From a distance, there's nothing to see. Just a grassy fortress mound, a still moat, and open water stretching between the two. Walk closer, though, and a narrow trench opens up in front of you, cutting straight through the water at ground level. Step down into it, and you can walk clear across the moat without so much as getting your shoes wet — the water rising in walls on … [Read more...] about The Sunken Bridge That Lets You Walk Through a 17th-Century Moat
Wildlife & Nature
This Ancient Japanese Technique Produces Lumber Without Cutting Down Trees
Japan has a long tradition of finding elegant, patient solutions to practical problems — and daisugi, a forestry technique developed roughly 600 years ago near Kyoto, is one of the more remarkable examples. It allows foresters to harvest high-quality lumber again and again from the same tree, without ever cutting it down. What Is Daisugi? Daisugi (台杉), meaning … [Read more...] about This Ancient Japanese Technique Produces Lumber Without Cutting Down Trees
Koko the Gorilla, a Linguistic Pioneer, Passes Away at 46
Koko, the western lowland gorilla who became world-famous for her use of sign language, died in her sleep on June 19, 2018, at the Gorilla Foundation's preserve in California's Santa Cruz Mountains. She was 46. A Linguistic Prodigy Born Hanabi-ko — Japanese for "fireworks child," a nod to her July 4, 1971 birthdate — Koko was born at the San Francisco Zoo and … [Read more...] about Koko the Gorilla, a Linguistic Pioneer, Passes Away at 46
Greenland Shark That Could Be 500 Years Old Discovered by Scientists
A groundbreaking scientific discovery has revealed a staggering secret: the Greenland shark, a creature of the deep, may be the longest-living vertebrate on Earth. According to a study led by marine biologist Julius Nielsen of the University of Copenhagen, published in the journal Science, these enigmatic creatures could be up to 500 years old. A Lifespan Beyond … [Read more...] about Greenland Shark That Could Be 500 Years Old Discovered by Scientists
Amazing Images Display an Uncontacted Amazonian Tribe Living Dangerously Close to Illegal Miners
For the first time, an uncontacted tribe was captured on camera from the air in a section of the Brazilian Amazon currently being overrun by unauthorized gold miners. Without protection from encroaching outsiders, this tribe — which has preserved its way of life for thousands of years — faces a real risk of extinction. What the Images Show The photographs, taken from a … [Read more...] about Amazing Images Display an Uncontacted Amazonian Tribe Living Dangerously Close to Illegal Miners