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ScienceHuman HistoryFlorida’s Ancient Calusa Kingdom Was Powered by Ingenious Fish Corrals
Despite having no agriculture, the Calusa managed to dominate southwest Florida for centuries. New research suggests this inventive Native American civilization built “watercourts” to capture and store live fish, resulting in a bountiful surplus of food that facilitated sociopolitical complexity and ambitious construction projects. Appearing around 2,000 years ago, the expansive Calusa kingdom of Florida … Continued
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Tech NewsFlorida Police Arrest Megachurch Pastor for Refusing to Comply With County Covid-19 Order
Hillsborough County, Florida sheriff’s deputies arrested Rodney Howard-Browne, the pastor of the River at Tampa Bay Church, for refusing to stop holding church services that attracted huge crowds in violation of a county health order, CNN reported on Monday. County authorities have ordered residents to “stay at home as much as possible twenty-four hours a … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsU.S. Coronavirus Deaths Surpass Number Killed On 9/11
The U.S. covid-19 death toll reached over 3,000 on Monday night, surpassing the number of people who died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when 2,977 people were killed. The grim milestone comes from the latest figures updated by Johns Hopkins University, which has maintained an online tracker for the new coronavirus since … Continued
By Matt Novak -
Tech NewsDrones Capture Video of Nearly Empty American Cities in Lockdown
At least 80 million Americans are in some form of lockdown as many cities and states urge people to stay home during the covid-19 pandemic. As people stay inside, cities that are usually bustling with activity have begun to look deserted. Drone operators have captured these scenes of empty parks, vacant stadiums, and silent streets—videos … Continued
By Matt Novak -
ScienceHealthRemember This Photo
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz took to the House floor on Wednesday to vote for the $8.3 billion coronavirus appropriations bill while wearing a gas mask. Gaetz appeared to be making fun of the crisis, even tweeting out a photo of himself in the mask. Whatever you do, remember this photo. Because it’s absolutely vital that … Continued
By Matt Novak -
Tech NewsHere’s Every New Coronavirus Case Reported in the U.S. Over the Past 24 Hours
The U.S. reported 21 new coronavirus cases during the past 24 hours, as the number of infected continues to climb. At least nine people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S., all in the state of Washington, and there are currently at least 129 cases of the disease across the country, according to an online … Continued
By Matt Novak -
ScienceBiologyNOAA Offers $20,000 Reward for Info on Sickos Who Stabbed, Shot Two Dolphins in Florida
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is offering a $20,000 reward to anyone who can lead them to whoever murdered two dolphins found dead and beached last week, the Miami Herald reported on Tuesday. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists discovered a slain dolphin that died of a bullet or sharp object near … Continued
By Tom McKay -
EartherClimate ChangeMiami Is Fucked
Miami might be fresh on the mind for some because—hello!—Jennifer Lopez and Shakira completely stole the show at the Super Bowl Sunday. However, Miami is always on our minds at Earther because of climate change. And a recent report has put it front and center yet again because it shows just how vulnerable Miami (and … Continued
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EartherEarth ScienceIt’s So Cold in Florida, Iguanas Are Falling From the Sky
It’s cold in Florida, so you know what that means: falling iguanas. No, seriously. The National Weather Service Miami office issued a warning Tuesday that temperatures could dip into the 30s and 40s on Wednesday, leading to iguanas plummeting out of trees. And Twitter users confirmed Wednesday morning that many iguanas did, in fact, do … Continued
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EartherEarth ScienceTropical Storm Nestor Pops Up, Beelines for Florida’s Gulf Coast
After a period of quiet in the Atlantic, tropical cyclone activity has once again picked up. Tropical Storm Nestor formed on Friday afternoon and is slated to impact the Gulf Coast Friday and into the weekend. The sprawling disturbance spans a huge portion of the eastern Gulf of Mexico and is chugging toward the Florida … Continued
By Brian Kahn -
EartherEnvironmental Justice‘I Have Rights:’ How Undocumented Laborers Are Exploited During Disaster Recovery
Mario used to work. A lot. Twelve-hour workdays and seven-day workweeks are kind of the expectation when your job is to rebuild after a storm—and you’re undocumented. He hasn’t worked in about a year, though. When Hurricane Michael roared through Florida last October, the 47-year-old left his New Orleans home knowing there would be plenty … Continued
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Tech NewsFlorida Boomer Caught on Video Cutting Brake Lines of Public E-Scooters
Police in Fort Lauderdale, Florida have arrested a man who allegedly cut the brake lines on dozens of public scooters this year. The man has been identified by police as 59-year-old Randall Thomas Williams of Fort Lauderdale, though a possible motive has not yet been released. The arrest was first reported by NBC Miami, which … Continued
By Matt Novak -
Tech NewsHere’s Every Project Being Delayed to Pay For President Trump’s Idiotic Border Wall
President Donald Trump is diverting $3.6 billion in U.S. military funding to build part of his wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, but where is the money actually coming from? So far we’ve only heard talk about a few million dollars here and a few million dollars there, but last night NPR finally obtained the complete … Continued
By Matt Novak -
EartherEnvironmental JusticeThousands of Incarcerated People Have Been Evacuated Ahead of Hurricane Dorian
Hurricane Dorian ravished the Bahamas this weekend. And now it’s headed to the southeastern U.S. where it could bring “life-threatening storm surge and dangerous winds,” according to the National Hurricane Center. Mandatory evacuations have been issued for parts of the coast, and state prisons in Dorian’s path are in those zones. It appears some more … Continued
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Tech NewsE-Scooters Pulled From Miami Streets to Avoid ‘Scooternado’ During Hurricane Dorian
As Hurricane Dorian nears Florida ahead of its expected landfall early next week, Miami is taking measures to ensure that the e-scooters on its city streets don’t become an inadvertent safety hazard—namely, that they don’t wind up turning into dangerous flying objects. Miami City Commission Chairman Ken Russell tweeted Thursday that “all” e-scooters would be … Continued
By Catie Keck -
EartherEarth ScienceAs Hurricane Dorian Approaches, ‘Nobody’s Off the Hook’ on Florida’s East Coast
Hurricane Dorian grazed Puerto Rico as a tropical storm and has since spent the past two days feeding on warm Atlantic waters. That’s allowed the storm to pick up steam with winds over the past 48 hours, increasing from 50 mph to 110 mph as of Friday morning. The winds will keep build over the … Continued
By Brian Kahn -
io9MoviesAvengers, Spider-Man, and More Marvel Attractions Coming to Disney Parks in the Near Future
The Disney/Marvel theme park tie-ins started with Guardians of the Galaxy. Eventually, we’ll see the first-ever Avengers ride. And in-between, there’s a whole lot of Marvel coming to Disney parks in the coming years. At the Disney Parks panel at the D23 Expo on Sunday, the company announced a bunch of new details about how … Continued
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io9Universal Studios Orlando Just Announced an ‘Epic’ 4th Theme Park Without Saying What’s in It
With Disney out here making Star Wars theme park attractions, the competition has to step it up. Universal Studios is doing that by building a fourth theme park in Orlando, Florida called Universal’s Epic Universe. But what exactly makes it “Epic,” we do not yet know. Though the company held a press event this morning … Continued
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ScienceBiologyFlorida Clarifies Its Directive to Kill Iguanas ‘Whenever Possible’ After Florida Man Gets Shot
Earlier this month, Florida’s conservation authority urged homeowners to exterminate invasive green iguanas “whenever possible,” without the need for permits. The accidental shooting of a pool maintenance worker by an iguana hunter has now prompted state officials to clarify that directive, saying Florida is not the “wild west.” When Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission … Continued
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EartherEarth ScienceThe Everglades Are on Fire
The Democratic National Committee refuses to hold a climate change-focused debate despite calls for one from activists and candidates. And now, it would seem the Everglades are also helping to make their case. Ahead of the first presidential debate in Miami on Wednesday, part of the Everglades about 30 miles northwest of downtown caught fire. Lightning … Continued
By Brian Kahn