human-animal
community
health
84/100
Wet noses and silky coats helping to steady nerves ahead of court dates
In the historic corridors of Orange courthouse in New South Wales, therapy dogs Bono and Lola are bringing comfort to anxious witnesses and crime victims. The Canine Court Companionship Program, a partnership between Guide Dogs Australia and the Department of Communities and Justice, now operates in 11 courthouses across NSW. Golden retriever Bono and black labrador Lola work alongside their handlers, instinctively finding people who need reassurance. From children in safe rooms to adults preparing to testify, the dogs provide a calming presence that staff say transforms the atmosphere. One young woman credits Bono with giving her the courage to testify in a murder trial. The program's success has handlers requesting more volunteers to expand their impact.
space
exploration
science
85/100
"They look incredible, they look beautiful": Artemis II astronauts send their first message to Earth
Four astronauts aboard NASA's Artemis II mission have shared their first impressions from space during a press conference roughly 30 hours into their journey toward the Moon's far side. Commander Reid Wiseman and crew members Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen described breathtaking views of Earth from pole to pole, including Africa, Europe, and the aurora borealis. The crew, floating together in the Orion capsule, noted the windows are already smudged from constant gazing. While the mission progresses smoothly, they're working with Houston to adjust the chilly cabin temperature. This ten-day voyage will take humans farther from Earth than ever before and marks the first lunar mission for a Black astronaut, a woman, and a Canadian.
wildlife
science
community
85/100
David Chivers obituary
David Chivers, who dedicated over 40 years to studying gibbons and teaching primatology at Cambridge University, has died at 81. His fieldwork spanned the forests of Southeast Asia, where he investigated everything from howler monkey calls in Panama to the morning songs of siamang gibbons in Malaysia. Chivers supervised 50 PhD students, many from primate-habitat countries, who went on to establish conservation projects and wildlife reserves protecting entire ecosystems. Beyond academia, he held leadership positions with international primate and conservation organizations. His 80th birthday celebration brought together most of his former students, who co-authored a summary of decades of primate protection knowledge—a testament to his lasting influence and the global community he nurtured.
science
wildlife
ocean
82/100
Marion Nixon obituary
Marion Nixon, who died at 95, spent decades illuminating the mysteries of octopus biology. Her PhD research debunked long-held myths about how octopuses feed, revealing they break food into pieces rather than dissolving it externally. She also pioneered the use of video cameras in scientific research during the 1960s. Beyond her own prolific publications, Marion served as an indispensable research assistant to anatomist John Z Young for 30 years, handling the detailed editorial work that enabled his substantial academic output. Colleagues remember her as soft-spoken yet opinionated, modest yet accomplished—a scientist whose diligence and curiosity advanced our understanding of cephalopods while supporting groundbreaking work in marine biology.
environment
nature
community
84/100
How an engineer brought degraded wetlands back to life in drought-hit Bangladesh
In Bangladesh's drought-prone northern region, government engineer A.K.M. Fazlul Haque has successfully restored two nearly vanished wetlands that had been illegally converted to farmland over fifty years. Despite facing physical attacks and equipment damage from illegal occupants, Fazlul led excavation efforts in 2021 and 2023 to reclaim Bharardaho Beel and Patuakamri Beel. The restored wetlands now support hundreds of water birds and other wildlife year-round. His work is especially significant given that the region lost over 57% of its wetlands between 1989 and 2020. Experts emphasize such conservation is vital for both local ecosystems and food security in these water-scarce areas.
environment
ocean
community
87/100
‘Amazing’: how to grow a meadow in the sea
On a Welsh beach, volunteers are working to restore seagrass meadows that have largely disappeared from UK waters. Using caulking guns filled with hand-collected seeds, participants including schoolchildren painstakingly plant hundreds of seeds per square meter in the sand. The effort aims to revive ecosystems that once served as vital nurseries for fish and provided crucial benefits like water filtration and carbon storage. Up to 92% of UK seagrass has been lost to development, pollution, and disease. While winter storms and hungry geese pose setbacks, some restoration sites are already thriving with fish and birds, offering hope that these underwater gardens can return.
community
environment
84/100
Near Philadelphia’s New Green Spaces, a Dramatic Reduction in Crime
In West Philadelphia, a simple greening initiative is yielding remarkable results beyond aesthetics. The LandCare program transforms abandoned, trash-filled lots that once served as hubs for criminal activity into maintained green spaces. Run by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society with city funding, the effort now cares for 12,000 plots across a third of Philadelphia's vacant land. By clearing weeds, removing trash, and adding soil, the program takes a place-based approach to crime prevention—shifting focus from individuals to urban design. The work provides local jobs and engages volunteers like Linda Lloyd, a Block Captain who has watched her neighborhood transform. The initiative particularly benefits Black communities historically denied access to green space.
human-animal
nature
community
88/100
Meet 'Gilda', the heron who created a routine with an inn owner and accepts fish from her hand at Furnas Lake
At a lakeside inn near Furnas Lake in southern Minas Gerais, Brazil, a white heron named Gilda has established a gentle morning ritual. For three years, she has appeared on the veranda around 8 a.m., waiting for innkeeper Margareth to offer her a freshly caught lambari fish—sometimes directly from her hand. What began as a spontaneous gesture has become a daily connection built on patience and trust. Gilda only accepts fish from the lake and only from Margareth, though she remains free to come and go. When the innkeeper travels, the heron disappears too, always returning when Margareth does. It's a quiet friendship shaped by mutual recognition and respect for boundaries.
space
exploration
science
82/100
The Orion spacecraft successfully performs translunar injection maneuver and Artemis II mission astronauts are now heading toward the Moon
NASA's Artemis II mission has successfully completed its translunar injection maneuver, sending four astronauts toward the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. The Orion spacecraft fired its engines for nearly six minutes, propelling the crew out of Earth's orbit and onto a trajectory that will take them around the Moon's far side. Mission director Lori Glaze called the maneuver "impeccable," noting the crew is healthy and the spacecraft is performing well. After spending a day in high Earth orbit testing systems, Orion is now more than 1,600 kilometers from Earth on its 10-day journey, marking a historic milestone in humanity's return to lunar exploration.
space
exploration
science
78/100
Ice, rocks and fuel: why the Moon's South Pole is a major goal of the Artemis program
NASA's Artemis program is targeting the Moon's South Pole for future human landings, a dramatic shift from the Apollo missions that explored only equatorial regions. The area's perpetually shadowed craters, some never touched by sunlight in billions of years, may contain frozen water — up to 20% ice in surface material. This ice could provide drinking water, oxygen, and rocket fuel produced directly on the Moon. Nearby peaks receive sunlight almost constantly, ideal for solar power. The region also holds ancient rock samples over 3.85 billion years old, offering clues to Solar System history. The first South Pole landing is planned for Artemis IV in 2028.
community
culture
innovation
84/100
In rural Japan, a consultant code-switches and connects
In the small ski town of Myoko, Japan, Nina Otsubo Cataldo has found her niche as a cultural connector. With a population under 30,000, the area is experiencing growing foreign investment and tourism. Cataldo's consulting business, My Myoko, serves both newcomers learning about the community and local residents navigating their town's increasing internationalization. The 33-year-old, who grew up between Oregon and Tokyo, brings a unique perspective shaped by her bicultural upbringing and academic background. After working as a travel writer in Tokyo, she pursued a master's in cultural anthropology in London, specializing in rural revitalization in Japan. Her work represents a thoughtful approach to managing cultural change in smaller communities.
community
wildlife
environment
81/100
Today is Jane Goodall Day. Her movement continues.
April 3 has been designated Jane Goodall Day—not as a celebration, but as a day of action reflecting her belief that meaningful change starts small and local. The initiative invites people to take one concrete step benefiting people, animals, and the environment, mirroring her Roots & Shoots program that empowers individuals to act in their own communities. Goodall's legacy continues through models like Tacare, developed with Emmanuel Mtiti, which centers conservation around listening to local communities and addressing their needs alongside ecological goals. Colleagues describe her consistent approach: stay attentive, start where you are, and trust that small actions accumulate into lasting change. The day embodies her conviction that progress depends less on grand scale than on individuals choosing to act with what they have.
environment
nature
innovation
78/100
Green and gray: Mangroves and dikes show potential in protecting shorelines together
Researchers have modeled a promising approach to coastal protection that pairs mangrove restoration with existing dikes and levees. The study found that this hybrid system could currently prevent $800 million in annual storm and flood damage while protecting 140,000 people each year. As climate change intensifies, these benefits multiply dramatically—potentially reaching $65 billion in prevented damage under worst-case warming scenarios. The greatest potential lies in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Africa, where such projects would be cost-effective and disproportionately benefit lower-income communities already vulnerable to coastal flooding. The research highlights how combining natural ecosystems with built infrastructure creates synergy: mangroves reduce wave power while dikes prevent water from flowing inland.
health
community
human-animal
81/100
Baby from Ceará who received heart from girl from Piauí is discharged from hospital and goes home
One-year-old Sophia Vitória returned home this week after receiving a life-saving heart transplant. Diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at five months old—a condition where the heart muscle weakens and struggles to pump blood—she urgently needed a new heart. That gift came from seven-year-old Marina, who passed away following a quad bike accident. Marina's parents chose to donate her organs so that, in their words, their daughter's life could bless other children and families. Hospital staff celebrated Sophia's discharge by dressing her in a superhero costume, marking a moment of profound loss transformed into hope.
wildlife
science
ocean
82/100
Sex at arm’s length? Male octopuses use specialised arm to mate, scientists find
Scientists have discovered that male octopuses use a specialised arm, called the hectocotylus, as both a sensory organ and mating tool. Harvard researchers found this arm can detect the female hormone progesterone, allowing males to locate and mate with females even in complete darkness or when separated by barriers. In experiments with California two-spot octopuses, males successfully mated through holes in dividers without seeing their partners, and even attempted to mate with tubes containing progesterone alone. The findings reveal how these solitary creatures have evolved sophisticated chemical sensing to navigate rare mating encounters, with different species showing varying sensitivities to hormones—suggesting these signals may help maintain or blur reproductive boundaries between species.
nature
wildlife
environment
81/100
Sambhar Lake in Sambhar, India
Sambhar Lake sprawls across Rajasthan's desert as India's largest inland saltwater body, where shallow waters occasionally bloom pink and vast salt pans create an otherworldly white landscape. Rusting narrow-gauge rail tracks hint at the region's salt-harvesting history, while nilgai antelope and flamingos navigate the stark terrain. The immense lake remains surprisingly quiet and little-visited, offering those who venture across its difficult dirt tracks and marshy flats a shimmering, almost extraterrestrial experience. Visitors should prepare for unstable footing, unmarked routes, and close encounters with desert wildlife in this remote corner of Rajasthan.
history
community
culture
83/100
75 years after she led a student strike that helped end school segregation, Barbara Rose Johns now stands in the US Capitol where Robert E. Lee once did
In April 1951, 16-year-old Barbara Rose Johns organized a student strike at her segregated high school in Prince Edward County, Virginia, protesting overcrowded conditions and makeshift "tar paper shacks" used as classrooms. She rallied her peers to walk out and contacted civil rights lawyers, who initially hesitated but were convinced by the community's support. The resulting lawsuit became part of the broader legal effort that contributed to the Supreme Court's landmark decision ending school segregation. As the 75th anniversary approaches in 2026, Johns' courageous act of student activism is being remembered—her statue now stands in the U.S. Capitol, replacing one of Robert E. Lee.
art
history
innovation
82/100
Pinin Brambilla, the woman who spent more than 20 years restoring 'The Last Supper' and corrected Leonardo da Vinci's 'great mistake'
Italian conservator Pinin Brambilla spent over two decades restoring Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper," a monumental task complicated by the artist's experimental technique. Da Vinci rejected traditional fresco methods to work more slowly and carefully, instead painting with tempera on dry plaster—a choice that caused the masterpiece to deteriorate almost immediately. By the time Brambilla began in 1977, the mural was buried under multiple layers of previous restoration attempts that had altered the apostles' faces beyond recognition. She painstakingly recovered the original characters and expressions, revealing Da Vinci's intended humanity and beauty. The work had suffered centuries of damage from humidity, kitchen vapors, war, and well-meaning but misguided repairs.
space
exploration
innovation
87/100
Moon Mission Artemis 2 Successfully Launched
Four astronauts have launched toward the Moon aboard NASA's Artemis 2 mission, marking humanity's first lunar journey in over fifty years. The crew—including the first woman, first Black person, and first Canadian on a Moon mission—lifted off from Cape Canaveral and will spend about nine days traveling roughly 2.3 million kilometers, looping around the Moon. A brief communication hiccup after launch was quickly resolved. The mission builds on the uncrewed Artemis 1 flight from 2022, with the crew testing both automated and manual flight systems. European partners contributed a service module built in Germany, reflecting broad international collaboration in this historic return to lunar exploration.
science
nature
history
86/100
500-million-year-old fossil shows for the first time what the claws of spider and scorpion ancestors looked like
Researchers at Harvard University have discovered a 500-million-year-old fossil that reveals, for the first time with clarity, the claws of the ancestors of spiders, scorpions, and other chelicerates. The newly identified species, Megachelicerax cousteaui, possesses exceptionally large chelicerae—the distinctive frontal claws that define this group. For decades, proposed Cambrian-period chelicerates lacked preserved claws, leaving paleontologists uncertain about when these structures emerged. This specimen's three-segmented claws, positioned at the front of the head, confirm the group existed half a billion years ago and suggest a more direct evolutionary path than previously thought. The discovery fills a crucial gap in understanding early chelicerate evolution.
space
exploration
science
84/100
'We go for all humanity' - emotional moment as rocket launches
NASA's Artemis II mission successfully launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center, sending four astronauts on a historic journey to circle the Moon. The Space Launch System rocket thundered skyward on pillars of flame, creating an emotional moment for spectators and staff who felt the rumble in their bodies from three miles away. After tension-filled delays to resolve launch abort system issues, launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson gave the go-ahead. Commander Reid Wiseman responded, "We go for all humanity," before the rocket arced over the Atlantic. The launch marks the first Moon-bound crewed mission from Kennedy since Apollo 17 in 1972, returning the center to its original purpose and evoking powerful emotions about humanity's collective potential.
space
exploration
history
82/100
In pictures: Artemis II NASA's first mission to the Moon in decades
NASA has launched Artemis II, sending four astronauts around the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen lifted off Thursday morning, with Koch becoming the first woman and Glover the first person of color on a lunar mission. Hansen marks the first Canadian in deep space. The mission will test the Orion spacecraft's life support systems and docking capabilities as NASA prepares for longer lunar stays. The crew is expected to travel farther from Earth than any humans before them, surpassing Apollo 13's 1970 record. Excited crowds gathered to witness this historic milestone in space exploration.
space
exploration
community
82/100
This Artemis moon mission is a truly unifying international project, one of the few we have left | Christopher Riley
More than fifty years after Apollo astronauts' photographs of Earth sparked environmental awareness and a sense of shared humanity, four astronauts are returning to lunar distance with Artemis II. The original images revealed our planet as a finite, fragile home and briefly united people across borders. Since then, humans have only orbited much closer to Earth, unable to regain that humbling perspective. Now, an international crew representing eleven nations is venturing back, symbolizing collaboration rather than competition. With sixty-one countries signed onto the Artemis accords, the mission reflects a commitment to peaceful cooperation in space—a rare unifying project in an increasingly divided world.
space
exploration
science
82/100
Nasa’s Artemis II rocket lifts off for historic moon mission
NASA's Artemis II mission successfully launched Wednesday evening, carrying four astronauts toward the moon for the first time in more than five decades. The crew—three Americans and one Canadian—will spend ten days testing critical systems during a lunar flyby without landing. Christina Koch will become the first woman to travel into cislunar space, while Victor Glover will be the first person of color to do so. The mission could take them farther from Earth than any humans before, potentially reaching 253,000 miles. This test flight lays groundwork for NASA's ambitious plans, including a lunar base and future landing missions, while allowing astronauts to evaluate spacecraft systems essential for deeper space exploration.
environment
community
nature
86/100
Ethiopian women plant trees, restoring lands & livelihoods
In southern Ethiopia's Sidama region, women are leading an ambitious effort to reverse land degradation caused by unsustainable farming and tree cutting. The Integrated Women's Development Organization has planted trees, vegetables, and grasses across more than 1,250 hectares since 2020, restoring soil while creating new income streams for community members. The initiative reduces reliance on forest products like charcoal and strengthens women's voices in land management decisions—traditionally dominated by men. By joining the GLFx network, which connects grassroots restoration projects worldwide, these women gain access to knowledge and resources that could amplify their impact and inspire similar community-led conservation efforts.
The big gamble Andy Griffiths took to become a world-famous kids' author
Andy Griffiths, one of Australia's most successful children's authors with over 20 million books sold, traces his anarchic storytelling style to the dark fairy tales he devoured as a child. Inspired by the Brothers Grimm and Roald Dahl, he believed books had become too safe. At 30, he made a bold gamble—saving half his teaching salary for two years, then taking unpaid leave to write 12 hours daily in a $50-a-week room. His breakthrough came with the Treehouse series, co-created with illustrator Terry Denton, which follows two friends in their ever-expanding treehouse sanctuary. The beloved series, now spanning 13 books, will be adapted for television by ABC.
tradition
community
culture
78/100
From the Fogaréu Procession to the Resurrection: discover the events and traditions of Holy Week in Piauí
In Piauí, Brazil's most Catholic state where 77% follow the faith, Holy Week traditions draw thousands to commemorative events. The historic city of Oeiras hosts two centuries-old processions: the Fogaréu, where torch-bearing men reenact Roman soldiers' pursuit of Christ, and the Senhor Morto funeral cortege. Meanwhile, large-scale Passion of Christ theatrical productions take place in Floriano's open-air venue—Brazil's second largest—and in Teresina's Monte Castelo neighborhood, now in its 41st year. These communal celebrations blend deep religious devotion with regional cultural identity, transforming entire cities into stages for collective remembrance and spiritual reflection.
history
exploration
science
86/100
Point of Human Origin in Mossel Bay, South Africa
A series of caves at Pinnacle Point in Mossel Bay, South Africa, offers a rare window into human origins. Discovered during a survey in the early 2000s, the site contains evidence that Homo sapiens lived along this coast between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago, representing part of the small ancestral population from which all living humans descend. Researchers have found traces of early tool use and coastal foraging. An international team led by Professor Curtis Marean continues to study the site, and unusually for such an important archaeological location, guided tours by actual researchers allow visitors to explore the caves. The tours help fund ongoing research.
science
nature
exploration
82/100
'Impossible' blue stone was born in the outback and may be worth more than diamond
In the arid landscape of northeastern Brazil, a gemstone unlike any other lay hidden for 500 million years. In the late 1980s, miner Heitor Dimas Barbosa unearthed a turquoise crystal that seemed to glow with its own light—a turquoise so vivid it defied scientific records. The Paraíba Tourmaline owes its electric blue-green hues to an unusual concentration of copper and manganese, a chemical signature never before seen in tourmalines. Extraordinarily rare, with most stones weighing less than a carat, exceptional specimens now sell for over $100,000 per carat, surpassing diamonds. Similar deposits later discovered in Mozambique and Nigeria trace back to when the continents formed a single landmass, sharing the same ancient geological recipe.
nature
community
language
82/100
Nature boys and girls – here’s your chance to get published in the Guardian
The Guardian has opened submissions for its Young Country Diary series, inviting children aged 8–14 to share recent nature encounters in 200–250 words. Whether observing a garden bird, discovering an interesting insect, or exploring a local park, young writers are encouraged to describe what they saw, heard, and felt. The publication welcomes contributions from nature novices and experts alike, with teachers particularly encouraged to involve their classes. Four selected entries will be published in April and May, and young authors will be paid for their work. The spring deadline is noon on May 4th, with early submissions having a chance at April publication. Parents or guardians must submit on behalf of participants.
space
exploration
science
78/100
When is Nasa's Moon mission launch and what will Artemis do?
NASA is preparing to launch Artemis II on April 1, 2026, marking the first crewed mission around the Moon in over 50 years. The ten-day journey will carry four astronauts—including Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, and Canada's Jeremy Hansen—farther into space than anyone before. The crew will test the Orion capsule's systems, practice manual flight maneuvers, and gather medical data in deep space before splashing down in the Pacific. This mission sets the stage for future lunar landings, with Artemis IV planned to touch down at the Moon's south pole in 2028, paving the way for a sustained human presence on the lunar surface.
wildlife
nature
environment
86/100
Project to bring rare butterfly back to Yorkshire
Conservationists in East Yorkshire are replanting milk parsley, a rare wetland plant, around Hornsea Mere in hopes of eventually bringing back the swallowtail butterfly after more than a century. The UK's largest native butterfly, now confined to Norfolk's Broads, depends entirely on milk parsley to breed. The plant vanished from the region following large-scale drainage in the 1700s and 1800s. A wetland specialist collected seeds from surviving plants and grew specimens genetically matched to the area's original population. While staff and volunteers establish these nursery-grown plants, experts say any butterfly reintroduction remains at least five years away, as healthy plant populations must first take root across the wider landscape.
space
history
science
82/100
PHOTOS: Remembering Images of Humanity's Arrival on the Moon
As NASA prepares for the Artemis II mission—the first crewed journey to lunar orbit since the Apollo era—a Brazilian news outlet revisits the historic Apollo 11 moon landing of 1969. The article showcases iconic photographs including Neil Armstrong's first steps, Buzz Aldrin walking near the lunar module, and the famous footprint left on the moon's surface. Interestingly, it notes that despite extensive photographic evidence and 382 kilograms of lunar samples studied by scientists, a survey reveals that 33% of Brazilians question whether humans actually reached the moon. Experts attribute this skepticism to limited scientific literacy and the spread of misinformation online.
human-animal
community
wildlife
82/100
'Absolutely stoked': Molly the collie found a week after owner's waterfall tumble
Molly, a border collie, was reunited with her owner a week after both tumbled down a 55-meter waterfall in New Zealand's remote Arahura Valley. Owner Jessica Johnston survived the fall with serious injuries and spent a week in hospital, while Molly remained at the waterfall's base. After three unsuccessful search flights, pilot Matt Newton located the dog using thermal imaging equipment, with the mission funded by community donations. Molly appeared in good condition, likely surviving on local wildlife. The emotional rescue brought tears to the pilot's eyes, while Johnston expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from strangers who helped bring her companion home.
human-animal
history
community
82/100
Tortoise who survived World War I, visits her Te Papa exhibit
Torty, a tortoise well over a century old, recently visited Te Papa museum to see an exhibition featuring her remarkable story. She was rescued in Greece during World War I by New Zealand stretcher bearer Stewart Little, who found her injured after being run over by a French gun cart. He nursed her back to health and carried her home to New Zealand in his rucksack in 1916. Three generations of the Little family have since cared for her. Now in her twilight years, Torty enjoys a peaceful routine of grazing and napping in her caretaker Christine Little's backyard. When she passes, the family plans to bury her alongside Stewart and his wife in Manawatū.