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Spanish hospital enlists therapy dogs to boost ICU patients’ morale [PHOTOS]

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Spanish hospital enlists therapy dogs to boost ICU patients’ morale [PHOTOS]

Joel Bueno was overjoyed when therapy dogs Vida and Lu visited him in the intensive care unit, where he was being treated for a blood clot. The Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, in partnership with the Affinity Foundation, launched a trial to improve the emotional well-being of ICU patients through pet therapy. Patients receive two 15 to 20-minute visits each week from the dogs. The project will analyze saliva samples to see if stress indicators decrease and well-being indicators increase. Staff members in the emergency ward also benefit from the presence of the therapy dogs. Bueno believes in the benefits of the trial and says just the news of the dogs visiting boosted his morale.

Woman wheels corpse into Brazil bank to sign for loan

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Woman wheels corpse into Brazil bank to sign for loan

A woman tried to get a 68-year-old man in a wheelchair to sign for a loan at a bank in Brazil, but he had been dead for hours. The woman wheeled the cadaver into the bank and attempted to make him sign, but bank staff became suspicious and called the police, who arrested her for fraud. The man had actually died earlier while lying down, not at the bank as claimed by the woman’s lawyer.

‘Rebel Moon’ sequel offers more action, backstory of warriors

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‘Rebel Moon’ sequel offers more action, backstory of warriors

Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver” completes his vision for the franchise, picking up where the first installment left off. The movie follows Kora and rebel warriors teaming up with the people of Veldt to fight off an attack from Motherworld. The film delves into the characters’ backstories and motivations, with more action and depth promised. Snyder directed, co-wrote, and produced the movie, with a director’s cut expected in August. The film starts streaming on Netflix on April 19.

Astronomers detect Milky Way’s second-largest known black hole

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Astronomers detect Milky Way’s second-largest known black hole

A black hole with a mass 33 times greater than the sun was discovered in the Milky Way, located 2,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Aquila. The black hole, named Gaia BH3, formed from a star with low metallicity and is the largest-known stellar black hole. Its companion star orbits it on an elliptical path, and the discovery supports the theory that massive stellar black holes can only be produced by low metallicity stars. The maximum size of stellar black holes is still a topic of scientific debate.

Genome study reveals prehistoric Ethiopian origins of coffee

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Genome study reveals prehistoric Ethiopian origins of coffee

Coffee made from the Arabica bean is the most appreciated by coffee drinkers. Researchers have unlocked the genome of the Arabica species, tracing its origins to a natural mating between two other coffee species in Ethiopia. Arabica has low genetic diversity due to inbreeding and small population size. Arabica represents the majority of the world’s coffee production and is known for its superior flavor compared to Robusta coffee. Arabica was found to have formed as a natural hybridization between Coffea canephora and Coffea eugenioides.

Stranded sea otter pups paired with surrogate moms at California aquarium [PHOTOS]

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Stranded sea otter pups paired with surrogate moms at California aquarium [PHOTOS]

Every year, around 10 to 15 sea otter pups are found stranded off the California coast, often due to storms that separate mother and offspring. The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is partnering with the Monterey Bay Aquarium to pair pups with surrogate sea otter mothers to teach them life skills and return them to the wild. The surrogate mothers help the pups learn behaviors like grooming, foraging, prey manipulation, and shell opening that humans cannot teach. California sea otters are a protected species and play a critical role in maintaining the balance of near-shore ecosystems. The aquariums have rescued eight stranded pups and are working to increase the population in the wild to protect the ecosystem.

Alien fever dreams fuel Peruvian grave robbings

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Alien fever dreams fuel Peruvian grave robbings

Leandro Rivera discovered a cave in Peru’s Nazca region containing pre-Hispanic artifacts, including human bodies with elongated heads and three fingers on each hand. Rivera was convicted of assault on public monuments for excavating the artifacts, which ended up in Mexico and sparked debates on UFOs. Peru is struggling to control the trafficking of archaeological items, which have become popular on the online black market during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite efforts to repatriate stolen artifacts, demands from private collectors in the US and Europe persist. Authorities in Peru face challenges in preventing looted items from leaving the country and repatriating smuggled remains.

Turkey’s woof express takes disabled dogs on a daily ride [PHOTOS]

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Turkey’s woof express takes disabled dogs on a daily ride [PHOTOS]

An animal lover in Turkey built a train out of plastic barrels to give daily rides to disabled dogs at a shelter outside Ankara. The chairwoman of the Association of Paws Holding onto Life, Buket Ozgunlu, attached makeshift dog wagons to an all-terrain vehicle to take the dogs out every day. The shelter houses 560 dogs rescued from the streets, including 300 who have suffered physically. Ozgunlu and other shelter workers painted the barrels in bright colors and plan to add a tarpaulin for shade during the rides.

World’s oldest man passes away at 114

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World’s oldest man passes away at 114

Juan Vicente Perez Mora, the world’s oldest man and Venezuelan citizen, passed away at the age of 114, just two months before his 115th birthday. He credited his longevity to hard work, proper rest, early sleep, a daily glass of aguardiente, and a strong faith. Perez Mora was married for 60 years and had 11 children, 42 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro paid tribute to him on social media.

Everyone in Japan will have same surname by 2531 – study

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Everyone in Japan will have same surname by 2531 – study

The most common surname in Japan is Sato, held by roughly 1.5% of the population. If current laws requiring married couples to share a surname remain unchanged, a study predicts that everyone in Japan could have the same surname by 2531. Professor Yoshida’s research suggests a steady increase in the prevalence of the Sato surname, with a potential rise to 100% in the next 500 years. Yoshida also highlights the downsides of Japan’s legislation mandating married couples to adopt a single surname, emphasizing that everyone having the same surname could lead to inconvenience and the loss of individual dignity and family heritage. An alternative scenario where couples have the freedom to choose separate surnames could result in only 8% of the population holding the Sato surname by 2531.