A volunteer at the UK National Archives stumbled upon a rare 1776 printing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence while cataloging letters from a Royal Navy captain. The document was found in the papers of the Dalton, an American privateer captured by the British on Christmas Eve 1776. Michael Scurr, a retired insurance executive who has volunteered for 11 years, was sifting through the captain's correspondence last May when he unfolded a paper labeled only as "another paper" and saw the word "Declaration" printed across the top. Researchers have since identified it as one of just 11 known copies of the so-called Exeter printing, produced in Exeter, New Hampshire, between July 16 and 19, 1776, to spread the news of independence after the original was signed on July 4. This copy is the only one found outside the United States. The document is significant not only for its age but because it was captured from a ship operating under the Continental Congress with orders signed by John Hancock. Amanda Bevan, head of the National Archives' project cataloging Royal Navy correspondence from the American Revolution, notes that while the public knows about the Continental Army's hardships at places like Valley Forge, little attention has been paid to Americans who went to sea to disrupt British trade and fight the Royal Navy. The discovery suggests how the declaration was used: Bevan believes the Dalton's captain would have read the declaration aloud to the crew, reminding them they were fighting for an ideal, not just personal grievances. The Dalton, an 18-gun privateer, was chased for seven hours by the 64-gun HMS Raisonnable and captured off Portugal. Its 120-man crew was imprisoned in Plymouth, England, under harsh conditions. Charles Hebert, a 19-year-old crew member, described hunger, illness, and punishment in his journals before being released in a prisoner exchange over two years later. Historians in the United States are also excited. Matthew Skic of the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia calls the find "not just a document, it's an artifact" that provides a tangible link to the past. He adds that after 250 years, there are still discoveries to be made about the American Revolution.

In June, a bellowing and blubbery 5-year-old elephant seal named Neil hauled himself onto land for his twice-yearly tour of beachside towns in southern Tasmania, Australia, after months of feeding at sea. Neil, the only male elephant seal to visit Tasmania in years, has gained a massive TikTok following of 1.4 million people — in part because he acts like kind of a jerk.

Neil weighs about 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds), which is as much as a small car. His rampage through local infrastructure has destroyed bent traffic bollards, a sign warning the public about seals, and a fence that didn't survive his attempt to vault over it. The rest of the time he lies placidly wherever he wants, sometimes in the middle of the road, bringing towns to a standstill.

But officials say their biggest concern is that Neil's popularity could lead to dangerous human-seal encounters. "Neil's fame is a bit of a double-edged sword," said Kris Carlyon from Tasmania's Department of Natural Resources and Environment at a news conference. "We have had some pretty silly behavior, instances with people carrying their small babies up close to him and simply trying to get that shot for Instagram."

Officials have urged the public not to share Neil's exact location online, fearing a disastrous encounter could force rangers into a risky operation to move him elsewhere. Carlyon also warned of a worse outcome: In 2023, a walrus named Freya who drew huge crowds in Norway was euthanized after officials cited a growing risk to human safety. "There is a risk here of essentially loving Neil to death," he said.

Neil's antics — like picking fights with parked cars and smashing through barriers — have prompted some online to hail him as an anti-authoritarian hero. But experts say it's normal behavior for a growing seal. Juvenile male elephant seals need to practice for dominance battles where adults rear up and crash their chests together while competing for breeding opportunities, explained Sophia Volzke, an elephant seal scientist at the University of Tasmania. With no other juveniles to practice with, Neil can only rehearse on Toyotas.

It's usual for seals to return twice a year to the place they were born to rest, fast, and shed fur. What's unusual about Neil is that he's the only male elephant seal hauling ashore in Tasmania. Sub-Antarctic islands south of Tasmania are home to breeding populations of elephant seals, and Neil's mother would have arrived from one of them to give birth. Females have been spotted ashore in Tasmania before, but they don't cause the same chaos because they stay smaller.

"Humans got rid of those animals and now maybe they are coming back and repopulating areas that they were previously seen in," Volzke said. "We do need to find a way to coexist."

That could prove tricky for Neil and for the rangers, police officers, and security guards who follow in his wake. If he survives to adulthood, Neil could measure up to 5 meters (16 feet) in length and weigh triple what he does now. However, about 90% of male elephant seals die before they reach breeding age (around 10 years old).

For now, Neil is occupying a stretch of sidewalk, unmoving and unbothered. Sometimes he cuddles with an orange traffic cone, to the delight of his online followers. It isn't clear why he prefers that location, which he has returned to even after being ushered away by rangers. "He's obviously decided this puddle surrounded by bollards, which are horizontal at the moment, is his spot," said Carlyon.

His fans can relate. The locals have mixed feelings. "He's one of our biggest exports at the moment," said Dale Creamer, a resident of the town Neil is currently trashing. "It's Neil's world and we're just living in it."

It's become one of the most memorable sights of the US team's World Cup run: jubilant players joining tens of thousands of fans in singing John Denver's 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' after matches. Even coach Mauricio Pochettino, who was born in Argentina and lives in Spain, joined in after Wednesday's 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina, belting out the lyrics as he hugged his players and staff.

'Country Roads' co-writer Bill Danoff told the Associated Press he's honored the US team has embraced the song. He believes Denver, who died in a 1997 plane crash, would have loved watching the match. 'It was such an exciting game -- they were down a player with a red card, but they still won,' Danoff said. He added, 'I thought, Gee, I wish John was still here. John got super excited about stuff like that.'

The John Denver estate said it's 'thrilled' by the song's revival at the World Cup, noting that its message 'transcends geography' and that its 'simple, clear, and relatable' lyrics make it perfect for a sing-along. 'Everyone knows what Take me home to the place I belong is about,' the estate said. 'It's not limited to West Virginia.'

Despite the lyrics' heartfelt embrace of West Virginia, the song actually has its origins in Maryland. Danoff has said the inspiration came from a drive he and his then-wife, co-writer Taffy Nivert, took along Maryland's winding Clopper Road to attend a family reunion in Gaithersburg, about 25 miles east of the West Virginia border. 'I just started thinking, country roads, I started thinking of me growing up in western New England and going on all these small roads,' Danoff said in 2020.

Danoff and Nivert originally planned to sell the song to Johnny Cash. But when they played an unfinished version for their friend John Denver, he convinced them to let him record it instead. The song, released in 1971, became Denver's biggest hit and has been a mainstay for decades.

According to The Athletic, FIFA officials added 'Country Roads' to its postgame playlist options in hopes of creating a shared moment between the US team and its supporters. It debuted after the US's 2-0 win over Australia in Seattle, becoming an immediate hit both in the stadium and on social media. 'You could feel the connection with the fans,' midfielder Weston McKennie said.

The song didn't get quite the same reception on June 25 at Los Angeles Stadium, coming after a deflating, though insignificant, last-minute US loss to Turkey. But it came back in force Wednesday evening in Santa Clara, California, as the US defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina to advance to the round of 16.

'Country Roads' has long been a sports staple. It's a mainstay at West Virginia University football games, where Mountaineer fans serenade the team after home victories. It's even found a home in Europe, where fans sing it during the NFL's annual visit to Germany, and in the English Premier League, where Manchester United supporters tweaked the words to sing about their own 'home' -- Old Trafford stadium.

Meanwhile, the England national team has similarly adopted Oasis's 'Wonderwall.' Standing in a line, arms around each other's shoulders, the English players sang the 1995 hit after their 4-2 opening victory against Croatia, something captain Harry Kane called 'one of my favorite ever moments in an England shirt.'