A 'Treasury of Ice' goes on show, revealing relics as Swiss glaciers rapidly melt
LUCERNE, Switzerland (AP) — The Glacier Garden in Lucerne is showcasing artifacts from Switzerland's glaciers in an exhibit called "Treasury of Ice." The exhibit features relics like an ancient bow, a Roman statuette, and an alpinist's helmet. Swiss glaciologists recently reported a 5.5% loss in glacier volume this year, the second-biggest decline on record. The museum director says the exhibit aims to highlight the importance of these artifacts before the glaciers disappear. The show includes videos, charts and a mockup of a glacier flow. It runs through Aug. 22.
Pompeii's grandest house gets a $1.6 million restoration funded by private sponsor
MILAN (AP) — A private home in Pompeii, believed to be the grandest, is being restored with 1.4 million euros ($1.6 million) from a private sponsor. The house of Marcus Fabius Rufus, modeled after Rome’s imperial palaces, has been closed to the public since 1980. Part of it is expected to open to guided groups by Christmas. A German entrepreneur, Frank Hoefer, is funding the renovation after reading a book by superintendent Gabriel Zuchtriegel. Zuchtriegel hopes to expand such sponsorships to develop the site. Current renovations focus on frescoes, including the famous Venus of Pompeii, and making the complex more accessible.
'The Simpsons' resurrects Apu after nearly a decade of silence
The Halloween-themed episodes of “The Simpsons” have always been a treat of spooky stand-alone storylines. On Sunday, the show surprised viewers with the resurrection of Apu. The beloved Indian Kwik-E-Mart operator had not been heard onscreen in almost a decade. Once voiced by Hank Azaria, he's now voiced by Indian American actor Sunil Malhotra. Apu’s surprise return is a remarkable twist to a long-running discourse about the character representing a painful stereotype to some South Asian Americans. Comedian Hari Kondabolu made the 2017 documentary “The Problem With Apu.” He commended “The Simpsons” on bringing Apu back.
A fall planting guide for long-lived perennials like peonies, iris and false indigo
When plants die, we automatically assume we’re responsible. Sometimes, we are. But what we might not realize is that, like all living things, plants have a lifespan. Unlike annuals and biennials that die after one or two years, respectively, some perennials can persist beyond 50 years under the right conditions. Fall is a great time to plant them. Peonies are the super agers of the group, easily living 50-100 years after they take off. Some species, like bearded iris, hostas and daylilies, will require regular maintenance every three to five years to prevent crowding and rejuvenate the plants. Others, like false indigo, can live on undisturbed through all that nature throws at it.
A historical society with pilot's help bought Neil Armstrong's boyhood home and will offer tours
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A former military pilot has stepped up to preserve Neil Armstrong's boyhood home in Ohio. Ken Schreiber was inspired by Armstrong's legacy as the first man to walk on the moon and decided to buy the house after learning it was for sale. He donated $400,000 to the local historical society. The sale was finalized Monday. The organization plans to restore the home to its 1940s appearance. The goal is to open it for public tours by 2030, marking Armstrong's 100th birthday. The house, a key part of Armstrong's early life, has never been open to the public. Schreiber hopes this effort will inspire future generations.
Bringing more beavers to watersheds is a powerful drought-fighting tool, experts say
GREEN RIVER, Wyo. (AP) — Jackson Ramsay's family ranch in southwest Wyoming is embracing beavers as nature's engineers. Conservation groups and government agencies are using “starter homes” made of wood and brush to encourage beavers to build dams. These dams slow water, create habitats, and help ecosystems become more resilient to climate change. Experts say this is crucial as the U.S. West becomes drier. Utah State University runs a beaver relocation program to move unwanted beavers to remote streams. While beaver populations have recovered, protection is still needed to preserve scarce water resources in the American West.
Barcelona 'grandmas' dish out cooking wisdom. And find nourishment themselves
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — In Barcelona, a group called Grandmas Cooking Barcelona offers visitors a chance to cook and eat traditional Spanish food. The aim is to learn about food the way grandma might cook it. The group of about 20 older women and men hold workshops at civic centers, social service organizations and other locations in the city. The benefits run both ways. Founder Veronica Baena says that besides the culinary experience, Grandmas Cooking Barcelona helps give purpose to older people who might struggle with loneliness. At one recent workshop, a group of American exchange students learned how to make tortilla omelets, zucchini ribbons, potato salad and more.
University of Michigan runners blitz campus peony garden, preparing hundreds of plants for winter
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Members of the University of Michigan men’s and women’s cross country teams regularly run past the school’s prized peony garden as part of their training. And once each autumn, they stop and do something else: prune the peonies. The Wolverine runners volunteer to cut down and clear out the historic W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden. The annual cleanup prepares the nearly 800 historic peony plants for winter, so they can bloom spectacularly the following spring. The most recent effort took place Sunday afternoon. It is the brainchild of a longtime women’s cross country coach who has been running past the perennials since he was a Michigan student in the 1970s.
