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Why Madagascar's Lizards Are the Unexpected Heroes of Island Reforestation
Madagascar, an island that has been evolving in isolation for 88 million years, is home to a unique array of flora and fauna. Among its ecological wonders is endozoochory, a process where animals eat plant seeds and later disperse them through their droppings. While birds and mammals have long been recognized as key players in this process, lizards have largely been overlooked. A team of researchers at Kyoto University decided to change that narrative by focusing on the role of lizards in seed dispersal. "Lizards are under-appreciated as seed dispersers in many forest ecosystems," said Ryobu Fukuyama, the study's corresponding author. The team hypothesized that lizards might play a more significant role than previously thought. The researchers studied three lizard species—the Malagasy Giant Chameleon, Cuvier's Madagascar Swift, and the Western Girdled Lizard—in Madagascar's tropical dry forests. Through behavioral observations and fecal analyses, they discovered these omnivorous lizards consumed fruits from over 20 plant species and expelled viable seeds. Interestingly, these plants were different from those typically dispersed by the Common Brown Lemur, suggesting that lizards may be crucial contributors to the ecosystem. This finding is particularly important given the environmental degradation affecting Madagascar's forests due to human activities. "Lizards could potentially contribute to forest regeneration," Fukuyama noted. However, he acknowledged there are still many unknowns about their role as seed dispersers, such as how far they can transport seeds. The research team says they plan to delve deeper into these questions in future studies.
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Meet the 18-Year-Old Fresh Out of High School Running for Mayor in Alabama
Brandon Moss, an 18-year-old recent high school graduate, is making waves in Fairfield, Alabama, by announcing his candidacy for mayor just weeks after receiving his diploma. As the youngest candidate in the city's history, Moss is eager to bring a fresh perspective to the community of about 9,500 people located southwest of Birmingham. "I am ready to take on this challenge. Age doesn't guarantee wisdom or innovation," Moss told ABC News. "I'm not going to say I'm perfect or I know it all; it will take a team of good people to be able to accomplish good things." Moss launched his campaign on June 7 with a clear vision for Fairfield's future. He aims to address pressing issues such as business development and improving residents' quality of life. Inspired by political figures like Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and former President Barack Obama, Moss believes it's time for new leadership. "The past administrations and the people that are running have done a great job in Fairfield, but I think it's time that we look for something new," he said. Moss brings experience from participating in the Alabama Youth and Government program and serving on various advisory boards. If elected, he plans to focus on financial transparency by hiring a forensic auditor and supporting small businesses through pop-up stores. Tackling blight is also on his agenda, with plans to seek federal grants for community improvement. As he prepares to attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham this fall, Moss remains committed to balancing college with potential mayoral duties. His campaign manager Marilyn Yelder expressed confidence in his readiness: "I think he will be more than prepared." The election takes place on Aug. 26, where Moss will face several other candidates vying for the position. Regardless of the outcome, he remains determined to pursue a career in politics.
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Getting in More Steps May Prevent the Leading Cause of Disability in the US, Study Says
A new study suggests that a simple daily walk could be the key to reducing the risk of chronic low back pain. Research published in JAMA Network Open found that walking for 100 minutes each day is linked to a 23 percent lower risk of developing this common ailment. "Walking is a simple, low-cost, and accessible activity," said Rayane Haddadj, lead author and doctoral candidate at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. "It can be promoted widely to reduce the burden of low back pain." Globally, around 600 million people suffer from low back pain, which is considered the leading cause of disability. By 2050, this number could rise to 843 million, according to the World Health Organization. The study analyzed data from over 11,000 participants aged 20 and older in Norway's Trøndelag Health Study. Participants wore accelerometers for seven days between 2017 and 2019 to track their walking habits. Researchers followed up between 2021 and 2023 to assess any experiences with back pain. Participants were categorized into four groups based on their daily walking time: less than 78 minutes, between 78-100 minutes, between 101-124 minutes, and more than 125 minutes. The findings indicated that increased daily walking reduced the risk of chronic low back pain. Moderate or brisk walking was found to be more beneficial than a slower pace. While promising due to its large sample size and objective measurement methods, the study only captured one week of data per participant. It remains observational; thus causation cannot be definitively established. "Start with short walking sessions," advised Dr. Natasha Pocovi from Macquarie University in Sydney. "Gradually increase your walking in a sustainable way."
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Why This Man's Manchester Love Affair Led to a One-of-a-Kind Tattoo
Stéphane Chevalier, a Swiss native from Pully, England, has turned his admiration for Manchester into a permanent tribute. After visiting the city more than 50 times over the past decade, Chevalier decided to commemorate his love for Manchester by getting tattoos of its iconic landmarks on his leg. Chevalier's fascination with Manchester began in 2010 when he attended a Manchester United match at Old Trafford. "I felt I had made a dream come true," he said. His body art now features some of the city's most famous sights, including Beetham Tower, Castlefield Viaduct, Mulligan's pub, and The National Football Museum. In 2022, Chevalier lived in Manchester for three months and has since launched French-language Instagram accounts dedicated to all things Mancunian. His passion for the city continues as he plans to fly back this summer to attend one of Oasis' comeback gigs at Heaton Park.
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Why Artist Chase Hall Believes Gratitude Fuels Creativity
When Chase Hall speaks, it’s with the intention and care of someone who has spent years interrogating himself — someone deeply attuned to the nuances of identity, race, and what it means to belong. At 32, the painter has become one of the most recognizable voices in contemporary art, known not just for his use of coffee-stained cotton canvases, but for how his work distills the layered contradictions of being mixed-race in America. Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to a white mother and a Black father, Hall describes his practice as an “exploration of the impossible absolute of biracial identity.” In the spirit of W.E.B. Du Bois’ concept of double consciousness, Hall is less interested in arriving at answers than he is in framing honest, unresolved questions — about race, about class, about manhood and legacy. “The work has always been about questions of who I am, who I am becoming, and how I am showing up in the world,” he says. Those questions take physical form in paintings that blend abstraction and figuration. The raw cotton canvas speaks to the history of enslavement and exploitation in America. The coffee — a material rooted in African soil and global labor — stains the fabric with deliberate strokes and cultural weight. His figures often evoke familial memory, social resilience, and historical dissonance. That material language was born out of necessity. As a young barista with no budget for art supplies, Hall began painting with coffee on the back of receipts. Over time, the practice became a signature. “I didn’t have money to buy paint tubes, but I had coffee from the shop,” he says. “I wanted to galvanize some of those questions by using an alternative material that wasn’t found in an art store.” Hall’s rise hasn’t been sudden, but it has been meteoric. Since landing a residency at MASS MoCA in 2020 and appearing on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list the following year, he’s been acquired by the likes of LACMA, the Whitney, and the Fondation Louis Vuitton. Yet even in moments of career breakthrough, Hall has remained conscious of the contradictions around him. In 2020, he gained recognition just as George Floyd’s murder — and the global protests that followed — exposed once again the violent fault lines of racial injustice. “I never felt like, ‘Oh, I made it,’” Hall says. “It was more like, now I have a chance to keep going, to keep speaking truth to power.” At the time, both of his parents were incarcerated. He was taking care of a dog, a relationship, and his own emotional survival. The idea that success could—or should—erase the pain of the moment felt hollow. Instead, Hall leaned deeper into the contradictions. His current show at Galerie Eva Presenhuber in Vienna, titled Momma’s Baby, Daddy’s Maybe, takes its name from a phrase his father used to say during visits. “It really shattered me,” Hall says. “But it also made me think about the trope of fractured fatherhood — how that shows up constantly, especially in Black families, and what it means to grow up with that absence.” The show explores themes of masculinity and growth, from the confusion of adolescence to the reckoning of middle age. That evolution is personal. Ten months ago, Hall became a father himself. “It’s changed everything in a really special and beautiful way,” he says. “I’m seeing things I used to take for granted in a new light. Before, I was this lone wolf trying to figure out who I am. Now, it’s like my heart lives outside my body.” Fatherhood hasn’t necessarily shifted the themes of his work, but it has deepened them. The maternal figure — often central in his paintings — now comes with the added weight of recognition and gratitude. “You see parents in a totally different lens,” he says. “It’s a hundred times more beautiful, and a hundred times harder than I ever imagined.” Even as his work grapples with trauma — racial, generational, familial — it holds space for joy. Hall doesn’t describe his practice as intentionally optimistic, but as intentionally honest. “I don’t try to make joyful artwork,” he says. “I try to make work that is truthful. And in that truth, there are moments that are good and moments that are bad.” That balance of pain and possibility, of absence and presence, has shaped both his artistic language and his personal growth. Early in his career, fellow artist Sondra Perry challenged him directly: “You love Black history, but your mom is white. Where is that in the work?” It was a turning point. “Until someone calls you out, you’re never forced to grow,” Hall says. “That critique made me dig deeper and find a truth to stand on, not someone else’s block. That’s when I stopped trying to ‘pass’ and started asking what it really means to tell the full story.” Hall’s story — and the stories in his work — remain layered, open-ended, and defiantly complex. In a world eager to define people in absolutes, he offers another way: one that embraces duality, contradiction, and the slow work of becoming.
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Meet The 135-Year-Old Tortoise Celebrating His First Father’s Day at Zoo Miami
Goliath, the venerable Galapagos tortoise at Zoo Miami, marked a milestone on Sunday by celebrating his 135th birthday and becoming a father for the first time. Weighing in at 517 pounds, Goliath welcomed his first offspring earlier this month, much to the delight of zoo officials. “Goliath is my hero, and I am sure he will soon be an inspiration to many others!” said Ron Magill, Zoo Miami spokesman. “He is living proof that where there is a will, there is a way and to never give up!” The hatchling emerged from one of eight eggs laid on January 27 and successfully hatched on June 4. This event marks not only Goliath's debut as a father but also the first successful hatching of an endangered Galapagos tortoise at Zoo Miami. The species has faced significant threats over the years due to human activities and invasive species on their native Galapagos Islands. Today, climate change and habitat loss continue to pose challenges. Goliath's journey began between 1885 and 1890 when he hatched on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos. He made his way to the Bronx Zoo in 1929 before settling at Zoo Miami in 1981. Despite breeding attempts with various females over the years, this is his first successful siring with Sweet Pea, who is estimated to be between 85 and 100 years old. Both parents are thriving in their public habitat while their hatchling remains healthy in a separate enclosure since wild hatchlings are typically not raised by their parents.
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Taylor Swift's Heartwarming Surprise Visit to Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital
Pop superstar Taylor Swift brought unexpected joy to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, on June 13, 2025. Her surprise visit transformed an ordinary day into a memorable experience for young patients and their families. The hospital shared the news on social media, expressing gratitude: "You made this a day we’ll never shake off. 💜 Thank you, Taylor Swift, for bringing your support and kindness to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. You turned hospital hallways into a place of joy, comfort, and connection. ✨ Our patients and families felt the love, and the magic will stay, stay, stay with them long after today." Swift's presence filled the hospital with smiles and laughter as she interacted with children, posed for photos, and offered words of encouragement to families facing difficult times. “Can I scream?” one patient exclaimed before letting out a joyful yell that echoed down the hallway. Another patient expressed disbelief at meeting her idol: “Holy crap. I met Taylor Swift. Holy crap.” A former pediatric nurse highlighted the significance of Swift's visit: "I worked as a pediatric nurse for a long time and the impact of something like this, not only on the patients but the morale of the staff is really a big deal. Good on Taylor for bringing so much joy to these sweet kids."
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The Top 5 Weekly Foods Dietitians Swear By to Slash Your Stroke Risk
Your brain is the powerhouse of your body, orchestrating everything from thoughts to emotions. Protecting it from strokes is crucial, and what you eat can make a significant difference. A Mediterranean-style diet rich in whole foods like olive oil, grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes can reduce stroke risk by 40 percent for high-risk individuals, according to Vanessa King, M.S., RDN. A study supports this claim, showing that those with high-quality diets had a 40% lower stroke risk compared to those with poor diets. Dietitians recommend five key foods to help keep your stroke risk low: 1. Salmon: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins, salmon can lower blood homocysteine levels, a stroke risk factor. "Three ounces of cooked salmon provides over 100 percent of the Daily Value of B12," says King. 2. Coffee: Amy Brownstein, M.S., RDN notes coffee's polyphenols may lower blood pressure. She advises limiting sweeteners due to their potential contribution to stroke risk. 3. Spinach: Packed with folate and magnesium, spinach promotes brain blood flow. Studies link high folate intake to a 17 percent reduction in stroke incidence. 4. Chickpeas: These beans are rich in vitamin B6 and fiber. "They serve as a protein source for stews and salads," says King. 5. Soy Foods: Tofu and tempeh are heart-friendly proteins that may relax blood vessels due to phytoestrogens. Beyond diet, staying active is vital for maintaining a healthy weight and cholesterol levels. Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol also contribute significantly to reducing stroke risk. "Even small shifts in the kitchen can make a big impact on stroke prevention," King emphasizes.
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The Surprising 4 Nutrients That Could Help Lower Your Dementia Risk
A new study out of Columbia University suggests that certain nutrients — especially those with antioxidant properties — may help lower the risk of dementia. The findings, published in the journal Nutrients, point to vitamins, minerals, and fiber as potentially protective factors, while high sugar intake was once again linked to increased risk. Dementia, which includes conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, is expected to affect double the number of people globally by 2060. That projection comes with a steep cost: the economic burden of unpaid dementia care in the U.S. alone is forecast to rise from $172 billion in 2020 to more than $1.5 trillion by mid-century. Since there’s no cure for dementia, prevention is crucial — and that starts with diet. What the Study Looked At Researchers pulled data from the long-running U.S. Health and Retirement Study, specifically a subset from 2013 that focused on diet and nutrition. Over 6,000 adults aged 50 and older filled out detailed food questionnaires and underwent cognitive assessments. Researchers then analyzed how intake of 101 individual nutrients related to dementia risk, while adjusting for factors like age, sex, education, smoking, physical activity, and BMI. The Nutrients That Stood Out Among all the nutrients evaluated, five stood out for their strong association with a lower risk of developing dementia: Isorhamnetin – A flavonol found in fruits and vegetables like onions, berries, cherries, apples, and almonds. Manganese – A trace mineral found in nuts, legumes, whole grains, leafy greens, and even maple syrup. Dietary Fiber – Found in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, and whole grains. Beta-tocopherol and beta-tocotrienol – Two forms of vitamin E, which is present in sunflower seeds, wheat germ, and vegetable oils. All of these nutrients have antioxidant effects, helping to reduce cellular damage that can contribute to cognitive decline. On the flip side, the study reinforced previous research linking high sugar intake with a greater risk of dementia. A Few Surprises Not all the findings were straightforward. Some nutrients typically seen as beneficial, including vitamin D and glycerophosphocholine (a compound in milk), were associated with a higher risk of dementia in this study. The authors caution against reading too much into these findings, noting that it’s possible the issue lies in other components of the food rather than the nutrients themselves. More research is needed. Limitations This was an observational study, not a clinical trial. That means it can’t prove cause and effect — only associations. Also, the dietary data relied on participants recalling what they ate over the past year, which can introduce errors. Dementia diagnosis was also based on interviews or proxy reports, not clinical evaluations. And important factors like genetics weren’t included in the analysis. Takeaways for Daily Life Despite the study’s limitations, the message is consistent with broader public health guidance: eat more plant-based, nutrient-rich foods and limit processed sugar. Adding more fiber, vitamin E, flavonols, and minerals like manganese to your diet doesn’t require drastic change. A few swaps — like trading chips for nuts and berries, or soda for water or tea — can boost nutrient intake without much effort. And for those looking for a more structured approach, evidence-backed diets like the MIND diet, which blends Mediterranean and DASH diet principles, have been shown to reduce dementia risk by as much as 25 percent. The Bottom Line While there’s no silver bullet for preventing dementia, this new research supports what many experts already believe: a nutrient-rich diet can play a key role in protecting brain health. Antioxidant-rich foods, plenty of fiber, and cutting back on sugar may not only help your memory, but your overall well-being as well.
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Why Thousands Are Lining Up for Free Tattoos at This Unexpected Coffee Pop-Up
Would you consider getting a tattoo while sipping your favorite latte? Across the UK, cafes are blending coffee culture with body art to draw in more customers. With over 11,000 cafes nationwide, according to the World Coffee Portal, this trend is gaining traction. Some believe it’s fueled by TikTok's notion that tattooed baristas brew better coffee, while others see it as Gen Z's quest for authentic experiences. Sisters Maia and Luna Omar are fans of spontaneous tattoos as a form of self-expression. They recently visited Nexus Cafe in Digbeth, Birmingham for a pop-up tattoo event. "It makes coffee shops more fun," Maia said. "We're sisters and we like tattoos and it's something that we're doing together," Luna added. International chain Blank Street has hosted free pop-up tattoo events in Manchester and London, attracting thousands. Meanwhile, Think+ Coffee and Ink in London has been offering coffee alongside tattoos and haircuts since 2019. Founded by tattoo artist and pastor Christian Vargas, the cafe features an open-view tattoo studio through a glass partition. "[The shop] gets rid of taboos and secrecy around tattoos and provides an inclusive space for everyone," Vargas said. He noted society's growing acceptance of body art compared to two decades ago. A YouGov poll from 2022 found that one in four people have a tattoo, with women slightly more likely than men to be inked. Psychologist Natasha Sharma from Wolverhampton describes tattoos as "a powerful statement of personal identity." She notes that young people seek real experiences amid their digital lives. "Tattoos act as an experience and a story wrapped into one," she said. As this trend continues to grow, it seems coffee shops might just become the new go-to spot for both caffeine fixes and creative expression.
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Why This Rare Moth is Sparking Celebration Among Wildlife Enthusiasts
A rare discovery in Essex, England, has wildlife enthusiasts buzzing with excitement. Fiona Hutchings, 47, was conducting surveys with the Essex Field Club at a farm in Alphamstone when she spotted a flash of green that turned out to be an extremely rare forester moth. This species had not been seen since 1974. "To find something so rare was just amazing," Hutchings said. She described the moment: "I was walking along a footpath area and I saw this green flash go past. I caught it in a net and when I looked in the net, I knew what it was the moment I saw it." The forester moth, known for its wingspan of up to 2.9 centimeters, typically inhabits damp grasslands and woodlands. Hutchings took her find to fellow club member Rob Smith, who confirmed the identification with wide-eyed amazement. The duo photographed the moth before releasing it back into its natural habitat and logged their discovery in a database. To their surprise, they encountered another forester during subsequent surveys. Hutchings celebrated the occasion by opening a bottle of bubbly she had saved for something special. "After finding the forester, I thought 'You know what, this is a special occasion' and I had a glass of bubbly," she said. This remarkable find has brought renewed hope and excitement to local conservation efforts as enthusiasts continue their work preserving these delicate ecosystems.