Buzz
End the week with a smile by reading through some of the most inspiring moments from the past few days. For those craving something a bit more unusual, explore the offbeat list right here.
This week, we celebrate individuals who remind us that age is only a number. A 100-year-old runner took home two gold medals, while a 10-year-old made history as the youngest to conquer El Capitan. In animal news, we follow the baby dugong that captured hearts across the Internet and explore the science behind the charm of 'puppy dog eyes.'
10. A Cleanup for the History Books
Last Saturday, 633 divers suited up at the Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier in Florida, breaking a Guinness World Record for the largest underwater cleanup group ever assembled.
This marks the 15th annual cleanup organized by the Dixie Divers and Deerfield Beach Women’s Club dive shop. The event garnered global attention as participants traveled from Europe and South America to take part.
The location is a well-known fishing hotspot, and divers recovered a significant amount of debris, including plastic, metal, fishing lines, and other trash. The record-breaking effort resulted in the collection of over 9,000 items of waste weighing approximately 1,450 kilograms (3,200 lbs). The city of Deerfield Beach will assist in properly disposing and recycling all the materials.
9. The Medi Teddy
Last week, we learned about Alex Walker, a seven-year-old who is on a mission to make hospitals less frightening for kids by giving them fluffy stuffed animals. This time, we highlight another inventive young girl who came up with a brilliant way to make hospital stays more enjoyable for children. She invented the Medi Teddy, a pouch that transforms the IV bag into a friendly teddy bear.
Ella Casano, a 12-year-old from Connecticut, has idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a condition that requires her to undergo IV treatments every eight weeks. Understandably, frequent transfusions at such a young age made her uneasy about the medical bag suspended from the cold metal pole. But Ella came up with a clever solution to make her IV bag less intimidating: she wrapped it in a stuffed animal pouch.
The back of the pouch allows medical professionals to monitor the medication or blood being administered, while all the child sees is a teddy bear smiling back at them. Soon, Ella and her mother realized that other kids could also benefit from the Medi Teddy, prompting them to file for a patent. They are currently awaiting approval to turn the Medi Teddy into a nonprofit organization.
They also launched a $5,000 fundraising campaign to create and distribute 500 animal pouches to children in hospitals. In just one week, the campaign raised nearly four times its original goal.
8. A Shopping Spree That’s Worth Every Penny
A Canadian couple decided to use the supermarket shopping spree they won in a contest to stock up the Calgary Food Bank’s pantry shelves.
Last Saturday, Chantal Leroux and Ryan Warren were at Bragg Creek Foods, ready to fill their shopping carts with as much food as possible. They had won a shopping spree, and according to the rules, they had 50 seconds to grab items worth up to $500.
The couple made the decision to donate everything they won to the local food bank. Working in the social services sector, Leroux knew firsthand how much it helps people in need. To maximize their time, they came up with a plan. As Warren dashed through the aisles, he focused on non-perishable items and other high-demand goods like diapers.
In the end, Warren managed to collect nearly $600 worth of groceries, but the company behind the contest agreed to donate the full amount. Additionally, the couple raised $1,500 from local businesses, which they also donated to the food bank along with the groceries.
7. Introducing Marium
Meet Marium, the latest internet sensation. This baby dugong, currently under the care of Thai marine biologists, is five months old. She became separated from her mother and was found lost off the southern coast of Thailand.
The internet collectively swooned when they saw heartwarming images and videos of Marium being lovingly cared for by her rescuers. The young dugong was first discovered alone in April on the shores of Ko Poda Island. Initially, wildlife officials attempted to release Marium back into a dugong habitat, but she didn’t take to it and swam off.
Currently, Marium resides near a different habitat, but she doesn’t join the dugong group. Instead, she swims directly to her caretakers who feed her as many as 15 times a day.
It’s evident from her behavior that Marium has developed a bond with humans, though she also seems drawn to the bottoms of canoes. This attraction is likely because the shape of the canoes resembles that of dugongs. There’s hope that Marium will eventually return to the wild as a free-roaming dugong, but since she belongs to a vulnerable species, the priority remains her survival.
6. A Special Birthday Party for a Beloved Regular
In West Covina, California, a doughnut shop threw a surprise birthday celebration for one of its most devoted customers, a World War II veteran marking his 99th year.
Thomas House shared that Rainbow Donuts “became [his] home” after the passing of his wife 10 years ago. He’s become such a familiar face that he has his own seat and a photo on the wall. So, it was only fitting that his friends and family threw him a surprise birthday at his favorite spot.
The celebration also served as a farewell gathering for House. He will soon be moving to San Diego to receive better care from his family following a recent fall. However, the veteran promised he would return for his 100th birthday, and when he does, the coffee and doughnuts will be on him.
5. Stop Giving Me That Look
Researchers from the UK and the US have confirmed that “puppy eyes” are a genuine expression and that dogs developed this look specifically to bond with humans.
A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that dogs possess a small facial muscle which enables them to make a particular face that triggers a “nurturing response” from humans.
Earlier research showed that we are naturally drawn to “puppy eyes,” likely because they resemble an infant’s face, which awakens our protective instincts. One study even suggested that this expression is specifically designed for humans, as dogs tend to use it when people are nearby.
This new study provides evidence that there’s an anatomical reason behind the expression. Dogs evolved a new muscle in their forehead, known as the levator anguli oculi medialis (LAOM), after being domesticated from wolves. This muscle enables them to make that heart-melting expression we can’t resist, helping them get whatever they want from us.
4. Boy vs. Leopard
A teenager is being hailed as a hero in the village of Karpatwadi, located in the Thane district of India, after he fought a leopard to save his younger cousin.
Last Friday afternoon, 14-year-old Naresh Kaluram Bhala was on his family’s farm with his cousin, Harshad, who is half his age. The two were picking blackberries when suddenly, a leopard jumped out from the bushes. The animal first attacked Naresh and knocked him to the ground, but then it shifted its focus to Harshad, who was much smaller.
Refusing to back down, Naresh quickly got back on his feet and began throwing rocks at the animal. He then charged at the leopard with a stick, eventually forcing it to release its grip on Harshad. The boys raised the alarm, prompting their grandmother to run to their aid, wielding a sickle and chasing the leopard away. Fortunately, Harshad suffered only minor injuries.
3. Hurricane Coming Through
The 2019 National Senior Games are happening this week in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the remarkable age of 103, Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins has broken a new track and field record, becoming the oldest woman to compete in a US track event.
Hawkins embarked on her racing journey when she turned 100, thinking it would be fun to run a 100-yard dash. In just a few years, she has achieved multiple milestones. By the time she reached 102, she had already set three world records, including the fastest time in the 100-meter dash for her age group.
Not satisfied with just being the oldest competitor, "Hurricane" took home two gold medals in the 50- and 100-meter races at this year’s games. She attributes her success to the conditioning she gets from gardening in her home state of Louisiana.
2. Ear Today, Gone Tomorrow
Florida police managed to reunite a man with his prosthetic ear, which he had lost while vacationing in the Tampa Bay area.
The incident occurred last Saturday after the “World’s Strongest Man” competition on Anna Maria Island. Once the event concluded and the crowd had dispersed, a local resident found an ear buried in the sand. Though it appeared to be real, it was actually a highly valuable prosthetic, worth thousands of dollars. The finder took it to the Holmes Beach Police Department.
Authorities shared a picture of the ear online, and it quickly went viral, reaching thousands of people. Their efforts were successful, and the right person was able to claim the prosthetic.
In a recent update, Sergeant Brian Hall shared that a woman from Beaufort, South Carolina, reached out to report that the prosthetic ear belonged to her husband. While swimming, he had placed the ear in his pocket, but a wave swept it away. Florida police promptly mailed the ear to its rightful owner.
1. The Best View
Selah Schneiter, a 10-year-old girl, has made history as the youngest person ever to summit El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California.
Once deemed impossible to ascend, El Capitan was first conquered in 1958. Since then, it has become one of the world’s most sought-after climbs. The iconic route, “The Nose,” is especially popular among free climbers.
Selah completed the same route in five days, accompanied by her father, Mike Schneiter, and family friend Mark Regier. The path they chose involved a nearly 915-meter (3,000 ft) vertical rock formation with 31 distinct pitches, each representing a separate section of the climb.
Upon reaching the summit, Selah honored a climbers' tradition by approaching a specific tree and tagging it. Then, overcome with joy, she broke into “happy tears.” Afterward, she eagerly embraced her inner child, wanting to explore everything atop the granite monolith. Already, the 10-year-old has expressed her eagerness to climb El Capitan once more.
