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Apr 30 2026SCIENCE

Old Observatory Keeps Weather Stories Alive

A weather station in Milton, Massachusetts has been watching the sky for more than 140 years. Every day a man named Matthew Douglas climbs a staircase in the observatory’s tower, opens a hatch on the roof and watches a glass sphere burn a tiny line into paper. That line marks how long the sun has sh

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Apr 30 2026EDUCATION

Plum Middle School Gets a Big Roof and More

Plum Middle School is about to start another round of major upgrades after the school board signed contracts worth $3. 4 million. The first phase began last summer, and now the second phase will tackle the biggest job: replacing a roof that is over 25 years old and leaking into parts of the build

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Apr 30 2026ENVIRONMENT

Planned burns aim to help Ottawa County parks thrive

Ottawa County parks will see controlled fires over three days next month as part of efforts to keep natural areas healthy. Teams will burn small sections at three parks from May 1 to 3, but only if weather conditions cooperate. If winds are too strong or humidity too low, the work gets postponed. Th

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Apr 30 2026LIFESTYLE

Miami’s Newest Luxury Tower Lets You Park Your Car Inside Your Apartment

A 61-story skyscraper rising in Sunny Isles Beach will soon let residents roll their cars straight into their homes—no parking lot needed. The Bentley Residences, a joint project between Bentley Motors and a local developer, will use a special elevator called the Dezervator to lift cars up to privat

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Apr 30 2026FINANCE

Money’s New Playground: How Blockchain is Changing Banks and Business

Ten years ago, blockchain was just tech jargon tossed around at small meetups. Now it’s rewriting the rules for banks, payments, and even stock markets. Some of the biggest names in traditional finance—banks, card companies, stock exchanges—are jumping in not because they’re excited, but because the

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Apr 29 2026ENVIRONMENT

Why plants matter more than you think

The Missouri Botanical Garden wasn’t always a global leader in plant science. When Peter Raven took over in 1971, it was just a pretty garden with a few researchers. But Raven saw something bigger: plants weren’t just decorations—they were the foundation of life. Two-thirds of Earth’s species live i

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Apr 29 2026ENVIRONMENT

Why oak trees struggle to grow in Mediterranean forests

Mediterranean oak forests face a tough challenge: acorns rarely survive long enough to become new trees. A study in a protected area in Italy showed that most acorns disappeared within days after being planted, eaten by animals like mice and jays. The researchers tested four oak species, from large

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Apr 29 2026TECHNOLOGY

AI in Healthcare: Can Machines Really Replace Doctors?

Some experts argue that AI tools can handle basic health questions just as well as doctors can. They say these programs can answer simple diet or lifestyle queries faster than scheduling an in-person visit. For example, AI chatbots now let users connect medical records to get personalized advice. Bu

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Apr 29 2026WEATHER

A Cop Who Chases Storms in His Free Time

Most people know police officers for traffic stops and patrol work, but one deputy in Illinois does double duty as a weather watcher. Sean Berry has spent years tracking storms while keeping the peace, a hobby that started when he was just a kid. He grew up near Plainfield, where an awful tornado in

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Apr 28 2026HEALTH

Maryland’s Health Experiment: A New Way to Save Money and Lives

Maryland is trying a bold plan that could change how health care works everywhere. The state uses an all‑payer system and a Total Cost of Care model to link money with real health results. It wants to see more people living longer and healthier lives while spending less. Families, companies, and th

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