| Welcome to MNN's daily newsletter for Thursday, Dec. 29. For breaking news throughout the day, visit us online at the Mother Nature Network. |
EDITORS' PICKS:
For inspirational stories of weight loss and healthy living, look no further than the accomplishments of these 10 celebrities. In 2011, each took steps to transform their lives and overhaul their diets to achieve spectacular results. Read the story... |
Our photo editor has scoured the web for the best animal images of December. See a riot dog in Greece, a wall of water and much more. Read the story... |
MNN's family blogger took her two young daughters to see Spielberg's take on the swashbuckling adventures of Tintin. Does she recommend the film? Read the story... |
Whether you're celebrating with 1,000 of your closest friends or snuggling by the fire, we've got a drink sure to help ring in 2012. Read the story... |
Whatever your island vacation wish list holds, these Spanish treasures are likely to fit the bill. Get set for beaches, rain forests, trekking, camping and pampering. Read the story... |
THIS DAY IN HISTORY:
 Dec. 29, 1965: In what some call "the birth of environmental law," a U.S. Appeals Court rejects a license for Consolidated Edison, New York City's electric utility, to build a "pump-storage" facility at Storm King Mountain north of the city. The project would have carved away the face of the scenic mountain, drawn water from the Hudson River, and released that water to turn electricity-generating turbines. Con Ed abandons the project in 1981. Dec. 29, 2008: A report says that about half of the forest west of Mexico City that is the wintering ground for monarch butterflies has been leveled by illegal logging. |
