PetaPixel: Elephant Seal Scolds Penguins in Superb Photo Shortlisted for Wildlife Award. “The 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year has unveiled its shortlist — and there are some real bangers on there. The contest takes entries from the majestic Australasian Realm, including the ANZANG bioregion consisting of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, and New Guinea.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/06/25/petapixel-elephant-seal-scolds-penguins-in-superb-photo-shortlisted-for-wildlife-award/
2026 Frikkin Lasers Contest: Steampunk, 360 O-Scope Does It With Tubes

Audiophiles all know everything sounds better fed through vacuum tubes, but did you know visualizers look better with them, too? That’s what we’re forced to conclude looking at the Tach…

Hackaday
2026 Frikkin Lasers Contest: Glow Engine Is Like An Open Air Slow Scan CRT

Slow-scan CRTs were never exactly common compared to their faster cousins, but given the popularity of Slow Scan TV (SSTV) amongst hams and NASA broadcasts, many of you are probably familiar with t…

Hackaday

Imagined Endings

Perhaps you remember the “Dear Aliens” contest? Maybe you even submitted a story to be shared with our alien visitors? 

Mr Man and I have had a lot going on over the past few months so I did not get a story together, but I’m glad that many of you did. And now, the winners have been announced!

To Those Arriving Soon by MacEagon Voyce

“You’ll know by now that we humans fear the unknown, and that we fill that chasm with stories, imagining endings we have some agency over.”

See the full list for the top ten stories, and enjoy!

* * *

Photo by Tyler Lastovich on Unsplash #365Ways #365Ways2026 #aliens #contests #freeFiction #scifi #Writers #writing #writingContest
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/08/murder-exploited-lies-race-privilege-henry-nowak. "The battle was pretty much lost long ago - with the ground eroding every time a liberal political leader hid from... #culturewars, or sought to appease by acknowledging so-called 'legitimate concerns' & the nativist obsession with strong borders... the second best time to start the fight is now. We either accept that racial victimhood is... a growing feature of our politics, or remake that politics by standing in the winds of backlash to grapple with #race #contests..."
What to do as murder is exploited to spread lies about race and privilege? Stand firm – fight back

Too many leaders have appeased the rightwing culture warriors. In the wake of the Henry Nowak rioting, the time for a push against toxicity and untruths is now, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik

The Guardian

UPI: Doodle for Google contest winner celebrates beauty of textured hair. “Google has announced the winner of its 17th Doodle for Google contest. Washington high schooler Kameirah won the competition with her illustration celebrating kinky hair and its culture.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/06/05/upi-doodle-for-google-contest-winner-celebrates-beauty-of-textured-hair/
UPI: Doodle for Google contest winner celebrates beauty of textured hair

UPI: Doodle for Google contest winner celebrates beauty of textured hair. “Google has announced the winner of its 17th Doodle for Google contest. Washington high schooler Kameirah won the com…

ResearchBuzz: Firehose