Earth Changes
The photo of lightning bursting out during a volcanic eruption in Chile, above, was a truly awesome sight. Although the picture seemed to show a thunderstorm colliding with the cloud of volcanic ash, it actually showed a marvellous phenomenon known as volcanic lightning.
Usually, lightning is sparked off by countless tiny pieces of ice inside a turbulent thundercloud banging into one another. Each collision generates static electricity, rather like a balloon rubbed on a jumper.
"We're outraged by the slowness of the response of the government of Burma (Myanmar) to welcome and accept assistance," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Zalmay Khalilzad, told reporters.
"It's clear that the government's ability to deal with the situation, which is catastrophic, is limited."
Comment: Hurricane Katrina was also catastrophic, as well as the US government's dealing with that situation.
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©REUTERS/Stringer |
Survivors are seen at their home, which was destroyed by Cyclone Nargis, near the town of Kyaiklat, southwest of Yangon, May 7, 2008. |
But a few civilians refused to leave two villages near the Chaiten volcano in southern Chile which began erupting last week for the first time in thousands of years, a Reuters witness said.
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©REUTERS/Antonio de la Jara |
Smoke and ash rise for thousands of meters through a thick layer of clouds from the crater of the Chaiten volcano in southern Chile, May 7, 2008. |
It believes this year will be one of the hottest on record.
The Met Office will issue the warning at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Hampton Court Palace flower show this July.
Comment: Note that this article does not include the latest disaster in Myanmar, which caused the death of hundred thousand people.
Mr Gould has spent more than 10 years researching biofuels and eventually came up with what he and his business partner Martin Novak, of Whian Whian, believe is the perfect solution - a plant native to both India and northern Australia called pongamia.
In its bulletin, Phivolcs said a 4.6-magnitude quake was recorded in Legaspi City, Albay province. The quake was felt at Intensity 3 in Irosin, Sorsogon and Legaspi City and Intensity 2 in Lignon Hill, Legaspi City and Masbate, Masbate .
Its epicenter was located 38 kilometers southwest of Legaspi City and had a depth of 22 kilometers, which volcanologists consider as shallow.
Comment: This article continues the "global warming" myth, despite scientific evidence that show that the planet is cooling instead of warming.