Temperature
Extremes
High
temperature extreme:
Adrar, Algeria 117 degrees.
Low temperature extreme:
Vostok (Russia), Antarctica -107 degrees.
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Indonesian
Eruption
Late
reports from Indonesia’s Flores Island tell of moderate damage
and minor injuries during the July 1 eruption of Mt. Lewotobi in
East Nusatenggara.
The Jakarta Post reported that hundreds of houses, schools and other
buildings sustained damage when one of the twin peaks of the volcano
exploded. At least 20 people sustained minor injuries, including
some who were injured after falling off their motorbikes during
the strong quake that accompanied the eruption. A chapel belonging
to a congregation of Catholic nuns in the city of Hokeng was one
of the most severely damaged buildings in the area. Mt. Lewotobi
last erupted on June 29, 1904.
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Earthquakes
The
most powerful earthquake to strike western Washington State
in 30 years injured four people and caused damage ranging from collapsed
roofs and toppled chimneys to gas leaks and power failures southwest
of Seattle.
Earth movements were also felt along the California-Nevada
border, and in southwest Mexico, south-central Alaska,
a remote island of southern Japan, Taiwan, northern
New Zealand and eastern Romania.
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‘Catastrophic’
Drought
The
lingering drought that has parched many parts of Iran in
recent weeks has caused the country’s agriculture sector an estimated
$2.5 billion in damage, according to Construction Minister Mohammad
Said Kya.
He told parliament that “the current year will be catastrophic for
our agriculture.” The legislative body has agreed to consider a
bill to tackle the consequences of the drought, which has been described
as the worst in the country for 40 years.
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Jellyfish
Invasion
One
thousand swimmers were attacked by schools of jellyfish along the
French Riviera during a weekend when high heat had driven
many people to popular beach resorts.
The colorful jellyfish, Pelagia noctiluca, is the most common
variety in the area and was responsible for the stinging attacks.
It’s believed the sudden increase in the number of jellyfish was
due to climatic warming, which triggered an increase in plankton
food sources in the Mediterranean.
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Sino Floods
The
death toll from the recent flooding along China’s Yangtze
River now stands at 240 people.
The floods, which began in late June, have destroyed nearly a half
a million homes and swamped 1.6 million acres of cropland. An estimated
1.84 million people have been evacuated from the affected areas.
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Siberian
Swarms
Swarms
of locusts migrating from Kazakhstan devoured large tracts of farmland
in central Siberia during a span of only a few days. The
insects were first observed near Novosibirsk, about 1,750 miles
east of Moscow.
They later descended on 1,250 acres of sunflower and grain crops,
which are the key agricultural output of the region. The devastation
comes as grain supplies are dwindling across Russia.
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Record Snowstorm
New
Zealand's biggest snowstorm in 25 years closed down ski resorts
and wreaked havoc with traffic.
The South Island had more than 39 inches of snowfall in a 24-hour
period. The unexpected storm was a welcome surprise for local residents,
as it arrived just before the the start of the country's annual
Winter Festival.
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True Sex
Appeal
Zoologists
have determined that good parenting and not inherent colorful plumage
is what determines a sparrow’s attractiveness to the opposite
sex.
Protective avian fathers who groom their offspring and protect them
from attack produce healthy, well-adjusted males that attract the
females of the species. Queensland University zoologist Ian Owens
reported that biologists have believed that females chose their
mates because of colorful plumage. But parasites can rob the birds
of their vibrant colors and strength. “The most protective fathers,
those that kept other birds from bullying their sons, and the tidiest
fathers — those that picked nests clean of parasites such as ticks
and fleas— raised sons with the best sexual ornaments or badges.”
