Category Archives: Andy Haynes

Earthquake Swarm!

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Not another bad sci-fi movie. Not a biblical prophecy. It’s real, and it’s hitting tiny New Brunswick town, McAdam, yet again.

In the past few weeks up to thirty small earthquakes have battered the town of just over 1200 people, located a couple of hours northwest of St. John. The quakes are strong enough to knock plates off shelves and break windows. And they’re hitting frequently enough that townspeople have felt as many as 20 in one night—making sleep difficult for many.

Thing is, this isn’t the first time McAdam has suffered such a swarm. Back in 2010 they were hit by a wave of earthquakes lasting fifty days. And then again, two years later, the tremors returned for ten more days.

They may not be large magnitude events, but the frequency has to make life in the small town interesting at best.

Check out the details here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/mcadam-earthquake-swarm-new-brunswick-1.3441895

Find out more about Andy Haynes on LinkedIn and Instagram.

RIP, Henry Worsley—Explorer Dies Attempting Solo Trek across Antarctica

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1600 km across the frozen wastes of Antarctica—to complete Ernest Shackleton’s failed lost expedition mission, and to raise money for wounded troops. And he almost made it. Just 48 km shy of the end of his trip, Henry Worsley’s body gave out—forcing him to call for help.

After 71 days alone on the ice, pulling his supplies on a sled, and suffering every step of the way, he finally succumbed.

Worlsey was an ancestor of Ernest Shackleton. Shackleton’s ship, The Endurance, had been trying to find a route across the Antarctic through the South Pole, but had been trapped by pack ice. In a desperate bid for survival, Shackleton successfully led his crew across the ice to the safety of a whaling station.

Worsley was attempting to complete that original mission and find a way across the barren continent. Unfortunately, after being airlifted to a hospital in Punta Arenas, Worsley’s body could take no more punishment. He passed away the next day.

Rest in Peace, one of the great explorer’s of our, or any time.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/01/25/british-explorer-henry-worsley-dies-on-solo-antarctic-trek.html

If you enjoy a good exploration and adventures in the wilds check out The Time Eater mystery/adventure novel.

Available in paperback and eBook on Amazon

Available as an eBook on Kobo and Barnes & Noble

Find out more about Andy Haynes on LinkedIn and Instagram.

And Then There Were Nine…Planets…Again

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We kicked Pluto out of the happy planets club a decade ago, meaning the solar system’s active roster was down to just eight planets in the solar system. But now there’s a new member on the scene—dubbed Planet X.

On Jan. 20, Caltech scientists, Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin, announced their discovery of evidence suggesting the evidence of a Neptune-sized planet out beyond the orbit of outcast Pluto. Evidence suggest it’s a gaseous ice giant that’s up to ten times the mass of the earth. And it’s orbiting so far beyond Pluto that it takes 10,000 years to orbit the sun

Brown and Batygin went looking for evidence of Planet X because something was pulling the orbits of recently discovered planetoids out past Pluto towards a common point near the plane of the solar system—something huge…

And of course, conspiracy theorists have wasting no time in announcing that the discovery of Planet X obviously portends the end of the world. Stay tuned for more on apocalypse times and dates in your local area.

The only thing left now is for someone to actually lay eyes on the elusive giant. Check out the details here:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/01/20/new-evidence-suggests-a-ninth-planet-lurking-at-the-edge-of-the-solar-system/

 

Find out more about Andy Haynes on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Nicolas Cage and the Case of the Stolen Dinosaur Fossil

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Andy Haynes

Movie Stars and Stolen Dinosaurs—Update

Eight years after purchasing a Tyrannosaurus bataar skull from L.A. art gallery, I.M. Chait, actor Nicholas Cage has returned the stolen find to its native Mongolia.

Cage outbid fellow star and fossil buff, Leonardo DiCaprio for the skull back in 2007, paying $276,000. Cage received a certificate of authenticity from the gallery, and, at the time, all seemed cool.

But then the Department of Homeland Security came knocking. And suspicions were raised that perhaps the skull had connections to infamous fossil thief, Eric Prokopi—who has since served a stretch in the big house for the theft of another Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton from Mongolia.

Once he was advised of that his bataar had been illegally smuggled out of Mongolia Cage agreed to give it back to its country of origin.

Way to do the right thing, Mr. Cage!

Check out the details here:

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/22/nicolas-cage-returns-stolen-mongolian-dinosaur-skull-he-bought-at-gallery

The Time Eater: A Foster Raymond Fossil Hunter Novel is available now in paperback and eBook at Amazon.ca and as an eBook at Indigo, Kobo and Barnes & Noble

Find out more about Andy Haynes on LinkedIn and Instagram.

The State of Private Space Flight—How we Used to View Elon Musk

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Good news—private, corporate space flight company Orbital ATK successfully docked their spacecraft with the international space station last month. Good news—Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos’ New Shepard spacecraft managed to land itself on a launch pad in recent weeks.

Not so great? Elon Musk’s SpaceX craft has been grounded since it exploded during what Musk called a ‘rapid, unscheduled disassembly’ while attempting a landing earlier this year. But the Falcon 9 rocket has been updated, and now sits on a Cape Canaveral pad awaiting launch tomorrow night.

So maybe NASA’s not up to as much as it once was. But, given the strides countries like China and India have made in the last year—and the progress made by private interests…it may be that our dreams of a future in space are more realistic than ever before.

That’s all good news to me.

For more, check out: http://news.nationalpost.com/news/spacex-scheduled-to-return-to-flight-sunday-and-attempt-another-dramatic-landing-this-time-on-land

Find out more about Andy Haynes on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Nessie Makes Tracks

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(Image from Reuters)

Researchers recently uncovered 170 million-year-old fossilized tracks made by a heard of colossal sauropods crossing Scotland’s Isle of Skye.

The tracks, some as much as two feet across, indicate these were massive beasts—maybe 50ft in length and weighing up to 20 tons. Perhaps they were early cousins of brontosaurs or Diplodocii?

Although recent finds suggest sauropods were able to support their own terrific weight on land, this pack had been wading through the depths of the lagoon. Maybe feeding? Maybe avoiding predators?

It’s too soon to say.

But, huge reptilian beasts trekking across prehistoric Scotland…makes you wonder what’s hanging around that loch all these years later…

Check out the article at: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/12/04/giant-footprints-in-scotland-reveal-the-dinosaurs-that-once-roamed-there.html

The Time Eater: A Foster Raymond Fossil Hunter Novel is available now in paperback and eBook at Amazon.ca and as an eBook at Indigo, Kobo and Barnes & Noble

Find out more about Andy Haynes on LinkedIn and Instagram.

RIP, Digby

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So crushing, it’s hard to even write about. Our wonderful giant bear, Digby has passed away. The 165lb Dane-mastiff with the colossal heart, opened up our lives and gave us so much love.

He was taken far too soon.

Now, everywhere I turn I see either a reminder of him or a hole where he should be.

The smiles, the paws, the best days we had together—I’ll never forget.

 

I miss you, old friend.

Find out more about Andy Haynes on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Jade Rabbit Moon Rover, what you up to?

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So the latest out of Chinese state media is that the Jade Rabbit rover which landed on the moon five months ago is still hanging on—barely. The rover captured hearts and minds over the past few months as it struggled to survive the cold lunar nights, died, and then was miraculously re-born. And now, its wheels no longer turn and the solar panels that protect it from the cold have failed. But still it fights on…

Check out the story here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2642739/Jade-Rabbit-hanging-Chinese-moon-rover-alive-weak-claim-reports.html

Find out more about Andy Haynes on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Digby stalks the frozen Great Lakes!

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Digby stalks the frozen Great Lakes!

For the first time in more than twenty years the five Great Lakes are almost 90% frozen. In one of the weirdest weather winters in memory Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior have iced over, creating opportunities for people( and Digby our Dane/Mastiff cross) to walk to islands or visit sea caves not previously possible.
Even here in Toronto we’re enjoying the ability to walk from our condo-packed waterfront across the busy harbor to the serenity of the Toronto Islands. And from the Islands, across the narrow Eastern Gap, to the off-leash dog area of Cherry Beach or the vast bird sanctuary of the Leslie Street Spit.
Check out these pics:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/passantino/the-great-lakes-are-nearly-frozen-over-for-the-first-time-in

The Time Eater: A Foster Raymond Fossil Hunter Novel is available now in paperback and eBook at Amazon.ca and as an eBook at Indigo, Kobo and Barnes & Noble

Find out more about Andy Haynes on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Leakey Raymond–Dog of Greatness!

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Leakey Raymond--Dog of Greatness!

Hi, I’m Foster Raymond’s great companion, Leakey–named after Richard E. Leakey, fossil hunter. I won’t discuss my weight-it’s not polite to ask. But I am a proud Newfoundland Retriever.

Always looking for new friends–so share your pics of your own dog pals!

The Time Eater: A Foster Raymond Fossil Hunter Novel is available now in paperback and eBook at Amazon.ca and as an eBook at Indigo, Kobo and Barnes & Noble

Find out more about Andy Haynes on LinkedIn and Instagram.