experience has been a positive one overall. “It’s been a real team effort,” he said. “We’ve pulled through, and now we’re getting back to a bit of normality — but it’s been lovely to open up to new visitors and people who haven’t seen them before.” For now, the cows are back to grazing in peace — viral royalty in need of a break from the spotlight.
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These Ukrainian Refugees are Running a Marathon to Thank British Heroes Who Helped Them Settle
A group of Ukrainian women are lacing up their running shoes for this year’s Great North Run — not just for the challenge, but to say thank you. The women, all refugees who fled the war in Ukraine, now live in Sunderland and are running to raise awareness of the ongoing conflict in their homeland and to support The Salvation Army, the charity that helped them settle in the UK. Maryna Rahulina, one of the runners, fled Kyiv in 2022 with her two young children. “The Salvation Army helped me and my kids to stay in safety and to be not alone,” she said. “People opened their hearts to us and now I want to do the same.” Since arriving in the UK, she and hundreds of others have found a second home at the Monkwearmouth branch of The Salvation Army. The charity has supported refugee families with everything from job advice and English classes to helping children enrol in school. Regular coffee mornings and Sunday services have also given the community a place to connect, reflect, and rebuild. “When we arrived from Ukraine we were so devastated, we were lost,” said Tetiana Nikobenko, who attends the charity’s services with her husband and two sons. “We've got so much support from The Salvation Army and we want to pay back a bit.” For many, running the half marathon is about more than raising money. It’s a symbol of survival, gratitude, and resilience. Marharyta Marchenko is back for her second year in the race. “For us, this is more than just a sporting event,” she said. “For our community, it's a chance to honour every kind-hearted soul who stood by us through difficult times. Each runner carries a story of loss, courage and dreams.” “We represent the Ukrainian community of Sunderland, who are strong, brave and resilient,” she added, “and The Salvation Army Monkwearmouth, who are true heroes of everyday kindness, helping people through the toughest of times.” The group hopes their efforts will shine a light on the continued hardship faced by people in Ukraine — and on the support that helped them find hope far from home.