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China began the mining of combustible ice-Flammable ice

China began the mining of combustible ice (natural gas hydrates) The trial mining was conducted at a depth of 237-304 meters undersea in the Shenhu sea (PT) area, about 320 kilometres southeast of Zhuhai City in Guangdong Province. China has set two world records in terms of the total gas output in a month and the daily gas production of 28,700 cubic meters. The latest test adopted a horizontal well drilling technique, the first time it has been used in the natural gas hydrate extraction,

Cobra Lily

Cobra Lily The incredibly rare Arisaema translucent, more commonly known as the cobra lily, was recently rediscovered in the western Nilgiris after 84 years. They can be found only in a small area measuring less than 10 square kilometres in the Nilgiris. The Toda tribals of the Nilgiris, who know the plant well, have an embroidery motif known as the ‘podwarshk’, which resembles it. The indigenous community could predict the early arrival of monsoon from the

Panda of the sea

Vaquita Porpoise With an estimated 30 or fewer individuals remaining, the vaquita porpoise — the world's most endangered marine mammal — may go extinct by 2018 if no action is taken to save them, a new study warns. Known as the 'panda of the sea' because of its distinctive markings, the vaquita is endemic to the Upper Gulf of California. Unsustainable fishing practices and illegal wildlife trade driven by demand for the swim bladder, has caused th

Solibacillus kalamii

Solibacillus kalamii Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the foremost lab of NASA for work on interplanetary travel, discovered the new bacteria on the filters of the International Space Station (ISS) and named it Solibacillus kalamii to honour the late President. Even as it orbits the earth some 400 kilometres above, the ISS is home to many types of bacteria and fungi. These spore formers tend to withstand high radiation and also produce some useful compounds protein-wise which will

Turtle – Threats

Turtle – Threats In an attempt to raise awareness on conservation of tortoise and turtles, and on illegal trafficking, May 23 is celebrated as World Turtle Day. In addition to smuggling, turtles face a variety of man-made issues that threaten their existence. One major threat, as with all other animal species, is habitat destruction. As rivers become more and more polluted, the turtles are beginning to die off at greater rates. The hatchlings are born deformed; adults a

Monkeypox Virus

Monkeypox Virus Singapore recently reported the first ever case of the Monkeypox Virus, a rare virus similar to the human smallpox.  About Monkeypox Virus: What is It? Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is an orthopoxvirus that causes a viral disease with symptoms in humans similar, but milder, to those seen in smallpox patients. Smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980, whereas human monkeypox is endemic in villages of Central and West Africa. The occurrence

Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia)-Murder Hornet

Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia)-Murder Hornet The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) has arrived in North America. This insect has attacked honeybees: it crawls into hives and rips off the heads of bees in large numbers—making its supervillain nickname, “murder hornet,” feel disturbingly apt. Government agencies and local beekeepers have sprung into action, hoping to eradicate the hornet before it can consolidate a foothold in the continent. Success may lie in

Mattu Gulla growers hope to make profits before season ends-GI Tag

Mattu Gulla growers hope to make profits before the season ends With Udupi district coming under the green zone, prospects have brightened for the growers of Mattu Gulla, brinjal enjoying the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, owing to improvement in transportation and relaxation in lockdown hours. Mattu Gulla is grown by about 150 farmers in Mattu and its surrounding villages, on 129 hectares in the district. This brinjal is known for its unique taste, and a curry prepared from t

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