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Discover the Uplifting Stories You Missed This Week
Here’s a roundup of uplifting stories from across the globe — spanning social progress, conservation wins, and scientific breakthroughs. Mexico’s poverty rate falls sharply New figures from Mexico’s national statistics agency show that more than 13 million people have been lifted out of poverty since 2018, a 26% reduction. The drop is linked to the policies of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who tripled the minimum wage and expanded welfare support. His successor, Claudia Sheinbaum, hailed the numbers as “extraordinary” and “historic.” Extreme poverty also fell, though more modestly at 19%. Denmark moves to abolish book tax With one of the world’s highest book taxes at 25%, Denmark’s government has pledged to scrap the levy in hopes of combating what it calls a national “reading crisis.” Culture minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said the move is aimed at making books more accessible to young readers. Many other countries, including the UK, already exempt books from sales tax. Boys close the academic gap in the UK This year’s GCSE results showed the narrowest gender gap in grades since records began in 2000. Nearly one in five boys (19.4%) achieved at least a grade 7 (equivalent to an A), compared to 24.5% of girls. The improvement is attributed to boys’ rising performance, while girls’ results have remained steady. A ‘superfood’ for honeybees Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed a new supplement that helps bees rear up to 15 times more larvae. Engineered to provide compounds missing from traditional supplements, the new formula could boost both farmed honeybee colonies and wild species, alleviating pressure on dwindling pollen supplies. Record growth in electric vehicles Nearly 600,000 battery-powered cars were registered in western Europe between April and June — a record high. Analysts predict that by 2025, one in five new cars sold in the region will be fully electric, with the number rising further when hybrids are included. Scottish teen designs solar-powered blanket for homeless people Rebecca Young, a 13-year-old from Glasgow, has been named one of Time magazine’s Girls of the Year after creating a heated blanket powered by solar panels and designed to fit inside a backpack. A local charity is trialling the prototype with rough sleepers. UK renewables get a planning boost A record 16.1 GW of renewable energy projects were granted planning permission in the UK between April and June, a 195% increase compared to last year. Greenpeace called the approval surge “good news for our climate, our energy security and bill payers.” Hearing aids linked to lower dementia risk A new US study found that people in their 60s who use hearing aids have a 61% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who don’t. Researchers say the results highlight the importance of early intervention for hearing loss. Golden eagle chick born in Scotland In southern Scotland, conservationists celebrated the hatching of a golden eagle chick — the first born to a translocated eagle in the region. Sir David Attenborough named the chick “Princeling.” Over 50 golden eagles have now been spotted in the area, the highest number in three centuries. White-tailed eagles thrive in England Reintroduction efforts on England’s south coast saw three chicks successfully fledge from wild nests this summer — including Dorset’s first in 240 years. Conservationists say the project is progressing better than expected, bringing the total of wild-born chicks since 2019 to six. From tackling poverty to restoring iconic birds of prey, these stories show progress is being made across social, ecological and technological fronts.
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Endangered Shark Species Rebounds in Australia, Gaining New Hope
Shark conservation as we know it today can be traced back to Australia’s grey nurse shark. In 1984, New South Wales declared it a protected species, making it the first shark in history to receive such status. The grey nurse shark, often described as the most docile and approachable of all shark species, now enjoys protections across Australia, South Africa, and Namibia. Despite its fierce appearance and rows of sharp teeth, the species is harmless to humans. “It's one of the more placid sharks; they come and look at you really inquisitively, they follow you around,” said David Harasti, a senior research scientist with the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. “They're a very ferocious-looking shark with big pointy teeth, but they're not known to bite people.” The population has faced steep declines. In the 1950s, grey nurse sharks were nearly hunted to extinction. By 2000, surveys suggested just 292 remained in New South Wales waters. Divers were the first to raise concerns, Harasti said, after noticing that sites once home to dozens of sharks were left with only a handful. Now, new research is offering cautious optimism. A study led by NSW’s Department of Primary Industries and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) estimates the adult population along Australia’s east coast at about 1,500. “It's increasing around five percent a year, so this is a really good thing,” Harasti said. To reach that estimate, divers collected genetic samples by carefully approaching the sharks in the wild. “Quite often, underwater, you're contorting your body to get these samples,” Harasti said. The findings match what divers have already been observing — more sharks appearing at known sites. Still, experts warn that recovery is far from complete. “These results are really promising, it shows the population does seem to be increasing, but the numbers are still very low,” said Ross Dwyer, a researcher at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He added that while genetic testing shows potential, it remains early science that needs further validation. Grey nurse sharks, which can grow up to three metres long, patrol the ocean floor along Australia’s eastern coastline. As apex predators, they help regulate populations of fish, squid, and octopus, keeping ecosystems balanced. In addition to scientific monitoring, conservationists are working with the public to track the species. Local divers are encouraged to log sightings through the Spot A Shark app, giving researchers more data about the sharks’ movements and habitats. For Harasti, the signs of recovery are worth celebrating after decades of decline. “This is one of our first good news marine stories for a threatened species,” he said.
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This 75-Year-Old is Gearing Up For His 15th Montreal Half-Marathon
At 75, Duy An Chung has no plans to slow down. This Sunday, he will take his place at the start line of the Montreal Half-Marathon, tackling the 21.1 kilometre course for the 15th time since 2009. “I will be participating in it as usual,” Chung said with a grin, “and hopefully I will finish it with a smile.” Chung alternates between running and walking, pacing himself through the race. For him, it is less about speed and more about proving that life, even after a health scare, can be full and active. In 2008, he underwent a heart procedure to insert a stent. Soon after, he noticed how people treated him differently. “From that time, whenever I see a friend or relative, everybody looks at me and says, ‘How do you feel? Are you feeling good? Be careful. Don’t do this and that,’” he recalled. “After a while, you know, I get a little bit tired of it.” So he made a decision. “From that time, whenever people asked me, ‘How do you feel?’ I no answer. I just smile and show them my marathon proof.” His approach to running is simple: listen to your body, stay active, and keep moving forward. “The main goal is to finish with a smile,” he said. This year, Chung will be joined by more than 32,000 runners across all events of the Montreal Marathon weekend, a surge from 2024. “We’re looking at 20 per cent more than last year,” said Alex Ratthe, General Manager of Courons Montreal. “We’re growing, but we want to grow smartly. It’s going to be a big running party here in Montreal.” The 2025 Montreal Marathon begins Sunday at 7:45 a.m. at Parc Jean-Drapeau, winding through the city before finishing at Maisonneuve Park. For Chung, it will be another chance to prove that age is only a number — and that determination can carry you to the finish line, year after year.
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B.C. Couple Builds Expansive Miniature Railway In Backyard To Recreate Their History
Step through the locomotive-shaped gate at Lanny and Dianna Seaton’s home and you’ll find more than just a model train set—you’ll find a lifetime of memories. “Look in this window up here,” Lanny says with a grin, pointing to what looks like the engineer’s window on the gate. It’s actually a mirror. “They see themselves!” Beyond it lies a miniature railway that winds through a handmade town, mountains, and even a waterfall. “It ended up bigger than I thought,” Lanny admits, watching the train snake past tiny landmarks. “It brings back memories of when I was a kid.” The track begins in a recreation of his hometown: the barber shop where he got his first haircut, the general store where his parents shopped, and Bob’s Burger drive-in, where he and Dianna had their first teenage dates. “When he looked at me, he had a twinkle in his eye!” Dianna laughs. Lanny remembers seeing her long hair flowing down to her hips and thinking, “Wow! This is cool!” The two married, raised children, and decades later began building this elaborate miniature world together. Their kids pitched in too, turning it into what Lanny calls “a labour of love for the past five or six years.” Each detail carries meaning. Dianna points to figurines on a hillside and a mill by the water, tributes to the hardworking relatives who came before them. “Back then people didn’t really have to ask for help,” she says. “Because it was offered.” The train also passes by buildings that honor the couple’s own contributions. There’s the firehall where Lanny volunteered and drove his first fire truck, the municipal hall where he served on council, and scenes representing the many community groups Dianna has supported. “It’s a celebration of community pride and spirit,” she says. More than 60 years after their first burger dates, the Seatons now sit in their backyard at night, holding hands and listening to their train whistle through the tiny town they built together. “It just brings back many beautiful, warm memories,” Dianna says. Lanny nods. “It’s fun.” For them, the little train isn’t just a hobby. It’s a reminder of a life built on love, service, and gratitude—still rolling along, track by track.
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This Butterfly And Bee Photo Won Top Prize In a UK Photography Competition
A delicate moment between a butterfly and a bee sharing the same flower has earned top honors in this year’s Wiltshire Wildlife Photography Prize. The image, taken by Rob Willis at Lower Moor Farm near Malmesbury, won the over-18s category of the annual competition run by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The contest invited people to “capture the wild” across the county, with winners chosen by a panel of three judges, including award-winning wildlife photographer and biologist Nick Upton. Judges praised Willis’s photograph for its detail and timing. “Patience to wait for this moment has been combined with good technical skill and an aesthetic sense to capture this strong image,” they said. Other standout entries included Phillip Male’s shot of two owls perched together on a tree stump, which was highly commended for its “perfect focus” on the birds’ eyes. Adam Silk’s photo of a family of deer also received high praise, with judges noting the “no doubt huge patience” involved, as well as the way the animals were “framed by the vegetation around them and the sky above.” The trust said the competition was a way to highlight Wiltshire’s natural beauty while encouraging people to connect more closely with the wildlife around them.
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For a Few Days This Month, the Sun Will Send a Cosmic Valentine to Earth
For a few days this month, the Sun seemed to send a cosmic Valentine to Earth. On its Earth-facing side, a giant coronal hole opened in the unmistakable shape of a love heart, many times larger than our planet. The feature blasted a stream of charged solar particles straight across the Solar System, sparking a strong geomagnetic storm and lighting up the skies with auroras. Coronal holes aren’t literal holes but areas where the Sun’s magnetic field is weaker, allowing solar wind to escape more easily. The plasma inside these regions is cooler and less dense, so they show up as dark patches in ultraviolet and X-ray images. When the escaping particles collide with Earth’s magnetic field, they funnel toward the poles and interact with atmospheric gases, creating shimmering curtains of green and purple light. This particular heart-shaped hole was centered on the Sun just days ago, perfectly aimed at Earth. Its gusts were strong enough to generate vibrant auroras in mid-September. While coronal mass ejections often steal the spotlight with dramatic light shows, winds from coronal holes can pack a punch, too. Scientists expect overall solar activity to ease as the current solar maximum winds down, though coronal holes remain a regular part of the Sun’s behavior. And with NASA reporting a steady rise in solar wind strength since 2008, future cycles could be livelier than expected. For now, the Sun’s heart-shaped gesture serves as a reminder: even 150 million kilometers away, our star knows how to put on a show.
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A Robot Programmed As a 7-Year-Old Girl is Helping Reduce Fear In Hospitals
When six-year-old Luca was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year, he and his mother, Meagan Brazil-Sheehan, found an unlikely source of comfort in the halls of UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center: a 1.2-meter-tall robot named Robin. “Luca, how are you?” the robot asked in a high-pitched voice designed to sound like a seven-year-old girl. “It’s been awhile.” “They had only met once before after being admitted, but his face lit up,” Brazil-Sheehan said. “It was so special because she remembered him.” Robin is an AI-powered therapeutic robot programmed to act like a child, providing companionship in pediatric hospitals and nursing homes while easing pressure on overstretched staff. Five years after arriving in the United States, Robin now makes rounds in 30 facilities across California, Massachusetts, New York, and Indiana. “Nurses and medical staff are really overworked, under a lot of pressure, and unfortunately, a lot of times they don’t have capacity to provide engagement and connection to patients,” said Karen Khachikyan, CEO of Expper Technologies, which developed the robot. “Robin helps to alleviate that part from them.” The sleek white robot is built with a triangular body designed for hugging and a large screen displaying cartoonlike facial expressions. About 30 percent of its actions are autonomous, while operators working remotely manage the rest. Each interaction helps improve its emotional intelligence, Khachikyan explained, always under the supervision of clinical staff and in compliance with HIPAA privacy rules. On a recent day at HealthBridge Children’s Hospital in California, Robin played a patient’s favorite song, “No Fear” by DeJ Loaf, prompting the teen to dance along despite recovering from a car accident. In another room, Robin pulled out silly glasses and a clown nose to entertain a toddler. “She brings joy to everyone,” said speech language pathologist Samantha da Silva. “She walks down the halls, everyone loves to chat with her, say hello.” Robin adapts to the emotions of the person it is with. If a child laughs, the robot laughs too. If someone is sad or anxious, Robin mirrors that emotion with a downturned face and softer voice. In nursing homes, it leads breathing exercises, plays memory games with dementia patients, and offers companionship that can feel like time with a grandchild. Khachikyan recalled a woman in Los Angeles who asked for Robin during a panic attack. The robot calmed her by playing Elvis Presley songs and videos of puppies until she settled. But the company sees Robin as more than a comforting presence. With the Association of American Medical Colleges predicting the U.S. could face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians within the next decade, Khachikyan wants Robin to help bridge gaps in care. Future versions could measure vital signs, check on patients, and eventually assist elderly people with daily tasks like changing clothes or using the bathroom. “Our goal is to design the next evolution of Robin; that Robin will take more and more responsibilities and become even more essential part of care delivery,” Khachikyan said. He stressed it is not about replacing staff but filling in gaps. At UMass, Robin is used as part of a care team. When Luca needed an IV, a child life specialist introduced the procedure alongside the robot, which then showed a cartoon of itself getting an IV. “It just kind of helps show that Robin has gone through those procedures as well, just like a peer,” said specialist Micaela Cotas. The project began in Armenia, where Khachikyan grew up in a single-parent household. He said he wanted to build a robot that could act as a friend for children who feel lonely. After early testing in different industries, an investor suggested pediatric hospitals. Robin was first introduced in Armenia, then launched a U.S. pilot at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital in 2020. Since then, Robin’s personality has been shaped by children themselves. Developers tested different answers to simple questions, like “What is your favorite animal?” At first Robin said “dog,” then “cat.” But when it answered “chicken,” kids laughed every time. “We created Robin’s personality by really taking users into the equation,” Khachikyan said. “So we often say that Robin was designed by users.”
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A Flash of Light, a Shift of Atoms: Michigan Researchers Pave Path to Faster Electronics
Scientists at Michigan State University have found a way to “wiggle” atoms with ultrafast lasers, briefly changing how a material behaves—and opening the door to faster, smaller, and more efficient electronics. The work, published in Nature Photonics, combines experiments led by physicist Tyler Cocker with theoretical modeling from materials scientist Jose L. Mendoza-Cortes. Together, their teams showed how a layered material called tungsten ditelluride (WTe₂) can be manipulated at the atomic scale. Using a custom-built scanning tunneling microscope, Cocker’s lab directed terahertz laser pulses—firing hundreds of trillions of times per second—onto the sharp metal tip hovering above WTe₂. The intense pulses nudged the top atomic layer slightly out of alignment with the rest, like the top sheet in a stack of papers slipping askew. “When the laser was on, the top layer of the material behaved differently, showing electronic properties we hadn’t seen before,” Cocker said. The team was even able to capture images of the material’s “on” and “off” states, effectively creating a nanoscale switch. Meanwhile, Mendoza-Cortes’ group ran quantum simulations of the same material. Their models predicted atomic shifts of about 7 picometers—an almost unimaginable scale—that matched what Cocker’s team observed. “Our research is complementary; it’s the same observations but through different lenses,” Mendoza-Cortes said. For graduate student Daniel Maldonado-Lopez, the implications are clear: “The movement only occurs on the topmost layer, so it is very localized. This can potentially be applied in building faster and smaller electronics.” The researchers say this kind of atomic control could eventually reshape the components inside laptops, smartphones, and even quantum computers, lowering costs and boosting energy efficiency. “When you think about your smartphone or your laptop, all of the components that are in there are made out of a material,” noted Stefanie Adams, a graduate student in Cocker’s lab. “At some point, someone decided that’s the material we’re going use.” Now, MSU scientists are betting that tomorrow’s devices may rely on materials we don’t fully understand yet—ones that, when nudged by light, reveal entirely new possibilities.
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Abandoned Golden Retriever Puppies Beat Deadly Virus, Find Hope in Boston
Three golden retriever puppies abandoned in Boston while battling a deadly virus are now on the road to recovery—and soon, to new homes. Boston Animal Control found the pups, all under 6 months old, in the Geneva Avenue area of Dorchester on August 23. Tests confirmed they had parvovirus, a highly contagious illness that can kill young dogs within 48 hours of symptoms appearing. “Parvo is highly contagious and potentially deadly, so when the puppies tested positive, Boston Animal Control immediately reached out to us for help,” said Mike Keiley, vice president of the MSPCA-Angell’s Animal Protection Division. The Massachusetts animal welfare group took in the two sickest dogs for treatment. One of them, nicknamed Big Red, was the weakest at first but has since made a strong recovery. “Golden retrievers are a highly sought-after breed, so it’s abnormal that a bunch were found sick and alone outside like this,” Keiley said. “No one has stepped forward to claim the dogs, so considering all of the circumstances, we believe they were abandoned.” After six days of intensive care at MSPCA-Angell’s hospital, the puppies moved into foster homes. Big Red is in the final stages of treatment and will be ready for adoption soon, while the other two are already healthy enough to be placed through Boston Animal Control. Interest has been overwhelming—more than 400 people have applied to adopt Big Red. “Although we can only pick one adopter, we’re so excited that he’ll soon have the very best home and a bright future after a challenging start,” Keiley said. The MSPCA used the moment to remind dog owners about the importance of vaccinations. Parvovirus, which causes vomiting, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and severe lethargy, can linger in the environment for months. “Fortunately, vaccines are hugely effective and broadly available, so we hope that this serves as a reminder to people: Please vaccinate your dogs,” Keiley said. For these three golden retrievers, the worst is now behind them. Soon, each will have a fresh start—healthy, loved, and safe.
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This Heroic Dog Led Firefighters To His Leash Before a Rescue In a House Fire
An Illinois police officer who entered a smoke-filled home to rescue a family’s beloved dog was seen patiently following the quirky pooch to his leash before he could be led outside to safety. Aurora Police said units responded to a report of a house fire around 12:51 pm on Thursday, September 11, and immediately observed flames in the rear of the home on Whitehall Court. Body-worn camera footage shows Investigator Michael Ely forcing entry into the home and locating Oakley the terrier. Ely removes a gate to let Oakley out, and the dog charges off. The officer follows the dog to a leash hanging near a door. Ely obligingly clips the leash to Oakley’s collar, and the two leave the house by the front door. “Fortunately, nobody was inside the home at the time of the fire besides Oakley,” the police department said on Facebook. “The preliminary investigation indicated the fire originated in the attic and there were no signs of foul play.” According to the homeowners, who wished to remain anonymous, Oakley is an American Staffordshire terrier and was adopted as a puppy from local rescue Players for Pits. “He enjoys snuggling with us, snoring loudly as he sleeps, sunbathing, and eating peanut butter,” the homeowners said, according to police. “We are forever grateful to Mike at the Aurora Police Department for saving our sweet dog.”
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Scientists Just Discovered the Pathway To Element 120—The Holy Grail Of Chemistry
Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory say they’ve cracked a new way to reliably make livermorium, element 116 on the periodic table—and the breakthrough could point the way to creating even heavier, more stable elements. In a preprint paper, researchers described how they used a beam of titanium-50 ions to bombard a plutonium target, successfully producing atoms of livermorium. The work, carried out over 22 days, showed the titanium beam was strong, consistent, and effective—an encouraging sign as scientists search for the next elements, including the still-unmade 119 and 120. Until now, most superheavy elements beyond uranium have been made using calcium-48, a stable isotope long considered the “MVP” of nuclear chemistry. Calcium has been central to discoveries all the way up to element 118, oganesson, the heaviest element confirmed so far. But scientists have run into a dead end: the only suitable targets for pushing beyond oganesson are einsteinium and fermium, elements that can’t be produced in large enough quantities to make useful targets. That’s where titanium comes in. With 22 protons and 28 neutrons, titanium-50 is stable, accessible, and powerful enough to offer a new path forward. The experiment not only proved that titanium can create livermorium reliably but also suggested that the technique could be extended to heavier targets in pursuit of the elusive “island of stability.” For decades, nuclear chemists have theorized that certain combinations of protons and neutrons—the so-called “magic numbers”—might form superheavy isotopes that are far more stable than the fleeting atoms scientists can currently create, which decay in microseconds. Finding such an isotope could open the door to studying entirely new properties and potential applications. “We don’t know yet what these elements might be capable of,” the team wrote. History shows elements can surprise: mercury is a liquid metal at room temperature, bismuth is diamagnetic, and copper alone produces a wide palette of natural colors. Stable superheavy elements could hold even stranger surprises. For now, each success amounts to only a few atoms, barely enough to measure. But the titanium beam signals a new generation of tools is ready to take over from calcium, giving chemists a fresh shot at building out the periodic table. If titanium proves to be the key, the next half dozen elements—and perhaps the first glimpse of real stability in superheavy matter—may finally be within reach.