Killer Crustacean in British Isles

Researchers have a new fear of a crustacean nicknamed "killer shrimp" invading the British Isles making light work of various native species in the waters by shredding them without eating them.

This crustacean is from western Asia and has made its way to the ocean waters of the British Isles, possibly through human influence (i.e. possible transport from fisherman). More specifically, this crustacean's home is in the Black and Caspian Seas and in the last twenty years has made its way over to central and western Europe through various waterways like the Danube and the Rhine.

Barely bigger than an inch long, this amphipod has violent and vicious killing behavior using powerful mouthparts to literally shred its prey. In addition, their killer, aggressive behavior only increases when the number of prey increases.

This predator is well adapted by having the ability to reach maturity quickly, reproduces all year round, lays 200 eggs at a time, has a wide range of food, and can survive all kinds of ocean chemistry changes in temperature, salt and oxygen. Even more impressive is the ability to survive out of water for six days!

In some places, the population size has reached as many as 4, 000 in one square meter of ocean water. The biggest concern among scientists include how to control this predator from reducing the populations of other invertebrates and fish in valuable fisheries.

What are some possible solutions to either eliminate or control the spread of this killer species? Be specific!

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/10/killer-shrimp-invading-england/

Life Outside of Earth?

This picture resembles bacteria that we have here on Earth called Titanospirillium velox. However, this image reveals bacteria that was taken from a meteorite! In the March edition of Journal of Cosmology, a new study was published by NASA scientist Dr. Richard Hoover that revealed fossil evidence of microorganisms found in meteorites. This study focuses on a rare class of meteorites called carbonaceous chondrites which are meteorites that contain chemical components believed to have come from the origin of the solar system. In other words, these meteorites are believed to be the most primitive.

Dr. Hoover's discovery of fossil evidence of microorganisms that are commonly found here on Earth suggest life must be found in other places than the Earth in our Universe. Other microorganisms he stated were, "strange" and unidentifiable. When presented to other expert scientists, no one has been able to identify some of these microscopic organisms.

Dr. Marais of the Ames Research Center is quite cautious, as well as other scientists, noting these kinds of claims have been made before. Over 5,000 scientists have been invited by this Journal to review, scrutinize, evaluate and research these new findings (which has never been done on this large of a scale before).

If you were a scientist invited to investigate this claim, what would be your next step? Is this a new discovery of life outside our planet? How might you go about verifying if this claim is really true or accurate?

Sheep Clean Up Explosive Residue in Soils

Researchers from Oregon State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently did a study with sheep feeding them TNT for over three weeks and found the bacteria that breaks down cellulose also breaks down TNT completely leaving no traces in the feces!

TNT and contaminated soils can be found in over 1 million acres of U.S. soil and can pose environmental and health problems through water contamination. Furthermore, conventional clean up methods are costly in monetary and time values.

The solution involves planting grasses in contaminated soils that will draw in the TNT and the sheep would eat the contaminated grasses. Then, the bacteria in the sheep would do away with any explosive material or residue.

Researchers indicate that a flock of twenty sheep could rid an acre of explosive residue completely in three years.

Evaluate, will this work? Why or why not? Are sheep the only animal with this capability? Research and discuss your answers in your wiki groups.

Several small earthquakes have rattled the north-central Arkansas area this week puzzling many scientists as to their cause. The USGS has reported around 30 small earthquakes since this last Sunday and over 700 earthquakes in the last six months (over three per day). Most are ranging in magnitude around 1 to 3. Humans don't feel the quaking from the movement in the Earth's crust until around 2.5 to 3. Geologists have recorded earthquakes as high as a 4.0 in this region and predict some could occur as high as a 5 in magnitude.

Two basic theories have the attention of local authorities, the USGS and the gas exploration industry, yes the natural gas exploration industry! These two theories are centered around what is called a "swarm" of earthquakes and the other theory involves the use of water injection wells that literally fracture parts of the earth's rock interior to release natural gas. Some locals in Arkansas argue that the wells have had an increase in use and correlate with the increase in the number of earthquakes. A "swarm" is a short-term continuous series of small earthquakes in a region all ranging similar in magnitude. This is different from an usual larger earthquake with smaller aftershocks. The cause may be unknown.

Personally, the central states of the U.S. historically have been known to be struck with large earthquakes from the nearby New Madrid Fault as well but no one seems to be talking about this in reference to the swarm of earthquakes in Arkansas. Is it possible that swarms of earthquakes are not known to be caused by a large fault and therefore these in Arkansas are due to the natural gas exploration? Or, is this swarm related to the New Madrid Fault and political activists are using this opportunity to add a "strike" against the fossil fuel industry?

To argue your theory, consider the following:

1. Have swarms occurred in Arkansas before? If so, were these related to increases in well drilling?

2. How active is the New Madrid Fault? Are these swarms and this fault related?

3. Could there possibly be any other cause?

4. What evidence might link the cause to these small earthquakes?

Fishing Net in Space?

A growing concern among scientists is the amount of space junk outside our atmosphere. Space junk can include any man-made object such as abandoned space equipment, broken or unused satellites, astronaut materials to small items like gloves and toothbrushes. Space junk usually burns up in our atmosphere before ever reaching the surface of the earth. And, the space junk is found in a portion of space around the earth that also houses meteors, asteroids and stellar dust. However, space junk can create some problems for space travel.

For example, a satellite was destroyed over Siberia in 2009 and sometimes space junk can collide with each other creating more debris and more possible collisions. What makes these collisions concerning are really two factors. One, any satellite or space ship exiting our atmosphere will face possible collisions. Secondly, the speed of the space junk is several thousands of miles per hour!

Recently, a Japanese company who built its business on creating knotless, massive fishing nets is teaming up with Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency to construct massive nets to capture the space junk littering Earth's orbit.

Questions to consider for discussion:

1. Will these nets work? How would you go about making sure something like this will work?

2. Should we be concerned about the space junk if it never reaches the earth? Why or why not?

3. Are these nets a waste of time? Why or why not?

http://news.discovery.com/space/casting-a-net-for-space-debris.html

Oysters Vanishing from Oceans

A recent wide-ranging study done by researchers from the Natural Conservancy and the University of California have compared past and present populations of oysters and concluded that nearly 90% of the oyster population has decreased from many locations around the world. The study published in BioScience magazine, also noted that even the remaining reefs of these mollusks are not healthy.

Oyster reefs were studied in 144 bays and 44 ecoregions as well as comparing historical records as well as yearly catch statistics to conclude that nearly 85% to 90% of the oysters have depleted in regions were they used to thrive. Researchers conclude that overharvesting and disease are the main two causes of the decline.

Oysters while providing food for people also serve as a natural water filter for many of the world's ecosystems.

Discuss in your groups what solutions could be implemented to allow these populations to recover (if they can) and WHY these solutions would work.

Article can be read in full at http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/03/oysters-vanishing-oceans-worldwide-report-says/

Crop Circles....Aliens?

Discovered in a rice field in yogyakarta in Indonesia, crop circles consisting of triangles and circles are creating debate about their origins. Are they man-made? Alien-made? Nature-made?

Some argue this unique symbology resembles some religious symbols from the Hindu religion and therefore, are man-made. Others argue this is the result of extraterrestrial activity. Crop circles have been more frequent the last thirty to forty years and have often been argued as extraterrestrial in origin. However, in 1991, two Americans publicly confessed as creating these as a prank bragging about their success being done in under an hour.

One local astronomer denies the extraterrestrial involvement stating this must be man-made due to the lack of any indication of the crop circles resulting from some natural phenomena.

Discuss the facts, data or evidence that might support one claim over another. Are the UFO advocates too fictional in their thinking or do they really have an argument?

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/01/24/ufo-enthusiasts-fascinated-sleman-crop-circle/

Early Humans, Early Victims?

In the Djurab desert of central Africa, scientists have discovered two new species of saber-toothed tigers. In this same region, scientists have also found fossils of a 6.5 to 7.5 million year old human-like, chimp-like human ancestor. The region is believed to once been a forested, lake shore that was home to other creatures such as horses, monkeys, crocodiles, hippos, turtles, rodents, giraffes, snakes, pigs, mongooses, foxes, hyenas, badgers and antelopes. Scientists had already known a larger saber-toothed tiger once lived in this region as well weighing over 1,000 pounds (compare to today's tiger which weighs around 600 pounds).

One scientists was quoted for saying he was amazed at finding three different species of saber-toothed tigers in one region indicating the prey must have been numerous.

Finding fossils of early human ancestors with fossils of saber-toothed tigers in similar fossil beds enough to argue that these early human ancestors would have been prey to these tigers? Defend your view. Also, consider what evidence one would expect to find if this were a real possibility.

(For further reading, read the article at http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/01/19/sabertooth-cats-feasted-early-humans/#content)

Mystery of New Year's Eve Blackbird Deaths

New Year's Eve in 2011 in Arkansas was not the typical New Year's Eve. People in towns in Arkansas were reported stating they saw birds falling out of the sky on New Year's Eve. Thousands of birds were taken to the National Wildlife Health Center in Wisconsin for further study. Thousands of other birds were reported dead in Louisiana and Kentucky.

What could have caused this mass die-off?

Review the facts and discuss what could have caused this death:

1. The deaths occurred at night

2. Dead birds studied showed signs of bruising

3. Large numbers of birds were dieing at around the same time

4. The deaths occurred on New Year's Eve

Review this list, do your own research, and most importantly, THINK CRITICALLY to create a theory on how these birds died.