Lifeboat Foundation

An ancient Elpistostege fish fossil found in Miguasha, Canada has revealed new insights into how the human hand evolved from fish fins.

An international team of palaeontologists from Flinders University in Australia and Universite du Quebec a Rimouski in Canada have revealed the fish specimen, as described in the journal Nature, has yielded the missing evolutionary link in the fish to tetrapod transition, as fish began to foray in habitats such as shallow water and land during the Late Devonian period millions of years ago.

This complete 1.57 metre long fish shows the complete arm (pectoral fin) skeleton for the first time in any elpistostegalian fish. Using high energy CT-scans, the skeleton of the pectoral fin revealed the presence of a humerus (arm), radius and ulna (forearm), rows of carpus (wrist) and phalanges organized in digits (fingers).

Before the Taqba Dam impounded the Euphrates River in northern Syria in the 1970s, an archaeological site named Abu Hureyra bore witness to the moment ancient nomadic people first settled down and started cultivating crops. A large mound marks the settlement, which now lies under Lake Assad.

But before the lake formed, archaeologists were able to carefully extract and describe much material, including parts of houses, food and tools—an abundance of evidence that allowed them to identify the transition to agriculture nearly 12,800 years ago. It was one of the most significant events in our Earth’s cultural and environmental history.

Abu Hureyra, it turns out, has another story to tell. Found among the cereals and grains and splashed on early building material and animal bones was meltglass, some features of which suggest it was formed at extremely high temperatures—far higher than what humans could achieve at the time—or that could be attributed to fire, lighting or volcanism.

Wuhan Coronavirus Pandemic Washington State.

More deaths and it looks like they’re going to look at previous deaths at the retirement home that is the epicenter to see if some of those previous deaths were caused by Wuhan Coronavirus.

“Killian went on to say that since February 19, Life Care Center reported 26 deaths. Since that date, 11 additional patients died at the facility. They generally have three to seven deaths a month, Killian said. Life Care Center is still waiting back for reports on post-mortem testing and whether 11 of those patients tested positive for coronavirus.”

Continue reading “16 deaths from COVID-19 in Washington as officials scramble to contain” »

During a Tuesday briefing, the CDC’s director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Nancy Messonnier warned that self-imposed quarantines could last weeks.

“You may need to take a break from your normal daily routine for two weeks,” she said, as quoted by The Washington Post.

“Staying home when you are sick is really important,” she added. “Don’t let the illness spread beyond you. Stay away as much as you can from other people.”

Humans are the cause of many problems because humans follow humans with no solutions. Everyone is talking about coronavirus, but not about ending the virus because they are not solutions driven. Just as Wangari Maathai taught the world to plant trees to fix what humans messed up. We need to also teach the world to plant bees #beekeeping to fix what humans messed up. This does not just mean bees, but other species we are making extinct. We need to be the change not just talk about and protest for change.

Researchers have figured out which plant species bumble bees prefer to include in their diets, providing advice to those wishing to help with bee conservation efforts.

During the summer months of 2015 to 2016, authors captured bumble bees on more than 100 plant species across more than 400 plots in the Plumas National Forest in California — a mountainous, meadowy area with wildlife habitats near running water, where bumble bees are abundant.

Continue reading “If you want to save bumble bees, plant these flowers in your yard” »

A century before cats dominated YouTube, they were the subject of one very adoring photographer.

Recently, a family member reached out to YouTuber Mathieu Stern with a fun fact: There was possibly a time capsule hidden in his old family home.

Continue reading “Man develops 120-year-old cat photos he finds in time capsule” »

Honeywell, the same company that might make your humidifier or home security system, is unveiling a powerful quantum computer that will be available to the public.

Each 80-square-foot structure has a single bed, desk and chair, shelves and air conditioner/heater.

Wuhan coronavirus pandemic — kirkland, washington.

Cluster of 50 people sick at a single retirement home where 2 have been confirmed to have Wuhan Coronavirus.

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Dozens of residents and staff at Life Care Center of Kirkland, a nursing and rehab facility, are reporting symptoms that might suggest coronavirus, according to a statement from King County Public Health.