Scientific & Super Science

The last ice age 13,000 years ago took hold in just one year, more than ten times quicker than previously believed, scientists have warned. Rather than a gradual cooling over a decade, the ice age plunged Europe into the deep freeze, German Research Centre for Geosciences at Potsdam said. Cold, stormy conditions causedby an abrupt shift in atmospheric circulation froze the continent almost instantly during the Younger Dryas less than 13,000 years ago – a very recent period on a geological scale.

The new findings will add to fears of a serious risk of this happening again in the UK and western Europe – and soon.Dr Achim Brauer, of the GFZ (GeoForschungs Zentrum) German Research Centre for Geosciences at Potsdam, and colleagues analysed annuallayers of sediments, called "varves", from a German crater lake. Each varve records a single year, allowing annual climate records from the region to be reconstructed.

View: Full Article | Source: Scotsman

In a controversial announcement that is likely to cause quite a stir with animal rights groups the Russian space agency is planning to send a monkey on a trip to Mars during which time it will belooked after by a robot."A monkey may be sent to Mars, under plans unveiled by Russian scientists.

Although the ape will be looked after by a robot on the mission, the decision is expected to spark controversy with animal rights groups."

View: Full Article | Source: Telegraph News storysuggestion by: Still Waters

The European Space Agency has been given the final go-ahead to undertake new missions to explore Mars including an orbiter to be launched in 2016 and a rover that will explore the Martian surface in 2018."Member-states of theEuropean Space Agency (Esa) have given final approval to revised plans to explore Mars.

There have been protracted discussions on what Europe could do at the Red Planet and how much it might cost. The Council of Esa has given the green light to a two-mission endeavour that would see the launch of anorbiter in 2016 and a rover in 2018."

View: Full Article | Source: BBC News

The oldest intact DNA ever found has been discovered inside salt deposits and belongs to a type of salt-loving bacteria that existed 419 million years ago making them some of the earliest life forms on Earth."Itwon"t make Jurassic Park a reality, but scientists have discovered 419 million-year-old DNA intact inside ancient salt deposits.

The genetic material, the oldest ever found, belongs to salt-loving bacteria whose ancestors may have been among the first life forms onEarth."

View: Full Article | Source: Discovery News News storysuggestion by: behaviour???