Sunday, November 29, 2009

If global temperatures rise just 2 degrees Celsiuswe won't be around


For Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, the cold scientific numbers of the climate debate add up to the very survival of his tropical Indian Ocean state.
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Friday, November 27, 2009

Cassini Captures Ghostly Dance of Saturn's Northern Lights



In the first video showing the auroras above the northern latitudes of Saturn, Cassini has spotted the tallest known "northern lights" in the solar system, flickering in shape and brightness high above the ringed planet.
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Maps depict effect of climate change

The Victorian Government has released maps showing the possible effects of sea level rises on vulnerable coastal regions over the next 100 years.According to these maps some townships could become submerged during extreme storm events, as water levels rise over the next century. Portland, Port Fairy, Port Phillip, Barwon Heads, Tooradin and Seaspray regions are the most risk prone areas.The study reveals that the sea levels during extreme storms could rise anywhere between 80 centimetres and 1.4 metres, over the next century. The Environment Minister, Gavin Jennings said that the study is more accurate than a similar Commonwealth study released on the weekend. More detailed reports are expected to be released by next year. 

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Agriculture Can Adapt to Climate Change


Better crop management, including smarter application of pesticides, can help poor farmers cope with climate change. New knowledge, technology and policy for agriculture have never been more critical, and adaptation and mitigation strategies must urgently be applied to national and regional development programmes.
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Monday, November 16, 2009

'Eye in the sky' to monitor irrigation projects

With some states not fully utilising the Centrally-funded scheme to create irrigation facilities, Government has decided to assign the National Remote Sensing Center to monitor 50 projects using satellite imagery.The satellite imagery will be used to confirm the progress made by states in carrying out irrigation projects under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP). The Water Resources Ministry and the Central Water Commission will also carry out field visits to monitor physical progress and financial performance of ongoing projects.Earlier also center had used remote sensing technology to monitor 53 projects. It had later provided the Ministry with assessments of 48 projects which had helped in pinpointing gaps in the network which lead to non-continuity of the network for irrigation delivery.
Source

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Grow Your Own Electricity


How about a really small power plant in your basement? And your neighbors and the folks down the street. Engineers at automaker Volkswagen are getting ready to build small natural gas-powered generators intended to go into people’s basements or garages.
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Friday, November 13, 2009

Eruptions at Mayon

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World Not Ending in 2012, Says NASA

Contrary to what you may read on the Internet, the world is not going to end in 2012. A rogue planet named Nibiru is not on a collision course with Earth. And a solar flare won't toast the planet.
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Cold days in Central India

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Saturday, November 7, 2009

How Saturated Fatty Acids 'Anger' The Immune System (And How To Stop Them)

Researchers have new evidence to explain how saturated fatty acids, which soar in those who are obese, can lead the immune system to respond in ways that add up to chronic, low-grade inflammation. The new results could lead to treatments designed to curb that inflammatory state, and the insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes that come with it..
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Thursday, November 5, 2009

Giant Jellyfish Sink 10-Ton Fishing Boat



A 10-ton fishing boat has been sunk by gigantic jellyfish off eastern Japan. The crew of the fishing boat was thrown into the sea when the vessel capsized, but the three men were rescued by another trawler.

The trawler, called the Diasan Shinsho-maru, capsized off Chiba as its three-man crew was trying to haul in a net containing dozens of huge Nomura's jellyfish. Each of the jellyfish can weigh up to 200 kg (about 440 pounds) and waters around Japan have been inundated with the creatures this year.. ..
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Monday, November 2, 2009

Sea Slime Killing U.S. Seabirds



Hundreds of birds are washing up on the shores of the U.S. Pacific Northwest coated with a foamy sea slime, scientists say.

The slime, which comes from algae blooms in the ocean, saps the waterproofing ability of the birds' feathers, experts say. Untold hundreds have died, succumbing to hypothermia or predators such as eagles.Nearly 500 of the slimed birds have been transported to the rescue center in Fairfield, California, which was specially built to care for coastal wildlife contaminated with oil. Many of the slime victims have been released.