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Vietnamese photographer Bui Xuan Viet from Dong Nai traveled to Greenland in early July to capture the midnight sun and the country's massive icebergs. Despite summer, temperatures stayed between 2–5°C with unpredictable weather. Boarding a boat for clearer views, Viet found himself surrounded by towering icebergs, some as large as islands, and even drank fresh, crystal-clear water from a melting stream.

Most icebergs there originate from the Greenland Ice Sheet, the world's second largest after Antarctica, holding 90% of the region's freshwater. Only about 10–15% of an iceberg is visible above water, inspiring the phrase “tip of the iceberg.” These icebergs can drift to New York, Bermuda, or Ireland, taking years to melt—the same origin as the one that sank the Titanic.

While the midnight sun offered a golden-hour glow rather than dramatic skies, Viet's most memorable experience was an unexpected encounter with humpback whales near the icebergs. He described the sight of tails splashing and mist illuminated by the sun as a rare gift.

Humpbacks, reaching up to 17 meters and 35 tons, are known for their spectacular breaches and long, haunting songs that carry hundreds of kilometers. They feed in Greenland's waters from April to November.

For Viet, the journey was both artistic and personal, and he hopes to return to Greenland to witness another natural wonder—the aurora borealis.

Four wealthy tourists, including an unnamed American billionaire, are set to visit Ha Long Bay on a three-day, two-night luxury trip during Vietnam's National Day holiday. They will depart Hanoi by seaplane to Van Don port, then board a private cruise to explore exclusive areas of the bay.

The itinerary highlights the Tra San–Cong Do area, famous for its sandy beaches, coral reefs, and rich marine life. Guests will also have access to untouched private spots, and if they wish to see iconic attractions like Thien Cung or Sung Sot caves, private visits will be arranged.

Ha Long's exclusive tour program, launched late last year, has already attracted three to four groups of ultra-rich travelers. In February, American financiers Jeff Grinspoon and Jon Thomas Foley joined a similar trip.

Nguyen Bao Anh, a 30-year-old from Hanoi, is reshaping wine culture in Vietnam by making western-style wines approachable through TikTok and Facebook, pairing them with everyday Vietnamese dishes. His passion began as a student in France, where he initially misunderstood wine etiquette but later immersed himself in vineyard visits and wine education, eventually earning a WSET Level 3 certificate.

After six years abroad, he returned to Vietnam with plans to open a wine shop but instead focused on spreading knowledge and accessibility. He believes wine shouldn't be limited to fine dining or western food, but can harmonize with local favorites like spring rolls, cha ca, or even street snacks. Since 2023, his videos showing pairings such as Chenin Blanc with cha ca or Chardonnay with poached chicken have sparked both curiosity and debate online.

Anh emphasizes balance, applying the principle that light dishes should pair with light wines and rich foods with fuller styles, echoing the Vietnamese proverb about harmony. His mission is to remove the perception of wine as elitist, bringing it into casual Vietnamese meals and everyday culture, one creative pairing at a time.

Researchers at Imperial College London have developed an AI-powered stethoscope that can detect heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and heart valve disease in just 15 seconds. The device, about the size of a playing card, records heart sounds and electrical signals simultaneously, sending the data to AI algorithms trained on tens of thousands of patient records. Results are then delivered instantly to a smartphone.

In a trial across 200 doctor offices with 1.5 million registered patients, the device was tested on 12,725 people presenting symptoms like breathlessness, fatigue, or swelling. Compared to standard care, patients examined with the AI stethoscope were twice as likely to be diagnosed with heart failure, 3.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, and almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with valve disease. These conditions are often missed until patients arrive in emergency care, making early detection critical.

Although promising, the study revealed challenges. About 70% of clinics stopped using the devices regularly within a year, suggesting better integration into practice is needed. Additionally, two-thirds of patients flagged for suspected heart failure tested negative after further scans, raising concerns about false positives and unnecessary anxiety. However, researchers argue that quick follow-up tests and earlier diagnoses outweigh these drawbacks.

The trial was funded by the NIHR, British Heart Foundation, and Imperial Health Charity. Plans are underway to expand rollout in Wales, South London, and Sussex, with accuracy expected to improve as the AI learns from more patients.

A world-first study from Monash University has found that genetic predisposition remains a significant factor in late-life depression, even after age 70. Using data from over 12,000 participants in the ASPREE trial, researchers linked polygenic scores (PGS)—which combine thousands of genetic variants—to depression outcomes over 4.7 years. Contrary to expectations that environmental factors would dominate at older ages, the study revealed that genetics still meaningfully predict depression risk and antidepressant use.

Late-life depression is a leading cause of disability and economic burden among older adults. Study author Professor Paul Lacaze explained that while genetics do not guarantee depression, they place individuals in higher-risk groups. This knowledge could eventually guide early recognition, prevention, and tailored treatment strategies, including identifying which patients may respond better to certain antidepressants.

The findings raise ethical and practical questions, such as whether genomic risk prediction should be done early in life—technically possible even in newborns—or reserved for scenarios with clear clinical utility. Currently, the study is limited by its focus on participants of European descent, highlighting the urgent need for more diverse datasets.

Researchers emphasize that while genes are fixed from birth, environmental and social factors—such as loneliness, life events, and health challenges—interact with predisposition to shape mental health outcomes. Future work will explore the broader balance between nature and nurture in aging-related diseases, aiming to reduce the growing burden of depression in older populations.