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Holy Kaaba to Align with Sun on Thursday in Rare Astronomical Event

During the moment of alignment, shadows cast by vertical objects in Makkah’s surroundings nearly disappear as sunlight falls almost perpendicularly on the surface. (SPA)
During the moment of alignment, shadows cast by vertical objects in Makkah’s surroundings nearly disappear as sunlight falls almost perpendicularly on the surface. (SPA)
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Holy Kaaba to Align with Sun on Thursday in Rare Astronomical Event

During the moment of alignment, shadows cast by vertical objects in Makkah’s surroundings nearly disappear as sunlight falls almost perpendicularly on the surface. (SPA)
During the moment of alignment, shadows cast by vertical objects in Makkah’s surroundings nearly disappear as sunlight falls almost perpendicularly on the surface. (SPA)

The skies above Makkah will witness the phenomenon of the sun aligning directly over the holy Kaaba on Thursday, at approximately 12:18 PM local time.

Jeddah Astronomy Society Director Eng. Majed Abu Zahra described the phenomenon as a precise astronomical event that attracts wide interest among those seeking to determine the Qibla direction.

He noted that it provides a direct opportunity to verify geographical and astronomical calculations without complex instruments.

During the moment of alignment, shadows cast by vertical objects in Makkah’s surroundings nearly disappear as sunlight falls almost perpendicularly on the surface, he added.

This phenomenon occurs twice annually as the sun moves between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn due to Earth’s axial tilt of approximately 23.44 degrees, allowing it to pass over Makkah’s latitude twice a year, once northward and once southward.

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Varieties

Heat Dome Over Europe Scorches UK, France, Spain

A drone view shows people using kayaks and paddle boards in the River Thames at Teddington Lock, London’s first official river bathing water site, as temperatures climb over the bank holiday weekend due to a heat dome spreading across the region, in London, Britain, May 24, 2026. (Reuters)
A drone view shows people using kayaks and paddle boards in the River Thames at Teddington Lock, London’s first official river bathing water site, as temperatures climb over the bank holiday weekend due to a heat dome spreading across the region, in London, Britain, May 24, 2026. (Reuters)
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Heat Dome Over Europe Scorches UK, France, Spain

A drone view shows people using kayaks and paddle boards in the River Thames at Teddington Lock, London’s first official river bathing water site, as temperatures climb over the bank holiday weekend due to a heat dome spreading across the region, in London, Britain, May 24, 2026. (Reuters)
A drone view shows people using kayaks and paddle boards in the River Thames at Teddington Lock, London’s first official river bathing water site, as temperatures climb over the bank holiday weekend due to a heat dome spreading across the region, in London, Britain, May 24, 2026. (Reuters)

Temperatures hit record highs for May in the United Kingdom and France on Monday, as forecasters warned of a prolonged period of extreme heat across Europe throughout the week. 

A so-called "heat dome" of warm air from northern Africa trapped under a high-pressure system over western Europe is behind the high temperatures not usually seen until high summer. 

Temperatures in Spain were expected to peak later this week at 38C, while parts of Italy imposed restrictions on working outdoors. 

"The weather here, it's like a mini version of hell. It's boiling. It's like really hot," said 10-year-old Liza Nizari on a visit to London, where temperatures normally average about 17C or 18C at this time of year. 

Lindy Brand-Daloze, a 66-year-old Australian administrator who has been living in in London for 12 years, said: "It's warm, but it's climate change, isn't it? So, you know, (we have) probably got to get used to this." 

The Met Office weather agency said Monday was the hottest May day on record, with the mercury rising to 33.5C at Heathrow, west of the capital, at 1:00 pm (1200 GMT) -- 1.3C more than the previous benchmark recorded in 1922 and 1944. 

"Records are usually only broken by tenths of a degree -- making this heatwave unprecedented for the time of year," the agency said in a social media post. 

Scientists say human-induced climate change is making extreme weather events like heatwaves, droughts and floods more intense, resulting in temperature records being broken more frequently. 

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst told AFP the increase in extreme temperatures was "a good indication of climate change in action" and more likely to become "the new norm". 

Climate advisers last week warned the UK government that the country was "built for a climate that no longer exists" and urged it to adapt infrastructure like schools and hospitals for a warming planet. 

In 2022, temperatures in the UK soared above 40C for the first time since records began. 

- Heatwave alert - 

Across the Channel, weather agency Meteo-France put eight areas in the west of France on heatwave alert -- signifying three days and nights of intense heat that are likely to pose a health risk to the population. 

In the northwestern city of Rennes, 74-year-old Daniele Dupont tried to stick to the shade as she walked her dog in 27C on Monday morning. 

"I'm going to close the shutters. I won't be going out this afternoon," she said in the capital of the Brittany region. 

On Sunday, "record high maximum temperatures for the month of May" were felt in at least 10 locations, including the northwestern seaside towns of Lorient and Noirmoutier. 

The capital, Paris, on Saturday notched up its first temperature above 30C of the year, hitting 31.9C. 

Temperatures of up to 35C are expected in Brittany and between 36C and 37C in the south. 

On Sunday, a man died during a 10-kilometer running race in Paris, civil defense services said, while 10 more runners had to be taken to hospital in critical condition after a race in the capital's suburb of Maisons-Alfort, the authorities said. 

In Spain, the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) warned the "extraordinarily high temperatures for this time of year" will continue across the country all week, except in the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, off the northwest coast of Africa. 

"Widespread tropical nights" are also forecast in southwestern Spain from Wednesday, with temperatures peaking from Wednesday to Friday at between 36C and 38C, it wrote on X. 

Farther east, Italy's Lazio region, which includes Rome, on Monday approved rules limiting work in conditions "with prolonged exposure in the sun" between 12:30 pm and 4:00 pm. 

The measures apply, for example, to farms, construction sites and in the logistics sector and apply until September 15. 

Similar rules had been put in place last year but only from May 30. 

Varieties

How Collecting DNA Samples in the Wild Could Transform Conservation

A golden monkey is seen in Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, Rwanda, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP)
A golden monkey is seen in Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, Rwanda, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP)
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How Collecting DNA Samples in the Wild Could Transform Conservation

A golden monkey is seen in Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, Rwanda, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP)
A golden monkey is seen in Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, Rwanda, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP)

A guide called out to endangered golden monkeys with grunts and clicks to signal he posed no threat, a familiar sound in the mist-covered forests of Rwanda ’s Volcanoes National Park.

Here in one of Africa's most well-known parks, steep ridges and dense vegetation often obscure even the largest mountain gorillas — also endangered — and scientists are turning to new technology to detect and protect them.

Known as environmental DNA, or eDNA, the technology allows researchers to identify species using genetic material like fur or feces left in soil and water. This reduces the impact of human interaction during wildlife surveys that can leave researchers groping through the mist.

The technology, more often used in marine conservation work, was introduced by the African Wildlife Foundation in partnership with the Rwandan government. It aims to develop a list of all species in the country. That will help protect biodiversity that is threatened by climate change and population growth.

“We selected eDNA as a new technology to bring solutions and to complement existing methods used in ecological monitoring,” said the foundation’s country manager for Rwanda, Patrick Nsabimana.

Biodiversity monitoring for decades has relied on camera traps, which operate when animals trigger their sensors, and ranger observations.

But that is a challenge in rugged terrain such as the Virunga mountains that are central to Volcanoes National Park, which covers part of Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. Insecurity in the border area also can limit ranger movement.

Nsabimana said eDNA is a cost-effective monitoring approach in large ecosystems such as Virunga. Samples are taken from locations like downstream ponds that are likely to have traces of animals on higher ground. Then they are tested.

“With one sample, you can detect multiple species, mammals, birds, amphibians and many others,” said Deogratias Tuyisingize, a Rwanda-based biodiversity researcher with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund that is also involved in the project.

He said a combination of traditional methods and new technology is needed to ensure all species are monitored. Because of steep ravines and mountainsides, “we are sure we were missing some species."

Meanwhile, having a better sense of where endangered species are could help in patrolling against poachers, people with the project said.

The ability to generate a broad snapshot of biodiversity is critical for conservation, especially as Rwanda expands some of its national parks by rehabilitating previously agricultural land.

“We can see how species are colonizing these sites over time,” Tuyisingize said.

That allows conservationists to measure success by the return of rare or threatened species, and offers early warnings of invasive species.

But the eDNA technology is not without limitations. It cannot reliably estimate how many animals are present in an ecosystem. DNA can linger long after a species has left.

Being able to process samples in Rwanda is also a challenge, as the project's initial ones had to be sent to Europe for analysis.

Joshua Newton, who conducted research on eDNA for Curtin University’s Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, said challenges also include having cold storage to preserve DNA samples and ensuring samples are not contaminated.

Data gaps are another issue. Africa has relatively limited genetic reference libraries, despite decades of conservation work on the continent, making it harder to match DNA samples to known species.

Most genetic reference libraries come from Europe and America, said James Munyawera, a lab specialist with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

Researchers are now building region-specific databases.

The project in Volcanoes National Park has also begun training residents of local communities, along with rangers, to participate in monitoring efforts by collecting samples.

Varieties

‘He’s Tiny! It’s Blue!’: Scientists Find New Deep-Sea Octopus

An undated handout picture released on May 22, 2026 by the Charles Darwin Foundation shows a newly discovered blue pygmy octopus off the Galapagos Islands. (Charles Darwin Foundation / AFP)
An undated handout picture released on May 22, 2026 by the Charles Darwin Foundation shows a newly discovered blue pygmy octopus off the Galapagos Islands. (Charles Darwin Foundation / AFP)
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‘He’s Tiny! It’s Blue!’: Scientists Find New Deep-Sea Octopus

An undated handout picture released on May 22, 2026 by the Charles Darwin Foundation shows a newly discovered blue pygmy octopus off the Galapagos Islands. (Charles Darwin Foundation / AFP)
An undated handout picture released on May 22, 2026 by the Charles Darwin Foundation shows a newly discovered blue pygmy octopus off the Galapagos Islands. (Charles Darwin Foundation / AFP)

On the ocean floor near the Galapagos Islands, a submersible controlled by scientists came across a mysterious octopus as blue as the ocean and no bigger than a golf ball.

"He's tiny! It's blue!" one excited scientist was recorded as saying when she first caught sight of the cerulean cephalopod on footage transmitted from the sub.

The team from the Charles Darwin Foundation had just discovered a new species of octopus nearly 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) below the water's surface, according to research published on Monday.

"Right away, I knew it was something really special," said octopus expert Janet Voight, who was asked to identify the strange species.

At first the curator at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago had to make do with photos of the animal.

Then she received its preserved body in the mail.

"When it arrived, I was like 'Oh! My goodness! It's beautiful'," Voight told AFP.

She was immediately interested because the closest known octopus of that shape lives off the coast of Uruguay -- in a different ocean on the other side of South America.

Normally to describe a new octopus species, a specimen needs to be cut open so that its mouth, beak, teeth and other parts can be examined.

"We only had the one specimen, so I didn't want to take it apart," Voight said.

Instead, the team at the Field Museum used CT scans to take thousands of X-ray images, then compiled them to make a 3D model of the octopus, revealing its insides.

"There's nothing like spending the day looking at something no other human has ever seen," the Field Museum's X-ray lab head Stephanie Smith said in a statement.

- 'Deep purple' -

The new species, named Microeledone galapagensis, stands out for reasons other than its blue hue, which is believed to be the rarest color in nature.

The octopus appears to be the runt of the Megaleledonidae family, whose members are normally much larger and live in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica.

"Its stubby little arms with only one row of suckers set it apart from most octopus we are familiar with," Voight said.

Even among "other species with short little arms and a single sucker row, its coloration and smooth skin on the back surface separate it", she added.

While the octopus is light blue on its back, underneath it is a "very deep purple", Voight said.

"We think this color pattern helps keep it safe. If the octopus grabs a prey item that emits light, that light may attract predators that might then eat the octopus," she explained.

"So the octopus puts its dark-colored web over the prey item, keeping itself safe."

Surprisingly, it is not uncommon to find new species of octopus in the deep sea -- particularly in areas that have not been well explored, which is a massive amount of the ocean floor.

"If you took all the land on Earth and pieced it together, you would not cover the Pacific Ocean," Voight pointed out.

She added that she had last seen a new octopus in 2023, off the coast of Costa Rica.

The first sighting of the new blue octopus was made in 2015 near Darwin Island, named after the English scientist whose visit to the Galapagos helped him form the theory of evolution.

Voight's research on the species was published in the journal Zootaxa.