Latest news with #Tekin
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aussie pilot captures extraordinary moment during record-breaking event : 'Amazing scenes
An Australian pilot has captured an extraordinary moment in nature from above, showing "a serpent" formation emerge beneath the surface of a lake, formed by Pelicans chasing fish. "Amazing scenes from Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, a serpent appears on the surface, formed by Pelicans chasing fish along the Warburton Creek, before it enters the lake," the Arid Air tour group wrote in a post online this week. The stunning shot, captured by Senior Pilot Tekin, was taken during a scenic flight "when the first of the pelicans arrived" around the inlet. Located in South Australia's arid heart, Lake Eyre is the lowest natural point on the Australian continent. Most of the time, it's a white salt flat. But when enough water reaches it, fed by distant rivers like Cooper Creek, the Diamantina, and Georgina, the basin transforms into Australia's largest lake, drawing birds, wildlife and awe-struck visitors. Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre is filling for just the fourth time in the past 160 years. This year's flood is the result of a record-breaking convergence of rainfall across all three of the Lake Eyre Basin's major catchments — something not seen since 2010–11, and possibly longer. "All three of them have been concurrently in a record-breaking flood," Talia, an SA-based outback pilot, previously told Yahoo News. "It's just such a rare sight, only the people who book these air tours can see it. It's an extremely remote area of extremely dry conditions. "They call it a 'dry flood' because there's been no local rainfall in that area at all... so to see this lifeblood of water descending, trickling through the desert and knowing what it's going to leave behind — the greenery along the floodplain — it's just a once-in-a-lifetime, spectacular opportunity. "You feel very privileged to see the rare sight that it is." South Australia's Department of Environment reported last month that 600 to 1000 gigalitres of water are flowing into Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in South Australia from western Queensland, after a 2,000 kilometre band of rain swept across the country in March. The deluge saw parts of the Queensland outback go underwater, with residents cut off for weeks. Now the water is spilling into Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, which has only filled to capacity three times in the past 160 years. Rush to see rare Aussie phenomenon sparks warning Phenomenon not seen in 50 years set to create 'inland sea' Tourists face ban at iconic attraction over 'sacred' nature The full inundation is expected to breathe life back into the salt lake's crust, its wildlife, and the surrounding vegetation. As floodwaters arrive, they trigger a remarkable transformation — rare and dormant species burst into life, and others are drawn to the lake in spectacular numbers. Speaking to Yahoo News on Friday, an SA National Parks and Wildlife Service spokesperson said the best way to see Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre "and the hundreds of species of birdlife that it attracts", is from the air. "But visitors can witness the spectacle of the lake from dedicated viewing points within Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park," they said. "The new management plan for the park, which was introduced in February this year, restricts recreational access to the lakebed, including visitors entering the lakebed on foot. All other recreational activities, including swimming, driving, boating and landing aircraft, are already restricted under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Smugglers busted near Turkish castle for trying to steal Roman mosaic
Here's a tip: Do not livestream your illegal excavation of Roman ruins near a Turkish castle. Turkey's authorities and actual archeologists do not approve of the activity—even if you happen to uncover a 2,000-year-old mosaic dedicated to the ancient Greco-Roman concept of luxury and decadence. Law enforcement in Zile, Turkey recently arrested four individuals, including a father and son, for allegedly attempting just such a project. Along with livestreaming their unsanctioned dig, the team reportedly also later shared videos of the endeavor on social media. Police took the group into custody at the Zile castle, roughly 150 miles south of the Black Sea. The site is best known forthe Battle of Zela in 47 BCE, where Julius Caesar famously declared, 'Veni, vidi, vici' ('I came, I saw, I conquered') after defeating the forces of Pharnaces II, ruler of the kingdom of Pontus. Apart from hosting one of the most famous lines in all of ancient history, Zile also served as an important commercial and trading hub for the Roman empire, and included a theater currently undergoing (legal) excavation. It was roughly 220 yards away from this project that the alleged trespassers attempted to uncover and presumably remove the 95-square-foot floor mosaic. According to Turkiye Today, authorities also found the group attempting to hide their work underneath sacks. Photos indicate the circular mosaic's top portion is no longer there, but its bottom half clearly features a bust of Tryphe (ΤΡΥΦΗ in Greek). While sometimes more charitably defined as a blend of concepts like luxury and elegance, Tryphe also functioned as a state-sponsored ideology of overindulgence, extravagance, and flaunting one's wealth. Its verb, tryphao, means 'to live in excess or luxury,' and Tryphon at one point even served as a royal epithet during the Ptolemaic dynasty. Tryphe as a concept continued into the ensuing Roman Empire, as evidenced by the recent find in Zile. Speaking with the Turkish news outlet Anadolu Agency, the head of the theater's ongoing excavation project, Murat Tekin, explained that the discovery offers further evidence of the Roman city's cultural prominence and affluence. 'This mosaic must be related to the ruins in the lower city of Zile. It was known that Zile was an important center in ancient times with its ancient theater, castle, stepped tunnel, rock tomb and the Sakaia Festival,' explained Tekin, adding that the festival's legacy lives on today as the annual Zile Fair. Although more analysis is needed to more accurately date and assess the mosaic, Tekin said its discovery will likely help to expand the excavation's scope and aid experts to better contextualize Zile's history. The Turkish government, historians, and archeologists have spent decades attempting to rein in the black market antiquities trade. Earlier this year, authorities arrested a group after allegedly finding a smuggled medieval mummy in their home. In 2022, a single raid generated the arrest of 162 suspected smugglers across 38 provinces. During that bust, nicknamed 'Operation Heritage,' one truck alone contained 1,736 stolen artifacts destined for a British auction house.
