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California squirrels are now apparently hunting and eating other rodents
LOS ANGELES — A UC Davis study showed a nutty novel behavior in California squirrels: They're hunting like carnivores, ... Read More
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This Day in History, December 20
On December 20th, 1951, nuclear power was first harvested when EBR-1 lit four light bulbs.
Environmental groups challenge update to California's low-carbon transportation rules
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Environmental groups challenged California’s leading climate regulator Wednesday, alleging in new lawsuits that a recent update to a leading climate program will create additional pollution in the ...Read more
Burping, barking and begging: study reveals how whale calves communicate with mothers
As many parents can attest, babies often make telltale noises when they’re hungry. It turns out, newborn whales do the same thing.
Humpback whale calves signal their desire to eat by making barking, burping, begging and...Read more
EPA investigating taconite mine for pollution that threatens wild rice
In a novel attempt to enforce a longstanding Minnesota rule protecting wild rice, the EPA is investigating U.S. Steel’s taconite mine, Keetac, for repeatedly releasing a rice-killing pollutant into surface waters.
The ...Read more
Today's Word "recalcitrant"
recalcitrant \rih-KAL-sih-truhnt\ (adjective) - Stubbornly resistant to and defiant of authority or restraint.
"The driver, recognizing Emerson, managed to stop the recalcitrant animal before it ran into my equally ...Read more
City Spelling
What is the only city with three dotted letters all in a row?
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Rare species found 'thriving' in streams after rescue from wildfires. 'Huge milestone'
Years after a wildfire threatened to wipe out a rare, genetically unique species in a tiny Colorado creek, it was found “thriving” in new streams, officials said.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife recently found evidence of...Read more
How cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger became the scents of winter holidays, far from their tropical origins
Regardless of how you celebrate end-of-year holidays, food is probably central to your winter festivities. And a trio of spices – cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger – feature in many dishes and drinks and are an ...Read more
Federal protection for monarch butterflies could help or harm this iconic species, depending on how it’s carried out
Monarch butterflies are among the most beloved insects in North America. They are brightly colored and unique, both as caterpillars and later as mature insects. Monarchs are found in every U.S. state except Alaska, so ...Read more
Doctors identify 'alarming' new strain of drug-resistant bacteria in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES — Three men sought help at clinics or emergency rooms in Los Angeles County over a three-month period this year, each reporting severe diarrhea and a recent history of sexual contact with other men.
Stool ...Read more
Today's Word "quondam"
quondam \KWAHN-duhm; KWAHN-dam\ (adjective) - Having been formerly; former; sometime.
"O, you my lord! By Mars his gauntlet, thanks!
Mock not that I affect th'untraded oath;
Your quondam wife swear still by ...Read more
This Day in History, December 19
On December 19th, 1972, Apollo 17 returned to Earth.
Saippuakivikauppias
Saippuakivikauppias is the Finnish word for a soapstone seller. Aside from being a long tongue twister, what else is special about this word?
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More construction, maybe less solar. South Florida's climate action plan under Trump
MIAMI — Monroe County has seven projects underway to elevate roads in the Florida Keys, keeping them dry even as rising sea levels threaten to leave them permanently underwater.
In a presentation this week, Chief ...Read more
Two endangered right whales spotted caught in fishing gear off of Nantucket
One of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales is expected to die after becoming entangled in fishing gear near Nantucket along with a second whale, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.
...Read more
Maryland sues W.L. Gore, citing decades of PFAS pollution from 13 Elkton-area sites
BALTIMORE — Maryland officials have filed suit against W.L. Gore & Associates, the manufacturer of Gore-Tex, alleging that at least 13 of the company’s 14 facilities in Cecil County have contaminated the environment, ...Read more
Federal government to expand Superior National Forest, buy 6,200 acres in northern Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS — The U.S. Forest Service will buy more than 6,200 acres of land in St. Louis County, in a deal aimed at expanding the Superior National Forest and improving the management of wildlife habitat, officials ...Read more
Complete mastodon jaw unearthed in upstate NY backyard
Archaeologists have unearthed a complete mastodon jaw along with additional bone fragments in the backyard of an Upstate New York home, officials announced Tuesday.
The “stunning prehistoric find” came after a ...Read more
Santa's little AI helper: Retailers like Best Buy, Target offer last-minute shoppers a new option
Say your nephew needs a Christmas present and you vaguely know what he’s into these days. A new Gift Finder feature on the Best Buy app lets users ask questions like, “What can I get for a 10-year-old who loves ...Read more
Startup aims to use rails, not power lines, to transport renewable energy; Colorado may host pilot project
Freight trains criss-crossing the country carry cars of coal and tanks of oil and natural gas to power plants to help keep the nation’s electric grid going. Could freight trains haul electrons generated by renewable ...Read more
Inside Knowledge
Popular Stories
- Federal protection for monarch butterflies could help or harm this iconic species, depending on how it’s carried out
- How cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger became the scents of winter holidays, far from their tropical origins
- Doctors identify 'alarming' new strain of drug-resistant bacteria in Los Angeles
- Complete mastodon jaw unearthed in upstate NY backyard
- Rare species found 'thriving' in streams after rescue from wildfires. 'Huge milestone'
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