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Scientists discover ‘something morbidly mysterious’ in Indian Ocean
After discovering a host of bizarre creatures of the deep near Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia’s national science agency CSIRO has found something quite surprising in the depths of the watery abyss: a shark graveyard, full of fossilized teeth, some millions of years old, said a report published by the Science Alert yesterday.It said: Initially, researchers thought they’d pulled up a net full of disappointing sediment and manganese nodules. Until they had a closer look.
“It was amazing, it really was,” Museums Victoria Research Institute collections officer Dianne Bray tells the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
“Not all were fossils, some were relatively recent mako sharks and two species of great white shark relatives.”
More than 750 mineralized teeth, representing a range of predatory species, were hauled up from a depth of 5.4 kilometers (3.3 miles).
Western Australian Museum’s fish curator Glen Moore says the discovery contained an interesting mix of modern and ancient shark parts, including some from the immediate ancestor of the megalodon.
“This shark evolved into the megalodon, which was the largest of all sharks but died out about 3.5 million years ago,” says Moore in a statement.
Megalodon sharks were so massive they could have swallowed today’s largest shark, the great white (Carcharodon carcharias), whole.As sharks have cartilage skeletons rather than bones, most of their remains decompose before they become fossilized, except for their teeth and the occasional scales. So these remains are the only clues we have of these ancient animals’ 450 million-year history on Earth.Why so many of these remains, spanning such a long period of history, were gathered in one place is unclear.
“I don’t know of any obvious explanation of why they might all be together other than perhaps it was a low point in the ocean floor, so they would eventually make their way down,” Moore said.
The graveyard of predators was found during an investigation of two new marine parks, located 2,500 kilometers (about 1,500 miles) off Australia’s west coast.
The CSIRO research vessel that found the graveyard, the aptly named Investigator, has since embarked on another trip, this time to Gascoyne Marine Park off Western Australia, where the vessel has also floated across a new shark species.
“Early in the voyage, we collected a striking small, stripey hornshark,” says CSIRO ichthyologist Will White in a statement.
The hornsharks we already know of tend to hide amongst rocks and seaweed on the shallow seafloor during the day, emerging at night to feed. They also lay the most peculiarly corkscrew-shaped eggs. But this new species was found in water over 150 meters deep, where such cover as seaweed isn’t available.
“It’s been estimated that around a third of the species collected on recent biodiversity survey voyages on RV Investigator may be new to science,” says CSIRO marine ecologist and expedition leader John Keesing in a statement.
“The discoveries we make aren’t just limited to new species. These voyages give us the opportunity to learn more about marine ecosystems, as well as species range, abundance, and behaviour.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
