Former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NFL</a> running back Peyton Hillis, who was on the cover of the 2012 Madden NFL video game, has reportedly been taken off a ventilator that he was placed on after being hospitalized following a swimming accident.
Hillis, 36, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pictures-emerge-of-rescue-workers-responding-to-swimming-accident-involving-peyton-hillis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rushed to the hospital</a> earlier this month by helicopter in critical condition after he saved his children from drowning in the ocean.
Hillis&#8217; girlfriend, Angela Cole, shared an update on her Instagram account on Thursday, saying that his condition has improved.
&#8220;A hero,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;So proud of this man and so incredibly grateful for family and this incredible hospital. Peyton is off the ventilator and is on the road to recovery. Please continue to pray for [him] he’s still got a ways ahead of him, but thank you for all of your prayers and love and support thus far. It truly makes all the difference. Today was a good day.&#8221;
TMZ Sports obtained photos of the incident that showed a helicopter landing on the road to respond to the medical emergency.
Other photos showed Hillis lying on a backboard on the beach surrounded by lifeguards and paramedics. He was then taken to the hospital, according to the report. Photos appeared to show the first responders taking Hillis near an ambulance, but it’s unclear if he was put in the ambulance.
The photos did not show Hillis being put on the helicopter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a>: TMZ Sports has obtained pictures of the scene following Peyton Hillis&#39; swimming accident. <a href="https://t.co/bCm1DMxGl9">https://t.co/bCm1DMxGl9</a>
&mdash; TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1611433022733094932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Hillis was drafted in the 7th round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of the University of Arkansas.
The 6’2” 250-pound bruising running back had his breakout season in 2010, amassing more than 1,500 yards of total offense and scoring 13 touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns.
He followed up that season by racking up more than 700 yards of offense and three touchdowns in 2011. He played in 81 games over eight seasons with the Browns, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and the New York Giants.
Hillis retired in 2015.

Peyton Hillis

Former NFL Running Back Peyton Hillis Taken Off Ventilator After Saving Kids From Drowning: Report

Atlantic Ocean

Football

General

U.S.

Photographs emerged Friday afternoon that showed the dramatic scene that played out on a Florida beach this week when first responders were called to save former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NFL</a> running back Peyton Hillis following a swimming accident.
The 36-year-old Hillis, who was on the cover of the 2012 Madden NFL video game, was rushed to the hospital by helicopter in critical condition after he saved his children from drowning in the ocean.
TMZ Sports obtained photos of the incident that showed a helicopter landing on the road to respond to the medical emergency.
Other photos showed Hillis lying on a backboard on the beach surrounded by lifeguards and paramedics. He was then loaded into the bed of a truck and taken to the hospital, according to the report. Photos appeared to show the first responders taking Hillis near an ambulance, but it&#8217;s unclear if he was put in the ambulance.
The photos did not show Hillis being put on the helicopter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a>: TMZ Sports has obtained pictures of the scene following Peyton Hillis&#39; swimming accident. <a href="https://t.co/bCm1DMxGl9">https://t.co/bCm1DMxGl9</a>
&mdash; TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1611433022733094932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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FOX24 reporter Alyssa Orange <a href="https://twitter.com/AlyssaOrange/status/1611193316187553792?cxt=HHwWgIC-vZvyjdwsAAAA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highlighted</a> a post on Thursday from Hillis’ uncle, Greg Hillis, who wrote on social media: “I just wanted to let everyone know on Razorback Nation that Peyton is doing better. He’s still in intensive care and having some problems with his kidneys and his lungs but the doctors say he is improving. I just wanted to head off any rumors that may be started. I’m sure he would want everyone to know that he appreciates all of the prayers being thrown up on his behalf!!!”
“Adding to this information, I have confirmed Hillis was in a swimming accident in Pensacola, FL and helicoptered to the hospital. He remains unconscious in the ICU,” Orange wrote. “Family asks to please pray for him and a speedy recovery.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a>: TMZ Sports has obtained pictures of the scene following Peyton Hillis&#39; swimming accident. <a href="https://t.co/bCm1DMxGl9">https://t.co/bCm1DMxGl9</a>
&mdash; TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1611433022733094932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Hillis was drafted in the 7th round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of the University of Arkansas.
The 6’2” 250-pound bruising running back had his breakout season in 2010, amassing more than 1,500 yards of total offense and scoring 13 touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns.
He followed up that season by racking up more than 700 yards of offense and three touchdowns in 2011. He played in 81 games over eight seasons with the Browns, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and the New York Giants.
Hillis retired in 2015.
The accident involving Hillis comes just days after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field after going into cardiac arrest.
Hamlin collapsed with about six minutes left in the first quarter of the game against Cincinnati after he tackled Bengals receiver Tee Higgins following a 13-yard catch. After the tackle, Hamlin got up, took a step backward, and fell to the ground.
Dr. Timothy A. Pritts and Dr. William Knight told reporters that Hamlin has shown “substantial improvement” in his recovery over the last couple of days.
The doctors said that Hamlin was able to move his hands and feet and was able to communicate through writing, but they said it was too early to know if he would make a full recovery.
“When he asked did we win, the answer is, yes, you know, Damar, you won, you’ve won the game of life,” Pritts <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doctors-treating-damar-hamlin-give-update-on-his-health-address-question-of-what-caused-cardiac-arrest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
“We know that he’s home and that appears that all cylinders are firing within his brain,” Pritts said. “Which is greatly gratifying for all of us, for the nurses and respiratory therapists and caregivers as for his family and for everybody else beyond.”
When the doctors were asked about what caused Hamlin to go into cardiac arrest, they said that they do not know, but that answers could emerge in the future.
“The answer to that is that workup is ongoing,” Dr. William Knight answered. “We do not have definitive answers as to the etiology of the arrest at this time and that tests will continue to be ongoing as he continues to progress.”

New England Patriots v Cleveland Browns

Pictures Emerge Of Rescue Workers Responding To Swimming Accident Involving Peyton Hillis

The Ocean Cleanup Project is taking on the massive goal of eliminating plastic from the ocean by going straight to sea and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chinese-scientists-say-robot-fish-can-devour-ocean-plastics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extracting the trash</a>.
Joost Dubois, the director of communications, spoke to The Daily Wire about the project, its unique nature, setbacks, and what it hopes to accomplish.
The Ocean Project <a href="https://theoceancleanup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> on its website that millions of tons of plastic go into oceans each year, with most of it coming from rivers. Some of the plastic makes its way out to sea, and is trapped in currents where other plastic is collecting in massive garbage patches.
The goal of the project is to get rid of 90% of the world’s ocean plastic by 2040, which Dubois said is an ambition, “but [a] possible goal.”
The project <a href="https://theoceancleanup.com/oceans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">goes</a> into the ocean and puts cleanup systems in regions where currents circulate trash and create the garbage patches. They use a specific speed to catch the plastic in the system, and then pull the trash from the ocean. Once they have it on board, they bring it back to land in order to turn it into recycled products.
There have also been several setbacks along the way, but the group has learned to adapt.
Dubois explained a time when the system broke, creating a potentially massive problem, and they had to learn from the experience.
“The first ocean system we launched in September 2018 broke in December of the same year due to mechanical failure. So we used a plastic floater in that system,” he said, adding, that &#8220;it really was a fatigue failure of the pipe.&#8221;
&#8220;During the watch from the bridge, it was noticed that suddenly a part of the system was floating away, drifting away. And it was after it had broken off,” he said.
However, when setbacks come, they adapt.
“A failure is not always a failure. We learn from it. We try to schedule our learning. And sometimes, when the system broke, for example, we call that an unscheduled learning opportunity. But we definitely learned from [it],” he noted.
Garbage patches in the ocean have the potential to have a negative effect on the health of humans, marine life, as well as the economies of the world.
Two 2014 reports from the United Nations <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2014/06/471492" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showed</a> that plastic trash creates $13 billion in financial harm each year to marine life.
Discussing the UN report, Dubois added, “And that is a combination of different types of damage. So that&#8217;s really the economic side. It&#8217;s shipping, it&#8217;s tourism, it’s cleanup costs that are currently connected to marine debris.&#8221; He also explained how ghost <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/our-oceans-are-haunted-by-ghost-nets-why-that-s-scary-and-what-we-can-do--24" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nets</a>, or deserted fishing nets, can get caught in boats, as well.
Ocean plastic could also have devastating and unforeseen impacts on people’s health.
He discussed &#8220;a large group of marine animals that are currently under threat related to plastic pollution,” Joost said, adding that “because this plastic is being mistaken for food by fish and other marine life, it ends up in the food chain and eventually becomes part of our diet.”
The Ocean Cleanup turns its plastic into products to sell, such as sunglasses, which it took to market.
&#8220;I think one of the things we&#8217;ve always had as part of our ambition is that we would like to do something with the plastic that we collect to bring it back to shore and try to come up with an approach that would minimize the chance of it ever getting back in the ocean,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So we do work hard to get it recycled rather than landfill it or incinerate it. And that is not easy, but it&#8217;s also not impossible.&#8221;
He also said that the Ocean Cleanup is unique in its approach of recycling in that its plastic is verified as having truly come from the ocean.
&#8220;We hope to prevent [&#8230;] our ocean plastic from [being] mistaken for something else which is flooding the markets right now,&#8221; he said.
He said other companies sell products that they allege is made from ocean plastic, but their plastic does not have the same kind of strict validation process that The Ocean Cleanup’s trash goes through.
&#8220;We built this quite elaborate scheme to make sure that [if] you buy our stuff that you at least know for sure that it is stuff that we collected from the middle of the ocean,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;We&#8217;re thousands of miles away from shore where we operate. So we think that is worth some special attention and pricing.&#8221;
The ambitions of the project are two-fold. It seeks to not only use its technology to remove plastic from the oceans, but it also plans to “intercept plastic in rivers before it reaches the oceans,” according to its website. It will do this by heading to 1,000 rivers across the globe and stopping 80% of river plastic from ending up in the seas. It plans to achieve this goal five years after initiating the process.
The project is a passionate attempt to do some good in the world.
Dubois said that they are a non-typical nonprofit, adding, “We don&#8217;t collect money to sustain ourselves. We really collect money to get this fixed and then we go and do something else.&#8221;

Plastic bottles collected for recycling at Railay beach, Krabi, Thailand

Ocean Cleanup Project’s Ambitious Goal: 90% Plastic-Free By 2040

Environmentalism

Pacific Ocean

Readers Pass

World

The biggest cruise ship ever built could be scuttled before its maiden voyage after its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/germany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">German</a> builder went kaput.
Global Dream II, a 1,122-foot vessel that features an outdoor waterpark and a cinema and was designed to carry up to 9,000 passengers, cost $1.8 billion to build. But now it could be sold for scrap after Christoph Morgen, a trustee for its now-bankrupt German builder, MV Werften, failed to find a buyer for the nearly-finished luxury liner.
“Faced with the tight deadline to get the Global Dream out of its building dock by the end of 2023, recycling the ship in Turkey is a last resort that Morgen hopes to avoid,” wrote industry analyst <a href="https://www.tradewindsnews.com/cruise-and-ferry/genting-s-unfinished-cruise-behemoth-could-sell-for-1bn-but-who-would-want-to-buy-it-/2-1-1274003" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TradeWinds</a>.
<div id="attachment_432025" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-432025" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-432025 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/GettyImages-1238222704-864x576.jpg" alt="The Global Dream III would be the biggest cruise ship ever built, but it may never sail." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238222704-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238222704-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238222704-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238222704-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238222704-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238222704-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238222704-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />The Global Dream III would be the biggest cruise ship ever built, but it may never sail. (GREGOR FISCHER/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
MV Werften was nearly done building the 20-deck megaliner when it went bankrupt in January. Morgen, who is winding down the assets of the shipbuilder, told <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-18/genting-s-mega-ship-needs-buyer-by-summer-before-cash-runs-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg News</a> in February that he had three potential buyers for the ship.
“We will have a speedy process, but there’s no need for a fire sale,” Morgen said at the time. “Our target is to get the highest price.”
<div id="attachment_432034" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-432034" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-432034 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/GettyImages-1238180475-866x576.jpg" alt="The 342m long and almost finished cruise ship Global Dream is pictured in the main assembly hall of the shipbuilder MV Werften in Wismar, on Januar 26, 2022. - One of the world's largest cruise ships sits, unfinished, in a wind-swept dock in Wismar on Germany's Baltic coast after the its makers filed for bankruptcy in January." width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238180475-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238180475-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238180475-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238180475-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238180475-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238180475-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/GettyImages-1238180475-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />The trustee appointed charged with winding down the shipbuilder&#8217;s assets has been unable to find a buyer, and the shipyard must be cleared to make way for the German Navy. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)</div>
The German government offered loans to try to help MV Werften stay afloat, but the company was apparently done in by the COVID pandemic, which clobbered the cruise industry. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck told Bloomberg News the government was willing to subsidize the small amount of finishing work in passenger facilities that was left to be done on the ship in order to make it more attractive for a sale.
But all potential deals have apparently fallen through, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11167999/Worlds-biggest-cruise-ship-costing-1-2BILLION-sold-scrap-set-sail.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a>. Now it has to be moved out of the defunct company’s shipyard in Wismar, which is being turned into a Navy yard.
The biggest cruise ship currently operating is the Oasis-class Wonder of the Seas, which is owned by Royal Caribbean and has a passenger capacity of 6,988, according to the Mail.
MV Werften is owned by Genting, a Malaysian company controlled by billionaire Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay.

GERMANY-TOURISM-HEALTH-ECONOMY

SEE IT: Biggest Cruise Ship Ever Built Could Be Scuttled Before It Ever Sails

Business

Germany

An American <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vacation">tourist</a> was discovered dead at the same <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/atlantic-ocean">Bahamas resort</a> where three American travelers died earlier this year, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/08/16/us-tourist-found-dead-at-same-bahamas-resort-where-3-died-in-may/">The New York Post</a>.
The incidents which happened at the same Sandals Emerald Bay Resort in Great Exuma appear to be an eerie coincidence as the deaths are unrelated, the publication reported.
The most recent death involved a man who appeared to be in his 70s. A spokesperson for the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement that the individual was experiencing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/covid-19">COVID-like</a> symptoms prior to his death. Though an official cause of death has not been revealed, the police confirmed they do not suspect foul play.
“The body of the deceased is expected to be flown to New Providence where an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death,” the statement explained.
Meanwhile, the trio of resort guests who died in May perished due to carbon monoxide poisoning, a report revealed one month later.
Michael Phillips, 68, and Robbie Phillips, 65, a couple from Tennessee, along with Florida resident Vincent Chiarella, 64, were discovered dead as a “result of asphyxiation due to carbon monoxide poisoning.”
Michael and Robbie were &#8220;happily married for 43 years” and owned a Maryville travel agency together, according to their obituary.
&#8220;They took great care of their clients and enjoyed traveling the world together,&#8221; the obituary said.
The resort has since addressed the situation by re-evaluating their safety standards at the resort.
&#8220;Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our guests and team members is and will always be paramount. It is for this reason that we have taken additional measures such as engaging environmental safety experts for a comprehensive review of all systems across the resort,&#8221; the company wrote in a statement, per <a href="https://people.com/human-interest/sandals-adds-carbon-monoxide-detectors-after-3-americans-die-in-isolated-incident-at-bahamas-resort/">People</a>.
&#8220;In addition, CO detectors have now been placed in all guest rooms at Sandals Emerald Bay and although not mandated in any Caribbean destination where we operate, detectors will be installed in all guest rooms throughout the portfolio,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;Our entire team is keeping the families in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.&#8221;
A fourth victim, Donnis Chiarella, was airlifted to a hospital in Florida after being found unconscious at the resort alongside her husband, who was one of the victims.
&#8220;We remain devastated by the unimaginable event that occurred at Sandals Emerald Bay Resort earlier this month that resulted in the loss of three lives, including two members of our beloved travel advisor community, and the recovery of a fourth guest,&#8221; Sandals Resorts said in May. &#8220;We wish to once again extend our deepest sympathies and our heartfelt condolences to the Phillips and Chiarella families.&#8221;

CMT Story Behind The Songs LIV+ Event Experience with Jason Aldean at Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island – Day 2

American Tourist Discovered Dead At Same Bahamas Sandals Resort Where 3 Others Died In May

COVID-19

Death

Vacation

Dramatic video shows the moment a massive humpback whale crashed into a fishing boat off the coast of Cape Cod.
Cell phone video obtained by Boston ABC affiliate WCVB showed up-close footage of the incident, which originally occurred on Sunday. The video shows the whale breaching straight up out of the water, then slamming into the small boat. Other videos taken by witnesses show the whale slamming headfirst into the bow of the boat, pushing it down while throwing the stern out of the water.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
New video shows what it was like for the people on board a boat off the coast of Plymouth as a whale breached and crashed on to it. <a href="https://t.co/7IkoEYKqoI">https://t.co/7IkoEYKqoI</a> <a href="https://t.co/jYWwgDwXzt">pic.twitter.com/jYWwgDwXzt</a>
— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) <a href="https://twitter.com/WCVB/status/1552591081233154049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
One of the fishers on the boat recounted the incident online. &#8220;While fishing for Striped Bass in Cape Cod Bay &#8230; enjoying an awesome time fishing we saw and heard the screams of excitement from boaters nearby seeing a whale or whales surfacing in the area, all [were] hundreds of yards away from us all morning,&#8221; fisher Ted Gardziel shared in a post on the website <a href="https://viralhog.com/v?t=9zsacc8khb&amp;&amp;page=1">ViralHog</a>.
Gardziel said that they had seen a whale a few minutes earlier, but it was over 300 yards away. He said he was holding his phone and recording at the time when the whale collided with the boat.
&#8220;We&#8217;re all &#8230; very lucky, no injuries, minor damage to the boat and we powered back to the marina on our own,&#8221; Gardziel added. &#8220;We all felt bad for the whale, wrong place at the wrong time for all of us. We all got bumped around but went on to live another day. Amazing that an animal that large was in such shallow water (30&#8242;) so close to shore breech feeding on Menhaden.&#8221;
Witnesses also posted photos and videos of the incident to Facebook. One video posted by a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jodi.enggasser/posts/10162906351611509">witness</a> shows the whale in mid-breach, smashing head first into the boat, sending the stern of the boat high into the air, before sliding off the bow and back into the water, while the boat tosses in the wake of the crash. Photos shared by the witness showed the bow railing badly damaged and one of the boaters inspecting the boat and himself for injuries.
The witness, Justin Enggasser, told the <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/25/metro/i-think-everyone-was-shocked-father-son-capture-video-whale-hitting-boat-plymouth/">Boston Globe</a> that he and his son were fishing for striped bass, and were chasing schools of Menhaden, a baitfish which attracts both striped bass and humpback whales. “We saw the bait fish start jumping in front of the boat,&#8221; he said. “My son had been sort of taking video of it while I was fishing. [He] just happened to be able to get it at the right time.”
Enggasser said there was no way to predict that the whale would hit the boat. “The whale, I think previously, breached fairly distant from that boat. I don’t think there was any way that guy could have known that whale was coming up right there.” The whale rolled off the boat, but fortunately surfaced again shortly afterward, Enggasser added.
The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/100070961930092/posts/pfbid0c4UiaYa7W1VoV956P4EhKcQehxBpQKewHGt4bv3TzebP6M9AqYu7wNKo39MCz5p5l/?d=n">Massachusetts Environmental Police</a> urged boaters to use caution in the wake of the incident, noting that a group of three juvenile whales had been feeding in the area recently.
&#8220;These young whales are engaged in physically active feeding behavior that is very unpredictable, while feeding in a shallow area on menhaden (or &#8216;pogies&#8217;), a rich and highly abundant schooling forage fish that also attracts striped bass,&#8221; police said. &#8220;A collision with a vessel or personal watercraft can cause damage to the vessel, physical injury to the whale, and potential serious injury or death to humans involved. The shallow water and presence of encroaching vessels, along with the young age of the animals, may increase the unpredictability of their behavior.&#8221;

humpback whale

WATCH: Massive Humpback Whale Breaches, Slams Into Fishing Boat Off Cape Cod

Animals

Massachusetts

Twitter

Whale

Researchers exploring the depths of the Atlantic Ocean&#8217;s floor have come across a line of strange holes that have left scientists baffled over their explanation.
The July 23 photos from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have left experts asking its Facebook audience for theories to account for the strange phenomenon.
“On Saturday’s #Okeanos dive, we observed several of these sublinear sets of holes in the sediment. These holes have been previously reported from the region, but their origin remains a mystery,” the NOAA’s Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OceanExplorationResearch/posts/pfbid02dRYdhHjt3m29PK441uP8AZdMBkLebtxJ9Vdao9D7R1nV6AeAodt7UrHzjviAHDWol?__cft__%5b0%5d=AZXQc9GIveCOIC6giZlI3w_YDpjOztOy0Oo-jbsdkHpI4yAfymYcKuojxtcUZnKinpKZkdgz4Iyx4gpxmGGC_qzt-Ny5zdspLXR0nShcv6N9b6Ki1GrvZf7UA7wh3SAtuLkHAckCK9-CiJGLbGmsN_jVtr1i0cYJFhLk9ytz__-oHg&amp;__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R">wrote</a>.
“While they look almost human made, the little piles of sediment around the holes make them seem like they were excavated by…something,” it added. “What’s YOUR hypothesis?”
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<a href="https://t.co/R7N0Jnaj1j">https://t.co/R7N0Jnaj1j</a>
&mdash; Florida Issues (@FloridaIssues) <a href="https://twitter.com/FloridaIssues/status/1551929377037975555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The camera images were taken 1.7 miles below sea level while observing an underwater volcano near the Azores. The remotely operated camera picked up the unexpected sighting that continues to drive speculation regarding their origin.
The Miami Herald <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article263826458.html">reported</a> that the discovery of the lines first occurred in the NOAA’s Voyage to the Ridge 2022 expedition that sought to map the deepwater areas “of the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and Azores Plateau.”
“The majority of it sits underwater and thus much of it remains largely unexplored. With active tectonic spreading, the MAR is the site of frequent earthquakes,” NOAA <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/22voyage-to-the-ridge/welcome.html">reports</a>.
“Hydrothermal vents may form where magma provides heat as it rises to the seafloor. These vents are known to support diverse chemosynthetic communities. However, little is known about life at these sites once vents go extinct, or what life lies beyond the vents, further away from the rift zone,” it added.
The NOAA’s first <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/22voyage-to-the-ridge/gallery/gallery.html?fbclid=IwAR3FSDTapNIuPdk1flZkvwtwRONM6TsEK9KGl_vEs41lFGkaYbtffJ7byNI#cbpi=/okeanos/explorations/22voyage-to-the-ridge/gallery/media/dive04-sublinear-sets.inc">public image</a> of the holes from 2022 explained that “we observed several of these sublinear sets of holes in the sediment. These holes have been previously reported from the region, but their origin remains a mystery.”
Comments on the agency’s Facebook post offered a variety of explanations to account for the mysterious line of holes.
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“Is that an object or animal inside the holes? Does that line run in the same direction as the current?” <a class="link " href="https://www.facebook.com/OceanExplorationResearch/posts/pfbid0Za6vWcp4CYDNEapDfqzyHBWpxUsTk4JA6BbEKJt4eKkXbshZ5yvG29cuUssyyw4Rl?comment_id=1120107128886176" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-ylk="slk:Anthony Narehood" data-rapid_p="9" data-v9y="1">Anthony Narehood</a> asked.
“Water from underground springs?” <a class="link " href="https://www.facebook.com/OceanExplorationResearch/posts/pfbid0Za6vWcp4CYDNEapDfqzyHBWpxUsTk4JA6BbEKJt4eKkXbshZ5yvG29cuUssyyw4Rl?comment_id=548909680250119" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-ylk="slk:Mike Weathersby" data-rapid_p="10" data-v9y="1">Mike Weathersby</a> wrote.
Others speculated the markings were human-made, referring to past exploration.
&#8220;I wonder if some company may be conducting sea floor samples,&#8221; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ralph.styer?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDo0MzU0OTg1NjE5NTIyMzlfODM1ODc5OTc0MTA2Njk3&amp;__cft__[0]=AZXQc9GIveCOIC6giZlI3w_YDpjOztOy0Oo-jbsdkHpI4yAfymYcKuojxtcUZnKinpKZkdgz4Iyx4gpxmGGC_qzt-Ny5zdspLXR0nShcv6N9b6Ki1GrvZf7UA7wh3SAtuLkHAckCK9-CiJGLbGmsN_jVtr1i0cYJFhLk9ytz__-oHg&amp;__tn__=R]-R" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ralph Styer</a> mentioned. &#8220;That might explain the straight lines and the spacing of the holes. Especially if you have seen others in the region. Only thing is, everything else around it doesn&#8217;t seem like it&#8217;s been disturbed.&#8221;
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Despite numerous theories, researchers have yet to explain the sea holes and their intriguing order. Human activity is unlikely, as the surrounding area appears untouched, and NOAA would be among the only research group with access to the deepest reaches of the Atlantic Ocean&#8217;s sea floor.
“There are large unexplored ocean areas, and there is an enormous amount we do not know about them. We actually know more about the moon than the seafloor,” <a href="https://norwegianscitechnews.com/2015/06/we-know-more-about-the-moon-than-the-ocean-floor/">said</a> Steinar Ellefmo, an Associate Professor in the Norwegian University of Science and Technology&#8217;s (NTNU) Department of Geology and Mineral Resources Engineering.
</div>

NOAA

See It: Strange Line Of Holes Along Ocean Floor Baffles Scientists: ‘Look Almost Human Made’

Strange Line Of Holes Along Ocean Floor Baffles Scientists

Science

A 100-pound sailfish launched itself from the ocean and stabbed a 73-year-old woman from Maryland in the groin while she fished off the Florida coast with her two companions.
The Martin County Sherriff&#8217;s Office <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2022/07/25/sailfish-stabs-woman/">reported</a> authorities airlifted Katherine Perkins to a hospital after the fish leaped out of the water and attacked her as her companions were trying to reel it in.
Louis Toth, 75, who hooked the sailfish, said it &#8220;began to charge at the boat&#8221; after he and Dominic Bellezza, 77, tried to finish the catch, the Washington Post reported.
Perkins told authorities that &#8220;the incident occurred so fast she did not have time to react.&#8221;
Authorities said Tooth and Bellezza &#8220;​​immediately put pressure&#8221; on Perkins&#8217; wound and called for help as they returned to shore in Stuart, Florida. Authorities transported Perkins to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital.
The town of Stuart has long proclaimed itself the &#8220;sailfish capital of the world&#8221; since 1957.
Almost twenty years ago, Stuart officials <a href="https://www.geoffreycsmith.com/stuart-sailfish">installed</a> the Stuart Sailfish, a 19-foot tall bronze display in the downtown area.
&#8220;In the 1940s and &#8217;50s, this was as prolific a spot for sailfish as there was in the world,&#8221; Captain V.J. Bell told <a href="https://www.marlinmag.com/winter-sailfish-in-stuart-florida/">Marlin</a>. &#8220;And we still have days here that&#8217;ll rival fishing anywhere, with stretches where you might catch double digits of sailfish for days.&#8221;
<a href="https://oceana.org/marine-life/sailfish/">Oceana </a>reports the largest sailfish ever caught stretched 11.2 feet long and weighed 220.5 pounds.
National Geographic <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/facts/sailfish">reports</a> sailfish rank as the fastest fish in the ocean, reaching speeds of 68 miles per hour.
&#8220;Their large size and spirited fight make them a favorite among trophy fishers,&#8221; the magazine&#8217;s website reads.
The Ocean Conservancy <a href="https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2021/10/28/sailfish-fastest-fish/#:~:text=Because%20of%20this%2C%20sailfish%20are,to%20call%20our%20ocean%20home.">said</a> sailfish have pronounced bills and can weigh up to 200 pounds, and measure anywhere from six to 11 feet in length. The sea creature gets its name from its &#8220;massive sail-like dorsal fin,&#8221; which resembles a ship&#8217;s sail.
Florida has also declared the sailfish as the state&#8217;s saltwater fish.
An update on Perkins&#8217; condition has not been released yet.

Fishing in the Florida Keys

100-Pound Sailfish Stabs Woman In The Groin Off Florida Coast

Fish

Florida

A law to conserve a species of fish may have inadvertently led to a recent uptick in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sharks">shark</a> attacks in the state of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york">New York</a>.
Experts interviewed by the <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/07/21/state-bill-from-19-could-be-to-blame-for-more-sharks/">New York Post</a> Thursday said that sharks are returning to the waters off Long Island Sound because of a boom in the population of Atlantic menhaden, a species of fish native to the area. That means sharks have been approaching Long Island beaches, and in the process, have been coming dangerously close to, and in some cases biting, beachgoers.
“The reason why people are interacting with sharks more often this year and more than last year is because of conservation efforts over the years [that] has protected a food source known as the Atlantic Menhaden,” Frank Quevedo, executive director of the South Fork Natural History Museum Shark Research and Education Program, told the New York Post. “If there’s a school of Menhaden or baitfish close to shore, and sharks are feeding on that, they’re gonna fight any way they can, or shove other fish out of the way to feed on that food source. So, if people are in the middle of that frenzy … they’re gonna get bitten and that’s what happens.”
Menhaden, also known as bunker, are a species of baitfish that is eaten by larger fish and sharks. They are also commonly used to produce fish oil and fish meal for dietary supplements, animal food, and as an ingredient in other food products. Overfishing decimated the population in the area by 2011. The <a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/S2317?intent=support">State Legislature</a> unanimously passed — and then-Governor Andrew Cuomo signed — a bill in 2019 to put severe restrictions on the use of large nets called purse seines in fishing for menhaden, and banned their use in parts of the Long Island Sound.
The bill has had its intended effect, the Post noted — Humpback whales are staying in New York waters longer, and sharks have been spotted frequently in the shallows across Long Island. But Quevedo told the Post that because the fish swim so close to shore — in some cases as close as 20 yards from shore — they can draw sharks in with them, putting them in contact with people. <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/shark-attacks-2022-united-states-beaches/">Six beachgoers</a> have already been victims of shark attacks so far this summer. A <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/07/20/shark-nips-fire-island-surfer-in-latest-long-island-attack/">16-year-old surfer</a> was the latest victim; he was bitten in the waters of Fire Island Wednesday.
“What you’re seeing is a game of numbers. More sharks, people, there’s a greater chance there’s going to be an interaction,&#8221; Christopher Paparo, manager of Stony Brook University’s Marine Sciences Center, told the Post. &#8220;One thing to keep in mind: seeing sharks in our local ecosystem is extremely important. It’s a sign that the environment around us is healthy.”
But Quevedo said that sharks are not biting humans on purpose. “If the sharks were here to attack people, people would be dying and bleeding to death and losing limbs,” he said.
Assemblyman Steve Englebright, one of the bill&#8217;s sponsors in the State Assembly, said he could not have anticipated the &#8220;seriousness&#8221; of the increased shark activity. Still, he told the Post that he stands by the bill. “It’s having positive results,” Englebright said. “I don’t doubt that there are collisions taking place between bathers and probably tiger sharks that are looking for those Menhaden and mistaking people’s feet for fish. … That’s not something that one can legislate.”

E8196FFB-06CD-44C6-8F3E-C975740C8939_1_201_a

NY Fishing Restrictions May Have Played A Role In Recent Shark Attack Spike

New York

New York Post

Sharks

A family participating in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alabama">Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo</a> got a little more than they bargained for after a gigantic <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/animals">eagle ray</a> hopped in their boat and gave birth to several babies last Friday.
April Jones <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/alabama-400-pound-spotted-eagle-ray-boat-birth.amp">told</a> Fox News, &#8220;We were out fishing off the coast of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-states">Sand Island Lighthouse</a> on Friday and I wasn’t catching anything — but my husband, husband’s father and son all were.&#8221; Jones then decided it was time to try a new location off the coast of Alabama when she suddenly heard a commotion in the boat.
She said, &#8220;We were trying to get a fish for me to catch. So I told them I was ready to leave and head to a different spot,&#8221; she explained. &#8220;We packed everything up — and as we were pulling away, there was a hard hit and a water splash.&#8221;
Then, the family turned and saw an estimated 400-pound, seven-foot wide eagle ray on the deck of their boat.
&#8220;We thought she’d be able to get herself out of the boat, but due to her weight, she couldn’t get herself out,&#8221; Jones said. &#8220;We tried to get her out, but she weighed too much.&#8221;
&#8220;She was so heavy that she was also weighing the boat down, and we were getting water in the back of the boat,&#8221; she added. The family attempted to make calls, but needed to get the ray out of their boat quickly.
&#8220;We drove to the closest boat launch, which happened to be where the Dauphin Island Sea Lab was,&#8221; the mother <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/alabama-400-pound-spotted-eagle-ray-boat-birth.amp">added</a>. &#8220;I ran into the lab to see if anyone could help get her out. In the meantime, some people had come to the boat and helped her get out.&#8221;
Then, the Jones family noticed something even more shocking. Once docked at the boat launch, &#8220;we found out she had delivered four babies. We had no idea when she did it. They were not moving.&#8221;
The family donated the baby eagle rays to the Sea Lab after it was determined they had not survived. Officials said the corpses could be used for educational purposes. The Sea Lab also told the Jones family that if rays &#8220;are in any type of stressful situation, they will give birth,&#8221; Jones also told Fox News.
The eagle ray likely jumped into the boat in an attempt to get another fish off its back, experts speculated.
&#8220;It&#8217;s not uncommon for wild animals to release their young when they feel their life is in danger. This is surely an adaptation that gives the parents a better chance at producing offspring and passing along their genes in the population,&#8221; Brian Jones, curator of the Alabama Aquarium, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, told Fox News.
The lab curator said that in four decades of work, he has only seen five eagle rays.

Eagle Ray Stock Photo

Rare, Giant Sea Creature Jumps Into Alabama Boat And Gives Birth

Rare, Giant Sea Creature Jumps Into Boat And Gives Birth

Alabama

Sports

It’s a battle-tested dream for any prepper.
A World War I-era island fort off the eastern coast of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/england">England</a> is going up for auction and could go for as little as $60,000. Bull Sand Fort, which boasts three floors, an observation tower, and panoramic views of the North Sea, is set to go under the hammer next Tuesday, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11005049/World-War-One-fort-two-miles-sea-accommodates-200-people-goes-market-50-000.html">Daily Mail</a>.
“A Grade II listed sea fort constructed between 1915 and 1919 for naval sea defence during World War One and used in World War Two,” reads the real estate listing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Interesting trip out to Bull Sand Fort at the mouth of the Humber. It&#39;s going up for auction soon. What would you do with a 103 year old concrete and steel fortress? <a href="https://t.co/v5yidVFneH">pic.twitter.com/v5yidVFneH</a>
&mdash; Mike Dennett (@UltramarineUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/UltramarineUK/status/1542456583426293760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The island fort, built around 1915 and roughly two miles off the coast of Cleethorpes, Lincsk, can house up to 200 people, has a basement, a jetty, and an artesian well fed by a natural stream below the seabed. It is also reinforced with concrete and built to stand up to attack from the sea.
“The fort was constructed on top of a submerged sandbank by driving two concentric steel rings into the ground and depositing thousands of tons of chalk and rubble to form a firm foundation,” according to <a href="http://www.castlesfortsbattles.co.uk/yorkshire/humber_forts.html">CastlesFortsBattles.co.uk</a>. “The fort itself was a four-level, steel framed, circular structure reinforced by concrete and its seaward side was fitted out with 12-inches of armour designed to withstand gunfire from heavy naval units.”
But it is definitely a fixer-upper. The listing seems to hint it could be a money pit.
“In need of refurbishment throughout with potential for development or alternative uses, subject to consent,” it states.
The fort was only completed after World War I ended, but was used during World War II.
During World War Two, it was armed, besides the usual small and rapid-fire weapons, by four six-inch guns and two six-pounder guns, according to CastlesFortsBattles.co.uk.
It was decommissioned in 1956.
One issue that may scare off some potential buyers: It’s only accessible by private boat.

Bull Sand Fort, Humber Estuary, 2006

Prepper’s Dream: Highly Affordable, Decommissioned Island Fort For Sale

Prepper's Dream: Highly Affordable, Decommissioned Island Fort For Sale

Military

U.S. Navy

United Kingdom

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/china">Chinese scientists</a> say they have invented a robot fish they hope can help rid the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/atlantic-ocean">oceans</a> of microplastics, according to a report.
The devices can absorb the plastics, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walsh-walsh-america-responsible-almost-none-matt-walsh">microscopic remnants of bottles, bags, straws, paint, and even tires</a>, that threaten the ecosystem. The plastics, smaller than a grain of rice, are now found in all species of fish and have worked their way up the food chain to humans.
“It is of great significance to develop a robot to accurately collect and sample detrimental microplastic pollutants from the aquatic environment,” Yuyan Wang, a researcher at the Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University and one of the lead authors on the study, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/22/scientists-unveil-bionic-robo-fish-to-remove-microplastics-from-seas">told</a> The Guardian. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of such soft robots.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Robot fish could solve the pollution problem of the ocean<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Robot?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Robot</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Science?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Science</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TechNews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TechNews</a> <a href="https://t.co/wF54ZdW5Dn">pic.twitter.com/wF54ZdW5Dn</a>
&mdash; Dark Science (@DarkScienceMag) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarkScienceMag/status/1539644623743864833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The robot fish are just a half-inch long, propelled by a light laser system, and can “heal” themselves if they get damaged while gobbling up plastics in the sea.
The fish, which the Guardian described as “bionic,” absorb the microplastics by chemically bonding to dyes, antibiotics, and heavy metals in them.
For now, the robot fish is just a proof of concept, and not ready to begin ocean patrols. It also can only chug along on the surface, but they hope to create a version that can go underwater.
“I think nanotechnology holds great promise for trace absorption, collection, and detection of pollutants, improving intervention efficiency while reducing operating costs,” Wang said.
Microplastics have been found in virtually all oceans, lakes and rivers on the planet, and even in Arctic snow. The amount of plastic finding its way into the ocean is expected to triple to 39 million tons per year by 2040 if current trends continue. Once in the sea, it breaks down into microplastics, typically defined as 3/8 of an inch or smaller.
International support is building to a global treaty to stop plastics pollution, akin to the Paris climate agreement.
A <a href="https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/06/22/ranked-the-top-10-countries-that-dump-the-most-plastic-into-the-ocean">recent report</a> by packaging company RAJA found that India and China dump the most plastic into the ocean by far, combining for nearly 220,000 tons per year. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walsh-walsh-america-responsible-almost-none-matt-walsh">The U.S.</a>, despite being the biggest plastics producer, ranked eighth, with approximately 2,645 tons. Other countries responsible for more plastics in the ocean than the U.S. included Indonesia, Brazil, Thailand, Mexico, and Egypt.

Plastics

Chinese Scientists Say Robot Fish Can Devour Ocean Plastics

China

Environment

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