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Coconut crabs may hold clue to Amelia Earhart fate

  Coconut crabs may hold clue to Amelia Earhart fate Www.nationalgeographic.com 4 Minutes Read 849 Words EN By Rachel Hartigan Last updated October 24, 2025 Amelia Earhart’s fate may be tied to the giant coconut crabs of Nikumaroro , in Kiribati. Members of the National Geographic-sponsored expedition that last searched the island for traces of the pilot—famous for being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic—knew to keep a wary eye out for the enormous crustaceans. Adult coconut crabs are longer than a reporter’s notebook, wider than an archaeologist’s trowel, and roughly the same size as an explorer’s hiking boot. As the largest land invertebrate on the planet, coconut crabs can measure up to three feet across and clock in at over nine pounds. In short, they are too big. A coconut crab on Nikumaroro Island. Gabriel Scarlett, National Geographic During the day, when expedition scientists do most of their work on the Pacific oceanic atoll, the crabs are easily avoided....

The mystery woman at the heart of Beethoven’s secret love affair

Www.nationalgeographic.com 8 Minutes Read 1772 Words EN Premium HISTORY & CULTURE The discovery of a love letter revealed the depths of Beethoven’s yearning for his "immortal beloved." Scholars have been piecing together clues to her identity ever since. Ludwig van Beethoven wasn’t as unlucky in love as it may have seemed. Although the late composer died without having married, a love letter found in his desk has ignited centuries of speculation about his furtive—and forbidden—romance. Joseph Carl Stieler, Artothek / Bridgeman Images By Parissa DJangi Published November 7, 2025 Ludwig van Beethoven appeared to be as unsuccessful in love as he was successful in music. When the celebrated composer died on March 26, 1827, he left no widow to mourn him—just an adoring public who lined the streets to catch a glimpse of his funeral procession. But when Beethoven’s secretary Anton Schindler went through his late employer’s desk, he made a discovery that kickstarted one of music ...

Inside the story of Javed Iqbal Mughal

Inside the story of Javed Iqbal Mughal Javed Iqbal Mughal was one of the most prolific serial killers in history. Between 1998 and 1999, he confessed to the sexual abuse and murder of over 100 young boys in Lahore, Pakistan, ranging in age from 6 to 16 years old. His crimes were among the most horrific ever documented. Iqbal's Early Life and Crimes Iqbal was born in 1961 in Lahore, Pakistan, the sixth of eight children in a middle-class family. From a young age, he exhibited disturbing behaviour, including accusations of sexually assaulting young boys in the 1980s and 1990s. However, he was never convicted due to his ability to bribe the victims' families and avoid police investigation. In the late 1990s, Iqbal's criminal activities escalated dramatically. He lured vulnerable street children and orphans to his home, where he would sexually assault, strangle, and dismember them. Iqbal would then dissolve the bodies in vats of hydrochloric acid to destroy any evidence. Iqbal ...