Prowling Big Cats, Pink Dolphins, and Giant Eagles: Photos From the Amazon

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Prowling Big Cats, Pink Dolphins, and Giant Eagles: 16 Incredible Photos From the Amazon (Maria)

The author writes, “According to a recent study, a new species of plant or animal is discovered in the Amazon every two days — but many of the existing species face extinction due to  deforestation across the region. This vast area of tropical rainforest covers over 40% of the landmass of South America. … This complex mosaic of diverse habitats hosts a wide variety of animals, from the adorable pink river dolphin to the characterful Amazonian manatee.”

Officer Involved in Shooting Outside Walmart That Killed 1-Year-Old Boy Placed on Leave (Sean)

From ABC News: “An officer who fired upon a vehicle, killing a 1-year-old boy, outside a Walmart in Mississippi has been placed on administrative leave, officials said, as outraged community members call for justice amid an ongoing investigation into the deadly shooting. The incident occurred Sunday afternoon outside a Walmart in Senatobia, located in northwestern Mississippi about 40 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. Law enforcement officers who responded to a shoplifting call encountered two adults allegedly fleeing from the store with a child and going into a vehicle, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, with one opening fire when the driver allegedly drove toward them, the bureau said. The child was killed and an adult critically injured.”

Sunken Train Station on Infamous WWII ‘Death Railway’ Resurfaces From Thailand Reservoir (Reader Steve)

The author writes, “A depot on World War II’s infamous ‘Death Railway’ has resurfaced from beneath a reservoir where the site has remained underwater for decades, prompting researchers to race to western Thailand to survey the remnants of Nithe Station. Thousands of Allied prisoners of war and Asian laborers toiled and died building the railway, a supply route through mainland Southeast Asia for the occupying Japanese forces. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand recently drained the reservoir at Vajiralongkorn Dam for maintenance, revealing the station. Historians are seizing the uncommon opportunity to further study the site in Kanchanaburi province for artifacts and to verify details.”

Zohran Mamdani and AOC’s Split Endorsements Are Raising Eyebrows (DonkeyHotey)

From NOTUS: “Two of the biggest progressive stars in the country are taking a split path on endorsements in messy Democratic primaries, leaving some Democrats reading the tea leaves for what it means for their political futures. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is backing a trio of insurgent candidates in House races, including two who are challenging Democratic incumbents, while staying out of contentious state legislative primaries. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is supporting several Democratic Socialists of America candidates in competitive New York state legislative races, while so far staying out of contentious congressional primaries. The seemingly complementary slates, when combined, cover most of DSA’s endorsed candidates, leading some consultants to speculate that the pair ‘divided and conquered,’ as one put it. They’re also a sign of the pair’s diverging political realities, more than a half-dozen New York Democratic strategists said.”

How Trump Is Exploiting the Obama Presidential Center’s Precedent (Al)

From MS Now: “Unlike many of its predecessors, the Obama Foundation decided not to officially partner with the National Archives and Records Administration to build a government-run library, with on-site government archives. (It will partner with them on a digitized archive.) This decision was at least partially a financial one. Barack Obama would have been the first president to have to pay NARA 60% of the cost to build the facility as an endowment for future maintenance (prior presidents had to pay just 20%). Since the site ultimately cost $850 million, the foundation would have owed NARA over half a billion dollars. While perhaps fiscally responsible, the Obama Foundation decision had a secondary, unintended consequence: It likely made it easier for President Donald Trump to justify his own privatized presidential center, which is raising red flags both because of its fundraising tactics and because of the greater control Trump may have over his records than his predecessors.” 

New Solar Desalination Breakthrough Makes Fresh Water Without Toxic Brine (Mili)

The author writes, “Scientists have developed a solar desalination system that turns seawater into drinking water without creating environmentally damaging brine. Special laser-textured metal panels use sunlight to evaporate water while automatically moving salt deposits away from the working surface, preventing clogging. The process was successfully tested with water from three oceans and can recover nearly all salts as solids. Those leftover materials could even become a source of valuable lithium for batteries.”

‘Most Famous Tree in the World’: Sherwood Forest’s 1,000-Year-Old Major Oak Dies (Dana)

From The Guardian: “The Major oak, one of Europe’s oldest, largest and most celebrated ancient trees, has died. The huge tree, which has grown in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, England, for at least 1,000 years, failed to produce any leaves this year, after becoming stressed by a series of hot, dry summers. Thousands of visitors admire the oak each year, with its great age, enormous 11-metre girth and 28-metre canopy inspiring a forest of folklore. Although the oak would not have been hollow in Robin Hood’s day, it was said to have provided a sanctuary for the outlaw and his gang when fleeing the tyrannical Sheriff of Nottingham. In the winter of 2010, when snow fell on the tree, it traced an eerily precise image of Friar Tuck on the trunk. In other winters, when snow fell all around, none appeared on the tree’s limbs. But it was recent summers — and human admiration — that probably hastened the natural end of the tree’s long life.”