Latest news with #NatGeo
UPI
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: NatGeo's 25-hour SharkFest programming block includes 'Jaws @ 50'
SharkFest 2025 is set to air on NatGeo next month. File Photograph by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo June 9 (UPI) -- National Geographic Channel's 25-hour SharkFest programming block will include the premiere of the documentary Jaws @ 50 on July 10. Jaws @ 50 is a documentary marking the 50th anniversary of the film Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss. The doc explores the making of Jaws and its impact. "This year's SharkFest features leading marine scientists and experts, offering critical insights into shark behavior and how we can coexist with these extraordinary creatures," NatGeo said in a press release Monday. "From myth-busting science to cinematic underwater adventure, SharkFest is a global deep dive into the awe-inspiring world of sharks. From California shores to the seas down under in Australia, SharkFest will take viewers on an epic ocean adventure across the globe." Sharks Up Close with Bertie Gregory premieres on July 5. The same night, two six-part nightly series -- Investigation Shark Attack and Super Shark Highway -- will kick off. Sharks of the North is set for July 12 and Shark Quest: Hunt for the Apex Predator is to air on July 13.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Health
- USA Today
Stinging and 'wicked' Asian needle ants are spreading across the US
Stinging and 'wicked' Asian needle ants are spreading across the US Asian needle ants have been linked to multiple cases of life-threatening reactions and the mysterious ants keep spreading. Show Caption Hide Caption See Nat Geo's photo challenge winners National Geographic wildlife filmmaker Bertie Gregory announced the winners of a photo challenge celebrating the Earth's beauty. An invasive species of stinging, carnivorous ants have been slowly spreading in about 20 states. Last year at least three cases of life-threatening anaphylactic reactions were reported in Georgia, making this little (and little-known) insect a growing problem. "Asian needle ants" will reach their yearly peak numbers in July and August, but it will still be tough to spot them, even if you get stung by one. They are so small and blend in so well that stings often occur when someone — perhaps while gardening or moving wood – unknowingly disturbs them. "Imagine somebody inserting a needle directly into your flesh," said Benoit Guénard, a professor of ecology and entomology at the University of Hong Kong who studied the ants in North Carolina. "It's a very sharp, acute pain but it's quite local." Tracking them has long been a challenge, but researchers now say the spread of the Asian needle ant shouldn't be ignored. "They're pretty widespread on the East coast," said. Daniel Suiter, a professor of urban entomology at the University of Georgia. "If you live in an area which is dominated by hardwood trees, there's a good chance there are Asian needle ants underfoot." For some, the stings can be life-threatening. For others, it's an unusual pain that can come and go for hours. That's just one of the mysteries of Brachyponera chinensis — roughly translated as "short, wicked ant from China" - though they're actually native to China, Japan and the Koreas. Hard to track, hard to kill The invasive insect was first discovered in the United states in 1932 in Decatur, Georgia, but was only recognized as a serious pest in the past two decades as it began to spread significantly throughout the southeast. Now it's found as far north as Connecticut and as far south as Florida, as well as in Wisconsin and Washington state, according to the site There are reports they have also appeared in Texas. These ants are carnivorous, seeking out prey such as flies, beetles, grasshoppers and their favorites: termites. Given their hunting habits, they don't lay down scent trails as some ants do, making it difficult to track them back to their colonies and eradicate. "Most ants are in-your-face invasive, they lay a pheromone trail to get to food. You can't miss an ant trail that's half an inch wide," said Suiter. "These remain hidden." The dark brown ants live in colonies in leaf litter, rotted logs, firewood and mulch. They often occur in residential settings, including parks, and urban areas, finding homes and under railroad ties, logs, bricks, and pavers. They can also nest in potted plants, under wood piles, and in lawns. "People are most often stung when they're working in their garden," said Theresa Dellinger, a diagnostician at the insect identification lab at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. "Nobody likes to be putting in their bedding plants and then suddenly have unexpected pain." The worker ants' bodies are about 0.2 inches long, small, dark and shiny but with lighter orange legs and antennae. "They have a long jaw and a big stinger on the business end," Dellinger said. Although they're relatively long and thin, the "needle" in their name actually comes from their Japanese name, Oo-hari-ari, which means "giant needle ant' and refers to size of their stinger, she said. It's very possible to learn to live with Asian needle ants, just as we've learned to live with bees, said Andrew Johnston, an insect diagnostician at Purdue University's Department of Entomology. "They're not aggressive, they don't swarm the way fire ants do," he said. "Wear gloves and pay attention to what you're grabbing." Because the ants like to live in moist areas and around wood, keeping loose logs and firewood up off the ground so they stay dry is one way to avoid infestations, said Suiter. And if you're sensitive to insect stings, suggests Dellinger, "carry an EpiPen." A painful, long-lasting sting Guénard has been stung by many different ant and insect species but said Asian needle ants are the only ones he knows of where the pain is very acute at first, then disappears and then can come back over and over again. "The first, initial pain lasted a few seconds. Then about five minutes later, when the pain had eased, I felt 'ouch!' as if somebody had stung me again in the same place. The pain continues to reoccur in the same place, it disappears and then comes back," said Guénard. "For me, it goes on for about two hours," he said. "But I know in some people it lasts for as much as 24 to 48 hours." In a small number of cases it can also be deadly. The sting can cause allergic reactions and in 1% of victims, the venom can result in deadly anaphylactic shock. Decades of mystery There's a lot researchers don't yet understand about why these invasive ants only began to significantly spread in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s. Native to China, Japan and Korea, the Asian needle ant was first identified in Georgia in 1932 but probably arrived here well before that. "It's very likely the ants were introduced in the early 20th century because by 1934 they were already found in three states, so clearly they hadn't just arrived," Guénard said. Because they live in dirt and mulch, Guénard speculates that they might have come into the United States in the root balls of trees being imported from Asia. What puzzles researchers is the timing of their spread. The ants remained relatively localized well into the 1970s, research shows. In 1962 a very thorough inventory of the ants of North Carolina was conducted by entomologist W. G. Carter. "He never found them," said Guénard. Then between 1991 and 2017, Asian needle ants spread across North Carolina and are now found across the state. "Something happened," Guénard said. "I could not tell you exactly what." The spread of this invasive species is causing ecological damage as they spread, research shows. Because they are predators, Asian needle ants hunt native insects that have evolved to have important roles in local ecosystems. For example, while no one wants termites in their home, in the forest they are critical part in the health of the woods. "They're very important because they help with the decomposition of dead wood and other organic matter," Guénard said. Research has also shown that local native ants are an important part of seed dispersal for some plant and tree species. If the Asian needle ants take over their territory, the seeds don't get spread. "The seeds just die rather than being dispersed," he said. As the climate warms and becomes wetter in some areas, the extent of where these ants can thrive is growing and they're expected to invade new regions. The amount of North America that could become suitable is expected to increase as much as 75% over the next 50 or so years, according to Guénard's previous research. How dangerous are Asian needle ants? Asian needle ants aren't as aggressive as fire ants and will mostly just run away when they encounter humans. However, they will defensively sting if they feel pressure, for example from someone reaching into a pile of wood, mulch or soil near their nest. The ants can pose a health risk because their venom can produce allergic reactions in some individuals. Virginia Tech encourages anyone who is allergic to bee stings to seek immediate medical attention if they begin to experience breathing problems or other allergic reactions after being stung by an Asian needle ant. A survey of people who live in an ant-habitat area of Korea found that 2.1% of those bitten experienced systemic allergic reactions, including 1.2% who went into anaphylaxis. The danger appeared to be highest in people who had experienced repeated stings over time. There is no national repository of Asian needle ant health problems, but when Guénard maintained a website about the insects while he was conducting research in North Carolina, he received reports of 21 cases of health problems, in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington. D. C. Of those case, at least 12 individuals reported having severe allergic reactions including anaphylactic shock. The cases involved people moving logs, gardening and even while swimming, when young female ants flying to establish new colonies fell into swimming pools. The stinging events were especially frequent during the summer swarming period from April to September, with a peak in May to July. In Georgia, Suiter got three calls about cases of anaphylactic shock after Asian needle ant stings last year. "I fully expect that some people who end up in the emergency room were stung by them but didn't realize it," he said. There is concern that people who are hypersensitive to other stinging insects may be at an increased risk of anaphylaxis from Asian needle ants. Symptoms reported by the USDA can include: Skin reactions include hives, itching, and flushed or pale skin. Low blood pressure (hypotension). Constriction of the airway, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Swollen tongue or throat. Weak and rapid pulse. Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Dizziness or fainting. Psychological symptoms, such as a feeling of impending doom. Unlike stings from invasive fire ants, the sting of an Asian needle ant does not produce a blister. What can you do about Asian needle ants This particular variety of ant is more difficult to eradicate than other ant species because they don't lay pheromone trails that can be disrupted or easily used to get the ants to take poison back to their nests. Instead they use a process known as tandem carrying. "One worker ant will pick up another worker ant and drag it over to the food source to show it where it is," Dellinger said. That makes baiting them difficult, especially because their colonies – typically fairly small and flat – are hard to spot. "We suggest a protein-based bait for this species, and it can take some time for these ants to take the poison back to the colony," she said. So far there is no formalized management recommendation for the species. One study published found good luck with using bait that included extracts from termite skin. Dellinger said broad spraying isn't helpful and will actually harm other important garden species. "Try to treat the nest," she said. Management, rather than eradication, is the goal. That can include removing mulch in areas where the ants might pose a problem, elevating woodpiles so they're not damp underneath, carefully watching for colonies (which can take time) and only baiting areas where there are definitely ants. It's also not easy to identify the Asian needle ants as they look similar to other ant species. "There are a lot of ants out there," Dellinger said. "We get out the microscope." She recommended contacting the local agricultural extension if identification isn't certain. "It's a free service and they can help identify what's on your property."
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
How to watch 'Ocean with David Attenborough' online from anywhere
"After almost 100 years on the planet," says the world's most famous naturalist in "Ocean with David Attenborough", "I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea." His latest film – a theatrical release in May to coincide with his 99th birthday – is available to watch and stream from June 7. Here's how to watch "Ocean with David Attenborough" online from anywhere with a VPN. ► U.S. date and time: "Ocean with David Attenborough" premieres on National Geographic on Saturday, June 7 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT and be available to stream globally the next day.• U.S. — NatGeo via Sling TV or Fubo | Disney+ or Hulu• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN And that message is the need to help the ocean recover from the effects of unprecedented challenges such as destructive fishing techniques and mass coral reef bleaching because a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing. The tone is as serious as you would expect but not downbeat. The celebrated broadcaster and filmmaker has lived through the great age of ocean discovery and takes us through spectacular sequences featuring coral reefs, kelp forests and the majesty of the open ocean. He then draws on a lifetime of knowledge to reveal how Earth's vast, interconnected waterways can be restored. Here's everything you need to watch "Ocean with David Attenborough" online from wherever you are. If you're not at home in the U.S. when "Ocean with David Attenborough" streams, you can still tune in via a virtual private network, or VPN. A VPN makes it appear that you're surfing the web from your home location — meaning that you can access the streaming services you already pay for. It's all totally legal and easy to do. We've tested many different VPN services and our favorite is NordVPN; it offers superb speeds, excellent customer service and a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out first to see if it's right for you. But you've got other VPN options too, so check out our full list of the best VPN services. There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN. We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate best. It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services, it's fast and it has top-level security features too. With over 7,000 servers, across 110+ countries, and at a great price too, it's easy to recommend. Get 70% off NordVPN with this deal Using a VPN is incredibly simple. 1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the U.K. and want to view a U.S. service, you'd select U.S. from the list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to your service and stream "Ocean with David Attenborough" online from wherever you happen to be. "Ocean with David Attenborough" premieres on National Geographic on Saturday, June 7 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT and will be available to stream globally the next day ("World Oceans Day") on Disney+ and Hulu. Don't have cable and want to tune in to future Nat Geo shows? If you've cut the cord, try Sling TV. The Sling Blue package costs from $40 per month and comes with more than 30 channels including National Geographic. Best of all, Sling is offering 50% off the first month. Fubo is another option. A Pro Plan costs $75 per month but gives you 121 channels, including National Geographic. Traveling outside the U.S.? You can always use a VPN — we recommend NordVPN — to watch Hulu from anywhere on the planet. Sling TV offers two packages, both of which start from $40 a month. You'll either Sling Blue or Sling Blue + Orange to watch "Ocean with David Attenborough" on National Geographic. Plus, right now, Sling is offering your first month for HALF PRICE!. If you love TV, you might want to check out Fubo. It's got a 7-day free trial so you don't need to pay upfront and has dozens of sports channels, including National Geographic, NBC, USA and NBCSN via its $79.99 per month Pro Plan. "Ocean with David Attenborough" will drop on National Geographic and Disney Plus in the U.K. on Sunday, June 8 (World Oceans Day). Disney Plus subscriptions in the UK start at £4.99 per month (with Ads). You'll find NatGeo on Sky (channel 129), Virgin Media (channel 266), BT (channel 317) and TalkTalk (channel 317). Don't forget: U.S. nationals visiting the U.K. who don't want to wait that long can use a good VPN to access their usual streaming services from abroad. We recommend NordVPN. As with the U.K., "Ocean with David Attenborough" will drop on National Geographic and Disney Plus in Australia on Sunday, June 8 (World Oceans Day). A Disney Plus Subscription costs from $13.99 per month or $139.99 annually. However, if you are Down Under for work or on vacation, don't despair. You only need a VPN to access your usual provider back home and catch the show. We recommend NordVPN. It was to coincide with Attenborough's 99th birthday. The streaming release dates a month later tie-in with 'World Oceans Day', June's United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 in Nice, France, and midway through the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). 'My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man. In this film, we share some of those wonderful discoveries, uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can be restored to health. This could be the moment of change. Nearly every country on Earth has just agreed, on paper, to achieve this bare minimum and protect a third of the ocean. Together, we now face the challenge of making it happen.' We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
BBC Content Chief Latest: Race To Replace Charlotte Moore Nears Final Two, As Zai Bennett Drops Out & New Candidates Emerge
EXCLUSIVE: In around a week's time, the contest to replace BBC content boss Charlotte Moore will become a two-person run-off. Before then, we are told there are around five to six candidates in the mix. Two of those are believed to be frontrunner Kate Phillips and BBC iPlayer and channels boss Dan McGolpin. Another pair are understood to be Nat Geo's Tom McDonald and a new name, David Brindley, the Chief Creative Officer of Destination X producer Twofour. There is thought to be at least one other dark horse candidate, possibly two. The BBC declined to comment. More from Deadline Biden Blasts Trump Over "False" Claims That Aides Ran Country During His Presidency; Current POTUS Admits He Has No Proof For Allegation - Update BBC Condemns Israel After IDF Soldiers Strip-Searched & Detained Journalists At Gunpoint BBC & RTÉ Order Two Seasons Of Aidan Gillen-Starring Comedy Crime Drama 'Tall Tales & Murder' From Chris Addison & Stuart Carolan One person we can reveal is no longer in the running is BBC Studios productions boss Zai Bennett, who becomes the latest to exit from what has been a twisty-turny race to replace BBC content supremo Moore – who has exited to join Sony. Previously deemed a frontrunner, Bennett has always been positioned as a strong candidate but has just got his feet under the table at BBC Studios, initiating a major restructure in the past few weeks and bringing in several new lieutenants. He is the latest big name to exit the race, following the likes of Banijay UK boss Patrick Holland, Netflix's Anne Mensah and Apple TV+ executive Jay Hunt. In around a week to 10 days' time, Deadline understands the remaining candidates will be whittled down to two, at which point they will be grilled in front of an interview panel of senior BBC executives, likely including Director General Tim Davie. Unscripted supremo Phillips remains the one to beat, with BBC insiders and highly-regarded producers pulling for her to get the job. A Netflix-shaped spanner was thrown in the works earlier this week with a report in UK TV trade Broadcast that said she is being wooed by the streamer. Deadline revealed the exit of Netflix unscripted head Ben Kelly several weeks back. Netflix UK is on quite the tear and the Broadcast article dropped on the day the SVoD poached Channel 4's film and TV drama boss Ollie Madden. McGolpin is no less senior than Phillips but Phillips has the programme-making chops and has been acting up in Moore's place over the past few months. McDonald and Brindley are old friends from BBC commissioning, where they successfully ran the specialist factual and factual entertainment departments respectively for several years. The highly-rated McDonald has been touted as a possible Moore replacement since the contest began. He has handy experience working in the States as Disney-owned Nat Geo's EVP Global Factual & Unscripted and has worked with huge stars including David Attenborough and Idris Elba. He is known, however, to have built a life in America and is happy in his current role. Twofour's Brindley is thought to be one of the other contenders. He has been overseeing a successful period for the ITV Studios-owned indie that has included landing the £20M ($27M) contract to make Destination X for the BBC and NBC, new BBC reality franchise I Kissed a Boy/Girl and a historic third series for Apple TV+ doc The Reluctant Traveler. As with McDonald, Brindley is thought to be happy in his current employ. Notably, Phillips, McDonald and Brindley skew heavily unscripted, leaving the feeling that there could still be a big name from the drama world to emerge. Led by search firms Grace Blue and Ibison, the process is moving quickly, with the BBC appearing keen to have a name in place after Moore left the building last week. Moore will become CEO of The Crown producer Left Bank Pictures and creative director of international production at Sony Pictures Television. Stay tuned for more. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Seabirds in trouble due to fewer sand eel and sprat
The unassuming little sand-eel keeps a low profile. We haven't even got its name right — this is not an eel, nor is it closely related to eels. However, sand-eel and sprat are 'keystone species' which support a unique marine eco-system, as recent declines in their numbers show. Even great whales, the largest animals ever to have lived, gorge themselves on these little creatures. Puffins, guillemots, and kittiwakes are not only partial to sand-eel and sprat, they rear their chicks on them. We have several sand-eel species in Irish waters. Skinny plankton-feeders up to 30 centimetres long, they swim in great shoals from May to September, burrowing into sand when danger threatens. Fishermen use sand-eels as bait, but we don't eat them. They were not, therefore, harvested traditionally. That has changed... they are now being fished on an industrial scale to supply the fish-meal, pet-food, and salmon-farming industries. Critics claim that the slaughter is altering the habits of whales and leading to food-shortages among seabirds. The seas, in some areas, are becoming 'marine deserts'. Puffins and kittiwakes depend heavily on sandeels for food during the breeding season. Picture: RSPB But there's a caveat; man-made global warming is the real villain of the piece. It is creating conditions unsuitable for the little fish. Sea temperatures, particularly off the West of Ireland, are now several degrees higher than 'normal'. Even the great whales are moving elsewhere. Whale-watching excursions from Union Hall are being discontinued — most unwelcome news. Having encountered whales at locations from Iceland to South Africa, I can say from personal experience that Colin Barnes' West Cork operation was second to none. Seabirds are also in trouble. Declines in their numbers off Norway and Scotland are being linked to reduced sand-eel and sprat abundance. In some areas, puffins are feeding their chicks on less nutritious pipe-fish. The colony on Norway's Røst archipelago used have over a million pairs of puffin, but numbers there have declined by more than 80% since the 1970s. For our #puffin tracking project we combine GPS tags with cameras to identify the prey birds bring back to the nest - like this tagged bird on Grimsey (Iceland) bringing a beakful of tiny sandeels to its chick. #seabirdersaturday @SkyOceanRescue @NatGeo — Annette Fayet (@AnnetteFayet) July 14, 2018 Researchers from Oxford University found that puffins must now travel ever longer distances to harvest fish for their chicks. Being divers, they are heavy, with wings doubling as fins. Flying long distances, with fish held in the bill, is an additional burden on stressed parents. Chicks are undernourished and their survival rates fall. However, in some locations, puffins seem to be holding their own. Skomer, a small uninhabited island less than two kilometres off the Pembrokeshire coast, is home to the Skomer vole, a distinct sub-species of rodent. It is claimed that around half the world's population of Manx shearwaters breed there. Shearwaters nest deeply in burrows. Visiting the island in daylight, you might not be aware of the multitude of birds in the ground beneath your feet. But the island's most conspicuous summer resident is the in-your-face puffin. It's also a burrow nester, but active in daylight. More than 43,600 of these 'sea parrots', were counted on Skomer this summer by the Wildfowl Trust of South and West Wales. With puffins doing so well, sand-eels and sprat must also be holding their own in that part of the Irish Sea. Read More Like a phoenix... rare woodpecker spotted in city park
