Friday Writing Fodder

In today’s collection of links meant to inspire, amuse, and inform, we have the sad tale of failed polar bear mating, the humorous tale of confiscated bologna at the US-Mexico border, asteroids passing by Earth, footage from Mars, new astronaut requirements, new vertical planes from airlines, the furthest known object in our solar system confirmed, the strange appearances of two moons over Dubai, and the using Zoom error that has a lawyer appearing in court as a cat, among others. I hope you get some ideas.

Male polar bear kills female during mating attempt at zoo. Okay, very sad but nonetheless, could be story fodder. https://people.com/pets/polar-bear-killed-during-mating-attempt-detroit-zoo/

200 pounds of bologna confiscated by Border Patrol on border with Mexico. https://www.foxnews.com/us/border-patrol-agents-confiscate-nearly-200-pounds-of-bologna-found-in-car-at-new-mexico-border

Astronomers confirm orbit of most distant object ever observed in our solar system. https://phys.org/news/2021-02-astronomers-orbit-distant-solar.html

SpaceX just got a contract to launch two future pieces of a moon space station. https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/10/tech/spacex-gateway-launch-contract-scn/index.html

Two moons appear in space over Dubai frightening citizens. https://www.iheart.com/content/2021-02-10-watch-two-moons-appear-in-sky-over-dubai-frightening-confused-residents/

NASA wants to set a new radiation limit for astronauts.  https://www.wired.com/story/nasa-wants-to-set-a-new-radiation-limit-for-astronauts/

Big Asteroid the size of the Washington Monument to zoom past Earth.  https://www.newsweek.com/big-asteroid-size-washington-monument-earth-1568308

NASA releases dramatic Mars video ahead of rover’s arrival  https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/watch-nasas-dramatic-mars-video-ahead-of-rovers-arrival/

Trio rescued after being trapped on an isolated Bermuda island for 33 days survived on this diet. https://www.foxnews.com/us/cuban-nationals-rescued-coast-guard-trapped-deserted-bahamas-island-diet

United Airlines orders 200 vertical takeoff aircraft to deliver passengers to airports. https://arstechnica.com/cars/2021/02/united-airlines-orders-200-vertical-takeoff-electric-airplanes/

Scientists think they found a portal to the 5th Dimension. https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a35471480/dark-matter-fermion-portal-fifth-dimension/?fbclid=IwAR2wPPjECVSUmyK4CK1IySE-VDSEn6vYv9wBOkO79lZFa7YzqW48U84C2Nc

Inside the Space Race to Mars: Mars set for visits from spacecraft from UAE, China, and U.S. https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/mars-set-visits-uae-china-u-s-spacecraft-n1257126

And last but not least, Zoom error has lawyer appearing on official court zoom as a cat.https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/mars-set-visits-uae-china-u-s-spacecraft-n1257126

Friday Writing Fodder

Round 2 of Friday Writing Fodder, my new regular blog feature, includes links both serious and humorous in nature, but all intriguing with possibilities for future stories. I hope many of you find inspiration here.

Asteroids the size of the Pyramid of Giza to fly by Earth https://apple.news/A8l89QdjZRiCuK9lODqUl9Q

NASA finds a planet with 3 suns. https://apple.news/AmrTA2b3EQL-S_kOleQFCQA

Physicist thinks mysterious space object might be an alien spacecraft https://apple.news/Ap17hGr53QpqxipicQ2GN5w

Orangutan steps up as “Mr. Mom” for daughter after mate dies unexpectedly. https://apple.news/ALibfTpNJRoqqSmJD9Mvc1A

Columbia’s Cocaine Hippos Must Be Culled (Follow up from last week’s hippo story) https://apple.news/A4YBKR86rQ4-v29jOmRSNzA

This fossil shows how dinosaurs peed, pooped, and had sex. https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/19/world/dinosaur-fossil-sex-study-scn/index.html and fossilized butthole shows how dinosaurs have sex. https://apple.news/ANuVE3VN1QDO3FzdiQkrLxQ

Spotted and oddly striped zebras may be warning for species’ future. https://apple.news/AgQi61wXHRm6QkLUjBD1_bA