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Rare ‘Dumbo’ Octopus Spotted Northwest of Hawaii (Maria)
The author writes, “Scientists exploring the deep waters near the Hawaiian Islands spotted a rare ‘Dumbo’ octopus about a mile below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. The octopus was seen on an unnamed seamount in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument [PMNM] just northwest of Hawaii. Video was captured by the Ocean Exploration Trust and NOAA. According to the Ocean Exploration Trust, their scientists are ‘gathering data urgently needed to address local management and science needs’ of the PMNM, including a better understanding of the deep-sea natural resources.”
Adriana Carillo’s Life’s Work Is to Find Migrants Lost in the Desert (Laura)
From Yale Climate Connections: “Adriana Carillo hikes through Arizona’s Huachuca Mountains with a black scarf around her neck, and she carries a walking stick. It’s March 2021, and it’s snowing. The sun hasn’t yet risen, but Carillo is surrounded by grasses and shrubs coated in a delicate layer of white fluff. … The 63-year-old isn’t there at 4 a.m. to investigate endangered wildlife. She’s braving the steep terrain alongside 11 others to look for Ariagne, a 23-year-old mother and migrant whose group abandoned her 15 days earlier on their way to the US after she could no longer walk. The group travels some 10 miles but doesn’t find her. It’ll take the crew, which includes two of Ariagne’s relatives, another six attempts over nine months to complete their mission. By the time they do, all that’s left of her are her clothes, shoes, hair, and bones.”
Questionable Stock Trade Patterns in Ramaswamy’s Wall Street Past (Reader Steve)
The authors write, “With Vivek Ramaswamy rising fast in the 2024 presidential primary polls, his pre-politics career as a biotech entrepreneur has faced growing scrutiny over allegations of pump and dump tactics. But one crucial part of his past has so far been overlooked: his short but extremely lucrative stint on Wall Street as a hedge fund investor. Our team carefully mined the Securities and Exchange Commission’s filings archives and Ramaswamy’s own prior statements to recreate and analyze some of his investment history on Wall Street. What we found was shocking.”
The ‘Forever’ Glaciers of America’s West Aren’t Forever Anymore (Mili)
The author writes, “Once, there were 29. Now at least one is gone, maybe three. Those that remain are almost half the size they used to be. Mount Rainier is losing its glaciers. That is all the more striking as it is the most glacier-covered mountain in the contiguous United States. The changes reflect a stark global reality: Mountain glaciers are vanishing as the burning of fossil fuels heats up Earth’s atmosphere.”
Everything You Need to Know About Getting Your Genome Sequenced (Sean)
From Wired: “In a disused town hall building in Stratford, East London, a familiar sight awaits those who enter. Healthcare workers dressed in scrubs emerge from partitioned sections to address a quiet but steady stream of arrivals. This time, though, it’s not COVID vaccinations we’re queuing for. We’re here because we have signed up to have our genomes sequenced. … The process is simple. Participants attend a 10-minute appointment, during which vitals are taken — height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure — followed by finger-prick testing and filling two vials with blood. Attendees’ samples are sent away for whole-genome sequencing to create a readout of all their DNA, the results of which are then added to a giant database to further genomic research. Eventually, this data should help with developing better treatments and even cures for disease.”
The New Phone Call Etiquette: Text First and Never Leave a Voice Mail (Gerry)
From The Washington Post: “When is it okay to leave voice mails, call multiple times in a row, or take a call in public?”
