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☆ Montana rancher paid $4,200 to clone a dead sheep and launched a farm of super hybrids worth up to $550,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A Montana rancher was charged with illegally selling offspring from a cloned sheep across state lines. There's nothing illegal about selling sheep for exorbitant prices — unless those animals are Marco Polo argali sheep, or in Schubarth's case, hybrids of Marco Polo argali sheep. Marco Polo argali sheep are native to central Asia and are considered threatened under the US Endangered Species Act. Shortly thereafter, Schubarth allegedly got his hands on some of those sheep parts and, in 2015, paid a deposit of $4,200 to produce cloned sheep embryos from the dead argali's remains. AdvertisementIn May 2017, a pure argali sheep was born from one of those cloned embryos.

Persons: —, Arthur, Jack, Schubarth, Marco Polo, George Schaller, Joyce Tischler, Lacey, King, Matthew Polak, Dolly, it's, Alison Van Eenennaam, Davis, Van Eenennaam, Gregory Kaebnick, isn't, Rula Rouhana, Reuters It's, Kaebnick, didn't Organizations: Service, Department, Lewis & Clark Law School's Center for Animal Law, European Union, Getty, University of California, and Wildlife Service, The Hastings Center, Reproductive Biotechnology, Reuters Locations: Montana, Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Dubai

☆ 8 federal government jobs that can pay over $200K
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

64 federal job categories pay upwards of $200,000, with some reaching $400,000. AdvertisementMany people enter federal roles for job security, not for the money. Data from the US Office of Personnel Management indicates 64 federal job categories have positions that pay over $200,000 — and some pay as much as much as $400,000. AdvertisementThere are currently 55 open positions in this category, with the highest role listed with a starting salary of $180,564. According to OPM, there are currently 319 federal employees in this job category who make over $200,000.

Persons: —, usajobs.gov Organizations: Service, Management, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Department of, IT Management, NASA, FDA, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, General Engineering, Marshall Space Flight, HR Management, National Science Foundation

☆ $50,000 reward offered for information on deaths of 3 endangered gray wolves in Oregon
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Paradise Afshar | Elizabeth Wolfe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —A trio of endangered gray wolves were found dead in southern Oregon and federal officials are offering a $50,000 reward for information about their deaths. The reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest, criminal conviction or civil penalty assessment related to the animals’ deaths. Gray wolves that live in the western two-thirds of Oregon are a protected species because they are listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. CNN has reached out to the US Fish and Wildlife Service for more information about the circumstances of the deaths. Anyone with information about the case should contact the federal agency or Oregon State Police, the service said.

Persons: Gray Organizations: CNN, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Wildlife Service, The Oregon Department of Fish, Wildlife, Oregon State Police Locations: Oregon, Bly , Oregon, Klamath, Lake

☆ California's Salton Sea could hold enough lithium for 375 million batteries — more than the total number of vehicles currently on US roads
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Jennifer Solis | Nevada Current | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US Department of Energy released an analysis estimating how much lithium is under the Salton Sea. Salton Sea has the potential to produce an estimated 375 million lithium batteries for electric vehicles — more than the total number of vehicles currently on US roads, according to the analysis commissioned by the Department of Energy. It's the most comprehensive analysis to date quantifying the domestic lithium resources in California's Salton Sea region. AdvertisementIf the Salton Sea lithium can be extracted, it could give the US the ability to produce domestically sourced lithium, ending the nation's dependence on rival countries for a supply of the metal. AdvertisementThe state of California is also leaning into the development of lithium extraction in the Salton Sea.

Persons: DOE's Lawrence, Biden's, Jeff Marootian, George Rose, Gavin Newsom, Thacker Organizations: US Department of Energy, Service, Department of Energy, DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, DOE, California State, California Gov, US Fish and Wildlife Service Locations: Nevada's Thacker, Salton, Niland , California, California, Saudi Arabia, Nevada, In Nevada, Esmeralda County

☆ 2 manatees named Romeo and Juliet that have lived in a tank at a Florida theme park since 1956 will finally be freed after pressure from activists
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Two manatees will be released from a Miami aquarium that has held them since 1956. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is helping to relocate Romeo and Juliet, both in their 60s. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The aquarium did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, nor did a spokesperson from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Persons: Romeo, Juliet, —, Urgent Spears, Seaquarium, Lolita Organizations: and Wildlife Service, USDA, Service, Miami, Guardian, Urgent, ABC, US Department of Agriculture, ABC News, KOMO, Business, Fish and Wildlife Service Locations: Miami, Florida, Washington state's, SeaWorld

☆ Wolverines receive protections as threatened species
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The North American wolverine has officially been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and will receive long-anticipated federal protections, US officials announced Wednesday, as the climate crisis melts away their snowy mountain habitats. “Based on the best available science, this listing determination will help to stem the long-term impact and enhance the viability of wolverines in the contiguous United States.”Adding wolverines to the list triggers legal protections for the threatened species under various environmental laws, preventing the population from further declining. The last time the species had been sighted in the region was between 2008 and 2018, according to scientists, though they have already been listed as threatened species under California’s Endangered Species Act. Conservationists and scientists have been calling for federal protections for years now, with some environmental groups like the Center for Biological Diversity even taking legal action. Despite the new science and growing calls for federal protections, initial proposals to protect the species were rejected in 2020 under former President Donald Trump.

Persons: wolverine, ”, Hugh Morrison, Donald Trump, Biden, “ I’m, ” Andrea Zaccardi, they’re Organizations: CNN, wolverines, Wildlife Service Pacific Regional, ”, Yosemite National, Forest, Federal, Center for Biological, and Wildlife Service, Center for Biological Diversity, Fish and Wildlife Service Locations: United States, North America, Rocky, Alaska, Canada, Sierra Nevada, Yosemite, Inyo

☆ Senators want faster FAA approval for commercial spaceflights
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Kristin Fisher | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The top two lawmakers on the US Senate’s space and science subcommittee are pushing federal regulators to accelerate the approval of commercial space launches, arguing that the current pace could cost the United States its edge in the new space race. ‘Keeping pace with industry demand’The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation is responsible for protecting public safety while simultaneously greenlighting a growing number of commercial space launches, which have quadrupled in just four years. The FAA has already licensed 104 launches this year, compared to 26 launches in 2019. We cannot be our own worst enemy when it comes to beating China to the moon and Mars,” Schmitt told CNN. The senators are now asking Coleman to respond to several questions, including what additional resources he may need to accelerate the launch licensing process, by November 28.

Persons: Kyrsten Sinema, Eric Schmitt, Kelvin Coleman, ”, “, Coleman, Senators Kyrsten Sinema, Al Drago, Eva Marie Uzcategui, we’re, William Gerstenmaier, Sinema, Schmitt of Missouri, ” Schmitt Organizations: CNN, United, Federal Aviation, FAA, Transportation, Senators, Bloomberg, Getty, Elon, SpaceX, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Regulators, Republican, China Locations: United States, Arizona, China, Beijing

☆ SpaceX Starship: FAA grants launch license for Friday test launch
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Federal regulators have granted SpaceX permission to launch a long-awaited second test flight of its Starship system — the most powerful rocket ever built — following an explosive first attempt in April. The agency then completed a safety review on October 31 for SpaceX’s planned second test flight. That process concluded on November 14, according to a statement from the agency, allowing FAA to issue the launch permit. Environmental concernsSpaceX may also face additional pushback from environmentalists ahead of — or in the wake of — the second launch attempt. The group of environmental and wildlife advocates that previously sued the FAA could still attempt to seek an injunction to stop the next launch.

Persons: “, Artemis, greenlit, William Gerstenmaier, we’re, SpaceX’s, Elon Musk, Jared Margolis Organizations: CNN, SpaceX, Federal Aviation Administration, Super, FAA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Center for Biological Diversity Locations: of Mexico, Boca Chica , Texas, China, —

☆ Tourists are flocking to a strange bubblegum-pink pond in Hawaii
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementTourists have been flocking to a bright pink pond on the island of Maui, in Hawaii, in recent weeks. The pond, called Keālia Pond, has been monitored by the Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge since October 30, when its color changed. AdvertisementAdvertisementHalobacteria are "salt-loving organisms found in high salinity water bodies," according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. The Keālia Pond turned pink on October 30, 2023. Bret Wolfe, the refuge manager, told the AP that he's seen an increase in tourist visits since the pink pond first appeared on social media.

Persons: —, Leslie Diamond, Bret Wolfe, he's Organizations: Service, Wildlife Refuge, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Wildlife Service, AP Locations: Maui, Hawaii

☆ Water at Kealia pond in Hawaii has turned pink amid drought
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Angela Fritz | Abigail Holmes | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Water at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, one of the few coastal salt marshes on the island of Maui, has been bright pink since at least October 30, officials say, after its salt content surged amid an extreme drought. While Kealia literally means “salt encrustation,” the pond’s salinity has skyrocketed well beyond normal because of Maui’s extreme drought. The entire island is in severe or worse drought, according to the US Drought Monitor. The area where the Kealia Pond refuge is located is in what’s considered an extreme drought – the second-worst on the Drought Monitor’s scale. @Traviskeahi_photo/InstagramThe Waikapu Stream, which brings water from the West Maui Mountains down into the Kealia Pond, also flows through the area of extreme drought.

Persons: Kealia Organizations: CNN, Wildlife, University of Hawaii, Fish and Wildlife Service, US Drought Monitor Locations: Hawaii, Maui, Salt, what’s, West Maui, Maui County, Lahaina

☆ Rep. Mary Peltola's husband has died in a plane crash in Alaska
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Rep. Mary Peltola's husband died in a plane accident early on Wednesday. She is returning home to Alaska to be with their family, according to a statement from her team. The statement said that he was "completely devoted" to his family and that he "simply adored Mary." download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyAdvertisementAdvertisementRep. Mary Peltola of Alaska announced Wednesday that her husband died in a plane crash in Alaska. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe statement said that he was "completely devoted" to his entire family and that he "simply adored Mary."

Persons: Mary Peltola's, Mary, Mary Peltola of, Eugene Peltola Jr, —, Peltola, Mary Peltola, Eugene Peltola, Sen, Lisa Murkowski, Eugene Peltola Jr's, Gene Peltola Jr, Buzzy Organizations: Service, Mary Peltola of Alaska, Twitter, of Indian Affairs for, Fish and Wildlife Service, Republican, Alaska's, Alaska Locations: Alaska, Wall, Silicon, of Indian Affairs for Alaska

☆ FAA closes investigation into SpaceX Starship rocket that exploded, outlines ‘corrective actions’
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Kristin Fisher | Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday it has closed its “mishap” investigation into the April SpaceX Starship test flight that ended after the rocket exploded over the Gulf of Mexico. The FAA says the investigation “cites multiple root causes” and “63 corrective actions SpaceX must take to prevent mishap reoccurrence,” the agency said in a statement. SpaceX has said it is ready to try to launch Starship again. But the FAA must issue a launch license, and one of the holdups has been the mishap investigation. “You can think about that launch date slipping probably into ’26.”In August, Free told CNN “my level of concern is the same” after a trip to visit SpaceX’s launch site a month earlier.

Persons: Elon Musk, WjENkdudo9 — Elon, Artemis III, Jim Free, he’s, ”, Free Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, SpaceX, FAA, Boca Chica, U.S . Export Control, Boca, Fish and Wildlife Service, NASA, NASA’s, Systems, ”, Aeronautics, Space Engineering Board, Space Studies, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine Locations: of Mexico, Boca Chica , Texas, Boca Chica

☆ Seahorses, snakes and illegal pork from Vietnam seized by US Customs
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Kara Nelson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

US Customs and Border ProtectionSnake oil was one of the main ingredients in the commercial herbal liquid medicine seized at the airport. Customs specialists partnered with US Fish and Wildlife Service inspectors to identify the prohibited products. “Just a coincidence that they were both returning from Vietnam,” Sapp said. US Customs and Border ProtectionConsequences include confiscation of the prohibited products, along with potential civil penalties. International wildlife trading is estimated to be a billion-dollar business, according to the news release.

Persons: there’s, ”, Steve Sapp, “, ” Sapp, Lacey, Ryan Noel, ” Noel Organizations: CNN, Washington’s Dulles, Customs, US Department of Agriculture, US Fish and Wildlife Service, “, Travelers, Convention, International Trade, Fauna, Fish and Wildlife, Protection Locations: Vietnam, Fairfax , Virginia, San Francisco, “

☆ The CEO of a nonprofit that gathers sound to catch illegal activity in the rainforest says 5G technology can get high-quality audio into the hands of those who need it — fast
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Sarah Sloat | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Bourhan Yassin became the CEO of Rainforest Connection in 2022 after years of working in tech. Rainforest Connection gets a tech upgradeA few years ago, Rainforest Connection switched from cellphones to a custom-made device called the Guardian. To access a 3G or 4G signal, Rainforest Connection points the Guardian's antennas toward the cellphone tower of a nearby town. For example, Rainforest Connection has previously collaborated in Puerto Rico with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, where 5G coverage is expanding. Before he worked with Rainforest Connection, Yassin said he measured success through metrics such as funding.

Persons: Bourhan Yassin, Yassin, —, — Yassin, we've Organizations: Rainforest Connection, Guardian, Google, Connection, Guardian ., US Fish and Wildlife Service, Rainforest Locations: Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica, Kenya, Brazil, Tanzania, Indonesia, Ecuador, Poland, Puerto Rico

☆ Videos show sea otters stealing surfboards in California as people joke they've joined the 'orca uprising'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sea otters in California are stealing people's surfboards, according to multiple reports. At one point, the sea otter flips the board on its front and then starts tearing it up with its teeth. "Since then, in the past five days now, there's been three more incidents of it," Woodward told KGO. "The otters have joined the war," one person tweeted, while another tweeted: "Sea Otters joining the Orca uprising." "They're actually pretty aggressive animals," San José State University's Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Professor David Ebert told KGO.

Persons: they've, Mark Woodward, Woodward, there's, KTVU, David Ebert Organizations: Service, Twitter, Santa, ABC News, KGO, and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish, Wildlife, Marine Locations: California, Wall, Silicon, California —, Santa Cruz , California, Santa Cruz, Spain, Portugal, José State

☆ This parasitic 'vampire fish' that has circular rows of teeth and sucks the blood out of its hosts is making a comeback in the Great Lakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sea lampreys, also known as "vampire fish," are a highly invasive species in the Great Lakes. The pandemic interrupted population management of the sea lampreys across the lakes. A lake trout from Lake Superior that was bitten by a sea lamprey. The fishery commission touts on its website that sea lamprey populations have been reduced by 90% "in most areas of the Great Lakes." Now, fishery managers say the population of the parasitic fish has ticked up across the Great Lakes, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Persons: —, Jerry Holt Organizations: Service, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Wired, Star Tribune, Getty, Fishery Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Fisheries, Oceans, Street Journal, Undark Magazine Locations: Great, Welland, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Superior, Oceans Canada

CNN —Environmental groups are suing the Federal Aviation Administration in federal court over SpaceX’s launch of its massive Starship rocket last month. ‘All kinds of environmental harm’Ahead of the launch on April 20, the FAA issued a finding that the launch would have no significant impact on its surrounding environment. Margolis told CNN that the SpaceX explosion proves the groups’ legal argument that the FAA erred in its decision-making. The FAA’s roleThe FAA licenses commercial rocket launches and gave the green light for the SpaceX launch attempt after more than a year of back-and-forth. When asked about potential legal backlash from environmental groups on Saturday, Musk was defiant.

In the test mission, SpaceX’s Starship launched toward space atop a Super Heavy rocket booster. That could be the determining factor in how long it takes the company to get a new Starship on the launch pad. Such investigations are routine and have taken place after previous — but smaller-scale — Starship test launches in South Texas. Joe Skipper/ReutersSpaceX is not permitted to make another launch attempt of a Starship vehicle until that review is complete. NASAThe US space agency was not directly involved in the Starship flight test, but it has a major stake in Starship’s overall success.

☆ Photos show SpaceX's Starship rocket blew a crater into its launchpad and flung concrete chunks hundreds of feet during liftoff
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Kelly Mclaughlin | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

SpaceX's Starship blew a huge hole in its launchpad during takeoff last week and scattered debris. Members of the public walk through a debris field around the Starship launchpad at SpaceX's facilities near Boca Chica, Texas. It was also missing a water-deluge system, which helps further reduce energy blast around the launch site during liftoff. Rocks and other debris fly around remote cameras as SpaceX’s Starship lifts off atop its Super Heavy booster for the first time. Last week's flight was the first time SpaceX launched a Starship rocket on top of it its Super Heavy booster.

☆ Bats that help make tequila are endangered. Here's how climate change is coming for your margarita.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Mexican long-nosed bat is a key pollinator for the plant used to make tequila. The Mexican long-nosed bat, key to growing Weber Azul, is facing extinction. Native to Mexico and the Southeastern US, the Mexican long-nosed bat migrates between the two regions annually, according to New Mexico radio station KRQE. In the US, the bat is facing a lack of habitat, roost sites, and food, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. To combat the threats facing the long-nosed bat, the Fish and Wildlife Service released a draft plan last month to save the endangered species.

☆ Abandoned Greek airport to be transformed into a 600-acre coastal park
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Tegel Projekt GmbH/Atelier Loidl Kai Tak International Airport, Hong Kong -- With a runway that protruded into the sea, Kai Tak International Airport in Hong Kong once had one of the most arresting approaches in the world. PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/AFP via Getty Images Hellinikon International Airport, Athens, Greece -- Hellinikon was once the only international airport in Athens, Greece, before Hellinikon was once the only international airport in Athens, Greece, before closing down in 2001 . Developer LAMDA is looking to complete the first phase of construction in 2025 courtesy LAMDA Development Stapleton International Airport, Denver, Colorado -- A photo of Stapleton International Airport from 1963. The grounds of the old airport became the 125-hectare (309-acre) Quito replaced its main airport with another bearing the same name. RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP/AFP via Getty Images Downsview Airport, Toronto -- Downsview Airport in north Toronto was once a Canadian Air Force base.

Persons: Sasaki, ”, Michael Grove, Eero Saarinen, Kai, Kok, FREDERIC J . BROWN, Kai Tak, PHILIPPE LOPEZ, Hellinikon, Milos Bicanski, Ken Tillis, Lisa Martine, Sean Gallup, Maja Hitij, RODRIGO BUENDIA, Eleni Myrivilli, …, Aleksandra Kazmierczak, it’s, we’re Organizations: CNN, Ellinikon International, Games, Charleston Waterfront Park, Newcastle University, Tegel Airport, Tegel Projekt, Kai Tak International Airport, Kai Tak International, Getty, Foster + Partners, AFP, Stapleton International Airport, Denver International Airport, Denver, Getty Images, Airport, CNN Galeville Army, Galeville, United States Military Academy, West, Wildlife Refuge, Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife, Nazi, Maja, Mariscal Sucre International Airport, Old Mariscal Sucre International, Downsview, Canadian Air Force, Downsview Airport, City, Resilience, European Environment Agency, Development, Ellinikon Locations: Athens, Greece, Ellinikon, Boston, Charleston, Beijing, American, Grove, Berlin, Hong Kong, AFP, Europe, Hellinikon, Denver , Colorado, Central, New York, Ulster County , New York, Germany, Quito, Ecuador, Toronto, Downsview Park, Canada, Downsview, City of Athens, ”

☆ Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket site expansion coincides with a decline in bird numbers in the local area, investigators say
▼ + stars: | 2022-05-04 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

SpaceX's expansion of its Texas rocket site correlates with falling bird numbers, officials say. SpaceX wants to expand the site with another launch and landing pad ahead of a Starship rocket launch. Elon Musk's space company wants to expand its Texas rocket site, Starbase, by adding a second launch and landing pad where the company's huge Starship rocket can lift off from. The wildlife agency's letter was part of the FAA's environmental review of SpaceX's plans at its Boca Chica rocket launch site. SpaceX can only carry out orbital launches of the Starship rocket once the FAA finishes its assessment and gives the company the green light.

☆ 'If it blows up, it's cool': The far-out philosophy that explains why Elon Musk won't let a few baby sea turtles stop SpaceX's quest to get to Mars
▼ + stars: | 2022-04-05 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

In the case of Elon Musk v. Charismatic Megafauna, the agency intends to publish its final report in late April. Musk went on: "Either explicitly or implicitly some people seem to think that humans are a blight on the Earth's surface. Musk is talking about existential risk, the idea that something — an asteroid, a rogue artificial intelligence — might kill every human on Earth. And if you assume that future human minds will "mainly be implemented in computational hardware instead of biological neuronal wetware," as Bostrom does, you end up with a mind-boggling 1054 human lives. Musk has made the defense of "future life" his mission.

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