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☆ Abandoned golf courses are being reclaimed by nature
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Golf courses, despite occupying large green spaces, are not necessarily good for the environment. Santa Barbara's Ocean Meadows golf course has been returned to its wetland state, which doubles as a flood defense for the city. Rivers and streams are often diverted or altered to make way for a golf course, but conservationists want them to flow freely. In other areas of the country, local councils are repurposing unprofitable municipal golf courses to create more natural spaces. A golf course turned nature reserve, Yalukit Willam can now be enjoyed by the Melbourne residents.

Persons: ”, Guillermo Rodriguez, “, ” California's, Larsen, Rodriguez, TPL, Public Land Rodriguez, Mike Johnson, Frodsham, Michael Owen, “ It’s, Neil Oxley, Boon Organizations: CNN, The Trust, Public, Trust, Public Land, San, Rancho Cañada, Summit Metro Parks, Wildlife, Liverpool, Woodland Trust, Hull, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Hove City Council, Bayside City Council Locations: California, ” California's San Geronimo, San Geronimo , California, San Geronimo, California’s Marin County, Meadows , California, Santa Barbara, Meadows, Santa, Cañada , California, Monterey, Carmel, Ventana, Fort Ord, Rivers, Valley , Ohio, Akron , Ohio, Ohio’s, Cheshire, Liverpool, Erewash Borough, Brighton, Willam, Australia, Melbourne, Elwood, Bayside

WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Zoo's three celebrity giant pandas will be heading home a little earlier than expected. Zoo officials told The Associated Press on Thursday that adult bears Mei Xiang and Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji will be returning to China sometime in mid-November. The zoo’s exchange agreement with the Chinese government, originally brokered by President Richard Nixon 50 years ago, expires Dec. 7. The San Diego zoo returned its pandas in 2019, and the last bear at the Memphis, Tennessee, zoo went home earlier this year. The pandas return to China when they reach old age, and any cubs born in the United States are sent to China around age 3 or 4.

Persons: Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, Xiao Qi Ji, Richard Nixon, Annalisa Meyer Organizations: WASHINGTON, Associated Press, U.S, China Wildlife Conservation Association, Zoo, Atlanta Zoo Locations: China, Beijing, San Diego, Memphis , Tennessee, America, United States

That has allowed forests to become four to seven times more densely wooded than they once were, Safford said. Fire scientists advocate more deliberate burning at low-to-moderate severity to clear vegetation that makes forests susceptible to big fires. Susan Britting, executive director of one of the groups, Sierra Forest Legacy, acknowledged any cutting triggers skepticism because loggers historically took the largest, most marketable trees. But she said thinning trees up to a certain diameter is acceptable, though she prefers prescribed burning. Homeowners are anxious prescribed fires will jump perimeters and destroy houses.

Persons: ” Hugh Safford, Davis, John Muir, What’s, Safford, “ We're, ”, Brandon Collins, Chad Hanson, there's, Hanson, Christy Brigham, ” John Muir, Jeffrey, “ John Muir, ” Safford, gesturing, “, it's, Weeks, Susan Britting, ” Britting, John Muir Project's Hanson, Safford —, that's, what’s Organizations: University of California, Eldorado National, Sierra, U.S ., American Geophysical Union, John Muir Project, Earth Island Institute, Sequoia, National Parks, National Park Service, U.S . Forest Service, Service, Forest Service, Infrastructure Law, Sierra Forest Locations: Calif, Lake, Eldorado, Sierra Nevada, U.S, California, . California, Yosemite, Sequoia, Canyon, —, Berkeley, Lake Tahoe, Safford, New, Sierra

☆ How an 11th-century monastery reclaimed artifacts from the US — and discovered a hoard of treasures in the process
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Christy Choi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Hidden under years of dirt and grime in storage rooms, hundreds of precious religious objects have been rediscovered at a monastery in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. Until earlier this year, three of the sculptures were more than 7,500 miles away in New York’s Rubin Museum of Art, which specializes in Himalayan art, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Like many of Nepal’s religious sites, Itumbaha is no stranger to the theft and looting of its relics and architecture. A 14th-century carving religious carving (top) that was returned to Itumbaha by New York's Rubin Museum of Art. But for Itumbaha’s leaders, the process of recovering these objects was not only about addressing historical injustice.

Persons: ”, New York’s Rubin, New York's Rubin, Pranab Joshi, Rubin, Swosti Rajbhandari, Pragya Ji, Jorrit Britschgi, “, ’ ”, Roshan Mishra, Mishra, Nepalis, it’s, —, ” Mishra, they’re, ” Kayastha, ‘, ” “ Rubin, “ Rubin, Riddhi Baba Pradhan, Itumbaha Pradhan Organizations: CNN, New York’s, New York’s Rubin Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New, New York's Rubin Museum of Art, Met, Lumbini Buddhist University, Records, Ithum Conservation Society, Rubin Museum, Lost Arts of Nepal, “ Locations: Nepal’s, Kathmandu, New, Itumbaha, Nepal, Lumbini, Ithum, Kathmandu Valley

More than 20 countries have called for a ban or moratorium on deep-sea mining ahead of Monday's opening of a nearly two-week meeting of the U.N. International Seabed Authority’s council. Companies including Samsung and BMW also have pledged to avoid using minerals mined from the deep sea. “Sea mining is one of the key environmental issues of our time, and this is because the deep sea is among the last pristine areas of our planet,” said Sofia Tsenikli, from the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, a Netherlands-based alliance of environmental groups. But scientists and environmental groups argue that less than 1% of the world’s deep seas have been explored, and they warn that deep sea mining could unleash noise, light and suffocating dust storms. The International Seabed Authority, which is tasked with regulating deep international waters, has issued more than 30 exploration licenses.

Persons: ”, Sofia Tsenikli, Bobbi, Jo Dobush, Emma Wilson, ” Wilson Organizations: JUAN, —, Wednesday, Companies, Samsung, BMW, Conservation Coalition, International Energy Agency, The Ocean Foundation, Authority, China, Clarion, Associated Press, ISA Locations: Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Netherlands, U.S, Hawaii, Mexico

☆ Can We Save the Redwoods by Helping Them Move?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Moises Velasquez-Manoff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Their aggressive approach to conservation featured prominently in numerous scientific articles that followed, discussing the pros and cons of assisted migration. These cases underscore the reality that other plants and animals are already living where you might want to introduce something in order to save it. “I would treat assisted migration as a tool of last resort,” he told me in an email. Many of the animal’s native wetlands were fragmented and shrinking, and conservationists feared that global warming would finish the tortoise off. Similarly, she says, assisted migration is appropriate when contrasted with the other possibility: extinction if no one intervenes.

Persons: martens, Anthony Ricciardi, “, ”, it’s, “ It’s, ” Nicola Mitchell, Jessica Hellmann, you’re Organizations: McGill University, University of Western Australia, U.S . Forest Service, Forest Service, University of Minnesota’s Institute, Environment Locations: Central, South America, Australia, Hawaii, Canada, Newfoundland, Montreal, “, U.S

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Federal officials said Wednesday that conditions have improved on the Colorado River to the point that a plan by California, Arizona and Nevada to voluntarily reduce water use should help keep the river basin on stable footing for the next few years. The states failed to reach a consensus on cuts, and the federal government did not end up forcing any. The threat of those two options finally forced the three states to reach their own voluntary plan for how to reduce their use of the river's water. Already, the three states have lowered their water use, said Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources and the state’s representative on Colorado River issues. Now, the states can turn their attention to a new long-term agreement for how to share the river’s water beyond 2026.

Persons: Lake Mead, Tommy Beaudreau, Camille Touton, Biden, JB Hamby, ” Hamby, Hamby, Tom Buschatzke, ”, __, Suman Naishadham, Ken Ritter Organizations: —, U.S . Department of, U.S . Bureau of Reclamation, Colorado River Board of California, Imperial Irrigation District, Arizona Department of Water Resources, Associated Press Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, Colorado, California , Arizona, Nevada, Lake Powell, Mexico, Arizona , California, California, Arizona, Santa Ana , California, Washington, Las Vegas

☆ A drought in the Amazon uncovered ancient, eerie face carvings that look like emojis
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A drought in an Amazon river has revealed prehistoric carvings reminiscent of modern emojis. AdvertisementAdvertisementA drought in the Amazon has revealed prehistoric carvings of faces that show a variety of expressions, from smiling to scowling, just like today's emojis. A picture shows a rock uncovered by the Amazon drought in the Lajes archaeological site on October 21, 2023. Rock carvings had been spotted before at the site, notably during another drought in 2010. But archaeologists had never before spotted the mysterious faces, Oliveira told Reuters Monday.

Persons: It's, —, MICHAEL DANTAS, Jaime Oliveira, Oliveira, Jaime de Oliveira, Beatriz Carneiro, Carneiro, " Ribeiro Organizations: Service, Getty Images, Brazilian Institute of Historical Heritage, Reuters, Agence France Presse, Getty, Praia das Lajes, AFP Locations: Manaus, Brazil, AFP, Iphan, Praia das

LONDON (AP) — Prince William will travel to Singapore next month to name the winners of his Earthshot Prize, a global competition to find solutions to the challenges of climate change. William created the prize three years ago to encourage inventors and entrepreneurs to develop technologies to combat global warming and mitigate its impact on the environment. During his four-day trip to Singapore, the prince will meet with local groups to learn how they are working to protect and restore the planet. The speech inspired William and his partners to set a similar goal for finding solutions to climate change and other environmental problems by 2030. The winners and all 15 finalists receive help in expanding their initiatives to meet global demand.

Persons: — Prince William, William, John F Organizations: United for Wildlife Locations: Singapore, Southeast Asia, Kensington

The whales were buoyed by a strong birthing year in 2021, when 18 calves were born into the population, the consortium said. However, consortium members cautioned that the high mortality faced by the whales from collisions and entanglement remains an unsustainable burden. Scientists say one reason the whales are now in decline has to do with warming oceans and climate change. Numerous lobster fishermen have opposed proposed fishing restrictions they fear would put them out of business rather than help whales. The right whale consortium said sublethal injuries to whales from collisions and fishing gear are also a major concern for the remaining population.

Persons: ”, Philip Hamilton, they're, Dave Cousens, Katie Moore, Janet Coit, Coit Organizations: U.S ., Atlantic, Whale Consortium, Anderson Cabot Center, Ocean, New, Maine Lobstermen’s Association, International Fund for Animal Welfare, National Marine Fisheries Service Locations: PORTLAND, Maine, North Atlantic, U.S . East Coast, Florida, Georgia, New England, Canada

☆ Chinese firms backed by global banks found using leopards and pangolins parts, says environmental group
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Three top Chinese pharmaceutical companies, which are backed by top global banks, are using endangered animal parts in their medicines, according to an investigation by an environmental protection group. Among them are three publicly listed traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) giants: Beijing Tong Ren Tang, Tianjin Pharmaceutical and Jilin Aodong Medicine. The EIA said it had found at least nine “products stated to contain leopard and/ or pangolin” that were manufactured by the firms. CNN has reached out to Tong Ren Tang, Tianjin Pharmaceutical and Jilin Aodong for comment. Tong Ren Tang, founded in 1669, is one of China’s most storied brands.

Persons: Beijing Tong Ren Tang, Avinash, Tong Ren Tang, ”, “ It’s, ” Basker, pangolins, Sakchai Lalit Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Environmental Investigation Agency, Tianjin Pharmaceutical, Jilin Aodong Medicine, EIA, CNN, TCM, Fortune, BlackRock, Citigroup, HSBC, Citi, IUCN SSC Pangolin Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tianjin, Jilin, Bangkok

Governors of California, which has an economy larger than most countries, have a long history of climate collaboration with China. “It’s going to be very difficult to tackle the climate crisis just here in California,” Sanchez said. California Republicans said Newsom shouldn’t be visiting China at a time of tensions over international conflicts and the suppression of free speech. But climate experts said California has a significant role to play in advancing global climate policy. “There’s a natural role for California and the California governor.”___Megerian reported from Washington.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Brown, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Xie, David Victor, ” Victor, ”, Newsom, Kerry, Lauren Sanchez, ” Brown, Sanchez, “ It’s, ” Sanchez, Biden, Ron DeSantis, Newsom shouldn’t, James Gallagher, “ Newsom shouldn’t, It’s, Nathaniel Keohane, ” ___ Megerian, Ken Moritsugu Organizations: —, Governors, China Climate Institute, University of California, U.S, ., U.S ., White, Democrats, Republican, Florida Gov, California Republicans, Center, Climate, Energy Solutions, Associated Press Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, — California, China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Jiangsu, He'll, Israel, California, Berkeley, United States, Taiwan, Dubai, Indonesia, U.S, San Diego, ” California, U.S . West Coast, Washington

She joined personnel from the Turtle Hospital to carry Rocky across the sand on Sunday to the water’s edge. After being guided into the water, Rocky swam away from the beach before diving down into the Atlantic as Nyad, Stoll and several hundred spectators applauded. Among them were more than 30 of Nyad’s Cuba swim support crew that returned to Key West for the 10th anniversary celebration. Other weekend events in Key West also marked the anniversary including a Saturday beach party where Nyad and team members took turns sharing their memories of the swim. Nyad's swim has been turned into a new feature film, “Nyad,” starring Annette Bening as the swimmer and Jodie Foster as Stoll, her friend and trainer.

Persons: Diana Nyad, Bonnie Stoll, Nyad, ”, Rocky, Stoll, “, Annette Bening, Jodie Foster Organizations: WEST, Key West, Florida, Nyad, Labor, Turtle, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation, Key Locations: Fla, Cuba, Key, Florida Straits, Havana

☆ Giant chicken frog faces extinction due to a deadly amphibian fungus
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The mountain chicken frog was once so abundant in Dominica, with thousands found across the island, that it became a national delicacy, supposedly tasting of chicken. Chytridiomycosis is a fungal infectious disease that affects more than 500 frog species across the world. A research team spent 26 days searching for the mountain chicken frog in Dominica. The research team spent hundreds of hours searching for the chicken frog during the months of July and August. “There are many things that people can do to prevent the spread of chytrid and help protect frogs,” Kaganer said in an email.

Persons: Chytridiomycosis, Andrés Valenzuela Sánchez, ZSL, Sánchez, Jeanelle Brisbane, “, Alyssa Wetterau Kaganer, ” Kaganer, chytrid, Kaganer, … Organizations: CNN, Zoological Society of London, & Conservation Biology, Cornell Wildlife Health Lab, London Zoo Locations: Dominica, Caribbean, Montserrat, ” Brisbane, Dominica —

As climate change intensifies extreme heat, farms are becoming less hospitable to nesting birds, a new study found. Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesThe study concluded that species of higher conservation concern in the U.S. — those closer to being listed as federally threatened or endangered — were more vulnerable to extreme heat events in agricultural settings. But across the board, birds in forests were 14% more likely to achieve reproductive success in times of extreme heat. However, Rosenberg cautioned that more data might be needed to confirm that species of higher conservation concern were more vulnerable, since the overwhelming majority of the data involved species of low conservation concern. The researchers predicted how different bird species might fare in each landscape during extreme heat events.

Persons: ”, Katherine Lauck, Davis, Ken Rosenberg, Rosenberg, David Bird, Bird, “, Lauck, ___ Read, Melina Walling Organizations: University of California, Bird, Cornell, of Ornithology, McGill University, AP Locations: U.S, NestWatch, ___

☆ Billions of Alaska snow crabs have starved to death because of ocean heat, study shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Billions of snow crabs have disappeared from the ocean around Alaska in recent years, and scientists now say they know why: Warmer ocean temperatures likely caused them to starve to death. “This was a huge heat wave effect,” Aydin told CNN. “When the heat wave came through, it just created a huge amount of starvation. Climate change has triggered a rapid loss in sea ice in the Arctic region, particularly in Alaska’s Bering Sea, which in turn has amplified global warming. “2018 and 2019 were an extreme anomaly in sea ice in the Bering Sea, something that we’d never seen before,” Szuwalski said.

Persons: “, ”, Cody Szuwalski, ” Szuwalski, Szuwalski, Kerim Aydin, ” Aydin, we’d Organizations: CNN, Alaska Department of Fish, Game, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, ” Locations: Alaska, Bering

Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesMcArdle said he was asked to figure out what the property would be worth if the Trump Organization built 71 high-end townhomes there, and he got substantial input from Eric Trump. McArdle said Thursday that Eric Trump may have had a “more lofty value" in mind, but a higher number wouldn't have been credible. Trump's financial statements went on to list the golf course at values sometimes topping $100 million, according to James' lawsuit. Both Eric and Donald Trump have attended some parts of the trial but weren't there Thursday. Earlier in the trial, retired Deutsche Bank official Nicholas Haigh testified that Trump’s financial statements were key to approvals for hundreds of millions of dollars in loans in 2011 and 2012.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Eric, Letitia James, Trump, Eric Trump, David McArdle, McArdle, “ Eric, ” McArdle, wasn't, ”, didn't, James, Donald Trump, Jack Weisselberg, Allen Weisselberg, Trump's, Weisselberg, Nicholas Haigh, Haigh, Judge Arthur Engoron, Michael R Organizations: New York, Republican, Trump Organization, Trump National Golf, Trump, Deutsche Bank, Associated Press Locations: New York, New, Westchester County, Briarcliff Manor , New York, Wakefield, Sisak

☆ A rediscovered passageway in an Egyptian Pyramid has revealed hidden rooms that could hold riches from ancient royals
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Recently, researchers used Lidar to map the pyramid's interior and found previously hidden rooms. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn 1836, Egyptologist John Shae Perring was excavating the Pyramid of Sahure (also known as Sahura) when he noticed a debris-filled passageway. An expert on floor plans for these types of structures, he surmised there might be storage rooms beyond. The hidden storage roomsThe area was so damaged it was impossible to enter, so Perring had no way of knowing if he was right. The pyramid is falling apartPart of the reason the pyramid is in such disrepair is due to the original construction techniques.

Persons: —, John Shae Perring, Perring, Ludwig Borchardt, he'd, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Julius, Würzburg, wasn't, Ra, Borchardt Organizations: Service Locations: Giza, Sahure

☆ Gray whales have been mysteriously washing up dead on the Pacific coast. Now scientists think they might have the answer.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Gray whales have been dying off at an alarming rate since 2019. Scientists at Oregon State think the deaths could be due to melting sea ice, a new study says. Two other mass die-offs of gray whales occurred in the 1980s and 1990s, though those only lasted a couple of years; the latest is still ongoing. "Even highly mobile, long-lived species such as gray whales are sensitive to climate change impacts," Stewart said. And while he said we probably do not have to worry about extinction, we may have to simply get used to having fewer gray whales.

Persons: Gray, —, emaciation, Joshua Stewart, we've, Stewart Organizations: Oregon State, Service, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Mammal, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon Locations: Oregon, Mexico, Alaska, Baja, Oregon State

☆ The sound of a human voice is more scary to animals in the Savanna than lions, dogs, or guns, a study found
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new study showed that mammals in the savanna are more scared of human voices than lions growls. The scientists discovered this by playing sounds from humans, lions, and birds from hidden speakers. They'd then play the sounds of humans, lions, dogs, gunshots, or birds, and record the animals' reactions. Naturally then, the hypothesis is that prey animals would fear humans much more than any other animal. But this is the first study to establish that fear of humans exists in species across the savanna, Zanette said.

Persons: —, Liana Zanette, Zanette Organizations: Service, University of Western Locations: South Africa, University of Western Ontario, California, United Kingdom

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Antibodies found in early results of a historic new vaccine trial are expected to give endangered California condors at least partial protection from the deadliest strain of avian influenza in U.S. history. The so-called bird flu reached the U.S. in February 2022 after wreaking havoc across Europe. “We’re thankful that we’re getting any immune response,” said Ashleigh Blackford, the California condor coordinator for the U.S. Dr. Carlos Sanchez, the Oregon Zoo’s director of animal health, said wildlife officials faced questions about undertaking the bird flu vaccine study. She hopes the condor study will lead to bird flu vaccines for other endangered species.

Persons: ”, Hendrik Nollens, “ We’re, we’re, Ashleigh Blackford, wilding, Carlos Sanchez, Dr, Dominique Keller, what's, ” Blackford, Tiana Williams, Williams, Claussen, “ Organizations: ANGELES, California condors, California condor, condors, Los Angeles Zoo, San Diego, Safari, Oregon Zoo . Authorities, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Authorities, U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, California Gold Rush, LA Zoo, condor Locations: U.S, Arizona, Pacific Northwest, Baja California, Mexico, Europe, South Dakota, Utah, California, Oregon, Northern California

Tiny but bountiful, Antarctic krill make up one of the planet’s largest biomasses, nourishing everything from fish to marine mammals and seabirds. At Steinberg’s lab, researchers are examining how warming oceans — Antarctic krill need water colder than 4 degrees Celsius (39 Fahrenheit) to survive — are altering krill’s life cycle. However, a leading marine biologist the industry once relied on to burnish its environmental credentials has since denounced krill fishing. She accepted with the hope that she could help mitigate the effects of krill fishing on the Antarctic ecosystem. Today, she believes that krill fishing should be banned.

Persons: “ What’s, ”, Alistair Allan, Bob, it’s, Santa Cruz, Deborah Steinberg’s, ” Steinberg, Emma Cavan, Steinberg, Claire Christian, “ It’s, aren’t, Dirk Welsford, Matts Johansen, ” Johansen, Kjell Inge Røkke, Brett Glencross, “, Jesse Trushenski, Trushenski, Johansen, William Harris, he’s, Javier Arata, Helena Herr, CCAMLR, Ari Friedlaender, ” Friedlaender, Peter Hammarstedt, JoNel, Helen Wieffering, Fu Ting Organizations: Bob Brown Foundation, Soviet Union, Associated Press, Shepherd, Walton Family Foundation, AP, University of California, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, World Wildlife Fund, Imperial College London, Commission, Conservation, Antarctic Marine Living Resources, Antarctic, Southern Ocean Coalition, U.S, United Nations, Antarctic Provider, Aker BioMarine, Aker, Aker ASA, National Institutes of Health, University of South, Association, Pew, University of Hamburg, Foods, Amazon, Wildlife Fund, LCA, Sea Shepherd, Washington , D.C Locations: Antarctica, Chilean, Alaska, U.S, Soviet, Russia, China, South America, Orkney, Norwegian, Santa, Cavan, Tasmania, It’s, Washington, Moscow, Beijing, Texas, Australian, Montevideo, Uruguay, dwarfing, Norway, American, Europe, Canada, Australia, Houston, Aker, Oslo, Brussels, Boise , Idaho, University of South Dakota, Salt Lake City , Utah, Santa Cruz, Virginia, Peruvian, Ski, Los Angeles, Washington ,, Investigative@ap.org

☆ Parthenon sculptures were once elegantly painted with ‘Egyptian blue’
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But they weren’t always that way, according to a new study, which found the famous 2,500-year-old Parthenon sculptures were colorful, painted with floral patterns and other elaborate designs. Researchers found microscopic traces of paint by using infrared light that is absorbed by the blue paint and appears on camera as a glowing white (right). By illuminating the sculptures with the red light, a pigment known as “Egyptian blue” absorbs the light and appears on camera as a glowing white. “Egyptian blue” was a popular pigment of its time that was made using calcium, copper and silicon, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry. Verri said he hopes that further imaging will soon be developed to find other colors present on the sculptures.

Persons: Giovanni Verri, ” Verri, “ It’s, Lord Elgin, Verri, Dione, Aphrodite, Kekrops, Demeter, Persephone, Dione ,, ”, Michael Cosmopoulos, Louis, William Wootton, conservators Organizations: CNN, British, —, King’s College London, Art Institute of Chicago, British Museum, Royal Society of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Acropolis Museum Locations: Greece, Athens, Ottoman Empire, Verri

☆ How the Azores islands went from whale hunting to whale watching
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Anne Pinto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Soon, factories processing whale oil, meat and bones sprung up on the islands. After crude oil was discovered in 1859, the demand for whale oil decreased dramatically in the following decades. In 1990, French national Serge Viallele set up the first whale watching company in the archipelago, on Pico island. The number of whale watching boats is strictly limited by a license system, which issues a maximum number per island – or per zone for the smaller islands. For now, whale watching remains a major draw for visitors to the islands.

Persons: ”, Rui de Souza Martins, Azorean, they’d, De Agostini, –, – didn’t, José Carlos Garcia, São Miguel, Pedro Madruga, wasn’t, Francois Gohier, Serge Viallele, “ Viallele, Miguel Cravinho, Francisco Garcia, ” de Souza Martins, you’ll, Martin Zwick, Jean, Michel Cousteau, Luís Silva, Garcia, “ Organizations: CNN, University of, Whaling, Whalers, Netflix, International Whaling Commission, IWC, Azul, World Cetacean Alliance, Centre for Research Locations: Azores, Lisbon, Azoreans, Portugal, United States, Nantucket and New Bedford , Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Pico, Francois, Terra Azul, Miguel, Europe

☆ Remarkable video showed a false killer whale twirling and 'twerking' in front of divers. The species is known to socialize with humans, even bringing them large fish.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Video taken by divers showed a false killer whale twirling right in front of them in Costa Rica. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe false killer whale proceeded to blow bubbles before moving away from McSweeney and then circling back, stopping beside him. False killer whale Morten Falch SortlandThe sharing of prey is common for false killer whales, which are long-lived creatures with strong social bonds, Baird said. A lone false killer whale, far from its typical range, would catch fish and offer them to people on boats. As for the video of the false killer whale twirling before the divers, he said it's likely on that same scale of behavior.

Persons: Robin Baird, —, Lee Bertrand Robin Baird, Baird, Dan McSweeney, McSweeney, Dan, Morten Falch, He's, mahi, it's Organizations: Costa Rica . Research, Service, Cascadia Research, Hawai'i's Dolphins Locations: Costa Rica ., Costa Rica, Hawaii, Kona, British Columbia

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