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San Diego’s Leanne Fan, 18, built a device to simulate microgravity and tested red light on injured flatworms; tissue regeneration sped up by 95.2%, helping her win $80,000

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San Diego's Leanne Fan, 18, built a device to simulate microgravity and tested red light on injured flatworms; tissue regeneration sped up by 95.2%, helping her win $80,000

Fan built her own $200 device instead of using NASA’s $50,000 clinostat. (Society for science photo) Leanne Fan, an 18-year-old student from San Diego, has been named a finalist in the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search for her research into wound healing in space. Her project looks at whether red light therapy can help wounds … Read more

South Africa is mining lithium for the green-energy transition; prospecting rights now cover 73,000 hectares, 117 farms and land supporting 30,000 jobs

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South Africa is mining lithium for the green-energy transition; prospecting rights now cover 73,000 hectares, 117 farms and land supporting 30,000 jobs

Mining lithium for batteries is a growing part of South Africa’s plan to use the global shift towards green energy to revive its economy, but now it faces a challenge from thousands of angry farmers who fear losing productive land to open-pit mines. On the southeast coast, where a lithium mine operates and more than … Read more

New York City has a ‘grave of secrets’ where thousands of people come to share their innermost emotions and why

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New York City has a ‘grave of secrets’ where thousands of people come to share their innermost emotions and why

(Pic courtesy: Leandro Justen) We all have skeletons in our closet. Most of us do, if not all. Perhaps it’s a regret you can’t quite shake off, a confession that was never made, or a truth that’s bitter to let go. The thing is, secrets get heavy. They take up space. And they whisper at … Read more

A Maine oyster farm is testing a solar-powered floating conveyor that moves oyster baskets through water and air; one raft is designed for 125,000 oysters a year

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A Maine oyster farm is testing a solar-powered floating conveyor that moves oyster baskets through water and air; one raft is designed for 125,000 oysters a year

3-Dimensional Cultivation of Oysters Automated with Solar Tumbling Engineers and aquaculture experts in mid-coast Maine are testing a solar-powered floating system that could change how oysters are farmed. The platform uses a vertical conveyor to move oyster baskets between coastal waters and the open air.The system, called 3D-COAST (3-Dimensional Cultivation of Oysters Automated with Solar … Read more

Four Renaissance masterpieces stolen from Sicily museum in art heist

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Four Renaissance masterpieces stolen from Sicily museum in art heist

Four Antonello da Messina works stolen in Renaissance painter’s hometown Four works attributed to celebrated Sicilian Renaissance painter Antonello da Messina have been stolen from a regional museum in Messina, Italian media reported Sunday, in a heist carried out during the country’s Ferragosto holiday.The theft took place Saturday evening at the MuMe regional museum, where … Read more

8-year-old boy catches a piranha while fishing with dad at Pennsylvania lake

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8-year-old boy catches a piranha while fishing with dad at Pennsylvania lake

An 8-year-old boy’s unexpected catch during a fishing trip at a lake near Philadelphia has raised concerns about exotic pets being introduced into local waterways.On Saturday morning, Seamus Coffey, 8, reeled in a 2-lb red-bellied piranha, which he initially thought might be a large bass while he was fishing with his dad at a lake … Read more

In 1933, Lincoln’s Crooked House was marked for demolition; work revealed a hidden timber-framed building behind its brick façade and saved it; today it is one of the Cathedral Quarter’s most photographed buildings

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In 1933, Lincoln's Crooked House was marked for demolition; work revealed a hidden timber-framed building behind its brick façade and saved it; today it is one of the Cathedral Quarter's most photographed buildings

Lincoln’s ‘Wonky House’ set for redevelopment after funding secured A demolition order issued in late 1933 was meant to remove a row of ordinary brick terrace houses at the top of Michaelgate in Lincoln. Instead, the first blows from the demolition crew revealed something unexpected: a 16th-century timber-framed building hidden behind the brick exterior. The … Read more

Iran moves to criminalise interviews with US, Israeli media, with prison terms up to 30 years

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Iran moves to criminalise interviews with US, Israeli media, with prison terms up to 30 years

Iran’s parliament has approved the broad framework of legislation that would criminalise engagement with “hostile” foreign media. Iran’s parliament on Sunday approved the broad framework of legislation aimed at tightening restrictions on suspected foreign influence, including proposed criminal penalties for engaging with media outlets considered hostile to the Islamic Republic, Iranian media reported.The bill’s general … Read more

In 1953, Emma Gatewood tried hiking the Appalachian Trail, got lost and was rescued; two years later, at 67, she walked all 2,190 miles alone and made history

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In 1953, Emma Gatewood tried hiking the Appalachian Trail, got lost and was rescued; two years later, at 67, she walked all 2,190 miles alone and made history

In 1953, Emma Gatewood tried hiking the Appalachian Trail, got lost and was rescued When park rangers found 65-year-old Emma Gatewood lost and confused in Maine in 1953 after she broke her glasses on the Appalachian Trail, they advised her to give up and return home. Two years later, at age 67, Gatewood returned to … Read more

Princess Iman welcomes twin daughters Talia and Rania with husband Jameel Alexander Thermiotis, names newborns after Queen Rania; Jordanian royal family celebrates

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Princess Iman welcomes twin daughters Talia and Rania with husband Jameel Alexander Thermiotis, names newborns after Queen Rania; Jordanian royal family celebrates

Princess Iman and Jameel Alexander Thermiotis welcome twin daughters Talia and Rania, bringing double joy to Jordan’s royal family. Princess Iman of Jordan has welcomed twin daughters with her husband, Jameel Alexander Thermiotis, bringing a double celebration to the Jordanian royal family. The newborns arrived on Friday, August 14, and their parents have now revealed … Read more