This tiny songbird flies Canada to Puerto Rico nonstop

A breeding male blackpoll warbler. Photo by Robert Royse

Every year, from September to November, millions of tiny songbirds gather along the Northeastern coastline, get fat feasting on insects and take to the skies. And then they fly and they fly and they fly.

It’s long been believed that the blackpoll warbler, a speckled grey and white bird with a black cap and an unusually high-pitched song, completed an unimaginably long journey across the Atlantic Ocean. This week, a team of researchers from Canada and the northeastern United States, confirmed it. The warblers fly south over water as far as 1,700 hundred miles — with no layover.

“Many consider it one of the most amazing migratory feats on the planet,” said Bill DeLuca, lead author of the study and an ecologist at the University of Massachusetts.

While abundant in the United States, the population of blackpoll warblers are declining rapidly, at a rate of 6 percent a year. Rebecca Holberton from the University of Maine, who has been studying these birds for 20 years, said it wasn’t uncommon in the past to catch 300 warblers in the fall. Now you’re lucky if you get 30. Understanding what’s at the root of this decline requires better understanding their life cycle and migratory patterns.

In summer 2013, scientists strapped geolocator backpacks to the backs of 38 birds in Nova Scotia and Vermont to do just that. The geolocators weigh half a gram and consist of a battery, a light sensor and data storage. Each device recorded the daily sunrise and sunset. Scientists use those times to track the birds’ flight path.



“It’s the way mariners have navigated around the world for centuries,” DeLuca said.

But accessing that data required retrieving the geolocator from a bird that’s completed the migration south and then returned to its breeding ground in the north.

“It’s seems like this migration is really on the brink of impossibility,” DeLuca said. “And then to say we’re now going to strap this half a gram thing on the bird’s back and hope to get it the following year.”

Of the 38 fitted, five were retrieved. Chris Rimmer recalled finding the first bird after it’s return flight.

“Exhilaration. Relief. Amazement. Excitement. All those adjectives,” Rimmer said. “It was a watershed moment for sure.”

William DeLuca and Chris Rimmer attach a geolocator to a blackpoll warbler on Mt. Mansfield in Vermont. Photo by Vermont Center for Ecostudies

Four of the birds made landfall in Hispaniola or Puerto Rico. Another flew from Cape Hatteras, N.C., to Turks and Caicos. All five continued on to Venezuela and Colombia. Their longest flight ranged from 1,410 to 1,721 miles.

The size of these birds and the fact that they’re a forest-dwelling species sets them apart from other long-distance flyers. Most forest dwellers take the path of least resistance, hopping along the coast and from island to island. And of those that cross over water, most are seabirds, much larger and built to feed on fish.

Scientists believe the warblers ride along the tailwinds. Their fat buildup also helps them survive. Before takeoff, the birds nearly double their body weight from 11.5 grams to as much as 30 grams and shrink unneeded organs, so their bodies are little more than wings for flight, fat for fuel and brain for navigation.

“These birds just become little roly poly balls of feather with fat,” Rimmer said. “It’s extraordinary, the sheaths of fat on their skin. You wonder if they could even take off. But they couldn’t be powered on that long flight without this source of fuel.”

They also shut down parts of their brain that they’re not using and build up their storage of red blood cells, which allows them to hold more oxygen in their blood.

The next step for scientists is to better understand the factors that threaten this population. It’s likely a combination of factors, Holberton said. Deforestation is a threat both north and south in the Amazon River basin, along with an increase in the intensity of offshore hurricanes.

“To know and understand how to effectively conserve a migratory bird, you have to really understand what’s happening at all stages of its migratory cycles — where it breeds and where it winters,” Rimmer said. “This is an important piece of that overall puzzle.”

BY Jenny Marder

This tiny songbird flies Canada to Puerto Rico nonstop

Volunteers clean beach to help sea turtles nest in Puerto Rico

Hundreds of volunteers hit the sand this weekend to clean up the beach in Unico de Dorado, a city in northern Puerto Rico, to help leatherback sea turtles nest.

The Chelonia group and the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, or DRNA, organized Saturday's beach clean-up.

The beach in Unico has been the most active nesting area for leatherbacks in Puerto Rico for years and one of the most important in the Caribbean, Natural and Environmental Resources Secretary Carmen Guerrero said in a statement.

The Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, or WIDECAST, issued a resolution at its annual meeting earlier this month recognizing the nesting site.

"We are very grateful for the work of all the volunteers who went to the beach today and to the Chelonia and Proyecto Tinglar Dorado groups, who do commendable work each season, along with the other organizations in the Red Tortuguera de Puerto Rico," Guerrero said.

A total of 597 leatherback sea turtle nests were registered in Puerto Rico in 2014, the DRNA secretary said.

"Nesting season for leatherbacks, a sea turtle threatened with extinction, is starting and the idea behind cleaning up the beach is to maintain the area so there are no obstacles when they arrive in April - the peak month - for nesting," Chelonia spokesman Raymond Flores said.

Chelonia has been working to have the beach area declared a nature reserve since it provides inportant habitat for the endangered leatherback, Flores said. EFE

Volunteers clean beach to help sea turtles nest in Puerto Rico

Exploration of the Muertos Trough and Puerto Rico Trench 2015

Javier Rivera, Eduardo Rodriguez, Co-PI Manuel Jimenez, and Jesus Torrado and pose for a group photo after a successful test of the prototype Free Vehicle in Magueyes Island, La Parguera, PR. Image courtesy of Bill Schmidt.

Wilford Schmidt

University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez

PI Bill Schmidt and UPRM DMS crew member David Ramos preparing prototype free vehicle control/buoyancy modules in Magueyes Island, La Parguera, Puerto Rico. Click image for credit and larger view.

Although 12 people have walked on the Moon and numerous spacecraft are now exploring our solar system and beyond, very little is known about the oceanic trenches here on Earth. Exploration of these trenches is one of the last frontiers of oceanography and poses great technological challenges. Their general geographic remoteness and extreme bottom-pressures (greater than 8,800 pounds per square inch) have made all sampling techniques difficult. Cable lengths needed (greater than 6.5 kilometers) make tethered sampling cost-prohibitive and problematic in terms of successful data acquisition. Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are also costly and often require the use of large, expensive research vessels.

Bill Schmidt and undergraduate student Javier Rivera conduct a shallow water test deployment in Magueyes Island, La Parguera, PR. Click image for credit and larger view.

What are Free Vehicles?

First developed in the 1930s, free vehicles are untethered ocean sensor packages that are deployed from ships and collect valuable information about the ocean environment in areas that are difficult for humans to access.

These low-cost, untethered free vehicles can be thought of as the oceanographic analog to unmanned or small-satellite space missions.

Until recently, the extreme pressure at the deepest parts of the ocean and limitations in buoyancy technology prevented free vehicle use in these areas. Recent developments in ceramics now make it possible to use small (43-centimeter) spheres for buoyancy at depths of 7,000 meters or more. Using these buoyancy spheres, we have greatly reduced the size and cost of accessing the deep sea. It is now possible to use off-the-shelf technology to reliably lift standard oceanographic equipment from hadal depths at a fraction of the cost of previous methods.

Mission Plan

Javier Rivera, Eduardo Rodriguez, Co-PI Manuel Jimenez, and Jesus Torrado and pose for a group photo after a successful test of the prototype Free Vehicle in Magueyes Island, La Parguera, PR. Click image for credit and larger view.

Our team at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez will leverage recent advances in the engineering of un-tethered free vehicles to deploy and retrieve Niskin bottles, digital camera, and an Acoustic Doppler Current Meter (ADCM) package in the largely unsampled abyssal (> 4,000 meters) waters south of Puerto Rico (Muertos Trough) and apply the advanced free vehicle technology in a multi-disciplinary survey of the hadal (> 6,000 meters) depths of the Puerto Rico Trench.

We will systematically test, improve, and enhance the relatively low-cost free vehicles and free vehicle-supported research methods in shallow to abyssal depths, such as the Muertos Trough, and to employ the improved techniques in an exploratory study of Puerto Rico Trench hadal waters.

Over the next two years, we will work on four overlapping objectives:

1. Developing and improving free vehicles;
2. Incorporating CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) casts and water sampling (Niskin casts) into the vehicle;
3. Conducting ADCP casts with the free vehicle; and
4. Incorportaing invertebrate/sediment collection into the vehicle.

If successful, our free vehicles will collect some of the deepest CTD data ever collected in the Puerto Rico Trench and will provide critical information regarding the deep sea environment around Puerto Rico.

PI Bill Schmidt and undergraduate (now graduate) student Jesus Torrado prepare a prototype free vehicle in Magueyes Island, La Parguera, Puerto Rico. Click image for credit and larger view.

Exploration of the Muertos Trough and Puerto Rico Trench 2015

U.S. and Central American organizations simulate earthquake in Puerto Rico

More than 1,000 soldiers and some 20 U.S. and Central American organizations gathered Monday for the first day of exercises in a large-scale simulation of an earthquake in Puerto Rico to test methods of coordination in case a natural disaster strikes.

A total of 1,030 soldiers from different countries in the region, along with officials of more than 20 local and federal agencies, launched the exercise, dubbed Operation Boriquen Response, at the installations of San Juan's Roberto Clemente Coliseum.

According to the organizers, Monday's exercise aimed to test the region's coordination capabilities, using the case of a child who goes missing in the stadium urgently equipped as a shelter for earthquake victims.

Once the child was found "unconscious," the personnel taking part in the simulated emergency supposedly found a chemical that contaminated everyone in the shelter.

They also performed tasks in the replica of a quake that had partially demolished an area while calling for the aid of local police, firefighters, emergency management services, the Board of Environmental Quality and medical emergency staff.

"It's not the same to say we're ready as it is to test whether we're really prepared by means of a simulation," the executive director of the state emergency management office, Miguel Rios, said about the exercises that will continue until next March 21.

The simulation coincides with the 3rd United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction this week in the northeastern Japanese city of Sendai.

Close to 1.2 million people were killed, 2.9 billion were affected and material damages amounted to some $1.7 trillion in natural disasters between 2000 and 2012, the U.N. says. EFE

U.S. and Central American organizations simulate earthquake in Puerto Rico

Solar-powered plane takes off for flight around the world

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — With its wings stretched wide to catch the sun's energy, a Swiss-made solar-powered aircraft took off from Abu Dhabi just after daybreak Monday in a historic first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fossil fuel.

Solar Impulse founder André Borschberg was at the controls of the single-seat aircraft when it lumbered into the air at the Al Bateen Executive Airport. Borschberg will trade off piloting with Solar Impulse co-founder Bertrand Piccard during layovers on a 35,000-kilometer (21,700-mile) journey.

Some legs of the trip, such as over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, will mean five days and five nights of flying solo. Both pilots have been training hard for this journey, which will span 25 flight days over five months before this Spruce Goose of renewable energy returns to Abu Dhabi in late July or August.

"It is also exciting because you know, you simulate, you calculate, you imagine, but there is nothing like testing and doing it in real," Borschberg said just hours before takeoff. "I am sure we are all confident and hopefully we will be able to see each other here in five months."

The Solar Impulse 2 aircraft, a larger version of a single-seat prototype that first flew five years ago, has a wingspan of 72 meters (236 feet), larger than that of the Boeing 747. Built into the wings are 17,248 ultra-efficient solar cells that transfer solar energy to four electrical motors that power the plane's propellers. The solar cells also recharge four lithium polymer batteries.

At around 2,300 kilograms (5,070 pounds), the Si2 weighs about as much as a minivan or mid-sized truck. An empty Boeing 747, in comparison, weighs some 180,000 kilograms (400,000 pounds).

The Si2 is heading first to nearby Muscat, Oman, where it will land after about 10 hours of flight. A typical passenger jet takes just one hour to make the same journey. Piccard says the best speed for the lightweight Si2 — made of carbon fiber — is at about 25 knots, or 45 kph (28 mph).

© Aya Batrawy/AP Photo A Swiss solar-powered plane takes off at an airport in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, early Monday, March 9, 2015, marking the start of the first attempt to fly around the world withou…

Borschberg has been practicing yoga and Piccard self-hypnosis in order to calm their minds and manage fatigue during the long solo flights. They aim to rest a maximum of 20 minutes straight, repeating the naps 12 times over a 24-hour period. Goggles worn over the pilot's eyes will flash lights to wake him up.

Neither pilot will be able to stand in the cockpit while flying, but the seat reclines for stretching and its cushion can be removed for access to a toilet.

Armbands placed underneath their suits will buzz if the plane isn't flying level. The plane also does not have a pressurized cockpit so Borschberg and Piccard will be able to feel the changes in temperature. The pilot's blood oxygen levels constantly will be monitored and sent back to ground control.

The plane will reach an altitude of around 28,000 feet (8,500 meters) during the day to catch the sun's rays and at night dip to around 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) when flying over the ocean.

"You have to make the cockpit like your own house for a week in the air," Piccard said, telling The Associated Press he will keep a few small mementos from friends with him on the flight, though he declined to say what.

Piccard is no stranger to aviation feats. In 1999, he and another man succeeded in the first non-stop balloon circumnavigation of the world.

After two stops in India, the Si2 will head to China, where it will stay for a month until the days are longer to catch more of the sun's energy. It will also make stops in Myanmar, Hawaii, Phoenix, Arizona and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The path across the Atlantic will depend on the weather and may include stops in southern Europe or Morocco.

Those curious can follow the aircraft on Solar Impulse's website and track its battery status, energy consumption, location and flight path, as well as how much the pilot has slept and how much food and water he has left. There is also a live feed of the plane's Monaco-based control room with occasional footage from the cockpit.

Borschberg and Piccard say the flight is to make the world "confront the Conference on Climate Change of the United Nations, which will define the new Kyoto protocol in December 2015 in Paris." All countries are supposed to present targets for a new global climate agreement at the meeting.

Solar Impulse supporter Prince Albert of Monaco was present at the plane's control center during Monday's takeoff. The UAE-based Masdar, the Abu Dhabi government's clean-energy company, is a key sponsor of the flight. Additional sponsors include Omega, Google and Moet Hennessey, among others.

As the plane waited on the runway, a brief electrical alarm threatened to delay takeoff, but it was quickly resolved, allowing the large plane to slowly lift off into the rising sun.

"Everybody was just hoping the airplane will go," Piccard said. "Now the adventure has started."

Solar-powered plane takes off for flight around the world

Puerto Rico: Rappel 80-Foot Waterfall

Standing at the bottom of the 80 ft. waterfall I just rappelled, I turn to look up at our 12-year-old daughter Rachel, who is about to make her descent. I know my husband Rafael is up there giving her last minute pointers. The spray from the falls hits me in the face and chest, so I move back a bit and stand in a sunny spot to warm up. I’m in a shady canyon where it is remarkably cool for a tropical rain forest. I see Rachel as she leans her body out, her feet firmly planted on the slippery rock. She slowly lets the rope out and inches her feet down the rock face, picking up speed as she goes. I lose sight of her as she goes behind an outcropping of rocks, when suddenly she appears again. “Great job, Rachel,” I yell, over the roar of the waterfall. In seconds she is down, standing in the water next to me. “That was awesome,” she says. I have to agree. We are in the San Salvador rain forest of Puerto Rico on a hiking, rappelling and zip lining adventure and we are having a blast.

Rafael’s family lives in Puerto Rico, so we’re not strangers. We come here a lot. We are always trying something different. The great thing about Puerto Rico is that there are so many things to try! Today we are hiking and scrambling up river rocks in the beautiful, secluded mountains of Caguas, former home of the Taino Indians. River hiking is so much fun; we don’t worry about overheating! Sometimes we have to use ropes to pull ourselves up steep rocks. Other times we rely on our rock climbing skills. We hike through water up to our knees, then switch to dry land for a while.

When we climb to another beautiful area, we are rewarded with a break. There are small waterfalls surrounding us as the people in our group take seats on rocks, enjoy a snack and take pictures. Everyone is in a great mood, just enjoying the scenery.





After we do the big rappel, we are on the downhill part of our journey. This goes much faster because we get to do it by zip line! Five of them, one 400 feet long. It’s fun, especially as you pick up lots of speed! Poor Rachel doesn’t weigh enough to make hers go fast – she actually has to pull herself to the end on one of them. This is where a little weight is a good thing!



Once we reach the bottom again, we are able to change out of our wet clothes and enjoy a traditional Puerto Rican meal prepared by the family who owns the land we are enjoying. It’s late for lunch and we have worked up an appetite. We all gather around and devour the delicious fish, rice and beans. This is a great way to end a fantastic adventure!

Courage Level: 3 – We rock climb, so rappelling is not scary for us, but judging by the other people in the group, it takes a lot of courage to go over the edge of that waterfall! Everyone was very encouraging, though, so people could take their time. It’s all about trusting the equipment. That’s really why we don’t get nervous, even Rachel. We have experience with climbing equipment and trust it won’t break.

Fitness Level: 3 – You need to be in reasonably good shape to do this tour. You don’t need to be a super athlete, but you will be belaying up rocks, hiking in rivers and basically moving uphill at a steady pace for a couple hours.

We used Eco-Quest for our tour guide. They were great. Our guides were knowledgeable, friendly and concerned with safety. I liked that they worked with locals in terms of providing lunch for us.

What to bring:

Wear a bathing suit and light, quick drying clothes. Do not wear jeans or cotton pants; they will just weigh you down when they get wet. Wear shorts (or capris) that are long enough that the climbing harness will be on the clothing, not your skin, because you will be wearing it for most of the day. You might want a long sleeved shirt for after your rappel. It’s shady in the canyon and being cold is not fun.

You can bring a small backpack with snacks, water and your long-sleeved shirt, if you are bringing it. We only brought one pack, which Rafael and I took turns carrying. The van will stop at Walgreen’s as a last stop if you need to buy something to eat. Bring a waterproof bag if you need anything like a phone or wallet. You will be very wet. (You can keep things in their van, but if you feel better having them with you, they need to keep dry!)

Wear lace-up sneakers, light-weight hiking shoes or water shoes. They need to be sturdy enough that you won’t be turning your ankles as you traverse the river rocks. We have light–weight travel hiking boots, and we set them out in the sun the next day and they dried. You might not want to plan this adventure for the day before you get on a plane or you will have very wet shoes to take home!

This was a perfect adventure for our Olympus Stylus Tough shockproof and waterproof camera. I carried it down the waterfall with it around my wrist, banging against the rocks the whole way. Then I stood in the water taking pictures. It was great because I never worried about it. I actually carried it like that all day, so I would have it handy when I wanted to take a photo. If you have a camera like that, take it with you!

You can read about all my family adventures around the world on my blog.

All Photos Courtesy of Leslie Fonseca

By Leslie Fonseca

Puerto Rico: Rappel 80-Foot Waterfall

Puerto Rico takes steps against erosion to save 32 of its beaches

Puerto Rico is preparing measures to halt the erosion that is seriously diminishing at least 32 of its beaches, a blight that concerns local authorities since it can turn away tourism, one of the Caribbean island's chief sources of revenue.

Lawmaker Angel Rodriguez Otero of the ruling Popular Democratic Party, or PPD, told Efe Friday that in order to fight this problem, he presented a resolution before the Puerto Rican Senate moving the upper house to take an active role in controlling this phenomenon.

Rodriguez Otero said the erosion of coastline is particularly worrying in the northwestern area of Rincon, a premiere vacation spot, particularly for tourists from the U.S.

Concern about erosion motivated a delegation from the Senate Commission on Tourism, Culture, Recreation and Sports to visit the coastal area of Rincon last February, after Rodriguez Otero presented Resolution 994 for taking action against the problem.

Another delegation from the upper house visited the southwestern part of the island this Friday to determine in person how much the coastline there has eroded.

Rodriguez Otero said that in a period of one month the commission is expected to present the Senate with its recommendations for dealing with a phenomenon that has been multiplying in recent years.

"The root of the problem lies in global warming, in all the construction going on so close to the beaches, and in the disproportionate removal of sand," the legislator said.

He said the first step is to identify the economic resources available at the local level, which can later be recovered with federal funds from the United States.

"The solutions require millions of dollars," Rodriguez Otero said, adding that besides Rincon, other areas affected by erosion include La Pared Beach in Luquillo municipality and Ocean Park Beach, one the of the most popular of the Puerto Rican capital.

He recalled that several years ago measures were launched that turned out to be very effective for combating erosion of Isla Verde Beach, also in the Puerto Rican capital, though he admitted that the lack of continuity lost all the improvements that had been gained.

Ruperto Chaparroi, director of the Sea Grant program at the University of Puerto Rico dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of coastal resources on the Caribbean island, said during a visit to the Senate that one possible technique is to keep a record of all underwater sandbanks near the beaches so they can be used for repairing the affected areas.

The specialist said that this is an expensive technique, however, because the approximate cost for restoring a mile (1.6 kilometers) of beach is $1 million.

He noted that this technique has been employed by the United States in Florida and Texas, as well as by countries like Australia and Holland. EFE

Puerto Rico takes steps against erosion to save 32 of its beaches

Rare Shakespeare First Folio to visit all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico in 2016

Washington, D.C. — The Folger Shakespeare Library, in partnership with the American Library Association (ALA) and Cincinnati Museum Center, has announced the tour sites for its 2016 national traveling exhibition of First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare. The exhibition will tour the original 1623 First Folio of Shakespeare to all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. The locations include 23 museums, 20 universities, five public libraries, three historical societies and a theater.

The list of sites can be viewed at http://www.ala.org/programming/firstfoliosites.

The First Folio, the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays, was published in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare’s death. John Heminge and Henry Condell, two of Shakespeare’s fellow actors, compiled 36 of his plays, hoping to preserve them for future generations. Many of Shakespeare's plays, which were written to be performed, were not published during his lifetime. Without the First Folio, 18 of Shakespeare’s plays — including "Macbeth," "Julius Caesar," "Twelfth Night," "The Tempest," "Antony and Cleopatra," "The Comedy of Errors" and "As You Like It" — would have been lost.

The Folger Shakespeare Library holds 82 copies of the First Folio, the largest collection in the world and more than a third of the world’s 233 known copies. Researchers believe that about 750 copies were originally printed. One of the world’s most valuable printed books, a First Folio sold for $6.2 million in 2001 at Christie’s and another one for $5.2 million in 2006 in London. It originally sold for one British pound (20 shillings) — about $200 today.

The Folger, with ALA and the Cincinnati Museum Center, reviewed hundreds of potential applicant sites to host the First Folio before making the final selection. All were required to meet specific environmental and security requirements.

For the First Folio! tour, the rare book will be opened to one of the most quoted lines in the world, “to be or not to be” from "Hamlet." A multi-panel exhibition exploring the significance of Shakespeare, then and now, with additional digital content and interactive activities, will accompany the First Folio. Each of the 52 tour locations will plan programs for the public and families around the exhibition.

The tour begins in January 2016 at three sites, each of which will host the exhibition for four weeks. A total of 18 First Folios will be on display during the tour; six will travel at any one time. The final Shakespeare First Folio will return to the Folger in December 2016. The local touring dates for First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare will be announced in April 2015.

The Cincinnati Museum Center exhibits department is providing tour management and design expertise in building and preparing for travel the panels that will accompany the First Folios at each stop, as well as designing and constructing traveling cases for the 18 First Folios. Staff from Cincinnati Museum Center will also accompany the First Folios on each step of their national journey to coordinate and facilitate the transportation, installation and de-installation of the exhibition at each stop of the tour.

The national tour of the Shakespeare First Folio is part of the Folger’s Wonder of Will initiative in 2016 to commemorate the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.

First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor, and by the generous support of Google.org and Vinton and Sigrid Cerf. Sponsorship opportunities of this major exhibition are available.

About Folger Shakespeare Library

Folger Shakespeare Library is a world-renowned center for scholarship, learning, culture and the arts. It is home to the world’s largest Shakespeare collection and a primary repository for rare materials from the early modern period (1500-1750). The Folger is an internationally recognized research library offering advanced scholarly programs in the humanities; an innovator in the preservation of rare materials; a national leader in how Shakespeare is taught in grades K–12; and an award-winning producer of cultural and arts programs — theater, music, poetry, exhibitions, lectures and family programs. Learn more at www.folger.edu

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with approximately 58,000 members in academic, public, school, government and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.



ALA’s Public Programs Office provides leadership, resources, training and networking opportunities that help thousands of librarians nationwide develop and host cultural programs for adult, young adult and family audiences. The mission of the ALA Public Programs Office is to promote cultural programming as an essential part of library service in all types of libraries. Projects include book and film discussion series, literary and cultural programs featuring authors and artists, professional development opportunities and traveling exhibitions. School, public, academic and special libraries nationwide benefit from the office’s programming initiatives. Additional information can be found at www.ala.org/programming.

About Cincinnati Museum Center

Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution and national historic landmark. Dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration, CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012. CMC is one of only 16 museums in the nation with both of these honors, making it a unique asset and a vital community resource. Union Terminal has been voted the nation's 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater and Cincinnati History Library & Archives. Recognized by Forbes Traveler Magazine as the 17th most visited museum in the country, CMC welcomes more than one million visitors annually. For more information, visit www.cincymuseum.org

About the National Endowment for the Humanities

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov

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Rare Shakespeare First Folio to visit all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico in 2016

Madonna 'Rebel Heart' Tour: 'Living for Love' Singer to Return to Puerto Rico 22 Years After Disrespecting Flag

Madonna will be returning to Puerto Rico this September. The last time the singer was on the island was in 1993 when she disrespected the flag by rubbing it between her legs.



Madonna will begin her 35-city "Rebel Heart" Tour in Miami Aug. 29. On Sept. 5, she will head to Puerto Rico and perform at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan.

In 1993, Madonna performed in Puerto at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in front of 20,000 audience members. When she put Puerto Rico's flag through her legs near her groin area, protests and criticism arose, according to The Associated Press.

Sen. Enrique Rodriguez Negron filed a censure resolution against Madonna for the act. Eventually that resolution was rejected by President of the legislature Roberto Rexach Benitez.



This tour could be different for Madonna, who has her 13th album coming out March 9 also titled "Rebel Heart." Critics are loving Madonna's new music and are expecting big things from the pop star.

"The Queen of Pop will reign again – Madonna is about to release her best album in 17 years and one of the greatest of her career," The Sun said.



"They won't experience the celebrity of Madonna the fashion statement but the Madonna who has kept us listening for decades: Madonna the musician," The New York Times said.



Madonna has brought controversy to the stage and television screen throughout most of her career, but the 56-year-old singer has been a worldwide success, and the Rebel Heart Tour proves that. On the tour, Madonna will hit 21 cities in the U.S. and Canada before heading to Europe for 14 more cities.

Tickets for the tour go on sale March 9, the same day Madonna's new album is set to be released. Additional tour cities and dates are planned for Asia and Australia and are expected to be announced soon, according to Madonna's official website.

By Robert C. Weich III

Madonna 'Rebel Heart' Tour: 'Living for Love' Singer to Return to Puerto Rico 22 Years After Disrespecting Flag

Chinese box office beats US monthly total for first time

Box office revenue in China hit an all-time high in February with a mammoth $650m total, beating both the Chinese monthly record and the US figure for the same period.

While the north American equivalent was initially $710m for a month which saw the release of erotic smash Fifty Shades of Grey, once Canada’s input was stripped away, the number was down to just $640m.

February has become a big month in China with the Lunar New Year holiday bringing huge numbers. This year, that week alone brought in $270m. In the US, however, February isn’t traditionally a key period for releases and the month is often dominated by awards titles still on release and Valentine’s day fodder.

Box office winners which contributed to the record take include The Man from Macau II, a comedy sequel starring Chow Yun-fat that took $104m, and Dragon Blade, an action film with Jackie Chan, John Cusack and Adrien Brody which grossed $95m.

The biggest international hits of the month came in the shape of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 which made $36m and $35m respectively. Last year’s biggest film in China was Transformers: Age of Extinction which made $301 million – higher than its gross in the US.

One of the key reasons for the increase in box office is a rise in screens with over 24,590 in the country. But this is still far behind the US where there are an estimated 40,000.

This month in China sees the release of Kingsman: The Secret Service, which has already become a huge hit in South Korea, and Jupiter Ascending which is currently performing better outside the US.



Chinese box office beats US monthly total for first time

Puerto Rico launches initiative to protect honey bees

Puerto Rico is implementing a plan to preserve the island's honey bee population amid a worldwide decline in the insects' numbers, Agriculture Secretary Myrna Comas Pagan said.

Last year Puerto Rico's honey production increased by more than 30 percent and sales grew to more than $300,000, she told a press conference.

"Our statistics show an increase in honey production since 2011, so we have remained vigilant to detect the arrival of diseases or viruses that could affect the hives," Comas said.

A survey among beekeepers shows that 5,744 gallons (21,742 liters) of honey were collected in Puerto Rico in 2011, but production decreased to 4,103 gallons (15,530 liters) in 2012.

In 2013, beekeepers collected 6,529 gallons (24,713 liters) of honey and production increased again in 2014, to 9,169 gallons (34,706 liters).

Comas pointed out that in many areas of the world, honey bees are threatened by mites, fungi and viruses, along with the widespread use of insecticides by people who fear being stung by bees.

"We cannot ignore that hives' production is being affected at the global level," the official said, adding that her department regards bees as essential.

To maintain the honey bee population and the production of honey, some 250 employees of Puerto Rico's State Agency for Emergency and Disaster Management, or AEMEAD, have been trained in the protection of hives.

The agency's director, Miguel Rios, said the pact with the Agriculture Department has been "very important" to manage the problems that affect hives.

"We have been working on this issue at schools and neighborhoods, but now we will work in a coordinated way with the Department of Agriculture to save the bees," he said.

Hives found in residential areas "represent a high risk for families," Rios said.

"What we are trying to achieve is that if someone gets in touch with AEMEAD, the agency calls on beekeepers, who have better skills for removing the hives," Comas said. "We want to protect the bees and obtain more products from our farms." EFE

Puerto Rico launches initiative to protect honey bees

Officials seize indigenous artifacts at Puerto Rico airport

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Officials at Puerto Rico's main international airport seized five clay artifacts created by the Taino people who lived in the Caribbean before the arrival of Christopher Columbus.

The small items were found in the luggage of a man who did not have the required permit to import them, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Wednesday. The five items appear to be fragments of larger pieces and at least one depicts a face, the statement said.

Spokesman Jeffrey Quinones said authorities were trying to determine whether the items came from Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica or Puerto Rico.

Quinones said the unidentified traveler told authorities he was given the items while in the Dominican Republic. The unidentified man was not arrested because no crime was committed, the spokesman said.

Diseases brought by European settlers largely wiped out the Taino.

Officials seize indigenous artifacts at Puerto Rico airport

Astronomers find oldest known star with Earth-like planets

Miami (AFP) - International astronomers said Tuesday they have discovered the oldest known star encircled by five Earth-sized planets, signaling that planets formed throughout the history of the universe.

The system is 11.2 billion years old and was born near the dawn of the galaxy, said the report in the Astrophysical Journal.

The star has been named Kepler-444, since it was found with the help of NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft which launched in 2009.

Its five planets are a bit smaller than the Earth, ranging in size from Venus to Mercury.

They circle their Sun-like star in less than 10 days, at a distance smaller than one-tenth the distance between the Earth and Sun -- making them too hot to be habitable.

But the sheer age of the star has stunned astronomers.

At a distance of 117 light-years from Earth, Kepler-444 is two and a half times older than our solar system, which is 4.5 billion years old.

"We've never seen anything like this -- it is such an old star and the large number of small planets make it very special," said co-author Daniel Huber from the University of Sydney's School of Physics.

"It is extraordinary that such an ancient system of terrestrial-sized planets formed when the universe was just starting out, at a fifth its current age," he added.

Astronomers can measure a distant planet's age using a technique called asteroseismology, which measures the oscillations of the host star caused by sound waves trapped within it.

These waves lead to small pulses in the star's brightness, which can be analyzed to measure its diameter, mass and age.

Co-author Steve Kawaler, an Iowa State University professor of physics and astronomy, said Kepler-444 is very bright and can be easily seen with binoculars.

"We now know that Earth-size planets have formed throughout most of the universe's 13.8-billion-year history," said lead author Tiago Campante from the University of Birmingham.

"Which could provide scope for the existence of ancient life in the galaxy."

Astronomers find oldest known star with Earth-like planets

Puerto Rican Society raises funds for native frog

The coqui of Puerto Rico is smaller than the tip of a finger, but its high-pitched call leaves a big impact on its listeners.

That's the case for Lydia Borrero, who has been swayed at night by the male's mating song. The frog is named for its sharp “ko-kee” song.

“When it gets dark, all you hear is the frogs,” Borrero said.

Months ago, after learning the San Antonio Zoo was raising funds to build a conservation lab for the frog, she rallied her group, thePuerto Rico Heritage Society, to support the project. The estimated cost of the bio-secure lab is $20,000, which would pay for filtration and water equipment, racks and enclosures.

The preservation of the small frog is the highlight of the 14th Puerto Rico Festival “Fiestas Patronales,” set for Nov. 16 at the San Antonio Shrine Auditorium, 901 N. Loop 1604 West.

Two adult and two baby frogs will be on exhibit at the festival, along with compact discs featuring its unique calls. Proceeds from the sale will go toward the building of the lab. Folklore dance, live Caribbean music, and artisan artwork will also be included at festival, considered one of the oldest Puerto Rican cultural events in Texas.

Borrero, PRHS president, said the event is part of the society's objective to promote cultural and civic events. She said parents and grandparents, who grew up listening to the frog's song, will be thrilled to see the amphibian at the festival.

“We're fortunate to present the coqui, because some people can't visit Puerto Rico,” Borrero said.

Recently, Borrero and her husband, José, visited conservation supervisor Jen Stabile at the zoo's space dedicated to the frog. It's been her primary research for more than a decade. The amphibian, known by its zoological name, Eleutherodactylus, is more than a specimen to Stabile, it's her totem; she has a red symbol of the coqui tattooed on her wrist.

“Events like this are very important,” Stabile said. “I can do work behind these doors and my colleagues can do work in the field, but if it's just us talking to each other, What's going to change? The community is a large component as well.”

The zoo is involved with many partnerships to save the coqui, including the University of Puerto Rico. She said there are 17 species of the tiny amphibian left; out of the known species, three are extinct.

Currently, the zoo has 30 common coqui and a population of critically endangered Mona Island coqui; only two of the species make the calls that last from dusk to dawn. Stabile said the frogs don't have a tadpole stage and their lifespan in the wild is from three to five years.

“They have a lot to do in a short amount of time,” she said.

The frogs are part of the ecology in the island's rain forests, she said, noting that if they were removed from the island, there would be a huge influx of inspects, many that carry diseases. And they've played an economic role, she said, drawing tourists who listen for the nightly, two-note call of the males, wooing females to come to them.

“Puerto Rico is called the island of enchantment,” Stabile said. “The thing that gives it that enchantment is the call of the coqui, that's what gives the island it's aura. There's no other place in the world where you can hear those frogs sing their name every night the way they do.”

Borrero's husband made cooing sounds towards a dimly lit room, where the little frogs were tucked among fronds lining glass cases. Within seconds, the tiny amphibians answered back.

“Ohm my goodness,” Lydia Borrero said, as high pitched calls echoed from the back room. “It sounds so loud.”

“I love it,” José Borrero said. “It brings so many memories.”

Stabile said in a perfect world, people could go outside and see many different species like the diminutive frog.

“You can't anymore, because we haven't been overly kind to the earth, so a lot of these habitats are decimated,” she said. “A lot of these species are declining so rapidly.”

By Vincent T. Davis, San Antonio

Puerto Rican Society raises funds for native frog

Nick Redfern's World of Whatever...: Alien Contact in Puerto Rico?

Boqueron, Puerto Rico (August 18, 2014) -- An independent group of researchers in Puerto Rico believe they possibly made contact with "beings from elsewhere" last Friday, August 15, 2014, 37th anniversary of the mysterious "WOW! Signal" captured by SETI.



The "Arecibo Project," led by Joshua P. Warren, Director of the Bermuda Triangle Research Base, spent the day transmitting radio messages into outer space from Arecibo, Lajas, and other parts of the island, asking ET to appear around certain GPS coordinates as a live webcam streamed footage of the general location.



A variety of anomalies were captured on camera, including a "saucer-shaped object" that appeared then shot straight up into the sky, accompanied by a strange, high-pitched tone.



Warren's team compared that tone to the famed WOW! Signal, and say it is so similar they think the UFO possibly sent this signal to them as a sign of successful communication.



"We believe the UFO may have sent us the same type of signal that came from space, and was recorded by SETI, 37 years ago. This was a complete surprise. Though it was picked up via a webcam microphone, and not a broad dish like SETI had, our analysis thus far has shown it is essentially a demodulated signal from the WOW! transmission turned into audio."



The message sent into space, an invitation for contact, was recorded by George Noory, host of "Coast to Coast AM" the largest overnight radio program in North America.



Live footage was being analyzed in Washington DC at the studio of filmmaker C. Eric Scott, while audio was being processed at a lab in North Carolina. The researchers are asking for others with expertise to analyze the UFO images and compare the audio themselves. Data is freely posted at: www.AreciboProject.com



When asked for his opinion of what the "beings" may be, Warren said:



"After my 7 years of research here, the accumulating evidence suggests we may be dealing with a new form of life in Puerto Rico. Sometimes huge, and sometimes small drones, I believe these beings could be a highly-advanced, extremely sleek and efficient organic/electronic hybrid. They have probably evolved much longer than humans, and are now capable of inter-stellar and inter-dimensional travel, seeming to pop in and out of our visible dimensions almost instantly. Hundreds of years of native lore, combined with our modern research, indicate they might be sensitive to human thought, often engaging in contact when a highly-focused human, or group of humans, telepathically projects a desire to interact with them. We don't know their ultimate agenda, but if it were detrimental to humans, we'd likely have been harmed by now."

"Arecibo Project" Researchers Make Contact with ET in Puerto Rico?

Media Memorandum

For immediate release

For info:

Joshua P. Warren

Director, Bermuda Triangle Base

contact@AreciboProject.com

Nick Redfern's World of Whatever...: Alien Contact in Puerto Rico?