CaaC (John)

Bloody scary this must be. US & Canada Alaska earthquake: Anchorage rocked by aftershocks 1 December 2018 A major 7.0 magnitude earthquake has struck Alaska, causing people to run from buildings and briefly prompting a tsunami alert for coastal areas. The quake was centred about seven miles (11km) north of Anchorage, the largest city in the state, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). A series of aftershocks was recorded following the initial shock, which had a depth of 40.9km, the USGS said. Around 300,000 people live in Anchorage with 100,000 in the surrounding area. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46403405

Feel for you buddy, condolences from myself and the wife for you and your dad, 30 years old is so young.

We finally know how bright the universe is Charlie Wood 3 hrs ago The Earth glows faintly with the bustle of humanity. From far away you can’t pick out individual homes, or even cities, but by tracking the collective photons that our spotlights and streetlights throw out over time, you might be able to get a rough sense of the rise of technological civilization—and you might notice if all of the lights started going out. The same story applies to the universe at large. Stars are the ultimate light bulbs, and while some of their rays dead-end into dust-particles, others get away intact. Space has a reputation for being cold and dark, but out in the comparatively empty void between galaxies, these escaped particles of light collectively produce a diffuse glimmer everywhere. This glow tells you what’s out there without the hassle of counting all the stars and galaxies one by one. Borrowing tools from particle physics, an international team of astrophysicists has carried out the most accurate and sweeping measurement yet of this light, the collective shining of all the universe’s stars.

Bloody knackered had a wine last night and crashed out around midnight, was going to have a lye in this morning but my mobile decided to pack up on me so I ended up downtown and got a new one, so now I am stretched out on the bed but I guarantee you I will crash out shortly.

Unai Emery: Arsenal's boss is 'football obsessive' who 'makes or breaks you' By Patrick Jennings BBC Sport 30 November | Arsenal At Fifa's football awards ceremony in London in September, two men met away from the red carpet and the camera flashes. Arsene Wenger and Unai Emery shared only a brief conversation and a handshake on the sidelines, despite having so much to discuss. This summer, Emery stepped into Wenger's shoes as manager of Arsenal, after the Frenchman moved aside following 22 years in charge. The day before they met in London, Emery's team had beaten Everton 2-0 for a fifth consecutive victory, having started the new season with defeats by Manchester City and Chelsea. They remain their only losses of the season so far, and the Gunners go into Sunday's north London derby with Tottenham now unbeaten in 18 matches. In recent weeks the club's fans have been chanting: 'We've got our Arsenal back.' But just who is the man leading this new-look Gunners side forward into their next era? BBC Sport spoke with some of the people who know Emery best. The picture they paint is of a football obsessive, a man spurred on by his failure as a player and who lives now for just two things: family and success. Beginnings: The Basque Ryan Giggs?

Scientists created a clock so accurate that it measures space-time Olivia Goldhill 1 hour ago © Provided by Atlantic Media, Inc. To mark the passage of time, you could track the height of the sun in the sky or the passing of the seasons. Or, you could measure the vibrations of an atom. That’s what scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Maryland have done, creating two clocks that each trap 1,000 atoms of the element ytterbium in grids of lasers. These lasers are able to measure the atoms’ vibrations with near-perfect accuracy (there’s roughly one billionth of a billionth chance of error.) The scientists have measured time in atom vibrations not simply to show off, but because the scientific definition of a second is determined by the frequency of these vibrations. As Katherine Foley wrote in Quartz, scientists in 1967 defined a second as “9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation” of an atom of the isotope cesium-133 atom at temperatures of absolute zero. The research behind the atomic clocks, published in Nature on Nov. 28, shows that not only are the devices highly accurate, they also excel in other measures of clock evaluation: Stability (how much a clock’s frequency changes over time), and reproducibility (how closely the two clocks tick at the same frequency). The scientists behind these clocks have created atom clocks before, but their latest version is even more accurate, thanks in part to thermal and electric shielding, which protects the atoms from external electric fields. Indeed, they’re so accurate that they show the effect of gravity, as predicted by Einstein’s theory of relativity: The stronger the pull of gravity, the slower the vibrations of atoms and the passing of time. This effectively means that the clocks are showing not simply time, but also their distance from a center of gravity. They’re effectively measuring the space-time continuum. That means, for example, they could potentially be used to perfectly measure the Earth’s shape, since gravity gets stronger as you get closer to the Earth’s core. The clocks’ sensitivity to gravity also means in theory that they could be used to detect the presence of dark matter. We don’t know what dark matter is, but we know it distorts gravity, and so these clocks could potentially pick up on it. Currently, these clocks are far too big to transport. But the NIST researchers are building a portable version, which could be used to measure time around the world. Effectively, they’ll be able to show exactly where time passes more slowly, down to the tiniest vibration of atomic time. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/techandscience/scientists-created-a-clock-so-accurate-that-it-measures-space-time/ar-BBQjnmN?li=BBoPRmx

Science & Environment Satellites warn African farmers of pest infestations By Pallab Ghosh Science correspondent, BBC News 30 November 2018 UK researchers have developed an early warning system to prevent the crops of African farmers from being devastated. The Pest Risk Information Service (Prise) combines temperature data and weather forecasts with computer models. It then sends farmers a mobile phone alert so that they can take precautions. It is hoped that the system will boost yields and increase farm incomes by up to 20%. Prise is being used in Kenya, Ghana and Zambia and will be rolled out soon in other parts of the world. Prise is an upgrade of a highly successful UK Aid scheme run by the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International development charity (CABI). It uses a network of so-called "plant doctors" and clinics to advise farmers when pests or diseases destroy their crops. Image captionFarmers and plant doctors have access to an app to help them diagnose pest infestations and suggest remedies The "doctors" draw on a database using an app to help them to diagnose the issue and then prescribe the right pesticide and other measures. Walter Wafula, who grows Maize in Bungoma in Kenya, told BBC News that the service had transformed his family's lives. "Because of the increased income from my farm, my kids can now go to a better school and the life at home has improved because I can provide the basic needs for my family," he said. So far, the scheme has helped 18.3 million farmers, in 34 countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas. On average farm incomes and yields are 13% higher for those using the service. But Prof Charlotte Watts, chief scientific adviser for the UK's Department for International Development, which funds the plant doctor scheme, says a new initiative with CABI and the UK Space Agency (UKSA) will use the network to prevent, rather than just mitigate infestations. She says the idea is to use satellite data collected by the UKSA to develop a system that is able to predict when pest infestations will strike a week or more in advance. Satellites can provide accurate land temperature information, which is one of the most important drivers of pest infestations. This, combined with weather data and computer models, can be used to give farmers enough time to spray pesticide and take other precautions. CABI worked with the UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council, to develop the project. Prof Watts told BBC News that the early indications are that the system is working. "Farmers are completely dependent on crops and the predictability of having a good yield to survive and also to send their kids to school," she said. "So if we can reduce the impact of pests, if we can enable them to get better yields - which we are already seeing - it will mean that we can help them move out of poverty." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46370601

FFS, skinhead will never be a Maradona, but that goal he scored the other night did hit his hand, 'The Hand of God' Fellaini wise

Richard Branson is taking a submarine down the world's largest sinkhole Annabel Fenwick-Elliott 19 hrs ago © istock What lies beneath Belize's Great Blue Hole? It looks, at first, like a giant, flat, ink blot in the sea, but underneath this sinkhole – the largest in the world – is a cavern large enough to swallow two Boeing 747s with room to spare. Famed marine explorer Jacques Cousteau didn't discover the sinkhole, located in the Caribbean sea off the coast of Belize, but he did name it "The Great Blue Hole" in 1971, and it's been a magnet for scuba divers ever since. Now, in the first mission of its kind, Cousteau's grandson and Sir Richard Branson are plunging to the deep, dark bottom of it in a submarine as part of an expedition that will be streamed live and broadcasted globally on the Discovery Channel.

I grew up in Tilbury Docks, Essex, England and that was bloody rough but when you had a fight it was one guy against the other and the best kid won, we had a big playing field called 'The Daisy Field' and word would get around that after school that there was going to be a fight, after school we would all head for 'The Daisy Field' and watch the two guys have a scrap, it was a high school so the ages was 12 to 16 years onward. Once the fight was over we all headed home and left the two guys (with bloody noses and black eyes), shake hands and walk away together, I walked in many a time with a bloody nose and black eye with my mum yelling out "YOU HAVE BEEN FIGHTING AGAIN!!" and she would ground me for a week, my old man would just look at me with a smile and say "Did you win", more often or not I would say "Yes dad", he would then give me a wink and say "Good lad" then finish reading his paper. There were no mobile phones in my days, everything in them days was word of mouth or writing episodes like above I mentioned.

Thank fuck, he has been charged but "The force said the older boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will appear at Youth Court "in due course". I bet his name will hit twitter etc some time or not. Huddersfield school 'attack' video: Boy, 16, to be charged A 16-year-old boy is to be charged with assault after a video showing a boy being attacked was shared on social media. The boy, 15, is shown being dragged to the ground at a school in Huddersfield before water is poured into his face. The video was filmed in a lunch break at Almondbury Community School on 25 October, West Yorkshire Police said. The force said the older boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will appear at Youth Court "in due course". Police initially said they were investigating a report of a racially aggravated assault. An online fundraising page set up to help the 15-year-old boy and his family has so far raised more than £50,000. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-46369501

Science & Environment Strong chance of a new El Niño forming by early 2019 By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent 27 November 2018 The World Meteorological Organization says there's a 75-80% chance of a weak El Niño forming within three months. The naturally occurring event causes changes in the temperature of the Pacific Ocean and has a major influence on weather patterns around the world. It is linked to floods in South America and droughts in Africa and Asia. El Niño events often lead to record temperatures as heat rises from the Pacific. El Nino's long reach to Antarctic ice Our warming world and El Nino According to the WMO update, sea surface temperatures in the east-central tropical Pacific have been at weak El Niño levels since October. However the atmosphere has not yet responded to the extra warmth that's produced by the upwelling seas. Scientists have been predicting the likelihood of a new event since May this year, with confidence increasing. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology are now estimating that an El Niño event will start in December. US forecasters are saying there's a 90% chance of the event starting in January. The WMO models say that a fully fledged El Niño is estimated to be 75-80% likely between December and February 2019. At this point, the WMO says its predictions for the event range from just a warm-neutral condition through to a moderate strength event with sea surface temperatures peaking between 0.8C to 1.2C above average. The chance of a strong event is currently low. "The forecast El Niño is not expected to be as powerful as the event in 2015-2016, which was linked with droughts, flooding and coral bleaching in different parts of the world," said Maxx Dilley, director of WMO's Climate Prediction and Adaptation branch. "Even so, it can still significantly affect rainfall and temperature patterns in many regions, with important consequences to agricultural and food security sectors, and for management of water resources and public health, and it may combine with long-term climate change to boost 2019 global temperatures," he said. In terms of food security, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have issued a report detailing the countries that could suffer food shortages as a result of the event. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46347451

Science & Environment Climate change: CO2 emissions rising for the first time in four years Global efforts to tackle climate change are way off track says the UN, as it details the first rise in CO2 emissions in four years. The emissions gap report says that economic growth is responsible for a rise in 2017 while national efforts to cut carbon have faltered. To meet the goals of the Paris climate pact, the study says it's crucial that global emissions peak by 2020. But the analysis says that this is now not likely even by 2030 The report comes days before a major UN climate conference starting in Poland from 2-14 December. The report comes days before a major UN climate conference starting in Poland from 2-14 December. UK summers could be over 5C warmer by 2070 Dire warning on US climate change impacts Attenborough takes a seat at climate talks

China to leapfrog broadband world to dominate 1 Gbps connections The Chinese are in everything atm and more than likely they are going to land on Mars, Jupiter, Saturn etc before we know it, then it will be "Beam me up, Chinese takeaway" with broadband

@SirBalon , Unicorns could be real after all Science & Environment 'Siberian unicorn' walked Earth with humans A giant rhino that may have been the origin of the unicorn myth survived until at least 39,000 years ago - much longer than previously thought. Known as the Siberian unicorn, the animal had a long horn on its nose and roamed the grasslands of Eurasia. New evidence shows the hefty beast may have eventually died out because it was such a picky eater. Scientists say knowing more about the animal's extinction could help save the remaining rhinos on the planet. Rhinos are in particular danger of extinction because they are very picky about their habitat, said Prof Adrian Lister of the Natural History Museum, London, who led the study. "Any change in their environment is a danger for them," he told BBC News. "And, of course, what we've also learned from the fossil record is that once a species is gone, that's it, it's gone for good." Weighing in at a mighty four tonnes, with an extraordinary single horn on its head, the "Siberian unicorn", shared the earth with early modern humans up until at least 39,000 years ago. What do we know about the ancient rhino? The rhino, Elasmotherium sibericum, was thought to have become extinct between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago. By radiocarbon-dating a total of 23 specimens, researchers found the Ice Age giant in fact survived in Eastern Europe and Central Asia until at least 39,000 years ago. They also isolated DNA from the ancient rhino for the first time, showing it split from the modern group of rhinos about 40 million years ago. The extinction of the Siberian unicorn marks the end point of an entire group of rhinos. Why might it have gone extinct? The study also involved examining the animals' teeth, confirming they grazed on tough, dry grasses. "It was walking along like a kind of prehistoric lawnmower really...it's just grazing along the ground," said Prof Lister. The rhino's specialised diet may have been its downfall. As the Earth warmed up and started to emerge from the Ice Age around 40,000 years ago, grasslands started to shrink, likely pushing the animal to extinction. Hundreds of large mammal species disappeared after the last Ice Age, due to climate change, loss of vegetation and human hunting. What does it tell us about the fate of modern rhinos? Today there are just five remaining species of rhino. Very few survive outside national parks and reserves due to persistent poaching and habitat loss over many decades. By studying fossilised rhinos, scientists can learn more about the fate of the many prehistoric rhino species that once roamed the planet and how they adapted to climate change and human pressures. Where do unicorn myths come from? Legends of the unicorn, or a beast with a single horn, have been around for millennia. Some have argued that the horn of the rhino may have been the basis of myths about unicorns, although other animals - such as the tusked narwhal - are more likely contenders. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46358789

A man of my heart, he loves animals Mo Salah: Egypt footballer weighs in on cats and dogs row 1 hour ago Football star Mo Salah has spoken out against plans in his home nation of Egypt to export stray animals abroad, amid fears they will be used for food. "Cats and dogs will not be exported anywhere. This won't happen and can't happen," he tweeted, alongside images of his pet Siamese cats. Animal rights activists reacted with anger over the decision, with many calling for the practice to end. Stray cats and dogs are widespread in Egypt's streets. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-46356719

Mars InSight mission: What Nasa's trip to Red Planet aims to discover Chris Graham 16 hrs ago Nasa has touched down on Mars for the first time in six years in a mission designed to mine more information about the Red Planet. The US space agency's latest probe, InSight, landed on the planet at 7.55pm (UK time), having travelled for six months and 300 million miles. In an extremely tricky landing, the lander slowed down from 12,300mph to 5mph, the equivalent of human jogging speed, in just seven minutes after hitting Mars's atmosphere. The mission follows in the footsteps of the Curiosity rover, which landed there in 2012, but the $1bn joint US-European mission will break new ground - literally and metaphorically. Here's what you need to know about the landmark mission.

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Science & Environment Mars: Nasa lands InSight robot to study planet's interior By Jonathan Amos BBC Science Correspondent, Pasadena 1 hour ago US space agency Nasa has landed a new robot on Mars after a dramatic seven-minute plunge to the surface of the Red Planet. The InSight probe aims to study the deep interior of Mars, and make it the only planet - apart from Earth - that has been examined in this way. The touchdown confirmation came through shortly after 19:50 GMT. It ended an anxious few minutes in which the robot radioed home updates on its descent. Nasa's mission control in California erupted into cheers when it became clear InSight was safe on the ground. The probe put down on a vast, flat plain known as Elysium Planitia, close to the Red Planet's equator. The agency had dubbed it the "biggest parking lot on Mars". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46351114