Antarctic ozone hole remains stable for 2014
LONDON: The scientists from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have recently reported that the Antarctic ozone hole reached its annual peak size on Sept. 11, 2014, which was almost similar to that in 2013.
The size of this year’s hole was 24.1 million square kilometers, an area roughly the size of North America. The single-day maximum area was similar to that in 2013, which reached 24.0 million square kilometers (9.3 million square miles).
The largest single-day ozone hole ever recorded by satellite was 29.9 million square kilometers (11.5 million square miles) on Sept. 9, 2000. Overall, the 2014 ozone hole was smaller than the large holes of the 1998–2006 periods, and was comparable to 2010, 2012, and 2013.
With the increased atmospheric chlorine levels present since the 1980s, the Antarctic ozone hole forms and expands during the Southern Hemisphere spring (August and September). The ozone layer helps shield life on Earth from potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation that can cause skin cancer and damage plants.
Scientists also found that the minimum thickness of ozone layer this year was recorded at 114 Dobson units on Sept. 30, compared to 250-350 Dobson units during the 1960s.
Over the last 50 years satellite and ground-based records over Antarctica show ozone column amounts ranging from 100 to 400 Dobson units, which translates to about 1 millimeter to 5 millimeters of ozone in a layer if all of the ozone were brought down to the surface.
Scientists are working to determine if the ozone hole trend over the last decade was a result of temperature increases or chorine declines. (ANI)
China says Facebook may enter if it abides by regulations
BEIJING: China may be blocking access to Facebook but that does not mean that the social networking website can never set foot on Chinese soil, as long as it abides by its laws and regulations, the director of the nation’s internet regulator said.
While admitting that some foreign websites are not accessible in China, he denied shutting such websites down. Lu Wei, who heads the State Internet Information Office, was addressing a press conference ahead of the World Internet Conference due to be held in Zhejiang province and said that his department was planning to strengthen measures to “govern the internet,” reported the BBC.
Twitter, Facebook and the New York Times cannot be visited in China. (ANI)
NASA observes ‘ghostly glow’ of stars from dead galaxies
WASHINGTON: NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has recently captured faint and ghostly glow of stars from dead ancient galaxies, it has been revealed.
The event occurred 4 billion light-years away, inside an immense collection of nearly 500 galaxies nicknamed “Pandora’s Cluster,” also known as Abell 2744.
The scattered stars are no longer bound to any one galaxy, and drift freely between galaxies in the cluster. By observing the light from the orphaned stars, Hubble astronomers have assembled forensic evidence that suggested as many as six galaxies were torn to pieces inside the cluster over a stretch of 6 billion years.
Computer modeling of the gravitational dynamics among galaxies in a cluster suggested that galaxies as big as our Milky Way Galaxy are the likely candidates as the source of the stars.
The team estimated that the combined light of about 200 billion outcast stars contributes approximately 10 percent of the cluster’s brightness.
Hubble measurements determined that the phantom stars are rich in heavier elements like oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen. This means the scattered stars must be second or third-generation stars enriched with the elements forged in the hearts of the universe’s first-generation stars. (ANI)
‘Doppelganger’ mistaken for Balotelli in UK parliament creates Twitter chaos
Melbourne: A post from a British MP Guy Opperman created a Twitter chaos after he thought he spotted Mario Balotelli in the UK parliament.
Opperman then took it to his Twitter account to say that “Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has popped in to Commons Gallery to watch the Drug Policy debate -wearing sharp suit, pink shirt &a poppy,” News.com.au reported.
One of the journalists, who started seeking confirmation of the 24-year-old footballer’s presence from Opperman, posted “@GuyOppermanMP Hi Guy, Lewis from IBTimes.
Trying to confirm Mario’s appearance at HoC – are you sure it is him?!” while other wrote “@GuyOppermanMP Hi Guy, Alan at the Manchester Evening News here. Has he really?” However, doubts started emerging when some realized Liverpool was training at the time and so, Opperman posted again “@ayestotheright press may be divided but u should go and ask him! MPs in Commons agreed it is him … or his absolute double.” Soon after, it all came crashing down for the member for Hexham after images emerged of Balotelli at the Reds’ Melwood training base.
Later Daily Telegraph (UK) news editor Mark Hughes posted “first Picture of Not Mario Balotelli here” with a picture of the doppelganger who turned out to be a 55-year-old dancer with a rather distinctive hair style.
The dancer Ken Hinds, who is only privileged to be associated with the “great man,” said that he was sitting down watching the debate and was approached by a number of MPs asking him if he was Balloteli and so he had to disappoint them and say no. (ANI)
Chinese man executed for killing baby
Beijing: A 40-year-old Chinese man who killed a two-year-old child by throwing her to the ground after an argument with her mother over a parking slot was executed today. A Beijing court announced that Han Lei convicted earlier for killing the girl has been executed.
Han’s death sentence was upheld by the Supreme People’s Court, the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court said on its verified account on Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. Han, who claimed to be intoxicated at the time, flung the child to the ground over an argument with her month over the parking space near bus stop July this year.
He reportedly grabbed the child from the pram and threw her to the ground and fled the scene but was arrested the next day. The girl sustained severe injuries and died just days later. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and prompted discussions about child protection. (PTI)
