Posted: January 16, 2020
Water levels go down in Utah’s Great Salt Lake. Rare salt formations appear on the shore. Scientists wonder: Could these salt piles teach us about Mars?
The Great Salt Lake is looking a little less “great” than usual. Drought is making more and more shoreline visible. There are more places where water can bubble up from warm springs. When the water hits the cold air, a mineral called Glauber’s salt, or mirabilite, separates out.
“It has to be exposed to just the right conditions,” says park ranger Allison Thompson.
The tiny crystals have built up over the last several months. They have created flat terraces stacked on top of each other. From far away, the mounds can blend into the snowy landscape. From above, though, they look like an enormous piece of lace laid over the sandy ground. An up-close look shows long, spire-shaped crystals.
Mirabilite mounds are seen more often in cold places such as the Antarctic. What makes mirabilite mounds so interesting? They’re created by water bubbling up from underground. They give clues about what’s underground without expensive drilling. People think similar structures exist on Mars. The mounds in Utah could offer clues on how to study salts found there.
But researchers don’t have long to study the Great Salt Lake formations. As winter turns to spring, the mounds will disintegrate into a fine dust.
“That powder will eventually get blown away or dissolve into the lake,” says Elliot Jagniecki, a geologist with the Utah Geological Survey.
The mounds are expected to be gone by February. Eventually, melting snow will send runoff into the lake. Water will swallow up the sites.
Posted: January 17, 2020
You can’t blame Diego for looking pleased with himself. Biologiststhinkthis tortoise might be more than 100 years old. They knowhe is responsible for fathering 800 tiny tortoises. And Diego’s offspring may be why his species survives instead of going extinct.
So Diego’s work is done! In March, he will leave the San Diego Zoo in California. He’ll be returned to his original Galapagos Island habitat.
Diego was taken from Ecuador’s Española Island eight decades ago. Back then, there were as few as 15 of his kind left. Now, thanks to the Giant Tortoise Restoration program, his species has bounced back. The island is literally crawling with 2,000 giant tortoises.
This impressive granddaddy weighs about 176 pounds. He’s three feet long. He can reach almost five feet in height when he stretches his legs and neck.
Diego and his offspring are still listed as critically endangered. But at least they don’t have to worry about one of the original threats to their survival: Pirates used to capture giant tortoises. They used them as fishing bait and food.
Last week, Diego began preparing for his return to the Isla Española. Galapagos National Park biologists want to be sure his stomach is clear of any seeds that don’t belong on the island. Invasive plants could disrupt Española’s ecosystem. The island is also the home of iguanas, sea lions, and rare birds and plants.
Posted: January 15, 2020
Have you heard of the Chinese paddlefish? It had a sharp snout that stuck out. We say “had” because the paddlefish is no more. Scientists have declared it extinct.
Many people knew nothing about the big fish until they heard it was gone. Still, Chinese internet users are saying goodbye. “It’s farewell at first sight,” said the newspaper China Youth Daily.
The Chinese paddlefish had another name: the Chinese swordfish. It could grow as long as 23 feet. But it couldn’t survive the overfishing and habitat loss in China’s Yangtze River.
When a creature is in danger of extinction, people often keep some in captivity so the species will not be lost. But people had not conserved any paddlefish. Scientists wrote a paper explaining that the fish is extinct. It said that in the late 1970s Chinese paddlefish populations shrunk. That happened when a major dam was built on the Yangtze. The opening of the Three Gorges dam in 2003 made things worse. That was the last year a live Chinese paddlefish was seen. The scientist guess that the fish became extinct sometime between 2005 and 2010.
God made the world with an incredible variety of creatures. It is sad when any one of them disappears for good.
The loss of the paddlefish tells researchers something else: Other species in the Yangtze may be in trouble too.
Posted: January 14, 2020
Red-hot lava gushed out of a volcano near Manila, Philippines, on Monday. Tens of thousands of people fled. Heavy ash fell from the sky. Tremors shook the ground. Experts warn: The eruption could get worse. Officials make plans to evacuate hundreds of thousands more people.
The Taal volcano is one of the smallest volcanoes in the world. But it still causes big trouble. Clouds of ash blew more than 62 miles north from the volcano to Manila. The country’s main airport had to close.
For some people living near Taal, leaving right away wasn’t an option. Their villages were blanketed in ash. Some people did not have transportation out. Or even if they did, ash made roads slippery. Drivers couldn’t see through the dust.
Others refused to leave their homes and farms. They wanted to save their pigs and herds of cows. Officials warn them the volcano could explode again at any time.
For many months, Taal has been resting. It suddenly rumbled back to life on Sunday. It blasted steam, ash, and pebbles up to nine miles in the sky. Taal has not had a disastrous eruption since 1965. More than 200 people were killed in an eruption that year. This week’s eruption has not injured anyone so far. But worried villagers wonder: Is it over?
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the Earth. — Psalm 97:5
Posted: January 13, 2020
A brass band plays. People gather to watch. This rocket part is taking a ride on the Mississippi River . . . on its way to the Moon!
A huge part of a new rocket system was wheeled slowly from a spacecraft factory in New Orleans, Louisiana. People put it on a barge. It will be floated up the Mississippi River to a testing site.
The rocket piece needs to go to the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. That’s about 50 miles away. Scientists have big plans for Space Launch System rockets made from parts like these. They hope they will someday take astronauts to the Moon.
The rocket part is called a core stage. It’s the spine of a rocket. The core stage holds the rocket’s computers and navigation system. It measures 212 feet from end to end and more than 27 feet around. It has four huge engines. NASA hasn’t built a rocket this big since the Apollo stages powered missions to the Moon. This core stage will be used in 2021 for Artemis I, a test flight without a crew.
When will astronauts hop aboard the Moon trip? They’ll have to wait until the Artemis II mission. After that, scientists will go a little farther. They plan for the third mission, Artemis III, to put a man and woman on the south pole of the Moon. After putting people on the Moon, scientists hope eventually to send people to Mars.
Posted: January 10, 2020
Here’s your God’s World News traffic report for Friday: An accident has slowed traffic around Atlanta. Rain is bogging things down in Portland. Construction around Boston has reduced the rush hour commute to a crawl, and drivers are buried under a plague of giant tumbleweeds in Washington state.
That last item sounds crazy. But it’s true!
Washington’s State Route 240 really did close last week as travelers literally became trapped in a mountain of tumbleweeds that stood 20 to 30 feet tall. State Department of Transportation workers had to use snow plows to clear the scene. Trooper Chris Thorson says it took nearly 10 hours to reopen the road. He reports five cars and an 18-wheel semi truck became engulfed in the free-wheeling bushes. No one was hurt, but drivers didn’t get back on their way until 4:30 in the morning.
“People were still stuck at midnight and rung in the New Year trapped under the weeds,” trooper Thorson said.
Tumbleweeds behave exactly as God designed them. He created the above-ground growth of plants like Russian thistle to dry and come loose. Wind carries the dried, bushy balls so that seeds are scattered to start new growth.
By most accounts, Russian thistle arrived in the United States mixed in with the flaxseed brought by Russian immigrant farmers in 1873. The plant is an invasive species and considered a nuisance by most westerners.
Hey, we understand: Drivers have places to go, but tumbleweeds have places to blow. So give the traveling brush a break! Animals like mule deer, pronghorn, prairie dogs, and birds thrive on the thistle plant. Cattle have even survived severe drought by eating such weeds. And what would a Western movie be without scenes of blowing dust and tumbling tumbleweeds?
Posted: January 9, 2020
The first batch of space-baked cookies is back on Earth. So are muscle-bound “mighty” mice.
The SpaceX company provided the ride home on Tuesday, January 8. The space capsule carried 3,800 pounds of gear. It parachuted into the Pacific.
Do you remember when people planned to launch the cookie-baking oven into space? Astronauts used pre-made dough from Double Tree hotels. They baked the cookies in the Zero G oven just in time for Christmas. They baked the five cookies one at a time. Now researchers want to inspect their work.
Scientists are also getting back 40 mice that flew up in early December. Eight of the mice are genetically engineered. They have twice the normal muscle mass. Some of the non-mighty mice bulked up in orbit for the muscle study. Others will pack it on once they’re back in the lab. The mice experiment will help scientists study what happens to human muscles and bones when astronauts are weightless in space for months at a time.
“We’re anxious to welcome the mice home!” says Dr. Se-Jin Lee of the Jackson Laboratory in Connecticut.
Posted: January 8, 2020
Every year, people count whales. They do it from planes or ships. Sometimes they use drones. What if they could count whales from space instead?
People at the New England Aquarium of Boston work with engineers. They say new technology will protect whales better. They use information from satellites, sonar, and radar to keep a close eye on how many whales are in the ocean.
Counting whales can be a challenge. Bad weather interrupts counts, and the work can be dangerous and expensive. Plus, whales are always moving. How will people count whales from space? First, they’ll gather data from many sources. Info from European space agencies and even amateur two-way radio operators will help create a map. The map will help people guess where in the ocean whales might be. That will help them guess why whales are moving or being harmed. Is it because of traffic from ships, or something else? This information could tell people how to help.
If it works, the new technology could monitor whales anywhere in the world. But it might be most helpful right in the aquarium’s back yard—or back ocean. North Atlantic right whales live in waters around Boston. The huge mammals are endangered. Only about 400 are left, and that number is shrinking.
Posted: January 8, 2020
How much would you pay for tuna fish? That probably depends on how much you like it! Kiyoshi Kimura loves tuna. He calls himself “Tuna King.” Mr. Kiyoshi runs a sushi restaurant chain. And he just paid $1.8 million for a single bluefin tuna fish.
Bluefin tuna are the biggest tuna type. They can live up to 40 years, weigh up to 1,500 pounds, and grow 10 feet long. This one weighed 608 pounds.
A New Year’s fish auction happens every year at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market. This isn’t the priciest tuna ever sold. Last year, Mr. Kioyoshi paid $3.1 million for a fish at the same auction. It was only a few pounds heavier than his newest fish.
Bluefin tuna are built like torpedoes and swim fast. They have great eyesight and are excellent hunters. But they’re also hunted. People in Japan love to eat bluefin tuna. The more people eat them, the harder it becomes for the endangered bluefin to survive.
In His hand is the life of every living thing. — Job 12:10
Posted: January 3, 2020
Toys R Us went broke and closed in 2018. But it is back in 2020 . . . sort of. “Test” stores have opened in Paramus, New Jersey, and Houston, Texas. The new locations are trying out a small-scale, interactive approach.
At the store in the Westfield Garden State Plaza mall, eight-year-old Jaelyn Farrell climbed up a tree fort, played with make-believe sand, and hung out at the Hasbro’s Paw Patrol area.
“So far, I’m liking Toys R Us,” says Farrell. “It has cool stuff. Little kids or big kids like my age can play in here.”
Richard Barry is the Chief of Tru Kids Brands, the company that now owns Toys R Us. “What the kids really want is play. They want hands on experiences.”
The new Toys R Us stores are about 6,500 square feet. That’s tiny compared to the 45,000-square-foot original Toys R Us stores. Mr. Barry says his company plans to open eight more of the small stores next year, and aims to increase the business slowly. But at that rate it will take a long time to recover from the effect of closing the original Toys R Us stores.
Posted: January 6, 2020
The American Kennel Club’s (AKC’s) list of recognized dog breeds keeps getting longer. Say hello to its new pups: a powerful Argentinian hunter and a friendly French water dog.
Club officials made the announcement December 31. The barbet and the dogo Argentino now belong on the list. That raises the number of recognized dog breeds to 195. Now the new breeds can compete in many dog shows. (Though the newcomers can’t vie for best in show at the famous Westminster Kennel Club show until 2021.)
Meet the barbet (pronounced “bar-BAY’”). It has a long history as a hunter’s helper in France. Barbets have helped people find and retrieve water birds for centuries. Their numbers dwindled during the world wars. But barbet-loving people eventually built the breed back up. The medium-size dogs have a reputation for being cheery, friendly, and agile.
The dogo Argentino could hardly be more different. An Argentine doctor developed the breed in the last century. Dogos are large, strong, and persistent. They’re hunters too. But they’re not looking for ducks. They’re trailing animals as large as mountain lions and wild boars! Dogo-lovers prize the breed’s loyalty and strength. But dogos have been banned in some places. Even AKC officials tell people to be careful with dogos. They say only experienced dog owners should get them.
“They are affectionate and loyal, but owners do need to have caution to make sure a dogo fits with their lifestyle” says club spokeswoman Brandi Hunter.
Dogos can be protective of their people. But owners also need to take care to protect them—from sunburn, which can strike under their short, white coats.
It can take a long time to get a dog breed recognized by the AKC. To qualify, at least 300 dogs of the breed must be spread around at least 20 states.
Not everyone agrees that dog breeding is a good idea. Critics say people should adopt dogs, not breed them. But others argue: Responsible breeders are doing good work. They say it’s okay to breed dogs for certain purposes.
Posted: January 2, 2020
Say cheese, little whale.
The first newborn right whale of the winter calving season has been spotted off the coast of Georgia.
Right whales are critically endangered. They migrate each winter to warmer waters of the southeastern U.S. coast to give birth. Scientists guess just over 400 North Atlantic right whales remain. So every newborn calf matters. Each one means another chance right whales won’t go extinct.
People first saw the new calf from the air. An aerial (air) survey team spotted the calf and its mother in waters off Sapelo Island, Georgia. That’s about 50 miles south of Savannah.
As time passes, researchers grow more worried about right whales. Lately, more of the whales have died than have been born. Last winter, people flew in planes over Georgia and Florida waters to search for calves. They recorded seeing seven. Meanwhile, at least 10 right whales were found dead in 2019. Three had been struck by ships. One died after becoming entangled in fishing gear.
The 2017-2018 calving season ended with no right whale births recorded. That has not happened in three decades.
Posted: December 31, 2019
In Australia, temperatures soar. Fire danger grows. People fear that thousands of koalas have died in a fire area north of Sydney.
Up to 28,000 koalas live in part of New South Wales, Australia. In the last few months, wildfires have made that number shrink. But the cute creatures were in trouble even before the fires came. Their home was already disappearing. Kolas are native to Australia. They live in gum tree forests. People log these forests. They clear them to build cities or farms.
Fires make matters much worse. More than 12 million acres of land have burned. That’s more land than the whole state of Maryland. Fire hasn’t just destroyed koala homes. It has destroyed more than 1,000 human homes too. Fire danger continues. Temperatures near Sydney over the weekend soared as high as 106 degrees.
People around the world watch Australia’s trouble. They share images of koalas drinking water after being rescued from the wildfires. “I get mail from all around the world from people absolutely moved and amazed by our wildlife volunteer response,” says, Sussan Ley. She is Australia’s environment minister.
People love koalas. But the teddy bear lookalikes are not actually bears. They’re not even related. Koalas are marsupials. Their closest relative is the wombat.
For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again. — Job 14:7
Posted: December 30, 2019
Look! Flying apes!
Giant and Cola are orangutans. And they have been living in Thailand, where they don’t belong. Orangutans belong in Indonesia. Now government officials are flying them home.
Five years ago, Giant the orangutan was smuggled into Thailand. Police found Giant when they stopped and searched a bus. Cola wasn’t smuggled. But her parents were, and she was born in a Thailand breeding center.
Wildlife authorities in Thailand are sending the two orangutans back to Indonesia. And these orangutans aren’t the first. Sixty-seven orangutans have already been returned. More will go next year.
Trading orangutans is against the law. The animals are found only in the forests of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia. People there are using up land for farming. Orangutan habitat is shrinking. Poachers hunt orangutans. People sell them into the pet trade or to zoos. Because of all this, orangutans are running out. They’re on the “critically endangered” list.
Why return orangutans? To send a message. Officials in Indonesia and Thailand want people to know: Orangutan smuggling is not okay.
Cola will be sent a wildlife center in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. But Giant had his hands amputated after he was attacked by fierce monkeys. He will stay in an animal nursery center in Sumatra, Indonesia. Giant has to spend the rest of his life in a nursery because he cannot defend himself. Will Cola eventually return to the wild? Officials say chances are good.
People have been working for years in Indonesia to save orangutans. Read about these rescuers in Operation Orangutan. Try the Five Apes and a Monkey memory puzzle too.
Posted: December 27, 2019
Pelicans soared above the Mediterranean coast during their annual migration. But they took a break long enough to raid fish farms in Israel. They’ve been doing so for years!
Fish farmers have tried to drive away the big floppy birds with loudspeakers, laser beams, rifle shots, and even remote control boats. The birds simply turn the other beak.
In their desperation, Israel’s fish farmers have come up with another solution. It might seem odd, but they are actually offeringthe birds a free lunch.
That’s just fine with the 50,000 pelicans that stop off in Israel on their journey from the Balkans to Africa each winter. They stop to rest and feed in Israel for weeks at a time. Pelicans dine out on the open pools and ponds of commercial fish farmers. Then they leave fish farmers holding the check—to the tune of millions of shekels each year.
An old rhyme says:A wonderful bird is the pelican. His bill can hold more than his belican. Now Israeli fish farmers are filling up those bills—on purpose! Fish farmers dump tons of unmarketable fish for the birds to scoop up. It’s a win-win. Pelicans are fed. Fish farmers get rid of the small and unwanted types they cannot sell.
Now everyone is happy, right? Not quite. Biologists say there is a downside. The pelicans might get too used to easy pickings. They might interrupt their migration and just stick around all year. That’s not how God designed pelicans. These birds need to fly! Eat and be on your way, pelicans!
Posted: December 26, 2019
“TAXI!”
When the Olympics come to a city, thousands of athletes and spectators pour in. At past Olympics, people have worried about catching a taxi ride. Sometimes, drivers are poorly trained. Cars are falling apart. Drivers dress sloppily. Ten years ago, the Olympics took place in Beijing, China. New laws reminded drivers: Clean your cars. Don’t eat on the job. And stop spitting! But this summer, the Olympics will happen in Tokyo, Japan. Do people worry about taxi rides?
Nope. Very few countries deliver better service than Japan—in shops, restaurants, or in taxis.
It’s called “Omotenashi.” The English word closest to this Japanese one is “hospitality.” Omotenashi means offering customers full attention—no distractions.
Take Tokyo taxi driver Norihito Arima, for instance. He stands alongside 30 or 40 other drivers at a roll call before his 18-hour taxi driving shift begins.
He drives in a suit and tie. White gloves are optional. Drivers are not allowed to have tattoos or wear sunglasses. Men must be clean-shaven.
“It’s something like the army,” says Mr. Norihito.
His taxi company also has a booklet of rules. Drivers must learn the 77 dos and don’ts. The rules tell them how and when to speak to passengers. They direct them how to clean their taxis. The rules remind them: Open doors for customers. And keep both hands on the wheel.
Mr. Norihito says taxi drivers take pride in their work. “We think of each other as part of the society, the community,” he says.
Japan is not perfect, of course. People often push to get on crowded subway trains. They bump into strangers on the sidewalk and don’t say sorry. But when it comes to taxis, Olympic-goers can expect only the best.
And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. — Luke 6:31
Posted: January 16, 2020
Water levels go down in Utah’s Great Salt Lake. Rare salt formations appear on the shore. Scientists wonder: Could these salt piles teach us about Mars?
The Great Salt Lake is looking a little less “great” than usual. Drought is making more and more shoreline visible. There are more places where water can bubble up from warm springs. When the water hits the cold air, a mineral called Glauber’s salt, or mirabilite, separates out.
“It has to be exposed to just the right conditions,” says park ranger Allison Thompson.
The tiny crystals have built up over the last several months. They have created flat terraces stacked on top of each other. From far away, the mounds can blend into the snowy landscape. From above, though, they look like an enormous piece of lace laid over the sandy ground. An up-close look shows long, spire-shaped crystals.
Mirabilite mounds are seen more often in cold places such as the Antarctic. What makes mirabilite mounds so interesting? They’re created by water bubbling up from underground. They give clues about what’s underground without expensive drilling. People think similar structures exist on Mars. The mounds in Utah could offer clues on how to study salts found there.
But researchers don’t have long to study the Great Salt Lake formations. As winter turns to spring, the mounds will disintegrate into a fine dust.
“That powder will eventually get blown away or dissolve into the lake,” says Elliot Jagniecki, a geologist with the Utah Geological Survey.
The mounds are expected to be gone by February. Eventually, melting snow will send runoff into the lake. Water will swallow up the sites.
Posted: January 17, 2020
You can’t blame Diego for looking pleased with himself. Biologiststhinkthis tortoise might be more than 100 years old. They knowhe is responsible for fathering 800 tiny tortoises. And Diego’s offspring may be why his species survives instead of going extinct.
So Diego’s work is done! In March, he will leave the San Diego Zoo in California. He’ll be returned to his original Galapagos Island habitat.
Diego was taken from Ecuador’s Española Island eight decades ago. Back then, there were as few as 15 of his kind left. Now, thanks to the Giant Tortoise Restoration program, his species has bounced back. The island is literally crawling with 2,000 giant tortoises.
This impressive granddaddy weighs about 176 pounds. He’s three feet long. He can reach almost five feet in height when he stretches his legs and neck.
Diego and his offspring are still listed as critically endangered. But at least they don’t have to worry about one of the original threats to their survival: Pirates used to capture giant tortoises. They used them as fishing bait and food.
Last week, Diego began preparing for his return to the Isla Española. Galapagos National Park biologists want to be sure his stomach is clear of any seeds that don’t belong on the island. Invasive plants could disrupt Española’s ecosystem. The island is also the home of iguanas, sea lions, and rare birds and plants.
Posted: January 15, 2020
Have you heard of the Chinese paddlefish? It had a sharp snout that stuck out. We say “had” because the paddlefish is no more. Scientists have declared it extinct.
Many people knew nothing about the big fish until they heard it was gone. Still, Chinese internet users are saying goodbye. “It’s farewell at first sight,” said the newspaper China Youth Daily.
The Chinese paddlefish had another name: the Chinese swordfish. It could grow as long as 23 feet. But it couldn’t survive the overfishing and habitat loss in China’s Yangtze River.
When a creature is in danger of extinction, people often keep some in captivity so the species will not be lost. But people had not conserved any paddlefish. Scientists wrote a paper explaining that the fish is extinct. It said that in the late 1970s Chinese paddlefish populations shrunk. That happened when a major dam was built on the Yangtze. The opening of the Three Gorges dam in 2003 made things worse. That was the last year a live Chinese paddlefish was seen. The scientist guess that the fish became extinct sometime between 2005 and 2010.
God made the world with an incredible variety of creatures. It is sad when any one of them disappears for good.
The loss of the paddlefish tells researchers something else: Other species in the Yangtze may be in trouble too.
Posted: January 14, 2020
Red-hot lava gushed out of a volcano near Manila, Philippines, on Monday. Tens of thousands of people fled. Heavy ash fell from the sky. Tremors shook the ground. Experts warn: The eruption could get worse. Officials make plans to evacuate hundreds of thousands more people.
The Taal volcano is one of the smallest volcanoes in the world. But it still causes big trouble. Clouds of ash blew more than 62 miles north from the volcano to Manila. The country’s main airport had to close.
For some people living near Taal, leaving right away wasn’t an option. Their villages were blanketed in ash. Some people did not have transportation out. Or even if they did, ash made roads slippery. Drivers couldn’t see through the dust.
Others refused to leave their homes and farms. They wanted to save their pigs and herds of cows. Officials warn them the volcano could explode again at any time.
For many months, Taal has been resting. It suddenly rumbled back to life on Sunday. It blasted steam, ash, and pebbles up to nine miles in the sky. Taal has not had a disastrous eruption since 1965. More than 200 people were killed in an eruption that year. This week’s eruption has not injured anyone so far. But worried villagers wonder: Is it over?
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the Earth. — Psalm 97:5
Posted: January 13, 2020
A brass band plays. People gather to watch. This rocket part is taking a ride on the Mississippi River . . . on its way to the Moon!
A huge part of a new rocket system was wheeled slowly from a spacecraft factory in New Orleans, Louisiana. People put it on a barge. It will be floated up the Mississippi River to a testing site.
The rocket piece needs to go to the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. That’s about 50 miles away. Scientists have big plans for Space Launch System rockets made from parts like these. They hope they will someday take astronauts to the Moon.
The rocket part is called a core stage. It’s the spine of a rocket. The core stage holds the rocket’s computers and navigation system. It measures 212 feet from end to end and more than 27 feet around. It has four huge engines. NASA hasn’t built a rocket this big since the Apollo stages powered missions to the Moon. This core stage will be used in 2021 for Artemis I, a test flight without a crew.
When will astronauts hop aboard the Moon trip? They’ll have to wait until the Artemis II mission. After that, scientists will go a little farther. They plan for the third mission, Artemis III, to put a man and woman on the south pole of the Moon. After putting people on the Moon, scientists hope eventually to send people to Mars.
Posted: January 10, 2020
Here’s your God’s World News traffic report for Friday: An accident has slowed traffic around Atlanta. Rain is bogging things down in Portland. Construction around Boston has reduced the rush hour commute to a crawl, and drivers are buried under a plague of giant tumbleweeds in Washington state.
That last item sounds crazy. But it’s true!
Washington’s State Route 240 really did close last week as travelers literally became trapped in a mountain of tumbleweeds that stood 20 to 30 feet tall. State Department of Transportation workers had to use snow plows to clear the scene. Trooper Chris Thorson says it took nearly 10 hours to reopen the road. He reports five cars and an 18-wheel semi truck became engulfed in the free-wheeling bushes. No one was hurt, but drivers didn’t get back on their way until 4:30 in the morning.
“People were still stuck at midnight and rung in the New Year trapped under the weeds,” trooper Thorson said.
Tumbleweeds behave exactly as God designed them. He created the above-ground growth of plants like Russian thistle to dry and come loose. Wind carries the dried, bushy balls so that seeds are scattered to start new growth.
By most accounts, Russian thistle arrived in the United States mixed in with the flaxseed brought by Russian immigrant farmers in 1873. The plant is an invasive species and considered a nuisance by most westerners.
Hey, we understand: Drivers have places to go, but tumbleweeds have places to blow. So give the traveling brush a break! Animals like mule deer, pronghorn, prairie dogs, and birds thrive on the thistle plant. Cattle have even survived severe drought by eating such weeds. And what would a Western movie be without scenes of blowing dust and tumbling tumbleweeds?
Posted: January 9, 2020
The first batch of space-baked cookies is back on Earth. So are muscle-bound “mighty” mice.
The SpaceX company provided the ride home on Tuesday, January 8. The space capsule carried 3,800 pounds of gear. It parachuted into the Pacific.
Do you remember when people planned to launch the cookie-baking oven into space? Astronauts used pre-made dough from Double Tree hotels. They baked the cookies in the Zero G oven just in time for Christmas. They baked the five cookies one at a time. Now researchers want to inspect their work.
Scientists are also getting back 40 mice that flew up in early December. Eight of the mice are genetically engineered. They have twice the normal muscle mass. Some of the non-mighty mice bulked up in orbit for the muscle study. Others will pack it on once they’re back in the lab. The mice experiment will help scientists study what happens to human muscles and bones when astronauts are weightless in space for months at a time.
“We’re anxious to welcome the mice home!” says Dr. Se-Jin Lee of the Jackson Laboratory in Connecticut.
Posted: January 8, 2020
Every year, people count whales. They do it from planes or ships. Sometimes they use drones. What if they could count whales from space instead?
People at the New England Aquarium of Boston work with engineers. They say new technology will protect whales better. They use information from satellites, sonar, and radar to keep a close eye on how many whales are in the ocean.
Counting whales can be a challenge. Bad weather interrupts counts, and the work can be dangerous and expensive. Plus, whales are always moving. How will people count whales from space? First, they’ll gather data from many sources. Info from European space agencies and even amateur two-way radio operators will help create a map. The map will help people guess where in the ocean whales might be. That will help them guess why whales are moving or being harmed. Is it because of traffic from ships, or something else? This information could tell people how to help.
If it works, the new technology could monitor whales anywhere in the world. But it might be most helpful right in the aquarium’s back yard—or back ocean. North Atlantic right whales live in waters around Boston. The huge mammals are endangered. Only about 400 are left, and that number is shrinking.
Posted: January 8, 2020
How much would you pay for tuna fish? That probably depends on how much you like it! Kiyoshi Kimura loves tuna. He calls himself “Tuna King.” Mr. Kiyoshi runs a sushi restaurant chain. And he just paid $1.8 million for a single bluefin tuna fish.
Bluefin tuna are the biggest tuna type. They can live up to 40 years, weigh up to 1,500 pounds, and grow 10 feet long. This one weighed 608 pounds.
A New Year’s fish auction happens every year at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market. This isn’t the priciest tuna ever sold. Last year, Mr. Kioyoshi paid $3.1 million for a fish at the same auction. It was only a few pounds heavier than his newest fish.
Bluefin tuna are built like torpedoes and swim fast. They have great eyesight and are excellent hunters. But they’re also hunted. People in Japan love to eat bluefin tuna. The more people eat them, the harder it becomes for the endangered bluefin to survive.
In His hand is the life of every living thing. — Job 12:10
Posted: January 3, 2020
Toys R Us went broke and closed in 2018. But it is back in 2020 . . . sort of. “Test” stores have opened in Paramus, New Jersey, and Houston, Texas. The new locations are trying out a small-scale, interactive approach.
At the store in the Westfield Garden State Plaza mall, eight-year-old Jaelyn Farrell climbed up a tree fort, played with make-believe sand, and hung out at the Hasbro’s Paw Patrol area.
“So far, I’m liking Toys R Us,” says Farrell. “It has cool stuff. Little kids or big kids like my age can play in here.”
Richard Barry is the Chief of Tru Kids Brands, the company that now owns Toys R Us. “What the kids really want is play. They want hands on experiences.”
The new Toys R Us stores are about 6,500 square feet. That’s tiny compared to the 45,000-square-foot original Toys R Us stores. Mr. Barry says his company plans to open eight more of the small stores next year, and aims to increase the business slowly. But at that rate it will take a long time to recover from the effect of closing the original Toys R Us stores.
Posted: January 6, 2020
The American Kennel Club’s (AKC’s) list of recognized dog breeds keeps getting longer. Say hello to its new pups: a powerful Argentinian hunter and a friendly French water dog.
Club officials made the announcement December 31. The barbet and the dogo Argentino now belong on the list. That raises the number of recognized dog breeds to 195. Now the new breeds can compete in many dog shows. (Though the newcomers can’t vie for best in show at the famous Westminster Kennel Club show until 2021.)
Meet the barbet (pronounced “bar-BAY’”). It has a long history as a hunter’s helper in France. Barbets have helped people find and retrieve water birds for centuries. Their numbers dwindled during the world wars. But barbet-loving people eventually built the breed back up. The medium-size dogs have a reputation for being cheery, friendly, and agile.
The dogo Argentino could hardly be more different. An Argentine doctor developed the breed in the last century. Dogos are large, strong, and persistent. They’re hunters too. But they’re not looking for ducks. They’re trailing animals as large as mountain lions and wild boars! Dogo-lovers prize the breed’s loyalty and strength. But dogos have been banned in some places. Even AKC officials tell people to be careful with dogos. They say only experienced dog owners should get them.
“They are affectionate and loyal, but owners do need to have caution to make sure a dogo fits with their lifestyle” says club spokeswoman Brandi Hunter.
Dogos can be protective of their people. But owners also need to take care to protect them—from sunburn, which can strike under their short, white coats.
It can take a long time to get a dog breed recognized by the AKC. To qualify, at least 300 dogs of the breed must be spread around at least 20 states.
Not everyone agrees that dog breeding is a good idea. Critics say people should adopt dogs, not breed them. But others argue: Responsible breeders are doing good work. They say it’s okay to breed dogs for certain purposes.
Posted: January 2, 2020
Say cheese, little whale.
The first newborn right whale of the winter calving season has been spotted off the coast of Georgia.
Right whales are critically endangered. They migrate each winter to warmer waters of the southeastern U.S. coast to give birth. Scientists guess just over 400 North Atlantic right whales remain. So every newborn calf matters. Each one means another chance right whales won’t go extinct.
People first saw the new calf from the air. An aerial (air) survey team spotted the calf and its mother in waters off Sapelo Island, Georgia. That’s about 50 miles south of Savannah.
As time passes, researchers grow more worried about right whales. Lately, more of the whales have died than have been born. Last winter, people flew in planes over Georgia and Florida waters to search for calves. They recorded seeing seven. Meanwhile, at least 10 right whales were found dead in 2019. Three had been struck by ships. One died after becoming entangled in fishing gear.
The 2017-2018 calving season ended with no right whale births recorded. That has not happened in three decades.
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