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Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Fisherman catches very dangerous shark off Cape Cod as huge great white closes in on beloved peninsula
A Massachusetts fisherman has hooked one of the world's most dangerous sharks just yards from shore - just as a 14-foot, 1,600-pound great white circles nearby waters, stoking fresh fears along the East Coast's most iconic summer playground. The shocking catch, a juvenile tiger shark landed off Mashpee, comes as scientists warn of a surge in aggressive, warm-water predators migrating north due to rapidly rising ocean temperatures. Hans Brings was casting lines at Popponesset Beach, along the Cape's southern edge, when he made the alarming catch just feet from shore. At just four-feet long, the tiger shark is renowned for its aggressive behavior and is second only to the great white in recorded attacks on humans. The unsettling encounter came just days after a satellite ping revealed the largest great white shark ever tagged in the Atlantic, nicknamed 'Contender', cruising just 30 miles off the coast of Nantucket, less than 100 miles from Boston. Brings released the animal back into the sea, but scientists say it's part of a growing trend that's impossible to ignore. 'It's another warm-water species that's taking advantage of the warming waters and coming north,' said scientist at the New England Aquarium John Chisholm to the Boston Herald. 'Now, we're getting little ones like this one every year. We've been seeing more and more of them.' The historic catch is not a one-off event. Marine experts have been sounding the alarm for years: as climate change warms Atlantic waters, tiger sharks, hammerheads, and even bull sharks, all tropical and subtropical predators, are extending their range northward. 'This is now within their comfort zone,' Chisholm explained. Tiger sharks, often called 'garbage cans of the sea' due to their varied and unpredictable diets, can grow large enough to devour seals, a key food source also favored by the great white shark. Indeed, a 14-foot, 1,653-pound great white shark was recently detected just 30 miles off the coast of Nantucket, swimming alarmingly close to the Cape. The massive apex predator, nicknamed 'Contender' by researchers, is believed to be about 32 years old and was first tagged off the Florida-Georgia border earlier this year. Since then, it has pinged more than 40 times as it made a 1,000-mile journey up the East Coast with its dorsal fin breaking the surface from Vero Beach to Cape Hatteras to the cooler waters near Massachusetts, prime territory for seals. Although nothing like the 25-foot movie monster from Jaws, filmed just across the water on Martha's Vineyard, Contender is the largest great white ever tagged in the Atlantic. 'The largest white sharks that have been reliably measured are right around 20 feet, and any larger than this is likely impossible,' said Nick Whitney, PhD, senior scientist at the New England Aquarium to USA Today. 'People need to take precautions when they go into the water,' Chisholm warned. 'We know sharks are here, and you're swimming in a shark habitat, so you have to be aware. 'They're not targeting humans,' he reassured. 'It's usually an accident when they bite somebody, but unfortunately one bite can hit an artery and you can have a loss of life.' Contender's path has sparked unease in local communities, particularly given the shark's proximity to Nantucket, Cape Cod, and Boston, packed with beachgoers throughout the summer. Marine biologist Andriana Fragola, 31, told that beachgoers need to understand how to respond if they encounter a shark. 'The best thing to do is just to remain calm,' she advised. 'If you do want to get out of the water, just slowly kind of back out of it - that way you can keep an eye on the shark while getting out.' 'Any type of screaming and splashing… it's definitely going to make them more interested in pursuing you or just checking you out.' If a shark is nearby, 'eye contact is key,' she added. 'You want to look like a predator… show the shark that you see it. 'And then if the shark ever continued to approach you… you could push down on the top of the head and push it away from you. That's like last-case scenario.' Chisholm noted that larger tiger sharks, like the one caught this week, may soon begin feasting on the Cape's abundant seal colonies. 'They're very opportunistic when it comes to prey,' he said.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
From ‘Mean Girls' to ‘Monty Python,' here are the best movies to see around Boston this week
Mean Girls (2004) In the two decades since 'Mean Girls' premiered, it's been adapted into a July 23, 8 p.m. Free. Charles River Speedway, 525 Western Ave., Brighton. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Sharknado (2013) There are disaster films, and then there are disaster films. In the made-for-TV classic 'Sharknado,' tornadoes are so powerful they lift sharks from the ocean and fling them ashore to wreak havoc in Hollywood. Only one man can save the city: professional surfer Fin Shephard (Ian Ziering), who chainsaws the flying fish in half and uses bombs to blow up the 'sharknadoes' from the inside. The movie generated five sequels, but you can witness the original film's ridiculous glory right at the don't get any ideas. July 24, 7 p.m. $10. New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf. Advertisement Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) It's been 50 years since the Monty Python comedy troupe released their medieval farce 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail.' The beloved film spoofs the King Arthur legend with a complete disregard for historical accuracy, filmmaking convention, and even the rules of narrative. Follow along on a whimsical journey of nonsensical knights, coconut horses, and killer rabbits. July 25-27, various showtimes. $15. Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge. Shrek (2001) 'Shrek' burst onto the scene in 2001 with an all-star voice cast (Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz), a vibrant pop rock soundtrack, and gross-out humor that proved children's movies didn't need to be so uptight. DreamWorks Animation's subversive fairy tale about an outcast ogre who teams up with a donkey to rescue a princess has become an unstoppable children's franchise in the decades since. In anticipation of next year's 'Shrek 5,' see how the original's outsider energy holds up today. July 26, begins at dusk. Free. Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St. Advertisement The Parent Trap double feature (1961, 1998) You're not seeing double—you're seeing quadruple. Lindsay Lohan found her breakout roles in Annie Parker and Hallie James, a pair of identical twins who were separated at birth, only to meet eleven years later. The duo then hatches a scheme to get their divorced parents back together. The film is a remake of the 1961 original, which starred Hayley Mills, who was also a major child star of her era. Catch a double bill of 'The Parent Trap' for hijinks and heartwarming moments in equal measure. July 27, 2 p.m. $18 for double feature. Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. Ryan Yau can be reached at
Boston Globe
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Their engagement began with two surprise marriage proposals on the same day
Eli Cotton — the friend of a friend she finally agreed to meet after months of hesitating — had turned out to be attractive, attentive, and a surprise. 'I remember seeing them and thinking, ' My god , I'm not prepared,'' the Baltimore native remembers. 'I felt like I was a little out of my game.' Their mutual friend Emily — Matoaka's childhood camp counselor, Eli's then-boss at a Charlestown non-profit — had been trying to set them up for months. Eli was game: 'Nobody likes first dates, but I really do.' The couple brought artichokes to the wedding venue, a food that had become tradition for them on special occasions. They wore flower-shaped pins instead of boutonnieres. Jasmine Jorges Photography/Jasmine Jorges But it took matching on Hinge before Matoaka, who had been wary of dating after a breakup, agreed to meet that Wednesday night. Matoaka remembers Eli asking a 'bajillion questions' over bubble tea and fried chicken at 'I'm usually the person who guides a conversation in my dating life,' she explains. 'I couldn't get one question in.' (When Matoaka debriefed Emily after the date, Emily replied, 'Energizer Bunny, right?') Advertisement 'I am an Energizer Bunny," says Eli, who grew up in Cambridge. 'I'm annoyingly one of those people that wakes up and doesn't need to snooze my alarm.' The questions, Eli chalks up to nerves, 'which was new for me.' The couple had custom suits made by Boston-based 9Tailors — each knew which colors the other had picked, but seeing each other in their full suiting was a total surprise on the wedding day. The dress code for guests was "vibrant and colorful cocktail." Jasmine Jorges Photography/Jasmine Jorges Three hours later, the two embarked across Seaport Boulevard for a stroll along the Harborwalk. 'I want to bring you to my favorite view in Boston,' Matoaka told Eli. Advertisement She stopped at an apartment building by the New England Aquarium. It was a clear night, but the sun had set hours before. They shared a darkened view and a welcomed kiss — with a fortuitous footnote. 'I didn't have the heart to tell her that she brought me to my parents' doorstep,' says Eli. (Eli told Matoaka as they walked to their respective T stops — assuring her that their parents would have been 'genuinely excited' to have accidentally crashed their first date.) The couple had a first look on the rooftop of an apartment building next to City Winery, but also did a first look with their families, who all turned to see the couple enter at the same time. Jasmine Jorges Three days later, they had their second date — tacos at They'd known each other for two weeks when Eli asked Matoaka to be their plus one at a friend's Washington, D.C., wedding. Thanks to a photographer who was 'a little obsessed with us,' says Eli, the new couple received dozens of photos from the dance floor. And 16 days after their first date, Matoaka and Eli exchanged 'I love you''s in her Watertown bedroom. 'And I know that we both knew before that,' Eli says. Eli with their parents Cathy and Harvey Cotton. Blocks from where Eli and Matoaka had shared a kiss on their first date, Eli's grandmother, Jeanne Smith, met her long term partner in 1977. The couple now live in what was once Jeanne's Cambridge home. Jasmine Jorges In January 2020, Matoaka began to chronicle their shared life in a journal. " You're cooking right now... I'm watching you cook, and this is what you're making... and it smells great, " she says, ad-libbing a sample entry. She continued to write, suspecting it was an instinct that the relationship was for the long-run. Advertisement 'I didn't write down the big moments, just the everyday. Those are things you don't remember, and they're the best memories.' Matoaka gave Eli her journal when she proposed one Saturday morning in June 2023. Matoaka and her mother, Jenna Weiss, a seamstress who made a custom chuppah for the ceremony. She also provided the rings the newlyweds exchanged; Matoaka notes they come from a long line of jewelers, and a family ring was a personal "must." Jasmine Jorges It was a quasi-surprise: both partners wanted to propose and a planned vacation and Pride month had narrowed their window to late June. The journal was three-quarters-full when Matoaka recruited Eli's childhood friend, Caroline, to hide a re-bound edition in the new releases stacks (under C for Cotton) at the Cambridge Public Library, where they planned to pick up books before a weekend trip. Eli spotted the journal right away, opening it to a marriage proposal from Matoaka, who watched Eli read the letter and then presented a ring. While an app helped them plan an official first date, the couple attribute the first person that tried to set them up, Emily Grilli-Scott, center, as their true matchmaker. Emily co-officiated the wedding with Eli's childhood rabbi. Jasmine Jorges 'It's a library,' says Eli, 'but anything can happen in the library, obviously.' It was joyfully unexpected, but Eli was, in part, distracted by Caroline hiding in a nearby stack to capture the moment on camera: 'I played it really cool because I was like, 'My god, you're supposed to be at my apartment setting up my proposal !'' Related : Unaware of Mataoka's plans, Eli had asked Caroline to prep the couple's Cambridge apartment while they were out. Eli rushed to open the front door first and took a knee when they, relieved, found the pair's well-used Scrabble board set up to spell out 'Will you marry me?' (Caroline had recruited another friend, Maddie, to sub in for her.) Getting engaged and married during Pride Month was important to the couple; as was hiring queer- or people of color-owned businesses and vendors for their wedding. This included coordination and DJ team, MadLove, and 9Tailors, who created custom suiting for the couple. Jasmine Jorges Photography/Jasmine Jorges Matoaka, 31, and Eli, 32, wed on June 15 at Advertisement Inspired by their love of live music and large guest list, the couple chose the venue for its central city location and stellar sound system. The ceremony was co-officiated by Emily and While neither partner identifies as religious now, Eli grew up Jewish, and both prioritized incorporating traditions that reflect their values. 'I think for a lot of people, religion and queerness is not always a great relationship. ... but [Rabbi Andy] was so willing to work with us to change the language to be gender inclusive,' explains Eli. Their friends (from left: Caroline Rosa, Maddie Freeman, Michael Freeman, and Colby Kyes) performed 'The Lonely Goatherd' from "The Sound of Music" for the newlyweds. The act was to make good on a text Eli had (jokingly) sent early in their courtship, requesting Caroline and Maddie perform the song at their future wedding to Matoaka. Jasmine Jorges The newlyweds wore pins in the shape of cosmos flowers by DJ Melinda Long of For their first dance, the couple took dance lessons from a teacher in Cambridge. Their teacher was from Denmark, and was "so offended" when the couple asked if she had heard of ABBA. They remember her reply: "I am ABBA." Jasmine Jorges Photography 'It was hour four, and there were still a hundred people on the floor,' remembers Matoaka. The exhausted newlyweds left around 1 a.m. while the karaoke played on. But Matoaka and Eli are already dreaming about their next chance to tear up the dance floor. Advertisement 'I hope we keep having parties to celebrate community,' says Matoaka. 'I think that everyone should have a reason to throw a party. It doesn't necessarily need to be marriage, but marriage is a really good reason to do it.' Read more from , The Boston Globe's new weddings column. Rachel Kim Raczka is a writer and editor in Boston. She can be reached at
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mass. Paddleboarders Spot Fin in the Water and Flee. Photos Reveal They Were Feet Away from a Great White Shark
Two paddleboarders got up close and personal with a great white shark roughly 100 yards offshore of a Cape Cod beach Margaret Bowles and Maddie Cronin "hightailed it out of there" once they notice the shark's fin poking out of the water 'I've already gone swimming since then. I love the ocean," Bowles said of the close encounterTwo paddleboarders had an alarmingly close call with a large shark. Margaret Bowles and Maddie Cronin, two rising college sophomores, spent their July 4 paddleboarding off Stony Beach in Cape Cod, Mass., per Boston 25, 7 News, and The Boston Globe. Eager to capture the experience, the two women brought their phones with them and snapped some photos — a few of which show a great white shark's fin poking through the water's surface. Around 7:30 p.m., the two women were approximately 100 yards offshore, according to Boston 25. Cronin was taking photos of Bowles when she saw something pop out of the water close to her friend's board. "I see this eight-inch, fleshy, grey fin come up next to her," Bowles said, per the outlet. "I'm like, 'Oh my goodness, that's a shark!'" Cronin, who was holding Bowles' paddle while they took photos, tossed it back to her friend, and the two "hightailed it out of there," Bowles told The Boston Globe. Once the duo was back on land, their photos confirmed what they already knew: a shark was in the water beside them. Bowles and Cronin sent the images to the New England Aquarium and the Division of Marine Fisheries, both of which confirmed the fin belonged to a great white shark, per Boston 25 and 7 News. "It took a second to register that was what happened, but it was a complete surprise," Bowles said, per 7 News. "I've spent years teaching marine biology here and swimming in the ocean. I certainly never expected for a great while shark to wander my way." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Despite the close call, the women "kept our cool," they told the outlet, and even nicknamed the shark Steve. And Bowles isn't letting the shark sighting deter her from getting back in the water. "I've already gone swimming since then. I love the ocean," she told 7 News. Read the original article on People
San Francisco Chronicle
03-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Canada to take steps to protect vanishing North Atlantic right whales from ships
The Canadian government says it is taking steps this summer to protect a vanishing species of whale from lethal collisions with ships in its waters. The whale is the North Atlantic right whale, which numbers only about 370. The whales give birth off the southeastern U.S. in the winter and spring and migrate north to New England and Canada to feed. Along the way, the whales face dangers including ship strikes and entanglement in commercial fishing gear. Environmental groups have long faulted the U.S. and Canadian governments for not doing enough to protect the critically endangered animals. Canada is enforcing mandatory protection measures for the whale this summer, Transport Canada said in a June 27 statement. All vessels of 42.7 feet (13 meters) in length or more must comply with speed restrictions in designated areas of the ocean to avoid whale strikes, the agency said. Transport Canada said it is also requesting voluntary slowdowns in other parts of the ocean. The restrictions reflect the agency's commitment 'to the protection and conservation of endangered North Atlantic right whales,' the agency said. 'Transport Canada has been taking action to help protect this iconic species from vessel collisions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a high-traffic area where right whales are often seen,' the statement said. The restrictions are being enforced at a time when scientists are voicing concern about a lack of right whale reproduction. The New England Aquarium in Boston said earlier this year that this year's calving season produced only 11 mother-calf pairs. U.S. government authorities have said the whales need to have at least 50 calves per season to start recovering the population. The U.S. government decided earlier this year to withdraw a proposal that would have required more ships to slow down in East Coast waters to spare the whale. The move came in the final days of President Joe Biden's administration and federal ocean managers said there was no way to implement the rules before President Donald Trump took office in January. The whale was once abundant off the East Coast, but it was decimated long ago during the commercial whaling era. It has been protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act for decades, but has been slow to recover.
