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Travel (General/Chat)

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  • The King of the Dinosaurs just got even BIGGER! T. Rex was 50ft long and weighed up to 15 TONNES - 70% heavier than previously thought, study claims

    07/25/2024 6:05:07 PM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 36 replies
    Daily Mail ^ | July 24, 2024 | Xantha Leatham
    With 60 razor-sharp teeth and jaws so powerful they could crush a car, the King of the Dinosaurs would already have been a terrifying sight.But if that wasn't enough, the T. Rex may have been 70 per cent heavier than previously thought – weighing up to 15 tonnes – according to a study...The palaeontologists found that the largest known T. Rex fossils probably fall in the 99th percentile – representing the top 1 per cent of body size – but finding one would require excavating fossils for another 1,000 years...Meanwhile, a separate study suggests that the T. Rex may also...
  • Update on the July 23 Biscuit Basin hydrothermal explosion

    07/25/2024 2:33:55 PM PDT · by Ezekiel · 13 replies
    Biscuit Basin closed for the remainder of summer due to hydrothermal explosion Alert 1, Severity closure, Biscuit Basin closed for the remainder of summer due to hydrothermal explosion The parking lot and boardwalks at Biscuit Basin, located north of Old Faithful, are closed for the remainder of the summer due to a hydrothermal explosion that occurred July 23. The Grand Loop Road remains open to vehicles. Biscuit Basin hydrothermal explosion: Boardwalk condition post-explosion. NPS / Jacob W. Frank Date of release: July 24, 2024USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-YVO-2024-07-24T21:27:48+00:00YELLOWSTONE (VNUM #325010) 44°25'48" N 110°40'12" W, Summit Elevation 9203 ft (2805 m)...
  • Scientists say they may have discovered origin of consciousness - and it's a theory popularized by Joe Rogan

    07/25/2024 9:27:19 AM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 96 replies
    Daily Mail ^ | July 24, 2024 | Nikki Main
    Scientists have claimed that the consumption of the fungi psilocybin, also known as 'magic mushrooms,' influenced pre-human hominids' brains six million years ago.They analyzed dozens of studies involving psilocybin and consciousness, finding the fungi increased connectivity between networks in the frontal brain region associated with expressive language, decision-making and memory.These 'significant neurological and psychological effects' may have been the catalase ancient ancestors to interact with each other and the environment - spurring consciousness among our species.The idea that magic mushrooms sparked the pivotal point in humans has been touted by podcaster Joe Rogan, who has referenced the 'Stoned Ape Theory'...
  • Nearest Super-Jupiter Snapped By JWST – And It's A Freezing Cold Giant

    07/24/2024 1:22:50 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 18 replies
    IFL Science ^ | JULY 24, 2024 | DR. ALFREDO CARPINETI
    The planet is as cold as ice and orbits far from its star. The observations from JWST of this cold giant planet. Image Credit: T. Müller (MPIA/HdA), E. Matthews (MPIA) ========================================================================== JWST has imaged a new planet directly and it is quite a fascinating object. It orbits one of the three stars in the Epsilon Indi system and it weighs six times the mass of Jupiter. This super-Jupiter is 20 to 40 times further from its star than Earth is from the Sun – so it is very cold. It also doesn't help that the star, Eps Ind A, is...
  • 55 Years Ago Today: Apollo 11 Splashdown (July 24, 1969)

    07/24/2024 9:23:27 AM PDT · by Ezekiel · 37 replies
    NASA, Misc | 24 July, 2024
    On July 24, 1969, Apollo 11 was 47,000 miles from Earth and rapidly accelerating toward its home planet when astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins awoke for their last day in space, preparing for their splashdown in the Pacific Ocean 950 miles southwest of Hawaii. The previous day, managers were forced to move the splashdown point by 250 miles to the northeast due to inclement weather at the original recovery site. The aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CVS-12), the prime recovery ship for Apollo 11, was speeding for the new splashdown target area. Overcast skies made...
  • Tourists Run Screaming From Yellowstone Bear That Looks Like A Muppet

    07/24/2024 6:29:49 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 32 replies
    Cowboy State Daily ^ | JULY 24, 2024 | Mark Heinz
    A young black bear with different coloring that looked more like a Muppet than an apex predator freaked out Yellowstone tourists. But the bear, which had shaggy fur and racoon-like markings, was just a regular bear, an expert says. (Cowboy State Daily Staff) Sylvia Borgonovo and her husband, David, were trying to enjoy some quiet fishing on the Madison River in Yellowstone National Park when suddenly, somebody yelled “grizzly!” and tourists started to stampede. She shouted to them that panicking and running was not the thing to do if a grizzly is approaching, but they wouldn’t listen. Then the critter...
  • Patented ‘SUPER BATTERY’ Made From ROCKS Could Power Future Electric Vehicles

    07/23/2024 12:38:52 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 42 replies
    The Debrief ^ | JULY 23, 2024 | Christopher Plain
    A team of researchers from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has announced the creation of a so-called super battery made from rocks, a technology that may one day replace Lithium Ion batteries used in electric vehicle production. The team claims their discovery would lead to cleaner, safer, and longer-lasting batteries that don’t rely on rare metals or end up as toxic waste. According to the DTU team behind the battery’s creation, the key to their entry into energy storage lies in the simplicity of the materials involved. More specifically, their super battery is based on potassium and sodium silicates,...
  • Ancient Fortifications Discovered In Holy Land Reveals Hidden History

    07/22/2024 9:48:42 PM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 8 replies
    The Daily Caller ^ | July 22, 2024 | Kay Smythe
    Excavations in Jerusalem have finally revealed the route of an ancient fortification, according to a report published Sunday.For more than 150 years, researchers have asked: who divided Jerusalem in two? A report published Sunday by the Jewish Press may finally have another piece of the puzzle, bringing researchers a step closer to answering this question.Excavations in the Givati parking lot at the City of David revealed a massive fortification created by quarrying rock between the National Park and the area above, which contains the Temple Mount and the Ofel. Researchers found unearthed perpendicular cliffs on both sides of a moat,...
  • 59-YEAR-OLD MAN AIRLIFTED TO SAFETY AFTER 40-FOOT FALL ON MAKIKI VALLEY TRAIL IN HONOLULU HIKING MISADVENTURE

    07/22/2024 5:42:33 PM PDT · by nickcarraway · 8 replies
    Hoodline ^ | July 22, 2024 | Josephine Liu
    A hiker's yesterday morning turned precarious after a significant fall on the Makiki Valley Trail in Honolulu. The 59-year-old man, who was hiking with a companion, fell from a 40-foot ledge, rendering him unable to continue without assistance. Honolulu Emergency Medical Services (EMS) reported that the accident occurred just after 9:30 a.m., resulting in the man sustaining injuries to his chest and back. Responding to the distress, the Honolulu Fire Department teams reached the site at 9:42 a.m. and commenced a ground search for the hiker. In a statement obtained by KITV, it was reported that a rescue basket was...
  • Uber is finally profitable, so what’s next?

    07/21/2024 9:23:25 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 6 replies
    Sherwood ^ | 07/21/2024 | David Crowther, William Coulman
    Uber’s meteoric rise since its founding in 2009 — built on the simple question “What if you could request a ride simply by tapping your phone?” — made it a poster child for the industrial “disruption” that Silicon Valley entrepreneurs sought to unleash on the world.But, despite its impact, Uber lost money for years.Launching in new cities wasn’t cheap: drivers had to be enticed, marketing campaigns had to be executed, new servers had to be spun up, and expensive lawyers had to interpret local rules and regs — whatever their advice, Uber’s strategy seemed to be “launch first, answer questions...
  • Following the Longest Roman Aqueduct [sic] [3:20]

    07/21/2024 6:25:25 PM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 19 replies
    YouTube ^ | July 19, 2024 | Scenic Routes to the Past (Garrett Ryan)
    Tunisia's Zaghouan Aqueduct, built to serve Carthage in the second century, is among the longest and most impressive of all Roman aqueducts. This video follows the aqueduct from the monumental fountain at its source to the grandiose baths at its terminus. Following the Longest Roman Aqueduct | 3:20Scenic Routes to the Past | 28K subscribers | 11,537 views | July 19, 2024
  • Rome's Mountain of Ancient Garbage

    07/21/2024 6:02:56 PM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 24 replies
    YouTube ^ | June 25, 2024 | Garrett Ryan (as toldinstone)
    Rome's Monte Testaccio, the ancient world's largest garbage dump, is estimated to contain 53 million broken amphorae.Rome's Mountain of Ancient Garbage | 13:11toldinstone | 511K subscribers | 157,252 views | June 25, 2024Chapters:0:00 Introduction1:17 Spanish olive groves2:03 From olives to oil3:47 The voyage to Portus5:15 The emperor's oil6:15 Up the Tiber7:09 Romanis Magicae8:02 The warehouse district9:30 Monte Testaccio11:12 Significance of a dump11:46 Visiting Monte Testaccio
  • Rome Unwrapped - Pompeii - 4K

    07/20/2024 9:08:32 PM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 21 replies
    YouTube ^ | July 18, 2024 | Atlantic Productions
    This is the story of a disaster like no other. When Mount Vesuvius erupted, it rained 7 million tonnes of debris onto Pompeii it sealed the fate of more than a thousand people. But it also sealed the city form the world: preserved it, protected it, like nowhere else on earth, the rediscovered Pompeii gives us access to the ancient world. And now, with new findings and new insights, we can tell the story of the ordinary people caught up in this disaster. These are the forgotten men and women who lived when Rome ruled and were buried when the...
  • Full Buck Moon shines this weekend on Apollo 11 moon landing anniversary

    07/20/2024 9:47:26 AM PDT · by Ezekiel · 32 replies
    Space.com ^ | July 18, 2024 | By Daisy Dobrijevic
    Look up and celebrate both the wonders of the moon and humanity's achievements in space exploration.When you look up this weekend you will see not only a striking full moon but also a piece of history. In a rare celestial coincidence, July's full moon will share the spotlight with the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, providing a unique opportunity to reflect on humanity's achievements in space exploration and our enduring fascination with our closest neighbor. The July full moon officially occurs on July 21 at 6:17 a.m. EDT (1017 GMT), but the moon will still appear full...
  • Ranked: The Most Reliable Car Brands in the U.S.

    07/19/2024 9:18:27 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 83 replies
    Visual Capitalist ^ | 07/19/2024 | Marcus Lu and Sam Parker
    Reliability is one of the most important aspects to consider when buying a new vehicle, especially as cars become ever more technologically complex...In this graphic, Visual Capitalist's Marcus Lu visualizes the results of J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, which ranked automakers by the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100).Data and MethodologyTo come up with this ranking, J.D. Power collected responses from 30,595 original owners of 2021 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. Their study was fielded from August to November 2023, and covers nine categories of problems:ExteriorSeatsThe driving experienceClimateFeatures/controls/displaysInteriorInfotainmentPowertrainDriving AssistanceThe data shown in this infographic is...
  • Archaeologists find records of Pompeii survivors that reveal how they rebuilt their lives

    07/19/2024 7:43:01 PM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 15 replies
    The Conversation, via PBS ^ | June 8, 2024 | Steven L. Tuck, associate professor of classics, Miami University
    After eight years of scouring databases of tens of thousands of Roman inscriptions on places ranging from walls to tombstones, I found evidence of over 200 survivors in 12 cities... It seems as though... They preferred to settle with other survivors, and they relied on social and economic networks from their original cities as they resettled. Some of the families that escaped apparently went on to thrive in their new communities.Fabia Secundina from Pompeii – apparently named for her grandfather, a wealthy wine merchant – also ended up in Puteoli. There, she married a gladiator, Aquarius the retiarius, who died...
  • Tourist’s Insulting Act on Florence Statue Sparks Outcry

    07/19/2024 3:08:52 PM PDT · by nickcarraway · 60 replies
    Greek Reporter ^ | July 19, 2024 | Nick Kampouris
    A tourist in Florence, Italy has sparked outrage and criticism recently after she was filmed simulating an insulting sexual act with a Roman statue. The statue was that of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and excess, the equivalent to the Greek god Dionysus. This incident, totally insulting to the Italians and to everyone who admires the Roman world, took place near the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge of the beautiful Italian metropolis. Florence statue incident condemned as insulting act of tourist Images of the woman who allegedly committed the insulting act on the statue in Florence have been circulating on...
  • Incredible video shows alligator swarm at Georgia swamp as boaters pass through

    07/19/2024 11:55:42 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 29 replies
    www.wsbtv.com ^ | JULY 18, 2024 | Staff
    FARGO, Ga. — Amazing video shows what looks like hundreds of alligators congregating in the Okefenokee Swamp in south Georgia. The video, shared by Marty Welch via ABC News, shows the perspective from a motorboat as a man tries to navigate his way through the water “There’s gators everywhere,” he says. “They’re laying on the banks. You might want to sit down!” The gators appear unphased by their visitor. “I would be panicking! Imagine that boat flips over. Instantly you will become a happy meal!” one Facebook user wrote. The Okefenokee is known for its abundance of amphibians and reptiles...
  • Augustus' Spanish Wars and the Monument of Numerius Agrestinus Equitius Pulcher Recently Discovered in Pompeii

    07/19/2024 6:43:14 AM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 17 replies
    PompeiiSites dot org ^ | July 16, 2024 | unattributed
    No one could have foreseen, when the works started, that the construction of a ventilation tunnel on the east side of the San Paolino building, the new headquarters of the library of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, would lead to such an important discovery. The works, which were necessary to avoid water infiltrations that threatened the integrity of the site's book heritage, in fact, led to the discovery of the two ends of a schola tomb, with a tuff seat ending in elegant lion's paws, also known from other examples in Pompeii, such as the tomb of Mamia and that...
  • Wyoming, Utah Call For No Limits On Flaming Gorge Lake Trout

    07/18/2024 9:34:55 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 16 replies
    Cowboy State Daily ^ | JULY 16, 2024 | Mark Heinz
    The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission on Tuesday voted to eliminate the catch limit on most lake trout at Flaming Gorge Reservoir because they are diminishing the kokanee salmon population. Lake trout at Flaming Gorge (Tony Valdez, Buckboard Marina) ========================================================================================= Lake Trout in Flaming Gorge Reservoir have gotten so numerous they’re out-competing other fish species, and even each other, prompting Wyoming and Utah to call for no-limits and a fishing free-for-all for them. If things go as planned, starting Oct. 1 there will be no limit on how many lake trout under 28 inches anglers can pull from the reservoir,...