Latest news with #NationalMuseumofNaturalHistory
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Man nearly mistakes 3.81-carat diamond for candy wrapper at Arkansas park
MURFREESBORO, Ark. (KARK) – What was first thought to be a candy wrapper turned into a diamond find for a Minnesota man visiting an Arkansas state park. A news release from Crater of Diamonds State Park said David DeCook from Stewartville, Minnesota, spotted a 3.81-carat brown diamond on April 24 while visiting the park with his family. DeCook said he spotted the diamond on his way down a hill south of the park's south wash pavilion. (Photos courtesy Arkansas Crater of Diamonds State Park) DeCook, a regular visitor to the park, told park officials he first thought he saw a candy wrapper, but as he drew closer, he realized the tinfoil-like shine was from a diamond. He said he picked it up and turned to his brother, who was also a regular park visitor, and said, 'Oh, you're going to be mad once you see what I found!' Arizona dad recounts finding 2-carat diamond with son at Crater of Diamonds State Park Officials said that the 3.81-carat find is the largest diamond harvested so far this year. They described it as having a metallic copper luster and a blocky triangular shape. DeCook told officials he was going to name his find 'The Duke Diamond' after his dog. It is the 217th diamond registered at the park in 2025 and the largest since a 7.46-carat find in January 2024 by French visitor Julien Navas. Officials said the abundance of recent rain means it is more likely that visitors will find a diamond on top of the ground. Taking a closer look at the Arkansas-mined 'Heart of Arkansas' diamond brooch The largest diamond ever discovered in the United States was unearthed in 1924 during an early mining operation on the land that later became Crater of Diamonds State Park. Named 'Uncle Sam,' this white diamond with a pink cast weighed 40.23 carats. It was later cut into a 12.42-carat emerald shape and is now part of the Smithsonian's mineral and gem collection at the National Museum of Natural History. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Visitor makes 3.81-carat find at the Arkansas Crater of Diamonds State Park
MURFREESBORO, Ark. – What was first thought to be a candy wrapper turned into a diamond find for a Minnesota man visiting an Arkansas state park recently. A news release from Crater of Diamonds State Park said David DeCook from Stewartville, Minnesota, spotted a 3.81-carat brown diamond on April 24 while visiting the park with his family. DeCook said he spotted the diamond on his way down a hill south of the park's south wash pavilion. DeCook, a regular visitor to the park, told park officials he first thought he saw a candy wrapper, but as he drew closer, he realized the tinfoil-like shine was from a diamond. He said he picked it up and turned to his brother, who was also a regular park visitor and said, 'Oh, you're going to be mad once you see what I found!' Arizona dad recounts finding 2-carat diamond with son at Crater of Diamonds State Park Officials said that the 3.81-carat find is the largest diamond harvested so far this year. They described it as having a metallic, copper luster and a blocky triangular shape. DeCook told officials he was going to name his find 'The Duke Diamond,' after his dog. It is the 217th diamond registered at the park in 2025 and the largest since a 7.46-carat find in January 2024 by French visitor Julien Navas. Arkansas man finds 4.87-carat diamond in Crater of Diamonds State Park, largest found since 2020 Officials said the abundance of recent rain means it is more likely to find a diamond on top of the ground. The largest diamond ever discovered in the United States was unearthed in 1924 during an early mining operation on the land that later became Crater of Diamonds State Park. Taking a closer look at the Arkansas-mined 'Heart of Arkansas' diamond brooch Named Uncle Sam, this white diamond with a pink cast weighed 40.23 carats. It was later cut into a 12.42-carat emerald shape and is now part of the Smithsonian's mineral and gem collection at the National Museum of Natural History. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Cicada brood 2025: Does the insect emergence mean a noisy Columbus summer?
Columbus' upcoming spring will be relatively quiet as its cicadas remain firmly underground. Southwest Ohio will have no such luck. Cicadas from Brood XIV have been living underground for 17 years, waiting to climb out of the earth and begin mating. They will have their chance this spring when they are set to emerge throughout southwest Ohio, filling the air with buzzing noises and littering nature with discarded cicada shells. Here is what you need to know about the bugs. Cicadas will emerge in over a dozen southwest Ohio counties in area that goes as far east as Washington County and as far north as Greene County, Elizabeth Christopher, a program administrator at the Ohio Division of Forestry, said. Brood XIV will also emerge as far south as Georgia and as far north as Massachusetts, she said. Cicadas do not travel very far, so it is unlikely that a cicada from southwest Ohio would find its way to Columbus. The nearest Brood XIV county is Greene County, around 60 miles away. Franklin County's cicada brood, Brood X, last emerged in 2021. That means they will not be seen again until 2038. Periodical cicadas begin their life cycles as nymphs on trees, where they feed on sap before dropping to the ground. Then, they dig into the ground and begin feeding on sap from plant roots, according to the National Museum of Natural History. "They're just kind of chilling down there," Christopher said. They keep living underground for 13 or 17 years, depending on the brood. When it is time for them to emerge, they wait until the ground warms and then come out to mate. The male cicadas then vibrate their bodies to make the bugs' iconic chirping or buzzing noise to attract a mate. Once they mate, the female lays her eggs on trees. The adult cicadas, which only live for three or four weeks after emerging from the ground, die shortly after. The cicadas come out all at once as a means of predator satiation, an adaptation where a prey species' population density increases drastically so that predators can't possibly eat them all, according to Everyday Concepts. Cicadas are not dangerous to pets or people. They do not bite or sting, according to Christopher. "There's no reason to be afraid of them," she said. They can sometimes mildly damage trees with their eggs, but most plants can survive it, according to the Texas Tree Foundation. Breaking and Trending News Reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at NHart@ and at @NathanRHart on X and at on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Cicada brood 2025: Does the insect emergence impact Columbus?
Indian Express
26-04-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
5 longest living animals on earth (Some are almost immortal!)
Time moves differently for every creature on Earth, but for some animals, it stands still. These animals stand the test of time, quite literally! Humans should really reconsider themselves as superior when it comes to longevity. We know that some species of elephants, tortoises and sharks live more than 100 years. However, 10,000 years? 15,000 years? That sounds mythical. Yes, some animals live that long- a blink of an eye for humans. Did you know some deep-sea creatures can almost live forever? Mother nature never fails to surprise us. What determines longevity? Longevity in animals depends on where they inhabit, biological and evolutionary factors. For instance, sea creatures live the longest because conditions are stable and consistent in water, according to Live Science. These longest-living animals have the remarkable quality of regenerating their cells infinitely, thus reversing the ageing process. Let's look at some of the longest-living animals on Earth: Discover the longest-living creatures. (Source-Pexels) 1. Hydra Hydra are a group of inch-long invertebrates found in freshwater that slightly resemble jellyfish. The secret to a never ending life is they are made up of stem cells, as per Live Science. These cells constantly renew themselves, making these creatures immortal. They can replace damaged parts of itself. However, they can still die because of predators or sickness. 2. Turritopsis Dohrnii Also known as 'immortal jellyfish', Turritopsis Dohrnii are marine creatures that can potentially live forever. According to National Museum of Natural History, Turritopsis dohrnii begin life as larvae before transforming into polyps. These polyps subsequently generate free-swimming medusas, also known as jellyfish. Adult T. dohrnii are unique in that they can transform back to polyps if they experience physical harm or are lacking food. Therefore, this jellyfish can reverse their life cycle multiple times and never die of old age. 3. Glass Sponges Glass Sponges are one of the longest living animal species. These are deep-sea creatures that can live for over 10,000-15,000 years. They are very similar to corals. Researchers said, a glass sponge native to Antarctica's bay, Ross Sea is the oldest living animal on Earth, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). 4. Black Corals Found mostly in deep sea, corals look like vibrant rocks and plants formed from the exoskeletons of invertebrate creatures known as polyps. These polyps relocate and replace themselves which leads to the expansion of the coral exoskeleton structure, as per Live Science. The longest living among corals are deep water black corals. They are most found in Hawaii and have been radiocarbon dated to be 4,265 years old, as per Live Science. 5. Ocean Quahog clams Native to North Atlantic Ocean, ocean quahog clams can live upto over 500 years. These clams are usually commercially harvested for human consumption. According to BBC, a clam found off the coast of Iceland in 2006 was found to be 507 years old claimed by scientists at Bangor University.
Boston Globe
25-04-2025
- Science
- Boston Globe
A brood of cicadas that last screeched under George W. Bush returns this spring
Both annual and periodical cicadas spend most of their lives underground. Young cicadas, known as nymphs, burrow into the earth to escape cold weather and feed on tree roots. The difference is how long they spend there. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Annual cicadas, which have black or green eyes, emerge every year. These include dark-bodied swamp cicadas found in swamps and marshes in the eastern part of the United States. Advertisement Periodical cicadas, which have fire-engine red eyes, emerge in 13- or 17-year intervals. Three broods come out every 13 years, and 12 come out every 17 years. Scientists are still working to understand these insects — including why, in rare cases, some periodical cicadas have blue eyes. Brood XIV will surface in at least 13 states this spring: Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Advertisement Brood XIV cicadas will likely surface in the warmer states in late April or May, and the cooler states in May or early June, according to the University of Connecticut. Like its periodical cousins, Brood XIV's members will have two priorities when they emerge this year: eating and mating. Cicada nymphs emerge from the ground in the spring or summer, when the soil reaches about 64 degrees. The nymphs then climb up the nearest vertical object — a tree or a fence post — and molt into their adult form. Adult cicadas live aboveground for three to four weeks and spend their short lives eating and trying to mate, according to the National Museum of Natural History. Male cicadas are known for their signature sound: a loud, high-pitched, high-decibel buzz used to attract female cicadas. They make this noise by vibrating a membrane called tymbals on the sides of their abdomen. After mating, female cicadas make grooves in tree branches, where they lay their eggs. The eggs hatch six to seven weeks later, and the translucent nymphs, each about the size of a grain of rice, drop to the ground and burrow into the soil to grow. When they later emerge, the cycle begins anew. In 2024, two broods surfaced simultaneously: Broods XIX and XIII. Brood XIX cicadas, which are spread across the Midwest and the Southeast, come out of the ground every 13 years. Brood XIII cicadas, which are mostly concentrated in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin, emerge every 17 years. The last time these broods co-emerged was in 1803.
