‘It Feels Like Me Again’: World’s First Arm Exoskeleton Gives Stroke Patients Independence
An exoskeleton for the entire arm has been invented and designed in Norway to help stroke victims recover the use of their arms. It detects and then amplifies tiny movements through the arm and shoulder, and the developers hope to launch it as a fully commercial product this year. Today, more and more people are […]
Western Tatami Mat Mania Keeping Alive Japan’s Traditional Woven Grass Flooring Industry
Western admirers of Japanese aesthetic are keeping afloat tatami craftsmen in Japan, where modernity and maintenance requirements are driving down interest in this artisanal form of flooring. From Europe to the US and even in the Middle East, eager importers of tatami mats now account for a sizable amount of orders from workshops like that […]
4,500 years ago, Worship of the Sun Took Place in This Recently-Uncovered Temple in Egypt
An Italian-Egyptian archaeological mission has finally excavated a temple for the worship of the sun after it was identified over 100 years ago. It’s only one of two sun temples that have been definitively identified, and dates to the reign of King Nyuserre, the sixth ruler of the Old Kingdom’s Fifth Dynasty. He is credited […]
Young Atlantic Salmon Seen in Three English Rivers for First Time in a Decade
Considered critically endangered in Britain, young salmon must nevertheless be finding their way safely back to the island from the Arctic Ocean, as they’ve been found spawning in three different rivers. In the Mersey, Goyt, and Bollin, the fish have been recorded where they’d once been absent, a development described as a “significant environmental turnaround.” […]
When a Family Welcomed a Man into Their Home at Christmas, They Never Thought He’d Stay for 45 Years
It was the day before Christmas Eve, and recent homemakers Rob and Dianne Parsons were surprised with a knock on the door. Opening it, Rob looked upon a rather strange sight. A man stood there with a wheeled garbage bin containing his possessions, and a frozen chicken under his left arm. Rob didn’t know it […]
Endangered Chick Appears in ‘Christmas Miracle’ Hatching to Parents Thought Infertile
Described by park officials as a Christmas miracle, a breeding pair of endangered takahē birds in New Zealand were found to be rearing a chick, having previously been thought of as infertile. With around 500 of these flightless birds left in the country, every chick counts. The miracle happened in Zealandia, a fenced-in ecosanctuary 10 […]
Welcome to the Lemon-Shaped Planet Where Rain Turns to Diamonds
An exoplanet located 2,000 light years from Earth is so unusual it’s given astronomers the idea that it could be a totally new type of object. That’s because it’s shaped like a lemon, with a small tip just like the fruit has, and a free-floating carbon atmosphere where rain might turn to diamonds in the […]
Oklahoma Man’s Cat Returns Home After 5 Months Lost in Northern Canada Thanks to Kind Strangers
Was it bad luck to name a black cat Shadow? The family cat, owned by Jeremy Barton, his wife, and their two sons, went missing while Barton was heading home from the far north of British Columbia, vanishing into the forest just like his namesake. In a provincial park called Liard River Hot Springs, Shadow […]
Single Mom Given 10 Months to Live Asks for Christmas Cards and Thousands Respond
A woman given something like a terminal prognosis has responded with a simple request for what might be her last Christmas: a Christmas card. Clare Jones from Swansea, Wales, was told her bowel cancer was no longer responding to chemotherapy. The mother of 3, who was diagnosed in 2022, described herself as a “simple person” […]
Firefighters Rappel Down the Windows of Children’s Cancer Hospital in Unforgettable Christmas Surprise
On Friday, a Georgia fire department undertook an unusual Christmas tradition. In place of decking the halls, the men and women of the Sandy Springs Fire Department (SSFD) link up with Santa, and rappel down the walls of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to surprise infirm kids who can’t leave their rooms. The event is now […]