Some dogs are built differently. Amber the retriever cross was facing a hard life on the burning hot streets of Qatar, but was rescued by KS Angels Rescue, a charity that rehomes stray dogs in the United Kingdom. For most dogs, this would be a dream ticket to a happy life, and Amber was temporarily placed in a foster home within England’s verdant New Forest. 1c5q57

But after just a single night with foster owner Jess Wadsworth, Amber heard the call of adventure. After somehow leaping over an 8-foot-high deer fence, she explored large parts of the United Kingdom and even swam from the mainland to an offshore island.

Amber’s incredible journey was chronicled in an article in The Guardian, which details the intense campaign to track her down. Over the 36 days she was missing, she was frequently spotted in the New Forest, but evaded food stations and cameras and eventually made a break for the coast. Faced with the open ocean, she dove in, doggy paddling for a mile until she reached the isolated and small Brownsea Island.

AMBER HOME SAFE. THANKS FOR RT's

25 APR 2025 #Lost AMBER #ScanMe
Golden/ White Saluki Female #Bramshaw #Lyndhurst #Hampshire #SO43
Amber was in her first night in a foster home after arriving from Qatar. https://t.co/FK04ybHrBo pic.twitter.com/j2BXTc967O

— chris towers (@millypod1) June 1, 2025

They thought she was a seal 3i4q3h

A baffled islander was shocked to see a stray dog on the tiny island, but began leaving food out for her. Finally, Amber decided to head back to the mainland, being spotted in the sea by a ferry crew who initially assumed she was a seal. One of the crew, Ethan Grant, said: “I then realised it was a dog and thought ‘what’s that doing out there?’ You could see she was struggling so we thought we need to get her out otherwise she wouldn’t have made it.”

Thankfully, the tired, shivering, and doubtless hungry Amber was indeed fished out of the water, taken to a vet, and declared skinny but healthy. Amber was returned to her foster family, with Wadsworth impressed by her tenacity: “She’s already in really good nick compared to how long she had gone for. What a girl!”

Wadsworth is only providing a foster home, but it’s sounding like Amber is going to have a happy ending. The island resident who cared for Amber after she swam there has been in touch, saying she’d love to be her new permanent owner. But, uh, maybe keep an eye on her when you’re walking her on the beach unless she gets another bad case of doggie wanderlust and decides to plunge into the ocean in search of new adventures!

Manitoba authorities have declared a state of emergency as wildfires force the evacuation of 17,000 residents, marking an unprecedented crisis in the Canadian province that borders the United States. The emergency declaration will remain in effect for an initial period of 30 days as officials combat the spreading fires.

According to The Washington Post, the Manitoba Wildfire Service reports 102 wildfires in the province this year, significantly exceeding the average of 78 fires typically recorded by this time. The fires have already consumed 491,000 acres (199,000 hectares) of land in Manitoba alone, contributing to a broader crisis across Canada.

“We’re just kind of in a panic here,” said Elsaida Alerta, a resident of Flin Flon, one of the cities under mandatory evacuation orders. “The town is absolutely smoked out here… We can barely breathe,” she told CBC Radio as residents prepared to leave their homes. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew described the situation as “the largest evacuation Manitoba will have seen in most people’s living memory.”

Military assistance needed as smoke threatens US states 6zj4m

Due to the massive scale of the evacuation, military forces have been deployed to assist in the operation, with most evacuees being directed to Winnipeg, the provincial capital. Premier Kinew assured residents that fellow Manitobans would welcome those displaced, emphasizing the importance of working together through this challenging period.

The crisis extends beyond Canadian borders, with wind patterns expected to push wildfire smoke into the Midwestern United States. Northern Minnesota faces the highest risk of poor air quality, while cities including Milwaukee, Chicago, and Detroit may experience reduced visibility and air quality by Friday afternoon and evening.

The situation in Manitoba is part of a larger wildfire crisis affecting Canada, with 158 active fires burning across the country. Of these, 83 are classified as out of control, with the western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta experiencing the majority of the blazes. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that the federal government stands ready to Manitoba’s provincial wildfire teams.

Drought conditions in affected areas of Manitoba have exacerbated the situation, with no significant rainfall forecast for at least the next week. This crisis follows Canada’s worst wildfire season in modern history in 2023, when over 42 million acres burned, more than double the previous record. The increasing frequency and magnitude of extreme wildfires globally have been linked to climate change, with a recent study indicating that such events have doubled since 2003.

Content warning: This article mentions suicide. Please take care while reading.

26-year-old police officer Ryan Kingerski of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, died by suicide after enduring months of severe complications following LASIK eye surgery. His death has reignited concerns about the potential risks associated with this popular elective procedure.

All he wanted to do was “live a normal life” 2y5i30

According to Pittsburgh news outlet WPXI, Kingerski underwent LASIK surgery in August 2024, seeking to improve his vision. However, post-surgery, he began experiencing debilitating side effects, including intense headaches, extreme light sensitivity, double vision, and visual disturbances like floaters and dark spots. Despite consulting multiple specialists, his symptoms persisted, rendering him unable to perform his duties as a police officer.

“On the ride home, he kept saying about how, ‘Something’s not right with my right eye,’” Ryan’s father, Tim Kingerski told WPXI, recalling the immediate aftermath of Ryan’s procedure. “And I said, ‘What do you mean?’ And he said, ‘It’s very foggy. I can’t really see out of it, and the pain in my head.’”

According to Tim, Ryan’s condition worsened until, “On Nov. 19, we got a letter from Lasik Plus saying that they would no longer see him as a patient.”

In a note left behind, Ryan reportedly wrote, “LASIK took everything from me,” highlighting the profound impact the surgery had on his life.

LASIK surgery and its risks 1d4f6p

LASIK, or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is a widely performed refractive surgery aimed at correcting vision issues like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The procedure involves reshaping the cornea using a laser to improve visual acuity, often eliminating the need for glasses or lenses.

While LASIK boasts a high satisfaction rate, and most patients are pleased with the results, it’s not without risks. Common side effects include dry eyes, glare, halos, and double vision. In most cases, these symptoms are temporary, but for some, they persist and can significantly impact quality of life. Rarely, patients experience severe complications such as chronic eye pain or visual disturbances that can lead to psychological distress.

Medical professionals have acknowledged these concerns. Dr. Morris Waxler, a former FDA adviser involved in LASIK’s approval process, has since expressed regret over his role, stating that the real complication rates may be higher than reported.

Speaking with WPXI, Waxler added, “What are those serious effects? Irremediable pain, constant itchiness of the cornea, can’t drive at night, can’t see details. These are not small matters.”

Ryan’s story is not isolated. There have been other reports of individuals experiencing severe post-LASIK complications leading to depression and, in extreme cases, suicide. For instance, Detroit meteorologist Jessica Starr died by suicide in 2018 after struggling with complications from LASIK surgery

In a statement, LASIK Plus said, “The safety and effectiveness of Lasik is established by a large body of peer-reviewed clinical data, more than 7,000 individual studies over the past 25 years. Lasik is a safe and effective correction option for those patients who are medical candidates.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. A list of international crisis resources can be found here.

The only thing more dangerous than a Cybertruck is a Cybertruck driver. Elon Musk’s hideous boondoggle is now the laughing stock of the automotive world: on the street people point and laugh, it’s partly responsible for the ongoing collapse of the Tesla brand, and the company has been forced to do a humiliating recall after it turned out they were assembled using the wrong kind of glue.

But as dangerous and ugly as they are, the drivers are worse. Anyone who’s willingly be seen in a Cybertruck in public at this point is missing a few brain cells, as proven by this video of a driver kicking back on the freeway, taking his eyes off the road and concentrating on playing Grand Theft Auto V:

Tesla Cybertruck driver plays GTA V while FSD (Full Self-Driving) is active. $TSLA pic.twitter.com/RuSAN930p6

— TeslaDashCam (@TeslaCamera) May 22, 2025

This driver is using Full-Self Driving (supervised) mode (FSD), which is rapidly proving to be horrendously unsafe for motorists and pedestrians. There have been multiple incidents of Tesla vehicles veering off the road into traffic or obstacles for no apparent reason. The National Highway Traffic Safety istration is monitoring the situation, but their report already concludes that FSD is “a driver assistance system that requires constant supervision by a human driver.”

As you may have guessed, playing video games while driving is not “constant supervision”. In this case, even Tesla fans are outraged, with one saying, “This is the kind of c**p that will ruin it for everyone.. Company, shareholders, other Tesla FSD s, everyone. Please be a responsible driver“. Others say this shouldn’t be possible, as “you get dinged all the time for looking at the screen even to change the song.”

Disabling the safety 405c4q

Others theorize this driver has intentionally disabled the FSD safety features:

This is really dumb. Intentionally disabling or bying safety features is a pretty stupid thing to do. Yes the vehicle is capable of driving all by itself, but there’s a reason it’s still supervised right now. And a reason there are things in place to keep you from abusing…

— Tesla Space Nerd (@teslaspacenerd) May 22, 2025

Whatever the case, we can only echo the calls that this moron needs to be off the road. The way he’s driving that will likely happen one way or another sooner or later. Either he’ll be identified and have his license removed, or he’ll veer off the freeway into a tree at speed and be rapidly ejected through the Cybertruck windshield.

Even fans of hamsters must it that, as cute as they are, they don’t tend to achieve a huge amount in their short lives. Sure, they’ll run about on a wheel, curl up in a little furry ball, and lick that weird salt thing, but their ability to change the world is somewhat limited.

Well, nobody told that to Popcorn. This Welsh hamster just hit the news, leaving people astonished at how much this little guy impacted the lives of his owners and charmed millions.

The saga began as nurse Chris Williams’ life fell apart. His job was stressing him out, he was feeling existential misery, and his long-time partner had unexpectedly dumped him. As he told the BBC, “I was broken”. But there was one shining pinprick of light in this abyss. His name? Popcorn.

Chris’ eight-year-old daughter Lily had been begging him to buy the family a hamster. He was skeptical, but she insisted, presenting her dad with “hours of research”. Soon this unassuming rodent was in their lives, but Chris quickly realized there was “something different” that set Popcorn apart from other hamsters.

For one thing, it appeared that Popcorn could sense the void gnawing at Chris’ soul: “He was following me like a dog. I got him on the sofa with me, and he fell asleep on my chest. I couldn’t believe it.” Whenever Popcorn was present, his anxiety and misery began to melt away: “It was just a really beautiful thing. It was mindfulness. Being a nurse in the NHS, some days are quite hard and it’s really stressful, but Popcorn would just calm me down.”

Popcorn plays Cupid 1s3q72

The two became so close that their family encouraged Chris to share Popcorn’s message with the world via social media, with their adorable bond quickly earning them a loyal social media following of 140,000 fans. Then, one day, a DM popped up in Chris’ inbox from Carrie, a local woman who thought his content was “cute”.

As Popcorn silently and knowingly watched from his cage, Chris and Carrie’s friendship rapidly blossomed into romance. When Carrie held Popcorn for the first time, Chris said something “clicked into place” for him. The two are now engaged to be married this year, their two families combining into a single loving whole.

But, in a heartbreaking twist, Popcorn isn’t around to don a tiny tuxedo and crawl down the aisle with the ring glued to his back. A hamster’s life is brief, and he ed into hamster heaven soon after introducing the couple to each other. Even so, we have zero doubt that Popcorn is gazing down from a fluffy cloud in the great beyond, nodding his little head in satisfaction: a life saved, a family united, a world made happier. Mission more than accomplished for a single rodent.

Never underestimate a crow. These birds, along with their Corvidae cousins, are considered some of the most intelligent animals on the planet. They can understand complex abstract concepts, are expert problem solvers, and – crucially for this story – can recognize individual humans and form unbreakable bonds with them.

This particular saga began a few years ago in Denmark. Christian Rosenberg was leaving work when he spotted a “sickly and emaciated” crow on the street. Many would simply shrug, walk on, and let nature take its inevitable course.

Not Christian. He tried to find a wildlife rehabilitator who’d take care of it, but was unsuccessful. So, he simply brought the crow home to his partner Lærke Jensen, and the two gradually nursed him back to health. Before too long, they’d named their avian patient Russell (Russell Crowe, get it?), and the healthier he became, the more his loving personality began to shine through.

What they weren’t expecting was that Russell would become best friends with their two-year-old son Otto. As Jensen itted in an interview with The Dodo: “I didn’t know that crows could be affectionate”.

Part of the family 3j4l4g

Bonds were building, but Russell is ultimately a wild animal and belongs in nature. So, doubtless with tears in their eyes, they took their new buddy outside and set him free. Russell now enjoys as rich a life as a crow can expect, but hasn’t forgotten the family that saved his life. As Jensen explains: “He still decided to stay near our house, and he visits us every day. Russell is a big part of our family.”

As proof of that, Russell waits patiently for Otto to return from school each day and then swoops down to hang out with him. This involves the two taking tricycle rides together, then heading inside where they hang out on the sofa together and watch TV.

Hey Pixar, if you’re reading this, I’ve got your next big hit right here. Dreamworks, you’re on notice, too. If you guys want to start a bidding war, then please the Jensen family to buy the rights! This cheery and heartwarming saga underlines that man and animal can indeed live peacefully alongside one another and that interspecies bonds, even with wild animals, can be emotionally rich and complex.

So, the next time you see an injured animal, don’t just walk by and feel sad – try your best to get them the care they need. After all, you could be abandoning your newest family member!

For over a decade, man has pondered the eternal question, “what does the fox say?” But maybe we’ve been looking at it all wrong and should have been asking, “where does the fox sleep">He reported: Sweep is just totally in love with Geoff. The pair were hugging for about 10 minutes when I was there.”

Sweep is unusual in that foxes are wild animals, generally resist being domesticated, and don’t make good pets. That said, some people who find them sneaking into their gardens at night develop something of a bond with their nocturnal visitors, with some even leaving out bowls of dog food to ensure they don’t go hungry. Here’s hoping Sweep and Geoff have many more happy years in each others’ arms/paws.

“Modern” air travel, right? That’s the adjective we use for our flights with robust technologies and high-tech airports. But what drags it all right to the Stone Age is the regressive mentality of individuals who like to believe they are somehow above everyone else. Apparently, they missed out on the memo – living with a disability does nothing to dampen one’s superpower to teach such trolls that they bit off more than they could chew.

Airlines offer those with disabilities the option to pre-board flights as they need more time. So, a 32-year-old Redditor, with an invisible disability, opted for the same facility on a United Airlines flight, with her clearly stating “PREBOARD NOW.” An invisible disability is a physical, mental, or neurological condition that isn’t immediately apparent to others but can significantly affect a person’s daily life, activities, or quality of life.

When she heard the gate agent announcing pre-boarding, she moved past a group of engers to reach the gate. But the GA, exhibiting the crass inhumanity that has become a penchant for airlines everywhere, refused to let her board even after checking her ticket and ordered her to wait.

In her post on Reddit, the woman confesses that the treatment left her embarrassed and aware that her not obviously visible disability, coupled with the fact that her Asian roots left her looking like a teen, didn’t really help her case. She mutely moved to the back of the line, only to hear a couple in the first class boarding group point in her derisively and mockingly say, “I didn’t think so!”

“Like, as if I was dumb and just trying to board in front of other people.”

These insulting words left her frustrated and allowed her to break through her cloud of embarrassment and helplessness. She found another airline employee, showed her boarding , and informed that the gate agent was not allowing her to board. The result? Because not everyone is cursed with a low mentality, this employee escorted her to the gate and made sure she pre-boarded the flight.

What became of that snooty couple, you ask? The woman dropped a not-so-subtle “Hi!” as she boarded the flight with the first-class group, leaving the couple speechless. While she became her own hero, this incident highlights the many, way too many, examples of discrimination.

Well, seeing as airlines are rapidly declining their ability to give a damn, it’s now up to engers to teach a lesson to those who desperately need one.

Wake up honey, the latest TikTok trend just dropped! In what feels like a bad omen for the state of the education system, students up and down the nation are apparently taking school-issued Chromebook laptops and attempting to turn them into incendiary devices.

Worryingly, this is easier than you’d think. As per Newsweek, if you shove a paperclip or pencil into the USB charging port of a Chromebook, it causes a short-circuit, leaving the device emitting sparks, smoking, and potentially catching fire. As pointed out in the article, each laptop contains a lithium battery, which can overheat, begin releasing toxic gas, and then potentially explode.

Here’s what the aftermath of such an incident can look like:

Are kids not aware that this trend will get you in serious trouble??? It is also extremely dangerous #ChromebookChallenge#LedinChromebook pic.twitter.com/IiQpMgX8Ua

— Iceburg (@Iceburg_music) May 12, 2025

The thinking behind this is that a smouldering laptop that may suddenly explode will mean the class (and let’s face it, probably the entire school) will have to evacuate, thus disrupting lessons and resulting in online fame.

Reports have come in from incidents across the country, including in Colorado, New York, Connecticut, California, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. Fire departments are getting involved, with Maryland’s State Fire Marshal, releasing a statement that they’re:

“Alerting the public to a concerning new trend circulating on social media. Students insert electrically conductive objects into the charging ports of school-issued and personal electronic devices. This reckless behavior has been linked to several incidents resulting in fires, smoke, and property damage.”

TikTok themselves have sprung into action, taking down as many “Chromebook” challenge videos as they can and even bringing up an explicit safety warning if you search the term: “This phrase may be associated with behavior or content that violates our guidelines. Promoting a safe and positive experience is TikTok’s top priority.

A teen in New Jersey has already been charged with third-degree arson for taking part in this trend, with KWTX News saying a Connecticut student is also facing charges. Pranks and silly trends are a fact of life in school, and nobody should underestimate what a bored kid can do to liven up a dull Tuesday.

But maybe, just maybe, making your school equipment into a fiery, toxic, and explosive bomb isn’t the way to go about that. Even so, it’s a little worrying that Chromebooks can catch fire so easily – but we’re betting the designers didn’t expect kids would begin intentionally trying to set them on fire for kicks.

Of late, it is getting disappointingly clear that the safest mode of traveling, aka flights, is no longer capable of making women feel secure in their minimum space. And seems like American Airlines is hell bent on leading this disgusting trend.

Just recently, one of their flight attendants told a woman to stop complaining about the man sitting next to her and masturbating because apparently, “men do stuff like that.” But this vile mindset is not limited to one or two employees of the airlines, as yet another enger has sued them for deliberately subjecting her to mental and physical harassment by making her sit next to a “known sexual predator” who has a record of sexual misconduct on flights – including American Airlines. 

Instead of banning this man – a Texas businessman named Cherian Abraham – from their flights, despite allegedly being fully aware of his past record, or at least making sure a woman is not seated next to him, they actually allowed the harassment to go on, not taking any step to intervene or come to the woman’s aid.

The woman residing in the Bay Area has filed a lawsuit against the airline, detailing that the flight was from San Francisco International Airport to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in April 2024. In the flight, post the lights were dimmed, the man allegedly began “deliberately attempting to touch her breasts” and “placed his hand on her upper thigh.”

As per the lawsuit – filed in a federal court in San Francisco – the woman yelled at the man to stop, raising her voice high enough to say “No!” twice. And yet, no American Airlines employee “intervened or made any attempt to investigate” her clear distress. This made her feel help and she “froze,” experiencing “severe emotional distress for the remainder of the flight.” 

What further exposed the twisted mentality of the airlines’ staff was the gate agent’s response when the woman reported the alleged assault – “victim-blaming” her for getting assaulted in the first place and adding that there is nothing the airlines could do.

After putting up a complaint on the airline’s website and only getting an airline representative who “dismissed” her claims, the woman decided to sue them, and the businessman for causing her emotional distress, fraudulent concealment, sexual battery, and negligence.

“American Airlines must answer for every deliberate decision that allowed a known sexual predator to continue flying unchecked and to target unsuspecting women.”

In her lawsuit, the woman has accused the airline of robbing her of a “basic sense of safety,” which was then made worse by their “inaction and indifference reinforced that violation by treating her assault as a logistical inconvenience.”

Has American Airlines taken any steps? u15

After the woman’s complaint on their site? No. But they were forced to “cooperate” and ban the businessman from ever flying with the airline after he was arrested in March 2025 as a result of an FBI investigation of multiple accusations of the 54-year-old man sexually abusing women on flights. 

Airbnb has often been at the center of controversy, and recently, people are just advising each other to go for a hotel instead. A new Airbnb called the service after a dismissive host tried to explain why they shouldn’t expect hot water when booking a property.

An X named Tanya shared a screenshot where an Airbnb host messaged her on the app to inform her that the property she booked doesn’t have hot water in the showers. When Tanya asked if she’d be refunded for the inconvenience if it’s not resolved before she arrives on the property, the host told her no, since their listing on the app doesn’t include hot water as an amenity, and instead offered an apology.

The response made Tanya understandably furious, and she responded by accusing the host of “choosing to potentially rip her off,” arguing that hot water is an assumed amenity, and if the listing has to verbally point out every part of the house for its mandatory existence, then what about the doors and windos\ws?

I don’t think either Tanya or the host expected what would happen next. As the adage goes, the internet did its thing. Immediately, people from all walks of life were advising Tanya on how to handle the situation. Luckily, there are always Airbnb hosts who actually like their guests. One of them advised Tanya to give the property a one-star rating immediately. For the record, he agreed it was a scam and said he would issue a 100% refund if he were in that position.

This is a horrible reply, as somebody in the space managing properties I would 100% issue a full refund if no hot water is available at the property!

It’s crazy how owners would scam like this, if this booking goes thru make sure to mark 1 star and outline how they are not…

— Michael Setuain- Short Term Rental / Airbnb Mgmt (@StayMaven) May 14, 2025

Worse things have definitely happened in an Airbnb. However, it was the host’s faux-professional and “helpful” tone that seemed to get under people’s skin. Someone even combed through California law to send Tanya a clause showing that it’s illegal to rent a property without functional hot showers. Tanya said she sent that back to the host immediately.

If this is in California, this amenity does not need to be listed. it is likely illegal for them to rent it without hot water pic.twitter.com/gHAB9ivjZN

— captive dolt (@stakenut) May 13, 2025

One hilariously tagged Airbnb and asked if doors, locks, and windows should also be listed as amenities, lest someone assume. But Airbnb, of course, did not respond. Honestly, if you don’t even have to disclose that there are strangers on the property, you really can do anything on that wild, wild west app.

I wonder if doors, windows and locks need to be listed as amenities.@Airbnb – care to add your two cents?

— Larry Cook (@stopvaccinating) May 14, 2025

The honest truth is that this isn’t even solely the fault of the host or Airbnb. They’re just unregulated. That’s the quiet part about the gig economy we all have to live with. Companies are no longer responsible for the products and services they facilitate — they’re just middlemen. Governments around the world have bowed to incentives and the “be your own boss” fallacies, but the reality is that none of this benefits the consumer. And it’s certainly not good for the economy.

Good for Tanya for standing up for herself. And it was a great moment for people on X to have her back. Usually, on X, you expect to get outrageous Elon Musk tweets ham-fisted onto your homepage, whether you follow him or not, or the latest tirade from Kanye West. But this one time, X showed us why it still holds a unique place in culture.

Airbnb did eventually respond to Tanya and asked her to DM with more details. As per the people in the thread, she will hopefully get her refund. But it’s high time Airbnb takes an action against such landlords, after all it’s the company’s reputation that’s at stake.

Hermes Trismegistus, Nicolas Flamel, and John Dee are popping open the champagne in the afterlife right now as, after thousands of years of alchemical experimentation, man has finally succeeded in turning lead into gold.

This process, known by alchemists are chrysopoeia, was one of the fundamental goals of alchemy. For countless hours bearded men worked by candlelight amidst bizarrely shaped glass beakers, roasting smelting furnaces, and curiously bubbling liquids – to no avail. But, it turns out, if you happen to have a Large Hadron Collider to hand, you can indeed do it.

As per SciTechDaily. this is a “a modern alchemical feat” achieved at the very cutting edge of science. Here’s how it works: CERN researchers send lead nuclei through the Large Hadron Collider in opposite directions at 99.999993% of the speed of light. If they come close to a head-on collision, the speeding lead nuclei instead generate “intense electromagnetic forces”, which strip a few protons off the lead nuclei, transforming them into gold.

Physicists at @CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have achieved a modern form of alchemy by transmuting lead into gold, albeit fleetingly and in minuscule amounts.

During high-speed collisions of lead ions, the @ALICEexperiment (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) detector observed… pic.twitter.com/yPSltKlLJn

— Erika  (@ExploreCosmos_) May 11, 2025

Is gold now worth less? dk4q

So, is it time to start stockpiling lead in the hopes of transmuting it to gold? Will gold soon be one of the most common metals on the planet, cratering the jewelry market and rendering Fort Knox completely pointless? Well, settle down Goldfinger, because there’s a catch.

While the lead atoms did indeed turn into gold, the colossal energy used in their production means the gold nuclei are immediately destroyed when they smash against the sides of the LHC almost as soon as they form.

On the bright side, the Large Hadron Collider has produced 86 billion gold nuclei, which sounds like a lot! Unfortunately, nuclei are very, very small, and the total gold produced adds up to 29 picograms. This means the total gold produced adds up to around 0.00000000004% of a standard men’s wedding band. And, to underline it once again, even that tiny amount was instantly destroyed.

In a final bit of irony, it’s been pointed out that Isaac Newton devoted countless hours to alchemy, achieving nothing of note. However, his other work on universal gravitation is the bedrock of physical science, which directly led to the creation of the LHC and its eventual fulfilment of the alchemical dream.

But let’s be upbeat and say it’s a start! Scientists have literally succeeded in turning lead into gold (albeit with a few caveats). Next on the alchemy to-do list is an elixir of immortality. Geneticists, we’re side-eyeing you right now!