Green Algae in the Yellow Sea

On July 31, 2011July 30, 2011 By A.P.In AlgaeLeave a comment

First of all, what kind of terrible parent would let their kid swim in this?

In Qingdoo, Shandong Province of China, the coastal waters are covered with algae called enteromopha prolifera. The algae is not poisonous and doesn’t affect water quality, but there are concerns about how it may affect local sealife and whether it might spur a drop in tourism.

Researchers aren’t sure what’s behind the green invasion. One expert told CNN that it’s possible that the lush green algae plume may have something to do with “the change in the environment.”

The algae now covers 200 square miles of the Yellow Sea and looks so thick that it resembles a fairway on a golf course.

Thanks to Mr. Cuomo for bringing this to the attention of the It’s Interesting community.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/green-algae-yellow-sea-194125276.html

Enough Water for Over 100 Trillion Oceans

On July 31, 2011July 25, 2011 By A.P.In QuasarsLeave a comment

A quasars is a compact region in the center of a massive galaxy surrounding its central supermassive black hole. Quasars are among the most luminous, powerful, and energetic objects in the universe, and can emit up to a thousand times the energy output of the Milky Way.

A team of international scientists analyzing a quasar 12 billion light-years from Earth say there is water vapor in the object – which they call “a voraciously feeding black hole” – equivalent to 34 billion times the mass of our planet. They say it’s the largest mass of water ever found.

“We not only detected water in the farthest reaches of the universe, but enough to fill Earth’s oceans more than 100 trillion times,” said Jason Glenn, an associate professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, who was co-author of a study of the quasar.

http://www.tgdaily.com/space-features/57445-biggest-cloud-of-water-in-universe-discovered

Are Hot Dogs as Dangerous as Cigarettes?

On July 30, 2011July 27, 2011 By A.P.In Food, HealthLeave a comment

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a Washington, D.C., group that promotes preventive medicine and a vegan diet, unveiled a billboard Monday near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the advisory: “Warning: Hot dogs can wreck your health.”

The billboard features a picture of hot dogs in a cigarette pack inscribed with skull and crossbones. It aims to increase awareness of a link between colorectal cancer and hot dogs.

“A hot dog a day could send you to an early grave,” said Levin, a registered dietitian. “People think feeding their kids these foods (is) safe, but (it’s) not.”

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/diet-nutrition/story/2011/07/Doctors-group-says-hot-dogs-as-dangerous-as-cigarettes/49665266/1?csp=ylf

Chain of Giant Underwater Volcanoes Discovered Near Antarctica

On July 30, 2011July 25, 2011 By A.P.In VolcanoLeave a comment

All told a dozen previously unknown peaks were discovered beneath the waves—some up to 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) tall, according to the British Antarctic Survey.

The volcanoes were found near the U.K. territories of the South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands.

Read about it here in Nat Geo: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/07/110715-undersea-volcanoes-antarctica-science-tsunamis/?source=email_gg

Fragmented Sleep May Disrupt Your Memory

On July 29, 2011July 27, 2011 By A.P.In Science, Sleep, The BrainLeave a comment

But when sleep is interrupted frequently–as it is in a wide range of disorders, including sleep apnea, alcoholism and Alzheimer’s disease–the ability to learn new things can be dramatically impaired, says a new studyconducted on mice and published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/07/20/1015633108.abstract?sid=400915e1-7405-4539-be26-06f6ac13ac4b

The researchers used a novel method to isolate the effects of sleep fragmentation from overall sleep quality. Studies to date have shown that when sleep is frequently interrupted, memory suffers. But no one really knew whether the memory problems they observed were the result of shorter cumulative sleep times, poor overall sleep quality, the degradation of some distinct part of the sleep cycle, or the sheer annoyance of being prodded awake repeatedly while sleeping. This study suggests that even when frequent waking doesn’t affect sleep quality and doesn’t cut into overall sleep time, memory takes a hit.

Read a summary of the study here: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/26/news/la-heb-sleep-memory-learning-20110726

1st Mountain Lion In Connecticut in a Century

On July 29, 2011July 30, 2011 By A.P.In Mountain LionLeave a comment

The first wild mountain lion confirmed in Connecticut in 100 years traveled more than 1500 miles from the Black Hills of South Dakota, “one of the longest movements ever recorded for a land mammal and nearly double the distance ever recorded for a dispersing mountain lion,” said Connecticut Commissioner Daniel C. Esty.

The mountain lion was killed when a car struck it in Milford, Connecticut, on June 11. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said genetic tests proved the animal’s origin. Connecticut has no native population of mountain lions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service Wildlife Genetic Laboratory in Missoula, Montana, matched DNA taken from droppings, blood and hair found at the location of mountain lion sightings in Minnesota and Wisconsin in 2009 and 2010 with DNA taken from the Milford animal, Connecticut authorities reported. Other mountain lion sightings in Minnesota and Wisconsin as well as Michigan are believed to be of the same animal, authorities said.

http://www.middletownpress.com/articles/2011/07/26/news/doc4e2f1341de52f489437623.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Thanks to the ‘Roostah from Woostah’ for bringing this to the It’s Interesting community.

Scenic, South Dakota For Sale: $799,000

On July 28, 2011July 27, 2011 By A.P.In UncategorizedLeave a comment

For less than the price of a one bedroom apartment in much of Manhattan, you can buy a whole town in South Dakota on the edge of the remote Badlands, 50 miles from the nearest town of any size. The population is 9.

INCLUDED IN THE SALE:
46-Acres (approximately 12 acres in town-lots & 34 acres surrounding) U.S Post Office Land Lease…..Longhorn Fuel & Food Convenience Store, World Famous Longhorn Saloon, Very Large Dance Hall with basketball court, Large Museum with knotty pine interiors, Bunkhouse sleeps 8-10, 2 freestanding Retail Stores, Historic Train Depot, One Working Jail, One Abandoned Historic Jail, Many Out-Buildings, Residence Home, Residence Modular Home.

Read about it here: http://blogs.forbes.com/clareoconnor/2011/07/27/entire-south-dakota-town-for-sale-for-799000/

And here is the realty listing: http://buyscenicsd.com/

The 18 Key Traits of “Good Liars”

On July 28, 2011July 25, 2011 By A.P.In LyingLeave a comment

Dutch psychologist Aldert Vrij believes that he has identified the precise ingredients of “good liars”: manipulativeness, acting, expressiveness, physical attractiveness, natural ability to perform, experience with lying, confidence, emotional camouflage, eloquence, well-preparedness, unverifiable responding, information frugality, original thinking, rapid thinking, intelligence, good memory, truth adherence / bending the truth, and decoding suspicion in the listener.

Read about it here: http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=18-attributes-of-highly-effective-l-2011-07-07&WT.mc_id=SA_20110721

Is a Universal Flu Vaccine on the Horizon?

On July 27, 2011July 27, 2011 By A.P.In FluLeave a comment

Dr. Francis Collins told USA Today that he’s “guardedly optimistic” a universal flu vaccine would be made available within five years.

A few years ago, he said, such a vaccine seemed “completely out of reach.” The flu virus is always mutating, rendering a vaccine from the previous year’s strain obsolete. But recently scientists pinpointed parts of the virus that don’t change – so if a vaccine targets that portion of the virus it should target all strains, Collins said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20084289-10391704.html

Reindeers Spot Predators and Food by Seeing Ultraviolet Light

On July 27, 2011July 25, 2011 By A.P.In UncategorizedLeave a comment

UV light increases our risk of melanoma and cataracts. This is especially harmful at higher lattitudes where both a thinning ozone layer lets even more UV light through and the snow and ice reflect UV light back up at us.

Reindeer are not only resistant to the harmful effects of UV light, but also are actually able to visualize it. This allows them to identify their food (lichen) and predators (wolves), which would otherwise blend into the snowy landscape.

UV light is otherwise invisible to all but a few mammals, such as some species of rodents, bats and marsupials.