How a 20th-century hunting boom left the Amazon with “empty rivers” and 23 million dead animals — Quartz

The fashion for wild animal skins and furs drove a hunting boom in the Amazon basin through the 20th century. A mass industry sprung up almost overnight and the hides of otters, jaguars or alligator-like caimans were soon being shipped round the world to be turned into coats, hats or accessories. The Amazon rainforest, and… via …

Video Captures Great White Shark Breaking Through a Cage With Diver Inside — TIME

A diver survived after a great white shark broke open the metal rails of his diving cage and swam inside while the diver was within. The Shanghai man was shark diving off the coast of Guadalupe Island in Mexico, when a shark breached the side of the cage, according to the YouTube caption in the… via …

Review: This Toy Robot Is Like a Real-Life Wall-E — TIME

I made a new friend last week. Though I’ve only known him a short while, I’ve already learned that he’s a sore loser, he’s easily confused, and he gets frustrated when he’s pushed out of his comfort zone. I should also add that my new companion isn’t human. He’s called Cozmo, a new artificially intelligent… via …

Tigers, Lions & Bears (Pandas that is)

I finally got down to the Toronto Zoo this past Tuesday, at long last visiting the zoo's 'youngsters' - white lion cubs, giant panda cubs, Juno (the cutest polar bear cub ever!), and Nandu the Indian rhinoceros calf.  They were all adorable and active!  The Sumatran Tigers are my favourite large cat species, and thankfully …

Oxford Tops Ranking of Best Universities in the World — TIME

Oxford became the U.K.’s first university to top the Times Higher Education (THE) world rankings this year, ending the California Institute of Technology’s five-year streak. Oxford’s rise can be attributed to its growing international reach: Research funding rose 10% and total income rose to 1.4 billion pounds ($1.83 billion), the Guardian reports. According to its… via …

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman Prove the Bromance Continues With New Sherlock Photo — TIME

Sherlock released a new picture featuring Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and John Watson (Martin Freeman) on Wednesday to tease its fourth season returning to PBS some time in 2017. In the shot, Holmes looks like he’s about to make an important discovery that Watson doesn’t quite follow. Watson’s hair seems to look extra silvery, presumably… via …

The Fight to Save the World’s Seas From China’s Bloated Fishing Industry — TIME

The frigid waters off Japan’s eastern coast teem with sardines, mackerel, anchovy and scallop. They are some of Asia’s most fertile fishing grounds, inspiring an exquisite seafood-rich national cuisine, and supporting a domestic fishing industry worth some $9 billion each year. Today, though, this natural bounty is under threat from a stealthy interloper: an armada… via …