Employees at a Lowe’s in Pennsylvania were shocked after they went to retrieve a pallet high on a shelf and heard a chorus of frightened mewling.
Atop the boxes the pallet held, they discovered 7 kittens across two litters.
The store in Downingtown called Lucky Dawg Rescue shelter and explained their predicament.
Lisa Newton from the shelter received the call, and went down with her cat carrier to investigate.
“They directed me to the Garden Center and said they have 7 kittens, and I was surprised at that. And, they said, ‘two separate litters,'” Newton said to WPVI News.
“They had to get the forklift and go up and get them. One of the litters, you could tell that’s where the mom had delivered them.”
One can only imagine what a strange life it must have seemed for the little creatures as they opened their eyes—the whole world being confined to the box tops on the rectangular shelf, surrounded by a lethal drop to the floor below where strange, bipedal giants routinely chattered and walked about.
The store employees say two female stray cats frequent the Garden Center, and obviously liked it enough to have their litters there. Newton has since heard that the two cats are still around, so Lucky Dawg is planning to return and capture them for neutering.
As for the kittens, Forklift, Herb, Pallet, Planter, Grass, Lowe, and Rose will be available for adoption soon on the shelter’s website.
WATCH the story below from ABC 6…
MEW About This Tiny Timely Rescue With Your Friends Who Love Cats…
Fatou, 69, celebrating her birthday - credit, released as a courtesy from the Berlin Zoo
Fatou, 69, celebrating her birthday – credit, released as a courtesy from the Berlin Zoo
On April 13th, the world’s oldest gorilla celebrated her birthday with a vegetable feast at the Berlin Zoo.
Named Fatou, no one knows how she was taken from her home in Africa, but one story says she was brought to France by a sailor who later had to sell her to settle a bar debt.
The western lowland gorilla eventually arrived in Berlin via a French animal trader, and has far outlived any known member of her species from the wild.
The Berlin zoo cannot confirm the tale, but say that she did arrive in West Berlin Zoo in 1959 at the age of 2. Zookeepers naturally have no idea when she was born, but they picked April 13th as her birthday, and invited the Guinness World Records who recognized her as the world’s oldest gorilla.
“Fatou looks at you and looks right into your soul,” said Philine Hachmeister, a spokesperson for Zoo Berlin. “She has this dignity. She looks at you, and it’s like looking at your grandma. That’s what I’m thinking every time I go past her.”
Fatou, 2, arriving in West Berlin – credit, released as a courtesy from the Berlin Zoo
She has more in common with a grandmother than just her demeanor. She doesn’t move very fast anymore, and suffers from a mixture of age-related maladies. Her eyesight is poor, she has arthritis, and she has to be careful about her blood sugar. This, unfortunately, precludes the routine eating of raspberries and blueberries which were her favorite food.
Her teeth have mostly fallen out, so zookeepers must cook the majority of her food to make it easier for her to eat.
Compared to the more famous mountain gorilla, the western lowland gorilla is smaller, weighing between 150 and 300 pounds. They still live in large family groups, and are mostly peaceful creatures with incredible social sensitivity, mourning the loss of family members and taking care of their most vulnerable.
“I always say that they reflect some of the best things that we love most about our own species,” Tara Stoinski, president of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, told the Washington Post.
SHARE This Story Of How Aging Gracefully Isn’t Confined To Humans…
Quote of the Day: “The sea doesn’t reward those who are too anxious or too impatient.” – Mark Doty, poet
Photo by: Aaron Burden
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Ethiopian Empire flag, commonly used in Rastafari iconography.
60 years ago marked the first Groundation Day, now celebrated every year on April 21st, when hundreds of thousands of Rastafari celebrate the arrival of Emperor Haile Selassie in Jamaica in 1966. The great significance of this event in the development of the Rastafari religion is that, having been outcasts in society, its adherents gained a measure of respectability for the first time. With Rasta having become acceptable, reggae music became commercially viable, leading in turn to the further global spread of Rastafarianism. READ what the Marleys thought… (1966)
A digital rendering of the walls of Pompeii and a possible polybolos - credit, Veronica Casadei with Lumion Pro Student 2024.
A digital rendering of the walls of Pompeii and a possible polybolos – credit, Veronica Casadei with Lumion Pro Student 2024.
2,100 years ago, famed Roman general and one-time dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla laid siege to a rebellious Pompeii during a lesser-known conflict called the Social War.
On the day, Sulla brought along a special form of artillery. The contraption could fire multiple projectiles without needing either to reload or reengage the firing mechanism; in order words, it was the precursor to a machine gun.
Called the “polybolos,” meaning multiple launcher, Sulla’s artillery was something written about in prior Byzantine chronicles, but has never been confirmed to exit through archaeological evidence.
It was apparently designed by the Greek, Dionysius of Alexandria.
Recently, a team from the University of Campania in Italy, led by researcher Adriana Rossi, identified impacts on the city walls made by a large and powerful projectile. The quadrangular holes identified at two sites were identical to each other and closely spaced.
To press the gun metaphors further, Rossi and her team had found the Roman artillery officer’s “groupings.”
Published in the journal Heritage, the study brings together ballistics science and engineering with historical primary sources and intelligent software to reconstruct various impact scenarios. The result is a comprehensive analysis of what could be the first-ever evidence of the polybolos’ existence.
“The indentations—clearly of anthropic origin by number and morphology—bear no resemblance to the circular marks caused by spheroidal projectiles launched by ballistae or skilled slingers,” the authors wrote.
– credit Silvia Bertacchi CC 4.0. Int.– credit Silvia Bertacchi licensed via CC 4.0. Int.
Ballistae used their large, horizontally-bowed arms drawn back by a cord to launch large stones to batter city walls and gates. The polybolos was not so much a siege engine as an anti-personnel weapon. Hypothetical drawings of the device make it appear to be a large stationary bow that shot heavy iron darts capable of piercing wooden barricades and shields.
“The artillery deployed during the assault was primarily intended for anti-personnel purposes, targeting defenders positioned along the ramparts and between the merlons, rather than to demolish the fortifications themselves,” the authors wrote.
SHARE This Amazing Discovery And Unique Insight Into Medieval Weaponry…
7th Avenue in Ybor City – credit, Joe Giannotti CC BY-SA 3.0.
Local but lovely, a historic street in a Florida town is getting a new-old makeover, that will restore the oldie charm and reduce traffic risk for pedestrians.
The key to clearing both these hurdles in one leap is the recently-commenced re-bricking of 7th Avenue in Ybor City, near Tampa Bay, where contractors have sourced some 60,000 bricks made with local clay for the job.
Brick streets are common all over the world; less so in the US. But along with adding a touch of the rustic to any street scene, they act like automatic speed traps, because as anyone who’s ever driven on one knows, it sends a tremendous racket and vibration through the car.
7th Avenue was lined with bricks for decades until they were replaced by asphalt in the 1960s. Local business and community leaders said they had been pushing for this change for 10 years as part of a way to make the area safer and encourage more people to visit downtown Ybor.
Ybor was founded in 1886 by cigar manufacturers and populated almost entirely by immigrants from Cuba, Italy, and Spain.
The bricks to be used were made as far back as 100 years ago, and crews will lay each one by hand before leveling the road the ensure it’s accessible for scooters and cyclists.
The project was slated to begin on April 16th and finish in early May, while all shops and sidewalks will remain open.
WATCH the story below from WFLA 8…
Have You Ever Been To Ybor? SHARE This Story Of A Cool Day Trip With Your Friends…
A jury recently decided unanimously that Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster were operating as a monopoly, and that this had led to exploitative pricing and promotional contracts with venues.
Rolling Stone magazine called it a “landmark decision,” and while fans and concertgoers shouldn’t expect ticket prices to go down anytime soon, it could usher in enormous changes to the live music and events industry for years to come.
Originally sued by the DoJ along with 30 states plus DC for violating antitrust laws in 2024, the jury heard testimony from witnesses who said that Live Nation threatened to withhold promotional contracts from venues that didn’t also agree to use Ticketmaster exclusively as their ticket broker.
American antitrust laws are only invoked against large companies if there is this kind of evidence: that a firm with dominant market share is doing something other than providing superior products at attractive prices to push out competitor firms.
Live Nation’s attorneys argued that the firm had done just this in reaching its dominant position, but the federal jury in Manhattan ruled 10-0 against them. The jury also found that Live Nation has violated a bevy of antitrust laws within the co-plaintiff states.
Another major finding was that of overcharging for tickets. It’s not news to report that Americans using Ticketmaster are often shocked to reach the checkout page only to find the famously galling service fees tacked onto the end of the transaction.
“You think it’s gonna be a certain price on the website and then you get to the end at check out and it’s just so much more from the fees,” regular concertgoer Mikey White, a University of Utah Junior, told Fox 13 after he heard about the decision.
The jury agreed with an assessment that these service fees amounted to an average “overcharge” of around $1.72 per ticket across all venues and all events. That figure is crucial as it will be a component in calculating any future damages the firm may owe.
For now, Live Nation has promised it will appeal on several grounds, including an objection with one of the expert witnesses, who it believes was called unfairly.
Judge Arun Subramanian will decide remediations at a second set of trial dates in the future. Along with these, there will inevitably be the question of divestment, or even the rare order to break up Live Nation.
SHARE This Reminder That Antitrust Can Work With Your Friends…
40 years ago today, Vladimir Horowitz, one of the world’s greatest pianists, returned to his Russian homeland, after 61 years away, to perform for an emotional audience in his hometown of Moscow. At the age of 82, Horowitz gave one of the most emotionally astonishing and riveting performances of his life. READ about the events of the night…(1986)
Quote of the Day: “A good friend is like a four-leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have.” – Irish Proverb
Photo by: TOMOKO UJI
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A juvenile brown booby - Tommy Hall, supplied by Island Conservation
A juvenile brown booby – Tommy Hall, supplied by Island Conservation
For most people, Wake Atoll will remind them of a battle, not an island. Well now, 81 years later, another battle has been fought—and won—on Wake: against invasive rats damaging the island ecosystem.
Wake Atoll is today an unincorporated territory of the United States, and it’s experiencing a cascade of positive ecological, infrastructural, and human health and safety-related changes thanks to the successful eradication of these rats.
A scourge of the high seas as mean as Black Beard, the quick breeding, opportunistic rats have degraded island ecosystems all over the Pacific.
But a multi-agency collaboration by the nonprofit Island Conservation, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the United States Air Force Civil Engineering Squadron have successfully defeated the rats, and restored the local environment to its endemic state.
“We’re astonished—and thrilled—at the results of this work,” said Tommy Hall, Project Manager at Island Conservation. Hall, and this project, recently earned recognition from the US Undersecretary of Agriculture for its astounding success, highlighting its importance as a model for collaborative conservation.
“These benefits will strengthen the island’s ecosystem, but they’ll also help Wake’s inhabitants thrive, now that we’ve removed the threat to important infrastructure, making food and water safe from contamination.”
16 species of nesting native birds are reappearing and increasing in number without invasive rodents devouring their eggs and young. A newly discovered Bonin Petrel (or Nunulu in Hawaiian) colony marks the first documented nesting of this species on Wake Atoll, while the atoll’s globally significant population of Sooty Terns enjoyed a record-breaking breeding season.
Other native seabirds—including Laysan albatross, wedge-tailed and Christmas shearwater, black-footed albatross, red-footed booby, and red-tailed tropicbird—are also showing early signs of increased nesting activity and improved reproductive success.
Beyond seabirds, populations of geckos, skinks, spiders, moths, and hermit crabs have surged—all indicators of a healthy, recovering ecosystem. And the island’s vegetation is rebounding dramatically, with thousands of new native Pisonia tree seedlings emerging where none were previously seen.
Together, these responses underscore the rapid and far-reaching ecosystem improvements that can follow sustained conservation action.
“The rats consumed virtually all of the Pisonia seed—I had never seen a seedling before the rat eradication. Now there are hundreds, if not thousands, of Pisonia seedlings,” said John Gilardi, an ornithologist working with Island Conservation.
Personnel stationed on Wake Atoll are also benefiting from the island’s renewal. With the island free of invasive rats, the risk of disease transmission is significantly reduced, and critical infrastructure—including food-prep facilities, equipment storage, and living quarters—is now cleaner, safer, and more secure.
Inspired by the island’s recovery, several individuals among the military personnel there have organized beach cleanups and other conservation activities.
Island Conservation is one of the most successful conservation organizations on Earth, and GNN follows their activities closely. Their teams have successfully removed invasive species on some 70 islands worldwide, and in doing so, have permitted hundreds of native species to return to often the only places in the world they call home.
Adam Rice and Natalie Le Prevost with baby Zavi – SWNS
Adam Rice and Natalie Le Prevost with baby Zavi – SWNS
A nurse who gave up on dating decided to pay for IVF treatment to have a baby on her own, before meeting her soulmate four months later—who became a devoted father.
The 39-year-old always dreamed she’d be married by age 30 and have a big family—but after a failed engagement and six years of unsuccessful dating she still hadn’t found her match.
Desperate to become a mother, Natalie Le Prevost decided to go it alone and paid thousands to undergo IVF in Spain, and got pregnant after her first IVF attempt.
More luck came her way at three months pregnant when she unexpectedly met Adam Rice—and the couple really hit it off.
“I had given up on love. I didn’t want to settle for something that didn’t feel right,” said the new mom from Devon, England.
“There was no chemistry,” she told Talk To The Press. “I gave up on love and just decided to go it alone.”
“I’m strong and independent and this was my life-long dream. Everything I’ve always wanted has fallen into place.”
Natalie had her first round of IVF in March 2025, and with the support of her parents welcomed her little boy Zavi-Emilio on Christmas Eve.
“I was on cloud nine,” she said. “I loved being pregnant.
SWNS
Then, while she was four months pregnant, she went on a date with Adam, the electrician in the senior care home where she worked. From their first, she knew instantly that he was her soulmate.
Adam fully supported Natalie’s dream to be a mother, and even came to the hospital just after Zavi’s birth.
“I feel so lucky. Zavi is my little miracle. It’s amazing.”
The trio see each other five nights a week now.
“We’re soulmates. No relationship has felt like this before. We’re even born two-days apart.”
Adam found out Natalie was pregnant half way through our first date.
“I was surprised, but her honesty, her strength, the quiet courage in the way she told me, made me want to stay.
“With every date I felt myself falling for her more deeply.
“Watching her bump grow felt incredibly special, like I was witnessing the beginning of a story I somehow already belonged in.
“The first time I met Zavi, everything inside me just settled; I felt calm, steady and certain. I knew in that moment I was meant to be in his life.
“She was brave enough to choose motherhood on her own, strong enough to follow her heart without waiting for the “right” circumstances. And somehow, life brought us together anyway.
“She thought she would be doing this alone, but she won’t be. I feel unbelievably lucky to love them both.”
In an update from a GNN story 15 months ago, this ‘hilariously bad’ artist has raked in thousands from his ‘dad paintings’, after receiving more than 430 commissions from around the world.
The 42-year-old began the unusual side hustle accidentally, giving a gag gift to his wife, Kate, in 2024. She posted the funny artwork on social media and it racked up thousands of views and comments.
Jamie Lee Matthias has since been inundated with requests from people desperate for him to create funny versions of their own family photographs.
The dad-of-three, now juggles his art business—under the name @TerribleArtByJamieLee—alongside his full-time managerial job. See all his creations on Instagram.
“Most people respond with joy and laughter [to my paintings] which is why it’s been so fun, because they absolutely get it,” said the jokester from Cheshire, England.
One painting generally takes 45 minutes to an hour to finish depending on the amount of people featured. Last January, Jamie received 130 orders and was painting for at least five hours a day.
“I didn’t expect it to become a big part of my life, but sometimes I spend more time painting than I do at my actual full-time job.”
Jamie Matthias painting from family photograph – via SWNS
He says he’s received requests from 12 countries, including the US, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In fact, he estimates that 35% of his commissions have come from Taiwan.
His paintings often start at £45 ($60), with some selling for a few hundred.
With the added income he has been able to afford a whole new garden for his house as well as a family holiday to Turkey last year.
But despite the success, there is always constructive criticism to be found around the house as both Jamie and wife, Kate’s children are on hand to call his work “terrible”.
“My kids say the paintings are terrible. You know what kids are like, they speak the truth. But deep down I know they love it. It’s colorful and fun.”
Jamie says his funniest order was one where he was asked to combine two photos: one of a nice country field and the other of a dog “doing its business”.
hilariously bad portrait w Grommet by Jamie Lee Matthias -SWNS square
His advice: Just pick up a brush
The folk art painter is now even teaching art workshops locally.
“I think the participants were turning up for a proper guided painting session, but everybody completely embraced it.
– SWNS
“It was really good fun and, with the exception of mine, there were some really good paintings at the end of the night.”
He’s also brought his painting passion to school—giving demonstrations for his step-daughter’s class.
“Some of them actually thought it was quite good, but you know, they were 10-and-11-year-olds so it’s probably that sort of level isn’t it?”
Jamie recently painted actress Judi Dench, who is an avid artist herself, donating the portrait to be auctioned off to support the Sobell House Hospice.
Dame Dench, who has also provided a painting for the charity, signed Jamie’s artwork, and it is set to be auctioned later this year.
Volunteers Build 10,000 beds in 24 hours in Charlotte – Credit: Lowe's
Volunteers Build 10,000 beds in 24 hours in Charlotte – Credit: Lowe’s
6,500 volunteers worked around the clock to build over 10,000 beds in just 24 hours for kids who don’t have one of their own.
Inside the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina, Lowe’s store employees rolled up their sleeves alongside thousands of others to reach the big goal—all in support of the charity Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
By the end of her shift, Jenna Restrepo had lost count of the boards she’d sanded, hauled or stamped—but it wasn’t the numbers that stayed with her.
“I’m thinking about my own kids,” said the product manager at Lowe’s. “I’m so fortunate to put them in their own beds. I hope every child feels as safe and comfortable as mine.”
More than 140,000 children across the United States are currently waiting for a bed, according to Sleep in Heavenly Peace, which is why partners like Bank of America, Honeywell, Rebuilding Together, and the Charlotte Hornets NBA basketball organization all came together three days ago. (Watch the video at the bottom…)
Sanding station – Lowe’s
It took teamwork and coordination—on a scale most volunteer projects never reach—to turn 200 miles-worth of raw lumber into10,027 beds, using 2,000 gallons of stain, over 730,000 wood screws and nearly 18,000 sanding discs.
Roles were doled out in 16 lines, with hundreds of people moved in sync: cutting, sanding, assembling, finishing—each step building on the last.
By the end, all those hands and hours added up to something huge. When the noise of the tools had stopped, thousands of finished beds were stacked and ready to head out to families across 36 states, via the 110 chapters of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
For Lowe’s associates, it was a chance to step out of their usual routines and be part of something important.
Stackable beds with Sleep in Heavenly Peace logo –submitted by Lowes
“Without consistent, quality sleep, kids fall behind in ways that affect their health and learning,” said Dr. Douglas Kirsch, a medical director of sleep medicine at Atrium Health.
What matters most is simple: a place to sleep and all the possibilities that come with it.
STAGE A BED-IN—And Share This Corporate Love-In On Social Media…
DJ AG performs a live-streamed set with Age UK Barnet participants, celebrating Omaze’s £5.25m partnership. A viral street DJ brought a "day rave" to an old people's centre in Barnet. DJ AG - real name Ashley Gordon - led a sing-along dance session for participants at the Age UK Ann Owens Centre in Barnet on Saturday. The London-based DJ, who has performed alongside the likes of Ed Sheeran and Idris Elba, gave his time for free on Saturday to host an afternoon of dancing and singing as a result of the £5.25m raised for Age UK by the Omaze Million Pound House Draw in 2024.Over 100 of Age UK's organisations have benefited from the donation - the biggest in Omaze's history - which has allowed Age UK to continue its work in supporting thelderly with home support, various helplines, or friendship services.
Senior home turns into ‘day rave’ with DJ AG at event for Age UK Barnet / SWNS
A spunky video captured a popular entertainer leading a ‘day rave’ inside a London senior center—on a mission to combat loneliness.
The DJ named AG, who has performed alongside stars like Ed Sheeran and Idris Elba, led one of his signature karaoke-style singalong sessions as part of a UK program to ease isolation among the elderly.
The rowdy session evolved into anthems and antics, with a dance tutor guiding participants through energetic moves as attendees sang along to a mix of crowd-pleasing hits. (See the video below…)
Organized by ‘Age UK-Barnet’—one of 100 local branches in Age UK’s network—the London-based DJ lit up the Ann Owens Centre with enthusiasm, giving his time for free.
“I’ve performed on streets all over the world, but walking into that room was something really special.
“These guys were right up there with the best crowds I’ve played to—giving it absolutely everything.”
Seniors dancing with DJ AG at event by Age UK Barnet – SWNS
“Music brings people together whatever your age, and the OGs at the centre proved that ten times over.
“Seeing everyone jumping around and singing along, made it unforgettable.
Among those showing off their moves, 84-year-old Helen said it was her first time ever on a dance floor. “It was well worth the wait!”
Another participant, Lenny, 84, from Mill Hill, said: “I wasn’t sure what to expect when they told us a DJ was coming in—especially when they said it would be live-streamed, but it turned out to be an amazing afternoon.
“I’m not a natural dancer but they made it easy to feel included. I loved singing and dancing along with everyone. It brought back memories of my youth!
“This human connection really lifted us all—bringing color and joy to these challenging times.”
Age UK Barnet holds DJ events at senior centers – SWNS
“I always look forward to the events that Age UK Barnet puts on. They help me enjoy later life so much more than I ever thought I could. I’m incredibly grateful and actually feel positive about the future.”
Age UK is using funds from a $7M donation (£5.25M) raised through a sweepstakes company called Omaze, which held a lottery-type drawing in 2024 for a free house. It raised the most money ever collected for a charity partner in Omaze’s history—and these proceeds are enabling Age UK to deliver over 10 million minutes of vital friendship, social activities, and practical support to older people across the UK.
“When people enter our draws to win life-changing prizes, they’re also supporting incredible charities, helping them to change the lives of the people they help.
Thanks to the Omaze drawings, which have raised over £100 million ($135M) for good causes across the UK, they’re raising peoples’ spirits as well.
DJ AG summed up that joy, saying, “I’d do this every week if I could.”
SHARE THE HEARTWARMING MOMENTS On Social Media to Inspire More Raves!
251 years ago today, a shot rang out in Lexington, Massachusetts, that’s often called the one “heard round the world.” It marked the start of a skirmish leading to the American Revolution. It gave needed time to the militia at nearby Concord to organize around the North Bridge where they turned back British troops under heavy rifle fire. British Officer John Pitcairn had ordered his redcoats forward toward Lexington to raid the colonists’ stash of cannon and gunpowder. Halting them was a rookie band of militiamen led by Captain John Parker, a veteran of the French and Indian War. READ what happened next… (1775)
Quote of the Day: “Love is like a faucet, it turns on and off.” – Billie Holiday
Photo by: João Paulo Carnevalli de Oliveira
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
A woman was dubbed a heroine after she rescued an injured seagull that had been stuck in fishing line for more than five hours near the Irish Sea.
Dramatic photos show Lorraine Bullar swimming out 50 feet in frigid Stanley Park Lake in Blackpool, Lancashire, to save the injured gull whose leg was trapped in fishing tackle.
The exhausted animal was spotted by wildlife rescue volunteer Stuart Beaton, who had noticed the gull hadn’t moved for five hours.
He alerted his team at Brambles Wildlife Rescue, and they called Lorraine.
She has extensive experience saving lives with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the charity that operates 24/7 search and rescue missions around England and trains lifeguards for her beaches.
“Thankfully heroine Lorraine, who is a friend of the Rescue, offered her help,” said Mel Greenhalgh, of Brambles.
Credit: Stuart Beaton SWNS
She pulled on her wetsuit and swam out to give the seagull an emergency assist.
Waiting on the shore, Stuart captured photos, then carefully removed the hook, and transported t to the clinic.
The gull is now being cared for by staff members at Brambles, who treated her with antibiotics and gave her anti-inflammatory medication—as well as a new nickname, ‘Patience’.
Even though the swim was just 50 feet (15 meters), Mel was impressed.
“That’s no mean feat swimming with a gull under your arm!”
Credit: Ramsés Cervantes for Unsplash+ ALJenyLIJXg
Credit: Ramsés Cervantes for Unsplash+ ALJenyLIJXg
Maryland is set to become the first US state to ban surveillance pricing in retail grocery stores, after the legislature last week passed the Protection from Predatory Pricing Act.
Also known as dynamic or personalized pricing, surveillance pricing is when a store charges different shoppers different prices for the same item at the same time, based on something the store “knows” about them as an individual.
Governor Wes Moore said he will sign the bill into law, which stops large retailers from using personal data to change prices in real-time, while still allowing for promotional offers and loyalty program benefits.
American consumers are subject to dynamic pricing millions of times every day when they are buying airline tickets online, using Uber, or ordering anything on Amazon.com.
This new law, introduced by Gov. Moore, was prompted by concerns that major retailers, such as Walmart, are adopting digital price tags on their shelves that can change instantly by using predictive technology to manipulate prices and hurt average consumers.
“At a time when Marylanders are already stretched by the rising cost of groceries, housing, and everyday necessities, we must ensure that new technologies are not used to drive up the bill for working families.” said the Democratic governor in January.
Consumer Reports lobbied for the bill, but says the final draft of H.B. 895 “falls short of adequately protecting consumers”, after the Maryland Retail Alliance, which strongly opposed the bill, successfully added several exemptions.
“Retailers have a lot of data about individual shoppers; how often we search for or hover over particular items, whether we live near competitor stores, inferences about our likes and dislikes, our dietary needs, our income, our family size, and more. Surveillance pricing allows companies to take advantage of that information asymmetry and charge you as much as they think you’re individually willing to pay,” said Grace Gedye, senior policy analyst at Consumer Reports (CR).
For instance, one Kroger’s shopper in Oregon requested their data under a state privacy law and received a 62-page profile—and most of the inferences were wrong.
The loopholes CR identified that weakened the bill, ironically included the exemption for loyalty or membership programs, because those prices are allowed to be raised—becoming more expensive than standard prices.
The good news is many other states are considering surveillance pricing bans including California, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and others—and maybe those states will resist adding loopholes.
The key provisions of the Maryland act, which will go into effect on October 1, 2026, include:
Grocery stores are required to keep their prices fixed for at least one business day to prevent hourly price spikes.
Retailers are prohibited from using surveillance data—such as a customer’s shopping habits, ethnicity, or income—to set different prices for different individuals.
Violations are treated as unfair or deceptive trade practices, but businesses only face fines of up to $10,000 for a first offense and up to $25,000 for subsequent violations.
CR described the bill’s enforcement provisions as weak, especially because consumers are not permitted to sue companies if they’ve been subject to surveillance pricing—a departure from Maryland’s primary consumer protection law. Only the Maryland Attorney General can bring suits, and is required to send companies a notice that they’ve violated the law and give them 45 days to fix violations without further legal ramification.
And, it’s not just brick-and-mortar stores that are suspected of over-charging. Last December, Consumer Reports published an investigation into Instacart’s pricing tactics. CR had nearly 400 consumers shop for the same basket of goods at the same time.
Analysis of the shopping data found that consumers were paying different prices for the same products from the same store at the same time.
The investigation found that Instacart’s algorithmic pricing experiments could result in price differences as high as 23% for certain products and could cost families more than $1,200 a year at checkout.
Soon after, Instacart announced in a company blog post that it would end the program that resulted in different shoppers being shown different prices for groceries on its platform.
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Reconstruction of Lystrosaurus egg fossil - Credit: Sophie Vrard released
Egg fossil photographed at ESRF by Professor Julien Benoit
A remarkable new discovery is shedding light on one of the greatest survival stories in Earth’s history—and answering a decades-old scientific mystery.
Lystrosaurus, a hardy, plant-eating mammal ancestor, rose to prominence following a mass extinction some 252 million years ago—the most devastating extinction event our planet has ever experienced. While countless species vanished, Lystrosaurus not only survived, but thrived in a world marked by extreme environmental instability, intense heat, and prolonged droughts.
Now, groundbreaking research published in PLoS ONE reveals a discovery that transforms our understanding of this iconic survivor.
An international team of South African and French researchers has identified, for the first time, an egg containing an embryo of Lystrosaurus, dating back approximately 250 million years. This extraordinary fossil represents the first-ever egg discovered from a mammal ancestor, finally answering a long-standing question: Did the ancestors of mammals lay eggs?
The researchers suggest these eggs were likely soft-shelled, explaining why they have remained elusive for so long. Unlike the hard, mineralized eggs of dinosaurs, which fossilize readily, soft-shelled eggs rarely preserve, making this find exceptionally rare. But the implications go far beyond reproduction.
Evolutionary Studies Professor Jennifer Botha, of the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, recalls how the extraordinary fossil was discovered during one of her field excursions in 2008.
“My exceptional fossil finder, John Nyaphuli, identified a small nodule that at first revealed only tiny flecks of bone. As he carefully prepared the specimen, it became clear that it was a perfectly curled-up Lystrosaurus hatchling. I suspected even then that it had died within the egg, but at the time, we simply didn’t have the technology to confirm it.”
With the advent of advanced synchrotron x-ray CT and the bright X-rays of the ESRF, her colleague, Professor Julien Benoit along with Dr. Vincent Fernandez (with ESRF – The European Synchrotron in France) were finally able to unlock the last pieces of the puzzle.
Dr. Fernandez described the experience as particularly thrilling:
Reconstruction of Lystrosaurus egg fossil – Credit: Sophie Vrard released
“Understanding reproduction in mammal ancestors has been a long-lasting enigma and this fossil provides a key piece to this puzzle. It was essential that we scanned the fossil just right to capture the level of detail needed to resolve such tiny, delicate bones.”
The scans revealed a critical clue. “When I saw the incomplete mandibular symphysis, I was genuinely excited,” recalled Professor Benoit. “The mandible, the lower jaw, is made up of two halves that must fuse before the animal can feed. The fact that this fusion had not yet occurred shows that the individual would have been incapable of feeding itself.”
The study reveals that Lystrosaurus laid relatively large eggs for its body size. In modern animals, larger eggs typically contain more yolk, providing all the nutrients an embryo needs to develop independently, without parental feeding after hatching. This strongly suggests that Lystrosaurus did not produce milk for its young, unlike modern mammals.
Large eggs also offer another crucial advantage: they are more resistant to drying out. In the harsh, drought-prone environment following the extinction, this would have been a critical survival trait. The findings further suggest that Lystrosaurus hatchlings were likely precocial, born at an advanced stage of development. These young animals would have been capable of feeding themselves, escaping predators, and reaching reproductive maturity quickly.
In other words, Lystrosaurus succeeded by living fast and reproducing early.
In a world on the brink, this strategy proved unstoppable. This discovery not only provides the first direct evidence of egg-laying in mammal ancestors but also offers a powerful explanation for how Lystrosaurus came to dominate post-extinction ecosystems. As scientists continue to uncover the biology of ancient survivors, one thing is becoming clear: resilience, adaptability, and reproductive strategy were key to enduring Earth’s darkest chapter, and Lystrosaurus mastered them all.
‘Thrilling’ breakthrough is true milestone
“This research is important because it provides the first direct evidence that mammal ancestors, such as Lystrosaurus, laid eggs, resolving a long-standing question about the origins of mammalian reproduction.
“Beyond this fundamental insight, it reveals how reproductive strategies can shape survival in extreme environments: by producing large, yolk-rich eggs and precocial young, Lystrosaurus was able to thrive in the harsh, unpredictable conditions following the End-Permian Mass Extinction.”
“In a modern context, this work is highly impactful because it offers a deep-time perspective on resilience and adaptability in the face of rapid climate change and ecological crisis. Understanding how past organisms survived global upheaval helps scientists better predict how species today might respond to ongoing environmental stress, making this discovery not just a breakthrough in paleontology, but also highly relevant to current biodiversity and climate challenges” explained Julien Benoit in a news release.
“The cutting-edge data we generated allowed us to “see” inside the fossil in extraordinary detail, ultimately revealing that the embryo was still at a pre-hatching stage. That moment, when the pieces all came together, was incredibly rewarding”.
“At the time, all we had was a beautifully curled embryo, but no preserved eggshell to prove it had died within an egg. Using modern imaging techniques, we were able to answer that question definitively,” said Botha.
“It is also thrilling because this discovery breaks entirely new ground. For over 150 years of South African paleontology, no fossil had ever been conclusively identified as a therapsid egg. This is the first time we can say, with confidence, that mammal ancestors like Lystrosaurus laid eggs, making it a true milestone in the field”.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of April 18, 2026
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Anthropologist and author Clifford Geertz loved to use “thick description.” He wrote detailed reports that captured not just the surface level of what happened but the deeper levels of meaning. Here’s an example of thin description: “He winked.” Thick description: “He quickly closed and opened his right eyelid in a culturally specific gesture of playfully conspiratorial communication.” In the coming weeks, Aries, I invite you to enjoy the sumptuous pleasures of thick description. Unleash your wild curiosity as you dig down into the rich, complex truths about everything. Gleefully explore how the cultural, personal, and historical contexts give each moment its specific, nuanced significance. (PS: This approach will enhance your options for responding.)
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
New beginnings and final chapters will be overlapping in the coming weeks, and they’ll push you in the direction of robust growth. It won’t always be obvious which is which, though, so you’ll need to sharpen your discernment to read the signs. Here are two contemplations to steer you: 1. Which long-running sagas in your life have finally played themselves out? 2. Which struggling, half-forgotten dreams are yearning to rise again and blossom as if they were brand new? Once you’ve listened deeply enough to answer those questions, move boldly: Feed and protect whatever is being born, and actively assist in the graceful dismantling of whatever is ready to end.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
One of your go-to tools or assets is still functioning, but now is exactly the time to repair or refurbish it—before it breaks. Furthermore: A power outage of sorts may be looming unless you move to head off an impending overload. Wait, there’s even more! The monster in your closet is still deeply asleep, which is why now is the perfect moment to summon an exorcist or exterminator, before it stirs. Are you getting the picture, Gemini? The very fact that you’re reading this horoscope gives you all the advance warning you need to sidestep potential glitches and diversions.
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
According to my reading of the astrological omens, asking the BIG questions is highly advisable right now. Why? Because you are unusually likely to get really good answers to those BIG questions. Want a nudge to get started in this noble enterprise? Here are three recommended queries: 1. “What is the wild meaning of my precious life?” 2. “Who the #@$%&!* am I, anyway?” 3. “Where is this so-called ‘God’ I hear so much about?” Dear Cancerian, I will also urge you to formulate humorous, satirical BIG questions that inspire life to be playfully revelatory with you. Here are three: 1. “How can I fine-tune my friends and loved ones to perfection?” 2. “Are there shortcuts to getting absolutely everything I want?” 3. “How do I sign up for a life of nonstop pleasure, free from all discomfort?”
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
When people finally grasped just how radical Einstein’s theory of relativity was, a journalist asked him how he had arrived at such a breakthrough. Einstein said it was simple: He had utterly ignored supposedly fundamental truths. Dear Leo, please notice what that might imply for you in the coming weeks. Einstein didn’t dismiss a mere opinion or fashionable theory; he set aside theories so deeply accepted that everyone treated them as obviously factual. He didn’t waste energy fighting them, but simply proceeded as if they didn’t exist. Consider doing the same: Set aside at least one seemingly incontestable assumption and be alert for the new realities that then become possible.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
The International Space Station orbits Earth every 90 minutes, so astronauts see 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours. It’s a challenge to maintain their circadian rhythms. They must be disciplined as they stick to a sleep cycle that human bodies are accustomed to. But there’s a wonderful trade-off: the rare privilege of witnessing the rapid cycling of total darkness and brilliant light, which provides a visceral sense of life’s deep cadences at work. Your routine may seem similarly unsettled these days, Virgo. Transitions are coming faster than feels natural. But I suspect this disruptive blessing is giving you access to patterns that aren’t intelligible when you’re moving more slowly. You’re beholding the way things change as well as the changes themselves. This is a valuable gift. The insights will be worth the disorientation.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
You Libras sometimes get accused of indecision, as if your careful weighing of possibilities were a weakness. But I see a different truth: You aspire to be fair-minded as you honor all the legitimate claims on your attention. So the problem isn’t your capacity for considering multiple sides of each story. Rather, I find fault with the culture you live in, which is obsessed with one-dimensional certainty. If I were your coach or therapist, I would give you permission to take your time and resist the rush to resolution. The most honest thing you can say may be, “I’m still deciding,” or “Both of these feel true.”
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
You’re not a flaming expert at turning tension into treasure, but you have modest skills at that art. And now I’m predicting you will grow these skills. Before you jump to conclusions, though, please know that I’m not implying you will be immersed in stressful melodrama. I’m suggesting you will handle differences of perspective with increasing aplomb and curiosity. Instead of treating conflict as a debilitating hassle, you’ll try to find value in it. Some debates may even feel stimulating and fun rather than tiring. To take maximum advantage, enjoy the controversies as exploratory missions rather than as showdowns you must win at all costs.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
I hope and predict that you will be wildly resourceful as you wisely experiment with love in the coming weeks. I hope and predict that you will research the art of tender, inspiring intimacy in new frontiers. Reinvent passion, you subtle intensity freak! Be a bold explorer who breaks the boring old rules! Dare to break open new varieties of sweetness and companionship that require you to innovate and improvise!
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
If you were on a walk and spied a dime on the ground, would you bend down to grab it? Probably not. Would you feel differently about a quarter? Maybe you have decided that nothing under a dollar is worth your effort. But in the coming weeks, you will be wise to break such rules. Symbolically speaking, the act of stooping down to pick up a dime will set off a chain reaction that ends with you acquiring a hundred-dollar bill. By saying yes to small, unexpected blessings, you’ll position yourself to receive larger ones down the line.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
The coming weeks will be an excellent time to begin a building project on the scale of Egypt’s Great Pyramid or India’s Taj Mahal. You should at least initiate work toward some magnificent masterpiece or creation, Aquarius. According to my analysis, there’s a chance you could coax an armada of helpers to work on your behalf. And as you set out to accomplish your labor of love, I bless your quest.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Artists who specialize in origami can create structures far stronger than the flat paper they’re folded from. The weakness of being made from thin, fragile material is overcome through strategic creasing. Engineers now use origami principles to design everything from solar panels to artificial blood vessels. Let’s extrapolate these facts into a lesson for you in the coming weeks, Pisces. We’ll assume that your flexibility is a strength, not a liability. You will wield your pliability to produce a high degree of structural integrity.
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