A window to the sky

"Without the dark, we'd never see the stars." 4/5/18 Building the World's Largest Telescope Underneath the University of Arizona's football stadium are the beginnings of the Giant Magellan Telescope, set to be the largest optical telescope in the world. The Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory is the only place equipped to manufacture gigantic 27-foot tall mirrors, the kind needed to build the heart of the Magellan.  The Queen of the Butterflies Named after King Edward VII's wife, the Queen Alexandra birdwing is one of the largest species of butterfly in the world. Native to Papua New Guinea, these beauties are speedy, thanks to a wingspan that measures nearly a foot in length. Sadly, as demand for palm oil, coffee and cocoa increase in the region, their natural rainforest habitats are being destroyed. The Dark Side of the Coop With a heart as black as our souls, Indonesia's Ayam Cemani are our new goth dream queens. Known for their distinct melanin pigment, these birds are entirely black, from their feathers all the way down to their organs and bones. Thought to be the bearer of good fortune and prosperity, demand for these chickens have increased over the years. Today, a single bird can sell for $700-$1,400 on the market. Copyright © 2018 Great Big Story, LLC, All rights reserved.You are receiving this message because you subscribed to the Great Big Story newsletter. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list