Found in the rivers and coasts of South and Southeast Asia‚ the undeniably adorable Irrawaddy dolphin is a unique sight for those lucky enough to see it. Its rarity doesn’t come from shyness alone‚ however – years of human activity have seen the population dwindle‚ to the point that the species is now classed as endangered. But with a helping hand‚ can the tide turn for the Irrawaddy dolphin?Baby beluga lookalikeWith a grey upper side and light underside‚ Irrawaddy dolphins aren’t unusually colored compared to other dolphin species. However‚ unlike their bottle-nosed relatives‚ these dolphins have no distinct beak and a pronounced rounded head; they often get compared to dorsal-finned baby beluga whales. They’re also unusual amongst dolphins in the sense that they have flexible necks‚ which can sometimes leave them with creases – it’s a bit reminiscent of the rolls on a baby’s arm. Whilst on the smaller side in terms of length – they’re about 2.8 meters (9 feet) as adults – they do have a general chonkiness about them. Combine this with their characteristically smiley expression and you get a pretty adorable-looking creature.A day in the lifeIrrawaddy dolphins can be found throughout South and Southeast Asia‚ native to a whole host of countries including Cambodia‚ Bangladesh‚ and Myanmar. They’re well-known for living in rivers in these regions – there are distinct river-dwelling subpopulations – but can also be found in shallow coastal areas where there’s some kind of freshwater input‚ such as river deltas.     They aren’t particularly fussy when it comes to food either‚ known to eat a variety of fish. The dolphins are also quite adaptable in getting their (metaphorical) hands on their dinner; they’ve been known to bottom-feed‚ sneak in close to fishing vessels to nab from nets or fish thrown overboard‚ and even spit water to try and confuse fish.Despite their water-spitting antics‚ Irrawaddy dolphins are possibly the least showy of the dolphins (we’re looking at you‚ bottlenoses). They rarely surface and even when they do‚ they don’t put much of their bodies out of the water – tourist excursions to see them are very much a “blink and you’ll miss it” affair.Brought back from the brinkGiven that they’re notoriously difficult to spot‚ it’s not been easy to come up with an estimate for the total population of the Irrawaddy dolphin across their entire habitat. However‚ where some river subpopulations exist‚ the numbers are concerning enough – in the low 10s to 100s – that they’re classed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.One subpopulation has even been listed as critically endangered; on a 118-mile stretch of the Mekong River through northern Cambodia into Laos‚ only 92 Irrawaddy dolphins are estimated to remain. Even that’s an improvement on previous numbers – the species was nearly driven to extinction in the late 20th century after being hunted for food during wartime.However‚ the 21st century has seen conservation efforts made to bring the Mekong River population back from the brink. The Cambodian government has worked with groups such as the World Wildlife Fund on a campaign to bring awareness to the species and put laws in place to prevent human-related threats. The stretch of river where the dolphins live has been made a protected zone‚ there’s been a crackdown on harmful fishing practices‚ and the appointment of river guards to make sure the rules are being kept.      These efforts seem to have paid off – in 2019‚ estimates took the population number from 80 up to 92. Although this is a good sign‚ experts have cautioned that the work is far from over. “As threats to their survival persist‚ we need to redouble our efforts to protect the dolphins both for their future and that of the river and communities that live alongside it‚” said Teak Seng‚ director of the WWF in Cambodia‚ speaking to National Geographic.Hope‚ however‚ persists in the face of potential threats. As Seng explained‚ “Their recovery is a hopeful sign for the river and the millions of people who depend on it. After years of hard work‚ we finally have reason to believe that these iconic dolphins can be protected against extinction.”

If you cruise high above the US and peer down‚ you might catch a glimpse of giant barcode-like symbols embossed into a panel of tarmac. Rest assured‚ these are not QR codes for aliens to keep tabs on Earth‚ nor the long-lost relics of an ancient civilization.The strange symbols were used in the 20th century to calibrate the lenses of aerial and satellite cameras. Most were made in the 1950s and '60s when the Cold War was heating up and the US was bolstering its aerial reconnaissance technology.Up close at ground level‚ you can see the symbols are generally made using thick black or white paint on a flat pad of concrete or asphalt. They’re typically smaller than a basketball court and often feature numerous bar-shaped lines in an organized fashion‚ which can be used by planes and satellites to calibrate the optical resolution of their imaging equipment.“The targets function like an eye chart at the optometrist‚ where the smallest group of bars that can be resolved marks the limit of the resolution for the optical instrument that is being used‚" according to the Center for Land Use Interpretation (CLUI). "For aerial photography‚ it provides a platform to test‚ calibrate‚ and focus aerial cameras traveling at different speeds and altitudes. The targets can also be used in the same way by satellites.” A target‚ which appears to be in the process of expansion‚ seen in California's Edwards Air Force Base‚Image credit: GoogleEarthThe CLUI goes on to explain that the targets were likely used during the testing of some of the most formidable aircraft developed by the US in the Cold War era‚ including the SR-71 Blackbird and the U-2. Today’s technology doesn’t require any such calibration targets‚ effectively rendering these massive barcodes redundant. Nevertheless‚ there are still dozens of them scattered across the US‚ most of which are located near airforce bases. Examples of these mammoth features can purportedly be located near Eglin Air Force Base in Florida‚ the Nevada Test Site‚ Fort Huachuca in Arizona‚ Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio‚ Travis Air Force Base in California‚ Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina‚ and Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.A variation of the class Optical Calibration Target at Fort Huachuca‚ Arizona.Image credit: GoogleEarthSimilar features can be found elsewhere in the world. In 2011‚ internet sleuths were trawling through Google Maps and noticed several strange structures in the middle of the Chinese desert. Some were square in shape‚ while others featured huge zig-zags. One even consists of giant characters of the Chinese alphabet printed onto a hillside. There was much discussion about the nature of the structures‚ but it was widely agreed that it most likely had something to do with China’s reconnaissance satellites.

Imagine the future. Where is it for you? Do you see yourself striding towards it? Perhaps it’s behind you. Maybe it’s even above you.And what about the past? Do you imagine looking over your shoulder to see it?How you answer these questions will depend on who you are and where you come from. The way we picture the future is influenced by the culture we grow up in and the languages we are exposed to.For many people who grew up in the UK‚ the US and much of Europe‚ the future is in front of them‚ and the past is behind them. People in these cultures typically perceive time as linear. They see themselves as continually moving towards the future because they cannot go back to the past.In some other cultures‚ however‚ the location of the past and the future are inverted. The Aymara‚ a South American Indigenous group of people living in the Andes‚ conceptualise the future as behind them and the past in front of them.Scientists discovered this by studying the gestures of the Aymara people during discussions of topics such as ancestors and traditions. The researchers noticed that when Aymara spoke about their ancestors‚ they were likely to gesture in front of themselves‚ indicating that the past was in front. However‚ when they were asked about a future event‚ their gesture seemed to indicate that the future was perceived as behind.Look to the futureAnalysis of how people write‚ speak and gesture about time suggests that the Aymara are not alone. Speakers of Darij‚ an Arabic dialect spoken in Morocco‚ also appear to imagine the past as in front and the future behind. As do some Vietnamese speakers.The future doesn’t always have to be behind or in front of us. There is evidence that some Mandarin speakers represent the future as down and the past as up. These differences suggest that there is no universal location for the past‚ present and future. Instead‚ people construct these representations based on their upbringing and surroundings.Culture doesn’t just influence where we see the position of the future. It also influences how we see ourselves getting there.In the UK and US‚ people typically see themselves as walking with their faces pointing forward towards the future. For the M&;amacr;ori of New Zealand‚ however‚ the focus of attention when moving through time is not the future‚ but the past. The M&;amacr;ori proverb Kia whakatmuri te haere whakamua‚ translates as “I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past”.For the M&;amacr;ori‚ what is in front of us is determined by what can or has been seen. The M&;amacr;ori consider the past and present as known and seen concepts because they have already happened. The past is conceptualised as in front of a person‚ where their eyes can see them.The future‚ however‚ is considered unknown because it has not happened yet. It is thought of as behind you because it is still unseen. M&;amacr;ori perceive themselves as walking backwards rather than forwards into the future because their actions in the future are guided by lessons from the past. By facing the past‚ they can carry those lessons forwards in time.Different approachesScientists are not sure why different people represent the past‚ present and future differently. One idea is that our perspectives are influenced by the direction that we read and write in. Research shows that people who read and write from left to right draw timelines in which the past is on the left and the future is on the right‚ reflecting their reading and writing patterns.However‚ people who read from right to left‚ such as Arabic speakers‚ often draw timelines with events from the past on the right and the future on the left. However‚ reading direction cannot explain why some left-right reading people think of the future as “behind”.Another theory is that cultural values may influence our orientation to the future. Cultures vary in the extent to which they value tradition. Researchers believe your spatial concept of the future may be determined by whether your culture emphasises traditions of the past or focuses on the future.In cultures that stress the importance of progress‚ change and modernisation‚ the future is normally in front – for example‚ the UK and the US. However‚ in cultures that place a high value on tradition and ancestral history‚ such as in Morocco and Indigenous groups such as the M&;amacr;ori‚ the past is the focus and is therefore usually in front.These differences may also have implications for initiatives to tackle global challenges. If the future is not always in front‚ then Western campaign mantras about “moving forward”‚ “moving on” and “leaving the past behind” may lack resonance for many people.Perhaps‚ however‚ if we can learn from other cultures’ representations of time‚ we may be able to reframe our understanding of some of the world’s most pressing problems. Approaching the future with regular looks over the shoulder to the past could lead to a fairer future for everyone.Ruth Ogden‚ Professor of the Psychology of Time‚ Liverpool John Moores UniversityThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

If you thought a tree-dwelling‚ coconut-cracking giant rat was the stuff of fiction‚ you’re about to be proven wrong – researchers have captured the first-ever images of the rare‚ but particularly sizeable‚ Vangunu giant rat.The photos of this rodent of unusual size were captured using a set of nine camera traps‚ placed strategically in the forested Zaira Conservation Resource Management Area in the south of the island of Vangunu‚ with help from the local community. Over the course of a year‚ traps successfully snapped 95 images of four individual giant rats‚ known scientifically as Uromys vika.Although it’s not quite at the level of the swamp-dwellers in The Princess Bride‚ the Vangunu giant rat is still a hefty creature – they can weigh more than 2 pounds (just under a kilogram) and can reach up to 46 centimeters (18 inches) in length.The giant rodent has long been known by Vangunu’s people‚ with stories of its ability to climb trees and chomp into coconuts‚ but it remained elusive to science. “For decades anthropologists and mammalogists alike were aware of this knowledge‚ but periodic efforts to scientifically identify and document this species were fruitless‚” explained Tyrone Lavery‚ lead author of a study detailing the images‚ in a statement.Camera trap images featured both male and female members of the species.Image credit: Lavery et al.‚ Ecology and Evolution 2023 (CC BY 4.0 DEED)That is‚ until 2017‚ when the felling of a large tree in the south of the island also brought one of the giant rats down with it. Unfortunately‚ the rat was fatally injured by the incident‚ but researchers still took the opportunity to describe it. These new images help to create an even fuller picture of the species – but also confirm that it could be under threat.“The images show the Vangunu giant rat lives in Zaira’s primary forests‚ and these lands (particularly the Dokoso tribal area) represent the last remaining habitat for the species‚” said Lavery. “Logging consent has been granted at Zaira‚ and if it proceeds it will undoubtably lead to extinction of the Vangunu giant rat.”Though its population size is unknown‚ the species is classed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Now holding the proof that the Vangunu giant rat does in fact exist‚ it’s hoped that conservation can be ramped up‚ continuing the efforts from the local community.“We thank the community of Zaira for unwavering commitment to conserve their forests and reefs in the face of continuous attempts to undermine this commitment‚ and for their support of this research‚” said Lavery.“We hope that these images of U. vika will support efforts to prevent the extinction of this threatened species‚ and help improve its conservation status.”The study is published in Ecology and Evolution.

The temperature of the universe is surprisingly varied‚ with some places far from any star being a lot hotter than you might expect‚ but what about the other end of the scale? Absolute zero (0 K‚ -273.16°C‚ or -459.68°F) represents a theoretical limit on how cold things can get‚ but what is the practical limit? How cold‚ then‚ is the coldest place in the universe?If you want to be really pedantic there's a very high chance that the true coldest place in the universe is inside of some alien species' research lab‚ assuming someone in the universe has exceeded our technology for creating the very cold. Finding that‚ however‚ will presumably have to wait for a fair while after we make contact‚ since “What are the coldest conditions you have produced?” is probably not the optimum opening topic of conversation.In terms of places humanity is aware of‚ we certainly haven't seen anything natural that is as cold as what we have produced ourselves. Laser cooling followed by expansion has been used to remove so much heat from clusters of atoms that they are 0.000000000038 above absolute zero. Someone will probably continue to put more zeros between the decimal point and the first numeral‚ because there is a lot of important research that requires colder and colder temperatures. Still‚ it's hard for most people to get to excited about dropping another trillionth of a degree.Moreover‚ for most people a cloud of a few hundred exotic atoms doesn't really count as a place. If you're looking for something a little roomier‚ however‚ humans still probably have nature beat. If you want to study the behavior of substances such as liquid helium in substantial quantities you need to cool not just them‚ but their surrounding environment to temperatures a few degrees above absolute zero‚ and for some studies it helps to keep pushing things lower.Ok‚ but say you consider that cheating. You want to know the coldest natural location. The aftermath of the Big Bang saw a superheated universe‚ but as it expanded it cooled‚ like a gas in a refrigeration cycle. The energy left over from the original explosion provides the cosmic background radiation‚ which‚ generally speaking puts a 2.7 K (-455°F) floor under temperatures everywhere. As the universe ages‚ this temperature will fall further‚ but it does so very‚ very slowly.       So is that the answer? Anywhere without another heat source sits at 2.7 K‚ making the coldest place in the universe a draw between an infinite number of places? Not that long ago we thought so‚ but in 1995 astronomers found something unexpected deep in the southern skies.The Boomerang Nebula (named before we had a good image of its ghost-like shape) has a temperature of just 1 K (-458°F)‚ causing it to absorb energy from the cosmic background around it‚ rather than emit it as a star's neighborhood normally would.This temperature has been confirmed in multiple studies‚ but it took 20 years to find an explanation. After all‚ the Boomerang is a planetary nebula‚ or on the way to becoming one. The name is misleading‚ planetary nebulae are formed when red giant stars not massive enough to explode as a supernova turn into white dwarfs instead.The Boomerang is thought to be so cold because it is expanding ridiculously fast‚ but whatever is driving that expansion is not supplying much heat. A 2017 paper found evidence for the presence of an interloper star besides the one that produced the nebula in the first place. The gravitational interaction between the two is thought to be supercharging the expansion of the nebula's gases. There may be some extra complexity to the story‚ but so far no one seems to have refuted the central idea.In the right part of the spectrum‚ it's not hard to see why some people think the Boomerang Nebula should be called the Ghost Nebula.Image credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF/NASA/STScI/JPL-CaltechPresumably the Boomerang‚ a relatively modest 5‚000 light-years from Earth‚ is not the only planetary nebula where such events are taking place. In such a large universe‚ there's probably a nebula driven by the same processes that is even colder. However‚ the Boomerang is only a few thousand years old and is already starting to warm up‚ so such anomalies don't last long in cosmic terms.There's also another twist to the tale. If temperature is defined as the random movement of the particles that make something up‚ negative temperatures should be impossible. Yet‚ in 1949‚ the existence of temperatures below absolute zero was predicted.Physicists define temperature in more than one way‚ including that temperature is a measure of the order within a system‚ with more order equating to lower temperatures. By this definition negative temperatures do exist‚ potentially including within the atmospheres of gas giant planets.Certainly‚ if we accept these definitions‚ anywhere with negative temperatures outranks somewhere a degree above absolute zero. However‚ it's doubtful many people would think this counts‚ so it looks like the Boomerang Nebula it is.

The recent death of Frank Borman‚ commander of Nasa’s Apollo 8 mission in 1968‚ has focused attention on that incredible first voyage to the Moon.It took place eight months before Apollo 11‚ where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin explored the lunar surface for the first time. However‚ the impact of Apollo 8’s “Earthrise” picture – the sight of the Earth from the Moon – now seems even greater than that of the first landing.For many years‚ the story behind the famous Earthrise photo‚ was that the crew were caught off-guard by the blue orb rising from behind the Moon. But even if they were preoccupied‚ the astronauts knew it was coming.Another unforgettable event during the mission was a reading by the crew from the Book of Genesis‚ broadcast to the world at Christmas. Detailed research I’ve conducted in Nasa’s archives has revealed more clearly how much planning lay behind these dramatic moments. The famous Earthrise picture‚ a wonky snap taken in a hurry‚ was improvised‚ but it had been anticipated.Earthrise restoredAfter entering lunar orbit‚ they nearly missed seeing the Earth. Only on the fourth orbit‚ when the capsule flipped round 180 degrees to point forwards‚ did they notice it. Borman confirmed to me that at that moment they were “taken by surprise – too busy with lunar observation on the first three orbits”.But the Apollo programme’s director of photography‚ Dick Underwood‚ was anxious to set the wider record straight. He explained: “Hours were spent with the lunar crews‚ including the Apollo 8 crew‚ in briefing on exactly how to set up the camera‚ which film to use … these briefings were most comprehensive.”The Apollo 8 crew presenting the Earthrise picture to the governor of Texas‚ John Connally‚ in 1969. Image credit: NasaThere were‚ however‚ battles within Nasa about what images the astronauts should focus on‚ with the management insisting on shots of lunar geology and potential landing sites. Dick Underwood explained: “I argued hard for a shot of Earthrise‚ and we had impressed upon the astronauts that we definitely wanted it.”Borman was joined on the mission by two other astronauts: Jim Lovell‚ who was the command module pilot‚ and Bill Anders‚ who had the title of lunar module pilot. Nasa had intended for Apollo 8 to test the lunar module‚ but it was behind schedule so the mission didn’t take one.At the pre-launch press conference‚ Borman had looked forward to getting “good views of the Earth from the Moon” and Lovell to seeing “the Earth set and the Earth rise”.The official mission plan directed the astronauts to take photos of Earth‚ but only as the lowest priority. When the key moment came‚ the astronauts were indeed taken by surprise‚ but not for long.Anders was at a side window taking photos of craters using a camera with black and white film when he saw the Earth rise from behind the Moon. “Look at that picture over there! Here’s the Earth coming up‚” Anders exclaimed.Bill Anders’ first picture of Earthrise. Image credit: NASAAnders quickly took a sharp shot of the Earth emerging above the lunar horizon. Then he and Lovell argued briefly over who should have the colour film camera‚ while Borman tried to calm them down.It was Anders who took the blurry‚ hastily framed‚ overexposed colour shot of Earthrise‚ later dubbed the image of the century. But in the other camera was a much better shot‚ long ignored because it was in black and white.That first mono image was spot-on. A restored “Earthrise” photo‚ recently coloured by experts using the later shots as a reference‚ conveys the stunning sight beheld by the astronauts.This shot‚ revealing the Earth as a majestic but fragile oasis. As Lovell mused: “The loneliness out here is awe-inspiring … it makes us realise what you have back on Earth.” For Borman too it was “intensely emotional … We said nothing to each other‚ but maybe we shared another thought I had: ‘This must be what God sees.’”The Genesis readingIn 1968‚ as now‚ space travel was viewed as a scientific and technological domain. But the mission was also sent by one of the world’s most strongly Christianised countries‚ and the crew was not about to leave its cultural background behind.It was a point of pride at Nasa that‚ whereas Soviet cosmonauts were tightly monitored and controlled‚ their own astronauts were free to speak their minds. Extraordinary as it now seems‚ they were left to decide for themselves what to say in their historic live broadcast from lunar orbit.Borman knew that he had to come up with something special for the Christmas broadcast. A few weeks beforehand‚ he was told by a press officer: “We figure more people will be listening to your voice (during the broadcast) than that of any man in history. So we want you to say something appropriate.”While Neil Armstrong’s “one small step” message was carefully considered inside Nasa‚ no one in the agency knew in advance what Borman would say.The original Earthrise photo. Image credit: NasaWith only two minutes left before radio contact was lost as the spacecraft passed behind the Moon‚ Anders said: “The crew of Apollo 8 have a message that we would like to send to you.”He then read from the Book of Genesis: “In the beginning‚ God created the heaven and the Earth; and the Earth was without form and void.” He continued: “God said‚ ‘Let there be light‚’ and there was light.”Lovell and Borman took over to read the next verses‚ and Borman signed off: “Merry Christmas‚ and God bless all of you – all of you on the good Earth.”As Apollo 8 dipped out of radio contact‚ the world was left to absorb the impact. “For those moments I felt the presence of creation and the creator‚” Nasa’s chief flight director Gene Kranz later recalled. “Tears were on my cheeks.”Somehow Borman and his colleagues found the perfect words to convey their experience. But Borman had thought about the assignment carefully‚ asking a publicist friend to help out with the text.This was Simon Bourgin‚ science policy officer at the US Information Agency. Bourgin in turn asked a journalist‚ Joe Laitin‚ who mentioned the task to his wife‚ Christine.She looked in the Old Testament and suggested: “Why don’t you begin at the beginning?” She recognised the primeval power of the creation story in the first book of Genesis‚ with its evocative description of the Earth.Borman immediately recognised that this was just right‚ and had it typed up. He had superbly vindicated Nasa’s trust in him.While inspiration and a degree of freedom were involved in the Earthrise photo and Genesis reading‚ behind their execution lay careful planning and professionalism.Robert Poole‚ Professor of History‚ University of Central LancashireThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Have you ever heard of a moose with so-called "Devil's Antlers"? Although it may conjure images of some monstrous misshapen animal lurking in the wilderness‚ the term actually appears to refer to a real phenomenon that further demonstrates how cool antlers are.How to make antlersIf you look for this term online‚ you will find only a few references to it and annoyingly few verifiable images. However‚ the moose with Devil’s Antlers does appear to be real. It seems it is a colloquial term that refers to bulls that have grown abnormal and typically ugly antlers‚ which do not shed.  Unlike cattle‚ sheep‚ and goats that keep their horns‚ moose – the largest member of the deer family (Cervidae) – shed their antlers every year. This is because antlers are not fused to the animals' skulls in the same way that horns (made of bone and keratin) are. Instead‚ bull moose grow their antlers during the spring months and use them to fight and attract females (typical male stuff) in autumn. After this‚ the bulls shed their antlers which relieves them of up to 27.2 kilograms (60 pounds) of weight‚ and helps conserve energy through the cold winters. Antlers grow ridiculously fast. In fact‚ they are among the fastest growing tissues in the animal world. For instance‚ white-tailed deer antlers can grow around a quarter of an inch a day‚ whereas elk can grow theirs at around an inch a day. When a male moose reaches around a year of age‚ it will start growing its first antlers‚ which become more impressive and elaborate in appearance with each subsequent shed-and-grow cycle. When they start to appear‚ new antlers grow in a velvety skin that helps to nourish them. This process is triggered by increasing daylight which leads the animal to produce more testosterone. Then‚ around September‚ the bull experiences a further surge in this hormone‚ which leads to the moose shedding the velvet to reveal its spectacular bony headwear. However‚ in rare situations‚ this process goes wrong‚ and the animal grows weird‚ disfigured antlers that neither suit their purpose nor shed at the end of the mating season.                  What the devil is it all about?The effect is caused by a lack of testosterone in the animal‚ caused by castration or some hormonal dysfunction. When it occurs‚ the moose will shed its existing antlers and then grow new and deformed ones that will not shed‚ as testosterone is needed to start this process. This phenomenon has several names depending on where you are. Within some circles in North America and Canada‚ it is referred to as Devil’s Antlers‚ but in some cases‚ especially when concerning deer‚ the antlers form tumor-like masses called “perruque head”. This latter name is derived from the fact that the failed antler looks like an old fashioned perruque wig. They are sometimes referred to as an “antleroma”‚ which combines the English word “antler” with the Greek “oma” for “tumor-like”. There are also what’s referred to as “cactus antlers” and velericorn antlers. Unfortunately‚ images of these antlers are rare to find and those that do exist are usually exhibited by animals that have just been shot‚ so we will spare readers the experience of seeing that. But a quick internet search will give you an idea. Interestingly‚ this bizarre phenomenon is not a new discovery. Aristotle even described it in his History of Animals‚ which was written in the fourth century BCE. So it seems the mystery of the Devil’s Antlers is not all that unusual after all‚ even if photographs of this bizarre form of growth are frustratingly difficult to come by. 

Imagine a world where you could share your home‚ your culture‚ and your knowledge with beings from another planet. A world where you could learn from their history‚ their science‚ and their art. A world where you could explore the wonders of the cosmos together. This is not a fantasy‚ but a possible future scenario that some scientists and thinkers have envisioned. How could such a scenario come about? There are several ways that we could encounter alien life in the galaxy. One is by detecting their signals‚ either intentionally or unintentionally sent to us. Another is by finding evidence… This premium content is for PLUS+ members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read. The post Earth 2.0: Future Where Aliens Live and Have Relationships With Humans appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Some people have a special kind of courage when it comes to rescuing dogs. They don’t visit shelters seeking the youngest or most charming pup; instead‚ they look for the one who needs them the most. This was precisely the case for Melani Andrews and a dog named Jake‚ who formed an unbreakable bond. Melani... The post Woman asks shelter for their oldest‚ most unwanted‚ hard-to-adopt dog. Here’s who they gave her appeared first on Animal Channel.

When is a Democratic politician not a “Democrat”? All too often‚ as NewsBusters has carefully documented‚ the liberal networks fail to mention the party identification of an official enmeshed in embarrassment or wrongdoing — if they’re a Democrat‚ that is. It happened just last month‚ when New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez was indicted for corruptly acting as a foreign agent for the government of Egypt. Last year‚ MSNBC’s Morning Joe would only refer to a Nevada Democrat who murdered an investigative reporter as a “politician” (how helpfully vague). And now that the Democratic Mayor of New York City has been hit with a $5 million sexual assault suit‚ ABC and CBS hid Eric Adams’ party identification in their Thursday evening and Friday morning coverage. For its part‚ NBC just skipped the story entirely on Nightly News and Today‚ which is perhaps an even better way to insulate the Democratic Party from the bad news. On the Thanksgiving edition of World News Tonight‚ ABC fill-in anchor Linsey Davis told viewers that “New York City Mayor Eric Adams is accused of sexually assaulting a woman 30 years ago‚” without saying he was a Democrat. Correspondent Aaron Katersky was equally delicate‚ announcing that “tonight‚ the Mayor of New York is accused of sexually assaulting a woman 30 years ago....” On the CBS Evening News (pre-empted in much of the country by football)‚ fill-in anchor Nancy Cordes read a short (30-second) item that merely relayed how “New York City Mayor Eric Adams is fighting off an accusation of sexual assault going back 30 years....” On Friday’s Good Morning America‚ co-host Juju Chang referred to Adams only as “the latest high-profile man being sued under a New York law about to expire....” On CBS Mornings‚ co-host Dana Jacobson similarly omitted Adams’s party ID: “Here in New York‚ we are seeing a series of sexual abuse complaints filed just before a landmark state law ran out. One of the targets is New York City Mayor Eric Adams....” It wasn’t a complete shutout‚ though. Eagle-eyed viewers of ABC’s World News Tonight and Good Morning America‚ however‚ would have spotted a microscopic (D) in a very brief‚ on-screen tag shown when the network shows ran a clip of Adams denying the charges. “I don’t even recall ever meeting the person who made the‚ this allegation‚” Adams was shown saying. If you blinked‚ however‚ you might have missed the whole thing. And that was it. It’s hard to imagine the Republican Party being so well-insulated if similar allegations were leveled against one of its highest-profile office-holders. Here’s a little more of how ABC and CBS covered the Adams story last night and this morning. (Click expand to read the transcripts.) # ABC’s World News Tonight November 23‚ 2023 LINSEY DAVIS: Next tonight‚ New York City Mayor Eric Adams is accused of sexually assaulting a woman 30 years ago. The woman is making the accusation in a court filing under a New York state law which gave victims of sexual violence a one-year window to sue over attacks that took place decades ago. Adams is vigorously denying the accusation. Here’s ABC’s senior investigative reporter Aaron Katersky. AARON KATERSKY: Tonight‚ the Mayor of New York is accused of sexually assaulting a woman 30 years ago. In a new court filing‚ the woman alleges she “was sexually assaulted by defendant Eric Adams in 1993 while they both worked for the city of New York.” Today‚ Adams said he doesn’t know the woman‚ calling the allegation “absolutely not true.” ERIC ADAMS: Something absolutely that has never happened. And I don’t even recall ever meeting the person who made the‚ this allegation.... # ABC’s Good Morning America November 24‚ 2023 JUJU CHANG:  Now to New York Mayor Eric Adams facing a lawsuit by a woman claiming he sexually assaulted her in 1993. It’s the latest high-profile man being sued under a New York law about to expire.... #  CBS Evening News November 23‚ 2023 NANCY CORDES: Tonight‚ New York City Mayor Eric Adams is fighting off an accusation of sexual assault going back 30 years. An unidentified woman filed the $5 million lawsuit on Wednesday under the Adult Survivors Act. That New York law is set to expire today. Adams was a New York City police officer at the time of the alleged incident. Today‚ he denied assaulting anyone. Adams is also facing an FBI investigation into his campaign’s fund raising. #  CBS Mornings November 24‚ 2023 DANA JACOBSON: Here in New York‚ we are seeing a series of sexual abuse complaints filed just before a landmark state law ran out. One of the targets is New York City Mayor Eric Adams‚ who denies a reported assault from 30 years ago. As Elaine Quijano reports‚ Adams is not the only big name facing a lawsuit.... As noted earlier‚ NBC didn’t mentioned the allegations on Nightly News or Today. But Friday’s Today did have time for Dolly Parton’s halftime show‚ a Manhattan pop-up bar with a Christmas theme‚ as well as multiple stories on Black Friday shopping. They have their priorities‚ of course.