November 20: Stories That Caught Our Attention This Week

Earlier this week, federal officials cleared genetically modified salmon to be safe for human consumption. The AquaAdvantage salmon, engineered by AquaBounty Technologies, is an Atlantic salmon altered to grow to market size in half the time of a regular Atlantic salmon. No matter what side of the GMO debate you sit on, this historic decision marks the first animal FDA-approved for our dinner plate.

A billionaire real estate mogul took his California mansion off the market to do something a little different with the land: Turn it (or, at least, part of it) into a farm. “We’re going to grow tomatoes, potatoes, onions, [and] corn,” Jeff Greene told CNBC. ” Greene suggested he expects his orgo-loving neighbor, a fellow billionaire, to pop through the gate and eat his veggies.

Over in Nigeria, police returned thirty cows to their proper owners after they were taken by cow rustlers associated with Boko Haram. The Guardian reports that 159 cows, 266 sheep, 19 goats, and one horse were found with the rustlers – no word on what’s up with the rest of those animals.

Lastly, this is the saddest and strangest story of counting sheep we have ever heard: A drunk driver in Colorado hit a herd of sheep Tuesday and reportedly kept going. Forty-two in all were killed. The San Luis Valley, where the accident occurred, has open-range areas where drivers are asked to look out for crossing animals. News 9 reported “blood and guts” all over the road. The driver was found, arrested, and has since been released.