What was once an industrial site dominated by a glass factory and a towering smokestack has been transformed into a sprawling public park in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Ariel-Foundation Park, now covering 250 acres, combines remnants of the city’s industrial past with lakes, trails, gardens and an unusual observation tower built around a historic smokestack. The…

Aditya Sengupta, 2026 Davidson Fellow Laureate, $100,000 Scholarship, Age: 18, Hometown: Bellevue, WA An 18-year-old student from Bellevue, Washington, has built an artificial intelligence model designed to predict dangerous clear-air turbulence, earning a $100,000 (£75,000) scholarship from the Davidson Institute. Aditya Sengupta developed the machine-learning system, named ForeCAT, after experiencing severe and unexpected turbulence during…

Davis, a student at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, Massachusetts, built the machine as part of his science research project. The system uses waste plastic, including waste generated during 3D printing and converts it into filament that can again be fed into a 3D printer. A failed 3D print typically goes straight to the…

Winter Park nonprofit transports 12,000 animals to Florida rescues A nonprofit network of volunteer pilots based in Winter Park, Florida, has reached a major milestone after flying more than 12,000 rescued dogs and cats from overcrowded animal shelters to adoptive homes across the United States. Founded in 2010, the organization, called Animals Away, connects private…

Zipp Family Sports Park. Image Credit: Norris Design A Texas family has helped turn a former ranch into a major sports destination in New Braunfels. The Zipp Family Sports Park covers roughly 150 acres and is designed around tournament-level baseball, softball and soccer, giving local athletes a larger place to compete and train. The project…