Latest news with #forest
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Malay Mail
WhatsApp location helps fire brigade rescue teen hikers lost on Penang's Bukit Cherok Tok Kun
BUKIT MERTAJAM, June 22 — Two youngsters who got lost in the forest while hiking at Bukit Cherok Tok Kun, famed for its biggest buttress trees in Penang, yesterday were swiftly rescued by the fire brigade, thanks to a handy smartphone. Assistant operations director of the Penang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), John Sagun Francis, said the victims sent their location via WhatsApp at 1.16pm to his department. 'A team from the Bukit Mertajam Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) was deployed to the location, where five personnel were involved in the search and rescue operation for the teenagers, with the assistance of the public. 'The two 18-year-olds were found and brought down safely, with the operation ending at 4.14pm,' he said in a statement, adding that the victims had been handed over to their guardians. — Bernama
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Connection: The Real Reason We Listen
Connection and Community Hearing is a science; listening is an art. So goes the opening line to The Third Ear: Reflections on the Art and Science of Listening by Elizabeth Rosner. It so intrigued me that I opened our interview by asking her to explain it: "There's a difference between looking at something and observing something or tasting something and then trying to really figure out the ingredients of what you've just tasted. I think hearing is similar in that there's more going on than just frequency and vibration entering our ears.' [Rosner attributes the concept of the Third Ear to Theodor Reik, a psychoanalyst who was an early student of Sigmund Freud.]Rosner adds that considering listening as an art means it requires "filtering, discernment, [and] questioning. There are all the creative practices you do when you hear sound of a certain kind or memory associated with sound.' The challenge is to 'Think beyond just the limitations of what [hearing and listening] can do.' When that occurs, the two become 'a full-body experience of taking in a sound or a silence for that matter.' Naturally occurring metaphor One metaphor—one that is real, too—is a forest. Trees do communicate with one another. Rosner explains, citing the research of forest-ecologist Suzanne Simard, that trees are connected to one another via proximity, of course, but also through their underground root systems, where chemical substances are exchanged. What trees together have is a community, not unlike mammals like dolphins and whales, whose sounds are actually a highly developed language. There is a wealth of resources on how to listen more effectively, but when you dig more deeply, too often, we look at listening more as a process and less as a connection. The purpose of listening is to connect more fully with others. Rosner looks at real listening as the ability to be heard and understood. When so much of daily life is compressed into activity after activity, it cannot be easy to make that true connection. When someone truly listens to us, we show them the respect they deserve. "You're going to wait before you respond because you were so fully attentive to me that you weren't just planning what you were going to say in response,' Rosner says. Listening to another is a form of respect that says, 'You have something to say and I will give you the time to say it.' Building community Rosner's exploration of hearing and listening is anchored in her upbringing; she is the daughter of Holocaust survivors. Her mother spoke seven languages, and her father three. With their children, they used English, but Rosner recalls a polyphony of languages between her parents and their friends. 'And I think I was looking for connection through sound, and some of that was human language, and some of that was the sound of my dog or the sound of the wind or underwater sounds. And so it was all a part of my discovery of how I belonged in the world, not just the human world, but the wide world.' Community is built upon a network of people all connected through a system of shared wants and needs as well as shared values and goals. 'We cannot live only for ourselves,' wrote Herman Melville. 'A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.' Those fibers – like tree roots are living – and like optical cables – are connected. How we choose to make use of these connections enables us to create communities that matter. And fundamental to the community is listening, not just hearing but surrendering our attention to one another. Tips for Better Listening To become a better listener, focus on what the other person is saying. Engage in conversation to put the person at ease. Conversation is not about scoring points; it is rooted establishing a connection. Listen both for what you hear as well as what you do not hear. Good listeners will draw out the speaker, making it comfortable for them to share their ideas. And remember the adage: the more you listen, the more you may understand. Note: Click here to listen to my LinkedIn Live interview with Elizabeth Rosner.
CTV News
05-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Bouncing sky-high at North America's largest outdoor trampoline park
Uplå, a new trampoline park that is 'fully integrated into a forest environment' is opening this weekend in Val-Des-Monts.
ABC News
05-06-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Giant 'woolly' rat caught on camera for first time in Papua New Guinea's mountains
In the dead of night, a giant rat the size of a small terrier scurries among the forest ferns in the wet, glacial valley of Papua New Guinea's highest mountain. Little does it know, it is being caught on candid camera. For the first time, the subalpine woolly rat — the biggest rodent in Australia and Oceania — has been documented in Papua New Guinea's Mount Wilhelm. While the shaggy-furred rat was well-known by local hunters, it had not been photographed live in its habitat by the scientific community until now. "There is one book I was working with, on the mammals of PNG, and there is just a painting of his huge animal without any pictures," said biologist František Vejmělka. Only about 50 specimens — mostly of the rats' skulls — existed in scientific collections and most pictures of the rodent, other than a photograph of a preserved museum specimen, were painted illustrations. Being nocturnal, not particular noisy, and a drab shade of grey meant the tree-climbing rat also was hard to spot. "When scientists first described it in 1989, they assumed it was herbivorous based on the shape of their molars of their teeth," Mr Vejmělka said. But he confirmed this by purchasing rats local hunters caught to examine the rats' stomach contents, which were filled with ferns. Mr Vejmělka also documented their reddish-brown chests, a trait previously characterised as an "artefact" in existing literature. Measuring about 75 centimetres from head to tail and weighing about 1.5 kilograms, Mallomys istapantap is an elusive creature, only found in the eastern part of New Guinea's mountains. Mr Vejmělka said the rodent's Latin name means "it's on the top right" in the local Melanesian pidgin dialect, reflecting its habitat 3,000 meters above sea level, higher than where locals lived. The University of South Bohemia mammalian researcher published his findings in the journal Mammalia in April after spending six months among Papua New Guinea's highest peaks looking for the giant rat along with 60 other rodent species. He said standard trapping did not work in the mountainous forests, so he set up camera traps and joined local landowners on night hunts to find the shaggy critter. Mr Vejmělka said the scientific community's lack of understanding of the rodent was a reflection of its remote habitat rather than its numbers. "During my time spent there working with the hunters I could see that they were actually pretty abundant. He credited the local community and indigenous hunters for helping him with his PhD research into the island's fauna and hoped to return and continue his work "The mammals of the island and the biodiversity is so poorly known still, that it's really a place for a lifetime of scientific work."
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Can you find the hidden animal in this mind-bending optical illusion in under 30 seconds?
This wild brain teaser takes you on a trek through a lush, green jungle filled with flowing streams, towering trees and thick foliage. At first glance, it may seem like just a peaceful forest scene but look closer. Somewhere in this vivid landscape, a wild animal is cleverly concealed. Your mission? Find the hidden creature in under 10 seconds. This optical illusion is more than just a pretty picture - it's a challenge designed to test your observation skills and attention to detail. Do you have the sharp eyes it takes to spot what others might miss? Only the most eagle-eyed viewers will succeed. If you're still scanning the scene, don't worry - you're not alone. It's a tricky one, and giving too many hints would spoil the fun. So take another look. The animal is there, hiding in plain sight. Can you find it before the clock runs out? Have you managed to spot the hidden animal yet? Or is it still eluding your gaze? If you're hoping for a clue, look in between the long, thin tree trunks, and you might just spot a four-legged friend. Don't follow the creek upstream. Instead, look toward the dirt road and see where the path takes you. This illusion is a perfect reminder that sometimes, what we think we see blinds us to what's actually there. So, did you beat the clock? Check below to see if you were correct. But don't go anywhere just yet! We have another brain teaser that will blow your mind. At first glance, the scene looks perfectly ordinary: a lively flock of plump, wide-eyed birds gathered in a sunlit meadow, chirping away without a care in the world. Their round shapes, cheerful expressions and matching colors paint a charming picture of harmony. But look a little closer… and you'll realize something is off. There's an intruder in their midst. A pig. And not just any pig - a stealthy little impostor who's mastered the art of blending in. Your challenge? Spot the odd one out in under 13 seconds. Sounds simple, right? Think again. This illusion relies on the power of pattern recognition. Your brain wants to see birds, so it does. That's what makes spotting the pig so difficult. Still struggling? Here's a hint: ignore the left side. Focus on the center-right of the image, where the pig has cleverly tucked itself among the crowd. Once you see it, you won't believe you missed it. And if you're still searching, don't worry, you're far from alone. Optical illusions challenge the brain by forcing it to process information in unexpected ways, improving cognitive flexibility and visual perception. They help enhance focus and attention to detail, as you have to carefully observe and interpret visual cues. Regularly solving optical illusions also promotes brain health by keeping the mind sharp and active, potentially staving off cognitive decline as you age.
