While exploring a sunken shipwreck off the coast of the Tasmanian Peninsula, a group of divers stumbled upon an unusual sight. At first, they couldn't believe their eyes, but upon closer inspection, it became clear that they had discovered an extremely rare creature sheltering in the hull of the ship. The animal, which was a small, light pink aquatic creature, is known as a handfish. They are critically endangered, making this a very rare sighting.

Very little is known about the handfish, and researchers believe that this was the first sighting of the species in their natural environment. They are named for their hand-like fins, which they used to crawl along the bottom of the ocean floor. The species used to be more common, but their numbers have dwindled substantially due to pollution and habitat decline. This could explain why this particular fish was using a wrecked ship as its home. Researchers believe that they are also related to the anglerfish, but lack the threatening set of fangs that makes their counterpart so well known.

It is difficult to imagine how the divers must have been feeling when they came across the alien-like creature, but according to one of them, James Parkinson, he was delighted when he realized what he was looking at. “Once my eyes adjusted to what they were pointing at, I saw the handfish and realized immediately it was [a] pink handfish and that this was a significant discovery,” Parkinson said.

To read more about this unique animal, be sure to check out the Handfish Conservation Project website.

A group of divers off the coast of Tasmania recently found an incredibly rare handfish living in the hull of a shipwreck.

h/t: [The Dodo]

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READ: Divers Discover Incredibly Rare Handfish While Exploring Sunken Ship

Photo: NOAA Climate.gov

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is a large ocean current—or polar vortex—that flows clockwise around the continent of Antarctica, with wind speeds of around 155 miles per hour. But due the impacts of climate change, the vortex has been gradually growing faster and faster over the past several years. The most recent change to the trajectory of the vortex occurred on March 4, when it started spinning backwards.

The existence of the vortex has been known to sailors for centuries, but geologists believe that the ACC has existed since the Antarctic continent separated from Australia about 34 million years ago. Because of this, scientists have long studied this phenomenon, including a recent study that was published in March 2024 that details the history of the vortex over a 5 million year period. It is not unusual for it to change its trajectory, as some polar vortexes can change for days, weeks, or even months at a time when temperatures in the stratosphere increase by around 90°F over the course of a couple of days. This is precisely what happened in early March.

According to NOAA's polar vortex blog, the winds on the ACC are beginning to slow down, indicating that it will probably return to normal soon. In the past, disruptions to the polar vortex have caused widespread weather impacts across the globe. For example, in 2019, a massive cold front hit the Midwestern United States due to the vortex splitting apart into smaller currents.

As climate change continues to get worse, the polar vortex will continue to disrupt, probably at a more frequent rate. Other natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, will also become more frequent and more dangerous. Stories like this emphasize the importance of fighting climate change and limiting the harm that we do to our planet.

In early March, a large polar vortex called the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) changed its trajectory. Researchers believe this was caused by a sudden spike in the temperature of the stratosphere and expect it to return to normal soon.

Photo: NOAA Climate.gov

h/t: [Live Science]

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READ: Antarctic Polar Vortex Is Now Spinning in the Wrong Direction and Could Impact Global Weather

There's a restaurant in the UK called The Long Table that has been changing the way we think of dining out. This eatery and community center, located in the town of Stroud in South West England, has recently gained the attention of journalists from all over the world because they have been employing an unusual but revolutionary dining idea—a pay-as-you-can model. When someone enters The Long Table, they simply order their meal, say how much they would like to pay, and receive a meal token as they wait for their food.

At a time when rising prices have made healthy food unavailable for many, The Long Table is a vital resource for the community it serves. By serving still-good food that was rescued from landfills, they are able to employ 22 full-time and part-time staff members and provide food for the people living in Stroud. The Long Table serves lunch five days a week, and the store portion of the restaurant is open every morning for coffee and cake. They also offer hot dinners on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The restaurant features a new menu every day, including plant-based and gluten-free options, meaning that their diners never quite know what to expect.

In addition to their accessible food model, they also place an emphasis on conversation and community among their patrons. The restaurant got its name from the long tables located at the center of their establishment. The nature of their dining setup encourages customers to sit across from each other and talk as they enjoy their meals. As their website states, “At The Long Table, community and great food sit side by side. Whoever you are, whatever your story, pull up a chair and join us as we evolve the very notion of what a restaurant can be.”

Sadly, the restaurant is currently facing an eviction after the mill that they repurposed was sold to a new landlord. They have until August 25, 2024, to move out; but, until then, they are hosting a plethora of “Operation Fill-the-Mill” events, which provide community members with the chance to utilize their services. Currently, the owners are in search of a new location, but members of the community are still holding out hope and have created an open letter urging the new landlord to allow for The Long Table to remain at the Brimscombe Mill.

Even though The Long Table's future may be uncertain, the impact it is having on the local community certainly is not. One line of the open letter reads, “Collectively we hope a solution can be found which means that this loved, and very much needed, community resource can remain at Brimscombe Mill. If that is without possibility, then we implore you to allow them more time to find a new location to recreate the wonderful and essential hub they have worked so hard to build.”

For more information on The Long Table, check out their website. You can also follow along their journey and feasts on Instagram and Facebook.

The Long Table is a pay-as-you-can restaurant located in South West England.

 

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They offer warm meals to community members five days a week, and only expect people to pay what they are able to.

 

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A post shared by The Long Table Stroud (@thelongtablestroud)

In addition to their focus on food access, The Long Table also places an emphasis on community, as they encourage patrons to talk with each other as they eat their meal.

 

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A post shared by The Long Table Stroud (@thelongtablestroud)

Sadly, The Long Table is currently being faced with the possibility of an eviction.

 

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A post shared by The Long Table Stroud (@thelongtablestroud)

Fortunately, the community has rallied around the business and they remain hopeful.

 

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A post shared by The Long Table Stroud (@thelongtablestroud)

The Long Table: Website | Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [Good News Network]

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READ: Restaurant Lets Customers “Pay What They Can” To Help Support the Local Community

Photos shot on antique cameras are usually snapshots of years gone by, often found in a cherished family photo album or perhaps displayed on the walls of a museum. However, 19-year-old photographer Aila Ru recently went viral on TikTok for a series of vintage-looking portraits of their friends, all captured in the present day with a 100-year-old camera.

Ru has been practicing photography since they were 15. Viewing photography as “an under-appreciated and underutilized art medium,” they felt compelled to pursue it as a creative form of expression and documentation.

“I love alternative and historical photographic processes,” Ru tells My Modern Met. “I think there’s something very special about older methods of photography and it’s becoming somewhat of a forgotten art, so that’s what inspired me to take photos on such an old camera.”

Given the sepia-toned, soft-focused nature of the images, the average onlooker could easily mistake them for vintage photographs that have been touched up with modern fashion or perhaps some sort of AI filter. But this is not the case. By using a No. 2 Folding Autographic Brownie, which was manufactured by Kodak between the years of 1915 and 1926, Ru was able to capture photos of their friends that have an old-world charm to them.

“I really love testing the boundaries of what a photograph can be,” Ru says. “I’m currently a senior in highschool planning to attend art school next year, where I can hopefully grow as an artist and pursue more projects like this.”

You can keep up with Ru's work and even book a photo shoot with them on Instagram.

Aila Ru is a 19-year-old photographer who recently went viral for taking portraits of their friends with an antique camera.

The Atlanta-based creative captured the portraits using a No. 2 Folding Autographic Brownie, which was manufactured by Kodak between the years of 1915 and 1926.

Thanks to the unique color scheme of the photographs and the modern styles of their friends, Ru is able to blend past and present together.

Aila Ru: Instagram | TikTok

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Aila Ru.

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READ: Teen Captures Vintage-Looking Portraits of Friends With 100-Year-Old Camera

Photo: Amaviael/Depositphotos

Flying can be stressful in the best of circumstances. For pet owners, traveling with their animal companions poses its own unique challenges. In an effort to alleviate some distress, American Airlines has recently relaxed part of their pet policy and will allow owners to bring their pet, as well as a full-size carry-on bag, into the cabin.

This is a welcome change for pet owners, as up until this week, people who brought their pet into the cabin could only have one other small bag that could fit underneath their seat, unless they wanted to pay an additional fee of $35. As a result, many people would send their pets to the cargo hold for the flight to avoid spending the extra money on top of the already expensive pet fee. Because of this, the new policy could also reduce the number of people who falsely claim that their pets are service animals to get them on flights for free.

Regardless of the relaxed policy, anyone traveling with a pet should still do their research before attempting to fly with their furry friend. Every airline has a slightly different policy, and many planes have occupancy limits for the amount of pets that can be in the cabin at once. Additionally, if you are flying overseas, different countries have different entry policies for pets, so be sure to research that in advance—PetTravel.com is a worldwide resource you can check on. It is also a good idea to consult your veterinarian to see how to best travel with animals.

American Airlines recently relaxed its pet policy, allowing pet owners to bring their animal companions, as well as a full-size carry-on bag, into the cabin for no additional fee.

Photo: Amaviael/Depositphotos

h/t: [AP]

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READ: American Airlines Just Made Flying With Pets Cheaper and Easier

Textile artist Rianne Aarts of art studio Teddy and Wool specializes in crafting woven wall hangings. Using only natural materials in her work, such as hand-spun wool, cotton cords, and non-toxic dyes and pigments, Aarts creates gorgeous pieces of textile art. From depictions of rolling hills to glowing suns, much of her work is clearly inspired by the peace and beauty of nature.

“Ever since I was young I always felt the need to create things of beauty,” the artist admits. “That need slowly turned into passion and that passion is what drives me to create art.”

Aarts, who is based in the Netherlands, started Teddy and Wool in 2016, creating small macramé wall hangings and plant hangers that she would sell on Etsy to help support herself as she worked towards her law degree. Since then, the business has grown significantly. She now owns a small art studio and leads a team of three creative women, who also work on wall hangings. Over the years, she and her team have created over 6,000 wall hangings and have been commissioned by a wide variety of interior designers from big name brands such as Google, Starbucks, and several major hotel chains. Most notably, one of her wall hangings was featured in the blockbuster film Sonic 2.

Her next collection is titled REFRAMED and will feature a total of nine fiber wall hangings. The name is inspired by Aart's 2022 collection, FRAMED, which utilized carefully dyed and placed strings to create beautiful gradient and geometric patterns surrounded by wooden frames.

“The past year or two there’s been quite a bit of interest in these framed fiber artworks and I’ve sold all pieces multiple times, so it only made sense to continue with these as I also really enjoy creating them,” Aarts tells My Modern Met. “The new framed fiber artworks will all be landscape pieces, some colorful, others minimalistic or dark, each inspired by nature.”

If you are interested in learning more about Aarts’ creative process and keeping up with her work, you can follow her on Facebook or Instagram. If you are interested in owning one of her wall hangings for yourself, check out her online store and take a short quiz to get matched to a piece of art that is perfect for your space.

Rianne Aarts (of Teddy and Wool) is a textile artist known for her stunning macramé wall hangings.

All of the materials that she uses are natural, from her dyes to the fibers themselves.

Her newest collection, titled REFRAMED, will feature carefully dyed and arranged fiber strands encased in gorgeous wooden frames.

Those interested in learning about Aarts’ creative process are in luck, as she has several behind-the-scenes videos on her Instagram.

 

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Teddy and Wool: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Rianne Aarts/Teddy and Wool.

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READ: Beautiful Macramé Wall Hangings Mimic Colorful Gradients Found in Nature

 

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When you hear the word “portal,” images of fantasy or science-fiction books probably come to mind. And while portals may not be naturally occurring in our world, technology has provided us with the opportunity to create things that used to only exist in the pages of storybooks.

Portal is one of these creations. Aptly named, it is a new public installation that will be located at the Flatiron South Public Plaza at Broadway, Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street this spring. It will broadcast live video from Dublin, Ireland, into New York City. At the same time, another portal will be set up in Dublin that will live stream footage from New York City, connecting the viewers at both locations.

Benediktas Gylys, a Lithuanian artist and entrepreneur, is the mastermind behind the portals. He is passionate about creating projects that connect humanity and advertise our similarities at a time when we are increasingly divided. According to Portal‘s website, “Portals are an invitation to meet fellow humans above borders and prejudices and to experience our home—planet Earth—as it really is: united and one.”

This set of portals is far from the first one that the organization has worked on. Currently, they have a pair located in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Lublin, Poland, that were set up in 2021 as an homage to Gylys' home country. Their website also houses a form where you can write about why your city should have a portal installed in it.

For more on the Portal project, check out its website and Instagram.

A real-life portal will be built in New York City and Dublin in the spring, and will live stream video between both locations.

 

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The first pair of portals were installed in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Lublin, Poland, in 2021.

 

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Portal: Website | Instagram | YouTube
Benediktas Gylys: Website | Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [TimeOut]

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Dolia in Ostia Antica, Italy (Photo: AlMare via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

The inhabitants of the ancient world routinely drank alcoholic beverages, as they were often safer than potentially polluted water. The ancient Romans were no different, as wine was a central part of their culture. By all estimates, they also drank a lot of it. Recently, archaeologists have been able to determine what their wine tasted like, allowing us to sense the flavor of the past.

According to a study published in Antiquity, Roman wine tasted somewhat spicy and smelled like “toasted bread, apples, roasted walnuts, and curry.” It typically had a unique orange tint in addition to its unique flavor, but the color of the wine could vary from white to golden to black, depending on the grapes used.

“By using the techniques we describe in our paper, the Romans were able to make much better, more tasty, and much more stable wines than is commonly assumed,” shared lead author and archeologist Dimitri Van Limbergen.

Traditionally, Roman wine was stored in dolia, large clay vessels that were partially buried in the ground. According to the researchers, this practice led to the spicy flavor of the wine, as the pH and temperature were well controlled as it aged.  Dolia were common in everyday Roman homes and are similar to vessels called qvevri, which are still used in traditional winemaking in Georgia.

This is a far cry from the stainless steel tanks that wine is often brewed in today, and researchers believe that the unique Roman choice of storage contributed to the wine's unique characteristics.

A recent study revealed that ancient Roman wine had a somewhat spicy flavor and smelled like “toasted bread, apples, roasted walnuts, and curry.”

Photo: efesenko/Depositphotos

Romans fermented and stored their wine vessels called dolia, which are similar to earthenware pots still used in traditional winemaking in Georgia.

Qvevri being buried in a winery in Georgia. (Photo: Levan Gokadze via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0)

h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

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READ: Archaeologists Have Determined What Ancient Roman Wine Tasted Like

Photo: JDunbarPhoto/Depositphotos

Have you ever wondered how certain animals like alligators manage to survive through harsh weather? Well, as a wave of frigid weather hit North Carolina and Texas, the alligators living in those states cleverly survived the cold by turning into living, breathing ice cubes in a process known as brumation. The animals do this by allowing pond water to freeze around them. Once submerged, the alligator keeps only its snout above the water's surface, enabling it to breathe until the pond thaws out again.

When ice crystals begin to form over the alligator's body, their metabolism and heart slow down (sometimes to three beats per minute), and their bodies slowly become suspended in the icy water. This state of dormancy is the reptile equivalent of hibernation. But unlike mammals, alligators do not actually fall asleep during this period and still have brief periods of activity so that they can drink.

Rescuers have found several of these semiaquatic animals frozen at an alligator sanctuary near Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. Another alligator was found suspended in a freezing pond at the Gator Country Rescue Center in Beaumont, Texas. If you come across any frozen gators, there's no need to be alarmed—just remember to exercise caution around wild animals and refrain from trying to wake them up.

In order to get through cold temperatures, alligators enter a hibernation-like state called brumation and allow themselves to become frozen in ponds.

Photo: TallyPic/Depositphotos

Watch these alligators breathe while in a frozen pond.

h/t: [Live Science]

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Photo: PantherMediaSeller/Depositphotos

The octopus is arguably one of the coolest animals on Earth. It can change color to blend in with its surroundings, shoot ink to stun predators, and regrow severed limbs. These creatures are also incredibly smart, capable of navigating mazes, solving puzzles, and jimmying locks. Now, a viral video shared by CBC shows us a part of octopus life that we rarely get to see.

The video explains how the female giant Pacific octopus only lays one batch of eggs (approximately 80,000 of them) during her five-year lifespan. During the six to 10 months that it takes for her eggs to hatch, the mother octopus does not leave their side. She spends that time tending to her eggs, fanning them to keep them oxygenated, free from bacteria, and safe from predators. During this period, she also doesn't eat, which causes her to slowly wither away as she makes the ultimate sacrifice for her offspring.

The video ends on a bittersweet note, as the baby octopuses hatch from their eggs, and the mother blows them out of the den and into open water. As the hatchlings depart in search of cold water currents, their mother passes away but does so having accomplished her goal, a true testament to a mother's love.

Watch as this mother octopus makes the ultimate sacrifice for her offspring.

h/t: [The Kid Should See This]

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READ: Mother Octopus Protects Offspring and Makes Ultimate Sacrifice in Touching Video