Natural rhythm: British artist Andy Goldsworthy has spent much of his career creating sculptures from the landscape, shaping materials like stone, leaves, and wood into temporary forms. Each piece reflects his focus on change, erosion, and the passage of time. Working outdoors, he builds and photographs his creations before nature alters or destroys them, making the process part of the artwork itself. Over the years, his projects have ranged from leaf patterns to large installations made from fallen trees. His work explores the connection between people and nature, illustrating that beauty can exist in movement, weather, and decay. His art studies how nature changes and how people respond.

Plant signals: Researchers have recently discovered that plants release faint, high-frequency sounds when under strain, such as during drought. Using specialised equipment, the team found the noises resemble soft crackles similar to popcorn popping, though far above the range of human hearing. In studies with tomato plants, moths appeared to avoid laying eggs on vines producing these distress sounds, suggesting they can detect when plants are struggling. The finding marks the first known example of animals reacting to sound made by plants. Scientists plan to record and compare these noises among species to see how widespread the behaviour is, revealing a hidden form of communication between plants and animals.

Fossil reunion: Two halves of a prehistoric reptile fossil, stored for decades in different museums, were recently found to fit perfectly together. A graduate researcher recognised that one slab contained a skeleton while the other showed its mirror image in stone. Once joined, the specimen revealed a previously unknown reptile from the Jurassic era, now called Sphenodraco scandentis. Its long limbs and grasping claws point to a life spent climbing and gliding through forest canopies. The discovery tells scholars that even long-studied collections can still offer new information about ancient species. Much remains to be learned from fossils, even those already in museums.

River revival: Parisians are once again swimming in the Seine after a massive cleanup restored the river's health. Once too polluted for use, the waterway has been transformed through years of environmental work, including improved sewage treatment and new underground reservoirs to keep runoff from spilling in. Designated swimming zones, complete with safety staff and on-site facilities, now welcome visitors. Ecologists have noted the return of mussels and fish species once thought to be nearly gone, signs that the river's ecosystem is rebounding. The effort has inspired other cities to improve their own waterways because focused public investment can make urban rivers clean and usable again.

Healing yourself is connected with healing others. ~ Yoko Ono

He who loves, flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free and nothing holds him back. ~ Henri Matisse

Free notices for not for profits declan@coffeenews.co.nz

1. Is phosphorous sulfide, calcium, or sodium the compound that ignites matches?

2. Modern Iraq is located in what once was Mesopotamia - T/F?

3. To rescue Eurydice, where did Orpheus follow her?

4. Lamb, beef, and tzatziki combine in pita to make a _____.

5. This July 14th holiday commemorates what sparked the French Revolution.

Icy instincts: In Antarctica, Weddell seals plunge deep under thick ice and still manage to pop back up through the same hole they left behind. Scientists think their secret may be sensing Earth's magnetic field, acting like an invisible underwater compass.

Cookie twist: Despite being a fixture at Chinese restaurants in the USA, fortune cookies didn't begin there. Their roots trace back to Japan, where an earlier version appeared before the sweeter style gained popularity in America.

Hoard habit: The word hamster comes from a German term meaning to hoard, which is fitting for creatures famous for stuffing food into their cheeks. The name likely stuck because of their habit of storing snacks for later.

Virtual vintage: Skeuomorphism is when digital tools look like real-world objects, such as a notepad that looks like paper or a bin for deleted files. It helps make technology feel familiar, even if the paper and pens are only pretend.

Sour surprise: Lemons actually contain more sugar than strawberries, yet their sharp acidity hides the sweetness. The citric acid in lemons overwhelms the taste buds, showing that a fruit's flavour can be far more complex than its sugar level suggests.

If you live in an igloo, there's snow place like home.

A fish walks into a restaurant. The waiter says, Shouldn't you be in school?

County Agent: Your corn crop is a fit as a fiddle. Farmer: Thanks. That's music to my ears.

Who was the coldest Roman emperor? Julius Freezer.

An astronomy column in the newspaper would have a lot of space devoted to it.

1. Phosphorous sulfide 2. True 3. Hades, or the Underworld 4. Gyro (sometimes called Kebab) 5. Bastille Day