Brooklyn’s Makeshift Aquarium Gets Paved Over Brooklyn residents created a makeshift aquarium in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood after a leaky fire hydrant created a puddle in a sidewalk tree pit. They fortified the aquarium with rocks and added goldfish, quickly becoming a social media sensation as the “Bed-Stuy Aquarium.” While some raved about the makeshift aquarium, others worried for the fish and conducted rescue missions with fishing nets. Still, the aquarium remained open with the help of residents setting up watch — until Tuesday, Oct. 22. Fire officials fixed the hydrant on Tuesday, but the aquarium continued to function with the help of water bottles from residents. The city’s Department of Environmental Protection ended the aquarium on Friday, Oct. 25, wrapping tape around the puddle, removing the fish and water, and pouring concrete around the hydrant. While the department issued a statement hoping to work with residents to create an alternative location for the aquarium, many residents disagree with the decision. Woman Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Turtles into Canada Wan Yee Ng, 41, was arrested and pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle 29 eastern box turtles across a Vermont lake into Canada by kayak. Ng, originally from China, was arrested on June 28 after Border Patrol agents were notified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that two other people were paddling an inflatable watercraft towards the United States. Agents found the 29 live eastern box turtles wrapped individually in socks in a duffle bag belonging to Ng, according to court documents. The documents stated that eastern box turtles are known to be sold for $1,000 each on the Chinese black market. Mysterious White Blobs Wash up on Canadian Beaches Newfoundland, Canada, beach goers were surprised by mysterious white blobs instead of seashells in September. Residents began to find white, sponge-like substances along Placentia Bay, baffling residents and scientists. The blobs ranged in sizes from pebbles to plates, with some claiming they smelled like paint. Scientists from Environment and Climate Change Canada collected samples of the blobs and conducted coastal surveys, according to The New York Times. While the federal agency stated there may be evidence of it being derived from plants, the blobs remains a mystery. Ireland’s First Artificial Reef is a Smuggler’s Ship Irish authorities and The Customs and Revenue Commission captured MV Shingle’s crew for attempting to smuggle 32 million cigarettes and 4,500 kilograms of tobacco in June 2014. The 197-foot vessel was in the custody of the Revenue and moored at Dublin’s port — requiring large amounts of money for fees and maintenance. While Ireland’s High Court believed the vessel could be sold, it sat at the port for nine years until being moved to New Ross port and deemed unseaworthy. Scrapping the ship was pricey, so the Revenue Department donated the ship to Killala Bay Ship 2 Reef, a group created for the purpose. Shingle was sunk on Sept. 18 to a depth of about 95 feet in Killala Bay with hopes that it becomes a space for marine life, a tourist attraction, and an opportunity for marine research.