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Irish Times
26 minutes ago
- Irish Times
US Coast Guard says Titan submersible's ‘inadequate' design a primary factor in implosion
A US Coast Guard investigative board concluded on Tuesday that the 'inadequate design' of the Titan submersible was a primary contributing factor in its implosion in 2023 that left five people dead. The Titan was on a tourist expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic - a British passenger liner that sank in 1912, killing at least 1,500 on board - when it lost contact with its support vessel during descent. Its remains were found four days later, littering the seabed about 1,600ft (488 meters) from the bow of the Titanic wreck. The implosion was preventable, the chair of the US Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation, Jason Neubauer, said as a 300-page report was released following a two-year investigation. 'There is a need for stronger oversight and clear options for operators who are exploring new concepts outside of the existing regulatory framework,' he said in a statement. READ MORE A media spokesperson at OceanGate, the US-based company that managed the tourist submersible and suspended all operations after the incident, was not immediately available for comment. The board determined that the primary contributing factors were OceanGate's 'inadequate design, certification, maintenance and inspection process for the Titan'. It also cited 'a toxic workplace culture at OceanGate', an inadequate regulatory framework for submersibles and other novel vessels, and an ineffective whistleblower process. The report added 'for several years preceding the incident, OceanGate leveraged intimidation tactics, allowances for scientific operations, and the company's favorable reputation to evade regulatory scrutiny.' The board found that OceanGate failed to investigate and address known hull anomalies following its 2022 Titanic expedition. It said data from Titan's real-time monitoring system should have been analysed and acted on during that expedition. It also criticised OceanGate for failing to properly store the Titan before the 2023 Titanic expedition. - Reuters
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Giant 7ft dog, 2,500lb ‘Big Bill' the pig and TUNA bigger than a man – supersize beasts revealed after 22-inch rat found
There's even been colossal cats that can stretch over 4ft LARGER THAN LIFE Giant 7ft dog, 2,500lb 'Big Bill' the pig and TUNA bigger than a man – supersize beasts revealed after 22-inch rat found IF you thought a monstrous 22-inch rat was shocking, check out some of these oversized animals. Over the years people have been stunned by the likes of giant dogs, massive pigs - and even a tuna fish bigger than a fully-grown man. Advertisement 5 Oversized rat was found in a home in Redcar and Cleveland Supersize animals can come about for a number of reasons, such as genetics, evolution as they adapt to changes in the world and ease of access to more high calorie foods. Last week, a huge rat was found in a home in Redcar and Cleveland and left hundreds repulsed by a picture of it shared on social media by local politicians. Here are some other big beasts that have stunned the world. #1 Giant Great Danes 5 Great Dane called Tower made headlines a few years back Credit: Wales News Service Great Dane dogs are already known for their large size, usually coming in between 2ft 5in and 2ft 9in. Advertisement But there have been numerous examples that tower over that and every other dog breed. One such gentle giant was Major, who stood at just over 7ft. He made headlines in 2016, even appearing on This Morning, as well as being asked to go on TV across Japan, Australia and American. Major narrowly missed out on the world record by a few millimetres. Advertisement Sadly, the average lifespan for a Great Dane is only between eight to 10 years-old - and Major passed away in 2018 at the age of five and a half. #2 Big Bill the pig 5 People travelled from afar to see Big Bill Credit: Tennessee Agricultural Museum ..FACEBOOK Big Bill was one hell of a porker measuring in at 9ft long and weighed an unbelievable 2,550lb. That's about the same as a small car. Advertisement This Poland China hog breed was visited by people far and wide in the 1930s. Big Bill was meant to attend a World's Fair in Chicago but tragically didn't make it. The pig broke a leg due to his colossal weight and had to be put down as a result. #3 Fish bigger than a man 5 Huge 672lb tuna which was caught off the coast of Spain Credit: Newsflash/Almadraba La Azohia Advertisement There have been multiple whooping fish catches but imagine getting a 10ft tuna? The mammoth red tuna was caught in Spain and weighed a staggering 672lb. Fisherman sold it to a wholesaler, reportedly fetching £7.08 per kg, earning them some £2,158. #4 Big cats 5 Zeys is a giant 28lb Maine Coon that went viral online Credit: Instagram / @ Advertisement Dogs aren't the only pets to have surprised us all - cats have too. A few months ago Zeus, a 'majestic' Maine Coon, became a viral star for his massive frame and love of raw meat. When on his hind legs he stretches to an astonishing 4ft 3in. The super-sized feline lounges on a bed meant for a sled dog, high-fives on command, gives paw and even hits buttons for treats — but his floofy tail still spills off the edge. Advertisement
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Signpost: A guide to successful re-seeding
The main advantage of re-seeding grassland is that it increases both the quantity and quality of grass grown. Estimates vary, but new re-seeds should grow in the region of 20-40% more grass and importantly, a lot of this extra growth will occur in the spring and autumn. Increased animal performance, improved responsiveness to nitrogen and a great opportunity to establish clover are all additional benefits of reseeding. However, at roughly €400/acre it represents a significant investment, while also been without the field for between 5-8 weeks. Thus, the importance of a successful re-seed is vital. Drainage Before spending money on re-seeding any drainage issues must be addressed first. Drains should be cleaned and if shores are required, they should be installed. Ploughing can help with drainage and levelling badly damaged fields, but be aware that the 'good soil' with the high fertility is being buried and this may take some years to be built back up again. Grass varieties Use the Pasture Profit Index, PPI, to select suitable grass/clover varieties. These varieties have been tested under Irish conditions for important traits to Irish farmers, like spring/ autumn growth, herbage quality & grazing utilisation. In short, if the variety is not on the PPI list, it should not be used. Take some time to select varieties that are best suited to what you want the new sward to do, grazing, silage or a mix. Timing In general, the rule is, the earlier in the growing season re-seeding is done the better. The reason for this is that post-seeding management, grazing off the sward and post-spraying, can be difficult once we get into later into the year. Also, successful clover establishment is a lot easier with April or May re-seeding. Spraying A young grass/clover plant is not very strong and will struggle badly with competition from weeds. Thus, it is essential to spray off the old sward. Any of the glyphosate products are effective, but rates need to be carefully checked as they can differ a lot. Most of the products need 7+ days to fully absorb the chemical. After the plant is dead the sward can be cut for silage or grazed. Fertility Ensuring adequate Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) and Lime is essential for successful re-seeding. The most accurate way to judge a soil's requirement for these is to do a soil test, but this can take three weeks to get results back, so plan in advance. If the soil is not being ploughed and a min-till method is been used, i.e. discing or power harrowing, lime will need to be applied, 2t/ac, to counteract the acid that will be produced as the old sward decays. As a general rule of thumb, three bags of 10:10:20 per acre are required for re-seeding but this will depend on the soil test results and if a farm is allowed to buy in Phosphorus. FYM or slurry can both be used to reduce or replace bag fertiliser. Fine and firm seedbed There is sometimes a lot of debate about ploughing or using min-till. The decision will depend on a number of factors including cost, stoniness of ground, equipment available etc. All the methods can give excellent results, but the basic requirement does not change, which is a fine firm seedbed. After sowing, the field should be rolled to ensure good soil-to-seed contact and preserve the moisture in the soil. If clover is important make sure this is on the surface. Post spraying Thistles, nettles, red shank and docks commonly emerge after sowing. These should be sprayed, preferably with a clover-safe spray, five to six weeks after sowing, or when grass is at the two to three leaf stage. Pests like fruit fly and leather jackets can attack re-seeds and should be sprayed early if present. These tend to be more of a problem when there is a lot of trash left on the surface. Clover In more recent years, clover has become an increasingly important way to help agriculture to meet its environmental obligations. By supplying N to the sward that otherwise would be supplied by artificial N. Also, clover improves the mid-season digestibility of the sward, this helps to improve animal performance. If clover is to be targeted to be active in the new sward, particular care must be taken with post-emergence spray, soil fertility has to be high, and the sward has to be well grazed frequently with a low pre-grazing cover (less than 1,000kg/ha). Post-reseed grazing As a guide, graze the re-seed once the plants do not pull out of the ground. If weather allows, swards should be grazed by cows, as they will graze it off very quickly. However, if conditions are poor calves or sheep can be used, but try to get the field grazed as quickly as possible. It is very important that autumn reseeds are grazed before the first winter, to help ensure clover survival and avoid a very heavy cover the following spring. Re-seeding is an expensive investment, but in general, offers an excellent return on investment. However, for the investment to succeed attention to the above detail is vital, thus giving the young delicate grass/clover plant every chance to establish.
