RenoVous

  On May 3, 2022 on the coast of Papua New Guinea, scientists encountered a walking shark. Using its fins to shimmy across a tide pool with barely enough water for its belly, these epaulette sharks have found a food source not available to any other shark. They like to hang out in the pools munching food, and instead of being stuck, waiting for the tide to come in, they've learned to climb up in the reef and move to another pool.  They can also move themselves about 100 feet on dry land, spending up to an hour in a single breath. The species is also found on the northern coast of Australia, and while I found an older video documenting the shark, this marks the first time that the Papuan species has been recorded. A clip for the new special. Live Science

  That's pretty much every news source's headline about the video caught by pilot, Dustin Maggard. Guesses ranged from volcanic activity to alien invasion, even reference to Stranger Thing's "Upside Down." In reality, the light comes from fishing ships, to attract saury. The glow can even be seen from the International Space Station. I have some work training to do today so I had to keep it short and sweet!  :-)

 First we took a drive to check out some water spots. We ended up in Tahoe. Then back in town for some Reno Pride. Performance by Derrick Barry.

Peace is the breath of our spirit. It wells up from within the depths of our being to refresh, to heal, to inspire. Peace is our birthright. Its eternal presence exists within us as a memory of where we have come from and as a vision of where we yearn to go. Our world is in the midst of change. For millennia, we have contemplated, reasoned, and practiced the idea of peace. Yet the capacity to sustain peace eludes us. To transcend the limits of our own thinking we must acknowledge that peace is more than the cessation of conflict. For peace to move across the face of the earth we must realize, as the great philosophers and leaders before us, that all people desire peace. We hereby acknowledge this truth that is universal. Now humanity must desire those things that make for peace. We affirm that peace is an idea whose time has come. We call upon humanity to stand united, responding to the need for peace. We call upon each individual to create and foster a personal vision for peace. We ca...

  Vanessa Hudgens Ana de Armas Joey King Lupita Nyong'o Yara Shahidi Aubrey Plaza Chris Evans Gigi Hadid Brandon Perea Once again, Issa Rae defies what should look ridiculous...

  I came across a really neat science art today, such as the above "Hyphae Lamp." The design is based on how veins form in leaves. The Seed Lamp, based on microscopic imagery. A Dendrite Brooch. Algal Bloom Pendant. This design represents the pattern of sutures in fossilized ammonites, extinct relatives of the octopus.  These sutures are "complex, fractal boundaries that separate the chambers of the ammonite's shell." This series is called Porifera, inspired by deep-sea dwelling glass sponges. The creation process uses algorithms and fabrication tech with the help of 3D printers and photoelectrical etching. They also have some amazing looking puzzles. Nervous System

 This felt timely because I just recently saw a number of posts about overcrowded shelters, the need for adoption and fostering, volunteers even for morning walks. So the aim of this day is to bring awareness to puppy mills and their connection to pet stores that sell dogs, cats and rabbits. It all started with crop failures in the Midwest following WWII.  The US Department of Agriculture encouraged farmers to pack dogs into chicken coops and sell them to pet stores. Of course other people got involved once the profits to be had were seen, which has led to bad breeding.  Some animals suffer from hereditary conditions not diagnosed or revealed, and the conditions they are kept in can be atrocious. There are heart-wrenching stories out there. ASPCA Petition Goldie's Act Please. Adopt.  Rescue.

  Now a museum in the Historic Centre of Florence, Italy, it was built in 1560 for Cosimo I de' Medici to accommodate offices for the Florentine magistrates, but the top floor was used to house Medici's art collections. When the House of Medici dissolved in 1737, their last heir gave the collection to the city.  In 1765 it was officially opened to the public and formally became a museum in 1865. From the collection: The oldest Arab celestial globe, made in 1085. Galileo's lens, which he used to observe Jupiter's moons, 1610. Frog thermometers from 1657. They were also patrons of Agnolo Bronzini.  Cosimo I commissioned this portrait in 1537. And this portrait of Giovanni de' Medici from 1560. In 1617, the family was gifted Madonna and Child  by Correggio, from the Duke of Modena. In 1620 they received Raphael's Veiled Lady  from the Botti family. Museum Exhibitions

  Also known as an owl parrot, these are large flightless birds endemic to New Zealand. Their short wings are for balance, and their feathers are much too soft to be able to support flight. They have strong legs though that get them around, even able to climb trees.  Then they use their wings as a parachute to return to the ground. Google is celebrating their Street View feature today which includes a walk-through of their forest sanctuaries. Here These birds are critically endangered, but increasing.  Thanks to recovery plans and conservation efforts, they're being moved to predator-free islands with habitat protections. Before mammals such as cats, rats, and stoats were introduced, the kakapo only had to worry about the eagles from above.  Their defense mechanism is to freeze and blend in with the background, but the mammals can smell them, and they have no way to protect themselves. Here's a nest cam from earlier this year. Facts

  Issa Rae Selena Gomez From Miami Swim Week Word is that crochet is the summer trend. Katie Holmes Men too. This extends to beach bags and purses as well. In other trends, the white tank top returns. Chris Evans Kaia Gerber And I keep seeing Dua Lipa referenced for her summer style. She believes in long gloves for all seasons.

 #FossilFriday This is a 500 million year old fossil of Stanleycaris hirpex , found in the Burgess Shale.  It is one of 84 exceptional specimens found by the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada. These fossils include three eyes and visible brains, and they're even able to make out fine details such as visual processing centers. The species was a Radiodont, whose closest living relatives are arthropods. What they've noticed in the brain are two components - one connected to the eyes and the other to frontal claws, which are depicted in this artist representation. Since modern arthropods have three sectors, this is an important piece of the evolutionary chain. IFL Science