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Motor Racing-Mercedes 'Streamliner' Fetches Record 51 Million Euros at Auction

A streamlined Mercedes raced by Stirling Moss and five times Formula One world champion Juan Manuel Fangio in 1955 is pictured in Fellbach near Stuttgart, Germany, January 24, 2025, and could become the most expensive grand prix car of all time at an auction in Stuttgart on February 1, 2025. - Reuters
A streamlined Mercedes raced by Stirling Moss and five times Formula One world champion Juan Manuel Fangio in 1955 is pictured in Fellbach near Stuttgart, Germany, January 24, 2025, and could become the most expensive grand prix car of all time at an auction in Stuttgart on February 1, 2025. - Reuters
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Motor Racing-Mercedes 'Streamliner' Fetches Record 51 Million Euros at Auction

A streamlined Mercedes raced by Stirling Moss and five times Formula One world champion Juan Manuel Fangio in 1955 is pictured in Fellbach near Stuttgart, Germany, January 24, 2025, and could become the most expensive grand prix car of all time at an auction in Stuttgart on February 1, 2025. - Reuters
A streamlined Mercedes raced by Stirling Moss and five times Formula One world champion Juan Manuel Fangio in 1955 is pictured in Fellbach near Stuttgart, Germany, January 24, 2025, and could become the most expensive grand prix car of all time at an auction in Stuttgart on February 1, 2025. - Reuters

A streamlined Mercedes raced by Formula One greats Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio in 1955 set a record for a grand prix car on Saturday, selling at auction for 51.155 million euros ($53.01 million).

The sleek, silver W196 R Stromlinienwagen, one of only four complete examples in existence, was sold by RM Sotheby's at the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart, Germany, on behalf of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).

The car had a price estimate of more than 50 million euros and, while the bidding rapidly reached 40 million in 5-million-euro increments, it eased off before a final hammer figure of 46.5 million.

The final price includes the buyers' premium. The buyer was not immediately named, Reuters reported.

The costliest car ever sold at auction was a 1955 Mercedes 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe sportscar that changed hands for 135 million euros in May 2022.

The most expensive grand prix car previously sold at auction was another ex-Fangio Mercedes W196 from 1954 that fetched $29.6 million at Goodwood, England, in 2013.

The IMS car is the first W196 R to become available for private ownership with the streamlined body fitted.

The car was driven to victory by five times world champion Fangio at the non-championship Buenos Aires Grand Prix in 1955, but with a more conventional cigar-shaped body on the same chassis, and fully open wheels.

Teammate Moss then raced it with the wider, streamlined body extending over the wheels at the season-ending Italian Grand Prix at Monza, retiring after setting the fastest lap at an average speed of 215.7 kph (134.0 mph).

That grand prix marked the end of an era for the Mercedes stable's 'Silver Arrows' as the firm withdrew from factory-sponsored motorsport in 1955 after a Le Mans 24 Hours disaster that killed 84 people.

Mercedes returned to Formula One as an engine provider in 1994 and with its own works team from 2010.

The car sold on Saturday, chassis number 00009/54, was donated to the IMS by Mercedes in 1965 and was auctioned to raise funds for the museum's restoration efforts and acquisitions with more US focus.

"It's a beautiful car, it's a very historic car, it's just a little bit outside our scope window," said curator Jason Vansickle.

"We've been fortunate to be stewards of this vehicle for nearly 60 years and it has been a great piece in the museum but with this auction and the proceeds raised, it really will allow us ... to be better in the future."

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Thousands of Small Fish Defy Gravity to Climb Congo Waterfall

Members of a species of shellear fish, scientific name Parakneria thysi, crossing the second level of Luvilombo Falls, a waterfall in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in April 2020, in this photograph released on April 1, 2026. (Pacifique Kiwele/Handout via Reuters)
Members of a species of shellear fish, scientific name Parakneria thysi, crossing the second level of Luvilombo Falls, a waterfall in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in April 2020, in this photograph released on April 1, 2026. (Pacifique Kiwele/Handout via Reuters)
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Thousands of Small Fish Defy Gravity to Climb Congo Waterfall

Members of a species of shellear fish, scientific name Parakneria thysi, crossing the second level of Luvilombo Falls, a waterfall in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in April 2020, in this photograph released on April 1, 2026. (Pacifique Kiwele/Handout via Reuters)
Members of a species of shellear fish, scientific name Parakneria thysi, crossing the second level of Luvilombo Falls, a waterfall in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in April 2020, in this photograph released on April 1, 2026. (Pacifique Kiwele/Handout via Reuters)

A species of small fish has been observed by the thousands climbing a vertical waterfall 15 meters (50 feet) tall in the Democratic Republic of Congo in a behavior that illustrates the surprising and ingenious ways animals can adapt to extreme environments.

The researchers documented how this species of shellear fish, whose scientific name is Parakneria thysi, scales the Luvilombo Falls in the upper Congo Basin, a vast river system spanning Central Africa and home to the world's second-largest rainforest.

Researchers observed the fish ascending the vertical rock face during seasonal floods at the end of the rainy season, typically in April and May.

While this species can reach about 9.8 centimeters (3.9 inches) long, the researchers observed only small to medium-sized individuals - about 3.7 to 4.8 cm (1.5 to 1.9 inches) long - journeying up the falls.

Observations suggest a fish may take nearly 10 hours to complete ‌the slow and ‌demanding climb to the top, moving in short bursts and resting frequently. ‌Larger ⁠individuals of the species ⁠appeared to be too heavy for their fins to support the climb.

"This discovery highlights the importance of maintaining the continuity of watercourses, particularly in the context of the Congo Basin, where studies on fish behavior are virtually nonexistent," said Pacifique Kiwele, a researcher in ichthyology and a member of the scientific staff at the Université de Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo who was the lead author of the study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

"It prompts scientists to be even more vigilant in their observations, as anything is possible. Who would have believed it without being ⁠close enough to check, and document it with photographic and film material, that ‌indeed some fish are able to climb waterfalls? It illustrates that ‌there are wonders out there that surpass our imagination," Kiwele said.

Some other fish species are capable of scaling waterfalls through ‌various means, but the researchers said this species is the first one documented in Africa.

The researchers recorded ‌the behavior of this shellear fish on four occasions in 2018 and 2020, observing them moving up the rock face through what is called the splash zone - areas kept wet by spray rather than direct water flow.

So how do they do it? The fish cling to wet rock surfaces using their pectoral fins, supported by pelvic fins and aided by tiny ‌hook-like projections known as unculi, which help them grip surfaces, the researchers said. Then they push themselves upward by wiggling their bodies from side to side.

Scaled ⁠to human size, it ⁠would be comparable to a person climbing hundreds of meters (yards) vertically.

The ascent is also risky. Some fish lose their grip when sudden jets of water hit them, knocking them off the rock face - particularly when they flip upside down to navigate overhanging sections.

Given the volume of water at the base of the falls, fish that fall are most likely able to start climbing again. However, those landing directly onto rocks may not survive, the researchers said.

So why do they do it? The researchers said the fish may climb upstream to find suitable living conditions and areas of the waterway with less competition and fewer predators.

The researchers identified two major human threats to the species: illegal fishing using fine-mesh mosquito nets that can easily catch the fish, and water extraction for irrigation, which has in some years depleted the Luvilombo River.

The discovery underscores how little is known about fish behavior in the Congo Basin, the researchers said.

"It is quite possible that other fish species living in rapid habitats ... are capable of overcoming similar vertical obstacles," Kiwele said, adding that researchers plan further fieldwork to confirm preliminary observations in another fish family.

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After Milestone-Rich Lunar Flyby, Astronauts Start Trip Home

In this photo provided by NASA, Artemis II commander and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman looks out one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows at the Moon ahead of the crew's lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)
In this photo provided by NASA, Artemis II commander and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman looks out one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows at the Moon ahead of the crew's lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)
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After Milestone-Rich Lunar Flyby, Astronauts Start Trip Home

In this photo provided by NASA, Artemis II commander and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman looks out one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows at the Moon ahead of the crew's lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)
In this photo provided by NASA, Artemis II commander and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman looks out one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows at the Moon ahead of the crew's lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)

The Artemis II astronauts wrapped up their lunar flyby as they continue their journey back to Earth on Tuesday, bringing with them rich celestial observations including little-known lunar craters, a solar eclipse and meteor strikes that scientists hope will open doors.

Their eyes glued to the spacecraft windows for nearly seven hours, the team of four who spent their day breaking records and making history were treated to a view of the Moon unlike any other.

"Humans probably have not evolved to see what we're seeing," said Victor Glover. "It is truly hard to describe. It is amazing."

The crew reported in vivid detail features of the lunar surface and later witnessed a solar eclipse, when the Moon passed in front of the Sun.

They also described flashes of light -- meteor strikes -- on the Moon's surface.

"I can't say enough how much science we've already learned," Kelsey Young, lead scientist for the Artemis II mission, told the astronauts.

"You really brought the Moon closer for us today, and we cannot say thank you enough."

- Trump praises 'modern-day pioneers' -

But even after becoming the furthest humans ever to travel from Earth, their day was not over: the bleary-eyed astronauts remained in good spirits as they took a late-night call from US President Donald Trump.

Unlike the Artemis astronauts and NASA administrator Jared Isaacman, Trump at age 79 is old enough to remember the Apollo program.

"You've really inspired the entire world," Trump said, calling them "modern-day pioneers" who have "a lot of courage doing what you're doing."

"America will be second to none in space and everything we're doing, and we will continue to lead the whole thing into the stars, this incredible journey into the stars."

He probed the astronauts about their favorite moments and asked what it was like to lose connection with Earth for some 40 minutes during an expected communications blackout and even experienced his own signal glitch while calling into space.

"Might have gotten cut off," Trump said as he waited a full minute for the signal to return. "It is a long distance."

- Historic trip -

The journey wrapped up late Monday and had plenty of milestones including when the Artemis II team broke the distance record set by the 1970 Apollo 13 mission, which they surpassed by more than 4,000 miles (more than 6,000 kilometers) when they reached the journey's furthest distance from Earth 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers).

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen said the moment should "challenge this generation and the next, to make sure this record is not long-lived."

And as noted by Trump, the crew lost contact with planet Earth for about 40 minutes as their spacecraft passed behind Earth's satellite.

The blackout period was expected but still notable: they were the first people in more than 50 years to lose contact with the rest of humanity.

"It is so great to hear from Earth again," said astronaut Christina Koch, as the crew regained connection with their home planet.

"We will always choose Earth."

- Moon memorials -

The Orion capsule will now travel back to Earth in a so-called "free-return trajectory," a trip that will take about four days.

Adding to the historic nature of the mission led by Reid Wiseman, the Artemis II crew includes several firsts.

Glover was the first person of color to fly around the Moon, Koch was the first woman, and Canadian Hansen the first non-American.

The celestial workday Monday included a poignant moment just after the crew broke the distance record, when they proposed designating two previously unnamed craters.

The first they requested to name in honor of their spacecraft's nickname, "Integrity."

They offered a second name, "Carroll," for another crater, which they asked be named after the late wife of mission commander Reid Wiseman, who died of cancer.

"It's a bright spot on the Moon," said Hansen, his voice breaking with emotion. "And we would like to call it Carroll."

The astronauts embraced, and mission control in Houston held a moment of silence.

"Integrity and Carroll crater, loud and clear. Thank you," said Gibbons.

NASA said they would formally submit the name proposals to the International Astronomical Union, the body charged with naming celestial bodies and surface features.

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Saudi Arabia Advances Global Environmental Leadership with IUCN Green List Milestone

Several of the Kingdom's reserves have earned certification on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green list - SPA
Several of the Kingdom's reserves have earned certification on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green list - SPA
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Saudi Arabia Advances Global Environmental Leadership with IUCN Green List Milestone

Several of the Kingdom's reserves have earned certification on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green list - SPA
Several of the Kingdom's reserves have earned certification on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green list - SPA

Saudi Arabia Advances Global Environmental Leadership with IUCN Green List MilestoneThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to strengthen its international standing in environmental protection and sustainability, underpinned by the wise leadership’s prioritization of environmental affairs within national development priorities, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, SPA reported.

These efforts are reinforced by the Saudi Green Initiative, which targets the protection of 30% of the Kingdom's terrestrial and marine areas by 2030.

In a milestone reflecting effective natural resource management, several of the Kingdom's reserves have earned certification on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List following a rigorous evaluation process, demonstrating the Kingdom's sound governance, effective management, and measurable conservation outcomes.

Saudi Arabia's environmental achievements represent a comprehensive institutional framework that has transformed natural reserves from restricted geographical zones into an integrated national system balancing environmental stewardship with development imperatives, serving as a model for future generations.