News: SEA CHANGE?

Warming makes islands grow,

not shrink, says study

   An artist's rendition, based on satellite images, of an island in Tuvalu in the South Pacific. The dotted line and the solid line indicate the coast lines in 1984 and 2004 respectively.

Wellington: New research has cast doubt on warnings that rising sea levels caused by climate change are slowly inundating low-lying Pacific islands.

         

          Scientists have studied 27 lowp0lying Pacific islands, comparing aerial photos from 60 years ago with modern satellite images, according to an article published in the New Scientist.

          Paul Kench of the University of Auckland in New Zealand and Arthur Webb at the South Pacific Applied Geo science Commission in Fiji found only four of the 27 islands declined in size despite an average rise in sea level of 12cm during the 60-year period.

        Half of the rest had remained the same size and the other half had increased in size. Kench said this shows that islands respond in different ways to climate change and rising seas. "One thing our results tell us there is no one model fits all kind of scenario," Kench said.

        It was important to have a sensible debate over the impact of climate change, "rather than just saying the sea level's going up and the islands must all disappear"

       The study says some islands are growing because waves, currents and winds are pushing coral debris from the surrounding reefs onto the shore. Although this study only involved studying the land area,  Kench said his previous research had shown cyclones and storms-which are predicted to become more frequent with climate change-also often played and important role in increasing the height of islands. "I've been in Tuvalu and know when cyclones hit Tuvalu, the waves go right across the island and in doing so, they are ripping up coral from the reef and beach and depositing them on the island surface.

       "So there's a natural mechanism of how these islands can rise vertically and in many cases can deep pace with sea level rise projected over the next century", Kench said.

        The study found that seven islands in one of Tuvalu's nine atolls have grown in area by more than three percent on average since the 1950s. With one island expanding nearly 30%.  

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News: Scientist Found Vital Clues Living on Titan...

Aliens exist on Saturn;s moon?

Titan's Chemical Composition Offers Hints Of Life: Nasa Researchers

Canada Spring shows

life possible in Mars

        Researchers have discovered that methanogenic bacteria that produce methane at a spring in Canada could be similar to earlier or present springs on Mars -- suggesting the possibility of life sustenance, "If you have a situation where you have very cold salty water, it could support a microbial community, even in that extreme harsh environment," Lyle Whyte, a McGill University microbiologist, said.

London: Scientists at US space agency Nasa have found vital clues to suggest that primitive aliens could be living on Titan, one of Saturn's biggest moons.

        On the basis of chemical composition found on Titan's surface, the experts believe that life forms have been breathing in the planet's atmosphere and also feeding on its surface's fuel. The research based on the analysis of data sent from Cassini probe has been detailed in two separate studies.

        The first paper, in the journal Icarus, shows that hydrogen gas flowing throughout the planet's atmosphere disappeared at the surface. This suggested that alien forms could breathe.

        The second paper, in the Journal of Geophysical Research, concluded that there was lack of chemical on the surface as it had been possibly consumed by the living aliens, the Telegraph reported.

        "We suggested hydrogen consumption because it's the obvious gas for life to consume on Titan, similar to the way we consume oxygen on Earth." said Chris Mckay, and astrobiologist working at Nasa. "If these signs do turn out to be a sign of life. It would be doubly exciting because it would represent a second form of life independent from water based life on Earth."

        Professor John Zarnecki, of the Open University, said; "We believe the chemistry is there for life to form. It just needs heat and warmth to kick-start the process. "In four billion years' time, when the Sun swells into a red giant, it could be paradise on Titan."

 

      

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Asia Cup Cricket

Well Sachin miss Asia Cup?

Injury Could force Master-Blaster To Skip The Four-Nation Meet; May Be Back For Tests

New Delhi:  Even before the selectors sat down on Monday to pick the Indian squad for the Asia Cup Sri Lanka, a shadow has been cast over the team's fortunes with the news that Sachin Tendulkar is likely to sit out of the One day tournament 'due to injury'. While sources in the nature of his injury, sources said that the master batsman may be available for the Test series against Sri Lanka which will follow the Asia Cup.

          Another theory doing the rounds was that Tendulkar wanted to rest a little while more before returning to the field but even this could not be ascertained.

          Interestingly, till late Sunday evening, the national selectors had no idea about Tendulkar's 'injury' and hence were not in a position to comment on it. "we've not been told anything about Tendulkar. As far as we are concerned, he is fit and ready to play," a selector told TOI.

       If Tendulkar is not there in the squad, then it would be a huge blow to the team which is already looking down the barrel after disastrous showings in the T20 World Cup and the Zimbabwe tri-series.

       Tendulkar, who has been in pristine form in the last year or so, will greatly bolster the team with his presence. As it is, India have looked especially shaky at the top of the batting order in recent times and Tendulkar as opener is the perfect panacea for the ills.

       However, when the selectors meet here in the Capital on Monday afternoon to shortlist the team, they may have to look for a credible alternative which is already in short supply.

 Shewag ready for the show: One good news for the selectors was that Virender Sehwag is fit. The other batsmen expected to make the cut are Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. However, there is pressure on Yuvraj Singh who has been dogged by injury and poor form as well as Yusuf Pathan. Ravindra Jadeja is likely to retain the all rounder's slot. The main challenge for the selectors will be to pick a potent pace attack. {raveen Kumar has recovered from a side strain

       While Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra are expected to be back to lead the pace department, Praveen Kumar, who has recovered from a side strain, is also in contention along with Ishant Sharma and Ashok Dinda. Among spinners, while Harbhajan Singh is the first choice, Pragyan Ojha, Piyush Chawla and Amit Mishra are also in contention with Ojha's claim looking to be the strongest one.

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