roughly

Walt Disney quietly assembled more than 27,000 acres in Florida through secret transactions for about $5 million, averaging roughly $182 an acre; after the buyer’s identity emerged, the land became Walt Disney World

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Walt Disney quietly assembled more than 27,000 acres in Florida through secret transactions for about $5 million, averaging roughly $182 an acre; after the buyer’s identity emerged, the land became Walt Disney World

Walt Disney’s plan for what would become Walt Disney World began with a remarkably quiet real-estate operation. According to Disney’s D23 archives, the Florida Historical Society and the Walt Disney Company, Disney Productions spent about 18 months secretly assembling more than 27,000 acres in Central Florida before publicly acknowledging that it was behind the purchases. … Read more

North Carolina lost about 21% of its coastal forests between 1985 and 2021, roughly 64,220 hectares; researchers found the decline accelerated after 2010 as marsh, ghost forest and shrubs replaced trees

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North Carolina lost about 21% of its coastal forests between 1985 and 2021, roughly 64,220 hectares; researchers found the decline accelerated after 2010 as marsh, ghost forest and shrubs replaced trees

North Carolina’s coastal forests are retreating at a faster pace, with a new study finding that more than one-fifth of forest cover across part of the state’s coastal plain disappeared between 1985 and 2021. The findings, published in PLOS One and reported by North Carolina State University and Phys.org, show that forest loss accelerated significantly … Read more

Billionaire Ron Burkle bought Frank Lloyd Wright’s earthquake-damaged Ennis House for about $4.5 million, roughly 70% below its original ask, then spent up to $17 million restoring it before it sold for $18 million

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Billionaire Ron Burkle bought Frank Lloyd Wright’s earthquake-damaged Ennis House for about $4.5 million, roughly 70% below its original ask, then spent up to $17 million restoring it before it sold for $18 million

Photo credit (L-R): Burkle Foundation and the MLS Billionaire investor Ron Burkle purchased Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House in Los Feliz for about $4.5 million in 2011, roughly 70 percent below its original asking price, after the landmark had been damaged by earthquakes and heavy rains. He then spent up to $17 million on a … Read more

A Colorado ranch homesteaded before statehood stayed with the same family for six generations; more than 150 years later, 650 of its roughly 700 acres were permanently protected from subdivision

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A Colorado ranch homesteaded before statehood stayed with the same family for six generations; more than 150 years later, 650 of its roughly 700 acres were permanently protected from subdivision

A Colorado ranch homesteaded before statehood stayed with the same family for six generations; more than 150 years later, 650 of its roughly 700 acres were permanently protected from subdivision/Image: The Trust for Public Land The 700-acre Hutchinson Ranch along US Highway 50 between Salida and Poncha Springs, recognised as the oldest family-owned ranch in … Read more

A Gutenberg Bible leaf bought for £25 in the early 20th century was rediscovered among a grandfather’s belongings in an English attic; the roughly 570-year-old page fetched £39,000 at auction in 2025

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A Gutenberg Bible leaf bought for £25 in the early 20th century was rediscovered among a grandfather's belongings in an English attic; the roughly 570-year-old page fetched £39,000 at auction in 2025

A single page from one of the most important books in printing history spent decades sitting unnoticed in an English attic. Bought for just £25 in the early 20th century, the roughly 570-year-old leaf from the Gutenberg Bible was rediscovered among a grandfather’s belongings and eventually sold at auction for £39,000 in 2025.The rare page … Read more

Thai ice cream founder has put his 27-year-old business up for roughly $6 million after deciding to become a monk

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Thai ice cream founder has put his 27-year-old business up for roughly $6 million after deciding to become a monk

Siripong Akkarasriyuk built Hawell’s at a time when ice cream shops were becoming a familiar sight in Thailand’s shopping centres. He knew the trade from the ground up, having worked as an ice cream seller before launching his own brand in 1999. The first Hawell’s outlet opened at Central Pinklao, and the business expanded quickly, … Read more

In 2021, Alabama students began placing discarded Christmas trees along Gulf Coast dunes to trap sand; each year about 200 students now add roughly 3,000 native plants around them

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In 2021, Alabama students began placing discarded Christmas trees along Gulf Coast dunes to trap sand; each year about 200 students now add roughly 3,000 native plants around them

Discarded Christmas trees Discarded holiday trees collected from living rooms across Alabama are finding a second life along the Gulf of Mexico, forming the foundation of a student-led coastal restoration campaign. Discarded Christmas trees collected from homes across Alabama are getting a second life along the Gulf of Mexico, helping form the base of a … Read more

In 1979, about 30 mongooses were released on Japan’s Amami Oshima to control habu snakes; their population later grew to roughly 10,000 and threatened rare wildlife, but after decades of trapping Japan declared them eradicated in 2024

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In 1979, about 30 mongooses were released on Japan’s Amami Oshima to control habu snakes; their population later grew to roughly 10,000 and threatened rare wildlife, but after decades of trapping Japan declared them eradicated in 2024

In 1979, about 30 mongooses were released on Japan’s Amami Oshima to control habu snakes Japan has officially declared the successful eradication of the invasive small Indian mongoose on Amami Oshima, ending a decades-long ecological crisis on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed island. According to an official announcement from Japan’s ministry of the environment, expert panels … Read more

Florida’s 23-acre Bannon Island, held by one family for roughly 150 years and reachable only by boat, helicopter or seaplane, is listed for $12 million

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Florida's 23-acre Bannon Island, held by one family for roughly 150 years and reachable only by boat, helicopter or seaplane, is listed for $12 million

Historic $12 Million Private Island That Can Only Be Reached by Air or Boat Hits the Market for the First Time in 150 Years A secluded 23.32-acre private island on Lake Marion near Haines City, Florida, has been listed for $12 million. Known as Bannon Island, the property is being offered for sale for the … Read more