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RE: Zana looks like Burtsev was a co-author https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ggn2.10051 The genomic origin of Zana of Abkhazia - Margaryan - 2021 - Advanced Genetics - Wiley Online Library 1 INTRODUCTION. The local folklore of the South Caucasus region of Abkhazia records a “wild woman” named Zana, who lived in the 19th century, who was referred to by some locals as a female Abnauayu or Almasty: names for a creature similar to the infamous Yeti of the Himalayas and Bigfoot of North America, that supposedly lives in the Caucasus and Central Asia. 1, 2 Originally captured ... onlinelibrary.wiley.com

One of the articles that I read today stated that the adults were carrying water, and that water is being tested.

The map in the article suggests it is well up on a hillside in an area steep enough for switchbacks. That more or less removes toxic fumes of any sort from the picture because those, if lighter than air will rise away from the ground, if exactly the same density as air will stir around, and if heavier than air would move downhill into a low spot. I think the answer is in the toxicology reports ... hopefully the contents of the water bladder are being tested as well. Whatever it was, they all had it about the same time and it got them all. That points to food or water .. my guess. I'd guess water. I think it will be one of three things. First, could be they refilled the water bladder with toxic water before starting up the hill. Could be someone introduced a poison to the water bladder without them knowing ... murder in other words. Or it could be a whole family suicide, Jonestown style: in that case, motives need to be examined: family finances and / or newly discovered medical issues. Yuck. I am sad for them. MIB

I just came home from emergency appendectomy at my local hospital. Had to wait hours in pain, in the ER cue. Just glad they diagnosed appendicitis quickly once I got a CT scan. I was able to get pain meds and fluids intravenously until I got into surgery, which was laparoscopic — no big cut, just 3 little incisions. I was out in time to go home for the night. I really feel for anyone who gets appendicitis or any other health emergency while off hiking somewhere. Do any of you who go deep outback have a “Plan B” for getting to hospital?

Speaking of autofocus option..... Early last week, I went for a quick overnight. Using my thermal, I was able to see mice running hither and yon all night long. Late into the evening, as I was scanning the woods, I picked up something between two trees. It was moving while in place. A second, or two, later I watched a mouse run toward the unidentified object. Then, with a silent and sudden movement, the object leaped upon the mouse. It was an owl. I focused my attention on the black object that was about human height although I could not see any lower body. The angle was odd as the trees, and the object in between, was at 45 degrees. I assumed the lower body was being hidden by one of the trees. It never dawned on me an owl would be on a branch that low. I should have magnified the object x 4.6 then manually focused, then magnified x 9.2 and manually focused. I didn't as I was watching the object for every movement. When I watched the video on my 32" computer screen, it was clear from the start the object was an owl. You could make out the details of the head not readily apparent on the thermal's small OMELED screen. Oh well, a little fun that night and a lesson learned. I'll see if I can upload the video--my skills in this regard are sorely lacking.

If you want something that looks like aliens… https://agenda.ge/en/news/2021/2299 500 sheep found dead from a single lightning strike. The shepherd claims to have been knocked unconscious, but suffered no lasting injury. They are having a vet autopsy some of the sheep, because apparently there is a lot of doubt that lightning caused these deaths. "Even though the shepherd said that lightning was the cause of the deaths, Tonoiani said that there is no official confirmation on it."