decades

After losing about 140.5 billion tons of ice a year for two decades, Antarctica temporarily reversed course, gaining a record 695 billion tons in 2021-23 as tropical warmth drove heavy snowfall

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After losing about 140.5 billion tons of ice a year for two decades, Antarctica temporarily reversed course, gaining a record 695 billion tons in 2021-23 as tropical warmth drove heavy snowfall

Representative Image (AI-generated) Antarctica has been losing mass for years as glaciers shed ice into the ocean, contributing to rising sea levels. But between 2021 and 2023, the continent experienced an unusual and temporary reversal. Instead of continuing to lose mass at its recent rate, Antarctica gained about 695 billion tonnes over 22 months, marking … Read more

In 1963, Rat Pack composer Jimmy Van Heusen bought a secluded California mountain; decades later it became a legendary celebrity hideaway

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In 1963, Rat Pack composer Jimmy Van Heusen bought a secluded California mountain; decades later it became a legendary celebrity hideaway

Image(s): Left/Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn/American Songwriter/Right/Rattlesnake Ranch Some places become famous because of what they look like, and then there are places whose reputation comes almost entirely from the people who once gathered there. High above Yucca Valley in California’s high desert, Rattlesnake Ranch belongs firmly to the second category. Composer Jimmy Van … Read more

In 1953, North and South Korea established a demilitarised zone; decades later human isolation led to the formation of a 155-mile-long wildlife haven

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In 1953, North and South Korea established a demilitarised zone; decades later human isolation led to the formation of a 155-mile-long wildlife haven

Soldiers on both sides stand behind fences and in between are thousands of landmines. For more than 70 years, humans have not ventured into a 155-mile-long corridor that divides two nations, North and South Korea. While boundaries and borders can ward people off, nature is above all such regulations. This is probably why a space … Read more

In 1964, a couple bought 535 acres in North Carolina and built a summer home there; decades later, they donated the entire property to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in its largest land gift since the park was created

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In 1964, a couple bought 535 acres in North Carolina and built a summer home there; decades later, they donated the entire property to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in its largest land gift since the park was created

The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center A high-altitude property first bought as a private family retreat in the mid-1960s now serves as an important centre for environmental research in North America. The 535-acre property in Haywood County, North Carolina, historically known as “The Purchase”, was officially transferred to the National Park Service around the turn … Read more

In 1967, astronaut Vance Brand bought 160 acres beside Rocky Mountain National Park for $32,000; decades later, his family gave 40 acres to the park and Congress changed its boundary to accept it

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In 1967, astronaut Vance Brand bought 160 acres beside Rocky Mountain National Park for $32,000; decades later, his family gave 40 acres to the park and Congress changed its boundary to accept it

Former NASA astronaut Vance Brand spent decades exploring space and commanding shuttle missions, but a 40-acre piece of land along the eastern boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park remains one of his most lasting contributions on Earth. The story began in 1967, when Brand bought 160 acres of land next to the national park for … Read more

Scientists rediscover a ‘ghost’ green mamba hidden in a Polish museum for decades after its 1885 discovery

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Scientists rediscover a ‘ghost’ green mamba hidden in a Polish museum for decades after its 1885 discovery

A green mamba specimen from São Tomé Island that dates back to 1885 has been found after decades of being regarded as lost, which gives scientists a rare opportunity to revisit the identity of one of the Gulf of Guinea’s most mysterious snakes. Adolfo Möller found the specimen during an expedition to the island, after … Read more

Mike Tyson started keeping pigeons as a bullied Brooklyn boy, finding love and comfort in them; decades later, he still has hundreds of birds across the US

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Mike Tyson started keeping pigeons as a bullied Brooklyn boy, finding love and comfort in them; decades later, he still has hundreds of birds across the US

Long before Mike Tyson became one of boxing’s most feared heavyweight champions, pigeons were a source of love and comfort for him. Tyson has recalled being bullied as a child growing up in Brooklyn and finding refuge in the pigeons he kept, saying that spending time with them helped take his mind off the world … Read more

In the 1940s, Seabiscuit retired to a California ranch; decades later its redwoods, oak woodlands and wetlands became a conservation priority

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In the 1940s, Seabiscuit retired to a California ranch; decades later its redwoods, oak woodlands and wetlands became a conservation priority

​George Woolf on Seabiscuit (Image: Wikipedia) For years, Ridgewood Ranch in Mendocino County, California, was known primarily as the place where Seabiscuit, one of America’s most famous racehorses, spent his retirement. After a remarkable racing career, the champion arrived at the ranch in 1940, where he lived until his death in 1947. But the property’s … Read more

Australia planted eucalyptus trees to fight rising soil salinity; decades later scientists found the plantations were changing groundwater but not the soil nature

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Australia planted eucalyptus trees to fight rising soil salinity; decades later scientists found the plantations were changing groundwater but not the soil nature

Eucalyptus cladocalyx ‘nana’. Image Credit: ERA Nurseries Australia planted eucalyptus trees to fight rising soil salinity, hoping that thirsty, deep-rooted vegetation could help control the groundwater processes behind the problem. A long-running experiment in south-western Australia later showed that the effects of such plantations were more complicated than simply planting trees and waiting for the … Read more

Tupac Shakur murder: A shooting, bizarre conspiracy theories and a case that remained unsolved for decades

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Duane "Keffe D" Davis in court for his murder trial related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, at Clark County District Court Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. John Locher/Pool via REUTERS (via REUTERS)

Nearly three decades after Tupac Shakur was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, a Nevada jury has found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of first-degree murder. The verdict, delivered on September 1, closes a chapter that remained open despite countless investigations and conspiracy theories. Duane “Keffe D” Davis in court for his … Read more