A carnivorous plant displays what looks like plant intelligence to outwit its insect prey, scientists have learned.
The pitcher plant disables its traps for hours on end to fox the ants it feeds on and lure them into a false sense of security. Scout ants pass the word back to their nests that a bountiful source of sweet nectar is available deep inside the plant’s funnel-like “pitcher”.
With a large number of worker ants taking the bait, the plant finally springs its trap. The insects lose their grip on the slippery edge of the pitcher and slide to their doom. In this way, pitchers capture large batches of ants instead of making do with measly meals of ant scouts.
Jed the overlooked dog gets a home
A dog believed to be the “most overlooked” in Britain has been rehomed after spending seven years in a rescue centre.
Jed arrived at the Dogs Trust in Darlington as a puppy in 2007 and has since spent more than 50 dog years searching for a new home. But the lurcher finally has a new family after being rejected by an estimated 14,000 potential owners during his time at the centre.
Ian Woodcock and Elizabeth March, from Whitby, went to meet Jed after seeing an appeal on the internet and agreed to take him home. Mr Woodcock said: “Jed is settling in really well and we absolutely adore him.”
Buried treasure at ‘little Pompeii’
A buried settlement dubbed “little Pompeii” is even older than first thought, archaeologists have revealed.
Remains have been uncovered of a fireplace dating to the late 15th century near Dunluce Castle on Northern Ireland’s dramatic North Coast. The fortress was built by an Irish chief and dominated a flourishing town around it until the area was burned and abandoned following a conflict in 1642.
Stormont environment minister Mark H Durkan said: “We are extremely lucky to make this exciting discovery. Very few 15th century buildings, other than those built entirely from stone, have survived in Ulster and normally there would be few traces, if any, for archaeologists to investigate.”
Getting to the game with ‘Uber Air’
Ride-sharing service Uber offered a novel way to get to American football’s college national championship game – by helicopter.
Twenty fans took the UberChopper air service from Dallas to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for the first College Football Playoff national championship game. Each paid 350 dollars (£230) to be airlifted over traffic to the stadium. Uber teamed up with Epic Helicopters to offer the service. Passengers hailed a private car through Uber for a ride to a helipad, where they boarded a helicopter for an aerial tour of Dallas before being dropped off at the stadium to watch Ohio State play Oregon.
Boy, 16, saved from muddy waters
Rescue workers freed a 16-year-old boy who spent about five hours stuck in mud up to his thighs in a muddy stream in Washington state.
Central Pierce Fire and Rescue said the boy and a friend had wandered away from a skateboard park in Puyallup, near Tacoma, and ended up at the stream near the Puyallup River.
A spokesman said the friend spent hours trying to free his pal. He eventually walked to a nearby fire station to get assistance, and crews managed to free the teenager. He was cold but otherwise unscathed.
A dog that rides public transit solo
A dog called Eclipse just wants to get to the dog park. So if her owner takes too long finishing his cigarette and their bus arrives, she climbs aboard solo and rides to her stop.
The black Labrador and her owner, Jeff Young, live near a bus stop in Seattle. Bus riders say she watches from the window for her stop. A Metro Transit spokesman said the agency was delighted that a dog appreciates public transit.