Context:

Cambridge University researchers discovered that a 16th century property record cover was made from repurposed pages of a medieval manuscript, the 'Suite Vulgate du Merlin,' detailing Merlin's adventures with King Arthur. Advances in technology allowed the team to virtually unravel these delicate pages, revealing hidden stories without damaging them. Simultaneously, new insights into the evolutionary history of the Tyrannosaurus rex suggest it became a dominant predator in North America due to climatic shifts and vacuums in the food chain. South Korea's Haenyeo divers have adapted uniquely to their underwater environment, with physiological traits aiding their breath-hold diving practices. Meanwhile, the Axial Seamount, an underwater volcano, is showing signs of potential eruption, yet life continues to flourish around its hydrothermal vents despite the hostile conditions.

Dive Deeper:

• The cover of a 16th-century property record at Cambridge University was found to be made from medieval manuscript pages, specifically from the 'Suite Vulgate du Merlin,' which narrates Merlin's assistance to King Arthur.

• Researchers utilized advanced imaging techniques to virtually unfold and read the fragile 13th-century manuscript pages without causing physical damage, revealing new insights into historical narratives.

• The evolutionary trajectory of the Tyrannosaurus rex has been better understood with new findings suggesting it crossed a land bridge from Asia to North America and grew in size as global temperatures dropped, becoming a top predator after another carnivorous dinosaur group's extinction.

• The Haenyeo, female divers from South Korea's Jeju Island, have developed distinct physiological adaptations such as slower heart rates and genetic variations that help them manage the pressures of deep-sea diving without breathing equipment.

• The Axial Seamount, an active underwater volcano, is currently inflating with magma, indicating a potential eruption. Despite this volatile environment, marine life thrives around its hydrothermal vents, which release mineral-rich gases.

• David Attenborough has released a new documentary titled 'Ocean' for his 99th birthday, focusing on the ecological significance and the threats facing the ocean, described as 'the most important place on Earth.'

• Additional stories include the potential reawakening of the 'zombie volcano' Uturuncu in the Andes and the crash landing of Soviet-era spacecraft Cosmos 482, as well as the decoding of an ancient scroll affected by the Mount Vesuvius eruption.