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See the rare ‘doomsday' fish that washed up in Mexico

See the rare ‘doomsday' fish that washed up in Mexico

Yahoo20-02-2025

The Brief
A rare oarfish, known as the "doomsday fish," was spotted in shallow waters off Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Days earlier, a deep-sea anglerfish was filmed swimming in broad daylight off the Canary Islands—an equally unusual sighting.
Both creatures typically live thousands of feet below the ocean surface, making their recent appearances a rare occurrence.
LOS ANGELES - Beachgoers in Baja California Sur, Mexico, were in for a shock when they spotted an oarfish swimming in shallow waters—an extremely rare sighting given that the species typically resides between 660 to 3,300 feet below the ocean's surface.
Footage captured the long, ribbon-like fish with iridescent scales and red wispy fins, as one onlooker exclaimed, "No one's going to believe this!"
Just days earlier, another deep-sea giant made an unexpected appearance. A deep-sea anglerfish was filmed off the coast of the Canary Islands, swimming in broad daylight—an event so unusual that researchers say it may have never been recorded before at that depth.
RELATED: Watch: Deep-sea anglerfish's rare swim in shallow waters
Both creatures live in the deep, dark parts of the ocean, rarely coming up to the surface unless disoriented, injured, or dying.
The backstory
Throughout history, oarfish have been associated with superstition and disaster. According to legend, sightings of these deep-sea dwellers have been seen as omens of earthquakes, storms, or other natural disasters.
The nickname 'doomsday fish' comes from their tendency to surface before seismic events, though scientists have yet to find solid evidence connecting them to earthquakes.
Despite their serpent-like appearance, oarfish are harmless to humans and primarily feed on tiny ocean creatures like plankton.
Big picture view
Anglerfish typically live in complete darkness at depths of up to 6,500 feet. Their eerie appearance—featuring sharp teeth, a large mouth, and a bioluminescent lure—makes them one of the ocean's most fascinating predators.
RELATED: Rare oarfish swims on Mexican Beach: 'No one's going to believe this'
The recent sighting of an anglerfish swimming in daylight off the Canary Islands left marine experts stunned. The creature was filmed by Condrik Tenerife, a marine research group, which called it "a legendary fish that few people will have had the privilege of observing alive."
Most deep-sea anglerfish sightings come from either dead specimens washing up on shore or footage captured by deep-sea submarines—not from a live fish swimming near the ocean's surface.
Dig deeper
Experts aren't sure why two deep-sea creatures were spotted at the surface within days of each other. Some possible explanations include:
Changes in ocean currents or water temperatures affecting their usual habitat.
Disorientation due to illness or injury, leading them to shallower waters.
Natural life cycle events, as some deep-sea fish surface when near death.
While there's no evidence linking these sightings to impending disasters, their appearance so close together remains a fascinating mystery of the ocean.
The Source
The sightings were first reported by local beachgoers in Mexico and Condrik Tenerife, a marine research group. Additional details were provided by Oceana and past FOX reporting.

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Wisconsin puppy mill beagles suffer for human drug research
Wisconsin puppy mill beagles suffer for human drug research

Yahoo

time31-03-2025

  • Yahoo

Wisconsin puppy mill beagles suffer for human drug research

The Brief More than 4,000 beagles are born every year at Ridglan Farms near Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin; most sold to laboratories. Records show 40 healthy Ridglan dogs were sickened or killed in tick vaccine research at the University of Missouri in 2023. 38 Ridglan beagles were euthanized after being forced to inhale an experimental COVID-19 drug at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago in 2020. What we know MOUNT HOREB, Wis. - More than 4,000 beagle puppies are born every year on a remote Wisconsin farm about 30 minutes west of Madison. Some of them never leave. Records provided to FOX6 Investigators by a Ridglan Farms whistleblower show nearly 7% of the puppies born each year (275 beagles) die while still at Ridglan. In 2020, an outbreak of parvovirus caused a dramatic spike in deaths – 522 in all (12.9% of births). More than 300 of those deaths were attributed to "enteritus," an inflammation of the small intestine caused by the virus. Experts say parvo spreads between infected dogs and by ingesting contaminated food or water. An attorney for Ridglan Farms said the outbreak was "contained." "These dogs are being tortured from the moment they're born," said Justin Goodman, Vice President of the White Coat Waste Project, a non-profit that opposes government funding of animal research. "They're born to die." Dig deeper Even for the dogs that make it out of Ridglan Farms, Goodman said the future is bleak. "People need to know they're footing the bill for this," Goodman said. Public records obtained by his organization show the National Institutes of Health paid for the University of Missouri to buy 40 dogs from Ridglan Farms in 2023. Researchers at Mizzou used the dogs to test the safety and efficacy of a vaccine for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - a tick-borne disease that can be fatal to both dogs and humans. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android According to the study protocols, researchers shaved the beagles' fur to allow tick containment chambers to be glued directly to their skin. Those chambers were then filled with disease-ridden ticks that were allowed to "acquisition feed" on the dogs for several days. If the beagles tried to remove the chambers, researchers would stop them by placing an Elizabethan collar (commonly referred to as a 'cone of shame') around the neck. Some of the dogs at Mizzou received experimental vaccines to manage disease symptoms, but others in a control group were intentionally denied any form of treatment. Why you should care The USDA categorizes experiments by the level of pain experienced by the animals involved. Category A means no experiment was done. Category B involves no pain. Categories C and D involve increasing levels of pain or discomfort. And Category E involves tests that cause the most pain or distress and do not allow for any form of pain relief or symptom treatment. Six of the Ridglan dogs at Mizzou were classified in Category E. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News "So Ridglan is providing puppies for some of the most painful experimentation happening in this country," Goodman said. Dogs in the control group developed severe disease symptoms, but they weren't the only ones who suffered. In the end, 22 of the 40 dogs were sick enough that researchers decided the most "humane" thing to do was to have them euthanized. "This is torture," Goodman said. "And it should be prohibited whether it's happening in a laboratory or happening in someone's basement." What they're saying One University of Missouri spokesperson tells FOX6 "this research has important human and animal benefits." Another was quoted by the Columbia Daily Tribune lauding the "heroism" of the dogs who were tested and killed. "These dogs are not heroes," Goodman said. "They are victims." A pair of experiments (toxicity study; dosage study) at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago subjected 38 Ridglan beagles to forced inhalation of an experimental COVID-19 drug. The tests were intended to determine the maximum dose the dogs could withstand. After 15 days, all 38 dogs were euthanized. The principal investigator, David McCormick, said his research is intended to save human lives, and he called animal rights groups like the White Coat Waste Project "terrorists." "There's no terrorism happening here. It's documentation. It's a lot of research and investigating and reading and spreadsheets," said Rebekah Robinson, President of Dane4Dogs, an animal rights group fighting against research on beagles in Dane County, Wisconsin. Big picture view McCormick had agreed to do an on camera interview with FOX6 for this story, but declined after seeing Robinson appear on an episode of the FOX6 podcast, Open Record. "What would she prefer?" McCormick asked in an email. "Some dogs dying… or perhaps her mother or her sister or her daughter… from toxicity induced by an untested drug?" "That's such a false choice," Robinson said. "We don't have to choose between dogs and humans. There's modern technology out there that is readily available for use that should be used instead of dogs." McCormick said animal testing alternatives are not ready to replace the current system and won't be for another 10 to 20 years. "Maybe that's because we're still wasting 20 billion dollars a year on animal experimentation instead of investing that money in modern alternatives," Robinson said. Goodman is urging the Trump administration to cut funding for animal research and reinvest it in non-animal alternatives. In the meantime, Robinson is focused on trying to end the breeding of beagles at Ridglan Farms. "It is a tough fight," she said, "but the momentum is there. The general public does not want this to happen. They don't want dogs experimented on." What's next A special prosecutor appointed by a Dane County judge is still considering whether to file criminal charges against Ridglan Farms. LaCrosse County DA Tim Gruenke said he is reviewing existing records and cannot put a timeline on his decision. Meanwhile, investigations by the Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection are ongoing. Complete email statement submitted by: Ridglan Farms - Attorney on behalf of Ridglan University of Missouri (#1) - Travis Zimpfer University of Missouri (#2) - Travis Zimpfer Illinois Institute of Technology - Dr. David McCormick

Journalist unearths grandfather's Nazi past, shares all in powerful podcast
Journalist unearths grandfather's Nazi past, shares all in powerful podcast

Yahoo

time26-03-2025

  • Yahoo

Journalist unearths grandfather's Nazi past, shares all in powerful podcast

The Brief When Suzanne Rico dug into her family past, she discovered her grandfather, Robert Lusser, was a Nazi scientist. Lusser was the father of the Nazi V-1 flying bomb. Now, Rico has a podcast where she shares the story and confronts her family's history. LOS ANGELES - Tracing your roots can lead to a treasure trove of information. For one journalist it also meant a dark discovery. Along with celebrating her grandfather's NASA credentials, Suzanne Rico unearthed his shocking Nazi past. The backstory Sifting through a table covered with books and family albums, articles and old VHS tapes, Rico said "when I was a little kid my mom never told us any about this." Vintage family videos from Germany showed the grandfather she'd never met. An obituary article read "Robert Lusser: aviator, aircraft designer and father." SUGGESTED: World War II-era boat emerges from shrinking Lake Mead What's missing in that obit? "He was one of Hitler's top scientists," she says. Rico reacts "I get sick to my stomach." Rico's grandfather, Robert Lusser, was the father of the Nazi V-1 flying bomb. "He created the world's first cruise missile," said Rico. The V-1 was a weapon used against the allies in World War II. V-1 rockets killed thousands of people in Great Britain. Rico said it was "Germany's last weapon in the Second World War." What we know Rico now has a podcast telling this jarring family story. It's called The Man Who Calculated Death. The inspiration came as a dying wish from her mother more than a decade ago to complete an unfinished memoir. Her mother survived a bombing that killed Rico's grandmother, Lusser's wife. While still grieving the passing of her mother, Rico's journalism skill set kicked in. From 2002 to 2010, Rico was a morning news anchor at KCBS, Channel 2 in Los Angeles. After her era on air there, she spent 10 years digging into the family chapters untold. She called it "the hardest thing I've ever done." With the knowledge that says she also had to process generational guilt. SUGGESTED: WWII soldier's remains found, ending family's 80-year search: 'He's a hero' Her grandfather was not among those charged with war crimes. Lusser, in fact, would end up in America. "Finally in 1948, the Americans found him and brought him over," Rico said. Lusser was recruited for "Operation Paperclip," a secret U.S. intelligence program that brought Nazi scientists to America. The U.S.' adversary was the Soviet Union, and the race to space was on. Lusser died in 1969. Rico still has questions, particularly, "Was he a Nazi in his heart, or was he just a brilliant airplane designer born in the wrong time and place?" Big picture view Rico also had to face another reality of that time: the Holocaust and the genocide of 6 million Jews by Nazi Germany and collaborators. Rico's husband is Jewish and they have two children. Rick said that during her research, "all I could think about was my husband and family and my children." Rico has also befriended a Holocaust survivor. She says she apologized for her grandfather's role in the Nazi war machine. The podcast The Man Who Calculated Death is available wherever you find your podcasts. It has just received a national Gracie award. The Source Information in this story is from interviews with Suzanne Rico, and her podcast, The Man Who Calculated Death.

NASA spacecraft set for second close encounter with the sun—what it hopes to learn
NASA spacecraft set for second close encounter with the sun—what it hopes to learn

Yahoo

time22-03-2025

  • Yahoo

NASA spacecraft set for second close encounter with the sun—what it hopes to learn

The Brief NASA's Parker Solar Probe is making its second of three planned close passes through the sun's outer atmosphere. The spacecraft will reach speeds of 430,000 mph, making it the fastest human-made object. Scientists hope the mission will help explain why the sun's outer atmosphere is far hotter than its surface. LOS ANGELES - NASA's Parker Solar Probe is set to make another daring plunge through the sun's outer atmosphere, continuing its mission to unlock the secrets of our star. This will be the probe's second of three planned passes through the solar corona, the superheated outer layer of the sun that remains one of astronomy's biggest mysteries. The spacecraft, launched in 2018, is expected to reach record speeds of 430,000 mph (690,000 kph) during its closest approach, making it the fastest human-made object ever built. Since the flyby occurs in an area where real-time communication is impossible, NASA won't receive data from Parker until Tuesday afternoon. The backstory The Parker Solar Probe was designed to get closer to the sun than any spacecraft in history. Its mission is to study the solar wind, the continuous stream of charged particles that flows from the sun and affects space weather throughout the solar system. One of the biggest puzzles Parker hopes to solve is why the sun's corona is hundreds of times hotter than its surface—a phenomenon that defies conventional physics. By flying directly through this intense region, Parker is gathering data that could help scientists better predict solar storms, which can impact satellites, communication networks, and power grids on Earth. By the numbers To withstand this extreme environment, Parker is equipped with a 4.5-inch-thick (11.4 cm) carbon-composite heat shield, which keeps its instruments at a safe operating temperature despite the intense heat outside. The spacecraft will fly within 3.8 million miles (6 million kilometers) of the sun, much closer than any previous mission. It will reach speeds of 430,000 mph (690,000 kph), fast enough to travel from Los Angeles to New York in about 20 seconds. The sun's corona, where Parker is flying, can reach temperatures of several million degrees Fahrenheit. What we know Previous flybys have already provided unprecedented insights into how solar wind is generated and how the sun's magnetic field behaves. The latest close encounter will build on that data, potentially offering new clues about: Why the corona is so much hotter than the sun's surface. How solar wind is accelerated to supersonic speeds. What triggers powerful solar storms that can impact Earth. What we don't know Despite decades of research, scientists still don't fully understand the mechanisms behind these phenomena. The more Parker Solar Probe can observe, the better researchers can predict and mitigate space weather effects on Earth. What's next After this flyby, Parker will make one more close pass through the corona in the coming months before continuing its long-term mission. NASA plans to gradually bring the probe even closer to the sun over time, eventually reaching within 3.83 million miles (6.16 million kilometers) by 2025. With each encounter, Parker is expected to deliver even more groundbreaking data, helping scientists unravel the mysteries of the sun and improve our ability to predict space weather events. The Source This report is based on NASA's official mission updates and previous findings from the Parker Solar Probe. Additional information has been sourced from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and mission scientists.

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