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A Microscopic Chytrid Fungus Is Causing Massive Declines In Frog Populations Worldwide
A microscopic chytrid fungus is causing massive declines in frog populations all over the world and even the extinction of certain species. Together with colleagues from Europe and the USA, researchers from the University of Zurich present methods as to how the chytrid fungus can be combated in the journal Frontiers in Zoology: namely with bacteria and fungicides. However, the possibility of vaccinating the frogs is also being considered.
Photo: Benedikt Schmidt
New pathogens are not just a growing problem for humans and livestock, but also wild animals. Along with the destruction of their habitats and the overexploitation of their populations, a disease caused by a chytrid fungus called chytridiomycosis is one of the three Read more…
France transfers sensitive warship technology to Russia
French-built Mistral class amphibious assault ship
© AFP/ Eric Feferberg
France has transferred to Russia all the technology it asked for under a $1.7-billion deal for two French-built Mistral class amphibious assault ships for the Russian Navy, a Russian arms exporter said on Monday.
Under the deal signed on Friday, the first warship will be delivered in 2014 and the second in 2015.
“The French side has transferred all technologies, including the Zenit-9 [command and control] system, as well as two other systems,” said Anatoly Isaikin, head of the Rosoboronexport state-controlled arms exporter.
A formal contract for the construction of the two Mistral class ships will be Read more…
Nations to Spend $1 Trillion on Nukes, Group Says
The planet’s nine nuclear weapons states are anticipated in the next 10 years to expend $1 trillion on acquiring and updating their systems, a prominent nuclear disarmament organization said (see GSN, June 7).
The group Global Zero — whose goal is total nuclear disarmament no later than 2030 — calculated the nuclear weapons expenditure figures for China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, the Financial Times reported. The organization is seeking to bring attention to the high price countries pay for their nuclear arsenals in a time of increasing government budget restraints.
Nuclear costs among the nine nations this year are estimated at $100 billion, with similar annual numbers anticipated throughout the decade, according to Global Zero.
The organization determined that nuclear arsenal expenditures take up roughly 9 percent of the countries’ total military spending; that percentage is anticipated to increase as traditional defense programs are curtailed in a number of the nations. Nuclear weapons spending encompasses research, development, weapons assessments and acquisitions.
“Spending will increase because of decisions by both nations to upgrade and replace,” Global Zero founder Bruce Blair said. “Modernization is progressing at such a pace we are seeing more spending on nuclear weapons than at any time since the Cold War.”
The group is to convene a two-day forum in London this week with participants including Russian Federation Council international affairs committee Chairman Mikhail Margelov, ex-Indian defense chief Jaswant Singh, ex-CIA intelligence agent Valerie Plame and multiple senior Chinese officials.
Global Zero wants to see other nuclear nations besides the United States and Russia take part in formal discussions on nuclear arms control.
The two former Cold War rivals together hold 95 percent of the planet’s nuclear weapons. They recently implemented a bilateral treaty that requires both sides to reduce their deployed stockpiles of strategic warheads to 1,550. U.S. President Obama has said he would like to see negotiations with Moscow for a treaty on tactical weapons begin in 2012 (see GSN, June 2; James Blitz, Financial Times, June 19).
Antarctica Mysteries
By J. P. Skipper
For any who wish to track behind me, the above 1st image is included here to help locate the evidence site on the coastal area of Antarctica at the Southern Sea but inland from the coast. When zooming in on this site in Google Earth, one will encounter a narrow pale blue strip at this location within which the evidence reported on here resides. That pale blue strip is a corridor of high resolution surrounded by an extensive sea of smudge obfuscation and that narrow higher resolution strip is the sole reason why we Read more…
NBC Slammed for Dropping ‘Under God’ From Pledge
NBC sparked a furor on Twitter after it omitted the words “under God” from of the Pledge of Allegiance during its US Open coverage—twice. In the pre-taped segment, kids recited the pledge as patriotic images appeared on screen. The first time, the words “under God” and “indivisible” are left out; the second time, “one nation” is also missing. NBC has apologized for leaving words out, though it didn’t specify which ones. “Regrettably, a portion of the Pledge of the Allegiance that was in that feature was edited out. It was not done to upset anyone and we’d like to apologize to those of you that were offended by it,” said announcer Dan Hicks. But with the material so heavily edited, “was the omission inadvertent? Or was NBC making a statement?” asks Mashable.
FAA declares ‘no-fly’ zone directly over crippled Nebraska nuclear plant, but claims everything is just fine
Last week, NaturalNews reported that rising Missouri River flood waters prompted officials to declare a “Notification of Unusual Event” as the Fort Calhoun Nuclear plant just outside of Omaha, Neb. (http://www.naturalnews.com/032672_n…). Since that time, flood waters have continued to rise, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has declared a mysterious two-mile radius “no-fly” zone around the plant for unknown reasons, and federal officials continue to claim in spite of all this that plant is just fine.
According to reports, the plant has been in shutdown mode since April for refueling, and is allegedly still dry inside, despite being literally surrounding in every direction by massive flood waters. However, after the notification of unusual event was announced, as well as the cryptic FAA declaration that no aircraft is permitted to fly Read more…
IPHONE users may soon be stopped from filming at concerts — as a result of new Apple technology.
Click to enlarge
The leading computer company plans to build a system that will sense when people are trying to video live events — and turn off their cameras.
A patent application filed by Apple revealed how the technology would work.
If an iPhone were held up and used to film during a concert infra-red sensors would detect it.
These sensors would then contact the iPhone and automatically disable its camera function.
People would still be able to send text messages and make calls.
The new technology is seen as an attempt to protect the interests of event organisers and broadcasters who have exclusive rights to concerts.
The companies are often left frustrated when videos of shows appear online via websites such as YouTube which let users watch them for free.
Apple filed for the patent 18 months ago — and it is thought if successful it will help them negotiate deals with record labels to sell content through iTunes.
Argentine towns suffer under falling volcanic ash
Divers of the Prefectura Naval Argentina inspect the Rio Limay covered with ash from Chile's Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano chain at the mountain resort of San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina's Patagonia June 16, 2011. Some towns in Argentina's Patagonia remain blanketed in volcanic ash. Airline activity is getting back to normal after days of chaos caused by a towering ash cloud, but Andean towns are covered in a thick, ashed blanket that is disrupting water and power supplies and raising fears over the key winter ski season that starts next month.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — The government of one province in Argentina declared an economic emergency on Thursday to aid towns where falling ash from Chile’s erupting volcano is endangering livestock and keeping tourists away.
The emergency in Neuquen province follows a similar measure by the national government in other parts of Patagonia where agriculture has been hit by accumulating volcanic ash.
The decree by Gov. Jorge Sapag will mean that those affected can receive tax benefits, among other measures.
Chile’s Cordon Caulle volcano began erupting June 4, spewing ash that has disrupted flights in countries ranging from Uruguay to Australia.
The ash has also blanketed towns across the border in Argentina. In the area of Villa La Angostura, located 24 miles (38 kilometers) from the volcano, up to one foot (30 centimeters) of ash has accumulated on the ground.
The ash has made it difficult to drive safely on roads, and the eruption came Read more…
Shiveluch volcano erupts in northern Russia
A volcano in northern Russia has erupted, and is churning out ash to a height of 10,000 metres, scientists said on Friday. The 3,283-metre Shiveluch volcano increased activity in May 2009 and has been periodically spewing ash from three to eight kilometres. “Low clouds prevent us from getting a clear visual of the event, but our seismic data indicates that Shiveluch has churned out ash plumes to a height of up to 10,000 metres,” said an official at the Far Eastern Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
Scientists said that the volcanic activity over the past two-three years has altered the contour of the volcano, with the crater increasing in size by nearly 50% and the slopes becoming far steeper than before.
The current eruption poses no immediate threat to nearby settlements. But the ash fallouts could be hazardous to health and the environment.
China raises flood alert to top level, 555,000 evacuated
More than 555,000 people had been evacuated in seven provinces and a municipality after rains in recently drought-stricken areas caused floods and mudslides in the Yangtze River basin, the official China Daily said.
State media said that as of Thursday evening, floods caused by the most recent four days of rain had Read more…
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