Horse-drawn carriage rides in New York’s Central Park could be discontinued starting June 1, 2028, under a bill supported by City Council member Zohran Mamdani and City Councilwoman Julie Menin, DPA reported, citing US media. The proposal calls for the gradual phasing out of the attraction, which has been part of the city’s tourism landscape […]

Nearly 183,000 giant tortoises inhabit the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. This is the highest number ever recorded for the species and the result of decades of conservation efforts. A new study shows that the population is healthy and remains relatively stable, though scientists warn that climate change and invasive animals continue to threaten its […]

They aren’t made of asphalt, have no traffic lights, and no cars drive on them. Yet, these unusual “highways” are already saving thousands of lives. In the Brazilian Amazon, conservationists have built rope bridges high up in the trees, allowing monkeys, sloths, and other jungle inhabitants to safely cross over the roads. The results are […]

Scientists have used CRISPR gene-editing technology to create the first dogs lacking a key protein that triggers allergic reactions in humans, the Associated Press reported two months ago. The study, published in *The CRISPR Journal*, describes how specialists from the US company Kindred Companion Sciences created two female Beagles—Bailey and Alfie. They “switched off” the […]

The study challenges prevailing views on the evolution of language A new study conducted by Hungarian researchers reveals that dogs can segment continuous speech into words—a capability previously observed only in humans. Hungarian researchers from Budapest have discovered that human speech changes the way dogs’ brains work, even though the animals cannot speak themselves. The […]

Thieves have stolen 30,000 bottles of wine with a total value of around €5 million from a prestigious Italian winery, Italian media report. Marchesi Antinori, one of Italy’s largest family-owned wineries, announced that the heist took place on October 3 at its warehouse in Tuscany while the company was preparing a shipment for overseas clients. […]

Whisky will be sent into space for the first time as part of an experiment to measure how the spirit ages in an environment beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Engineers in Scotland and Japan plan to launch Scotch on a rocket in 2028, sending a satellite containing samples of whisky and its key ingredients on a five-year […]

Vietnamese police have arrested 12 men accused of stealing nearly 2,700 cats during night-time raids in residential neighborhoods; the pets were taken to be slaughtered for food. Fur-removal machines, cat traps, and weighing scales were among the items confiscated during the investigation into the cat-theft gang in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnamese police and state […]

A butcher was sentenced to 10 years in prison in one of Islam’s holiest cities in Iraq for selling pork to customers while passing it off as beef, AFP reported on 14th of September. Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council found the merchant guilty; he had been arrested for possessing 75 kilograms of pork in the city […]

Exactly one month ago, the world’s longest cruise set sailed from Rome. The world’s longest continuous scheduled cruise—that is precisely what *Explorations by Norwegian* offers. The *Regatta*, a ship with 348 cabins, departed from Rome; over the course of 371 days, it will circumnavigate the globe, visiting 220 ports across 62 countries. Although the first […]

Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood may be linked to poorer brain health; researchers found higher brain age, smaller total brain volume, and more signs of vascular damage in people living in the most disadvantaged areas, Euronews reported on September 20. Where people live can leave a measurable mark on their brains, according to a new […]

Archaeologists are updating Roman maps of Switzerland after stumbling upon traces of long-buried ruins during the hottest summer in the country’s history, Reuters reported. Drought can reveal hidden archaeological sites through so-called “parch marks”—patterns that appear when vegetation growing over buried structures dries out. This is one of the consequences of this year’s heatwaves, which […]

To identify alcoholism, the first step is to look for the reasons for drinking. The first thing to look out for is the tendency to make excuses—such as holidays, the end of the work week, social gatherings, stress, or life challenges—that lead to drinking. Even while the person continues to work and remain socially active, […]

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has welcomed a declaration adopted on September 24 that emphasizes climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and resilience-building through improved data, risk assessments, and early warning systems. The declaration acknowledges the role of specialized UN agencies, including the WMO, in coordinating scientific data related to sea-level rise. According to UN […]