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Venomous Species in the Philippine Island

Wagler's pit viper, temple viper, temple pit viper 

Common names
Wagler's pit viper, temple viper, temple pit viper,bamboo snake, temple snake, speckled pit viper,temple pitviper.


Behavior
Nocturnal and arboreal, they appear quite sluggish as they remaining motionless for long periods of time waiting for prey to pass by. When prey does pass by, or if disturbed, they can strike quickly.


Venom
Their venom is a strong hemotoxin, and is potentially fatal to humans.

King Cobra

The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m (18.5 ft). This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia. Despite the word "cobra" in its name, this snake is not a member of Naja ("true cobras") but belongs to its own genus.


Venom
The venom of the king cobra consists primarily of neurotoxins, but it also contains cardiotoxic and some other compounds. Toxic constituents are mainly proteins and polypeptides. During a bite, venom is forced through the snake's 1.25 to 1.5 centimeters (0.49 to 0.59 in) fangs into the wound, and the toxins begin to attack the victim's central nervous system. Symptoms may include severe pain, blurred vision, vertigo, drowsiness, and paralysis. Envenomation progresses to cardiovascular collapse, and the victim falls into a coma. Death soon follows due to respiratory failure. Moreover, king cobra envenomation is clinically known to cause renal failure.

A 1990 book makes a passing statement of a LD50 of 0.34 mg/kg for this species, however this value is inconsistent with most toxicological studies. For example, a recent study lists the LD50 of the king cobra venom as 1.6 mg/kg – 1.8 mg/kg, making its venom one of the least potent among the elapids. This value is further backed up by another toxicological study which lists the IV LD50 of the king cobra at 1.7 mg/kg. A similar mean LD50 value of 1.93 mg/kg was obtained from the venom of five wild caught king cobras in Southeast Asia (Meier et al. 1995). Engelmann listed the IV LD50 at 0.9 mg/kg. This species is capable of delivering a large quantity of venom, injecting a dose anywhere from 200-500 milligrams on average and can up to 7ml. Engelmann and Obst (1981) list the average venom yield at 420 mg (dry weight). Though the venom is weak compared to most other elapids based upon the LD50 in mice, it can still deliver a bite which can potentially kill a human due to the massive amount of venom it delivers in a single bite. Mortality can vary sharply with amount of venom involved, most bites involve nonfatal amounts. According to a research report from the University of Adelaide Department of Toxinology, an untreated bite has a mortality rate of 50-60% Depending on many factors, especially in cases of very severe envenomation, death can occur as early as 30 minutes after being bitten by this species but this is exceptionally rare as most untreated bite victims in Asia live through their bites, usually because the vast majority of bites involve non-fatal amounts of venom.

There are two types of antivenom made specifically to treat king cobra envenomations. The Red Cross in Thailand manufactures one, and the Central Research Institute in India manufactures the other; however, both are made in small quantities and are not widely available. Ohanin, a protein component of the venom, causes hypolocomotion and hyperalgesia in mammals. Other components have cardiotoxic, cytotoxic and neurotoxic effects. In Thailand, a concoction of alcohol and the ground root of turmeric is ingested, which has been clinically shown to create a strong resilience against the venom of the king cobra, and other snakes with neurotoxic venom.

The haditoxin in the king cobra venom was discovered by Singaporean scientists to be structurally unique and can have unique pharmacological properties. Biochemical studies confirmed that it existed as a non-covalent dimer species in solution. Its structural similarity to short-chain α-neurotoxins and κ-neurotoxins notwithstanding, haditoxin exhibited unique blockade of α7-nAChRs (IC50 180 nM), which is recognized by neither short-chain α-neurotoxins nor κ-neurotoxins.

Gold-Ringed Cat Snake  (Boiga dendrophila)    

The gold-ringed cat snake or mangrove snake (Boiga dendrophila) is a species of rear-fanged colubrid. It is one of the biggest cat snake species, averaging 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 m) in length. It is considered mildy-venomous, but moderate envenomations resulting in intense swelling have been reported, though there have been no severe cases of hospitalisation or fatalities.

Distribution

Indonesia (Bangka, Belitung, Borneo, Java, Sulawesi, Riau Archipelago, Sumatra), India, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippine Islands (Panay).

Conus Geographus 

Conus geographus has a broad, thin shell, cylindrically inflated. Geography cones grow to about 4 inches (10 cm) to 6 inches (15 cm) in length. The size of an adult shell varies between 43 mm and 166 mm. The ground color of the shell is pink or violaceous white, occasionally reddish. It has a mottled appearance, clouded and coarsely reticulated with chestnut or chocolate, usually forming two very irregular bands. This intricately brown-and-white pattern is highly prized by shell collectors.

The geography cone has a wide, violaceous white or pink aperture and numerous shoulder ridges or spines. The shell is covered with thread-like revolving striae, usually nearly obsolete except at the base. The flattened spire is striated and coronated.

In comparison with other species, the shell has a noticeably wider and convex mid-body, with a flattened spire. Its walls are also noticeably thinner and lighter compared to other cone shells of similar length and size.

Venom

Conus geographus is highly dangerous - live specimens should be handled with extreme caution. Conus geographus has the most toxic sting known among Conus species and is responsible for more than thirty human fatalities. Their venom, a complex of hundreds of different toxins, is delivered through a harpoon-like tooth propelled from an extendable proboscis. There is no antivenom for a cone snail sting, and treatment is limited to merely keeping victims alive until the toxins wear off.

Among the compounds found in cone snail venom are proteins which, when isolated, have enormous potential as pain-killing drugs. Research shows that certain of these proteins target specific human pain receptors and can be up to 10,000 times more potent than morphine without morphine's addictive properties and side-effects.

Conus textile 

Conus textile, common name the cloth of gold cone is a venomous species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails, cone shells or cones.

Like all species within the genus Conus, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all. The conotoxin of this species is extremely dangerous to humans.

Spine-bellied Sea snake, or Hardwicke's Spine-bellied Sea snake, (Lapemis hardwickii) 

Body short, stout, neck region not less than half as thick at midbody;

head large; scales squarish or hexagonal, juxtaposed, outer 3-4 rows larger than others, scale rows: males 23-31 around neck, females 27-35, around midbody, males 25-27, females 33-41;

ventrals small, usually distinct anteriorly, not so posteriorly, in males 114-186, in females 141-230; head shields entire, parietals occasionally divided;

nostrils superior, nasals in contact with one another;

prefrontal usually in contact with second upper labial;

7-8 upper labials, 3-4 bordering eye; 1 pre- and 1-2 postoculars; 2, rarely 3, anterior temporals; greenish or yellow- olive above, whitish below, 35-50 olive to dark gray dorsal bars, tapering to a point laterally, occasionally encircling body, a narrow dark ventral stripe or broad irregular band occasionally present;

adults often lack any pattern and are uniform olive to dark gray;

head pale olive to black, yellow markings on snout present or not. Total length 860 mm (2' 4"), tail length 85 mm (3.3").

colubrine sea krait, banded sea krait or yellow-lipped sea krait (Laticauda colubrina), native in the Philippines called this one Walo-Walo/Tigwao/Sigwao 

The colubrine sea krait, banded sea krait or yellow-lipped sea krait (Laticauda colubrina) is a species of sea snake found in tropical Indo-Pacific oceanic waters.

Observation and nesting

Banded sea kraits rest and nest on rocky headlands and beaches of Sabah, Borneo. They can be seen in the wild at Pulau Tiga, the tip of Borneo and Mabul island. They are, however, seen on a many other rocky headlands around Sabah that are harder to access. Occasionally they come ashore at Tanjung aru close to Kota Kinabalu. They can be seen in captivity at The Green Connection, an aquarium in Kota KInabalu. The males come ashore early in the evening and wait at the high tide line for the females. Females are much larger and many males will escort and intertwine around a single female. They are also seen on Kadavu Island in Fiji and can often be found in the shallows whilst snorkelling. A specimen identified as a banded sea krait was seen on a small island off Padre Burgos, Luzon, Philippines, in November 2010. Locals familiar with the island say the snakes are most frequently found in crevices in the rock by day and roaming the beach and nearby waters after dark. This kind of snake has been seen also in beach in island of Boracay, Philippines.

black-banded sea krait 

The black-banded sea krait, Laticauda semifasciata, known in Japan as erabu umi hebi, and Okinawa as the irabu, is a member of the Laticauda genus of sea snakes. It is found in most of the warm waters of the western Pacific Ocean.
This venomous snake frequents coral reef areas. It has a short head, thick trunk, and no neck to speak of. The tail is simply extended skin, spread wide like a fin, and unsupported by any projection. The stomach is comparatively wide. Massing together near the shore, they breed between narrow cracks in the reef and in caves. It is a nocturnal snake that is rarely seen during the day. It requires oxygen to breathe and so breaks the surface every six hours.
They are too slow to catch fish in a straight chase, so they hunt for fish hiding in the coral. Their bite is highly venomous and paralyzes their prey. They lay their eggs on land. Generally found in Fiji, Southern Japan and Singapore their venom is ten times stronger than that of a cobra, making them extremely dangerous. Fortunately, this snake does not bite humans unless it feels threatened.
The erabu snake is a winter staple in southern Japan where it is believed to replenish a female's womanhood. Irabu soup irabu-jiru is said to taste like miso and a bit like tuna. This soup was a royal court cuisine of Ryukyu Kingdom with analeptic properties.

Philippine cobra (Naja philippinensis) 

The Philippine cobra (Naja philippinensis) also called Northern Philippine cobra, is a stocky, highly venomous spitting cobra native to the northern regions of the Philippines. The Philippine cobra is called "ulupong" in Tagalog and "Agwason" in Cebuano-Bisaya.


Habitat
Philippine cobra’s habitat include low-lying plains and forested regions, along with open fields, grasslands, dense jungle, agricultural fields, and human settlements. This species of cobra is particularly fond of water and it can always be found very close to ponds, rivers, or large puddles of water.


Predators
Predators of this species of cobra include humans, birds of prey, the King cobra, and the mongoose. Large rats that have been bitten by this snake and are in a position to fight back, often do so. Although rare, large rats have been known to fatally wound the snake by scratching, biting, or even poking one or both of the snakes eyes out. Of course, the rat ends up succumbing to the venom, but the snake will often sustain injury to one or both eyes, potentially becoming blind, and severe bites to the snout region leave the snake vulnerable to all sorts of infections and diseases.


Venom
The venom of the Philippine cobra is a potent postsynaptic neurotoxin which affects respiratory function and can cause neurotoxicity and respiratory paralysis, as the neurotoxins interrupt the transmission of nerve signals by binding to the neuro-muscular junctions near the muscles. Research done on the venom of this species has shown that its venom is purely a neurotoxin, with no apparent necrotizing components and no cardiotoxins. They are capable of accurately spitting their venom at a target that is up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) away from where they are. The symptoms of a bite might include headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. Bites by the Philippine cobra produce prominent neurotoxicity with minimal to no local signs. A study of 39 patients envenomed by the Philippine cobra (Naja philippinensis) was conducted in 1988. Neurotoxicity occurred in 38 cases and was the predominant clinical feature. Respiratory paralysis developed in 19 patients, and was often rapid in onset-in 3 cases apnea occurred within 30 minutes of the bite. There were 2 deaths, both in patients who were moribund upon arrival at the hospital. Three patients developed necrosis, and 14 individuals with systemic symptoms had no local swelling at all. Both cardiotoxicity and reliable nonspecific signs of envenoming were absent. Bites by the Philippine cobra produce a distinctive clinical picture characterized by severe neurotoxicity of rapid onset and minimal local tissue damage.
Although venom toxicity values can vary greatly even among specimens of the same species, the Philippine cobra has the most toxic venom among all of the Naja (cobra) species according to all known toxicological studies which give the species a value, thus making it the most venomous cobra species in the world. The subcutaneous LD50 for this species is 0.20 mg/kg and the average venom yield per bite is 90–100 mg (with a maximum yield of 250 mg).[10] In comparison, the corresponding SC LD50 for Naja naja (Indian cobra) venom is 0.45 mg/kg according to Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry. SC LD50 values for other cobra's include 1.15 mg/kg for Naja haje (Egyptian cobra), 2 mg/kg for Naja nigricollis (Black-necked spitting cobra), 0.72 mg/kg for Naja nivea (Cape cobra),  and 0.53 mg/kg for Naja atra (Chinese cobra).

Equatorial spitting cobra (Naja sumatrana) also called the Golden spitting cobra or Sumatran spitting cobra 

Equatorial spitting cobra (Naja sumatrana) also called the Golden spitting cobra or Sumatran spitting cobra, is a species of spitting cobra found in Southeast Asia.


Description
This species is medium in length, averaging between 0.9 to 1.2 metres (3.0 to 3.9 ft) in length, though they can grow a bit longer to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft). The body is compressed dorsoventrally and sub-cylindrical posteriorly. The head of this species is elliptical, depressed, and slightly distinct from the neck with a short, rounded snout and large nostrils. Eyes are medium in size with round pupils. Dorsal scales are smooth and strongly oblique. This species of cobra has no hood marks and colouration varies based upon geographical location. There are two colour phases: a yellow form commonly found in Thailand, and a black form found in Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and the islands where it occurs in Indonesia and the Philippines. Juveniles and adults also tend to be of different colour.


Distribution
This species of cobra is found in the equatorial Southeast Asian nations of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and in the Philippines. In Indonesia it occurs in the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Bangka, Belitung, and the Riau Archipelago. It may occur in neighboring islands in Indonesia. It is possible that remnant populations still occur in western Java. In the Philippines it can be found only in the island province of Palawan.


Venom
Like other cobra species, this snake possess postsynaptic neurotoxic venom. The venom may also consist of cardiotoxins and cytotoxins. The venom of the Equatorial spitting cobra exhibited the common characteristic enzymatic activities of Asiatic spitting cobra venoms: low protease, phosphodiesterase, alkaline phosphomonoesterase and L-amino-acid oxidase activities, moderately high acetylcholinesterase and hyaluronidase activities and high phospholipase A2. Cardiotoxins represented 40% of the snakes venom protein. This species presented an IV LD50 of 0.50 µg/g mouse.

Pelamis platura, commonly known as the yellow-bellied sea snake 

Pelamis platura, commonly known as the yellow-bellied sea snake, yellowbelly sea snake, or pelagic sea snake, is a species of sea snake found in tropical oceanic waters around the world. It is the only member of the genus Pelamis.


Habits
These snakes breed in warm waters, and they are ovoviviparous with a gestation period of about 6 months. According to Ditmars, females bear live young in tidal pools. They are helpless on land, and they sometimes form large aggregations of thousands in surface waters. These snakes have a neurotoxic venom that is used against their fish prey. No human fatalities are known.


Venom
The venom of this species is highly potent, like other sea snakes. In Australia, sea snakes are rarely aggressive and bites are uncommon. The subcutaneous LD50 of the venom is 0.067 mg/kg (0.07 mg/kg) and the venom yield per bite is 1.0–4.0 mg/kg.

Antivenom
Sea snake venom can cause damage to skeletal muscle with consequent myoglobinuria, neuromuscular paralysis or direct renal damage. The venoms of significant species of sea snake are neutralised with Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Ltd (of Melbourne, Australia) Sea Snake (Enhydrina schistosa) antivenom. If that preparation is not available, Tiger Snake or polyvalent antivenom should be used. No deaths have been recorded from bites in Australian waters. The (Enhydrina schistosa) antivenom was tested specifically on Pelamus platurus and it effectively neutralised the venom.

Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans)  Image Source:  http://www.reefguide.org

The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a venomous coral reef fish in the family Scorpaenidae, order Scorpaeniformes. P. volitans is natively found in the Indo-Pacific region, but has become a huge invasive problem in the Caribbean Sea and along the East coast of the United States along with a similar species, Pterois miles. Red lionfish are clad in white stripes alternated with red, maroon, or brown. Adults can grow as large as 17 inches (43 cm) in length while juveniles may be shorter than 1 inch (2.5 cm).  They can live up to 10 years. It has large venomous spines that protrude from the body like a mane, giving it the common name of the lionfish. The venomous spines make the fish inedible or deter most potential predators. Lionfish reproduce monthly and are able to quickly disperse during their larval stage for expansion of their invasive region. There are no definitive predators of the lionfish, and many organizations are promoting the harvest and consumption of lionfish in efforts to prevent further increases in the already high population densities.

Rhabdophis

Rhabdophis is a genus of snakes, generally called keelback snakes, found primarily in southeast Asia.

(Limited Information)

Another Animal Cruelty

Saint Joseph College

Credits: http://www.pinoyaventurista.com 

Credits: http://www.pinoyaventurista.com 

The right side of this image is the Old SJC Elem. Building.

Source: http://adelodextermacaldo.files.wordpress.com/

Source: http://adelodextermacaldo.files.wordpress.com/ 

The Hidden Story of Jesus

Things Jesus said that may shock you (A Bible reading)

Israel's 'Iron Dome' anti-rocket system in play during ongoing strife

By Guy Azriel, CNN

March 11, 2012

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- There's a new distinction in the strife between Israel and Gaza-based armed groups -- Israel's portable anti-rocket system called the Iron Dome.

With the ability to effectively take down mid-range rockets targeted at Israeli cities, and with a success rate of over 90%, the system is helping Israel offset the most widespread threat to its citizens in recent years, according to Israeli officials. Thirty-seven rockets fired out of Gaza towards Israeli cities have been intercepted since Friday, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces said Sunday.

"I must point out that the Iron Dome system has proven itself very well and we will, of course, see to its expansion in the months and years ahead. We will do everything in our power to expand the deployment of this system," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday at his cabinet meeting.

Casualties mount in attacks between Gaza, Israel

First deployed in April 2011, the Iron Dome system targets incoming rockets it identifies as possible threats to city centers and fires an interceptor missile to destroy them in mid-air. Each battery is equipped with an interception management center to calculate the expected location of impact, and to prioritize targets according to pre-defined targets. The battery also has firing-control radar used to identify targets, and a portable missile launcher.

The makers of the system praise its mobility, with just a few hours required to relocate and set up, thereby enabling the Israeli military to adjust itself on multiple fronts. Israeli officials say although the system currently is deployed near three major cities in the south of Israel, it is capable of handling missile threats in other fronts if needed.

But such protection comes at a price.

Developed by Israel's defense technology company Rafael, the system carries an the estimated cost for each battery of tens of millions of dollars. Each "Tamir" interception missile used by the system comes at a price of no less than $62,000.

While the initial development of the system was a sole Israeli enterprise, the system is now heavily sponsored by the United States. In May of 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a plan to allocate $205 million for Israel's Iron Dome system.

Israel currently has three Iron Dome batteries and is scheduled to receive a fourth in the coming months. According to Israeli media, Israel plans to deploy a total of nine batteries by 2013.

A defense ministry official told CNN that Israel would need up to 13 batteries to completely cover all its borders.

But how important is the Iron Dome for Israel? According to former Israeli ambassador to the United States Dore Gold, the Iron Dome system could potentially be a real game-changer.

"The most important question is how would the Iron Dome affect the decisions of Hamas leaders and their Iranian supporters? While Hamas rockets are aimed primarily to target civilians and terrorize the Israeli home front, a secondary and just important aim is to hit strategic sites in the future. Eliminating the ability to hit strategic targets may lead Hamas to rethink the efficiency of acquiring the rockets it has used in the past," Gold said.

Visiting an Iron Dome battery Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak gave an insight into the broader advantages of defensive skills.

"This system is part of a wider multi-layer interception system, which not only protects our citizens but also allows freedom of activity for the IDF and political leadership. This is crucial as we face threats from all around us," Barak said.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/11/world/meast/israel-iron-dome/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

Venus and Jupiter to pass in the night sky

The pairing of Jupiter and Venus in the sky is set to reach its closest point in the coming days.

Despite being vastly far from one another in space, the conjunction will make them appear just a few degrees apart in the sky - about the width of a pair of fingers held at arm's length.

The pair can be seen to the west-southwest, shortly after sunset.

Venus is the brighter of the two, and Jupiter will appear to move in a line past it for the rest of the month.

The Slooh network of telescopes will be broadcasting the conjunction live on the web from 02:30 GMT on Monday morning.

This is an active period for planet-watchers. Last Monday, Mars made its closest approach to Earth in more than two years.

But the spectacle is not over. February saw the Moon join the celestial dance with the planetary pair; it will return in late March, appearing to head up and past the descending Jupiter and then Venus.

The most anticipated planetary event for 2012 will be the transit of Venus in early June, when it will appear from some locations on Earth to pass in front of the Sun.

Will you be looking at the night sky for Jupiter and Venus? Send us your comments and your pictures using the form and instructions below.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17312354

International Women's Day

Credits: http://www.Indanang.com

International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8 every year.[1] In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements. Started as a Socialist political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries, primarily Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet bloc. In many regions, the day lost its political flavour, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother's Day and St Valentine's Day. In other regions, however, the original political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner. source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women's_Day

Photo Captures Ancient Mayan Temple Shooting Beam to the Heavens: Glitch or Sign from Gods?

Image: Hector Siliezar, Gizmodo

Were the Mayans right?

When Hector Siliezar visited Chichen Itza, an ancient Mayan city, he took three photos of El Castillo on his iPhone. With a brewing thunderstorm, one of the images of the pyramid, which once was a sacred temple to the Mayan god Kukulkan, conveyed a sense of impending doom.

The first two images showed the pyramid cast in front of dark clouds. In the third (above, right), you can see a strong light beam shooting from the pyramid toward the heavens with lightning in the background. Siliezar recently told EarthFiles that nobody had seen the beam when he was shooting the photos.

The beam could be a sign of something more ominous, but a research technician and mission planner at the Mars Space Flight Facility at Arizona State University said it’s likely an iPhone glitch, a distortion because of the way cameras bounce incoming light. The image with the beam is the only one that has a lightning bolt in the background, and the bolt’s intensity could have caused the camera’s sensor to behave unusually, “either causing an entire column of pixels to offset their values or causing an internal reflection (off the) camera lens that was recorded by the sensor,” according to the technician.

Or it could be a sign the world’s coming to an end. Your call.

Source: http://dsc.discovery.com/life/photo-captures-ancient-mayan-temple-shooting-beam-to-the-heavens--glitch-or-sign-from-gods.html

Chocolate Breakthrough: Eat This to Help Build Muscles and Fight Aging

Source: http://proteinpowder.mercola.com/whey-protein-bars.html?e_cid=20120308-a1-ProductTest-1

Space: Solar Storms: 5 Reasons to Care Right Now

2012 has seen some of the highest levels of solar activity ever recorded. But what can solar storms do to you? Daron Taylor takes a look at what these intense geomagnetic storms mean.

Watch it HERE.

US POLLUTION: MADE IN CHINA

Analysis by Sarah Simpson 

As smog wafts westward from the booming industrial cities of Asia, the need for international emissions standards becomes crystal clear.


PHOTOS: After the Dust Settles


The first high-resolution analysis of smog traveling across the Pacific reveals that the contribution of Asian smog to pollution in U.S cities is higher than previously thought. During the spring of 2010, for example, pollution from Asia contributed 20 percent of the ozone measured at key locations along the U.S. west coast.


What is more, on days when ozone levels in U.S. cities were higher than the maximum, Asian emissions pushed them over their safety limits more than half the time.


NEWS: Curb Soot and Smog To Keep Earth Cool, Says UN


Atmospheric scientists have tried in the past to quantify the role of imported pollution, but the latest analysis, published last month in the Journal of Geophysical Research, went a step further by showing that Asian emissions directly contribute to ground-level pollution in the U.S.


“The findings carry significant implications not only for regulating local emissions, but also for negotiating international standards,” science writer Katherine Rowland reported yesterday in Nature. “Although ozone emissions have been falling in the United States and Europe, they have been on the rise in Asia, and especially in China.”


This cloud’s silver lining is that satellites track pollution plumes over the Pacific nearly every day. If scientists put these satellites to work forecasting pollution spikes a day or two before they arrive, they could help safeguard the health of the people most susceptible.


ANALYSIS: Want To Check Your Air Pollution? There's an App for That


Photo: Natural color satellite image of a smog event in China on Oct. 8, 2010. The milky white and gray in the center of the image is a mixture of smog and fog; the brighter whites at the left and right edges are clouds. (Courtesy of NASA Earth Observatory)


Source: http://news.discovery.com/earth/china-emissions-increase-us-pollution-120307.html

NEW SHARK SPECIES DISCOVERED

Analysis by Sarah Simpson 

Meet Bythaelurus giddingsi, a mild-mannered, deep-sea denizen of the Galapagos Islands -- and the world's newest known species of shark.


The animal's chocolate-brown color and asymmetrical distribution of leopard-like spots distinguish it from other closely related species, most of which are spotless brown or gray, explains Douglas Long, a senior curator of natural sciences at the Oakland Museum of California.


PHOTOS: Sea Monsters Real and Imagined


Long recalls the day back in 1995 when he first laid eyes on the mysterious spotted shark, then an unknown species. Long was a postdoctoral fellow at the California Academy of Sciences at the time, and he was in charge of processing the fish and other biological samples that his colleagues had collected during an historic deep-sea survey of the Galapagos that was featured in the Discovery Channel documentary Galapagos: Beyond Darwin.


Pouring out the buckets of fish in his laboratory and studying original sketches from a similar expedition 100 years earlier, Long says he knew immediately that he was examining animals no one had ever seen before. “I remember the next day I came in two hours early just to see what else was there,” Long says. “It was like the most awesome trick-or-treat ever.”


Th spotted shark turned out to be among nearly 30 new species collected during the fateful 1995 expedition and a second trip in 1998. Based on careful examination of seven individual shark specimens in all, Long and his colleagues were able to identify the strangely spotted variety as the newest member of a large family of sharks known as catsharks.


Together with John McCosker of the California Academy of Sciences and Carole Baldwin of the Smithsonian Institution, Long formally named the shark B. giddingsi and presented it to the world this week in the journal Zootaxa.


Also called dogfishes, catsharks are hardly the man-eaters of Jaws fame. Adult B. giddingsi, for example, are about the size of a house cat, just over one foot in length. They typically slink along the seafloor, feasting mainly soft-bodied fish. 


NEWS: First Hybrid Shark Found


“The discovery of a new shark species is always interesting, particularly at this time when sharks are facing such incredible human pressure,” says McCosker, who led the two Galapagos expeditions and collected the very first specimen B. giddingsi. McCosker continues:


“Many species have become locally rare and others verge on extinction due to their capture for shark-fin soup. The damage to food webs is dramatic in that their absence removes their ecological services as top-level predators, which are often replaced by other species that further imbalance ecosystems. This deepwater species is probably not susceptible to fishing, however as an insular endemic its population is probably limited in size and would be more susceptible to fishing pressure than more widely distributed species.”


Source: http://news.discovery.com/earth/new-shark-species-120307.html

MARS HAS CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH EARTH TONIGHT

THE GIST

The Red Planet will be within about 63 million miles (112 million kilometers) of Earth.

The next Mars opposition won't occur for another 26 months.

The last time Mars made a dazzling close approach to Earth was on Aug. 27, 2003.

enlarge

The Hubble Space Telescope's look at Mars. Click to enlarge this image. 

AURA / STSCI / NASA

The planet Mars will make its closest swing by Earth in more than two years tonight (March 5), just days after reaching a celestial milestone called "opposition" as it circles the sun.

Tonight, the orbit of Mars will bring the Red Planet within about 63 million miles (112 million kilometers) of Earth. At this time, Mars is closer to Earth than at any other point of its 26-month journey around the sun.

If your weather is clear, you may see Mars shining bright in the eastern sky as a brilliant reddish-orange "star."  The sky map of Mars for this story shows how it will appear in the evening sky tonight.

PHOTOS: Best Bet for Life on Mars

The Red Planet's closest approach to Earth comes just two days after Mars reached opposition, the point in its orbit where it appears exactly opposite the sun as seen from Earth. Mars hit opposition on Saturday (March 3), which the online skywatching website broadcast live with free telescope views.

"We're focusing on Mars because this is the week when it's brightest," astronomer Bob Berman of Astronomy Magazine said during the webcast.  

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Through the Slooh space camera, which provided a view of Mars through telescopes at observatories in Arizona and the Canary Islands, the Red Planet's full disk could be seen, including its northern polar ice cap and broad features.

For skywatchers tonight, Mars will appear as a bright light in the sky unless you have a small or medium telescope, which can resolve the planet's disk, NASA officials said in a video. It is only in telescope views that features like the ice cap, can been seen, they added.

The next Mars opposition won't occur for another 26 months (set your calendars for 2014), when orbital mechanics will bring Mars even closer to our world.

"At each future opposition until 2018, Mars will be closer to Earth and appear even more impressive," NASA's Jane Houston Jones, of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said in a video describing March's skywatching events. [Amazing Photos of Mars]

The last time Mars made a dazzling close approach to Earth was on Aug. 27, 2003, when the Red Planet was about 34.6 million miles (55.7 million km) from our planet — its closest approach in nearly 60,000 years.

Mars is not the only bright planet shining in the nighttime sky this week. The planets Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn will all appear as celestial night lights for skywatchers with cloud-free skies.

Tonight, Mercury will reach its highest altitude in the western sky just after sunset, Jones said. Meanwhile, Venus and Jupiter also make dazzling displays in the western evening sky as they steadily creep closer together.

On March 12 and 13, the two planets will appear so close you could block them with your fingertips, NASA officials have said. Venus is the brighter of the two planets, which will pass each other in the sky during this two-day celestial dance.

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Earth's moon will also serve as a guide to spotting two planets, Mars and Saturn, this week.

On Wednesday (March 7), the moon will appear close to Mars in the late-night sky around 11 p.m. local time, then serve as a signpost for Saturn when it appears near the ringed planet on March 10 and 11, Jones explained.

The moon will also appear near Jupiter and Venus on March 25 and 26 in a repeat performance of a stunning February "triple play" by the three objects.

"Not a week goes by this month when there isn't an amazing planetary view," Jones said.

Source: http://news.discovery.com/space/mars-earth-120503.html

MYSTERIOUS 'SPACE BALL' CRASHES IN NAMIBIA

Analysis by Ian O'Neill 

Around mid-November, authorities in Namibia were alerted to the discovery of a hollow sphere that had apparently crashed to Earth from space.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a series of explosions a few days before the extraterrestrial find. The "space ball" was consequently recovered near a village in the north of the African nation, 480 miles from the capital Windhoek.

The mystery sphere has a diameter of 35 centimeters (14 inches), a rough surface and appears to consist of "two halves welded together," police forensics director Paul Ludik told the AFP news agency.

Ludik also described the object as being made of a "metal alloy known to man," weighing in at six kilograms (13 pounds). "It is not an explosive device, but rather hollow, but we had to investigate all this first," he added.


Baffled, the Namibian police have appealed to NASA and the European Space Agency for an explanation.


So what could it be? Assuming it does originate from space, is it a component from a top secret space weapon? Space hopper? Or could the explanation be a little more... alien?


Sadly, we won't be seeing the Men In Black flying to Windhoek any time soon. This hollow sphere will immediately strike a chord with any space expert.


Exhibit A looks like a dusty "Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel" (or COPV for short) and although it did drop from orbit, it's simply an exotic-looking chunk of space junk.


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COPVs have a variety of space applications, but they all provide the same function -- they store gases under pressure in a space environment.


What's more, to maintain the high pressure within the COPV, they are made of very tough material, often wrapped in carbon fiber or Kevlar. This is why COPVs can remain intact on reentry.




Similar spheres have been discovered in other locations around the planet. In 2008, for example, I reported on the discovery of a COPV in Brazilian farmland. That object too ignited awe and mystery. Right around the same time, a farmer from Australia went public on his 2007 find -- another bashed-up COPV in the Aussie Outback.


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Earlier this year, the severe Texas drought revealed space debris at the bottom of a lake -- a fuel tank from Space Shuttle Columbia. The shuttle broke up on reentry in 2003, killing all seven astronauts on board. Debris from the disaster rained down on the state, including the shuttle's COPVs.


So what of the Namibian find? It seems likely that this well-preserved COPV could have originated from any space mission that requires the use of COPVs, so we'll have to wait and see what NASA or the ESA says about which spacecraft it came from.


Image credit: National Forensic Science Institute


Source: http://news.discovery.com/space/mystery-space-ball-crashes-in-nambia-111222.html