Laken Riley Act Passed in the House as Republicans Rebuke Biden on the Border

And You Thought You'd Heard the Last of George Santos

Happy Intl Women's Day!

Crack out the celebratory balloons and get those MRI machines clanking: A giant reserve of helium has been found hundreds of meters below Earth at a drill site in Minnesota‚ US. The load of helium was found in the early hours of February 28 by Pulsar Helium. While drilling their exploratory boring well‚ they discovered concentrations of 12.4 percent helium at a depth between 533 to 671 meters (1‚750 to 2‚200 feet)."There was a lot of screaming‚ a lot of hugging and high fives. It's nice to know the efforts all worked out and we pulled it off‚" Thomas Abraham-James‚ the president and CEO of the company‚ told CBS News."12.4 percent is just a dream. It's perfect‚" he added.Helium makes up about 0.0005 percent of the Earth's atmosphere‚ but it is most commonly sourced from natural gas deposits in the ground‚ formed as a result of the radioactive decay of heavy elements deep within Earth.As a gas‚ it’s famed for its “lighter than air” properties that allow balloons to float‚ but it isn’t just used to inflate party balloons. Helium has an array of important medical‚ scientific‚ and engineering uses‚ including the manufacturing of semiconductors‚ high-energy particle colliders‚ and nuclear reactors. Its most useful property is its ability to stay cool – it has the lowest boiling point of any element at -268.9°C (-452°F) – making it an ideal chemical to chill materials that become very heated‚ such as superconducting magnets in MRI machines. Indeed‚ almost a third of all global helium is used in MRI machines‚ making it an invaluable resource for the medical community. Globally‚ the US and Qatar are leading the way with helium production‚ with very few other countries coming close in output. However‚ recent years have seen several helium supply shortages. When chronic shortfalls strike‚ it can put a considerable strain on several different services‚ especially medical professionals working with MRI machines. Unless we discover significant new reserves – or develop a way to reliably manufacture it – the world is likely to run out of helium within the next century or two. This latest discovery in Minnesota isn’t set to enter the global supply chain just yet. Now there’s good reason to suspect a decent reserve exists here‚ an independent third party will investigate the findings‚ and a feasibility study will be used to see if it could support a full-scale helium extraction plant.

NASA has opened the call for its next class of astronauts. So if you dream of traveling in space and being an advocate for the space agency‚ this is your chance. You will have competition; the last call saw 12‚000 applicants‚ but do not be put off. NASA wants the widest possible range of people‚ and actively encourages as many people as possible to apply.Still‚ there are some important requirements. First of all‚ you need to be a US citizen. Then‚ you need to have at least a master's degree or equivalent in a STEM field – but this requirement can be met in various ways‚ such as being a pilot‚ or a medical doctor‚ or doing two years of work towards a PhD in a STEM field. Then you need to have three years of related professional experience (although in certain fields you don’t have to have finished that yet). This has been increased from two in the previous selection round.And finally‚ you need to pass the NASA long-duration flight astronaut physical. NASA’s Astronaut Selection team is looking for people who can demonstrate leadership‚ teamwork‚ and communication skills. It’s about the whole person‚ not just about being the best in a specific narrow field.“We are looking for folks that definitely have strong technical skills. That's a given if you're going to come and be in this role for NASA. But we're also looking for folks who have a bit of a multidisciplinary background. So folks that have done a lot of things not just in their work experiences‚ but their life experiences‚” NASA Astronaut Selection Manager April Jordan told IFLScience when asked about how one becomes an astronaut.Rounds of selection will drastically reduce the number of applicants‚ but a small number will be invited to NASA for further assessments. And it is not just about the individual skills – once the selection is narrowed down‚ the focus shifts to making a class of astronauts who are a great team. A team that can endure the challenges. Because being an astronaut candidate‚ or AsCan‚ is not easy.“[The AsCans] will learn how to live and work on the space station. In addition to that‚ they'll learn the fundamentals of robotics‚ how to manipulate an arm that's huge and moves really slowly. It's not like a video game. So we teach them how to combine those visual and hand coordination elements‚ and the different cameras that you might have‚” Cassie Rodriquez‚ Chief Training Officer for human spaceflight operations and Spacecraft Communicator at Mission Control based at NASA Johnson Space Center‚ told IFLScience.“Then they'll also learn EVA [extravehicular activity]. This is where they'll go into the neutral buoyancy lab‚ the NBL‚ which is the best environment that we currently have on Earth to simulate what it's like to be in a spacesuit floating in space. The EVA training is probably one of the hardest that they get. And then they'll also learn how to fly jets.”If you think this is the job for you‚ astronaut applications opened this week and you have until April 2 to submit yours! Good luck; we hope to see you up in space soon.

Over the last year‚ IFLScience has spoken with a range of incredible women working at the forefront of many different scientific disciplines. From physicists and space lawyers to conservationists saving extinct species‚ meet our STEM heroes on International Women's Day. “Too many girls are told physics is too difficult‚ it's for the boys. Rubbish! Absolute rubbish!” Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell‚ astronomer‚ professor of astrophysics‚ and Breakthrough Prize winner‚ told IFLScience. As a graduate student at Cambridge University‚ she discovered pulsars‚ but her male thesis supervisor won the Nobel Prize for the discovery. Her advice for people wanting to get into physics: “Do it‚ try it‚ have a go!”                   Back in December‚ we interviewed newly awarded Nobel Prize winner Professor Anne L’Huiller from Lund University. Her work focuses on attosecond physics and generating light pulses‚ which can be used to look at atoms and molecules. In March last year‚ we hot-footed it down to the Natural History Museum‚ London to talk to dinosaur researcher and exhibition lead Dr Susie Maidment about all things Patagotitan‚ and later in the year‚ asked her all our burning Jurassic Park-based questions on the iconic movie's 30th anniversary.  For an episode of our podcast‚ The Big Questions‚ we spoke to Dr Suzanne Holtze from the Department of Reproductive Management at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research to find out all about the incredibly ambitious plan to save the Northern white rhino from extinction with some pretty incredible genetics research‚ which you can listen to here.                    The theme for International Women’s Day 2024 is “Inspire Inclusion”‚ something that our final hero knows all about. Dr Aomawa Shields is an astrobiologist looking for life on other planets. We spoke to her last year as part of our CURIOUS Live festival of science‚ discussing how you go about looking for life across the universe‚ but also her memoir that details her journey of being a Black woman in a male-dominated field. We touched on her incredible charity Rising Stargirls‚ which encourages all young girls‚ regardless of background‚ to engage with scientific discovery with their whole selves. “There’s no one way to be a scientist‚ the way to do it is to be you doing it‚” said Dr Shields.This is just a small fraction of the incredible women we are lucky enough to film with‚ speak to‚ and learn from every year. Happy International Women's Day from us all. 

Spiders come in all shapes and sizes‚ from tiny‚ intelligent jumping spiders‚ to the extremely deadly and chonky Hercules. Giant mythical spiders have been depicted time and time again throughout history – most recently in the form of Adam Sandler’s space-therapist – but fiction aside‚ what is the biggest spider currently stomping around the Earth with us?Narrowing it down to the definitive beast of all eight-legged beasts is a difficult task as many spiders share similar dimensions and many species exhibit sexual dimorphism. Sexual dimorphism describes the physical differences between males and females of the same species. In some spider species‚ like many reptiles‚ the females are larger than the males which enables them to carry a greater number of eggs.Generally‚ spiders can be divided into two groups or “infraorders”. Araneomorphae makes up 90 percent of spiders on Earth and are considered "true spiders". These include species of orb weavers‚ jumping spiders‚ and huntsman spiders‚ all of which are characterized by fangs that face each other in a pincer-like fashion.The second group is made up of ancient spiders called mygalomorphs. This group‚ consisting of over 3‚000 species‚ includes all tarantulas‚ trapdoor spiders‚ and funnel web spiders. They are distinguished partly by their downward fang-positioning and are considered more primitive than the araneomorphs‚ having remained relatively unchanged for thousands of years. Their slow evolution means they’ve retained certain features from ancient times‚ namely their impressive size.The Goliath birdeaterA comparatively small example of a Goliath birdeater.Image credit: PetlinDmitry / Shutterstock.comMeasured in terms of size and mass‚ the biggest spider in the world is the Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi)‚ more specifically the female Goliath birdeater‚ which has been described as being the size of a young puppy. It’s speculated that the name comes from a 19th-century engraving that depicted a tarantula eating a hummingbird‚ which led to the entire Theraposa genus being labeled “birdeaters”. Others‚ however‚ believe the name came from an account of South American explorers in the 16th century who came across some chicks that had fallen into the web lining of a Goliath burrow‚ leading to the assumption that these small birds were the spider’s intended prey.However‚ the name “birdeater” is a bit of a misnomer as Goliath birdeaters‚ like many giant spiders‚ feed predominantly on worms‚ amphibians‚ and large insects. But their large 2.5-centimeter (1-inch) fangs and potent neurotoxin venom mean they are more than capable of chowing down on small birds and other similar-sized prey like small rodents.But despite being deadly to a host of smaller species‚ Goliath birdeater venom is not lethal to humans‚ however‚ humans are harmful to Goliath birdeaters as they’re said to be a delicious delicacy when roasted in banana leaves. Like many spiders‚ Goliath birdeaters are nocturnal and almost entirely blind‚ instead relying on their sensitive‚ hairy bodies to detect slight vibrations and guide them toward their next meal. They also have impressively long lifespans‚ with female Goliath birdeaters living for roughly 20 years‚ while their comparatively small male counterparts generally live for just three to six years.While many tarantula species make great pets and tend to have docile temperaments‚ the Goliath birdeater is one of the more bolshy species. They are known to be skittish‚ nervous‚ and even aggressive with their impressive fangs potentially causing a nasty bite. The giant huntsmanThe giant huntsman spider predominantly lives in caves.Image credit: Nikhil Guhagarkar / Shutterstock.comIt can be argued‚ however‚ that the Goliath birdeater isn’t the largest spider in terms of leg span. Despite being the number one reason arachnophobes tend to avoid visiting Australia‚ the giant huntsman spider (Heteropoda maxima) is predominantly found in Asia‚ which is where it was first identified in a cave in Laos as recently as 2001.There are thousands of subspecies in the huntsman family (Sparassidae)‚ many of which are common across Australia‚ Asia‚ Africa‚ and South America‚ but only a few people have actually seen wild giant huntsman in the 23 years since its discovery.The huntsman family get their name from how they catch their prey. No‚ this doesn’t mean it “hunts man”‚ just that it is a hunting species that doesn’t catch food using a web. Instead‚ they will spend much of their time hiding and waiting to ambush their next meal.How big is the biggest spider in the world?For size and mass‚ the Goliath birdeater wins “biggest spider” hands down. With a leg span of 28 centimeters (11 inches) – which is the size of a dinner plate – a chonky body that stretches 13 centimeters (5 inches)‚ and a hefty weight of  175 grams (6 ounces)‚ these spiders have been able to accumulate such impressive mass by being a grown-dwelling‚ burrowing species.But if you like your spiders lanky‚ the giant huntsman wins for having the longest legs. Unlike many other spider species‚ it’s the male giant huntsman that have the largest leg-span‚ although the females have larger bodies. If you thought Goliath’s legs were impressive (or terrifying)‚ this lanky freak has a leg span of roughly 30 centimeters (12 inches)‚ the size of‚ well‚ a really big dinner plate. However‚ the giant huntsman is much slimmer than the Goliath birdeater‚ with a body length of just 5 centimeters (2 inches)‚ and a pathetic weight of just 167 grams (6 ounces)‚ positively puny in comparison to the mighty Goliath. Where is the biggest spider in the world?It’s behind you! Joking‚ unless you live in the dense rainforests of northern South America where the Goliath birdeater creates its earthy‚ web-lined burrows in the soft soil. Found in Venezuela‚ northern Brazil‚ Guyana‚ French Guiana‚ and Suriname‚ these fatties tend to keep their porky bodies close to the ground‚ hiding under rocks and roots. The rotund physique of tarantula species makes them particularly susceptible to fatal injuries induced by falling from relatively low heights‚ so most like to keep their many feet on solid ground.The more athletic of our pair‚ however‚ are native to Laos where the freakishly fast giant huntsman lives in caves and other dark spaces. They prey on insects‚ small reptiles‚ and even rodents‚ but‚ although mildly venomous‚ their venom is not potent enough to seriously harm humans. They are‚ however‚ masters of the jumpscare‚ and are able to run at mind-boggling speeds of nearly 1 meter (3 feet) per second.Some more impressive arachnidsTop left: Brazilian salmon pink tarantula. Top right: King baboon tarantula. Bottom left: Brazilian giant tawny red tarantula. Bottom right: Face-sized tarantula.Image credit: George Chernilevsky / Shutterstock.com‚ Audrey Snider-Bell / Shutterstock.com‚ Russell Marshall / Shutterstock.com‚ Ranil Nanayakkara / British Tarantula Society / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0 DEED)The close relatives of the Goliath birdeater are also among some of the largest arachnid species. The pinkfoot Goliath (Theraposa apophysis) and the Brazilian salmon pink birdeater (Lasiodora parahybana) both have a similar leg span of roughly 28 centimeters‚ but neither can measure up to Goliath’s large body and impressive weight.Additionally‚ the similar-sized Hercules baboon spider (Hysterocrates hercules) and king baboon spider (Pelinobius muticus)‚ native to West and East Africa respectively‚ are the largest spider species in the continent growing a leg span of up to 20 centimeters (8 inches). They are so named because their legs are said to resemble a baboon’s fingers. Another South American giant‚ native to Paraguay‚ Argentina‚ and Brazil‚ is the Brazilian giant tawny red tarantula (Grammostola anthricina). With a leg span of 25.5 centimeters (10 inches)‚ this beast‚ although beautiful‚ does have venom that’s harmful to humans. However‚ it has a famously calm and docile temperament‚ making hostile encounters with humans unlikely. And finally‚ a recent discovery in 2009 awarded the innocent Poecilotheria rajaei the terrifying name “face-sized tarantula”. Although harmless to humans‚ as a result of deforestation in its native habitat of Sri Lanka and India‚ the face-sized tarantula can often be found taking refuge inside buildings‚ and if you did happen to find one on your face‚ its 20-centimeter (8-inch) leg span would indeed cover most of it.Deforestation is a major concern for all large spider species‚ despite many not being officially classified as endangered yet. Many species are slowly being pushed out of their natural homes‚ increasing chances of interactions with humans where they are further threatened by the widespread demonization of these beautiful beasties.

Time’s up for one of the oldest oceanariums in the US. On March 7‚ authorities served eviction papers to the owners of Miami Seaquarium‚ a park steeped in controversy by damning reports into the care of its marine residents and the resulting plethora of animal deaths.In a statement posted to social media platform X‚ Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava explained how The Dolphin Company‚ which owns the park‚ had “repeatedly fallen short of meeting the contractual obligations of their lease.” “From failing to maintain the premises in good condition‚ to failing to demonstrate that they can ensure the safety and wellbeing of the animals under their care‚ the current state of the Miami Seaquarium is unsustainable and unsafe‚” Levine Cava added.Miami Seaquarium first opened its doors back in 1955‚ and the following 68 years have been no stranger to criticism about its animal care. Its very first orca‚ Hugo‚ died from a brain aneurysm after repeatedly hitting his head against the wall of the tank‚ and according to the Dolphin Project‚ at least 120 whales and dolphins have died at the oceanarium to date.However‚ much of the attention the park received was directed towards the continued captivity of orca Lolita – also known as Tokitae or Toki – who spent 53 years living in a tank at the oceanarium‚ with many calling into question her living conditions. Shortly before she was due to be released back into the wild‚ the orca died from a suspected renal condition. A documentary highlighting Lolita’s story is set to debut next month at the Miami Film Festival.Recent years have also seen scathing criticism at the federal level. In a report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published last year‚ the Miami Seaquarium was found to have inadequate animal care. The report noted several incidents‚ including a dolphin with a nail in its throat‚ another getting kicked in the mouth by a member of the public‚ and a sea lion refusing to eat after delayed surgery led to continued eye pain.Unsurprisingly‚ Thursday’s news has been welcomed by animal welfare organizations.“At long last‚ authorities are taking action against the persistent animal welfare violations at Miami Seaquarium‚” Dr Naomi Rose‚ senior scientist in marine mammal biology for the Animal Welfare Institute’s Marine Life Program‚ told the Associated Press. “This run-down facility has been a blight on Miami for too long. We hope the zoo and aquarium community steps up to the plate to ensure all of the animals – the mammals‚ birds‚ fish – find acceptable homes in US facilities.”On that point‚ Levine Cava stated: “Our main priority continues to be the safety and wellbeing of the animals. With this important step taken‚ I am hopeful that we can move forward and ensure a safer‚ healthier‚ better future for these animals.”

Dogs give themselves to us without reserve‚ but not all humans are willing to do the same for them. But a police officer in Deer Park‚ Texas has been hailed as a hero by many after an incident that was captured on video. Officer Joel Nitchman put his own life at risk to save his... The post Cop battles through tornado to rescue K9 buddy and it’s all caught on film appeared first on Animal Channel.

CBS chief political analyst John Dickerson joined Stephen Colbert on Thursday for a special live edition of The Late Show‚ where the two fawned over President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address by claiming that simply by giving the speech‚ Biden “reknits those bonds” of democracy. After Colbert asked why the speech was important‚ Dickerson waxed poetic: Look‚ ringed around the Capitol where Joe Biden had gone to so many previous State of the Unions were 8-foot-high black fences as a result of the attack on January 6. This speech given in that place and that marble hall that was attacked on January 6‚ 2021‚ started his presidency. I mean‚ it didn't exactly‚ he wasn't inaugurated yet‚ but it started this period of time that we are in. So‚ every ritual of democracy that takes place in a healthy fashion reknits those bonds that were torn up on the sixth‚ and he was there to remind people that that happened and that those stakes are still real.      Biden began his speech by doing his best MSNBC-Michael Beschloss impression‚ which didn’t go unnoticed by Colbert‚ “He talked about a lot of stakes. He came in really hot tonight. He started off with FDR in 1941. What's the purpose there?” Dickerson continued in his admiration‚ “You can’t-- if you are going to set the stakes for a political moment‚ you can't set them any higher than 1941 fighting before World War II. So‚ he set them immediately‚ he started in fifth gear.” After a quick Colbert quip about Biden’s Corvette‚ Dickerson continued‚ “The only other historical moment that you would pick that has equal weight is the Civil War and he name-checked that too and why? He's calling on the ghosts of January 6‚ which aren't even ghosts. There are people in that room there who helped that happen.” Dickerson also claimed that “one of America's leading political parties in a democracy has just nominated or is going to nominate in a democracy‚ to be their candidate‚ someone who has worked actively to undermine democracy.” Earlier in the show‚ during his monologue‚ Colbert recapped‚ “On the Democratic side‚ they wore white. On the Republican side‚ they were white.” He also took a shot at Justice Clarence Thomas‚ “Ahead of the president's arrival there‚ members of the Supreme Court filed in. Interestingly‚ Justice Clarence Thomas didn't attend. It's nice to know he's willing to recuse himself from something.” It can be understandable why Clarence Thomas‚ of all people‚ didn’t want to attend a Joe Biden campaign rally dressed up as a stately "ritual of democracy"‚ but Colbert rolled right along “Speaker of the House Mike Johnson got the privilege of standing next to Vice President Kamala Harris and because he was standing that close to a woman‚ his son got an alert on his phone.” Despite all the pomp and circumstance‚ Biden's address was simply a Democratic stump speech‚ so of course CBS loved it. Here is a transcript for the March 7 show: CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 3/8/2024 12:00 AM ET STEPHEN COLBERT: On the Democratic side‚ they wore white. On the Republican side‚ they were white. Ahead of the president's arrival there‚ members of the Supreme Court filed in. Interestingly‚ Justice Clarence Thomas didn't attend. It's nice to know he's willing to recuse himself from something. Then the big moment‚ the president's entrance. He took his sweet damn time getting down the aisle. As the president made his way‚ the crowd chanted  DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF CONGRESS: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years! Four more years! COLBERT: Four more years! Of walking to the podium! It’s getting late‚ just go. Then he finally got to the podium‚ where Speaker of the House Mike Johnson got the privilege of standing next to Vice President Kamala Harris and because he was standing that close to a woman‚ his son got an alert on his phone. … COLBERT: So‚ why for Joe Biden in this election year‚ was this an important moment?  JOHN DICKERSON: Well‚ it’s an important moment. Look‚ ringed around the Capitol where Joe Biden had gone to so many previous State of the Unions were 8-foot-high black fences as a result of the attack on January 6. This speech given in that place and that marble hall that was attacked on January 6‚ 2021‚ started his presidency. I mean‚ it didn't exactly‚ he wasn't inaugurated yet‚ but it started this period of time that we are in. So‚ every ritual of democracy that takes place in a healthy fashion reknits those bonds that were torn up on the sixth‚ and he was there to remind people that that happened and that those stakes are still real.  COLBERT: He talked about a lot of stakes. He came in really hot tonight. He started off with FDR in 1941. What's the purpose there?  DICKERSON: You can’t-- if you are going to set the stakes for a political moment‚ you can't set them any higher than 1941 fighting before World War II. So‚ he set them immediately‚ he started in fifth gear.  COLBERT: And he drives a Corvette. He knows that. DICKERSON: Right‚ so he knows fifth gear. The only other historical moment that you would pick that has equal weight is the Civil War and he name-checked that too and why? He's calling on the ghosts of January 6‚ which aren't even ghosts. There are people in that room there who helped that happen including – COLBERT: Including Mike Johnson over his shoulder who was trying to get the fake collectors allowed.  DICKERSON: And one of America's leading political parties in a democracy has just nominated or is going to nominate in a democracy‚ to be their candidate‚ someone who has worked actively to undermine democracy.