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Discovery of 19.5-metre tree with roots, branches and leaves is unprecedented, say experts First came the tree, all 19.5 metres of it, with roots and branches and leaves. Then, weeks later, the discovery of 150 fossilised logs, one on top of the other, a short distance away. Nikolas Zouros, a professor of geology at the University of the Aegean, couldn’t believe his luck. In 25 years of excavating the petrified forest of Lesbos, he had unearthed nothing like it. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3klAT9w

Covid restrictions means event could be suspended if crowds lining route become too large, organising committee warns People who turn out to catch a glimpse of the Olympic torch during its journey through Japan from the end of next month will be asked to applaud rather than cheer passing runners, and the event could be suspended if crowds lining the relay route grow too large. The unusual provisions for the relay - the main precursor to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics - are another sign of the difficulties organisers face as they attempt to carry off an event involving tens of thousands of athletes, officials and journalists in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3knHFvr

The Nobel laureate examines loneliness, sacrifice and the meaning of love in a novel narrated by a machine with feelings Interview with Kazuo Ishiguro: ‘AI, gene-editing, big data ... I worry we are not in control of these things any more’ Klara and the Sun asks readers to love a robot and, the funny thing is, we do. This is a novel not just about a machine but narrated by a machine, though the word is not used about her until late in the book when it is wielded by a stranger as an insult. People distrust and then start to like her: “Are you alright, Klara?” Apart from the occasional lapse into bullying or indifference, humans are solicitous of Klara’s feelings – if that is what they are. Klara is built to observe and understand humans, and these actions are so close to empathy they may amount to the same thing. “I believe I have many feelings,” she says. “The more I observe the more feelings become available to me.” Related: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro – read the world ...

Investors are puzzled about why the stock favoured by home-based investors soared by 104%, and then 85% after hours GameStop shares more than doubled in afternoon trading on Wednesday, surprising those who thought the video game retailer’s stock price would stabilise after a fierce rally and steep dive that upended Wall Street in January. The shares soared nearly 104% during the session in which trading was halted several times, then jumped another 85% after hours. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3qUCfuq

Move undoes actions that blocked many immigrants from entering the US and sought to cut funding to cities Trump deemed ‘lawless’ Joe Biden has formally reversed a series of executive actions taken by Donald Trump, including a proclamation that blocked many green card applicants from entering the United States. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/37IAeda

Charity made changes after 2019 earthquake response report found allegations of child sexual misconduct by staff weren’t properly investigated Oxfam will no longer be subject to strict supervision by the charity watchdog following “significant” reforms prompted by a 2019 report into conduct by its staff after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The Charity Commission for England and Wales found allegations that staff working in disaster zones sexually abused children were not fully disclosed, with the watchdog also citing a “culture of poor behaviour” among Oxfam GB staff sent to help victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3sw4ss9

After decades in hiding, in prison or keeping low profile, players from a bloody period in the country’s history are now seen as ‘folk idols’ by the Turkish right At first glance, the photograph of two smartly dressed older Turkish men, posing for the camera in an office filled with flags, could be of any important figures in the country – but it is rare for a picture to say so much about both the past and the future. On the left is Devlet Bahçeli, an ultranationalist political dinosaur who has in the past few years become an influential coalition partner in the government of Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3sp2KZl