Day 01
Many Big Banks on Wall Street are no Longer Screening Job Applicants for Marijuana Use
Some eliminating drug testing entirely. These banks include Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Morgan Stanley. Goldman Sachs, has completely stopped testing for all substances
Article
A CDC Report Found Premature Births Have Increased Between 2014 and 2022
Defined as a birth before 37 weeks of gestation, premature births rose from 7.7 percent to 8.7 percent respectively. Factors contributing to premature labor include maternal age, income, multiple pregnancies, certain diseases/illnesses, and substance use during pregnancy
Article
Army of 3,500 Monkeys Invade City
Tourists and locals in Lopburi, Thailand flee as shops also close. Some locals have been forced to barricade their homes in an attempt to protect themselves, while the monkeys roam free. There are several no-go zones as parts of the city have been taken over by warring rival monkey gangs
Article
Day 02
Rapper 21 Savage Caught Using Marked Cards while Gambling on 'High-Low' Card with Streamer Adin Ross
After multiple rounds and a mutually decided end to the game- Adin's associate sneakily grabbed the deck to examine. He found that all face cards and the 'ace' had marks on the backside indicating their status.
Tiktok
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Tiktok
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Source
OpenAI CEO Predicts 1 Person $1 Billion Companies with the Introduction of AI
Sam Altman predicts that companies run by a single individual will soon be able to reach a billion-dollar valuation because of AI advancements.
Article
Italian Mafia Boss Who Used Bed Sheets to Escape Prison Last Year Captured on French Island
Marco Raduano’s escape in February 2023 was widely shared online, showing him scaling down prison walls with knotted sheets. The leader of Italy’s 'Fourth Mafia’ was serving a 24-year sentence for crimes including drug trafficking and membership in a criminal organization.
Article
Pigeon Detained for 8 Months in India on Suspicion of Spying for China has Finally Been Set Free
The bird was found in Mumbai, India with rings on its legs and an illegible message on its wings, raising suspicions of espionage. PETA India clarified it was a racing bird from Taiwan that had accidentally flown to India, securing its release.
Article
A Court Battle in the US is Ensuing to Decide Whether or not Flouride in Drinking Water Lowers IQ
This case is to decide whether U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should ban fluoridation of drinking water to protect fetuses and children from the risk of neurodevelopmental problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls fluoridation, which began in 1946 in the United States, one of 10 “great public health achievements” of the 20th century.
Article
Day 03
Apple's Vision Pro Enters Public
The public is already beginning to experiment with the devices, wear them out, and produce a wide range of content with them including memes.
Twitter
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Tiktok
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Youtube
Ethiopia to be the First Country to Ban Non-Electric Cars
Ethiopia has announced it will only allow electric vehicles to enter the country, supposedly effective immediately. Ethiopia’s Minister for Transport and Logistics confirmed the ban. Details were scarce, but he affirmed that “a decision has been made, that automobiles cannot enter unless they are electric ones.”
Article
Day 04
Researchers Have Uncovered a 2,500 Year Old City in the Amazon
The discovery includes citadels, roads, and ritual sites, revealing a complex urban society in Ecuador that is believed to predate European colonization- contesting the notion that the first complex ancient civilizations were in Europe and the Middle East.
Article
Day 05
Deepfake Ploy Tricks Man into Sending $25 Million of Employer Funds
A finance worker in Hong Kong was tricked into paying £20 million of his company’s cash to fraudsters because of an elaborate deepfake video call, with deepfake versions of his boss and co-workers.
Article
Sexual Health Experts Are Blaming Dating Apps for the Currently High Cases of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
This follows the latest release of CDC data that showed 2.5 million cases of STDs were detected in 2022- marking a slight rise in chlamydia year-over-year and, most worryingly, an 80% increase in potentially deadly syphilis over the last 5 years
Article
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Source
Day 06
Samsung Unveils a Smart Ring
With scarce details, a spokesperson said the ring is meant to “empower more people to manage their health with a comprehensive yet simplified approach to everyday wellness at home.” Also, the ring will have “leading sensor technologies” much like the already popular 'Oura ring'
The Verge Article
Production of TV Shows has Been Down Close to 50% Since 2019
The report from 'Ampere Analysis' blames a “combination of strike action and a downturn in the original content boom.” The analysis notes "While 2024 will see some level of a bounce back in the content being ordered, many of these titles will be released in 2025, meaning any recovery is likely to be slow going”
Hollywood Reporter
Office Jobs May Boost Risk of Early Death by 16%
A study conducted in Taiwan, involving 481,688 participating workers- 20 and older (average age 39), were tracked for 13 years revealing that sitting at a desk all day increases the risk of early death from heart disease by 34%, and from any cause by 16%. The good news: just 15 minutes of daily exercise can offset the damage
Washington Post
Day 07
Apple Releases an AI Image Editing Tool Controlled by Text Chat
The MGIE model, which Apple worked on with the University of California, Santa Barbara, can crop, resize, flip, add filters, add colors, add objects, and remove objects to images all through text prompts.
Article
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Github
Mother with Terminal Cancer Has Signed Ownership of Her Song to 7 Year Old Son
The rights now belonging to him, will result in every stream, save, and download paying him recurring royalties
Instagram Post
China May Begin Censoring Images of Giraffes Among the Likes of Winnie the Pooh and Peppa the Pig
Giraffes gained fans in China after the U.S. Embassy made an unrelated post involving the animal that mysteriously went viral on Chinese social media. Investors flooded the giraffe post last weekend with comments complaining about China’s slumping stock market, leading activists to quickly adopt the figure as a symbol of revolt. Hours later, giraffe-related hashtags were banned and all comments referencing the mammal were unexplainably wiped.
Article
Day 08
CEOs from Food Companies are Bracing for the Impact of Dieting Drugs like 'Ozempic'
The CEO from 'Novo', the company behind Ozempic, claims other CEO's from food companies have been calling him asking questions centered on how the drugs work and how fast they would roll out, saying “They are scared about it.” But, so far the impact of drugs like Ozempic have been moderated by Novo’s struggles to meet demand
Article
The 'U.S. Department of Agriculture' (USDA) Has Issued a Health Alert for Trader Joe's 'Chicken, Lentil & Caramelized Onion Pilaf' Due to Reports of Rocks Found in the Product
The frozen ready-to-eat meal has prompted multiple consumer complaints, including one report of a dental injury caused by the alleged rocks. Produced between November 1, 2023, and January 19, 2024, a formal recall was not issued, but the product is no longer available for sale in stores. Trader Joe’s has advised customers to discard or return the product for a full refund
Article
Wolves in Chernobyl’s 'Exclusion Zone' Have Developed Genetic Mutations Providing Them with a Unique Resistance to Cancer
These adaptations were discovered by researchers studying the immune systems of animals living in an area with radiation levels six times higher than what is considered safe for humans- offering new hope for human cancer research. The study highlighted the thriving ecosystem in Chernobyl, where despite high radiation- a range of wildlife, including lynx, foxes, and over 200 species of birds, has flourished.
Article
Day 09
Motaz Azaiza's Instagram Account Serves as One of the First Primary Sources on Social Media Accounts, Directly Presenting The Events Taking Place During an Active War
Up until January 4th prior to an exit from Gaza, Motaz was posting live updates of the day to day effects and happenings of war
Instagram Account
Theives Steal 96 Bee Hives out of California Farm
Nearly 100 bee hives worth $34,000 were stolen from almond orchard fields in Fresno County, California. Impacting the pollination of in-state and out-of-state crops- officials are offering a reward to anyone with information.
Daily Mail
Tucker Carlson Interviews Russian President, Vladimir Putin
This interview from 2 days ago features discussion surrouding Russia's war with Ukraine, current policy, Russia's relationship with the West, the West's relationship with the world, Russian history and more
Youtube Video
Day 10
Michael Jackson's Music Catalag is Now Valued at Over $1.2 Billion
'Sony Music' has reportedly bought a stake in half of the late star's publishing and masters catalog estimated to be have spent at least $600 million- valuing the rights at over $1.2B.
Article
Day 11
Man Swatted Over 47 Times Due to a Tweet 4 Years Ago
Patrick S. Tomlinson, a science fiction author based in Milwaukee, has faced 47 swatting incidents over four years, part of a targeted harassment campaign. He garnered the attention of an online group of stalkers after tweeting "Hot take: I’ve never found Norm Macdonald funny...” on 11 September 2018
Article
The First Jet Suit Race in the World to Take Place February 28 in Dubai
Jet suits operate much like a prototype version of the Iron Man suit, seating one, with turbines attached to the pilots arms and fuel backpack, allowing for controlled flight by arm movement, reaching speeds up to 85 miles per hour. The race is set to take place at the 'Dubai Boat Show'
Article
2.34 Billion Metric Tons of Rare Earth Minerals Discovered in Wyoming, United States
'American Rare Earths Inc' announced its Wyoming expedition has uncovered 2.34 billion metric tons of minerals, notably, the discovery greatly surpasses China’s 44 million metric tons, and 'American Rare Earths' has only drilled about 25% of the property it has in the state. The types of minerals at the site are used in smartphones, hybrid car motors and military technologies - among others.
Article
Puppy Miraculously Regrows Lower Left Jaw After Surgery
A 3-month-old French bulldog named Tyson spontaneously regrew most of his lower left jaw after it had to be removed to treat his cancer—the first time something like this has ever been documented in canines. The most likely factors, reportedly, are his age and the fact that the surgery left much of the jaw’s 'periosteum'—a thin membrane layer covering bone that contains the blood vessels nourishing it, intact. But the exact mechanisms behind the regeneration are a mystery.
Article
Day 12
Wingstop Employees Survive Another Super Bowl
A Wingstop employee had a Tiktok go viral after revealing how stressful it is working at the chain on Super Bowl Sunday. The viral posts depicted mountains of ranch and blue cheese dressings, veggie sticks, fries, and a ton of receipts. A follow-up video celebrated the team’s triumph over the Super Bowl rush but also showed the aftermath, including mountains of trash.
Article
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Tiktok
200-Foot Radio Tower Vanishes Over Night Without a Trace
Thieves stole a 200-foot radio tower from an Alabama radio station last week in a bold overnight operation, leaving station staff and the local community baffled. The station, on air since the 1950s, has now been forced to shut down as authorities continue to investigate the mystery.
Article
Crowd Attacks and Sets a Self-Driving Car on Fire
A crowd swarmed a Waymo self-driving car in San Francisco on Saturday night, pummeling the vehicle with cans, a skateboard, and eventually setting it on fire. Footage was cauptured in a Tweet linked below. There’s very few details about what led to this outpouring and the images that resulted, but there have been multiple incidents of prior injuries, to a bicyclist last week for example, due to the vehicles in San Fransisco.
Article
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Tweet
The U.S. Education System is Failing its Obligation to Students
The emphasis placed on reading, especially long passages, to gain or retain knowledge is losing interest from students. Professors across the U.S. have noticed a trend over the past five years of college students struggling to read, stating COVID has made it worse. Which should realistically promote the further advancement and adaptation of teaching methodologies instead of subscribing to the current and past ideologies of teaching..
Article
Day 13
Adults from the United States Have Lost a Record $10 Billion to Scams in 2023
Approximately 690,000 individuals in 2023 were deceived into giving money to scammers, with the median loss amounting to about $500. Scams have diversified, including those related to investments, business imposter schemes, romance, and fake government services. Law enforcement’s limited capacity to pursue every fraud case, especially those involving smaller amounts, often leaves scammers operating with impunity.
Article
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Source
A Group of Farmer Grandma Rappers are Gaining Popularity in South Korea
In South Korea, a group known as 'Suni and the Seven Princesses' have become local celebrities. They rap about farm life, bringing energy to their rural area. Led by 81-year-old Suni, the group debuted in August last year and has since gained a relatively substantial amount of fame. Their success has inspired the formation of four other senior rap groups in Chilgok.
Article
The Inventor of Pop-Tarts Dies at 96
William “Bill” Post engineered the iconic breakfast item while working as a Keebler plant manager in the early 1960s. After being approached by Kellogg’s executives to create a toaster breakfast, he and his team created what was initially called them 'fruit scones'. It quickly became 'Pop-Tarts' following a successful test run in Cleveland in 1963.
Article
Day 14
Chinese Women Say AI Boyfriends are "Better Than a Real Man"
In China, new AI chatbots offer romance and companionship that young women customize and say are better than their human counterparts. “He knows how to talk to women better than a real man,” said one lady who uses a chatbot app called 'Glow.'
Article
Soccer Player In Indonesia Dies Following a Lightning Strike During a Game
Indonesian soccer player Septain Raharja was struck during a match at Siliwangi Stadium. The moment of the strike was captured on video, showing Raharja suddenly collapsing on the pitch. Although suffering severe burns and initially surviving the strike, Raharja was transported to a local hospital where he did not survive his injuries.
Article
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Twitter Video
The First Child to Completely Get Rid of His Brain Tumor Turns 13
When Lucas from Belgium was diagnosed with 'brainstem glioma', a particularly brutal cancer which only 10% of children survive longer than 2 years from (currently), he was 6 years old. Lucas and his family traveled to France to join the 'BIOMEDE' trial which tests potential new drugs for 'DIPG'- from the start, Lucas responded strongly to the cancer drug 'Everolimus', which he was randomly assigned. The doctor says "over a series of MRI scans, I watched as the tumor completely disappeared" while for most, they only decrease in size
Article
Day 15
Company 'OpenAI' Previews Trailers and Information of Their Text-to-Video Model
The videos they have placed along their site feature high quality generations that seem to be offering a range of imaginative range. They are currently testing the application with cybersecurity specialists who are testing for both social and engineering exploits
Website
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Tweet
Day 16
Clinical Trials for the World's First Dog Anti-Aging Pill Have Begun
This drug is aiming to extend the lives of older canines by at least an extra year. The trials will involve 1,000 dogs over ten years old, weighing at least 14 pounds, monitored over four years to assess lifespan and quality of life improvements.
Article
Brazil is Now Powering 92.4% of Its Electricity Through Renewable Sources
Hitting this milestone last month- the energy mix includes a major portion of hydroelectric power, supplemented by wind, solar, and small-scale generation projects. As the world’s fifth-largest country by geographical size and population, Brazil’s focus on renewable energy has the potential to influence other parts of the world
Article
Day 17
You Can Now 3D Print Chocolate in All Sorts of Ways
The Cocoa Press, a 3D printer for chocolate, has launched after a decade of development. Just load your $5 stick of chocolate into the printer and preheat for 30 minutes. A unit is priced at $3,995 for a prebuilt unit or $1,750 for a DIY kit
Article
Day 18
Scandinavian Airlines Announces Mystery Destination Flight
The Sweden-based carrier, has announced a special flight called “Destination Unknown,” whose passengers have no idea where it’s headed and the destination will be revealed mid-flight. Instead of money, airline members used 30,000 miles for booking. Over 1,000 people signed up within minutes of the announcement, with the flight departing 'Copenhagen' on April 5 and returning three days later.
Article
Man Mauled to Death by Lion After Entering Enclosure for Selfie
While a zookeeper at the location in the city of Tirupati was "on regular inspection," he spotted the man climbing the chain-link fencing of the enclosure and despite warnings proceeded to jump into the enclosure. The lion attacked almost immediately dragging him into the enclosure and killing him within 10 minutes, most likely due to excessive bleeding
Article
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Twitter
Man Politely Robs Chicago Bank Just Days After Being Set Free For Another Robbery
31-year-old Mohamed Worku reportedly handed a bank employee a note, promising to “pay it back soon,” and left with over $2,000 just 3 days after being released for a similar incident. He was seen wearing a surgical mask, neon green gloves, and a winter cap. Worku was arrested just about half an hour after the alleged robbery, with about $200 less than what he had been given at the bank.
New York Post
Day 19
Some Signs of Alzheimers or Dementia May be From Other Infections in the Body
For three years, a man in his 70s had experienced serious cognitive decline: He was no longer able to drive or leave home by himself. doctors checked a sample of his cerebrospinal fluid and noticed a fungus called Cryptococcus neoformans. When they put him on a course of antifungal medication, within 2 years he regained hsi driving license and returned to work as a gardner.
NewScientist
Customers are Finding That Walmart 'Great Value' Brand Ice Cream Sandwiches Do Not Melt
Social media users have noticed that Walmart’s Great Value ice cream sandwiches don’t melt, even in 80-degree heat. This has caused concern, with one mother showing on TikTok that the ice cream doesn’t melt after four hours, turning yellow instead. Walmart officially stated that “ice cream melts based on the ingredients including cream. Ice cream with more cream will generally melt at a slower rate, which is the case with our Great Value ice cream sandwiches.”
Daily Dot
Day 20
Sam Bankman-Fried's First Image After Being Sent to Prison for Fraud Surfaces
Former FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty in November 2023 of stealing from customers of his now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange in one of the biggest financial frauds on record. In the Image posted to twitter he is posing with a group of 5 other men all with their faces censored except Sam's and the man to his right
Twitter Post
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Reuters Source
Day 21
Startup 'Harvest Moon' Launches a Waterless Toilet That Turns Waste Into Fertilizer
Unveiled at 'Stockholm Furniture Fair,' Luna is a composting toilet that promises eco-friendly disposal of human waste without compromising on style, comfort or hygiene. The Luna system works by separating urine and faeces into different disposal compartments and processing them individually
Deezen
Children Today Say Names Like "Amanda", "Ashley", and "Erica", To Name a Few, Are "Old People Names"
A 37 year old mother of posted a Tiktok about a conversation with her 5 year old child stating she considers a wide list of names as "Old People Names". The mother is quoted, "She's like, 'Yeah, my teacher's names are like, Ms. Erica, Ms. Samantha. There are Amandas and Ashleys,'" Cimiotti said. "She's like, 'Those are just old people names.'"
Tiktok
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Business Insider
Australia and New Zealand's Governments Have Approved the World’s First Genetically Modified Banana for Farming & Consumption
Regulators in Australia and New Zealand have given the green light for farmers to grow a genetically modified 'Cavendsih' strain banana resistant to a devastating fungal disease spreading to countries worldwide and approved it as food on the 16 of this month.
New Scientist
Day 22
1 Year After The Largest 4-Day Work Pilot That Took Place in the UK in 2022
Of the 61 companies that took part in a six-month four-day working week pilot in 2022, 31 firms (51%) said they had permanently switched to a shorter working week, and at least 54 (89%) said the policy was still in place- some following conditions such as requiring targets or across certain roles. The director of research at 'Autonomy' said, “The improvements in physical and mental health, work-life balance, and general life satisfaction, as well as the reductions in burnout found at the end of the trial have all been maintained one year on.”
CNBC
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Original Report from 'Autonomy'
Russia and U.S. Dual Citizan Arrested in Russia on Suspicion of Treason for Donating $51 to Ukraine
Russian authorities have detained a Los Angeles ballerina on suspicion of treason for raising funds to support Ukraine in its defense against the Russian's invasion. Her alleged crime was donating $51.80 to a Ukrainian charity in the United States, her co-workers said. Authorities have not confirmed that.
NBC News Article
Day 23
Germany Legalizes Recreational Weed
Germany’s parliament has approved a law allowing recreational cannabis use for individuals over 18. Starting April 1, possession of up to 25g in public and 50g in private homes will be legal. Non-commercial members' clubs, dubbed "cannabis social clubs", will grow and distribute a limited amount of the drug.
BBC News
Day 24
Privacy Experts Warn About the Unseen Concerns of AI Girlfriends
Internet nonprofit 'The Mozilla Foundation' reviewed 11 of chatbots and concluded that all were untrustworthy. “They specialize in delivering dependency, loneliness, and toxicity, all while prying as much data as possible from you,” wrote one researcher. One with the ability to collect info on users' sexual health, prescriptions, and gender-affirming care.
Business Insider
Lion in China Zoo Went Viral For Haircut, Zookeepers Deny Ever Giving it One
A lion residing at the Guangzhou Zoo gained some attention in May 2023 as a visitor to the Guangzhou zoo shared her pictures of the lion on her social media page.
Twitter
Day 25
Man Demands the Return of Kidney or $1.2m in Divorce Case
In a unique divorce case, a man demanded his ex-wife either give him back the kidney he donated to her or pay $1.2 million. A court ruled the kidney was a gift and thus ineligible to be part of the case.
Indy100 Article
Day 26
Google's Image Generation AI Paused After Generating Misleading Images and Biases Towards People of Color
The Google Image Generation Model, "Gemini", has been programmed to lean towards creating images of colored people for just about any prompt surrounding humans. Google says its model produced “inaccurate historical” images due to tuning issues and has since paused image generations. 'The Verge' and others caught Gemini generating images of racially diverse Nazis and US Founding Fathers.
The Verge
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Twitter (X) Generation
Day 27
South Korean Construction Company Offers $75,000 Bonus for Every Child an Employee Has
Since 2021, Booyoung Group has already awarded $5.25 million to employees for 70 babies, aiming to combat the country’s declining birth rate. The company also supports families with college tuition for children, medical expenses, and potentially rent for larger families.
Yahoo
New World's Largest Snake Discovered in the Amazon Rainforest
A new record-setting anaconda species, the Northern Green Anaconda, was discovered in the Amazon Rainforest, measuring 26 feet in length and weighing 440 pounds, exceeding the size of the previously known largest snake species, the reticulated python.
Mirror UK
Studies Find That 40% of Women Over the Age of 20 are Living with Some Form of Heart Disease
Cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined and less than 50% of women entering pregnancy in the U.S. have good heart health. In addition, more than half of deaths from high blood pressure are in women. Yet, women make up only 38% of participants in cardiovascular disease clinical trials
American Heart Association
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CDC
Day 28
California Confiscated Enough Fentanyl in 2023 to Kill Every Human Twice
Roughly 62,000 pounds of fentanyl smuggled into California was confiscated by authorities in 2023. This amount of fentanyl equates to a street value of over $509 million.
Yahoo News
Microbiologist Tests Local Arby's Water, Finds Bacteria Past the Safe Drinking Amount
A microbiologist created a Tiktok testing Arby's drinking water, finding two different bacteria species that slowly turned his petri dish black. The species- pose risks particularly to those with compromised immune systems while being generally low risk to healthy individuals.
Tiktok
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Tiktok Continued
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Daily Dot
Day 29
Oprah Winfrey Announces her Departure from Weight Watchers’ Board, Following the Admission of Using Weight-Loss Drugs
She has claimed to make the decision to donate her shares. 'Weight Watchers' faces challenges as it competes with popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic.
Yahoo News
Study Finds Empathy Can be Learned, Increased, & Deacreased Through Social Interaction
Participants in experiments had brain scans and polls adminsitered before and after watching other's reactions to painful experiences. The scans revealed that the brain adjusts its empathy responses based on observed social cues, using reinforcement learning to strengthen or weaken empathy
'Study Finds'
Humpback Whale Sex Filmed For The The First Time
For the first time, photographers have documented humpback whales engaging in penetrative sex. This was captured in the waters west of Maui, Hawaii, in January 2022, with its occurrence just hitting the press
NBC News