Scientists from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia on Friday released data that suggests the population of emperor penguins on Antarctica is twice as large as previously believed. The researchers used satellite technology to locate colonies, measuring droppings tallying individuals with high-resolution images. The study identified 44 major colonies, including seven that had been unknown, and counted 595,000 penguins. Climate models suggest that emperor penguin numbers could dwind... Read More
Sharon Cherop and Wesley Korir overcame high temperatures to win the 116th Boston Marathon today in 2:31:50 and 2:12:40, respectively, leading a Kenyan sweep of the top three women's and men's places. Cherop, last year's third-place finisher, took a two-second victory over Jemima Sumgong with a hard surge in the final quarter mile. Korir, a Kenyan who graduated from the University of Louisville in 2008, was a surprise winner in the men's race after favorite and defending champion Geoffrey Muta... Read More
Vermont governor Peter Shumlin was chased by black bears on Wednesday night as he tried to protect four birdfeeders hanging from a tree at his house in Montpelier, Vermont. Shumlin first tried yelling at the bears, then went outside to take the feeders down. As he retreated inside, the biggest of the bears charged and came within six feet. "I sleep like many Vermont boys, without too much clothing at night," Shumlin said. "The bottom line is: The bears were dressed better than I and they could... Read More
Four sailors are presumed dead after an accident Saturday at the Full Crew Farallones yacht race in San Francisco. Eight men were swept overboard when their boat, the Low Speed Chase, crashed into rocks. Three of the crew were rescued by helicopter and one body was recovered. The search for the remaining four sailors was suspended on Sunday night and will not resume on Monday. "We kept searching 12 hours past what we consider the survivability window," a Coast Guard spokesman said. Two of the ... Read More
