Captain Cook's HMS Endeavour confirmed to be in waters off Rhode Island after decades of research
Two Australian historians, Mike Connell and Des Liddy, originally pinpointed the location of the ship, called HMS Endeavour in 1998, the museum said in a report released earlier this month. The museum's report detailed how a 26-year archival and archaeological research program ultimately determined that the Endeavour was, in fact, at the bottom of Newport Harbor as Connell and Liddy had thought.
Captain Cook famously sailed the Endeavour across the Pacific Ocean multiple times in the mid-1700s. He is remembered for his voyage to Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia, which he claimed for Britain, as well as Hawaii, where he ultimately met his fate in a dispute with indigenous residents. Cook's exploration of the islands laid the foundation for British colonization in those areas, which is why, for different reasons, it's an important part of Australian history, according to the museum's report.
An engraving from "Complete History of Captain Cook's First, Second and Third Voyages," a compilation of Cook's expeditions published in 1784, shows the Endeavour on the shores of what is now Queensland, Australia, during the captain's South Pacific voyage between 1768 and 1771.
Science & Society Picture Library / Getty Images
"For some, the Pacific voyage led by James Cook between 1768 and 1771 embodies the spirit of Europe's Age of Enlightenment," the executive summary of the report reads, "while for others it symbolises the onset of colonisation and the subjugation of First Nations Peoples."
After Cook's death, the Endeavour returned to England, which went on to use it for transporting British troops and detaining prisoners during the American Revolutionary War. It was sold to private owners, who renamed the ship Lord Sandwich, and deliberately sunk in Newport Harbor in the midst of war in 1778.
When Australian maritime experts initially announced in 2022 that they believed the Endeavour was among a number of ancient shipwrecks still scattered across Newport Harbor, the claim was widely debated. But a partnership between the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission and the Australian National Maritime Museum forged ahead with the research that eventually led to the wreck's identification. They are working to ensure that the wreck site is protected from now on.
"Given Endeavour's historical and cultural significance to Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, England, the United States of America and First Nations peoples throughout the Pacific Ocean, positive identification of its shipwreck site requires securing the highest possible level of legislative and physical protection," the report says.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aussie drivers issued incredible warning as rainfall awakens 'living fossils' underground
Aussies have been urged to be careful when driving through the country's outback amid concerns recent wet weather has awoken an unusual creature hiding deep underground. Earlier this month, heavy rainfall swept across the country's dusty red centre, bringing much-needed relief to drought-stricken South Australia, and drenching areas of western Queensland that are still recovering from heavy flooding in March. With more wild weather sweeping the nation this week, one man has reminded travellers passing through the outback to be aware of shield shrimp emerging from the ground. 'Keep an eye out for these in the puddles along the road,' Peter Cole said online alongside a photo of one of the small desert crustaceans in the palm of his hand. Speaking to Yahoo News, Peter said he had never seen a shield shrimp before he stumbled upon an 'abundance' of the creatures in puddles on a road just north of Tibooburra, a town in the far northwest of NSW, while travelling in 2021. 'We pulled into Tibooburra Pub and showed a few locals the photo, one old bushy who had lived there for 50 years said he had never seen one.' What are shield shrimp? Shield Shrimp belong to a group of crustaceans called 'branchiopods', which literally means 'gill feet', Dr Marissa McNamara, Collection Manager of Crustacea at Queensland Museum, told Yahoo. The creatures, which are widespread across inland Australia, have leaf-life, lobed feet, each bearing a gill plate that allows them to breathe, she explained, adding their shield protects the head and frontal portion of their multi-segmented bodies. 'Females carry their eggs under the body; these are highly resistant to drying out, and they can survive for many years in the desert clay before hatching,' Dr McNamara said. 'The eggs need water to hatch — the larvae then grow into adults and lay their own eggs very quickly, before the water dries up. The eggs can remain viable for at least several years, and perhaps more (definitive data on the maximum timespan is unavailable).' They are sometimes referred to as 'living fossils'. 'Specimens today look similar to shield shrimp that lived over 300 million years ago. They also live in the desert, which is an unusual habitat for crustaceans,' Dr McNamara told Yahoo. Only one species is currently recognised in Australia — Triops australiensis — however recent research has found evidence that there may be at least 17 more species in this genus. 🐦 The 'rule' Aussies must follow if they see one of world's rarest creatures ✈️ Aussie pilot captures extraordinary moment during record-breaking event 🚙 Travelling Aussie couple's incredibly special find next to outback track Thrilled Aussies share their own shield shrimp sightings Numerous thrilled Aussies have inundated Peter's post with stories of their own sightings, including one man who claimed he once found shield shrimp in puddles on top of Uluru. Others said the crustaceans 'fascinated' them as a child. Several people also shared photos and pictures of their own encounters in recent years. 'I saw one of these in a 'dry lake' that had filled with rain last winter in the Goldfields! I thought it was some kind of unusual tadpole and tried searching for it,' one woman wrote. 'I used to live in outback NSW and after every rain we would find them in the puddles,' someone else said. 'Yeah, I've seen them up near Cockburn after a massive rain, they freaked me out, weird looking things,' a third person added. With the Bureau of Meteorology's climate outlook predicting above-average rainfall west of the Great Dividing Range over the next few months, many more may still have a chance to catch a glimpse of a shield shrimp — but they should refrain from touching it. 'It's best to leave shield shrimp undisturbed, especially given evidence that there are many unique species with restricted distributions, rather than one widespread Australian species,' Dr McNamara said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Resident stumped over new bin as FOGO rollout ramps up before council deadline
Councils across the country are ramping up distribution of food and garden organics (FOGO) bins, but Australians are still divided by the rollout — with one resident telling Yahoo News she was a bit bemused when a small bin "just turned up at my door one day". Ivy Boulton, who resides in Branxton in the NSW Hunter Valley said she received "no warning" when a countertop FOGO bin arrived at her door in June. Despite saying she'll do her best to incorporate the new bin into her waste disposal routine, she's not too sure if others will follow suit. "It's just an extra step in what they already have in their routine with the red and the yellow bins... People are lazy," she told Yahoo. "I think if everyone uses it, it might be enough to make a difference, but for as long as people are refusing to use it, I don't know how much of a difference it's going to make." ♻️ Push to change FOGO bin mandate in race against time in 'landfill crisis' 👀 Man called out for little-known rubbish bin mistake most of us make 😒 Residents push back against 'dumb' bin announcement Australians divided over FOGO push After Ivy spoke about the incident online, many Australians said they were reluctant to use it, with some accusing their council of not giving them enough information before the rollout occurred. Cessnock City Council, responsible for the rollout where Ivy lives, did not respond when contacted by Yahoo about the ongoing rollout. "Worst idea they ever had," one woman said. "I'm all for recycling and separating rubbish... [but] with a bigger family our general waste bin only gets picked up every fortnight, and it's not enough for us, and [we] have more rubbish lying around smelling." Ivy told Yahoo News some have admitted to her they use their countertop FOGO bin as a "door stopper", while another woman online confessed, "I didn't even know this was becoming a thing!". However other Aussies in the state say they are all for the new FOGO system. "[Mine] goes under my sink. FOGO is brilliant... our red bin waste dropped dramatically. FOGO is good, use it," one said, while another claimed, "I like mine". Ivy has been using her FOGO since it was delivered, but explained her household green waste "barely even covers the bottom of the bin". "I have been using it since I got it but it's taking some getting used to, and I need to make sure to empty it regularly because it does smell," she said. New South Wales pledges FOGO mandate by 2030 Cessnock City Council, alongside neighbouring Maitland City Council and Singleton Council, launched a FOGO collection across the Hunter Region at the end of June, with authorities aiming to meet the state government's pledge of mandating FOGO collection by 2030. "FOGO is a game changer. We're proud to be delivering it across Cessnock, Maitland and Singleton and giving our communities a real opportunity to lead the way in reducing landfill and turning waste into something worthwhile," Cessnock Mayor Dan Watton said. "FOGO will have significant long-term benefits for our environment, economy and community." The state mandate means food scraps and garden waste will be collected separately from regular household waste, and sent to composting. The NSW government is aiming to halve the amount of organic waste ending up in landfill by 2030. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
China State Media Reveals New Nuclear-Armed Submarine
A Chinese sailor deployed aboard a nuclear-armed submarine vowed that his unit would fire missiles "without hesitation" upon receiving an order, according to a report by state media. The report by China Central Television also claimed this was the "first disclosure" of a new Chinese submarine conducting a long-distance mission in an undisclosed maritime location. Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email. China possesses more than 370 naval vessels, making it the world's largest combat fleet by hull count, including six Type 094 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, each armed with 12 nuclear ballistic missiles, according to the Federation of American Scientists. All Type 094 submarines are homeported at Longpo Naval Base on Hainan Island in southern China, which borders the South China Sea, and represent China's "first credible sea-based nuclear deterrent," the Pentagon assessed in its report on Chinese military power. Ballistic missile submarines are the most survivable leg of China's nuclear triad, alongside land-based ballistic missiles and nuclear-capable bombers, because they are extremely difficult to detect while conducting patrols that maintain a constant at-sea deterrent presence. A Chinese submarine, unidentified in the report, was seen departing a naval base at an undisclosed location, according to footage aired by China Central Television on Thursday. Australia-based naval analyst Alex Luck told Newsweek the submarine is one of six Type 094 boats in service, suggesting the footage was likely taken at Longpo Naval Base. It remains unclear whether the submarine carried out its mission in the South China Sea. While the footage offered a rare glimpse inside the submarine and how sailors operate it, certain interior sections were blurred, likely for operational security reasons. It was not immediately clear whether the interior scenes were filmed while the submarine was at sea. "Today is a peaceful era, but tomorrow may mark the start of war. On the day real war begins, we will wait only for the order—and then launch this missile without hesitation," said Ma Xiaohui, a sailor assigned to an unidentified submarine unit. The Type 094 submarine can be armed with either JL-2 or JL-3 ballistic missiles, which have ranges of 4,488 miles and 6,214 miles, respectively. The JL-3 missile is capable of targeting portions of the U.S. mainland when launched from China's littoral waters. As part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's accelerated development of nuclear forces, China's next-generation nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine, the Type 096, is expected to enter service in the late 2020s or early 2030s, according to the Pentagon's assessment report. In comparison, the United States currently operates a fleet of 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, each armed with up to 20 Trident II D5LE nuclear missiles. According to the Federation of American Scientists, this missile has an estimated range of 7,456 miles. The Pentagon, in its report on Chinese military power: "The [People's Republic of China]'s next-generation Type 096 [nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines] will reportedly be armed with follow-on longer range [submarine-launched ballistic missiles]." The Federation of American Scientists, in its report on Chinese nuclear weapons: "Whenever they are in the South China Sea, China's [nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines] typically appear to be accompanied by a protection detail, including surface warships and aircraft (and possibly attack submarines) capable of tracking adversarial submarines." It remains to be seen whether the Chinese military will disclose details of other nuclear forces in the coming days as it celebrates the 98th anniversary of its founding on Friday. Related Articles New Chinese Warship Debuts in Contested WatersMap Shows What Trump Tariff Rates Are For Each CountryAmerica Needs a Digital Dollar | OpinionIran Reacts to New US 'Assault' 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
