In 1816, Kentucky Shakers built a dwelling where newcomers learned about the community; the last surviving North Lot building is now getting a $1.5M restoration to reopen by 2029

Shaker believers in Mercer County began dismantling a frame house on December 16, 1816, to build a new dwelling about a mile northeast of their village centre. The move was deliberate. The Shaker community was growing, and they needed a proper place for new converts to live and learn about Shaker life. The new building…

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In 1999, James Cameron bought a 102-acre California ranch for $4.4 million. 24 years later, the $33 million estate revealed a life far beyond Hollywood | World News

James Cameron bought his 102-acre California ranch in 1999 for about $4.4 million, creating a private retreat far removed from Hollywood’s usual celebrity lifestyle. Set within the secluded Hollister Ranch on Santa Barbara County’s Gaviota Coast, the property became a family home, writing retreat, working farm and base for the filmmaker’s interest in deep-sea exploration…

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Volunteers spent 16 years restoring a damaged Arizona desert; 133 native plant species now thrive where invasive grass once ruled |

An 18-acre stretch of Arizona desert that was once heavily disturbed and overrun by invasive buffelgrass has been transformed through 16 years of sustained restoration work by volunteers and conservation partners. The Waterman Restoration Project, located on Bureau of Land Management land within Ironwood Forest National Monument near Marana, began in 2010 after earlier attempts…

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In 2017, USGS released 72.57 kg of red dye into Idaho’s Kootenai River in 90 seconds; aircraft 1,000 metres above mapped the plume in 0.5-metre pixels to study river dispersion

An aircraft followed the plume from above (Representational AI image) In September 2017, the US Geological Survey (USGS) carried out an unusual experiment on Idaho’s Kootenai River. Researchers released 72.57 kg (160 pounds) of Rhodamine WT dye into the river and then followed its movement through the water. The aim was to understand how a…

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In 1992, a partnership began rebuilding Lake Havasu’s declining fish habitat; 90 acres of artificial habitat helped improve about 875 acres of coves, with habitat now created across 124 coves

During its first decade, the partnership installed approximately 90 acres of artificial habitat, improving about 875 acres of cove complexes. Lake Havasu is famous for striped bass, redear sunfish, world-class fishing tournaments and unforgettable days on the water. But beneath that success is a decades-long conservation effort that many visitors never see. For more than…

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In Gateshead, water trapped 150 metres below the city in abandoned coal mines now heats 350 homes and public buildings | World News

Water trapped deep beneath Gateshead is now helping heat hundreds of homes and public buildings, turning former coal mine workings into a source of heat for the city. The water lies around 150 metres below Gateshead town centre, where a 6-megawatt water-source heat pump extracts its heat and feeds it into an existing district heating…

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Before 9/11, families could walk passengers to airport gates; 25 years later a TSA pilot is bringing that back at 13 US airports for PreCheck members

For many travellers, the biggest benefit is spending more time with loved ones before or after a flight. Before 9/11, families could walk passengers to airport gates; 25 years later a TSA pilot is bringing that back at 13 US airports for PreCheck membersPeople flying through Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona can now have family…

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30 Kansas inmates donate $4,267 from their own funds to pay down local children’s lunch debt | World News

Nearly 30 incarcerated men in northwest Kansas have donated $4,267 to help pay down unpaid school meal debt at Norton Community Schools, turning money raised inside a correctional facility into support for children in their local community. Members of Reaching Out From Within, a rehabilitation programme at Norton Correctional Facility, raised $3,810 from their personal…

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In 1981, Australia built its first solar power station at remote White Cliffs; 14 dishes powered a hospital, school, post office and 12 homes, and 45 years later the site is heritage listed

On the edge of the outback in far western New South Wales, a cluster of silver dishes once turned toward the sun, capturing light in a place where the grid had never reached. In 1981, Australia’s first solar power station began operating at remote White Cliffs, using 14 parabolic dishes to generate electricity for a…

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Meet James Taylor, the 14-year-old Welsh football freestyler who taught himself on YouTube, set five Guinness World Records and finished third at a world championship

At 14, James Taylor has already made a name for himself on the international football freestyle circuit. The teenager from Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, recently finished third at the NextGen World Football Freestyle Championships in the Netherlands, adding another achievement to a remarkable record-breaking run. BBC Wales reported on his latest podium finish, while Italian…

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