A Very Scary Light Show: Exploding H-Bombs In Space : NPR

"Since we're coming up on the Fourth of July, and towns everywhere are preparing their better-than-ever fireworks spectaculars, we would like to offer this humbling bit of history. Back in the summer of 1962, the U.S. blew up a hydrogen bomb in outer space, some 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean. It was a weapons test, but one that created a man-made light show that has never been equaled — and hopefully never will."


Study links bee decline to cell phones - CNN.com

"London, England (CNN) -- A new study has suggested that cell phone radiation may be contributing to declines in bee populations in some areas of the world.
Bee populations dropped 17 percent in the UK last year, according to the British Bee Association, and nearly 30 percent in the United States says the U.S. Department of Agriculture."


SPACE.com -- Some Ancient Stars In Milky Way Were Born Elsewhere

"Our Milky Way galaxy snatched up many of its most ancient stars from smaller galaxies that shredded each other in violent collisions, a new study suggests.

Using new supercomputer simulations, researchers found that some ancient Milky Way stars did not form natively with the rest of the galaxy about 10 billion years ago. Instead, they are actually the leftovers from other galaxies that collided about 5 billion years ago."


$260M of Swine Flu Vaccine to Be Incinerated - Associated Press

"Associated Press - About a quarter of the swine flu vaccine produced for the U.S. public has expired - meaning that a whopping 40 million doses worth about $260 million is being written off as trash."

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PAGER - Rapid Assessment of an Earthquake's Impact

PAGER - Rapid Assessment of an Earthquake's Impact
Click picture for real time accurate reports.

DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS A 100% CHANCE OF AN EARTHQUAKE TODAY!

YES! There's a 100 percent chance of an earthquake today! Though millions of persons may never experience an earthquake, they are very common occurrences on this planet. So today -- somewhere -- an earthquake will occur.

It may be so light that only sensitive instruments will perceive its motion; it may shake houses, rattle windows, and displace small objects; or it may be sufficiently strong to cause property damage, death, and injury.

It is estimated that about 700 shocks each year have this capability when centered in a populated area. But fortunately, most of these potentially destructive earthquakes center in unpopulated areas far from civilization.

Since a major portion of the world's earthquakes each year center around the rim of the Pacific Ocean (Ring of Fire), referred to by seismologists as the circum-Pacific belt, this is the most probable location for today's earthquake. But it could hit any location, because no region is entirely free of earthquakes.

Stating that an earthquake is going to occur today is not really "predicting earthquakes". To date, they cannot be predicted. But anyone, on any day, could make this statement and it would be true. This is because several million earthquakes occur annually; thereby, thousands occur each day, although most are too small to be located. The problem, however, is in pinpointing the area where a strong shock will center and when it will occur.

Earthquake prediction is a future possibility, though. Just as the Weather Bureau now predicts hurricanes, tornadoes, and other severe storms, the NEIC may one day issue forecasts on earthquakes. Earthquake research was stepped up after the Alaska shock in 1964. Today, research is being conducted by the USGS and other federal and state agencies, as well as universities and private institutions. Earthquake prediction may some day become a reality, but only after much more is learned about the earthquake mechanism

USGS Earthquake ShakeMaps

USGS M2.5+ Earthquakes TODAY!

USGS M2.5+ Earthquakes - Past 7 days

USGS M5+ Earthquakes - Past 7 days