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For some, Christmas brings joy, gift exchanges, and festive feasts. For others, it can be a tough time. We're here to help by offering a collection of heartwarming, uplifting, and humorous stories to bring a smile to your face. If you're more into quirky tales, check out our offbeat list here.
This week, we share a few miraculous Christmas moments: an incredible escape, some kindhearted Santas, and a showdown that culminates in a song. Plus, 2019 is shaping up to be a groundbreaking year for space exploration if the current pace continues.
10. New Horizons Reaches Out
New Horizons sent a signal to NASA, confirming that it successfully completed a flyby of Ultima Thule, the farthest celestial object ever explored by humanity.
The probe established contact with Earth on January 1. It took the radio signal six hours and eight minutes to travel the roughly 43 astronomical units (AU) or 6.5 billion kilometers (4 billion miles) that separate our world from the distant trans-Neptunian object in the Kuiper Belt.
The communication included primarily technical data. It also contained our first, albeit very blurry, image of Ultima Thule, which resembled a bowling pin. A subsequent, clearer image revealed the space object to be a ‘red snowman,’ consisting of two spherical objects—one smaller than the other—that are joined together, with a reddish tint due to radiation exposure in the Kuiper Belt.
Scientists remain somewhat cautious, as they are uncertain whether the New Horizons camera was perfectly aligned with the space object when it captured the high-resolution images. Due to the slow transfer speed, the first high-res photo is expected to arrive sometime in February. Scientists anticipate that retrieving all the data collected by New Horizons will take until September 2020.
9. A Revolutionary Weapon Against Superbugs
Researchers have discovered a new strain of bacteria in ancient Irish soil that shows promise in combating some of the world’s most notorious antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
An international group of scientists from Wales, Northern Ireland, Brazil, and Iraq, working out of Swansea University Medical School, studied soil that has long been known for its medicinal qualities. The soil was sourced from the Boho Highlands in Northern Ireland.
Dr. Gerry Quinn, one of the researchers, grew up in the area and was aware that the soil had been used for various remedies. However, he was unaware of the specific ‘magical’ substance responsible for its healing powers.
The research team identified a new strain of bacteria, which they named Streptomyces sp. myrophorea. Most notably, they found that the strain can inhibit the growth of four of the top six antibiotic-resistant pathogens listed by the World Health Organization as major contributors to healthcare-associated infections, including MRSA.
Antibiotic resistance has become an escalating concern in recent years, as conventional treatments are increasingly failing to combat superbugs. The team is currently continuing their analysis of the bacteria to identify the specific component that targets the pathogens.
8. Boy Survives Avalanche
A young boy had a miraculous escape after being trapped in an avalanche, spending 40 minutes buried under snow before being rescued.
Last week, a 12-year-old boy, whose identity remains unknown, was spending Christmas at the La Plagne ski resort in Bourg Saint-Maurice, located in the French Alps. While skiing off-piste with a group, a massive snow slide detached and swept down the mountain, with the boy being the only one caught in the avalanche.
The boy was carried over 100 meters (328 feet) by the snow, and unfortunately, his jacket didn’t have an avalanche detector. Rescue teams brought in sniffer dogs, and after 40 minutes, they were able to locate him.
Rescue teams initially deemed his survival chances minimal after being buried for 15 minutes under the snow. Remarkably, the boy was found unharmed. He was taken to a local hospital for a precautionary checkup, but there were no injuries. He was incredibly fortunate that the snow didn’t obstruct his airways. Police Captain Patrice Ribes called his survival 'another gift' just a day after Christmas.
7. A Bright Beginning For Right Whales
The year concluded with a piece of good news for animal enthusiasts. Whale watchers reported the first calf sighting of the season for the North Atlantic right whale, following a season with no calves observed at all.
This species of whale is critically endangered, with only about 410 individuals remaining, of which only around 70 are females capable of breeding. As a result, the absence of calf sightings during the previous birthing season was disappointing but not entirely unexpected.
The 2018–19 season appears to be more promising. Observers from Coastwise Consulting, aboard the Bayport dredge, spotted a calf near the entrance to the St. Johns River in Florida. Its mother had been observed five days earlier off the coast of Georgia.
Another promising sign is that this might not be the only calf of the season. In December, several other females were seen in the same area, and five of them appeared to be pregnant.
6. ‘White Christmas’ Leads to Peaceful Surrender
A SWAT negotiator peacefully ended a standoff with an armed man by singing “White Christmas” to him.
Last week, 34-year-old Nathaniel Lewis barricaded himself inside his home in East Vincent Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Police had gone to check on him after a family member reported concerning behavior. Lewis had recently separated from his wife. When officers saw that he was armed, they called in SWAT.
What ensued was a tense standoff that stretched over nine hours. At one point, Lewis began firing at police officers, who returned fire. Thankfully, no one was hurt. The only damage occurred to the SWAT armored vehicle, a nearby house, and a parked car.
In the early morning hours, a SWAT negotiator successfully persuaded Lewis to surrender, but not before he made an unusual request. The gunman asked the officer to sing “White Christmas” to him.
The negotiator obliged, and his performance of the classic carol was enough to coax the shooter out of his house. Later, the district attorney’s office arrived on the scene, with DA Tom Hogan bringing Christmas cookies for all the police officers.
5. Kidney Kindness
A woman has generously donated a kidney to her ex-husband, whom she divorced nearly two decades ago.
Mary Ziegler from St. Cloud, Minnesota, has proven that amicable divorces are possible. She married Bill Henrichs when she was just 18. The couple stayed together for 24 years and had two children.
However, they separated 20 years ago, and Henrichs later remarried a woman named Linda. After a breakup, many couples claim they will remain friends, but few truly manage it without some lingering resentment.
This situation seems to be an exceptional case. Ziegler said she never felt her ex-husband abandoned his family. Even after Henrichs remarried, she described his new wife as merely 'joining' the family.
So when Ziegler learned that her ex-husband needed a kidney and that she was a suitable match, she saw the donation as no more complicated than being asked to help rake the leaves. Mary Ziegler hopes her actions will inspire others to reconsider their attitudes towards their former spouses.
4. No Humping In Grafenwoehr
US soldiers stationed in Germany received an unexpected Christmas gift when they were informed they could once again engage in cuddling and lap dances.
On December 17, American troops at the Grafenwoehr Training Area (GTA) in Bavaria received a directive that prohibited sexual intercourse. The memo served as a reminder that their main responsibility was to clean and repair vehicles and equipment to be shipped back to Fort Hood, Texas.
The memo quickly gained attention online, not only for its stringent limitations but also for the detailed list of prohibited actions. It not only banned sexual intercourse but also any behavior “intended to sexually gratify anyone within the Grafenwoehr Training Area.”
The memo went on to clarify what constituted sexual intercourse, outlining acts such as genital-to-genital, oral-to-genital, anal-to-genital, and oral-to-anal intercourse. It also banned other activities including kissing, humping, rubbing, grinding, cuddling, and lap dancing.
Interestingly, the directive was addressed to a specific battalion, though their name was redacted, leaving one to wonder what kind of mischief they were involved in. Regardless, the ban was lifted nine days later, allowing the troops at GTA to resume sexual activity.
3. Surprise Donation
A year ago, social worker Alan Naiman passed away, leaving the majority of his wealth to charity. Known for his frugality, his passing shocked many when they learned he had quietly accumulated a fortune of $11 million.
Naiman took his frugality to extreme lengths, viewing it as more of a game or challenge. He would purchase clothes from grocery stores, dine at inexpensive eateries, and even wore shoes patched up with duct tape. His one indulgence was a Scion FR-S sports car, though it was far more modest than what he could have bought. Instead, Alan chose a simple, modest lifestyle and directed his wealth toward charities that could make a real difference.
A large portion of Naiman’s wealth came from an inheritance. There was a time when he considered using his funds to travel or upgrade his living situation, but after receiving a cancer diagnosis, those plans were put on hold. Following that, he dedicated himself to researching charities that would benefit from his fortune.
Among the organizations that received donations were the Pediatric Interim Care Center, Childhaven, Make-A-Wish, and Treehouse. Naiman had supported these charities during his lifetime, but the majority of his wealth was left to them in his will. A close friend shared that Alan became excited thinking about the good his contributions would do “when the time came.”
2. Exploring The Far Side Of The Moon
Thursday marked a historic achievement for space exploration as the Chinese Chang’e 4 spacecraft became the first to successfully land on the far side of the Moon.
Details about the mission were initially kept under wraps, but the lander made a successful landing and quickly transmitted its first images. Twelve hours later, the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) deployed the Jade Rabbit 2 rover to explore the Moon's surface and collect samples.
China’s state news agency, Xinhua, also reported that the probe is carrying cotton, rapeseed, potatoes, yeast, fruit flies, and an Arabidopsis plant (thale cress) to create a mini-biosphere designed to grow the first flower on the Moon.
The far side of the Moon, often referred to as the “dark side,” is inaccurately named. In reality, the Moon is tidally locked with Earth, meaning one side is always out of our sight. However, it still receives sunlight and goes through the same phases of illumination as the side we can see.
Landing on the far side posed several challenges. The spacecraft and CNSA were unable to communicate directly and instead relied on a satellite called Queqiao (“Magpie Bridge”) to relay messages. There were times when Chang’e 4 had to function autonomously, as it couldn’t be remotely controlled. The lander safely touched down in the South Pole–Aitken basin, one of the largest known impact craters in the solar system.
1. Introducing Bob The Bike Guy
A man given a terminal diagnosis decided to spend whatever time he had left giving back by donating and refurbishing bicycles for underprivileged children.
Bob Charland, once a nightclub bouncer in Springfield, Massachusetts, had been severely injured in fights and suffered brain damage. Last year, doctors discovered a cyst and tumor in his brain, revealing that his 45-year-old brain resembled that of someone twice his age. The damage was irreversible, and his prognosis was grim.
After receiving this news, Bob considered reaching out to an assisted suicide organization. But then, around the same time, a counselor from a low-income school called asking if he had any old bicycles for donation. Bob had a few spare bikes, which sparked a realization: he could spend his remaining time making a difference for others.
In just over a year and a half, Charland has invested $10,000 of his own funds into buying old bicycles. He restores them, makes them look brand new, and then gifts them to children in need. Through his nonprofit organization, Pedal Thru Youth, he has donated approximately 1,000 bikes.
In addition to his bike repairs, Bob serves as an on-call deputy with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department. Many of the children he gives bikes to live in high-crime areas, so he spends extra time with them, working to strengthen the relationship between these communities and local law enforcement.
