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☆ Horizontal Falls: Why tourists are being banned from riding boats through this Australian natural wonder
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Ronan O Connell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

For decades, tours have pierced these gaps on powerful boats, much to the dismay of the area’s Indigenous Traditional Owners, who say the site is sacred. Talbot Bay’s main boat tour operator, Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures, will cease traversing the falls in March 2028, with all other operators to stop by the end of 2026. Jeff Mauritzen/Design Pics Editorial/Getty ImagesThe Horizontal Falls ban aims to restore the sanctity of this site. In preparation for the Horizontal Falls ban, the Dambeemangaddee stated they have begun creating new videos and brochures that will explain their culture and spiritual connection to Talbot Bay. “By traversing the falls, visitors experience the awesome nature of this unique environment,” Hall said in a statement earlier this month.

Persons: It’s, Jeff Mauritzen, it’s, Talbot Bay’s, David Attenborough, ”, Reece Whitby, Evan Hall, ” Hall, “, Sally Shaw, ” Shaw Organizations: CNN, Owners, Western, WA Tourism Council, Traditional Owners, WA Government, Western Australian, WA, UNESCO, Tourism Council, National Parks, Kimberley Day Locations: Talbot, Western Australia, Talbot Bay, WA, Kimberley Region, Perth, British, Australia, Kimberley

☆ Peculiar fossil reveals oldest toothless bird from 120 million years ago
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —A peculiar fossil has helped scientists discover an unusual bird that lived among the dinosaurs 120 million years ago, and the find is changing the way researchers think about avian evolution. Enantiornithines are known as “opposite birds” because they had a shoulder joint feature that greatly differs from the ones modern birds have. “Before Imparavis, toothlessness in this group of birds was known to occur around 70 million years ago,” Clark said. When Jingmai O’Connor, the Field Museum’s associate curator of fossil reptiles, visited the Shandong museum’s collections a few years ago, the fossil caught her attention. While modern birds have fused forelimb digits, enantiornithines still had independent movement in the “little fingers” on their wings.

Persons: Sir David Attenborough, ”, Alex Clark, Imparavis, ” Clark, Jingmai O’Connor, O’Connor, Clark, “, enantiornithines, ” O’Connor, ” Attenborough Organizations: CNN, University of Chicago, Field Locations: China, China’s Toudaoyingzi, Shandong

The agency knew officials in Scotland had named snowplows for years and decided a similar effort in Minnesota might draw attention to their winter work, Meyer said. The response in the first year of the contest was overwhelming, with about 24,000 submissions and 122,000 votes cast. “There's a natural infatuation with (snowplows),” said Kristine Bustos-Mihelcic, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Transportation. Minnesota plans to keep its contest going in coming years and Meyer noted each plow keeps its name, which is displayed along the side of the vehicle. “We've got 800 snowplows statewide for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, so we have a lot of snowplows to name,” Meyer said.

Persons: Darth Blader, ”, Anne Meyer, Meyer, Plowy McPlowFace, Dogg, Han Snolo, Salt Fitzgerald, Paul, Scott Fitzgerald, Prince, Sleetwood Mac, Snow, Billy, Kid, “, Kristine Bustos, Erika Hill, Sir David Attenborough, We've, ” Meyer Organizations: Minnesota Department of Transportation, New, New Mexico Department of Transportation, Lincoln's Transportation, Utilities Locations: Minnesota, Scotland, Alaska, California, Ohio, Massachusetts, New Mexico, ” Lincoln , Nebraska, British

☆ Check out this huge Jurassic sea-monster skull that just went on display
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-02 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewThe seven-foot-long skull of a fearsome 150-million-year-old sea monster has gone on display in Dorset in the UK, as scientists race to find the rest of its body. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. The skull of the 39-foot-long pliosaur, a Jurassic predator described as an "underwater T. Rex," comes complete with 130 razor-sharp teeth. The pliosaur skull discovered in Dorset, UK. "I stake my life the rest of the animal is there," palaeontologist Steve Etches who found the skull, told BBC News .

Persons: —, Steve Etches, Sir David Attenborough, It's, Rex, Pliosaurs, Etches, we've Organizations: Service, Business, BBC, Guardian, BBC News, New, PBS Locations: Dorset, Kimmeridge Bay, UK, , Dorset

LONDON (AP) — Britain's polar research ship has crossed paths with the largest iceberg in the world — a “lucky” encounter that enabled scientists to collect seawater samples around the colossal berg as it drifts out of Antarctic waters, the British Antarctic Survey said Monday. It began drifting in recent months, and has now moved into the Southern Ocean, helped by wind and ocean currents. Scientists say it is now likely to be swept along into “iceberg alley” — a common route for icebergs to float toward the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. What we don’t know is what difference particular icebergs, their scale, and their origins can make to that process," she said. The British Antarctic Survey said its findings will help improve understanding of how climate change is affecting the Southern Ocean and the organisms that live there.

Persons: Sir David Attenborough, London —, ”, Andrew Meijers, “, A23a hasn’t, berg, Laura Taylor Organizations: British Antarctic Survey Locations: Antarctica, New York City, London, Weddell, South Georgia, British

☆ David Attenborough finds the AI version of himself 'personally distressing'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A video of an AI version of David Attenborough narrating a programmer's life went viral on X.Attenborough told Business Insider he found the video "personally distressing." The filmmaker said he's concerned an AI version of him could be used to deceive others. AdvertisementOn Wednesday, a programmer named Charlie Holtz shared a video on X that showcased an AI-generated version of David Attenborough narrating Holtz's life. In addition to sharing the video online, Holtz also shared the code he used to create his AI-Attenborough. Holtz 's video has been watched more than 3 million times, and it has already sparked interest in AI clones.

Persons: David Attenborough, Attenborough, he's, —, Charlie Holtz, @charliebholtz, Sir David Attenborough, Holtz, Meta Ray Bans, Pietro Schirano, Steve Jobs Organizations: Service, BI Locations: New York City

☆ This video of David Attenborough narrating a programmer's life shows Hollywood actors were right to be afraid of AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A programmer has created an AI version of David Attenborough to narrate his life. AdvertisementIf you've ever wanted acclaimed broadcaster and documentary filmmaker Sir David Attenborough to narrate your life, you're not alone — and you don't have to keep merely wishing for it anymore. He's been posting quirky experiments with AI on X — like one that uses AI to recommend how you should correct your posture. And it's made possible by combining OpenAI's GPT-4-vision — an AI model that can describe what it sees — and code from Elevens Lab, an AI voice startup. One X user wrote, "I'm going to get David Attenborough to narrate videos of my baby learning how to eat broccoli."

Persons: David Attenborough, Salma Hayek —, —, you've, Sir David Attenborough, Charlie Holtz, Holtz, Attenborough, @charliebholtz, Salma Hayek, Annie Murphy —, it's, Justine Bateman, Bateman Organizations: Service, Elevens Lab, Hollywood, Actors

☆ Naming a species after a celebrity may do more harm than good
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But it's very difficult to change a species' scientific name, and that can lead to regrets. The list of species named for celebrities is lengthy and includes everything from flies (Beyoncé) to lichen (Oprah Winfrey) to lizards (Lionel Messi). An eponym is a scientific species name based on a person, either real or fictional. AdvertisementAdvertisementUniversity of Oxford biologist Katie Blake and her co-authors found that species with celebrity names had almost three times as many page views on Wikipedia as non-famously monikered control species. AdvertisementAdvertisementSome examples include Adolf Hitler, Cecil Rhodes, and George Hibbert, all of whom have species named after them.

Persons: —, Taylor Swift, Leonardo DiCaprio, David Attenborough, Oprah Winfrey, Lionel Messi, Jimmy, Sericomyrmex radioheadi, Tarantobelus, roundworm, Jeff Daniels, Taylor Swift's millipede, Katie Blake, cuvier, Georges Cuvier, Andre Seale, Blake, Hitler, Christopher Bae, Adolf Hitler, Cecil Rhodes, George Hibbert, Sergio Pitamitz, Bae, Cecil John Rhodes, There's, heidelbergensis, CESAR MANSO, Rhodes, bodoensis, Bodo D'ar, Jimmy Buffett’s “, Hal Horowitz, Hibbert, George Rinhart, Stephen B, Heard, Charles Darwin's Barnacle, David Bowie's Spider Organizations: Service, Virginia Tech, University of Oxford, VW, Getty, University of Hawai'i, American Ornithological Society, NPR Locations: Mano, Slovenia, Africa, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Right, Spain, AFP, Ethiopia

☆ Scientists took the first-ever photos of an adorable echidna, named after David Attenborough, that hasn't been seen for over 60 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Scientists captured images of an elusive echidna named after David Attenborough for the first time in over 60 years. Attenborough's long-beaked echidna was last recorded in 1961. Attenborough's long-beaked echidna was last recorded in 1961, according to a news release from the University of Oxford. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe echidna — also known as Sir David's long-beaked echidna or the Cyclops long-beaked echidna — inhabits New Guinea and lives in the Cyclops Mountains in Indonesia. Part of the reason may be because the tropical forests surrounding the Cyclops Mountains are under threat from logging and mining, per the Times.

Persons: David Attenborough, —, Sir David Attenborough, James Kempton, Sir David's, Kempton, hadn't, Iain Kobak Organizations: Service, University of Oxford, New York Times, Expedition, IUCN, Times Locations: British, New Guinea, Indonesia

LONDON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Scientists have rediscovered a long-lost species of mammal described as having the spines of a hedgehog, the snout of an anteater and the feet of a mole, in Indonesia's Cyclops Mountains more than 60 years after it was last recorded. The species has only been scientifically recorded once before, by a Dutch botanist in 1961. A different echidna species is found throughout Australia and lowland New Guinea. Kempton's team survived an earthquake, malaria and even a leech attached to an eyeball during their trip. They worked with the local village Yongsu Sapari to navigate and explore the remote terrain of northeastern Papua.

Persons: David Attenborough, James Kempton, Kempton, Kempton's, Yongsu, William James, Alex Richardson Organizations: Oxford University, Thomson Locations: British, Dutch, Australia, New Guinea, Papua

☆ Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna: Long-lost mammal rediscovered in Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Scientists have rediscovered a long-lost species of mammal described as having the spines of a hedgehog, the snout of an anteater and the feet of a mole, in Indonesia’s Cyclops Mountains more than 60 years after it was last recorded. Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, named after British naturalist David Attenborough, was photographed for the first time by a trail camera on the last day of a four-week expedition led by Oxford University scientists. A different echidna species is found throughout Australia and lowland New Guinea. Kempton’s team survived an earthquake, malaria and even a leech attached to an eyeball during their trip. They worked with the local village Yongsu Sapari to navigate and explore the remote terrain of northeastern Papua.

Persons: David Attenborough, James Kempton, ”, “, ‘, ” Kempton, Kempton’s, Yongsu Organizations: CNN —, Oxford University Locations: British, Dutch, Australia, New Guinea, Papua

SINGAPORE (AP) — Britain’s Prince William cheered on 15 finalists of his third Earthshot Prize in Singapore Tuesday ahead of the awards ceremony where five of them will win 1 million pounds ($1.2 million) each to scale up groundbreaking innovations to fight climate change. William spoke to the finalists — all whom are attending the ceremony for the first time for networking opportunities — at Gardens by the Bay, an artistic horticulture attraction. The winners are grouped into five categories: nature protection, clean air, ocean revival, waste elimination and climate change. The finalists included a U.S. company that found a way to recycle polycotton fabrics, which makes up half of all textile waste. Apart from the prize money, all 15 finalists will receive a year of technical support and resources to help them accelerate their ideas.

Persons: — Britain’s Prince William, William, —, Rania al Abdullah, Jack Ma, Stella McCartney, David Attenborough, Ngozi Okonjo, Yao Ming, Kate, couldn't, George, Hannah Waddingham, Sterling K, Brown, Bebe Rexha, Oscar, Cate Blanchett, Donnie Yen, Lana Condor, Mbatha, Robert Irwin Organizations: SINGAPORE, World Trade Organization, NBA, William’s Royal Foundation, MediaCorp, Sterling Locations: Singapore, Gardens, U.S, Indian, Sierra Leone’s, Freetown, Poland, Europe, U.K, Asia, London, Boston, Republic

☆ A Victorian Dinosaur Park Finds Its Way in the 21st Century
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Claire Moses | More About Claire Moses | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The word dinosaur is only about a decade old. Now imagine yourself as a resident of Victorian London, walking into Crystal Palace Park in the southeastern part of the city. There you encounter dozens of three-dimensional dinosaurs and ancient mammals you could have never imagined, made of clay, brick and other available building materials. Except you don’t have to imagine too hard, because those statues are still there, some 170 years later. They’re a little worse for wear and are no longer considered scientifically accurate.

Persons: David Attenborough Organizations: Crystal Locations: Victorian London, They’re

☆ Secrets and Systems, Lost in the Video Age
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Rory Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Udinese knew about Alexis Sánchez long before he had been called up to play for the Chilean national team. It knew about him before he had played in the Copa Libertadores, before the rest of South America discovered him and before he had caught the acquisitive eyes of Europe’s biggest, richest teams. There is a chance that Udinese knew about Sánchez even before, on April 23, 2005, Jawed Karim stood outside the elephant enclosure at the San Diego Zoo, filming himself for a website he had helped to launch. “The cool thing about these guys,” Karim said, correctly, “is that they have really, really, really long trunks.” It may not have been David Attenborough, but it was the first video uploaded to YouTube. And it would, ultimately, be possibly the most significant event in Udinese’s modern history.

Persons: Alexis Sánchez, Jawed Karim, ” Karim, David Attenborough Organizations: Udinese, Chilean national, Copa Libertadores, San Diego Zoo, YouTube Locations: South America, Calama, Chile’s, Atacama

☆ A Netflix camera crew says its boat was almost sunk in a 'horrific' tiger shark attack while filming in Hawaii
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Netflix camera crew's boat was attacked by two 15-foot-long tiger sharks, reports say. "But the first day the tiger sharks were around, the crew got into these inflatable boats — and two sharks attacked them. "This 'v' of water came streaming towards us, and this tiger shark leapt at the boat and bit huge holes in it. Ron Sanford/Getty ImagesDespite the crew's terrifying experience, the chances of being attacked by a shark are extremely low, Insider recently reported. The new Netflix series examines animal migration patterns and the impact of climate change on the natural world.

Persons: —, David Attenborough, Huw Cordey, Laysan, Cordey, Brian Skerry, Toby Nowlan, Nowlan, Ron Sanford Organizations: Netflix, Service, Radio Times, Getty Locations: Hawaii, Spain, Portugal, British, Laysan, Northwestern, Tiger Beach, Bahamas

☆ Rare video footage shows a cannibalistic killer crab gobbling up babies. 'I have never seen this behavior before,' one expert said.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Every year, millions of Christmas Island red crabs make their way to the Indian Ocean to lay eggs. David Attenborough's Netflix series "Our Planet II," shows an adult crab feasting on baby crablets. The Christmas Island crabs are terrestrial, inhabiting the island's rainforests during most of the year. When the eggs hit the water, the red crab larvae hatch. You can watch "Our Planet II" on Netflix.

Persons: David Attenborough's, Lucy Turner, —, I've Organizations: David Attenborough's Netflix, Service, Netflix, University of Plymouth, Parks Australia –

CNN —It’s all systems go for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize lately. Now we’re hearing about a new partnership between the Prince of Wales’ initiative and online video platform YouTube. But away from the glitzy awards ceremony, some have wondered about the real-world impact of innovation prizes like Prince William’s. “Not only because of Prince William but the full Earthshot team that is there in order to support all the finalists. And I think it’s incredibly helpful to share some of the challenges that we have found along the way.”In recent weeks, Prince William even dropped by Notpla’s headquarters in northeast London.

Persons: CNN —, Prince William’s Earthshot, Prince, Prince William’s, William, Prince Philip, King Charles III ., Wales, Alex Bramall, Charles, Prince of Wales, King, Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, Gonzalez, Pierre Paslier, ” Gonzalez, “, Notpla’s, ” William, Jonathan Brady, Prince William, “ It’s, Kin Cheung, William “, David Attenborough, Annie Randall, King Charles, ”, couldn’t, Buckingham, Duke, “ He’s Organizations: CNN’s Royal, CNN, London, Imperial College London, Windsor, Getty Locations: Singapore, Wales, Kensington, Boston, United Kingdom, London, Cornwall, It’s

☆ Inspired by Jane Goodall, Onscreen and in Real Life
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Laurel Graeber | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jane Goodall is not a fan of television. In her limited free time, this renowned British primatologist and environmentalist may occasionally watch a wildlife documentary by her friend David Attenborough, or, after a hard day, “something mindless,” as she said in a recent video interview. But usually, she doesn’t tune in. But the high-spirited protagonist is Jane Garcia, a 9-year-old of Filipino and Mexican heritage with an insatiable curiosity. “I’m her hero,” Goodall explained, adding that young Jane, who adorns her walls with articles and photos, has “many bits and pieces from my life in her room.”

☆ 'Avatar: The Way of Water' review roundup: See it on the biggest screen possible, critics say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"The Way of Water" follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) who are now the parents of four Na'vi children. Read more: "Avatar: The Way of Water" could be headed for a $175 million opening weekend Critics are adamant that audiences should watch "The Way of Water" on the biggest screen possible, lauding the film for its you-won't-believe-this-is-computer-generated visuals and bombastic sound design. Here's what critics thought of "Avatar: The Way of Water" before its Friday release. Avatar: The Way of Water Courtesy: Disney Co.Ma did note that "The Way of Water" is "jaw-droppingly beautiful," likening it to watching a David Attenborough documentary rather than a CGI feature. Avatar: The Way of Water Courtesy Disney Co.Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

☆ Prince William gave a $1.2 million Earthshot prize to a startup that makes edible packaging from seaweed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Prince William awarded five Earthshot Prizes of $1.2 million on Friday to fund climate innovation. The prestigious Earthshot Prizes were awarded on Friday in Boston. Each winner will receive £1 million ($1.2 million) to develop their climate innovations. The star-studded ceremony, hosted by Prince William and Kate Middleton, had various celebrities in attendance including Billie Eilish, Ellie Goulding, Annie Lennox, Rami Malek, Catherine O'Hara, and David Beckham. The Earthshot Prizes were launched in 2020 by Prince William and Sir David Attenborough.

☆ Rare video shows a seal inflating its nose like a balloon to attract a female in a mating ritual
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A rare video shows the mating ritual of hooded seals in the Arctic Ocean. In the video, a young male hooded seal appears bobbing along a slab of ice, where a female is nursing a pup. A male hooded seal is shown in an illustration. More than 600,000 hooded seals live across the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fisheries. Hooded seal pups are weaned off the milk in just four days, the shortest time for any mammal.

☆ We visited Chris Sacca-backed Epoch Biodesign's London HQ. The startup wants to clamp down on pollution with plastic eating enzymes.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Epoch Biodesign, a startup converting plastic to chemicals using enzymes, has raised $14.5 million. Epoch Biodesign uses plastic-eating enzymes as a base and scientifically alters them to produce a specific chemical from the consumed plastic. Epoch Biodesign is also developing enabling technologies to do this cheaper, faster, better, and at greater scale. This is a colony picker, one the machines used test and select Epoch Biodesign's enzymes in the lab. In the long run, Epoch Biodesign expects to license out its technology so it isn't running facilities itself.

☆ How the mind of an 80-year-old president is biologically different from a 45-year-old president's
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-13 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +23 min

It was 1988, and he'd approached President Ronald Reagan in the Cabinet room at the White House. People scoffed at the glowing hourlong media conference that President Donald Trump's White House doctor gave about his health. Reagan publicly announced he had Alzheimer's disease five years after he left the White House. Francis Shen, who teaches psychiatry at Harvard Medical School's Center for Bioethics, would like to see information about political leaders' cognitive health made public. Cognitive health should be no different, he said, because it also might affect the way presidents and members of Congress make important decisions.

☆ Dramatic footage shows orcas breaking an ice platform to trap and kill a seal, a rare technique used by only 100 whales
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-12 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A new BBC documentary shows a pod of killer whales hunting a seal using a sophisticated technique. They used "wave crashing," creating a wave to break up an ice platform and trap the seal on it. The technique is used by only about 100 killer whales around the world. The video, part of the BBC's new "Frozen Planet II" documentary released Sunday in the UK, shows four killer whales that attacked a Weddell Seal. Once the seal was in the water, the whales used another hunting technique: blowing bubbles to confuse the seal, which made it easier to catch.

☆ Barack Obama is now halfway to an EGOT after winning an Emmy for narrating a Netflix documentary series
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-04 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Barack Obama won an Emmy on Saturday for his narration on Netflix's "Our Great National Parks." The award makes Obama the second US president in history to win an Emmy. The award makes Obama the second US president in history to win an Emmy, and the first to win in a competitive category. The former president beat out David Attenborough, Lupita Nyong'o, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and W. Kamau Bell to win the Emmy for "Our Great National Parks." The series was produced by Higher Ground, the production company founded by Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.

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