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So… yesterday was Sunday and, well, we accidentally took “rest day” a little too seriously. We missed a day in your inbox, and we’re really sorry about that 😅

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Now let’s dive into today’s dose of good vibes!

Innovation

Turning Lead into Gold

Physicists at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have unintentionally achieved one of alchemy’s oldest dreams: turning lead into gold. During an experiment to study beam losses and electromagnetic dissociation, researchers discovered that some lead atoms had transformed into approximately 86 billion atoms of gold. Though the amount produced was vanishingly small—just a few picograms, less than a trillionth the weight of a paperclip—the finding proved that elemental transformation can occur without smashing atoms together.

The transformation happened under the ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) project, which investigates quark-gluon plasma, an ultra-hot state of matter that existed after the Big Bang. Instead of colliding lead atoms directly, the team passed lead ions close to one another, allowing intense electromagnetic fields to strip away a few protons. Since gold has 79 protons and lead has 82, removing three protons from lead yields gold. These gold atoms, however, are fleeting—lasting only briefly before breaking apart—but researchers managed to detect them using ALICE’s highly sensitive instruments.

While the ability to create gold might sound like scientific magic, the real significance lies in improving our understanding of beam losses—an important limitation in particle accelerators like the LHC. “Our detectors are capable of handling both massive and minor events,” said Marco Van Leeuwen, the ALICE project lead, noting the recent doubling of gold produced. The results also refine models of electromagnetic dissociation. Centuries after alchemists like Caterina Sforza sought to transmute metals using talc and philosophical theory, modern physics has finally turned legend into reality—albeit for a fleeting moment.

Good News

I Will Listen…

A retired Canadian social worker is spending his golden years much like he spent his career: listening. Paul Jenkinson is traveling across Canada with a humble setup—two folding chairs and a small wooden table—offering strangers the chance to sit and talk. He likens the experience to confiding in “the stranger on the airplane,” someone you speak to openly, knowing you'll never meet again.

During his career in Nova Scotia, Jenkinson worked as a registered social worker and spokesperson for Advocates for Care of the Elderly, where deep listening was central to his role. Now, through his informal project, I Will Listen, he’s continuing that mission without appointments, branding, or agendas. “I’m there as a fellow human to make connections,” he told CBC’s As It Happens. “I just create that safe space for them, a little bit like the stranger on the airplane that you’re never going to see again.”

Many pass by several times before gathering the courage to sit. “They’re curious, for sure. ‘Who is this older man?’” Jenkinson said. The conversations span everything from life’s struggles to joyful stories of pride and kindness. There are no time limits, no set topics, and no cost. Jenkinson promises confidentiality unless someone expresses intent to harm themselves or others. Though he doesn’t have a fixed address, he isn’t homeless—he lives on the road by choice, currently in Nova Scotia with plans to reach Prince Edward Island next, and British Columbia by winter.

World News

Deaf Therapy Dog

Meet Cole, a deaf pitbull once passed over at a shelter for being “broken.” Today, he’s proof that a disability isn’t a limitation—it’s a superpower.

Adopted in 2017 by music teacher Chris Hannah, Cole quickly showed a remarkable ability to understand sign language and connect deeply with others. Working alongside Chris at Dr. Mennies School, Cole helps students embrace their differences and build emotional strength—becoming the face (and paws) of compassion in the classroom. Their work grew into the Team Cole Project, a social-emotional learning program that’s traveled across the Tri-State area, teaching kids to turn feelings of “brokenness” into self-love. Outside school, Cole has logged over 500 volunteer hours, earned a Presidential Silver Service Award, and brought comfort as a hospice therapy dog and official mascot of the NJ Veterans Memorial Home.

He’s been featured on Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, and even became the first dog to win the Phillies All-Star Teacher Award. During the pandemic, he led a statewide Kindness Tour, proving you don’t need to hear to be heard—you just need heart.

@deafcole

A Deaf Pittie School Therapy Dog? Yes Please. #dogs #dogsoftiktok #pitbullsoftiktok #pitbulls #rescuedog #fy #fyp

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Mind Stretchers

⁉️ 

I circle your wrist but have no start,
No clock or gears, yet I’m a form of art.
I might be gold, leather, beads, or lace—
I’m worn for beauty, not the time or place.
What am I?

Yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:

I open wide but never speak,
Shielding you when skies turn bleak.
I have no spine, yet ribs I show—
In sun or storm, I'm good to go.
What am I? — umbrella! Debbie Ettinger got this correct early! 🌞 

The first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to the email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured