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By Taylor Nicioli, CNN

(CNN) — When scientists with the National Center for Wildlife in Saudi Arabia were surveying caves in search of wildlife in 2022 and 2023, they came across something unexpected: seven naturally mummified cheetahs in five caves near the northern city of Arar. The remains were largely intact with well-preserved soft tissue and skeletons.

Now, an analysis of three of the mummies’ DNA has revealed something that could help reintroduce cheetahs to the Arabian Peninsula wilderness, researchers say.

Cheetahs once inhabited much of Africa and parts of Asia, but now they are found in only 9% of their historic range. It was previously believed that the Asiatic cheetah, called Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, was the only subspecies ever present in Saudi Arabia. The species is now critically endangered, with a small wild population remaining in Iran. Across the peninsula, cheetahs were deemed locally extinct in the 1970s.

But when the researchers analyzed three of the mummies, they found that two of the oldest specimens were genetically closer to the subspecies Acinonyx jubatus hecki, known as the Northwest African cheetah.

The findings, published in January in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, reveal that at least two subspecies of cheetah once roamed the Arabian Peninsula. The discovery could help reintroduction efforts as scientists now know which cheetah lineages once lived in the peninsula and have evidence of their success in the area.

“It was highly surprising,” said lead author Ahmed Al Boug, an ecologist researcher and deputy CEO of the National Center for Wildlife in Saudi Arabia. “This finding represents the first documented case of natural mummification in cheetahs, and first physical evidence that cheetah subspecies occurred in the Arabian Peninsula.

“Moreover, cave use by cheetahs is extremely atypical behavior, making both the discovery itself and the context in which it occurred entirely unexpected,” he added in an email.

The researchers are investigating why the cheetahs entered and used the caves; they do not believe it was accidental or for isolation as they neared the end of life. Nonetheless, the cave environment and its hyper-arid conditions contributed to the mummification of the cheetahs, Al Boug said.

Reintroducing cheetahs in Saudi Arabia

Alongside the seven cheetah mummies, the researchers came across skeletal remains of 54 additional cats within the caves. The study authors dated five of them and found the oldest to be about 4,000 years old. Two mummies that were analyzed date from about 130 to 1,870 years ago, according to the study. The authors plan to investigate further the remaining mummies and skeleton fragments to potentially identify the subspecies of additional samples, Al Boug said.

“This discovery is significant in that it represents the easternmost record of an African cheetah subspecies and demonstrates that northern Saudi Arabia was occupied by multiple cheetah lineages over millennia,” Al Boug said. “Together, these findings refine our understanding of cheetah landscape use, clarify timelines of regional extirpation, and improve resolution on the subspecies historically present in this region.”

To identify the subspecies of the mummified cheetahs, the authors extracted complete genome sequences from three of the seven remains. It was the first time DNA has been extracted from naturally mummified cheetahs or large felines, according to a news release from the journal.

Adrian Tordiffe, a veterinar

By Amarachi Orie, CNN

(CNN) — Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu has earned her stripes.

“I feel good, I feel confident and I put it all out there,” the 20-year-old said Thursday after winning America’s first gold medal in the Winter Olympics’ women’s free skating event since 2002.

But before becoming a champion, Liu had already given herself a crown of sorts, sporting a captivating hairstyle known as “halo hair” to make her podium intentions clear.

Her iteration of the style features horizontal brunette stripes interrupted by milk-tea-colored rings, with bright blonde transitional lines.

“Revived halos, who dis?” Liu captioned an Instagram post last month that she showed off her refreshed tree ring hairstyle.

“OMG SO GOOD,” commented fellow US figure skater Bradie Tennell, with a fire emoji.

Liu’s hairstylist Kelsey Miller also gave the skater her flowers when sharing various images on Instagram of the “angel halos,” describing her client as “an inspiration.”

“I hope the world never lets you down or tries to take your sparkle away from you!” Miller said, adding that she “can’t wait to see those halos spin on the ice tonight.”

Miller said in an Instagram reel on Wednesday that she was “shocked” after receiving a request from Liu, who wanted her gingery tree rings turned a milk tea color, which is closer to platinum blonde.

“Usually, I do it like a gingery color, but I was like, I want something different. Like, I want it lighter,” Liu told NBC in January, adding that she ended up at the salon in St. Louis, Missouri, because she couldn’t get it as light as she desired with her usual DIY approach.

Starting the style in 2023, Liu said she adds a stripe every year, which is why she now parades three rings in her hair.

“So, it’s going to be like this for a year and then next year, wintertime, like end of December, I do another ring,” Liu added.

Meaning, soon enough, she could have the five rings symbolic of the Olympic Games.

Yet, wait for her to grin and another striking ring-shape is very clear – but this gem is in her mouth.

Hanging over the skater’s front teeth, Liu has what’s known as the “smiley” piercing, which goes through her frenulum, the thin tissue between the upper lip and gum, and is visible when she smiles.

The self-belief that drove her to be a champion on ice is no better highlighted than in her dauntless piercing experience.

Liu told TMJ4 News that she got the piercing about two years ago, saying it was painless. “I did it myself,” she said, adding her sister helped and held up her lip.

And Liu is not only Olympian showcasing individuality and expression during the Winter Games.

Olympic nails have been seen clasping medals on more than one occasion.

Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam showed off her manicure featuring white Olympic rings after winning gold last week.

Another version, featuring gold stars, was also spotted on the nai

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