MUIR WOODS NATIONAL MONUMENT PARK, Calif. (AP) — A huge redwood tree fell and killed a man visiting Muir Woods National Monument Park in California on Christmas Eve, authorities said Thursday.
Subhradeep Dutta, 28, of Edina, Minnesota, died while walking on a marked dirt trail with two other people in the park north of San Francisco famous for its towering trees, according to the Marin County coroner's office and a spokesman for the park.
Dutta was pinned by the trunk of the 200-foot (60.96-meters)-tall tree and was pronounced dead at the scene. The trunk measured more than 4 feet (1.22 meters) in diameter.
A woman injured by falling debris was taken to the hospital for treatment. A man hiking with the group escaped injury.
The tree fell following a series of winter storms over the past two weeks.
“This is a very rare, and isolated event that may have occurred due to wet ground from recent winter storms, around the roots of the tree,” park spokesman Charles Strickfaden said in an email.
“The National Park Service extends its thoughts and prayers to all those involved,” he wrote.
Almost a million visitors visit the park each year. It remained open Thursday and only the areas affected by debris from the fallen tree were closed to the public.
In its pick of two small start-ups over Bird, Lime, Uber, and Lyft, San Francisco sent a signal that the most valuable mobility companies' "launch first, ask questions later" approach is catching up to them. Scoot Global and Skip were chosen because they said they would keep riders off the sidewalks and would provide services to low-income residents. Meanwhile, Santa Monica announced that it would open its shared mobility pilot program to e-scooters from Uber, Lyft, Bird, and Lime.
Paul Johnson, partner at Harbor Peak, said regulators are nervous about being interpreted as backing crypto investing. But Bitcoin and Ethereum continue to benefit from widespread user adoption, while other platforms will likely fade away.
The Endowment for Clean Oceans is holding a contest for anyone with an idea that could remove some of the plastic choking our oceans. Founder Daniel Perrin said there's emerging technology that could help the process, and he wants to jumpstart it.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
The red-hot cannabis market is not sustainable as is, according to industry analyst Matt Karnes. But that doesn't mean it isn't a great long-term story.
Gene Munster thinks so. The managing partner at Loup Ventures said Tim Cook could help rein in the ambitions of Elon Musk. But a merger won't be likely unless Tesla runs into real financial troubles.
Kathy Ireland, Chief Brand Strategist of Level Brands, spoke with Cheddar about her company's dive into the CBD market. Shares of cannabis companies have been soaring as momentum grows for wide marijuana legalization.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
AIEQ is the first ETF to apply artificial intelligence throughout the investment process, using social media and news trends in addition to taking information from the stock market. Art Amador of EquBot explains how A.I. can help investors make better decisions.
As Hurricane Lane churns toward the Hawaiian islands, Axios science editor Andrew Freedman said the state needs to get used to a future where it sees more storms.
