A copy of Super Mario Bros., still in the box and sealed with its original sticker, just sold at Heritage Auctions for $3 million. That absolutely crushes the previous record of $2 million, also for a copy of Super Mario Bros., in 2021. That sale also came hot on the heels of a controversial auction of Super Mario 64 for $1.56 million.
Part of what drove the price of this particular copy so high is that, according to Heritage Auctions, instead of shrink-wrap, this 19895 second run was sealed with a glossy sticker, which was discontinued shortly after. The site claims it's the earliest known sealed copy of the game in existence. It's also gr …
Hidden underground around the world lie 110 quadrillion kilometers of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks—webs of ultra-thin threads that, if connected in a single line, would stretch almost a billion times the distance between the Earth and the sun, according to new research published in Science on Thursday.
These fungal communities form intimate relationships with the roots of plants, which they provide with nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen in exchange for carbon, 1 billion tons of which the networks sequester underground annually, previous research has found. If the fungal network wasn’t storing it, that carbon would be warming the atmosphere.
But those networks have never been mapped globally until now. The new study led by Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, or SPUN, an organization founded to map mycorrhizal fungi networks, used a combination of literature review, soil samples from around the globe, machine learning and laboratory testing to estimate the distribution and mass of these systems and map where they are densest.
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Plant biologist and author Beronda Montgomery has penned a groundbreaking work that weaves together botanical science with African American history in her book “When Trees Testify.” The memoir combines Montgomery’s expertise as a Ph.D. research scientist with deeply personal reflections on how trees have served as silent witnesses to pivotal moments in Black American experiences.
Montgomery’s unique perspective as both a botanist and storyteller reveals the profound ways trees have been intertwined with African American history—from the cotton fields of slavery to the hanging trees of lynching to the shade trees that sheltered civil rights gatherings. Her scientific background allows her to examine these connections through both an emotional and ecological lens, showing how the natural world has absorbed and preserved traces of human history.
The book represents an innovative approach to environmental storytelling, demonstrating how botanical knowledge can illuminate social and historical narratives often overlooked in traditional environmental literature. Montgomery’s work highlights the importance of diverse voices in environmental science and conservation, showing how different cultural perspectives can enrich our understanding of the natural world. Her research suggests that trees themselves become repositories of memory, their growth rings and cellular structures literally incorporating the atmospheric conditions—and human activities—of their lifespans.
This intersection of environmental science and social history offers readers a fresh perspective on both fields, encouraging deeper consideration of how human and natural histories are inseparably connected.
The post Botanist Explores Deep Connections Between Trees and Black American History in New Memoir first appeared on EnviroLink Network.
In a remarkable display of community conservation efforts, a team of eight volunteers successfully rescued a massive 172-pound male loggerhead sea turtle named Bowser from the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier over the weekend. The dramatic operation required coordinated teamwork as the volunteers used ropes and pulleys to hoist the endangered turtle approximately 35 feet above the Gulf of Mexico waters to safety.
The rescue represents part of a growing trend of sea turtle emergencies occurring in areas where human activity and marine wildlife increasingly overlap. Scott Dexter, who coordinated the rescue effort, led the team through the careful extraction process, emphasizing the physical demands of saving such large marine creatures. Loggerhead sea turtles are listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, making each rescue operation critical for the species’ survival.
Florida’s extensive volunteer network has become essential in protecting sea turtle populations along the state’s coastline. These dedicated conservationists respond to distress calls involving turtles that become entangled in fishing equipment, injured by boat strikes, or trapped in human-made structures. The volunteers often work in challenging conditions, requiring both physical strength and specialized knowledge of marine biology to ensure successful rescues.
As coastal development continues to expand and recreational fishing activities increase, the intersection between human activities and sea turtle habitats creates more frequent rescue scenarios. These volunteer efforts highlight the crucial role that community-based conservation plays in protecting endangered marine species and maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems.
The post Florida Volunteers Launch Dramatic Rescue Operation for 172-Pound Endangered Sea Turtle first appeared on EnviroLink Network.
Space Exploration Technologies, better known simply as SpaceX, became a publicly traded company on Friday nearly a quarter of a century after it was founded.
The company began trading on the NASDAQ exchange in New York City at $135 a share, valuing SpaceX at nearly $1.8 trillion. By the end of the trading day the company's shares were selling at $160.95, a respectable increase of more than 19 percent.
On paper, SpaceX founder Elon Musk became the world's first trillionaire, with his personal stake in the company valued at more than $700 billion. Because of the company's stock options plan, thousands of current and former employees became overnight millionaires. Employees at SpaceX have worked remarkably hard over the last 24 years, and now they will be richly compensated for having done so.
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