Dayna Bass

Erin Napier has built a life showing us how to make small-town houses feel like home — but stepping far beyond her comfort zone? That’s something the Home Town star just tackled with a grin and a little bit of Scottish spirit. The HGTV fan favorite and her husband, Ben Napier, recently shared snaps from their family’s big adventure to Scotland, and for Erin, this trip meant staring down a fear she’s carried for years. Leaving Laurel, Facing Fears For anyone who’s ever watched Home Town, it’s easy to imagine Erin nestled in Laurel, Mississippi — all charm, wood trim,…

If you ask whisky devotees where they’d stake their heart, The Macallan would probably top that list. For decades, the Highland distillery has poured itself into the glasses — and memories — of aficionados worldwide, and some would argue, none more so than the Jewish community who cherish single malts like a sacred ritual. I’ve had the odd pleasure of revisiting The Macallan roughly every two decades. Funny how a spirit can bookmark your life like that. And through all its changes — from a modest family-owned operation to an international icon — it’s never lost that spark that made…

They call it a renewable milestone. Four underwater turbines off the Caithness coast, churning out clean power as tides roll in and out. But a closer look at Scotland’s MeyGen project suggests that while the tides may be free, the electricity certainly isn’t. The Numbers Beneath the Waves It sounds poetic — turbines spinning silently beneath the surf, catching the moon’s pull. Yet the money side of it is a bit less dreamy. MeyGen’s first phase, four turbines producing six megawatts, cost around £51 million back in the mid-2010s. Factor in inflation and we’re talking £66 million today — about…

A single underwater turbine off the Scottish coast is proving that tidal energy can go the distance — and maybe transform the future of clean power if investors take the bait. Six Years Spinning Under the Sea In the icy waters of the Pentland Firth, a narrow channel between the mainland and Stroma Island, four tidal turbines have quietly powered up to 7,000 homes a year. But what’s really making waves is that one of those turbines just crossed six and a half years underwater — spinning away without needing costly, disruptive maintenance. It might not sound thrilling until you…

E.ON’s Steven’s Croft biomass plant is stepping up as the backbone of Scotland’s new HyLion network — aiming to put green fuel in the tanks of cargo ships, passenger jets and even racing cars. A New Player in the Green Fuel Game It might sound like something from a science fair — turning waste wood and whisky fumes into clean fuel for the world’s biggest engines. But the HyLion alliance has a plan, and it’s serious. Sitting at the heart of it is Steven’s Croft near Lockerbie. Since 2008, this biomass plant has been chewing through waste wood and recycled…

One of Scotland’s biggest social care charities is stepping up its policy influence — aiming to put the voices of vulnerable people at the centre of future health and care decisions. Quarriers Joins Forces With Voluntary Health Scotland Quarriers, which supports thousands of people across Scotland, has officially joined Voluntary Health Scotland (VHS). The move marks a clear shift in how charities shape national conversations on poverty, disability rights, and health inequalities. One line. With this partnership, Quarriers will now have a bigger seat at the table in policy discussions that touch on everything from funding reforms to frontline care…

A shocking twist from the UK Covid Inquiry: Scotland’s main care home watchdog says it was blocked from inspecting a struggling care home at the height of the pandemic — leaving grieving families demanding answers. Safety Watchdog Kept Out as Crisis Unfolded Kevin Mitchell, the Care Inspectorate’s executive director of scrutiny and assurance, told the UK Covid Inquiry he was stopped from visiting a care home in the west of Scotland where several residents died in April 2020. He’d tried to get boots on the ground. But public health officials said no. Mitchell described how he needed permission from local…

Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer has confirmed he’ll stand for co-leadership of his party, setting up a lively contest for the top job after Patrick Harvie’s decision to step down. A Fresh Face for a Party in Transition Greer, 30, is no stranger to Holyrood. Representing the West Scotland region since 2016, he’s built a reputation as one of the Greens’ most outspoken figures — quick with a pointed question, never shy about tackling controversy head-on. His candidacy, expected for weeks but now official, signals the party’s next phase as it tries to hold on to its hard-won place at…

A new wave of 5G-enabled robotics is taking root in Scotland’s fields, promising to tackle some of farming’s toughest challenges — from labour shortages to sustainable food production. Scotland’s Tech and Farming Minds Join Forces At the heart of this push is a powerhouse collaboration: The National Robotarium at Heriot-Watt University, The James Hutton Institute, The Scotland 5G Centre, Boston Dynamics, and Freshwave. Together, they’re developing robots that do more than just trundle up and down fields — they gather real-time data, chat with each other over high-speed private 5G networks, and adjust their actions plant by plant. Andrew Christie,…

Oscar Black didn’t just swim across the North Channel — he fought stinging jellyfish, punishing currents and his own self-doubt to set a record that’ll be hard to beat. At just 15, the Lurgan teenager made history last week as the youngest person ever to complete the gruelling swim solo from Northern Ireland to Scotland. A Long Cold Stretch of Sea On paper, the route looks deceptively simple: the Gobbins in County Antrim to Portpatrick in Scotland — 35 kilometres if you fly it. But the sea has its own plans. Oscar ended up swimming a total of 46km (28.5…