Neanderthals may have been closer to our species of prehistoric modern human than previously believed after cave paintings found in Ardales, Spain proved they had a fondness for creating art, one of the authors of a new scientific report explained. Red ochre pigment discovered on stalagmites in the Caves of Ardales, near Malaga in southern Spain, were created by Neanderthals about 65,000 years ago, making them possibly the first artists on earth, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal. Modern humans were not inhabiting the world at the time the cave images were made.
Jeff Bezos followed up his 11-minute flight to the edge of space with an extended press appearance in which he announced the gift of $100 million each to CNN political contributor Van Jones and chef Jose Andres. “They can give all to their own charity or they can share their wealth. It’s all up to them,” Bezos said. “Sometimes dreams come true,” Jones said, adding that “the headlines around the world should be, anything is possible if you believe.” Andres, who started a non profit to feed those affected by natural disasters, said, “This award itself cannot feed the world on its own, but this is the start of a new chapter for us.” Anderson Cooper, who has been anchoring CNN’s coverage of the flight of the Blue Origin spacecraft, said “quite a surprise. Obviously none of us knew anything about it.”
Activist groups are calling on governments to step in to regulate the sale of spyware after data was leaked to major news outlets showing hundreds of journalists, activists, dissidents and lawyers around the world likely had their phones targeted by invasive surveillance software was leaked to major news outlets. “The industry has shown that it is incapable of policing itself, while governments—including democratic states—are hiding behind national security to whitewash these surveillance abuses,” said the digital rights group Access Now in a statement. “We need regulation, transparency, and accountability now.”
This issue is both public and personal for the six openly gay Olympians who will be competing at Sochi. They'll join 6,000 athletes from 85 countries. Gay rights have taken center stage at Sochi, thanks to Russia's own targeting of the LGBT community. In June 2013, the Russian government banned dissemination of pro-gay "propaganda" that could be accessible to children. The law's vagueness, activists note, could prohibit almost any pro-gay expression, such as public statements, rallies, rainbow flags, rainbow nesting dolls, or same-sex hand-holding. Violators can be fined or jailed up to 14 days. Foreigners can be expelled.
