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Tag: discovery

  • PHOTOS: 66 million-year-old dinosaur ‘mummy’ skin was actually a perfect clay mask

    In the badlands of eastern Wyoming, the Lance Formation is a trove of prehistoric fossils. And one area in particular — a region less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) across — has provided scientists with at least half a dozen remarkably well-preserved dinosaur specimens complete with details of scaly skin, hooves and spikes.The paleontologist Dr. Paul Sereno and his colleagues dub it “the mummy zone” in a new study that aims to explain why this particular area has given rise to so many amazing finds and define exactly what a dinosaur “mummy” is.In the early 1900s, a fossil hunter named Charles Sternberg found two specimens of a large duck-billed dinosaur, Edmontosaurus annectens, in the Lance Formation. The skeletons were so pristine that Sternberg, along with H.F. Osborn, a paleontologist at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, could make out what appeared to be large swaths of skin with discernible scales and a fleshy crest that seemed to run along the reptile’s neck.Sereno, lead study author and a professor of organismal biology and anatomy at the University of Chicago, described the initial discovery as “the greatest dinosaur mummy — until maybe the juvenile that we found” in the year 2000.Separated by nearly a century, Sereno and his team’s find shared common traits with Sternberg’s: The skeletons were preserved in three-dimensional poses and showed clear evidence of skin and other attributes that don’t usually survive 66 million years in the ground. “Osborn said in 1912 he knew that it wasn’t actual, dehydrated skin, like in Egyptian mummies,” Sereno said. “But what was it?”Whatever it was, “we actually didn’t know how it was preserved,” he said. “It was a mystery.”The new research puts that mystery to rest and can help paleontologists find, recognize and analyze future mummy finds for tiny clues into how giant dinosaurs really looked.A dinosaur death cast in claySereno and his collaborators used CT scanning, 3D imaging, electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy to analyze two Edmontosaurus mummies they discovered in the Lance Formation in 2000 and 2001 — a juvenile and a young adult. “We looked and we looked and we looked, we sampled and we tested, and we didn’t find any” remnants of soft tissue, Sereno said.What the team found instead was a thin layer of clay, less than one-hundredth of an inch thick, which had formed on top of the animals’ skin. “It’s so real-looking, it’s unbelievable,” he said.Whereas Sternberg and Osborn referred to the “impression” of skin in their specimens, Sereno’s paper proposes an alternate term — “rendering” — which he argues is more precise.The study lays out the conditions that would produce such a rendering. In the Late Cretaceous Period, when Edmontosaurus roamed what is now the American West, the climate cycled between drought and monsoon rains. Drought has been determined to have been the cause of death of the original mummy found by Sternberg and described by Osborn, and of other animals whose fossils were found nearby. Assuming the same is true of the new specimens, the carcasses would have dried in the sun in a week or two.Then, a flash flood buried the bodies in sediment. The decaying carcasses would have been covered by a film of bacteria, which can electrostatically attract clay found in the surrounding sediment. The wafer-thin coating of clay remained long after the underlying tissues decayed completely, retaining their detailed morphology and forming a perfect clay mask.“Clay minerals have a way of attracting to and sticking onto biological surfaces, ensuring a molding that can faithfully reproduce the outermost surfaces of a body, such as skin and other soft tissues,” said Dr. Anthony Martin, professor of practice in the department of environmental sciences at Emory University in Atlanta, who was not involved in the research. “So it makes sense that these clays would have formed such fine portraits of dinosaurs’ scales, spikes and hooves.”Dr. Stephanie Drumheller-Horton, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who also was not involved in the study, is an expert in taphonomy, which she described as “the study of everything that happens to an organism from when it dies until when we find it.” She is particularly interested in how these fossils formed.“Dinosaur mummies have been known for over one hundred years, but there has definitely been more emphasis on describing their skin and less on understanding how they fossilized in the first place,” she said via email. “If we can understand how and why these fossils form, we can better target where to look to potentially find more of them.”A detailed portrait of a duck-billed dinosaurTogether, the two more recently unearthed mummies allowed Sereno and his team to create a detailed update of what Edmontosaurus probably looked like.According to their analyses, the dinosaur, which could grow to over 12 meters (40 feet) long, had a fleshy crest along the neck and back and a row of spikes running down the tail. The creature’s skin was thin enough to produce delicate wrinkles over the rib cage and was dotted with small, pebble-like scales.The clay mask revealed that the animal had hooves, a trait previously preserved only in mammals. That makes it the oldest land animal proven to have hooves and the first known example of a hoofed reptile, Sereno said. “Sorry, mammals, you didn’t invent it,” he joked. “Did we suspect it? Yeah, we suspected it had a hoof from the footprints, but seeing it is believing.”

    In the badlands of eastern Wyoming, the Lance Formation is a trove of prehistoric fossils. And one area in particular — a region less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) across — has provided scientists with at least half a dozen remarkably well-preserved dinosaur specimens complete with details of scaly skin, hooves and spikes.

    The paleontologist Dr. Paul Sereno and his colleagues dub it “the mummy zone” in a new study that aims to explain why this particular area has given rise to so many amazing finds and define exactly what a dinosaur “mummy” is.

    In the early 1900s, a fossil hunter named Charles Sternberg found two specimens of a large duck-billed dinosaur, Edmontosaurus annectens, in the Lance Formation. The skeletons were so pristine that Sternberg, along with H.F. Osborn, a paleontologist at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, could make out what appeared to be large swaths of skin with discernible scales and a fleshy crest that seemed to run along the reptile’s neck.

    Sereno, lead study author and a professor of organismal biology and anatomy at the University of Chicago, described the initial discovery as “the greatest dinosaur mummy — until maybe the juvenile that we found” in the year 2000.

    Separated by nearly a century, Sereno and his team’s find shared common traits with Sternberg’s: The skeletons were preserved in three-dimensional poses and showed clear evidence of skin and other attributes that don’t usually survive 66 million years in the ground. “Osborn said in 1912 he knew that it wasn’t actual, dehydrated skin, like in Egyptian mummies,” Sereno said. “But what was it?”

    Whatever it was, “we actually didn’t know how it was preserved,” he said. “It was a mystery.”

    The new research puts that mystery to rest and can help paleontologists find, recognize and analyze future mummy finds for tiny clues into how giant dinosaurs really looked.

    A dinosaur death cast in clay

    Sereno and his collaborators used CT scanning, 3D imaging, electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy to analyze two Edmontosaurus mummies they discovered in the Lance Formation in 2000 and 2001 — a juvenile and a young adult. “We looked and we looked and we looked, we sampled and we tested, and we didn’t find any” remnants of soft tissue, Sereno said.

    What the team found instead was a thin layer of clay, less than one-hundredth of an inch thick, which had formed on top of the animals’ skin. “It’s so real-looking, it’s unbelievable,” he said.

    Whereas Sternberg and Osborn referred to the “impression” of skin in their specimens, Sereno’s paper proposes an alternate term — “rendering” — which he argues is more precise.

    The study lays out the conditions that would produce such a rendering. In the Late Cretaceous Period, when Edmontosaurus roamed what is now the American West, the climate cycled between drought and monsoon rains. Drought has been determined to have been the cause of death of the original mummy found by Sternberg and described by Osborn, and of other animals whose fossils were found nearby. Assuming the same is true of the new specimens, the carcasses would have dried in the sun in a week or two.

    Then, a flash flood buried the bodies in sediment. The decaying carcasses would have been covered by a film of bacteria, which can electrostatically attract clay found in the surrounding sediment. The wafer-thin coating of clay remained long after the underlying tissues decayed completely, retaining their detailed morphology and forming a perfect clay mask.

    “Clay minerals have a way of attracting to and sticking onto biological surfaces, ensuring a molding that can faithfully reproduce the outermost surfaces of a body, such as skin and other soft tissues,” said Dr. Anthony Martin, professor of practice in the department of environmental sciences at Emory University in Atlanta, who was not involved in the research. “So it makes sense that these clays would have formed such fine portraits of dinosaurs’ scales, spikes and hooves.”

    Dr. Stephanie Drumheller-Horton, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who also was not involved in the study, is an expert in taphonomy, which she described as “the study of everything that happens to an organism from when it dies until when we find it.” She is particularly interested in how these fossils formed.

    “Dinosaur mummies have been known for over one hundred years, but there has definitely been more emphasis on describing their skin and less on understanding how they fossilized in the first place,” she said via email. “If we can understand how and why these fossils form, we can better target where to look to potentially find more of them.”

    A detailed portrait of a duck-billed dinosaur

    Together, the two more recently unearthed mummies allowed Sereno and his team to create a detailed update of what Edmontosaurus probably looked like.

    According to their analyses, the dinosaur, which could grow to over 12 meters (40 feet) long, had a fleshy crest along the neck and back and a row of spikes running down the tail. The creature’s skin was thin enough to produce delicate wrinkles over the rib cage and was dotted with small, pebble-like scales.

    mummified dinosaur

    The clay mask revealed that the animal had hooves, a trait previously preserved only in mammals. That makes it the oldest land animal proven to have hooves and the first known example of a hoofed reptile, Sereno said. “Sorry, mammals, you didn’t invent it,” he joked. “Did we suspect it? Yeah, we suspected it had a hoof from the footprints, but seeing it is believing.”

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  • Nobel Prize in physics goes to trio of researchers for discoveries in quantum mechanics

    The 2025 Nobel Prize in physics has been awarded to a trio of scientists – a Briton, a Frenchman and an American – for their ground-breaking discoveries in the field of quantum mechanics.John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis will share the prize “for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantization in an electric circuit,” the Nobel Committee announced Tuesday at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden.The committee praised the laureates for demonstrating that the “bizarre properties of the quantum world can be made concrete in a system big enough to be held in the hand.”Clarke, taking questions at a news conference, said he was “completely stunned” to learn he had won the award.“We had not realized in any way that this might be the basis of a Nobel Prize,” Clarke said of their research in the 1980s at the University of California, Berkeley.Quantum mechanics, which describes how matter and energy behaves at or below the scale of an atom, allows a particle to pass straight through a barrier, in a process called “tunnelling.”But when a larger number of particles are involved, these quantum mechanical effects usually become insignificant. What is true at the microscopic level was not thought to be true at the macroscopic level. For instance, while a single atom could pass through a barrier, a tennis ball – made up of a huge amount of particles – cannot.However, the trio of researchers conducted experiments to show that quantum tunnelling can also be observed on a macroscopic scale.In 1984 and 1985, the trio developed a superconducting electrical system that could pass from one physical state to another, as if a tennis ball could move straight through a barrier and not bounce back.Anthony Leggett, who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 2003, compared the laureates’ work on how quantum mechanics functions on a larger scale to the famous thought experiment of Erwin Schrödinger, another physics laureate.To show the paradoxical nature of quantum mechanics, Schrödinger imagined a cat in a sealed box with a device that releases poison when a radioactive source decays. Because there is no way to observe whether the cat is dead or alive, Schrödinger posited that the cat was both dead and alive simultaneously – just as, in quantum mechanics, a system can exist in multiple states at once until measured.Schrödinger’s thought experiment aimed to show the absurdity of this situation, because quantum mechanics doesn’t make sense on the scale of everyday objects, such as a cat.Leggett argued, however, that the experiments conducted by Clarke, Devoret and Martinis showed that there are phenomena on larger scales that behave just as quantum mechanics predicts.Clarke said their research had helped pave the way for technological advances, such as the creation of the cell phone.“There is no advanced technology used today that does not rely on quantum mechanics, including mobile phones, cameras… and fiber optic cables,” said the Nobel committee.Last year, the prize was awarded to Geoffrey Hinton – often called the “Godfather of AI” – and John Hopfield, for their fundamental discoveries in machine learning, which paved the way for how artificial intelligence is used today.In 2023, the prize went to a trio of European scientists who used lasers to understand the rapid movement of electrons, which were previously thought impossible to follow.The prize carries a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million).

    STOCKHOLM —

    The 2025 Nobel Prize in physics has been awarded to a trio of scientists – a Briton, a Frenchman and an American – for their ground-breaking discoveries in the field of quantum mechanics.

    John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis will share the prize “for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantization in an electric circuit,” the Nobel Committee announced Tuesday at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden.

    The committee praised the laureates for demonstrating that the “bizarre properties of the quantum world can be made concrete in a system big enough to be held in the hand.”

    Clarke, taking questions at a news conference, said he was “completely stunned” to learn he had won the award.

    “We had not realized in any way that this might be the basis of a Nobel Prize,” Clarke said of their research in the 1980s at the University of California, Berkeley.

    Quantum mechanics, which describes how matter and energy behaves at or below the scale of an atom, allows a particle to pass straight through a barrier, in a process called “tunnelling.”

    But when a larger number of particles are involved, these quantum mechanical effects usually become insignificant. What is true at the microscopic level was not thought to be true at the macroscopic level. For instance, while a single atom could pass through a barrier, a tennis ball – made up of a huge amount of particles – cannot.

    However, the trio of researchers conducted experiments to show that quantum tunnelling can also be observed on a macroscopic scale.

    In 1984 and 1985, the trio developed a superconducting electrical system that could pass from one physical state to another, as if a tennis ball could move straight through a barrier and not bounce back.

    Anthony Leggett, who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 2003, compared the laureates’ work on how quantum mechanics functions on a larger scale to the famous thought experiment of Erwin Schrödinger, another physics laureate.

    To show the paradoxical nature of quantum mechanics, Schrödinger imagined a cat in a sealed box with a device that releases poison when a radioactive source decays. Because there is no way to observe whether the cat is dead or alive, Schrödinger posited that the cat was both dead and alive simultaneously – just as, in quantum mechanics, a system can exist in multiple states at once until measured.

    Schrödinger’s thought experiment aimed to show the absurdity of this situation, because quantum mechanics doesn’t make sense on the scale of everyday objects, such as a cat.

    Leggett argued, however, that the experiments conducted by Clarke, Devoret and Martinis showed that there are phenomena on larger scales that behave just as quantum mechanics predicts.

    Clarke said their research had helped pave the way for technological advances, such as the creation of the cell phone.

    “There is no advanced technology used today that does not rely on quantum mechanics, including mobile phones, cameras… and fiber optic cables,” said the Nobel committee.

    Last year, the prize was awarded to Geoffrey Hinton – often called the “Godfather of AI” – and John Hopfield, for their fundamental discoveries in machine learning, which paved the way for how artificial intelligence is used today.

    In 2023, the prize went to a trio of European scientists who used lasers to understand the rapid movement of electrons, which were previously thought impossible to follow.

    The prize carries a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million).

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  • BBC Learning Hub Launches Walking with Dinosaurs Virtual Field Trip Resources

    San Antonio, TX (August 26, 2025)—Over 25 years since Walking with Dinosaurs first stomped across the screen and following its awe-inspiring return this past June, BBC Studios has launched a virtual field trip that brings the wonder of prehistoric discovery directly into grade 3– 6 classrooms around the world. Offering students unprecedented access to dig sites and discoveries, comprehensive new educational resources on the BBC Learning Hub will enrich how students experience paleontology, natural history, and STEM concepts.

    The virtual field trip includes six dinosaur dig sites to “visit,” each with specially chosen video clips from this year’s exciting reimagining of Walking With Dinosaurs. Students can fill out the printable Paleontologist Field Journal as they watch, and complete quizzes about each dig site to explore and imagine the prehistoric past. Fun extras include a “Which Dinosaur Are You?” quiz, links to videos about how to build a dinosaur in Minecraft Education, and an easy-to-use teachers guide. 

    Aligned with national science standards, the new materials are designed to support educators in creating engaging, hands-on learning experiences that inspire the next generation of scientists and paleontologists.

    “The Walking with Dinosaurs virtual field trips let students take the lead. Navigating the prehistoric world on their own fuels their fascination with dinosaurs, and empowers them to experience the scientific process in action,” said Dana Truby, executive director of content and partnerships for BBC Learning. “It’s a resource that makes science come alive.”

    Following the success of previous BBC Earth educational partnerships, including the Planet Earth III and Frozen Planet II Minecraft Education worlds that have reached millions of students globally, these new Walking with Dinosaurs resources continue to demonstrate the power of combining world-class content with innovative educational approaches. The collaboration leverages BBC Studios’ award-winning factual programming expertise alongside PBS’s deep commitment to educational excellence in American classrooms.

    This educational partnership draws from the latest paleontological discoveries featured in the

    Walking with Dinosaurs series. Students will explore the stories of iconic dinosaurs including Spinosaurus, Triceratops, and Lusotitan, while learning fundamental scientific concepts about evolution, ecosystems, and research methodologies. The resources are designed to support diverse learning styles for grades 3–6. 

    BBC Studios and PBS bring unparalleled expertise to this educational initiative. BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC, has a proven track record of creating educational content that reaches global audiences, producing more than 2,800 hours of award-winning programming each year. Their commitment to scientific accuracy and engaging storytelling makes complex topics accessible to learners of all ages. PBS, with more than 330 member stations nationwide, serves as America’s largest classroom, reaching millions of students through PBS Learning Media and providing educators with trusted, high-quality digital content that brings lessons to life.

    “What makes these resources exceptional is how they connect abstract scientific concepts to tangible discoveries students can see and touch,” said Kimmie Fink, Senior Editor of BBC Learning and a former teacher. “When students learn about Triceratops through the lens of actual paleontological fieldwork, they’re not just memorizing facts—they’re thinking like scientists.”

    The resources are designed to address critical needs in STEM education while fostering curiosity about the natural world. By connecting students to real paleontological discoveries and the scientists making them, the materials help bridge the gap between classroom learning and realworld scientific inquiry.

    For educators, the resources offer professionally developed content that saves preparation time and helps them deliver engaging, standards-aligned instruction. The virtual field trip and supporting materials are available at no cost to educators, reflecting the BBC and PBS’s commitment to making high-quality educational content accessible to all students. Teachers and district leaders interested in accessing the Walking With Dinosaurs educational resources can visit the BBC Learning Hub.

    Walking With Dinosaurs is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS app in the United States. BBC Studios owns the global licensing and sales rights for Walking With Dinosaurs.

    BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group with sales of £2.1 billion (2021/22: £1,630 million). Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, the business is built on two operating areas: the global Content Studio, which produces, invests and distributes content globally; and Channels & Streaming, with BBC branded channels, services and joint ventures in the UK and internationally. Around 2,500 hours of award-winning British programmes are made by the business every year, with over 80% of total BBC Studios revenues coming from non-BBC customers including Discovery, Apple and Netflix. Its content is internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who. BBC.com is BBC Studios’ global digital news platform, offering up-to-the-minute international news, in-depth analysis and features. 

    BBC Studios | Website | Press Office | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram |  

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  • Woman opens Airbnb blinds—can’t cope with what she sees: “Really scared”

    An Airbnb guest in Kelowna, British Columbia, says she and her friends were left horrified after making an unexpected discovery at the home they were staying in.

    When Jade, who did not share her surname, and her friends pulled back the drapes, they discovered something unusual—strands of hair pinned to the walls.

    “We noticed the hair as soon as we arrived, which was 11 p.m. on a Thursday evening,” Jade told Newsweek. “It was scary because we were five women alone. At first we were really scared but didn’t really feel we had options to leave since it was so late.”

    According to Jade, the host explained that the hair display had been left behind as part of a prank when the owner’s daughter once lived in the home with friends. “If you zoom in you can see they look like faces. It’s a ‘core memory,’ so they didn’t want to take it down,” she said.

    Pictures from the viral video where the women shared the unusual Airbnb detail.

    @jadenicole10/TikTok

    An Airbnb spokesperson told Newsweek: “Airbnb requires hosts to meet our ground rules on accuracy and cleanliness, and guests can contact us 24/7 in the rare event they encounter an issue. We are in contact with the guest to continue supporting them, and we are taking action to address this with the host.”

    Instead of removing the strands, Jade said the hosts offered paper and tape for the group to cover it up themselves. “They offered to give us paper and tape to cover it up but not take it down. I shared the TikTok so I could validate that it was super insane because the host clearly didn’t think so,” she said.

    She shared the moment on TikTok where it gained more than 2.3 million views, and people shared their reactions in the comments.

    One commenter quipped: “I’d add a lock of my own hair. Confuse whatever serial killer is keeping trophies.”

    Another wrote: “Um, Ma’am, is that a trophy wall? I’ve watched too much true crime for this.”

    Some users thought the strands resembled small faces with mustaches, pointing to shiny pink dots visible above the hair. Others joked that perhaps past guests had carried on the tradition without the owners realizing.

    This isn’t the first time an Airbnb has included something unusual. Earlier this week, a couple shared how they discovered a “hidden” door and “secret” third floor space in their vacation rental.

    While in 2024, a viral post shared the chilling note left in an Airbnb in the Appalachian mountains that prompted the poster to say they were “so scared right now.”

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  • Cat Grooming Challenges: Olga’s Battle With the Brush – Catster

    Cat Grooming Challenges: Olga’s Battle With the Brush – Catster

    Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.

    Brushing your cat’s coat keeps it healthy, reduces shedding, redistributes the natural oil, and sometimes allows you to practice first-aid skills. Veterinarians and behavioral specialists recommend introducing grooming to cats when they’re kittens, and while I agree with their advice, Olga’s early experiences were more violent than beneficial.

    Youthful Aggression

    As a kitten, her oversized head and potbelly gave her a comical appearance, but underneath the cute exterior lay the soul of a psychopath. I let her examine the brush and left it on the couch for a few hours before attempting a grooming session, but my efforts were in vain. After sniffing it and hitting it a few times, she ignored it, which seemed promising since she didn’t consider it a threat.

    However, when I tried to brush her, she curled into a ball and attacked my hand with her sharp teeth and claws. I made several attempts, but grooming a cat is challenging when she doesn’t allow you to touch her back, side, or belly.  She only allowed petting on her neck and head, so I gave up trying to brush her until she became an adult and calmed down.

    This is my special place where I go to get away from Christopher and his grooming brush.

    Early Days of Grooming

    She kept her coat clean as a kitten and never developed mats or tangles. After she was around a year old, I bought a softer brush that was gentler on her light coat. She didn’t attack me but kept trying to eat the brush. Then, I tried bribing her, a positive reinforcement classic, when she behaved after a grooming session.

    I gave her a treat when she sat still for more than a few seconds, and it seemed to work. Subsequent sessions were more productive; eventually, I could brush 2/3rds of her coat without getting injured or frustrated.

    This brush has an exquisite aroma; it smells like me!
    This brush has an exquisite aroma; it smells like me!

    Present-Day Grooming

    Sometimes, I think rewarding for good behavior worked too well. When I brush her fur or trim her nails, she purrs, moves around, and tries to rub her head on my neck. I know purring sounds more appealing than scratching and biting, but at least when she attacked me, she generally stayed in one place.

    She’s not as food-motivated as she was when she was younger, but she gets excited and more affectionate before her feeding times.  I don’t give her treats after grooming or nail-trimming sessions, but she still expects them and continues to use manipulative love to convince me she’s malnourished.

    Luckily, Olga’s thin coat doesn’t require frequent brushing, and her sound-barrier-breaking tongue handles most of the daily maintenance. She only resorts to violence after I trim her front claws and move on to the rear ones. I usually trim one and two before she screams and tries to hit me in the face. I considered buying a hockey mask and Kevlar sleeves to protect myself, but hydrogen peroxide and bandages are more affordable. Besides, she’s too relaxed sometimes, and I like seeing my miniature panther in attack mode. It takes me back to the days of her violent youth.

    You're right, Christopher. My coat looks smoother and shinier after you brush it.
    You’re right, Christopher. My coat looks smoother and shinier after you brush it.

    This article is a part of Christopher and Olga’s series.

    Christopher Bays

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  • A Star Is Born: The Vocal Stylings of Clutch – Catster

    A Star Is Born: The Vocal Stylings of Clutch – Catster

    The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.


    Learn more »

    Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five hilarious cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.

    Yesterday, my neighbor sent me a photo of Clutch peering over the fence from his custom-built catio (my cats aren’t spoiled at all!). The reason he’d spotted the furry little face in the dark was that Clutch had been singing, something he does on a daily basis.

    His vocal gymnastics often follow a meal, as he stretches his legs on the kitchen countertops, walking off a delicious feast, but he can often be heard yodeling in the morning, evening, or in the middle of the day as he patrols his outdoor enclosure. To this day, I haven’t been able to work out the purpose or intended audience of these performances, and I’m starting to believe that Clutch sings for himself.

    Clutch the Attention Seeker
    Clutch the Attention Seeker

    Clutch’s Catalog of Sounds (Pun Intended!)

    Like most cats, Clutch uses a wide variety of sounds, along with the classic ‘meow’ used to communicate with us. Apart from the occasional friendly chip or grumble of irritation, he doesn’t seem to engage in a lot of inter-feline conversation, generally preferring the company of dogs or humans. He uses one meow for a general declaration of hunger, but there is a more urgent, insistent bleating reserved for when he knows there is chicken in the fridge. The singing is something that evolved over time; he hasn’t always been a performer.

    While no one would describe Clutch’s overtures as being classically musical, I have started to suspect that my use of the word ‘singing’ might not be too far off. There is one other time that Clutch belts out a banger, and that’s when I am, too.

    Duet or Dissent?

    I enjoy a good private performance, whether it be in the shower cubicle or kitchen, and I fancy myself to be moderately proficient at karaoke. For a long time, however, I thought that Clutch strongly disagreed. No sooner had I completed the first few bars of a song than Clutch would rush to my side, meowing plaintively. At first, I thought he was complaining, or worried that I was injured, but I’m starting to wonder if he wasn’t attempting to join in, Kenny to my Dolly, Elton to my Kiki Dee, Bradley to my Lady Gaga…

    But perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself.

    Clutch and Karyn: The Next Big Thing
    Clutch and Karyn: The Next Big Thing

    Is Clutch Actually Singing?

    I try not to anthropomorphize too much. Although it’s great to try to empathize with our pets and try to understand the whys and wherefores of their habits and behavior, the reality is that they are motivated by different things than us. However, by applying what we know about feline communication, I don’t think that it’s too farfetched to categorize Clutch’s vocal stylings as singing, and here’s why.

    From what we understand, the classic feline meow, a vocalization used only by domestic cats, evolved alongside their domestication. The sounds typically exchanged between cats are usually a combination of yowls, purrs, chirps, growls, and hisses; they don’t tend to ‘meow’ at one another. From here, we believe that the meow is designed to communicate with us, their human servants, and while we are desperately trying to decipher the meaning behind their ‘words,’ it is far more likely that they are merely echoing back to us what our words sound like to them.

    So if meowing is simply a form of mimicry, could Clutch actually have learned to sing from me? Part of me likes to believe that this is the case, while another part of me hopes that I can carry a tune better than he does! In any event, singing seems to make him happy, so I am happy, too.

    We hope to have his debut album out by Christmas.

    The Incomparable Clutch
    The Incomparable Clutch

    Dr Karyn's paw print signature

    This article is a part of Dr. Karyn’s series with her five hilarious cats.

    Dr. Karyn Kanowski BVSc MRCVS (Veterinarian)

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  • Why Ned & Fred Have Ruined Me For Other Pets – Dogster

    Why Ned & Fred Have Ruined Me For Other Pets – Dogster

    Dr. Karyn Kanowski Photo

    The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.


    Learn more »

    Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my five funny dogs, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred.

    You know those annoying parents who just won’t shut up about their kids? Their profile pictures are of their kids, they’re always showing you photos and videos of their kids, and they assume that everyone is as interested and excited about their kids’ daily lives as they are. Ugh, they are just the worst. And I am one of them…but my kids happen to be two Chihuahuas named Ned and Fred.

    • aka Neddy & Freddy
    • aka The Boyz
    • aka Nederick and Frederick
    • aka Helpless Ned and Broken Fred

    I can finally appreciate how parents feel stressed and worried whenever they are away from their children, and can almost understand why Mr & Mrs Brady ditched their honeymoon because they missed the kids (I can almost understand, I’m not a complete psychopath).

    From left: Bailey, Kodah, Fred, Ned, and PoppyFrom left: Bailey, Kodah, Fred, Ned, and Poppy
    From left: Bailey, Kodah, Fred, Ned, and Poppy

    How My Love (Obsession?) With Chihuahuas Began

    When Potato (Tate), the amazing little rescue dog, joined our family in 2021, he changed our lives and introduced us to the quirky world of Chihuahuas. Sadly, Tate’s time with us was short, and he passed away in the Christmas of 2022, leaving behind a hole in my heart far greater than his physical size.

    In my grief, I found a tiny (and I do mean tiny) glimmer of joy called Ned. Weighing just over one pound, this tiny creature transformed our home with his antics, affection, and helplessness. He endeared himself to anyone he met and immediately took over Tate’s role as Kodah, the Malinois x Shepherd’s, boss and playmate.

    Tate took his role of Kodah's guard and trainer very seriouslyTate took his role of Kodah's guard and trainer very seriously

    Once we’d gone through the period of crate training him overnight – something I recommend all puppy owners implement, as it ensures your little one learns to settle on their own, understands that the world doesn’t end when we leave them, and makes toilet training much easier – he migrated to our bed where he nestles against my chest all night.

    Not long after Ned joined us, we learned that his cousin was in need of a home, so one chi quickly became two. Poor Kodah never knew what hit him!

    Baby Ned with young KodahBaby Ned with young Kodah
    Baby Ned with young Kodah

    Ned & Fred – Eating, Sleeping, or Up To Something

    When Ned and Fred are together, adorable chaos is not far away. These boys sleep hard, eat big, and play, yip, wrestle, and chase like they are being driven by a nuclear power plant. What they lack in physical size, they more than make up for with their individual quirks, enormous personalities, and inexhaustible affection.

    When they’re not burrowing under blankets in search of the perfect snooze spot, or begging for food in the kitchen, they are trying their best to create mischief and mayhem, but luckily for us, everything they do is on a very small scale.

    Incorrigible Ned and FredIncorrigible Ned and Fred

    Chihuahuas Are Small

    Did you know?

    Chihuahuas are small, and Ned is particularly tiny. That means everything about them (apart from the noise they can make!) is also small.

    • Space requirements – small
    • Food bills – small
    • Insurance premiums – small
    • Capacity for damage – small
    • Poops – small
    • Shedding level – small
    • Exercise requirements – small

    Even when they have accidents indoors (which, unfortunately, is one thing these tiny beasts are renowned for), it’s hard to stay mad at such a tiny nugget. What can be problematic, however, is when you find yourself in need of a good enzymatic cleaner to deal with the accumulation of tiny indoor pees that have gone unnoticed. And yet, I can never stay mad at their little faces!

    Small dog = Small poopsSmall dog = Small poops
    Small dog = Small poops

    Chihuahuas Are Needy

    Ask anyone who has known me for more than ten years and they will tell you that I am a cat person; one that loves dogs but will always have cats. Of course, now I have five of each – living the dream!

    One of the things I’ve always liked about cats is that they are low maintenance when compared to dogs. They don’t need to be let out to the toilet, they don’t need to be walked every day, and they don’t jump up and get in your face when they want attention.

    But the independent nature of cats can sometimes make you feel surplus to requirement. A Chihuahua, on the other hand, always seems to be in need of help! Being picked up and carried around is not just welcomed, it is often demanded, and you know that they would not fare too well without you.

    Sleeping BeautiesSleeping Beauties
    Sleeping Beauties

    Constantly Entertained, Loved, and Needed

    Not a day goes by when I don’t find myself losing time just gazing at a sleeping Ned and Fred, or laughing as they run amok. Not a day goes by when I don’t feel loved and needed by them. And not a day goes by that I don’t feel incredibly grateful that Tate needed a home, and showed me what I had been missing. No matter where I go or what I do in the future, I know that I will do it with a Chihuahua by my side.

    What about you? Is there a pet that has changed your life like Potato, Ned & Fred have changed mine? Let me know in the comments section below.

    Dr. Karyn paw signatureDr. Karyn paw signature

    This article is a part of Dr. Karyn’s series with her five dogs.

    Dr. Karyn Kanowski, BVSc MRCVS (Vet)

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  • 3 key opportunities to address education’s biggest challenges

    3 key opportunities to address education’s biggest challenges

    Key points:

    While most students say they are eager to learn and say they feel a strong sense of belonging in school, teachers still face challenges that slow improvements in student engagement and learning outcomes, according to a new report from Discovery Education.

    Teachers are eager to embrace changes that produce positive outcomes, but major barriers to those outcomes remain, according to The Education Insights Report by Discovery Education.

    The report reveals key areas of opportunity for addressing student engagement and captures prevailing attitudes and beliefs from superintendents, teachers, parents, and students.

    Three focus areas emerged in the report:

    1. All stakeholders must foster student engagement to motivate curiosity, inspire exploration, and activate effective learning. Research shows that students who are engaged are more likely to find learning interesting and empowering. Sixty-eight percent of teachers say that getting students excited about learning is a top challenge for them. What’s more, almost all teachers and students (94 percent) agree that curiosity is key to unlocking learning, but 80 percent of students say there are not enough opportunities to be curious. Students must be appropriately challenged in their learning, and prioritizing curiosity and exploration can fuel student engagement.

    2. Career exploration and 21st-century skill development are increasingly critical because teachers, parents, and students feel concerned about students’ preparedness for the future as the workforce evolves. When students see how their current studies connect to potential career paths, they are more likely to be motivated and invested in their education. This integration of curiosity-driven learning and practical exploration of future opportunities guides students toward both academic and career success. Sixty-seven percent of students worry that their education is not evolving to meet future workforce needs. Seventy-four percent of superintendents believe student preparedness for job opportunities has improved compared to five years ago, while only 41 percent of teachers agree. As educators work to engage and motivate students, survey findings suggest they must sharpen their focus in two key areas to better prepare students for the future–career readiness and developing interpersonal skills.

    3. Providing more targeted support for teachers and students can increase confidence and improve outcomes. Studies show that teachers who feel supported are more likely to experience job satisfaction and remain in the profession longer, creating a more stable and effective learning environment for students. Research consistently shows that personalized learning approaches–where
    instruction is tailored to students’ unique strengths, needs, and interests–lead to better academic outcomes, increased engagement, and higher levels of motivation.

    “While The Education Insights Report by Discovery Education found that students, parents, teachers, and superintendents have a generally positive outlook about the current state of education, it also found there are hurdles to overcome,” said Brian Shaw, Discovery Education’s CEO. “Educators have concerns about keeping students engaged, and students feel uncertain about their preparedness for the future. Discovery Education’s goal with this research is to spotlight opportunities for improvement so that all stakeholders can collaborate to solve these challenges and create brighter futures for all learners.”

    Additional findings include:

    • Curiosity is important to everyone. There is broad agreement on the importance of curiosity in learning, with more than 90 percent of stakeholders surveyed agreeing that curiosity is central to learning. However, 82 percent of students and 75 percent of teachers believe there are not enough opportunities to be curious in today’s classrooms.
    • Students want to learn more life skills. Eighty-eight percent of district leaders, teachers, parents, and students rate life skills as very important, but only 57 percent of students believe their schools adequately teach the life skills needed for future success.
    • Teachers see promise in adaptive learning. Ninety-three percent of teachers believe adaptive learning resources would help students learn more effectively and 75 percent of students say learning at their own pace would increase the likelihood of their engaging with lessons, feeling empowered in school, and more prepared for the future.
    • Time is of the essence. Ninety-four percent of teachers surveyed reported that they are seeking classroom tools that will give them time back to focus on students.
    • AI tools from education experts are more trusted. When it comes to Artificial Intelligence, 72 percent of teachers and parents, as well as 85 percent of superintendents surveyed, believe AI-powered customized learning materials are more trustworthy when built by experts in education. In addition, 84 percent of teachers and 90 percent of superintendents believe that as teachers receive more training on how to use AI, it will become a more trusted tool in education.

    Survey data was collected by The Harris Poll, an industry-leading research organization, on behalf of Discovery Education in August 2024. It included 1,524 responses from K-12 students, parents of K-12 students, and K-12 teachers and superintendents.

    Laura Ascione
    Latest posts by Laura Ascione (see all)

    Laura Ascione

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  • Life with Draper and Rue: The Long & Short of It – Dogster

    Life with Draper and Rue: The Long & Short of It – Dogster

    Welcome to the Wednesday Dogs of Dogster! Every Wednesday, we share a story from one of our Dogsters. This week is about Meagan and her dynamic duo of dachshunds, Draper and Rue.

    My life with two miniature dachshunds, Draper & Rue, is like living in a whimsical sitcom where the episodes revolve around unexpected twists, dramatic entrances, and, of course, an endless supply of laughs. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to share your home with two adorable, pint-sized tornadoes of fur and personality, buckle up—it’s a wild ride!

    Draper: The Golden Boy

    Draper: The Golden Boy

    Draper, our golden boy, who we lovingly refer to as Draper Daniel, is the mastermind behind our daily adventures. Our first-born son, with a long, luxurious blonde coat, he is an instant attention grabber and conversation starter in any room we walk into. Draper is not as daring or as alpha as one might assume based on his looks. More often than not, he actually lets his little sister rule the house and boss him around, stealing all of his toys, treats, and half of his cuddles. Our little cowardly lion, Draper, is scared of most loud noises, our printer, rain, the bathtub, and our human baby. He is also the king of the couch, where he will perch looking so majestic you’d think he was a lion in the Serengeti rather than a wiener dog.

    Rue: The Sassy Diva

    Rue The Sassy DivaRue The Sassy Diva

    Then there’s Rue, our pocket-sized, sassy diva with a heart of gold and an insatiable curiosity. She’s a whopping 6.5-pound classic black and tan with an attitude that could rival a reality TV star. Rue has a knack for getting into trouble and then looking utterly innocent, as if she was saying  “Who, me?” Whether it’s stealing a sock, burrowing into a blanket, getting stuck under the couch while looking for a ball, instigating a wrestling match with Draper, or claiming the sunniest spot on the rug, she manages to do it all with an air of unapologetic charm. She’s quiet and sweet most of the time, but when the mood strikes (or an Amazon package gets delivered), you can hear her from a mile away!

    Life With the Dachshund Duo

    Draper & Rue in the sunshineDraper & Rue in the sunshine

    Together, they form an adorable dynamic duo, like Batman and Robin—if Batman was scared of thunder and Robin had a habit of stealing the spotlight. Their daily antics range from orchestrating elaborate schemes to snag a cracker from their human sibling to fierce wrestling matches that would make a WWE event look tame. Watching them is like attending a live-action version of a cartoon—one moment, they’re quietly plotting their next move, and the next, they’re tumbling into a pile of pillows like a pair of furry acrobats.

    With two miniature dachshunds, each day is filled with kisses, barking, the occasional headshake, and a whole lot of love. They’ve taught me that the secret to happiness lies in a sprinkle of chaos, a mountain of snuggles, and a hefty dose of humor. So, step right into our wonderfully whimsical world with Draper and Rue. We’re excited to take you along on all of our adventures!

    Meagan Hancock

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  • An Introduction to Raphael in Eight Questions (and Answers) – Catster

    An Introduction to Raphael in Eight Questions (and Answers) – Catster

    Welcome to the Wednesday Cats of Catster! Every week, we share a story from one of our cat-loving Catsters. This week is about Wes and his fiercely cuddly Russian Blue, Raphael.

    When we last left off, I told you all about only two elements of Raphael’s personality: one, an obsession for all things consumable, and two, a drive to snuggle that would make an Antarctic Emperor Penguin proud (if you haven’t seen them, you’re missing out). As I mentioned, though, that’s just the very surface of our story, and there’s so much more to my little four-legged companion. Today, I thought a question-and-answer session would be the perfect way to get you properly up to speed with all things Raphy. Now bear in mind, if you hate any questions, he insisted on them. Also, he was very insistent on the answers, too. Basically, any and all criticism should be directed his way.

    The 8 Questions to Introduce Raphael:

    1. What breed is Raphael?

    Raphael is a Russian Blue. As he is our first cat as adults, my partner (Steph) and I wanted to ensure we had the right breed for us. We’d been told that Russian Blues combined close companionship with a lot of intelligence – and boy were they right!

    2. Is Raphael a male or female cat?

    Raphael is a male cat. At least, that’s what the vet told us. If he isn’t, then castrating him was a huge mistake!

    3. Who on Earth calls a cat ‘Raphael’?

    This is the question we get asked the most. Steph and I both love art and exhibitions. In fact, our second date (when I was living in Hong Kong) took place at a Chinese calligraphy exhibition. In the summer of 2022, the National Gallery in London held an exhibition of Raphael’s works (which, incidentally, was excellent). A few weeks later, when a small but regal gray bundle of fur came into our lives, we knew what an honor it would be for the Italian Renaissance painter if he were to share a name with this beautiful boy before us.

    4. When is Raphael’s birthday?

    20th May 2022. He’s really hoping that this means you’ll be sending gifts his way. He gently reminds you to read the other answers thoroughly so that you don’t mess it up and get him something he has to return.

    Raphael sitting by the mirror

    5. What does Raphael love?

    The vet (and Catster’s experts) told us a little while ago that to keep Raphy healthy into old age, it would be optimal if we could get him used to having his teeth brushed. Well, I have to say, far beyond being used to it – he now adores it! At the end of the day, when we brush our teeth, he comes running, too!

    6. What does Raphael hate?

    Raphael is the bravest scaredy cat you’ve ever met, especially when an unknown visitor is at the door. Before they enter, he’s all bravado and bluster – running to the door and getting as close to the action as he can. After all, he’s training to take on guard-cat duty. Then, as soon as the stranger(s) step foot inside, he’s hustling his furs away. He especially hates unknown men, for some reason. Looks like guard-cat duty is a while away yet!

    7. Who’s the spare human?

    You know the answer. I’ll get in trouble if I say anything out of line here. It’s an undeniable, incontrovertible truth that I am the spare human, and Steph is number one. (That is the official party line and I’m sticking to it, no matter what).

    Wes petting Raphael on the head

    8. What’s his favorite toy?

    His Hepper Hi Lo of course! Although I’m biased, we have a number of them dotted throughout the apartment, much to his approval, and it’s always exciting to see him using it – whether it’s the first scratch or the hundredth. I love the sense that he’s working out any frustrations (you got it, he got told it wasn’t lunchtime yet) and getting a good muscle stretch in, too.

    And there’s so much more to know…

    Hopefully that canter through a couple of questions was illuminating and interesting, but when it comes to our journey with Raphy, there are endless things to share! If you have any suggestions for what topics you want to discuss in this space, please leave a comment and let me know. Also, I’d love to hear your answers to the questions above, too! Let me and Raphy know what tickles the whiskers of your lovely little four-legged friends. Who knows, your answers might give us some inspiration for those between-meal times!

    Wesley Nelson

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  • Ahead of Schedule: STEM Careers Coalition Reaches Over 10.7 Million Students  

    Ahead of Schedule: STEM Careers Coalition Reaches Over 10.7 Million Students  

    Charlotte, NC — The STEM Careers Coalition – an alliance of industries and non-profit organizations partnering with Discovery Education to create equitable access to free STEM content and career connections – today announced it has surpassed the goal of reaching 10 million students by the end of 2025 ahead of schedule. Since 2019, the STEM Careers Coalition has reached over 10.7 million students, including 2.97 million in the 2023-2024 school year alone, 65% of which are from Title I schools.  

    Student STEM education is critical, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts STEM jobs will grow by 23% by 2030. Through the STEM Careers Coalition, all K-12 students in the United States and educators are supported with high-quality careers resources, equity of access to key resources, volunteer employee engagement activities, and research.  

    “Starting this journey in 2019, we knew collaboration was key to inspiring the next generation of the STEM workforce. By bringing diverse industries together in one place for educators, the STEM Careers Coalition allows students to see the breadth of opportunity in STEM and the similarities in critical thinking skillsets that are pertinent across careers,” said Amy Nakamoto, General Manager of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “We are so thankful to our partners. We are excited for the next evolution of the STEM Careers Coalition in the emission to ensure that all students have what they need to explore STEM jobs.” 

    The STEM Careers Coalition supports diverse career awareness and exposure. The Coalition works to prepare all students for future jobs in STEM, developing the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in college and a career through high-quality classroom resources, career exploration tools, after school activities, digital content, and more. The STEM Careers Coalition features a large network of partners from a variety of industries.  

    The STEM Careers Coalition frequently provides students and educators new resources aligned to learning standards. Amongst the newest materials is the Mission Possible Virtual Field Trip: Re-powering the Future, premiering on November 21, 2024. In addition, 14 new career bundles introduce K-12 students to careers like a senior data scientist, gnotobiotics training coordinator, fire protection design manager, chemical engineer, and more.  

    Learn more about the STEM Careers Coalition at stemcareerscoalition.org or on the award-winning K-12 learning platform, Discovery Education Experience. For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.    

    About the STEM Careers Coalition 
    The STEM Careers Coalition solves for critical gaps in diverse representation in the STEM professional workforce. The Coalition is an alliance of industries and non-profit organizations, reaching 10.7 million teachers and students with equitable access to STEM resources and career connections since its launch in 2019. The Coalition will continue to ignite student curiosity and influence a diverse future STEM workforce and reach 10 million teachers and students by the end 2025. 

    About Discovery Education 
    Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, innovative classroom tools, and corporate partnerships, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com. 

    eSchool News Staff
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    ESchool News Staff

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  • How I Rescued A Greek Stray Dog: Hela’s Story – Dogster

    How I Rescued A Greek Stray Dog: Hela’s Story – Dogster

    The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.


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    Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.

    When I went to the island of Kefalonia in Greece in 2022 to do a TNR (Trap Neuter Release) programme, little did I know that I would be coming home with another dog. Having had one dog at the time, and that’s Lava who is a handful, to say the least, I had no plans of getting another dog. But it seems like there was another plan set in motion, which I was fully unaware of. Some may call it fate.

    Hela standing in the waterHela standing in the water

    How Hela Was Found

    It was just another day at the field clinic. While we were waiting for stray and feral cats and owned dogs to be brought in for neutering, one of the local volunteers came back with an unexpected story. She was walking in a nearby village when she came across a very skinny and clearly abandoned dog tied to a tree. The dog had no food or water and was skin and bone. I couldn’t believe this was still happening in modern-day Greece. We talked about what to do, as all the volunteers have many pets they took in over the years, and there was an overcrowded local shelter. Despite not having an immediate solution for where to take the dog or who could adopt it, we decided to go back for her, as we just couldn’t leave her in those conditions.

    Hela eating foodHela eating food

    Logistics of Dog Rescue

    We picked her up in the afternoon on the same day. There were no people around who showed any interest in this poor pooch and no one claimed her. She had no identification tags or microchips. I do wonder sometimes whether her owner died and she got forgotten. Or maybe, because she had skin lesions and clear signs of malnutrition, her “owner” couldn’t care for her, or chose not to. We will never know. As soon as I got her on a lead, she happily pulled and got into the car with no fear. As if she was relieved to leave.

    Hela looking out the car windowHela looking out the car window

    For the next few days, we kept the dog with us in the field clinic, discussing what we should do next. I started to realize that this dog would not have a much better chance at life if she ended up in a local shelter, from where it’s unlikely she will get adopted, being an adult dog with underlying health issues. We confirmed her malnutrition, at least partly, and her skin lesions were due to a disease called Leishmania, commonly encountered in the Mediterranean countries. As the dog lived outside, and had no treatment against parasites, she was exposed to sandflies, a vector for this parasitic disease. It’s treatable but unfortunately not curable, but luckily, many dogs will still live a long and happy life.

    And, that’s when I made a decision to give this dog a home. There was no other option really, and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself, knowing she would stay behind.

    Hela, the Meaning Behind the Name

    For a little while, I thought about the name for her, and I didn’t have many ideas. I didn’t know her that well, so I couldn’t picture a name that would suit her best. Still, although she didn’t have a very nice time in Greece, I wanted a name that draws origins from mythology, and one to show strength and perseverance.

    Lava on the left, Hela on the rightLava on the left, Hela on the right
    Lava on the left, Hela on the right

    The name “Hela” came to mind. Though it’s not from Greek mythology, it suddenly felt right. It was a name given to the Goddess of Death, and although it sounds morbid when you put it this way, it’s also a name that radiates strength and power. And this dog has been through hell and came out the other side, stronger and happier.

    Finally, A “Smile” on Her Face

    Dogs use their body language to tell us how they’re feeling. Sometimes, their faces can appear as if they’re smiling, although in many cases, this is us anthropomorphising our dogs’s expressions. Looking back at Hela’s pictures from Greece when we first found her and drove her to the local vet, and now, when she’s living with my other dog and a cat, both of whom she loves, going on adventures, learning how to swim, how to trust me, and realizing she found a place to call her home, there is a clear difference.

    It may not be a smile, but there is a clear spark in her eyes, a significant change in her body language, that radiates happiness, curiosity, and excitement. There is even, at times, an expression on her face that comes as close to a smile as possible.

    Hela lying on its back outdoorHela lying on its back outdoor

    This article is a part of Dr. Maja, Lava and Hela’s series.

    Dr. Maja Platisa DVM MRCVS (Veterinarian)

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  • Is Disciplining a Cat Useful or Effective? Olga Says No! – Catster

    Is Disciplining a Cat Useful or Effective? Olga Says No! – Catster

    Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.

    Cats fill our lives with joy, but they also tear up furniture, knock priceless items off shelves, bully other pets, and wake us up in the middle of the night. Miniature predators must entertain themselves, and most homes don’t simulate their natural environment. Handling an unruly feline is challenging, but disciplining them like you would a child is usually ineffective.

    Disciplining Felines

    I agree with veterinarians and behavioral experts that hitting or screaming at cats when they misbehave is cruel. However, shouting at the top of your lungs is much different than raising your voice, and it’s hard to utter gentle advice when your cat is being a jerk. I understand that cats have sensitive hearing, but I’ve raised my voice more than a few times when Olga misbehaves.

    She enjoys diving into the blinds when she gets a sudden burst of energy, and I’m surprised she has never damaged them or broken a window. She also likes playing hockey with toiletries when she jumps on the bathroom vanity. Saying “No” or “Stop it” works temporarily, but unless I approach her, she’ll continue her mischief.

    She runs away when I approach her, and it usually prompts her to engage in a game of hide and seek, which is preferable to the previous antics. I can also divert her attention with a ball of paper or a silver vine stick. That’s the extent of my disciplinary measures; anything else I do is futile. Even though I’ve lost a few pints of blood from Olga’s attacks and replaced a few items she destroyed, I don’t consider her a bad cat.

    This is where I hide after I misbehave.

    Ineffective Methods

    I’ve observed other disciplinary techniques used by friends and acquaintances that aren’t cruel but are ineffective and slightly ridiculous. For example, I had a friend who used to put her cat in time-out when he misbehaved. She would grab him, carry him to her bedroom, and close the door. Then, she would lecture him with baby talk like he was a toddler.

    I doubt he understood her unless he was more intelligent than I imagined. Cats don’t respond to paragraphs, and some don’t even come when you call their names. Treating them like little kids is cute, in a way, but also absurd. Distracting Olga and limiting her access to her favorite objects to destroy usually works, but sometimes, she finds a new way to irritate me.

    Chris, thank you for allowing me to tear up this recliner.
    Chris, thank you for allowing me to tear up this recliner.

    Olga’s Thick Skin

    She isn’t a needy cat or as affectionate as my Siamese cat, but she’s more forgiving. She doesn’t hold a grudge if I fuss at her or chase her away. After ending her destruction, she’ll still jump in my lap or nap by my feet. In contrast, My Siamese would turn away, try not to look at me, and scream as loud as he could after I criticized his bad behavior.

    Olga doesn’t sulk or get stressed when I end her fun, probably because she knows I’m not a disciplinarian and that she can always attack the blinds another day.

    This article is a part of Christopher and Olga’s series.

    Christopher Bays

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  • My Dog Diarrhea Story Beats Yours – Dogster

    My Dog Diarrhea Story Beats Yours – Dogster

    Dr. Karyn Kanowski Photo

    The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.


    Learn more »

    Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my five funny dogs, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred.

    Before there was Kodah, Ned & Fred, there was Remus, the Irish Wolfhound. And what Remus lacked in brains, he made up for in sweetness and size. He was a dopey, lolloping giant who never seemed to understand why he couldn’t sit on our laps, or why everyone was always yelling at him to stop blocking the TV.

    His 3-foot-long tail had the strength and diameter of the steel cables on a suspension bridge, and he would wag that thing like a whip, leaving bruises on legs, dents in door frames (seriously), and cars overturned in its wake (I might be exaggerating on that last one).

    Unfortunately for everyone involved, Remus also had a sensitive stomach.

    You can probably imagine how much food a 160 lb dog consumes in a day. Now imagine how much it cost to feed our lovable behemoth on a premium, hypoallergenic diet. Add on the obscene price of his pet insurance, and you have one very expensive dog. But I suppose if we averaged his expenses over his weight, he probably cost as much per pound as one of the Chihuahuas – it’s all about perspective. And besides, he was worth every penny…most of the time.

    Then there was the night that I would have accepted five bucks for him. Heck, I’d have paid you five bucks to take him. The night that will forever be known as “Code Brown In The Bedroom.”

    Baby RemusBaby Remus
    Baby Remus

    Code Brown In The Bedroom

    It started out as a pleasant, uneventful evening. We’d taken the dogs for a run in the woods, and then my husband and I went out for a meal at our favorite Italian restaurant. He had the spaghetti gamberoni, I had the vegetable calzone. As we drove home, the taste of raspberry panna cotta and limoncello on our lips, we had no idea of the horror that lurked behind our front door.

    The first thing to hit us was the smell. All thoughts of the epicureal delights of the evening were forgotten, and in their place was a horribly familiar olfactory presence. We both worked in a veterinary practice, we had a dog with a dodgy stomach, and we knew what had happened. And yet, there was still a tiny part of me that hoped it was just gas. That tiny glimmer of hope was dashed when I spotted a murky brown puddle in the middle of the kitchen.

    “Phew” I said, “At least it’s on a hard floor.”

    Little did I know that this was just the tip of the fecal iceberg.

    My nose twitched as I ventured further into the house, as the smell was getting worse, not better. Our two Labradors, Poppy and Bailey, were huddled together on the sofa, tails wagging and eyes full of worry. As I entered the bedroom I saw two things that were out of place. The first was another steaming pile of manure on the carpet, and the second was Remus, curled up on our bed; he never sleeps on our bed.

    As he lifted his massive head, his huge tail gave a hesitant twitch, and that’s when I saw it. The rest of the iceberg. But of course, it wasn’t really an iceberg. It was an enormous puddle of diarrhea that had seemingly poured from our gargantuan dog’s rectum like a river bursting through floodgates.

    Let that sink in for a moment. Sink in like the liters of watery feces that were soaking into my bed.

    Remus & Friends – at least this was just mud

    Containing The Toxic Spill

    I would love to tell you that my first thought was Remus’s wellbeing – our poor boy having endured such a torrent of fluid exiting his body. I would love to say that I rushed to his side to make sure he was okay, not dehydrated or in pain, but no. My first thought was that I just wanted to light a match and walk away.

    My second thought was about how I could get Remus off the bed without further spreading the brown flood that was slowly soaking through my favorite quilt cover. Remus had the sort of cheerful disposition that meant a look in his direction or the use of his name would start his tail wagging, a tail that was now partially coated in something that looked like, but wasn’t thick, brown mud.

    “Oh s**t” came my husband’s apt assessment of the situation.

    We carefully coaxed Remus off the bed, me holding the end of his tail as my husband slowly led him toward the nearest exit. We would sic the garden hose onto him later.

    (Remus was fine, by the way. No dehydration; just flatulence and embarrassment.)

    Pulling on some rubber gloves, I carefully folded the edges of the quilt and sheets up to contain the worst of the deluge while husband dealt with the fecal landmines on the floor. There was no saving the bedclothes. The mattress, however, would be another story.

    As I stared at the wet, brown stain in the middle of our bed, tears began rolling down my cheeks.

    “Why are you crying?” asked my husband, ever sympathetic.

    “Why aren’t you?” I cried, pointing angrily at the mattress that we had purchased only two months prior. “I’m pretty sure this will void our 100-day free trial.”

    An initial hosing down was followed with a warm bubble bathAn initial hosing down was followed with a warm bubble bath
    An initial hosing down was followed with a warm bubble bath.

    Operation Cleanup

    It was now 10:30 pm, and my husband placed a desperate call to our local supermarket, which hired out wet-vac machines, and blessedly stayed open until 11. Unfortunately, their only machine was being repaired.

    So we set to work: soak, spray, sponge, repeat.

    After two hours, the stain was looking slightly more beige than brown, but the smell lingered on.

    We slept in the spare room that night (and for several nights after), while Remus, having been bathed and given something to settle his gut, slept in the laundry room.

    The next morning I hit the shops to restock our supply of bleach, laundry detergent, fabric deodorizers, and everything else we had used up the previous night, while my husband went to sort out a wet-vac. As the bored woman at the checkout scanned my ludicrous supply of cleaning products, I felt compelled to tell her what had happened.

    She stopped mid-scan, looked me in the eye, and placed a hand on my arm.

    “I am so sorry.” She spoke with such genuine sympathy, and I can tell you, I have never felt more heard and validated, before or since, than in that moment.

    Bailey, Remus, and Poppy in the poppiesBailey, Remus, and Poppy in the poppies
    Bailey, Remus, and Poppy in the poppies

    Do You Have A Dog With A Dodgy Tummy?

    If you have a dog with a sensitive gut, don’t wait to have an epic diarrhea story ruin your year. Talk to your vet and start the process of diagnosing the problem. It might be a medical issue or a food sensitivity that can be managed with medication or diet change.

    Even dogs with well-controlled gastrointestinal issues can have the occasional flare-up, so it’s worth having a few things on hand to help you through a code brown emergency:

    • Medication – talk to your vet about keeping an emergency supply of anti-diarrhea medication at home.
    • Bland diet – depending on what triggers your dog, it’s worth keeping some frozen chicken or fish in the freezer that you can boil to give your dog some bland meals.
    • Get a mattress protector – although Remus is sadly no longer with us, I always keep a waterproof mattress protector on our beds, just in case!
    • Invest in a wet-vac – this has been one of the best things we’ve bought to keep our house clean with a lot of pets.
    • Cleaning supplies – keep some gloves in the cupboard, and make sure you have a quality cleaner for hard surfaces, fabric, and carpet, that neutralizes pet odors.

    If you have a doggy diarrhea story that rivals mine, I’d love to hear it! Perhaps we could start a support group…

    Dr. Karyn paw signatureDr. Karyn paw signature

    This article is a part of Dr. Karyn’s series with her five dogs.

    Dr. Karyn Kanowski, BVSc MRCVS (Vet)

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  • Would You Mind Keeping It Down? Cyril’s Strange Reaction to Sounds – Catster

    Would You Mind Keeping It Down? Cyril’s Strange Reaction to Sounds – Catster

    The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.


    Learn more »

    Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five hilarious cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.

    Have you met Cyril? If you haven’t, you are missing out! He’s the squishiest, most chilled-out, laid-back cat I’ve ever known, and he often gives me lifestyle envy. He’s also living the plus-sized life, which is something we’re going to be tackling in a future post. For now, I’d like to tell you about another of his unique characteristics – his reaction to certain sounds.

    Cyril is a cat with very few cares in the world.
    Cyril is a cat with very few cares in the world.

    Back in 2021, I picked up a little virus; you may have heard of it. Covid something? Anyway, I had a wee bit of a cough, which apparently did not please He who shall not miss breakfast. Every time I had the audacity to clear my throat or attempt to bring up a lung whilst in Cyril’s general vicinity, I would get an angry little chatter in return.

    How do I know it was angry? Well, the truth is, I don’t; it was just the vibe he was giving. There was no hissing or snarling, no swishing of tail or gnashing of teeth, just that chattering sound cats unleash when they’ve spotted a bird, rodent, or in my ginger cat Alex’s case, a hot dog. And there was an attitude. If you live with cats, you’ll know what I’m talking about. That air of superiority that lets you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you are, and always will be, inferior to the feline species. And that’s fine, I know my place in the household hierarchy, but Cyril is not usually one to be so haughty. I’m perfectly comfortable being judged by a cat, but being judged by Cyril is like being judged by a sweet, kindly old man, like Morgan Freeman or Tim Walz. The look in his eyes seemed to say “I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.”

    Don't you want to know what I'm thinking?
    Don’t you want to know what I’m thinking?

    Coughing Paranoia

    It was difficult enough dealing with wary looks and suspicious glares when allergies or an inhaled drink set off a coughing fit during Covid, but now I was also dealing with cough-barrassment at home. Was nowhere safe?!

    What’s even more worrying is that Cyril only cackles when I cough, never when my husband or anyone else does. It’s pretty hard not to take it personally. I almost had myself convinced that it was all down to Cyril’s love and concern for my health when he started to chatter at other noises as well.

    First, it was the sneeze, but now the crinkling of an empty soda can has joined the clandestine cough on the list of sounds to be made only once I have established that I am in a Cyril-free zone. I cannot bear the idea of disrupting his snooze time; the poor cat is only managing 18, maybe 20 hours of sleep a day.

    Cyril is not a fan of the can.
    Cyril is not a fan of the can.

    Why The Strange Reaction to Sounds?

    Being an indoor kitty, one might theorize that Cyril’s chatter is nothing more than misplaced hunting sounds, but he will also make these vocalizations to birds spied on nearby rooftops.

    I needed more information.

    When researching the topic of cat chatter, I have found a number of different explanations for the sound, none of which were particularly surprising:

    • mimicking prey
    • excitement
    • anticipation of biting prey

    and one that confirmed my worst fears:

    • expressing frustration with their humans.

    Much like the quintessential meow, cats are rarely seen to chatter with other cats, meaning it is a sound reserved for specific occasions: hunting and telling people to shut up.

    Cyril seems to mostly enjoy my company.
    Cyril seems to mostly enjoy my company.

    The Cat’s Meow

    Feline-to-feline communication generally consists of chirps, hisses, growls, or yowls. The meow appears to have been developed as a way of trying to mimic the nonsensical sounds they hear coming from our mouths. Given that during my extensive history of meowing at cats, I don’t seem to have caused any offense, my assumption is that a cat’s meow is as decipherable a language to them as it is to us, in that, it isn’t. We think we’re being cute when we return their meow, when in fact, it is the cats that are humoring us by parroting our sounds.

    So is Cyril annoyed at my coughing, or just confused by it? Is it a sign of his love and devotion to me that he persists in trying to communicate, even when my language has changed from coherent patterns to the strangled cry of a crushed Coke can? Are we doomed to stay locked in a cycle of indecipherable vocalizations until one of us gets bored and walks away (or in Cyril’s case, falls asleep)?

    I think the answer is yes. Unless I manage to teach Cyril (and myself) morse code…

    Dr Karyn's paw print signature

    This article is a part of Dr. Karyn’s series with her five hilarious cats.

    Dr. Karyn Kanowski BVSc MRCVS (Veterinarian)

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  • Adopting Gizmo: My Scruffy Little Maniac – Dogster

    Adopting Gizmo: My Scruffy Little Maniac – Dogster

    Welcome to the Wednesday Dogs of Dogster! Every Wednesday, we share a story from one of our Dogsters. This week is about Kate & Gizmo, her scruffy Pug mix:

    Hey Dogsters! I adopted my first dog, a scrappy Pug/American Eskimo/Poodle/etc. mix, two years ago, and he’s brought so much joy (and terror – those puppy teeth are sharp!) into my life every day since. I grew up with cats and dogs, and I’ve always wanted to have one of my own. But it took me a while to decide that I was ready to provide a pup with the kind of life they deserve…

    In the end, a little bit of inspiration and logistics conspired to bring Gizmo into my life. Lucky me! Here’s the story:

    Deciding to Adopt a Dog: Inspiration & Logistics

    Meeting Chester

    During those long, slow pandemic summers and falls in 2020 and 2021, my friends and family had a lot of socially distanced dinner parties in backyards. I met Chester at one in my parents’ yard and it was love at first snuggle. He’s a sleepy little lap dog with human-like eyes and incredibly coarse hair.

    Gizmo (left) and Chester the Border Terrier
    My dog Gizmo (left) later met his inspiration, Chester the Border Terrier.

    I will admit to having been anti-small dog growing up, since we only ever had 40+ pounders and the main small dogs I knew were a bit yappy (my neighbor had a series of dachshunds, all named Moxie, with whom I never quite bonded). But Chester was something else, and he single-pawed-ly thawed my heart to the little guys.

    Dog Sharing: The Logistics

    The most important piece of the puzzle was the boring stuff: logistics. I love to travel and I’m not amazing with routine, plus I’m not huge on spending money. The solution to all of this was dog sharing! I already shared the rent on a cute little Victorian house with my best friend Chelsea, and she wanted a dog, too. Enter: dog sharing! We agreed to adopt a dog and share the costs and care.

    Finding the Right Dog

    Once we really started looking, we quickly determined that Border Terriers are not ideal dogs for first-time owners (Google hand-stripping, seriously!), on top of which they almost never show up at rescues in the US. Plus, it turns out that Chester is not a typical Border Terrier: they’re famous escape artists, and not all of them are cuddly or people-oriented.

    So we started searching the local dog rescue pages for a similarly small, adorable pup. The first adoptable dog I fell in love with was a hilarious little guy named Mr. George.

    Mr George on the rescue websiteMr George on the rescue website
    The one that got away: Mr. George

    But adopting rescue dogs in Colorado is basically a competitive sport, so while I was still in the virtual-home-visit-and-interview phase, he got scooped up. Luckily, I also had my eye on another little guy…

    The rescue was calling him Junior, and he was new to the website, listed as a one-year-old Pug mix. You may have seen his rescue site pictures in our introduction post a few weeks ago:

    Gizmo's photos on the dog rescue websitesGizmo's photos on the dog rescue websites
    Gizmo’s photos on the dog rescue websites

    To say he was adorable would be a major understatement! Plus, he was red flag-free (important to me as a first-time dog owner) and listed as having all the good things: good with cats, kids, and other dogs.

    Gotcha Day

    After Big Bones Canine Rescue brought “Junior” from an overcrowded shelter in Texas, they neutered him and let him recover at a foster home for a few days. The first day he was available for visits at the rescue, my friend and I called to set up a time. It was a workday and I had things to do (and no doggy supplies prepared), but the woman on the phone said he’d likely be adopted before the weekend came, so we jumped in the car.

    Gizmo and me at home on his gotcha dayGizmo and me at home on his gotcha day
    Gizmo and me at home on his gotcha day

    Long story short, Gizmo came home with us that same day. Since we didn’t have any supplies, I snuggled on him in the car while my friend grabbed some food and toys at the local pet store. He was a grinning little maniac the whole car ride, panting happily, but once we got home, it seemed like it started to set in that this wasn’t just a foster visit.

    A Few Weeks of Terror

    In the first few weeks, Gizmo was absolutely bonkers. He chewed everything, including a power cord that briefly caught fire, peed on everything, and was generally a mouthy little monster. But he was also snuggly and sweet right away, and he settled in pretty much following the “three days, three weeks, three months” rescue dog schedule.

    When he first came home, he had picked up kennel cough from other dogs at the shelter. So not only was I just some random lady who’d kidnapped him from his foster family, but I was also trying (largely unsuccessfully) to feed him pills, hidden in peanut butter and other treats. He also needed some serious grooming and wasn’t comfortable with me touching his paws or his belly. When he was unsure, his sharp little teeth would come out, to play or just to communicate. I started wearing rubber bracelets designed for doggy teething so I could redirect his chompers.

    Gizmo hard at work on his chewy braceletGizmo hard at work on his chewy bracelet
    Gizmo hard at work on his chewy bracelet

    Looking at pictures from that time now, I can see how anxious he was, and all the terrorizing makes a lot of sense. Luckily, that era of Gizmo is long behind us now!

    Settling In

    These days, he’s a secure, happy little guy who loves to sleep on his many beds and couches while I work. He’s a charismatic dog who makes friends everywhere he goes, and he’s never met a lap he couldn’t turn into a day bed. Because of his long legs, he can hike pretty far, and he has to sniff absolutely everything we pass on our daily neighborhood walks. And he loves a good belly rub!

    Gizmo napping on the couchGizmo napping on the couch
    After a few weeks, he got back to the important things: napping!

    Don’t forget to check back in a few weeks: I’ll share the story of Gizmo’s (adorable) 15 minutes of fame with People Magazine!

    Kate MacDonnell

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  • Introducing Milly the Sassy Rescue and Her Owner Isabel – Catster

    Introducing Milly the Sassy Rescue and Her Owner Isabel – Catster

    Welcome to the Wednesday Cats of Catster! Every week, we share a story from one of our cat-loving Catsters. This week is about Isabel and her sassy rescue, Milly.

    Hi, Catsters! My name is Isabel Ludick and I’m the Marketing Director here at Catster. You may also recognize me from the Catster YouTube channel. I’m a certified cat lover and I’m so excited to share my experience as a lifelong cat owner with you all.

    I’ve been a cat lover since I can remember. My family has always had cats, dogs, bunnies, and fish, and although I love all animals deeply, cats have always been my absolute favorite animal and pet. When I was a kid and adults asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I used to say, “A cat, of course!”

    Now, please allow me to introduce my sassy rescue cat, Milly.

    Milly is my beautiful, six-year-old white/tabby cat. She’s a domestic shorthair and her cuteness is unmatched. Let me tell you the story of how we met and instantly became best friends.

    The year was 2018. I studied Psychology and English at the North West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa.1 Even though I’ve always had cats growing up, I’ve never had a cat of my own. As a student, living on my own for the first time, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to rescue a cat.

    I asked my boyfriend (now fiance), “Can we please go to the shelter this weekend to play with the cats and maybe we can bring one home?” He, never having cats (or pets) growing up, said, “Sure, why not!” Such a keeper. We planned our shelter visit and we were both so excited! A couple of days before we were supposed to go, a friend of his called him and said that he rescued a litter of kittens that was born in the back of the bar where he worked. The bar was called Die Mystic Boer (the mystic farmer) and it just so happened to be my favorite bar in town!

    The friend said that he had already found good homes for almost all of the kittens, but he had one left, and no one seemed interested in her because she wasn’t as pretty as the other kittens. What are the chances? In the same week I decided that I wanted a cat, a friend called us and said he had one. It was fate. I had to go meet this little unwanted kitten born in the back of my favorite bar.

    We went to his house that day and walked into his enclosed room to find the smallest little kitten with the dirtiest little mouth hiding between his shoes in the closet. My heart instantly melted and I dropped to my knees. She was very scared and a little feral so I knew I had to take my time. Luckily, being well acquainted with cats, I knew how to introduce myself. It took about an hour until she finally sniffed my hand. From that moment we both knew we’d be best friends forever.

    Baby Milly when I found her
    Baby Milly when I found her

    I stood up, we drove to the nearest pet store and bought a cat carrier, a soft blanket, food and water bowls, a litterbox, and cat litter. We went back to the friend’s house, gently picked her up, and placed her in the carrier. She was coming home with me.

    I couldn’t understand why no one would want her, she was the cutest, dirtiest little street cat I had ever laid eyes on. I named her Milly. I took her to the vet that next morning for a general checkup and to get her first vaccinations. The vet said she was about 4 weeks old and very malnourished. She probably only had bar scraps to eat in her first few weeks of life. We’re not sure if Milly was perhaps the runt of the litter and didn’t get any milk. The vet gave me everything I needed to nurse her back to health and that is exactly what I did.

    Fast forward to today, six years later, she’s the happiest, healthiest, sassiest little cat in Cape Town and I love her more than life itself. All those people who turned her down can eat their hearts out because look at her! She’s so beautiful I can cry (and I do sometimes). Just kidding. I did cry many times in our journey together at the thought of us never meeting. Where would she have been today if I didn’t find her? I don’t even want to know.

    All that matters is that we did find each other.

    Milly sunbathing
    Milly sunbathing

    I really do believe that fate brought us together and it brings me so much joy to share our story with my fellow Catsters! We have many more stories to share, of our journey getting to know each other in Potchefstroom, moving back home to Johannesburg after I graduated, meeting all our other cats, becoming a mom cat (by accident), moving cross country to Cape Town in an airplane, living on a golf course, becoming a YouTube star and so much more.

    Stay tuned!

    Isabel Ludick

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  • 14-year-old Named America’s Top Young Scientist for Inventing an AI Handheld Pesticide Detector

    14-year-old Named America’s Top Young Scientist for Inventing an AI Handheld Pesticide Detector

    ST. PAUL, Minn. & CHARLOTTE, N.C. – 3M (@3M) and Discovery Education (@DiscoveryEd) named Sirish Subash, a 9th grader at Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology in Snellville, Georgia, the winner of the 2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation’s premier middle school science competition. Sirish set himself apart with an AI handheld pesticide detector. As the grand prize winner, he received a $25,000 cash prize and the prestigious title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.” 

    Sirish spent the last four months competing against nine other finalists and secured his win during final Challenge events at 3M global headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Oct. 14 and 15. Finalists navigated a series of interactive challenges and were evaluated on their ingenuity and innovative thinking, application of STEM principles, demonstration of passion and research, presentation skills, and ability to inspire others.   

    “This year’s Young Scientist Challenge finalists have demonstrated an incredible ability to develop creative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Torie Clarke, EVP & chief public affairs officer at 3M. “I am beyond impressed and inspired by their intelligence and their scientific minds. Congratulations to this year’s Top Young Scientist, Sirish Subash, and all the finalists for their phenomenal work.”  

    Sirish Subash’s project, Pestiscand, is a handheld device designed to detect pesticide residues on produce using a non-destructive method. It employs spectrophotometry, which involves measuring how light of various wavelengths is reflected off the surface of fruits and vegetables. A machine learning model then analyzes this data to determine the presence of pesticides. Pestiscand consists of a sensor, a power supply, a display screen, and a processor. During testing, the device achieved an accuracy rate of identifying pesticide residues on spinach and tomatoes of greater than 85%, meeting the project’s objectives for effectiveness and speed. 

    3M Young Scientist Challenge finalists are paired with a 3M scientist who mentors and works with them one-on-one over the summer to transform their idea from concept to prototype. This year’s winner was paired with Aditya Banerji, Senior Research Engineer of 3M’s Corporate Research Process Laboratory.   

    The second and third place winners from the Young Scientist Challenge each receive a $2,000 prize. These exceptional students are: 

    • In second place, Minula Weerasekera from Beaverton, Oregon, a 9thgrader at Mountainside High School. Minula developed a solution for storing energy for longer through organic compounds and a sulfur-based terhiophene.  
    • In third place, William Tan from Scarsdale, New York, an 8th grader at Scarsdale Middle School. William developed an AI Smart Artificial Reef that encourages coral, seashells, kelp and other marine life to grow in a safe and controlled environment. 

    The fourth through tenth place winners each receive a $1,000 prize and a $500 gift card. These finalists, in alphabetical order by last name, are:  

    • Ankan Das from Sanford, Florida, a 9th grader at Oviedo High School in the Seminole County School District
    • Steven Goodman from Lake Mary, Florida, an 8th grader at Milwee Middle School in the Seminole County School District
    • Aakash Manaswi from Orlando, Florida, a 9th grader at Lake Highland Preparatory School
    • Prince Nallamothula from Frisco, Texas, a 9th grader at Centennial High School in the Frisco Independent School District
    • Ronita Shukla from Acton, Massachusetts, an 8th grader at RJ Grey Junior High School in the Acton Boxborough Regional School District
    • Rithvik Suren from Ellington, Connecticut, a 9th grader at Academy of Aerospace & Engineering in the CREC School District
    • Hanna Suzuki from Bedford, Massachusetts, a 9th grader at Bedford High School in the Bedford School District 

    “Discovery Education is incredibly proud to support student innovation over the past 17 years through the 3M Young Scientist Challenge,” said Amy Nakamoto, Executive Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “It is more important than ever that future generations are given the tools needed to tackle real-world problems. Each remarkable participant has embodied the curiosity that will fuel these discoveries, and we congratulate them all.” 

    In its 17th year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge continues to inspire and challenge middle school students to think creatively and apply the power of STEM to discover real-world solutions. America’s Top Young Scientists have gone on to give TED Talks, file patents, found nonprofits, make the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and exhibit at the White House Science Fair. These young innovators have also been named TIME Magazine’s Kid of the Year, featured in The New York Times Magazine, Forbes, and Business Insider, and have appeared on national television programs such as Good Morning America, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and more. In addition, a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network was formed in fall 2022 and welcomed more than 100 former challenge finalists and winners for networking opportunities.  

    The award-winning competition supplements the 3M and Discovery Education program Young Scientist Lab, which provides free dynamic digital resources for students, teachers, and families to explore, transform, and innovate the world around them. All its resources are also available on Discovery Education Experience, the company’s award-winning K-12 learning platform.  

    To download images from the 2024 science competition, click here. To learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and meet this year’s winners and finalists, visit youngscientistlab.com.  

    About 3M 
    3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and science to reimagine what’s possible, our global team uniquely addresses the opportunities and challenges of our customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we’re working to improve lives and make what’s next at 3M.com/news. 

    About Discovery Education 
    Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, innovative classroom tools, and corporate partnerships, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com. 

    eSchool News Staff
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  • Lava the Dog: Beginning of the End – Dogster

    Lava the Dog: Beginning of the End – Dogster

    The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.


    Learn more »

    Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.

    It all started one cold winter day at the end of 2020. I was in the UK working in a clinic, and secretly wishing for a dog, as I lost my old girl to cancer a few months before. I have never been “dogless” before. Dogs have been a part of my life since I remember, each and every one of them special in their own way. But I didn’t think my wish would come true so soon, and that it would be everything except what I desired. Let’s just say, my life has never again been the same since Lava knocked on our doors.

    One Cold Winter Morning

    There I was, resting after a night shift in Orpington, United Kingdom when I got a message notification on my phone from my mum. There was a picture of the most adorable little puppy, sitting on my brother’s working shoes, back home on our cattle farm in Croatia.

    I was puzzled! Did they buy a puppy? But we have 4 farm dogs already. We have never bought any dogs in our life, all have found their way inside our home through friends or were picked up as strays. And this was no different. The little pup, soon to be named Lava, showed up at their doorstep, without an explanation. Our farm is in a quiet rural area, and the closest village is at least 5 miles away, too far for such a young pup to walk. We presumed someone must have dumped her, or she was a stray dog’s puppy.

    Lava lying on shoesLava lying on shoes

    A Character From Day One

    On her first day on the farm, as described by my mum and brother, the puppy set out some ground rules. Because, of course, she set out to be the boss. She stole food from each of the bigger dogs’ bowls, and when I say bigger, I mean much bigger. Each was around 110 lbs, while the puppy was barely 10 lbs. She growled and grimaced at them, and they all must have figured, this little one was crazy, better let her have it her way.

    Soon enough, she ruled the roost. Despite her size, she was a very determined puppy and no one wanted to stand in her way. She learned how to growl and bark quite early on, curling her lips up and developing this certain kind of unimpressed facial expression that she still has years later.

    Lava sitting outdoor with another dogLava sitting outdoor with another dog

    Meaning Behind the Name

    During her first few weeks on our farm, while we discussed what to do with her since she was clearly abandoned, we also couldn’t help but start thinking about dog names. It was a tricky one indeed. Finally, my brother had an idea. Lava! Because “lav” means lion in our language, and lava, as in a hot melting rock erupting from volcanoes, red in color, similar to the puppy’s fur. It suddenly started to make a lot of sense. She was as fierce and strong as a lioness and as temperamental, unpredictable, and persistent as the melting lava rocks.

    And so she became Lava. The “worst” dog we ever had. Don’t get me wrong, we do love her a lot, but she is one of those dogs who try to break you. And I mean this literally. Not even two years later, I was wearing a cast on my wrist, and let’s just say, Lava was involved in this incident. But that’s a story for another time.

    Puppy Eyes You Can’t Resist

    Lava sitting by the puddle of waterLava sitting by the puddle of water

    Since then, Lava became the dog we talked about most, not just among family and close friends, but also co-workers, as everyone knew about her and asked how the little menace was doing. There was always some sort of unexpected adventure with her. But we couldn’t deny her beauty. With that regal facial expression, showing a touch of annoyance and ignorance, big brown eyes, and brown-red fur, she attracted attention everywhere we went. She was soon known among all the neighbors, whether they had dogs or not. And around five months of age, she met her best doggie friend Goku, with whom she spent many hours playing.

    All in all, it took me quite some time to open up my heart to her and let her in, as she was not exactly an easy puppy and always did the very opposite you asked of her. But now, almost four years later, I can’t imagine my life without her.

    This article is a part of Dr. Maja, Lava and Hela’s series.

    Dr. Maja Platisa DVM MRCVS (Veterinarian)

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  • Is Your Cat a Stalker? Olga’s Creepy Ways – Catster

    Is Your Cat a Stalker? Olga’s Creepy Ways – Catster

    Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.

    Cats keep us entertained, and most cat owners are happy to share their homes with miniature, slightly psychotic predators. They’re friendlier and more intelligent than some give them credit for, but their behavior can get them into trouble and lead to rehoming or euthanization.

    Aggression and inappropriate elimination are the most common reasons for booting a cat out of the house and sending them to a shelter, and while stalking may not be a justifiable reason, it affects how some people perceive felines.

    Feline Stalking

    Stalking isn’t an admirable quality in humans, but it’s part of a cat’s DNA and unlikely to be diminished by selective breeding. A sneak attack by a cat hiding in the dark may cause your heart to skip a beat or make you scream, and I’m sure some unethical owners have reacted violently. Unlike most cat parents, I’m proud of my cat when she takes me by surprise and impressed by her stealth.

    I get irritated when she forgets to retract her claws before attacking my legs, but most of the time, she only uses her pads after a sneak attack. I’m her favorite target since she can’t go outside and only hunts insects in the summer.

    Please turn off the lights. I’m ready to stalk you.

    Olga’s Creepy Joy

    The family of mockingbirds in my yard raiding my blueberry bushes are lucky Olga has to watch them from a windowsill and cannot engage in predatory stalking. It’s not only instinctual for cats to stalk and attack their owners but also entertaining. Olga is happiest when she jumps in front of me, hunches up her back, and attacks my calves with both paws.

    She likes to be chased around the house and waits until my head is turned and I’m walking in the opposite direction to attack. Unlike the felines that surprise people in movies, Olga looks more energized than frightened.

    Hollywood’s Feline Stalkers

    Frightened cats often leap out and shriek when they scare people in horror films. It usually occurs when a character looks for a killer or creature in a creepy setting, like an abandoned warehouse, and jumps back when they find a cat instead.

    In Alien, Jonesy (the cat) surprises Brett when he walks around the creepiest area of the ship and hisses to warn him that he’s about to be devoured by the extraterrestrial behind him. Since she’s not very vocal or protective, Olga would run before warning me of danger and wouldn’t use her stalking skills if frightened.

    I'm not as crazy as I look, Christopher.
    I’m not as crazy as I look, Christopher.

    Young Olga’s Techniques

    If she’s scared, she hides under a couch and doesn’t move, but stalking is a game to her. She has to be in a good mood, but when she was a kitten, she was more aggressive and craftier.

    She surprised and attacked me when I took a shower, turned off the light to go to bed, and whenever I was half asleep in the recliner. When the recliner was in the upright position, she would claw her way up the back and hit me in the head. Olga’s not as creative with her stalking moves today, but she still attacks me when she’s hiding in the dark.

    This article is a part of Christopher and Olga’s series.

    Christopher Bays

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