Blind albinos, buried for millennia

[dwenius]

So in this article from the SF Chronicle, we learn of an Israeli high schooler who was exploring a series of tunnels and caves exposed during "routine digging" in a cement quarry near the town of Ramle, and who discovered EIGHT new species, including tiny scorpions and crayfish-looking crustaceans. This is cool, and you should read the article to learn more, but the quote that really jumped out is this one:

Yoel Feldschue, managing director of Nesher Industries, a cement manufacturer that operates the site, said the company would cease digging to preserve the cave network and allow the scientists to continue their research.

Does that strike anyone else as wonderfully unusual? In the U.S., there would be lawsuits and federal intervention as commercial and conservationist forces battled for control (Spotted owl, marbled murrelet, snail darter, etc.)

Comments

[pobig.livejournal.com]

I don't know how a domestic company would react to a discovery of this significance.. pretty amazing to find a sealed-off underground ecosystem like that.