Latest news with #Viking
Boston Globe
17 hours ago
- General
- Boston Globe
Runestone that may be North America's oldest turns up in a Canadian forest
The runestone was found on private property in 2015, after the trees' collapse exposed it again to the elements of Ontario. The carvings quickly raised the specter of Vikings — there is only one confirmed Viking settlement in North America, in Newfoundland — but investigation soon knocked that idea down. Nor was the stone a forgery, researchers said, like the Kensington Runestone of Minnesota, which scholars found to be a 19th-century hoax. The Ontario runestone is 'a remarkable find,' said Kristel Zilmer, a runologist at the University of Oslo who was not involved in the project. The stone, she said, 'shows how such knowledge sometimes traveled with people, occasionally leaving behind finds like this one in rather unexpected places.' Advertisement Ryan Primrose, the archaeologist called to the site, near the town of Wawa, was among the surprised. 'I had never expected to encounter a runestone during my career,' he said. He soon reached Henrik Williams, a runologist and professor at Uppsala University in Sweden, who spent hours under a tarp studying the runes in a cold October rain. 'It was a drizzly day — even for a Swede,' Williams said. Advertisement The runes puzzled him at first, so he searched online for some of the words that he couldn't make sense of. He finally landed on a book he had seen before but never much considered: a runic guide published in 1611 by Johannes Bureus, who thought Swedes should use runes. ('I agree with him,' Williams said, 'but that ship has sailed.') He then pieced together the script, finding that it lined up with a Swedish and Protestant version of the Lord's Prayer. As for the boat? 'We're still working on it,' Primrose said. The carving was likely to have taken several weeks, and a Swede was probably responsible, Williams said. 'I don't think anybody else would have taken it upon themselves and reproduced it with such exactness,' he said. But although this gave the researchers a time frame — after 1611 — they have found no artifacts to provide a clearer date or purpose for the carving. The trees that fell were about 80 years old, Williams said, so the carving was most likely made at least a century ago. 'How much further back you go, I have no idea,' he said. The discovery puts the runestone among a handful found in Canada and the United States; the oldest to be dated with confidence is from the 1880s. Most 'do not pretend to be old at all,' Williams said, and a few are mysteries — their runes obscure and the purposes unknown. The one in Ontario 'could very well be the oldest one yet,' he said. 'I think it probably is.' In Canada, the researchers scoured regional archives, finding that at least a handful of Swedes were among those employed by the Hudson's Bay Company on Lake Superior in the 1800s, said Johanna Rowe, the local historian. Advertisement Primrose said the stone may have been carved as a personal act of devotion, or to be a point of congregation. 'It still remains a mystery,' he said. 'Most people don't realize what's in their own backyard unless they look,' Rowe said. 'Every community should do a little digging.' Shannon Lewis-Simpson, an archaeologist at Memorial University in Newfoundland who was not involved in the research, said the team was 'probably right' that a 19th-century Swede had made the carving. 'There's a lot of long winter nights up there,' she said. 'Why not carve up a runestone with the Lord's Prayer? But why cover it up with dirt afterward? Humans are strange, and that's why archaeology is fascinating.' The researchers did not immediately share news of the discovery, in part because they had to work out terms with the property's owner. Primrose hopes the site will eventually be open to visitors, but the team has not disclosed the owner's identity or the stone's exact location. Even Wawa's mayor, Melanie Pilon, found out about the stone only a few years ago. 'It was definitely on a need-to-know basis,' she said. When she visited, she said, she felt 'an aura about the site,' calling it 'magnificent.' Primrose said that the researchers now hoped the public could offer more information. 'We invite anyone to please reach out if they have it, especially historical records,' he said. Lewis-Simpson commended the researchers for their caution, noting that many people might jump to conclusions about a newly found runestone. 'If anyone turns up anything that's slightly runic everyone thinks it must be 'lost Vikings,'' she said. Advertisement This article originally appeared in
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Growth Stocks I'm Loading Up On
Viking Therapeutics advances its dual GLP-1/GIP obesity drug into Phase 3 trials, entering a $100 billion weight loss market. Applied Digital's $7 billion CoreWeave partnership transforms it into an AI infrastructure powerhouse amid soaring data center demand. Palantir defies gravity with a 90% gain in 2025 as government AI contracts multiply. 10 stocks we like better than Viking Therapeutics › Growth stocks are having a moment. Several small- and mid-cap stocks have suddenly jumped 40% or more in the past 30 days. The catalyst? Investors are piling into innovative growth companies in response to the rapid pace of development of artificial intelligence (AI), alongside the potential positive impact of the Trump administration's efforts to roll back regulations. Here are three incredible growth stocks I'm loading up on right now. Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VKTX) just initiated its VANQUISH Phase 3 clinical program for VK2735, its dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist targeting obesity. This move could transform the $3 billion biotech into a pharmaceutical powerhouse. The Phase 2 VENTURE study results were compelling. Patients achieved up to 14.7% body-weight reduction after just 13 weekly doses. Even better, 95% of gastrointestinal side effects were mild or moderate -- addressing the key weakness of current obesity treatments. Viking is entering a market Morgan Stanley projects will reach $150 billion by 2035. While Eli Lilly's Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Wegovy require weekly injections, Viking's developing an oral formulation that could dramatically expand the addressable market. The company's also planning a monthly maintenance regimen study later this year. With 4,500 patients targeted for the obesity trial and 1,100 for diabetes, Viking's comprehensive approach could support premium pricing. At its current valuation, Viking trades at a fraction of recent pharma acquisitions. If VK2735 hits its endpoints, this stock could easily double or triple. Applied Digital Corporation (NASDAQ: APLD) just landed a $7 billion, 15-year hosting agreement with CoreWeave -- validation of its high-performance computing strategy. CoreWeave, backed by Nvidia, chose Applied Digital for 250 megawatts at its Ellendale campus in North Dakota, with an option for another 150 megawatts. Recent Q3 FY2025 results missed revenue expectations ($52.9 million vs. $62.9 million expected), but the company maintains strong partnerships. Management projects significant growth as the Ellendale facility comes online in phases starting Q4 2025. Despite the near-term revenue miss, the long-term opportunity remains massive. The AI boom is driving unprecedented demand for high-performance computing infrastructure, and Applied Digital's partnership with CoreWeave positions it perfectly to capture this growth. Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) stock looks insanely overvalued at 263 times forward earnings. But sometimes, the market knows something that valuation models don't. The stock's up 90% this year -- the best performer among companies valued over $5 billion -- because its technology is becoming indispensable. The Pentagon just boosted Palantir's Maven Smart System budget to $1.3 billion over four years -- a $795 million increase. The company is negotiating with the Social Security Administration and the IRS for new contracts. CEO Alex Karp's recent Fannie Mae partnership for mortgage-fraud detection shows expansion into new verticals. Commercial revenue is accelerating, too, growing 33% year over year to $397 million. Total revenue was $884 million, a 39% increase, beating expectations. The combination of expanding government contracts and accelerating commercial adoption suggests Palantir's software is becoming the standard for AI deployment across both sectors. Wall Street loves predictable businesses with proven models. That's why it often misses the biggest winners. Viking's oral alternative -- if proven safe and effective -- could capture millions of patients who won't use injectables. Applied Digital is building tomorrow's AI infrastructure while others debate valuations. Palantir's turning the federal government into a recurring revenue stream. Each offers a fundamentally better solution to a massive problem -- and the market's too focused on near-term metrics to notice. Before you buy stock in Viking Therapeutics, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Viking Therapeutics wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $689,813!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $906,556!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 809% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 175% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 George Budwell has positions in Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, and Viking Therapeutics and has the following options: long January 2026 $55 calls on Viking Therapeutics, long January 2026 $60 calls on Viking Therapeutics, and long January 2027 $60 calls on Viking Therapeutics. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk and Viking Therapeutics. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Growth Stocks I'm Loading Up On was originally published by The Motley Fool
Scotsman
a day ago
- General
- Scotsman
Possible viking boat burial to be excavated in Shetland by Time Team
Time Team will lead an excavation on a suspected Viking boat burial site in Shetland this summer, working in collaboration with local archaeologists and heritage authorities. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The mound, located on private land, first drew attention in 2023 when Shetland County Archaeologist Dr Val Turner observed distinctive features during a routine survey for a housing development. Measuring approximately 22.5 metres, the site has remained undisturbed and has now been granted Scheduled Monument Consent by Historic Environment Scotland. If confirmed, the find would join a small group of known Viking-era boat burials in the UK, which are often linked to individuals of high social standing. Such burials are considered archaeologically significant for what they can reveal about Norse settlement and belief systems during the early medieval period. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Time Team's involvement follows contact from the landowners after the site was flagged. The group previously excavated a disturbed Viking burial in Shetland in 2002, also involving Dr Turner and Norse specialist Dr Colleen Batey, who will return for this project alongside Time Team regulars Dr John Gater, Matt Williams, and Jackie McKinley. Historic Environment Scotland Grants Permission for Time Team-Led Dig Dr Gater and Dr Nick Hannon from Historic Environment Scotland carried out separate surveys in 2023 and 2024, which strengthened the case for a full excavation. Work has since progressed in partnership with the Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology (ORCA), which will join the dig team on-site. As well as examining the mound itself, the team plans to survey the surrounding area to identify related archaeological features. A detailed metal detection and recording operation is also scheduled to secure the site and recover any surface artefacts.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘Super-physical': Houston's Seth Smith points to US rugby future
It's less than two years since Seth Smith became the youngest player ever in Major League Rugby and he only turned 20 this week. The hooker's birthday fell on Tuesday, during the Houston SaberCats' preparation for their first MLR Championship Game, against the New England Free Jacks in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday. The Free Jacks are seeking a third title in a row but in the SaberCats camp, 'Everybody's very positive,' Smith said, contemplating the challenge for a team that had previously played three postseason games and lost them all. 'We've had ups and downs but … these play-off games are the ones that matter. We beat a very strong LA side that fought very hard. And Utah, they're very physical, and we took care of business there as well.' In that western final, Smith scored a vital try. Of New England, MLR's dominant team in recent years, he says with relish: 'Now we're on to the big Goliath.' Smith could yet play David. But though he's young he already has a warlike nickname, Viking, thanks to his long blond hair and prodigious strength. He was introduced to rugby at 11 when his dad found the game on the internet, fell for it, and found a club, Katy Barbarians, who taught his boy to play. In Texas, high-school football is a religion. Smith excelled at fullback for Fulshear and wrestled too but rugby bit hardest. He played with the West Houston Lions and at school and was eyeing a place at Life University in Georgia, a college power, when the SaberCats signed him. Global rugby watchers might be advised to take note. Smith is the right age for college, the traditional time Americans find rugby, but he's been playing nine years already. More American boys and girls can say the same. Smith's style of hard-hitting athleticism may be about to become a more familiar sight around the oval world. Asked how traditional school sports helped his rugby education, Smith said: 'Everybody thinks football is like a direct translation to rugby but there's so many different tweaks.' As a fullback he 'played offense, and I carried every once in a while, but I was more of a blocker. In rugby there's no player who only does attack: everybody has to be able to do attack and defense and be versatile enough to switch quickly. And that's kind of where wrestling came in. Because in wrestling, you're doing both: attacking and defending. 'One of the things I've realized with rugby is, you learn people's bodies, right? You get to understand how people go down. I like tackling. I'm 5ft 9in. I have a low center of gravity. If I ever tried a high tackle, I would have to jump. And so that's what rugby is: you have a double-leg take-down, you have a single-leg take-down. And that's what wrestling is too. And also, you know how to get out of situations. Football is just, like, contact.' Wrestling helps with scrummaging too: 'It definitely helps with the legs, with your lower body. As a hooker, you have to understand how to use your head in scrums, whenever you're binding. And if there's one thing that I did very well in wrestling, I was very good with the leverage, using the head and shoulders – which goes straight into being a hooker.' Smith was a flanker first but soon moved from the back of the scrum to the front. It helped that at high school, he came to see the weights room as his 'safe place'. 'My dad's a bodybuilder. I was going into my freshman year of high school, that summer me and him started lifting. It's a place where you can just zone into something and give it everything you have for as long as you want, and have nothing else to worry about. It's like getting in between the four lines [of a rugby field]. You have nothing else to worry about except doing your job. And so it's just a place that I was able to find safety and security.' Rugby as unsafe safe space: players know the feeling. Come Saturday in Rhode Island, Smith, the SaberCats, the Free Jacks and as many as 10,500 fans – MLR commissioner Nic Benson said the league thinks it will get 'close' to a sell-out – will create such a space once again. Smith has made Under-19 and U20 US national squads but not yet U23, saying: 'I didn't get invited this year, so that's a good thing for the chip on the shoulder.' At Houston, he has had international talent to learn from, from the great USA flanker Danny Barrett to current SaberCats including the Samoa hooker Pita Anae Ah-Sue. Houston also has a heavy South African influence, through plenty of players and head coach Pote Human, successor to Heyneke Meyer, once coach of the Springboks. 'You watch any South African game, they're going to do three things,' Smith said. 'They're going to out-line-out you, they're going to out-scrum you, and they're going to out-physical you. Those are the things that they do best, and that's why they are so successful. 'I've always been a super-physical player, from playing seven, making the tackles a seven makes, to hooker, it's everything I grew up doing and it's exactly the way that they want players to play. Fitting in at Houston with all the South Africans? I don't think it would be the same anywhere else for me.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Those who wish MLR would field more Americans might wish Smith a regular starter elsewhere, though Anthem RC, the North Carolina team formed to field such homegrown talent, has logged two winless seasons. Asked about Anthem, Benson said: 'If you look at the goals for what we set out to do with Anthem, it was to get young American players more game time and exposure at a higher level. In that respect, it's been a win … I think it's serving its purpose.' Detailing Smith's progress in a Houston squad heavy with imports, Benson said: 'I think you always have to strike a balance. You want to have the foreign players, but to have a learning experience for the Americans, especially where you have really seasoned professionals who lead by example. 'Like you have the seasoned veteran who shows the younger players what it means to be a professional in terms of eating habits, training, discipline, all of those things. That's a critical component. You see it in Chicago, you see it in San Diego, you see it in Houston. That's a critical piece.' Either way, it says something that at just 20, Smith is set to feature in the Championship game. Look ahead 10 years: in 2035, at the men's World Cup after the men's World Cup to be held on US soil, Smith will be only 30, a hooker's prime. If the US can find more such talent, dreams of quarter-finals and more may edge closer to fruition. Smith is raring to go. 'I played my first international game at 15, and I've traveled all over the world. I've played in Scotland, I've played in the Netherlands, I've played in Canada, I've played in Dubai, I've played in Ireland. I've played all over. So going overseas is a big aspiration … and obviously trying to get up with the main Eagles, the big boys, at the men's level. Let's see how far I can take this.' Martin Pengelly writes on Substack at The National Maul, on rugby in the US
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘Super-physical': Houston's Seth Smith points to US rugby future
It's less than two years since Seth Smith became the youngest player ever in Major League Rugby and he only turned 20 this week. The hooker's birthday fell on Tuesday, during the Houston SaberCats' preparation for their first MLR Championship Game, against the New England Free Jacks in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday. The Free Jacks are seeking a third title in a row but in the SaberCats camp, 'Everybody's very positive,' Smith said, contemplating the challenge for a team that had previously played three postseason games and lost them all. 'We've had ups and downs but … these play-off games are the ones that matter. We beat a very strong LA side that fought very hard. And Utah, they're very physical, and we took care of business there as well.' In that western final, Smith scored a vital try. Of New England, MLR's dominant team in recent years, he says with relish: 'Now we're on to the big Goliath.' Smith could yet play David. But though he's young he already has a warlike nickname, Viking, thanks to his long blond hair and prodigious strength. He was introduced to rugby at 11 when his dad found the game on the internet, fell for it, and found a club, Katy Barbarians, who taught his boy to play. In Texas, high-school football is a religion. Smith excelled at fullback for Fulshear and wrestled too but rugby bit hardest. He played with the West Houston Lions and at school and was eyeing a place at Life University in Georgia, a college power, when the SaberCats signed him. Global rugby watchers might be advised to take note. Smith is the right age for college, the traditional time Americans find rugby, but he's been playing nine years already. More American boys and girls can say the same. Smith's style of hard-hitting athleticism may be about to become a more familiar sight around the oval world. Asked how traditional school sports helped his rugby education, Smith said: 'Everybody thinks football is like a direct translation to rugby but there's so many different tweaks.' As a fullback he 'played offense, and I carried every once in a while, but I was more of a blocker. In rugby there's no player who only does attack: everybody has to be able to do attack and defense and be versatile enough to switch quickly. And that's kind of where wrestling came in. Because in wrestling, you're doing both: attacking and defending. 'One of the things I've realized with rugby is, you learn people's bodies, right? You get to understand how people go down. I like tackling. I'm 5ft 9in. I have a low center of gravity. If I ever tried a high tackle, I would have to jump. And so that's what rugby is: you have a double-leg take-down, you have a single-leg take-down. And that's what wrestling is too. And also, you know how to get out of situations. Football is just, like, contact.' Wrestling helps with scrummaging too: 'It definitely helps with the legs, with your lower body. As a hooker, you have to understand how to use your head in scrums, whenever you're binding. And if there's one thing that I did very well in wrestling, I was very good with the leverage, using the head and shoulders – which goes straight into being a hooker.' Smith was a flanker first but soon moved from the back of the scrum to the front. It helped that at high school, he came to see the weights room as his 'safe place'. 'My dad's a bodybuilder. I was going into my freshman year of high school, that summer me and him started lifting. It's a place where you can just zone into something and give it everything you have for as long as you want, and have nothing else to worry about. It's like getting in between the four lines [of a rugby field]. You have nothing else to worry about except doing your job. And so it's just a place that I was able to find safety and security.' Rugby as unsafe safe space: players know the feeling. Come Saturday in Rhode Island, Smith, the SaberCats, the Free Jacks and as many as 10,500 fans – MLR commissioner Nic Benson said the league thinks it will get 'close' to a sell-out – will create such a space once again. Smith has made Under-19 and U20 US national squads but not yet U23, saying: 'I didn't get invited this year, so that's a good thing for the chip on the shoulder.' At Houston, he has had international talent to learn from, from the great USA flanker Danny Barrett to current SaberCats including the Samoa hooker Pita Anae Ah-Sue. Houston also has a heavy South African influence, through plenty of players and head coach Pote Human, successor to Heyneke Meyer, once coach of the Springboks. 'You watch any South African game, they're going to do three things,' Smith said. 'They're going to out-line-out you, they're going to out-scrum you, and they're going to out-physical you. Those are the things that they do best, and that's why they are so successful. 'I've always been a super-physical player, from playing seven, making the tackles a seven makes, to hooker, it's everything I grew up doing and it's exactly the way that they want players to play. Fitting in at Houston with all the South Africans? I don't think it would be the same anywhere else for me.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Those who wish MLR would field more Americans might wish Smith a regular starter elsewhere, though Anthem RC, the North Carolina team formed to field such homegrown talent, has logged two winless seasons. Asked about Anthem, Benson said: 'If you look at the goals for what we set out to do with Anthem, it was to get young American players more game time and exposure at a higher level. In that respect, it's been a win … I think it's serving its purpose.' Detailing Smith's progress in a Houston squad heavy with imports, Benson said: 'I think you always have to strike a balance. You want to have the foreign players, but to have a learning experience for the Americans, especially where you have really seasoned professionals who lead by example. 'Like you have the seasoned veteran who shows the younger players what it means to be a professional in terms of eating habits, training, discipline, all of those things. That's a critical component. You see it in Chicago, you see it in San Diego, you see it in Houston. That's a critical piece.' Either way, it says something that at just 20, Smith is set to feature in the Championship game. Look ahead 10 years: in 2035, at the men's World Cup after the men's World Cup to be held on US soil, Smith will be only 30, a hooker's prime. If the US can find more such talent, dreams of quarter-finals and more may edge closer to fruition. Smith is raring to go. 'I played my first international game at 15, and I've traveled all over the world. I've played in Scotland, I've played in the Netherlands, I've played in Canada, I've played in Dubai, I've played in Ireland. I've played all over. So going overseas is a big aspiration … and obviously trying to get up with the main Eagles, the big boys, at the men's level. Let's see how far I can take this.' Martin Pengelly writes on Substack at The National Maul, on rugby in the US
