RenoVous

  Over 400 million years ago, boiling rocks from the Earth's crust tore an ocean into Mongolia. Known as a mantle plume, this stream of hot, buoyant rock is typically the first stage of the Wilson cycle - the process by which supercontinents break apart and come together. The volcanic rocks that were found in Mongolia are from the Devonian period, when Pangaea consisted of Laurasia and Gondwana.  The plume actually hit a weak spot, where crust had previously come together through accretion. The researchers say the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean was probably similar to what is seen today at the Red Sea, where the crust is spreading about 1 centimeter per year.  In tens of millions of years, the rift could create a brand new ocean in eastern Africa.

  Indigenous to South America, the pineapple has been cultivated for centuries, as far back as 1200 BC in Peru. It carries deep rooted cultural significance as well, symbolizing warmth and welcome.  In the Caribbean, it represents friendship. Christopher Columbus was the first European to encounter the fruit, and he brought it back to Spain, calling it piña de Indes, pine of the Indians. It was later documented in 1568, when French explorer Andrè Thevet wrote of the Tupinamba people, living near modern day Rio de Janeiro, who cultivated and ate Hoyriri.  The natives must have recognized the health benefits - packed with Vitamin C and bromelain (which aids in digestion and reduces inflammation) as well as manganese. In the Philippines, the long leaves' fibers were used to weave fabrics that were a luxury export. Pineapples are pollinated primarily by hummingbirds, with some pollinated at night by bats.  Night is also when the pineapple carries out CAM photosynthesis -...

  June is Pride Month in honor of the  Stonewall Riots , and the month has remained important for gay rights. On this day in 2003, the  Lawrence v. Texas  decision struck down Texas sodomy laws, along with similar laws in 13 other states.   The case started in 1998 when police responded to reports of someone brandishing a gun.  Upon entering the apartment, Lawrence was arrested under a 'Homosexual Conduct' law.  The ruling is based more on a right to privacy, but effectively legalized same-sex sexual activity. In 2015, Obergefell v. Hodges  determined same-sex marriages must be recognized nationwide. Jim Obergefell and John Arthur had been married in Maryland, where it had been legalized at the state level, but was not recognized by Ohio authorities. "The right to marry is a fundamental right inherent in the liberty of the person, and under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment couples of the same sex may no...

 Suddenly I'm seeing Chappell Roan everywhere, but I haven't had a listen yet. I'm feeling Lana del Rey with like, some Kate Bush. Femininomenon. Her stage name is in honor of her Grandpa Chappell, and his favorite classic cowboy song, "The Strawberry Roan." The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

  Anitta FKA Twigs Anok Yai Katy Perry Becky G Colman Domingo Ashley Park Sabrina Carpenter Anna Cleveland Venus Williams Bonus Video!

 Nilpena Ediacara National Park in Australia is home to the oldest fossils in the world. Millions of years ago, the Southern outback was part of the coastline, and a shallow seabed teeming with some of the first lifeforms on the planet - ediacaran biota.  These were mostly tubular and frond-shaped, immobile. "There are around 60 places in the world that have Ediacara fossils...  Elsewhere, you might be looking at a few individual specimens, but here, we're pulling out whole sections of the sea floor and piecing it back together," reports Kim Geue, the ranger in charge. Whole ecosystems are being revealed, containing tens of thousands of preserved specimens. The Australian government is pushing to have the surrounding Flinders Ranges designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  Nothing better than some cool water on a hot day. Be that the Truckee River, or our desert reservoirs. Sun Dogs.  ^_^ Official solstice is at 1:50pm Pacific Time.

  Today has long been celebrated in black communities and households, but only recently has the whole of the country recognized the importance of this second independence day. The Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery as of January 1, 1863.  But not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free.  It was not until Union soldiers arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas on June 19, 1865 that those in the westernmost Confederate state were decreed free. The following period, known as Reconstruction, marked an era of great hope - African Americans were inspired to transform their lives and their country.  The historical legacy of this day, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is the value of never giving up hope. Here  the museum offers some resources to "embrace the rich history of Freedom Day." When Nevada became a state in 1864, slavery was abolished, but African Americans were unable to vote until the 15th amendment wa...

  Entering the tunnel, with mural by the Lahontan Audubon Society. Basque Sheepherder Monument If you're in town and looking for something different to eat, I recommend Louie's Basque Corner.

  Ariana DeBose Cynthia Erivo Idina Menzel Sarah Paulson Alicia Keys Daniel Radcliffe and Erin Darke Nicole Scherzinger Angelina Jolie Alyah Scott Billy Porter

  The oldest known marine plant has been discovered in the Baltic Sea, at 1400 years old. This seagrass, known as eelgrass, produces ramets, an individual member of a clone that can separate and become capable of independence. Genetic variation within these ramets can be used to age them, using a genetic clock.  As mutations occur they become fixed and accumulate in descendant ramets.  The clock compares the plant to the descendants and ages it based on their differences. The team is continuing their study and expect to find even older seagrass. This is all part of an ongoing effort in the scientific community to locate and document the oldest of living things before they're possibly gone forever.

  I'm not entirely sure what all is happening in this design, but I wear it for my niece.  She's really been getting into softball and I hope she sticks with it. Softball was not created to be women's baseball - it was to be played indoors, so baseball could be enjoyed year-round.  This is why the field and diamond are smaller, not to make it easier. The balls are 3 inches bigger than a baseball, and less dense. The current fastpitch record is 77mph. The College World Series recently concluded, with Oklahoma taking the win for the 4th year in a row. I played on a local co-ed team a few years ago, just for fun for adults, and it was a lot of fun.

  Quite a few bits of history from today are on the morbid side. 1942: Anne Frank receives a diary for her 13th birthday.  A beautiful gift in itself, but knowing what she endured as she filled those pages, and what an important testament it is now.... 1963: Civil rights leader, Medgar Evers, is assassinated by a white supremacist.  He had been instrumental in getting evidence and witnesses for the Emmett Till murder case.  Unlike Till's killers, Evers' was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. 1982: The largest disarmament rally in America takes place in Central Park, with more than one million people protesting nuclear weapons and the Cold War arms race. 1994: Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman are murdered, fatally stabbed multiple times. 2016: Mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Miami, where 49 people were killed and dozens more injured.  A predominantly gay club, it appeared as both a hate crime and an act of terrorism.  The shooter had called 9...

  Lynx are a medium-sized feline known for their tufted ears.  Their fur color varies depending on their habitat, but often marked with dark brown spots. The Eurasian lynx is the largest, and is native to European, Central Asian, and Siberian forests. The Iberian lynx is native to the peninsula in Southern Europe. The Canadian lynx, (above photo), also roams into Alaska and parts of the northern U.S. Most common in the U.S. is the bobcat, or red lynx.  Two subspecies are recognized, one being east of the Great Plains, and the other west. Bobcats are protected in Nevada and can be found in nearly any part of the state. Since the 70's, conservation efforts have been in place, particularly for the Eurasian lynx, with reintroduction projects that have increased their numbers. The Iberian lynx is still considered endangered and the Canadian lynx is threatened.

  Jodie Turner Smith Olivia Cooke Nicola Coughlan Mindy Kaling Helen Mirren Quinta Brunson And some picks from the Daytime Emmy Awards. Kelly Clarkson Danielle Pinnock Zooey Deschanel Jennifer Hudson