International

Jurassic Journeys: Mary Anning’s impact on evolutionary science

Mary Anning made some of the most significant geological discoveries in history, but her life and work have largely gone unnoticed due to the gender discrimination prevailing in 19th-century England. She meticulously explored the beaches of Dorset on the southwest coast of England, uncovering evidence of marine reptiles that shook the existing scientific knowledge.

Anning’s fossils are believed to have greatly influenced Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. However, being a poor and uneducated woman, she was never taken seriously by English society. The area where Mary conducted her research is now known as the Jurassic Coast, a stretch of about 152 kilometers in Dorset and Devon counties, recognized by UNESCO for its exceptional rocks, fossils, and geographical features.

Her Great Discoveries

Venturing along the cliffs of Lyme Regis, Mary observed every detail of the rocks, patiently searching through the strata. In 1811, she was informed by Joseph about a peculiar fossilized skull he had found. Mary meticulously excavated the skeleton for months, revealing a 5.2-meter-long creature.

Locals speculated that the boys had found a monster, while the scientific community thought it might be a crocodile. This discovery coincided with Georges Cuvier formulating his “Essay on the Theory of the Earth,” challenging religious principles by proposing catastrophic events in Earth’s history causing extinctions.

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The mysterious specimen found by the Annings was eventually called Ichthyosaur, or “fish lizard,” a marine reptile that lived about 200 million years ago. Mary’s controversial and exceptional discoveries continued, including the first complete skeleton of a plesiosaur in 1823, challenging skeptics who initially thought it was fake.

Mary also found the first pterosaur outside Germany, and she is credited as a pioneer in the study of coprolites, fossilized feces. Despite her exceptional achievements, Mary faced systematic discrimination due to her gender, excluded from academic institutions. She persevered, self-educated, and established connections with scientists who recognized her worth.

Mary Anning was never formally admitted to the Geological Society of London due to her gender. The institution acknowledged her talent and contributions many years after her death from breast cancer in 1847 at the age of 47. Mary undoubtedly pioneered in a male-dominated world, paving the way for future generations of female scientists.

International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”

International

Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation

Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, met in Washington with the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrance Cole, to discuss cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal arms flows.

The Mexican official said Monday on social media that he attended the meeting in representation of the Mexican government’s Security Cabinet.

“In Washington, D.C., I represented the Security Cabinet to hold talks with DEA Director Terrance Cole on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, curb the flow of weapons into our country, and reduce violence in Mexico through significant arrests,” García Harfuch wrote.

He added that, following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government will continue strengthening international cooperation on security matters.

For his part, Cole said the meeting focused on cross-border collaboration to tackle drug trafficking and to build safer communities on both sides of the border.

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The meeting comes as Mexico and the United States begin a new round of dialogue on economic and security issues.

Earlier Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will look for the “best moment” to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that maintaining a good relationship with Washington is a priority for her administration.

International

Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, accusing him of having an “immoral bias” and acting as an “echo chamber for falsehoods” regarding the situation in Venezuela.

Gil’s remarks came after Türk stated that his office had not received an official list from Venezuelan authorities detailing the release of political prisoners, nor authorization to carry out visits related to the issue.

“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists on a narrative biased against our country, repeating unfounded accusations while deliberately omitting the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the rights of the Venezuelan people,” Gil said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.

Without directly addressing the question of prisoner releases, the Venezuelan foreign minister also accused Türk of aligning with what he described as the “agenda of extremism in Venezuela.”

Gil added that, despite serious human rights violations occurring in other parts of the world, the UN official has chosen to maintain what he described as an “immoral bias” against Venezuela.

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The criticism is part of a broader dispute between the Venezuelan government and the UN human rights office over reports and investigations concerning the human rights situation in the country.