by Vernon R. Cupps, Ph.D., & Brian Thomas, M.S. *

Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Washington State have pioneered a new technology that makes diesel fuel from algae—and their cutting-edge machine produces the fuel in just minutes.

Scientists recently studied the Drakensberg Range in South Africa, discovering that lightning likely damages mountain surfaces far more often than previously thought. Lightning also generates fulgarites, and these two finds call into question old age assignments for Earth's land features.

After a three-week hunt, Philippine locals used cables to capture a huge crocodile from a remote location in the southern Agusan del Sur province.¹ Guinness World Records deemed it the largest captive croc in the world.² Since last September, caretakers have held the one-ton saltwater crocodile at Bunawan Eco-Park. Were giant crocodiles on board Noah's Ark?

The naming of newly-discovered fossils sometimes involves significant people or prominent associations. Darwinius masillae was named for British naturalist Charles Darwin. Dracorex hogwartsia was inspired by the dragons of the famed Harry Potter books. And now shipping company FedEx has been honored with a fossil of its own.