Earth ChangesS


Snowman

Forget global warming: Welcome to the new Ice Age

Snow cover over North America and much of Siberia, Mongolia and China is greater than at any time since 1966.

The U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) reported that many American cities and towns suffered record cold temperatures in January and early February. According to the NCDC, the average temperature in January "was -0.3 F cooler than the 1901-2000 (20th century) average."

Evil Rays

Earthquake hits much of England

The biggest earthquake for nearly 25 years has been felt across large parts of England.

People from as far afield as London, Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester, East Anglia and Yorkshire felt the tremor.

It struck just before 0100 GMT and lasted for nearly 10 seconds but it is unclear if it has caused any damage.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) said it believed the quake was of the magnitude of 5.3 and said the epicentre was in Market Rasen in Lincolnshire.

Info

Greece: Seismologists urge public to ignore rumors that big tremor is on way

The Organization of Antiseismic Planning and Protection yesterday called on citizens to ignore rumors of an imminent powerful earthquake, fueled by a recent series of strong tremors in different parts of the country. "No research indicating an imminent strong tremor has come to our attention," the organization's president, Constantinos Makropoulos, told Skai Radio.

Cloud Lightning

Snow, thunderstorms black out thousands in Southeast US

A broad storm system spread heavy snow across the Great Lakes region Tuesday and fired up violent thunderstorms that knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses in the Southeast.

Info

Invading Bees Take Best Genes from Predecessors

When marauding Vikings decided to settle down they usually "went native,'' marrying local girls and blending in. Invading honey bees may be doing the same. The invasion of new bee populations has attracted attention in recent years with the spread of so-called Africanized, or "killer bees'' moving north from South America.

When a new strain of bees invades a region already populated by honey bees, they interbreed and gain benefits from the genes of their predecessors, researchers report in this week's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Bizarro Earth

Magnitude 7.0 - Kepulauan Mentawai Region, Indonesia

Earthquake Details
Magnitude 7.0
Date-Time

* Monday, February 25, 2008 at 08:36:35 UTC
* Monday, February 25, 2008 at 03:36:35 PM at epicenter
* Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location 2.352°S, 100.018°E
Depth 35 km (21.7 miles) set by location program
Region KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI REGION, INDONESIA

Evil Rays

Magnitude 6.7 quake hits off Indonesia's Sumatra-USGS

A magnitude 6.7 quake hit off the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

It said the quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.9, struck at 1806 GMT 102 miles (164 km) southwest of Padang in Sumatra and was only 21.7 miles (35 km) deep.

Cloud Lightning

Death toll from China snow storms hits 129: report

The death toll from severe snow storms that have paralysed large parts of China this winter has reached 129, state media reported Sunday.

china snowstorm
©Unknown

Cloud Lightning

One killed and one missing as storm lashes Japan

One man has died and another is missing after Japan was battered by strong winds on Sunday, officials said.

A 72-year-old fisherman died after being thrown out of his boat in high waves in the Sea of Japan off Toyama prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, a local government official said.

"Another man has separately been missing, while six others were injured in wind-related incidents," the official said, adding that more than 200 houses were flooded as high surf engulfed large areas near the coast.

Fish

Pygmy sperm whale rescued off Florida Keys

A pygmy sperm whale found stranded off the Florida Keys was in critical condition at a rehabilitation center on Sunday.

The 10 1/2-foot long male was discovered Saturday off Islamorada and transferred to the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo.

pygmy sperm whale
©Florida Keys News Bureau, Bob Care
In this photo released by the Florida Keys News Bureau, marine mammal rescue volunteers Bob Coakley, left, and Lloyd Brown, right, closely examine a pygmy sperm whale at the Marine Mammal Conservancy Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008, in Key Largo, Fla. The 10-foot-long male, estimated to weigh 1,000 pounds, was discovered stranded off the Florida Keys early Saturday, Feb. 23, and was subsequently transported to the Conservancy for care.