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PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
Sale Jumpstarts Floating, Offshore Wind Power in US Waters (Maria)
The author writes, “Tuesday marks the first-ever US auction of leases to develop commercial-scale floating wind farms, in the deep waters off the West Coast. The live, online auction for the five leases — three off California’s central coast and two off its northern coast — has attracted strong interest and 43 companies from around the world are approved to bid. The wind turbines will float roughly 25 miles offshore. The growth of offshore wind comes as climate change intensifies and the need for clean energy grows.”
62 Things Trump Did That You Forgot About to Preserve Your Sanity (DonkeyHotey)
From HuffPost: “Donald Trump has returned to the news cycle amid a deluge of stories about a dinner meeting he hosted with a white supremacist and Ye, the rapper previously known as Kanye West. It’s a reminder of the chaotic years of his presidency, as well as a foreboding ― though hopefully instructive ― warning about how he would wield power if elected again. If past is prologue, let’s take a moment to remember just how unsettling things got during the Trump administration, with this not-even-remotely-exhaustive list of weird and bad stuff he attempted while in office.”
Russia and Ukraine Are Fighting the First Full-Scale Drone War (Sean)
From The Washington Post: “In the battle between Russia and Ukraine, drones are integrated into every phase of fighting, with extensive fleets, air defenses and jamming systems on each side. It is a war fought at a distance — the enemy is often miles away — and nothing bridges the gap more than drones, giving Russia and Ukraine the ability to see, and attack, each other without ever getting close.”
Activists Say Amazon Is Building on Sacred Land in South Africa (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “A group of activists is bringing a dispute from South Africa’s Cape Town to Amazon’s Puget Sound headquarters, hoping to stand in solidarity with some Indigenous people and appeal directly to CEO Andy Jassy. Gathering recently outside Amazon’s Day 1 building in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood, about five people delivered a petition asking Jassy to stop the construction of a new Amazon office on what some of the earliest inhabitants of South Africa say is sacred land.”
Indonesia Set to Penalize Sex Outside Marriage in Overhaul of Criminal Code (Sean)
The author writes, “Indonesia’s parliament is expected to pass a new criminal code this month that will penalise sex outside marriage with a punishment of up to one year in jail, officials have confirmed. The legislative overhaul will also ban insulting the president or state institutions and expressing any views counter to Indonesia’s state ideology. Cohabitation before marriage is also banned.”
Infectious COVID Virus Can Stay on Some Groceries for Days (Mili)
The author writes, “The Covid virus can reside on some ready-to-eat groceries for days, UK experts have confirmed. Scientists carried out tests for the Food Standards Agency (FSA), purposely smearing the virus on to packaging and food products, including fruit, pastries and bottled drinks. They chose items that people might put in their mouth without cooking or washing. The risk to consumers remains very low, they say.”
Scientists Just Discovered That Ants Make Milk (Kiana)
From Smithsonian Magazine: “Scientists have observed ants feasting on a nutrient-rich substance released by other ants. Pupae, ants in the last stage of ant metamorphosis before they become adults, secrete the liquid. Both adult ants and ant larvae consume it, and this exchange appears vital for survival.”
