A new potential world record has been set and achieved by an enormous, finned critter. Back in March this year, a Western Pacific Leatherback turtle left its nesting sites in the Solomon Islands and then dove 4,409 feet (1,344 meters) below the waves.This achievement beat the previous record holder by 210 feet (64 meters), which was set by another leatherback turtle in 2006, according to the Guinness World Record. This, LiveScience has shown, is deeper than submarines are recorded as going (they tend to go down to depths of 2,950 feet (900 meters). In contrast, human divers have only gone down as far as 1,090 (332 meters).Leatherback turtles have long been known to be the deepest-diving reptiles in the world. Their ability to disappear into the ocean’s depths puts them among the ranks of diving mammals, such as the earless seals and whales.Unlike other species of sea turtle, leatherbacks do not graze in shallow waters. In fact, they barely ever come close to land unless it is to nest. It is only the females who return to land, which means scientists known very little about the lives or males or even juvenile specimens.From the moment they reach the water for the first time, these large reptiles head out into the open ocean where they feed on jellyfish that move around at various depths.When they dive, these turtles can hold their breath for around 90 minutes each time. Their shells (known as a carapace) are specially adapted to contract and expand with changes in pressure as the animals dive and then resurface again.The turtle that recently broke the world record was being tracked as part of an ongoing satellite tracking study that is trying to protect leatherback turtles.According to researchers, the turtle, known as “Uke Sasakolo” laid her eggs at the Sasakolo nesting beach in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. She then set off back to the open ocean where she and most of the other nesting turtles headed south into southern Australian and New Zealand waters. It was soon into this migration that Uke Sasakolo, which means “From Sasakolo”, undertook her record-breaking dive.The Solomon Island’s nesting leatherback turtles may be incredible divers, but they are also critically endangered. At the moment it is estimated that there are only 1,400 breeding adults on the planet.Their numbers are so low that conservationists are desperate to track all the breeding adults they can find, so they can help protect their nests. Females like Uke Sasakolo are often tagged, which allows researchers to track their movements and, in this instance, bath in awe that their amazing ability to dive.[H/T LiveScience]

Once viewed as a surprisingly stable bastion, the South Pole is starting to show some worrying signs of change. Antarctic sea ice reached historically low levels last year and climate change is almost certainly to blame. In 2023, the Antarctic had 2 million square kilometers (772,204 square miles) less ice cover than usual during winter.Antarctica's sea ice is influenced by many complex and interweaving factors, involving both natural and human-driven changes to the atmosphere and ocean. This means the situation often defies a simple, straightforward explanation.However, new research suggests that last year’s record-breaking minimum sea ice extent was very likely driven by a single factor: climate change. Without the influence of climate change, we'd only expect to see this level of sea ice demise every 2,000 years or so. “According to the models, the record-breaking minimum sea ice extent would be a one-in-a-2000-year event without climate change. This tells us that the event was very extreme – anything less than one-in-100 is considered exceptionally unlikely,” Rachel Diamond, lead author from the University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey, said in a statement. “Strong climate change – i.e. the temperature changes we’re already seeing, and those expected if emissions continue to rise rapidly – in the models makes it four times more likely that we see such a big decline in sea ice extent. This suggests that 2023’s extreme low was made more likely by climate change,” added Caroline Holmes, a co-author of the study from the British Antarctic Survey.  Understanding sea ice levels in Antarctica is a tricky business because satellite imagery has only been keeping tabs on the situation for less than five decades. It is evident, however, that ice melt in the Antarctic is a more recent phenomenon compared to the Arctic, which has been progressively melting since the late 1970s. Between 1978 and 2015, the Antarctic sea ice extent was actually increasing slowly and steadily, before entering a notable decline. In 2017, Antarctic sea ice crashed to a record low, followed by several years of relatively low sea ice extent. More bad news came in 2022 and – most significantly – in 2023 when it reached a new record low. Scientists are now curious (and concerned) to see how sea ice levels look in the years and decades ahead. The current models indicate that an extreme bout of sea ice loss, such as the decline in 2023, can take at least 20 years to return to normal. If that’s accurate, some worrying times could be ahead for Antarctica and its residents.“The impacts of Antarctic sea ice staying low for over twenty years would be profound, including on local and global weather and on unique Southern Ocean ecosystems – including whales and penguins,” said Louise Sime, another co-author on the study from the British Antarctic Survey.The new study was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.  

People who sneeze in bright lights, like the sun, may have autosomal dominant compelling helio-ophthalmic outburst syndrome, or ACHOO.

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, … The post The Editors’ Quote of the Day: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds … The post Editors’ Prepping Progress appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

I do not belong to an organized and/or trained Mutual Assistance Group (MAG), but I might have a structure that may be just as good. That is, I have neighbors who are skilled and resilient. These neighbors might not be ready to survive a nuclear apocalypse but their lifestyle gives them an edge over many others when it comes to surviving the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI). Who are these neighbors? Like any community, our little neighborhood is made up of all types of people. The main thing in common is, the vast majority have some … The post Prepping With My Non-Prepper Neighbors, by 3AD Scout appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

On June 15, 1762, Austria began issuing the first sovereign paper currency, in Vienna. — Following a revolt by the English nobility against his rule, King John put his royal seal on the Magna Carta, or “Great Charter” on this day in 1215. This document, essentially a peace treaty between John and his barons, guaranteed that the king would respect feudal rights and privileges, uphold the freedom of the church, and maintain the nation’s laws. Although it was more a reactionary than a progressive document, the Magna Carta was seen as a cornerstone in the development of democratic England by … The post Preparedness Notes for Saturday — June 15, 2024 appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

Highlights from blade show 2024!

Last year, Slovakia donated 13 Mig-29 fighters to Ukraine and there could now be criminal consequnces