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.
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
Police investigate deaths of Rob Reiner and wife as apparent homicide
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating the deaths of Hollywood actor and filmmaker Rob Reinerand his wife as an “apparent homicide,” amid a wave of tributes to the director of classics such as When Harry Met Sally.
According to U.S. media reports on Sunday, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found dead at their Los Angeles mansion with what appeared to be stab wounds.
Several political figures shared messages of condolence following the reported deaths of the director of A Few Good Menand his wife.
While the LAPD did not officially confirm the identities of the victims, it stated that homicide detectives were dispatched to the Reiner residence.
“At this time, no additional details are available and the investigation into an apparent homicide is ongoing,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement posted on social media.
LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told reporters that no arrests have been made and that no individuals are currently being questioned as suspects.
“I’m not going to confirm whether anyone is being questioned at this moment or not. We are going to try to speak with as many family members as we can,” Hamilton said.
CNN reported that a family spokesperson confirmed the deaths of Reiner and his wife.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, former U.S. President Barack Obama, and former Vice President Kamala Harrisissued statements expressing their condolences.
International
U.S. and Mexico Reach Deal to Address Water Deficit Under 1944 Treaty
The United States and Mexico have reached an agreement to comply with current water obligations affecting U.S. farmers and ranchers and for Mexico to cover its water deficit to Texas under the 1944 Water Treaty, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement.
The department уточified that the agreement applies to both the current cycle and the water deficit from the previous cycle.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Mexico of failing to comply with the water-sharing treaty between the two countries, which requires the United States to deliver 1.85 billion cubic meters of water from the Colorado River, while Mexico must supply 432 million cubic meters from the Rio Grande.
Mexico is behind on its commitments. According to Washington, the country has accumulated a deficit of more than one billion cubic meters of water over the past five years.
“This violation is severely harming our beautiful crops and our livestock in Texas,” Trump wrote on Monday.
The Department of Agriculture said on Friday that Mexico had agreed to supply 250 million cubic meters of water starting next week and to work toward closing the shortfall.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, quoted in the statement, said Mexico delivered more water in a single year than it had over the previous four years combined.
Trump has said that if Mexico continues to fall short of its obligations, the United States reserves the right to impose 5% tariffs on imported Mexican products.
Mexico’s Deputy Foreign Minister for North America, Roberto Velasco, said that a severe drought in 2022 and 2023prevented the country from meeting its commitments.
International
Several people shot in attack on Brown University campus
Several people were shot on Saturday in an attack on the campus of Brown University, in the northeastern United States, local police reported.
“Shelter in place and avoid the area until further notice,” the Providence Police Department urged in a post on X. Brown University is located in Providence, the capital of the state of Rhode Island.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that he had been briefed on the situation and that the FBI was on the scene.
At 5:52 p.m. local time (11:52 p.m. GMT), Brown University said the situation was still “ongoing” and instructed students to remain sheltered until further notice.
After initially stating that the suspect had been taken into custody, Trump later posted a second message clarifying that local police had walked back that information. “The suspect has NOT been apprehended,” the U.S. president said.
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