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Researchers have worked out the neurological trick used by a species of wasp to turn cockroaches into 'zombie slaves'. The discovery explains why, once stung, cockroaches can be led by a much smaller master towards certain death. Researchers have proven their theory by replicating the effect, and by using an antidote injection to release the cockroaches from their zombie state.
About 2,500 penguins en route to their Antarctic mating grounds could be sickened by a diesel fuel spill from a cruise boat that struck an iceberg and sank last week, Chilean scientists said Friday.
Areas surrounding the mile-long spill site include breeding grounds for Antarctic and Adelia penguins, and the largest mating colony for Papua penguins, said Maria Jose Rosello, a Chilean marine biologist.
Areas surrounding the mile-long spill site include breeding grounds for Antarctic and Adelia penguins, and the largest mating colony for Papua penguins, said Maria Jose Rosello, a Chilean marine biologist.
Storm surges that generated big waves whipped coastal areas in the provinces of Negros Occidental and Iloilo, and in Cebu City that reportedly resulted in the death of two persons and the displacement of over 100 families, GMA News's Saksi said on Wednesday.
Flying foxes have been dropping off trees and dying in droves because of the effects of climate change, researchers say.
More than 30,000 of the fruit bats are estimated to have died since 1994 in heat waves associated with global warming.
Mass deaths from heat stress have occurred at least 19 times since 1994, as opposed to only three anecdotal reports of similar flying fox deaths before then.
More than 30,000 of the fruit bats are estimated to have died since 1994 in heat waves associated with global warming.
Mass deaths from heat stress have occurred at least 19 times since 1994, as opposed to only three anecdotal reports of similar flying fox deaths before then.
FORT DE FRANCE - A strong earthquake measuring 7.4 magnitude, according to the US Geological Survey, struck near the French Caribbean island of Martinique Thursday.
The quake caused at least two injuries and led to the collapse of a pair of buildings, officials said.
It struck at a depth of 143 kilometres (90 miles) and was centered 41 kilometres (25 miles) north-northwest of Martinique's capital Fort-de-France, the USGS said, updating its earlier estimate of 7.3 magnitude.
The quake caused at least two injuries and led to the collapse of a pair of buildings, officials said.
It struck at a depth of 143 kilometres (90 miles) and was centered 41 kilometres (25 miles) north-northwest of Martinique's capital Fort-de-France, the USGS said, updating its earlier estimate of 7.3 magnitude.
Comment: There has been a lot of seismic activity lately. This is just another big one in an area that don't commonly have such big ones.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - State and federal officials said Monday they were investigating the death of thousands of game fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta after a federal agency drained the water around a protected island during a levee repair.
Eight people died and two others are missing after Typhoon Mitag slammed into the Philippines, local media said on Monday.
All the dead were from the central region of Bicol, where the typhoon flooded about 1,000 hectares of rice fields, destroying roads and houses. Over 290,000 people were evacuated from the storm-hit region.
All the dead were from the central region of Bicol, where the typhoon flooded about 1,000 hectares of rice fields, destroying roads and houses. Over 290,000 people were evacuated from the storm-hit region.
At least three people have been killed and 45 injured in an earthquake in eastern Indonesia, the head of the republic's emergencies center said on Monday.
"Early Monday morning the Sumbawa island was hit by a series of quakes, the most powerful of them, measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale occurred at 2.53 local time (19.53 GMT)," Rustam Pakaya said, adding that the earthquake had killed three people and damaged hundreds of buildings.
"Early Monday morning the Sumbawa island was hit by a series of quakes, the most powerful of them, measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale occurred at 2.53 local time (19.53 GMT)," Rustam Pakaya said, adding that the earthquake had killed three people and damaged hundreds of buildings.
Speedy diagnosis of the temper and vital signs of the oceans matters increasingly to the well being of humanity, says a distinguished partnership of international scientists urging support to complete a world marine monitoring system within 10 years. The Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO) says warming seas, over-fishing and pollution are among profound concerns that must be better measured to help society respond in a well-informed, timely and cost-effective way.
"A system for ocean observing and forecasting that covers the world's oceans and their major uses can reduce growing risks, protect human interests and monitor the health of our precious oceans," says Dr. Tony Haymet, Director, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, USA, and Chair of POGO's Executive Committee.
"The world community resolved to construct a comprehensive, integrated ocean observing system two decades ago. The good news is we have demonstrated that a global ocean observing system can be built, deployed and operated with available technologies. Now we must move from experiment and proof-of-concept to routine use. We have progressed less than halfway to our initial goals. Let's complete the task before we are struck by more tsunamis or comparable calamities."
"A system for ocean observing and forecasting that covers the world's oceans and their major uses can reduce growing risks, protect human interests and monitor the health of our precious oceans," says Dr. Tony Haymet, Director, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, USA, and Chair of POGO's Executive Committee.
"The world community resolved to construct a comprehensive, integrated ocean observing system two decades ago. The good news is we have demonstrated that a global ocean observing system can be built, deployed and operated with available technologies. Now we must move from experiment and proof-of-concept to routine use. We have progressed less than halfway to our initial goals. Let's complete the task before we are struck by more tsunamis or comparable calamities."
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| "Oceans cover a majority of our planet - 71% - yet are vastly under-sampled," says Dr. Tony Haymet. "We have an urgent need and new technological marvels available today to complete a system by which marine scientists could authoritatively diagnose and anticipate changing global ocean conditions - something akin to the system that enables meteorologists to predict weather." |
The Laptev Sea shelf underneath Russia's Arctic waters holds an estimated 9.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent and 32.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in undiscovered resources, the U.S. Geological Survey said Friday.
The USGS is currently reassessing its estimation of the petroleum resource base in the Arctic circle based on new data, region by region.
Based on USGS's last assessment in 2000, the entire Arctic region was previously thought to contain almost 25% of the world's undiscovered oil and natural gas, but harsh conditions have thus far prevented mass development.
Of the 9.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent estimated, the USGS believes 3.07 billion barrels could be crude.
The USGS is currently reassessing its estimation of the petroleum resource base in the Arctic circle based on new data, region by region.
Based on USGS's last assessment in 2000, the entire Arctic region was previously thought to contain almost 25% of the world's undiscovered oil and natural gas, but harsh conditions have thus far prevented mass development.
Of the 9.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent estimated, the USGS believes 3.07 billion barrels could be crude.
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