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Score (97)
How A Charity Is Transforming Grief Support For Construction Dads
In the tough world of construction, where showing emotions is often frowned upon, a new initiative aims to support grieving fathers. Aran Layton, a laborer from Chelmsford, England, is among those welcoming this effort. After losing his son Simba halfway through his wife's pregnancy in 2022, Aran returned to work just a day later. He did so not only for financial reasons but also as a way to cope with the overwhelming grief. "My head just wasn't in the game," Aran shared with the BBC. "But I needed to do it… for my mental health." The charity Aching Arms has launched Offload, a campaign focused on breaking the silence around baby loss in male-dominated industries like construction. More than one in five pregnancies ends before 24 weeks, yet the father's grief often goes unrecognized. Leanne Turner, founder of Aching Arms, highlighted that the culture within construction tends to suppress feelings and views pregnancy loss primarily as a women's issue. This can leave fathers isolated and struggling in silence. Stephen Brown, an electrical site manager from Tamworth, knows this all too well. After he and his wife Ally were forced to terminate their conjoined twin sons at 17 weeks, Stephen found solace through counselling provided by Aching Arms. "Once I'd stopped being a 'carer's role' - helping my wife get through it – then it was my turn to grieve," he explained. The Construction Industry Council backs the Offload campaign and emphasizes its commitment to mental health. Many member institutions offer benevolent funds designed to provide compassionate support during such difficult times. Aran Layton has found that speaking about Simba helps him cope with his loss. He and his wife Deborah have turned their heartbreak into action by fundraising for Broomfield Hospital's maternity unit under the Simba's Pride initiative. "Simba's the brightest star up there," Aran said, finding comfort in looking up at clear skies and feeling his son's presence watching over them.
Score (95)
How Toronto's Maggie Kang Turned 'KPop Demon Hunters' Into a Global Sensation
As a kid in 1990s Toronto, Maggie Kang hid her K-pop albums from her friends. “I remember hiding my K-pop albums from my white friends because they thought it was weird and silly,” says Kang, who moved from Seoul to Canada at age five. “But I was like, ‘No, this is great.’” Growing up in a North York neighborhood with few other Koreans, she rarely saw her culture reflected around her. Today, she is one of the people shaping how it’s seen worldwide. Kang’s debut animated feature “KPop Demon Hunters” — produced by Sony Pictures Animation and released by Netflix — has exploded into a global phenomenon. Netflix announced last week that the movie, which follows a K-pop girl group that moonlights as demon hunters, has become the first of its original films to hit a new viewership peak in its fifth week. Its soundtrack reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in July, and tracks by the fictional bands have been competing at the very top of global charts. “It’s pretty wild. You don’t ever know what the reaction is going to be, really, when you’re making these things,” Kang said from Los Angeles. “We were very hopeful it would find its audience. It feels like it has and they really latched onto it. Now it’s spreading to other areas that we didn’t think it was going to get to…. We’re very happy and excited and overwhelmed.” The story follows Huntr/x — pronounced “Huntrix” — a K-pop trio who fight demons by night and dominate charts by day. When band members Mira, Zoey, and Rumi face off against demon boy band the Saja Boys, Rumi has to confront her true self. “I think the themes of hiding parts of yourself and being afraid to show your true self to people, these days they’re more relevant than ever,” Kang said. “We tend to hide behind our online personas as well, and so I think even young kids can resonate with that.” Kang studied animation at Sheridan College and was hired at DreamWorks while still in school, working on “Puss in Boots” and “Kung Fu Panda 3.” When Sony gave her the chance to direct her own film, she drew from her roots. She had been considering a project about Korean mythology — and another about K-pop. Her husband suggested combining them. “Oddly, it really fit — the idea of using music to fight demons naturally tied into Korean shamanism,” she said. Sony’s Imageworks studios in Vancouver and Montreal handled the animation, helping create the film’s vibrant, fast-paced look. Music was just as important as visuals. Kang and co-director Chris Appelhans wanted the fictional songs to feel like real hits, so they brought in producers Teddy Park (Blackpink, Taeyang), Lindgren, Stephen Kirk, Jenna Andrews (BTS collaborators), and Broadway music director Ian Eisendrath. “Our songs had to be bops, but they also had to tell a story,” Kang said. “That added another layer of challenges to the songwriting.” The result: Huntr/x’s “Golden” became the first track by a fictional group to top the Billboard Global 200, while Saja Boys’ “Your Idol” climbed to No. 1 on Spotify’s U.S. chart, even surpassing BTS. “We needed the music to be chart-topping … but now to see it happen is like, ‘Whoa, what is happening?’” Kang said. “I don’t think I ever really thought that it was going to happen.” Kang says she’s open to expanding the “KPop Demon Hunters” world in future projects. “There’s a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of undeveloped ideas in the movie that we had to omit because of length. I know fans really want the fuller backstories of Mira and Zoey, and we did put those in at one point, but ultimately, this movie was a story about Rumi, so we had to take it out,” she said. “We have a lot to show still.” For now, she is savoring what the film has meant to audiences — and to her. “I feel very proud, just seeing Korean culture being in the spotlight. I never thought this would happen,” Kang said. “As somebody who grew up when Korea wasn’t that cool, to see it come this far is really amazing.”
Score (90)
San Francisco Honors Grateful Dead Legend Jerry Garcia With His Own Street
On what would have been Jerry Garcia's 83rd birthday, a small street in San Francisco got a new name: Jerry Garcia Street. The renaming of Harrington Street took place amidst a citywide celebration marking the Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary. Jerry Garcia, the legendary guitarist and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, spent part of his childhood in San Francisco’s Excelsior neighborhood. He lived with his grandparents after his father passed away. Though Garcia died in 1995, the band’s influence continues to grow as new generations discover their eclectic music style that fused rock, blues, and folk. During the ceremony, Trixie Garcia, one of Jerry's daughters, encouraged everyone to enjoy life and appreciate what truly matters. "Cherish what's valuable, what's significant in life," she said with emotion. The weekend is bustling with activities as tens of thousands flock to San Francisco for various commemorations. The latest version of the band, Dead & Company—featuring original members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart—is set to perform at Golden Gate Park’s Polo Field over three days, drawing an estimated crowd of 60,000 each day. The Grateful Dead has deep ties to San Francisco. Formed in 1965, they often played free shows while living in Haight-Ashbury during its heyday. They quickly became iconic figures associated with the city’s bohemian counterculture and were central to the Summer of Love in 1967. On Friday, fans dressed in rainbow tie-dye and Grateful Dead T-shirts celebrated as the new street sign was revealed. Meanwhile, locals went about their day around the event without much fanfare on another foggy morning in the neighborhood. Some enthusiasts made their way to Garcia's former home for photos. Jared Yankee from Rhode Island led a spontaneous rendition of "Happy Birthday" for Garcia; he had traveled across the country just for these celebrations. “It's a human thing,” Yankee explained about his impromptu singing. “I figure everyone knows the words to ‘Happy Birthday.’”
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Score (97)
A Miracle Surgery Just Saved This Baby Penguin's Sight Against All Odds
In a heartwarming story from Edinburgh Zoo, a baby penguin named Poly has bounced back after undergoing a critical surgery. This young northern rockhopper penguin had to have one eye removed due to an infection that didn’t respond to medication. The zoo's staff noticed the issue during a routine check-up and, when treatments failed, the decision was made for surgical intervention. Stephanie Mota, veterinary surgeon at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), explained the urgency of the situation. "We were really concerned when Poly’s eye ulcer didn’t respond to medication, and we knew we had to act quickly," she said. Surgery is always considered carefully because it poses extra risks, especially for such a young chick. But in this case, it was the only way forward to keep her comfortable. Post-surgery, Poly needed intensive care. She was seriously ill and there were fears about her survival. The dedicated team of keepers and vets pulled out all stops, working from early morning until late at night to feed her and provide comfort. Their hard work paid off as Poly began to thrive once more. Poly spent time recovering in a specialized creche away from the main penguin group. Once stable, she was reunited with her parents who accepted her right away. Daily vet check-ins followed by ongoing medication helped maintain her recovery. This story carries extra significance due to the endangered status of northern rockhopper penguins. As Stephanie Mota put it: “It’s especially exciting because not only is Poly a sweetheart, but due to the rockhopper’s Endangered status, every new addition to the colony is a meaningful step toward securing the future of the species.” Now cleared by veterinarians, Poly no longer needs medication or daily monitoring and seems set for a happy life back with her colony at Edinburgh Zoo.
Score (95)
Meet Thaddeus: The World’s Oldest Baby Born From a 30-Year-Old Embryo
A new baby in Oregon has quietly broken a world record — before he could even open his eyes. Over the weekend, Lindsey and Tim Pierce welcomed their son, Thaddeus Daniel, who developed from an embryo that had been frozen for 30 and a half years. That makes him the “world’s oldest baby,” beating the previous record by just a few months. The embryo that became Thaddeus was created in 1994, when his parents were still in elementary school. “Surreal,” is how Linda Archerd, the woman who originally donated the embryo, described the experience. Archerd says she had planned to use all four of her embryos with her then-husband but life took a different turn. Years later, she chose to donate, never imagining one of them would still become someone’s child after three decades on ice. Thaddeus enters a family that looks like something straight out of a modern family tree. He has a 30-year-old sister and a 10-year-old niece. His birth parents are Lindsey and Tim, but his genes came from two people who divorced long ago. The Pierce family’s story is part of a broader shift. More embryos than ever are stored in tanks around the world as a result of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Scientists still don’t know if there’s a limit to how long an embryo can be stored, but so far, even after 30 years at minus 196 °C, embryos like Thaddeus’s can be thawed and go on to grow into healthy babies. Thaddeus takes the title from twins Lydia Ann and Timothy Ronald Ridgeway, born in 2022 from embryos frozen since 1992. Before that, Molly Gibson held the record in 2020 after 27 years in storage. Millions of embryos sit unused for reasons as varied as divorce, family size decisions, or age limits on embryo transfer. When that happens, parents can donate them to science or to other families. Donation is less common, but Archerd is one of those who said yes. And while some donors choose anonymity, that’s harder to guarantee now. DNA testing kits like 23andMe and Ancestry have made it easier than ever for donor-conceived children to trace their biological roots. Researchers who study these families say donor conception doesn’t affect bonding or parenting styles. Donor-conceived children tend to be just as well-adjusted as other kids. For Archerd, the science is awe-inspiring, but the emotions are personal. She hopes she will one day meet the baby who started life as one of her embryos nearly three decades ago. In the meantime, Thaddeus Daniel Pierce has already made history just by being born — a small reminder of how science is reshaping what family can look like.
Score (96)
Heroic Helicopter Rescue: Officers Defied the Odds to Save This Drowning Man in a Closed City Pool
On a warm Saturday evening in Baltimore, a 25-year-old man's leisurely swim almost turned tragic. On July 26, he and his friends decided to take a dip in a pool after hours. What started as fun quickly became dangerous when the man nearly drowned. Fortunately for him, two quick-thinking officers from the Baltimore Police Department were nearby. Flight Officer Craig Hoover and Tactical Flight Officer Andre Smith Jr. happened to hear the dispatch call for a water rescue and sprang into action. In an unusual move, these officers used their helicopter, known as "Foxtrot," to get within reach of the struggling swimmer. The dramatic incident was captured on video and shared on social media by the Baltimore Police Department. The footage shows Hoover skillfully landing Foxtrot in a field near the pool—a maneuver rarely performed by police pilots. Once on the ground, Smith sprinted to help. Bystanders had managed to pull the victim from the water before Smith arrived. "When I got down there, I could see he was in bad shape," Smith said in an interview with CBS News. He urged Hoover to land quickly so he could assist immediately. With years of experience as a former city lifeguard under his belt, Smith performed CPR on the young man, reviving him before emergency services transported him to a local hospital. Smith later took to Facebook to express gratitude toward his colleague Hoover and dispatcher Angie for their roles in saving the man's life. "We worked together to save a life," he wrote. Despite never having practiced such an emergency landing before, they acted decisively when it mattered most. Smith also highlighted how incidents like this are part of daily life for first responders in Baltimore. "I personally witness my fellow colleagues without hesitation help treat victims in Baltimore City from drug overdoses, car accidents... daily! We do care!" he added. Officials are using this close call as a reminder of two important lessons: don't enter public pools after closing time and consider learning CPR; it can make all the difference when seconds count.
Score (98)
How These Adorable Rabbits Are Sparking a Love for Reading in Kids
In Rotherham, children struggling with reading are finding a unique way to boost their confidence—with the help of rabbits. An animal therapist has partnered with a local school to create reading sessions where students read aloud while the rabbits sit on their laps. Teachers have noticed that these furry companions have a calming effect and seem to improve literacy skills. The numbers tell a concerning story. Only 60 percent of children in Yorkshire meet the expected reading level for 11-year-olds, missing the national target of 74 percent. This gap is what Magna Lane Centre aims to address through its Read to Rabbits program. For the past nine months, students at Foljambe Primary School, operated by the Wickersley Partnership Trust, have been participating in these sessions designed for children with social, emotional, and mental health needs. Lisa Stones, who manages the center, says that the presence of rabbits helps children relax and practice reading in a stress-free environment. "The children might lack confidence or feel anxious," she says. "But when they come to the session, that all goes away." The rabbits aren't just any animals; they come from Four Paws Animal Assisted Therapy run by Nichola Habberjam. She points out that the kids form strong bonds with their favorite rabbits and truly enjoy their time together. Describing animal therapy as beneficial both physically and mentally, Habberjam notes that being around animals reduces stress and anxiety. Habberjam's work doesn't stop at schools. Her therapy animals—including dogs, goats, sheep, guinea pigs and even a miniature Shetland pony—visit nursing homes for dementia patients as well as student accommodations, psychiatric hospitals and eating disorder clinics. As this innovative approach continues to make waves in Rotherham, it's clear that sometimes all you need is a good book—and maybe a bunny—to spark a love for reading.
Score (86)
FIFA's New Refugee Team is Offering Afghan Women a Fresh Shot at Football Dreams
Last month, Sydney played host to a special group of Afghan refugee football players. These athletes took part in the first of three global talent identification camps aimed at forming a 23-player women’s squad for international friendlies this year. This effort comes after many members of Afghanistan's women's national team fled their country when the Taliban took control in 2021, fearing persecution and facing exclusion from World Cup qualifying events. The Taliban's stance on women's sports has been prohibitive, banning such activities and dashing dreams of international competition. The Afghan Football Federation, now under Taliban control, requires recognition by a national federation for any team to compete globally—a barrier that's kept Afghan women off the field. Despite these challenges, hope emerged in May when FIFA approved the creation of an Afghan women’s refugee team. Former Scotland international Pauline Hamill was appointed as coach and held the team's first talent camp from July 23 to 29 in Sydney. "It’s great to have the players here," Hamill told FIFA's website. "Now we have the chance to work with them and try to evaluate their performance." This initiative is about more than just football; it aims to rebuild a sense of community among players who share a passion for the sport. "I think they’ll create memories that they otherwise wouldn’t have created," Hamill added. FIFA plans to help these players return to the international stage by facilitating participation in friendlies later this year. Additionally, FIFA is committed to providing equipment and helping players connect with local clubs. They will also offer resources such as counselling and media training while identifying educational opportunities within sports. FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed confidence in this initiative: "We are proud of this... pilot project, and our aim is to expand it in the future." He emphasized prioritizing safety and wellbeing while offering these athletes opportunities on an international platform. For Nilab, one of the participants at July’s camp, football serves as more than just a pastime—it represents hope and resilience for her homeland. “My goal is not just about me,” she said. “It’s about all Afghanistan, especially women and girls.” With these efforts underway, there’s renewed optimism for bringing Afghan women's football back onto the international scene.
Score (97)
Baseball's Bold Move: Turning a NASCAR Track into the World's Largest Baseball Stadium
Baseball is heading somewhere it has never been before: the infield of a NASCAR track. On Saturday, Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee will host its first Major League Baseball game, with more fans expected than any MLB game in history. More than 85,000 tickets have been sold for the “Speedway Classic” between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds, breaking the league’s single-game attendance record of 84,587 set in 1954. For a venue built for racing, the transformation has been dramatic. In just 32 days, construction crews turned part of the track’s infield into a full-sized baseball diamond. Half of a building was demolished to make space, and over 18,000 tons of gravel were trucked in to level the surface. On top of that went a shock-absorbing pad, 124,000 square feet of artificial turf, and 300 tons of clay for the basepaths and mounds. Even the lighting had to be upgraded, with 415 temporary fixtures added to meet broadcast standards. “Batting tunnels, dugouts, backstop net, batter’s eye, bullpens, foul poles; none of this is here,” said Murray Cook, president of Brightview Sports, who oversees field construction for MLB. “So all that has to be brought in.” This game is part of MLB’s strategy to bring baseball to places that have never hosted a big-league game. In recent years, that’s included games in Iowa’s “Field of Dreams” cornfield, on a military base in North Carolina, and even in London. Bristol marks the first MLB game in Tennessee. “It’s the commissioner’s office plan to grow the game around the world and to take it to places where, you know, you don’t have a major league team,” Cook said. For Bristol, which is used to massive crowds, this is familiar territory. The track’s 2016 “Battle at Bristol” football game between Tennessee and Virginia Tech set an NCAA record for single-game attendance. “I love seeing this baseball field rise up out of the middle of the racetrack and kind of be born, almost,” said Jerry Caldwell, the president of Bristol Motor Speedway. “We want it to be something that they’ll always remember, they’ll talk about, have fond memories of creating wonderful memories with their family.” After the game, the temporary ballpark won’t last long. Crews will spend about 15 days dismantling the setup, and the entire playing surface will be donated to East Tennessee State University. Saturday night, though, baseball will take over Bristol’s half-mile oval. And in the middle of a track built for speed, a brand-new field will set the stage for MLB history.
Score (87)
9 Million-Year-Old Love Affair: How Tomatoes and Wild Cousins Gave Birth to Modern Potatoes
An international team of scientists says the modern potato owes its existence to an unexpected romance between plants nearly 9 million years ago. In a study published in Cell, researchers found that natural interbreeding between wild tomato plants and potato-like species in South America led to the first potatoes, giving them their signature underground tubers. "Our findings show how a hybridization event between species can spark the evolution of new traits, allowing even more species to emerge," said Sanwen Huang of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, one of the study’s senior authors. "We've finally solved the mystery of where potatoes came from." For decades, scientists were puzzled by the potato’s origin. Potatoes resemble three Chilean plants called Etuberosum, but those plants do not produce tubers. Genetic analysis has long shown that potatoes are more closely related to tomatoes. To untangle the mystery, the team analyzed 450 genomes from cultivated potatoes and 56 wild species, the most extensive dataset of its kind. "Wild potatoes are very difficult to sample, so this dataset represents the most comprehensive collection of wild potato genomic data ever analyzed," said lead author Zhiyang Zhang from the Agricultural Genomics Institute in Shenzhen. The analysis revealed that all potato species carry a stable mix of DNA from Etuberosum plants and tomatoes, a clear sign of hybridization. While the two species had split from a common ancestor about 14 million years ago, they came back together around 9 million years ago. The resulting hybrid inherited key genes from both sides: a gene from tomatoes, SP6A, that triggers the plant to start making tubers, and a gene from Etuberosum, IT1, that guides the underground stems that become tubers. Without these two genetic pieces, the first hybrid potato would never have been able to form its starchy underground storage organ. This evolutionary twist came just as the Andes mountains were rising, creating harsh new environments. Tubers allowed potatoes to survive by storing nutrients underground, giving them a survival advantage in difficult conditions. Tubers also made reproduction easier. Unlike seeds, tubers can sprout into new plants, helping potatoes spread quickly across diverse environments from grassy lowlands to cold mountain slopes. "Evolving a tuber gave potatoes a huge advantage in harsh environments, fueling an explosion of new species and contributing to the rich diversity of potatoes we see and rely on today," said Huang. Today, the potato is one of the world’s most important food crops — and its origin, it turns out, was a 9-million-year-old hybrid accident.
Score (98)
How One Town's Quirky Patrol Saves Feathered Friends From Danger
In the small town of Thirsk, North Yorkshire, residents have taken on a unique role as "duck wardens," helping a group of ducks cross busy roads each evening. Around 20 ducks make their way from the Cod Beck river to the town center every night at about 8:30 p.m., settling in the market square car park until early the next morning. The reason behind this nightly migration remains a mystery. Some locals speculate that duck mothers find safety away from riverside predators like minks, cats, or foxes. Emma-Jayne Hutchings, a senior business advisor and one of 15 volunteers known as 'duckies,' finds joy in assisting these feathered travelers. "It is really heartwarming and adorable escorting the ducks on their walk," she said. The ducks follow a routine where they quack loudly before moving out in two groups, possibly drawn by the warmth of cobblestones or simply following learned behavior. Community involvement has grown around this quirky routine. Volunteers don high-visibility jackets and keep an eye on the ducks until late at night. Local businesses chip in too; for example, the Mowbray Arms pub provides refreshments for those watching over the ducks. "We have been donated high-vis jackets to wear and food for the ducks," Hutchings noted. This community effort began after four ducks were killed crossing roads unsupervised last year. Jodie Wood, another volunteer organizer who created a Facebook page to rally support, shares her experience: "I made a Facebook group asking if anyone wanted to help me with the ducks and it got lots of responses." Volunteers work from mid-June until December when the ducks start their nightly walks. Their goal is not to lead but to protect once the birds decide to move on their own terms. They place cones around resting areas to prevent accidents and sometimes deal with curious or overzealous passersby. Jodie explains some challenges they face: “Sometimes we get drunk revellers trying to touch them, mess with them and walk through them.” However, most encounters are positive, with people stopping by for photos and conversation. Since starting these nightly patrols, there have been no more fatalities among the ducks during their crossings. The initiative has gained international attention through social media support from countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France and Italy. As Jodie says, "We are lucky to have such a great following and so much support."