Geo in the News

This is a good report on the fuel protests here. Most garages remain closed today, the odd one or two that have managed to obtain petrol run out very fast and are supplying only essential services with police monitoring. Supermarket shelves are emptying .... Think of Hannah trying to get home today by public transport from the depths of the Cotswolds. We will take her back to the accountancy college on Sunday a pubic transport of likely to be very limited then. (Maggie, thanks again!) Visit original page at LineOne: http://www.lineone.net/cgi-bin/loadcontent.pl?page=/cgi-bin/drecgi/express/00/09/15/news/n0620-d.html WE DID IT: Protesters claiming victory despite oil tankers leaving a plant in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, yesterday A disaster Blair should have seen as it thundered closer BY PATRICK O'FLYNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT WHEN Transport Minister Gus MacDonald was pressed last Friday about disquiet over fuel prices, he felt able to offer a light-hearted response. Although farmers and truckers had blockaded an oil refinery in Cheshire the night before, he was confident that would prove a temporary aberration. Challenged about the possibility of Britain following the French example, he dismissed the idea, joking that "dump the pump" day in August had received a "very British response". But "dump the pump" flopped because it tried to cut the insatiable demand for petrol. This week campaigners had the much more potent idea of cutting the supply. Fewer than 2,000 protesters were needed to blockade a few dozen key installations and bring Britain to a halt. The protesters found key groups were on their side. Oil company bosses did not seem keen to force tanker drivers to cross relatively token picket lines. The tanker drivers - many of them former hauliers - were largely in agreement with the protesters. Police, too, seemed unwilling to impose themselves on demonstrators who were often given free rein to obstruct refinery gates. Most importantly, the public overwhelmingly backed the protest. While individual motorists had been apathetic towards "dump the pump" in August, here was a dramatic demonstration that they could actually contribute towards by embracing the pump and buying fuel. The public have seen little evidence of either violence or intimidation on the picket lines and the mild September weather has reduced their need for fuel. To many the lack of petrol has simply provided an excuse for a day off work. But another, more political force was also at work. Last week did not show Tony Blair's administration in its best light. The downfall of Mo Mowlam brought tales of poisonous egos. The Dome fiasco was a cause of public fury. Lumbered with a pathetic official opposition, perhaps the public was in the mood to teach Blair a lesson itself. Although the fuel crisis came close to disaster, it hasn't done so yet. We are near the edge of the cliff but there are signs the demonstrators are cute enough not to throw us on to the rocks below. In the meantime, many people have enjoyed the spectacle of the Prime Minister squirming. It is a lesson from the governed to the Government. So why did petrol spark this uprising? One reason successive Governments have piled duty on petrol is that they believed it was a relatively invisible way of raising revenue. High fuel duties also have the virtue of taxing pollution rather than work. But this ignores the fact that for millions of Britons, driving remains the only practical way of getting around. Throw in crude oil price rises and soaring insurance premiums - in part due to another stealth tax - and it is easy to understand why "Mondeo man" has reached the end of his tether. Since 1996 the price of petrol has soared 48 per cent. Yet ministers assumed motorists would continue to tolerate being treated as cash cows. By Monday night, Mr Blair was on the case. Four days after news of the first blockade, emergency powers had been invoked. In Whitehall, that is a lightning response. Shockingly, it was not fast enough. Modern businesses do not tie up working capital in stock. They have developed delivery systems which get goods to the shelves "just in time". Normally this cuts out waste. But it leaves retailers hugely vulnerable. In part, ministers failed to pick up on rising resentment as they are insulated from ordinary life. All week they are zoomed around in chauffeur-driven cars. At weekends they have free flights and train tickets to get to constituencies. For those who drive, a generous mileage rate more than covers the cost. So when the barricades went up they were as non-plussed as Marie Antoinette in the French Revolution. So much to learn and so little time. Countdown to a trauma that kept growing each day FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8: Farmers and lorry drivers set up blockades at Stanlow, in Cheshire, and Hemel Hempstead, in Herts. Truckers brought the A1M to a standstill near Newcastle. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9: The Daily Express says in a front-page report: "Demonstrators threatened to bring the entire country to a halt within days." Government response: None, apart from Scottish Secretary John Reid attempting to explain the price of petrol. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10: SAS rescue of hostage British troops in Sierra Leone dominates the news agenda. Government contingency planning for petrol crisis: Invisible. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11: The Prime Minister embarks on two-day tour of Humberside and the North. No. 10 spokesman derides the impact of blockades as "isolated problems". Tankers have stopped moving and petrol stations across the country are besieged. Rumours of an emergency Privy Council meeting at Balmoral - it had already been held. Government action to enforce deliveries of petrol: None. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12: The Prime Minister heads back to London for crisis meetings with ministers and to talk by telephone to oil company bosses. Mr Blair calls a press conference to announce: "Everything is now in place to get the tankers moving ... we hope in the next 24 hours to have the situation on the way back to normal." Direct Government action to ensure fuel deliveries: None. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13: Just 24 hours later, after meeting oil company bosses face-to-face in Downing Street, Mr Blair is telling another press conference that lives and jobs are at risk. The use of troops is not ruled out. Government action to ensure fuel deliveries: On a wing and a prayer. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14: The protesters sense victory and begin to pull back. The Prime Minister recognises that they have a "sincerely held grievance". Tankers roll but crisis will get worse before it gets better BY ADRIAN LEE PETROL tankers began rolling yesterday but Britain could suffer the fall-out from the fuel blockade for at least another fortnight. The nation was warned that the crisis would get worse before it got better as oil companies struggle to clear a massive backlog of deliveries - 400 million litres will have to reach the pumps. Food shortages are inevitable, bus services will be cut and postal deliveries will be slashed, though predictions about how long it will take to restore supplies vary from a few days to four weeks. Priority will be given to vehicles belonging to emergency services and health workers. Police will stand by at filling stations to ensure fair play. The RAC said it could take up to 30 days before all dry garages are restocked but the Petrol Retailers' Association, which represents many of the 12,500 sellers, gave a more optimistic estimate of two weeks. Other sources indicated 300 petrol stations would be supplied by this morning and oil companies said at least 20 per cent of the national network will be restored in 48 hours. It is thought there will be wide regional variations. Drivers may be forced to seek out filling stations where fuel is available and join long queues. Shell said its drivers would work overtime but two weeks was "not an unrealistic target" for all petrol stations to be open again. Food shortages are expected to last into the middle of next week, partly because of panic buying. Sainsbury said that demand for food was at pre-Christmas levels. In Wales - one of the worst-hit areas - families were warned to prepare for the worst and to conserve both fuel and food. The Post Office is cancelling Sunday collections and guarantees only one delivery a day. In rural areas, deliveries may be made on alternate days. Hospitals, forced to cancel some operations, expect to be back to normal by Tuesday. Schools could be closed next week. In Wakefield, Yorks, some schools may be closed until Wednesday and in Wigan they are likely to shut next week. Rail services could be hit early next week, too. There is plenty of fuel for trains but staff may not be able to reach work. Bosses of London's buses warned of service cuts from tomorrow. � Express Newspapers, 2000

Saturday September 16 11:29 AM ET European Fuel Protests Wane, Britain Recovers http://dailynews.yahoo.com/htx/nm/20000916/wl/energy_europe_dc_28.html By Clifford Coonan BERLIN (Reuters) - The wave of fuel price anger sweeping through Europe slowed Saturday but sporadic protests continued in Germany and Sweden. Swedish demonstrators blocked a ferry terminal and more disruptive action was planned for Monday in Norway. In Britain, fuel-starved motorists laid siege to petrol pumps as supplies started trickling back to filling stations after a week of paralyzing protests. Businesses across Europe counted the cost of a week of chaos which caused huge traffic disruption and badly shook several governments. Britain's Institute of Directors said UK companies could face a $1.41 billion bill, with hotel, manufacturing and transport businesses particularly hard hit by lost output and lay-offs. British Prime Minister Tony Blair refused to bow to demands for a cut in fuel taxes but a newspaper poll Saturday showed widespread criticism of his handling of the crisis. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has been similarly steadfast and his Social Democratic Party reiterated its plans to raise energy taxes. Saturday's protests in Germany focused on Schroeder's home town of Hanover, where some 150 trucks rumbled through the streets in a giant convoy, police reported. Truckers also staged a symbolic motorway go-slow near Ulm in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Interior Minister Otto Schily warned Saturday he would have no hesitation in deploying police if the situation should escalate. The Swedish protests centered on the western port of Helsingborg which runs ferries to the Danish port of Helsingor (Elsinore), north of Copenhagen, and is one of the main links between Sweden and the rest of Europe. Heidi Bodensjo, a spokeswoman for the blockade, said the protesters were letting through trucks carrying perishable food or medicine, private cars and tourist buses, but were waving other trucks to one side. Taking Stock In Ireland, where thousands of lorries clogged major roads around five cities Friday, truckers met to consider their next step. They said they wanted more talks with the government but did not plan to continue their protests. Dutch truckers were due to meet government officials after big protests in The Hague. Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm, preparing next week's 2001 budget, said the government representatives would ``not come empty-handed,'' ANP news agency said Friday. France and Italy have made concessions on fuel prices to stop the protests. But British Chancellor (Finance Minister) Gordon Brown reiterated his rejection Saturday of any knee-jerk cut in fuel duties in response to the protests and said the public backed him. However he said the government, which has set up a task force to avoid a repeat of the protests, was listening and would take a decision on fuel duties in the normal budget process. Brown also repeated his call for more pressure on OPEC oil exporters to open their taps and bring down the price of world oil, which has soared to over $30 a barrel.

Cross post this elsewhere Marcia, if you think it fits better.... From Tony .... Areas of Britain threatened by environmental problems Sunday Times, Sept 17 Pollution, flooding and subsidence are blighting millions of homes. Sarah Toyne explains how to tell if you are affected Is your home on environment blacklist? Dampener: the Environment Agency says that today's extreme floods could become tomorrow's norm A HOME on the river bank or by the sea may sound idyllic, but global warming is threatening many such properties with flooding. Millions of homes in Britain are being blighted by this and other environmental problems. Finding out whether your home is at risk from flood or wind damage, is built on a polluted site, or lies in an area of high radon levels is becoming as important as checking whether the structure of the property is sound. Owners of blighted homes are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain insurance. They may also have to pay to clean up pollution and even their health may be jeopardised. However, the internet is making it easier than ever to check the environmental status of your home, and most surveyors should be able to commission a specialist search on your behalf. If you buy a home now without checking, it may be difficult to sell in the future when such surveys become a routine part of buying a house. Last week the Environment Agency held its second annual Flood Action week. More than 5m people are now affected by the risk of flooding and 1.85m business and residential properties are blighted. Sir John Harman, chairman of the Environment Agency, says: "Flood risk is now a fact of life. Looking at recent history, floods are on average nearly twice as frequent as they were 100 years ago. "A typical flood that may now happen on average once in 100 years could occur as frequently as every 10 or 20 years in future. In short, today's extreme floods could become tomorrow's norm." The agency has written to 800,000 of the worst-affected homes and businesses. It has also set up Floodline (0845 9881188) where those affected can get advice on how to protect their homes. Alternatively, anyone online can visit its website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/flood and get practical information. One of the big problems, according to the agency, is that only 5% of the 1.85m properties that are at risk are adequately protected - many are either not insured or under-insured. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the average claim for flood damage is �6,000. It admits that people living in high-risk flood areas are likely to pay higher premiums. However, many may have problems obtaining cover at all as most insurers have bought sophisticated flood-risk data.The Environment Agency is calling on insurers to offer lower premiums to prudent homeowners who take precautions against flooding. It says that people who take steps such as moving electricity and gas meters upstairs, or mount electrical equipment such as televisions high on the wall should be rewarded. It also believes insurance companies should provide a flood-only insurance option for homeowners, particularly those on low incomes who cannot afford comprehensive cover. But flooding is just one of the many hazards that can affect your house price as well as your health and insurance premiums. There are 166,500 homes in Britain within a mile and a half of sites that are releasing substances that may cause cancer. More than 300 factories are releasing substances such as carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, mercury and particulates. Changes in legislation now mean that by law you must be told if your property is built on contaminated land. But for any other environmental risks it will depend on how thorough solicitors or surveyors have been when they did their searches. If you live on contaminated land, you may be liable for the costs of cleaning up the problem if the original polluter cannot be found. One of the most harmful chemicals is radon, the second biggest cause of lung cancer in Britain. Some of the worst affected areas are in Plymouth, Swansea and Northampton (see map). However, in simple cases the problem can be solved by installing extractor fans in your home. One in 50 properties suffers subsidence problems. There are almost 8,000 postcodes in Britain that are at risk from subsidence, with 295 at a very high risk. Areas with the largest potential number of homes with a high risk from subsidence include parts of Guildford, Southend-on-Sea, Preston and east London. Southend is also an area with a large proportion of homes at risk from landslides. Parts of Cardiff, Canterbury and Bristol have the same problem. CONTACTS www.abi.org www.environmentagency.gov.uk/flood www.fish4homes.co.uk www.homecheck.co.uk www.homesight.co.uk www.upmystreet.com

How to do your own environmental check in Britain The good news is that it is now much easier for homebuyers to carry out their own environmental checks. Homecheck (www.homecheck.co.uk) collates information about environmental hazards, such as air pollution, subsidence and proximity to landfill sites. By simply inputting your postcode into the website, you can find out for free what the environmental risks are in your area. It will then rate your property according to a whole range of hazards. The site is proving popular - it has registered 2m searches since it was launched three months ago. Brendan Doyle, chief executive of Homecheck, says: "Most housebuyers look at 10 properties but commission surveys on one. People can not only assess risks before they commit themselves to a contract but obtain a range of data, which may not be included in conventional searches." By Christmas, Homecheck will offer an e-mail alert service that will notify you of new hazards, such as planning applications or landfill sites. Anyone concerned about radon should contact the National Radiological Protection Board on 0800 614529 to arrange an assessment and advice about how to fix the problem.

Wow!!! Maggie...great stuff right here!!! Mucho Mahalos for those scary posts!!!

Maggie sent this wondering where to post it. I wonder about it, too... Satellite technology is being used to assess the prevalence of a parasitic worm which could prove a threat to life. A research team, based at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, used images taken from space to work out exactly which parts of a large tract of Africa were most likely to be harbouring the worm, called Loa Loa. Although human infestation by Loa Loa, or eyeworm, can cause health problems, the satellite mapping was needed because the creature is impeding efforts to eradicate a separate illness, called river blindness. more... http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_936000/936163.stm

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Email us with "Newsletter Feedback" in the subject line, and we'll be sure to get your opinions ... and thanks for taking the time! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=79399&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ======================= INTERACTIVE MINDERS ======================= ***Visit Cam Universe*** Syndey Cam http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=77594&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Croc Hunter Cam http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=77594&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Peeling Paint Cam http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=77594&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Baby Elephant Cam http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=77594&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Wedding Cam http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=77594&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Pet Cam http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=6&c=77594&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ***BEST OF TV THIS WEEK*** TLC, Sunday, "Search for Alien Life" NASA scientists are convinced the answer is at hand. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=79871&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Travel Channel, Monday, "The Secret World of Monster Trucks" They may look like high comedy, but they're really high-tech. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=79871&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Animal Planet, Tuesday, "Moose on the Loose" Join us in Alaska and New England for one of the great comebacks in wildlife history. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=79871&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Discovery Channel, Wednesday, "Flood of the Millennium" No one had ever seen devastation like they saw in Grand Forks, N.D. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=79871&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Discovery Health, Friday, "Brain Story: All in the Mind" Investigate how your brain generates profound feelings like ecstasy, and check out some facts about the brain. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=79871&pr=445&cf=1&pa=41&e=S

Good grief!!! now I'm brain dead after looking at that lot!!!! The banners on Discovery channel are a pain when you only have a small laptop screen (and mine is 15") ....

Couldn't decide where to put this, so put it here, cross post Marcia if I got it wrong ... Saturday, 23 September, 2000, 10:16 GMT 11:16 UK African dust 'killing Caribbean coral' Bacteria in the African dust damages the Sea Fan coral http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_938000/938670.stm By Iain Haddow in Miami , Researchers in the United States say they suspect dust clouds which originate in North Africa could be to blame for a decline in the coral reefs in the Caribbean. A team of scientists based in Florida found that bacteria contained in the dust was responsible for a sharp drop in one type of coral found in the region. Global warming and pollution have long been thought to cause damage. Many factors are thought to be behind the gradual decline in coral reefs - the fragile underwater ecosystems which exist in warm-water coastal areas around the world. But drought in Africa is not traditionally one of them. That is until a team of researchers, led by Gene Shinn of the United States Geological Survey, began looking into the large dust clouds blown across the Atlantic Ocean from North Africa every year. Bacteria They have linked bacteria present in the dust to a sharp decline in a coral called the sea fan. One drop coincided with a year of extreme drought in the Sahel, which caused a large increase in the amount of dust arriving in the Caribbean. Hundreds of millions of tonnes of the dust particles are carried over the ocean every year, and Mr Shinn says the US space agency Nasa is now investigating to see whether the dust is causing respiratory problems in the Caribbean islands. "We've learned that there's a high incidence of asthma in the Caribbean, especially among children," Mr Shinn said. "That's the thrust of the Nasa-funded work - it's to see what's in the dust, to see if it could be causing some of the problems," he added. Mr Shinn says the findings could change the way scientists look at coral reef systems. Until now, global warming and pollution were considered to be mainly responsible for the world's shrinking coral reefs. But just as acid rain was eventually shown to cause deforestation across whole continents, the dust particles in Africa could prove to be much more harmful than previously thought

A reef off Jamaica which is now considered pretty much dead, was said to have been doing well back in the 1970's. That wasn't that long ago, and entire coral reef killed in less that 30 years.

yes, it's SO sad to see. Coral which is living is so beautiful, and an amazing sight (although I have ever only seen it on TV I'm afraid), whilst patches of dead coral deaden the heart. It is not only the death of the coral but the reeflife that it supports that is of concern.

We have thriving coral! I will give it your regards and so on as it slices my foot open (I do my snorkeling wearing old sneakers.) Just as the reef-eating starfish attracted attention and alarm several years ago, it was discovered that it was cyclical and it has not been an issue for years. Africa is not a new continent and the grit it has blown in the westerly direction is as old as the earth itself. I think it might be cyclical, as well, unless the people and animals have denuded the place so severely that nothing will ever hold the soil in place again. In that case, adaption will take over and new forms of life will replace what was there.

Yes, the denuding of West Africa in particular is a current concern ....desertification is creeping south at an alarming rate. I'm not convinced the 'problem' described above is cyclic as far as the African dust is concerned. As desertification increases, the dust storms have also increased which I think, in my ignorance, means that airborne and seaborn dust increases. Huge tracts of land in Northern Senegal for example are now deserts and infertile. The govt has acted to try and stem the loss of trees, but as there is very little other fuel, people will collect what they can in order to cook and survive.

This is going to pose a question no one wants to discuss, but someone must. You have been there, so I am asking you and all others who have opinions The USA and other countries have been saving the starving of Africa since I can remember. I never stops. If we have succeeded in saving the children from starvation, they will mature and have more children which will exacerbate the problem. Ok, gang... moral dilemma. What do we do and where does it stop?!

well, no offense to our fellow africaans-but the US needs to feed its own children. and i know that sounds cruel. but, believe it or not, we do have a starvation issue in this country. it just doesn't get the publicity our "international causes" do. i don't understand how we can send so much food abroad when our farmers lose their crops because of severe weather. where does it come from? and then, how do people in saudi and the middle east survive when they are desertified as well? we know that they have desalienation plants and they are making efforts to take the desert back. this does cost lots of money. but it's worth it.

It is a very difficult issue to address. As Wolf noted there is a problem with malnutrition and hunger within the United States. The problem with international issues of starvation is that it is often exacerbated by other causes; sometimes even the outcome and/or device of something else. The famous famine in Ethiopa in the 1980's was part of policy of attrition carried out within the framework of that country's civil war. I honestly don't know what can be done or when it will stop. The Earth does contain finite resources; it can only maintain a limited amount of all lifeforms, both plant and animal. There is a limit on how much population the Earth can sustain.

Indeed! One day, God willing, someone will have learned a lesson from our misuse of our resources. And... breeding ourselves into oblivion!

This from Maggie - could fit anywhere, as she pointed out! Thursday September 28 12:28 AM ET Antarctic Study Paves Way for Search for Martians LONDON (Reuters) - Experiments in Mars-like areas in Antarctica could provide clues about how best to search for signs of life on the inhospitable red planet, U.S. scientists said on Wednesday. Scientists from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) found that mysteriously high salt concentrations in the exposed soils of Antarctica's Dry Valleys -- areas perennially devoid of snow and ice cover -- were due to sulfur-emitting marine algae. In a discovery important for Martian exploration, the scientists also found that digging more deeply into the soil of the Dry Valleys yielded higher concentrations of biologically produced sulfates. This might be because these sulfates migrate down through the soil, the scientists said in the science journal Nature. ``What this tells us is that when we go to Mars to retrieve soil samples, we're going to have to go below the surface to retrieve samples, because these sulfates may migrate,'' Mark Thiemens, dean of UCSD's division of physical sciences, said in a statement. ``By studying the soil of the Dry Valleys, you really have a good glimpse of what can happen on Mars. The conditions of the Dry Valleys are about as close as you're going to get to the conditions on Mars,'' he added. A spokesman for the National Science Foundation, which part funded the UCSD study, said the research would prove invaluable. ``It is very important in helping us to design experiments for spacecraft that may one day visit other planets,'' said Scott Borg, who manages the NSF's Antarctic geology and geophysics program.

DISCOVERY DISPATCH FOR 9/29/2000 ----------------------------------------------------------- ================ IN THE SPOTLIGHT ================ MUMMIES THAT SHOCKED THE WORLD! Over a thousand years old, these mummies should have decayed long ago. So, why didn't they? And what can they tell us about our ancient past? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=84280&pr=491&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Meet a Mummy Face to Face Now researchers can put a face on the ancient Egyptians and see how they looked before they were mummies. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=84280&pr=491&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Bring a Piece of Egypt into Your Home Did you know the linen used to wrap one ancient Egyptian mummy could stretch almost an entire mile? 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Whew!!! this is so much stuff my head's spinning .. Will look later when it is not 12.30 am and I am so tired ... Good stuff! HUGS

If you're going to ever physically hang out with the gorillas, you should make sure that you're in good health. Gorillas can catch just about any diseases humans carry.

This isn't really Geo but trather of world importance. I have seen the Enigma Machine and it is a world treasure, Indeed! Museum to Pay Ransom for Nazi Decoder LONDON (Reuters) - A former British spy center said on Thursday it plans to pay a ransom of 25,000 pounds ($36,300) to recover a stolen Enigma coding machine used by the Nazis. The author of the ransom note, who claims to be acting on behalf of someone who innocently bought the rare typewriter-like device, has threatened to destroy the Enigma unless the money is paid by midnight on Friday. ``It strikes us that this is the best chance of getting it back,'' Christine Large, director of the trust that runs the once top-secret Bletchley Park estate as a museum, told Reuters. ``It would be historical vandalism if this machine is destroyed.'' Police and Bletchley Park officials believe the note is genuine because the author, who has written other letters about the Enigma, used a designated codeword. Police hope the author will contact them directly to arrange details of the swap. The Enigma, one of only three in the world, was lifted from a display cabinet in April during an open day at the estate northwest of London -- code-named ``Station X'' during World War Two -- where the Nazi code was broken.

DISCOVERY DISPATCH FOR 10/20/2000 ----------------------------------------------------------- ================ IN THE SPOTLIGHT ================ HALLOWEEN CENTRAL: YOUR FEARS ARE REAL You don't need fictional characters to get into the Halloween spirit. We have true stories of witches, bats, mummies and more, guaranteed to scare your socks off. (Disclaimer: Remove shoes for best sock extraction results.) http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=97642&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Make Your Halloween Special! Create your own costume, carve a pumpkin or check out our frighteningly delicious recipes from "Great Chefs". http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=97642&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Confessions of a Chocolate Gourmet Meet Joan Steuer, who is to chocolate what a somalier is to fine wine (but without the attitude). She may be able to shed some light on why you can't seem to leave your Halloween candy alone. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=97642&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Check Out a Goblin Shark They're rarely seen, but with a name like this, how could we leave these creatures out of our Halloween fun? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=97642&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S FREE Clip Art! There are enough things to be afraid of at this time of year without fear of that big report due or Halloween card you promised to make. Use our FREE animations and clip art to spice up your presentation. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=97642&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Bring the Greatest Dinosaur Video Home! It's the ultimate journey back in time! State-of-the-art digital effects and animatronics combine to form the living, breathing images that put you in the scene of a virtual lost world in Discovery Channel's "Walking with Dinosaurs." Visit the Discovery Store and secure your own copy of the original BBC version today! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=6&c=97642&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ARE YOU BEING SPIED ON? Inside the CIA Created as a reaction to the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Central Intelligence Agency is more secretive than Tony Soprano's psychiatrist. Until now, that is. Follow the organization's timeline and get a rare glimpse at its inner workings. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=97643&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Want to Buy a Satellite Photo? What is your neighbor building behind that fence? You just may be able to find out from space, now that a private company is in the long-range surveillance business. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=97643&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Could That Housefly Be a Spy? The science of building small is called nanotechnology, and it may lead to espionage methods that James Bond could only have dreamed about. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=97643&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Cyberspies Some of those on your trail have good intentions and some do not. Either way, anyone on the Internet should be aware of the ways a Web surfer can be tracked and traced. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=97643&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ============= MAIN FEATURES ============= GREAT ESCAPES TO FREEDOM From slavery to the Iron Curtain, there are always forces that seek to corral the human spirit. Prepare to be inspired by stories of men's and women's incredible instinct for freedom. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=97648&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S GET INTERACTIVE ... DEFEAT THE BERLIN WALL Hundreds of people defied intimidating odds to escape East Berlin between 1961 and 1989. To get an idea of what they were up against, try our simulation and see if you can beat the Wall. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=97666&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Can You Solve the Riddle of the Sphinx? Answer the Sphinx's three riddles and you're on your way. (And we never thought we'd say this, but if you're stuck you can always get a hint from the donkey.) http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=97666&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Watch a Baby Grow! You went through it yourself, of course, but your womb memories are probably fuzzy at best. So here's your chance to relive those carefree days when Mom took care of your every need. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=97666&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Build a Roller Coaster We've come up with a relatively harmless way to vent that sadistic streak in all of us. See if you can create a terrifying roller coaster experience! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=97666&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Planet Earth: You're in Charge Turn the temperature up or down. Tilt the axis or adjust the rotation. Then see what your fine tuning has wrought! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=97666&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Play Mummy Match Game They're faces that only a mummy could love. See how much you know about your tightly wrapped ancestors who have been hanging out in tombs, bogs or frozen caves for centuries. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=6&c=97666&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Explore Christopher Lowell's House Find out what the master of design inspiration has done with his showcase home! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=7&c=97666&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Save a Sea Turtle As soon as leatherback turtle hatchlings hit the ground, they're in mortal danger. See if you can navigate the treacherous beach and find the peace and quiet of the sea. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=8&c=97666&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S YOUR PET ANSWERS ARE IN! Questions poured in, and now companion-animal expert Dr. Alan M. Beck has answered. Stop by, because we're posting his nuggets of knowledge all this week. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=97681&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S What's Going On Inside Your Cat's Head? They seem super cool, and yet what's up with that obsessive cleaning? We have inside information on the world's most popular (and most mysterious) pets. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=97681&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S You Can Be Judge Wapner Here online, his Animal Court is always in session ... and you can vote on some of his actual cases. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=97681&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Own "Pet Love," the Video Does your cat perceive your deepest feelings and unspoken thoughts? Can your dog see a heart attack coming before you do? The answers may surprise you. Learn all about the emotions of your favorite family pet when you pre-order your copy of "Pet Love" at the Discovery Store. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=97681&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Crikey! You're Favorite Crocodile Hunter Videos Are Here! It's shocking, it's wild and it's chock-full of crocodiles, alligators, pythons, wild pigs and other beasts! Visit the Discovery Store if you can't get enough of "Crocodile Hunter." You'll find a great selection of videos with all of Steve Irwin's exciting adventures. Get close, REALLY close, to some snapping, sharp-toothed creatures! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=97681&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED ... Why asparagus makes your pee stink? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=97683&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S What time it is EXACTLY? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=97683&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Why people aren't afraid of the right things? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=97683&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S What's the smallest living thing? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=97683&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Why baseballs MUST be sewn by hand? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=97683&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S THE HEALTH CARE PRESIDENT: TAKE THE DISCOVERY HEALTH POLL Who's the Healthy Choice? How much does health care factor into whom you'll vote for in this election? Find out what your fellow Americans think and take our 10-question poll. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=97684&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S What Scares You? Phobias are more common than you think. Learn how to overcome yours. Watch "Things That Go Bump" on Discovery Health Channel. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=97684&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Preventing Breast Cancer From tangerines to tamoxifen, learn about the power of prevention during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Get the facts about breast cancer risk and what you can do about it. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=97684&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THE WEATHER ... Death by Drought It's one of nature's most patient killers, and it's always there, somewhere in the world. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=97698&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Radical Winds Every little breeze does NOT necessarily whisper Louise. Sometimes it rises up to destroy and kill. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=97698&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Avalanche! Can it be part of the same job description to stop ... and to start ... an avalanche? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=97698&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Why Is Snow White? Now you'll have an answer the next time the little ones ask. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=97698&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S DISCOVERY CHANNEL INTERNATIONAL ON THE WEB Hablamos Espanol http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=97828&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Falamos Portugues http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=97828&pr=658&cf=1&pa=41&e=S HOW ARE WE DOING? Newsletter Feedback We'd love to know what you think of our new format, or this newsletter in general. Email us with "Newsletter Feedback" in the subject line, so we'll be sure to get your opinions ... and thanks for taking the time! My_Discovery@discovery.com

Further to the Enigma Machine story above, the machine was returned anonymously to a famous TV presenter last week, presumably implying that the ransom has been paid. Jeremy Paxman said: "I have no idea why it was sent to me. As far as I know, I don't have a reputation as a receiver of stolen property." 3 of the 4 code-wheels (all of which are crucial to make the machine work) are still missing.

Oh dear! Thanks for updating us, Mark!

DISCOVERY DISPATCH FOR 10/27/2000 ----------------------------------------------------------- ================ IN THE SPOTLIGHT ================ SEND FREE HALLOWEEN E-CARDS! Nothing says "I'm thinking of you" like a good, old-fashioned scare. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101486&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Go on a Haunted Holiday We all have our share of vacation horror stories. Well, take a look at a few destinations that are MEANT to be scary. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=101486&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Bloodsuckers: The Live Webcast A moth that drinks blood? A vampire finch? Check them out on Discovery Channel's "Bloodsuckers," Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT, then stop by here for the live Webcast with folks you saw on the show. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=101486&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Kangaroo Terrorizes London Golfers and early morning dog-walkers have been losing that famous British cool at the sight of a six-foot marsupial intruder. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=101486&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Chill Out! Enough of the scary stuff. Now you need to kick back a little. Find a wide selection of relaxation products at the Discovery Store. From fountains and zen gardens to yoga and chi videos, you're sure to find that perfect gift ... or treat yourself! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=101486&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S DISCOVERY KIDS WELCOMES YUCKY.COM! The coolest kids site on the Internet is here. Meet Wendell, the ace worm reporter, and Dora, his human sidekick, and discover everything you'd ever wanted to know about your Gross & Cool Body. Play Whack-A-Roach until you're blue in the face, or create some of the ickiest experiments that'll make your friends' skin crawl! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101488&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ============= MAIN FEATURES ============= MARS ON EARTH: WATCH THE VIDEO Earthlings are not yet treading on the Red Planet, but that doesn't mean we're not training for that day. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101491&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S The International Space Station: Move-In Day Is Near No, they weren't uncovering the furniture and cleaning out the screen windows. Find out what they were doing up there this past week. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=101491&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Space Camera Finds Frog Habitats In Yellowstone National Park, the frogs may be wondering just what you have to do to get a little privacy. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=101491&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Take the Space Travel Quiz From Kirk to Krypton, science fiction has offered us a glimpse at the future in space. See how much you know about the sci-fi trivia. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=101491&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S SpaceRef: All Space, All the Time News, references, history, mission information. If it's about space, it's about time you visited the one place you'll find it all. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=101491&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Hubble's Greatest Photos Our first glimpses of the distant universe have not disappointed. 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And he can show you how to accomplish that in 90 seconds. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101499&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Secrets of a Professional Matchmaker Maybe you've dabbled in Leora Hoffman's profession, but we'll bet your success rate can't match hers. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=101499&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Raising Teens, Staying Sane These are no longer mutually exclusive activities. Let Cathy Grubman's journal get you through to the later years, when your children realize just how smart you really are. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=101499&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S CAN YOU TRUST PRESIDENTIAL POLLS? George W. Bush is way ahead with shorter-than-average blond plumbers. Al Gore soars with green-eyed accountants whose parents were cannibals. Can pronouncements like these actually change the outcome of an election? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101501&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Send Your Wedding Cam Sightings Picture Have you seen an incredible Vegas wedding on our live cam? Send us the pictures to prove it! In the body of your email, attach images you've saved for us in JPG format (please include the file extension in the title of each image). If we choose your pictures, they may appear in our Sightings Gallery. We get a lot of mail, so please make sure to mention in your email's subject line which cam you've been watching. Thanks for your help! Send your mail to: Your_Cams@discovery.com http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=101501&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S PEEK IN ON OUR SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Bill Allman has opened his office up to the Web, so now you can see how a modern Internet executive spends his day. (Of course, the feeling here is that he's the sweetest, kindest, hardest-working man on the Net.) And while you're there, you can ask him questions, too. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101508&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S The "Nerdman" Cam From an industrial park in Southern California, we bring you live ... the cutting edge of the Information Age? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=101508&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Turkey Office Cam See what the worker bees are up to in Istanbul right now. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=101508&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S TECH CORNER: GO INSIDE A BLACKJACK COMPUTER Gambler, know thy enemy. Check out our Flash presentation of the inner workings of these popular machines of chance. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101513&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Tour an Aircraft Carrier Set aside a few minutes to saunter through our city at sea. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=101513&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Let's Get Small! There's a world you live in but have never seen. And once you've witnessed a tick, a cockroach or even Velcro up close, you'll never see it the same way again. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=101513&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Before There Were Fingerprints Did you ever wonder how criminals were identified way back when? 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Learn what the risks are and how you can reduce yours. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=101518&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S MEET DISCOVERY'S DAYTIME STARS Where's Christopher? Christopher Lowell's book signing tour is an event not to be missed. Here's where he'll be in the coming weeks. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101552&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Order Christopher's Book! Think you're not creative? Then visit the Discovery Store, where you'll find "Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Design." Learn secrets for transforming your home into a personal oasis, and discover how easy it is to decorate your rooms with creativity and flair. You'll be painting, pasting and pleating in no time! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=101552&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S All About Lynette Showcase homes, her personal bio, what's coming up on her program ... it's all here for Lynette Jennings fans to savor. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=101552&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Susan Powell Fans Unite! Go behind the scenes with Susan and Chris McWatt for the real scoop on how they put together Discovery's hit program, "Home Matters." http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=101552&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Michael Holigan Headquarters From home projects to finances to NASCAR racing ... Michael is, indeed, a man who can help you in many ways. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=101552&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ======================= INTERACTIVE MINDERS ======================= ***Visit Our TLC Fan Sites*** A Baby Story http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S A Dating Story http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S A Wedding Story http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S A Makeover Story http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Trading Spaces http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S HomeTime http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=6&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Home Savvy http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=7&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S How2 Crew http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=8&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Junk Yard Wars http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=9&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Code Blue http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=10&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Trauma: Life in the ER http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=11&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Extreme Machines http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=12&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Paramedics http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=13&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S The Thrill of... http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=14&c=101809&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ***Best of TV This Week*** Discovery Health, Saturday and Sunday, "Things That Go Bump" Almost everyone has a phobia. Learn how to defeat fear itself. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101696&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Discovery Channel, Sunday, "Bloodsuckers!" Vampires really do exist ... at least in the animal kingdom. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=101696&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S TLC, Monday, "Escape Stories" Relive the biggest American breakout from a Japanese POW camp. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=101696&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Travel Channel, Monday, "Fame and Fortune: Joan Collins" Go on a shopping spree with a star who really knows how to spend. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=101696&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Animal Planet, Monday, "Rattlers" The Crocodile Hunter takes on some of America's most dangerous snakes. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=101696&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Customize your TV Schedule http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=6&c=101696&pr=727&cf=1&pa=41&e=S

Clinton Declares NJ Disaster Area WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton declared Wednesday that an emergency exists in New Jersey and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by the West Nile virus since Aug. 5. The president's action authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide up to $5 million to local governments to help protect life, property and public health and safety in 21 counties. The counties covered by the declaration are: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren. The virus, transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, has been detected in birds in states, including Maryland, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. It can cause encephalitis, or swelling of the brain, as well as meningitis, the swelling of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Last year, seven people died and 55 others were infected in the New York metropolitan area during the first known appearance of the virus in the Western Hemisphere. Its first victim this year was an 82-year-old from New Jersey.

DISCOVERY DISPATCH FOR 11/3/2000 ----------------------------------------------------------- ================ IN THE SPOTLIGHT ================ TOUR EARTH'S FIRST OFF-WORLD OUTPOST Meet the astronauts or hop on our virtual tour of humanity's first permanently occupied space station. And find out what it's like up there by going on an interactive spacewalk. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105692&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105692&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=105692&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Satellite Eyes Coral Reefs NASA isn't just for space exploration any more. Now it's helping monitor coral reefs on a global scale. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=105692&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S MEANWHILE, DISASTERS HIT PLANET EARTH Keep track of nature's wrath on the home world, like the Ebola outbreak in Uganda and a monster storm raging over Europe. And what could it mean when seagulls are harrassing whales off the coast of Argentina? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105730&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105730&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=105730&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=105730&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ============= MAIN FEATURES ============= USS INDIANAPOLIS CAPTAIN IS CLEARED It took 55 years, but Congress and President Clinton have found that Charles Butler McVay III was not at fault in the Navy's worst-ever maritime disaster. Get the full story of men stranded in shark-infested waters, that was made famous in the movie "Jaws," including survival stories from the actual crewmen. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105740&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105740&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=105740&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S IT'S HERE! OUR NEW RICH MEDIA SHOWCASE The promise of the Internet is here today. If your connection is 56K or above, visit the Rich Media Showcase for a peek at what the future holds. What will you find there? A helicopter flight over Hawaii that YOU steer, a chance to swim with the sharks, and scientists' best guess at what dinosaurs sounded like, to name just a few. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105749&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105749&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=105749&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=105749&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S CHECK OUT BLAIR WITCH'S HOMETOWN Burkittsville, Md., had quite a history even before it became THE place to visit for The Blair Witch Project's biggest fans. Find out what you shouldn't miss if you go there, then see how you do with our Scary City Crossword Puzzle. (And if you're still spooked by that movie, there's a recent finding of an anti-witch device to tell you about.) http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105759&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105759&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=105759&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S WHAT HAPPENED TO DIAN FOSSEY'S GORILLA FRIENDS? Many believed that after her death the apes would once again fall victim to poachers. Instead, they're thriving. Check out streaming video of one of Fossey's pals grabbing a bite to eat, and a family that definitely believes in playing together. And don't miss the live Webcast with the folks carrying on Dian Fossey's legacy, this Monday at 11 p.m. ET. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105803&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105803&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=105803&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Do Birds Dream? Would it surprise you to learn that they dream of ... singing? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=105803&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON IN THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION? First, we ask you to tell us which of the two leading candidates you prefer, then we'll fill you in on how they're both going after women voters, show you how they may be molding themselves to be who you want them to be, and finally, let you in on ways you can get over the political blues that overwhelm many of us at this time of year. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105805&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105805&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=105805&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=105805&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S CAREER VERSUS FAMILY: CAN THEY BE BALANCED? Super mom does not exist. But the work/family dilemma certainly does. Would ten simple steps help to get you started in solving it? How about some expert advice from Sherry Maysonave or a guide to planning your child's next birthday party? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105807&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105807&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=105807&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=105807&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S GO INSIDE MATERNITY WARD Guaranteed on-time deliveries may work for packages, but babies make the scene when they're good and ready. Why not tell the world YOUR stork story? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105808&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105808&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S STAY WELL WITH DISCOVERY HEALTH Testing Drugs in Children Drugs need to be tested to ensure they're safe, but what are the ethical implications of testing untried medications on kids? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105809&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Could You Survive a Disaster? Find out what you need to know about surviving earthquakes, storms, floods and other natural disasters. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105809&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Weight Loss Drugs: Watch the Video Watch as our expert tackles the obesity dilemma. From the benefits and dangers of weight loss drugs to diet and exercise, you'll learn how to safely take off and keep off weight. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=105809&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ======================= INTERACTIVE MINDERS ======================= ***The Voting Booth*** Who would you elect as the next President of the United States? Vote now! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105836&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ***Meet Discovery's Personalities*** Steve Irwin - Croc Hunter http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=101806&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Dr. Kevin T. Fitzgerald http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=101806&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Christopher Lowell http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=101806&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Lynette Jennings http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=101806&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Susan Powell http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=101806&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Michael Holigan http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=6&c=101806&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ***Best of TV This Week*** Discovery Health, Sunday, "Things That Go Bump" Fear of birds, fear of flying and fear of dentists top tonight's agenda. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=105834&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Animal Planet, Monday, "Gorillas in the Mist" Sigourney Weaver is Dian Fossey, who fought the system to save her friends, the mountain gorillas. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=105834&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Discovery Channel, Tuesday, "Air Force One" President Bush discusses the history of his former home in the sky. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=105834&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S TLC, Wednesday, "Asteroid Impact" Is there an asteroid out there with our name on it? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=105834&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Travel Channel, Thursday, "The Alps" We have the high spots of the region that gave us downhill skiing and Mozart. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=105834&pr=785&cf=1&pa=41&e=S

DISCOVERY DISPATCH FOR 11/10/2000 ----------------------------------------------------------- ================ IN THE SPOTLIGHT ================ IT'S THE NEW DISCOVERY CHANNEL ADVENTURE RACE! Follow the grueling competition live from New Zealand starting Sunday, but you can meet the 58 teams now, and find out how they plan to race for days without sleep. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=109845&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=109845&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=109845&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S MEN OF HONOR: WIN A MOVIE POSTER! In honor, so to speak, of the movie "Men of Honor," we'll give away 10 posters signed by Carl Brashear, the diver portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr. in the movie. Uncover the true story behind the movie. You can watch a video narrated by Carl Brashear, the subject of the film, and find out how the Mark V diving suit really works. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=109846&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Does Hollywood Ever Get It Right? Dramatic license can turn a "true" story into something unrecognizable to people in the know. Take a look at some cinematic fibs and flubs, then give us YOUR best examples. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=109846&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S The Great Moon Hoax, at History Buff! Check out the scam that fooled a New York newspaper, then see how the phrase "that's old news" is a good thing for those who feel the allure of vintage newspapers. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=109846&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ASK AN ASTRONAUT Do you have a question for space station astronauts? Well, here's your chance. Submit your question online, and, if selected, you'll find the answers the night of the world premiere of Inside the Space Station on Discovery Channel, Sunday, Dec. 10, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. While you're there, let us know what you would bring to the space station, by taking our Discovery Channel/USA Weekend poll. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=109855&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=109855&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ============= MAIN FEATURES ============= SNEAK PREVIEW: NEW DETECTIVES/FBI FILES ONLINE Get a jump on the new site for "The New Detectives" and "FBI Files" before anyone else! (Nonsubscribers will have to wait until Monday.) And while you're checking out the online package, email a question to forensic artist Karen Taylor, featured in "The New Detectives: Cold Cases" airing on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Then look for her answers starting on Wednesday! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=109864&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S GO TO SPY SCHOOL Meet the masters of deception, tour a secret spy museum and learn the tricks of their treacherous trade. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=109998&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Products to Explore Your World Be sure to stop by the Discovery Store to check out our new look. We've made it easier than ever for you to pursue your passions with over 2,500 products to choose from. With 3-4 day standard shipping, 24/7 customer service, online order status and a host of other great features, the Discovery Store will be your one-stop shop this holiday season! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=109998&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S SEX AND STEREOTYPES Are men necessarily more oriented to the physical? Do women need an emotional bond? Much of what you thought was genetic may be the result of our social structures. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=109999&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Dealing With Bullies Many of us lost our lunch money, and more than a little self-esteem, to bigger, more aggressive children at school. What should you tell your sons or daughters who are confronted with that situation today? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=109999&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Is Your Food Genetically Modified? Labeling is not required in the United States, so can you really be sure that what you're eating doesn't come from the scientist as well as the farmer? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=109999&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S 15 MINUTES OF FAME CAM Live from the Discovery Channel store in Santa Monica, Calif. ... regular folks are mugging it up for your Internet pleasure! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=110031&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Surf Cam Vacation vicariously as sun worshippers frolic on the beach in La Jolla, Calif. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=110031&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Pet Cam It's cute kittens and cuddly puppies ... and no cleaning up after them! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=110031&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Loosen Up at the Discovery Store! Find a wide selection of relaxation products, from fountains and Zen gardens to yoga and tai chi videos. You're sure to find that perfect gift ... or treat yourself! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=110031&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S BORN TO HATE? What's the relationship between biology and hate? Watch "Rage to Revenge: The Science of Violence," on Discovery Channel, Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Then email questions to our expert, Dr. Brad Bushman, from the show and look for his answers starting on Thursday. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=110032&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=110032&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DINOSAURS The Dinosaur Glossary Don't know an Allosaurus from a water flea? We're here with the information that not only will make you the center of attention at your next dinner party, but will prove to your kids just how cool you really are. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=110355&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S The Search for Prehistoric Sharks Long before T. rex ruled the land, these enormous creatures were the sultans of the seas. Did they leave any evidence of their time here? http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=110355&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Who Came First? The Dinosaur Timeline If your dino knowledge is basically what you could pick up from "The Flintstones," you're in for a few surprises. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=110355&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Take the Dinosaurs Home! State-of-the-art digital effects and animatronics combine to form the living, breathing images that put you in the scene of a virtual lost world in Discovery Channel's "Walking with Dinosaurs." Visit the Discovery Store and secure your own copy of the original BBC version today! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=110355&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S BRANDI, THE FLU AND WEIGHT LOSS LIVE, FROM DISCOVERY HEALTH Kickin' It With Brandi! Join us for a chat with Brandi Chastain on Sunday, Nov. 12, from 9 to 10 p.m. ET. From her famous abs to her favorite shows, find out what makes Brandi, well ... Brandi! And be sure to check out the latest episode of "FITeam Power Hour" right before the chat. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=110356&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=110356&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Weight Loss Live Don't miss our second live webcast in the "Lose Excess Weight, Gain Health" series. Join us Friday, Nov. 17, at 4 p.m. ET as Dr. Arthur Frank discusses obesity management. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=110356&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Just When You Thought You Were Safe From the Flu ... Check out the Flu Tracker to find out how close to your home the nasty bug is lurking this week. It's not too late to protect yourself. Read the latest recommendations for immunizations and learn 10 things you can do to avoid the flu. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=110356&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Go Wild in California Surfing, rock climbing or learning to be a clown ... whatever your wild side craves, you'll find it in abundance in the Golden State. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=110356&pr=857&cf=1&pa=41&e=S

Hauoli Na Hanau, Neil White tuberose mixed with orange ilima blossoms. Very fragrant. ...keep looking... where there are more babes than rocks...

Ant-Eating Flies May Rescue South WASHINGTON (AP) - A tiny Brazilian fly whose larvae literally eat the heads off of fire ants will be unleashed across the South under a government program to control the vicious ants that are a spreading menace to homeowners, farmers and wildlife. The Agriculture Department, which claims the gnat-like phorid fly is of no danger to anybody or anything other than fire ants, announced plans Wednesday to release hundreds of thousands of them in the South and possibly in California, where the ants have now spread. ``It is a self-sustaining biocontrol,'' said Richard Brenner, who leads a USDA research team in Florida. ``Twelve sites per state could blanket the state within five years.'' Fire ants can make life miserable for homeowners and gardeners and cause billions of dollars in damage every year to air conditioners, electrical equipment and farms, experts say. The ants can blind and even kill livestock and wildlife, and the sting is occasionally fatal to humans. The ants, which are native to South America, have no natural enemies in the United States. Chemical treatments are only effective temporarily. ``Anything that will take care of these fire ants will be fine with me, as long as it doesn't hurt anything else or the environment,'' said Kym Bell, a Cottondale, Ala., woman whose 5-year-old daughter missed several days of kindergarten this fall because of repeated ant bites on her school playground. The stings left welts the size of a half dollar on her skin. The phorid fly helps keep the ants under control in Brazil and Argentina, where infestation levels are far lower than they are in the United States. The flies hover over ant mounds before darting down and injecting a torpedo-like egg into the ants. After one of the eggs hatches, the maggot decapitates the ant by eating the brain and other contents of the head. The maggot later turns into a fly and the cycle is repeated. The flies don't kill enough of the ants to destroy colonies, but they do cause enough panic to keep the ants in check, Brenner said. The ants, which have an innate fear of the flies, stop foraging and flee when they spot them, giving native ants a chance to move back into the territory. Some scientists are skeptical that there are enough native ants in the South to compete with the fire ants. The natives have either been poisoned by humans or driven away by fire ants. ``You've got to have a really good competing ant population for the phorid flies to have an effect,'' said Brad Vinson, an entomologist at Texas A&M University. Scientists also are studying other biological enemies of the fire ant, including a microorganism and a parasitic ant. The Agriculture Department started studying the flies in 1993 to see if they could harm anything other than fire ants. Nothing other than the fire ants would attract them, including animal dung or human waste, so the government is confident they will be completely safe for the environment, Brenner said. The flies were released at four sites near Gainesville, Fla., three years ago and now have spread to 700 square miles. USDA scientists are now studying the area to see how the flies have affected ant populations. As part of the federal project, Florida's agriculture department will begin mass-rearing the flies next spring and will ship them to field sites in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The project will cost USDA about $100,000. Discussions also are under way about releasing the flies in California, where parts of the Los Angeles area are under a federal quarantine intended to keep the ants from spreading. ---= On the Net: USDA's Agricultural Research Service: http://www.ars.usda.gov Texas A&M University fire-ant site: http://fireant.tamu.edu

From The Honolulu Star-Bulletin - November 23, 2000 More than a century after the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and more than 40 years since statehood, an agent for the acting Hawaiian kingdom plans to defend the nation next month in oral hearings set before an international court at The Hague, Netherlands. The World Court�s Permanent Court of Arbitration will hold an initial round of oral arguments on Dec. 7, 8, 11 and 12 to decide whether the United States should be involved when three international arbitrators resolve a dispute between Lance P. Larsen, a Big Island resident and proclaimed Hawaiian subject, and the acting Hawaiian Kingdom, represented by agent David Keanu Sai. While the outcome has no legal bearing beyond the case, Sai said the arguments will raise international attention on the United States� role in the demise of the Hawaiian nation. Sai, a former Army captain, believes the kingdom still exists but is under a prolonged U.S. occupation following what he called the �failed revolution� of January 1893. �We�re not asking to end the occupation now,� he said. �We�re treating the occupation as a matter of fact...But the question will always arise, why isn�t the United States involved?� Larsen�s attorney, Ninia Parks, could not be reached for comment today afternoon. Larsen was arrested and spent 30 days in jail in October 1999 for driving his car in Hilo without a license, license plate, safety check and registration. He believes old kingdom law still applies under a U.S.-occupied Hawaiian nation and that his rights were violated. He filed a federal lawsuit that accused both the kingdom and the U.S. of not protecting him as a Hawaiian subject. U.S. Senior District Judge Samuel P. King dismissed the complaint last Oct. 29 after Larsen and the kingdom agreed to seek binding arbitration in the World Court. The court receives funding from dozens of nations, including the U.S., that endorse its system for resolving disputes. The international proceedings began in November 1999 and there have been three rounds of pleadings filed. Sai said today the parties will ask the court to determine the relationship between a Hawaiian subject and an acting government of the Hawaiian kingdom. �The court will either say they have the jurisdiction to hear the case between the government and a national, or they�ll say they don�t have jurisdiction because the United States has to be involved,� Sai said. �Either way, it�s good. See, now we go to the next step to get America involved,� he said. Sai said kingdom records show Hawaii was recognized as an independent nation in 1843 and under international law, one country cannot colonize another country. Moreover, the U.S. should have governed Hawaii under kingdom law, not U.S. law, after its occupation began in 1893, he said. This same argument was used by Sai as co-founder and researcher of the now-defunct Perfect Title Co., which based land titles on 19th century kingdom law. �The nationals in Europe, they understand occupation because Germany was not too far away. America, Hawaii, they have no idea what occupation law means,� he said.

Shades of Karen's Chicago Cows: The Antler, My Friend, Is Blowing In The Wind ... They� re making the moosed of their Christmas collection at Nathan Phillips Square. That�s where the process of auctioning off the city�s moose collection has begun. It�s called the �12 Moose Of Christmas�, and proceeds from the sale are going to be �herd� far and wide � they�re going to the United Way. Oddly, none of the moose are on the loose � they�re in a secret hiding place, getting spiffed up for the bidders. To get your hands on one, all you need is a love of antlers, and a mouse in your house. That�s because they�re being auctioned off on e-bay.ca. �The bidding will start at a dollar,� explains the site�s Lorna Borenstein. �Not only can you bid on any moose, you can bid on all of them if you like. It would be great if we were able to raise close to $100,000.� But don�t moose your opportunity. The auction is only online until the 10th of December.

DISCOVERY DISPATCH FOR 12/8/2000 ----------------------------------------------------------- ================ IN THE SPOTLIGHT ================ YOUR LIFE ON THE SPACE STATION Get ready for Sunday's "Watch With the World" event on Discovery Channel by touring our first outpost in space, going for a virtual stroll outside the station or creating an animation of your own alien world. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=124145&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S CHAT WITH A NASA ASTRONAUT AFTER THE SHOW It starts at 10:15 p.m. ET, and International Space Station astronaut Dan Bursch will answer your questions live. Don't miss the chance to talk with one of Earth's first off-world residents. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=124147&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ============= MAIN FEATURES ============= MR. AND MRS. PANDA GO TO WASHINGTON Groundbreaking symbols of international cooperation, or just black and white and cute all over? The newest residents of the National Zoo are America's latest celebrities. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=124183&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Join in the Panda Fun and Games Check out the panda-themed crossword puzzle, then we dare you not to let out a big "Aaaahhhhh," at the sight of newborn pandas. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=124183&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=124183&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ASK THE MURDER INVESTIGATOR You asked forensic artist Karen T. Taylor about her part in catching killers, and her answers are in! And now you can email a question to forensic expert Deborah Hewitt, featured in "The New Detectives: For Love or Money," airing on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Then look for her answers on Friday! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=124185&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S GET TO KNOW THE DISCOVERY FAMILY OF PERSONALITIES Steve Irwin IS the Crocodile Hunter No one knows wildlife like Steve, and once you've seen him you will never forget him. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=124191&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Christopher Lowell and Behold! Drab surroundings make for drab people. But Christopher's crowd has wiped out drab with his one-of-a-kind "You Can Do It" attitude. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=124191&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Lynette Jennings: The Chic Will Inherit the Earth Go behind the scenes with the queen of class and crafts, and don't forget to take her poll while you're there! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=124191&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S TO YOUR HEALTH, FROM DISCOVERY! Is Lasik Surgery for You? Should you say goodbye to glasses along with 750,000 other people this year? See for yourself the pros and cons of Lasik. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=124194&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Help for Preemies on the Web Check on your premature infant from your home computer, and get information on how to care for your preemie at home. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=124194&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Inside Alternative Medicine Magnets for depression. Herbs for pregnancy. Enzymes for cancer. The Discovery Health Channel uncovers the world of alternative medicine. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=124194&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Curious Gifts for Curious Kids! Zip around on a razor scooter, pet the perfect teckno puppy, listen to the magic of finger beatz, spy around the neighborhood with nightime vision goggles ... hundreds of unique gift ideas for kids of all ages! Come to Discovery Store for cool kid gifts this holiday season! http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=124194&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S ======================= INTERACTIVE MINDERS ======================= ***Send a Discovery E-Card*** http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=123943&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Wild California http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=123943&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Desert Mummies http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=123943&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Vintage Baseball Cards http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=123943&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Animals http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=5&c=123943&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Discovery http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=6&c=123943&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Lifestyles http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=7&c=123943&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Kids http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=8&c=123943&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Travel http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=9&c=123943&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Greetings http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=10&c=123943&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Travel Channel, Friday, "Coney Island" We'll take you from the first Native American residents to the thrills and shills that made it "America's Playground." http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=1&c=125027&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Discovery Health, Saturday, "Lifeline" The men and women on the front lines of health care accomplish the impossible every day. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=2&c=125027&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Discovery Channel, Sunday, "Inside the Space Station" Watch with the world, as we take you on an incredible journey to Earth's first permanemt outpost in space. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=3&c=125027&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S Animal Planet, Monday, "Crocodiles" Two hundred million years in the making, they're the only species left that routinely hunts humans for food. http://ww9.lfmn.com/actv/sr2.asp?u=1002755137&v=6117&url=4&c=125027&pr=1066&cf=1&pa=41&e=S

The Twelve Days of Christmas, Hawaiian style: "Numbah 12 day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Twelve television. . . ."

Woman Killed by Crocodile After Night Swim JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A South African woman was killed by a crocodile late Friday night while taking a romantic midnight swim, a local newspaper said Tuesday. The Star newspaper said the dismembered remains of 22-year-old Tracy Hunt were recovered by wildlife officers and police Sunday in Lake St. Lucia, 36 hours after her boyfriend reported the attack. The pair were having a romantic dip shortly before midnight Friday when Hunt screamed out in pain. Her boyfriend, Claudio Celestino, turned and saw Hunt disappear beneath the water. He also reported seeing a crocodile. They were swimming at the mouth of the lake where it meets the ocean, an area where sharks and crocodiles are often seen. Lake St. Lucia's waters are infested with crocodiles and hippopotamuses -- which kill more people than any other wild mammal in Africa. The lake has several signs warning visitors about the dangers.

CALIFORNIA POWER CRISIS: December 14, 2000 Steady bleeding over the past six months has brought two of California's largest utilities near bankruptcy and created a crisis in confidence that nearly shut lights out Wednesday, officials said. Earlier in the week, about a dozen companies that generate and market power told the state's grid operators they would not sell electricity in California's spot market without cash or some other financial assurance from Pacific Gas & Electric and other buyers, according to Gov. Gray Davis' office. PG&E has been losing $1 million an hour, around the clock, to high wholesale electricity costs for which it has been unable to charge customers over the last six months. On Monday, its credit rating was downgraded for the second time in four months, along with Southern California Edison's, partly because state regulators have not acted on a PG&E request to raise rates. Unwilling to bank on the utilities' credit, power-producing companies threatened to withhold power, leading to the prospect that grid operators would be unable to get enough electricity to prevent rolling blackouts. Davis and others intervened into a statewide power crisis that is looking increasingly dire. Davis and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said in a statement that high wholesale electricity prices "may very well bankrupt" PG&E and Edison. Davis and Feinstein added that without strong regulatory intervention, "the lights throughout major areas of California may well go out." State regulators also announced Wednesday they would reconsider PG&E's plan to raise rates next month. Those developments, along with other moves by state and federal energy officials and politicians, were seen as good news by Lori R. Woodland, an analyst with Fitch Investors Service in Chicago, which downgraded the utilities' credit ratings Monday. Without state and federal intervention, "solvency would have been an issue," Woodland said. "What it says to me is that finally the people that matter are recognizing the problems and they are not willing to let these utilities fall apart," Woodland said. "That's a good sign." Others were less optimistic. "I haven't seen anything today that will address creditworthiness concerns," said Mark Palmer, a spokesman for Houston-based Enron Corp., which was among those companies listed by Davis as refusing to sell electricity in California without increased financial assurances. Palmer said his company sells relatively little power into the spot market that was affected Wednesday, but added, "We may have had a conversation with them about creditworthiness." "Compelling people to sell power, and trying to shift blame, doesn't do anything to solve California's problems," Palmer said. Before May, things were going along fine for PG&E. It was buying electricity for 3 cents or 4 cents a kilowatt-hour and selling it for a couple of pennies more. Then things spiraled out of control. The kilowatt-hour prices PG&E was paying were bumped up to 16.3 cents in May and hovered around that figure until last month. That is when prices skyrocketed again, so that over the past four weeks the utility has been paying an average of 27.9 cents for a kilowatt-hour. The problems for PG&E is that it is prevented, for now, from charging more than 5.5 cents per kilowatt-hour. The company is trying to lift that price cap, and it hopes to collect the $4.6 billion it has lost as of Nov. 30 to unreimbursable high wholesale costs from its 4.6 million customers in Northern and Central California. Although those figures average out to $1,000 per customer that PG&E hopes to collect for electricity that has already been used, residential customers would pay less than that because businesses use about two-thirds of the utility's electricity. PG&E spokesman Ron Low said the company continues to have the credit needed to buy power. Asked about the prospect of bankruptcy, Low said, "That is not a question that we can answer. The financial institutions that lend us money will continue to do so as long as we are a prudent investment." Part of the rationale Fitch used in downgrading the utilities' credit ratings Monday was that state Public Utilities Commission President Loretta Lynch just last Thursday halted regulators' work on a plan by PG&E to raise rates in January.

I BET YOU ALWAYS THOUGHT GREEN SNAKES WERE OK -- RIGHT? WELL, READ ON........ Green Garden Grass snakes can be dangerous, Yes, grass snakes, not rattlesnakes. A couple in Sweetwater, Texas had a lot of potted plants, and during a cold spell, the wife was bringing a lot of them indoors to protect them from a possible freeze. It turned out that alittle green garden grass snake was hidden in one of the plants and when it had warmed up, it slithered out and the wife saw it go under the sofa. She let out a very loud scream. The husband who was taking a shower ran out into the living room naked to see what the problem was. She told him there was a snake under the sofa. He got down on the floor on his hands and knees to look for it. About that time the family dog came and cold-nosed him in the butt. He thought the snake had bitten him and he fainted. His wife thought he had a heart attack, so she called an ambulance. The attendants rushed inand loaded him on the stretcher and started carrying him out. About that time the snake came out from under the sofa and the Emergency Medical Technician saw it and dropped his end of the stretcher. That's when the man broke his leg and why he is in the hospital. The wife still had the problem of the snake in the house, so she called on a neighbor man. He volunteered to capture the snake. He armed himself with a rolled-up newspaper and began poking under the couch. Soon he decided it was gone and told the woman, who sat down on the sofa in relief. But in relaxing, her hand dangled in between the cushions, where she felt the snake wriggling around. She screamed and fainted, the snake rushed back under the sofa, and the neighbor man, seeing her laying there passed out tried to use CPR to revive her. The neighbor's wife, who had just returned from shopping at the grocery store, saw her husband's mouth on the woman's mouth and slammed her husband in the back of the head with a bag of canned goods, knocking him out and cutting his scalp to a point where it needed stitches. An ambulance was again called and it was determined that the injury required hospitalization. The noise woke the woman from her dead faint and she saw her neighbor lying on the floor with his wife bending over him, so she assumed he had been bitten by the snake. She went to the kitchen, brought back a small bottle of whiskey, and began pouring it down the man's throat. By now the police had arrived. They saw the unconscious man, smelled the whiskey, and assumed that a drunken fight had occurred. They were about to arrest them all, when the two women tried to explain how it all happened over a little green snake. They called an ambulance, which took away the neighbor and his sobbing wife. Just then the little snake crawled out from under the couch, One of the policemen drew his gun and fired at it. He missed the snake and hit the leg of the end table that was on one side of the sofa. The table fell over and the lamp on it shattered and as the bulb broke, it started a fire in the drapes. The other policeman tried to beat out the flames and fell through the window into the yard on top of the family dog, who startled, jumped up and raced out into the street, where an oncoming car swerved to avoid it and smashed into the parked police car and set it on fire. Meanwhile the burning drapes had spread to the walls and the entire house was blazing. Neighbors had called the fire department and the arriving fire truck had started raising his ladder as they were halfway down the street. The rising ladder tore out the overhead wires and put out the electricity and disconnected the telephones in a ten-square city block area. Time passed. . . Both men were discharged from the hospital, The house was re-built, The police acquired a new car, and all was right with their world . . . Last night they were watching TV and the weatherman announced a cold snap for that night. The husband asked his wife if she thought they should bring in their plants for the night. She shot him dead.

Templar Treasures Hidden on Baltic Sea Island? COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The Holy Grail and the Ark of the Covenant may have been hidden by a secretive religious order of crusaders, the Knights Templar, on the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm some 830 years ago, according to a new book. The whereabouts of the grail and the ark -- legendary religious relics of immeasurable value to Christian and Jewish believers -- have intrigued historians and archaeologists for centuries and films about quests to locate them, notably the "Indiana Jones" series, have thrilled movie audiences worldwide. No one knows exactly what the relics actually are but the ark is believed a box-type container that held the stone tablets inscribed with the 10 commandments which Moses received from God on Mount Sinai. Legends differ about the Holy Grail but it is most widely thought to be the chalice which Jesus and his apostles drank from at last supper before he was crucified. Some scholars speculate that treasures amassed by the Knights Templar ended up in Rosslyn chapel in Scotland. Others have hinted at locations in Ethiopia, Spain and Canada. In a 194-page book "The Templars' Secret Island," Denmark's Erling Haagensen and Henry Lincoln of Britain say medieval round churches were built at sites on Bornholm based on the sacred geometry used by the Knights Templar elsewhere in Europe, most famously at Rennes-le-Chateau in southern France. The book, studded with graphs, plots the churches' geometric layout with mathematical precision and the authors suggest the design may be a map to hidden treasures. The Danish archbishop Eskil visited Knights Templar Grand Master Bertrand de Blanchefort in France in 1162, nine years after the death of his predecessor Bernard of Clairvaux. The historically recorded purpose of Eskil's visit -- coming at a time when the Knights Templar may have feared becoming vulnerable because of the influential Bernard's demise -- was to prepare a crusade against pagans inhabiting the Baltic Sea's northeastern coast in what is today Estonia and Latvia. The book suggests that Knights Templar who joined the Baltic crusade built Bornholm's churches and may have taken the opportunity to stash some treasures there. "The need for a secure hiding place would have been paramount...It would make sense to conceal whatever may have been the Order's treasures in more than one place. "Better still to provide a hiding place which was remote and had no apparent connection with the Order. Bertrand's involvement in the planning for the Baltic Mission would have offered him the perfect opportunity. Bornholm...now becomes a trump card," says the book. "It was small and easily controlled and protected. Above all, it was remote, unknown, unlikely to be disturbed, not big enough or rich enough to attract an errant warrior intent on carving out a kingdom," it continues. UNIQUE CHURCHES LASTING HERITAGE The European Templar Heritage Research Network (ETHRN), a non-profit making association of scholars not affiliated to any religious or political group, says it has been historically documented that the order of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon -- the full name of the Knights Templar -- was founded by aristocrats from the French region of Burgundy early in the 12th century. The order's classic round churches founded on octagonal geometry, supposedly based on the design of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, are a lasting heritage of the Knights Templar era, the ETHRN says. Historical records and 20th century archaeological digs indicate that a group of Knights Templar were searching for something under Jerusalem's Temple Mount between 1118 and 1127. Haagensen and Lincoln say that on returning to France in 1127 the crusaders reported to Bernard of Clairvaux that their "mission" had been accomplished. A carving on a pillar at the cathedral in Chartres, France, suggests the mission had been to find the Ark of the Covenant. Legends say Mary Magdalen, to this day the village saint of Rennes-le-Chateau, and Joseph of Arimathea, who according to the Bible buried Jesus, took the Holy Grail to France. Evidence of the belief in this tale is found in historical records about the Nazis searching for the Holy Grail at Rennes-le-Chateau during World War Two. Backing up the theory that Knights Templar treasures may have been hidden on Bornholm, the book says ancestors of the noblemen who founded the order lived on this rocky 587 square km (226.7 square miles) island, now part of Denmark and home to some 45,000 people. BURGUNDIANS CAME FROM BORNHOLM The authors point to a find of nearly 3,000 tiny, intricately carved golden figures unearthed in a 1985-86 excavation of a Bornholm field as lending credibility to their claim of a Bornholm connection. The golden figures have been dated to AD 400-600 when the Merovingians -- a clan of Frankish kings who claimed to be, like Jesus, of the house and lineage of the Bible's King David -- were at the height of their power. Descendants of the Merovingians later settled in Burgundy. The book also quotes a AD 417 work by Spanish historian Orosius, which says the Burgundians came from Bornholm. The Knights Templar viewed the Holy Grail and the Ark of the Covenant as their rightful possessions because of their bloodline to the House of David, scholars say. The equilateral six-sided shape which forms the star of David is part of the geometric design formed by Bornholm's medieval churches, the book by Haagensen and Lincoln shows. "It is undeniable that those who planned and built the churches of Bornholm knew exactly what they were doing and why they did it," the authors say, adding the design "indicated a sure hiding place." An excavation in 1995 to install heating ducts under the floor of Oesterlars church, the biggest of Bornholm's round churches, found "unusual and unexpected stone features...which might be explained by the presence of an undiscovered crypt," the book says, quoting the official renovation report. Olsker, another church in the geometric pattern, also features a "curious indication of a possible underground structure beneath a staircase," the authors say. "Neither of these subterranean anomalies has, thus far, been investigated."

Shades of King Hemming of Denmark...

Baffling Explosions in the Sky SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian authorities were baffled by overnight reports of bright lights and booming noises in the sky which shook some houses and prompted fears of falling space junk or meteorites. Police said they received numerous reports of "explosions in the sky, sonic boom-type noises and flare-type lights" over a two hour period on Tuesday night from residents along a 124-mile stretch of the country's east coast. "There was a huge bang which shook my house," one resident of Bateman's Bay, 175 miles south of Sydney, told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio. "I thought the house next door had blown up." Police said they had contacted meteorology, air safety, emergency, and defense experts, but were unable to come up with any official reason. A number of small grass fires were also sparked around the nearby capital of Canberra. Australia's Deep Space Communications Complex said a small meteorite was the most likely explanation for the sightings.

Discovery Channel Online - January 5, 2001 IN THE SPOTLIGHT Next Stop ... Saturn! The Casini spacecraft got a little help from Jupiter on its way to the ringed planet. Search the Virtual Sky Point-and-click to celestial phenomena online, then see if you can find them in the real-life night sky. Go Inside the Space Station ... At Discovery Store! Be the first to explore the Space Station, it may be your future home. Check out this exciting video and other cool space products! E-mail this to a friend You Big Ape! We mean that in a GOOD way. Visit the gorillas in live streaming video at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston. What Kind of Gorilla Would YOU make? At last, we can help you answer the question that any self-respecting human eventually confronts. E-mail this to a friend MAIN FEATURES Before There Were Pyramids ... "Ancient" is a relative term, as evidenced by new findings of artwork drawn by the ancestors of pyramid-builders about 6,000 years ago. What Was it Like to Live in Egypt? Walk in the sandals of an ancient Egyptian, or find out how to join an archeological dig there right now.

From: Governor's Office of Emergency Services SACRAMENTO-In response to the Cal ISO declaration of a Stage 3 Electrical Emergency issued today at 0145 thru 2400, the State OES has issued the following message to all California emergency services personnel. 'Critical Information Please notify Emergency Services Managers, Fire and Law Enforcement agencies: Emergency services personnel (Law-Enforcement, Fire, EMS, and Local Offices of Emergency Services) throughout California should be advised that the California Independent System Operator, the entity that coordinates statewide flow of electrical supply, did declare a Stage 3 Emergency effective today's date at 0145 thru 2400HRS. At this time PG&E is dropping firm load of 500 mega watts in Northern California (Rolling Black-outs). We do not have information on specific areas effected. All Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, and Offices of Emergency Services management personnel should be notified of this message, as incoming call volumes and requests for assistance may increase during this time. Local energy suppliers may be able to provide more detailed information on potential or actual local impacts.'

Discovery Online IN THE SPOTLIGHT Do You Speak Dog? Scientists at the Moscow Zoo believe they have deciphered some sounds that wild dogs, known as "dholes" use to communicate with one another. E-mail this to a friend Human Cloning Is in the Works Since news about the creation of "Dolly" the sheep, many in the scientific community have believed that human cloning was inevitable. Now an organized effort has begun. Valentine Gifts For HER at Discovery Store! Pamper her with worldly gifts from Discovery Store this Valentine's Day. Select from an array of fountains, massage gift sets, beautiful jewelry, and even more unique gifts for her! A Perfect Valentine for HIM at Discovery Store! Intrigue him with unique gifts from Discovery Store. Select from a collection of aviator watches, telescopes, expedition apparel, his favorite videos, and more! E-mail this to a friend What Did You Look Like in the 70s? Did you wear bell bottoms when they were allegedly cool (for the first time)? Is there a mauve leisure suit hanging in your closet? Maybe an "I'm With Stupid" T-shirt? We're looking for photographs of the most neato 70s fashions, and personal stories from the people who wore them. So email your images and reminiscences, and we promise not to make fun of them (unless, perhaps, you were an actual member of The Village People). E-mail this to a friend MAIN FEATURES Did the Crocodile Hunter Really Do That? No one puts the "wild" in wildlife quite like the great Steve Irwin does! Now you can discuss his most perilous close encounters on the "Dangerous Moments" bulletin board. E-mail this to a friend Christopher Lowell Lovers Meet Here! Read Christopher's New Years message, find out how to make his room divider or check out where he'll be appearing next! E-mail this to a friend Probe the Criminal Mind Watch The New Detectives and The FBI Files, and you might help to solve a crime online. Or go "through the lens" to see the amazing microworld that crime-solvers see. New Discovery Channel Gulf War Video - Now Available at Discovery Store Get inside the critical decision-making and masterful military strategies that guided the Gulf War effort. Inside the Kill Box: Fighting the Gulf War video is now available. Fly through this and other new video releases from Discovery Store. E-mail this to a friend Planet Ocean: Where Most "Earthlings" Really Live Discover blue whales, barracudas and tubeworms that populate the strange world that covers most of the Earth. E-mail this to a friend Lost Vegas? Step away from the slots and see the Las Vegas that lives beyond the strip. E-mail this to a friend

About the Crocodile Hunter, someone at work said that he was going to out for six weeks of treatment for having recently been bitten by a crocodile. Is that true?

Have not heard that... will check and get back to you! Yikes! When he looks at the camera instead of the menace in front of him he drives me crazy. I am not a huge fan of his - much preferred Harry Butler!

The human genome, the book of life, will change the way scientists do research and revolutionize medicine by increasing knowledge about what makes us human. Already it is has shown that humans have far fewer genes, 30,000 to 40,000, and only about twice as many as a fly or worm. But many of them work very differently. It is a treasure chest of information that scientists have just opened and are only beginning to understand. But researchers are at odds about how the information should be made available. "It really is a gift to the world," Dr. Mike Dexter, the director of the Wellcome Trust charity which contributed to the Human Genome Project, told a news conference. "It should be available for all to use and to update and to fill in the extra details." The Human Genome Project, a publicly funded consortium of hundreds of scientists around the world, published their sequence of the human genome in the journal Nature. It is freely available on genome databases for use by all scientists. By contrast Celera Genomics Inc., the privately funded competing team, reported their work in the journal Science with restrictions on redistribution. RESTRICTING INFORMATION HAMPERS SCIENCE Scientists working on the Human Genome Project believe that restricting the use of information about the human genetic code will hamper medical research, particularly in the developing world. In the past two months, scientists have accessed information from the public genome database hundreds of thousands of times but data from Celera Genomics has been used by less than 50 subscribing organizations. Pay per view arrangements, so popular for major sporting events, are not right for the human genome, the scientists argue. "By maintaining the principle of equal and free access to all we are helping to lessen the gap between the rich countries of the west and our colleagues in the poor parts of the world," Dexter added. Dr. John Sulston, the leader of the British effort to sequence the genome, said the information in the human genetic code is relevant to all people and must be used to benefit all. "The human genome is internationally, publicly owned. That is what we are celebrating today. Freedom of information and freedom of access," said Sulston. "It would have been criminal to prevent the access to this information." NOT HOLDING ANYTHING BACK Celera's Craig Venter defended his company's handling of the sequence and its publication in Science. He also denied that their information was being restricted. "Our data is freely available to scientists anywhere," he told BBC radio. "There are no restrictions on the discoveries or the patentability or the publication of it. What they (researchers) can't do is take our data and try to set up a business to redistribute it to compete with Celera, which paid for it using its own money." Sulston admitted that the Celera sequence is bigger, or has more information, but he added that half of data had come from the public domain. Without the publicly funded effort he said, "not only would we have a privatized genome, we would have no genome at all."

Junk DNA May Not Be Such Junk, Genome Studies Find WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The first in-depth look into the human genome shows it is much more complicated than the clear blueprint of how to make a human that scientists had hoped for. Instead of having DNA packed with tens of thousands of new genes that make people different from mice, fruit flies and worms, it seems we have relatively few genes -- just 30,000 or 40,000, researchers will announce later Monday. Earlier estimates had ranged from 60,000 to 100,000. The two separate teams of scientists, who say they were shocked and awed by their findings, say this means that genes may not be the be-all and end-all of what makes an organism. They know that each gene "expresses" or controls a protein. And they now know that the proteins must mix and match in ways more important than previously thought. But they also know they are going to have to go back and dig through the trash can of the genome -- the so-called "junk DNA" that many had believed played no important role at all. "I call it the alleged junk," Eric Lander, head of genome sequencing at the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said in a telephone interview. "The junk is amazing." LOOKING LONG AND HARD AT THE JUNK Lander, whose institute, part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, played a large role in the publicly funded Human Genome Project, said researchers will be taking a long hard look at the junk. When the two efforts, public and private, announced the first step, the sequence of the human genome last June, they knew little more than that there were 3.1 billion base pairs of DNA in the human genome. This amounted basically to a read-out of the A's, C's, T's and G's -- the nucleotides that form the rungs in the twisted double helix of DNA. If the right combinations of letters are together, say an A, and T and a G plus an A, G and C, they make an amino acid. There are 20 different amino acids, and these can join up in a variety of ways to make 250,000 different proteins. There is no set number of amino acids needed to make a protein, thus the variety. Each of the body's 100 trillion cells, except for red blood cells, has a full copy of this complement of DNA. But each cell does not express all of them. Brain cells need to express certain proteins, muscle cells and immune cells need to express others. Genes sometimes control what is expressed by other genes, but it could be the "junk" DNA plays a role as well, said the scientists who publish their findings in the journals Science and Nature this week. Their surprising finding is that the relatively few genes found in the 3.1 billion base pairs are clumped up. In between are vast spaces of "desert," repeats of nucleotides that look like meaningless stutters. However, Lander said some of these, which often repeat the same sequence over and over again, look like guideposts to evolutionary history. "By taking all the repeat elements in genome, we can put them together into a family tree," Lander said. GENOME BECOMES A FOSSIL RECORD "The genome now becomes a fossil record." It had been known that viruses known as retroviruses could make their DNA a permanent part of ours -- and also of all the other mammals -- but the scientists found evidence that bacteria did the same thing. Lander said his team can already tell that, way back before humans became humans, our ancestors stopped getting so many new genes from viruses and bacteria and stopped moving genes around inside the genome, a process known as transposition. "The rate of transposition, the rate of hopping, has plummeted in recent times, in the past 30 million to 40 million years," Lander said. "We don't know why. This hasn't happened in the mouse. Entire classes of junk DNA have gone extinct." But other junk DNA thought to have been useless, hints at being very important. One example is a piece of repetitive DNA called an AL sequence. "It turns out the genome cares a lot about getting the Alums to be near genes," he said. The Alums seem to have come into the genome fairly recently, and into gene-poor areas. But the transposition process moves them closer to actual working genes. "If they are selected for, they have a function," he said. One possibility is dealing with stress. "Suppose you need to regulate proteins under stress -- do you want to use a protein? No," he said. Any regulatory protein would also get stressed. "You'd want something that was extremely abundant and near genes. Maybe it turns out AL is our friend. We have been calling it junk for all these years." So perhaps humans have learned to make so with so few genes by using other DNA elements to help them out.

Marshall, I'd create a genetics topic for you if you would only post once in a while...(yes Iknow you're busy!!) Celera Genomics Says Finishes Mouse Genome WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Celera Genomics Inc., the private company that joined public scientists in announcing it had mapped and started to read the human genome, said on Monday it had finished the mouse genome, too. Celera will freely publish some of the information and sell the rest to subscribers, who can use it to try and find insights into the human genetic code, or to use in breeding special mice for laboratory research. At a news conference Mark Adams, vice president at Celera, said human and mouse are quite similar to one another. Earlier, Celera said humans had only a few hundred genes that mice do not have, and they are laid out in a similar manner. But Adams said it appears that human cells do more with their genes than mouse cells do. "The genes are larger," he said. And sometimes human genes can perform more than one function," Adams added. Much more is known about mouse genes than human genes, because mice are studied so extensively and because they breed so quickly. Scientists hope they can compare known mouse genes to similar human genes and better understand what they do. Adams said Celera would annotate, or analyze, the mouse genome over the coming weeks. Scientists leading the publicly funded genome sequencing effort said they would finish their own version of the mouse genome by April and would publish it on the Internet.

Important HTML programming site which keeps changing. Think this is bookmarkable. I use it to make Geo pretty. http://www.hypersolutions.org/rgb.html

Laser smashes light-speed record [19 Jul 2000] One of the most sacred laws of physics is that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light in vacuum. But this speed limit has been smashed in a recent experiment in which a laser pulse travels at more than 300 times the speed of light (L J Wang et al. 2000 Nature 406 277). However, the laws of physics remain intact because Lijun Wang and colleagues at the NEC Research Institute in Princeton in the US are able to explain the results of their experiment in terms of the classical theory of wave propagation. Special relativity prevents any object with mass travelling at the speed of light, and the principle of causality - the notion that the cause comes before the effect - is used to rule out the possibility of superluminal (faster-than-light) travel by light itself. However, a pulse of light can have more than one speed because it is made up of light of different wavelengths. The individual waves travel at their own phase velocity, while the pulse itself travels with the group velocity. In a vacuum all the phase velocities and the group velocity are the same. In a dispersive medium, however, they are different because the refractive index is a function of wavelength, which means that the different wavelengths travel at different speeds. Wang and colleagues report evidence for a negative group velocity of -310c, where c (=300 million metres per second) is the speed of light in vacuum. Their experimental set-up is remarkably similar to that used to slow light to a speed of just 17 metres per second last year. It relies on using two lasers and a magnetic field to prepare a gas of caesium atoms in an excited state. This state exhibits strong amplification or gain at two wavelengths, and highly anomalous dispersion - that is, the refractive index changes rapidly with wavelength - in the region between these two peaks. Wang and colleagues begin by using a third continuous-wave laser to confirm that there are two peaks in the gain spectrum and that the refractive index does indeed change rapidly with wavelength in between. Next they send a 3.7-microsecond long laser pulse into the caesium cell, which is 6 centimetres long, and show that, at the correct wavelength, it emerges from the cell 62 nanoseconds sooner than would be expected if it had travelled at the speed of light. 62 nanoseconds might not sound like much, but since it should only take 0.2 nanoseconds for the pulse to pass through the cell, this means that the pulse has been travelling at 310 times the speed of light. Moreover, unlike previous superluminal experiments, the input and output pulse shapes are essentially the same. There is no widespread agreement among physicists about the speed at which information is carried by pulses in such experiments. One definition is that it is the speed at which the point of half the maximum intensity on the leading edge of the pulse travels, but this velocity is superluminal in the Princeton experiment. The team intend to analyse this further, including cases in which the pulse contains only a few photons. http://physicsweb.org/article/news/04/7/8

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Heat leaves atom clusters cold: (15 Feb) When a system gains energy, its temperature rises - or so we are taught. But about a decade ago it was predicted that, on very small scales, some materials could get colder when they receive energy. Hellmut Haberland and co-workers from the University of Freiburg in Germany have now observed this negative heat capacity for the first time in clusters of sodium atoms (M Schmidt et al 2001 Phys. Rev. Lett. 86 1191). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/2/8 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- * Beating the femtosecond limit: (15 Feb) The quest for ever-shorter laser pulses inevitably results in each pulse containing fewer and fewer oscillations of the laser field. Indeed, the shortest visible and infrared laser pulses are typically just a few femtoseconds (10-15 seconds) in duration and contain just a few cycles of the laser field. However, there is a need for even shorter pulses to study fundamental physical, chemical and biological processes on shorter and shorter timescales. Moreover, many applications require photons with higher energies, so there is a corresponding need for ultrashort pulses at shorter wavelengths in the extreme ultraviolet and X-ray regions of the spectrum. Ferenc Krausz of the Technical University of Vienna and co-workers in Germany and Canada have now taken a major step in this direction (M Drescher et al 2001 Science 291 to appear). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/2/9 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- * Leonard Mandel and Ugo Fano die: (20 Feb) Two of the world's leading atomic and optical physicists - Leonard Mandel of the University of Rochester and Ugo Fano of the University of Chicago - have died in the past two weeks. Mandel, a pioneer in the field of quantum optics, died on February 9 at the age of 73. Fano, who made numerous contributions to the theory of atomic and radiation physics, died on February 13. He was 88. [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/2/10 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- * The hunt for new dimensions: (20 Feb) For decades physicists have toyed with the idea that the universe may contain extra dimensions beyond the familiar four dimensions of space and time. This idea has been proposed to account for the exceptional weakness of gravity. But remarkably, nobody has measured the strength of gravity on scales much less than a centimetre - and that is exactly where theorists believe the extra dimensions could be hiding. Now Eric Adelberger and co-workers at the University of Washington in the US have measured for the first time the gravitational attraction between objects just 0.2 mm apart - and concluded that any new dimensions must be concealed on even smaller scales (C D Hoyle et al 2001 Phys. Rev. Lett. 86 1418). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/2/11 ] ----------------------------------------------------------

r http://geocities.com/brojongazette/frontpage/bj0201.html About HAARP the signal Art Bell is trying to find. 3.39 MHz

yup... heard him last night...! ---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Turbulent times for fluids : (21 Feb) Physicists in the US have borrowed technology normally used in high-energy physics to gain a better picture of turbulence - a phenomenon that is still not well understood. Eberhard Bodenschatz and colleagues at Cornell University found that particles in swirling fluids undergo a flabbergasting range of accelerations within extremely short distances and times (A La Porta et al 2001 Nature 409 1017). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/2/12 ] ----------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Busquin calls for EU Framework increase: (23 Feb) The European Commission has proposed a 17% increase in the budget of the next framework programme for research and innovation. Philippe Busquin, the commissioner for research, has called for a budget of EUR 17.5 billion for the sixth Framework programme, which will cover the period 2003-2006. The proposal will be discussed at the EU summit in Stockholm on March 23 and 24. [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/2/13 ] ----------------------------------------------------------

Mouse with Human Brain Cells Does anyone remember the movie "The Mouse That Roared"? We just mightbe making a real one! U.S. Scientists Craft Mouse with Human Brain Cells Reuters Feb 23 2001 9:18PM SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. researchers have produced laboratory mice with human brain cells, marking a potential step toward developing treatments for human brain disease like Alzheimer's but promising to fuel fresh debate over the evolving ethics of bioengineering. The research at California biotechnology company StemCells Inc. breaks new ground by demonstrating that human brain stem cells can be induced to grow within a mouse's skull, scientists said on Friday. "We are not recreating a human brain. We're really just trying to understand how these stem cells can function, and how they can be used in the treatment of specific diseases," said Ann Tsukamoto, vice president of scientific operations at StemCells Inc. Irving Weissman, a Stanford university professor involved in the two-year research project, said the next step could be to produce mice with brains made up almost entirely of human cells -- although he said there would have to be a thorough ethical review before this step is taken. "You would want to ask the ethicist what percentage of the brain would be human cells before you start worrying, and if you start worrying, what would you start worrying about," Weissman said. The California study involved isolating human stem cells in the laboratory and then introducing them into mice. As the mice matured, the human stem cells -- "master cells" that can develop into any other type of cell -- grew into a full range of specialized cells throughout each mouse brain. "It looks like human cells can follow the developmental instructions put in by the mouse brain. They are making human components in what is clearly a mouse brain," Weissman said. The researchers believe that these mice could be used to test treatments for human brain diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimer's, although these tests have not yet been undertaken. Tsukamoto added that the experiment also demonstrated that StemCell Inc's process for isolating and developing human stem cells was viable, and that cell banks could be established for future transplantation into humans. "We're of course moving this into the development phase, and looking at which disease indications these cells would be best used for in preclinical trials," she said. Both scientists stressed that their research, while marking a new breakthrough in the controversial world of stem cell research, was in no way aimed at blurring the lines between human and animal. But Weissman added that he had already requested a review panel to look at the research to determine if there may be ethical problems in taking the work further. "It is not the objective to go make mice with human brains," Weissman said. "(But) it is in the domain of the ethicists, not the experimenters, to figure out what our limits are."

Smallest' robot to take world by swarm (CNN) -- Engineers with a government national security laboratory have created what they think could be the world's smallest robot -- a brainy, mobile machine that can stop and almost sit on a dime. Sporting track wheels and an 8K ROM processor, it could someday perform a host of arduous tasks like disabling land mines or searching for lost humans, scientists said. The diminutive droid, which weighs less than 1 ounce (28 grams) and is 1/4 cubic inch (4 cubic cm) in size, could be equipped with a camera, microphone and chemical micro-sensor. "This could be the robot of the future," said Ed Heller, a project researcher with the Sandia National Laboratory, which works under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy. Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the lab also developed what it calls the fastest gun in the world, a machine that propels material 20 times faster than a rifle. Journey into small spaces The mini-machines could travel in swarms like insects and go into locations too small for their bulkier cousins, communicating all the while with each other and human operators in a remote location. Eventually fleets of the robots could scamper through pipes looking for chemical releases or patrol buildings in search of prowlers. "If you take smaller ones, you can take more of them out and have better chances of finding what you are looking for," Heller said Friday. The robot has already navigated a field of coins, puttering along at 20 inches (50 cm) a minute on track wheels similar to those on tanks. The treads give added mobility over predecessors with conventional wheels, allowing it to travel over thick carpet. "It can't zip along as fast as a spider or ant yet. The speed was just for demonstration," Heller said. With modifications it could go up to five times faster. Covert uses possible The size of the robot is limited by the size of its power source. The frame must be large enough to hold three watch batteries, which drive its motors and instruments. Instead of "Big Brother," some unsavory types might have to worry about the littlest robot; the machine could play a major role in intelligence gathering, according to the lab, which specializes in research to protect U.S. military and economic interests. Heller and colleagues plan to outfit the mini-robot with impressive options over the next several years, including miniature video cameras and infrared or radio wireless two-way communications. "You might have to worry about what's sitting under your desk," Heller joked.

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Exciting times for superconductors: (26 Feb) The physics community was stunned in January when Jun Akimitsu of Aoyama-Gakuin University in Tokyo and co-workers discovered superconductivity in a simple metallic compound at 38 K - twice the previous record for a metallic superconductor. Akimitsu's group publishes its method and results this week, although several groups have already verified that magnesium diboride can indeed support resistance-free current flow (J Akimitsu et al 2001 Nature 410 63). Amid a flurry of activity, evidence is now emerging that - contrary to initial expectations - the traditional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory of superconductivity can explain the new effect (S L Bud'ko et al 2001 Phys. Rev. Lett. 86 1877). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/2/14 ] ----------------------------------------------------------

Tiny primate fossils discovered The Associated Press March 15 � Some ancestors of monkeys, apes and humans were so tiny that they could have stood atop a person�s thumb � a new finding astonishing even to anthropologists. Fossilized foot bones from two species smaller than any other known creature on the primate family tree were found at a limestone mine in eastern China. The bones are each about the size of a grain of rice. �This discovery reinvents our definition of what the primate order is all about and how it arose,� said Richard Stucky, curator at the Denver Museum of Natural History. He said he was �almost at a loss for words.� Smaller Than Smallest At one-third of an ounce � the weight of a couple of pencils � the smaller of the two species is dwarfed by the 1-ounce Madagascar mouse lemur, the smallest known primate alive today. The two lived in a rain forest about 45 million years ago, feeding on insects and sap. Scientists from Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Northern Illinois, Northwestern and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing detail the species in this week�s Journal of Human Evolution. In a separate article in the journal Nature, the group reported on more fossils from a previously discovered third primate called Eosimias centennicus. They had discovered its teeth and jaws in the mid 1990s. Now they�ve got ankle bones, which they say backs up their controversial claim that Eosimias is an early ancestor of humans. Eosimias and the two new tiny species all lived together around the time when lower primates split from the higher primates. Where the Family Tree Branched Lower primates include lemurs. Higher primates include humans. The split happened 40 million to 50 million years ago. At 3 ounces, Eosimias was larger than the tiny species, which have not been named. The smaller of the two new species might have been below Eosimias on the evolutionary branch, a common ancestor of higher primates and some lower primates, said Chris Beard of the Carnegie Museum. The larger one � weighing half an ounce � appears to be a higher primate, perhaps in the same family as Eosimias. �Nobody would have believed that as recently as 45 million years ago, our ancestors were about the size of a shrew,� Beard said. Anthropologists expected to find a smallish creature at the fork between higher and lower primates. Voracious Eater Because it would have needed to eat insects voraciously to keep up with an overheated metabolism, it would have had higher primate features: two eyes facing forward and soft hands without claws, all the better to focus on and grab bugs. �That said, these are really tiny,� said Brian Richmond, a George Washington University researcher. Unlike modern higher primates, which are social and move about in the daytime, these creatures� tiny size would have forced them to hide during the day and feed at night. The tiny species are the smallest of 12 to 16 species of little primates found at the Chinese mine. Eosimias is among them. Its ankle bones are further proof the creature was a higher primate, Beard said. It apparently walked on all fours, because like monkeys that scurry atop tree branches, their feet faced downward. Lower primate cling to tree trunks, so their feet face inward. But the evidence of Eosimias� status as a higher primate is still not conclusive. Richmond said it is possible Eosimias was a lower primate that evolved a few characteristics similar to higher primates. Also, Beard�s team has not found a skull or full skeleton. They inferred the ankle fossils to be Eosimias� based on where they were found. Stucky is convinced, calling it �significant, additional evidence� that Eosimias is a higher primate.

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * B factories go into overdrive: (2 Mar) Particles called B mesons do not decay at the same rate as their anti-particles, according to the first results from experiments in Japan and the US. But it is not yet clear if the difference is big enough to explain why the universe is dominated by matter. Preliminary results from two high-energy experiments - dubbed 'B factories' because they generate huge numbers of B mesons - have been submitted to Physical Review Letters and are currently available on the Los Alamos preprint server. [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/1 ] ----------------------------------------------------------

**Sprin5 posted this elsewhere but it goes here as well, I think...** IT's heeeeere!: IT's a hydrogen-powered scooter, running on a pollution-free Stirling engine. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-06-2001/0001441589&EDATE= Investigative reporter and [INSIDE] contributor Adam Penenberg has unearthed revealing new information including trademark and patent filings, domain registrations, financial transactions, factory blueprints, and a hitherto unknown company linked to "Ginger" inventor Dean Kamen, among other evidence. His findings, featured as a print-only exclusive [INSIDE] cover story, include: * As many have guessed, "Ginger" has to do with a ground-breaking, scooter-type vehicle that can balance on two wheels. But the real revelation is the power behind it - hydrogen, which runs basically emission-free. "Ginger" represents the first generation of a new mode of transportation that will compete with and possibly replace automobiles. The ramifications of a "hydrogen economy" would be profound on everything from the environment to the energy business to global politics.

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * LED could signal silicon laser: (7 Mar) A light-emitting diode made from silicon that efficiently emits light at room temperature could revolutionize communications technology. It is the latest in a string of attempts to create a light emitter compatible with existing silicon-based technology. Kevin Homewood of the University of Surrey, UK, and colleagues created the device - which could be the precursor of a silicon laser - by bombarding silicon with boron ions (W L Ng et al 2001 Nature 410 192). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/2 ] ----------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Cosmological model gets a boost: (8 Mar) Standard models of cosmology, which link the cosmic microwave background with conditions in the early universe, have been boosted by new data. The new Cosmic Background Imager in Chile has measured the microwave signals more precisely than ever before and has detected a dip in the 'power spectrum' predicted by current theories of the evolution of the universe (S Padin et al 2001 Astrophys. J. Lett. 549 L1). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/3 ]

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Physicists create first superconducting polymer: (9 Mar) A superconducting polymer is the latest innovation to emerge from the recent explosion of research into organic superconductors. Bertram Batlogg and colleagues at Bell Laboratories in the US have achieved resistance-free current flow in poly(3-hexylthiophene) at 2.35 kelvin. The advance is a fundamental step towards cheaper mass-produced electronics (J H Schon et al 2001 Nature 410 189). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/4 ] ----------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Success for Irish physicist: (14 Mar) A physicist has been elected as the provost of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland's most prestigious university. John Hegarty, a laser physicist, beat four other candidates in the election and will start his 10-year term as provost in August. He has promised to encourage innovation in teaching, increase the number of students from under-represented groups and to promote excellence in research. [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/5 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- * X marks the atom: (14 Mar) Physicists have taken a direct picture of the atoms inside a crystal of silicon with X-rays for the first time. The 'atomic camera' devised by Pawel Korecki and Gerhard Materlik of HASYLAB, Hamburg, Germany, adds together the diffraction patterns that arise as the X-rays criss-cross the crystal to create a three-dimensional picture (P Korecki and G Materlik 2001 Phys. Rev. Lett. 86 2333). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/6 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- * Astronomers tune in to brown dwarf : (14 Mar) American astronomers have picked up radio waves from a 'brown dwarf' - an object that is bigger than a planet but smaller than a star - for the first time. Edo Berger of the California Institute of Technology and colleagues detected the surprising signal from a nearby brown dwarf known as LP944-20 (E Berger et al 2001 Nature 410 338). The discovery could provide important insights into the nature of these mysterious bodies. [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/7 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- / This alert was generated according to your settings. | To change your alerting settings visit User Options at \ http://PhysicsWeb.org/users/options/alert ========================================================== Copyright (C)IOP Publishing Ltd. 2001. All rights reserved.

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Deepest ever picture of the universe reveals new quasar : (15 Mar) Astronomers have peered deeper into the universe than ever before - and discovered a new type of quasar 12 billion light years away. The joint venture between the space-based Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Large Telescope in Chile also found that giant black holes were far more active in the early universe than they are today. The collaboration originally aimed to establish the origin of cosmic X-ray background. A preprint of the groups' work is on the Los Alamos server (astro-ph/0007240). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/8 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- / This alert was generated according to your settings. | To change your alerting settings visit User Options at \ http://PhysicsWeb.org/users/options/alert ========================================================== Copyright (C)IOP Publishing Ltd. 2001. All rights reserved.

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Neutrino messages from across the Universe: (21 Mar) Astrophysicists expect their best-ever view of remote cataclysmic events that send neutrinos cascading across space after the successful trial of a new neutrino detector. Francis Halzen of the University of Wisconsin in the US led the international team that developed the experiment, which is buried deep in the Antarctic ice. The prototype is now being scaled up to capture neutrinos arriving on Earth from deep space (E Andres et al 2001 Nature 410 441). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/9 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (C)IOP Publishing Ltd. 2001. All rights reserved.

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Linear collider race gets serious: (23 Mar) The DESY laboratory in Germany has revealed plans for a next-generation electron$positron linear collider and X-ray source that will cost $2.8bn. Edwin Cartlidge reports on the plans. [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/11 ] Copyright (C)IOP Publishing Ltd. 2001. All rights reserved.

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Lithography teams up with liquid crystals: (29 Mar) The unusual optical features of liquid crystals make them indispensable in many technologies, including displays and optoelectronics. Now Baek-woon Lee and Noel A Clark of the University of Colorado, US, have developed a 'patterned' base layer for liquid crystals that overcomes a long-standing difficulty in controlling the molecules in the liquid crystal. The new technique is an important step towards the simple fabrication of highly intricate liquid-crystal devices using lithography (Baek-woon Lee and Noel A Clark 2001 Science 291 2576). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/3/14 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (C)IOP Publishing Ltd. 2001. All rights reserved.

April National Geographic Educator E-Newsletter This April, as Earth Day approaches, check out our EarthPulse Conservation Features. Use our Interactive Conservation Atlas to examine environmental issues and sharpen your students' map skills before standardized tests. And get a head start on planning for next fall by ordering National Geographic for Kids, our new classroom magazine. Hot This Month VIRTUAL COLUMBIA RIVER http://www.nationalgeographic.com/earthpulse/columbia Take a virtual trip down the Columbia and discover the debate surrounding this mighty river. MARS MISSION ACTIVITY http://www.nationalgeographic.com/familyxpeditions Help NASA plan its next mission to Mars! Uncover the secrets and history of the red planet in our latest Family Xpedition. Online Adventure GRIMMS' FAIRY TALES http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/ Happily ever after? Not according to the Brothers Grimm! Fasten your seatbelts for a journey through the dark twists and turns of these original folktales. Maps & Geography INTERACTIVE CONSERVATION ATLAS http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld Get maps and facts about the world's ecoregions, and explore the environmental issues facing each one with our Wild World Atlas. Lesson Plans GEOGUIDE: DAMS http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geoguide/dams/ After exploring the Columbia River, learn more about dams with these innovative activities. Teacher Store NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FOR KIDS--COMING THIS FALL http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education/teacher_store/product_lines/ngk.html Introducing our new classroom magazine for students in grades 3-6! Please call 800 368 2728 for information or to subscribe now for fall 2001. Teacher Community GEOGRAPHY ALLIANCES http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education/teacher_community Your local geography alliance offers workshops, field trips, mentoring, and grants to support your efforts in the classroom. Join us today! EDUCATION SITE: get fresh ideas every week http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education E-MAIL US education@nationalgeographic.com SIGN UP for Other National Geographic E-Mail Newsletters http://www.nationalgeographic.com/community/register.html

SCICENTRAL NEWS ALERT brought to you by [1]SciQuest Friday, April 20, 2001 Edition _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/ [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * Talking Heads (Special Report) * Founder Populations Fuel Gene Discovery * Researchers Find Important Clue in the Evolution of Plants * Pyramids and Sphinx Both Inspired by Desert Landforms * Digging for Genetic Fossils: Researchers Solve Structure of Ancient Biological Molecule * Scientists Worried About Rush to Find Neanderthal DNA * Comfort Feeding * Boiling Brains * Explorer Unveils Lost City of Alexandria * What Was Eating Clams and Brachiopods 250 Million Years Ago, Before Modern Predators Existed? * Men Fish for Compliments * Brazilians Meet New Amazon Tribe References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]MARINE BIOLOGY * Great Barrier Reef Choking to Death * Ships to Probe Biological Enigmas of the Frozen Southern Ocean * Scientists Determine How Chemistry Keeps Weird Worms "Out of Hot Water" at Steaming Deep-Sea Vents References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-marbio [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * Once Thought Extinct, Siamese Crocodile Is Photographed in Siam * Study Explores Social Memory in Elephants * Chimps Touched by Television * U.S. Geologic Survey Issues Wildlife Health Alert for Foot-and-Mouth Disease * Congo War Devastating Endangered Wildlife * Aping Others: The Transition to Culture * Measuring the Muscle: New Depicts How the Tuna's Body Is Built for Speed * Lifestyles of the Bright and Toxic Overlap * Everything You Need to Know About Survival You Can Learn From an Alligator * Sex Lives of Wild Fish: Genetic Techniques Provide New Insights * Owls Have "Surround Sound" * Coal Mines Bring Fish Industry Life References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Astronomers Find Distant "Double Planet" * Orphan "Planet" Findings Challenged by New Model * Cosmologist Explains Dust in Eros Craters * NASA to Track More Asteroids With New NEAT Camera * Asteroid Eros: Most Detailed Analysis of Up-Close Images * Exploratorium Webcast on Hubble Telescope April 19-24 * Hubble Spots Mysterious Flash of Light on Jupiter * 40 Years of Human Spaceflight * Eyes Down to Look Up at the Heavens * Blank Line * U.S. Mars Agenda on Slow but Steady Course * Europe, Japan and North America Prepare for Joint Construction of the Giant Radio Telescope "ALMA" in Chile References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOGRAPHY/GIS * City Limits References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geogra [1]GEOLOGY * Ancient Climate Excursion Linked to a Rare Anomaly in Earth's Orbit * Geologists' Discoveries of How Sandstone Traps Riches Will Help Oil, Gas Explorers References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Damaged Chimneys and Unexpected Liquefaction From Nisqually Temblor Yield Earthquake Insights * Earthquake Hunters * Earthquakes Shake, Rattle, and Roll * Researchers Solve Century-Old Earthquake Mystery in India * Understanding Two Big Ice Cubes References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * Air Pollution Control Efforts Will Add to Global Warming if Carbon Monoxide Is Not Curbed Along With Nitrogen Oxides * Scientists Suggest New Index to Capture "Flavors" of El Ni�o * Miniature Unmanned Planes Descend on Arctic for Research * Researchers Achieve Best Global Picture Ever of Climate-Modifying Aerial Particles * Human-Induced Greenhouse Warming Pumps Heat Into Oceans * Scientists Watch Dark Side of the Moon to Monitor Earth's Climate * Wetter Upper Atmosphere May Delay Global Ozone Recovery * U.S. Needs Major Steps to Overtake European Climate Research * Bright Sky, Dirty City? * NASA Demonstrates How Earth's Global Heat Engine Drives Plant Growth * Colorado State's Hurricane Update Calls for Slightly More Storms but a Season That Still Remains Close to Average * Human-Induced Greenhouse Warming Pumps Heat Into Oceans References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * Satellite Spots Unique Ocean Eddy and a Bounty of Food for Fish * First Automated Floats for Monitoring Ocean Carbon Launched in North Pacific * Human-Induced Greenhouse Warming Pumps Heat Into Oceans * NSF Ships to Probe Biological Enigmas of the Frozen Southern Ocean * Scientists Determine How Chemistry Keeps Weird Worms "Out of Hot Water" at Steaming Deep-Sea Vents * NASA Demonstrates How Earth's Global Heat Engine Drives Plant Growth * Scientists Release First Images of Hydrothermal Vents Found in the Indian Ocean References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]SATELLITES & REMOTE SENSING * First Automated Floats for Monitoring Ocean Carbon Launched in North Pacific * Miniature Unmanned Planes Descend on Arctic for Research * Archeologist Uses Tools of the Future to Explore the Past * New Flashlight Sees Through Doors as Well as Windows * "XM Rock" Checks Out in Orbit, "XM Roll" Slated For May 7 Launch References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-satrem [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * Oceans of Electricity * Research Accelerates on Advanced Water-Treatment Technologies as Their Use in Purification Grows * What Future for Carbon Capture and Sequestration? * It's a Bug's Life * Synthetic Clay Could Assist Radioactive Waste Cleanup * Bran Versus Heavy Metals * Biodiversity Increases Ecosystems' Ability to Absorb CO2 and Nitrogen * Powerline Eyes Help Prevent Bushfires References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro [1]MINING * Output From Major Platinum-Group Metals Producer Could Increase References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-mining _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. To register, modify your selection of topics, or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit: [1]http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi _________________________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * New 'light transistor' for optical circuits: (19 Apr) A gadget that boosts a laser signal by a factor of 60 - based on the transfer of photons rather than electrons - could seed a new generation of ultrafast components for optical circuits. Junji Tominaga of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science in Japan and colleagues developed the device, which paves the way for all-optical circuits that transmit information at - literally - the speed of light. (J Tominaga et al 2001 Appl. Phys. Lett. 78 2417). The new 'photonic transistor' would be just nanometres thick, unlike existing devices that rely on long optical fibres to produce the gain. [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/4/8 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- * Zooming in on the Eros asteroid: (19 Apr) Astronomers reveal this week that the terrain of Eros - far from being smooth and featureless - is dominated by dust-covered impact craters and scattered rocks. Two teams of US scientists are piecing together evidence from the most detailed pictures ever taken of an asteroid, which were captured as the NEAR-Shoemaker spacecraft skimmed the surface of Eros in October 2000. The history of the asteroid is expected to shed light on the early evolution of the solar system (J Veverka et al 2001 Science 292 484; A F Cheng et al 2001 Science 292 488). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/4/9 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- * Moon illuminates climate study: (19 Apr) The amount of sunlight reflected by the Earth is a key factor in monitoring our climate. But current satellite observations cover little of the Earth's surface and are difficult to maintain over the extended periods required in climate studies. Now Philip Goode of the New Jersey Institute of Technology in the US and colleagues have resurrected an old technique to accurately measure the Earth's reflectance from 'earthshine' - the illumination of the dim portion of the Moon's disk by sunlight reflected from the Earth. They have also found evidence to support the theory that the solar cycle affects our climate (P R Goode et al 2001 Geophys. Res. Lett. 28 1671). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/4/10 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- / This alert was generated according to your settings. | To change your alerting settings visit User Options at \ http://PhysicsWeb.org/users/options/alert ========================================================== Copyright (C)IOP Publishing Ltd. 2001. All rights reserved.

SCICENTRAL NEWS ALERT brought to you by [1]SciQuest on Friday, 27-Apr-2001 09:38:23 AM EDT 1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * Oldest Evidence of City Life in the Americas Reported * Mesquite: A Modular System for Evolutionary Analysis (Selected Site) * First Dinosaur Found With Its Body Covering Intact; Displays Primitive Feathers From Head to Tail * Perfect Skin * New Research Confirms That Natural Selection Is Acting on the Current Human Population References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]MARINE BIOLOGY * Field Guide to Anemone Fishes and Their Host Sea Anemones (Selected Site) References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-marbio [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * Mammal Species of the World (Database) * Endangered Cats of North America (PDF) (Special Report) * At Sea, At Risk * Could Minnesota Forestry Save the Siberian Tiger? * Preserving Salmon Biodiversity (Special Report) * Gulp! Professor Studies How Sharks Eat * Gourmet Kangaroos Face Extinction References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Home Alone * Seeking Life's Chemical Fingerprints With the "Raman Effect" * VLT Spectra "Resolve" a Stellar Disk at 25,000 Light-Years Distance * Eleven Years in Orbit: Hubble Observes the Popular Horsehead Nebula * Keep Galileo's Eyes Open, Say Petitioning Scientists * Red Planet Scouts: Seeking Unexpected Discoveries on Mars * NEAR Team Studies Small-Scale Features on Eros * What People Saw in 1178 A.D. Didn't Cause Lunar Crater * Distant Comet Tangoes With Satellite References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOLOGY * Solving a Tibetan Mystery * Origin of Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalts * Numerical Modeling of Geological Deformation Processes References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Using Unique Seismometer Array, Seismologists Map Mantle Flow * A "Four-Piston Engine" Drives Earth From the Inside, New Study Shows * Two New Seismic Source Technologies Developed for Safer and Less Costly Deep-Ocean Exploration * Researchers Report First Simulations of Ground Motions From 1906 San Francisco Earthquake References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * Records "Show Strong Recent Warming" * Most-Serious Greenhouse Gas Is Increasing, International Study Finds * Researchers Prove Past Cooling Trend Caused by Move From Forests to Agriculture * Climatologist Predicts Increase in Hurricane Activity * Greenhouse Gases Main Reason for Quicker Northern Winter Warming * Asian Storms Make Their Way to the East * Big Dam in China May Warm Japan References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * Using Unique Seismometer Array, Seismologists Map Mantle Flow * A Better Understanding of Equatorial Atlantic Deep Currents * Two New Seismic Source Technologies Developed for Safer and Less Costly Deep-Ocean Exploration * Converging on Marine Reserves * Life as We Didn't Know It References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]SATELLITES & REMOTE SENSING * Aussie Radar Detects the Invisible * Ultrawideband Watches Over Firefighters References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-satrem [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * Solution to Some of Country's Energy Woes Might Be Little More Than Hot Air * Findings May Boost Efforts to Destroy Pollutants With Ultrasound * Waste Not: Once-Discarded Fly Ash Now Being Used to Clean Contaminated Water References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. To register, modify your selection of topics, or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit: [1]http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi _____________________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Lagging behind the solar cycle: (26 Apr) The intensity of galactic cosmic rays measured on Earth is related to the Sun's cycle of activity, which is well known by astronomers. The solar magnetic field flips every 11 years and the number of sunspots and 'coronal mass ejections' rises and falls twice in each complete 22-year cycle. The cosmic ray intensity on Earth also peaks twice every 22 years in time with the solar cycle. Now two US astronomers have discovered a quirk in this pattern - and they believe that drifting coronal mass ejections could be to blame (E W Cliver and A G Ling 2001 Astrophys. J. Lett. 551 L189). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/4/11 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- * Nanotube devices in the pipeline: (26 Apr) The features of conventional microelectronic circuits are getting smaller and smaller - and they will soon reach the limit imposed by the fundamental properties of silicon. Although physicists are optimistic that carbon nanotubes could step into the breach, their electronic properties are not well established and the nanotubes are hard to manipulate. Now two teams in the US have made substantial headway. Charles Lieber's team at Harvard University has uncovered the electronic behaviour of several types of nanotube. Meanwhile, Phaedon Avouris and colleagues at IBM have devised a technique to separate metallic and semiconducting nanotubes (Min Ouyang et al 2001 Science 292 702; P G Collins et al 2001 Science 292 706). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/4/12 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- / This alert was generated according to your settings. | To change your alerting settings visit User Options at \ http://PhysicsWeb.org/users/options/alert ========================================================== Copyright (C)IOP Publishing Ltd. 2001. All rights reserved.

---------------------------------------------------------- / PHYSICSWEB: E-mail alert \ (http://PhysicsWeb.org) ========================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------- | News ========================================================== * Particle beams that bend like light: (2 May) An electron beam that is powerful enough to pierce several millimetres of steel can - remarkably - be reflected by a layer of gas that is a million times thinner than air. Thomas Katsouleas of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and colleagues demonstrated the phenomenon - which is similar to the refraction of light at a boundary - at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in the US. The team believes the technique could be used to control beams of particles inside particle accelerators more efficiently than existing methods based on magnets (P Muggli et al 2001 Nature 411 43). [ http://PhysicsWeb.org/article/news/5/5/2 ] ---------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- / This alert was generated according to your settings. | To change your alerting settings visit User Options at \ http://PhysicsWeb.org/users/options/alert ========================================================== Copyright (C)IOP Publishing Ltd. 2001. All rights reserved.

1. http://www.sciquest.com/ [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * Study Offers Insights Into Evolutionary Origins of Life; Artificial Enzyme Able to Synthesize RNA * Maya Civilization Done In by Brightening of the Sun * Baby's Sex Not Linked to Shape of Mother * Shopping for Clothes Is in Men's Genes * The Living Dead * Climatologists Pore Over Past * Rough Justice * Paleontologists Develop Major New Fossil Database: Preliminary Analysis Questions Reality of Recent Global Radiation * Mother of T. rex * Scientists Find Link Between Indian Caste Rank and Genetic Similarity to Europeans References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]MARINE BIOLOGY * Discovery of a Unique Symbiosis Between Bacteria and a Marine Worm * Stressed Oysters Sicken References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-marbio [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * Birds Answer Mobile Phones * Flycatchers Caught on the Hop * Rough Justice * No Danger * Female Cardinals Learn Songs in One-Third Time of Male Birds -- Largest Learning Difference Ever Found Between Sexes * Snails Shoot to Fill * "Fossil Fish" Hits the Web * Stressed Oysters Sicken References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Comet's Spectacular Death May Illuminate Birth of Solar System * Earth's Growing Orbital Ring of Machines and Debris * DS1 On Track for Comet Flyby * Seeking the Solar System's Origin * Study Suggests Massive Water Erosion of Mars' Highlands * The Great Mars Rush * A Few Assorted Gullies * Moon Helps Hunt for Mystery Particles * Astronomers Find "Spaghetti" Twirling Around in Galaxy * Radar Looks for Changes on Venus * Alien Visitors * Asteroid May Have Flung Pieces of Earth, Dinosaurs to Moon, Mars References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOGRAPHY/GIS * Virtual Reconnaissance of Geospatial Data Using Flight Simulators * The Creation and Use of Imagery for Cellular Network Planning References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geogra [1]GEOLOGY * Fossil Leaves Confirm Ancient Greenhouse * Paleontologists Develop Major New Fossil Database: Preliminary Analysis Questions Reality of Recent Global Radiation * New Research Documents Extremely High Atmospheric Carbon 14 During Last Ice Age References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Not All Subduction Zones Are Equal in Carbon Dioxide Generation References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * Droughts Aggravated by Dust in the Wind * Hurricanes' Full Havoc Yet to Be Felt References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * Robotic Floats for Monitoring Ocean Carbon Launched in Pacific * Big Bergs Ahoy! References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]SATELLITES & REMOTE SENSING * ESA Takes First Step to a New Era in Environmental Monitoring References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-satrem [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * Trees Toppled * ORNL Technology Puts Power of Lab Into the Field References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. To register, modify your selection of topics, or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit: [1]http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi __________________________________________________________

Op-ed piece from the NY Times: Comments? LIBERTIES By MAUREEN DOWD WASHINGTON � We want big. We want fast. We want far. We want now. We want 345 horsepower in a V-8 engine and 15 miles per gallon on the highway. We drive behemoths. We drive them alone. This country was not built on H.O.V. lanes. We don't have limits. We have liberties. If we don't wear our seat belts, it doesn't matter, because we have air bags. If the air bags don't deploy, it doesn't matter, because our cars are so beefy, we'll never get bruised. If we need to widen the streets for our all- wheel drives, we will. If we need to reinforce all the bridges in the country, so that they don't buckle and collapse under our 5,800-pound S.U.V.'s, our engineers will do that. We'll bake the earth. We'll brown & serve it, saut� it, simmer it, sear it, fondue it, George-Foreman-grill it. (We invented the Foreman grill.) We might one day bring the earth to a boil and pull it like taffy. (We invented taffy.) If rising seas obliterate the coasts, our marine geologists will sculpt new ones and Hollywood will get bright new ideas for disaster movies. If we get charred by the sun, our dermatologists will replace our skin. If the globe gets warmer, we'll turn up the air-conditioning. (We invented air-conditioning.) We'll drive faster in our gigantic, air-conditioned cars to the new beaches that our marine geologists create. We will let our power plants spew any chemicals we deem necessary to fire up our Interplaks, our Krups, our Black & Deckers and our Fujitsu Plasmavisions. We will drill for oil whenever and wherever we please. If tourists don't like rigs off the coast of Florida, they can go fly fishing in Wyoming. We won't be deterred by a few Arctic terns. We don't care about caribou. We don't care for cardigans. Give us our 69 degrees, winter and summer. Let there be light � no timers, no freaky- shaped long-life bulbs. (We invented the light bulb.) We want our refrigerators cold and our freezers colder. Bring on the freon. Banish those irritating toilets that restrict flow. When we flush, we flush all the way. We will perfect the dream of nuclear power. We will put our toxic waste wherever we want, whenever we waste it. We have whole states with nothing better to do than serve as ancestral burial grounds for our effluvium. It can fester in those wide open spaces for thousands of years. We will have the biggest, baddest missiles, and we will point them in any direction we like, across the galaxies, through eternity, forever and ever. We will thrust as many satellites as we want into outer space, and we will surround them with a firewall of weapons for their protection. We will guarantee broadband and fast connections to the Internet. We will not permit anybody, anywhere, at any time to threaten the delivery of all the necessities to computers, Palm Pilots and BlackBerrys: stock quotes, sports scores, real estate listings, epicurean.com recipes, porn. (O.K., so we didn't invent porn.) By arming space, and protecting satellites, we ensure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness � our 500 TV channels drawn from the ether. We will secure the inalienable right of every citizen driving by himself in his big car to be guided by a global positioning system. Nobody should have to call in advance for directions to a party when the satellite can show the way. We will modify food in any way we want and send it to any country we see fit at prices that we and we alone determine in the cargo ships we choose at the time we set. Our international banking arm � the World Bank and the I.M.F. � will support whatever dictatorships suit us best. We will fly up any coast of any nation on earth with any plane filled with any surveillance equipment and top guns that we possess. We will build superduperjumbo jets so Brobdingnagian that runways will be crushed under their weight at the most congested airports in the history of aviation. (We invented aviation.) We will buy, carry, conceal and shoot firearms whenever and wherever we want, as is our constitutionally guaranteed right. (We invented the Constitution.) We will kill any criminal we want, by lethal injection or electrocution. (We invented electricity.) We are America. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/20/opinion/20DOWD.html?ex=991399344&ei=1&en=21c988f0da29a57b

This is true and this is also frightening. With great resources comes great responsibilities. Whatever happened to the responsibility part? We know what we did with all of our resources! Thanks, Terry!

Good one Terry ... makes you think doesn't it!

News Release U.S. Dept. of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Fri., May 25, 2001 Science on the Beach in North Carolina How much water is there, how long will it last, and where is it, are questions that scientists are trying to answer as they drill holes this summer in North Carolina. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey are drilling a core hole at Kure Beach near the Ft. Fisher Historical Site that will be the first step in a statewide program to document and describe the subsurface geology of the North Carolina Coastal Plain. The goal of the drilling project is to develop a better understanding of the size and geographic extent of the water aquifers and the relationship between the aquifers, geology, and water quality in the state. "Most geologists used to assume that the geology of the Coastal Plain was quite simple, like a stack of blankets on a bed," says USGS scientist Robert E. Weems. "Over time, however, USGS drilling and research in South Carolina and Virginia has shown that the actual buried patterns in this area are more complex than we thought. As a result of sea level changes, a cut-and-fill pattern of sedimentation is repeated up and down the Coastal Plain in South Carolina and Virginia, which has produced earth layers that fit together much more like a patchwork quilt than a stack of blankets. This complex pattern makes understanding aquifers and water quality much more challenging than was previously thought. There is every reason to believe that we will find the same kinds of patterns in North Carolina." The USGS research at Kure Beach involves drilling a 1,500-foot hole in the Earth, bringing up an intact core (underground sediment and rock) for analysis, and installing a deep probe in basement rocks in order to monitor seismic activity in the region. The drilling began this week and will continue until the end of July. Barbara Hoppe, Director of the Ft. Fisher Historical Site, said, "We look forward to working with the USGS and the state agencies that are involved in this cooperative effort to gather important data on coastal geology and water resources. The information that is gathered will be beneficial to us all." Results of the project, which is supported and partially funded by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Division of Water Quality and Water Resources, the North Carolina Geological Survey, the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and the USGS, will assist local and state water resources managers in making better decisions concerning the availability and use of ground water. A similar study was conducted in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina and resulted in the creation of a comprehensive database of geologic and hydrologic information that is used by state agencies and private industry. The USGS serves the nation by providing impartial scientific information to describe and understand the Earth, its resources and processes; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life. * * * USGS * * * This press release and in-depth information about USGS programs may be found on the USGS home page: http://www.usgs.gov. To receive the latest USGS news releases automatically by email, send a request to listproc@listserver.usgs.gov. Specify the listserver(s) of interest from the following names: water-pr: geologic-hazards-pr; biological-pr; geologic-pr; mapping-pr; products-pr; lecture-pr. In the body of the message write: subscribe (name of listserver) (your name). Example: subscribe water-pr joe smith.

SCICENTRAL NEWS ALERT brought to you by [1]SciQuest on Friday, 25-May-2001 09:31:23 AM EDT Friday, May 25, 2001 Edition _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/ [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * What It Means to Be a Mammal: New Clues From Tiny Fossil Described * Bibliography of Genetic Variation in Natural Populations (Database) * Discovery of Prehistoric Domesticated Sunflower Seeds Challenges Widely Accepted Theory of Plant Domestication in North America * Standing Tall: Plains Indians Enjoyed Height, Health Advantage Over European-Americans * Shift in Eating Habits of Early Modern Humans References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]MARINE BIOLOGY * Study Finds Wind, Currents Play Key Role Where Young Fish Settle * Great Barrier Reef Not So Old References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-marbio [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * Study Shows Age, Sex, Weather, Factors in Fluctuating Soay Sheep Population * Study Finds Wind, Currents Play Key Role Where Young Fish Settle * Unfair Game * Journey of the Nectar Bats * Great Apes in Peril References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * When It's Dry Follow the Rocks * Pluto Has Big Shiny Colleague * Cassini's Epic Tour of the Rings * Discovery Brightens Odds of Finding Another Pluto * "Tadpole Hunters" May Net Forming Planets * Europe Launches Into Astrobiology * Galileo Gets One Last Close Encounter with Jupiter's Callisto * Menagerie of Mars Scouts: Bold New Proposals for Exploring The Red Planet * A Glimpse of the Very Early Universal Web * Cosmic Chemistry Gets Creative * A Taste for Comet Water * Counting All the Light in Deep Space References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOGRAPHY/GIS * Magellan Brings Three Meter Accuracy to Handheld GPS * Video Flies Along the Santa Barbara Coast and Mountains * Lockheed Martin Goes Live With Real-Time EO Datastream References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geogra [1]GEOLOGY * Antarctic Lake Disappoints References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Established References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]HYDROLOGY * The Fertile Crescent, One of the World's Most Important Wetlands, Devastated by Drainage References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-hydrol [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * Water-Witching From Space * Dust Begets Dust * The Pacific Dust Express References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * Giant Lava Lake Found References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]SATELLITES & REMOTE SENSING * TERRA Captures Wildfires Raging Across Florida * Water-Witching From Space * Archaeologists Dig Space * Cluster Quartet Move in Step References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-satrem [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * Scientists Seek to Test Rocket Technology to Produce Pollution-Free Electricity * Web Site Advises Californians How to Cut Energy Use by 20% * "Carbon Farming" May Help Curb Global Warming * Carbon Sunk * Scrubbing Up * Bag of Tricks References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. To register, modify your selection of topics, or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit: [1]http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi _________________________________________________________________

Thanjk 'orrible for this one: SCIENTISTS have taken a snapshot of the most sophisticated machine on the planet, a fundamental advance that could underpin a range of developments, from new antibiotics to detergents. A team, including scientists from Cambridge, has laid bare crucial details of a piece of living machinery, the ribosome, a particle that makes the thousands of proteins that are required for the structure and function of each and every living cell in the body. More.... http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=004826292612046&rtmo=VrgfwDsK&atmo=rrrrrrrq&pg=/et/99/10/7/ecfprot07.html

SCICENTRAL NEWS ALERT brought to you by [1]SciQuest Friday, June 1, 2001 Edition _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/ [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * Ancient Oceans Experienced a Surge in Biological Productivity * Paleontologists Locate a New Genus of Colossal Dinosaur Along an Ancient Coastline * Tours Power Tools * Triceratops Is No Slouch References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * Study of Marine Snail Suggests Conservation Efforts Should Consider Factors Beyond Genetic Diversity * Saving the Siberian Tiger * Fragmentation Linked to Stress in Birds * Pet Trade Wrong: Poaching Major Threat to Parrots * Fragmentation May Limit Songbird Sex Lives References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Hubble Unveils a Galaxy in Living Color * Near-Earth Asteroid Is Two Chunks in One * Under Wraps * Moon Seen as Haven for Protolife * Life, the Universe and Everything Discussed in Frascati * Unmasking the Face on Mars * Captured on Camera: Are They Planets? * New Images of Martian Dust Devils, Dunes and "The Face" * NASA Gives Go-Ahead to Build "Deep Impact" Spacecraft * In Search of the Milky Way's Habitable Zone References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOGRAPHY/GIS * Remote Sensing Study Defines "Edgy" Cities * High-Resolution DEMs Used in 3D Visualization, Image Processing and GIS * Internet GIS Supports Environmental Impact Assessment in Northern Alberta References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geogra [1]GEOLOGY * Ancient Oceans Experienced a Surge in Biological Productivity * International Scientists Probe Unsolved Puzzles of the Earth and Beyond at "Earth System Processes" * New Research Shows Mountain Glaciers Shrinking Worldwide * Tropical Glaciers Formed While Earth Was a Giant Snowball References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * Migrating Impurities in Ancient Ice Can Skew Climate Research Findings * Vegetation Key to Accurate Climate Modeling * El Ni�o Link to Southern Ocean Currents * Melting Glaciers Signal Global Warming References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * Ancient Oceans Experienced a Surge in Biological Productivity * El Ni�o Link to Southern Ocean Currents * Unusual Source of Ocean Water Contamination May Rewrite Environmental Textbooks * Great Barrier Reef Not So Old References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]SATELLITES & REMOTE SENSING * "Landsat on Steroids": Looking at the Urban Impact on Earth From Space * New NASA/CSA Monitor Provides Global Air Pollution View From Space * Artificial Intelligence Software to Command Mission * An Improved Method for Monitoring National and Global Deforestation * New Satellite Study Shows Vegetation Increases in U.S. * HOPE for Detecting Landmines * Fengyun 1-C Stars in Environmental Monitoring as Sandstorms Rage References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-satrem [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * Arsenic-Catchers Could Help Communities Supply Safer Drinking Water Affordably * New NASA/CSA Monitor Provides Global Air Pollution View From Space * Ill Winds Carry Toxic Dust * An Improved Method for Monitoring National and Global Deforestation * Unusual Source of Ocean Water Contamination May Rewrite Environmental Textbooks * One Hour of Grass Cutting Equals 100 Miles Worth of Auto Pollution References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. __________________________________________________________

Thanks, Horrible Horace, I apppreciate this from: http://www.newscientist.com/dailynews/news.jsp?id/ Launch fear An Australian deal to launch Russian satellites from an island in the Indian Ocean threatens unique species Shocking games A computer game controller that can deliver electric shocks to players is being developed in the US Radiation revelation Scientists' requests for blood tests on servicemen taking part in British nuclear tests in the 1950s were overruled by military commanders On the beat People really do have an innate sense of rhythm, research on finger-tapping reveals Out of control NASA is forced to destroy an experimental hypersonic jet after it careers off course Hide and seek A device capable of detecting concealed weapons in a crowd is being developed by US researchers Balancing act Zapping your head with electricity could help you keep your balance Burning issue Senior UK government officials admit to failing to follow advice on how to safely dispose of animals culled during the foot and mouth outbreak On the record Russian scientists must now report all foreign contacts - but the move might actually protect researchers Alien invaders A distributed computing project to look for signs of extraterrestrial life is hijacked by human invaders Road warrior A gadget-packed truck inspired by Bond movies is unveiled by the US Army Lost world The skeleton of a giant sauropod is found in what was once "dinosaur heaven" Stiff competition A fast-acting rival to the anti-impotence pill Viagra is approved for sale in Europe Portable privacy A mobile phone that protects transmissions from sophisticated eavesdropping is launched in Germany Raging bull Cattle's coiffure reveals how likely an animal is to overreact to unfamiliar situations Worst nightmare Terrorists could easily make an atomic bomb from MOX fuel, says a confidential report Space revolution Smart satellites due for launch next summer will be able to plan their own missions Tagged for death Abnormalities found in the DNA of cloned embryos could explain why so many die Meltdown Glaciers all over the world are shrinking, a new satellite survey reveals Plunging salmon Stocks of wild Atlantic salmon are at their lowest ever levels, says conservation group Armlock A giant arm on the International Space Station has seized up, delaying the next shuttle flight Occupational hazard Sports injuries don't just affect athletes - furry-costumed mascots are also highly susceptible Home from home An endless stream of other people's home movies will soon be beamed directly into your home Inside job Doctors perform the first heart bypass that does not require open-heart surgery Under wraps NASA must start planning a quarantine facility for Martian samples now, says an expert panel Watching worm A new computer worm that seeks out and reports child pornography is criticised for being too unsubtle Daily News Archive

If you would like to view this email in html, please click here. Virtual Congo Search a lifelike 360� image for animals and objects, then click for videos and stories from conservationist Michael Fay's 15- month trek through extreme Africa. SeaLab: Antarctica Aboard an icebreaker, nationalgeographic.com's Mark Christmas is spending 40 sun-starved days off the coldest continent--and sending back photos, research updates, and more. Interested in visiting the vast wilderness of Antarctica? Find trip suggestions here. National Geographic Store Shop National Geographic online! Click here to discover great, affordable products that bring the world and its wonders to you. Book: "Shackleton--The Antarctic Challenge" Illustrated with historical and modern photographs, this volume recounts Ernest Shackleton's four journeys to Antarctica. Destination Map: Great Smoky Mountains National Park More than a map, this durable resource includes travel itineraries, a complete listing of visitor services, vivid descriptions of the park's ecology and geology, and more. Maps Made Easier We've simplified our Maps and Geography page and added handy new tools--just in time for summer travel. Map Machine: Pinpoint any place on Earth Atlas Updates: Download patches incorporating recent changes Star Chart: Scan summer skies with our map of the heavens MapXchange: Download or post maps for use with TOPO! CD-ROMs Scenes From Small-Town Greece Gunshots, goat testicles, high-flying hoofing--on Crete, correspondent Jim Metzner chronicled just how far, and high, locals go to celebrate the spring cherry harvest. New Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Imagine dancing from curve to curve on an undulating ribbon of pavement in an exotic European sports GT. Few images in life evoke such desire. Introducing the 2002 SL-Class from Mercedes- Benz. Visit www.MBUSA.com to see it now. Heroes for the Planet Win a chance to join National Geographic in the field! You could join renowned marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer- in-Residence Sylvia Earle on an unforgettable trip. Just enter the Ford Motor Company's Heroes for the Planet conservation contest. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Magazine: Asia's Last Lions Go beyond the new article with online-only photos and field notes, a slide show, and more. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER Magazine: Virtual Flight Over the Smokies Soar over Tennessee and North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountains National Park. ADVENTURE Magazine: How I Broke Into High-Speed Sailing In less than a year writer John Vaillant went from sailing novice to salty dog, then sped off to cover one of sailing's fastest races. Have comments about our newsletter? E-mail: online@nationalgeographic.com.

Thanks for the above, Ian. Great stuff there! Ian's son, Lewis, just made the England Archery team for an International Contest in July. Cheers to Lewis and his father, the Archery Judge and whistle blower who has hung up said whistle to become a geologist.

SCICENTRAL NEWS ALERT brought to you by [1]SciQuest Friday, June 8, 2001 Edition _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/ [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * Humans Hunted Mammals to Extinction in North America * Earliest Chewing Herbivore Ever Found Spurred Animal Life on Land * Ancient DNA Evidence Could Settle Dispute About Prehistoric Native American Migrations * Fossilized Trees May Hold Key to Past Climates * Evolution at a Snail's Pace: It's Faster Than You Think References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]MARINE BIOLOGY * New Instrument Enables Remote Detection of Toxic Algae in Real Time References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-marbio [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * Taking a Dive * Killer Whale * Chilean Oil Spill Damages Birds, Salmon Farm * Researchers Find Mixing Between California Spotted Owls and Northern Spotted Owls * Will Drilling for Oil Disrupt the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? * Problems and Promise in the Land of the 'Hooch * In Search of Arizona's Elegant Visitor * Scientists Record Extraordinary Sounds Made by Minke Whales References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Early Results From the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: From Under Our Nose to the Edge of the Universe * NTT Observations Indicate That Brown Dwarfs Form Like Stars * Aurorae and Volcanic Eruptions * A Change of Seasons on Saturn * New Map of the "Nearby" Universe Reveals Large-Scale Structure of Galaxies * Active Volcanism on Mars and the Search for Water * Bigger, Better Catalog Unveils Half a Billion Celestial Objects * New Study Indicates Planet Formation May Be Rare in Universe * Massive Star Clusters Swaddled in Huge Cocoons During Infancy * Jellyplants on Mars * NASA's Mars Global Surveyor Captures Dust Storms * Crescents Slice the Darkness in "Farewell Jupiter" Picture by Cassini References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOLOGY * Did Hades Freeze Over? References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Smoke on the Peninsula * Crackling Noise in Cereal and Magnets Aids Study Of Earthquakes References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]HYDROLOGY * Enhanced Model Better Assesses Impact of Climate Variability References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-hydrol [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * A Closer Look at Global Warming (Special Report) * Graziers Flock to Block Burps * New Research Can Improve Regional U.S. Snowfall Forecasts During El Ni�os and La Ni�as Winters * Climate Sensitivity May Be Higher Than Many Think * Shift From Forest to Crops Lowers Daytime Temperatures in the Midwest References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * New Instrument Enables Remote Detection of Toxic Algae in Real Time References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * Reducing Primary Chemical Emissions Does Not Always Reduce Pollution * Gas Cap * Cleaning Up Dioxin With Nanotubes * Do We Need Nuclear Power? References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. To register, modify your selection of topics, or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit: [1]http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi _________________________________________________________________

Yahoo! News Bulletins: Reuters Science News Wed 13 2001 5:00 AM ET Japan Group Urges Govt. to Stamp Out Tiger Products Japan remains a haven for illicit sales of products containing tiger penises and other body parts, despite a new law intended to help protect the endangered animal from poachers, a Japanese conservation group said on Wednesday. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010613/sc/environment_japan_tiger_dc_1.html ____________________________________ U.S. Scientists Solve Texas Outlaw Mystery Smithsonian scientists said on Wednesday they had solved a 123-year-old mystery over whether a legendary Texas outlaw, ``Wild Bill'' Longley, managed to escape his hanging in 1878. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010613/sc/life_outlaw_dc_1.html ____________________________________ Sri Lanka Plans Radical Revamp of National Parks Sri Lanka, with one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, announced plans on Wednesday to radically reorganize its national parks and zoos to help protect wildlife, particularly elephants. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010613/sc/srilanka_parks_dc_1.html ____________________________________ Experts to Warn Against Mad Cow Complacency An international conference on mad cow disease will urge all countries to take pre-emptive measures to combat the fatal, brain-wasting illness, a participant said on Wednesday. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010613/sc/madcow_conference_dc_1.html ____________________________________ Vanuatu Volcano Spews Ash, Smoke in South Pacific A volcano on the uninhabited Vanuatu island of Lopevi has been spewing ash and smoke since last Friday and has caused cracks in the tiny South Pacific island, local media reported on Wednesday. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010613/sc/vanuatu_volcano_dc_1.html ____________________________________ Spacecraft Aims to Snap Big Bang 'Baby Picture' A spacecraft that looks a bit like a foil-covered umbrella aims to take the ``ultimate baby picture'' of remnants of the theoretical Big Bang that gave birth to the universe, astronomers said on Tuesday. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010612/sc/space_map_dc_3.html ____________________________________ Gene May Protect Women Against Breast Cancer A form of a gene that helps control cell growth may inhibit the development of breast cancer, at least among older white women, a study said on Tuesday. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010612/sc/health_cancer_dc_4.html ____________________________________ Antibiotic Prevents Lyme Disease if Given Quickly A one-dose treatment with the antibiotic doxycycline, given soon after the bite of a deer tick, can prevent Lyme disease, researchers reported on Tuesday as the season for getting the crippling ailment draws near. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010612/sc/health_lyme_dc_1.html

From: NAU Geology Northern Arizona University One-year mineralogy-petrology position The Department of Geology at Northern Arizona University is conducting a search to fill a one-year position at the rank of instructor or visiting assistant professor with a start date of August 20, 2001. Candidates must have a completed Masters degree in Geology by the start date. All-but-dissertation or PhD is preferred. The candidate must have expertise in mineralogy, optical mineralogy, and igneous and metamorphic petrology, demonstrated through course work and prior teaching experience and/or research. The candidate will teach undergraduate classes in mineralogy, optical mineralogy, petrology and the laboratory sections associated with these classes with the support of a Graduate Assistant. Additionally, s/he may also be expected to teach introductory geology courses including Introduction to Geology , Physical Geology, and Introduction to Field Methods. We prefer applicants who have experience teaching diverse student populations. Applications should be sent via e-mail as soon as possible to thomas.hoisch@nau.edu. Please include a letter of application, a current CV, and the names and addresses (postal and e-mail) of at least three referees. The position will remain open until filled. Review of applications will begin immediately, but all applications received through June 30, 2001 will be considered. Northern Arizona University offers unique opportunities for geologic studies in the unparalleled setting of the Colorado Plateau. Located at an elevation of 7,000 feet in the city of Flagstaff, NAU is situated within the San Francisco volcanic field along the southern flanks of the San Francisco Peaks. The "peaks" boast the highest point in Arizona and provide an alpine terrain for skiing and year-round hiking, biking, etc. Flagstaff is the home of the Museum of Northern Arizona and the U.S. Geological Survey Flagstaff Field Center. Seven national parks and monuments are located with a 100-mile radius of Flagstaff, including the Grand Canyon. Additional information is provided on the department's web page at http://vishnu.glg.nau.edu. Northern Arizona University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply.

For a wee bit of Irish Bragging from Liam (or is that notoriety?!) The grisly tale of two Irish anatomical entrepreneurs http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/science/2001/0614/sci4.htm On A recent tour of Edinburgh our guide pointed out where the infamous William Burke and William Hare had plied their grisly trade of supplying cadavers to the anatomical dissection classes of Dr Robert Knox. Later, when casually following up the story of Burke and Hare I discovered that both were Irish. In the late 18th and the 19th centuries, anatomists and surgeons faced a severe shortage of cadavers, necessary to further medical science and to teach anatomy. In Britain the only legal source was the gallows but supply fell well short of demand. And so, in order to meet the shortfall, the "profession" of grave-robber was born. The grave-robbers caused widespread anxiety. Friends and relatives of the deceased felt obliged to stand guard over the grave. Special watch-houses were built to secure the grave until the interred body had deteriorated to a stage where it was no longer medically useful. Grave-robbing had become a considerable business by 1820. Edinburgh with its many anatomy schools provided the biggest market and such was the demand that corpses reached that city from as far afield as Dublin. Prices ranged from �4 to �14. The most eminent anatomist and surgeon in Edinburgh was Dr Robert Knox (1701-1862). In 1825 he established an anatomy school which quickly attracted the largest enrolment (500) in Britain. This called for a proportionally high supply of bodies. Knox paid up to �800 per year for bodies. In 1827, Burke and Hare started to do business with Knox's school, delivering corpses of remarkable freshness. William Burke was born in 1792 to peasant parents at Orrery, Co Cork. He moved to Scotland in 1818 to labour on the construction of the Union Canal linking Glasgow to Edinburgh. He took up with a young Scottish prostitute, Helen McDougal. William Hare was born in Derry in 1790. He moved to Scotland and, like Burke, laboured on the Union Canal. He moved in with Margaret Laird, a widowed lodginghouse keeper in Edinburgh. In 1827, Burke and McDougal moved into the lodging-house run by Hare and Laird. Shortly afterwards, an elderly pensioner died in the house owing �4 rent arrears. To make good his loss, Hare, with Burke's assistance, sold the corpse to Dr Knox's school for �7 5 shillings. Both men were struck by the opportunity to make easy money. They decided to take an active approach and, over the next year, killed at least 15 people, many of them lodgers at Hare's establishment. Their usual modus operandi was to get their victim drunk and then to kill him/ her by smothering. As time went on they became careless and things came to a head when neighbours, suspicious at the sudden disappearance of a Mrs Docherty, entered Burke's house. Burke and McDougal were arrested for murder. The police later found Mrs Docherty's body in the Knox Anatomy School and, after interrogating the porter, they also arrested Hare and Laird. Only Mrs Docherty's body was available as physical evidence. The police were certain that their prisoners were guilty of many murders but couldn't prove this and, of course, their prisoners denied the charges. They decided that the only way to make progress was to offer immunity from prosecution to whichever of the accused would give up the others. Hare agreed to co-operate on condition that he and Laird were granted safety from prosecution. Burke and McDougal were tried on Christmas Eve 1828 on three charges of murder. McDougal was indicted only on the charge of murdering Margaret Docherty. The jury found Burke guilty but decided that the case against McDougal was not proven. Burke was sentenced to be hanged on January 28th, 1829, and his body to be given to the surgeons for dissection. Burke confessed to his crimes. He declared that McDougal and Laird knew nothing of what was going on. Burke and Hare had told the anatomists that they purchased the bodies from relations and others about Edinburgh. Killing by suffocation left no marks on the bodies and aroused no suspicions on the part of the doctors. At least 20,000 people turned out to see Burke hanged. Burke declared he was glad he had been brought to justice and that he depended on the atonement of the Saviour for salvation. The crowd greeted Burke's appearance on the gallows with roars of - "Burke him, Burke him - give him no rope". They also shouted for Hare to be hanged. After Burke was hanged the officials struggled among themselves to get scraps of the hanging rope and other relics of the occasion. Helen McDougal was released from jail on St Stephen's Day, but was recognised and forced to run for her life from a mob. She may have ended her days in Australia. When Hare was released from prison he went to work in a lime-kiln in England, but when his fellow workers discovered who he was they blinded him by throwing lime in his eyes. He ended his days as a blind beggar in London. Neither did Dr Knox have an easy time. There was much adverse public comment. There were disturbances outside his home and a mob hanged him in effigy. A committee of inquiry cleared him of any serious fault. However, many people believed he was at least guilty of gross negligence. Knox did not receive the university appointment he expected and changes in curriculum regulations demoted the importance of his anatomy school. He went to London in 1840 where he practised in relative obscurity until his death in 1862. (William Reville is a Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry and Director of Microscopy at UCC.) http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/science/2001/0614/sci4.htm

SCICENTRAL NEWS ALERT brought to you by [1]SciQuest Friday, June 22, 2001 Edition _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/ [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * Plant/Pathogen Evolutionary Dynamic Defies Simple Arms Race Model * Off With Their heads * War of Words * More Feathered Dinosaurs Found * The Flat Faced Man of Kenya (Special Report) References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * Butterflies Fall in Flanders Fields * Lights Out * Whale of a Problem * Fish Fission Found * Tundra Birds Get Down and Dirty * Cheering News for Depressed Mussels * Asian Bird Species Threatened * Sigma Chi Chimpy References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Total Solar Eclipse 2001 Special Report * A Close Encounter With Mars * Striking Ultraviolet Images From XMM-Newton: Extreme Stellar Activity and the Supermassive Black Hole in M81 * NASA to "Map" Big Bang Remnant to Study Early Universe * Hardy Craft to Complete Map of Blistering Mercury * Mars Odyssey Cruising Along * Cosmic Cannon: How an Exploding Star Could Fry Earth References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOLOGY * New Maps/Report by USGS Scientists Show Underwater Features of Crater Lake in Unprecedented Detail References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Seismic Hazard on South Hawaii Island Rivals That of Los Angeles * Seismological Field Study Confirms Asymmetry in Thrust Fault Behavior * Pinatubo: 10 Years After the Big One References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]HYDROLOGY * In a Dry Land References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-hydrol [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * Method for Identifying Chaotic Atmospheric "Hot Spots" May Be Key to Better Weather Forecasts * Scientists Reconcile Opposing Views of U.S. Role in Greenhouse Gas Problem * Scientist Seeks Improved Methods for Weather Prediction in Southeast U.S. * Climate Changes Involve All of the Atmosphere * Mobile Homes for Microbes * Satellites Reveal Hawaiian Isles' Long Tail of Wind and Water References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * Pacific Remains Locked in Three-Year-Old Pattern * Bubbling Under * Satellites Reveal Hawaiian Isles' Long Tail of Wind and Water * Norwegian Sea Proposed as Storage Site for Carbon Dioxide References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * Study Reveals Critical Factors Affecting Levels of Carbon Monoxide, Ozone in American Cities * Bubbling Under * Marsh Spews Bacteria Onto Beach * Norwegian Sea Proposed as Storage Site for Carbon Dioxide * Muddy Waters: Letting the Gulf of Mexico Breathe Again * Shrinking the Dead Zone * Is Dilution the Solution to Pollution? References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. To register, modify your selection of topics, or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit: [1]http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi

SCICENTRAL NEWS ALERT brought to you by [1]SciQuest Friday, June 29, 2001 Edition _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/ [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * Identification of Mating Genes Provides Clues to Evolution * Where There's Soup, There's Life * Salamanders Stretch Themselves Thin References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * First Dolphins Born by Artificial Insemination * Not Always More Fish in the Sea * Peruvian Area Has More Mammal Species Than Any Other * Poaching Threatens "Smart" Guinean Chimpanzees * Analysis of Impact Studies Reveals How Bottom Fishing Affects Seafloor Denizens * Birds Accept Sweets From Strange Flowers * The "Corn Crake" Operation References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Hint of Planet-Sized Drifters Bewilders Hubble Scientists * Chandra Captures First X-Rays From Young Planetary Nebula * Ringing Out the Bugs on Route to Saturn and Titan * Catching Dust Devils on Mars * Temperature Map of Volcanic Moon Io Presents a Puzzle * Mars Express: Europe Conquers the Red Planet References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOLOGY * Chaos Killed the Dinosaurs * Snowball Fight in Edinburgh * Modeling Creates Clearer Picture of Pre-Oxygen Archean Atmosphere * Rare Orbital Anomaly May Have Caused Global Cooling 23 Million Years Ago * Silica Not Solely Responsible for Ice Age CO2 Levels * How Trees Changed the World * Ancient Peruvian Civilization May Have Fallen Foul of El Ni�o * Mountains Crumble Fast, Catastrophically References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Student Confirms Asteroid Impact Site in Panama * Geologist Believes He Knows the True Nature of the Loch Ness Monster * Hot-Spot Theory and the Origin of the Hawaiian Islands * Elastic Lava Blows Its Top * Cluster's Whispers Probe the Electrifying Plasmasphere * Philippines Volcano May Erupt "For Weeks" References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]HYDROLOGY * Giant Rain Gauges Reveal Record of Past Climate References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-hydrol [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * El Ni�o Repellent? * All the World's a Stage... for Dust * I've Looked at Clouds From Both Sides Now: A Perspective From the Warm Pool References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * Climate Change and Coral Reefs References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]SATELLITES & REMOTE SENSING * Lots O' Vision * All the World's a Stage... for Dust References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-satrem [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * Bugs Make a Meal of Benzene * Amazon Rainforest Could Be Unsustainable Within a Decade * Put a Lid on It * Power, Heat and Cooling From Manure * Fungus "Eats" CDs References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. To register, modify your selection of topics, or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit: [1]http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi

SCICENTRAL NEWS ALERT brought to you by [1]SciQuest Friday, July 6, 2001 Edition _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/ [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * The Invasion of the Giant Clams * Study of Aquatic Bird Genes Reveals Surprising Relationships and Evolutionary History * Cave Reveals Spectacular Secrets * Kangaroo, Platypus Are Not Related After All; Scientists Refute Current Molecular Method of Classifying Mammals References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]MARINE BIOLOGY * Researchers Discover New Photosynthetic Bacteria That Appear to Be Significant Component of Ocean's Carbon Cycle * The Invasion of the Giant Clams * Study for Products, Drugs From Sea Bonds Sponge, Bacteria * Humans to Blame for Coral Decline References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-marbio [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * Is the Clock Ticking for the Cuckoo? * Meet "Henry and Nick," Seals Featured in Study * Dormice Head Back to the Woods * Most Mammal Species Found in Peruvian Amazon References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Cannibalism Feeds Growing Galaxies * Kuiper Belt Object Found Possibly as Large as Pluto's Moon * Lasers Help Show Stars Are Larger Than Thought * Wandering Mystery Planets * Big Moon-Sized Object Found Beyond Neptune * A "Gift of Galaxies" * Europe and NASA Set New Cassini-Huygens Plan * Eye Site * Venus Holds Picture of Baby Earth References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOLOGY * Carbon Dating "Might Be Wrong by 10,000 Years" * NOAA Paleoclimatology Program (Selected Site) * Stalagmite Has Climate Warning * Researcher Unlocks Mystery of Recurring Hole in Antarctica's Sea Ice References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Ancient Volcanoes * All Earthquake Fault Lines Not Equal * Scientists Find Evidence of Highly Oxidizing Environment Over the South Pole * Discovery of Stagnant Lithosphere Says Less Mixing Occurs in Earth References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * Arctic Oscillation Has Moderated Northern Winters of 1980s and '90s * NOAA Paleoclimatology Program (Selected Site) * Water Cools the World * Researchers Determine Global Warming During the 20th Century May Be Slightly Larger Than Earlier Estimates References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * Researchers Discover New Plant-Like Bacteria That Appear to Be Significant Component of Ocean's Carbon Cycle * Water Cools the World * Humans to Blame for Coral Decline * Researcher Unlocks Mystery of Recurring Hole in Antarctica's Sea Ice References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]SATELLITES & REMOTE SENSING * High Speed Satellite Secrecy a Step Closer * XM Radio Birds Operating Perfectly * System Would Harness GPS Signals to Study Environment References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-satrem [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * Coping With Swine Manure * The Arsenic Threat Worsens * Assessing the Risk of Estrogenic Chemical Mixtures * System Would Harness GPS Signals to Study Environment References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. References 1. http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi

Columbia's http://www.earthscape.org/news1frame.html just may be a great resources to draw on in this conference. A sample from today: Breaking News & Video: July 6, 2001 IN THE NEWS, as described in exclusive videos from the American Museum of Natural History and ABC NewsOne�in the drought-ridden Pacific Northwest, farmers and environmentalists struggle over scarce water and the fate of salmon. Meanwhile, in the wake of rolling blackouts, California turns to water, too, for energy from the sea. The West already looks to fuel cells, and critics of President Bush's energy plans similarly press for alternative-energy sources. Also in the news, as described in more exclusive video�movements deep within the Earth trigger geologic hazards half a world apart. An earthquake of magnitude 7.9 on the Richter scale injures hundreds in Peru, while in the Philippines the Mayon volcano leaves a blinding aftermath of ash and dust. For more related stories, check out the headlines just below and an in-depth feature of Today's Earth News, Analysis & Perspective. Looking for extensive resources on marine life, oceans, earthquakes, and volcanoes? Turn to the unveiling of big changes in our columbia earthscape education pages, with unique mini-courses in geologic hazards, Earth's climate, and now water resources! Look here first for classroom ideas and resources on the Earth's structure and plate tectonics, global warming, and the risks to humans and ecosystems. You'll find dozens of lectures, images and videos, projects and exercises, links to real-time data, and more. Find out why Choice magazine says that "few measure up" to columbia earthscape among sites devoted to the Earth. Find out, too, why we have been featured in the Scout Report for top Web sites in the sciences�and won the Association of American Publisher's annual award for "best new Internet-based electronic product" in mathematics and science. Then join an online discussion about the Earth! The Headlines Today's columbia earthscape feature headlines make a great resource�but be sure to follow our comprehensive archive, for each subject, of related research reports and classroom models. The headlines come from these top sources: BBC Science News Environmental News Network (ENN) Environment News Service (ENS) New York Times Science News Today@NASA.gov U.S. EPA in the News Definitely worth checking out. http://www.earthscape.org/

AUSTRALIA, JAPAN BACK AWAY FROM KYOTO CLIMATE PROTOCOL TOKYO, Japan July 9, 2001 (ENS) - A high level delegation from the European Union has failed to win unequivocal Japanese and Australian support for ratification of the Kyoto Protocol without U.S. involvement. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-09-01.html *********************************************************************** U.S. FOREST SERVICE BEGINS ROLLBACK OF ROADLESS RULE WASHINGTON, DC, July 9, 2001 (ENS) - The U.S. Forest Service has begun reevaluating the roadless rule, a Clinton administration regulation aimed at protecting roadless areas of national forests. The agency says it will not appeal a federal court decision halting implementation of the rule, and will seek additional public comments before modifying and perhaps scaling back the rule to satisfy the timber industry. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-09-06.html *********************************************************************** UN AGENCIES CALL FOR SAFETY TESTING OF BIOTECH FOODS GENEVA, Switzerland, July 9, 2001 (ENS) - A United Nations commission has agreed on the first global principles for assessing the safety of genetically modified foods, the two agencies organizing the effort announced on Friday. The proposed rules could some day prompt governments to call for increased safety testing of foods and food ingredients created through biotechnology. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-09-07.html *********************************************************************** NORTHERN CONGO RAINFOREST SPARED BY GERMAN LOGGERS NEW YORK, New York, July 9, 2001 (ENS) - One of the last pristine rainforests in Africa will not be logged by a German timber company. Known as the Goualogo Triangle, the 100 square mile forest in the Republic of Congo contains some of the highest densities of gorillas, chimpanzees and forest elephants in central Africa. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-09-03.html *********************************************************************** MULTINATIONAL OIL GIANT SEEKS TO BUILD WIND FARM OFF BELGIUM PARIS, France, July 9, 2001 (ENS) - The giant oil and chemicals company TotalFinaElf is planning to build a wind generation facility in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Belgium. Through its subsidiary Fina Eolia S.A./N.V., TotalFinaElf has applied to the Belgian Electricity and Gas Regulatory Commission for a concession to build and operate a wind farm in Belgian waters. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-09-02.html *********************************************************************** ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE AMERISCAN: JULY 9, 2001 Robert Kennedy Jr. Jailed for Vieques Protest Russian Caviar Smuggler Lands in U.S. Jail Sea Lion Protection Efforts May Be Misguided Planned Montana Mine Could Be Environmental Disaster Rule Will Protect Miners from Diesel Pollution California Nuclear Plant to Boost Power Output Bill Proposes Tax Credit for Home Windmills Pollution Protesters Target West Virginia Power Plant New Zoo Exhibit Promotes Sport Hunting Missouri Halts Elk Restoration Effort For full text and graphics visit: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-09-09.html Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2000 All Rights Reserved. *********************************************************************** SEND NEWS STORY TIPS TO news@ens-news.com *********************************************************************** E-Wire is a paid press release distribution service. Responsibility for the factual accuracy of each press release rests entirely with the individuals or organizations identified on the release. **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** TO NATIONAL, POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS: GSA Publishes Lorton Environmental Assessment WASHINGTON, D.C., Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/PR Newswire/-- The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) today announced that 552 acres are a historic district, eligible to be listed on the National Register, under an agreement signed as part of the Environmental Assessment of the Proposed Disposal of the Lorton Correctional Complex, Fairfax County, Va. /CONTACT: Viki Reath of U.S. General Services Administration, 202-501-1231, or viki.reath@gsa.gov// /Web site: http://www.gsa.gov http://propertydisposal.gsa.gov/lorton/ / For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0113.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Trimol Group Enters Into Cooperation Agreement With Hitachi Maxell To Develop Aluminum-Air Fuel Cell Power Source NEW YORK, NY, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/-- Trimol Group, Inc. (OTC-BB: TMOL)(the "Company") announced today that it has entered a Cooperation Agreement with Hitachi Maxell Ltd. ("Hitachi Maxell") one of the world's leading battery manufacturers, to work in cooperation on an aluminum-air fuel cell power source for portable consumer electronics. /CONTACT: Rafael Ferry, V.P. Marketing, TRIMOL GROUP, INC., 212.554.4394 or toll free at 866.277.3835, extension 224, rferry@trimolgroup.com/ /Web site: http://www.aluminum-power.com http://www.maxell.co.jp / For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0110.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** TO BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY EDITORS: Beechport Capital Subsidiary ITec Announces New Orders for Breakthrough Recycling System OAKDALE, CA, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/PRNewswire/-- ITec International Technologies Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Beechport Capital Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: BEAH), today announced orders for two more of its ECO2(TM) Environmental Systems, for a total of four confirmed orders. /CONTACT: Wayne Buckhout, 859-344-0306, for ITec Technologies; or ITec, 866-483-2371/ /Web site: http://www.iteces.com/ For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0103.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** TO BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY EDITORS: Environ.com and Group C Communications Form Marketing Alliance 'Compliance Connections' TEMPE, AZ, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/PRNewswire/-- Environ.com and Group C Communications announced today the formation of "Compliance Connections": a partnership between the organizations that will bring Environ.com's cutting edge technology to more than 100,000 corporate real estate, facility management and IT professionals that make up the growing clients of Group C's converging media company. /CONTACT: Robin Suzelis of Environ.com, 480-346-5524, robin_suzelis@environ.com; or Michael Plump of Group C Communications, 732-842-7433, mplump@tfmgr.com/ /Web site: http://www.groupc.com http://www.environ.com/ For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0102.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** -- WITH PHOTO -- TO BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS: Aerias, LLC Hosts its First Annual National Symposium On The Impact of Mold on Health and Indoor Air Quality October 18-19, 2001 ATLANTA, GA, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/PRNewswire/-- The presence of mold in buildings and its impact on human health is one of the most pressing environmental issues facing health professionals and building administrators today. To address this timely topic, Aerias will bring together the most pre-eminent scientists, physicians, and attorneys to discuss what is known about mold, its health effects, and procedures for managing situations when growth is suspected or found in a building or school. /CONTACT: Kelley B. Hise of Aerias, LLC, 678-931-2290, or khise@aerias.org/ /Web site: http://www.aerias.org/ For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0101.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mitsubishi Electric HVAC Introduces North America's First Multi-Split Heat Pump System LAWRENCEVILLE, GA, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/-- Mitsubishi Electric HVAC, a recognized leader in advanced heating and air conditioning products, has introduced a new multi-split heat pump system that provides more than 30,000 BTU/h of cooling and heating for up to three zones using a single outdoor condenser. /CONTACT: Michael Smith, 678/376-2920, mike.smith@hvac.mea.com/ /Web site: http://www.mrslim.com / For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0112.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** TO BUSINESS, ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH/MEDICAL EDITORS: USDA Study Finds IGEN Technology Effective for Water Safety Test Environmental Applications Expand Use of Company's ORIGEN(R) Technology GAITHERSBURG, MD, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/PRNewswire/-- Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have developed a new test based on IGEN International Inc.'s (Nasdaq: IGEN) proprietary ORIGEN(R) technology and used the test to detect potentially pathogenic E. coli O157 bacteria in creek water. In a report of their study, the investigators concluded the test appears suitable for routine screening of water samples, tracking the spread of bacteria in contaminated water supplies, and pinpointing sources of waterborne infections. /CONTACT: Stephen Push of IGEN International Inc., 301-869-9800, ext. 2158; or investors: Jonathan Fassberg of The Trout Group, 212-477-9007, ext. 16, for IGEN International Inc.; or media: Paul Caminiti or Andrew Cole, both of Citigate Sard Verbinnen, 212-687-8080, for IGEN International Inc./ /Web site: http://www.igen.com http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/67/7/2908/ For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0109.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nirvana Safe Haven Provides Chemical Free And Non Toxic Products WALNUT CREEK, CA, USA, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/-- Nirvana Safe Haven provides chemical free all organic cotton and organic wool, mattresses, bedding and sheets. Nirvana Safe Haven's is a distributor for healthy, non-toxic environmental bedroom products that are un-dyed and are chemical free. Our carpets are made from pure untreated wool, which is safe and healthy for your home. /CONTACT: Daliya Robson, 925-472-8868, daliya@nontoxic.com/ /Web site: http://www.nontoxic.com / For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0111.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Green Business Letter Celebrates 10th Anniversary By Naming 10 'Greenest' Companies OAKLAND, CA, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/-- A leading newsletter on business and the environment is celebrating its 10th anniversary by naming the 10 "greenest" companies. /CONTACT: Joel Makower, editor: 510-451-3100, or makower@greenbiz.com/ /Web site: http://www.GreenBizLetter.com / For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0108.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EMS Press Breakfast On Arctic Drilling to Precede Gale Norton Testimony in Congress WASHINGTON, DC, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/-- On Wednesday, July 11, the House Resources Committee will hold a hearing on whether to open the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. Interior Secretary Gale Norton will testify in favor of drilling, to which the Bush administration remains committed. /CONTACT: Jenny Murphy, Fenton Communications, 202/822-5200; Jan Vertefeuille, EMS, 202/463-6670/ /Web site: http://www.ems.org / For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0107.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Smithsonian Institution Endangered Species Collection Offered to the Public, Benefits Conservation Work WASHINGTON, DC, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/-- The CRC Foundation has announced it will offer its limited edition Smithsonian Institution Endangered Species Collection directly to the public on a first come, first serve basis. Only 600 portfolios are available worldwide. /CONTACT: Steve Hines, Post Office Box 58, Aldie, VA 20105, USA, 1-703-327-3243, shines3243@aol.com/ /Web site: http://www.heywood-portfolio.com / For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0106.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New Bill Would Trim Cost Of Small Wind Turbines For Residential Use U.S. Rep. J. C. Watts (R-Okla.) Introduces Proposal For 30% Investment Tax Credit for Household Systems WASHINGTON, DC, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/-- A brighter future for residential wind generators is likely if legislation introduced recently by U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts (R-Okla.) to provide a 30% investment tax credit for the units becomes law. /CONTACT: Tom Gray (802) 649-2112; Kathy Belyeu (202) 383-2520/ /Web site: http://www.awea.org / For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0105.html **************************************************************************** E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New Report Shows "sinks" Emphasis In Kyoto Talks Avoids Real Greenhouse Gas Reductions VANCOUVER, CANADA, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/-- Canada's insistence that forest and farmland "carbon sinks" play a major role in efforts to reduce greenhouse gases comes under fire in a new report that challenges Ottawa to shift gears before critical international climate negotiations resume next week. /CONTACT: Sarah Marchildon, Media liaison, David Suzuki Foundation, 604-732-4228 ext. 237; Chris Rolfe lawyer & spokesperson, Staff West Coast Environmental Law Assn., 604-603-1856 (cell) or 604-684-7378/ /Web site: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/sinks.asp http://www.energyrevolution.net/ For Full Text Visit: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/July01/09July0104.html

NEW SCIENTIST WEEKLY NEWSLETTER No. 93, 14 July 2001 Bringing you the top headlines from all sections of New Scientist.com each week Efforts to harness nuclear fusion hot up http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns9999999 Are we facing an epidemic of twins and triplets? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991001 Why some people are destined to divorce http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991002 Chameleon code makes hackers invisible http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991000 Oldest human is Ethiopian http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns9999995 Has the US gone wobbly over biological weapons? http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opinterview.jsp?id=ns22995 Patenting the wheel http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opfeedback.jsp?id=ns229999#15 How James Joyce can help you lose weight http://www.newscientist.com/lastword/answers/766body.jsp

SciCentral News Alert for Friday, 13-Jul-2001 09:38:55 AM EDT [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * Paleoanthropologists Find Oldest Human Ancestor in Ethiopia * Soil Suggests Early Humans Lived in Forests Instead of Grasslands * Lost City of Atlantis Vents Its Secrets * Farming's Roots Pushed Back * Becoming Human (Selected Site) * Sexual "Arms Race" Drives Species Evolution in Desert Fruit Flies * The Origin of Sex: Cosmic Solution to Ancient Mystery * Hormones Change in Fits and Starts References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]MARINE BIOLOGY * Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (Selected Site) * Nets Linked to Sea Turtle Deaths References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-marbio [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * New Great White Shark Study Has Conservation Implications * Missouri Halts Elk Restoration Effort * Rats Go Bats Down by the Canal * Fish Feel a Little Tenderness * Fish Physiology and Climate Change * Snail Sex Improved by Love Dart * Nets Linked to Sea Turtle Deaths * Pollution "Poses New Threat to Whales" References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Sizzling Comets Circle a Dying Star * NASA to Launch Genesis -- Robotic Space Explorer to Collect Piece of Sun * Most Distant Objects Observed * Moon-Count Rises on Saturn * S-Cam, the World's Most Advanced Optical Camera, Captures Eclipse of Binary Star * The Moon and Plate Tectonics: Why We Are Alone * Dust Storm Swallows Half of Mars * Hubble Images Remarkable Double Cluster * Morning Coffee and Planets * Hubble Captures Best View of Mars Ever Obtained From Earth References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOGRAPHY/GIS * World Land Database Charts a Troubling Course References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geogra [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Scientists Devise Technique That More Accurately Estimates Age of Shallow Faults Near Earth's Surface * Scientists Witness Underwater Alchemy * A New Southern California GPS Network to Advance the Study of Earthquakes -- The SCIGN "Unveiling" Event * Snow Knowing * How Fast Does the World Turn? New Quantum Gyro May Tell Us References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * Increasing Asian Smog Blocks Out the Sun * Planting Northern Forests Would Increase Global Warming * Climate Widens the Gulf * The Wild Card in the Climate Change Debate * Scientists Study Why More Storms Form in the Sandhills in Summer * Carbon Sinks "Little Help to Climate" * Biosphere 2 Redux References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * Scientists Seeking Secrets of "Lost City" * Scientists Witness Underwater Alchemy * Scientists to Test-Drive Advanced Coastal and Ocean Data Gathering System References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * World Land Database Charts a Troubling Course * Turning Trash Into Treasure * Carbon Sinks "Little Help to Climate" * Landfills Make Mercury More Toxic References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. To register, modify your selection of topics, or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit: [1]http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi

ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE (ENS) http://ens-news.com "We Cover the Earth For You" *********************************************************************** POWER LINES, WIRING POSE HEALTH RISKS SACRAMENTO, California, July 16, 2001 (ENS) - Added risk of miscarriage, childhood leukemia, brain cancer and greater incidence of suicide are some of the health risks associated with exposure to electric and magnetic fields such as those that radiate from power lines, according to a California health department review. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-16-02.html *********************************************************************** NORTON DENIES PETITION CHALLENGING KLAMATH WATER DIVERSIONS WASHINGTON, DC, July 16, 2001 (ENS) - Interior Secretary Gale Norton has turned down a request by drought stricken farmers in the Klamath Basin to reexamine a decision to withhold their irrigation water to aid endangered fish. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-16-06.html *********************************************************************** FORECASTING WILDFIRES SAN DIEGO, California, July 16, 2001 (ENS) - For the first time this fire season, instead of just reacting to the fire alarms and second guessing the weather, wildland firefighters will have a look ahead on where future fires may start. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-16-01.html *********************************************************************** AMERICAN SOLAR CHALLENGE RUNS ROUTE 66 ST. LOUIS, Missouri, July 15, 2001 (ENS) - Twenty-eight solar powered cars that raced away from Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry Sunday heading 2,300 miles across the country have reached the University of Missouri. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-16-05.html *********************************************************************** KENYA'S PINK FLAMINGOS WEIGHED DOWN BY HEAVY METALS By Jennifer Wanjiru NAKURU, Kenya, July 16, 2001 (ENS) - Veterinary pathologists in Kenya have identified heavy metals as the leading cause of massive deaths of flamingos in two Rift Valley Lakes of Kenya, and warned that the scenic pink birds of Lakes Nakuru and Bogoria remain threatened unless the lakes are cleared of pollutants. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-16-04.html *********************************************************************** 19 EUROPEAN CITIES CLEAN UP URBAN TRANSPORT BRUSSELS, Belgium, July 16, 2001 (ENS) - The European Commission has today revealed the names of the 14 EU pilot cities which will benefit from 50 million euros in funding to implement radical improvements of their urban transport systems. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-16-03.html *********************************************************************** ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE AMERISCAN: JULY 16, 2001 Radioactive Scrap Recycling Reexamined BP Joins Alliance to Save Energy Shark Finning Ban Regulations Introduced Protesters Trail Bush Officials on Energy Tour Texaco Agrees to Install Pollution Control Equipment Environmental Groups Can Intervene in Monument Lawsuit Two Pennsylvania Nuclear Plants to Increase Power Output Honda Opens Hydrogen Production, Fueling Station Caterpillar Awards $625,000 Grant to The Nature Conservancy Planes Could Take Efficiency Lessons from Geese For full text and graphics visit: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/jul2001/2001L-07-16-09.html Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2000 All Rights Reserved.

NEW SCIENTIST WEEKLY NEWSLETTER No. 94, 21 July 2001 ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------- Bringing you the top headlines from all sections of New Scientist.com each week What's yellow, bent and about to spill all its secrets? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991037 A whiff of pheromones might fix premenstrual syndrome http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991041 The artificial passenger who keeps long-distance drivers awake http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991039 Are non-stick frying pans polluting our towns and cities? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991036 Pain-free lasers replace the dreaded dentist's drill http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991040 Arm patch tells drinkers how well their bodies cope with alcohol http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991038 AND FINALLY... The armed Russian who posted the following ad on the Net advertising his services was deadly serious: "Will help retire from life, possibly without patient's consent." Unfortunately for the would-be assassin, the only people interested in his offer were the police. http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opfeedback.jsp?id=ns230099#20

SCICENTRAL NEWS ALERT brought to you by [1]SciQuest Generated for Marcia Hemming on Friday, 20-Jul-2001 10:47:50 AM EDT Friday, July 20, 2001 Edition _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * Ancient Crustacean Raises New Questions * Jurassic Chicken "50-100 Years Off" * Digital Organisms Used to Confirm Evolutionary Process References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]MARINE BIOLOGY * Scientists Identify Methane-Consuming Microbes From Ocean Depths * The Physics of ... Deep-Sea Animals: They Love the Pressure * Coral Reefs Ruined by Global Warming Will Take at Least a Century to Recover References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-marbio [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * Ant Group Dynamics * Gorillas Make an Impressive Splash * A Wallaby School of Self-Defense * Mother Hens Dictate Diet * New Musk Ox and Reindeer Feed Now Available in Alaska * Birds Feel the Rub * Farmers Can Help Reverse Declining Quail Population * Fishing Changes Population * The Trouble With Turtles References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Star Clusters Born in the Wreckage of Cosmic Collisions * A Propitious Alignment of Planets * Seventy-Day Jupiter Movie Pulls Patterns Out of Chaos * Watch Global Warming Happen in Real Time -- On Mars * Inside JPL: Technologists, Their Toys and Troubled Times (Special Report) * Planet Gobbling Dust Storms * Telescope Array to Unlock Secrets From Duplicitous Stars * Zooming In on Mars: The Road to Human Missions * Astronomers Find Link Between Earliest Illustration of Sunspots in Medieval Britain and an Observation of Aurora in Medieval Korea References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Volcano Research Erupts in Space * Ancient Cities Vanished Into Muddy Morass * Oracle's Secret Fault Found * Surfing and Diving in the Earth's Magnetosphere, Cluster Celebrates One Year of Science in Orbit * Geologists Explain New Happenings at Kilauea Volcano References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * Earth Likely to Warm 4-7 Degrees by 2100 * Greater Solar Activity May Bring U.S. More Gray Days * Climate Change in Atlantic Larger Than Previously Thought References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * Marine Methane Consumed by Consortia of Bacteria * Climate Change in Atlantic Larger Than Previously Thought References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]SATELLITES & REMOTE SENSING * Volcano Research Erupts in Space * Project to Provide Quick Access to Satellite Data to the Public Through RAPID-AmericaView * HOPE on Trial in Bosnian Mine Fields * Artemis Satellite Safely Under Full Control * Rohini Satellite Completes Mission References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-satrem [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * New System Developed for Removing Contaminants From Storm Run-Off * Power Station on Salt Water * Fresh Air for the Coliseum * Greenhouse Effect, R.I.P. * Researchers Create Fluorescent Molecules That Detect Metal Pollutants in Water, Waste * Researchers Unveil the First Comprehensive Wildfire Forecast for the Western United States * DDT Use in U.S. Linked to Premature Births in the 1960's * The Apparent Energy Shortage References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. To register, modify your selection of topics, or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit: [1]http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi _________________________________________________________________ References 1. http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi

NEW SCIENTIST WEEKLY NEWSLETTER No. 96, 4 August 2001 ------------------------------------------------------------ Change your newsletter subscription details at: http://www.newscientist.com/sub.jsp?id=361904&e=marci%40aloha.net ------------------------------------------------------------ Bringing you the top headlines from all sections of New Scientist.com each week The new powder that guarantees a sunny day http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991101 Is burning incense as bad as smoking? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991100 Intrusive breast biopsies could become a thing of the past http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991104 Why teachers are more at risk of autoimmune disease http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991106 Could this be the most powerful explosive ever discovered? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991103 US heads for total ban on human cloning http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991099 Lightning may spark evolution http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991102 AND FINALLY... What do a packet of cigarettes and a Taiwanese temple have in common? This week's New Scientist has evidence that burning incense may soothe your soul, but it could be playing havoc with your chest. http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991100 ************************************************************************* Discover how five individuals have dedicated their lives to preserving and understanding the animal kingdom. Their unique projects, supported by the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, include elusive snow leopards, unique seahorses, colourful seabirds, majestic griffon vultures, and industrious ground beetles - some of the world's living wonders. http://www.rolexawards.com/special-feature/creatures/index.html *************************************************************************

**************************************** Chinese Checker? Where's Ralph Nader? **************************************** Pajero Victim for Compensation Turned Down by Japanese Car Company Lu Hui, was severely injured by a Pajero V31 automobile because the brakes on the car failed. She was rushed to the hospital but later had to leave on Thursday because her medical expenses were too high. Pajero V31, a model produced by the Japanese Mitsubishi Motor Vehicle Co., has defective brakes that will lead to a brake malfunction or even failure while driving. The design flaw was found last September since several accidents had occurred in Yunnan Province and other places due to the poor quality of Pajero brake system. Zhou Jianhong, Lu's husband, had informed the company's Beijing office time after time that they couldn't afford the medical costs, hoping Lu's treatment would not be delayed. Although Mitsubishi, Thursday, apologized to Chinese consumers for its defective cars, the company turned a deaf ear to Zhou's requirement for immediate compensation. Previously, Mitsubishi had been in trouble due to an outbreak of nationwide discontentment with their refusal to formally apologize and provide compensation. Zhou said in order to raise money for Lu's medical treatment, he has sold his laundry shop, on which the whole family relies on for income. Lu was knocked down by a Pajero when its brakes failed on December 25, 2000 in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan province. Later she was diagnosed as first-degree handicapped because she was paralyzed as a result of the accident. *from Liam, of course*

RUNWAYS REFUSE DEFENCE Hi-res radar scans for runway rubbish. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010816/010816-6.html LEFT IN MUSIC Musicians' brains may use language modules listening to music. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010816/010816-4.html FIRE'S SPREAD LOOKS FRACTAL Fight forest fire's fringes first, suggests new model. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010816/010816-5.html GREAT EXPECTATIONS Placebo mimics drug effects on Parkinson's brains. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010816/010816-1.html PLANTS' ROOTS PUSHED BACK Earth might have turned green earlier. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010816/010816-2.html SOLAR POWER SURGE Self-assembling organic solar cells could harness sunlight cheaply. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010816/010816-3.html VIBRATOR BOOSTS BONE Sheep shake a leg and strengthen thighs. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010809/010809-10.html NANO FIXERS BALANCE BOOKS Single-celled microbes fertilize the oceans. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010809/010809-11.html GRANDMASTERS MATE FROM MEMORY Chunky chess theory shows how best brains battle. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010809/010809-13.html PHYSICISTS PLAY THE NANOPIPE Electrons caught making waves in carbon nanotubes. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010809/010809-12.html STATS SAY AYE TO ID EYE Iris patterns prove their unique credentials. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010809/010809-8.html FUTURE GOES TO MARKET Focus group predictions improve when money is at stake. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010809/010809-9.html VACCINE FROM FLY SPIT Fly saliva could protect us from a dangerous disease. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010809/010809-7.html NIGHT IN BRIGHT LIGHT PLIGHT Light pollution threatens amour and astronomy. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010809/010809-6.html BATS EAT BIRDS ON THE WING Migrating birds should beware of high-flying bats. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010809/010809-5.html

From the indefatigible Liam - Unhappy birthday for the PC By Andy Goldberg in Silicon Valley THE 20-year anniversary of the personal computer, supposed to be a celebration of Silicon Valley's successes, has deteriorated into an unseemly row about who invented it first. The elite of the high-tech industry were set to appear in their black-tie finery last night for a party celebrating the 20th anniversary of the personal computer, but the birthday bash led by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Intel boss Andy Grove is reviving the bitterest rivalry in computer history. The event marks the debut on August 12 1981 of the IBM personal computer, a clunky machine that sold at the time for $2,665, powered by the Intel 8088 chip and containing a measly 64 kilobytes of memory - one thousandth the power of today's typical model. more... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected?ac=005740803956591&rtmo=rQhbk2rX&atmo=rrrrrrrq&pg=/et/01/8/9/ecnbday.html

NEW SCIENTIST WEEKLY NEWSLETTER - No. 99, 25 August 2001 We talk to "the Isaac Newton of the 21st century" http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opinterview.jsp?id=ns230516 Los Angeles is on the move - but it's not a quake http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991184 A genetic mutation is to blame for panic attacks http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991185 Telescopes may soon be able to "see" dark matter http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991187 Primitive sea creatures put our finest optical systems to shame http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991183 How would you like to live over a nuclear power plant? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991186 AND FINALLY... In November 1995, Londoners contacted Scotland Yard claiming they had experienced an earthquake tremor. Investigations revealed that 20,000 rock fans had been jumping up and down at an Oasis concert in Earl's Court, and tremors were being reported up to one mile away. Be warned. At 11am on 7 September 2001 hundreds of thousands of British schoolchildren hope to make the Earth move with "the greatest simultaneous jump in history"... http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opfeedback.jsp?id=ns230599#43 ************************************************************************* Discover how five individuals have dedicated their lives to preserving and understanding the animal kingdom. Their unique projects, supported by the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, include elusive snow leopards, unique seahorses, colourful seabirds, majestic griffon vultures, and industrious ground beetles - some of the world's living wonders. http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;3152517;6044940;c?http://www.rolexawards.com ************************************************************************* Comments on this newsletter can be sent to newsletter@newscientist.com For people who love ideas, subscribe to New Scientist and have it delivered to your door every week, at: http://www.newscientist.com/subscribe/subs_home.jsp?source=newsletter Looking for a new job? Check out more than 1500 international science jobs each week at http://www.newscientistjobs.com Are you a US-based bioscientist or chemist looking for a new job? Check out http://www.sciencejobs.com, a US jobs website produced by New Scientist, Cell Press, BioMedNet, and ChemWeb.com.

Nature Science Update Highlights: 29 August 2001 MAGNET LIFTS LID ON HALF-LIFE Virtual injury catches the brain's halves competing for attention. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-5.html HUMAN GENE NUMBER CLIMBS New estimate ups our gene number by a third. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-4.html GENES REVEAL JUMBO SCHISM Elephants from Africa's plains and forest might be two different species. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-1.html HIMALAYAS ON ALERT The recent earthquake in India killed thousands, but far worse may be in store. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-2.html POTS PAN BUGS Copper kitchenware may lower food-poisoning risk. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-3.html http://www.nature.com/nsu/010823/010823-12.html EYES IN THEIR STARS Engineers envy brittlestar bones' built-in lenses. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010823/010823-11.html PEAT FEELS THE HEAT Global warming speeds wetlands carbon leaching. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010823/010823-13.html KYOTO BEGINS AT HOME Family values could help cut greenhouse gases. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010823/010823-9.html SWAYING COMES BEFORE A FALL Fall prediction gets off to a standing start. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010823/010823-8.html CHIPS KEEP THE CHANGE New circuits rewire themselves and don't go blank when switched off. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010823/010823-7.html ===================================================================== Nature Science Update is produced by the Nature News Service -- the popular science news syndication arm of the leading international science journal Nature. To find out about buying news and features like this for your website or news paper please e-mail: mailto:syndication@nature.com.

SciCentral News Alert for Friday, 31-Aug-2001 [1]EVOLUTION & PALEONTOLOGY * Dinosaur Expert Describes Unusual Feeding in Carnivorous Dinosaur * Permian Extraterrestrial Impact Caused Largest Mass Extinction on Earth * How Did an Infertile Fruit Get to Africa So Soon? * How Well Could Dinosaurs Corner? * Mystery Surrounds the Death of Australia's Megafauna References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-evolut [1]MARINE BIOLOGY * Dust From Africa Leads to Large Toxic Algae Blooms in Gulf of Mexico * Wanted: Reef Cleaners * Article Explores Rebirth of Aquatic Life After Deep-Sea Volcanic Eruption References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-marbio [1]WILDLIFE & FISHERIES * Right Whale Has the Wrong Stuff in Terms of Buoyancy * New Mimic Octopus Survives by Changing Its Identity * Genes Reveal Jumbo Schism * Fungal Enemy Could Explain Worldwide Amphibian Die-Off * Steller Sea Lions Beleaguered by Salmon Farmers and Commercial Fisheries * Technology Hope for Turtles References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=B-wildfi [1]ASTRONOMY * Europe to Identify Underground Water on Mars * SETI@home: Signal Crunching Yields Little So Far * Astronomers Discover Six-Image Gravitational Lens * Virtual Telescope Observes Record-Breaking Asteroid * The Strange Spires of Callisto * Burst of Star Formation Drives Bubble in Galaxy's Core * Scientists Identify Tagish Lake Meteorite's Origin in Space * A New Comet * Signs of Comets Spotted Around Another Star * Model Describes Birth of the Moon * New Light Pollution Atlas of World Shows Dark Skies Are Rare * The Dilemma of Mars Sample Return References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-astron [1]GEOLOGY * Clocking Ocean Circulation Over One Million Years * NASA Scientists Propose New Theory of Earth's Early Evolution References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog [1]GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY * Etna in Identity Crisis * Solar Max is Over, Earth's Future Looks Brighter * Is Earth's Magnetic Field Failing? * Researchers Fail to Find Alternatives to Huge India Earthquake * Seismologist Shows Deep Earthquakes Come in Pairs * Water Thrown on Earthquake Prediction References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy [1]METEOROLOGY & CLIMATOLOGY * "Weaker" El Ni�o Is Coming * Warmer Periods in Alaskan Area Not Confined to Modern Times * Tiny, Unmanned Planes in Florida Help Researchers Assess Storms, Hurricanes * Into the Storm * Peat Feels the Heat * New NASA Satellite Sensor and Field Experiment Shows Aerosols Cool the Surface but Warm the Atmosphere References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-meteo [1]OCEANOGRAPHY * New Scripps Monitoring Devices Set to Detect Clandestine Nuclear Weapons Testing * Clocking Ocean Circulation Over One Million Years * Scientists Explore Underwater Canyon Off New York-New Jersey Harbor * Peat Feels the Heat * Oceans of Power References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-oceano [1]SATELLITES & REMOTE SENSING * Fighting Wildfires Before They Start * New Scripps Monitoring Devices Set to Detect Clandestine Nuclear Weapons Testing * NASA Satellite, University of Maryland and U.S. Forest Service Provide Rapid Response to Wildfires * U.S., China, G7 Countries Flout Satellite Registry * Things That Matter: Eco-logic References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-satrem [1]ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & BIOREMEDIATION * Why Burn Coal When Wind Power Is Cheap and Plentiful? * Novel Surface Analyzer Effective in Detecting Chemical Warfare Agents * New Light Pollution Atlas of World Shows Dark Skies Are Rare * Oceans of Power References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=E-enviro _________________________________________________________________ � Copyright 2001 SciQuest, Inc. To register, modify your selection of topics, or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit: [1]http://newsletter.scicentral.com/cgi-bin/register.cgi _________________________________________________________________

NEW SCIENTIST WEEKLY NEWSLETTER No. 100, 1 September 2001 ------------------------------------------------------------ Change your newsletter subscription details at: http://www.newscientist.com/sub.jsp?id=361904&e=marci%40aloha.net ------------------------------------------------------------ Bringing you the top headlines from all sections of New Scientist.com each week Bush's missile defence system could cause US-bound warheads to drop on Europe and Canada instead http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991210 Machines will be making a song and dance about their work http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991209 Meet the man who's fighting disease--with numbers http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opinterview.jsp?id=ns23065 Dads who smoke cannabis are putting their babies at risk http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991213 Using an ulcer drug for abortions is leaving a terrible legacy http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991212 Human speech may be a side effect of our male ancestors trying to intimidate their rivals http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991211 AND FINALLY... NASA's Mars Climate Orbiter came to grief when the craft's designers mixed up metric with imperial units. We're glad to announce that there'll be no such problem at Butlin's Holiday camp at Minehead in Somerset. Swimmers there are told the depths of water in the various pools. In one case the water level is a whole '0 m' deep. Just in case any spacecraft designers decide to holiday in Minehead, this is tactfully converted to '0 ft 0 in'. http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opfeedback.jsp?id=ns230699#30

Nature Science Update Highlights: 3 September 2001 IS THAT STUDY REALLY NECESSARY? Economics helps decide if we should put our money where researchers' mouths are. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010906/010906-3.html APPELLATION MISSION CONTROLL�E Space agency helps wine growers blend a better bottle. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010906/010906-4.html VIRUSES SOUNDED OUT Researchers hope to hear HIV, hepatitis and 'flu. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010906/010906-1.html MERCURY FALLING INTO FOOD CHAIN Sun, sea and snow bring mercury down to Earth. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010906/010906-2.html PARASITE CORRALS COMPUTER POWER You can trick someone else's computer into solving your problems. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-8.html INFECTION KILLS CANCER Virus exploits cancer's common tag. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-9.html ETNA IN IDENTITY CRISIS Sicily's volcano could be getting more violent. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-10.html PRION PAIR PICTURED Domain swapping could be prion couples' downfall. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-6.html NERVE CHIP GOES LIVE First nerve cell-silicon microchip built. http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-7.html

A swig of beer could one day protect you from HIV http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991286 The sweaty secrets behind midge bites http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991287 How a roadside robot could save lives http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991290 The inner strength that helps women live longer http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991288 Why molasses gets rid of rust http://staging.newscientist.com/lastword/ A. I. Artificial Intelligence: what Brian Aldiss has to say about the movie http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/ai/likehuman.jsp AND FINALLY... Nobody looks forward to seeing you. Small children sometimes burst into tears at the mere sight of you. No wonder dentists are often said to have a high suicide rate. This week, however, we have news which may improve the popularity of members of this profession - a vaccine which could make toothache and fillings a thing of the past... http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991289

******************************* HIGP Postdoctoral Fellowship ******************************* From: Andy Harris Postdoctoral Fellowship The Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) University of Hawaii at Manoa. HIGP has an immediate opening for one postdoctoral fellow (physical volcanology) to work on conduit processes at persistently active basaltic systems. The fellowship is for 1 year with a possible extension to 3 years, subject to availability of funds. Research will use multiple geophysical data sets to search for cycles in mass fluxes at erupting basaltic systems over a variety of time scales. Data from field work on one or a number of the following volcanoes will be considered: Kilauea (Hawaii), Villarrica (Chile), Strombol and Etna (Italy), and Masaya (Nicaragua). Follow up work will include the derivation and application of conduit convection models to explain any observed trends. A Ph.D. in geology, geophysics or related fields is required. An interest in areas such as conduit convection, degassing, magma/lava rheology, effusive volcanism, strombolian systems; and experience in the gathering and analysis of multiple geophysical data sets at active volcanoes are preferred. This position will include field work on active volcanoes, and so previous field experience would be desirable. A degree of computer literacy, and an interest in conduit convection and rheological modeling would also be useful. To apply, submit a resume including a list of publications and the names, addresses, e-mail, and fax numbers of at least 3 referees by October 15, 2001, to Dr Andrew Harris, HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawaii, 2525 Correa Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. The University of Hawaii at Manoa is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. For more details, please contact Andy Harris (harris@higp.hawaii.edu) ******************************* SWRI Volcanologist ******************************* From: Brittain Hill VOLCANOLOGIST, LIMITED-TERM We are looking for a highly motivated and self-directed Research Scientist to help the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission evaluate the probability and consequences of volcanic activity affecting the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The successful applicant will have an important and visible role in a program of national impact. This position requires interest and experience in the quantitative modeling of volcanic processes, such as magma ascent, tephra dispersal, flow phenomena, or probabilistic risk assessments. Excellent mathematical and computer skills are required. Experience or training in geophysical applications to igneous processes is a plus. In addition to conducting technical investigations, the candidate will participate in document and program reviews, report preparation, and interactions at public meetings. The work environment will include both independent and team-based investigations, and may include field investigations in remote areas. This person also is expected to help develop and contribute to work for various commercial clients, especially in the area of natural hazard and risk assessment. This position complements existing strengths in physical volcanology, petrology, risk assessment, GIS/RS, structural geology, hydrology, geochemistry, and engineering. Requirements include a Ph.D. or M.S. with three years of experience in igneous processes. The successful applicant will be expected to present results of investigations in publications and presentations and therefore should possess outstanding oral and written communication skills. NOTE: All applicants must pass a conflict of interest evaluation and be qualified for a Nuclear Regulatory Commission clearance. This is a 2 year limited-term, full-time position with competitive salary and benefits. Southwest Research Institute is an independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with nine technical divisions. The Institute occupies 1,200 acres and provides nearly two million square feet of laboratories, test facilities, workshops, and offices for more than 2,700 employees who perform contract work for industry and government clients. Please submit resumes to bhill@swri.edu or faxed to (210) 522-5155. Resumes also can be mailed to Dr. Brittain Hill, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510, or submitted through the Southwest Research Institute job site at www.swri.org

Can bubbles explain the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991350 Beam me up: teleportation comes closer http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991346 How urine could cut diesel pollution http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991347 Laughing aloud - women giggle, men snort http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991348 The man who wants to bring back wolves http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opinterview.jsp?id=ns23105 AND FINALLY... Rain bouncing off power lines causes a low humming noise, reports this week's Last Word. And it seems that the heavier the rain, the louder the noise. The wires are live with the sound of music? Perhaps not... http://www.newscientist.com/lastword/

USGS Scientists To Discuss Breaking Science News What: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists from around the nation will gather next week in Boston to discuss current and breaking science news with colleagues from around the world. Where: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting will be held from November 5 through November 8 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Media Availabilties: America's Coastal Crisis ? How to Protect Coastal Resources: discuss erosion of U.S. shorelines. Assuming no additional beach nourishment or other protective measures are taken, the nation will lose 1,500 homes each year to coastal erosion. Monday, November 5, 12:30 p.m., Room 109 Energy Resources on Federal Lands: 70 percent of clean coal resources and most onshore oil areas in Northern Alaska are on Federal lands. Discuss with the experts. Tuesday, November 6, 10 a.m., Room 109. Seismic Does Matter ? Even in Boston: USGS Associate Director for Geology, Dr. P. Patrick Leahy will be on hand to discuss current work being done by USGS and how new tools are being developed to give advance warnings on earthquakes. This year, the Advanced National Seismic System, which gives emergency responders real-time earthquake information is being installed in Boston and New York! Wednesday, November 7, 11 a.m., Room 108. Call Carolyn Bell in the GSA newsroom at 617-954-3214 for details. Highlights: America's Coastal Crisis ? a discussion about critical geoscience information needed to conserve and protect America's coastal resources will be help Monday, November 5 at 8 a.m. in Room 112. Changing Geology of Appalachia ? A new USGS video about the geology of the Southern Appalachian Mountains will be showcased on Monday, November 5 at 3 p.m. in Room 304. Using LIDAR to Map Coastal Change: Learn how USGS scientists and others are using new remote sensing-based capabilities for coastal studies and natural resources management. Tuesday, November 6, 2001 at 9:15 a.m., Room 210. Florida Bay Restoration ? Recent evidence collected by USGS scientists from the muddy bottom of Florida Bay shows that some changes in the ecosystem are natural, but some are not. Tuesday, November 6 at 11:45 a.m. in Room 210. Chesapeake Bay Crater ? What happens when a mile-wide rock slams into the earth at supersonic speed? USGS scientists discuss what they've learned so far about the monster rock which changed America thousands of years ago. Three different sessions: Tuesday, November 6 at 4:45 p.m. in Room 202; Thursday, November 8 at 2:45 p.m. in Room 200 and at 4:15 p.m. in Room 304. Energetic Discussion of Coal, Oil and Gas ? As America's need for energy increases, science plays a critical role in providing information necessary for resource managers to make good decisions. Hear top experts discuss how American can meet the energy challenge. Two discussions: Northern Alaska Oil ? Wednesday, November 7 at 2:15 p.m. in Room 313; Coal in Western States ? Wednesday, November 7 at 3:35 p.m. in Room 313. Florida Sand Reveals Ancient River ? A huge sand delta in Southern Florida, discovered in 1999 by USGS scientists and others, reveals that an ancient river, larger than any current Florida river, once flowed through the state. Thursday, November 8, at 1:30 p.m. in Convention Center Hall D. For more information on any of these events or other USGS science, visit our webpage at http://www.usgs.gov The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to: describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life. *** USGS ***

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (11/6/2001) ----------------------------------------------------------------- New Features: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ * New Light on Ice Motion (DAAC Study) http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/Antarctica/ MODIS' unprecedented high resolution reveals clues to antarctic topography and ice history. -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Hurricane Michelle http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5209 Pi�on Canyon Region, Colorado http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5208 Napoli and Volcanism - Vesuvius and Mt. Etna http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5207 Where on Earth...? MISR Mystery Image Quiz #4 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5206 Falkland Islands http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5204 Lake Chad and the Sahel http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5199 Dust Blankets the Mediterranean http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=5198 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - Satellites Shed Light on a Warmer World * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Greenland Ice Sheet Melting - NASA Helps Map Flood Zones - British Butterflies in Decline - Nature Reveals Evidence of a Warming World - Storms Lower Ozone Levels - Global Warming Alert Issued for U.S. Gulf States * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/ -------------------- New Data: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/ * Updated Data: 4km TRMM Fires data for October 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/fires.trmm.html Precipitation data for July 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/rainfall.gpcp.html - Earth Observatory Announcements http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov To unsubscribe: send body "unsubscribe eo-announce " to majordomo@eodomo.gsfc.nasa.gov

Nature Science Update Highlights: 26 November 2001 SUN SUCKS UP GAS Solar swirls may predict space weather. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-5.html DNA REPAIR COULD REDUCE SUNBURN An immune system chemical may undo skin damage by sunlight. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-6.html FORTIFIED FLOUR FRACAS Compulsory folic acid supplementation may hold risks. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-4.html CLONED COWS IN THE PINK Healthy cows buck the trend for sickly clones. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-1.html BSE'S EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS While prion diseases seem to be waning in humans, they could be waxing in sheep. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-2.html MATERIAL BONES UP Programmed molecules build themselves into a bone-mimic. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-3.html WATER DROP HOLDS A TRILLION COMPUTERS Devices with DNA software may one day be fitted into cells. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011122/011122-11.html LOGGING FUELS FIRE Felling trees raises rainforests' risk of burning. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011122/011122-12.html THIEVES NOT THICK Criminal behaviour suggests birds' brains are more sophisticated than we thought. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011122/011122-13.html STIFF CHALLENGE TO INSTABILITY The secret of a steady hand is tightening the right muscles. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011122/011122-15.html DECEPTION FUELS DOMESTIC BLISS Evolution may make men ignorant and gullible. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011122/011122-9.html HIV SKIPS SHRINKING RAFTS Cholesterol capping limits HIV replication. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011122/011122-8.html FRIENDS ARE STRANGER THAN STRANGERS If your friends were normal people they would not know you. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011122/011122-7.html ===================================================================== SPECIAL FEATURES: THE REGENERATION GAP Newts grow new legs, Hydra new heads. These remarkable creatures may hold clues for researchers developing human cellular therapies. But the connections are only now starting to be made. Helen Pearson reports. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011122/011122-14.html

Are these National Inquirer Headlines?

NO !!! http://www.nature.com/nature/ NATURE is a very august and learned Journal from the UK. (That means it is difficult to read, has long colvoluted sentences, and the topics are abstruse.) But.... you can trust what it prints!

A camouflage make-up protects soldiers from the heat of battle http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/tech/ Whales show the way to a cleaner, greener boat http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991616 Use your cellphone to name any song in three seconds flat http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991619 Is carbon the key to superconductors that work at room temperature? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991618 Have mosquitoes finally met their match? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991615 Tiny black holes may be exploding in our cosmic backyard http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991617 AND FINALLY... At the ripe old age of eight, Cog is still one of the world's most famous humanoid robots. For science reporters who gain entry to MIT's Media Lab in Cambridge, an audience with this celebrity resident is akin to a music fan meeting Mick Jagger. Sadly, however, Cog is not himself at the moment. This week's Feedback column is alarmed to hear that he has been decapitated - and even more alarmed to learn this head head has been replaced with that of a mechanical ant... http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opfeedback.jsp?id=ns231999#31 ************************************************************************* Whether you want to brush up your French for a holiday, get fluent in Italian or start Arabic from scratch, there's a course for you at Linguaphone. Choose from over 500 courses in 30 languages and decide how fast you want to take it. Click here now and start to enjoy learning a new language - http://www.panpartnership.co.uk:80/do/session/new/vsid/871647

NEW SCIENTIST WEEKLY NEWSLETTER No. 114, 8 December 2001 Bringing you the top headlines from all sections of New Scientist.com each week Higgs boson: are physicists spending billions on a wild goose chase? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991649 Like it or not Britain's economy is already bound up with the Euro http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991651 Why do sheep glow in the dusk? http://www.newscientist.com/lastword/ Severed optical nerves can be made to grow again http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991646 Does Europa's rosy glow betray a flourishing colony of bugs? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991647 Ultrasound could target drug delivery in the brain http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991644

FIT RATS GET ROUND THE BENDS Physical exercise could stave off decompression sickness. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-4.html MARS TAKES ITS CAP OFF Mars' polar ice caps are slowly melting. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-1.html NEW NERVES WIPE MEMORY Nerve cells can break memories, as well as make them. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-2.html POT-BELLIED MICE MIMIC OBESITY Genetically engineered mice get fat like we do. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-3.html ANCESTORS SKIP ADOLESCENCE Dental diary of a teenage hominid aged 1.5 million years. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-10.html WATER POWER A new material helps to make clean fuel from water. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-11.html FLESH-EATERS MAKE SKIN CREEP Bacteria give skin cells their marching orders. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-12.html WHO WANTS TO BE A COSMONAUT? Russians start countdown to space game show. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-8.html LESSONS IN LANDSCAPE Keeping parks pretty means tailoring the trees to their source of water. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-9.html RADIATION ZAPS BYSTANDERS Radon may pose a greater cancer threat than has been thought. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-7.html QUANTUM COMPUTERS SPREAD THE RISK A balanced portfolio of programs could mean a faster quantum computer. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-6.html ===================================================================== SPECIAL FEATURE: THE BUDDING AMATEURS From the results of an annual Alaskan betting contest to sightings of migratory birds, ecologists are using a wealth of unusual data to predict the impact of climate change. John Whitfield rummages in the archives. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-13.html ===================================================================== Nature Science Update is produced by the Nature News Service -- the popular science news syndication arm of the leading international science journal Nature.

* Earth's Magnetic Field Really Did Reverse Itself * Melting Glaciers Diminished Gulf Stream, Cooled Western Europe, During Last Ice Age * Global Warming More Common Than Thought, Deep-Sea Drilling Off Japan Now Demonstrates References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geolog

GEOPHYSICS, SEISMOLOGY, & VOLCANOLOGY NEWS * Researchers Investigate Mysteries of the African Rift * Fractal Models of Blue Jets, Blue Starters Show Similarity, Differences to Red Sprites * Well-Studied Volcano May Be Clue to Better Modeling * Scientist Anticipates Major Eruption of Peru's El Misti Volcano * Lifting the Veil on Black Aurorae * U.S. Earthquake Monitoring, Reporting Severely Hampered by Shutdown of Department of Interior Internet Connections * Deepsea Cores Offer New Clues to Earthquake Cycles * Where Lightning Strikes * The Sun's Chilly Impact on Earth * TIMED Atmospheric Spacecraft Successfully Launched References 1. http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_level3.d2w/report?nav_banner=bio&resource=articles&gateway=S-geophy

New Scientist Newsletter 15 December 2001 A tasteless additive could give an extra zing to drinks http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991677 How does bone manage to be so tough? http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991682 Our best defence against a bioterrorist attack http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991683 Smallpox: if the virus ever gets out... http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991680 Why an IVF technique could be riskier than we thought http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991678 How did people draw straight lines before they had rulers? http://www.newscientist.com/lastword/ AND FINALLY... If you've ever found yourself wrestling with a pot of strawberry conserve at 4 am after one sambuca too many, we've got some good news for you. Scientists have finally found a way to make jars easier to open... http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991684

The littlest lizard World's smallest reptile is discovered in the Caribbean forest. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-3.html Good vibrations Honeycomb geometry helps dancing bees gather an audience. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-4.html Exercising your genes Researchers are homing in on the genetics of physical ability. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-5.html Reserves raise fish stocks Fishing thrives alongside protected areas. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011206/011206-1.html Catch figures fishy Recalculation reveals falling global fish stocks. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-12.html Massive hole makes theories leaky Surprising black hole weigh-in has astronomers scratching their heads. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-13.html Mothers could save the whale Sparing a few right whale mums could keep the species from extinction. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-14.html Exorcising Einstein's spooks Is there another layer of reality beyond quantum physics? http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-15.html Human clone not miracle cure Rewiring the egg: mechanism remains murky. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-9.html Feel the music Deaf people use 'mind's ear' to process vibrations. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-10.html Distant starlight reveals alien atmosphere Hubble spots atmosphere on planet 150 light years away. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-11.html Global goal frenzy It's official: English football teams score fewer goals. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-8.html Neutrinos feel the force The orthodox worldview of fundamental physics is challenged by new experiments. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-7.html DNA repair could reduce sunburn An immune system chemical may undo skin damage by sunlight. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011129/011129-6.html ===================================================================== Nature Science Update is produced by the Nature News Service -- the popular science news syndication arm of the leading international science journal Nature.

Nature Science Update Highlights: 17 December 2001 Another nanobrick in the wall Chemists make the world's smallest building blocks. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-6.html Space probe shows comet sense Deep Space 1 reveals Borrelly's dark secrets. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-5.html Cosmos to freeze-frame The Universe could be slipping away from us forever. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-4.html Abrupt climate change likely Report calls for research and policy to cope with volatile climate. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-3.html Blame it on the bugs Squid harbour live-in lighting to keep predators in the shade. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-2.html Holes barred by protein purse-string Suicidal cells are squeezed out of the way. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-1.html Vaccines breed viciousness Vaccinations may increase death toll. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-14.html Smallpox, big problem? Smallpox would spread rapidly through an unprotected world. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-15.html Turkeys gobble young Big Christmas birds start eating early. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-13.html Cells' generators star in action movie Microscope captures mitochondria bopping to a beat. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-12.html Broken seesaw warms North Pressure system secrets could help long range forecasts. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-11.html Space weather forecast step closer The Sun's violent outbursts have deep and twisted origins. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-7.html Bladder control works at a stretch Recycling cell membranes help the bladder go from walnut to basketball sized. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-8.html Muscle is plastic fantastic Stem cells' fates are a multiple choice. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-9.html Unveiling the aurora Satellites have detected the shifting forces that weave the Northern Lights. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-10.html Grubs up grains' protein Pest could give grains a nutritional boost. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-6.html ===================================================================== Nature Science Update is produced by the Nature News Service -- the popular science news syndication arm of the leading international science journal Nature.

Early Christians hid the origins of the Bethlehem star http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991713 Belize dam is all set to go ahead despite danger to wildlife http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991716 James Bond's Q would be proud of the toy US coastguards want for Christmas http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991715 Home phones get bitten by the texting bug http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991714 2001 set to be second warmest year on record http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991710 Anthrax vaccination offered to exposed US workers http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991712 Grossology. It's the science of really gross things... http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opinterview.jsp?id=ns232216 AND FINALLY... Not everybody enjoys sniffing cocaine or "flying too high with some guy in the sky". But with the exception of Cole Porter, most people claim they get a "kick" from champagne. They say it goes "straight to their head", making them giggly and light-headed. And they're right. This week's New Scientist has the first evidence that the bubbles in this most celebratory of tipples really do get you drunk more quickly. Happy New Year... http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991717 ************************************************************************* HOW 8000 OF THE WORLD'S TOP SCIENTISTS ARE GETTING CLOSER TO BUSINESS After inventing the jet engine, radar and LCDs, QinetiQ is now creating competitive advantage for businesses large and small. QinetiQ is Europe's largest science and technology organisation formed from the major part of DERA, the British Government's defence research and development organisation. With experience spanning aviation, transport, healthcare, telecommunications, materials and more, it is also behind, QinetiQ 1, the next attempt on the world altitude record for a manned balloon. http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/clk;3623115;6659265;l?http://www.qinetiq.com

PREDICTION IS BETTER FOR CURE Gene screen could offer cancer patients tailor-made treatments. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011227/011227-7.html DON'T STEP ON IT THIS HOLIDAY Smooth driving is the key to fewer traffic jams. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011227/011227-6.html MUSCLES DAMP BAD VIBRATIONS Tiny fibres ensure racehorses don't bounce themselves to bits. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011227/011227-5.html MAN'S IMPACT ON PLANET ENIGMATIC Environmental even keel or global crisis - no one knows. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011227/011227-4.html NEW SQUID ON THE BLOCK Deep-sea submersibles meet a six-metre squid. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011227/011227-3.html FUNNIEST JOKE FOUND First results in from largest-ever look at humour. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011227/011227-1.html CONSERVATIONISTS PATCH IT UP Urban wildlife may not use green corridors. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-14.html CHANNEL TOUCHES A NERVE Pore removal makes mice touchy but not feely. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-15.html SHOOTING STARS SUGAR COATED Meteorites could have sweetened the earliest life. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-11.html MOLECULES BRING ABOUT FACE A small chemical change has a big effect on a developing face. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-12.html WINE FIGHTS HEART FOE Red wine may suppress one of the main chemical culprits in heart disease. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-13.html IT'S THE DRINK TALKING Tripping tongues betray tipsiness. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-10.html FLICKERING SUN SWITCHED CLIMATE A solar slump may have chilled the Northern Hemisphere. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-9.html RACEHORSE RELATIONS Modern thoroughbreds run on narrow genetic lines. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-8.html WAVES MAKE BUG BREAK POINT Sloshing proteins help bacteria find their waists. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011220/011220-7.html ===================================================================== FOCUS: INDULGENCE INVESTIGATED Nature Science Update's round-up of stories for the forthcoming holiday season. http://www.nature.com/nsu/011227/011227-2.html =====================================================================

GENOME EXPOSES BURIED BUGS Knowing the human genetic sequence helps unearth invaders. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-14.html RING OF TRUTH TO OLD WIVES' TALE? 'Feed a cold, starve a fever' may make sense, say immunologists. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-13.html ART HISTORY DOUBLES Engraved stones from South Africa could be the oldest works of art. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-11.html CAUSE OF SICK CLONES CONTESTED Tentative diagnosis of clones' complaints. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-10.html SEAWEED INSPIRES ANTIBACTERIAL Stopping bugs communicating can keep them apart. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-12.html SHEEP THREAT FENCED OUT Estimates of CJD risk from sheep remain woolly. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-7.html HUBBUB AT GALACTIC HUB X-rays show the centre of our Galaxy to be full of furious activity. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-9.html BALLAST PURGE SCUPPERS INVASIONS A new way to stop ships rusting could also benefit the environment. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-8.html PROSPERITY THROUGH PUNISHMENT Retribution can breed cooperation. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-6.html PROTEOME REVEALS PROMISCUITY Proteins' complex social habits exposed. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-5.html COWS COULD FOSTER FLU PANDEMICS Cattle join farmyard of potential influenza carriers. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-4.html ELECTRONIC TONGUE HAS GOOD TASTE Hand-held tasting device displays highly discriminating palate. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-3.html SOLID STOPS LIGHT A crystal that holds light could facilitate quantum computing. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-2.html OBSERVATORY COULD DETECT HIDDEN DIMENSIONS Cosmic rays could find holes in Standard Model of particle physics. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020107/020107-1.html ===================================================================== Nature Science Update is produced by the Nature News Service

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (01/29/2002) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ *Latest Images: Volcanoes: R�union Island Volcano Erupts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_ id=1613 Volcanoes: Nyiragongo Volcano Erupts in the Congo http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_ id=1612 Severe Storms: Tropical Cyclone 10s (Dina) http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_ id=1614 In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Perspective View, Mount Shasta, California http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7273 McMurdo Dry Valleys http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7272 Shrimp Farms and Mangroves, Gulf of Fonseca http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7271 R�union Island Volcano Erupts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7270 Balance of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7268 Volga Delta and the Caspian Sea http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7267 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - New Satellite Maps Reveal Where in the World Lightning Strikes - U.S. Ecology Dramatically Altered by Fertilizers and Acid Rain * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - Climate Change Following Collapse Of The Maya Empire - The K-T Impact Extinctions: Dust Didn't Do It - Counterintuitively, After Extreme Droughts, Wading Birds Flourish * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Antarctic Island Called a Unique Climate Change Lab - Dead Sea Keeps Falling - United Kingdom Faces Summers of Malaria - Massive Ice Cap Could Almost Disappear By 2100 - Study Links El Nino to Deadly South American Disease - Climate Change May Bring More Winter Floods in California * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (02/5/2002) ----------------------------------------------------------------- New Features: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ * Hantavirus Risk Maps (DAAC Study) http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/Hanta/ Satellite and ground truth data help scientists predict the risk of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. * Tracking a Volcano: Satellite Observations of Piton de la Fournaise http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ReunionIsland/ NASA satellite data from Terra and Landsat provide a unique perspective on the current eruption of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano. -------------------- Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Dust and Smoke: Dust Storm Off Southern Coast of Iceland http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?i http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_ id=1616 Volcano: Nyiragongo Volcano Erupts in the Congo http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?i http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_ id=1615 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Snow and Ice Storm in the Midwest http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7281 Nyiragongo lava flows http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7280 Plant Productivity in the West Indian Ocean http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7279 New Orleans, Louisiana http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7278 Northern Patagonian Ice Field, Chile http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7277 Watching the World Rev its Heat Engine http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7276 Coccoliths in the Celtic Sea http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7275 Sulfur Dioxide Emissions from Congo Volcanoes http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7274 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - Satellites vs. Mosquitoes: Tracking West Nile Virus in the U.S - Satellites Tracking Climate Changes and Links to Disease Outbreaks in Africa - Fewer Clouds Found In Tropics: NASA scientists discover new evidence of climate change * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/ -------------------- New Data: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/ * Updated Data: TOMS Aerosol Index data for December 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/aerosol.toms.html 4km TRMM Fires data for November 2001 - January 2002 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/fires.trmm.html Ozone data for December 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/ozone.toms.html Sea Surface Temperature data for November 1999 - December 1999 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/sst.avhrr.html UV Radiation Exposure data for December 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/uv.toms.html - Earth Observatory Announcements http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (02/12/2002) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Special Imagery: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/BlueMarble/ This spectacular �blue marble� image is the most detailed true-color image of the entire Earth to date. Using a collection of satellite-based observations, scientists and visualizers stitched together months of observations of the land surface, oceans, sea ice, and clouds into a seamless, true-color mosaic of every square kilometer (.386 square mile) of our planet. Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Dust and Smoke: Plumes over Baja California http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=1620 Dust and Smoke: Smoke Over Southern Andes Mountains http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=1618 Volcano: Colima Volcano Erupts in Mexico http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=1619 Storm: Cyclone Chris Hits Australia http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=1617 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Smoke from the Fallbrook Fire and Dust from Baja http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7287 The Blue Marble http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7286 Anti-Atlas Mountains, Morocco http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7285 Salt Lake City, Utah, Perspective View http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7284 Monitoring the Spread of West Nile Virus with Satellite Data http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7283 Winter and Summer Views of the Salt Lake Region http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7282 Snow and Ice Storm in the Midwest http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7281 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - Thrusters Precisely Guide EO-1 Satellite In Space First - NASA Images Capture Golds, Silvers and Bronzes of Utah Olympic Site * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - High CO2 Levels Hamper Nitrate Incorporation by Plants * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - New Iceberg Breaks Free in Antarctica - Equatorial Water Belt Slackens - Satellites Help Track Disease Epidemics - El Ni�o Taking Baby Steps - Climate Threat to Australian Forests - Calibrating the Human Impact Within Earth's Climate Record - Ecology Dramatically Altered by Fertilizers, Acid Rain * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Fire: Wildfires in Chile http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=1623 Dust and Smoke: Massive Dust Plume Emanates from China http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=1622 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Fires in Chile http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7757 Western United States Beyond the Four Corners http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7756 Mosaic of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7755 Perspective View: San Diego, California http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7291 A Better Global Thermometer http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7290 Where on Earth...? MISR Mystery Image Quiz #6 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7289 Saharan Dust over the Atlantic http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7288 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - Snow Science, Not Sport, in the Rockies - Highlights From NASA Presentations at AAAS Symposium - Terra Measures Sea Surface Temperature with Unprecedented Detail * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - Global Warming Lengthens Day

YUM, AMINO ACIDS Molecules with a taste for monosodium glutamate give protein flavour http://www.nature.com/nsu/020218/020218-21.html STOP AND SEARCH Glowing nanobots map microscopic surfaces. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020218/020218-19.html REALITY CHECK FOILS SPIDER-MAN Captain America wins superhero networking crown. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020218/020218-17.html BATH TOYS SHOW STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Miniature floating craft can be programmed to move and assemble in complex ways. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020218/020218-18.html LINK BETWEEN CLIMATE AND MALARIA BROKEN Africa's malaria resurgence isn't down to global warming. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020218/020218-12.html FISSION STATEMENT Alternative yeast joins genome party. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020218/020218-13.html ACID COULD WRECK WRECK Raised warship's quandary underlines need to let sunken ships lie. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020218/020218-15.html

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (02/26/2002) ----------------------------------------------------------------- New Reference: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/ * Weather Forecasting Through the Ages http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/WxForecasting/ Only fifty years ago, weather forecasting was an art, derived from the inspired interpretation of data from a loose array of land-based observing stations, balloons, and aircraft. Since then it has evolved substantially, based on an array of satellite and other observations and sophisticated computer models simulating the atmosphere and sometimes additional elements of the Earth's climate system. The AIRS/AMSU/HSB combination on board the [soon to be launched] EOS Aqua satellite should further these advances, enabling more accurate predictions over longer periods. -------------------- Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Volcano: Smoke Plume from Mt. Oyama http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2109 Dust and Smoke: Dust Over Great Australian Bight http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2110 Storm: Cyclone Guillaume Off Reunion Island http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2107 Storm: Low-pressure System Off Australia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2108 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: NASA's Quikscat Spacecraft Turns Operational http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7764 Akpatok Island http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7763 Santa Maria Volcano, Guatemala http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7762 Open-cell cloud formation over the Bahamas http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7761 Cyclone Guillaume http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7760 Dusty Skies over Southern California http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7759 Wintertime in the Western U.S. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7758 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - New NASA Global Change Master Directory Available - Santa Ana Winds Swirl Through the Southland - NASA's Quikscat Spacecraft Turns Operational * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Snow-Pit Project to Predict Flooding - Fish Bones Give Clues to the Beginning of El Nino - Polar Warming Continues With Ice Mass Losses - Global Warming Will be Around the Next 100 Years - Pollution Drying Up Rainfall - Sea Level Set To Rise Dramatically - Forecasters Get New Ally - Terra Takes Sea Surface Temperature With Precision - Links Between El Nino, Disease - A Satellite With an Icy Mission * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/ -------------------- Data and Images http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/ *New Data: Snow Cover and Ice Depth data for January 1978 - December 1996 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/snow_ice.smmr.html * Updated Data: TOMS Aerosol Index data for January 2002 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/aerosol.toms.html Ozone data for January 2002 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/ozone.toms.html UV Radiation Exposure data for January 2002 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/uv.toms.html

The Deep Lake Drilling Project You've heard of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, the most fruitful scientific research program ever carried out. An inspired young man named Kerry Kelts re-created it on land, which involved not only building a collapsible drilling ship but inventing a whole new branch of science. Kelts died too young, but he lived to see it happen. http://geology.about.com/library/weekly/aa031002a.htm

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (03/12/2002) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Webcast of the GRACE Satellite Launch! The twin satellites named GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) are being launched to make detailed measurements of Earth's gravity field. *Make sure to watch the launch at 4:23AM EST, Saturday, March 16 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia. The webcast will be broadcast on the following websites: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov http://www.nasa.gov/ntv http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/ New Features: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ * Testing the Waters http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/WaterQuality/ In the Upper Midwest, lakes are central to people's lives. Unfortunately, monitoring water quality for 30,000 plus lakes in the region has never been possible. Water quality measurements have always been taken by hand, and the states have traditionally had the resources to monitor only a small percentage. Now with the backing of NASA, scientists at the Michigan State University, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin have begun using satellite data to measure lake quality. Within the next three years, they should be able to create a comprehensive water quality map for the entire Great Lakes region. -------------------- Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Unique Imagery: �Bull�s Eye� � The Richat Structure, Mauritania http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2124 Fire: Fires and Heavy Smoke in Sumatra http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2123 Storm: Cyclone Hary Approaches Madagascar http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2121 Unique Imagery: Red Tide Strands South African Rock Lobsters http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2120 Storm: Typhoon Mitag Northeast of the Philippines http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2122 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Twin Cyclones Result From Shift in the Trade Winds http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7779 Typhoon Mitag Northeast of the Philippines http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7778 Araca River http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7777 Shiveluch�Kamchatkan volcanoes http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7776 Boston, Massachusetts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7774 Red Tide Strands South African Rock Lobsters http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7773 Early Spring Dust over the Mediterranean Sea http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7772 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - Digital Photos from Solar Airplane to Improve Coffee Harvest - Grace Space Twins Set to Team Up to Track Earth's Water and Gravity - NASA Study Links El Nino and Southern Ocean Changes * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - Hurricane floods pose risk to environment, health, new research on 1999 storm reveals * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Global Warming May Not Harm Marine Food - Why It's Dry - Signs of New El Ni�o Strengthen - 'Snowball Earth' Theory Melted - NASA Study Links El Ni�o and Antarctic Sea Ice - Global Warming to Raise Sea Level - Global Warming Threatening State Birds? - Global Warming Creates Grim Future for Forests - Global Warming Stalks Small Commonwealth States - Future Volcanic Eruptions May Cause Ozone Hole Arctic - Ozone Layer Will Thin Even as Holes Heal - Drought Grips Much of USA, Stirs Water Supply Fears * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

I don't know where to put this - It worries me exceedingly: Huge lung cancer rise in Greece Smoking is the main cause of an increase in recorded incidences of lung cancer in Greece, where up to 6,000 sufferers die every year, according to research by the European Pneumonological Society. It was made public yesterday ahead of a conference on �Lungs and the Environment� starting in Athens on Friday. �There has been a 50 percent increase over the last 30 years, and this reflects the spread of the disease to the female population,� Professor Panayiotis Behrakis said. Another 20 percent is attributed to atmospheric pollution, Greeks are diagnosed with lung cancer at a higher rate than their European counterparts, with 3 percent more cases recorded every year. Greek women more vulnerable than European women and Greek men under 44 more likely targets than other European men of the same age. Greek men and women are younger � between 40 and 45 � when they contract lung cancer. http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_4170118_13/03/2002_14347

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory(03/19/2002) New Reference: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/ * GRACE Fact Sheet http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/GRACE/ The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment is the inaugural mission of the Earth System Science Pathfinder program. Launched in March 2002, it is a five-year mission intended to produce maps of the Earth's gravity field with unprecedented precision and resolution. Not only will GRACE benefit studies in the field of geodesy, but also, the Earth Science community eagerly anticipates the mission. More precise gravity measurements will improve the accuracy of inputs into models used by many disciplines that study Earth's climate - including hydrology, oceanography and studies of the solid earth. -------------------- Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Dust and Smoke: Dust Cloud over Sea of Japan http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2609 http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2609 Unique Imagery: Snow Cover Across Scandinavia http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2611 Fire: Fires and Smoke in Thailand http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2608 Fire: Fires and Heavy Smoke in Sumatra http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2127 Dust and Smoke: Smog Obscures Chinese Coast http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2126 Storm: Cyclone Hary Off Madagascar http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2125 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Spring Dust Storm Smothers Beijing http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8256 Caman�, Peru, and Tsunami Vulnerability http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7785 Water Quality Monitoring http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7784 Atlas Mountains http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7783 Fires and Heavy Smoke in Sumatra http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7782 A Vortex Street in the Arctic http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7781 Meteor Crater, Arizona http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=7780 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - Red Tide Strands Lobsters - NASA Technology Transfer Project Offers Dramatic Agricultural Benefits - Scientists Say 'Grace' as Water-Sensing Satellites Lift Off - Recent Shifts in Pacific Winds May Support El Ni�o Formation * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - Behind the Big Dry - Researchers Capture Unusual Sprite-like Blue Jet - U.S. Forests May Be Products of Pollution * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Climate Change Starves Southern Ocean of Oxygen - How's the Weather? - Drought Bringing Early Allergies - More Carbon Dioxide Effects Plants Ability to Use Nitrogen - Earth Observatory Announcements http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (03/26/2002) ----------------------------------------------------------------- New Features: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ * Highways of a Global Traveler - Tracking Tropospheric Ozone http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/GlobalTraveler/ Ozone in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) is toxic to human beings and to many other living things that breathe it. After combining satellite observations with data-rich models that simulate the atmosphere's chemistry and dynamics, scientists are finding tropospheric ozone in some unexpected places. Tropospheric ozone turns out to be an intercontinental traveler, crossing geographic and political boundaries. Where ozone forms and where it travels have become key concerns for international health and economic policy-making. -------------------- Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Fire: Fires and Heavy Smoke in Sumatra http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2621 Dust and Smoke: Dust Cloud over Sea of Japan http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2622 Dust and Smoke: Dust Cloud over Sea of Japan http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2622 Unique Imagery: Black Water off the Gulf Coast of Florida http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2620 Dust and Smoke: Dust Over East Africa and Israel http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2618 Dust and Smoke: Dust Cloud over Sea of Japan http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2622 Unique Imagery: Black Water off the Gulf Coast of Florida http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2620 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Model Forecasts of the Tropical Pacific http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8263 Kiritimati, Kiribati (Christmas Island) http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8262 Dust Obscures Korea http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8261 Bolivia Deforestation http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8260 Mysterious Black Water off Florida's Gulf Coast http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8259 Smoke over Sumatra, Indonesia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8258 Breakup of the Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8257 * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - For the First Time in 30 Years, Some New York Lakes Failed to Freeze This Past Winter - Report Supports Sustainable Food Production - Pollen Production-and Allergies-May Rise Significantly Over Next 50 Years - Riverways Create as Much Pollution as Highways - 'Mercury Sunrise' Phenomenon Found in Antarctica - Antarctic Ice Shelf Collapses in Largest Event of Last 30 Years * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Tree-ring Study Raises Greenhouse-theory Questions - Pollen Levels and Allergies to Rise Significantly - Global Warming Blamed as Huge Antarctic Ice Shelf Collapses - Recent Shifts in Pacific Winds May Support El Nino Formation - Russia Launches Satellites on US-German Climate Mission - Warming World 'Means Longer Days' - Satellites Blow the Surprises of World's Wild Weather - Reduced Carbon Dioxide Feedback to Atmosphere from Oceans - A Chilling Effect on the Global Melt - Growth of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Have Slowed - New Scheme Could Improve Weather Forecasting - SeaWinds Satellite Provides Faster Cyclone Warnings - Warming Trend Seen for the Northeast * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/ -------------------- New Data: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/ * Updated Data: TOMS Aerosol Index data for February 2002 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/aerosol.toms.html 4km TRMM Fires data for February 2002 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/fires.trmm.html Precipitation data for September - October 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/rainfall.gpcp.html UV Radiation Exposure data for February 2002 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/uv.toms.html - Earth Observatory Announcements http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

* Global Warming Fact Sheet http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/GlobalWarming/ With the possible exception of another world war, a giant asteroid, or an incurable plague, global warming may be the single largest threat to our planet. For decades human factories and cars have spewed billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and the climate has begun to show some signs of warming. Many see this as a harbinger of what is to come. If we don't curb our greenhouse gas emissions, then low-lying nations could be awash in seawater, rain and drought patterns across the world could change, hurricanes could become more frequent, and El Ni�os could become more intense. On the other hand, there are those, some of whom are scientists, who believe that global warming will result in little more than warmer winters and increased plant growth. In truth, the future probably fits somewhere between these two scenarios. -------------------- Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Unique Imagery: Black Water off the Gulf Coast of Florida http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2640 Dust and Smoke: Dust Cloud over Sea of Japan http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2639 Unique Imagery: NASA Images Confirm New York Drought http://eob.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=2637 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Terra Data Confirm Warm, Dry U.S. Winter http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8278 Ash and Steam, Soufriere Hills Volcano, Monserrat http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8276 Airborne Sea of Dust over China http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8275 Guinea-Bissau http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8274 Terra Images Confirm New York Drought http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8273 Where on Earth...? MISR Mystery Image Quiz #7 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8272 Fires in Central America http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8271 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - Terra Satellite Data Confirm Unusually Warm, Dry U.S. Winter - NASA Images Confirm What New Yorkers Already Know: It's Dry

Hydrogen metal on the horizon (Apr 10) http://physicsweb.org/article/news/6/4/6 Scientists have long expected solid hydrogen to become a metal when it is compressed, but so far electrical conductivity has only been detected in liquid hydrogen. Now an experimental study of solid hydrogen at pressures up to 320 GPa predicts that it will become metallic at a pressure of 450 GPa - over four million times atmospheric pressure. Ren� LeToullec and co-workers at the CEA in France also found that solid hydrogen becomes opaque - or `black' - under compression (P Loubeyre et al 2002 Nature 416 613).

At 35.6 trillion calculations a second, the computer has the Earth at its feet Robin McKie, Science Editor Sunday April 21, 2002 The Observer It is the ultimate virtual reality ride, a machine so powerful it recreates the entire planet in 'an Earth simulator.' And now, to the chagrin of US scientists, Japan's newest supercomputer has been rated the world's fastest. The machine, built by the NEC corporation, matches the combined raw processing power of the previous 20 fastest computers and far outstrips the previous leader, an IBM device. For the first time in a decade, Japan has scored a major technological victory over the United States. 'These guys are blowing us out of the water, and we need to sit up and take notice,' said supercomputer designer, Thomas Sterling, of the California Institute of Technology. This triumph has been achieved in a way that contrasts starkly with America's computer priorities. While US engineers have focused their skills on developing computers that can simulate weapons and their effects, Japanese scientists have concentrated on making machines that can analyse a far more complex problem: the weather. These separate approaches can be traced to the different fears that obsess US and Japanese society. While America is consumed by worries about terrorist raids and attacks by renegade states, Japan faces more immediate dangers from typhoons that sweep across its densely populated countryside, and from rising sea levels triggered by global warming. For this reason, it has concentrated its computer efforts on constructing advanced machines that will help scientists understand the behaviour of the climate, and learn what the world will look like under various climatic conditions. The end result is the new supercomputer, put together at the Earth Simulator Research and Development Centre in Yokohama, which uses 5,104 processors that are stored in cabinets covering the space of four tennis courts. When working at full tilt, the Earth simulator can carry out 35,600,000,000,000 (35.6 trillion) mathematical operations a second. By contrast, America's fastest machine the ASCI White Pacific computer, built by IBM at the Lawrence Livermore defence laboratory in California, can carry out only 7 trillion operations a second. Not surprisingly, this level of performance has stunned, and dismayed, US researchers, who had considered their computer development programmes the best in the world. To them, the Earth simulator has raised the same level of alarm as the Soviet Union's Sputnik satellite did in 1957. As Tennessee University's Jack Dongarra, who tracks the performance of the world's fastest computers, puts it: 'We have a Computenik on our hands.' http://observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,688091,00.html

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (04/23/2002) ----------------------------------------------------------------- New Reference: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/ * The Ozone We Breathe http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/OzoneWeBreathe Ozone in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) is toxic to human beings and many species of plants, causing harm without visible symptoms. The Ozone We Breathe focuses chiefly on the ozone's effects on human respiratory health and and the productivity of agricultural crops. -------------------- Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Dust and Smoke: Dust Storm over the Mediterranean Sea http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/index.php3?img_id=2654 Fire: Biomass Burning in Southeast Asia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/index.php3?img_id=2655 Fire: Biomass Burning in Southeast Asia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/index.php3?img_id=2655 Volcano: Smoke Plume from Mount Etna http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/index.php3?img_id=2652 Volcano: Chiliques Volcano, Chile http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/index.php3?img_id=2653 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Fog Plumes over the Great Lakes http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8291 Coastal Fog, South Peruvian Coast at Pisco http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8290 Long Dormant Volcano Shows Signs of Life http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8289 Smoke and Sediments in Sicily http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8288 Chilean Volcanoes http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8287 Southern Florida's River of Grass http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8286 Fires Throughout Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=8285 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - Massive Icebergs May Affect Antarctic Sea Life and Food Chain * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - Complex Weather Study to Target Summer Storm Forecasting - Extensive Research Survey Confirms Life on Earth Now Being Affected by Global Warming * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Oceans Swell Towards New El Nino - Amazon River Exhaling Excessive CO2 - Climate Change Will Unbalance Ecosystems - Global Warming Brings Half World's Population Under Disease Threat - Forecaster Trims Hurricane Prediction, Expects Active Season * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

Glaciers and National Security, How Much Oil, Fighting Natural Hazards and Terrorism . . . USGS Presents a World of Science at AGU Note to Editors: Interviews with the scientists during the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference can be arranged by contacting Diane Noserale in the AGU newsroom, phone: 202-371-5016. Is the World Running Out of Oil?: Where will future oil and gas supplies come from? Of the oil and gas endowment of about 5.6 trillion barrels of oil, USGS estimates that the world has consumed about 18 percent, leaving about 82 percent to be used or found. USGS scientist Thomas Ahlbrandt will discuss frontiers in fossil fuel exploration, nonconventional oil and gas, alternatives to oil and gas, and time frames for potential shortfalls. "Future Oil and Gas Resources of the World: A Coming Supply Crisis?," in Session U32A, is scheduled for 1:50 pm on Wednesday, May 29, Washington Convention Center Room 30. Please note: A news conference on this session is scheduled for 9:00 am on Wednesday, May 29 in the Press Briefing Room, Washington Convention Center Room 1. Digital products from the World Energy Project may be downloaded at: http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/energy/WorldEnergy/WEnergy.html Vanishing Glaciers -- New Alliances or More Conflict in Central Asia?: Throughout the world, glaciers are shrinking. Some of the fastest retreat is in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region, where scientists expect that more than 15,000 square miles of glaciers will disappear during the 21st century, particularly in major valleys and low mountain passes. Glaciers supply much of the fresh water and hydroelectric power in South and Central Asia. Will shared economic interests in water, hydroelectricity, and the mitigation of flood hazards improve relations among Central and South Asian nations? Will the disappearance of this natural barrier open new corridors for trade and cultural exchange and forge new economic, military and political alliances in the region, or will it simply open transit routes for militants and for military offensive action? Will terrorists find it harder to hide but easier to move? Glaciers are relevant to the conflict in Kashmir, to security in Afghanistan, and to the current insurgency in Nepal. USGS scientist Jeffrey Kargel will discuss a joint USGS/NASA Pathfinder project and its global consortium of glaciologists who are using satellite remote sensing to map and monitor the HKH glaciers and other glaciers throughout the world. "Glaciers in 21st Century Himalayan Geopolitics," in Session U22A, is scheduled for 3:25 pm on Tuesday, May 28, Washington Convention Center Room 30. Please note: A news conference on this session is scheduled for 9:00 am on Tuesday, May 28 in the Press Briefing Room, Washington Convention Center Room 1. For more on the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS), please see: http://wwwflag.wr.usgs.gov/GLIMS/ More on Vanishing Glaciers: As glaciers retreat, new land uses become possible: Transportation corridors may open; previously inaccessible energy and mineral resources may become available; new wildlife habitat and migration routes may develop, and for a time, more fresh water and hydropower will be available. In Alaska, more than 7,700 square miles of land are expected to emerge from beneath ice over the next century, producing a potential economic windfall estimated at $360 million per year. In western China, the economic development and well-being of the populace is partly dependent on melting glaciers. In India, melting glaciers and snowfields account for about $4 billion per year of hydroelectric power (at $0.03/kW-hr), more than $400 million of which results from the net loss of glacial mass that the region is currently experiencing. What about the future? The rapid retreat of Hindu Kush-Himalaya glaciers will eventually result in more water shortages in a region where clean water already is in short supply. And because many glaciers store large amounts of meltwater and release it suddenly, lives downstream will be lost. Rising sea level could displace many and destroy property in coastal areas throughout the world. The net loss or benefit of receding glaciers has not been calculated, but the effect is apt to be sharply negative. USGS scientist Jeffrey Kargel will discuss these issues. "A World of Changing Glaciers: Hazards, Opportunities, and Measures of Global Climate Change," in Session U31A, is scheduled for 9:45 am on Wednesday, May 29, Washington Convention Center Room 30. Please note: A news conference on this session is scheduled for 9:00 am on Tuesday, May 28 in the Press Briefing Room, Washington Convention Center Room 1. For more on the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS), please see: http://wwwflag.wr.usgs.gov/GLIMS/ Measuring Subtle Changes from Space to Understand Earthquakes: To resolve major questions about earthquakes and continental tectonics, researchers need increasingly accurate and detailed measurements of the ground surface, and of how it deforms on time scales of seconds to tens of thousands of years. EarthScope is a multi-agency initiative that scientists are proposing to better understand the Earth by gathering GPS and a variety of remote sensing imagery, including satellite and airborne radar and laser ranging that can measure ground movement on the order of fractions of an inch. USGS scientist Ken Hudnut will describe EarthScope's potential to use current technologies to open a new era in our understanding of how fault systems behave. "Merging Geodesy and Geomorphology for Seismotectonics," in Session G32A, is scheduled for 3:35 pm on Wednesday, May 29, Washington Convention Center Room 29. Please note: A news conference on this session is scheduled for 11:00 am on Wednesday, May 29 in the Press Briefing Room, Washington Convention Center Room 1. While You're At It, Point That Satellite Here: Studies of ancient movements of faults on the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad indicate a significant earthquake hazard on each island. In Hispaniola, the major North American-Caribbean plate-boundary fault traverses a densely populated and rapidly developing area that apparently accommodates about half of the total plate-boundary motion of approximately 3/4 inch per year. Studies of the recurrence interval suggest that a significant earthquake could be due for this area. In Puerto Rico, repeated surface rupture occurred on a previously unrecognized fault in the Lajas Valley during the past 7,500 years. Trinidad is located along the South American-Caribbean plate boundary. Data from the GPS satellite system suggests that the Central Range Fault in central Trinidad accommodates a significant part of the total plate-boundary motion and geologic studies show that surface rupture has occurred within the past 4500 years on this previously unrecognized, active fault. USGS scientist Carol Prentice will present "Paleoseismology in the Caribbean: A Review of Studies in Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and Trinidad," in Session T31A, scheduled for 8:30 am on Wednesday, May 29, Washington Convention Center Room 29. Lidar's Many Uses: Over the past three years, USGS, NASA and local scientists have been using the Puget Sound area as a testing ground of the potential to apply a recently developed technology called Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) to address a variety of research questions. Lidar allows scientists to quickly and accurately map topography over a large area with an airborne laser beam. Scientists can then determine origins and relative ages to topographic features. USGS scientist Ralph Haugerud will describe applications that include identifying fault features in earthquake hazard studies, mapping deep-seated landslides, determining ice-flow direction during glacial melting, mapping habitats, and planning development. "Lidar Surveys for Earth Sciences Investigations in Western Washington," in Session G32A, is scheduled for 3:55 pm on Wednesday, May 29, Washington Convention Center Room 29. Please note: A news conference on this session is scheduled for 11:00 am on Wednesday, May 29 in the Press Briefing Room, Washington Convention Center Room 1. Using Satellites to Uncover Mt. Rainier's Past: Debris flows are perhaps the most troublesome hazard posed by Mt. Rainier. USGS scientist Bernard Hubbard will discuss two new space-borne instruments: ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) and SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) that could be useful for estimating inundation levels of past debris-flows preserved along river valleys draining Mount Rainier. "Paleohydrologic Analysis of Debris-Flow Inundation at Mount Rainier, Washington Using ASTER and SRTM Derived Topography," poster in Session V21B, is scheduled to begin at 8:30 am on Tuesday, May 28, Washington Convention Center Hall D. Presenters will be available for 1 hour between 9-11:00 am for morning poster sessions. Fighting Terrorists with Science: The terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on April 19, 1995, was recorded on two permanent seismographs, about 4 and 16 miles away. The more distant seismograph recorded two low-frequency wave trains, which militia groups speculated were caused by separate explosions and hinted at a government cover up. USGS scientist Thomas Holzer will describe how USGS monitoring of the demolition of the damaged building on May 23, 1995, provided a timely resolution of the ambiguity of the seismogram and publication of results discouraged a conspiracy defense by the terrorists. "Forensic Seismology and the 1995 Oklahoma City Terrorist Bombing," in Session U22A, is scheduled for 2:40 pm on Tuesday, May 28, Washington Convention Center Room 30. Please note: A news conference on this session is scheduled for 9:00 am on Tuesday, May 28 in the Press Briefing Room, Washington Convention Center Room 1. What Will a Restored Everglades Look Like?: Scientists have recovered 2,000 years of plant history in pollen-bearing sediment cores from the Florida Everglades. These records are helping scientists to determine how the Everglades might respond to restoration of the natural water flow that existed before the 1930s. USGS scientist Debra Willard will discuss human-induced changes to plant communities in the Everglades, with a look to the future. "Everglades Plant Community Response to 20th Century Hydrologic Changes," in Session H41B, is scheduled for 9:00 am on Thursday, May 30, Washington Convention Center Room 29. Runoff, Fallout, and Bad Fish in the Everglades: Some of the highest concentrations of methylmercury known have been found in freshwater fish from the Everglades. Methylmercury is a potent toxin in humans that attacks the nervous system, and is a particular threat to unborn children. It accumulates up the food chain, in people through consumption of fish. USGS scientist William Orem will discuss the role of sulfur in methylmercury production, and present evidence indicating that atmospheric fallout of mercury and contamination of the Everglades by sulfate from agricultural runoff produces the severe methylmercury problem in the Everglades. "Sulfur, a Key Water Quality Issue in the Everglades," in Session H41B, is scheduled for 8:00 am on Thursday, May 30, Washington Convention Center Room 29. Note: This is a change from the meeting program. Are Docks and Traffic Polluting Suburban Washington, D.C. Lake?: Sediment cores, collected from Lake Anne in Reston, Virginia show increasing concentrations of arsenic and copper since 1964, when the lake was formed. USGS scientist Karen Rice will present evidence that in-lake leaching of pressure-treated lumber accounts for more than half of the arsenic concentration and road runoff was the primary source of the copper. "Anthropogenic Sources of Arsenic and Copper to Sediments of a Suburban Lake, 1964-1998," in Session B52B, is scheduled for 3:15 pm on Friday, May 31, Washington Convention Center Room 25. Slow Progress in Reducing Contaminants to Chesapeake Bay: The majority of rivers entering the Chesapeake Bay show no significant decrease since the mid-1980s in nitrogen and phosphorus loads, in spite of efforts to reduce nutrient sources. The factors contributing to the slow water-quality improvement include stream flow variability, watershed characteristics, and the influence of ground water on nitrogen transport. USGS scientist Scott Phillips will discuss the implications of the slow water-quality response in regard to removing the Chesapeake Bay from the "impaired water" list under the Clean Water Act. "The Relation Between Nutrient Trends in Rivers and Management Actions in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed," in Session H51E, is scheduled for 11:05 am on Friday, May 31, Washington Convention Center Room 28. Earlier Spring Comes to Maine: Long-term hydrologic records of Maine's lakes and rivers show significantly earlier spring warming in recent decades. USGS scientist Thomas Huntington will report that lakes and rivers in Maine became ice-free at earlier dates during the 20th century. Spring river discharge measurements indicate that snowmelt has also advanced during the past 100 years. River ice thickness, water temperature, and snow/water equivalent data are also consistent with an earlier spring warming. "Long-term Hydrologic Time Series in Maine," poster in Session H51A, is scheduled to begin at 8:30 am on Friday, May 31, Washington Convention Center Hall D. Presenters will be available for 1 hour between 9-11:00 am for morning poster sessions. Climate Change Could Accelerate Calcium Depletion in Maine's Forests: Field studies suggest that calcium levels of Maine's forests are likely declining and will decrease faster in the future if forest growth rates increase. Climate warming, a longer growing season, more atmospheric carbon dioxide, and recovery from insect-induced mortality and excessive harvesting in recent years are among the current conditions that scientists expect will promote faster forest growth and calcium depletion. Trees require calcium, so its depletion can affect forest growth and vigor, resistance to disease and insect pressures, and could lead to changes in forest species composition. Calcium depletion can also cause acidification of surface waters and therefore adverse effects on sensitive aquatic biota. Maine's forests are probably at lower risk of calcium depletion than many forests in the central and southeast US because growth rates are relatively slow and acidic deposition is lower in Maine; however, climatic and other trends, including likely changes in species composition could accelerate calcium depletion. USGS scientist Thomas Huntington will present "Potential Effects of Climate Change on Calcium Status of Maine Forests," poster in Session B31A, scheduled to begin at 8:30 am on Wednesday, May 29, Washington Convention Center Hall D. Presenters will be available for 1 hour between 9-11:00 am for morning poster sessions. When Natural Cleanup is Best: Long-term observations of a crude-oil spill near Bemidji, Minnesota are helping scientists learn when the best way to clean up contamination is to let nature do it. Research under the USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program is showing that, even under "unfavorable" conditions, natural processes can mitigate significant amounts of hydrocarbon contamination. USGS scientist Isabelle Cozzarelli will discuss the dynamic conditions at the Bemidji site, how they affect contaminant migration and cleanup, and the importance of long-term monitoring where natural cleanup appears to be the best choice. "Developing Conceptual Models of Biodegradation: Lessons Learned From a Long-Term Study of a Crude-Oil Contaminant Plume," in Session H22D, is scheduled for 2:15 pm on Tuesday, May 28, Washington Convention Center Room 31. The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to: describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Fire: Fires Scorch Oregon http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4650 Unique Imagery: Smoke, Clouds and Ship Tracks Off California Coast http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4651 Unique Imagery: Bright Water Off Newfoundland http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4652 Dust and Smoke: Smoke from Canadian Fires Blankets Eastern U.S. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4653 Fire: McNalley Fire in Sequoia National Forest http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4648 Fire: Fires in Central and Southern Africa http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4647 Volcano: Nyamuragira Volcano Erupts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4643 Storm: Super Typhoon Fengshen http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4638 Storm: Hurricane Elida off Central America http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4639 Storm: Severe Snowstorm in Lesotho http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4640 Storm: Hurricane Douglas South of Baja California http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4633 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Aqua CERES First Light http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10273 Nyamuragira Volcano Erupts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10272 Konari, Iran http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10271 Summit Crater of Mauna Loa http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10270 Three Gorges Dam, China http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10268 Distinguishing Clouds from Ice over the East Siberian Sea, Russia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10267 Hyacinths Choke the Rio Grande http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10265 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - At Five-Year Anniversary, Conference Considers Satellite's Contributions to Understanding Global Energy, Water Cycle * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - Increased Strength in Asian Southwest Monsoon May Be Result Of Warming, Say Researchers - Global Warming May Push Bats to the Low Arctic * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Monsoon Intensity Increasing as Earth Warms - Record Sea Temperatures Threaten Great Barrier Reef - Slowest U.S. Tornado Year Since 1988 - Indian Government Says Lack of Rain Worst in Decade - Landsat Paints a Portrait of Our Changing Planet - Air Pollution Changes Rainfall, May Cause Drought - Unlocking the Storm Code - Ice Crystals Clues to Climate - West Nile Virus Spreads Westward into 26 States - Study Finds Alaska Glaciers Melting at Higher Rate - China?s Pollution Found in Hawaii - NASA Turns New Weather Bird Over to NOAA - Cause and Effect Across 70,000 Years of Atmospheric Chaos

Posted on Tue, Aug. 13, 2002 Fires Stoke Tensions Over Policy MATTHEW DALY Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - The spate of wildfires this summer is inflaming more than just the Western landscape. Longtime allies are turning into adversaries as the fires stoke tensions between environmentalists and some normally supportive Democrats in Congress. Environmentalists who had long sought a bill to protect old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest are now vowing to oppose it, accusing Senate Democrats of undercutting conservation in the name of wildfire prevention. Republicans and representatives of the timber industry say it is environmentalists who have a credibility problem. The fires now raging in the West are helping build public support for more logging to thin overstocked forests after decades of fire suppression, they say. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and other Western senators are leading an effort to loosen federal restrictions that have allowed dry tinder to build up in the national forests, fueling the devastating blazes. "You've got forests that don't look like forests anymore," Domenici said. "They're totally built up with undergrowth. You try to do something about it, you're in court - it takes forever. We want to change that and I think we're going to do it." Among those caught in the shifting political winds is Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. A longtime friend of the environmental movement, Wyden now finds himself under attack from it because he's willing to allow increased logging in some areas to reduce the fire threat in exchange for GOP support of bill to ban timber harvesting in old-growth forests in western Oregon. With much of his state on fire, Wyden was under pressure to do something, said Chris West, vice president of the American Forest Resource Council, a Portland-based timber group. So Wyden agreed to allowing expedited thinning in dry areas east of the Cascades to win Republican support for his plan to ban logging in areas where trees are more than 120 years old. With a Republican-controlled House and a closely divided Senate such a compromise was essential for Wyden's old-growth bill to have a chance of becoming law, West said. Jasmine Minbashian, coordinator of the Northwest Old Growth Campaign, called Wyden's proposal "somewhat shocking." Conservationists will not agree to a "divide and conquer approach" that sacrifices eastern trees in return for protection of older, western trees, she said. Wyden is not alone among Senate Democrats in challenging the conventional environmentalist line that prohibitions on logging represent the best forest policy. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota moved quietly last month to exempt some areas of his home state from environmental constraints on tree cutting. Daschle attached a rider to an emergency spending bill to allow some logging in areas of South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest. The measure waives key restrictions on forest thinning and blocks court challenges by logging opponents - a heresy the environmental movement fears will spread to forests throughout the West. Republican lawmakers quickly seized on Daschle's measure, calling it a model for allowing speedy action on thinning other national forests. Domenici and Republican Sens. Jon Kyl of Arizona and Larry Craig of Idaho have vowed to introduce legislation that would allow up to 24 million acres of federal timberland with high fire potential to be thinned without going through standard environmental reviews. "If it can happen in South Dakota it should happen in all of the West," the three senators said in a statement. Daschle, in a letter last month to Republican lawmakers, defended his measure, saying it was the product of months of negotiations that involved all sides, including local chapters of the Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society and other environmental groups. "If Congress is ever to succeed in resolving the ongoing national debate over forest management ... it should foster more consensus-based decision-making like the one that produced the Black Hills agreement," Daschle wrote. Some environmentalists are not convinced. Measures similar to Daschle's could be used to bypass environmental laws "and log old-growth forests in the name of fire protection," said Joseph Vaile of the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center in Oregon. "It's pretty scary." Those fears were exacerbated when Wyden and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., appeared at an Aug. 1 news conference with Domenici. Wyden did not speak in favor of the forest-thinning plan, but his presence - coupled with his proposal for expedited logging east of the Cascades - was troubling, Vaile said. Wyden declined to be interviewed for this story. But his chief of staff, Josh Kardon, said his office was "a little surprised that some of the groups seem to prefer to clear-cut the senator's proposal instead of selectively thinning what they don't like." "Unless you are willing to compromise," Kardon said, "you are resigned to sloganeering and accomplishing nothing." http://www.miami.com/mld/miami/news/politics/3852774.htm

The satellite imagry in this url is truly amazing! Unique Imagery: Coccolithophores in the Barents Sea http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4718 Storm: Hurricane Fausto http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4717 Flood: Flooding in Central China http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4712 Fire: Fires Scorch Oregon http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4705 Flood: Flooding on Elbe River http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4714 Flood: Flooding along Danube River http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4715 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Flooding in Germany http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10301 MacDonnell Ranges http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10300 Anvil Tops of Thunderstorms http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10299 Hurricane Andrew http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10298 Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10297 MISR Global Images See the Light of Day http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10296 The Migrating Boreal Forest http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10295 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - NASA Satellites Help Hurricane Forecasters Since 1992's Destructive Hurricane Andrew - Satellites Show Overall Increases in Antarctic Sea Ice Cover * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - Scientists Confirm Age of the Oldest Meteorite Collision on Earth - Livermore Researchers Show Depth of Injected CO2 into the Ocean Critical as a Global Warming Solution * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Global Warming Might Stall the Next Ice Age - Antarctic Sea Ice Increases Over the Past 20 Years - Satellites Help Show Half of U.S. Gripped by Drought - West Nile Virus Claims More Lives - Satellite Data Informs Wildfire Recovery - Soil Study May Yield Harvest of Water Cycle Data - Mild Winters, Dust and Floods in New Places: China - Cosmic Rays, Global Warming Linked * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

New Features: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ * Dropping in on a Hurricane (DAAC Study) http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/camex4/ By dropping small sensors into hurricanes from above, scientists are acquiring data at high altitudes that will help them better unde rstand the structure and dynamics of hurricanes. -------------------- Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Storm: Typhoon Sinlaku http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4755 Fire: Widespread Burning across South Central Africa http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4754 Storm: Tropical Storm Fay http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4752 Storm: Typhoon Ele http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4750 Storm: Tropical Storm Edouard http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4749 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Dongting Lake Flooding in China http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10316 Iturralde Crater, Bolivia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10315 Mayn River, Siberia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10314 Petroleum Infrastructure, Denver City, Texas http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10313 South Georgia Island http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10312 Rainfall Inside Hurricane Hernan http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10311 Where on Earth...? MISR Mystery Image Quiz #10 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10310 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - NASA Scientists Determined to Unearth Origin of the Iturralde Crater * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - New Amazon Forest Monitoring Team: RAINFOR * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Warming Waters Affect Lobsters - Atmospheric Wave Linked to Sea Ice Flow Near Greenland - Satellites Show Overall Increases In Antarctic Sea Ice Cover - Climate and Cholera: An Increasingly Important Link - Satellite Trio Helps Track Hurricanes -------------------- New Data: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/ * Updated Data: Aerosol Optical Depth data for January 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/aer_od.modis.html Cloud Radiative Forcing data for July 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/cldforc.erbe.html Outgoing Longwave Radiation data for July 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/lwflux.erbe.html Net Radiation data for July 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/netflux.erbe.html Reflected Shortwave Radiation data for July 2001 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/swflux.erbe.html UV Radiation Exposure data for March 2002 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/uv.toms.html --------------------------------------------------------------------- Earth Observatory weekly mailing -- http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/ To unsubscribe, e-mail: eo-announce-unsubscribe@eodomo.gsfc.nasa.gov For additional commands, e-mail: eo-announce-help@eodomo.gsfc.nasa.gov

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (09/18/2002) ----------------------------------------------------------------- New Features: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ * Locust! http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/Locusts/ A little bit of overcrowding can transform a population of solitary desert locusts into a marauding mob with a voracious appetite. By tracking rainfall-induced changes in vegetation in the desert locust's habitat, scientists can help predict when conditions are becoming ripe for the formation of a plague. -------------------- Natural Hazards: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/ * Latest Events: Flood: Flooding in Indochina http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=5115 Fire: Fires in Central and Southern Africa http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4764 Unique Imagery: New York City http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4765 Flood: Flooding in Southern France http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4766 Fire: Fires in Western Russia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4760 Fire: Fires and Deforestation in Brazil http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4762 Storm: Tropical Storm Gustav http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4759 Storm: Tropical Storm Hagupit http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4761 Fire: Fires in Argentina http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4763 -------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Distinguishing Natural Aerosols from Human Pollution http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10762 Topographic Map of the Iturralde Structure, Bolivia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10761 Kanaga Volcano, Alaska http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10321 Slash and Burn Agriculture in Brazil http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10320 Namaqualand, South Africa http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10319 Ocean Sand, Bahamas http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10318 Typhoon Sinlaku http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10317 Dongting Lake Flooding in China http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10316 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - NASA Scientists Use Satellites to Distinguish Human Pollution from Other Atmospheric Particles - From Satellites to Sea: JPL Scientists Map Ocean Eddies - New Gravity Mission on Track to Map Earth's Shifty Mass * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - Interpreting a Climate Record from 10,000-year-old Migrating Waters * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Summer Was Third Warmest on Record - EO Birds Confirm Rapid Changes in Earth's Polar Ice Sheets - Warming Could End Antarctic Species - Goodbye to Glaciers - Team Determined to Unearth Origin of Iturralde Crater * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (12/10/2002) ----------------------------------------------------------------- In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Phytoplankton Thrive around the Falkland Islands http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10846 Emi Koussi Volcano, Chad, North Africa http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10845 Apollo 17 Anniversary http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10844 Jau National Park, Brazil http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10843 Total Eclipse of the Sun http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10842 Fluctuations of Lake Eyre, South Australia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10841 Sediment Clouds the Caspian Sea http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10840 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - Arctic Sea Ice Shrinking, Greenland Ice Sheet Melting, According to Study * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - Climate Change Will Affect Carbon Sequestration in Oceans, Scientists Say - Satellite Images Predict Hantaviral Transmission Risk

In the News: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ * Latest Images: Tropical Cyclone Erica Off New Caledonia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=11279 Buenos Aires at Night http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=11278 Chicago, Illinois http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=11277 Dust Streamers Over Gulf of Alaska http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=11276 Shenandoah National Park, Virginia http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=11275 Casting Light and Shadows on a Saharan Dust Storm http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=11274 Ice Covers the Great Lakes http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=11273 * NASA News http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ - Welcome the Sun With Understanding - The 1991 Mt. Pinatubo Eruption Provides a Natural Test for the Influence of Arctic Circulation on Climate - Educator Astronaut Report Card: Science Teachers Express Support * Media Alerts http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ - Clouds Mitigate Effects of Warming on Arctic - Global Warming Could Trigger Cascade of Climate Changes - Improved Ocean Color Mapping When the NIST SIRCUS Is in Town * Headlines from the press, radio, and television: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/ - Drought May Have Aided Fall of Maya Civilization - 3 Great Lakes Frozen Over, First Time Since 1994: Environment Official - Pinatubo Eruption Affected Arctic Climate - Greenland Cools as World Warms - Warmer Climate to Soak California - Chemists Make Air Quality Discovery - Rain Kills Reindeer - Changes in the Earth's Rotation Are in the Wind - Weak El Ni�o Means Less Snow in West - Climate Changes May Increase Extreme Rain/Snow Events in California - El Ni�o Weakening, Experts Say - Changes in the Earth's Rotation Are in the Wind - Climate Studies Hold Key to Future of Desalination Plant - Winter Weather Won't Replenish Great Lakes - Winter's Engine? * New Research Highlights http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

Where did the rain kill the reindeer?

Rain Kills Reindeer March 10 � The reindeer, caribou and elk that many indigenous peoples depend upon starve when it rains on snow-covered land in Scandinavia, Canada, Alaska. (Nature)

Welcome To The GeoCommunity The GeoCommunity� is THE place for the Geographic Information Systems (GIS), CAD, Mapping, and Location-Based industry professionals, enthusiasts, and students to gather. The GeoCommunity is by far THE leading GIS online portal and daily publication reaching 37,000+ subscribers to our Daily SpatialNews NewsWire. It's at http://www.geocomm.com/ and the news is at http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/features/ GIS Reponse to Terrorism News & Resources You won't find this data ANYWHERE ELSE! Analyze the Presidential election results for yourself. GIS data coverage, by county, of the 2000 US Presidential election results. Coverage includes Florida recounts certified Nov 26. The folks at Caliper describe how they produced an interactive WebMapping site highlighting the 2000 US Presidential election results by County. Using Digital Orthophotos to Support Land Registration on large areas (7000 hectares) where ownership has never previously been registered. The US Air Force has developed a predictive Bird Avoidance Model (BAM) using GIS technology. Maps of the 2000 Olympics - Maps, imagery, data and photos of Sydney, Australia The History and Application of GIS in Education - focuses on the history and application of GIS as a tool of data analysis in K-12 Education GenaMap creates GIS for Red Hat Linux - Mapping The Route To A Better Product Real-Time GIS Assists South Carolina in Managing Hurricane Floyd Evacuation GIS Proves Valuable During Alaska Airline Tragedy at Channel Islands A Tapestry of Time and Terrain - One of the most dramatic and beautiful maps of the United States, ever published.

TAPESTRY OF TIME AND TERRAIN NOT JUST ANOTHER MAP By combining techniques developed by Leonardo da Vinci with today's computer applications, an artist and two scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, Calif., have produced one of the most dramatic and beautiful maps of the United States, ever published. Fittingly titled, "A Tapestry of Time and Terrain," the map weaves together, in vivid colors and shadings, the topographical and geological components of the lower 48 states, as well as the geologic age of those components. This union of topographic texture with the patterns defined by units of geologic time creates a visual synthesis that has escaped most prior attempts to combine shaded relief with a second characteristic shown by color. The colorful map is an excellent teaching tool, and comes with an interpretive booklet that explains how the map was made, and describes in brief narrative, 48 of the physical features portrayed on the map.

Oh wow! I usually try not to say that, but it is justified this time. Mahalo nui!

Any suggestions as to which map program I should get for my GPS? It is still sitting in the box unused and this summer we want to use it to define sites we are writing about. Suggestions are most appreciated.

You're going to have to google for this. What brand is your gps? What model?

David uses Magellan . I'll report back on my make and model. I only remember that it fits onto my PDA.

Let us know your google results!

how'd you do that?

cut and paste

Thanks for that. Now I will go look at it. I am ashamed to say I only looked at their archaeology links on that website and did not know if it was possible to link it here, Again, Thank you! (He is responsible for getting me this blank sheet of the internet to write Geo upon. I think he walks on water, too...)

*blush* Nope, I even broke the new cooking conference, and don't have all the access I did once upon a time, and am patiently waiting for my mistake to be fixed as I can't before anyone sees I messed up.

I promise not to tell. Glad to know you are mortal. I know you fixed many mistakes that I made on Geo that first day (and many subsequent days). I know how terrible it feels. We do need to get better access again so we can get to our files and do FTP like we used to do. I have a large stockpile of goodies to share when that is possible. Let us know! Anyway, we'll be around to keep your conference lively - and professional - and to goof off on the food conference.

Call me and I'll take you through a gotomeeting and get you going. It will take 5 to 10 minutes. I'm at 512.581.9617.

Ok need to get my voice back first. Much better with fingers... but will call as soon as I overwhelm the flu that is making life miserable at present.

what's a gotomeeting?

he will say "go to...(add the url of your choice)" and I won't be able to since this old neighborhood has only phone modems and that is the house phone. I'm just guessing. What IS a gotomeeting?

i was ok with your definition *grin*

http://gotomeeting.com ... it's desktop sharing with phone conferencing.

..ok... need to figure out what I am doing. Rob sent me two fantastic pictures I may just send on to you to post if I can't get my brain around what is necessary to configure. Thanks.

Sure, send 'em.

Please put them on the new topic you created for Rob. They are on their way to you at spring.net. Thanks !

I'll get it.

marci, haven't got those pictures yet. Why don't you just post them here. If you need help let me know. Do these pictures have urls?