The Lord Of The Rings villain Sauron has become the namesake of a new group of butterflies, chosen by scientists in a bid to draw attention to their beauty.
Saurona was picked as the butterflies’ genus name thanks to the black rings on their vivid orange wings, reminiscent of the all-seeing eye described in JRR Tolkien’s books, and subsequently depicted in the Lord Of The Rings films and TV series.
There are currently only two members of this new group – Saurona triangula and Saurona aurigera – however many more as-yet-undescribed species are thought to exist.
Saurona is one of several new butterfly groups described by an international team of researchers in a new paper, and one of two named by Dr Blanca Huertas, senior curator of butterflies at the Natural History Museum.
Dr Huertas and a fellow researcher named the second genus Argenteria, which translates into English as silver mine, in reference to the silver scales on the flying insects’ wings.
Dr Huertas said: “Naming a genus is not something that happens very often, and it’s even more rare to be able to name two at once.
“It was a great privilege to do so, and now means that we can start describing new species that we have uncovered as a result of this research.”
More on Lord Of The Rings
Related Topics:
She added: “Giving these butterflies an unusual name helps to draw attention to this underappreciated group. It shows that, even among a group of very similar-looking species, you can find beauty among the dullness.”
Experts hope that piquing public interest will help pave the way to finding out more about the species, including whether they are endemic to an area, or vulnerable to extinction.
Advertisement
Published in a new paper, the findings are the result of a decade’s worth of work by a team of 30 international scientists, studying the butterfly subtribe Euptychiina.
The global collaboration included researchers from Natural History Museum London, Harvard University, Florida Museum of Natural History, and Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig.
More than 400 different species were analysed, with the Natural History Museum’s butterfly collections of more than 5.5 million specimens contributing significantly.
Advances in DNA sequencing allowed researchers to identify similar-looking species not only by their appearance but also by their genetics.
The butterflies are not the first creatures to be named after Sauron – with a dung beetle, a frog, and a dinosaur already taking the villain’s moniker.
The findings are published in the journal Systematic Entomology.
Jaguar has left people scratching their heads with a new glossy advert which fails to show any cars.
The British luxury vehicle maker has released a commercial featuring a series of models, in brightly-coloured clothing, emerging from a lift into an austere landscape.
They are then seen in various poses as different slogans appear on screen, including “live vivid”, “delete ordinary” and “copy nothing”.
But it has created a series of reactions online from ridicule to confusion, because there is no hint of any cars.
Tesla boss Elon Musk tweeted a response to Jaguar’s advert posted on X by asking: “Do you sell cars?”
It prompted the reply: “Yes. We’d love to show you” followed by an invite to a promotional event. But others on X continued to question the advert and what it represented.
“Umm where are the cars in this ad?” one user posted, while a second wrote: “I thought you guys made cars?”
There was also confusion from another person who asked: “What are you trying to sell me?”
Jaguar teased that: “All will be revealed… Think of this [advert] as a declaration of intent. We’re shifting gears, not our purpose. Stay tuned.”
Advertisement
X
This content is provided by X, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable X cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to X cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow X cookies for this session only.
In a news release to accompany the advert, the carmaker described it as part of a “completely transformed Jaguar brand” and “a new era” which makes “it relevant for a contemporary audience”.
“This is a complete reset,” said managing director Rawdon Glover. “To bring back such a globally renowned brand we had to be fearless.”
In the lead-up to the campaign, Jaguar announced it was discontinuing five models with “close to zero profitability”.
It has developed three new ultra-luxury electric vehicles, one of which is set to be unveiled at Miami’s Art Basel event next month.
Irish actor Paul Mescal says meeting King Charles was not on his “list of priorities”.
The 28-year-old star was introduced to the reigning monarch at the Gladiator II world premiere on Wednesday.
The historical epic picks up 20 years after the Oscar-winning original, and marks Mescal‘s first big studio movie after success in TV and independent film, playing Roman warrior Lucius Verus.
Talking about his brush with royalty on the red carpet of the film’s Los Angeles premiere on Monday, Mescal told US outlet Variety he did not see it coming.
He said: “How wild is it? It’s definitely not something that I thought was in the bingo cards.
“I’m Irish, so it’s not on the list of priorities”.
He then swiftly turned the answer to the film’s 86-year-old director, Ridley Scott, saying: “It’s an amazing thing for Ridley because I know how important that is for him.
More on Paul Mescal
Related Topics:
“So, to see his film celebrated in that context was pretty special.”
Ahead of the premiere, both Mescal and Scott had enjoyed a champagne reception at Buckingham Palace, and so were already in a celebratory mood on their arrival.
Advertisement
Due to the large number of people at the event, Mescal admitted it was also hard to hear what was being said during his exchange with the King, so he was “nodding along and smiling”.
The world premiere was held in aid of the Film and TV Charity, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, and marked the first premiere Charles attended as King.
The King also met with Mescal’s co-stars including Oscar-winner Denzel Washington and Narcos actor Pedro Pascal.
Other celebrities to attend included actor Joseph Fiennes and TV presenter Claudia Winkleman.
Reviews of the film have been mixed thanks to its more-is-more attitude to CGI and OTT storylines, but there is broad agreement that audiences will leave the cinema somewhat entertained.
Sir Ridley – who cast Mescal in the role after a brief Zoom chat with the actor – told Sky News his reason for choosing him was that he saw aspects of “a young Albert Finney” in him.
The original Gladiator starred Russell Crowe as Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius. The Australian actordoes not return for the sequel.
Joaquin Phoenix also had a starring role in the first film, which Scott later admitted he nearly walked out of.
Both Mescal and Scott have teased that they would both be up for a third film.
She said she was leaving to focus on family, but will remain part of the Radio 2 team and will give further details next year.
Announcing the news on her Tuesday show, she said: “After six years of fun times alongside you all on the breakfast show, I’ve decided it’s time to step away from the early alarm call and start a new chapter.
“You know I think the world of you all, listeners, and it truly has been such a privilege to share the mornings with you, to go through life’s little ups and downs, we got through the lockdown together, didn’t we?
“We’ve shared a hell of a lot, the good times, the tough times, there’s been a lot of laughter. And I am going to miss you cats.”
Scott Mills will replace Ball on the breakfast show following her departure next month.
More on Bbc
Related Topics:
“Zoe and I have been such good friends now for over 25 years and have spent much of that time as part of the same radio family here at Radio 2 and also on Radio 1,” he said.
“She’s done an incredible job on this show over the past six years, and I am beyond excited to be handed the baton.”
Advertisement
Hugging outside the BBC building on the day of the announcement, Ball said she was “really chuffed for my mate and really excited about it”.
Ball was the first female host of both the BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 breakfast shows, starting at the Radio 1 breakfast show in 1998, and taking over her current Radio 2 role from Chris Evans in 2020 after he left the show.
She took a break from hosting her show over the summer, returning in September.
Ahead of her stint in radio, Ball – who is the daughter of children’s presenter Johnny Ball – co-hosted the BBC’s Saturday morning children’s magazine show Live & Kicking alongside Jamie Theakston for three years from 1996.
She has two children, Woody and Nelly, with her ex-husband, DJ and musician Norman Cook, known professionally as Fatboy Slim.
Instagram
This content is provided by Instagram, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Instagram cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Instagram cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Instagram cookies for this session only.
Ball said in her announcement her last show towards the end of December will be “just in time for Christmas with plenty of fun and shenanigans”.
“While I’m stepping away from the Breakfast Show, I’m not disappearing entirely – I’ll still be a part of the Radio 2 family, with more news in the New Year,” she added.
“I’m excited to embrace my next chapter, including being a mum in the mornings, and I can’t wait to tune in on the school run!”
Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said: “Zoe has woken up the nation on Radio 2 with incredible warmth, wit and so much joy since January 2019, and I’d like to thank her for approaching each show with as much vim and vigour as if it were her first. I’m thrilled that she’ll remain an important part of the Radio 2 family.”
Mills, 51, got his first presenting role aged just 16 for a local station in Hampshire, and went on to present in Bristol and Manchester, before joining BBC Radio 1 in 1998.
He’s previously worked as a cover presenter on Radio 2, but this is his first permanent role on the station.