Popemobile Transformed into Mobile Clinic for Gaza Children: Francis Would Have Loved it

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Dec 1, 2025

Pope Francis in 2015 rides in Popemobile in Washington DC Parade Credit Tami Heilemann U.S. Department of the Interior - CC BY-SA 2 — Pope Francis in 2015 rides in Popemobile in Washington DC Parade – Credit Tami Heilemann / U.S. Department of the Interior - CC BY-SA 2.0

Pope Francis in 2015 rides in Popemobile in Washington DC Parade – Credit Tami Heilemann / U.S. Department of the Interior – CC BY-SA 2.0

The global Catholic charity organization Caritas, asked Pope Francis in the final years of his life if he would like to see his old ‘popemobile’ used as a mobile hospital for children.

Blessing the idea, the back of the vehicle was converted under the auspices of the Swedish Caritas chapter into a children’s clinic, capable of treating 200 kids a day in Gaza—where it is set to hopefully be deployed.

The vehicle in question started out its life as a Mitsubishi pickup truck, and had actually been converted into a popemobile-style vehicle and given to the former Pope on the occasion of his visit to Bethlehem by the President of the PA, Mahmoud Abbas.

Pope Francis was known to call the small Christian communities in Gaza every evening during the siege of the last 2 years. He had called for an end to the war, a return of all hostages, and an immediate end to the humanitarian aid blockade imposed by Israel.

“This vehicle stands as a testimony that the world has not forgotten the children of Gaza,” said Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Stockholm, who had approached Francis before his death about Caritas’ idea of converting the former popemobile into a mobile pediatric clinic.

MORE GOOD VATICAN NEWS: How a Gift from Pope Francis Inspired a Restaurant Owner to Feed the Hungry for Years

It’s unclear if the Israeli agency will permit the vehicle to enter Gaza, where a ceasefire has failed to hold, even as the staged military withdrawal of the IDF and release of the remaining Israeli hostages has. The agency declined to comment on the matter.

“We know how much Pope Francis loved the people of the Holy Land, the people of Bethlehem, and especially the people of Gaza,” said Father Ibrahim Faltas, representative of the Franciscan Friars to the State of Palestine.

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Stunning Photo Captures Gaseous Wings of Butterfly Nebula from the Gemini Telescope (LOOK)

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Andy Corbley

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Dec 1, 2025

The Butterfly Nebula, taken by the Gemini South Telescope - credit, Noirlab NSF — The Butterfly Nebula, taken by the Gemini South Telescope - credit, Noirlab / NSF

There are a lot of nebulae in the universe, and they often get given catchy names like the Crab Nebula or Cat’s Paw Nebula.

There needs no explaining the name of this nebula—seen in an image taken from the Gemini South Telescope in Chile.

Located between 2,500 and 3,800 light years away in the constellation Scorpio, the Butterfly Nebula is made up of a really rather unique white dwarf star that around 2,000 years ago began pushing away its outer layers into a hot shell of ionized gas.

This is how what are known as planetary nebulae form: the shell of gas is expelled from a host star and creates a rough sphere of ejected stellar material. This star however, is casting out the gas and dust of its exterior into these long, butterfly wing shapes.

The rich red in the image are areas of energized hydrogen gas, while the stark blue traces areas of energized oxygen gas. The star at the center is actually one of the hottest objects ever recorded, according to the National Science Foundation, which owns 70% of the telescope in Chile, and its cousin, Gemini North, in Hawai’i.

NEWSWORTHY NEBULAE:

Its surface temperatures reach 450,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat from the star causes the gaseous “wings” to glow as we see it in the picture, taken in a blend of infrared and optical light that, at some 30,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

This picturesque object was chosen as a target for the 8.1-meter telescope by students in Chile as part of the Gemini First Light Anniversary Image Contest. The contest engaged students in the host locations of the Gemini telescopes to celebrate the legacy that the International Gemini Observatory has built since its completion, marked by Gemini South’s First Light in November 2000.

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Sanctuary Offers to Care for Pet Pig Adopted by Deceased Wife Until Man Recovers From Homelessness

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Andy Corbley

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Dec 1, 2025

Tony James bids farewell to his pig, Roscoe – credit, courtesy of Gwen Jakubisin

A Portland man found himself homeless at 44 years of age, along with his dog and a 250-lbs. pet pig.

But the fire department’s special homeless assistance team got the man and arranged for a trip home to his family in Chicago, and for the Roscoe the pig, a spot in the state’s largest farm animal rescue sanctuary.

A burst appendix, an inability to work, a mortal heart attack: Tony James suddenly found himself a jobless widower living out of his car. His only shelter was his car, which he shared with his dog Elvis a fully grown Göttingen breed pig that his deceased wife had adopted 3 years before.

Amid the tragedy, Portland Fire & Rescue’s Community Health Assess and Treat (CHAT) team identified James as someone on the brink, and stepped in to help, offering him transport to his family’s home in Chicago, and to find a sanctuary for Roscoe.

Within a day, CHAT had contacted the Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary in Scio, Oregon, the largest of its kind in the state, and home to some 300 farm animals.

Driving Roscoe to his new home, executive director of Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary‘s executive director Gwen Jakubisin got to watch the man bid farewell to a pig he had cared for even without a roof over his head.

“It was actually quite emotional because the bond between Tony and Roscoe was very apparent,” Jakubisin told Samantha Swindler at Oregon Live. “They love each other very much. We were all crying.”

Roscoe entered into a quarantine period in advance of joining the sanctuary’s 132 pigs, but it was clear by his eyes, tusks, and trotters, that there was nothing wrong with him—James had cared for him excellently.

SHOWING COMPASSION:

“We have a big oak forest, and so in the fall he’ll have acorns to munch on,” said Jakubisin. “He’ll have wallows, which is something he had never really had before. Tony said that he found a mud puddle in a park once and went wild with it.”

The 250-lbs. Roscoe got cozy in his new home just in time to celebrate thanksgiving with an all-natural pumpkin pie fit for a pig set to live high on the hog until, said Jakubisin, James can get back on his feet, at which point she’d be happy to arrange a reunion.

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“Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other.” – Euripides

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Dec 1, 2025

Quote of the Day: “Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other.” – Euripides

Image by: Kira auf-der-Heide

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?

Good News in History, December 1

This Day In History

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Good News Network

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Dec 1, 2025

70 years ago today, the seamstress Rosa Parks refused to obey an order from a bus driver to give up her seat to a white man and was arrested for violating Montgomery, Alabama’s racial segregation laws. Although Parks was not the first person to ‘stand up’ in order to stay seated on a bus, her act of defiance sparked a yearlong city bus boycott that galvanized the Civil Rights Movement. READ more… (1955)

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Normal Thyroid Function in Pregnancy Linked to Lower Autism Risk in Large Study

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Good News Network

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Nov 30, 2025

Persistent hormone disruption during pregnancy trimesters appears to increase the likelihood of autism in children, shows a new large cohort study.

Women who experience continuing thyroid hormone irregularities throughout pregnancy may face a higher chance of having a child diagnosed with autism, according to a study released in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Thyroid hormones supplied by the mother play an important role in fetal neurodevelopment. When these hormones become disrupted during pregnancy, previous work has linked the imbalance to atypical brain development and a higher likelihood of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Autism is a multifaceted condition that shapes how an individual communicates, interacts socially, and interprets the world.

Untreated Multi-Trimester Imbalance Carries Higher Risk

“We found that while adequately treated chronic thyroid dysfunction was not associated with increased autism risk in offspring, ongoing imbalance across multiple trimesters was,” said Idan Menashe, Ph.D., of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel.

“These findings underscore the need for routine monitoring and timely adjustment of therapy to maintain normal thyroid hormone levels throughout pregnancy.”

A Clear Pattern

The research tracked more than 51,000 births between January 2011 and December 2017
and reported that mothers with persistent thyroid hormone imbalance across their pregnancy had an increased likelihood of having children with autism.

A total of 4409 (8.6%) of the mothers showed abnormal thyroid function.

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY: Man Who Didn’t Read or Write Until His Late Teens Becomes Cambridge University’s Youngest Black Professor

The authors also documented a dose-response pattern, meaning the risk rose as the number of affected trimesters increased.

No funding was received for this study.

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Kelly Clarkson Show Fills With Tears When Mom Meets Cake4Kids Baker Who Makes Birthdays Special for Needy Kids

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Nathan Frederick

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Nov 30, 2025

Even the TV show’s host was crying.

During the “Rad Humans” segment on her talk show, Kelly Clarkson introduced the nonprofit Cake4Kids—and before long, the emotional moment sent happy tears streaming down everyone’s face.

For 15 years, the network of volunteer bakers have been providing custom birthday cakes for homeless kids, foster children, and others dealing with difficult circumstances—and it’s on pace to deliver 20,000 cakes this year.

“They get to choose the flavor and the theme, so it’s personalized just for them, exactly what they want—whether it’s cupcakes, cookies, bars, brownies, or cakes,” explained Cake4Kids Executive Director Alison Bakewell (no pun intended).

It all began in California when Libby Gruender was inspired by an article to start making cakes for foster kids and at-risk youth in the San Francisco area. Before passing away in 2013, Gruender and her volunteers had donated 13 cakes and started a movement that would soon extend across the country, receiving requests from social service agencies that work with kids across the country.

Gruender’s legacy now lives on with a nonprofit that has more than 25 chapters nationwide, delivering joy via baked goods in every corner of America.

“The biggest ingredient that we put in is the love that we feel,” said Roberta, a volunteer baker for Cakes4Kids who was invited to be on the show after creating 825 cakes for kids in need since 2018.

On that day, Clarkson had a surprise waiting in the wings for her.

Clarkson introduced a mom, Kasandra, whose daughter received a custom Toy Story cake. Kasandra, her husband, and their two daughters were dealing with tough times and living together in a small rented room.

“Receiving a cake and seeing my daughter get excited over it made her birthday really magical. You were the one who baked my daughter her first cake,” Kasandra informed Roberta live on the show.

The tears started flowing and Clarkson got up to grab some tissues. (See the video below.)

“I am going to need a minute,” she quipped, overwhelmed with emotion.

Kasandra carried on through tears to express her gratitude: “Sometimes we’re not able to, you know, give her everything that we want. So, seeing her really happy, seeing all the characters on the cake really made me and my husband grateful for you guys.”

MORE SWEET SURPRISES:
• ‘Instant Tears’ for Principal Who Wished Students Were at Her Wedding – They Surprise-Married Her at School
• 1,500 Bikers Show Up to Escort Bullied Teen to Prom in Spectacular British Convoy: ‘I don’t feel alone anymore’

Then, the elaborate Toy Story cake was shown on the big screen, which made the live audience swoon, while a big check for $5,000 was presented to the nonprofit.

It was a poignant reminder of the loving care that gets poured into every cake they bake—and the joy that rises up as a result.

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Ultrasonic Device Dramatically Speeds Harvesting of Water from the Air – Drinkable in Minutes Instead of Hours

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Good News Network

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Nov 30, 2025

Device uses ultrasonic waves to harvest water 45x faster – Credit: Ikra Iftekhar / MIT (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

Even in desert conditions, there exists some level of humidity that, with the right material, can be soaked up and squeezed out to produce clean drinking water. In recent years, scientists have developed a host of promising sponge-like materials for this “atmospheric water harvesting.”

But recovering the water from these materials usually requires heat — and time. Existing designs rely on heat from the sun to evaporate water from the materials and condense it into droplets. But this step can take hours or even days.

Now, MIT engineers have come up with a way to quickly recover water from an atmospheric water harvesting material. Rather than wait for the sun to evaporate water out, the team uses ultrasonic waves to shake the water out.

The researchers have developed an ultrasonic device that vibrates at high frequency. When a water-harvesting material, known as a “sorbent,” is placed on the device, the device emits ultrasound waves that are tuned to shake water molecules out of the sorbent. The team found that the device recovers water in minutes, versus the tens of minutes or hours required by thermal designs.

Unlike heat-based designs, the device does require a power source. The team envisions that the device could be powered by a small solar cell, which could also act as a sensor to detect when the sorbent is full. It could also be programmed to automatically turn on whenever a material has harvested enough moisture to be extracted. In this way, a system could soak up and shake out water from the air over many cycles in a single day.

“People have been looking for ways to harvest water from the atmosphere, which could be a big source of water particularly for desert regions and places where there is not even saltwater to desalinate,” says Svetlana Boriskina, principal research scientist in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. “Now we have a way to recover water quickly and efficiently.”

Boriskina and her colleagues reported on their new device in a study appearing recently in the journal Nature Communications.

Precious hours

Boriskina’s group at MIT had generally assumed that an atmospheric water harvesting system (AWH) in the field would absorb moisture during the night, and then use the heat from the sun during the day to naturally evaporate the water and condense it for collection.

“Any material that’s very good at capturing water doesn’t want to part with that water,” Boriskina explains. “So you need to put a lot of energy and precious hours into pulling water out of the material.”

She realized there could be a faster way to recover water after Ikra Shuvo joined her group. Shuvo had been working with ultrasound for wearable medical device applications. When he and Boriskina considered ideas for new projects, they realized that ultrasound could be a way to speed up the recovery step in atmospheric water harvesting.

“It clicked: We have this big problem we’re trying to solve, and now Ikra seemed to have a tool that can be used to solve this problem,” Boriskina recalls.

45 times more efficient

Ultrasound, or ultrasonic waves, are acoustic pressure waves that travel at frequencies of over 20 kilohertz (20,000 cycles per second). Such high-frequency waves are not visible or audible to humans. And, as the team found, ultrasound vibrates at just the right frequency to shake water out of a material.

CHECK OUT: Las Vegas Scientists Perfecting New Way to Turn Desert Air into Water at Much Higher Yields

“With ultrasound, we can precisely break the weak bonds between water molecules and the sites where they’re sitting,” Shuvo says. “It’s like the water is dancing with the waves, and this targeted disturbance creates momentum that releases the water molecules, and we can see them shake out in droplets.”

The duo designed a new ultrasonic actuator with a flat ceramic ring that vibrates when voltage is applied. This ring is surrounded by an outer ring that is studded with tiny nozzles. Water droplets that shake out of a material can drop through the nozzle and into collection vessels attached above and below the vibrating ring.

They tested the device on a previously designed atmospheric water harvesting material. Using quarter-sized samples of the material, the team first placed each sample in a humidity chamber, set to various humidity levels. Over time, the samples absorbed moisture and became saturated.

The researchers then placed each sample on the ultrasonic actuator and powered it on to vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies. In all cases, the device was able to shake out enough water to dry out each sample in just a few minutes.

The researchers calculate that, compared to using heat from the sun, the ultrasonic design is 45 times more efficient at extracting water from the same material.

“The beauty of this device is that it’s completely complementary and can be an add-on to almost any sorbent material,” says Boriskina, who envisions a practical, household system might consist of a fast-absorbing material and an ultrasonic actuator, each about the size of a window.

HERE’S SOME ALREADY IN USE:
• Device Pulls Dozens of Liters of Water from the Air–Already Being Installed in Jordanian Desert Homes
• 92-Year-old Helped His Indian Neighbors Save 200,000 Liters of Water And Cut Their Electricity Bills in Half

Once the material is saturated, the actuator would briefly turn on, powered by a solar cell, to shake out the water. The material would then be ready to harvest more water, in multiple cycles throughout a single day.

“It’s all about how much water you can extract per day,” she says. “With ultrasound, we can recover water quickly, and cycle again and again. That can add up to a lot per day.”

(Source: MIT News)

CONSIDER SHARING THE TECH With Science Lovers On Social Media…

He Transformed a Veteran’s ‘Jungle’ Backyard For Free, Then Hands Over $14,000 and a Car

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Good News Network

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Nov 30, 2025

Ben Saunders gives veteran Nick Joyce a car - SWNS

Ben Saunders gives veteran Nick Joyce a life makeover – SWNS

A 63-year-old veteran could barely access his backyard which overgrown with 6-8-foot weeds, until a kind-hearted cleaning company owner transformed the overgrown jungle for free—then he went above-and-beyond to transform the soldier’s life.

Ben Saunders stepped in after meeting Nick Joyce and hearing the Army veteran had been waiting for the local council to clear the tangled brush for four years.

Ben, who owns Flawless Cleaning Services, said the garden was in a “shocking” state.

“It was affecting his mental health,” said Ben, a father-of-two who lives in the Sidcup suburb of London. “I immediately thought, ‘I need to try and do something now’.”

Ben and his team spent two days last month hacking back the weeds, filling an entire dumpster outside Nick’s home in Suffolk, before replacing his side canopy, cleaning his gutters, and even building him vegetable beds.

The unrecognizable transformation was watched on YouTube by some of Ben’s 596,000 followers, so he set up a GoFundMe campaign to provide more help because the former member of the British cavalry, who has COPD, arthritis, and PTSD, had to leave his factory job in April when his car broke down.

Ben Saunders clearing Nick’s backyard – SWNS

He was also struggling to buy food because he couldn’t drive to supermarkets 12 miles away, so instead had to rely on pricier corner shops.

The video shows Ben surprising Nick with the proceeds—a big check for more than £11,000 ($14,500).

“I feel like a five-year-old kid on Christmas morning.”

“I wasn’t expecting any of it,” Nick said. “And it’s better than the lottery because it’s all done by nice people who give a hoot.”

“Nick’s a really lovely guy,” said Ben. “I feel like a friend of mine has won the lottery—it was amazing.”

Nick Joyce gets a check from Flawless Blessings – SWNS

Nick had lived in the property with his dog Willow for four years, but the garden had been in a sorry state since before he moved in.

“I wouldn’t have liked to have walked into that at 63 with COPD and all the conditions he’s got,” said Ben who received weed-whacking assistance from his dad and uncle.

While working on the garden, Ben realized the extent of the social isolation being faced by Nick, who enlisted in the army back in 1978 and spent five years in regular service followed by eight years as a reservist.

“They don’t have a bus route that way, and the cycle route to his job sounded impossible for a guy his age,” explained Ben. “He was just staring at the same four walls every day.”

The lack of a car was a common denominator in a lot of the problems Nick faced, so Ben decided to help fix that problem too.

“It got to the point (when I lost my car) where I felt like I got knocked down but before I could get back up, I was knocked down again.”

Determined to do something to improve Nick’s life, Ben handed him another gift on the day the garden was finished—the keys to a blue Vauxhall Corsa, which was taxed and insured for a year.

Ben Saunders gets a grateful hug from Nick when Flawless Blessings gives him a car – SWNS

Nick was left flabbergasted.

MORE KINDNESS TRANSFORMATIONS:
• Girls Volleyball Team Buys Beloved Custodian a Car to Repay Him for All He’s Done–Watch the Texas-Sized Surprise
• Doctor Gave Free Care to Patients for Decades–Now They’ve Raised $280,000 to Pay for His Cancer Treatment
• GoFundMe for Teen Who Rushed to Work Instead of Partying After Graduation Skyrockets to $180K

Upon receiving the unexpected windfall, Nick said he plans to find another job.

“I don’t want to end up on the scrapheap,” he said. “It’s not just the money. I need a purpose.”

Ben has already found his purpose—helping vulnerable people through his company’s charitable arm Flawless Blessings—and he got a big bear hug from Nick to say thanks.

“Kindness ripples,” he says. “Seeing how one act can change someone’s life reminds me why I do this.”

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“The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” – Paul Valery

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Nov 30, 2025

Quote of the Day: “The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” – Paul Valery

Image by: Steve Halama

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?

Good News in History, November 30

This Day In History

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Good News Network

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Nov 30, 2025

576px-Mengs,_Anton_Raphael_-_Pietro_Leopoldo_d'Asburgo_Lorena,_granduca_di_Toscana_-_1770_-_PradoFXD (Copy) — Grand Duke Leopold II

239 years ago today is celebrated as the first known date of the abolition of the death penalty in a Western nation-state. Commemorated today as Cities for Life Day, the decision came in the realm of Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany. Pietro Leopoldo would later become Leopold II, the Holy Roman Emperor. READ how he came to the decision… (1786)

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46,000 Knitted Mice Donated to Rescue Cats Setting Guinness World Record for Crafting Community

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Good News Network

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Nov 29, 2025

Credit: Woman’s Weekly magazine / Fortune

The readers of Woman’s Weekly magazine have a long tradition of coming together through knitting and crocheting—always to provide comfort and joy for others.

This year’s crafty compassion project was their biggest ever, officially breaking a Guinness World Record.

Earlier this year, the magazine invited readers to create woolen mice for rescue cats living in shelters across the UK—and the response enor-mice.

Using the free pattern provided exclusively to subscribers, the volunteers began knitting and crocheting until thousands of parcels began arriving at their London headquarters.

Collectively, they stitched a monumental 46,506 woolen rodents for donation to furry felines awaiting families.

The enrichment toys, which provide both comfort and stimulation, are now being distributed to thousands of kitties at over 300 cat rescue centers.

“The volume received has been extraordinary,” said Nicola Murray, manager of the North West London Cat Centre.

“Enrichment items like these play a vital role in supporting the wellbeing of cats in our care, and we are extremely grateful for the thousands of knitted mice donated.”

The magazine’s editor called this year’s crafting challenge “a remarkable testament” to the generosity and community spirit of its readers.

It builds on past initiatives by Woman’s Weekly focused on getting readers together to knit for a good cause. For instance…

Barty gets some new toys Credit: Woman’s Weekly magazine / Fortune

Successes include donations of: 6,000 hats for people experiencing homelessness; 3,000 blankets for children in Ukraine; 6,651 knitted baby vests for Fuel Poverty; and 2,000 blankets for Battersea Dogs & Cats Homes.

Certificate for the largest donation of handcrafted pet toys – Credit: Woman’s Weekly magazine / Fortune

“Every mouse was handmade with care,” said Woman’s Weekly Editor Geoff Palmer.

“The response from our readers surpassed all expectations, and we are thrilled that their collective effort has resulted not only in a Guinness World Record but in tangible impact.”

SEND A SQUEEK OF SEASONAL JOY To Friends – Share This on Social Media…

Baby Otter He Rescued Jumps Into His Boat Every Time She Sees Him After He Returned Her to the Wild (WATCH)

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Nathan Frederick

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Nov 29, 2025

A wild animal is acting like she’s his ‘significant otter,’ after he saved her life, and returned her back to her lake habitat.

Their relationship began when Mats Janzon was on a walk in the woods near his home in Sweden. He heard a soft peeping sound and carefully moved closer to investigate. He soon found a baby otter in distress, starving for food and struggling to breathe.

Janzon had some experience with animal rescues, so he kept his distance for hours, hoping at some point the otter’s mother would return.

It never did, because Janzon discovered it had been killed on a roadway nearby. If he didn’t intervene soon, the baby otter—which was so small it could fit in the palm of his hand—wouldn’t survive either.

Janzon had never rescued an otter before, but he gave it his best shot. It required constant care and attention, and over time, it slowly gained strength. It also started forming a connection with its unlikely foster parent—crying when Janzon left the room and occasionally lying in his lap like a Labrador Retriever.

“The first time she let me pet her, I remember thinking this can’t be real,” Janzon shared with the TikTok account SoulPaws Tails. “It felt like a dream—this wild, free otter choosing to trust me.”

The next step was helping the otter prepare for its return to the wild. Janzon set up a kiddie pool in his backyard and kept watch as the otter seemed to flail at first, but soon found its natural aquatic skills.

Before long, the two-legged and four-legged friends headed down to the lake. Initially, the otter was reluctant and even a little timid. But biology won out, though, and the mammal started stretching its limits, slipping further and further out into the water.

During one of those lake sessions, Janzon even settled on a name—Leya. Over time, Janzon’s charge spent more and more time away. His rescue and rehabilitation efforts were successful.

But now, a magical thing happens whenever Janzon takes his yellow kayak to the lake. A furry brown body glides alongside and clambers up into the boat. An adorable scene that Janzon often shares on his Tik Tok page.

“She’s the most playful animal I have ever met,” Janzon said.

A YouTube video (below) features images of Leya darting through grass, gliding through the water, and snuggling with Janzon on his kayak. And then it ends with some words of wisdom.

ANOTHER STORY YOU ‘OTTER’ SEE: Zoo Officials Baffled When Lost Otter Cub is Found Snoring Among the Flamingos

“Every bond we form with animals reminds us how deeply connected we all are. Leya’s story shows us that love has no boundaries. It’s built on trust and care.

“When we give kindness, the world gives it back in ways we never expect…”

Like an old friend that climbs aboard your kayak just to snuggle.

KEEP LEYA’S STORY GLIDING ACROSS THE WEB By Sharing On Social Media…

19-Year-old Defeats His Former High School Civics Teacher in Local Election: ‘I’m so proud of him’

By

Nathan Frederick

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Nov 29, 2025

A recent local election in Virginia was surprising not only because of its outcome but because of its unusual civility.

In Surrey County, Virginia, a 19-year-old had the courage and audacity to run against the incumbent Conservative for a seat on the Surry County Board of Supervisors.

But there was a catch: He would need to campaign against his beloved high school civics teacher, Kenneth Bell, who currently held the seat.

But unlike the vitriol and bad vibes that seem to surround today’s politics, this race was destined to create positivity instead. (Watch the Steve Hartman interviews below…)

Cameran Drew called Mr. Bell his favorite teacher and Bell described Drew as a “wonderful young man.”

Cameran credits his 44-year-old teacher for helping to prepare him for his leap into politics.

And, in a refreshing political twist, Mr. Bell often defended his opponent’s age on the campaign trail, rather than resort to easy attacks.

“Yes, he’s young, but he’s really invested in trying to make a difference,” Bell said.

Although he just graduated from Surry County High School in 2024, Cameran started a motivational speaker business (Prez Productions), and a charitable mentorship program called the Produce Your Future Foundation, according to the Smithfield Times.

He wanted the Board of Supervisors job because he believed he could help people. He especially hoped to advocate for the youth in Surry County—and his campaign featured many direct-to-camera appeals touting his government goals on Instagram.

The race was neck-in-neck until the very end.

When the campaigning ceased and the polls closed in the southeastern county, Cameran won by just 10 votes.

By the slimmest of margins, youth had overcome experience and the protege had become the teacher.

Although it was incredibly close, it was a solid victory for goodwill: Mr. Bell conceded, offering messages of congratulations, pride, and love.

“He would have been formidable against any opponent against whom he would have run,” Bell told CBS News.

MORE GOOD POLITICS:
• Ohio Man Brings Voters of All Stripes Together to Agree to Disagree Over ‘Dinner and a Dialogue’
• Voters Send First Gen Z Congressman to Washington – a 25-Year-old Community Organizer

“I’m just lost for words because of the fact he’s been so gracious,” the new Supervisor said.

If only that same spirit could become airborne and travel 150 miles north to Washington, D.C.

(Watch the CBS episode below…)

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Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ by Rob Brezsny

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Nov 29, 2025

Our partner Rob Brezsny, who has a new book out, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle, provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. (A free preview of the book is available here.)

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of November 29, 2025
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Some seeds can remain dormant for centuries, waiting for the right conditions to germinate. The oldest successfully germinated seed was a 2,000-year-old date palm seed. I suspect you will experience psycho-spiritual and metaphorical versions of this marvel in the coming weeks. Certain aspects of you have long been dormant but are about to sprout. Some of your potentials have been waiting for conditions that you haven’t encountered until recently. Is there anything you can do to encourage these wondrous developments? Be alert for subtle magic that needs just a little nudge.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Orb weaver spiders make seven different types of silk, each engineered for different purposes: sticky silk for catching prey, strong silk for the web’s frame, stretchy silk for wrapping food, and soft silk for egg sacs. In other words, they don’t generate a stream of generic resources and decide later what to do with them. Each type of silk is produced by distinct silk glands and spinnerets, and each is carefully tailored for a particular use. I advise you to be like the orb weavers in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Specificity will be your superpower.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Benevolent gossip is the practice of speaking about people not to diminish them but to fondly wonder about them and try to understand them. What if gossip could be generous? What if talking about someone in their absence could be an act of compassionate curiosity rather than judgment? What if you spoke about everyone as if they might overhear you—not from fear but from respect? Your words about others could be spells that shape how they exist in the collective imagination. Here’s another beautiful fact about benevolent gossip: It can win you appreciation and attention that will enhance your ability to attract the kind of help and support you need.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Every 21,000 years, the Sahara Desert transforms into a lush green savanna. It’s due to precession, which is a wobble in the Earth’s axis. The African seasonal monsoon becomes much stronger, bringing increased rainfall to the entire area. The last time this occurred was from about 11,000 to 5,000 years ago. During this era, the Sahara supported lakes, rivers, grasslands, and diverse animal and human populations. I’m predicting a comparable shift for you in the coming months, Pisces. The onset of luxuriant growth is already underway. And right now is an excellent time to encourage and expedite the onset of flourishing abundance. Formulate the plans and leap into action.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
The Japanese word mushin means “no mind.” In Zen Buddhism, it refers to the state of flow where thinking stops and being takes over. When you are moving along in the groove of mushin, your body knows what to do before your brain catches up. You’re so present you disappear into the action itself. Athletes refer to it as “the zone.” It’s the place where effort becomes effortless, where you stop trying and simply love the doing. In the coming weeks, Aries, you can enjoy this state more than you have in a long time. Ride it with glee!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
For the foreseeable future, salmon are your spirit creatures. I’ll remind you about their life cycle. They are born in freshwater, migrate to the ocean, and live there for years. Then they return, moving against river currents, up waterfalls, past bears and eagles. Eventually, they arrive at the exact stream where they were born. How do they do it? They navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field and their sense of smell, remembering chemical signatures from years ago. I think your own calling is as vivid as theirs, dear Taurus. And in the coming weeks, you will be extra attuned to that primal signal. Trust the ancient pull back toward your soul’s home.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
What if procrastination isn’t always a problem? On some occasions, maybe it’s a message from your deeper self. Delay could serve as a form of protection. Avoidance might be a sign of your deep wisdom at work. Consider these possibilities, Gemini. What if your resistance to the “should” is actually your soul’s immune system rejecting a foreign agenda? It might be trying to tell you secrets about what you truly want versus what you think you should want.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
I’m only slightly joking when I recommend that you practice the art of sacred bitching in the coming days. You are hereby authorized to complain and criticize with creative zeal. But the goal is not to push hard in a quest to solve problems perfectly. Instead, simply give yourself the luxury of processing and metabolizing the complications. Your venting and whining won’t be pathological, but a legitimate way to achieve emotional release. Sometimes, like now, you need acknowledgment more than solutions. Allowing feelings is more crucial than fixing things. The best course of action is saying “this is hard” until it’s slightly less hard.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
The Chinese concept of yuanfen means that some connections are fated. Certain people were always meant to cross your path. Not soulmates necessarily, but soul-evokers: those who bring transformations that were inscribed on your destiny before you knew they were coming. When you meet a new person and feel instant recognition, that’s yuanfen. When a relationship changes your life, that’s yuanfen. When timing aligns impossibly but wonderfully, that’s yuanfen. According to my analysis, you Leos are due for such phenomena in the coming weeks—at least two, maybe more. Some opportunities appear because you pursue them. Others were always going to arrive simply because you opened your mind and heart.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Let’s talk about a forest’s roots. Mostly hidden from sight, they are the source of all visible life. They are always communicating with each other, sharing nourishment and information. When extra help is needed, they call on fungi networks to support them, distributing their outreach even further. Your own lineage works similarly, Virgo. It’s nutrient-rich and endlessly intertwined with others, some of whom came long before you. You are the flowering tip of an unseen intelligence. Every act of grounding—breathing deeply, resting your feet, returning to gratitude—is your body’s way of remembering its subterranean ancestry. Please keep these meditations at the forefront of your awareness in the coming weeks. I believe you will thrive to the degree that you draw from your extensive roots.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
You are currently in a phase when it’s highly possible to become both smarter and wiser. You have a sixth sense for knowing exactly how to enhance both your intellectual and emotional intelligence. With this happy news in mind, I will remind you that your brain is constantly growing and changing. Every experience carves new neural pathways. Every repeated thought strengthens certain connections and weakens others. You’re not stuck with the brain you have, but are continuously building the brain that’s evolving. The architecture of your consciousness is always under construction. Take full advantage of this resilience and plasticity!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
The coming weeks will be a favorable time to stand near what you want to become. I advise you to surround yourself with the energy you want to embody. Position yourself in the organic ecosystem of your aspirations without grasping or forcing. Your secret power is not imitation but osmosis. Not ambition but proximity. The transformations you desire will happen sideways, through exposure and absorption. You won’t become by trying to become; you will become by staying close to what calls you.

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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Regarding traveling through America, rather than abroad: “America could heal by exploring itself.” – Andrew Callaghan

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Nov 29, 2025

Quote of the Day: Regarding traveling through America, rather than abroad: “America could heal by exploring itself.” – Andrew Callaghan

Image by: Diego Jimenez

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?

Good News in History, November 29

This Day In History

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Good News Network

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Nov 29, 2025

126 years ago today, FC Barcelona was founded by a combination of Spanish, Swiss, and English footballers. It has grown to be perhaps the most iconic football club on Earth, with a die-hardest fan base, a mountain of trophies and awards, and a memory bank that contains the on-field artistry of many of the greatest players in the history of the sport. The club today is the fourth-most valuable sports club on Earth, but despite the riches is supporter-owned. READ some notable facts about the club… (1899)

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AI-Guided Robot Plants ‘Baby Corals’ Across the Great Barrier Reef

By

Andy Corbley

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Nov 28, 2025

Coral on the Great Barrier Reef - Toby Hudson CC 3.0.

At the Australian Institute of Marine Science, artificial intelligence is being leveraged to help restore coral reefs after recent bleaching events.

Following the autumn spawning season on the Great Barrier Reef, AIMS scientists are looking to give the corals a helping hand by dropping coral larvae down onto degraded reef segments.

But in an effort that would be “near impossible” to achieve with human decision making and labor alone, a robotic assistant called the Deployment Guidance System (DGS) scans the seafloor and determines the best place for a coral to spawn before dropping small ceramic coral analogues down to within 3 feet of the targeted area.

“The system is not so much one technology as many, brought together in a workflow that improves the yield for our coral seeding efforts,” explains Dr. Ben Moshirian, the project engineer behind the DGS. “The aim is to ensure coral seeding devices are accurately and safely deployed in pre-specified locations.”

Coral seeding has become an urgently targeted science-based practice around the world, with the last 20 years seeing marine scientists finally figure out how to time spawning events, capture coral larvae, and breed them in aquarium tanks.

The ceramic analogues are specially designed to offer protection to juvenile coral while they grow to adulthood, and the system releases the devices from an AIMS vessel at the optimal moment using a deep-learning algorithm informed by years of oceanographic and ecological observations by scientists.

AUSTRALIAN MARINE INNOVATION: Bite-Proof Wetsuit Fabric Almost Entirely Prevents Shark Bite Flesh Wounds

As coral seeding deployments roll out, and the understanding of it evolves, so will the decisions of the DGS to reflect the latest and best knowledge.

“This technology is not about machines replacing humans. It is about humans working with machines, to give our science impact at a scale which was difficult to achieve previously,” Dr. Moshirian said.

CORALY STORIES: Scientists Discover ‘World’s Largest’ Coral –the Size of 5 Tennis Courts

AIMS sees the eventual future of the DGS as being mounted onboard autonomous vessels that could seed coral day and night. Another potential being explored is whether the rather bulky system could make its way onto the boats piloted for tourists, divers, or by Traditional owners.

It would in effect give everyone who loves and relies on the reefs the opportunity to continuously aid in their restoration.

WATCH the system in action below…

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Couple Converts Their Home into ‘Hedgehog Haven’ to Rehabilitate Over 500 Spiky Critters

By

Andy Corbley

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Nov 28, 2025

Sharon and Andy Longhurst - family photo via SWNS

From Scotland comes the story of a couple who have dedicated their hearts and homes to an often helpless critter.

Andy and Sharon Longhurst have helped heal and rehabilitate over 500 European hedgehogs over nearly 3 years, and though they aren’t veterinarians, they can’t help but help when someone brings them a hedgehog.

Called the Burntisland Hedgehog Haven, the Longhursts began in 2023 in the upstairs room in their house, where they were allowed to care for up to 7 hedgehogs without a license in Scotland.

But they quickly realized the need to expand their capacity after word got out there was somewhere to bring an injured hedgehog. Not long after they started, they had to convert their garage.

Following two years of fundraising their own money, they’ve built a treatment ward in their garden, installed an ICU and over 40 rehab cages, as well as taken on 18 volunteers, established 3 rescue centers across Scotland, and even set up an ambulance service.

“Hedgehogs were listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List in 2024 as they have declined between 30-75% in rural areas since the year 2000,” Mrs. Longhurst said. The animals are slow, brown, and have poor eyesight, making them unfortunately vulnerable targets for vehicle strikes and other hazards.

“We were out in the car one day in 2022 and saw a hedgehog out in the day collapsed on a grass verge,” Mr. Longhurst said. “We contacted the SSPCA and they weren’t able to collect, so we drove the hedgehog all the way to the SSPCA Wildlife Center—which was a 50 mile round trip.”

“We leant that there was a guy up in Wormit near St. Andrews that had been doing hedgehog rescue for 25-plus years and was looking for someone to take it over due to ill health,” he said, explaining how they got started. “We went and had a chat with Sandy Boyd and he gave us valuable information and gave some equipment to get us started.”

Parents to three children, the Longhursts were shocked at how quickly the 7 animal-limit was breached.

“If there’s a hedgehog out there that needs help and it’s in pain, I can’t say no, we have to help it,” said Sharon. “We always say we have to draw a line, we cannot take any more but then you get that phone call and we’re like ‘come on, bring it in.”

HELPING ANIMALS IN NEED: 700 Cats Rescued After TikTok User Finds a Texas Tabby–and Rescues a Sanctuary in Trouble

That saw them convert their garage, which had previously served as a playroom for the children, into the second of three eventual wards at the rescue center. The couple later fundraised to build a structure in their garden where the third ward is located.

Andy and Sharon can now care for up to 40 hedgehogs at any one time and have a team of volunteers to help cleaning, weighing, and checking the hedgehogs on a daily basis.

Sharon Longhurst helping a hedgehog – family photo via SWNS

Part of their mission is also to educate the public on how to create a safe space in their own garden. They’ve rescued hedgehogs from practically every malady imaginable, from vehicle strikes to fly larvae infestations, infections, wounds from dogs, wounds from gardening tools, and even one fellow whose spikes got tangled in a soccer net. If they need antibiotics or an x-ray, they’ll send them off to the vet, as they’re not certified for that level of care.

MORE SAINTLY VOLUNTEERS: 90-year-old Who Has Saved Over 10,000 Animals at Sanctuary Has No Plans to Retire

For those who know Scottish geography, their hospital and care covers Edinburgh, The Lothian’s, and Fife, and as far out as Berwick, and Falkirk.

The pair were awarded the BBC Make A Difference Award Highly Commended in the Animal Category last week and recently featured on Channel 5 News as Heroes of The Week.

Last year they also won the ‘Animal All Star’ award out of the whole of the UK, and received a mention in Parliament.

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1,500 Year-Old Reindeer Trap and Hunting Equipment Uncovered in the Ice of Norway’s Mountains

By

Andy Corbley

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Nov 28, 2025

- credit, Thomas Bruen Olsen University Museum of Bergen — - credit, Thomas Bruen Olsen / University Museum of Bergen

A hiker in Norway discovered a one-of-a-kind wild reindeer trap that Iron age inhabitants would have used to catch their dinner en masse.

Alongside the large wooden trap was a trove of hunting supplies and other artifacts, revealing a wealth of information about the culture and organization of early Norwegian society in the far north.

Dating to between 500 BCE and 500 CE, the Norwegian Iron age was characterized by a settlement of various fjords by wealthy individuals and an expansion in the organized hunting of wild reindeer.

Consisting of two parallel fences made of many cut wooden logs, their appearance above an ice sheet startled a local hiker named Helge Titland as he was trekking on the Aurlandsfjellet Plateau high in the mountains of Norway’s Vestland County in 2024.

The age of the newly-defrosted wood and the piles of reindeer antlers gave Titland the impression of antiquity, and so he called the Museum of Bergen to come investigate.

Excavations revealed that the reindeer kill trap aided hunters by funneling the animals through a narrow predictable passage where they could be shot at with arrows. Nearby, excavations revealed piles of reindeer antlers, an iron spear head, arrows, a reindeer-antler brooch, and other artifacts.

Øystein Skår, an archaeologist with Vestland County, said in a statement regarding the discovery that the kill trap is the first wooden mass-capture facility ever found in the ice in Norway—and potentially all of Europe.

– credit, Leif Inge Åstveit / University Museum of Bergen

Archaeology at altitude in Norway is not the same as elsewhere. Freezing temperatures, ice sheets, and year ’round snow fall means that some ancient artifacts remain remarkably preserved. Melting ice allows for their collection, but should they not be found, carbon-based substances like wood will decay rapidly in the open air.

This trove was fortunately found and collected quickly after its defrosting. The quality of preservation is clear in the discovery of a wooden boat oar with intricate details—as clear as if they were made just in the last few decades.

MORE NORDIC ARCHAEOLOGY:

The Aurlandsfjellet Plateau sits some 4,600 feet above sea level, and so the presence of the boat oar was a head scratcher.

As to why the trap was abandoned with the items, the researchers at the University of Bergen hypothesize that a cooler-than-normal period could have resulted in thicker snowfalls which buried the trap beyond recovery.

The artifacts may have been left there by hunters who had the intention to return and use them for hunting, but couldn’t before the whole site was eventually buried by ice.

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