Stunning New Photo Reveals Orion Constellation Like Never Before

Miguel Claro, a professional photographer and science communicator based in Lisbon, Portugal, has captured a stunning image of the Orion Constellation that is sure to captivate astronomy enthusiasts. Known for his expertise in creating "Skyscapes" that beautifully connect Earth with the night sky, Claro's latest work showcases the mesmerizing reddish hues of hydrogen alpha emissions. The photograph highlights Barnard's Loop, a semi-circle nebula located about 1,600 light-years away from us. This nebula spans an impressive 300 light-years across and forms part of the larger Orion molecular cloud complex. This region is rich with cosmic phenomena such as dust, hydrogen, and helium, which contribute to star formation. Claro expressed his long-standing ambition to capture this particular view. "I always wanted to make an image like this one that shows all the beautiful reddish hydrogen that surrounds one of the most spectacular and colorful regions of the entire night sky as seen from Earth," he said. The photo also features well-known celestial objects like M42, Horse Head Nebula, Lambda Orionis Ring, and the Witch Head Nebula near Rigel star. Capturing this image was no easy feat. Claro spent two months preparing his equipment—a Samyang 35mm f1.8 camera paired with Poseidon C Pro—before weather conditions finally cooperated. With only 40 minutes available each clear night between February and March 2025 at Portugal's Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve, accumulating seven hours of data required multiple nights of shooting. "Had I taken it at the beginning of winter," he noted, "I could have taken it in one night."

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Rare Titanic Letter Resurfaces: A Century-Old Mystery is Now on Display

A rare letter written aboard the Titanic—one of fewer than ten known to exist on the ship’s official stationery—is now on public display for the first time, more than a century after the disaster. Penned by passenger Archibald Gracie just days before the Titanic struck an iceberg in April 1912, the letter contains an ominous line: “It is a fine ship, but I shall await my journey’s end before I pass judgment on her.” Gracie mailed it from Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, one of the vessel’s two stops before heading across the Atlantic. Gracie survived the sinking, which claimed more than 1,500 lives, and later began writing The Truth About the Titanic. He corresponded with fellow survivors, including Margaret Brown—the American philanthropist later dubbed the “Unsinkable Molly Brown”—to gather accounts. The Molly Brown House Museum in Denver already holds two letters he wrote to her shortly before his death in December 1912 from complications tied to the disaster. The newly displayed letter, sold at auction in April for about $399,000 (£300,000) to an anonymous buyer, was loaned to the museum for its debut. “We were… thrilled and honored to have been chosen to be the very first museum to have such a significant artifact on display,” said museum director Andrea Malcomb. The letter now appears in See Justice Done: The Legacy of the Titanic Survivors’ Committee, an exhibition about Brown’s experience and her work aboard the rescue ship RMS Carpathia, where she helped organize aid for surviving crew members and destitute immigrants. Artifacts on view include an Egyptian talisman Brown carried during the sinking, a handmade flag likely gifted by Titanic crew, a letter she sent her daughter joking about her new “Heroine of the Titanic” title, and medals awarded to the Carpathia’s crew. Gracie’s correspondence, Malcomb said, offers a rare window into “the thoughts and feelings of those who had been excited and hopeful about their Titanic journey only to then perish… or those who had survived this tragic disaster and were trying to reconcile their experience.” The exhibition runs at the Molly Brown House Museum through September 22.

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How A Long-Lost Butterfly’s Cousin Is Reviving California's Ecosystem

On the sandy dunes of San Francisco's peninsula, an innovative attempt at rewilding is underway. Scientists are exploring if a close relative can step in to fill the ecological gap left by an extinct species. The focus here is on butterflies—specifically, whether the silvery blue butterfly can assume the role once played by the Xerces blue butterfly, which was a vital pollinator before disappearing post-industrialization. The extinction of the Xerces blue was one of North America's first documented cases among invertebrates, largely due to habitat loss during California's rapid expansion following the Gold Rush. The Presidio Peninsula, where these butterflies once thrived among vegetated and forested dunes, now serves as a site for this fascinating ecological experiment. Professor Durrell Kapan from the California Academy of Sciences spearheads this project. He and his team have matched the silvery blue as a genetic relative to the extinct Xerces blue. After three decades of habitat restoration efforts by organizations like the Presidio Trust and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, they're ready to see if these butterflies can thrive once more. Kapan shared with CBS that this initiative presents "an amazing opportunity to try to regenerate those missing connections using its closest relative." It's about both repairing past environmental damage and testing methods for ecological restoration. On a recent morning, Kapan and his colleagues released silvery blues onto native flowers in Presidio’s restored dunes. Volunteers observed them for an hour post-release; some butterflies immediately laid eggs while others gathered nectar. This marks the second consecutive year that silvery blues have been released in this area. Initial batches bore wing markings for tracking purposes, but sightings of unmarked individuals suggest successful reproduction. Dr. Phoebe Parker-Shames, a wildlife ecologist involved in this effort, underscores its future significance: "If one year it’s too hot for a particular species and their population sort of has a dip," she explained, "there’s another species there that can help fill the same role." This experiment could offer insights into how ecosystems adapt to climate change and how similar rewilding projects might be applied elsewhere. The sight of fluttering wings over San Francisco's dunes hints at what careful scientific intervention can achieve when nature gets just enough help to rebound on its own terms.

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Meet The 13-Year-Old Boy Who Beat A Deadly Brain Cancer For The First Time

For decades, a diagnosis of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) has meant heartbreak for families. The aggressive childhood brain cancer is almost always fatal, with fewer than 10 percent of children surviving beyond two years. Surgery is rarely possible because the tumors grow on critical areas like the brain stem, and radiation or chemotherapy have never brought a cure. That changed with Lucas Jemeljanova. Lucas was six years old when doctors in Belgium found the tumor. His parents, Cedric and Olesja, were told he likely didn’t have long to live. Instead, they brought him to France to join a clinical trial called BIOMEDE, which was testing new drugs against DIPG. Lucas was randomly given everolimus, a chemotherapy pill that blocks a protein called mTOR, which cancer cells use to grow and build new blood vessels. The drug is already approved in the UK and US for certain cancers in the breast, kidney, stomach and pancreas, but had never been tried for DIPG. Doctors didn’t know what to expect. But over successive MRI scans, Lucas’ oncologist, Dr. Jacques Grill, watched the tumor vanish entirely. It has never returned. Now 13, Lucas is considered the first person cured of DIPG. “I didn’t know when to stop, or how, because there was no other reference in the world,” said Grill, who continued Lucas’ daily treatment until about 18 months ago. While Lucas is the only patient in the trial whose tumor completely disappeared, seven others have been “long responders,” with no tumor progression for more than three years. Grill believes Lucas’ tumor carried an exceptionally rare genetic mutation that made it highly sensitive to the drug. Researchers now hope to recreate these results in lab-grown tumor “organoids” to better understand why the drug worked so well for some patients. “The next step will be to find a drug that works as well on tumor cells,” said BIOMEDE trial researcher Marie-Anne Debily. There are other glimmers of hope. A separate trial of a new immunotherapy showed promising results, shrinking tumors and improving symptoms in many children. One patient, known only as Drew, has been thriving tumor-free for more than four years. For now, DIPG remains one of the most devastating diagnoses in paediatric oncology. But Lucas’ case, Debily said, “offers real hope.”

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These Discarded Road Signs Turned Into a Big Art Win: $100,000 Prize

Yolŋu artist Gaypalani Waṉambi has won the $100,000 top prize at the 42nd National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (Natsiaas) for a work that honours her late father’s legacy while carving her own path. Waṉambi grew up in north-eastern Arnhem Land, where her family home doubled as an art studio. She learned to paint her clan’s sacred designs from her father, the renowned artist Mr W Waṉambi, working with traditional ochre before experimenting with newer mediums such as metal etching. Her winning work, Burwu, blossom, is a three-square-metre assemblage of 15 discarded metal road signs, etched with hundreds of stringybark blossoms and thousands of bees. The shimmering surface tells the freshwater Wuyal songline, an important Marrakulu clan story about the honey hunter ancestor. The reverse side shows the original road signs – “DETOUR” and “ROAD CLOSED AHEAD” – creating a striking contrast between ancient knowledge and modern material. In a statement, judges Stephen Gilchrist, Gail Mabo and Brian Martin described it as “an exceptional work that visually and materially explores different relationships to and understandings of Country… deeply anchored to Yolŋu philosophies.” The designs were passed to her by her father, who told her shortly before his death in 2022: “Great! You will take this design now as your own. And you will paint this when I am no more.” The awards, announced Friday night in Darwin, saw six of the seven category prizes go to women. Senior Pitjantjatjara artist Iluwanti Ken won the painting award, while Jahkarli Felicitas Romanis took the multimedia category with distorted Google Earth images of her Pitta Pitta Country. Naomi Hobson won the work on paper prize for a candid photograph of a teenage boy in her Cape York community, which she described as a celebration for “all the families, the community… all the young people out there.”

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Kitten Saved from Wall by Firefighters Enjoys Heartwarming Reunion

kitten rescued from a 13ft (4m) wall cavity in Walsall has been reunited with the firefighters who spent seven hours freeing him. Little Red, named after the Red Watch crew that saved him on 31 July, was only a few days old when he fell into the narrow gap. West Midlands Fire Service said vets believed the outcome could have been far worse if he had been found any later. Now in the care of Stray Cats Rescue Team West Midlands, the kitten is recovering well. The shelter said public support had been overwhelming after it posted an appeal on Facebook, with donations pouring in. “Red is very grateful for the presents sent his way. He got surplus of everything so other kittens will benefit too,” the shelter said. During the reunion, the fire service said Little Red “was especially fond of curling up for a short nap in one of our firefighters’ helmets” and was “recovering better than anyone expected.” When he was first pulled from the wall, the shelter said Little Red was “extremely weak, floppy, pale and gasping for air.” He has since been gaining strength at Cavan Vets in Wolverhampton, drinking milk and exploring his surroundings. “This kitten here, he’s a really special one,” the shelter said. The rescue group, based in Albrighton, Shropshire, is now appealing for funds to help cover £4,000 in bills, saying it is “struggling beyond belief.” Little Red’s care is only part of the expense, with the shelter stressing it must raise money “case by case, bill by bill” to continue helping other cats.

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How Sunflowers Are Thriving Amid Climate Challenges: A Farm's Blossoming Success Story

In Lincolnshire, England, a vibrant sea of sunflowers is thriving, thanks to the hot and dry weather. Lucy Taylor, who manages Vine House Farm in Deeping St Nicholas near Spalding, says these conditions have been particularly beneficial for her sunflower crop this year. The farm produces about 1.5 million sunflowers annually, primarily for bird feed. Taylor is a fifth-generation farmer and has witnessed how "varied weather and politicians" impact farming. She emphasizes the need for farms to diversify to maintain economic stability. "It's been a very dry year here – dry and hot, especially in the early part of the summer – and that's really benefited our sunflower crop," she shared. However, she notes that previous years presented challenges with excessive rain. Vine House Farm cultivates various crops including wheat, barley, potatoes, and sugar beet. This strategy helps mitigate risks tied to unpredictable weather patterns. "I think every farm is going to have to diversify and become broader or specialise in what it does to make sure it's economically viable going forward," Taylor explained. The sunflower fields themselves have become an attraction for visitors looking for a day out on the farm. Taylor sees these sunflowers as a prime example of diversification efforts at work. "It's that broad spectrum that I think will help farmers going forward," she added. Harvesting typically occurs in October using combines; however, this year could see an earlier harvest by late September or early October. Because they are grown specifically for seed production rather than floral display, the sunflowers remain uncut longer than those cultivated solely for aesthetic purposes. "When you're cropping sunflowers for flowers, you want them to look the best for the customer, not in your field," Taylor said.

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Meet The Tiny Island Kingdom With Just Three Residents And A King

Half a mile off the Cumbrian coast sits Piel Island, a 50-acre stretch of land with just three permanent residents, a crumbling medieval castle, and a pub run by its self-styled king. The only way on and off the island is via a 12-passenger open boat, operated by ferryman Steve Wilcock. For the past five years, Wilcock has shuttled visitors back and forth, calling it his “semi-retirement present.” He jokes about his approach to capacity: “I’m never the last ferry, if there’s 13 [passengers], I’ll take 12 and go back for the one.” From Piel, the view stretches from Yorkshire to the Lake District, with Blackpool Tower and the Pleasure Beach rollercoaster visible on a clear day. “It’s the best office in the world. I can’t complain – but I always do,” laughs Aaron Sanderson, the island’s king. Sanderson was crowned three years ago at the age of 33, in a ceremony that involved a jug of beer poured over his head. The coronation came with his appointment as landlord of the Ship Inn, the island’s only pub. Before that, he worked at BAE building nuclear submarines. “From shipyard employee to king of an island – it’s definitely a step up,” he says. The king’s right-hand man is chef Paul Bibby, who runs the pub’s kitchen. For Bibby, the island’s charm is simple: “It’s just a beautiful, unique place.” He’s especially fond of the seal colony, about 550 strong, that lives off nearby Walney Island. “They come up and watch you when you’re out here… doing people-watching tours,” he jokes. Aside from the pub, Piel’s only buildings are old pilot houses and the remains of a 14th-century fort known as Piel Castle. Built in 1253 under King Stephen, the fort was meant to guard against an invasion by his cousin Empress Matilda from across the water. The island has its share of colourful history. In 1487, Lambert Simnel, a boy of humble origins claiming to be the rightful king, landed here with foreign troops in a bid to overthrow Henry VII. After being defeated on the mainland in one of the final battles of the Wars of the Roses, Simnel avoided execution and ended up working in the royal kitchens. His improbable tale inspired the tradition of Piel’s kingship, with Sanderson now the 24th recorded holder of the title. Today, the king presides over a rusty crown, a sword, and a 17th-century throne. Island lore dictates that anyone who sits on the throne must buy a round for the pub. As for actual royal authority, Sanderson is quick to downplay it. “I don’t even think I’m on their radar – I have no intention of overthrowing the throne anyway,” he laughs. “Unfortunately, I’m governed by the same laws as everybody else.” Sanderson is also one of just three people allowed to drive to the island, a trip only possible at low tide. “You have to know where you’re going, you have to have at least a four-wheel drive or a tractor – it’s quite dangerous,” says Bibby. Shipwrecks from failed crossings still dot the beach. Because Piel is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a marine conservation zone, driving follows a strict route to protect the environment. Walking takes about 20 minutes; driving under the restrictions can take 45. For the pub, though, the vehicle access is essential for supplies. Sanderson was chosen from dozens of applicants by the former Barrow Borough Council, now Westmorland and Furness Council, which owns the island. Landlords have lasted anywhere from a couple of years to two decades. Sanderson plans to stay at least 10 years before deciding his next move. For now, he says the job is challenging but worth it. “I think it’s probably one of the best beer gardens in the world.”

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This Record-Breaking Gooseberry Grew 10x Bigger Than Its Typical Size

In the small village of Egton Bridge, North Yorkshire, a local gardener has achieved an impressive feat. Graeme Watson broke the record for the largest gooseberry ever grown, with his fruit weighing 65.5 grams. The average gooseberry weighs about 3 to 6 grams, which makes Watson's achievement even more remarkable. The record was set at the Egton Bridge Gooseberry Show, an event that has been running for 225 years. Watson, who is also the chairman of the show, expressed his excitement over the new record. "I was hoping it might be close," he said, "but I was surprised when it was nicely over." Watson had previously held the record at 64.56 grams and managed to surpass his own accomplishment by nearly one gram. He admitted that he struggled to sleep before the event due to anticipation about his gooseberry's potential. Arthur Hall, another competitor, had a heavier gooseberry initially weighing 67 grams. However, it fell off its tree four days before the competition and lost weight as a result. This meant Watson edged out Hall’s entry by just three grains—approximately 0.19 grams—to claim victory. As stormy weather approached, Watson decided to pick his berries two days before the show to protect them from damage. "The show being Tuesday," he explained, "I daren’t leave them any closer to Monday." He credited sunny weather conditions for helping produce such a large fruit this year. Gooseberries that don't make it into competition are sold at the event for £3 per pound (453 grams). They sell out fast as spectators eagerly snap up these sweet treats within 45 minutes of availability. "When they’re as ripe as this they’re very very sweet," Watson shared about their taste during showtime compared to earlier in the year when they're tart and suitable only for pies or crumbles. The Egton Bridge Gooseberry Show continues its long-standing tradition with each passing year showcasing not just giant fruits but fierce friendly competition among growers like Graeme Watson and Arthur Hall who strive each season towards setting new records while delighting locals with their harvests.

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Meet The Pint-Sized Entrepreneur Running A Successful Ice Cream Business

At Scooper’s Dairy Bar in Brudenell, Prince Edward Island, the sight of a petite 11-year-old behind the counter might raise eyebrows. But for Roya Cooper, running her own ice cream shop is just another day on summer break. She's not just playing store; she's managing inventory, scooping delightful sundaes and keeping her finances straight. Roya didn't just stumble into this business. She put up some savings and secured a loan from the Community Business Development Corporation to get things rolling. "I thought ice cream was really cool," she says with a grin. "I liked eating it, and I wanted to start a business." It’s not her first venture either; at six years old, she was already selling handmade French books to tourists for five dollars each. Her entrepreneurial spirit seems to be inherited from her parents, who operate multiple businesses in the area, including Brudenell Riding Stables right next door. "We're super proud," says her father, Carson Cooper. Her mother, Ambyr, adds that Roya's dedication is impressive: "It’s a way harder job than you think it is." The work isn't easy for Roya. Scooping ice cream takes effort, and managing employees older than herself can be challenging. Recently, one of her staff members left because there was too much cleaning involved. "Some are like, 'I don’t really need to do this because I don’t need to listen to you,' but others actually respect me," Roya explains. For now, she's holding down the fort seven days a week until school starts or she finds new help. Most customers leave satisfied with their treats. One patron even shared their favorite: "I love the ice cream. And the chocolate, of course." Even when faced with picky customers who demand bigger scoops or want things redone, Roya says she takes it in stride. She continues innovating with creations like nacho ice cream, a big scoop topped with sprinkles, sauce, and waffle chips, although her personal favorite remains peanut butter fudge crunch. After hours spent at the dairy bar, Roya doesn’t rest on her laurels. She goes home and crafts earrings shaped like mini ice-cream cones, which she sells from a small stand outside the shop, another source of income for this budding entrepreneur. Roya dreams of serving many more sundaes as she grows older and hopes that her business will grow alongside her ambitions.

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Unexpected Catch: Angler Reels in 700-Year-Old Sword Instead of Fish

A fisherman in Poland was hoping for a bite and pulled up a medieval sword instead. The Capital Conservator of Monuments in Warsaw announced the find, calling it a rare glimpse into warfare in the Middle Ages. In a Facebook post, the office said the angler hooked the weapon in the Vistula River. “It was supposed to be this big a fish – but it turned out to be this big a sword!” the post read. “As you can see, the Vistula hides some real treasures.” The fisherman handed the sword to local authorities, who passed it to specialists for conservation and study. “A sword this old, found in what is now Warsaw, is unique.” Early descriptions are already telling a story. The weapon has survived almost to its full length, with a spherical pommel and a cross mark on the grip identified in initial inspections. Conservators will stabilize the corroded metal before researchers move on to closer analysis. Anna Magdalena Łań, a chief specialist with the city of Warsaw, told Fox News Digital that the team is still working through the details. “The sword is dated to the 13th or 14th century, which is the time when Warsaw was founded,” Łań said in an email translated from Polish. “A more precise date may be determined thanks to the cross mark, which is the ‘signature’ of the blacksmith who made it,” she added. “Research is ongoing.” Łań said the sword measures a little over 79 centimetres from tip to hilt. “I don’t know the weight, but the sword is quite light because [of a] very large extent of corrosion,” she said. That corrosion is expected for an object that likely spent centuries in a riverbed, yet the form seems intact enough to help scholars pin down style, origin and use. What the river cannot reveal is context. “The sword was found in a river, meaning it was discovered without context – that is, without other artifacts that could tell us more about it,” Łań said. With no associated finds, archaeologists cannot say if the sword was lost in battle, dropped in transit, or discarded. Łań also noted that depositing swords in water was not a Christian-era practice in 13th-century Poland, which makes a ritual explanation unlikely. Even without a clear backstory, the piece is drawing attention as a Warsaw-area rarity. The period dating links it to the city’s formative centuries, when fortified settlements along the Vistula were growing into a regional centre. If researchers can match the grip’s cross mark to a known maker, it could narrow the origin to a workshop or region and refine the date. The find also joins a run of eye-catching discoveries in Poland. In Gdańsk, archaeologists recently uncovered a medieval knight’s tomb beneath a former ice cream parlour. Earlier this year, two pedestrians stumbled on a 2,500-year-old dagger along the Baltic coast. Each discovery adds a puzzle piece, from everyday objects to elite burials, to a picture of life and conflict across the region’s long history. For now, the Vistula sword is in the lab, where conservators will clean, document and stabilize it so it can be safely handled and studied. If all goes well, the team expects to share more once the corrosion is mapped and the maker’s mark is fully recorded. Until then, the fisherman’s haul stands as a simple reminder of what rivers keep and sometimes give back.

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