CSX Holiday Express train car – CSX / Ed Rode Photography
CSX Holiday Express train car – CSX / Ed Rode Photography
The 82nd annual run of the Santa Train through Appalachian mountain towns kicked off this year with a special stop to bring holiday cheer to a community ravaged by Hurricane Helene in the Eastern United States.
Santa Claus kicked off the celebration in Erwin, Tennessee, giving out gift bags, chicken dinners, and a close-up view of the heritage 1902 Clinchfield steam locomotive chosen this year to pull train cars full of presents, and decorated with festive lights, along the 110-mile whistlestop tour in late November.
One of the nation’s oldest and most cherished holiday traditions, the CSX Santa Train distributed more than 15 tons of gifts to families along the route, making this year’s event another huge success.
Spreading holiday cheer across Kentucky, Southwest Virginia, and Tennessee, thousands of families lined the route as the train brought an abundance of toys, backpacks, winter clothes, and holiday joy to Appalachian communities that have gathered to share in the holiday spirit.
It’s a Christmas tradition that started in 1943.
“Our team is honored to be part of a tradition that brings joy and supports families in a meaningful way during the holiday season,” said Joe Hinrichs, the president of CSX. “We look forward to many more years of delivering the magic of the CSX Santa Train.”
CSX
“Every year, we are inspired by the smiles and heartfelt stories shared along the route that remind us why this tradition is so special,” said Bryan Tucker, a vice president at CSX.
He praised longstanding partnerships with Appalachian Power, Food City, Soles4Souls, and the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce that ensure the Santa Train can bring joy to as many families as possible.
WATCH a lovely video about the Santa Train’s 82nd running…
Quote of the Day: “Fortune and love favor the brave.” – Ovid
Photo by: Budka Damdinsuren
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Ross and Hugo Turner attempting to break a record, flying a paraglider-style aircraft at 10,000ft in the French Alps – via SWNS
Ross and Hugo Turner attempting to break a record, flying a paraglider-style aircraft at 10,000ft in the French Alps – via SWNS
The ‘World’s Most Intrepid Twins’ announced they’ve broken a world record, by flying a tandem electric para-motor 8,000ft over the French Alps.
Ross and Hugo Turner, known as the Turner Twins, took the custom-made aircraft 2,438 meters high, floating over the mountains.
The British siblings have submitted the information on an application to FAI—the World Air Sports Federation—to claim a world record for tandem electric altitude.
The brothers based in Devon, England, have already set a world record while becoming the first twins to row the Atlantic Ocean.
For this recent flight, the twins had to wait months for the “perfect weather conditions.”
“It was great to get the weather we finally needed for the record and having waited months for perfect conditions we had the perfect flight,” said Hugo.
“The flight was smooth, which was surprising as we were expecting turbulent conditions, and the battery lasted much longer than we expected—probably due to the colder conditions keeping the battery cooler.”
Ross said their official observer for the record didn’t think the electric battery would be able to do it.
“He said we won’t have enough power, this won’t work. Thankfully, we proved him wrong.”
Ross and Hugo, the Turner Twins, on a para-motor flying over French Alps breaking altitude record – via SWNS
Their quest for adventure was born following a terrible auto accident in which Hugo broke his neck at age 17 and narrowly missed paralysis. In the mix of heightened emotions came a drive to follow their passion for exploration—always guided by their values and “always doing them together”.
The daring duo made headlines at age 21 when they rowed the Atlantic in just 41 days. They also helped set a world record as part of the youngest crew ever to complete that challenge.
Since then they have climbed Mt. Elbrus and they cycled 1,550 miles (2500km) across South American to reach another goal, traveling through deserts and jungles in the searing heat. The pair also used bikes to ride 2.6K across North America, cycling across mountains, desserts, and national parks.
They also attempted a hike across the Greenland and Iceland wearing kit and clothing worn by early polar explorers like Sir Ernest Shackleton.
The Turner Twins making final preparations for a world altitude record in a tandem electric paramotor – SWNS
During many of their missions they’re testing new technology, like driving the Cyberster EV car from MG Motors on a 10,000-mile drive from London to China, posting videos about their adventures in the red convertible electric sports car.
Check out their website to follow more expeditions and adventures—and watch the video below as they describe the EV motor built for the Alps, and their preparations for testing…
SEND THE HIGH-FLYING EV SUCCESS To Motor Heads On Social Media…
A New Zealand-based eco-startup has cracked the code for replacing single-use plastic—targeting garden nurseries with their breakthrough bioplastic that breaks down naturally in soil.
After five years of development and testing, Compostify is aiming to replace the 350 million waste-producing plastic pots produced annually across the country.
“Our mission is to replace conventional plastics with materials that work in harmony with nature,” said Compostify co-founder and CEO Peter Wilson. “Not only is Compostify’s bioplastic practical and robust, it decomposes naturally, turning what was once waste into something beneficial for the soil.”
Multi-ton orders have already been placed by partners like Scion that are manufacturing the eco-friendly containers for the horticultural sector to create industry-wide impact for the retailers which have long sought solutions to reduce plastic waste.
Made from sustainably grown crops such as sugarcane, cassava, and corn, the pots can last 12 months above ground before biodegrading, with the biodegrading process starting as soon as soil is added. When planted directly in the ground, the pot provides fertilizer for the plant as the pot biodegrades.
Importantly, the bio-polymers made from the crops contain only naturally occurring chemicals and nutrients attractive for microbes to eat, and leaves no micro-plastics or toxic residue.
The construction sector has similar needs for bioplastic solutions and is an obvious next target for sustainable alternatives to products such as the plastic rebar safety caps that typically litter building sites at the end of a project. Initial orders for these rebar safety caps have also been secured.
“Our bioplastic is the foundation for a future where single-use plastics are a thing of the past,” Wilson says. “We’re here to empower our partners, in New Zealand and beyond, to contribute to a world that doesn’t just reduce waste but reimagines it.”
Peter Wilson (left) partnered with Scion to develop compostible biodegradable nursery container – Credit Wilson & Ross
Once in contact with soil, compost or other natural environments, Compostify’s patented bioplastic material will fully compost within 12 months in home composts and up to 24 months in soil.
Wilson says the standard for home compostability represents a breakthrough in bioplastic innovation because most bioplastics (polylactic acid) used worldwide can only be composted industrially.
“It’s a world first: we have found a way for certified breakdown of a bioplastic alloy in mild environments such as regular soil or home compost systems.”
But it features a much longer shelf life, engineered to remain stable in storage and performing like conventional plastics without premature breakdown.
Compostify’s innovation was supported by a collaborative effort with Crown Research Institute Scion, which played an essential role in research, development, and testing of 40,000 compostable planter pots.
Together, Compostify and Scion developed a proprietary formulation using biopolymers sourced from sustainable crops, combined with bio fillers derived from organic matter sourced in New Zealand. (See the video with Mr. Wilson below…)
Throughout development, the earthworm-safe product was called ‘PolBionix’, but has been rebranded as Compostify for its launch nationwide.
HAIL THE GARDENING NEWS By Sharing With Plant-Lovers On Social Media…
Kenya prehistoric hominin footprints in 1.5-million-year-old fossils – by Louise N. Leakey (released)
Kenya prehistoric hominin footprints in 1.5-million-year-old fossils – by Louise N. Leakey (released)
Footprints dating back 1.5 million years made by two different species of human ancestors have been found at the same spot—a fossil first—and the individuals likely passed within an hour from each other.
More than a million years ago, on a hot savannah teeming with wildlife near the shore of what would someday become Lake Turkana in Kenya, two completely different species of hominins may have passed each other as they scavenged for food.
Scientists know this because they have examined 1.5-million-year-old fossils unearthed here and have concluded they represent the first example of two sets of hominin footprints made about the same time on an ancient lake shore.
The discovery will provide more insight into human evolution and how species cooperated and competed with one another, said scientists who explained that “hominin” is a newer term that describes a subdivision of the larger category known as hominids. Hominins includes all organisms, extinct and alive, considered to be within the human lineage that emerged after the split from the ancestors of the great apes, believed to have occurred about 6 million to 7 million years ago.
The study, published Thursday in the journal Science, offers hard proof that different hominin species lived contemporaneously in time and space, overlapping as they evaded predators and weathered the challenges of safely securing food in the ancient African landscape. Making the footprints were the two most common human species of the Pleistocene Epoch—Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, the researchers said.
Footprint by Paranthropus boisei hominin – Kevin Hatala / Chatham University
“Their presence on the same surface, made closely together in time, places the two species at the lake margin, using the same habitat,” said Rutgers University Professor Craig Feibel, an author of the study.
1.5 million-year-old footprint by Homo erectus in Kenya –Credit: Kevin Hatala / Chatham University
Feibel, who has conducted research since 1981 in that area of northern Kenya, a rich fossil site, applied his expertise in stratigraphy and dating to demonstrate the geological antiquity of the fossils at 1.5 million years ago. He also interpreted the depositional setting of the footprint surface, narrowing down the passage of the track makers to a few hours, and showing they were formed at the very spot of soft sediments where they were found.
If the hominins didn’t cross paths, they traversed the shore within hours of each other, Feibel said.
“Fossil footprints are exciting because they provide vivid snapshots that bring our fossil relatives to life,” said Kevin Hatala, the study’s first author, and an associate professor of biology at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Prof. Hatala has been investigating hominin footprints since 2012, and says they reveal how living individuals, millions of years ago, were moving around their environments and potentially interacting with each other, or even with other animals.
“That’s something that we can’t really get from bones or stone tools.”
Kenya shows 1.5 million-year-old fossil footprints of 2 different hominins in the same spot at same time—Paranthropus boisei moving vertical and and Homo erectus in a perpendicular path – SWNS
While skeletal fossils have long provided the primary evidence for studying human evolution, new data from fossil footprints are revealing fascinating details about the evolution of human anatomy and locomotion, and giving further clues about ancient human behaviors and environments.
An expert in foot anatomy, Hatala found the prints reflected different patterns of anatomy and locomotion. He and several co-authors distinguished one set of footprints from another using new methods they recently developed to enable them to conduct a 3D analysis.
“In biological anthropology, we’re always interested in finding new ways to extract behavior from the fossil record, and this is a great example,” said Rebecca Ferrell, a program director at the National Science Foundation who helped fund this portion of the research. “The team used cutting-edge 3D imaging technologies to create an entirely new way to look at footprints, which helps us understand human evolution and the roles of cooperation and competition in shaping our evolutionary journey.”
Ms. Feibel described the discovery as “a bit of serendipity” for researchers in 2021 organized by Louise Leakey, a third-generation paleontologist.
Feibel noted it had long been hypothesized that these two human species coexisted. According to fossil records, Homo erectus, a direct ancestor of humans, persisted for 1 million years more. Paranthropus boisei, however, went extinct within the next few hundred thousand years (but scientists don’t know why).
Both species possessed upright postures, bipedalism, and were highly agile. Little is yet known about how these coexisting species interacted, both culturally and reproductively.
The footprints are significant, Feibel said, because they fall into the category of “trace fossils”, which cannot be moved—not part of an organism, but offering important evidence of behavior.
“This proves beyond any question that not only one, but two different hominins were walking on the same surface, literally within hours of each other,” Feibel said. “The idea that they lived contemporaneously may not be a surprise. But this is the first time demonstrating it. I think that’s really huge.”
SHARE THE AMAZING SCIENCE With Paleo-Lovers on Social Media…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of November 30, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
I invite you to get a head start on formulating your New Year’s resolutions. January 1 is a good time to instigate robust new approaches to living your life, but the coming weeks will be an even better time for you Sagittarians. To get yourself in the mood, imagine you have arrived at Day Zero, Year One. Simulate the feeling of being empty and open and fertile. Imagine that nothing binds you or inhibits you. Assume that the whole world is eager to know what you want. Act as if you have nothing to prove to anyone and everything to gain by being audacious and adventurous.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
There was a long period when many popular songs didn’t come to a distinct end. Instead, they faded out. The volume would gradually diminish as a catchy riff repeated over and over again. As you approach a natural climax to one of your cycles, Capricorn, I recommend that you borrow the fade-out as a metaphorical strategy. In my astrological opinion, it’s best not to finish abruptly. See if you can create a slow, artful ebb or a gradual, graceful dissolution.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
When he was young, Aquarian musician and sound engineer Norio Ohga wrote a critical letter to the electronics company now known as Sony. He complained in detail about the failings of their products. Instead of being defensive, executives at the company heeded Ohga’s suggestions for improvement. They even hired him as an employee and ultimately made him president of the company at age 40. He went on to have a stellar career as an innovator. In the spirit of the Sony executives, I recommend that you seek feedback and advice from potential helpers who are the caliber of Norio Ohga. The information you gather in the coming weeks could prove to be highly beneficial.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
What would your paradise look and feel like? If you could remake the world to suit your precise needs for maximum freedom, well-being, and inspiration, what changes would you instigate? Now is an excellent time to ponder these possibilities, Pisces. You have more ability than usual to shape and influence the environments where you hang out. And a good way to rouse this power is to imagine your ideal conditions. Be bold and vivid. Amuse yourself with extravagant and ebullient fantasies as you envision your perfect world.
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Renowned composer Mozart had a sister nicknamed Nannerl. During their childhoods, she was as much a musical prodigy as he. They toured Europe doing performances together, playing harpsichord and piano. Some critics regarded her as the superior talent. But her parents ultimately decided it was unseemly for her, as a female, to continue her development as a genius. She was forcibly retired so she could learn housekeeping and prepare for marriage. Is there a part of your destiny, Aries, that resembles Nannerl’s? Has some of your brilliance been suppressed or denied? The coming months will be an excellent time to recover and revive it.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Do you know if you have any doppelgangers, Taurus? I bet you will meet one in the coming weeks. How about soul friends, alter egos, or evil twins? If there’s no one like that in your life right now, they may arrive soon. And if you already know such people, I suspect your relationships will grow richer. Mirror magic and shadow vision are in the works! I’m guessing you will experience the best, most healing kind of double trouble. Substitutes and stand-ins will have useful offers and tempting alternatives. Parallel realities may come leaking through into your reality. Opportunities for symbiosis and synergy will be at an all-time high. Sounds like wild fun!
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Humans have been eating a wide range of oranges since ancient times. Among the most popular modern type is the navel orange. It’s large, seedless, sweet, juicy, and easy to peel. But it didn’t exist until the 1820s, when a genetic mutation on a single tree in Brazil spawned this new variety. Eventually, the navel became a revolutionary addition to the orange family. I foresee a metaphorically comparable development in your life during the coming months, Gemini. An odd tweak or interesting glitch could lead to a highly favorable expansion of possibilities. Be alert for it.
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Cancerian, you are a finalist for our “Most Resourceful and Successful Survivor of the Year” trophy. And if you take a brief trip to hell in the next two weeks, you could assure your victory. But wait! Let me be more exact: “Hell” is an incorrect terminology; I just used it for shock effect. The fact is that “hell” is a religious invention that mischaracterizes the true nature of the realm of mystery, shadows, and fertile darkness. In reality, the nether regions can be quite entertaining and enriching if you cultivate righteous attitudes. And what are those attitudes? A frisky curiosity to learn truths you have been ignorant about; a brave resolve to unearth repressed feelings and hidden yearnings; and a drive to rouse spiritual epiphanies that aren’t available when you’re in the trance of everyday consciousness.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
In my astrological opinion, you need and deserve big doses of fun, play, pleasure, and love. Amusement and enchantment, too. As well as excitement, hilarity, and delight. I trust you will schedule a series of encounters and adventures that provide you with a surplus of these necessary resources. Can you afford a new toy or two? Or a romantic getaway to a sanctuary of adoration? Or a smart gamble that will attract into your vicinity a stream of rosy luck? I suggest that you be audacious in seeking the sweet, rich feelings you require.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
December will be Home Enhancement Month for you Virgos. Get started immediately! I’ll offer tips for how to proceed and ask you to dream up your own ideas. 1. Phase out décor or accessories that no longer embody the style of who you have become. 2. Add décor or accessories that will inspire outbreaks of domestic bliss. 3. Encourage everyone in your household to contribute creative ideas to generate mutual enhancement. 4. Invite your favorite people over and enjoy your abode and blessings.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Libran songwriter and producer Kevin MacLeod has composed over 2,000 pieces of music—and given all of them away for free. That’s why his work is so widespread. It has been featured in thousands of films and millions of YouTube videos. His composition “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” has been played over 31 billion times. (PS: He has plenty of money, in part because so many appreciative people give him free-will donations through his Patreon page.) I propose we make him your inspirational role model in the coming weeks and months, Libra. How could you parlay your generosity and gifts into huge benefits for yourself?
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
According to my grandmother, I have such a mellifluous voice I should have pursued a career as a newscaster or dj on the radio. In eighth grade, my science teacher admired my work and urged me to become a professional biologist. When I attended Duke University, my religious studies professor advised me to follow his path. Over the years, many others have offered their opinions about who I should be. As much as I appreciated their suggestions, I have always trusted one authority: my muses. In the coming weeks and months, Scorpio, you may, too, receive abundant advice about your best possible path. You may be pressured to live up to others’ expectations. But I encourage you to do as I have done. Trust your inner advisors.
WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com
Quote of the Day: “All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action.” – James Russell Lowell
Photo by: Kelly Sikkema (cropped)
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Orphaned bear cubs peek out of the CPWD truck - Credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, via SWNS
Orphaned bear cubs peek out of the CPWD truck – Credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, via SWNS
Footage from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Dept. (CPW) shows the heartwarming moment five orphaned bear cubs were released back into the wild.
The cubs spent the summer at a CPW rehabilitation center in Frisco Creek after being found and determined to be too young to be left alone.
According to local reports, three of the bears were rescued after their mother was euthanized because she entered a home, while the other two were found in separate instances. Black bears are more likely than brown or grizzly bears to view humans as a source for food, and anytime that association is made, the bear is a danger to public safety.
After being rescued, all the cubs were taken to the rehab center to grow and socialize before being released back into the wild.
While the bears are in rehabilitation, there is no talking allowed near the pens where they are kept and the bears never see a person feeding them. These measures help ensure the bears develop the appropriate instincts to survive in the wild.
The 5 were released in Pagosa Springs, Colorado on November 20th.
“Of the 25 cubs rehabbed at Frisco Creek this year, eight have now been released following three earlier this week by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department in Jefferson County,” a spokesperson for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department said. “Eight more will go out next week, including some to Gunnison. Some aren’t fat enough yet to go out for hard release.”
The spokesperson added that the cubs who remain at Frisco Creek will continue to eat before going into artificial den boxes to be released later in January or February.
“We like to get cubs over 80 pounds for release to give them an extra head start on getting through winter and the early spring months,” they added.
“A huge thank you to Sirochman and his family at Frisco Creek for the excellent care of these cubs. Every year is different. We’ve had as few as four and as many as 40 cubs at the facility in one summer. The joy is felt by all when they return to the wild.”
WATCH them scamper off into the woods…
SHARE This Great Return To The Wild For These Apex American Predators…
When she heard that some of her neighbors were eating squirrels for Thanksgiving, a local pilot thought she’d lend a helping wing.
Many people believe turkeys can’t fly. They can, actually, in more ways than one.
Esther Sanderlin lives in rural Skwentna and West Susitna Valley Alaska, where flying small single-engine or prop planes is a common mode of personal transportation.
“I was visiting our newest neighbor and they were talking about splitting a squirrel three ways for dinner, and how that didn’t really go very far,” Sanderlin told Alaska’s NBC affiliate KTUU on the Monday in advance of Turkey Day.
“And I just had a thought at that moment, ‘You know what, I’m going to airdrop them a turkey for Thanksgiving,’ because I recently rebuilt my first airplane with my dad and so I can do that really easily.”
Sanderlin grew up occasionally receiving turkeys at her home via air-drop after the roads froze over in late autumn. She combined these wild childhood memories with the news of the squirrel dinner and decided she ought to pay it forward.
This year she’s dropping 30 to 40 turkeys to ensure her neighbors have as much to eat as they like on the day to be thankful for friends and family.
She doesn’t need to attach a parachute to them, as the soft snow below, and the frozen flesh of the turkey, means that a hard landing is no harm no fowl.
Speaking to the NBC, she said she hopes to turn her turkey drops into a nonprofit in the future so that she can extend her reach to more communities across Alaska.
“Huge shout out to everyone that helped with this year’s Turkey bombing! It was a success and thanks to many, we were able to deliver 36 Turkeys to the Yentna and Skwentna River area!” a post on the page read.
SHARE This Amazing Display Of Neighborliness In America’s Frigid North…
The development of America’s geothermal resources has picked up steam, one could say, after the US Interior Department approved a project in Utah that could generate up to 2 gigawatts of electricity.
Houston-based Fervo Energy received department approval in October for their Beaver County project that is set to start generating energy for clients in 2026.
Wells will be drilled across 631 acres of an area called the Cape, 158 acres of which are public lands.
Fervo said in September that flow rates from the Cape project’s first well test show it has the potential to be the “most productive enhanced geothermal system in history.”
The test demonstrated a single well flow rate of steam sufficient for the generation of 10 megawatts of clean energy, triple what earlier estimates had suggested.
Tim Latimer, Fervo CEO and co-founder, says the company “continues to achieve technical milestones for geothermal development that experts predicted to be set decades from now.”
If the reader is opposed to fossil fuel extraction, then the Cape Project seems a little like poachers being hired to guard elephants, as Fervo has achieved these testing and approval milestones with fossil fuel workers accounting for over 90% of on-site labor.
This is because the Cape Project has used many of the same methods of drilling and steam injection collectively referred to as “fracking” only instead of trying to push more oil out of the ground, the water is injected into hot rocks so it turns into the steam used to generate clean energy.
Fervo hasn’t released cost estimates for the project, and says the power generation will grow in phases, with the total potential to reach 2 gigawatts. If so, Engineering News Record reports that it would tie the national record for geothermal power generation, set in 1987 at a northern California power plant called The Geysers.
SHARE This Impressive Upcoming Geothermal Development With Your Friends…
Italian authorities have seized dozens of important artifacts from the Etruscan civilization that some foolish locals had attempted to sell on the black market.
Their paper trail led to what the Italian Ministry of Culture said was one of the most important discoveries of Etruscan antiquities that has ever come from police work.
The haul was uncovered in the central Italian region of Umbria, where a local farmer came upon an Etruscan tomb in his field. Two stone sarcophagi, 8 stone urns, a perfume bottle, and bronze mirrors were among the treasures recovered.
A local entrepreneur and another man from the town of Citta della Pieve were arrested after phone taps and other leads led the Carabinieri art police to find them with the artifacts.
They had sloppily shared images of the artifacts on the internet in an attempt to gain access to the illicit art trade and even posted a photograph of the businessman on Facebook with one of the artifacts in the background.
The men “had nothing to do with the world of practiced tomb raiders and were clumsy and amateurish in the way they tried to access the black market for looted art,” Perugia Chief Prosecutor Raffaele Cantone said according to reports.
One sarcophagus contained the full skeleton of a woman in her 40s, and some of the tops of the urns had residues of paint, including red on lips and gold on jewelry.
The Etruscans were a culturally advanced people that inhabited central Italy before the rise of the Roman Republic. The tomb discovered by the farmer included material inscribed with the name Pulfna, the same surname found on another tomb near the same town back in 2015.
That tomb, and the contents it held, were reported to the authorities by the landowner who discovered it and received $110,000 as a reward. Meanwhile, the arrested individuals this year will face up to 10 years in prison for trafficking and theft.
The moral of the stories is that honesty pays, and that if you are planning to illicitly sell ancient antiquities, don’t ask about it on Facebook.
SHARE This Great News For Italian Patrimony With Your Friends…
Quote of the Day: “Start with what is right, rather than what is acceptable.” – Franz Kafka
Photo by: JSB-Co. via Unsplash
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover captured this image of a black-and-white striped rock on Sep 13, 2024.
The Mars Perseverance rover captured this image of a zebra-striped rock on Sep 13, 2024 and named it ‘Freya Castle’ – NASA / SWNS
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has recently passed through a channel in which pure sulfur rocks litter the ground, and scientists aren’t sure why.
In July, GNN reported how the rover had found a strange white stone, broke it open, and found sulfur crystals, shocking the rover’s science team back at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Now, as Curiosity prepares to leave its 12-year haunt along the slopes of the three-mile-high Mount Sharp, it’s had to pass through a shallow channel littered with the same white stones.
The channel, known as Gedis Vallis, is located among the mountain’s foothills, the geology of which indicates they had formed in an already dry climate after water had begun disappearing from the surface of Mars.
However, the presence of the channel suggests that water flows still coursed through the area from time to time, and evidence of rivers and wet debris in the channel helps to corroborate the idea.
It was only after the rover entered Gedis Vallis that the field of sulfur stones was discovered. Though the area had been scouted by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the stones were too small to be detected by the probe’s instruments.
Field of sulfur stones in the Gedis Vallis channel on Mars – Credit: NASA/JPL/Caltech/MSSS
“We looked at the sulfur field from every angle—from the top and the side—and looked for anything mixed with the sulfur that might give us clues as to how it formed. We’ve gathered a ton of data, and now we have a fun puzzle to solve,” said Curiosity’s project scientist Ashwin Vasavada at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
From a vantage point, Curiosity, which has now driven about 20 miles since landing in 2012, imaged the field with its MastCam, and stitched together a 360° view of its surroundings, which NASA turned into a convenient video with spacey music.
EXPLORE the Gedis Vallis below…
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After a pod of more than 30 pilot whales stranded themselves on a New Zealand beach, over a thousand volunteers and professionals alike organized to save them by carrying them back out to sea on sheets.
The sheets were suspended from the prow of a boat operated by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DoC).
The stranding happened on Ruakākā Beach near the city of Whangārei in New Zealand’s north island, a particularly prolific stranding location for pilot whales. DoC agents routinely survey the beach and ask the public to report any whales coming too near.
Rescue efforts saw almost all of the pilot whales survive, while three adults and one calf perished. A Māori ceremony was held to honor their spirits, as the Māori believe the animal to be a sacred cultural treasure.
“It’s amazing to witness the genuine care and compassion people have shown toward these magnificent animals,” Joel Lauterbach, a Department of Conservation spokesperson, said in a statement. “This response demonstrates the deep connection we all share with our marine environment.”
On a lark, a colorblind artist contacted Tom Cruise’s management team to see if the Top Gun star wanted to keep a portrait he had made of him.
Wilf Elliott, who hails from the east England town of Clacton, is colorblind and has made charcoal drawings of celebrities like Gareth Bale, Zara Larsson, and Sam Ryder.
Having seen the 2022 action film Top Gun Maverick 18 months ago, he concluded it was one of the most enjoyable films he had seen.
The portrait traveled through multiple people before it was finally given to Tom Cruise who said he wanted to meet Elliott in person.
The pair finally met last month after 9 months of planning and they spent 20 minutes together.
“He asked me about my career and said it was so impressive. I shook hands with him multiple times,” said Elliott. “The people I have met before have all been big and incredibly lovely, this has been way above any expectations I’ve ever had.”
“He was probably one of the nicest guys I have ever met, and he wanted to know about my career,” he added.
Wilf had also completed a second artwork to gift to him, but during the chat, Tom insisted on Wilf keeping it as a memory and they took some photos together.
Quote of the Day: “What I love about Thanksgiving is that it’s purely about getting together with friends or family and enjoying food. It’s for everybody, and it doesn’t matter where you’re from.” – Joyce Giraud
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The scientists raft used for summertime recordings - Credit: Julia Shpinitskaya
The scientists raft used for summertime recordings – Credit: Julia Shpinitskaya
Rising directly out of the water of a lake in the Finish Lakeland region, tall granite cliffs are believed to have acted as a musical element in Neolithic Finns’ socio-religious activities.
That’s because their unique shape, and boundary shared with the water, create powerful single echoes back at whomever made a sound in their direction.
Now, a new study has aimed at exploring the connection between these cliffs’ unique properties and the people who painted images of humans, elk, drummers, boats, and human-animal hybrids on its surface.
The Finnish Lake District emerged after the recession of the Continental Ice Sheet, leaving as many as 35,000 small and large lakes behind. Like the granite massifs in Yosemite, the ice rubbed the surfaces of the cliffs smooth, creating a unique acoustic profile.
Hunter-gatherers approached them either on the ice in wintertime, or on canoes, and painted images on their surface. Underwater archaeology has revealed offerings were left by the cliffs. Any soundwaves sent toward them would rebound dramatically.
“So, people heard the painted elks talking and the human figures responding with a voice that resembled their own,” said study author and archaeologist Riitta Rainio.
As these reflections appeared to emanate from invisible sources behind the paintings, the auditory and visual images overlapped, merging into one multisensory experience, Univ. of Helsinki press wrote of the study.
Although the sounds and music of prehistoric people are beyond our reach, the study shows that the physical environment actively participated in their activities, co-vibrating and creating reciprocal tangible encounters between the human and more-than-human worlds.
“The possibility to communicate reciprocally with the physical environment or more-than-human reality may have been an essential reason why these cliffs were visited and painted, and why offerings were left to them. For the history of sound and music, the study provides an example of how significant a role sound reflections could have in past societies.”
Reverbarative landscape features have also been acknowledged to have played a role in socio-religious practices in the Andes Mountains, where a pre-Incan site called Viejo Sangayaico was found to have a large hollowed-out “dance floor” that would have produced a resonance that echoed through the surrounding hills.
LISTEN to the researchers’ experiment near the cliffs…
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A Siberian tiger, closely related to the extinct population from Kazakhstan - Credit: Bastak State Nature Reserve, CC 4.0. BY-SA
A Siberian tiger, closely related to the extinct population from Kazakhstan – Credit: Bastak State Nature Reserve, CC 4.0. BY-SA
In a historic step toward the first-ever restoration of the tiger population to a nation where they were once extinct, two captive Siberian tigers have been translocated from Anna Paulowna Sanctuary, Netherlands, to the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve in Kazakhstan.
This remarkable event is part of an ambitious program led by the Government of Kazakhstan with support from WWF and the UN Development Program to restore the Ile-Balkhash delta ecosystem and reintroduce tigers to the country and region, where the species has been extinct for over 70 years.
“It is a high priority for Kazakhstan to work on the restoration of rare species. For ecological value it is important that our biodiversity chain is restored. And that the tiger that once lived in this area is reintroduced here,” said Daniyar Turgambayev, Vice-minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan.
In the early 21st century, genetic studies were carried out on bones and furs held in national collections which revealed that the population of tigers living between Iran, southern Russia, Central Asia, and the areas around the Caspian Sea was extremely similar to Siberian tigers.
This led scientists to conclude that Felis vigrata, the former name of the Caspian tiger, was simply the Siberian tiger that developed into a distinct population, but not a new subspecies, over generations of being separated by habitat fragmentation.
Bodhana and Kuma, the male and female tigers, will be housed in a spacious semi-natural enclosure of three hectares within the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve. Any of their offspring will be released into the wild and will become the first tigers to roam Kazakhstan in decades, and potentially the first-ever international tiger reintroduction.
They will play an important role in the establishment of a new tiger population in the region where they had previously been wiped out as a result of excessive hunting.
“Today marks a monumental conservation milestone to bring tigers back to Kazakhstan and Central Asia,” said Stuart Chapman Leader of WWF Tigers Alive. “This tiger translocation is a critical step to not only bring back the big cat to its historic homeland but also to rewild an entire ecosystem.”
Progress towards restoration of the area is already well underway with recovering and reintroduction of critical tiger prey species like the Kulan (Asiatic wild ass), and reforestation of over 120 acres with native trees. Being the apex predator, tigers will play a significant role in sustaining the structure and function of the ecosystem on which both humans and wildlife rely.
Ile-Balkhash has been the center of rewilding in Kazakhstan. The rich mixture of forested hills, mountains, lakes, and plains makes it exceptionally biodiverse. This includes an effort in 2019 to begin reintroducing Bukhara deer.
“With the launch of the tiger reintroduction program, we have witnessed a significant change—the revival of nature and our village of Karoi,” said Adilbaev Zhasar, the head of the local community group Auyldastar.
“This project not only restores lost ecosystems, but also fills us with pride in participating in a historic process. Because of small grants from WWF, we have the opportunity to do what we love, develop small businesses, and create jobs in the village, which brings joy and confidence in the future.”
From the very beginning, the local community around Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve has been closely involved in the project. This includes support for improved agricultural techniques and the future development of nature tourism in the area.
The translocation of these tigers is the first of several planned in the coming years, with a goal to build a healthy population of about 50 wild tigers by 2035, starting with this pioneering pair for breeding. This initiative is not only a testament to the resilience of the species but also a powerful example of governments, conservation organizations, and local communities cooperating in wildlife and nature conservation.
The Candela P-12 hydrofoil ferry - Credit: Candela, released
The Candela P-12 hydrofoil ferry – Credit: Candela, released
In 2023, GNN reported that the world’s first ‘flying’ electric ferry boat had entered into mass production after sailing through its performance and safety tests.
Well now, the Candela P-12 hydrofoil ferry boat is bound for these shores, having already begun service inside Stockholm.
With Lake Tahoe attracting over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts year-round, road congestion has become an ever-increasing problem. Travelers often find themselves stuck in long car lines, especially in winter, due to road closures caused by heavy snowfalls.
However, local company FlyTahoe is set to solve this by introducing a revolutionary zero-emission vessel that will make its US debut: Candela hydrofoil electric ferry. FlyTahoe, a ferry company specifically set up to introduce the Candela in America, will feature a 30-minute cross-lake service, cutting the travel time in half compared to the daily 20,000 car trips along the same route.
This 30-seat vessel, designed to accommodate both skis and bikes, uses hydrofoil technology—computer-guided underwater wings—to fly above the water’s surface at high speeds, unaffected by waves and winds.
The wings lift the hull above the water, significantly reducing drag and cutting energy consumption by a staggering 80% compared to conventional vessels. This is what allows the P-12 to be fully propelled by renewable electricity instead of fossil fuels, while providing a smooth ride above the waves even at high speeds.
“It’s ironic that while millions, myself included, drive around Lake Tahoe to admire its beauty, the road sediment we generate contributes to the largest threat to the lake’s famous cobalt blue clarity. Our service will provide a faster transport than cars or buses, while keeping Tahoe blue,” says Ryan Meinzer, Founder & CEO of FlyTahoe.
Since Lake Tahoe, the second deepest lake in the US, never freezes over, the ferry can operate year-round. This added mobility convenience will enhance business and improve the lives of both locals and tourists, providing a versatile zero-emission solution to reduce traffic during both summer and winter seasons.
The FlyTahoe ferry will connect the northern and southern parts of the lake in under 30 minutes, while driving around the lake often takes over two hours in the winter. FlyTahoe will create a vital link to the 14 world-class ski resorts encircling the lake, making it an ideal option for tourists and locals alike.
WATCH the Candela cruise through Stockholm’s waters…
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Sarah Love holds her son Lincoln - Courtesy Sarah Love
Sarah Love holds her son Lincoln – Courtesy Sarah Love
Because a stranger had the mixture of compassion, bravery, and instincts to speak up, a little boy will live to become an adult.
Little did Sarah Love know, but her newborn baby was suffering from a rare genetic disease that might have taken his life. Yes, he was jaundiced at birth, but pediatricians at a wellness checkup were reticent to ascribe it to anything serious, and suggested she get 6-week-old Lincoln a bit of sunlight.
It was at a trip to an amusement park with their big beautiful family, of which Lincoln was the 6th addition, that Love noticed a stranger taking inordinately long glances at her newborn.
Before they could move on, the stranger decided to act on his instincts.
“He introduced himself and mentioned that he was a first responder,” Love told Good Morning America. “He said he noticed Lincoln and how very jaundiced he was, and he didn’t want to scare us … but he just thought it might be a good idea for Lincoln to get some medical attention.”
Love would later say he only gave up that he was a firefighter in a neighboring county, but she took his advice seriously even though he didn’t say his name.
Calling the same pediatrician who earlier had dismissed Licncoln’s jaundice, she referred them to a nearby hospital for some blood work. After arriving, little Lincoln was hooked up to IV fluids, before it was eventually recommended that he be transferred to a specialty hospital, Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando.
At Nemours came tests and several misdiagnoses, until it was identified as Alagille Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects the liver and heart, and was responsible for Lincoln’s deep-set eyes, pointed chin, and yellowed skin.
There is no cure for the condition, but pharmaceuticals can help patients live long lives in spite of it. Love had always been slightly on edge over Lincoln’s appearance, but said it was the stranger’s comments that pushed her over it.
“It was that extra added bit of encouragement that we needed,” she said, adding to GMA that she’s learned from the experience how there are “no silly questions when it comes to your baby’s health.”
Depending on how he responds to medication, Lincoln may eventually require a liver transplant, but will have to work alongside a nutritionist for the rest of his life to ensure he and his family can address nutrient deficiencies that he may develop.
Love said that she uses this story to raise awareness online and in her community for Alagille Syndrome, and how to look out for it in infants. Her outreach is also meant to try and find the stranger who stood up to say something when he believed he ought to.
“I don’t think there are enough words that can honestly describe how thankful our family is. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Love said of her message to the stranger. “It was a tough thing to go through, but because of that one small thing that he did, look at how much of an impact he had on Lincoln, on our family. I just want to say thank you.”
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