Tentacle tunes: In Sweden, a musician known for building unusual instruments turned a home aquarium into a tiny music studio. Instead of practising alone, he designed a keyboard that could be pressed by an octopus using its arms. The setup took patience, with time spent letting the animal get used to the instrument and its surroundings before any sounds emerged. Progress came slowly, helped by simple rewards that encouraged repeated movements across the keys. Over time, short patterns replaced random taps, creating something that resembled a tune. The project drew attention through online videos that showed careful training, steady progress, and an unexpected mix of music, design, and animal behaviour.

Living canvas: In labs around the world, artists practice agar art, building pictures by guiding the growth of bacteria and fungi. Their work begins in shallow dishes filled with agar, a clear gel that lets microbes spread and form colour as they multiply. Rather than brushing strokes, creators place tiny samples with care and then wait as shapes slowly appear on their own. Different organisms grow at different speeds, which adds texture and contrast. The results range from animals to abstract scenes, all shaped by living material. An annual contest run by a microbiology group has helped bring this practice to a wider audience. The process blurs the line between experiment and artwork in a way that keeps surprising viewers.

Hydrogen debut: In San Bernardino, California USA, a new kind of passenger train is carrying riders without burning diesel or drawing power from overhead wires. The train blends hydrogen fuel cells with onboard batteries, creating electricity as it moves and releasing only water vapour. Built for regional routes where full electrification can be hard to justify, the design lets trains run much like before while changing what happens under the floor. Local agencies see it as a practical option for lines needing cleaner operation without major rebuilding. Similar technology has already been tested overseas, giving planners confidence it can scale. Engineers are now tracking how it runs day to day to help decide where it could fit next.

Fog harvest: Along the dry hills near Lima in Peru, residents are collecting fresh water from the air using tall mesh panels that catch passing mist. When fog moves through the nets, tiny droplets cling to the fibres, merge, and drip into channels below. The gathered water is stored nearby and used for washing, small gardens, and daily needs where pipes don't reach. These setups work best in places with steady fog and light winds, even when rain is rare. Community groups help install and maintain the nets, keeping the systems running locally. Similar projects have appeared in other fog-prone regions facing water stress. The approach shows how small tools can reshape life in dry landscapes.

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship." ~ Louisa May Alcott

"A calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence." ~ Dalai Lama

Live Stronger for Longer: Community strength and balance classes are a great opportunity to complete regular exercise whilst socialising and having fun with like-minded people in your community - www.livestronger.org.nz

Wriggle & Rhyme, Manukau Library, every Tuesday during school-term. Join us for a programme that promotes active movement and brain development for babies and toddlers. For ages 0-2 years old.

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

1. Who created the comic strip character Garfield?

2. The human body has 32 permanent _____.

3. What is the fastest land animal?

4. The fictional school attended by Harry Potter is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and _____.

5. Mount Kosciuszko is the tallest mountain in Australia, New Zealand, or Indonesia?

Hidden flow: Divers exploring caves in Mexico have linked two submerged passageways, uncovering an underground river running at least 154km. Their find hinted at even more unseen routes below the surface, suggesting an even larger network.

Giant bloom: A rare plant known as the Rafflesia arnoldii in the rainforests of Indonesia produces the world's largest single flower, spreading several feet across. It survives by drawing what it needs from a host plant and releases a powerful scent that makes its presence hard to miss.

Water divide: About 97 percent of Earth's water is salty ocean water, leaving only a small fraction as fresh water, which is mostly found in ice, groundwater, and surface sources. That tiny share supports drinking supplies and everyday use for billions of people.

Polar palms: Fossil evidence shows that palm trees once grew in what is now subarctic Canada. These tiny traces date to a period roughly 48 million years in the past, revealing that the region stayed warm year-round during that era.

Coral heart: Heart Reef is a naturally formed, heart-shaped coral patch in the Whitsundays, sitting within Australia's Great Barrier Reef. A pilot first noticed its outline during a flight, and today it is protected so people view it only from the air.

What kind of music might you hear in space? Neptunes!

Let's all give a hand to these sock puppets!!

People say I look better without my glasses on. But I can't see it.

Sydney: I must have sneezed 50 times today. Do you think there is something in the air? Allen: Yes, your germs!

If there's one person you don't want to interrupt in the middle of a sentence it's a judge.

1. Jim Davis 2. Teeth 3. Cheetah 4. Wizardry 5. Australia