Walking aid: Toyota has revealed a new mobility device inspired by the mountain goat, trading wheels for legs to reach places standard chairs cannot. The four-legged unit carries a seated rider and moves by stepping over curbs, uneven ground, and stairs instead of rolling around them. Its legs work independently, adjusting balance as surfaces change, while sensors scan ahead to avoid obstacles. The seat shifts automatically to keep the rider level as the machine climbs or turns. Controls stay simple, using voice cues or hand grips rather than complex panels. When a trip ends, the legs fold inward, making the device compact enough for everyday transport. Designers see it as a way to extend independence without asking cities to rebuild streets.

Ice zap: On winter mornings, warming a car just to clear the glass burns time and power before the drive even starts. Researchers at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia USA, are testing a different idea that removes ice without heating it at all. Their approach sends a controlled electric charge across frozen surfaces, taking advantage of tiny electrical imbalances that naturally form inside frost. When the charge is applied, sections of ice loosen and lift away rather than melting in place. Early tests show this method can clear a significant portion of frost using far less energy than defrosters. The team plans to adapt the system for many surfaces, from vehicles to everyday equipment.

Helmet check: In Virginia USA, a campus lab compares how well helmets actually protect people. What began as a simple request to examine football gear has grown into a broad testing program covering sports, work sites, and everyday riding. Instead of guessing, the team recreates real impacts and tracks how much force reaches the head. Each activity is treated differently since falling on ice, pavement, or turf creates very different risks. The results are shared in clear ratings meant to guide shoppers, not brands. Makers pay attention because safer designs stand out. For athletes, parents, and workers, the lab turns safety claims into something measurable and easy to compare.

Library lift: In the United States, Reginald Betts turned one small moment in prison into a wide effort to bring books behind bars. While held in isolation as a teenager, a poetry book reached him through a makeshift delivery, giving him something steady to hold onto. Reading led him to write, study, and see learning as a way to move forward, even in confinement. After his release, Betts built a life around education and justice work, then started a non-profit that installs shared library spaces in prisons. These rooms are meant for reading, reflection, and connection, not just storing books. Support from donors has helped the idea spread to facilities across the country. The work centres on making books easier to reach where they're often scarce.

"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." ~ Jane Goodall

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." ~ Winston Churchill

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

1. Which television series features the fictional Roy family?

2. What is the largest ocean on Earth?

3. In Greek mythology, is Athena the goddess of wisdom, war, or the sea?

4. This country has won the most men's soccer World Cups.

5. Netflix began as a company by mailing these to customers.

Seafloor spine: The longest mountain range on Earth is hidden below the ocean, forming a continuous chain of volcanic ridges. Most of it stays deep underwater, with only a few small sections appearing at the surface. Silent suits During a space walk, an astronaut's suit uses low-pressure air, which is much thinner than what we breathe on Earth. With so little air moving past the lips, a whistle can't form at all, no matter how hard they try.

Sideways winter: Uranus is tilted so sharply that one side of the planet can sit in darkness for roughly 21 years at a time. This long polar night comes from its unusual angle, which gives the planet some of the most dramatic seasons in the solar system.

Hidden volcano: Jackson in Mississippi USA sits directly above the buried remains of an ancient volcano, long dormant but still shaping the ground beneath the city. The crater now lies deep below modern streets, a reminder of the region's volcanic past.

Penny pick: Portland in Oregon USA got its name from a coin flip after two founders disagreed on what to call their new settlement. One wanted to honour his hometown of Boston, while the other hoped to use the name Portland, and the winning toss decided it.

What is the fastest cracker in the box? Instagraham.

I just produced a theatrical performance on puns. It was a play on words.

If you buy a bigger bed, you get less bedroom.

Exhausted hiker: I am so glad to see you! I've been lost for three days. Other hiker: Well, don't get too excited, I've been lost for a week.

A police dog is often the scenter of a drug arrest.

1. Succession 2. Pacific 3. Wisdom 4. Brazil 5. DVDs