Here's a quick catch-up...
Correct Again: Albert Einstein was right. There is an area at the edge of black holes where matter can no longer stay in orbit and instead falls in, as predicted by his theory of gravity. Using telescopes capable of detecting X-rays, scientists have confirmed Einstein's prediction about a “plunging region” in black holes.
Amazing Ascent: Nepali climber Phunjo Lama has just reached Mount Everest's summit in 14 hours and 31 minutes, smashing the record for the world's fastest ascent of the mountain by a woman.
Indie Book Stores: Membership in the American Booksellers Association continued its years-long revival. It now stands at 2,433, with more than 200 new stores opening in 2023. Similar numbers are projected to open over the next two years, according to the ABA.
Mystery Solved: You have no doubt heard that, in recent years, orcas have been ramming and sinking luxury yachts in European waters, but why? It turns out that it's not an anticapitalist agenda or to do with territory and aggression. The truth is, well, it's child's play.
Philanthropy: Melinda French Gates says she will be donating $1 billion over the next two years to individuals and organizations working on behalf of women and families globally. It's the second billion-dollar commitment French Gates has personally made in the past five years.
White Dragon Satellite: Perhaps remarkably, clouds are said to be the least understood aspect of our climate. Now scientists are set to discover a great deal more about our fluffy white friends, with last week's launch of EarthCARE - a joint venture between the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. It will use a suite of cutting-edge instruments, such as lidar and radar, to better understand the role clouds play in heating and cooling Earth’s atmosphere.
White Rhinos Return: In a new initiative spearheaded by the NGO African Parks, dozens of southern white rhinos have been reintroduced to the wild across South Africa. This marks the first phase of a larger plan to release 2,000 rhinos into conservancies across the continent.
Xprize: 20 finalists selected to advance breakthrough solutions for CO2 removal using air, rocks, land, and oceans. The $100 million competition is the largest incentive prize in history.
India Railways: The rail operator has announced that it is about to be 100 percent electric, making it the largest green railway in the world. Since 2015, India Railways have electrified over 25,000 miles (40,000 km) of track. As of December 2023, the operator had 10,238 electric trains.
Rare Celestial Treat: What a year it’s already been for celestial sightings. Now we're in for another cosmic treat. On Monday morning (3 June), Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Neptune, and Saturn (in that order) will line up in the sky. For those interested in catching the show, the planet parade will stretch in a roughly straight line from the low eastern horizon with observers needing to look toward the eastern horizon about 20 minutes before sunrise to catch this astronomical spectacle.
Today's Articles
Stegosaurus: Man finds nearly complete dinosaur skeleton on his birthday and is set to make millions of dollars at auction.
Most Clicked: Hilarious scandal has France shaking its head in collective bemusement and amusement. Oh là là!