California's surge in EV sales has stalled -- so what happens to its landmark mandate?
Mexican long-nosed bats are no strangers to southeastern Arizona. The proof is in the saliva
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) -- Arizona has added a new species of bat to the list of night-flying creatures that frequent the state. The recent confirmation would not have been possible without the help of residents and researchers who gathered hundreds of saliva samples from hummingbird feeders. Scientists at a special lab at Northern Arizona University tested the samples for DNA to confirm the presence of Mexican long-nosed bats. Previously, a bat would have to be captured to examine it -- which is no easy task. The Mexican long-nosed bat has been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1988.
The number of venomous snakes removed from this Australian yard will make you shudder
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- A man described feeling "the shudders" as more than 100 venomous red-bellied black snakes were removed from a pile of mulch in his Sydney backyard. David Stein called a snake catcher last week after watching about six snakes slither into the mulch. He learned from an internet search that pregnant red bellies pile together to give birth. Stein helped the snake catcher rake up the adult and newborn snakes. He said: "Just seeing that amount in one group, it gives you a bit of the shudders." The snake catcher ended up collecting five adult snakes and 97 offspring. They'll be released in a national park. Meanwhile, Stein is getting rid of the mulch pile.
It's the 'purr-fect' job. Britain's top feline diplomat comes out of retirement
LONDON (AP) -- Britain's top feline diplomat has come out of retirement for a new job. Palmerston, former Chief Mouser to the Foreign Office, is now the U.K. chief four-legged representative in Bermuda. The news was posted on Wednesday on Palmerston's official DiploMog account on X. It comes more than four years after it was announced he was retiring from public life to a "quieter and easier" life in the countryside. Palmerston was adopted by Foreign Office diplomat Andrew Murdoch, who has now been appointed governor of the British territory of Bermuda. The Foreign Office said Palmerston "will attend only the meetings he deems important, offering advice when necessary and indulging in well-earned naps."
The heist of 100,000 eggs in Pennsylvania becomes a whodunit that police have yet to crack
ANTRIM TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) -- The heist of 100,000 eggs from the back of a trailer in Pennsylvania has become a whodunit that police have yet to crack. A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania State Police said Wednesday that four days after the theft no leads have come in. Law enforcement officials say the crime could be tied to the sky-high cost of eggs. The officials are following up with any possible witnesses and looking into surveillance footage that could help them identify the perpetrator The eggs are worth about $40,000. Police say the eggs were snatched from the back of a Pete & Gerry's Organics' distribution trailer Saturday night in Antrim Township, Pennsylvania.
An Arkansas organist is playing 18 hours of Bach this year, one lunch break at a time
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- An Arkansas organist is marking the 275th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach's death by playing all of the German composer's organ works, but he's doing it one lunch break at a time. Colin MacKnight is spending this year playing nearly 18 hours of Bach's organ works in 30-minute increments during free weekly concerts at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral near downtown Little Rock. The performances are among countless other events around the world this year to commemorate Bach's legacy. MacKnight has been playing Bach since he was a teen. His concerts are drawing dozens of people each week, including newcomers who want a peaceful break.
Paradox Museum Miami takes guests through a 21st century funhouse of mind-boggling illusions
MIAMI (AP) -- It's a mix of art gallery, science exhibit and a 21st century funhouse. Paradox Museum Miami is taking guests on a tour through optical illusions and other enigmas geared to the age of Instagram. The 11,000-square-foot museum opened in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood in 2022 and features more than 70 mind-boggling exhibits. The Miami museum is one of more than a dozen locations worldwide and now includes locations in Las Vegas and New Jersey. Many of the exhibits recall old carnival funhouses, like the mirror maze, the spinning tunnel and the upside-down room. But the catch is, visitors are explained the math and science behind each illusion.
The Oregon Zoo welcomes a new baby elephant
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Zoo in Portland has welcomed a new baby elephant. Thirty-year-old Asian elephant Rose-Tu gave birth at the zoo last weekend after 20 months of pregnancy. The zoo says the calf appeared to be a 200-pound female. But staff are giving the pair time to bond before conducting a first checkup to confirm its weight and sex. Steve Lefave oversees the zoo's elephant program. He says it might be a while before the baby is ready for visitors. He said the staff wants to make sure the calf continues to do well, and that the mother is calm with people around.
Cats won't be banned in Scotland, the government confirms
LONDON (AP) -- The Scottish government wants everyone to know it does not plan to ban cats. First Minister John Swinney was forced to issue the statement after a report by independent experts branded felines a threat to Scotland's wildlife. The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission suggested "containment" measures be considered to reduce the damage. It said that could include "restrictions on introducing cats to households in vulnerable areas." But after outraged headlines, Swinney set the record straight on Monday. He said "the government's not going to be banning cats or restricting cats. We've no intention of doing so and we will not be doing it."
A wedding necklace and Polish dumplings will be part of a mission to the International Space Station
WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- What do a wedding necklace, Polish savory dumplings and a photo of Hungary's first astronaut have in common? They will all be among personal items taken by astronauts journeying to the International Space Station in the spring. The four members of the Axiom mission hail from the U.S., India, Hungary and Poland and will travel on Space X Crew Dragon spaceship. Three of the astronauts held a news conference on Wednesday and said they were having the time of their lives training hard, preparing for the medical and technological experiments they will conduct during the nearly two weeks they will spend in space.
Think you can bellow like a stag? German hunters compete in a national deer calling championship
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) -- German hunters tried to convince the jury at a national stag calling championship that they can imitate a bellowing red deer most realistically. The unique tradition goes back hundreds of years and was initially aimed at feigning a stag's rival during the rutting season so the deer comes out. The competition took place at a trade fair in the western city of Dortmund. There were no animals, only bellowing men wearing traditional hunters' garb including green hats with a tuft of chamois hair. The hunters used specially made ox horns, triton snail shells, glass cylinders and other instruments that amplify the sound and resonance.