Have you heard of a raccoon dog?

BITS ‘N’ PIECES

If you’re in the UK, it might not be that long before you see a raccoon dog.

An exotic member of the fox family that is native to Japan, China and Siberia, raccoon dogs are one of the most destructive invasive species at risk of becoming established in Britain. A “horizon scanning” study funded by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs identified the raccoon dog and the raccoon as the only mammals on a list of 20 invasive species likely to reach UK shores and destroy native wildlife or bring disease.

The animal was introduced into the old Soviet Union in the mid-20th century and historically farmed for fur. They escaped and have spread rapidly through continental Europe in recent years.

According to the Mammal Society, which is calling on people to report any sightings of the animals, the omnivorous species could pose a threat to rare native species including amphibians, small mammals and ground-nesting birds. Raccoon dogs can also transmit a number of diseases to humans.

The great apes are losing their homeland

Our closest relatives, the great apes, are predicted to lose a devastating 90 percent of their homelands in Africa over the next 30 years, according to a new study.

All gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos are already endangered or critically endangered. But a combination of the climate crisis, the destruction of wild areas for minerals, timber and food, and human population growth is on track to decimate their ranges by 2050, the scientists said.

The study analysed data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s apes database on species populations, threats and conservation action at hundreds of sites over 20 years. It then modelled the combined future impacts of global heating, habitat destruction and human population growth.

Some new areas will become climatically suitable for the apes, but the researchers doubt they will be able to migrate into these regions in time.

The biggest protection for great apes could come from consumers in rich nations demanding sustainably produced goods. Currently the export of minerals for mobile phones, timber, and palm oil are major drivers of great ape population falls.

When do think we will have flying cars?

What do you think of cars flying above us in less than 10 years time?

According to a leading car manufacturer, flying cars will be a reality in cities around the globe by the end of this decade, and will help to reduce congestion and cut vehicle emissions.

Michael Cole, the chief executive of the European operations of South Korean carmaker Hyundai, said the firm had made some “very significant investments” in urban air mobility, adding: “We believe it really is part of the future”.

Hyundai showcased its flying car concept, developed in conjunction with the ride-sharing firm Uber, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2020.

The company is also involved in the UK’s first airport without a runway, designed for aircraft that are capable of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), scheduled to open in Coventry later this year.

The “urban airport” could be used by aircraft including air taxis and autonomous delivery drones.

This is Wally Funk

A trailblazing female pilot, denied the job of astronaut in the 1960s over her gender, is finally getting the chance to fulfil her dreams of going into space.

Billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has announced that 82-year-old Wally Funk will be part of a four-person crew set to be launched into space by Blue Origin during a 10-minute flight on his rocket New Shepard later this month.

Funk, who says she taught over 3,000 people to fly, will be the oldest person ever to travel into space, after the late John Glenn set the current record at age 77 while aboard space shuttle Discovery in 1998.

In 1961, Funk volunteered to be part of a program to get women to qualify for Nasa’s astronaut program, but it was abruptly cancelled when the federal government decided women shouldn’t be allowed to use the military facilities needed for space training.

None of the women ever made it into space – but now, Funk has the opportunity to do so on 20 July.