Pedro's Weblog
Oldest Skeleton Found?
The oldest skeleton ever discovered in the Americas may have been found in an underwater Mexican cave. These human remains could shed light on how the Americas were first populated.
Archaeologists say the female skeleton—called Eve of Naharon—has been dated at 13,600. If that age is confirmed, Eve and three other skeletons found in the same cave, would be the oldest ever found in North or South America.
The four skeletons were found in underwater caves along the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Add a commentOregon Trail Revealed
An Idaho wildfire destroyed 20 homes last month, but it also uncovered previously unknown remnants of the Oregon Trail. After the Aug. 25 fire, the Oregon-California Trails Association decided to mark the portion now visible.
Before the fire, sagebrush and cheatgrass covered two parallel paths that stretched for half-a-mile. The paths were discovered when satellite photos were taken after the fire. It’s believed the last wagon crossed this portion of the trail in 1890.
The Oregon Trail was used by settlers in the mid-1800’s. It stretched through Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. In the late 1800’s, the railroads replaced the need for the Oregon Trail.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 2 commentsMan Eats 11.5 Pounds of Chili
Philadelphian Bob Shoudt—nicknamed “Humble Bob”—ate 11.5 pounds of chili-spaghetti in 10 minutes to win the first-ever Skyline Chili Spaghetti eat-off. The competition was held Monday at Kings Island Amusement Park in Mason, Ohio.
“Humble Bob” started strong by scarfing more than two pounds in less than a minute. Shoudt is ranked No. 5 by the International Federation of Competitive Eating.
To win, Shoudt had to beat the federation’s top-ranked eater, Joey Chestnut. Chestnut won this year’s July 4 hot dog-eating contest at New York’s Coney Island.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsTough Nanny Needed
A New York family posted a notice for a nanny. It started with the words: “My kids are a pain.” Rebecca Land Soodak, a mother of four, placed the ad on Craigslist.
Christina Wynn, 25, eventually took the job. She has committed one year to caring for Rubin, 12; Ellis, 9; and Shay and Cassie, both 6.
In addition to claiming her kids are a “pain,” Soodake wrote of herself: “I can be a tad difficult to work for.”
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 5 commentsAnnual Tomato Fight
The Spanish village of Bunol hosted its Annual Tomato Fight on Thursday. More than 40,000 combatants showed up to toss 113 tons of ripe tomatoes at each other.
Some of the tomato tossers wore goggles to protect their eyes. The tomato fight ritual dates back to the 1940’s.
Click here to read more and see photos.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 1 commentRecycle Energy Bar Wrappers
Think twice before tossing an empty wrapper. Clif Bar and TerraCycle are partnering to reduce the amount of energy bar wrappers going into our landfills.
The two companies have created the Wrapper Brigade, which will donate 2¢ to charity for every used wrapper collected by individuals and organizations. The collected wrappers will then be fused and woven into a strong and durable material, which will be used to make bags, totes and other eco-friendly accessories.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 1 commentPick a Theme Song
The CW network needs you to help choose the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s series theme song. This new chapter of the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise—featuring new duelists, vehicles, speeds and competitions—will debut at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 13.
Listen to the eight options and vote. The most popular choice will play during the show’s credits. The voting deadline is at midnight on Sunday, Sept. 7.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 1 commentWireless Recharging?
Wouldn’t it be nice to charge your phone or laptop without plugging them in? That could be possible in the next few years with the development of wireless power transmission.
Researchers have discovered a way to make a light bulb glow using energy from a source three feet away. In time, this same technology could be used to power your favorite gadgets.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 12 commentsThe First Eagle Scout
On Aug. 21, 1912, Arthur Eldred received notice that he would become the first Eagle Scout in history. Unfortunately, the Eagle medal hadn’t been designed yet. The New York Scout didn’t receive his medal until Labor Day, Sept. 2.
In 1944, Arthur was present at the Eagle ceremony of his son, Willard.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 4 commentsTrack Pets with GPS
Problems with your dog digging under the fence and running loose in the neighborhood? PawTrack aims to make finding your pet easier than ever before.
PawTrack is a GPS antenna, modem, battery and circuit board that attaches to your dog’s collar in a small box. The device transmits a locating signal every 10 minutes.
If you subscribe to PawTrack and your dog or cat wanders away, simply log on to the PawTrack Web site and pinpoint your pet’s exact location.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 2 commentsStudent Aces SAT and ACT
Ray Wang of Mason, Ohio, tallied perfect scores on both the SAT and ACT. Wang, who will be a senior at Mason North High this year, has been taking practice tests since he was in the sixth grade.
Officials say 269 of the 1.5 million students who took the SAT last year scored a perfect 2,400. Out of the 2.2 million students who took the ACT, 177 scored a perfect 36. It’s unknown how many scored perfectly on both tests.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 2 commentsWhale Mistakes Yacht For Mother
A lost humpback whale calf no more than two months old has mistaken a yacht for its mother and is trying to suckle from the 36-foot-long boat.
According to rescuers, the whale was seen this weekend off a beach in Sydney, Australia. It soon came across the boat and would not detach itself. The yacht moved into deeper water, and the calf eventually detached though it stayed in the vicinity.
Rescuers are watching the whale. They hope the calf swims out to deeper water in search of its mother or another pod of whales.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsNorway Knights Penguin
Nils Olav, a three-foot tall penguin, has been knighted on behalf of Norway’s King Harald V.
This penguin, a resident of Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, was adopted as a mascot for the King’s Guard in 1972. The guards claimed him after touring the zoo on a visit to Edinburgh.
Nils Olav had been granted the rank of colonel-in-chief of the King’s Guard in 2005. The penguin knighted this week is actually the third Nils Olav, as the name and rank were passed down when the first and second Nils died.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 7 commentsBuy a Million-Mile Truck
A Wisconsin man is selling a 1991 Chevy Silverado which has traveled more than 1 million miles. Frank Oresnik says his truck has tallied 1.03 million miles and will go on sale on eBay Thursday night.
The truck has plowed through four radiators, three gas tanks and five transmissions. The engine is original.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 2 commentsOlympic Medals
The Beijing Olympics are only a few days old, but the medals are starting to pour in for a number of nations. As Thursday morning begins in Beijing, the United States leads all countries with a total of 29 medals, including 10 gold medals.
China leads all countries with 17 gold medals, and the Chinese have 27 medals overall.
Click here to get an up-to-the-minute count of medals awarded.
Famous Arch Tumbles
Arches National Park in Utah is known for having some of the largest and most photographed natural arch formations in the world. Sometime late Monday or early Tuesday, the Wall Arch, one of the most popular in the park, crumbled and fell.
Gravity and erosion were cited as the cause.
The Wall Arch was more than 33 feet tall and 71 feet wide. It was the 12th largest arch among the park’s 2,000 formations.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsInternational Youth Day
Held every year on August 12, International Youth Day provides an opportunity for young people to address the global issues that they face in today’s world.
This year’s event will be held Tuesday at the United Nations in New York City. Activities include art contests, poetry slams, athletic events and global education activities with the goal of offering insight into young people’s honest thoughts on the effects of climate change.
Click here for more information.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Add a commentAir Car Coming Soon?
A car that runs on compressed air could soon be available in the United States. This “Air Car,” licensed to Zero Pollution Motors, is said to achieve a fuel economy equal to 106 miles per gallon.
The concept behind the engine is similar to that of a locomotive. The only difference is that the Air Car runs on air instead of steam.
The six-seat version expected in the U.S. would be able to reach speeds up to 90 miles per hour. Zero Pollution Motors is promising to have the vehicle on the market in 2010 at a price of $18,000.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 2 commentsOlympic Opening Ceremonies
Friday marks the official start to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Coverage of the Opening Ceremonies will begin at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC.
The United States has won more medals than any other country in each of the past three Olympic Games (1996 in Atlanta, Ga.; 2000 in Sydney, Australia; and 2004 in Athens, Greece).
Click here for more information on the Beijing Games.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 9 commentsCy Young Anniversary
On Aug. 6, 1890, pitcher Cy Young led the Cleveland Spiders past the Chicago Cubs to earn his first professional win. When Young’s career ended 22 seasons later, he had amassed 511 victories, still a Major League record today.
Born as Denton True Young, the Hall of Fame pitcher earned the nickname “Cy” because his pitches were like cyclones. In 1956, Major League Baseball instituted the Cy Young Award, which is given annually to the best pitcher in each league.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 1 commentThousands of Gorillas Found
A population of Western lowland gorillas estimated at 125,000 is living in a remote swamp area in equatorial Africa. Researchers announced the discovery Tuesday.
The news came as a shock considering the worldwide population of the species was thought to be around 50,000. Western lowland gorillas are considered critically endangered. Disease and hunting have hurt the population.
Survey teams conducted the research in 2006 and 2007. At the recommendation of hunters, the teams traveled to Lac Tele Community Reserve in northern Republic of Congo. The discovery is being called “the highest-known density of gorillas that’s ever been found.”
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 1 commentRecord-Setting Pumpkin
A husband and wife from Lexington, S.C., have grown the largest pumpkin in state history — 897 pounds.
Frank and Tina Finder brought their enormous pumpkin to the State Farmer’s Market on Friday. They will try to sell the pumpkin, but the Finder’s plan on keeping seeds to try for another record next year. The previous state record was 737 pounds.
Click here to see pictures and read more.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsTotal Eclipse Video
Amazing video surfaced after a total solar eclipse swept through parts of Canada, Greenland, Russia and China today. One Siberian observer recorded the event.
The moon moves into perfect alignment with the sun for more than three minutes, blocking out all light in the middle of the day. A fiery shadow appears around the moon while it’s blocking the sun.
Click here to watch the video.
Golden Retriever Adopts Tiger Cubs
Three tiger cubs were abandoned by their mother this week at a zoo in Kansas. The mother had problems caring for the three youngsters, born Sunday.
In stepped a golden retriever.
Safari Zoological Park owner Tom Harvey brought in the dog after the mother quit caring for the cubs. They were left to wander aimlessly looking for guidance.
The golden retriever had just finished nursing her own puppies. It takes about the same time to nurse puppies as tiger cubs, so “the timing couldn’t have been any better.” The golden retriever licked, cleaned and fed the tiger cubs, just as she had her own puppies.
Click here to see video and read more.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 2 commentsNew Jet Pack Unveiled
A new jet pack invented by Glenn Martin doesn’t look like a sleek contraption from a James Bond movie.
Martin’s piano-sized pack demonstrated its ability Tuesday, when Harrison Martin, Glenn’s 16-year-old son, settled into the device and hovered three feet off the ground for 45 seconds. The jet pack is supposed to have the capability of carrying a pilot 30 miles in 30 minutes using a five-gallon tank of gas.
The pack is available for $100,000, but federal regulations limit its use.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 6 commentsConserve With New Online Game
Less than one percent of all the water on Earth can be used by people, so protecting this valuable resource is important.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency is educating young people about water conservation with a new online interactive game. Move the water-efficiency hero “Flow” through water pipes and answer water-efficiency questions while avoiding “water-wasting” monsters. With the tips you learn, you can begin to help in the conservation effort.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 1 commentSpace Plane Unveiled
Virgin Atlantic offered a glimpse of what public space travel will look like when it premiered the carrier plane WhiteKnightTwo on Monday. The WhiteKnightTwo will ferry the ship that will leave Earth’s atmosphere — SpaceShipTwo.
The WhiteKnightTwo will carry the actual spaceship on its underbelly up to 50,000 feet. There, the WhiteKnightTwo launches the spaceship, which will return to Earth unaided. After release, the SpaceShipTwo will reach heights of 65 miles above Earth’s surface, while carrying civilian space tourists.
Trips aboard SpaceShipTwo, ferried by WhiteKnightTwo, will begin in 2009 and cost around $200,000.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsBoy Bites Pit Bull
An 11-year-old Brazilian boy attacked by a pit bull decided to fight back.
Gabriel Almeida was in his uncle’s backyard when the pit bull attacked, biting Gabriel’s left arm. Gabriel grabbed the dog’s neck and bit back so hard that he lost a tooth. Nearby workers helped chase away the dog before it could attack again.
Gabriel told a local newspaper, “It is better to lose a tooth than one’s life.”
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 13 commentsPet Rabbit Saves Couple
While a fire swept though their Melbourne, Australia, home, an unidentified husband and wife were notified of the inferno by their pet rabbit. The family pet, named “Rabbit,” scratched at the door to the master bedroom until the couple woke up.
The husband discovered a fire in a back room and smoke sweeping through the entire residence. He and his wife were able to escape unharmed.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 6 comments20 Hours On Roller Coaster
A high school teacher spent 20 hours on the Avatar Airbender at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., to win the Ride the Tide Challenge. Jim Salava, 40, was the last rider among 10 who started the competition.
The challengers boarded the ride at 6:30 a.m. on Monday. Breaks were taken for meals and to use the bathroom, but contestants remained on the ride at all other times. The Airbender averages 43 miles per hour, and it reaches heights of 70 feet.
Salava’s last opponent quit at 2:35 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Among Salava’s winnings were a family cruise and $1,000 spending cash.
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