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James Cameron On Earth’s Deepest Spot: Desolate, Lunar-Like

March 26, 2012 by ·

The Mariana Trench’s Challenger Deep—the deepest point on Earth—looks as bleak and barren as the moon, according to James Cameron, who successfully returned just hours ago from the first solo dive to the ocean abyss.

At noon, local time Monday (10 p.m. ET Sunday), the National Geographic explorer and filmmaker’s “vertical torpedo” sub broke the surface of the western Pacific, some 200 miles (322 kilometers) southwest of Guam.

After a descent that took roughly two and a half hours, Cameron spent about three hours conducting the first manned scientific exploration of Challenger Deep. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Discoveries, Environment, Technologies, Travel ·

How The Sandstorm Affects Your Life

March 22, 2012 by ·

A breakdown of how the recent sandstorm affects you: From you car engine’s performance to a range of health and other practical issues

In the air

All flights operating from Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi were unaffected by yesterday’s sandy conditions. An Etihad spokesman said all its flights were operating normally from Abu Dhabi. In Dubai, a spokesman for Emirates told Gulf News yesterday that its flights were operating according to schedule and were unaffected by the climatic conditions. And a spokesman for Virgin Atlantic said its flights were operating normally. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Change, Environment, Nature, Weather ·

Philippines Puerto Princesa River Is One Of New7Wonders Of Nature

January 30, 2012 by ·

The Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) is now officially one of the New7Wonders of Nature, the founder of global campaign announced on Saturday.

Bernard Weber, founder-president of New7Wonders, congratulated the Filipinos as the 8.2-kilometer Palawan river joined the Amazon rainforest, Vietnam’s Halong Bay and Argentina’s Iguazu Falls as among the world’s new seven wonders of nature.

“When your very own President Aquino came out in support of the PPUR campaign, I knew that this country was taking the New7Wonders of Nature seriously,” said Weber. “Fans of PPUR all over the world responded to his call for action by voting in record numbers and today’s confirmation is the well-earned reward for this extraordinary display of enthusiasm.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Environment, Nature, Tourism, Travel ·

Mutineers’ Barren Refuge Turns Tourist Paradise

January 23, 2012 by ·

It’s bare of white sandy beaches and about as far away as you can get from anywhere – but that hasn’t stopped super-remote Pitcairn Island from marketing itself as a holiday paradise in a newly embraced tourism push.

Today, about 50 residents on the lonely island in the South Pacific are celebrating Bounty Day – or the 222nd anniversary of the burning of HMS Bounty – along with a handful of visitors who were drawn in for the festivities.

Islanders hope the official holiday, marked with boat races and the annual burning of a miniature replica of the Bounty, will become an annual tourist-puller as they look to holidaymakers as a way to bolster a flagging economy. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Environment, Nature, Tourism ·

Greenpeace Urges Government To Halt ‘Reckless’ Arctic Oil Rush

January 19, 2012 by ·

At a special House of Commons hearing, ministers will be asked to reconsider support for Cairn Energy drilling in the far north

The government will be urged on Wednesday to help build a more sustainable world by putting a brake on the oil industry’s “reckless” race to the Arctic.

At a special House of Commons hearing, Greenpeace will tell ministers to reconsider their support for Cairn Energy and other companies drilling in the far north unless they attach the most stringent operating conditions. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Environment, Nature ·

Is The End Near? Opinions Vary On Mayan Calendar, Doomsday

January 9, 2012 by ·

Have a good New Year’s Eve? Party a bit? Drink too much? First week of 2012 been going pretty well?

Well, enjoy yourself while you can because, if some anonymous and long-deceased Mayan calendar-maker is to be believed, it’s the last new year you’ll ever get.

That’s right: The official countdown to the biggest blowout Ma Earth has ever seen has begun.

Unless, of course, it hasn’t.

Wishy-washy? Sure. And for that, blame a calendar created by the Mayans a few thousand years ago that, some believe, portends all sorts of apocalyptic ugliness happening on or around Dec. 21, 2012. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Change, Documentary, Environment ·

Your 2012 Guide To Surviving The End Of The World

January 8, 2012 by ·

The year 2012 is finally upon us, and December 21 looms on the yearend horizon. At the moment, doomsday believers are already counting down the roughly 350 days left in the Mayan Calendar.

Most people find the 2012 prophecies laughable, but that’s only because the earth, tenacious planet that it is, has managed to survive many doomsdays in the past decade.

People may think of it as an unfulfilled prophecy, but it is actually an incredible feat of survival on the earth’s part. Why, just last year, we’ve survived the apocalypse twice when Harold Camping made his two magnificently mistaken rapture predictions. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Documentary, Ecology, Environment, Facts ·