[goldie0608]

Justin Timberlake Surprises Fan With Cerebral Palsy By Gifting Wheelchair-Accessible Van




Justin Timberlake is paying it forward.

After the A-lister caught wind of a fellow Tennessee native in need of a wheelchair-accessible van, he reached out to make it happen right in time for the holiday season. According to local news station WJHL, Jake Stitt and his family were raising funds to purchase an adaptable vehicle for the 17-year-old, who has cerebral palsy.

The teen is described as a local celebrity by actor Michael Abbott Jr., who told WJHL, "Jake sits outside the house and has a sign that says ‘honk if you're happy.' He's an incredible young man."

Abbott promised Jake that they would raise enough money by Thanksgiving, however the $35,000 that community members had already put toward the cost of the van will now go to the Stitt family after J.T. so generously stepped up.

Just a few days ago, the van was delivered to Jake's home. Alongside photos of the heartfelt moment shared to Michael's Twitter, he applauded those who "made a big difference in someone's life this week."

WVLT reporter Sam Luther also shared video of Jake and his family meeting Justin over Zoom.

"It's my pleasure," Justin told Jake. "Like I said, I heard that there was a goal to try to get this van before Thanksgiving and I heard your story and I saw a little news clip about it. I was so moved that I want you guys to have this van. I'm going to cover all the costs. I want you to have a great holiday. You inspire me, Jake."

Justin then encouraged the teen to continue spreading joy throughout his neighborhood. "We gotta keep that going," the singer told him. "You guys gotta use this van to honk all over town now."

[PennySerenade]

Coffee, tea or me? British Airways flight attendant serves up sex in the sky



A British flight attendant has triggered turbulence after it was revealed she is advertising for sex between flights — and even offers an opportunity to join the mile high club. According to The UK Sun, the sexed-up stewardess even sells her underwear and posts raunchy photos online. British Airways is now investigating and hoping to get to the bottom of the scandal.



The photos Airhostess71 has posted online include lifting her skirt with passengers nearby, a shot in a plane toilet wearing only nylons and boasting, “No panties on Sundays.”

The Sun reports the unidentified woman charges $40 for a pair of her underwear but after that, things get pricier.

“You will need to pay a securing fee of £50 ($87) to meet. Prices vary depending on the requested meet — no negotiating,” she says. “If I have booked a hotel for work, the meet will take place there (London).” But she’s game for action outside the U.K. as well.

“If you ever want adult entertainment on-board, all you have to do is give me a sum of money and you’ll be treated to a whole different experience of your choice,” she claims.

The jet-setting strumpet also bragged she regularly has sex with pilots and other crew.

One BA source told the newspaper: “She is clearly prostituting herself and boosting her business by using photos taken on-board BA planes. It is shocking dereliction of duty and not the image BA wants of its cabin crew.”

One crew member suggested she was topping up her pay after COVID-19-related cuts.

A BA spokesman told the newspaper: “We expect the highest standard of behaviour from all of our colleagues at all times, and we are investigating the claims.”

[Fivetide]

Cat at Northeast's highest peak dies after 12 years on duty


In this June 28, 2020 image provided by Mount Washington Observatory, Marty the cat walks on a boulder outside the Mount Washington Observatory
in North Conway, N.H. The black Maine coon cat, who has patrolled the Northeast's highest peak for a dozen years as its weather observatory's mascot,
has died. The Mount Washington Observatory staff have had a cat at the summit since 1932. (Ryan Knapp/Mount Washington Observatory via AP)

A cat who patrolled the highest peak in the northeast U.S. for a dozen years as its weather observatory’s mascot has died.

Marty, a black Maine coon cat, succumbed to “an unforeseen illness,” Mount Washington Summit Operations Manager Rebecca Scholand said in a news release Monday.

“As a past observer who lived on the summit for four years, I can tell you Marty was a special companion, entertainer and so incredibly loved by observers and state park staff and will be sadly missed,” she wrote.

The Mount Washington Observatory staff have had a cat at the 6,288-foot (1,915-meter) summit, called the “home of the world’s worst weather,” since 1932. The observatory had recently shared the news that Marty would retire from the mountain early in 2021.

“The summit feline tradition will continue,” the news release said.

Marty, a shelter cat, won 53% of the Mount Washington Mascot Primary in January 2008, the same time that Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain won their respective races in New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary.

[FRKJ]

Revolutionary CRISPR-based Genome Editing System Destroys Cancer Cells ‘Permanently’ in Lab

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have demonstrated that the CRISPR genome editing system is very effective in treating metastatic cancers, a significant step on the way to finding a cure for cancer.

In a paper published this week, the researchers demonstrated a novel lipid nanoparticle-based delivery system that specifically targets cancer cells—and co-author Prof. Dan Peer said it’s the first study in the world to prove that the CRISPR/Cas9 can be used to treat cancer effectively in a living animal.

“It must be emphasized that this is not chemotherapy. There are no side effects, and a cancer cell treated in this way will never become active again,” said Peer, the VP for R&D and Head of the Laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine at the Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research.

“The CRISPR genome editing technology, capable of identifying and altering any genetic segment, has revolutionized our ability to disrupt, repair or even replace genes in a personalized manner.”

Peer’s team that includes researchers from an Iowa company, Integrated DNA Technologies, and Harvard Medical School, chose two of the deadliest cancers: glioblastoma and metastatic ovarian cancer to examine the system’s feasibility. Glioblastoma is the most aggressive type of brain cancer, with a life expectancy of 15 months after diagnosis and a five-year survival rate of only 3%.

The researchers demonstrated that a single treatment with CRISPR-LNPs doubled the average life expectancy of mice with glioblastoma tumors, improving their overall survival rate by about 30%.

Ovarian cancer is a major cause of death among women and the most lethal cancer of the female reproductive system. Despite progress in recent years, only a third of the patients survive this disease—but treatment with CRISPR-LNPs in mice with metastatic ovarian cancer boosted the overall survival rate of by a whopping 80%.

“Despite its extensive use in research, clinical implementation is still in its infancy because an effective delivery system is needed to safely and accurately deliver the CRISPR to its target cells,” Peer told Tel Aviv University news. “The delivery system we developed targets the DNA responsible for the cancer cells’ survival. This is an innovative treatment for aggressive cancers that have no effective treatments today.”


Cancer cell during cell division

The system, called CRISPR-LNPs, carries a genetic messenger (messenger RNA), which encodes for the CRISPR enzyme Cas9 that acts as molecular scissors that cut the cells’ DNA. “The molecular scissors of Cas9 cut the cancer cell’s DNA, thereby neutralizing it and permanently preventing replication,” explained Peer.

The groundbreaking study was funded by the Israel Cancer Research Fund, and published this week in Science Advances.

The researchers note that by demonstrating its potential in treating two aggressive cancers, the technology opens numerous new possibilities for treating other types of cancer, as well as rare genetic diseases and chronic viral diseases such as AIDS. They intend to proceed with experiments treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy, for instance.

“It will probably take some time before the new treatment can be used in humans, but we are optimistic. The whole scene of molecular drugs that utilize messenger RNA (genetic messengers) is thriving—in fact, most COVID-19 vaccines currently under development are based on this principle,” says Peer.

“When we first spoke of treatments with mRNA twelve years ago, people thought it was science fiction. . . We are already negotiating with international corporations and foundations, aiming to bring the benefits of genetic editing to human patients.”

Rare Roman artefacts found in Ryedale field



A PAIR of history buffs have uncovered the find of a lifetime while metal detecting in Ryedale.

James Spark and Mark Didlick, from York, were exploring a site in May when they came across “significant” finds.

James said: “The day was a memorable one. Mark has detected the land for a few years and had the odd Roman find here and there, so there was a potential for some finds, but never in a million years did we expect to find what we did.

“After a slow start we headed to a different part of the field and I came across a large target which when I dug it up I thought it was a lead toy soldier on a horse. Another target later and within a foot away I unearthed a large Roman bust and Plumb weight, and the following day Mark unearthed a horse head terminal.”

He added: “These items are extremely rare and probably date to the 2nd century BC.”

The finds are currently with the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) for recording and documenting where they will be cleaned and added to the database.

Julian Evan-Hart, editor of Treasure Hunting magazine, said: “This superb deposit of Roman artefacts is particularly significant in that it contains an Imperial bust of an Antonine period Emperor, most likely a representation of Commodus or Antoninus Pius and a horseman, most likely representing the god Mars. Another very noticeable aspect of this deposit is the amazing condition of preservation relating to the artefacts.”

Julian said: “This deposit or hoard will no doubt be the subject and recipient of much academic consideration and one of the delights of such discoveries is that everyone will be able form their own personal theories as to who, what and why in relation to it.

“The great time scale of this find is perhaps best illustrated in considering that when Harold took an arrow in the eye these wonderful objects had already been buried for some 800 years.

“Mark and James have provided an amazing window into the past only made possible by the hobby of metal detecting and the finders dedication to it. I must add on a personal note that it was a great privilege to be able to be involved with sharing the details of such a marvellous discovery.”

https://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/18 ... ale-field/

[Morgan2498]

Beavers build first Exmoor dam in 400 years


The beavers were released on to the Holnicote Estate in Exmoor at the end of January

Beavers have built a dam on Exmoor for the first time in more than 400 years.

The rodents were released into the wild in Somerset in January this year as part of a National Trust project to restore streams and reduce flooding.

Beavers became extinct in the UK in the 16th Century due to hunting, but have been successfully reintroduced at a handful of sites in recent years.

The trust said the dam "might look modest, but [it] is incredibly special" and had "created an instant wetland".

Wildlife camera footage shows the beavers gnawing trees and collecting vegetation to build the dam at the Holnicote Estate near Minehead.

Their construction can allow for deep pools of water which offer animals shelter from predators and a place to store food.

They can also work as natural flood-defences, helping to reduce the risk of homes flooding downstream.

Why 2020 has been good for England's beavers
National Trust project manager Ben Eardley said: "It might look modest, but this beaver dam is incredibly special - it's the first to appear on Exmoor for almost half a millennium and marks a step change in how we manage the landscape.

"What's amazing is that it's only been here a few weeks but has created an instant wetland.

"We've already spotted kingfishers at the site, and over time, as the beavers extend their network of dams and pools, we should see increased opportunities for other wildlife, including amphibians, insects, bats and birds."


The National Trust said the dam "might look modest, but it is incredibly special"

The beavers were the first to be released into the wild by the trust in its 125-year history.

Mr Eardley added: "The recent rain we've had is a reminder of the significant role beavers can play in engineering the landscape.

"As we face into the effects of climate change and more frequent extreme weather events, natural interventions like this need to be part of the solution."

Beavers were hunted to extinction in the 16th Century for their meat, furry water-resistant pelts, and a substance they secrete called castoreum, used in food, medicine and perfume, but have been reintroduced in Britain since the 2000s.

The Eurasian beavers were relocated to the Exmoor estate from wild populations on the River Tay in Scotland at the end of January, as part of the trust's £10m Riverlands project to "bring UK rivers back to life".

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-55125932

[johngriffen]

IN OTHER NEWS...
CURRENTLY OFFLINE

Hold off posting your news stories
The editors and accountant department are reviewing last weeks reports to insure that all our reporters get their proper paycheck

[johngriffen]

FOR STORIES POSTED THE W/O NOVEMBER 23
Our news editors at IN OTHER NEWS have carefully reviewed all the stories submitted by our reporters
Following is last weeks Reporter Log

LEGEND:
X = Acceptable Story
X = PULITZER PRIZE
NA = Not Acceptable Story
DS = Duplicate Story
NOTE: If you feel the editors made a mistake, please feel free to PM me so that we can review your claim

A SPECIAL THANKS TO 8 ACE REPORTERS WHO FILED A NEW STORY EVERY DAY
Fatima99
Fivetide
FRKJ
hija
HogwartsExpress
Morgan2498
PennySerenade
Zbignieww



Every week the editors will review all the stories and pick the one story that we feels deserves a
MOBI PULITZER PRIZE
There are many different categories for submissions. Last week, the category was "ANIMAL TALES..."
But this week, the category was "GOT MY ATTENTION"
For those interested in how the category is decided, it's simple. When the week begins, before ANY story is posted, I randomly select a category and record it on my spread sheet. And the reason why I don't post up front the category, is also simple. I'm sure we would all like to see many different diverse types of stories each week, and I don't want people to focus on past categories. Yeah, as time passes, some of the old categories will appear again, but it will remain pretty much random to keep our reporters on their toes

W/O NOVEMBER 23 CATEGORY = GOT MY ATTENTION
REPORTER = ZBIGNIEWW
DAY = WEDNESDAY - NOVEMBER 25
STORY = "Eye in the sky: Full moon looks like a giant eye as it passes behind a rock arch in Utah"
Talk about a page stopper, what a stunning image. Thank you for posting that one

CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS WEEKS MOBI PULITZER PRIZE WINNER = 100 WRZ

THE NEXT NEWS CYCLE WILL BEGIN SHORTLY

[johngriffen]

I sometimes get REALLY DEPRESSED reviewing the news these days.
It's always about a global pandemic threatening life as we know it,
protests around the world, stupid politicians, natural disasters,
or some other really bad story.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Welcome to The mobi weekly news magazine
IN OTHER NEWS
MONDAY NOVEMBER 30
What is it?
Here is your chance to become an "ACE REPORTER" for our weekly news magazine.
It is your job to fine weird, funny or "good feel" stories from around the world and share them with our readers in our weekly magazine

How do you play?
Just post a story that you have come across that made you smile, laugh, feel good...
BUT NOTHING DEPRESSING

EXAMPLE POST

​Naked sunbather chases wild boar through park after it steals his laptop bag

A naked sunbather was seen chasing wild boar through a park after it stole his laptop bag.
Amusing photographs from Germany show the man running after the animal to try and claim the plastic bag back.
But the cheeky boar and its two piglets appear to be too quick for the sunbather, who can't keep up with their speedy little trotters.
As the incident unfolds, groups of friends and family sat on the grass watch on and laugh.
Heads are seen turning in surprise and amusement in the hilarious photographs.
The incident happened at Teufelssee Lake - a bathing spot in the Grunwell Forest in Berlin, Germany.

Rules:
Each Edition of IN OTHER NEWS will be open for 7 days...
You may post One Story in any 24 hour period
So in other words, you can enter only once a day
Each news day will start when I post announcing it
OR at:
9:00 AM CHICAGO TIME (UTC -6)
3:00 PM GMT (UTC -0)
on those days I space out and forget to post or can't due to Real Life
Stories may be accompanied with images - but No big images, please! 800x800 pixels wide maximum
Videos are allowed, but please keep them to under a minute, and post a short summary for those that don't like to click on videos
No Duplicate stories - Where a post has been edited resulting in duplicates, then the last one in time gets disallowed.
And please limit this to reasonably family friendly stories

Reward:
Each news story posted that I feel is acceptable (must be a real story, too few words or simply a headline are not considered acceptable) will earn you 50 WRZ$
If you post multiple stories on any given day, you will only earn 50 WRZ$ for the first story of the Day
Special Bonus - Each week I will award "The Pulitzer Prize" for the best story of the week
The weekly winner of the "The Pulitzer Prize" will receive a 100 WRZ$ bonus
It's just my personal opinion, so my judgement is final

So help bring GOOD news to the members of mobi, and join our reporting team...

IN OTHER NEWS

[Morgan2498]

Scottish homes to be first in world to use 100% Green hydrogen

Some 300 homes in Fife to be fitted with free boilers, heaters and cooking appliances


The green hydrogen would replace natural gas in homes for heating and cooking.

Hundreds of homes in Scotland will soon become the first in the world to use 100% green hydrogen to heat their properties and cook their meals as part of a new trial that could help households across the country replace fossil fuel gas.

Some 300 homes in Fife will be fitted with free hydrogen boilers, heaters and cooking appliances to be used for more than four years in the largest test of whether zero carbon hydrogen, made using renewable energy and water, could help meet Britain’s climate goals.

They will begin to receive green gas from the end of 2022, at no extra charge, and up to 1,000 homes could be included if the first phase of the trial is completed successfully.

The trial has the backing of the energy regulator, Ofgem, which has awarded £18m to SGN to develop the pioneering project. The grant is part of a funding competition which supports innovation to help prepare Britain’s energy grids for a low-carbon future. The Scottish government will support the project with a grant of £6.9m.

Ofgem’s £56m funding pot will also support a £12.7m project from National Grid to carry out “offline” hydrogen trials, using old gas grid pipes, to test the safety of transporting hydrogen gas across the country.

Green hydrogen is a central part of the government’s plan to wean Britain off fossil fuels because it can be used in the same ways as fossil fuel gas but produces no carbon emissions. This is particularly important for central heating, which makes up almost a third of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions because 85% of homes use a gas boiler.

Antony Green, the head of National Grid’s hydrogen project, said: “If we truly want to reach a net zero decarbonised future, we need to replace methane with green alternatives like hydrogen.

“Sectors such as heat are difficult to decarbonise, and the importance of the gas networks to the UK’s current energy supply means projects like this are crucial if we are to deliver low carbon energy, reliably and safely to all consumers.”

Ofgem’s remaining funds in its annual network innovation competition will be awarded to three pioneer projects which aim to use new technology to improve power substations, stabilise voltage control systems and strengthen electricity transmission towers.

Jonathan Brearley, the chief executive of Ofgem, said: “The winning projects were those which showed the most potential to make the game-changing leaps in technology we need to build a greener, fairer energy system at the lowest cost to consumers.”

Kwasi Kwarteng, the energy minister, said the UK “must continue driving forward” the new low-carbon technologies which will be needed to meet the government’s “bold ambition for a green industrial revolution”.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/30/scottish-green-hydrogen-fife

[Fatima99]

So Fugging over it … Austrian village changes its name after 1000 years



The long-suffering residents of a small Austrian village with a very offensive name have had enough.

From January 1, the village of F–king will officially change its name to Fugging.

Fed-up F–king residents, who have long borne the brunt of jokes about their town’s name, won’t miss it. But tourists, petty thieves and fans of unusual place names might.

The-town-to-be-known-as-Fugging is north of Salzburg, near the German border, and has had its unfortunate name for nigh on 1000 years. More recently – as the internet brought it to global fame – it has attracted a brisk tourism trade and frequent thefts of its official sign.

All that might be able to end though, with the town council’s decision on Thursday to push ahead with the new name. Mayor Andrea Holzner told Austrian broadcaster Oe24 that the new name would take over from January 1, 2021.

Fugging has only about 100 residents, many of whom have pushed for a name change for years, according to the German Press Agency. Its offensive-in-English name has no meaning in German and the replacement moniker is closer to the local pronunciation anyway.

In 2019, locals tried to turn the controversy into some good, installing putting signs above and below the town’s naming sign to read messages such as “Our climate is – F–king – important!”.

While the change is definitely on, it is unclear what will happen to the current town signs. Locals are surely hoping, however, that they don’t disappear with light-fingered tourists as so many others have done.

No news has yet emerged about possible name changes to the nearby hamlets of Oberf*cking and Unterf*cking.

[PennySerenade]

Sisters create care packages to support youth experiencing homelessness and their pets



TORONTO -- The Bhopa sisters are passionate about their pets.

“Me and Shania always grew up with dogs, we loved our animals,” says Anya Bhopa. “Couldn’t imagine our lives without them.”

That passion is what motivated the high school student to volunteer at the Ontario SPCA. What she saw there opened her eyes to a reality about homelessness in the Greater Toronto Area.

A lot of the animals that I saw that were coming in were those from homeless people without the means to support their animals, so they unfortunately had to give them up,” Anya tells CTV News Toronto. “Which, I thought, was incredibly heartbreaking.”

She and her sister Shania, a university student in Hamilton, were inspired to do something to help.

“Sometimes an animal companion is the only piece of support that a homeless youth has,” says Shania. “Instead of deterring them from owning that animal, we want to promote that in having that support for their mental well-being.”

Together, Anya and Shania created The Canadian Courage Project – a Toronto-based non-profit organization with a goal of providing relief to youth experiencing homelessness and their furry companions.

“We find shelters that actually house homeless youth that own animal companions, and then we create care kits to give them you know that little bit of hygiene items for themselves, and their animals,” Shania explains.

“Food, leashes, collars, stuff like that,” adds Anya.

The siblings have had several successful fundraising events during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a virtual “Warmth for Winter” five kilometre walk, run or bike.



We actually ended up raising over $1,000,” Shania tells CTV News Toronto. “We were really impressed with how the community came together for this and we were overwhelmed with the support from everyone.”

Next, Anya and Shania are launching a sweater fundraiser. The sweaters say “Change – where equity meets well-being.”

As winter approaches, Anya says she can’t help but think about the youth and pets experiencing homelessness she has met.

“A lot of them were saying that the reason that they are on the streets in the cold winter are most shelters don’t accept them with their animals,” she says. “Some of them were saying how they’d choose to buy a bag of kibble over a meal for themselves, and they’d go hungry that day because their dog needed a vaccine.”

“We want to send out these care kits before the winter hits just to support individuals and their animal companions as best we can during this time,” adds Shania. “And if we’re donating meals, it’s one meal for the homeless youth and one meal for their animal.”

The Bhopa sisters hope to keep helping as many youth experiencing homelessness, and their four-legged friends, as much as they can – through the pandemic, and beyond.

“Seeing how much they rely on their animal companion just warms my heart and makes me want to help even more every single day,” says Shania. “We’re trying to make our mark and hopefully inspire a good couple people in the process.”

[hija]

‘Living colours’



Berlin-based studio Blond & Bieber has developed an all-natural alternative to toxic clothing dyes – made from algae. Currently, up to 8,000 synthetic chemicals are used by the fashion and footwear sector, which can be hazardous to work with and risk polluting water systems.

By extracting pigments from varieties of freshwater microalgae, it’s possible to create an enormously wide range of (non-toxic) colours, according to Blond & Bieber’s founder, Rasa Weber.

The algae are grown in bioreactors; pigments are then extracted and turned into dyes. “We call them living colours,” adds Weber. “Since they react with oxygen and sunlight, they’re actually changing over time.”

The design team has already collaborated with fashion brands on algae-inspired collections, such as UK menswear company Vollebak, which Blond & Bieber worked with to design the Plant and Algae T Shirt in 2019 (inset).

[FRKJ]

Huge Indigenous Solar Farm Opens in Remote Northern Community: ‘We work with the sun for the children of the future’

Canada’s largest indigenous-owned solar farm has just been opened in the Northern Alberta community of Fort Chipewyan.



Supplying 2.2 megawatts of solar electricity for three First Nations tribes, it will decrease the reliance of the community on the diesel-fired plant that has supplied them for decades.

Jointly owned by the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, the Mikisew Cree First Nation, and the Fort Chipewyan Metis Association, Three Nations Energy was established to bring about low-cost, low-carbon energy to help mitigate climate-related threats and decrease reliance and unreliable diesel tanker deliveries.

“We worked together and we made it happen,” Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said Tuesday at a COVID-limited celebration of the completion of the project’s second and final phase.

“We work with the sun, we work with the wind, we work with mother nature and we work the water for the children of the future—to give them a better life, a cleaner life.”

A community of just 1,000 people, until now, Fort Chipewyan got their necessary three million liters of diesel a year from fuel trucks braving ice roads that melt away in summertime, or by river barge.

The 5,760 solar panels will contribute about 25% of the community’s power demand, but being in the subarctic, daylight hours in wintertime are few, meaning that solar energy is a little less reliable than in most other places.

The renewable energy it generates will be equivalent to about 800,000 liters of diesel, or 2,300 tonnes of CO2, sparing 25 tankers the 220-kilometer (124-mile) trek up from Fort McMurray in the south on dangerous ice roads.

“This is a very proud moment for all of us as a community. We’ve worked together very hard for these past couple of years,” said Blue Eyes Simpson, vice-president of the Fort Chipewyan Métis Association.

The state and federal government helped contribute to the $7.6 million project, which is also the world’s most remote solar farm.

“Indigenous people must have an equity stake in resource projects if there’s going to be a healthy future for our vital resources industry,” said in a pre-recorded congratulations from Rick Wilson, Alberta’s minister of Indigenous Relations.

[HogwartsExpress]

Monolith mystery deepens as Utah desert object vanishes


No word as to whether Star Trek’s Scotty “beamed it up,” but the mysterious, shiny monolith that was spotted in a remote southeastern Utah desert two weeks ago is gone.

A state crew that buzzed through the wilderness, counting bighorn sheep from a helicopter, found the alien-looking object on Nov. 18 and touched off international sci-fi speculation, harkening to the classic Stanley Kubrick 1968 film, “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

In the Kubrick movie, an alien monolith is a recurring symbol that appears to play a role in the development of human evolution.

The riddle in the desert, twice as tall as an average adult, drew scores of the curious to see it, even though its exact location was not made public, according to accounts on social media.

No one seems to know where it went.


Neither the federal Bureau of Land Management nor the state’s Department of Public Safety said they had any idea.

“We have received reports that the illegally installed structure, referred to as the ‘monolith’ has been removed from Bureau of Land Management public lands by an unknown party,” the state agency posted on Saturday on its website.

It said the object was reportedly removed on Friday evening. A representative was not immediately available for comment on Sunday.

Guesses as to what happened ran wild online, with one person postulating, “The space aliens returned to remove it.”

The art world has speculated that the object was the work of John McCracken, a sculptor fond who died in 2011. His son, Patrick McCracken, has told The New York Times his father told him in 2002 that “he would like to leave his artwork in remote places to be discovered later.”

Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-utah ... SKBN2890Z4