Parasaurolophus is a genus of dinosaur from the Late CretaceousPeriod of what is now North America, about 75 million years ago. A member of the Hadrosaurid or duck-billed dinosaurs, it was a plant-eater that walked on two legs or all four. Three species are recognized: P. walkeri, P. tubicen, and the short-crested P. cyrtocristatus. Remains are known from Alberta, New Mexico, and Utah. It is known for its large, elaborate cranial crest, which forms a long curved tube projecting upwards and back from the skull. The crest's purpose has been debated by scientists; possible functions include thermoregulation, visual recognition of both species and sex, and trumpeting. The genus was first described in 1922 by William Parks from a skull and partial skeleton in Alberta. Only a handful of good specimens are known. (more...)
... that Haneji Dam in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, includes an airlift system which enables fish from downstream to go up into the reservoir formed by the dam?
The Dickin Medal was established in 1943 in the UK by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in war. It is a bronze medallion bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried on a ribbon of striped green, dark brown and pale blue. It is awarded to animals that have displayed "conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty while serving or associated with any branch of the Armed Forces or Civil Defence Units". The award is commonly referred to as "the animals' Victoria Cross". The first recipients were three pigeons in December 1943, serving with the Royal Air Force, all of which contributed to the recovery of air crew from downed aircraft during the Second World War. The most recent animal to be honoured is Treo, a black Labrador, for his "heroic actions as an arms and explosives search dog in Afghanistan". As of August 2011, the Dickin Medal has been awarded 63 times. (more...)
A 360° panorama of a portion of the Namib Desert with the Spitzkoppe (centre), a group of bald granite peaks or bornhardts, and the Pontok Mountains (centre-right) in the distance. The highest peak in the Spitzkoppe rises about 700 m (2,300 ft) above the desert floor, to a total of 1,784 m (5,853 ft) above mean sea level. Until modern times, climbing the peak presented a formidable challenge, owing to its isolation, the heat of the desert and the total lack of water.
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