Death of family and their dog on California trail baffles police

Los Angeles (AFP) Aug 23, 2021 The mysterious deaths of a family and their dog on a California hiking trail were baffling investigators Monday, almost a week after their bodies were found. Autopsies on John Gerrish, 45, his wife Ellen Chung, 31, and their one-year-old daughter, Miju, found no signs of attack and no obvious poisoning. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Gerrish was sitting … Continue reading Death of family and their dog on California trail baffles police

Some plant-based burgers smell more like real beef than others, study shows

Washington DC (UPI) Aug 23, 2021 “Beyond Burgers” from Beyond Meat smell the most like traditional beef hamburgers compared with other plant-based, meatless alternatives, according to an analysis presented Monday during the American Chemical Society meeting in Atlanta. However, like all meatless options, their odor differed significantly from their beef counterparts, the data showed. “The problem with plant-basehttp://dlvr.it/S6CkRn Continue reading Some plant-based burgers smell more like real beef than others, study shows

10 days later, Haiti earthquake victims struggle to cope

Les Cayes, Haiti (AFP) Aug 23, 2021 Survivors of the earthquake that killed 2,200 people when it struck Haiti 10 days ago are wavering between feeling resigned to the destruction and fighting for help as they struggle to cope with their daily needs. “I’m slowly resuming my work,” Edouard, a motorcycle taxi driver, told AFP. “But it hasn’t been calm yet, because there is still … Continue reading 10 days later, Haiti earthquake victims struggle to cope

Madagascar renews MSF access to famine-hit south

Antananarivo (AFP) Aug 20, 2021 Madagascar on Friday restored global medical charity MSF’s access to the country, where borders have been shut since the start of the pandemic, allowing relief work in the famine-hit south. Teams from Medecins Sans Frontieres had lost their special authorisation to continue travelling to the Indian Ocean island nation, shuttered since March 2020, when the government reinforced coronavirus rehttp://dlvr.it/S67YJw Continue reading Madagascar renews MSF access to famine-hit south

Humans ditched swivelling hips for shorter stride than chimps

Washington DC (SPX) Aug 23, 2021 Compared with the strides of our closest primate relatives, even the tallest humans take relatively short steps. “Standardized by size, humans really don’t have long strides”, says Nathan Thompson from the New York Institute of Technology, USA. However, until recently, most scientists believed that the human stride was relatively long for efficiency; “this is taught in almost every introduhttp://dlvr.it/S65kcx Continue reading Humans ditched swivelling hips for shorter stride than chimps

Rescuers race to save tortoises in France’s burnt biodiversity hotspot

Les Mayons, France (AFP) Aug 20, 2021 In a deadly silent and scorched landscape, French scientist Dominique Guicheteau lies on his front, plunges his hand under a rock and brings out a Hermann’s tortoise. This one, at least, appears to have survived the raging wildfire’s merciless passage through a biodiversity hotspots in southern France, near the glitzy resort of Saint Tropez. For four days firefighters … Continue reading Rescuers race to save tortoises in France’s burnt biodiversity hotspot

Headless E-Commerce System Puts Checkout Button Anyplace It’s Needed

In its simplest form, Fast provides the answer most anticipated by e-tailers. That is, how do you put a checkout button on any page on the website, even if it is not directly on the e-commerce store? “By using a headless checkout solution, retailers are able to convert any digital screen into an opportunity to buy products and engage with shoppers,” said Allison Barr Allen, … Continue reading Headless E-Commerce System Puts Checkout Button Anyplace It’s Needed

Three dead, four missing in Malaysian floods

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) Aug 19, 2021 Three people were killed and four others are missing after floodwaters swept down a mountain in northern Malaysia and surged through villages, authorities said Thursday. Water packed with mud, rocks and logs hit settlements close to Mount Jerai on Wednesday, leaving streets and houses swamped and washing away cars. Properties in the two affected districts suffered severe damage while … Continue reading Three dead, four missing in Malaysian floods

Landslide disaster risk in the Kivu Rift is linked to deforestation and population growth

Leuven, Belgium (SPX) Aug 20, 2021 New research shows how deforestation and population growth have greatly impacted landslide risk in the Kivu Rift. This is what researchers from KU Leuven, the Royal Museum for Central Africa and ULB established from an analysis of six decades of forest cover and population trends in the region. The study was published in Nature Sustainability. Landslides occur in mountainous … Continue reading Landslide disaster risk in the Kivu Rift is linked to deforestation and population growth

Death toll crosses 2,000 in quake-stricken Haiti

Port-Au-Prince (AFP) Aug 19, 2021 The death toll from a massive earthquake in Haiti soared past 2,000 on Wednesday as relief workers warned of challenges to aid efforts five days after thousands of people were left homeless. The number of people killed in Saturday’s devastating quake has risen by almost 250 to 2,189, the country’s civil protection agency said. “There are around 600,000 people who … Continue reading Death toll crosses 2,000 in quake-stricken Haiti