Latest news with #PacificSleeperSharks
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Should humans industrialize creatures that can feel and suffer? Spain's octopus farm reignites debate and faces global backlash
With about 500 million neurons, Octopuses are considered among the most intelligent animals on Earth. However, a Spanish company's plan to open the world's first commercial octopus farm has triggered global outrage, with scientists, lawmakers, and activists calling it a disturbing step backward in animal welfare and environmental ethics. Nueva Pescanova , a prominent Spanish seafood firm, has proposed farming octopuses at an industrial scale in the Canary Islands to offset declining wild populations. They argue this would meet growing demand and reduce pressure on wild stocks. Also Read: Pacific Sleeper Sharks queue up to feed on cow in South China Sea; first-ever footage captures rare deep sea behavior by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like When the Camera Clicked at the Worst Possible Time Read More But the project has sparked widespread condemnation for attempting to mass-produce one of the ocean's most intelligent and least understood creatures. Live Events Are Octopuses fit for farming? Octopuses possess about 500 million neurons throughout the body. About two-thirds are in their arms, called mini-brains, giving each limb semi-independent control, which has stunned neuroscientists and animal behaviorists alike. The rest are in the doughnut-shaped brain, which is wrapped around the oesophagus and located in the octopus's head. Social media videos showed Octopuses unscrewing lids to escape tanks and even showing individual preferences. It would be controversial to imagine animals with this creative level being raised for slaughter and human consumption, but octopuses are consumed in most parts of the world, too. Many argue that octopuses are too sentient to be farmed at an industrial scale due to their complex intelligence and emotional behavior. The slaughter method Nueva Pescanova's method of killing, immersing live octopuses in ice slurry, has been widely condemned. Dr. Peter Tse, a cognitive neuroscientist, called the technique 'unacceptable,' pointing out that the method causes a slow and painful death. In addition, the company plans to keep 10 to 15 octopuses per cubic meter despite the animals being naturally solitary, raising concerns about aggression and cannibalism in such cramped conditions. The legality The backlash has already prompted political action. Washington state has banned octopus farming . US senators Lisa Murkowski and Sheldon Whitehouse have introduced the OCTOPUS Act , aiming to outlaw it nationwide and block imports of farm-raised octopus. In Spain, protests have erupted in Madrid, and growing pressure is mounting on the European Union to halt the farm's approval process, especially given the UK's legal recognition of octopus sentience in its Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act. Environmental dilemma Nueva Pescanova argues the farm will help preserve wild populations, but critics disagree. Octopuses are carnivores, meaning they must be fed large quantities of fish, worsening the strain on already depleted marine stocks. 'This doesn't reduce pressure on oceans,' said one marine ecologist. 'It shifts the burden elsewhere in the food chain.' The debate goes beyond animal farming to a deeper ethical question: should humans industrialize creatures that can think, feel, and suffer? Cultural phenomena like My Octopus Teacher have further reshaped public perception, portraying octopuses as emotional and trusting beings unsuitable for farming.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Time of India
7 injured, including 5-year-old, in Georgia's Lake Lanier boat explosion during July 4th weekend
A boat explosion at Georgia's Lake Lanier on Friday, July 4 evening, injured seven people, including a 5-year-old child, during Fourth of July celebrations, local authorities confirmed. Five of the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals with second and third-degree burns, while two others were treated at the scene for minor injuries. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said the incident occurred around 7 EST near Landshark Cove, close to Margaritaville, when a 23-foot cabin cruiser being towed exploded. Also Read: Volcano erupts in Japan as manga artist Ryo Tatsuki's 'Mega Disaster' prophecy stokes fears and echoes Baba Vanga by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo The vessel quickly became engulfed in five-foot-high flames, prompting an urgent response from local fire departments. Live Events According to Hall County Fire officials, one of the injured victims had to be airlifted due to the severity of the burns. The age range of the victims spans from 5 to 45 years old. Firefighters from Hall County, along with Gainesville Fire's Marine Rescue team, managed to extinguish the blaze using a portable pump and marine units. The cause of the explosion remains unknown, but the Hall County Fire Marshal's Office is currently investigating it. About Lake Lanier Lake Lanier, located in northern Georgia, is a popular reservoir created by the Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River. Known for its scenic beauty, it attracts millions of visitors annually for boating, fishing, and water sports. Also Read: Pacific Sleeper Sharks queue up to feed on cow in South China Sea; first-ever footage captures rare deep sea behavior Despite its popularity, the lake has gained a reputation for accidents and unexplained incidents, leading to local legends and safety concerns. With over 690 miles of shoreline and 38,000 acres, Lake Lanier remains one of the Southeast's most visited recreational lakes.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Time of India
Volcano erupts in Japan as manga artist Ryo Tatsuki's ‘Mega Disaster' prophecy stokes fears and echoes Baba Vanga
There was talk of a "mega-disaster" hitting Japan in 2025, which was sparked by a viral prediction from Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki , often referred to as a modern-day fortune teller and likened to Baba Vanga . That prophecy, which foretold catastrophe in early June, resurfaced on social media weeks before a real-world chain of seismic events unfolded. Mount Shinmoedake , part of the Kirishima volcanic range in Kyushu, erupted on Wednesday, July 2, in one of its most powerful outbursts in years. The blast, recorded around 3:30 p.m. JST, sent thick ash plumes skyward and blanketed parts of the Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures. Also Read: Pacific Sleeper Sharks queue up to feed on cow in South China Sea; first-ever footage captures rare deep sea behavior Japan's Meteorological Agency has since warned residents to stay indoors, citing risks of falling rocks and pyroclastic flows within a 2-mile radius of the mountain. Just one day earlier, a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Tokara Islands, further heightening public unease. Live Events Alert was raised before the blast The Shinmoedake eruption wasn't entirely unanticipated. On June 27, nearly a week before the explosion, authorities raised the volcano's alert level to 3 after detecting swelling beneath the surface and a spike in volcanic gases. At a government committee meeting held just 24 hours before the eruption, experts confirmed that while no fresh magma was present, an eruption involving magma couldn't be ruled out. Shimizu Hiroshi, chair of the volcano research committee, cautioned that the situation required close monitoring, though the panel had not deemed an emergency meeting necessary at the time. The 2025 prophecy that went viral The events have reignited interest in The Future I Saw , a 1999 book by manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, based on what she described as 'prophetic dreams.' One of the book's most talked-about predictions was of a massive natural disaster set to strike Japan on June 5, 2025. Although the date passed without incident, the forecast triggered widespread attention online. It even led to a dip in tourist flight bookings to the country. Tatsuki herself has urged readers not to take her visions too literally, but the eerie timing of recent events has caused a stir among believers and skeptics alike. While the prophecy came from Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, the public reaction and panic it sparked echoed the kind of mystique often associated with Bulgarian clairvoyant Baba Vanga, whose name frequently trends during global disasters. Past eruptions and pop culture links Mount Shinmoedake has a long and fiery history. It last erupted in 2018 with minor activity, but its most disruptive event came in 2011 when an explosion triggered mass evacuations and flight cancellations. Interestingly, the volcano is also known for its role in pop culture; it served as the setting for the villain's lair in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice. On Sunday, June 29, days before the main eruption, a smaller plume measuring about 640 feet in height was seen rising from the crater. Authorities say they continue round-the-clock surveillance of the mountain as over 900,000 residents live within the affected zone.
