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New Species Discovered On Whale Skeletons


ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:00 UTC
Whale
© Craig R SmithWhen a whale dies, it sinks to the seafloor and becomes food for an entire ecosystem.
When a whale dies, it sinks to the seafloor and becomes food for an entire ecosystem. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have discovered previously unknown species that feed only on dead whales -- and have used DNA technology to show that the species diversity in our oceans may be higher than previously thought.

Dead whales constitute an unpredictable food source - it is impossible to know when and where a whale is going to die, and when it does, the food source does not last forever. Nevertheless, some marine species have specialised in feeding on whale cadavers.
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Bizarro Earth

Earthquake Magnitude 5.1 in Mexico felt in California and Arizona


Associated Press
Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:26 UTC
A moderate earthquake in northern Mexico was felt from San Diego to Arizona, but no injuries or damage were reported.

Seismologist Dale Grant of the U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude-5.1 quake struck just before 4 p.m. Saturday. It was centered about 25 miles southeast of Calexico, Calif., and 23 miles southeast of Mexicali, Mexico, at a depth of 6.2 miles.

Several aftershocks followed, the largest a magnitude-4.2 about two hours after the initial quake.

The USGS has received reports of people feeling the quake from 120 miles west of the epicenter in San Diego to 60 miles east in Yuma, Arizona.
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Bizarro Earth

Venezuela: Earthquake Magnitude 4.8 - Sucre


US Geological Survey
Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:39 UTC
Image
© USGS
Date-Time:
Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 23:10:01 UTC

Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 11:10:01 PM at epicenter

Location:
10.671°N, 62.597°W

Depth:
80.7 km (50.1 miles)

Distances:
30 km (15 miles) WNW of Guiria, Venezuela

70 km (45 miles) E of Carupano, Venezuela

120 km (75 miles) W of PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad

475 km (295 miles) E of CARACAS, Venezuela
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Bizarro Earth

Italy: Earthquake Magnitude 4.3 - Central Italy


US Geological Survey
Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:16 UTC
Image
© USGS
Date-Time:
Sunday, September 20, 2009 at 03:50:16 UTC

Sunday, September 20, 2009 at 05:50:16 AM at epicenter

Location:
43.482°N, 13.410°E

Depth:
24 km (14.9 miles)

Distances:
20 km (10 miles) SSW of Ancona, Italy

90 km (55 miles) ESE of SAN MARINO

95 km (60 miles) ENE of Perugia, Italy

195 km (120 miles) NNE of ROME, Italy
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Bizarro Earth

China: Earthquake Magnitude 5.4 - Sichuan-Gansu Border Region


US Geological Survey
Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:59 UTC
Image
© USGS
Date-Time:
Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 08:54:16 UTC

Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 04:54:16 PM at epicenter

Location:
32.835°N, 105.562°E

Depth:
10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program

Region:
SICHUAN-GANSU BORDER REGION, CHINA

Distances:
50 km (30 miles) NNW of Guangyuan, Sichuan, China

140 km (85 miles) W of Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China

375 km (235 miles) NNW of Chongqing, Chongqing, China

1245 km (780 miles) SW of BEIJING, Beijing, China
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Bizarro Earth

Mexico: Earthquake Magnitude 5.1 - Baja, California


US Geological Survey
Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:49 UTC
Image
© USGS
Date-Time:
Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 22:55:17 UTC

Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 03:55:17 PM at epicenter

Location:
32.368°N, 115.262°W

Depth:
10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program

Region:
Baja California, Mexico

Distances:
17 km (10 miles) WNW (302°) from Guadalupe Victoria, Baja California, Mexico

37 km (23 miles) SSE (148°) from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico

41 km (25 miles) SSE (147°) from Calexico, CA

166 km (103 miles) E (96°) from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
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Bizarro Earth

Indonesia: Earthquake Magnitude 5.8 - Bali


The Sydney Morning Herald
Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:14 UTC
Image
© USGS
A strong earthquake shook Bali today, injuring at least seven people and sending panicked tourists and residents fleeing out of homes and hotels. No tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of major damage.

The magnitude 5.8 quake hit just after 6am local time (0900 AEST), 75 kilometres south of Denpasar, the island's capital, the US Geological Survey said. Indonesia's Meteorological and Geophysics Agency put the quake at a more powerful 6.4 magnitude.

Seven people were treated for head injuries and broken bones at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar, said Dr Ken Wirasandi, adding that women and children had run from their homes screaming when the ground began to rattle.
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Bizarro Earth

Philippines: Earthquake Magnitude 6.1 - Western Philippines


The Associated Press
Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:00 UTC
Image
© USGS
Seismologists say a strong offshore earthquake has rocked the western Philippines and was felt in Manila and nearby areas. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the epicenter of Friday's 6.1 magnitude temblor was 45 miles (73 kilometres) southwest of Mindoro island's Mamburao town.

Seismologist Ismael Narag says no tsunami warning was issued for the shallow earthquake. Aftershocks are expected.

In Manila, some 125 miles (200 kilometres) northeast of the epicenter, office workers felt their chairs and hanging ornaments swaying for a few seconds.
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Sun

Solar Cycle Driven by More than Sunspots - Sun Also Bombards Earth with High-Speed Streams of Wind


NCAR Press Release
Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:47 UTC
Challenging conventional wisdom, new research finds that the number of sunspots provides an incomplete measure of changes in the Sun's impact on Earth over the course of the 11-year solar cycle. The study, led by scientists at the High Altitude Observatory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the University of Michigan, finds that Earth was bombarded last year with high levels of solar energy at a time when the Sun was in an unusually quiet phase and sunspots had virtually disappeared.

"The Sun continues to surprise us," says NCAR scientist Sarah Gibson, the lead author. "The solar wind can hit Earth like a fire hose even when there are virtually no sunspots."

The study, also written by scientists at NOAA and NASA, is being published today in the Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. It was funded by NASA and by the National Science Foundation, NCAR's sponsor.
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Question

Flashback Winged-Cat Causes Sensation in China


Fox News
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:13 UTC
winged cat
© WENNNo ordinary tabby, this cat from China has mysteriously sprouted its very own pair of wings.
While most cats are known for their ability to land on their feet, some in China may soon be able to glide to safety on their mysterious wings.

A tabby from the Qingyan province in China recently sprouted a pair of fur-covered wings on his back during a hot-weather spell, the U.K.'s Daily Mail reported.

Immediately, the unique kitty became a spectacle to behold, as visitors flocked to see the unusual feline.
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