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This rare rainbow appeared over the Atacama Desert at 9,500 feet above sea level


European Southern Observatory
Mon, 15 Dec 2014 17:37 UTC
Rainbow
© ESO/A. Silber
Rainbows are widely appreciated for the welcome touch of colour they can bring to an otherwise dark and dreary day, and this rainbow is no exception.

This rare rainbow appears over the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Operations Support Facility (OSF), which lies some 2900 metres above sea level close to San Pedro de Atacama. The OSF is the base camp for the ALMA site, which is significantly higher at over 5000 metres up on the Chajnantor Plateau.

The OSF isn't just a location for operating the giant ALMA Observatory; it is also where new technologies are assembled, integrated, and verified before they are transported to their final destination on Chajnantor. The technology has to be assembled and tested at the OSF because the air is much denser there than on the plateau, and workers can complete their tasks without the adverse health risks associated with working at high altitude.

This rainbow was captured by ESO employee Armin Silber.

Comment: Atacama desert is one of the driest places on Earth, it is almost a miracle that we can admire this beauty.

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Black Cat

Record number of panther attacks on farm animals in Florida

David Fleshler
phys.org
Sun, 14 Dec 2014 18:20 UTC
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A record number of Florida panther attacks on farm animals and pets took place this year, in what the state wildlife commission says is a consequence of the endangered cat's increased population.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Friday confirmed 32 incidents of fatal panther attacks on animals such as goats, sheep, calves, dogs and cats, with more than 50 animals killed. This year also saw a record 20 panthers killed by vehicles.

The commission attributed the increase in killings to the success of state and federal efforts to increase the panther's population. The number of panthers today is estimated at 100 to 180, with the top figure representing a recent upward revision from 160. During the 1970s, the population may have fallen as low as 30.

"Over the past 40 years, Florida panther conservation efforts have resulted in the panther population growing significantly from the 1970s, when the panther was first federally listed as endangered," the agency said. "As the population grows, the chance for interaction between the large cats and humans also increases - which can be bad for both people and panthers."
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Wolf

Young girl severely mauled by dog in Widgee, Australia


Sunshine Coast Daily
Tue, 16 Dec 2014 18:09 UTC
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A five-year-old girl who suffered severe facial injuries in a dog attack at Widgee is recovering after emergency plastic surgery.

It is believed the girl was visiting a Widgee home on Sunday when she suffered several bite marks to her face, leaving injuries to her nose, cheeks and lip.

Gympie Regional Council officers yesterday began an investigation into the incident, which occurred about 5pm Sunday on a private property on Gympie Woolooga Rd.

A worker at Widgee General Store said the girl and her mother were not locals.

The mother turned up at the shop seeking help in an area notorious as a mobile phone black spot.
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Info

Earth might face sixth mass extinction within 100 years

BenTufft
The Independent, UK
Sun, 14 Dec 2014 17:58 UTC
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The rate of extinctions could lead to what is defined as a mass extinction in the next few centuries
The earth could face a mass extinction by the next century if species continue to disappear at the current rate, according to a report by the scientific journal Nature.

Despite conservation attempts by governments across the world to save endangered species, thousands of animal types continue to face extinction every year.

Nature found that 41 per cent of all amphibian species are threatened with extinction, the highest at risk group. A more modest, but still alarming, 26 per cent of mammal species and 13 per cent of bird species are also threatened.

Habitat loss and degradation, as well as specific human activity such as hunting pose a significant hazard to wildlife sustainability and these pressures are only increasing. Similarly, it is thought that climate change will accelerate the rate of extinctions in the future.
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Attention

Wild elephant kills yet another person in Sri Lanka


Ceylon Today
Fri, 12 Dec 2014 16:46 UTC
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A man died yesterday (11th) attacked by a wild elephant in Mangalagama area.

Remains of the victim lie at Maha Oya Hospital awaiting post-mortem.

Mangalagama Police continue further investigations in to the incident.

Comment: Since August elephants on the island of Sri Lanka seems to be going berserk for some reason: Third elephant attack within 3 days in Sri Lanka: Two killed in jumbo attack

Father and son killed in elephant attack, Sri Lanka

2 people killed in another elephant attack in Sri Lanka

Wild elephant attacks kills two in Sri Lanka

One person killed in wild elephant attack in Sri Lanka

Fourth elephant attack within four weeks in Sri Lanka

Two killed in a wild elephant attack in Maankulam, Sri Lanka

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Cow Skull

Endangered northern white rhinos on brink of total extinction

Ekaterina Blinova
Sputnik
Mon, 15 Dec 2014 22:26 UTC
Image
© Wikipedia/ Sheep81
Scientists will make every effort to save the endangered subspecies of the world's biggest northern white rhinos through artificial insemination of female species, although the chances are slim, Vladimir Krever, the WWF Russia coordinator of biodiversity conservation program told RIA Novosti.

Earlier, the San Diego Zoo reported that one of only six northern white rhinoceros remaining in the world died of old age on Sunday, December 14. The rhino, named Angalifu, was almost 44 years old and arrived in San Diego from Sudan in August 1990.

"Angalifu's death is a tremendous loss to all of us. Not only because he was well beloved here at the park but also because his death brings this wonderful species one step closer to extinction," said Randy Rieches, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park curator as cited by the Daily Mail.

Comment: It is such a heart breaking tragedy to see this kind of human caused extinctions continuing to occur due to greed with no regard given to the animals.

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Cheese

Rat infestation worsens at One World Trade Center offices

Marianne Garvey, Brian Niemietz and Oli Coleman
New York Daily News
Fri, 12 Dec 2014 20:39 UTC
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The rodents have pestered the staffs of Vanity Fair and Vogue. Conde told employees that they cannot eat at their desks and that a complaint will be made with the city's health department.

Conde Nast's rat problem is getting worse rather than better.

While Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter tells Confidenti@l that rats stubbornly continue to occupy the new Conde Nast offices at One World Trade Center, we're also told that Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour doesn't even want to go in the building anymore.

And while there were multiple previous reports that the pests were terrorizing the glamorous staff at Vogue, we're now told they've "taken over" more of the storied publishing house.
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Snowflake

Heavy snow in Japan causes power blackouts and stranded train passengers


Sputnick
Mon, 15 Dec 2014 14:18 UTC
heavy snow japan
Over 1,300 passengers spent the night trapped in trains stranded due to power blackouts caused by heavy snowfalls in Japan's northern Niigata Prefecture.

Some 1,350 passengers found themselves spending the night on trains stranded in Japan's northern Niigata Prefecture on Sunday, according to The Japan Times.

The trains were stranded by a power outage resulting from heavy snowstorms.

Comment: Temperatures have been declining for the past 16 years and it looks like that is going to continue, so we will probably be seeing much more of the above scenarios.

30 leading scientists predict global cooling

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Question

Residents complain of 'rotten fish' smell in Santa Rosa, Florida

Jamie Secola
Pensacola News Journal
Sat, 13 Dec 2014 15:50 UTC
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Local officials can't confirm the source of a strange stench that has area residents complaining on social media.

Area residents are complaining on social media about a strange smell that stretches from Pace to Gulf Breeze and the beaches. But local officials can't confirm what the smell is or where it's coming from.

"We haven't had any reports of any issues," said Joy Tsubooka, the public information officer for Santa Rosa County. "It's hard to say what it is because on very clear, very cold days like this, odors can travel very far."

Residents have described the stench as smelling like spoiled milk and dead fish.

"Why does it smell of rotten fish all over #Pensacola this morning?" one resident asked on Twitter.

Comment: See also: Mystery odor fouling life in Beacon Woods, Bayonet Point, Florida

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Snowflake Cold

30 leading scientists predict global cooling

Adapt 2030
YouTube
Sat, 13 Dec 2014 15:10 UTC
Image
The Earth is about to begin a steep drop in global temperatures off its present global temperature plateau. This plateau has been caused by the absence of growth in global temperatures for 18 years, the start of global cooling in the atmosphere and the oceans, and the end of a short period of moderate solar heating from an unusually active secondary peak in solar cycle #24.

Average global atmospheric and oceanic temperatures will drop significantly beginning between 2015 and 2016 and will continue with only temporary reversals until they stabilize during a long cold temperature base lasting most of the 2030's and 2040's. The bottom of the next global cold climate caused by a "solar hibernation" (a pronounced reduction in warming energy coming from the Sun) is expected to be reached by the year 2031.

The predicted temperature decline will continue for the next fifteen years and will likely be the steepest ever recorded in human history, discounting past short-duration volcanic events.

Global average temperatures during the 2030's will reach a level of at least 1.5° C lower.


Comment: See also: The Little Ice Age predicted to start in 2014

Last Ice Age took just SIX months to arrive

Ice Ages start and end so suddenly, "it's like a button was pressed," say scientists

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