Buzz
As the week wraps up, Mytour is the ideal destination to catch up on the major stories you might have missed. Discover the quirky and out-of-the-ordinary tales in the offbeat list. If you're in the mood for something more uplifting and motivating, we've got that covered too.
This week features several heartwarming animal tales, including a courageous rescue of a dog from drowning, a chicken with a 3-D printed leg, and a groundbreaking brain surgery performed on a kakapo for the first time. Other stories include a young girl aspiring to train dragons, a boy enchanted by opera, and a veteran showing his support for fellow soldiers.
10. A Concept That’s For the Birds
How did the one-legged chicken make it across the road? With the help of a 3-D-printed prosthetic leg designed by eighth-grade students.
Admittedly, the punchline could use some polishing, but that doesn't make the story any less true. Briannah Miller, an eighth-grade student from East Lycoming School District in Pennsylvania, owns a pet blue Silkie chicken named 'Blue.' Last fall, a raccoon broke into the Millers' chicken coop and attacked the birds. Though Blue survived, she was left with a leg injury.
Briannah's STEM class teacher, Brandi Dillon, heard about Blue's injury and saw it as a perfect project for the class. The students used a design software called Tinkercad to create models of a prosthetic leg for the chicken. They selected the best design, printed it using a 3-D printer, and fitted it onto Blue.
So far, the Silkie chicken has adapted well to her new prosthetic. Briannah is happy to have her companion back, and her STEM class plans to keep refining the leg to improve the fit.
9. How to Train Your Dragon
New Zealand has been shaken by a political scandal after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed an attempted bribery to persuade her government to finance dragon research.
The prime minister shared a series of letters with an 11-year-old named Victoria, who dreamed of becoming a dragon trainer. Victoria believed telekinetic powers were essential for her goal and wanted to know what progress the New Zealand government had made in those areas. She even enclosed a NZ$5 banknote as 'entertainment' to expedite the process.
Ardern replied on official letterhead, explaining that, regrettably, her administration was not researching either telekinesis or dragons. She wished the young girl luck in her pursuits and returned the bribe money.
8. Birthday Boy Becomes Dog Deliverer
A man left his own birthday celebration to leap into New York’s East River and save a drowning dog.
Gabe Castellanos was dining at a waterfront restaurant with friends when he spotted a dog struggling in the water. The dog was clearly in distress. Castellanos immediately abandoned the celebration, put on a life jacket, and jumped into the river to rescue the dog.
The dog, a two-year-old female named Harper, had been out for a walk with her pet sitter, who was struck by a taxi that ran through a stop sign. The sitter was unharmed, but the incident frightened Harper, causing her to run straight into the East River.
When Castellanos reached her, the dog was still panicked and bit his hand, scratching his face, even chipping one of his teeth in the process.
Despite the injuries, Castellanos remained determined. He grabbed Harper’s collar tightly and guided her toward safety. He bore no ill will toward the dog, saying he 'needed teeth work anyway.'
7. A Night at the Opera
After nearly a week of searching, the Handel & Haydn Society successfully tracked down the child who had exclaimed 'wow' after hearing a performance of Mozart's Masonic Funeral Music.
Two Sundays ago, the orchestra performed at Boston's Symphony Hall. As the Mozart piece concluded, there was a brief pause before a young concertgoer enthusiastically exclaimed 'wow,' captivated by the performance.
Handel & Haydn Society President David Snead and conductor Harry Christophers were thrilled by the boy’s heartfelt response. They worked together with several local radio stations to locate him.
The young boy was recognized as Ronan Mattin, a nine-year-old from New Hampshire who was at the performance with his grandfather, Stephen. Ronan has autism and seldom speaks, but on this occasion, he was utterly captivated by the show.
Snead mentioned that he plans to arrange a Skype call between Ronan and Harry Christophers, who is back in England. Additionally, when the 2019–2020 season kicks off in October, Ronan and his family will have front-row seats for another Mozart concert and will also have the opportunity to meet the musicians backstage.
6. How A Bird Came Back From The Dead
A new study in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society reveals that the Aldabra rail, an extinct bird species, was resurrected through a rare case of iterative evolution.
This isn't a typical case of a Lazarus species where a creature believed to be extinct is rediscovered. The Aldabra rail was once completely eradicated, but through the process of iterative evolution, the species re-emerged from the same ancestral line at a later time.
The Aldabra rail is a subspecies of the white-throated rail, which is native to Madagascar. This rail is known for its ability to colonize rapidly, and whenever its population increases, large groups venture to new, more fertile areas.
One group of rails made its way to the Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean. With an abundance of food and no natural predators, the birds decided to settle there. Over tens of thousands of years, they evolved to become flightless, thus giving rise to the Aldabra rail. Unfortunately, 136,000 years ago, the island was submerged, causing the extinction of the Aldabra rail.
Researchers from the University of Portsmouth discovered fossils of the bird from both before and after the island's flooding. Long after this event, the conditions once again became favorable for the species to reappear.
The white-throated rail once more departed from Madagascar and arrived at the atoll. It lost the ability to fly again and evolved into the Aldabra rail as we know it today. Coauthor David Martill called this the most remarkable example of iterative evolution ever observed in birds.
5. Hugo And Pals
Sometimes a dog simply wants to spend time with their friends. This was exactly the case with Hugo, a pup who ran away from home and decided to take a trip across town to visit his pals at his doggy daycare.
Hugo is a frequent guest at the Happy Tails Pet Hotel and Playland in St. Ann, Missouri. It seems he enjoys it there, as he made an impromptu visit last week. He dashed away from home and traveled approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) to reach the daycare. Thankfully, he arrived without incident.
Surveillance footage from Happy Tails captured the moment when an employee opened the door. This gave a thrilled Hugo the chance to race inside and reunite with his furry friends.
4. Karate Kid Kicks Again
The inspiring video of the week features Phoenix Swonger, a five-year-old martial arts student who conquered a tough challenge with the support and encouragement of his entire class.
A video showcasing Phoenix’s struggle and triumph was posted online by his mother, Claudia, and quickly amassed millions of views. In the video, the karate kid is attempting his yellow belt test at Bobby Dixon’s American Martial Arts Academy in Orlando, Florida. A key part of the test involved Phoenix trying to break a board with a heel kick.
Throughout his attempts to split the board, occasional words of support can be heard. After several failed tries, Phoenix becomes overwhelmed and starts to cry. It is at this moment that the other students step in, chanting his name in unison to lift his spirits.
With newfound determination, Phoenix tries again, and this time, he successfully breaks the board. The entire class erupts in cheers and celebration.
3. Bird Brain Surgery
For the first time in history, veterinarians in New Zealand successfully performed brain surgery on a kakapo, saving the life of a 56-day-old chick.
Despite being the world's heaviest parrot and critically endangered, the kakapo has received some good news lately. Just last month, it was reported that the species had its most successful breeding season to date. Now, doctors have managed to save one of the chicks, which had a hole in its skull.
The chick, named Espy 1B, was born on Codfish Island and raised by the Kakapo Recovery Team. One day, rangers noticed an unusual lump on Espy 1B's head. The bird was flown to the Wildbase Hospital at Massey University for treatment.
Upon examination, the veterinarians discovered that only a thin layer of tissue was shielding the brain where the hole had formed. The kakapo was in danger of part of her brain protruding. Surgery was required to rectify the issue.
This type of surgery had never been performed in avian medicine. Medical experts adapted methods used for human and mammal surgeries and successfully executed the procedure. According to Wildbase officials, Espy 1B is now making an 'incredible recovery.'
2. A Long-Lost Artifact Found
This week, the Netherlands marked the 400th anniversary of the passing of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, one of the nation’s most renowned statesmen. In what has been called a 'small miracle,' Dutch scholars have rediscovered Van Oldenbarnevelt’s diary, which had been lost for two centuries.
The statesman played a crucial role in the Dutch rebellion against Spain and the eventual creation of the Dutch Republic. After a dispute with Maurice of Nassau, he was arrested and executed on May 13, 1619.
During the eight months he was confined, Van Oldenbarnevelt's movements were severely limited. However, his devoted servant, Jan Francken, was permitted to visit. Francken secretly smuggled in writing materials and documented the events leading up to his master's execution.
The 40-page manuscript became an important historical record. However, two centuries later, it mysteriously vanished. The final known record of its existence was in 1825, when a pastor hand-copied it for public distribution.
It now appears that the diary has been rediscovered. The Royal Library in The Hague has confirmed its authenticity. Like many historical artifacts, it had been privately held for centuries, with the owner unaware of its significance.
The diary is currently displayed at the Flehite Museum in Van Oldenbarnevelt’s hometown of Amersfoort, where it is shown alongside the sword that executed him.
1. Veterans Supporting Veterans
A 71-year-old veteran from Massachusetts embarked on a 4,830-kilometer (3,000 mi) journey across the United States to shed light on the challenges faced by American veterans.
William Shuttleworth was inspired to undertake this trek after working in a California park the previous year. During his time there, he encountered numerous veterans who were forced to live in the park, struggling with homelessness and financial hardship.
Though in his seventies, Shuttleworth is a seasoned hiker and continues to walk about 32 kilometers (20 mi) daily. He decided the time was right to make a difference while his health still allowed it.
Shuttleworth began his journey, which he has dubbed 'Vets Don’t Forget Vets,' in Newburyport, Massachusetts, on May 15. He anticipates the trek will take about seven months, concluding at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California.
Along the way, Shuttleworth plans to engage with veterans, their families, and local officials. His goal is to raise awareness about crucial issues such as improving medical care, increasing veteran representation in public office, and addressing homelessness among veterans.
