#tropical location (unknown)

[miamaimania]

Bold Botanicals 💚🌿: Versace Spring Summer 2015 campaign, a vibrant fusion of fashion and nature, shot against a lush tropical backdrop ➤.

[bethanythebogwitch]

It's October and I want to talk about something creepy, so this Wet Beast Wednesday is about the lancetfish. These things look like what would happen if a fish became a vampire. Lancetfish are the only members of their family, Alepisauridae and consist of two species: The longnose lancetfish Apleisaurus ferox and the shortnose lancetfish Apleisaurus brevirostris. While they are often caught as bycatch, there is still a lot we don't know about them.

(image: a lancetfish held by an angler. Its body is long, skinny, and silvery. Its dorsal fin extends down most of its back and is supported by a series of long, thin spines. Its head is pointed and the moth is very wide. It has a large, green eye. The tail is out of frame)

Lancetfish are long and skinny fish capable of reaching up to 2.08 meters (6.8 ft). Their dorsal fins are especially notable, stretching down most of their backs and being spiny, resulting in one common name for them being the "handsaw fish". The fin likely gives stability when the fish swims fast and can fold down. The fin is situated in a groove so when it folds down, the top of the fish is smooth and reduces drag. Lancetfish are also one of the relatively few fish to have an adipose fin. The mouth is large and opens very wide. It has long, skinny teeth that point backwards and are adapted to hold onto struggling prey. Their bodies have no scales, only smooth skin with pores for the lateral line. The name "Alepisaurus" means "scaleless lizard", a reference to their body shape and lack of scales. The stomach can expand to hold a very large volume. Lancetfish lack swim bladders and are simultaneous hermaphrodites, posessing male and female gonads at the same time. They show some anatomical differences from other hermaphroditic fish, including testicles that are independent from the ovaries.

(image: a lancetfish held by a child on a boat. More detain can be seen on the dorsal fin, which includes four spines that grow long past the webbing. The tail ends in a forked fin.

Lancetfish are found worldwide except for arctic regions and are more common in temperate to tropical waters, but have been found as far north as Greenland. They are found in the mesopelagic (twilight) and bathypelagic (midnight) zones, but sometimes swim closer to the surface and can be found at a huge variety of depths. They are unusually large for fish that live in those areas. They are generally believed to be solitary, but may gather together to mate. They may also be migratory, as they have been reported seasonally appearing and disappearing in some locations. Lancetfish do also travel to colder waters if food is scarce. They are predators with extremely wide diets that include fish, cephalopods, tunicates, and crustaceans. They are also notoriously cannibalistic, as lancetfish show up in the stomachs of other lancetfish very frequently. There have even beec cases of scientists finding a lancetfish inside of a lancetfish inside of a lancetfish. They are so well known for cannibalism that they are often named "cannibal fish". Lancetfish are likely ambush predators. Their muscles are gelatinous, which is unsuitable for chases but does work for sudden bursts of speed. They most likely hang motionless in the water, waiting for prey to pass. How lancetfish reproduce is unknown, but they are probably broadcast spawners.

(image: a lancetfish in its natural habitat. It is suspended vertically in the water, with the head pointing up. Its dorsal fin is folded back)

One interesting feature of lancetfish is how slow their digestion is. Lancetfish are often found with undigested or partially digested food in their stomachs. One hypothesis is that They digest food slowly wile living a low-energy lifestyle to make the energy gained from each meal last as long as possible. Another is that the stomach acts like storage and will only begin digestion if the fish is low on energy. This provides an interesting avenue of research. Lancetfish caught as bycatch or that was up on beaches can be dissected to investigate their stomach contents, which are so much more pristine than those of other species. This means each lancetfish acts as a net, containing tons of specimens that give us a good (if biased) look at the bathypelagic food web and local biodiversity. Scientists are starting to find a lot of plastic in lancetfish stomachs. It is hypothesized that some of this plastic may be ingested by prey who practice daily vertical migration bringing tiny pieces of plastic down into deeper waters where they are ingested by larger predators. Some plastic pieces found may be too large to be explained by this method alone, such as a fragment of a black plastic bag around the same size as a hand towel found in one lancetfish. This is part of growing evidence that shows plastic pollution is not just a problem for the surface as was previously though, but exists throughout the water column.

I told you, its a vampire fish (image: a close-up of a lancetfish head. Its mouth is open, showing the teeth. They are long, skinny, and sharp. Most are short, but a few on the top and bottom are much larger than the others)

Lancetfish are not commercially caught as there is no market for them. Their gelatinous meat is considered unappetizing, though it is also said to taste sweet. They are considered pests in longline fishing industries for taking bait intended for other species. The amount of lancetfish bycatch is increasing, possibly indicating population growth due to overfishing of their competition and prey. Known predators of lancetfish include tuna, cod, opah, salmon sharks, and sea lions. Because of how deep they live, not much is known about any conservation needs

(image: a juvenile lancetfih. Its body is green and translucent and much shorter than that of the adult. The head has the same shape as the adult. The dorsal fin is much smaller and less distinct. The body is curved at the spine and the internal organs are visible through the skin)

[laifromthecosmos]

Mula Nakshatra: The Primordial Cosmic Force.

versão em pt-br

Tropical Astrology orients the zodiac to the point of the Vernal Equinox, which marks the beginning of the sign of Aries. Vedic astrology orients the zodiac from the 'Galactic Center' to the center of the Galactic Sun, where influences pass through us via the fixed constellation of Sagittarius. The Galactic Center is called 'Brahma,' the creative force, or 'Vishnunabhi,' the navel of Vishnu. From the Sun emanates the light that determines life and intelligence on Earth, directing the seven rays of creation and the distribution of Karma.

In terms of sidereal astrology, the Galactic Center is located at the beginning of Sagittarius. In the Vedic system, it is found in the lunar constellation (nakshatras) called 'Mula,' which means 'the root' or 'origin.' Mula can thus be seen as the first in the series of lunar constellations. It marks 13º 20' of Sagittarius, in the middle of which the Galactic Center is located. The last in the series of lunar constellations is Jyeshta, which means 'the eldest,' found at the end of Scorpio. This shows that the ancients knew of the Galactic Center and named the constellations accordingly. The Mayans identified the Galactic Center as Hunab Ku, representing the Supreme God and Supreme Creator. It is considered the 'Mother's Womb' that constantly gives birth and gave birth to the Sun and the planet Earth. It is believed that Hunab Ku directs everything that happens in the Galaxy from its center through the periodic emission of 'Consciousness Energy.'

The energy of the Galactic Center is primarily transmitted by Jupiter, called 'Guru,' the teacher in Vedic astrology, and by Sagittarius. Jupiter is said to be the teacher of the Gods, the cosmic power of light. In this regard, he is even the teacher of the Sun, the guide of the world. Jupiter represents and directs Galactic Light to the solar system.

This association of Mula with the Galactic Center suggests a strong connection to primordial and cosmic forces, symbolizing the ability to access deep and transformative wisdom that may surface from intense experiences or a spiritual quest. The strong influence of Mula may manifest as a deep connection with these cosmic energies, reflecting a desire to get to the core of issues and seek the truth in its rawest and purest form.

Ketu, the planet that governs Mula, also deals with reaching the core of everything. It stores past Karmas and releases those mature enough to be experienced in the present. It can help gather the necessary tools to fulfill the objective of the present life. This is suggested by the symbolism of the tied roots. Mula, therefore, helps in gathering, meaningfully, the talents developed in past lives.

Mula is concerned with investigating invisible or unknown things. Along with its counterpart Ardra (which lies directly opposite in the zodiac), Mula has the strongest and deepest sense of investigation among all nakshatras. Mula is directly associated with medicinal purposes. In ancient medicinal systems like Ayurveda, roots of various plants are used for medicine preparation. Similarly, Mula is also related to the root of diseases, such as microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, etc. Like everything under Mula's jurisdiction, these microorganisms are invisible to the naked eye. The fact that the roots are tied suggests a sense of limitation. As a result, Mula often does not allow much freedom or dispersion of energies, causing people to dive deep within a limited sphere.

Mula Nakshatra is deeply connected to the figure of Nritti, a powerful and enigmatic goddess of Vedic mythology. Nritti is often associated with destruction, chaos, and dissolution, but her influence goes far beyond just being a destructive force. She represents the primordial forces that deconstruct and dismantle to allow something new and more authentic to emerge. Nritti is the goddess of transformation through destruction. She governs the process of disintegration necessary for renewal and regeneration, reflecting the idea that for growth to occur, something old must be undone. In many ways, Nritti can be seen as the guardian of the boundaries between the known and the unknown, between comfort and chaos, symbolizing moments of crisis that challenge old structures and beliefs, paving the way for personal and spiritual development. Mula's symbol is a bundle of tied roots, representing the exploration of origins, the unveiling of deeper truths, and the search for the essence of any situation. However, to reach the roots, one must undergo processes of destruction and deconstruction, aspects deeply connected to Nritti's energy. Those who have significant planets in Mula Nakshatra may experience intense moments of destruction and rebirth throughout their lives, being called to abandon old identities, beliefs, and situations to transform into something new and more authentic.

Nritti's influence on Mula also emphasizes the importance of facing chaos and the unknown as part of the path to enlightenment. Mula is the nakshatra of deep investigation, where the sought truth is revealed, often in a harsh and challenging way. Nritti guides this quest, ensuring that illusions are destroyed so that the truth, no matter how raw, can emerge.

It is in Mula's nature to quickly cut and destroy things that have lost their value. Most often, it regrets its actions in hindsight. Only when its Universal will is aligned does Mula operate in a wise, Jupiterian manner. The struggle between universality and individuality reaches its peak here, as individuality is at its highest expression. The process of individualization begins in Ashwini, is celebrated in Magha, and culminates with completed individual experiences in Mula. Beyond the realm of the ego and egocentrism, Mula is a proud and arrogant nakshatra, often unable to comprehend its own power and abilities. In some cases, this is good, as its capacity to inflict damage on itself is restricted by its ignorance. Its terrible and demonic side comes from Ketu's negative functioning in its lower aspects, potentially generating ego, vanity, and arrogance, which can lead someone to commit abominable and demonic actions.

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Lend an Ear to the Hole in the Head Frog

Huia cavitympanum, more commonly known as the hole-in-the-head frog, is a species of frog found only on the island of Borneo. It resides mainly in tropical forests, both in the lowlands and more mountainous regions, particularly those with fast flowing rivers.

The hole-in-the-head frog is named for its unique eardrums, which are recessed into the skull giving the appearance of holes in the sides of its head. This ear drum gives way to a canal similar to that of mammals, which enables H. cavitympanum to hear ultrasonic sounds (above 20 kHz). The species is otherwise quite plain in appearence, with a brown body marked with darker splotches and a stripe down its back. Adults can be anywhere from 4.6-8 cm (1.6-3.1 in) long; females tend to be larger than males.

Due to their ultrasonic calls, the hole-in-the-head frog can be quite difficult to locate, especially as they are active mainly at night. Like most frogs, the species is insectivorous, consuming a variety of beetles, flies, centipedes, and ants. They do most of their hunting along the forest floor, in the low undergrowth, or along riverbanks.

H. cavitympanum uses its high-pitched calls to locate mates along loud, fast-moving streams. Males gather at the edge of these streams and begin calling at the end of the dry season in August, and mating may continue well into the wet season. After mating, the females on rocks at the edge of the water line, and the emerging tadpoles cling to those rocks using an abdominal sucker until they fully mature. The lifespan of this species is unknown.

Conservation status: The IUCN has designated the hole-in-the-head frog as Least Concern. Despite its remote habitat, the species is threatened by habitat loss.

Want to request some art or uncharismatic facts? Just send me proof of donation of any amount to any of the fundraisers on this list, or a Palestinian organization of your choice!

Photos

Sandra Goutte

Alexander Haas

Sandra Goutte

[alwaysdaenerys]

Jonerys Falling For You 2024 | Day 1: Cursed

Teaser and moodboard for my new fic, “burn under the same sky”

After a three-day storm blew their cargo ship off course, Captain Jon Snow and his crew were stranded on a deserted island somewhere in the Narrow Sea. With rapidly diminishing provisions, the desperate sailors could find no animals to hunt while they repaired their broken hull, just tropical plants and insects to forage for sustenance in the vast forest. On the third week of isolation, a starving Ghost returned from one of his nightly roamings, snow-white tail burnt blacker than coal. Donning battle armor, Jon went to investigate who or what could have possibly done this much damage to his beloved companion. At the center of the forest, he and a wary Grenn happened upon a hollowed-out rock formation, filled with the charred bones of a variety of woodland creatures. It was no wonder the men were unable to find fresh meat of any kind: there was a wild dragon here.

Venturing further into the fathomless darkness, Jon’s sturdy boatswain grabbed his arm. “I don’t like the look of this place, captain.”

“There,” the black-haired seafarer shone his lantern over a trail of sooty footprints on the ground. “Those are human, and a small one at that. We assumed ourselves alone on this island, Grenn, but it seems we are decidedly not.”

The skeleton pieces became increasingly numerous as they continued forward with hesitation, the most brittle of them crunching loudly with each step, some turning to ash under the weight of their boots. Even with all the fire damage scorching the walls and ceiling, the deep cavern was ice cold, though Jon wasn’t sure this fact inspired confidence.

“Hello?” he shouted, lifting his meager light.

A startled, high-pitched yelp answered him, and the young northerner sprinted towards the sound, concerned. His friend lagged, surely fearful of what lay ahead. But they would have been able to hear the dragon’s distinct breathing if it was truly inside.

“Please, we mean you no harm! My crew and I have been ship-wrecked a few miles east,” Jon explained, heart thrumming rhythmically, like a snare drum. “Do you require assistance?”

No further communication from the disembodied voice was uttered, but he was not deterred. A ringing silence followed, but soon after taking a sharp left turn, his lamp suddenly caught on a bright white-blonde mange of hair, matted and filthy from lack of bathing. Completely naked and shivering in a small crevasse located at the far side of the cave, a woman came into view.

“Gods…” Grenn swore before dropping his shortsword with a loud clatter.

Jon immediately shed his thick sable cloak and wrapped it around the stranger, meaning to carry her delicate body to warmth and safety. She was saturated with the heady scent of smoke: he didn’t think it came from a mere wood fire, just with the amount of burned carnage piled around them, and Jon was intimately acquainted with the smell of tobacco—his first mate always had a brandy pipe between his teeth—therefore that could be ruled out too. It was clearly a dragon’s lair, ample proof surrounding them from every side: so where was the creature?

“Are you real?” she inhaled raggedly, coiling as close to him as possible.

Captain Snow blushed to feel the heat of her breath on his bare neck. “I am fairly certain, yes.”

The girl raised her head slightly, trying to make him out in the shadows. With no warning, a pair of glowing amethyst eyes somehow locked in on his gaze and Jon almost dropped her in shock.

“I have dreamt of this moment a thousand times, brave son of the First Men: of my savior battling the unknown winds and currents of the Sunset Sea to break the crone’s spell.”

Confused by the vast majority of her statement, Jon glanced in the direction of a mute Grenn. “Wait, what do you mean, the Sunset Sea?”

“A red witch expelled me to the furthest edge of the world when I ignited the Fourteen Flames.”

She was obviously delirious, speaking of events that had occurred countless millennia ago. And they were marooned nowhere near the Sunset Sea, because the Lady Lyarra had been journeying from White Harbor to the Bleeding Tower of Tyrosh to transport a load of textiles and blackbelly rum. But the peculiar lady was lucid enough to have guessed his Westerosi lineage, even specifying that he was of the North. Perhaps she was as lost as Jon and his fellow sailors, left here to die by someone who viewed her as a threat. Left here to be devoured by a dragon most likely.

“Does my illustrious deliverer have a name?” she asked softly upon exiting the cave in his arms, mouth right next to Jon’s ear.

In the waning afternoon sun, Snow finally got a proper look at the girl, and the air was promptly seized from his throat, as if he had been pushed from the bow of a ship and into the tumultuous sea. She was quite possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen before: no more than eight and ten, the porcelain skin of her arms and legs was pristine, unblemished from the elements; her eyelashes, lush and pale, framed the roundest of pupils and piercing purple irises, so supernaturally expressive and boundless, more hypnotizing than the rest of her; a subtle swathe of tan freckles graced the attractive slope of her nose and noble cheekbones; and finally, her heart-shaped features were perfected by a plump set of baby pink lips that were practically begging to be sampled. Shaking his head from its daze, Jon coughed uneasily: he had encountered many a Lysene lady in his two years as part of Her Majesty’s navy, but they were disgusting trolls compared to her. Based on her story though, the implication was that she was native to Valyria, which was impossible: only the Targaryens remained of that lost city. If the situation wasn’t so out of the ordinary, the girl could be considered a cannibalistic siren of maritime legend.

“You may call me Jon,” he replied, voice husky with awe. “Jon Snow of Winterfell.”

“Jon Snow,” a glistening smile graced her already gorgeous face as she traced the pad of her index finger along his jaw, slow and deliberate. “I was baptized as Daenerys, for the Valyrian moon goddess. But to you, I am ‘Dany’.”

Dany pressed her lips, plusher than the finest velvet, to the corner of Jon’s mouth and then buried her pert nose into the nape of his neck with a relieved sigh. Seemingly unable to resist the temptation, he tightened his hold on the girl protectively as he stumbled back towards camp, Grenn in his wake.

@iceandfirejonerysdiscord

[yibo-best]

“Exploring the unknown” is Wang Yibo’s first outdoor exploration documentary program. It is produced by the Discovery Channel’s international production team. This film will also be the only program Wang Yibo will participate in in 2024 (on an ongoing basis) .

Wang Yibo will follow six explorers around the world to six extreme geographic locations, including snowy mountains, deserts, islands, and tropical forests.

PS The project is rumored to be aired from August 31 (They say they'll be looking for gibbons in the jungle and diving into the night sea for phosphorescent corals… I can't wait)

UPD Announcement and trailer on August 23, VIP on Tencent from August 31 (at 18-00). Press conference with Yibo in theaters on August 28

[empress-violetlight]

Worlds of the Empire of the Hand: Lysatra

Another of my Empire of the Hand worldbuilding exercises for my fanfic series. Please see its neighbour planet and Hand capital, Nirauan, described here.

We know next to nothing about Lysatra in SW canon, other than it's Eli Vanto's homeworld, and it's in Wild Space, close to the Unknown Regions/The Chaos. Since it is located relatively close to Nirauan on the Galactic map, and because of Eli's connection with Thrawn, it only seemed logical that Lysatra would become a member planet of the Empire of the Hand.

I know it is practically consensus in the fandom that "Wild Space" = "Southern USA", but since that is not canon, I decided to take a different approach.

---------------------------------------

Lysatra

Galactic Map location:  J6 – Wild Space

World type:  Terrestrial planet, 41 060 km equatorial circumference, 1.2 standard (Coruscant) gravity.  Standard nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere.

Solar system:  Orbits Tjindu, a G-yellow orange dwarf main sequence star, approx. 4.9 billion years old, 1.1 standard stellar masses, sole stellar body in the solar system. Third planet from its sun of five (in orbital order): 1 super-heated terrestrial, 2 terrestrial, 1 mini gas planet (aka “mini-Neptune), 1 gas giant, numerous dwarf planets past the gas giant.

Moons:  5 small moons, lifeless, asteroid-like, but orbit in a distinctive “cross” pattern as seen from the planetary surface, which has become a planetary symbol. 

Surface conditions:  Rocky planet with a single supercontinent surrounded by a global ocean. The edges of the continent are usually quite temperate and livable, the interior is usually desert, though there are some mountain ranges and areas of rainforest in the northwestern part of the supercontinent.  Large saltwater ocean covering the rest of the planetary surface, with scattered islands.

Population:  Human-majority population of about 30 million – quite large for a Wild Space planet, and concentrated around the tropical, eastern coast of the continent, and on a temperate, volcanic island archipelago off the eastern coast.

Capital City:  Bercanna

Other population centres:  Canbane

A human-majority planet in the often-ignored region of the Galaxy known as “Wild Space”, the people of Lysatra are known for being tough and practical, not taking any “voidshit”, but rather casual in their manner, though most locals could curse enough to make a Corillian blush.  They are used to routinely dealing with frightening, oversized and often poisonous/venomous wildlife.  For a human-majority Imperial world, they are also quite tolerant of aliens, with a common quote among locals being that nothing that can talk can possibly be as weird as their animals.  They historically had some connection to the Unknown Regions, with the Chiss considered legendary until the two civilizations re-established contact with one another through the Empire of the Hand, and the planet is a local, Wild Space shipping hub.

Lysatra was loyal to the Galactic Empire, as one of the planets whose economy improved with increased access to the rest of the Galaxy, and protection from piracy, while the Empire itself maintained a rather hands-off approach to the planet, letting locals govern themselves as they had been doing before, since there was no Rebel presence whatsoever.  The locally-elected Prime Minister became the Imperial Governor of the planet, the two offices becoming joined.  Most locals could not give half a kriff about Core World politics, not caring whose flag flies on Coruscant, but the Empire did bring some advantages while both the Old and New Republics barely knew their planet existed and cared even less, skewing public opinion to the Empire’s favour.

The idea of an Empire became even more attractive with the rise of the “shadow” Empire of the Hand, based off of Lysatra’s galactic neighbour, Nirauan.  The two star systems maintained close relationships for over a decade, with hundreds of Lysatran citizens taking advantage of the educational and economic opportunities provided by Grand Admiral Thrawn’s effective and fair Empire.  Still, Lysatra would not formally join the Empire of the Hand until 5 ABY (24 AEE), about a year after Emperor Palpatine’s death at Endor, as they wanted to maintain their relationship with the wider Empire and their neighbours, and saw the Empire of the Hand as far more stable compared to the fracturing under warlords that the Empire suffered in the Core to Mid-Rim after the Emperor’s death.

Lysatra’s own planetary parliamentary government was the inspiration for the Empire of the Hand’s parliament, and by 38 AEE (19 ABY), Lysatran citizen and former Imperial officer Eli Vanto would be elected to the office of Prime Minister of the entire Empire of the Hand.  Prime Minister Vanto enjoyed just as good a working, professional relationship with the Head of State, Empress Xelarra, as he had with her husband during his years of Imperial navy service, before Grand Admiral Thrawn's death at the Battle of Bilbringi.

Lysatrans were by far the most represented human population group in the Empire of the Hand, with many alien Hand citizens learning Basic through Lysatran translators and teachers, often adopting their distinctive accent as a result. 

Unfortunately, in 47 AEE (28 ABY) Lysatra would fall to a surprise attack by the Far Outsiders at the beginning of their invasion, though most of the population would be safely evacuated to Nirauan and Adumar, thanks to the efforts of the Interdictor Maelstrom and the ground-level leadership provided by former (by that time), Prime Minister Vanto and a group of elite ground forces (who called themselves the "Sick Cunts").  It is unknown at this time if Lysatra’s ecosystem is recoverable.  Lysatrans would become among the most feared Vong Hunters in the Galaxy, with many joining the Hand Navy, Army and Explorers, itching for the chance to “swat the Mozzies” that had destroyed their home.

Lysatra is known for its strange, sometimes dangerous, always unique wildlife.  Here are some notable examples:

Velociroos:        

Omnivorous, spike-backed bipeds that jump as their main method of locomotion, they look more frightening than they actually are, though a mob of them can be dangerous if they surround a lone traveler in the interior of the supercontinent.  They are actually a favoured food source of the locals.  Like most Lysatran mammals, they are marsupials , and carry their young, called joeys, in a pouch.   

Weekees: 

Small, flightless avians that lay enormous eggs compared to their body sizes.  Native to the southeastern archipelago, one of the few harmless native lifeforms.   

Salties: 

Large, ill-tempered marine reptiles, these flippered beasts never leave the water, though they have no qualms about eating thoughtless swimmers. 

Aoms:

Large, flightless, herbivorous avians, taller than a human, which fill the ecological niches usually filled by mammalian megafauna on other worlds.  There are several different species native to the archipelago, which were almost hunted to extinction when the planet was first settled.  Luckily, a small population survived, and conservation efforts have been so successful, they are now considered pests in part of their range.   

Haasts:

Giant predatory avians strong enough to carry away small Aoms.  As they are used to hunting large bipeds, they will not hesitate to attack humanoid sapients either, though they avoid large settlements.  Precautions in the wild include never travelling alone and having a good stun blaster at your side. 

Whatthes:  (pronounced “what the?”)

Small, teal blue, semi-aquatic, mammalian animals that feature an avian-like bill, lay eggs, and have venomous claws.  Lysatrans often find them rather cute. 

Drop Woks:

Tree-dwelling mammals with a superficial resemblance to the Ewoks of the Forest Moon of Endor, though non-sapient.  They normally eat the leaves of poisonous trees that nothing else can tolerate, but will occasionally drop down onto the heads of animals passing under their trees and attempt to attack their eyes, which will also be eaten if successful.  Wearing cutlery on one’s head can serve as a deterrent (or at least, that’s what the Lysatrans say). 

Too many venomous species of insects, arachnids and reptiles to name here, with even some avians having poisonous feathers. 

----------------------------------------------------------

Special thanks to @hydr0phius, my "cultural consultant". This Canuk's grateful!

[nonsensical-shitposting]

Tried to do a map of the Earth in Time To Orbit: Unknown based on canon information about the situation there, but because all I have access to right now is MS Paint, this was the best I could manage:

I have absolutely no clue where Tarandra is supposed to be (if there were any hints about its location, I have forgotten them), which is why I didn't put it on the map. My rationale for putting Capricorn Plateau and Cancer Plateau in Botswana/South Africa and on the Mexican Altiplano respectively is because they were the best-fitting "plateau" locations that looked like they could fit space elevators on the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer, while I put the Khemin in Papua New Guinea because apparently "khemin" is a word in the Mian language, so I think the Khemin are supposed to be future descendants of the Mian people? I kinda imagined Arborea Pacifica as floating hundreds of feet over the drowned ruins of Hawaii, which is why I put it there, but I couldn't decide whether it felt more accurate to put Arborea Atlantica in the North Atlantic or the South Atlantic and couldn't remember if it was explicitly stated to be in either, so I just flipped a coin.

I don't remember any other countries on TTOU's Earth off the top of my head, but if there's any I'm forgetting let me know so I can add them. Same goes if anyone knows how big the Koreazone is supposed to be or if there's specific details I missed about the locations of any of the borders.

[sergeantsporks]

You know how both vegetables and fruits had become sweeter, softer and seedless?

Well, imagine Caleb entering to some grocery store (or even better Walmart) and thinking at first glance “wow! That’s a lot of food in one place, probably 3 years of harvest right in there”

Then eventually after passing through a bastardise version of cleaning products, endless plastic bottles with funny drawings and gettting over the fact people use metal carts for shopping, he finds the food section and instantly noticed some strange, funky looking tropical fruits (like banana or pineapples) and think “oh, so those are the exotic fruits I heard about, I wonder from which colony these come from”. Tho how their taste is still unknown so he proceeds to find a vegetable he is familiar to, he searches for a while and the task proves itself surprisingly difficult.

Like, he tries so hard to locate his 1600’s version of a tomato and instead of finding the jaded, asymmetrical sort of orange, sort of brown thing, he finds this.

A babyfied tomato. It looks way too perfect to be true, where did the random spots go? Why it looks so red? And shiny? And bumpless? Where is the dirt danm it!?

What’s worse is that’s not only the tomato, all the familiar fruits and vegetables are babyfied. Then he finally takes a bite from a clearly fake apple and it tastes sweeter than any his poor ass had ever taste. The fuck? They are not supposed to be that sweet, or soft!

Anyways I think we as a fandom underestimate the devastating effect artificial selection could have on the wittebane brothers. They whould probably get a sugar comma in about 3 months or so.

At least potatoes haven't changed too much? I think?

But yeah, lol, poor guy is going to have a heart attack and die. Forget spices, forget anything on the list of "things Puritans aren't allowed to have," the fruits and vegetables are going to take him out.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Eofringillirostrum vs Heliothraupis

Factfiles:

Eofringillirostrum boudreauxi, E. parvulum 

Artwork by @otussketching, written by @zygodactylus

Name Meaning: Dawn Finch-Beak (Boudreaux’s or Small) 

Time: 54 to 48 million years ago, in the Ypresian of the Eocene 

Location: Sandwich Beds, Fossil Butte Member, Green River Formation, Wyoming; and the Messel Formation near Darmstadt, Germany 

Today, over half of the birds known in the world are passerines, or “perching birds”. Unfortunately, these birds on average are small and delicate, leading to their not having the most robust fossil record compared to other birds. However, the fossils of passerines we do have tell us an interesting story about their evolution. Eofringillirostrum, despite being a very early member of the total-passeriform group (ie, it isn’t a true passerine, but close), shows how many of the traits we see in modern representatives occurred fairly early on in their evolution. Eofringillirostrum had a finch-like beak, similar to living species, that would have been helpful in eating small hard seeds - a niche not easily exploited. While we often think of birds as “seed-eaters”, this is not common and only exploitable by certain species - and, apparently, some early passerine relatives like Eofringillirostrum. This indicates that different early relatives of passerines were already doing very similar ecological jobs to their living relatives, even while many other bird types were exploiting passerine-like niches (such as the many types of stem-mouse birds that lived at the time). Both the Messel Pit and the Fossil Butte environments were tropical forests, emerging right after the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum; both were associated with fossil lakes, which allowed for rapid preservation of a variety of early animals that show how “modern” life first diversified in the Paleogene period. As such, Eofringillirostrum just has too many neighbors to list - including so many kinds of birds its a little overwhelming. Eofringillirostrum, in this environment, would have been one of many different species of birds, and weirdly modern looking among them! 

Heliothraupis oneilli 

Photograph by John C. Mittermeier, written by @zygodactylus 

Name Meaning: O’Neill’s Tanager of the Sun God Inti 

Time: Unknown to the present, Holocene, Quaternary 

Location: Western Bolivia and Southern Peru, South America  Rarely do we get to talk about a newly discovered living species of bird, but this is one of those excellent times! This bird, a bright yellow tanager with a distinctive black stripe across its eye, was found in the Neotropics - specifically in the Yungas region. Given that Latin America has the largest number of bird species in the world, it makes a certain amount of sense that we may have missed some! First spotted in the nineties, it was properly identified and described over the course of the 2010s. The distinctive appearance of this tanager lead to it being nicknamed the “Kill Bill Tanager”, in reference to its similarity to Uma Thurman’s yellow jumpsuit outfit. Distinct in appearance and population from other tanagers, it was deemed not only a separate species, but an entirely separate genus. It is migratory, breeding in the northern Machariapo Valley and going down to the eastern Andes for the nonbreeding season. It lives in deciduous forests, and breeds in bamboo grasses. It is a loud and vocal bird, making distinctive songs and choruses that happen long after the dawn chorus of most other birds. As it lives in a fairly isolated region of these countries, its habitat is not particularly threatened at this time.

DMM Round One Masterpost

[solalunar-eclipse]

Sonic Boom - S3E19

Chapter title: Unknown From M.E. (Part One)

Summary: Knuckles has been having some odd dreams lately…what could be causing them? The team bands together to explore a new area and find out.

AO3 Link

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[The camera opens up in a first-person perspective. We see two red arms, ending in white mittens with double knuckle-spikes on each hand.]

The echidna pushed aside a tangle of vines, walking through a dense jungle. The scenery looked nothing like the forests of Seaside Island, instead appearing distinctly more tropical in nature.

It seemed quite familiar to the person walking through it, at least, since they climbed over fallen trees and pushed through the undergrowth with ease. Clearly, they were quite confident in their own abilities. 

Suddenly, however, a faint chanting could be heard off in the distance. 

The servers are the Eight Chaos…

The echidna looked up sharply in the direction of the voice, startled. After a moment’s pause, they began to walk closer to where they’d heard the chant. 

“Hello?” they called, their voice pitched high with youth.

Chaos is power, enriched by the heart…

The young person began to run through the forest, chasing the sounds to the foot of a mountain. They looked up at the peak and began to climb, digging their spikes into the solid rock. However, the next time the voices came, they sounded further away.

The controller serves to unify the chaos…

Abruptly, the echidna dropped from their perch, beginning to dig into the ground instead. As they burrowed deeper and deeper, they heard the chant one last time, guiding them into the very center of the mountain.

This is what we have been sworn to guard.

And with that, the echidna emerged into a room—a room that gleamed green from every surface, sparkling and shimmering like it was made of one massive crystal.

They reached out to touch the floor beneath their feet…

…and Knuckles fell out of his hammock in his home, gasping for breath.

[The intro sequence goes off perfectly well! The individual character introductions and team shot all stay the same.]

[This time, the villain intro shows a red glow that illuminates a massive cave painting, one that’s difficult to make out. However, it appears to depict many different creatures holding oddly shaped machinery. Some of them are being struck by a mysterious unidentifiable force, dropping their possessions in the process…]

[The intro then continues on, before ending with the title of this week’s episode.]

Another day, another attack from Dr. Eggman, located in the town square. As always, Sonic and all his friends were there to fight back, frustrating the ever-persistent (or perhaps simply just in-denial) doctor. 

“Come on, Sonic! Can’t you just give me one win?” he complained, hovering warily nearby in his Eggmobile.

“I already gave you a win, remember? It was on New Year’s Eve!” Sonic shot back, spindashing several badniks as he spoke.

“That one doesn’t count!”

“Yeah it does!”

“No it doesn’t!”

“Yeah it d—!”

Before Sonic could continue his argument with his nemesis, Knuckles stumbled into his side, having overshot his left hook.

“Wh-whoa!” the hero yelped, struggling to stabilize his taller friend. “Knux, you good?”

“Oh yeah, I’m fine!” Knuckles gave him a thumbs-up. “Just didn’t sleep a lot last night, but it’s no problem!”

Sonic frowned, but let it go for the time being, opting to smash more badniks instead of pressing the echidna on the matter. Soon enough, the tide of the battle was turned, and Dr. Eggman was forced to retreat, grumbling all the way back to his evil lair.

“Knuckles?” Amy called, tugging on her hammer from where it had gotten stuck in a bush. “What happened back there? You don’t normally kick my hammer instead of the robots…”

“Knux here says he didn’t sleep last night.” Sonic showed not a single sign of remorse as he revealed this information to known health enthusiast Amy Rose.

“Sonic!” the echidna cried, shooting him a distinctly betrayed look.

Amy immediately dragged her hammer out of the bush and de-summoned it as she rushed over to get a better look at Knuckles. “Oh no, you’ve even got dark circles under your eyes!” she fretted. “Do you want that sleep hygiene checklist I mentioned a while ago?”

He grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. “I dunno, I mean, I don’t drink coffee before bed or anything like that! I just had some weird dreams lately, that’s all.”

“They’re not nightmares, are they?” Shadow asked softly, giving Knuckles a cautious look.

“Nope! Just weird! It kinda feels like someone’s trying to tell me something…” he mused.

Sticks clambered up on top of Knuckles’s shoulders, squinting at him warily. “Do you need me to make you a tinfoil hat? I can make ‘em good so no aliens talk to you in your sleep!”

“Before we decide if it’s aliens or not, I think we should ask Knuckles what these strange dreams are about.” Tails said decisively. “It may be nothing, or it could be important, but we won’t know unless we have all the information.”

“Would you like to talk about it here, or would you prefer to go back to one of our houses first?” Amy asked kindly, taking one of Knuckles’s hands in her own and giving him a reassuring smile.

Knuckles beamed back gratefully. “The second one sounds great.”

Once they’d all settled down in Tails’s living room (“Just in case it does turn out to be something that requires further investigation!”) and Amy had helped make everyone drinks (“We may be close, but that just means I get to be a good host even in your homes!”, she’d quipped), she sat down on the sofa next to Knuckles, leaving a small amount of space in between them and looking up at him hopefully.

“So…in the dream, I’m somewhere else. I can’t see it super clearly, but it’s someplace that isn’t Seaside Island.” Knuckles began. “I’m smaller, I think, and I hear some people talking, so I go looking for them. It sounds like the noise is coming from inside a mountain, and I dig inside, but once I get there, all I find is this cave made of green crystals. Then I wake up! I just wish I knew who was talking.” He frowned, genuinely somewhat concerned by the fact that he couldn’t identify this mysterious person. 

Tails leapt to his feet excitedly. “So it really could be someone who’s trying to communicate with you! Is it the same dream every time?”

“Yeah, it is!” The echidna couldn’t help but be infected by his friend’s enthusiasm, brightening up as the engineer began to scan him.

“Huh…” Tails hummed, frowning down at his screen. “I’m not seeing much out of the ordinary, but my screen is a little on the fritz.” He tapped the side of his device, concerned.

Shadow teleported over beside him, making the fox squeak as his fur puffed up briefly. “Sorry.” he muttered, already looking over the device. “Can you scan the ambient wavelengths around Knuckles? That might be a better way to tell if someone else is sending him messages.”

“I guess…my software might have some trouble with something that subtle, but if I boost the strength, it could work.” Tails mused, flying over to his friend and adjusting several settings in an effort to improve the data.

The android moved a little closer to Knuckles as well, only to freeze, his eyes wide. “Tails? Actually, I have a feeling that technology, incredible as it may be, is not what is required here.”

“Why not?” Tails shot him a distinctly skeptical look.

“Because,” Shadow began, “he is currently surrounded by an incredible amount of raw Chaos energy.”

Suddenly, everyone began shouting at once, making Shadow wince at the shocking increase in sound. Thankfully, they all noticed the effect almost immediately, backing off and watching him and Knuckles expectantly, but with a distinct aura of concern.

“It isn’t necessarily dangerous.” the android explained. “Raw Chaos energy simply refers to energy that originates directly from one of the eight Chaos Crystals, without having been absorbed or filtered through a Chaos user’s body.”

The tension in the room dropped significantly.

“But Knux doesn’t have a Chaos Crystal, does he?” Sonic asked, still looking confused. “All he has is that Fregosi Sapphire thing.”

“Yeah! I think I’d know what jewels I do and don’t have!” Knuckles added.

Shadow inclined his head slightly. “This is true. However, distance is not always an issue when it comes to Chaos. From what I have heard, these crystals existed long before the time of even the Ancients, with some legends claiming that they are fragments of whatever force first brought Chaos energy into the world. Legends aside, there was enough scientific research done on them in my time to suggest that the Chaos Crystals do have a limited form of sentience. Essentially, they have their own wishes and desires, and they are capable of limited communication, if they find someone they deem worthy of their attention.”

“Um, that’s definitely not creepy or anything,” Amy said. “Seeing as we’ve spent time around them once or twice already.”

Shadow exhaled in a way that almost sounded like laughter. “Don’t worry. The crystals have always been supportive of people who intend to help others. They want the world and those within it to remain thriving as much as you all do.”

“So how do I find out which one’s trying to talk to me?” Knuckles asked.

“If you will allow me, I can do my best to help.” The android folded his arms. “I can assist you in tuning your personal energy to the same frequency as whichever Chaos Crystal is causing this, so that we can work together to find its source.”

“Why wouldn’t I let you?” Knuckles looked over at him, bewildered. “Go ahead!”

Shadow blinked, momentarily silent with astonishment. “You do realize that you are, essentially, allowing me access to your life force, yes?”

Knuckles shrugged. “I mean, I already trust you not to beat me up every day. I do that with all my friends! I don’t think this is any different.”

A small smile made its way, unbidden, onto Shadow’s face. “Very well then. Let’s give this a try.” He moved to stand directly behind where Knuckles sat on the couch, placing his hands on the echidna’s broad shoulders. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be!”

“Very well then, close your eyes.” 

As the other four looked on, golden energy began to glow and swirl around Shadow’s hands. It twisted and spun in the air, before slowly making its way down Knuckles’s arms to his hands. At the same time, its color gently faded from gold to green.

Abruptly, the energy shot towards the echidna’s heart, glowing so brightly it was almost difficult to look at—

—and then it vanished, and both of their eyes snapped open as the two suddenly gasped for breath.

“Are you both alright?!” Tails exclaimed.

“I believe so. That was…” Shadow wheezed, “…not a source of Chaos energy I have ever sensed before.”

Knuckles beamed. “I am in contact with it now, though, and I think I can find it! Thanks, Shadow!”

The android struggled to meet Knuckles’s eyes. “Well…of course. Anytime.”

“A new source?! Do you think you could direct me to it if we were flying in my plane?” Tails asked excitedly.

“I think I could!” Knuckles stood up from the sofa, a determined look in his eyes. “Let’s go find the thing that’s giving me weird dreams so I can sleep normally again!”

Shadow laughed quietly, shaking his head. “Only you all would have to hunt down a mysterious energy source because its mystical dreams were disturbing your sleep.”

“Well, it’s not going to hunt itself!” Sonic declared. “Alright, guys, let’s do it to it!”

Everyone stared at him blankly.

“Uh, I was just—I was trying a new thing.” Sonic stammered, explaining quickly. “Audiences said they wanted us to be a little more genuine, so I thought I’d give it a go, and—you know what, let’s just go find this weird energy thing!”

[Cut to Tails’s plane, carrying all six heroes as it flies over the ocean.]

“It should be coming up on our left now!” Knuckles shouted, trying to make himself heard by the entire team over the roar of the propeller. Tails quickly banked to the left, soaring downwards and coming in for a smooth landing on the beach of the island that Knuckles had indicated.

Once the echidna had hopped off the biplane, however, he froze.

It took a moment for his friends to notice that he was standing stock-still, staring into the jungle beyond the yellow sand of the beach. Amy walked up to him, giving him a concerned look. “Knuckles? Is everything alright?” she asked gently. Knuckles blinked rapidly, before looking down at her with a stunned expression.

“This…this is the island where I grew up.”

“WHAT?!” everyone collectively shrieked, staring at him incredulously. 

Knuckles grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “First my gliding, then this…I guess I forgot to tell you guys a lot, huh?”

“I knew you grew up in the wild like me, but on another island? How’d you even leave?” Sticks asked.

The echidna shrugged. “I didn’t originally mean to—I just went out on a raft one day trying to catch fish, but a storm blew in suddenly while I was out on the water. When I woke up, I was on Seaside Island, with no idea how to get back. And as much as I wanted to, once I met you guys, well…that started to seem less important.”

“Aw, Knuckles, that’s so sweet!” Amy latched onto his arm, her eyes wide and sparkling. 

Tails flew over to him, hovering around excitedly. “Does this mean we’re gonna get to see the village where you grew up?” 

Knuckles sighed, his mood suddenly much lower. “As far as I know, there’s nobody else on the whole island. If I had a family, I don’t know who they are—I hatched alone and learned to survive that way, too.”

Shadow walked up to him, giving him a sympathetic look. “I am glad you survived. It’s incredible that you were able to do so, and the world would have been at a loss had you not.”

The echidna had a small smile on his face at that. “Thanks…” he muttered, half to himself.

“And hey, that doesn’t mean you can’t show us around the place where you grew up! I want all the secret Knuckles lore!” Sonic added, shooting his friend an encouraging smile.

Thankfully, Knuckles perked up quickly and began to lead the way forward into the trees. “Let’s go check it out!”

After some navigating through the jungle, the six emerged into a clearing surrounding a massive mountain that soared up through the clouds, around which were clustered a variety of buildings. All of them were at least two stories tall, bolted into the side of the rock and made largely of intricately carved wood. Outside each one, a knotted rope hung from a hook, with different patterns of knots for each individual house.

“I used to live in this one here.” Knuckles explained, gesturing to the largest building there was. The building was marked above its door with a classic diamond-cut jewel symbol in green pigment. It was twice as wide as most of the other houses and rose eight stories into the air.

Tails whipped out his Miles Electric and began to scan it immediately. “This is a marvel of architecture! I’ve never seen wooden structures of this height before on Seaside Island, either Ancient or modern!”

Sticks frowned. “Hey, Knuckles, do you still feel that weird energy?”

The echidna jolted back to attention, having briefly been lost in his memories of the island. “Oh, right! Yeah, I do—I think it’s inside the mountain, just like in my dream! I can’t actually dig into it, though, it’s made of solid rock.”

“Well, maybe there’s an entrance somewhere?” Amy mused, eyeing the rock in front of her thoughtfully. “There’s a gem painted on the front of that building, so surely they must have known about the existence of powerful crystals, if nothing else.”

“Hey, lil’ bro, I know you’re all hyped about this village, but you think you could spare your scanner for a sec to find us a way inside this mountain?” Sonic asked, tugging playfully on Tails’s shoe—the only part of his brother he could reach, since Tails had started flying in excitement some time ago.

“Sonic!” the fox whined, shaking himself free and landing a safe distance away. “Of course I can!”

 He held the Miles Electric up, scanning the general area. “Ugh, there’s so much ambient energy here, it’s making my screen glitch out really badly!” Tails called, frowning at it—

—and then nearly dropped his screen when the glitching stopped entirely.

“Um.” he added nervously. “…thank you? To whoever…or whatever…fixed that?”

The entire team shared wary glances. 

“Sooo, if I can still trust this to be even remotely accurate, it says there’s an opening on the roof of that tall building that Knuckles used to live in.” Tails said.

“Nice one, pal!” Sonic zipped over and ruffled Tails’s hair, making the fox yelp and bat at him in an attempt to get his brother to release him once again.

Quickly, the entire team scaled the house, using their various skills. Amy hammer-jumped to get herself to the second level and clambered up from there, while Sonic just sped directly up the mountain alongside it. Sticks climbed the structure with ease, Knuckles punched his spikes into the rock of the mountain, and Tails, of course, simply flew all the way up (stopping to rest once). Meanwhile, Shadow actually ascended through the inside of the house before teleporting through the roof.

[Please envision a cross-section of the house with all of this happening at once for the desired effect.]

Once they were at the top, Shadow scrutinized the mountain’s face skeptically. “That…doesn’t look an awful lot like a door, I’m afraid.”

“Maybe Knuckles has to be the one to open it?” Amy suggested.

The echidna placed the palm of his hand hesitantly against the rock…and nothing happened. 

“I’m sorry, guys, I really thought it was up here!” Tails’s ears drooped unhappily at the thought that he’d led them wrong.

“No, I can feel it stronger through here—I’ll try again!” Knuckles insisted. He pushed both his palms fiercely against the side of the mountain, willing it to move as powerfully as he could.

And with that, a circular outline flared green around where he stood, before receding outwards into the mountain…leaving an empty, pitch-black tunnel beyond.

“Well, that certainly isn’t a safety hazard.” Shadow muttered.

Sonic smirked. “Just ‘cause you don’t have special light-up gear doesn’t mean you’ve gotta be nervous, Shads—we’ll keep you safe!” As he spoke, his bandages and bandana lit up, and the other three with glowing gear did the same. (Meanwhile, Sticks pulled out some of their bioluminescent paste and smeared that onto their face, arms, hands, and legs.)

Shadow stared at Sonic unblinkingly for a long, uncomfortable moment. Silently, he held up one hand, palm up, and let golden Chaos energy blaze to life around it. 

“Hmph. Show-off.” the blue hedgehog muttered, rolling his eyes.

“Let’s just get in there, alright?” Amy sighed, pushing past them both and into the cave. “We’re here to help Knuckles, not inflate either of your egos any more.”

The rest of the team filed into the cave behind her, walking one by one down the path. Between the six of them, there was more than enough light to see by. It illuminated all the walls of the cavern…as well as the split in the path up ahead. 

“So which way do we go from here?” Sticks asked, frowning at the two different tunnels. 

Knuckles closed his eyes for a moment, doing his best to focus. “I think we go…left.”

“I trust you, pal.” Sonic patted his forearm briefly, turning to go the way he’d suggested. 

“Can you really feel the source of all that energy?” Tails flew up to hover alongside Knuckles as they continued down the path. “What’s it feel like?”

“It feels sorta…comfortable? But also lonely, I think.” the echidna explained, before stopping as they reached another junction, this time with three pathways. “Uh…center this time.”

The caverns continued in a similar manner, branching and diverging in various ways, with Knuckles leading them through all of it. At one point, once they’d been walking for quite some time, Amy spoke up hesitantly.

“We’re sure this energy thing isn’t just leading us in circles, right?” she asked, smiling nervously. 

“I don’t think it would do something like that.” Knuckles spoke with surprising confidence despite his low volume. “Something like this…I think the people who made these tunnels knew it needed to be kept safe. If it really is as powerful as it seems—y’know, with all the causing dreams and fixing Tails’s scanner—then it’d probably be pretty bad if someone like Eggman got his hands on it.”

There wasn’t time for more than a second or two of silence before a green light began to shine from the end of the tunnel, immediately drawing everyone’s attention. Amy shook her head wryly. “I’ll admit it. I was wrong to doubt you, Knuckles.”

The team rushed forward, eager for some freedom from the dark, cramped tunnels. Quickly, Knuckles entered the chamber beyond—only to stop short, causing everyone behind him to slam into his back and then sprawl all over the floor. As they began to get up, in various states of grumbling and collecting themselves, they all froze and stared in awe alongside him at the place they’d found.

A massive cavern soared over their heads, formed entirely out of green crystal. Huge gem stalactites speared out from the ceiling, while the floor was polished and smooth. Various ledges were present at different heights along the walls, which formed a near-perfect circle around the jewel-like floor. And within every single facet, an otherworldly green glow shone, casting all of the heroes in its own color.

“Whoa, Knux…what is this place?” Sonic breathed. 

But it wasn’t Knuckles who replied.

“Chaos,” Shadow swore. “It’s the Master Crystal!”

[moonmoon-ren]

Sweetness, Sand and a Treehouse

Breakfast in Limsa

The evening before Ren and Sequoia left Gridania via airship. The flight was rather turbulent and Sequoia had to endure this strange expierence. Sequoia never saw these flying marvels before, since all he had know was the comfort of the Skatay Range. Being of a more teasey nature he decided to overreact a bit and give Ren little surprise. While at first he surely felt like not very comfy in the air the Viera adjusted rather well, but enjoyed getting attention from Ren for being overdramatic. Unknown to Ren this behavior was the start of something wonderful.

"Ughhhhh! Never again do I set foot on an airship anymore Ren!" Sequoia shouted while leaving the Limsa Airship landing.

Whaaaa?? OI ! yelled Ren surprised.

Ghahahahahaahaha! You ... should ... you should ... ghaahhaahhaha ... you should see your face Renniboyyy! ghahahah!

As Sequoia seemingly was stuck in the outburst of laughter because of pranking Ren, Ren stared at his companion with a rather piercing gaze, ("if eyes could shoot fire").

Hmpff! Just you wait... Ren smirked.

You know Sequoia, ...

Ren regained his confidence and greeted Sequoia with a rather challenging smirk on his face

I can always leave you here on your own, in the middle of Limsa, busiest city of all Eorzea.

Whaaa? N-no- NO!

Yes ...

NOO! pleassee Ren don't leave me here. I will get captured by bandits and fed to monsters. You can't leave me here alone.

Well then, big boy, why don't you follow me? Let's grab a small breakfast before we travel to Moraby Drydocks.

What's that ?

Its our destination. I explain at breakfast.

The two Vieras took the lift down to the Drowning Wench where they ordered a breakfast that consisted of fruits, and some tea.

You sure don't want another pear ?

Nah i'm good Ren.

Still "angry" at me ?

Not at all silly!

Why are you looking so serious then.

Ah Ren, i must confess that the journey is beginning to take its toll. I really want to slow down a while now. Catch some rest, relax, do nothing, forget that there exists something other then us.

In Eorzea, people call that a vacation. Usually Eorzeans spend free time like this at Costa del Sol or visit other cities, or when you feel like very lucky, the Gold Saucer. But for what you seem to seek, I have a better suggestion.

Ooohw? Being ?

An island. A tropical island. My island.

You own ... an ... island ?

I do.

Is it far ?

Not at all Sequoia, not at all. Its located in the Cieldades. We can go there by ferry. Its not so far. By noon we can be there if we leave now.

Let's go then Ren, its sounds like paradise to me. To spend time there with my best friend, its all i can ever ask for. Come here you, lets go now then you can show me soon this island of yours. I can't wait to see it.

Sequoia grabbed Ren a little bit tighter and embraced him in a very intimate way that drew a thin line between an amicable embrace and a romantic embrace. Ren could not help but stare right into Sequoia's eyes and had to quickly gather himself not to drown in them.

Ahahahah... Ren blushed ... Y-yeah ... let's go now.

As Ren was obviously blushing a lot, Sequoia noticed this all too well, but to avoid Ren panicking he acted as if he did not see this.

The two Vieras walked to the gates and left Limsa for a good while. Off to Moraby Drydocks!

Ren ?!

Hmm

REENNNNNNNN!!!

Whaaaattt ???

How far is this Moraby ?

Its not farrr anymore

W... WHYY couldn't we take a chocobo ?

Because its sunny, and a walk doesnt hurt. Hey, you wanted to explore Eorzea, right ?

Y-yes?

Well then. Come on, we're nearly there.

Hrrrr! Seriously i swear... these boots, are not for this land.

Stop whining! Start walking! We could have taken an airship, y'know ?

Oh you!

Sequoia suddenly bolted running past Ren and challenged Ren seemingly for a little race.

Slow down, slow down...!

Here it is, Moraby Drydocks!

Is this your island ?

Noo silly!

Here is the town where we take the ferry to the island.

What is this ferry by the way ?

You'll see in a moment.

Greetings Baldin*!

Mister Kimura! And a friend of yours today ?

Yes, this is Sequoia Greenleaf. He is a very dear friend of me. You can register him as a frequent visitor to my island as of this day.

Alrighty. I suspect you want to go there now ? There is a sloop waiting for you at the docks as you requested. Safe travels!

Have a good day Baldin! See you later.

(*Baldin is the name of this NPC)

Ren and Sequoia embarked, and rowed their way to Ren's island, it was not so away from Moraby Bay.

As Ren and Sequoia arrived at the island, Sequoia could not believe his eyes. Jungle, white shores, azure blue water, colors beyond his imagination, birdsong all over the place, the sound of the washing waves, and the sweet scent of this tropical paradise greeted and welcomed the Vieras. Could this be ?

Sequoia ?

R-Ren ???

You feeling alright ?

Tell i'm not dreaming Ren.

You're awake Sequoia, you're awake. Ren giggled. Let's go to the cabin where we can freshen up a little bit and get some more appropriate clothes for this place. Its too hot here for what we wear now.

--

[snowlessknitter]

Just a heads-up that I won’t be covering tonight’s episode of The Masked Singer due to Hurricane Milton. While I’m located a ways north of Orlando, this storm will be bringing at least tropical storm force sustained winds and hurricane force gusts as well as rain and a heightened risk of severe weather such as tornadoes in my area. And the southern parts of Central Florida (places like Kissimmee, Lakeland, and Haines City as well as out towards the Atlantic coast in places like Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach) will be feeling more of the brunt of Milton. All of the local news stations will likely be doing wall-to-wall coverage and preempting primetime programming. My area may be at risk of losing power as well, there’s still a lot unknown. Hopefully things will turn out okay and I can get ready to cover Group B when they begin competing next week.

Anyways, it looks like it will be a double elimination in tonight’s episode, with the act with the lowest number of audience votes being eliminated first, and then the other two competing in a battle royale to determine who advances to the Quarterfinals. So, I’ll just go ahead and make my predictions on who advances, and who I think each masked singer (or singers) is.

I think Woodpecker 🐦 will be eliminated first. Based on past clues and suggestions, as well as the fact that her Black-ish costar Anthony Anderson previously appeared on the show as a bird character (“Rubber Ducky”), I’m going to say that Woodpecker is Marsai Martin.

Which puts Ship ⛵️ and Buffalos 🦬 in the Battle Royale. If it’s just the judges deciding this one again, they’re going to have a very tough decision on their hands, as I think they like both acts a lot. But we haven’t seen a group act win this show yet (although Wilson Phillips came close as the Lambs 🐑), and I think the Buffalos might have the best shot at it in quite a while.

So, who are they?

I think Ship ⛵️ narrowly leaves the competition tonight. She’s got a really good voice, and based on certain clues such as the cowboy hat and boots and the fact that she was her class president in high school, I truly think this is none other than ‘90s pop singer Paula Cole. If you watch her videos on YouTube and TikTok, you can tell she’s taken great care of her voice as she’s gotten older (she’s in her fifties now) and she can still hit some relatively high notes for her age.

And finally…the Buffalos 🦬. I’ve had the vibe that they’re Boyz II Men from the beginning, and the clues of the football player being “On Bended Knee” (which was a number 1 hit for Boyz II Men), as well as the references to Motown (both their record label as well as their debut single “Motownphilly”) are keeping me in that direction. The bottle of poison does refer to Bell Biv DeVoe (“Poison” was their biggest hit), but that is because Michael Bivins of Bell Biv DeVoe was Boyz II Men’s first manager and record producer. Boyz II Men additionally named themselves after a New Edition (the group that Bell Biv DeVoe spun off from) song called “Boys to Men”. And the group’s connection to Nick Lachey? Members of Boyz II Men appeared with 98 Degrees (Nick’s group) as well as members of some other boy bands in an ABC holiday special called A Very Boy Band Holiday in 2021.

I’ll be posting again once the storm has passed and it’s safe for me to do so. Fingers crossed we don’t lose power, but I can’t guarantee it right now.

[vivsemporium]

The Australian Ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) is the country's largest microbat and the second largest globally. These bats are the only carnivorous bats in Australia, hence one of their common names the False Vampire. However, they do not drink blood, instead, they specialise in consuming insects, frogs, birds, lizards, and small mammals such as other bat species (such as the Bentwing, Horseshoe, Leafnosed, Little Cave Bat, and many species of the Sheath-tailed bats)

SIZE: The Ghost bat is 10 – 13cm long, has a wingspan of 500 mm, and weighs 130 – 170 grams.

LOCATION: They are found in tropical northern Australia, primarily in the Northern Pilbara and Kimberly regions in Western Australia. Northernmost areas of Northern Territory, and from Cairnes to Mount Etna in Queensland. 

THREATS: Man-made: barbed wire fences, tree clearings, loss of old mines and caves, climate change, and tourism

Natural: wildfires, quolls, dingoes, and pythons

DEVELOPMENT:  Once mating is complete, the sexes will separate themselves into gender-specific colonies. The females will form maternity groups of up to 1000 bats during the winter months to maintain body temperature as they naturally run quite low. A mother will birth one pup per year, taking three months to gestate. The pup will suckle milk for four weeks from the armpit and once they reach seven weeks, they will start learning how to fly and hunt. Weaning ends at 3 months, where the pups are now able to fly independently and they will reach sexual maturity for females at a year, whereas males will reach it at two years of age. The lifespan of wild Ghost bats is unknown, however, in captivity, they will live for approx. 8 – 13 years, the oldest being 20 years.

[conspiracytheoriesposts]

The Bermuda Triangle

For my 5th and final blog post, I am going to talk about a conspiracy theory that has baffled people for decades – The Bermuda Triangle, also known as The Devil’s Triangle. The Bermuda Triangle is a section of the North Atlantic Ocean where ships, planes, and people have mysteriously vanished. The three points that make up the triangle are in Miami, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda.

With a series of unexplained explanations, the phenomenon of the Bermuda Triangle has dumbfounded the world for years. In 1964, the story of the Bermuda Triangle took place. It was officially named The Bermuda Triangle when American author Vincent Gaddis created the infamous name when talking in a magazine about an area in the shape of a triangle just off the coast of Florida. This area became later known as the “Devil’s Triangle” due to the strange disappearances of at least 50 ships and 20 aircrafts. To this day, many still do not know exactly what happened to the ships and aircrafts, the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle has caused many conspiracy theories about the triangle-shaped area.

Stated before, the hype of the Bermuda Triangle can be linked back to the mysterious disappearances of ships and aircrafts. In 1945, a routine training exercise went wrong when five US Navy planes and 14 men disappeared in the area. The US Navy investigated and explored the area only to announce back that the incident was reported “cause unknown.” From that time on until the 1980s, there were 25 small planes that disappeared in the area known as the Bermuda Triangle, the small planes were never seen again, and no wreckage of the planes were ever found. Rescue missions of the small planes were sent out; however, it is also reported that some of those rescue trips vanished as well. Multiple abandoned ships were discovered and some never sent out any distress signals. Some people have concluded that something unnatural occurred for all these ships and aircrafts to vanish.

The deadliest unsolved mystery in the Navy is the USS Cyclops. Built as a fuel ship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it was later commissioned to support American Forces in France during World War I. However, in the early morning in March of 1918, Cyclops disappeared with all hands while returning from a voyage to Brazil. The ship and its crew made an unscheduled stop in Barbados on March 3, 1918. However, the crew and passengers were never seen again, and it is still a mystery over 100 years later. To this day not a single piece of the ship has been found. Which led to many asking, “how did such a large ship carrying 293 men just disappear without a trace?” The theory is that the infamous Bermuda Triangle claimed their lives since the USS Cyclops reportedly went down in the Bermuda Triangle. Numerous ships were sent out to locate the Cyclops as it was thought to have been sunk by a German submarine. No one for sure knows what exactly happened to the ship which caused many stories and theories.

The stories of the mysterious area captivated the public. Some theories were created to explain the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle. One theory is that wormholes explain the conspiracy behind the Bermuda Triangle. Wormholes are like a tunnel between two points in our universe that cut the time travel down between one point to the other. It’s essentially where space and time come together to allow for time travel. Now this theory may seem insane to many but many think this explains as to why the wreckage from the shipwrecks or plane wrecks were never recovered or why upon discovery of some wreckage, no person was found from these wrecks. 

The US Navy and the United States coast guard insist there are no supernatural explanations for the disasters at sea. They suggest it is purely just environmental reasoning why these ships and aircrafts have wrecked. Majority of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean pass through the Bermuda Triangle. Dangerous storms like these have claimed many ships that get in the way. Another environmental theory of what claimed the missing vessels are gigantic, deadly waves called Rogue Waves. These waves can reach heights of up to 100 feet, greater than twice the size of surrounding waves. 

These extreme storm waves theoretically could be powerful enough to destroy all evidence of ships and aircrafts, thus explaining why some ship and aircraft wreckage were never found. The ocean has and will always be a mystery to humans, no matter how experienced you are to sail a ship or fly an aircraft the deep ocean can be a very deadly place. 

           There are numerous theories as to why vessels disappear in the Bermuda Triangle, some theories as insane as some claiming that aliens take the shipwrecks and plane wrecks, and this explains why some wreckages never get discovered or some just say the ocean is a very dangerous place and the ocean all over have claimed lives before. Whatever you may believe, the wrecks in the Bermuda Triangle have and will always be a mystery. 

[lichenaday]

Porina leptalea

How are we supposed to discover all the mysterious, unknown lichens out there when they go around being all tiny and inconspicuous like this? Well it's hard, let me tell ya. P. leptalea has a thin, filmy, crustose thallus that is typically gray-green, olive, or brown in color--perfect for blending in with the shady bark and rock it likes to grow on. Often it is little more than a conglomeration of Trentepohlia algal cells held together by teeny-tiny fungal hyphae. It produces perithecia, which are flask-shaped, spore-producing fruiting bodies with a small, pore-like opening. These perithecia are tiny, rounded and slightly raised, and dull orange or red-brown in color. P. leptalea can be found in humid sub-tropical or temperate locations, but the extent of its range isn't really known since it is so hard to find and ID! It's amazing how much life is crammed into every little corner of this world that we don't notice. Worlds within worlds, life within life, worlds within life . . . just tiny dudes everywhere.

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