Free Republic

A scientist has found a 100 million-year-old bee trapped in amber, making it possibly the oldest bee ever found. "I knew right away what it was, because I had seen bees in younger amber before," said George Poinar, a zoology professor at Oregon State University. The bee is about 40 million years older than previously found bees. The discovery of the ancient bee may help explain the rapid expansion and diversity of flowering plants during that time. Poinar found the bee in amber from a mine in the Hukawng Valley of northern Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Many researchers buy...

Fluffy structures trapped in thumbnail-sized bits of ancient amber may represent some of the earliest evolutionary experiments leading to feathers, according to a new study. These filaments of "dinofuzz" are so well preserved that they even provide hints of color, the researchers say. The oldest bird, Archaeopteryx, lived in what is now Germany about 150 million years ago, and the oldest known feathered dinosaur, Anchiornis huxleyi, lived in northeastern China between 151 million and 161 million years ago. Both creatures had modern-style feathers, each of which had a central shaft; barbs, which made up the feather's vane; and substructures called...

Image: via Food Court LunchAmong the chaos of the collapse of Hitler’s empire in April 1945 the biggest heist in history took place. Gold bars, jewels and stolen foreign currency with an estimated worth of $3.34 billion vanished from the Reichsbank vaults, in Germany.Reichsbank, Berlin 1933Image: German Federal Archive In the ensuing decades small quantities of this bounty have turned up in Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey, Spain and Sweden but the majority remains missing. Across the world search teams look for this missing treasure and the supreme prize of the legendary Amber Room, an acquisition from St. Petersburg during WWII,...

<p>Hidden for now behind a white screen from the prying eyes of visitors to Catherine Palace, the painstakingly re-created Amber Room glows with the yellows, oranges, reds of the late-afternoon sun. Intricately carved frames of amber showcase four elaborate mosaic pictures made of semiprecious stones. Amber roses and amber people and amber landscapes festoon the walls.</p> <p>It is, as museum official Yuri Dumashin put it today while marveling once again at its baroque extravagance, "the world's biggest jewelry box."</p>

Detailed fossilized insect remains preserved in amber for over 23 million years (AFP/HO) Peru researchers make rare ancient insect find (AFP) – 3 hours ago LIMA — Researchers in Peru said Tuesday they have discovered the remains of ancient insects and sunflower seeds trapped inside amber dating from the Miocene epoch, some 23 million years ago. The rare find was made in the remote mountainous jungle region near Peru's northern border with Ecuador, paleontologist Klaus Honninger told AFP. "These new discoveries are very important, because the insects and sunflower seeds confirm the type of climate that existed during the Miocene...

The hunt for the missing Amber Room of the Czars has taken a new twist with treasure hunters in a small town in east Germany about to break into a bunker they believe may hold one of the lost wonders of the modern world. The priceless room which once belonged the the King of Prussia Peter the Great was looted by Nazis during WWII and the original walls have been missing ever since.

Palaeontologists have discovered two mammal hairs encased in 100 million-year-old amber. While older 2D fossilised hairs are known, those preserved in the amber are the oldest 3D specimens known. The hairs, found alongside a fly pupa in amber uncovered in southwest France, are remarkably similar to hair found on modern mammals. That implies that the shape and structure of mammal hair has remained unchanged over a vast period of time.

For the last 25 years, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, has aided in the search for missing children. In conjunction with all levels of law enforcement, children's organizations and John Walsh's America's Most Wanted, 492 (at last report) children have been recovered. Through the daunting tasks involved in these cases, searchers, law enforcement, and the observant citizens, work tirelessly to either bring home the missing, or provide closure.

A rare amber necklace believed to be about 4,000 years old has been uncovered in Greater Manchester. Archaeologists made the find while excavating a cist - a type of stone-lined grave - in Mellor, Stockport. It is the first time a necklace of this kind from the early Bronze Age has been found in north-west England. Experts from the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit said a amber necklace was one of the ultimate status symbols of the period. The necklace consists of dozens of pierced amber beads of various sizes, linked together on a length of fibre. It was discovered...

(PhysOrg.com) -- Marine microorganisms have been found in amber dating from the middle of the Cretaceous period. The fossils were collected in Charente, in France. This completely unexpected discovery will deepen our understanding of these lost marine species as well as providing precious data about the coastal environment of Western France during the Cretaceous.This work was carried out by researchers at the Géosciences Rennes laboratory (CNRS/Université de Rennes 1), together with researchers from the Paléobiodiversité et Paléoenvironnement laboratory in Paris (CNRS/Muséum national d'histoire naturelle/Université Pierre et Marie Curie) and the Centre de Géochimie de la Surface in Strasbourg (CNRS/Université de...

Recent pictures from Okmok. Nice of the volcano to erupt in the summer when it's sometimes visible! July 30. Shawn Dahle, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Mammal Lab August 2: Janet Schaefer, Alaska Volcano Observatory / Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys. August 3: Jessica Larsen, Alaska Volcano Observatory / University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute. Something completely different; one of my books has a picture of the largest crystal of "burmite", Burmese transparent amber, in the word. I hunted around and found an Internet picture of it. It's in the UK Natural History Museum,...

Scientists Discover 356 Animal Inclusions Trapped In Opaque Amber 100 Million Years OldExamples of virtual 3D extraction of organisms embedded in opaque amber: a) Gastropod Ellobiidae; b) Myriapod Polyxenidae; c) Arachnid; d) Conifer branch (Glenrosa); e) Isopod crustacean Ligia; f) Insect hymenopteran Falciformicidae. (Credit: M. Lak, P. Tafforeau, D. Néraudeau (ESRF Grenoble and UMR CNRS 6118 Rennes)) ScienceDaily (Apr. 1, 2008) — Paleontologists from the University of Rennes (France) and the ESRF have found the presence of 356 animal inclusions in completely opaque amber from mid-Cretaceous sites of Charentes (France). The team used the X-rays of the European light source...

First off thanks in advance. I have a grand daughter that has been taken by the state of Maine, And have done so against the family wishes. I need any website or lawyers that can be of help, I do have a call into the aclj Please keep this thread up I need your input.

Dino-Era Feathers Found Encased in Amber James Owen for National Geographic NewsMarch 11, 2008 Seven dino-era feathers found perfectly preserved in amber in western France highlight a crucial stage in feather evolution, scientists report. The hundred-million-year-old plumage has features of both feather-like fibers found with some two-legged dinosaurs known as theropods and of modern bird feathers, the researchers said. This means the fossils could fill a key gap in the puzzle of how dinosaurs gave rise to birds, according to a team led by Vincent Perrichot of the Museum für Naturkunde-Berlin in Germany. The find provides a clear example "of...

Stolen Nazi gold may be in German cavern Last Updated: 3:11am GMT 20/02/2008 Treasure hunters claim they have may have found a haul of looted Nazi gold said to be part of a Russian collection that was dubbed the "eighth wonder of the world" before it was stolen. The resting place of the Amber Room treasures was reportedly made at the weekend near the German village of Deutschneudorf. Tests showed a man-made cavern 20 metres below ground that contained a large amount of precious metals. Treasure hunter Christian Hanisch [left] and Heinz-Peter Haustein at the site where the gold is...

So, did the “Obama Girl” actually vote for Barack Obama on Tuesday? Actually, no. Last summer, the amateur music video “I Got a Crush on Obama” was a Web hit, splashing a seductive performance by a 26-year-old model named Amber Lee Ettinger across millions of screens and prompting deep thoughts about candidates and sex appeal, the YouTube generation of voters, viral marketing and so forth. On Tuesday night, City Room ran into Ms. Ettinger at an election-watching party in Greenwich Village and asked how things went at the polls. “I didn’t get a chance to vote today because I’m not...

So, did the “Obama Girl” actually vote for Barack Obama on Tuesday? Actually, no. ...On Tuesday night, City Room ran into Ms. Ettinger at an election-watching party in Greenwich Village and asked how things went at the polls. “I didn’t get a chance to vote today because I’m not registered to vote in New York,” she said. So where is Obama Girl registered to vote? “New Jersey.” Um, but didn’t New Jersey also hold a primary? True. The problem, she explained, was that she was sick in New York City and was unable to get back across the Hudson River...

9-year-old Stella girl missing By Jeff Lehr jlehr@joplinglobe.com STELLA, Mo. — Law officers and volunteers spent several hours Sunday searching in vain for a 9-year-old girl who disappeared from her home in Stella late Friday or early Saturday. Rowan Ford was last seen inside her home at 777 Grove St. about 10:45 p.m. Friday, Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland said. She is the daughter of Colleen Spears and stepdaughter of David Spears, and is a fourth-grader at Stella Elementary School, Copeland said. Investigators found no signs of a crime scene at the Spears residence, and no charges had been filed...

How Amber Becomes Death Trap For Watery Creatures ScienceDaily (Oct. 20, 2007) — Shiny amber jewelry and a mucky Florida swamp have given scientists a window into an ancient ecosystem that could be anywhere from 15 million to 130 million years old. Scientists at the University of Florida and the Museum of Natural History in Berlin made the landmark discovery that prehistoric aquatic critters such as beetles and small crustaceans unwittingly swim into resin flowing down into the water from pine-like trees. Their findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The resin with its entombed...

MEXICO CITY (AP) - A Mexican researcher announced the rare find of a tiny tree frog completely preserved in amber on Wednesday that he estimates lived about 25 million years ago. The chunk of amber containing the 0.4-inch frog was uncovered by a miner in southern Chiapas states in 2005 and was bought by a private collector, who lent it to scientists for study. Only a few preserved frogs have been found in chunks of amber - a stone formed by ancient tree sap - mostly in the Dominican Republic. Like those, the frog found in Chiapas was of the...

An AMBER Alert was issued Monday night for a 14-year-old girl from Inver Grove Heights who reportedly was abducted by her father, a known sex offender. Deidre Jeanne Michuda was believed to have been abducted by Stephen Michuda, 34, sometime after school late Monday afternoon. Stephen Michuda does not have custody of his daughter, and is prohibited from having unsupervised contact, authorities said

Germs Found Trapped in Amber Lived With First Dinosaurs Brian Handwerk for National Geographic News December 13, 2006 Scientists have discovered a "microworld" of 220-million-year-old life trapped in tiny drops of ancient amber. The fossilized plant resin preserved bacteria, fungi, algae, and microscopic animals known as protozoans some 220 million years ago—the era when the very first dinosaurs began to appear. Surprisingly, these microscopic organisms look quite familiar to today's scientists. Alexander Schmidt and colleagues from the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, report that the microbes have undergone few or no physical changes since the Triassic period—from 245 million to...

AMBER ALERT: Toddler vacationing with family missing from Gatlinburg The Gatlinburg Police Department has issued a Tennessee statewide AMBER Alert for a toddler missing from Gatlinburg.Advertisement Andrea Montoya is a three year-old, white female. She has light brown hair and brown eyes. She is three feet tall and weighs 35 pounds. She was wearing a purple coat and gray jogging pants when she disappeared. Andrea was last seen in the laundry room at the River Terrace Hotel in Gatlinburg on Thursday at 2:45 p.m. EST. She is from Florida and is visiting Gatlinburg on vacation with her grandmother and mother....

ALERT 1 - Child Abduction Emergency THE NWS HAS ISSUED A CHILD ABDUCTION EMERGENCY UNTIL 12:00PM CDT Issue Time: 11:13AM CDT, Friday Jun 16, 2006 Valid Until: 12:00PM CDT, Friday Jun 16, 2006 Back to summary Bulletin - Eas Activation Requested Child Abduction Emergency Illinois State Police Springfield IL Relayed By National Weather Service Lincoln IL 1059 AM CDT Fri Jun 16 2006 At The Request Of The Lawrenceville Police Department... The Illinois Emergency Alert System Is Activated For An Amber Alert. The Lawrenceville Police Department Has Reported A Confirmed Child Abduction That Occured At 812 AM June 16 At...

An 8-year-old boy who climbed into a parked school bus, released the emergency brake and sent 26,000 pounds of steel rolling through Crown Heights, Brooklyn, on Monday was charged yesterday with criminally negligent homicide in the death of Amber Sadiq, 8... The boy, Tafari James, had been suspended from second grade on Friday for climbing onto another unattended bus, ... Investigators said it was unclear whether he released the brake on Monday intentionally. Witnesses saw him board the bus alone... He rode the bus as it gathered speed down a slight incline and jump off as it thudded to a...

Sorry about the CAPS I posted as quick as I could

A FOUR DAY OLD BABY WAS TAKEN FROM THE MEDICAL CENTER OF CENTRAL GEORGIA IN MACON THIS MORNING. ACCORDING TO MELANIE HOFMANN WITH THE MACON POLICE, THE THREE DAY OLD BOY WAS TAKEN FROM HIS MOTHER'S ROOM AT 11:58 THIS MORNING BY A WOMAN PRETENDING TO BE A HOSPITAL EMPLOYEE.

Pennsylvania State police are searching for a 14-year-old girl reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint after her parents were murdered. Authorities have issued an Amber Alert for Kara Beth Borden, who was last seen at 8 a.m. in Warwick Township, Lancaster County. Police reported that the teen was taken by 18-year-old David G. Ludwig. Authorities say he was last seen driving a red Volkswagen Jetta with Pennsylvania registration E-H-H-0-9-9-4. Borden is described as white, 5-feet-1, and 100 pounds, with brown hair with blond highlights. She was last seen wearing a black sweat shirt with "Pillar" across the front, blue jeans and black...

Amber Frey has new plans to open a spa in Clovis. Scott Peterson's former girlfriend will open a spa and massage salon in the Parkway Trails shopping center. Frey has worked as a massage therapist for years. Her new business will open at the corner of Willow and Nees as part of a shopping center that is set to open some time next year.

A scientist has described a spider that was trapped and preserved in amber 20 million years ago. Palaeontologist Dr David Penney, of the University of Manchester, found the 4cm long by 2cm wide fossil during a visit to a museum in the Dominican Republic. Since the discovery two years ago, he has used droplets of blood in the amber to reveal the age of the specimen. It is thought to be the first time spider blood has been found in amber and scientists hope to extract its DNA. Dr Penney, of the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, said...

A 5-year-old Lincoln boy was taken from his mother's apartment this morning by his non-custodial father. LINCOLN POLICE HAVE ISSUED AN AMBER ALERT FOR 5-YEAR-OLD EARL MADISON HAYES THE THIRD, WHO GOES BY THE NAME "TREY". OFFICER CATHERINE FINNELL SAYS THE YOUNGSTER WAS ABDUCTED BY HIS NON-CUSTODIAL FATHER AROUND 3 THIS MORNING, AFTER HE ASSAULTED TROY'S MOTHER AND HER FRIEND IN THEIR LINCOLN APARTMENT. TREY IS DESCRIBED AS A 5-YEAR-OLD BLACK MALE, SHORT BLACK HAIR, WITH SILVER CAPS ON HIS FRONT TEETH. POLICE BELIEVE HAYES MAY BE TAKING HIS SON TO TOPEKA KANSAS IN A BLUE 96 FORD CONTOUR WITH...

COEUR D'ALENE, IDAHO -- Three people were found slain in a home, and an Amber Alert was issued Tuesday for two missing children who live there, authorities said.

May 17, 8:12 PM EDT Three Dead in House in Idaho; 2 Missing By JOHN K. WILEY Associated Press Writer COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) -- Three people were found slain in a home, and an Amber Alert was issued Tuesday for two missing children who live there, authorities said. Police used a helicopter and dogs to scour a forested area near the home for any signs of Shasta Groene, 8, and her brother, Dylan, 9. Authorities said they had no clues as to their whereabouts. The FBI was also assisting in the search. "Our main concern right now is the...

<p>Sunrise Florida (USA Team Amber Alert) — An endadangered missing child alert continues for a missing nine-year old.</p> <p>An endangered missing child alert has been issued by the State of Florida Department of Law Enforcement for endangered and missing child Kristen Dawn Vaughn. The missing girl is described as standing 4 feet tall, has blonde hair and blue eyes, and weighs about 55 pounds.</p>

MENDOTA HEIGHTS - An Amber Alert was just issued for a 17-year-old girl, Rachel Marie Zoccoli, who was abducted from her school bus this morning (Feb. 23) near North St. Paul High School. Now, authorities are looking for the suspect, Craig George Sutherlin, an 18-year-old from St. Paul. The victim had previously obtained an "order for protection" against Sutherlin. Sutherlin was last seen driving a maroon, four-door 2000 Pontiac Grand Am with the license plate number: FBE 377. He's described as a black male, 6'2", 190 pounds, with brown eyes and an Afro hair style. He was wearing a black...

Woman paraded abducted baby By John Milburn The Associated Press MELVERN, Kan. - A woman charged with killing an expectant mother and cutting the baby from her womb was showing off the child to people at a cafe and to her pastor hours before she was arrested, residents said Saturday. Lisa M. Montgomery, 36, was charged Friday with kidnapping resulting in murder and was expected to appear in federal court Monday. The baby, whose mother had been eight months pregnant, was in good condition. After eating at the Whistle Stop Cafe in Melvern, a small eastern Kansas town, Montgomery and...

An Amber Alert was issued Friday evening by Minnesota authorities looking for a 16-month-old girl who was abducted by her noncustodial mother on U.S. 14 between Utica and Lewiston in Winona County.

Need Help intercepting a 17 year old runaway girl. I am a friend of the family and this Colorado girl is on a flight, right now, to Atlanta. Her mother has been told that 17 is considered adult in Atlanta so they may not be able to do much. Need help with laws in Atlanta or good, direct law enforcement contacts there. Need to deal with this quickly.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire: Why Scott Peterson Deserves to Frey By Karen H. Pittman © August 14, 2004 On one point at least, the pundits have it right: We all know Scott Peterson’s breeches were burning, long before now. We all know he was hot as a firecracker for Amber Frey. We all know he’s a heinous creep, a complete and total cad, a dirty double-dealing rake. But what we don’t all know, the lone remaining riddle tied tight like a Gordian Knot at the heart of this whole rotten affair, is the inconceivable dark truth this mum bum...

--SNIP-- Scott Peterson could barely take his eyes off Amber Frey, in her tight, charcoal suit and ratty hair dyed a shocking shade of home-brewed blond. Amber. Sweetie. How close we came! It had been nearly two excruciatingly long years since Scott laid eyes on that pale, slightly yellow-tinged skin and dazzling white overbite. Since he heard that tiny, childlike voice pester him about her kid, her needs, her fears, dreams, hopes, blah, blah and blah. But then, it was also that long since Scott gazed on those gazelle legs that yesterday ended in pointy-toed black sling-backs with three-inch spike...

Massachusetts State Police have issued an Amber Alert for the greater Boston area for a missing newborn who is only 19 days old. Police are looking for a man in connection with the infant's disappearance. They have identified him as Josh Lizama, 28, described as having black hair, about 5 feet, 5 inches, wearing black and beige pants. Police said he may be armed. Another male may be driving the car. Authorities are looking for a freshly-painted 1998 White Ford Crown Victoria with a license plate of 5192VR. They said there was also information that cars may have been switched...

Amber Alert issued for girl missing from Lakeland mall LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities were looking early Tuesday for a mentally retarded 17-year-old girl who they said disappeared while shopping with her mother, and was later filmed walking out of a store with four young men. Tamera Cannon, who is 5-foot-6 and 105 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes, has the mental capacity of a 7- or 8-year-old, officials said. She was at the Lakeland Square Mall with her mother at about 3 p.m. Monday when she disappeared, said Lakeland police Lt. Sam Taylor. Her mother alerted mall officials...

Fate of Russia's lost art treasure revealed after 60-year cover-up John Ezard, arts correspondent Saturday May 22, 2004 The Guardian (UK) Steven Spielberg would have called it Indiana Jones and the Eighth Wonder, and supplied a happy ending. In a damp cellar, guarded by deadly snakes and senile but savage SS men, the holy grail of Russian art treasures would triumphantly have been liberated. According to evidence disclosed today in Guardian Weekend, the truth is more squalid. Peter the Great's 18th century Amber Room, rated as the world's prime missing art treasure, valued at £150m, perished in the chaos of...

Ohio Amber Alert Sets Up Web Site To Prevent Child Abductions Web Site Is Ohioamberplan.org UPDATED: 1:54 PM EDT April 14, 2004 COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio's Amber Alert Steering Committee has launched a new Web site and unveiled brochures promoting a toll-free hot line that Ohioans may use to relay information about child abductions. The Web site is ohioamberplan.org and the hotline is (877) AMBER-OH.

Baby Who Disappeared From Hospital Found BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) - A day-old baby girl with respiratory problems who was taken from her mother's hospital room was found unharmed Friday 150 miles away. Police used footprints to identify a baby found in an alley in Bowling Green as Grayci Jean Barrows, reported abducted from a hospital in Stanford about 4 a.m., State Police Trooper Nick Stephens said. The baby, umbilical cord still attached, was brought to the Medical Center at Bowling Green after a passer-by found her in an alley behind Grandma's Attic, a consignment shop here. Lequetta Dolbeare, an...

Car Stolen With 4-Month-Old Inside 6 minutes ago Add Local - NewsNet5 to My Yahoo! A woman's car was stolen Tuesday with her 4-month-old baby boy inside. It happened just before noon on Cleveland's west side on Daisy Avenue. Police are looking for a tan or silver 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier four door with Ohio license plate CHM 6950. The car was last seen driving northbound on 32nd Street off Daisy. The baby was in a car seat in the back of the car when mom went to help her grandfather down the steps because she was taking him to a...

SOUTH FAYETTE, Pa. -- Pennsylvania state police on Wednesday afternoon confirmed the recovery of a car belonging to a missing West Virginia woman, Channel 4's Shiba Russell reported. Tricia Cartisano, 26, of Morgantown, was last seen heading south on Interstate 79 toward Wheeling, W.Va., where her parents live. She had been staying in Wheeling for the quicker commute to her job at the state office building in downtown Pittsburgh, Russell reported. Cartisano's black Chevrolet Cavalier was found with its hazard lights blinking around 10:40 p.m. Tuesday near an I-79 rest stop in South Fayette, not far from the Bridgeville exit....

Carlie Brucia has been found by police. 610 WIOD has verified the information. The parents were notified last night and the story is breaking exclusively on 610 WIOD. The news department has confirmed this over the phone. WIOD's Phone number is (954)862-2000

Relative: Jones is ‘crazy’ By Lauren Gregory Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer Jerry William Jones’ trail of crimes starts in the late 1980s and includes convictions in Floyd, Gordon, Clayton, Fulton and Henry counties. Most were theft, shoplifting or traffic charges that ended with some time in prison and decades of probation. Jones also lost his mother and stepfather in the ValuJet crash in the Florida Everglades in 1996, which left him with a sizable settlement that relatives said disappeared in no time. And while relatives say they saw hints of violence and heard his threats over the years, they never...

Colona, Illinois police are looking for a nine-year-old boy who was taken Saturday afternoon. Here is the description police are using. The boy, Timothy (TJ) Satterly, Jr. was wearing a yellow winter jacket. He's four feet tall and 65 pounds.. Police believe the boy is in a 1995 white Geo Metro with an Illinois license plate 500-6931. Colona police believe this was a child abduction by the boy's half-sister, Maria Papadopoulos and Derek Farris The car may be headed to Las Vegas. If you have any information in this case, call Henry County Crimestoppers at 800-227-2324.