Disease

The whooping cough epidemic in the USA is now the worst in half a century with about 18 000 cases.

 

Disease

Foot and mouth disease outbreak in western Uganda. Rwanda bans cattle movement across the border between the countries.

Avian botulism outbreak kills dozens of birds in Hawaii.

 

 

Technology

The  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is going to employ small crew less watercraft 'robots' to sail into tropical storms and hurricanes to gather data that will be used to improve forecasts.

The robot craft will help scientists to gain a better understanding of hurricanes by observing the storms from the surface of the ocean. The unmanned vessels will be able to record how water heat fuels a storm and how a storm meshes with the atmosphere – low-level interactions that high-flying hurricane hunter aircraft are unable to capture. Satellite communication will be used to transfer the data to the National Hurricane Centre west of Miami, Florida.

 

Asteroid

Astronomers have discovered a new 'unusually large' asteroid just days ago the size of a city block (about 500 metres wide) which will pass by the Earth on Friday. There is no danger of a collision; the asteroid will pass within 14 times the distance of the moon from the Earth.

Climate Change

Researchers from New Zealand’s University of Auckland suggest that according to satellite data from March 2000 to February 2010, the average height of clouds declined by approximately 100 to 130 feet.

A reduction in cloud height would allow the planet to radiate more heat into space thereby slowing the effects of global warming.

More research needs to be done, as the test period is too short to determine a definite trend.

Disease

A new salmonella outbreak in the US has sickened 124 people across 27 States. The outbreak has been linked to pet turtles.

New Antarctic Ice Shelf Under Threat

Researchers have found that the 450 000 sq km Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf fringing the Weddell Sea on the eastern side of Antarctica, which previously had seemed to be unaffected by global warming, is being affected by rising warming water from below.

This process is slow, but predictions are that the ice shelf may disappear by the end of the century and could add up to 4.4 mm per year in rising sea levels.

Sunspots

An enormous sunspot group has formed on the surface of the sun measuring more than 100 000 kilometers across, prompting warnings of solar flares heading towards Earth. The solar storm is expected to reach the Earth from 9 May, and will generate spectacular northern lights for skywatchers at northern latitudes.

Global Warming

A new study suggests that global warming may cause the flowering and leafing of plants to occur as much as seven times faster than previously. This would have serious ramifications for the normal growth cycles of food producing plants, not to mention playing havoc with plant propagation.

Global Warming

A  recent study suggests that Greenland's glaciers may be melting at a slower rate leading to a slower rise in sea water levels. The study extended over ten years ending in 2011. A caveat is that the full effects of global warming may not have reached Greenland's  northern glaciers yet.

Disease

Measels outbreak in Merseyside, near Liverpool in the U.K. More than 200 cases have been confirmed.

Egypt's foot and mouth disease outbreak has spread to Gaza, endangering the entire MIddle East.

Shark Populations Fall

A recent study in the USA has found that shark populations have plummeted in areas near humans. The Pacific Reef Shark population has fallen by more than 90%.

Disease

A salmon farm in Nova Scotia is ordered to kill all its fish in response to a viral disease outbreak amid fears the outbreak may spread.

Shrinking Antarctic Ice

The faster rate of shrinkage suffered by the vast Antarctic ice shelves has been found to be caused by warmer ocean water encroaching from below the ice driven by stronger westerly winds in the Southern Ocean.

Disease

A case of mad cow disease has been identified in California, USA. There is no threat to the nation's food supply. The cow is a diary cow not destined for human consumption.