水母是人類祖先?

Did humans descend from JELLYFISH?
Scientists believe comb jellies could an early ancestor
Researchers have created the first full genome sequence of a comb jelly
They wanted to fill in gaps currently missing in the genome data
However, the sequence highlighted similarities with all animal species
And even suggested that the comb jelly could have kicked off evolution 13 December 2013

While studying the genome sequence of a comb jelly, pictured, researchers from Miami and Maryland discovered similarities between the gelatinous sea creature and all other animal groups. It even suggested the comb jelly may be original species from which all others evolved    

More than half a billion years ago a single line of species separated from all other animals and scientists traditionally believed this originated with sea sponges, pictured. This new genome sequencing suggests that it was instead the comb jelly, that is found in the Atlantic Ocean  

真假！？人類從哪來...美研究：水母是我們祖先
國際中心／綜合報導
雖然「水母」被用來形容一個人無腦，但牠在人類進化過程史可是位大功臣，過去科學家們認為人類是從無脊椎海綿演化而來，但這個推論是錯誤的，根據美國最新一項研究指出，人類最早的祖先應是櫛水母（學名：Ctenophora）！
根據英國《每日郵報》（Daily Mail）報導，美國邁阿密大學和國家人類基因體研究所共同團隊分析了俗稱「海胡桃」的淡海櫛水母，竟意外發現櫛水母的DNA與地球上許多物種的基因有不少共同點，當然包括人類。
研究人員表示，從櫛水母的基因圖譜來看，可以發現其實是地球上許多物種進化的起點，也就是說，「水母」是我們人類真正的祖先。此外，櫛水母是種膠狀海洋生物，屬於腔腸動物門。這項研究結果，將會發表在《科學》雜誌

digital generation

Saudi digital generation takes on Twitter, YouTube … and authorities Conservative country boasts world's highest use of sites per capita, but criticising Islam remains a clear red line
Tuesday 17 December 2013

A Saudi woman films an Islamic ceremony on her phone.

月球探測

2013年12月15日 星期日 歷黑色720秒 嫦娥登月成功 無地面控制自行降落 「玉兔」今出巡 【明報】中國月球探測器「嫦娥三號」經過近13天的長途跋涉，昨晚9時11分帶「玉兔號」月球車在月球虹灣區成功陸。歷時720秒的陸過程無法由地面控制，全部由嫦娥三號自動完成，被探測器系統副總指揮譚梅稱為「黑色720秒」，幸有驚無險。這是繼37年前蘇聯「月球24號」探測器登月後，人類探測器首次成功落月，也讓中國躋身美國和蘇聯之後世界上第三個實現地外天體軟陸的國家。
 新華社報道，昨晚8時59分，北京飛行控制中心對嫦娥三號發出「動力下降」指令，嫦娥三號在距近月點15公里處依靠自主控制，以每秒1.7公里的速度下降；同時，「降落相機」開機，「直擊」記錄距離陸區2000米到4米的各高度段、月表月貌特徵。 
距月4米 速度減零落地 經過減速及調整，嫦娥三號在距離月面100米處開啟反推力發動機懸停空中，利用敏感器對陸區進行觀測，以避開障礙物、選擇陸點；9時11分，其相對速度逐漸減為零，以自由落體方式從4米高「撻」落月球。嫦娥三號是中國第一個有「腳」的航天器，隨它的4只「腳」平穩踩在月面，通訊信號正常，陸過程完美完成。
 理大教授：非常緊張 陸歷時約12分鐘，因38萬公里地月距離無法讓信息傳回地面處理，故此過程全由嫦娥三號自主完成。這令各界倍感緊張，連參與此次設備研發製造的香港理工大學教授容亮在陸前也對本報表示「非常緊張」，因這是中國首次陸月球，此前美蘇陸曾幾次失敗。而虹灣情未明、發推力發動機無備份等原因，探測器系統副總指揮譚梅曾將這段時間稱為「黑色12分鐘」。辛苦10年終於成功，北京飛控中心研究人員興奮至極，相擁慶祝。 
分離後陸器留原地探測 嫦娥三號任務是中國探月工程「繞、落、回」三步走中「落」的關鍵一步，按計劃，今與「玉兔號」月球車分離後，陸器將在原地探測，開展一系列實驗，包括以月基光學望遠鏡進行天文觀測、以極紫外相機觀測地球等離子體層、以測月雷達對巡視路線上月殼淺層結構厚度等作剖面式觀測等。

北京時間14日晚9時11分，嫦娥三號順利於月球虹灣區登陸。此為「嫦娥三號」從月球傳來的首張照片，圖中為陸點「虹灣區」的實景圖。

「玉兔號」月球車將於今日與「嫦娥三號」分離。圖為北京航天飛行控制中心內的「玉兔號」號月球車1：1模型。

brain

Why it's time for brain science to ditch the 'Venus and Mars' cliche
Reports trumpeting basic differences between male and female brains are biological determinism at its most trivial
Saturday 7 December 2013

There is little evidence to suggest differences between male and female brains are caused by anything other than cultural factors.

A photo issued by University of Pennsylvania researchers showing intra-hemispheric connections (blue) and inter- hemispheric connections (orange) in men's and women's brains. Male top row, female bottom row. 

oldest public toilet

The oldest public toilet ever revealed as thousands of fossilised dinosaur poos are discovered
The 240-million-year-old 'communal latrine' was discovered in Argentina
Large piles of faeces warned predators a big herd was nearby
The stools contain fascinating insights into extinct plant life
1 December 2013

how humans evolve

'Humans evolved after a female chimpanzee mated with a pig': Extraordinary claim made by American geneticist
Dr Eugene McCarthy points to features that distinguish us from primates
He says that the only animals which also have these features are pigs
Controversial hypothesis has been met by significant opposition
30 November 2013
人類從哪來！？美遺傳學家：豬與黑猩猩交配而來...
人類從哪來？根據西方的解釋人類是由上帝創造，但大部分人相信人類是由遠猴進化，至今仍沒有確切證據可以證明或解釋「人類從何而來」？近日，美國一位遺傳學家主張了一項驚人的理論，指「人類」是由黑猩猩與豬交配而產生的物種。
根據英國《每日郵報》（Daily Mail）報導，美國喬治亞大學的遺傳學家麥卡錫（Eugene McCarthy）一直是研究動物雜交方面的專家，近日他發表一項主張，震驚生物學界。
麥卡錫表示，過去到現在有不少科學家透過基因證據指出，靈長類動物是最接近人類的「親戚」，但人類無毛的皮膚和厚厚的皮下脂肪、濃密的睫毛和淺色眼睛以及突出的鼻子，卻不是靈長類動物身上會出現的特徵。
而這些特徵反而可以在「豬」的身上被發現，更何況豬的皮膚與心臟瓣膜可以移植到人體。
雖然大家質疑黑猩猩的基因與豬的器官，與人類的關係，對此，麥卡錫說，只要推翻雜交無法生育這個錯誤的論點，一切都可以解釋，因此提出「人類的祖先是黑猩猩與豬雜交的後代」這個論點。
但仍有不少生物學家對這說法嗤之以鼻，有生物學家反駁，豬的精子根本無法辨認黑猩猩的卵子，因為分子差異問題這是不可能的事，且黑猩猩有48條染色體，豬只有38條，絕對不可能交配成功！

ufo

Devon knows what it is: UFO mystery as bizarre flying saucer shape is captured in the sky above West Country wind farm
Mysterious object captured hovering above Fullabrook wind farm in Devon
It was caught on camera by a professional photographer last Saturday
Grey-coloured shape can be seen floating above turbines in broad daylight
1 December 2013

全球海岸線「大移位」?

Would YOUR house be underwater? Terrifying map reveals the devastation that would occur if ALL the world's ice melted
The Earth contains around five million cubic miles of ice and 80 per cent of this is in East Antarctica ice sheet alone
Scientists believe it would take more than 5,000 years for all the Earth’s ice to melt
Earth hasn't been ice-free since the Eocene epoch - a period of increased temperatures 34 million years ago
If this was repeated, sea levels could rise by 216 feet changing shorelines and engulfing entire cities worldwide
National Geographic has created a series of maps showing what continents would look like if the Earth’s ice melted
6 November 2013
Ice sheets surrounding the North and South poles make up 10 per cent of our entire planet’s surface, and it’s thought Earth contains five million cubic miles of frozen water - so what would happen if it all melted? National Geographic has created a series of interactive maps demonstrating the catastrophic effect Earth’s ice could cause if it melted and flowed into the oceans and seas. This could cause sea levels to rise by 216 feet, devouring cities and even countries all the while drastically altering how continents and coastlines look, and wiping out entire populations.

If these ice sheets melted, the rest of the world would be affected. In Europe, pictured, cities including London and Venice would be lost underwater, as would the whole of the Netherlands and most of Denmark. It would also cause the Mediterranean to expand and swell the Black and Caspian Seas

How Britain would look if the ice sheets melted. A large proportion of the country would be left underwater

Scientists believe it could take around 5,000 years for temperatures to rise significantly enough to melt all the ice on the planet, but claim the planet is already seeing the beginnings of this. Over the past century, reports suggest the Earth's temperature has increased by around half a degree Celsius and, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this has already caused sea levels to rise by around seven inches. The largest concentrations of ice on Earth are found in Greenland and Antarctica but it is also found on exposed areas, on mountain tops and in other regions. The East Antarctica ice sheet, for example, is so large it contains around 80 per cent of all the ice on the planet and its size has protected it previously during warmer periods in Earth’s history. This includes during the Eocene epoch - a period of increased global temperatures that lasted from 56 to 34 million years ago. During this period of time, little to no ice was present on Earth and there was little difference in temperature at the equator compared to the poles. Warming oceans are already melting the floating ice sheet in west Antarctica and since 1992, National Geographic reports the sheet has lost around 65 million metric tonnes of ice each year. The ice sheets in Greenland and west Antarctica shrank significantly during the epoch and if temperatures were to rise in a similar manner again, the ice sheets across the regions could disappear into the sea completely.

The last time the Earth was ice-free was 34 million years ago during the Eocene epoch. If this happened again, the entire Atlantic seaboard in the U.S would vanish, wiping out Florida and the Gulf Coast. While the hills in San Francisco would become islands and San Diego would be lost forever
If these sheets melted, it would create a knock-on effect for the rest of the world. In Europe, for example, cities including London and Venice would be lost underwater, as would the whole of the Netherlands and most of Denmark. It would also cause the Mediterranean to expand and swell the Black and Caspian Seas.

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The EPA claims that overall ice reduction depends on several factors, including the rate at which levels of greenhouse gases rise and how global temperatures react to this increase in gas.

The largest concentrations of ice on Earth are found in Greenland and Antarctica, pictured. Warming oceans are already melting the floating ice sheet in west Antarctica and since 1992, National Geographic reports the sheet loses around 65 million metric tonnes each year. If they melted it could cause the sea levels to rise globally by 216 feet 
This rise in greenhouse gases could be caused by humans, as National Geographic explained: ‘If we burn all the Earth’s supply of coal, oil, and gas, adding some five trillion more tonnes of carbon to the atmosphere, we’ll create a very hot planet with an average temperature of perhaps 80 degrees Fahrenheit instead of the current 58. Large swaths of it might become too hot for humans.’ This would make the Earth ice-free for the first time in 34 million years. If this happened, the entire Atlantic seaboard in the U.S would vanish, wiping out Florida and the Gulf Coast. While the hills in San Francisco would become islands and San Diego would be lost forever. In the east, China and Bangladesh would both be completely flooded, wiping out around 760 million people based on current population levels.The coastlines of India would also be reduced. Whereas in South America, the Amazon Basin and the Paraguay River Basin would both become Atlantic inlets and this would wipe out Buenos Aires, coastal Uruguay, and some of Paraguay. The only areas that would survive are mountainous stretches along the Caribbean coast and in Central America. The other continents would escape a little more lightly, but would still be affected.

In the east, parts of Asia, including China and Bangladesh would be completely flooded, wiping out around 760 million people based on current population levels. Parts of India's coastline would also be lost and eroded inland. National Geographic said: 'If we burn all the Earth's supply of coal, oil, and gas, adding some five trillion more tonnes of carbon to the atmosphere, we'll create a very hot planet with an average temperature of perhaps 80 degrees Fahrenheit instead of the current 58'  In Africa, for example, Egypt, Alexandria and Cairo would be flooded but the continent wouldn’t lose as much of its land to the rising seas. National Geographic claims the Earth’s rising heat ‘might make much of it inhabitable’ though.
Australia would gain a new inland sea but it ‘would lose much of the narrow coastal strip where four out of five Australians now live.’
SOURCES: Philippe Huybrechts, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Richard S Williams, JR., Woods Hole Research center; James C. Zachos, University of Claifornia, Santa Cruz; USGS; NOAA, ETOPO1 Bedrock, 1 Arc-Minute Global Relief Model © SEPTEMBER 2013 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

WHAT WAS THE EOCENE EPOCH?

The Eocene epoch was a period of increased global temperatures that lasted from 56 to 34 million years ago.

During this period of time, little to no ice was found on Earth and there was little difference in temperature at the equator compared to the poles.

The planet slowly cooled as carbon dioxide from the air locked inside seafloor sediments.

During this decrease ice began to reappear at the poles, and the Antarctic ice sheet began to expand rapidly. 

全球海岸線「大移位」　各國首都淪海底都市...？

國際中心／綜合報導

如果全球5百萬立方英哩的冰層融解，海平面上升66公尺，全球海岸線「大移位」將造成未來全球多個沿海城市即將被海水淹沒形成「海底都市」，甚至歐洲幾個國家將面臨亡國的危機。

根據英國《每日郵報》（Daily Mail）報導，近日，美國《國家地理雜誌》(National Geographic)揭示了一個「可怕」的世界版圖，由美國地質調查局、布魯塞爾自由大學（Vrije Universiteit Brussel）、加州大學、美國非政府組織「林洞研究中心」（Woods Hole Research Center）等研究製成，推算500萬立方哩冰層全部融化時，地球表面平均溫度上升12度、海平面上升66公尺，人類將面臨全球海岸線「大移位」地危機。

儘管科學家表示，距離地球上所有冰雪消融還需5千年的時間，但假如人類繼續放縱碳排放量的增加，這可能導致地球時隔3千萬年會再次出現一個沒有冰雪的世界！

報導指出，這個全新的世界地圖面貌揭示，全球多個沿海城市即將被海水淹沒形成「海底都市」，其中亞洲地區台灣北部、西南部，平地幾乎都被淹沒只剩下高山。

而擁有6億人口的大陸華北、華東、華南沿海一帶大城上海、天津、北京、濟南、青島、香港、澳門未來將消失在世界圖上。接著，東北亞地區包含北韓、南韓與日本則會失去約4分之1的土地，其中日本首都東京會變成海底都市，北海道與札幌會形成兩座島嶼。

再來是，東南亞地區菲律賓的首都馬尼拉也無倖免遭海水淹沒，且菲律賓會失去一半的國土。新加坡則會變成小島，而將面臨亡國危機地則是馬爾地夫與有著1.6億人口的孟加拉，幸運的內陸國家不丹和尼泊爾則沒有損失土地，但便成了臨海國家。

歐美方面，美國東岸和西岸成為「重災區」！報導指出，佛羅里達州以及第四大城休士頓、波士頓、紐奧良將被淹沒，而圍繞舊金山的高山將變成小島，連英國倫敦也會消逝。

歐洲方面還有愛爾蘭僅剩數個島嶼，丹麥首都哥本哈根也會成為海底都市，丹麥最後只剩下一座小島，以及荷蘭跟比利時則會「亡國」，至於義大利的威尼斯與羅馬也將從世界地圖上消失。

科學家表示，海平面上升66公尺，許多港灣變得更深更廣，其中科威特將被淹沒，波斯灣將深入伊拉克，至於地中海與黑海、裏海會相連。

此外，巴西將會有大量海水灌入，使得亞馬遜森林成為沿海的紅樹林。至於非洲埃及首都開羅也會遭到淹沒以及澳洲大陸則會大「縮水」，內陸出現一個大湖泊，有5分之4的沿岸地區將被淹沒。

科學家表示，南極洲自1992年平均每年減少6千5百萬立方公噸的海冰，若情況持續，專家相信到2100年，海平面會升近1公尺，雖然估計至少要5千年全球冰層才會融化，但如果人類繼續放任碳排放量的問題，恐怕會使地球變為「熱球」加快冰層融化！

negotiating the stars

Stargazing in Scotland: a holiday where dark skies are welcome
Our writer enlists an astronomer to get to grips with negotiating the stars – and the 300-square-mile Dark Sky Park in Galloway, Scotland, the first such place in Britain

Murray's Monument, in Galloway Dark Sky Park.

bushfires

October 25, 2013
Night watch: firefighters on the spot after dark

Monday 21 October 2013
Australian bushfires: NSW premier calls a state of emergency – in pictures
Blazes continue to burn through the state as rural fire service chief warns three big fires could join together, endangering the entire Blue Mountains

Air quality: 'hazardous' rating for parts of New South Wales as bushfires rage
Residents urged to stay indoors when possible and people with asthma and damaged lungs warned to be extra careful

Worst NSW fires in a decade 19 Oct
As 100 fires burn across NSW a total of 34 remain uncontained and hundreds of homes have been destroyed. A man has died while trying to defend central coast home and the historic central coast village of Catherine Hill Bay has been severely damaged.

Australia bushfires: smoke over Sydney - in pictures
Bushfires on three flanks of Sydney, fanned by high, erratic winds in unseasonably warm weather, sent thick plumes of smoke and ash across the city.

紐約巨石陣

紐約巨石陣
2013年05月31日 美國紐約有所謂的「曼克頓巨石陣」(Manhattanhenge)景象，意指日落位置剛好與街道平行，令太陽看來被夾在摩天大樓群之間。此美景每年有兩次觀賞機會，分別為5月底及7月中，但去年7月因天氣欠佳，夕陽黯然，今年則天朗氣清，吸引民眾拍照。(路透社)
"Manhattanhenge" occurs when the setting sun aligns itself with the east-west grid of streets in Manhattan, allowing the sun to shine down all streets at the same time.

People take pictures of the sunset on 42nd street in New York City, during the biannual occurrence named ''Manhattanhenge'', May 29, 2013. ''Manhattanhenge'', coined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, occurs when the setting sun aligns itself with the east-west grid of streets in Manhattan, allowing the sun to shine down all streets at the same time.

gay population

Gay Britain: what do the statistics say?
How many people in the UK are gay, lesbian or bisexual? The Office for National Statistics reckons it's 1.5% while the Kinsey report says it's 10%. Who's right?

We've got the numbers on sexuality in the UK but are they reliable?

For every 100 people in Britain, just 1 will identify themselves as gay or lesbian according to the latest government statistics. The numbers (which include gender, location and age) may come as a surprise - but why?

1.5% of the UK?

In its 'Integrated Household Survey', the Office for National Statistics asks 178,197 people about their sexual identity - and the vast majority of them choose to answer.

93.5% of people said they were 'heterosexual' or 'straight', just 1.1% said they were 'gay' or 'lesbian' and 0.4% said they were bisexual. The small fraction that was left either refused to answer or said they didn't know. Altogether, amounts to about 545,000 homosexual and 220,000 bisexual adults in the UK.

The claim that just 1.5% of people in Britain are gay, lesbian or bisexual will come as a surprise to some - even perhaps those in government. When they were analysing the financial implications of the new Civil Partnerships Act, the Treasury estimated it was 6%. Stonewall, a gay rights charity reckon that 5-7% "is a reasonable estimate".

10% of the US?

Do those figures seem low? One reason they might is that the number one in ten has long-persisted in popular culture as a reliable guesstimate of homosexuality rates...

... One possible explanation

The more detailed breakdown of responses is revealing - it points to a potential problem with the survey. Maybe the huge differences between people's estimates about the size of the gay population and their responses about their own sexual identification is about more than just bad guesses. Maybe it reveals the extent to which taboos persist (particularly for older people and those living in more conservative parts of the country) so individuals remain reluctant to tell the truth - a reluctance that manifests itself in under-estimates about personal sexual identity and over-estimates about other people's.

melting glaciers?

Melting glaciers will only have a 'minor' role in future sea level rises, scientists claim
·  Scientists feared water which trickles down through ice could speed up the movement of glaciers as it acts as lubricant between the ice and the ground
·  However, they discovered this process will probably only have a minor role in sea level rises compared to iceberg carving and surface melt
·  Lubrication will add less than five per cent of the total projected contribution to sea level rises from the Greenland ice sheet 12 August 2013

The lubricating effect of melting water on glaciers will have only a ‘minor’ role in future sea level rises, according to new research. Scientists had feared that melt water which trickles down through ice could dramatically speed up the movement of glaciers as it acts as a lubricant between the ice and the ground it moves over. But a team from the University of Bristol found it is likely to have a minor role in sea level rises, compared with other effects such as iceberg production and surface melt.

The lubricating effect of melting water on glaciers will have only a 'minor' role in future sea level rises, according to new research Results from computer modelling - based on fieldwork observations in Greenland - revealed that lubrication will add less than five per cent of the total projected contribution from the Greenland ice sheet. Some simulations found the lubricating effect could even have a negative impact on sea level rise - leading to a lowering of sea level when the other major factors were ignored.

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Sarah Shannon, from the University of Bristol, was lead author of the research, which was published in Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America (PNAS). ‘This is an important step forward in our understanding of the factors that control sea level rise from the Greenland ice sheet,’ Dr Shannon said.

Scientists had feared that melt water which trickles down through ice could dramatically speed up the movement of glaciers as it acts as a lubricant between the ice and the ground it moves over

‘Our results show that melt-water-enhanced lubrication will have a minor contribution to future sea level rise. Future mass loss will be governed by changes in surface melt water runoff or iceberg calving.’
 Previous studies of the effects of melt water on the speed of ice movement assumed the water created cavities at the bottom of ice masses.
 These cavities filled with water which lifted the ice slightly and acted as a lubricant, speeding up flow.
The theory led scientists to think that increased melt water would lead directly to more lubrication and a consequent speeding up of the ice flow.
 But the Bristol study took into account observations indicating larger amounts of melt water may form channels beneath the ice that drain water away.
 This would reduce the water's lubricating effect.
 The research concluded that the effect on sea level is small, regardless of whether melt water increases or decreases.Dr Shannon added:
 ‘We found that the melt water would lead to a redistribution of the ice, but not necessarily to an increase in flow.’ 
The findings are part of research undertaken through the European-funded ice2sea programme.

WHAT DID THE RESEARCHERS FIND?

Scientists had feared that melt water which trickles down through ice could dramatically speed up the movement of glaciers by acting as a lubricant between the ice and the ground.

The researchers found that this is not likely to be the case because a lot of the water runs off through channels meaning it does not act as a lubricant.

Therefore, it is likely to have a minor role in sea level rises compared with other effects, such as iceberg production and surface melt.

Lubrication will add less than five per cent of the total projected contribution to sea level rises from the Greenland ice sheet.

Results from computer modelling revealed that lubrication will add less than five per cent of the total projected contribution to sea level rises from the Greenland ice sheet
Earlier research from ice2sea found changes in surface melting of the ice sheet will be the major factor in sea level rise contributions from Greenland.
Professor David Vaughan, ice2sea co-ordinator based at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge, said: ‘This is important work but it's no reason for complacency. While this work shows that the process of lubrication of ice flow by surface melting is rather insignificant, our projections are still that Greenland will be a major source of future sea-level rise.
‘As we have reported earlier this year, run-off of surface melt water directly into the ocean and increased iceberg calving are likely to dominate.’

modern world

Jonathan Franzen: what's wrong with the modern world 
While we are busy tweeting, texting and spending, the world is drifting towards disaster, believes Jonathan Franzen, whose despair at our insatiable technoconsumerism echoes the apocalyptic essays of the satirist Karl Kraus – 'the Great Hater' ...

Jonathan Franzen confesses to 'feeling some version of [Karl Kraus's] disappointment when a novelist who I believe ought to have known better succumbs to Twitter'.

royal mail

Government to float Royal Mail on stock exchange 'in the coming weeks'
Sell-off of 497-year-old postal service is most contentious privatisation since British Rail two decades ago

月球吸塵機

2013年9月8日 星期日 美射「月球吸塵機」 試激光通訊 【明報】美國太空總署（NASA）上周五（6日）晚發射一枚「月球吸塵機」到太空，這具月球大氣與塵埃環境探測器（LADEE）將探測月球塵埃和其稀薄的大氣層，研究月球表面塵埃所產生的神秘發光現象，並作月球和地球間激光傳輸實驗。 解塵埃由來曙暮輝現象 月球上的塵埃對當年登月的美國太空人帶來很大麻煩，因為這些帶有黏性的粗糙塵埃，曾幾乎拖垮登月所用的設備，例如弄破了保存月球岩石樣本的密封箱。這些漂浮在月球上空的塵埃成分及它們是如何到達那裏，一直未有答案，此次任務將是為那些謎題提供答案的絕佳契機。 LADEE從弗吉尼亞州的瓦勒普斯航天發射場發射，將花30天時間進入環月軌道，之後於離月面20至60公里的上空作監測。LADEE的塵埃傳感器同時會用來找出月球地平線上曙暮輝現象形成的原因，將觀測月塵微粒對光造成的影響，為該神秘輝光的形成找出直接證據。 其他儀器將負責尋找由月岩釋放出的硅、鎂等元素，甚至是彗星沉積在月球上的甲烷、二氧化碳氣體等。 研太空寬頻可行性 LADEE的另一項重要測試，是地月間高速激光傳輸實驗。這是由NASA設計的一種全新激光通訊系統，用作在太空傳送寬頻數據。稍早時間NASA曾將傳世名畫《蒙娜麗莎》的圖像輸送到月球偵察軌道器上，這是人類首次利用激光在星際間作圖像數據傳輸，但速率還很低。據稱LADEE能使傳輸速率猛增，為日後的星際間高帶寬頻埋下伏筆。 100天後撞月球 在100天後當燃料耗盡，太空總署會控制LADEE撞向月球表面，結束任務，下降期間仍會分析月球「外逸層」（exosphere，即極稀薄的大氣層）。 今次項目總耗資2.63億美元（約20.5億港元），它有別於NASA通常的做法──它不是以往派上月球軌道專供探月使用的一次性用品，而是借鑑了商業衛星組件化概念，組件間可互換或按需要定製，例如改換一下配置就可用於檢測太陽，甚至是登陸小行星，有望節省成本。

travel websites

Top travel websites: HotelsWeLove.com
With the feel of a travel writer's notebook, this clear new site gives inspiration on where to stay, play and get a cultural fix

HotelsWeLove.com

starved polar bear

Starved polar bear perished due to record sea-ice melt, says expert
Climate change has reduced ice in the Arctic to record lows in the past year, forcing animals to range further in search of food Tuesday 6 August 2013

This 16-year-old male polar bear died of starvation resulting from the lack of ice on which to hunt seals.

A starved polar bear found found dead in Svalbard as "little more than skin and bones" perished due to a lack of sea ice on which to hunt seals, according to a polar bear expert.

Climate change has reduced sea ice in the Arctic to record lows in the last year and Dr Ian Stirling, who has studied the bears for almost 40 years and examined the animal, said the lack of ice forced the bear into ranging far and wide in an ultimately unsuccessful search for food.

"From his lying position in death, the bear appears to simply have starved and died where he dropped," Stirling said. "He had no external suggestion of any remaining fat, having been reduced to little more than skin and bone."

The bear had been examined by scientists from the Norwegian Polar Institute in April in the southern part of Svalbard, an Arctic island archipelago, and appeared healthy. The same bear had been captured in the same area in previous years, suggesting that the discovery of its body, 250km away in northern Svalbard, represented an unusual movement away from its normal range. The bear probably followed the fjords inland as it trekked north, meaning it may have walked double or treble that distance.

Polar bears feed almost exclusively on seals and need sea ice to capture their prey. But 2012 saw the lowest level of sea ice in the Arctic on record. Prond Robertson, at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, said: "The sea ice break up around Svalbard in 2013 was both fast and very early." He said recent years had been poor for ice around the islands: "Warm water entered the western fjords in 2005-06 and since then has not shifted."

Stirling, now at Polar Bears International and previously at the University of Alberta and the Canadian Wildlife Service, said: "Most of the fjords and inter-island channels in Svalbard did not freeze normally last winter and so many potential areas known to that bear for hunting seals in spring do not appear to have been as productive as in a normal winter. As a result, the bear likely went looking for food in another area but appears to have been unsuccessful."

Scientists are tracking polar bears with radio collars in Svalbard, Norway, to monitor their search for food.

Research published in May showed that loss of sea ice was harming the health, breeding success and population size of the polar bears of Hudson Bay, Canada as they spent longer on land waiting for the sea to refreeze. In February, a panel of polar bear experts published a paper stating that rapid ice loss meant options such the feeding of starving bears by humans needed to be considered to protect the 20,000-25,000 animals that remain.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature's expert group states that of the 19 populations of polar bear around the Arctic, data is available for 12. Of those, eight are declining, three are stable and one is increasing.

barbecue recipes

Barbecue recipes: 10 of the best for a hot summer day
The sun is out, the drinks are on ice. Yes, it's time to fire up the barbie and try out one of our experts' perfect barbecue recipes

planet-wide portrait

Smile! Nasa to attempt long-distance portrait of Earth from Saturn 
On Friday Nasa's Cassini spacecraft will take a picture of Earth and its six billion inhabitants from 1.44bn kilometres away

Earth viewed from near space. Nasa will take the planet's picture from the Cassini spacecraft as it orbits Saturn.

Say 'cheese' for a planet-wide portrait 
July 19, 2013
video: NASA’s Saturn-orbiting space probe, Cassini, will take a natural-colour snapshot of Earth from a distance of almost 1.5 billion kilometres away. Science columnist Peter Spinks and Swinburne University astrophysicist, Francesco Pignatale discuss what we will see.
It's the photo-opportunity of a lifetime. Between 7.27am and 7.42am on Saturday (AEST), NASA's Saturn-orbiting space probe, Cassini, will take a series of high-resolution, natural-colour snapshots of Earth from the mind-blowing distance of almost 1.5 billion kilometres. But don't fret if your hair is out of place for the planet-wide portrait: the space camera will point not at us but those lucky Americans, with smiles as wide as a grand canyon. "North America and part of the Atlantic Ocean will be in sunlight – leaving Australia, unfortunately, on the wrong side of the world," says Swinburne University astrophysicist Sarah Maddison. "Nevertheless, it's the idea that counts. So smile anyway," she recommends.
Cassini spacecraft poised for Earth's ultimate selfie

 

CASSINI SPACECRAFT POISED FOR EARTH'S ULTIMATE SELFIE

NASA's Saturn-orbiting space probe Cassini, seen here in an artist's impression with the European Space Agency's Huygens probe attached underneath, will take a series of high-resolution, natural-colour snapshots of Earth from the mind-blowing distance of almost 1.5 billion kilometres.

The interplanetary portrait, the first to be taken without ultraviolet or infrared filters, will be helped by a unique version of an outer solar system eclipse in which the sun's glowing dial tucks away safely behind Saturn.
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This photo-artwork will be short on detail: Earth, after all, will be a trifling 1.5 pixels wide – with the illuminated part less than a pixel across – from Cassini's remote vantage point, 1.44 billion kilometres off.
The Earth image will form part of a mosaic, or multi-image gallery, of the Saturnian system being composed by Cassini, named after the Italian astronomer who made discoveries about the ringed planet and its multiple moons.
Be warned, though, this is no instant Earth snap: it will be some time before any images are released. "A narrow-angle picture will take a few days," says the initiator of the Earth-image project and leader of Cassini's imaging team, Carolyn Porco of the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado.
"A small version of the mosaic will take about three weeks," Dr Porco explains. "And, the big, full mosaic of the all the rings, with Earth, will be ready in roughly two months."
Expected result
Like the old Apollo-era shots of Earth rising, tomorrow's picture will show our home orb as little more than a pale blue speck perched precariously in deep space between Saturn's delicate rings.
"And yet here, in our solar system's habitable zone, our planet can sustain life," Associate Professor Maddison notes.
"The day the Earth smiled", as the event has been dubbed, offers a sense of the amazing scope and achievements of space science, she points out. "To be able to send a human-built spacecraft nearly 1.5 billion kilometres away, have it orbit another planet and do amazing science – for 15 years in the case of Cassini – is a remarkable feat."
Ring research
Although the Earth picture itself is of little scientific significance, the spacecraft's position, lurking in Saturn's shadow, will provide a backlit view of the rings – enabling researchers to scrutinise variations in their shape, colour and brightness. This will shed light on the ring composition.
"Cassini has a broad range of instruments for investigating the origin, evolution, dynamics and composition of Saturn's atmosphere, rings and moons," says another Swinburne astrophysicist, Francesco Pignatale.
As the sun will be blocked out by Saturn, more light-sensitive equipment can be used, CSIRO astrophysicist Kurt Liffman explains: "In 2006, a new ring was discovered under similar circumstances and more detailed images were obtained of Saturn's E-ring."
Throughout much of human history, the planets have been regarded as tiny, bright, wandering points of light in the sky, says Swinburne University astronomer Chris Fluke. "Now it is the Earth's turn."
Few opportunities have arisen for photographing Earth from the solar system's outer suburbs, he notes: "So, it's great that the spacecraft can take time out from its scientific schedule tomorrow to take a rare portrait of our home planet."
From a scientific standpoint, the picture will demonstrate the progress made by space science, Mr Pignatale adds: "As well as sending humans into space and robotic probes to the outer solar system, we are now able to take a 'self-portrait' of ourselves from afar."
Rationale
The new image will not be the most distant snap taken of Earth. That was achieved on 14 February 1990 when NASA's Voyager 1 probe, now leaving the solar system, imaged our planet from beyond the orbit of Neptune, roughly 6 billion kilometres away.
Scientists also observed Earth among Saturn's rings in September 2006, in a mosaic that has become one of Cassini's most popular images. "Since then, I wanted to do it all over again – only better," says Dr Porco, Cassini's imaging team leader.
To realise this, she and members of the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations in Boulder, Colorado, studied the flight plan to find a time when Earth would not be obstructed by Saturn or its rings. Tomorrow offered the best chance for Cassini to fly in Saturn's shadow, and collect different types of images of the planet and its ring system.
"What also makes this so special is that we're letting everyone know ahead of time," Dr Porco explains. "This will be the first time people of the world will know in advance that their picture is being taken from a billion miles away."
She adds: "I wanted this to happen so it would serve as a day to celebrate life on planet Earth and our accomplishments in exploring the solar system."

space junk

Putting the 'tip' in tipping point: Could giant umbrellas, nets, harpoons and magnets capture the cloud of space junk scientists warn risks trapping us on Earth? 'We've lost control of the environment' warns author of new report Up to 370,000 objects shrouding Earth, traveling at up to 22,000mph Continual collisions pose 'potentially catastrophic risk' to astronauts

Junk cloud: this computer-generated Nasa graphic shows objects of space junk in Earth's orbit that are currently being tracked - hundreds of thousands more are not being tracked

the size of the objects has been exaggerated in this CG image to add emphasis to the threat




18/07/13
Science Matters: Trashing space junk
NASA has chosen a Sydney based company, Saber Astronautics to participate in a special test flight to test their tether deployer, or DragEN for short, to prevent space junk from building up by safely de-orbiting decommissioned satellites. Science columnist Peter Spinks talks to the people behind the project.

手繪板凳

2013年6月30日 星期日
【明報】觸木/ Touch Wood﹕五十年木匠 工而優則教
英文「Touch Wood」，有驅散噩運的意思，有說和廣東話的「大吉利市」意思相近。無論如何，木頭和人類的關係可說是唇齒相依，由原始人鑽木取火，到用木搭建房屋，利用木筏渡河，製作家具，以至各種藝術設計等，木都是不可或缺的材料，故此本欄目命名為「觸木 Touch Wood」，正希望把一些和木有關的人、事和地方，以至簡單的DIY創作和各位讀者分享。 
今時今日說起家俬，選擇不外乎幾間品牌連鎖店，又或是一站式的室內設計公司，到頭來都是內地生產，然後幾個搬運工人到府上裝嵌。 想找些款式特別點的，唯有幫襯售賣入口家俬或懷舊二手單品的小店。 本地木工師傅？ 除了專門維修酸枝老件的師傅外，身懷傳統手藝的，可能多已是年近退休的前輩。 為了解一下幾十年來香港木工行業的概况，以及認識一下簡單的榫卯技巧，筆者特別訪問了在香港當了五十多年木匠的龍師傅。 
龍晚全師傅，十多歲起已在香港一家俬店當學徒，絕對是紅褲子出身。店舖初時在機利臣街，然後是駱克道，接着搬到了大佛口（即金鐘道與皇后大道東的岔路口），正如大家聽說過的師徒故事一樣，龍師傅也是由小幫工「執頭執尾」開始的。「嗰時師傅就係老闆，點會直接教你嘢？跟師兄磨木刨木開始囉！一路跟吓跟吓自己學，年幾之後就開始可以一手一腳做個五桶櫃啦！」 
十多歲入行 小幫工做起 「第一間家俬舖做了兩年幾就離開咗，跟師兄出去搵食，人工高啲嘛！」從此，由每件計的家俬，到室內裝修、寫字樓間隔，以至高級百貨公司及酒店的工程，眾師兄弟一直合作無間，各盡所能。「印象最深嘅工程？都唔少啊！康樂大廈入面有做過啦！希爾頓酒店啦！美麗華酒店啦！澳門都做過幾個地方，譬如葡京酒店入面一排排木櫃。嗰時澳門師傅多數剩係識做樟木櫳，其他都唔熟嘛，廣州嗰邊甚至做咗兩三年呀……」說起三四十年前的往事，龍師傅不禁流露出緬懷的笑容。「我二十零歲嗰時（即約五十年前），日薪四蚊，食飯大概四至六毫左右，租個牀位就每個月八蚊左右啦！」
現在聽起來匪夷所思的待遇，在當時社會而言，已算是能餬口有餘的工作。（筆者按﹕可惜當時並不流行拍照，師傅的作品都難以相片展示。） 現代求快 技藝無奈失傳 談到現今本地木工行業的轉變，在不少人大嘆工夫新不如舊之時，謙厚的龍師傅卻語帶諒解﹕「技巧差啲無法子啦！現在乜都要快，鑿窿呀！交指入榫之類係好，但摩打工具、氣釘等快好多，人家要求快起貨嘛，咁技巧慢慢就失傳囉！」原來技藝的流失，也不能盡怪現今師傅學藝不精，說來又是老問題，只因香港地價瘋狂，層層轉嫁之後，人人唯有錙銖必計，最短時間內賺取最大利益。無怪乎各式各樣講究精益求精的行業和手藝，在失衡價值觀之中，只能江河日下，難道這就是所謂的汰弱留強？ 
轉型工作坊導師 歲月不饒人，隨着視力轉差，已屆七十多歲的龍師傅早已慢慢退下來。不過世事難料，當日他漸漸無工開的時候，加入了灣仔聖雅各福群會的回收食物義工行列，慢慢和會內的工作人員和香港故事館（即灣仔藍屋）的成員認識後，才重新發掘出龍師傅的木匠身分，並逐漸幫助他轉型為工作坊導師，筆者便是和香港故事館合作時，和他一起到香港兆基創意書院任教工作坊而認識的。「難得有細藝梗好啦！從來冇諗過會教人，見到人學得開心，我都好閞心，起碼之後都有人知道吓呢方面知識嘛！」龍師傅一邊滿足地說，一邊興致勃勃和我商量之後木馬仔工作坊的事宜，誰說老手藝在香港已全無出路？所謂「山不轉路轉、路不轉人轉」，大家同意嗎？ 

龍師傅老工具
木刨（又稱手工刨）
木工劃線規（又稱勒筆）
木工鳥刨--用於刨平較仔細位置
木工一字刨--用於轉彎抹角位置 

板凳製作步驟
手繪板凳結構圖
 龍師傅教學用的手繪板凳結構圖，清楚易明 1. 先在凳面板量度並畫出榫眼適當位置，然後用木鑿開榫眼，榫眼寬度和木鑿之刀口寬度相同，並注意榫眼須成斜角而非垂直
2. 在凳腳頂部以活動角尺畫出榫頭之位置和角度，然後以手鋸或電鋸切割 3. 凳腳頂部之榫頭及橫撐之榫眼完成後，先量度一下位置是否正確
4. 先把凳腳橫撐槌入榫眼內，然後才可把凳腳頂部之榫頭槌入面榫眼內 5. 所有榫頭和榫眼之大小和角度必須正確才能脗合，此技術要有一定時間實踐方可掌握準確度
6. 所有榫頭和榫眼之間加上木膠便能更穩固
7. 板凳之榫頭需刨平
8. 製成後的板凳可按需要和喜好作打磨、塗光油或上色 如各位對木工班有興趣，可於fb搜尋「香港故事館HK House of Stories」專頁。 

作者簡介 王天仁，畢業於香港中文大學藝術系，以回收木卡板創作卡通動物雕塑超過十年，活躍於不同類型展覽、跨界合作和項目策劃，亦積極擔任教育工作，近來透過不同平台，以文字分享所見所想。 文、圖 天仁 （鳴謝香港故事館提供拍攝場地及部分工具照片）

監聽

2013年6月15日 星期六
美英加澳紐聯手 監聽全球通訊
【明報】美國龐大全球情報監控網曝光。內地《環球時報》報道，美國國安局（NSA）不但利用個人信息蒐集分析系統PRISM作網絡監控，更與英國、加拿大等國建立全球大型監控系統，其中美國及澳洲更分工合作，專門負責監聽中國，範圍涵蓋商業活動到國家領袖通訊。

監控涵蓋國家領袖通訊

《環球時報》稱，美國情報系統已發展至擁有17個公開單位，包括中央情報局（CIA）、國防情報局（DIA）及NSA等，其觸角早已伸向世界各地。報道引述《朝鮮日報》指出，早在1947年東西方冷戰展開之初，美國已提出「全球監控」構想，監聽對立的共產主義陣營。

美國同年與英國、加拿大、澳洲及新西蘭達成協議，組成「梯隊」（ECHELON）間諜系統，並根據各國地理位置及監聽能力分工。美國負責提供設備和建設資金，並負責監聽亞洲地區，包括中國北部及蘇聯的亞洲地區，以及部分拉美地區；澳洲負責中國南部和印度，新西蘭負責西太平洋地區，加拿大負責蘇聯的北極地區，英國則主要負責蘇聯烏拉爾山以西地區、非洲和歐洲。及後美國在德國、日本和韓國建立軍事基地，監控活動亦隨之擴展至有關地區。該系統一直未獲官方證實存在。

澳洲西岸基地 截取中國情報

報道稱，「梯隊」在全球最少有7個大規模基地，可監控世界上任何一個國家收發的電子通訊及各種無線電信號。《澳洲人報》披露，澳洲是「梯隊」系統太平洋地區重要環節，位於西岸的杰拉爾頓基地是其中一個監聽核心。該基地設有4個碟形衛星信號接收器，主要負責偵察在印度洋及太平洋上空軌道運行的國際通訊衛星，截取包括中國在內的亞太各國的政治、經濟、軍事情報。 此外，澳洲的松峽基地、諾福克島無線電接收站亦有情報收集設備，可全方位監測東亞及南亞地區軍事目標。

《紐約時報》則稱，美國駐韓美軍第501情報團為針對朝鮮地區的主要監控人員，對朝鮮半島所有部隊調動瞭如指掌，而且早在1975年就開始竊聽韓國總統府青瓦台，全面掌握朝鮮半島動向。

蝴蝶

2013-06-07
【頭條日報】落馬洲禁區現三罕見品種蝴蝶 香港雖有石屎森林的稱號，但仍存不少稀有物種。環保團體綠色力量在西貢白沙澳、荔枝莊，及落馬洲邊境禁區初步蝴蝶調查，錄得九十七個品種，佔全港三成七。包括八個罕見及三個非常罕見品種。在落馬洲邊境禁區則記錄得三十九個品種，包括三個罕見品種。 綠色力量高級環境事務經理單家驊表示，荔枝莊與白沙澳均位於偏遠的西貢邊陲，自然生態環境因此較完好保存下來。他們在兩地共紀錄九十七種蝴蝶品種，當中包括三種非常罕見品種，例如彌環蛺蝶、白斑嫵灰蝶等，及八種罕見品種，包括燕鳳蝶、電蛺蝶。 綠色力量亦在落馬洲邊境禁區，發現三十九種蝴蝶品種，包括三種罕見品種，如長標弄蝶、寬鍔弄蝶等。 但單家驊擔心，隨着近年濕地被人破壞發展及下周第二階段落馬洲禁區開放，這些不受郊野公園法例保護的珍貴蝴蝶棲息地正面臨威脅。綠色力量將每年七月十四日定為全城愛蝶日，並舉辦多項活動，讓市民認識及關注珍貴的蝴蝶。

白斑嫵灰蝶

電蛺蝶

綠色力量擔心蝴蝶棲息地面臨威脅。

d-day

D-Day anniversary commemorations begin in France
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France (AP) — Commemorations of the 69th annniversary of D-Day have begun with the stars-and-stripes being raised in a quiet ceremony at the American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach. Tourists, many from the U.S. and Britain, gathered in the still morning under a brilliant spring sky to witness the flag-raising amid the neat rows of thousands of white marble crosses and stars of David marking the graves of U.S. servicemen and women fallen in the Allied invasion of Normandy that began June 6, 1944. A full day of ceremonies including fireworks, concerts and marches is planned across Normandy Thursday in honor of the 150,000 troops, mainly US, British and Canadian, who risked or gave their lives in the liberation of German-occupied western Europe during World War II.
Visitors walk among the 9,387 graves at the Colleville American military cemetery, in Colleville sur Mer, western France, Thursday June 6, 2013, on the day of the commemoration of the 69th anniversary of the D-Day.

歐洲彩虹地圖

2013年5月18日 星期六 國際反恐同日 荷王后接「歐洲彩虹地圖」 【明報】國際反恐同日（International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia）會議周四起一連兩日在荷蘭海牙舉行，荷蘭新任王后麥克西瑪（Maxima‧左）從國家教育文化及科學部長畢斯馬克（Jet Bussemaker‧右）手中接過「歐洲彩虹地圖」，後者反映歐洲各國在承認同性戀、雙性戀和跨性別人士（即所謂的「LGBT」群體）上的情。 （法新社）

moon

Meteor strike with moon causes massive explosion 
The most powerful meteor strike on the moon ever observed has just been announced by NASA. A March 17 strike on the moon caused an explosion equal to five tons of TNT and could have seen with the naked eye, said Bill Cooke, head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "It exploded in a flash many times as bright as anything we've seen before," said Dr Cooke. Hundreds of meteoroid impacts on the moon, including the brightest detected on March 17, 2013, marked by the red square. Photo: NASA "Anyone looking at the moon at the moment of impact could have seen the explosion, no telescope required. For about one second the impact site was glowing like a fourth-magnitude star." Advertisement NASA's Lunar Impact Monitoring Program – now in its eighth year – has observed 300 strikes on the moon, according to manager Robert Suggs. "We have seen a couple of others in the "wow" category but not this bright," said Dr Suggs. "It jumped out at me. It was so bright." The impact was caused by a meteor only about 40 centimetres across, weighing about 40 kilograms, according to NASA. Its explosive impact came from its speed – 25 kilometres per second. It caused a 20-metre-wide crater, which will be photographed by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter on its next pass over the impact site. The meteor hit a part of the moon known as the Mare Imbrium, Latin for "Sea of Showers". Dr Suggs detected the strike on a video made by the program's 35-centimetre telescope. Because there is no atmosphere to vapourise incoming meteors – which is the case on Earth – strikes are very common on the moon and explain its cratered appearance. About half of the strikes are associated with major swarms of meteors such as the Perseids and the Geminds, according to NASA. The rest are random bits of space rock – comet or asteroid debris. NASA are trying to work out which category the March 17 strike falls into. On the same night as the impact, there were unusually large number of bright meteors observed in Earth's skies, said Dr Cooke. "These fireballs were travelling in nearly identical orbits between Earth and the asteroid belt," he said. "This means that the Earth and the moon were pelted with objects from about the same time. My working hypothesis is that the two events are related." On March 17 next year – when the Earth-Moon system passes through the same region of space – the program's astronomers will be keeping a close watch, said Dr Cooke.

An artist's illustration of a meteor impacting the moon, resulting in an explosion visible from Earth.



Hundreds of meteoroid impacts on the moon, including the brightest detected on March 17, 2013, marked by the red square.

綠色

綠是彩色：一地雜草都係寶

2013年05月11日
【蘋果日報】我最近寫的書，全部和死亡有關，不斷出入殮房、殯儀館、醫院，採訪了不少自殺家屬、孤兒寡婦，心理壓力大到爆燈。難過時，就會走到花園，摘幾粒桑子、看着檸檬慢慢長，再剪一枝朱頂紅插在書枱的玻璃杯。
這陣子連場大雨，野草在花園瘋狂開派對，拔草成了我的「心理治療」，寫稿寫到頭昏昏，拔兩把草當做運動。
只是讀了黃盛璘的漫畫書《草盛園》，原來野草也不用全部拔掉。

黃盛璘曾經在台灣漢聲雜誌、遠流出版當了二十多年編輯，後來在美國遊學取得園藝治療師的認證資格，2004年回台灣就開始從事園藝治療。我們都知道薰衣草好香，泡茶可以甜甜入睡，但在歐美國家薰衣草不過是門邊雜草，隨便長一大堆，可是來到濕熱亞洲，卻是矜貴難種。黃盛璘最特別，是從本地的雜草挑選可以用作治療的品種：「用來改善身、心、靈的植物，首要的條件是『生命力強』，也就是好種。」黃盛璘說，有甚麼比野草更有力？
先略略介紹園藝治療在香港的發展。早在2005年，香港園藝治療中心已經成立，2008年亦有香港園藝治療協會不斷開辦課程，受訓包括社工、教師、輔導員、職業治療師。園藝治療主要是透過種植，讓人們親近大自然，並且觸發視覺、嗅覺、味覺、聽覺、觸覺，從而治療情緒抑鬱、認知障礙等等，特別適合小朋友、長者、弱能人士或情緒受困的人們。
像在撒瑪利亞防止自殺會的防止自殺中心，便有一個小小的「心靈花園」，一些自殺者的家屬會一起種盆栽，那其實只是靠窗的一張長枱，居然也野心地種着沙律菜、車厘茄。
回到台灣，黃盛璘的一對朋友夫婦，渴望田園生活在山裏買了一塊地，也很歡迎黃盛璘去種植。她第一次去，風景好漂亮，女主人卻拿着鐮刀、男主人扛着割草機，正和野草搏鬥：「我女兒都叫這裏做『草盛園』，雜草怎都拔不光！」女主人苦笑：「『草盛園』這名字好好啊！」黃盛璘反而看中雜草的生命力。

一般人都以為野草是來「搶營養」的，會阻礙花卉或農作物，一定要拔光，可是野草的花也很美，不少野草不但可以食，更有藥用價值，就是因為長得太容易，而被嫌棄嗎？
黃盛璘說草其實是土壤很好的「外衣」，可以保護表土養份不被雨水沖走，也不怕烈日把泥裏豐富的微量元素曬死。她對着植物圖鑑找出名字和屬性，如果是一年生的，放心，不會無止境地長，如果那根是鬚根系的，也不用緊張，短短的鬚根正好抓住鬆動的表土。細細篩選後，黃盛璘在「草盛園」只拔掉三種草：越長越大叢的「芒草」、太強勢的「芒箕」，和繁殖力太驚人的「含羞草」。
黃盛璘又整理出「十種居家必備藥草」，對長者小孩都有突出的治療功效，同時又容易種、並且可以運用各式園藝技巧：播種、扦插、葉插及根莖繁殖等。這十種植物也盛長於香港：一：消炎聖品「左手香」、二：天然抗生素「魚腥草」、三：醫草「艾草」、四：居家良藥「蘆薈」、五：養眼良藥「薄荷」、六：抗氧化「番薯葉」、七：解酒提神「石蓮花」、八：養生大師「薑」、九：全身是寶「葱」、十：萬靈丹「蒜」。
例如黃盛璘會教腦退化的婆婆種薄荷，薄荷只是插枝就可以種，非常粗生，嗅着已經一陣香氣，泡茶，婆婆喝了緩緩想起小時爸爸也泡過喝。香港鄉間常見的魚腥草，摘時真的滿手魚腥臭，可是煲水後便沒有腥味，「草盛園」的男主人用來止咳，女主人呢，最愛用艾草泡浴。
香港人常看外國烹調節目，也想隨手摘香草，其實在這大熱天，最易在廚房窗邊種的，除了薄荷還有九層塔。在《草盛園》裏有一章：黃盛璘朋友的姐姐自殺了，黃盛璘帶着心情極壞的朋友上山去田裏。

在山裏一鏟一鏟地鏟土，朋友聽到了「安靜」，漸漸地，摸到泥土的感覺，看到遠近的山巒、感受到周圍涼涼的空氣。黃盛璘給了一把九層塔的種子，那是媽媽最喜歡拿來煮菜用的──朋友想起香氣、想起親人，童年記憶回來，原本零落四散的自己也像拼圖一樣，逐漸合攏過來：「我好像可以回去上班了。」朋友下山時說。
這就是大自然的力量。

「最似地球」行星

Kepler Discovers Smallest 'Habitable Zone' Planet
NASA's Kepler mission has discovered two new planetary systems that include three super-Earth-size planets in the "habitable zone," the range of distance from a star where the surface temperature of an orbiting planet might be suitable for liquid water.

The size of Kepler-62f is now measured, but its mass and composition are not. However, based on previous studies of rocky exoplanets similar in size, scientists are able to estimate its mass by association.


2013年4月20日 星期六
發現「最似地球」行星
距約1200光年 溫度適中或有水
【明報】天文學家表示，他們透過美國太空總署（NASA）的開普勒天文望遠鏡，觀測到太陽系外迄今「最似地球」的兩個行星，它們都位於「宜居帶」，溫度適中，可能還有水存在，或適合人類居住。太空總署專家格倫斯菲爾德指出，這一發現使「人類向找到一個類似家園的地方又走近了一點」。

研究員是觀察在距離地球約1200光年的天琴座開普勒-62（Kepler-62）恆星時，得出今次發現。

或有生命存在

開普勒-62恆星已有70億歲，有5個行星圍繞運行，當中開普勒-62e和開普勒-62f是最外圍的兩個。研究員在《科學》雜誌發表報告稱，這兩顆行星位於這個行星系統的「宜居帶」中，距離恆星的距離不太遠也不太近，由於溫度條件適宜，理論上其表面可能有液態水，甚至可能有少許大氣，亦意味那裏可能有生命存在。

專家稱，開普勒-62e和開普勒-62f的體積，分別為地球的1.6倍和1.4倍，受到的熱量輻射是地球的1.2倍和0.4倍，公轉周期分別為122天和267天，年齡比地球至少大20億歲。研究員相信，這兩顆行星主要是由岩石或冰構成的固態行星，其中62e氣溫估計較暖，甚至有水，偶爾可能也有閃電，至於62f可能有極地冰冠（polar cap）、大面積陸地和水。惟專家強調必須在獲得它們的相關大氣頻譜特性後，才能清楚它們是否真的宜居。

未知是否宜居

參與研究的其中一名天體物理學家說：「從其半徑和公轉周期看，這兩個行星是迄今我們發現的最像地球的系外行星。」天文學家利用開普勒望遠鏡，也發現位於天鵝座的行星系統開普勒-69，亦擁有宜居帶行星開普勒-69C。開普勒-69恆星的大小，為我們太陽的93％、亮度為太陽的80％，距地球約2700光年，而開普勒-69C行為的大小，約為地球的1.7倍，公轉周期為242天。

earth

Satellite eye on Earth: March 2013 – in pictures
Stunning scenes of clouds and ice in the Davis Strait, forest fires of Indochina and a dust storm over Egypt were among the images captured by European Space Agency and Nasa satellites last month

鴿

2013年4月14日 星期日 人鴿．分離 【明報】10多年前，H5N1禽流感肆虐香港，弄得人心惶惶。一人得病，雞鳥「升天」，百萬雞鳥遭撲殺，一了百了。 10多年過去，H7N9禽流感襲來，一如夢魘。「千山鳥飛絕，萬徑人蹤滅」，唐詩的肅殺意境再次來到現代時空。 上海的花鳥市場鳥去籠空，人民廣場內大群飛鴿被捉。N95口罩、板藍根，家家戶戶有備無患。 鳥南飛，鳥南返。我們靜待疫情散去，鳥兒將再次天上飛、籠裏唱，甚或變成盤中餐，鳥兒仍然是人類的好朋友。

鴿子橫空掠過上海人民廣場。

鴿子困在籠中，暫度鐵窗生涯。

上海地鐵車廂內市民口罩相對。

上海一個公園內設置了鐵籠誘捕鴿子。

市民對白鴿喝叱驅趕。

鴿子紛飛，路人掩鼻而過。 

上海人民廣場的「齊愛廣場鴿」標語，「齊愛」二字被綠色膠紙遮蓋。

氣候暖化

美研究：氣候暖化北極變綠
20130401  【明報 】
美研指伴隨全球氣溫升高，北極圈內的綠色植被面積將大幅增長。未來數十年北極圈林木面積或增加52%。
美國自然歷史博物館、康奈爾大學等機構的研究人員在新一期《自然氣候變化》雜誌報告說，他們根據全球未來氣溫增長趨勢，建立起一套預測今後數十年北極圈內的植被變化模型。
研究預測，未來數十年北極圈內近半數地表植被的種類將會改變，綠色植被範圍和林木覆蓋率將顯著增長。研究人員舉例說，在西伯利亞的部分地區，林木線將向北延伸數百哩。
研究人員表示，植被變化會持續影響北極生態環境，原本北極圈地表覆蓋的冰雪能將多數太陽光反射，而綠色植被卻能吸收大量太陽光，不斷增加的綠色植被可能導致北極地區氣溫進一步升高。
參與該研究的美國自然歷史博物館科學家皮爾遜說：「北極圈內如此大範圍的植被增長將對全球生態系統有不可逆轉的影響。」
（綜合）

傳染病地圖

傳染病地圖 追蹤病毒足迹
2013年3月10日星期日
 【明報】細菌病毒，看不見嗅不着，散播開去無聲無息，在空間狹窄、人與人接觸頻繁的城市裏，傳染病更是夢魘。 1980、90年代，香港人最聞之色變的傳染病大概是愛滋，同枱食飯、握手會不會有危險？ 傳染病學家李瑞山醫生一出道便研究愛滋病，91年到衛生署負責愛滋病監測和防治工作，努力教育公眾。 慢慢大家終於明白，其實連接吻也不會傳染。 03年後，港人夢魘轉成了SARS，從此每逢有人在巴士地鐵上咳嗽打噴嚏，總惹人側目；就算只是普通流感，誰都不想被飛沫惹上，過一星期苦日子。 因為防不勝防，所以恐懼。 如果將染病者的位置和染病時間記錄下來，標示在地圖上，疾病的足迹就顯得清楚分明了；從何開始、如何傳播，是防治和抗疫上不可或缺的資訊。 傳染病與空間的關係 2005年，李瑞山轉職中文大學醫學院，專研傳染病防治和教學，除老本行愛滋病外，開拓空間流行病學範疇。 「一般看傳染病都是有關數字，比較有趣但被人忽略的，是用空間層面去看，疾病和公共衛生跟地理分佈的關係，當中困難在過去數據不多。05年我開始蒐集資料時，問學術界朋友有無人畫傳染病地圖、有無人分析數據、用GIS（地理信息系統）睇疾病？原來無人做過。找到中大地理系同事，他說如果有興趣，就我們開始做啦！」 結果防治傳染病研究中心跟地理系合組成空間流行病學的研究小組SpatioEpi，上他們的網站，可以見到很多主題故事地圖，例如登革熱、結核病、流感、瘧疾在本港或世界其他地區的分佈和遷移，也包括環境與健康有關的分析，大至人口老化、糧食問題，小至社區內藥房數目、單車徑與意外、麥當勞與學校分佈的對照等，時有趣味發現。 「就這樣展示出來其實只是研究資料的副產品，傳染病研究需要了解各種因素之間的關係，包括地理空間分佈、人際關係網絡、以及病毒的基因分析，三者加起來，我覺得就是研究傳染病的將來。」 豬流感 SpatioEpi開展研究以來，2009年的豬流感可說是具備最充足數據作地理空間分析的一役。「當時政府好擔心爆發，處理方法有點似SARS，每有新確診個案都會記錄患者居住地點，並將資料放上網。6個月後發現豬流感殺傷力不大，才沒再做確診、登記背景數據等程序，但這6個月已有大約2萬宗個案，很足夠分析豬流感的擴散過程。」 散佈過程做成動畫 「通常人們會講美國的流感、香港的流感、英國的流感，好似每個地方都只是一個點，來到就來到，走就走，其實不然。這次是終於有機會比我們證明，就算香港咁細、千多平方公里的地方，對全世界的人來說只是一個小點，但一樣可以用GIS來睇這裏面的疾病傳播，佢一樣有個擴散方向，第一個個案如何進來，然後出現一些染病的群組，再由一區去到另一區，每區的散佈速度都不同；我們將這過程做成animation，也在國際上發表了4份相關研究，人們都很感興趣。」 追蹤城內擴散途徑，主要是想掌握防控措施的關鍵時間，「像這次豬流感，起初都追蹤到一條路線，大概是去到第5、6個月，才多向擴散至看不到pattern，但這幾個月已經可以做好多準備。如果將香港當是700萬人的社會，你會覺得咩都做唔到，因為每次發現新病毒，要生產疫苗都要等幾個月，點先可以找到方法一次過幫到700萬人？一定找不到。當你知道疾病傳播有方向同時間性，你就不需要短時間內全部嘢齊晒先控制到疫症，分階段做都有幫助。另一方面是配合其他研究單位的資料應用，例如當時某些學校停課，有否令流感傳播慢了？或學校重開時，有無擴散得更快？從不同角度印證監控措施的效用。」 新SARS 彈丸之地，過往沒人想到要去研究當中的病毒擴散方向，事實卻驗證，研究範圍細，才更見地理關係。人們在香港流動，只循陸路或短程水路交通，病毒總在鄰近地方擴散；但放大至國際層面看，病毒就會被航空旅客由地球的一邊帶到另一邊，點與點之間的連繫不明顯。「像這次新冠狀病毒（新SARS），我比較擔心的是目前數據不多，睇來睇去只有13宗個案，頭10個都在中東，之後就去了英國，患者有去過中東的紀錄，所以都可假設是由中東帶過去，但到了英國後的個案就不尋常了，是人傳人的，患者都是第11個個案的家人，可以推想，在中東也未必沒發生過人傳人的病例。」（編按：世衛在3月7日公布再有一名男子於沙特阿拉伯染病，最新確診個案為14宗。） 彈丸之地 地理關係更重要 與03年SARS相似的是，兩者都屬冠狀病毒引致的呼吸道感染、人傳人、而且死亡率高，「不同地方是它好像沒傳播得那麼易，一年來只有13宗，如果真的傳得很嚴重，就算收集數據的方式如何差、如何無效率，都不止這樣少。德國一項研究，對象是百多名曾經接觸染上新冠狀病毒的人（因其中一名患者被送到德國醫治），包括醫療工作者和患者家人，並無一人受感染，連血清裏都沒反應。03年SARS的恐怖在傳播效率好高，如果我有，同你面對面傾半小時偈，你都注定惹到的了，但家這個似乎無咁勁。」 傳得愈快 病毒愈短命 傳染病學裏一個有趣規律是，病毒愈傳得快、致命率高，無形中也加速了病毒自己的衰亡，「因為染病的人要生存到才能將病毒再傳比人，如果個病毒很快地殺了染病者，就算傳得快，都不能長期持續，患者會被wall off了。動物世界裏也是這樣，有研究過螞蟻如果感染了嚴重傳染病，傳得好快時，其他的螞蟻會避開病蟻，好慘的，在外圍成了一個圈，裏面的病蟻很快死掉，病毒就無法再傳落去。」病毒殺人時也在殺死自己？「對呀，所以最成功的細菌病毒就是殺你唔死那種，像結核病，幾千年了，埃及木乃伊裏面已經有，點解可以傳到今日？因為佢夠慢性，殺死一些人，又有一些人繼續傳落去，是一種愈來愈成功的微生物。HIV都是這樣，用藥後隻病毒仍在你體內，佢殺得慢，繼續在人類社會找到的機會就愈多。」 HIV 地理空間分佈並非在分析每種病毒時都合用，例如HIV的傳播與人類行為密切相關，包括性行為或吸毒者共用針筒等，這時要看的就是人際上的空間。「香港的愛滋病患者較多是男同性戀者，經吸毒感染的人數近乎零。男同志住在哪裏跟他們的疾病關係不大，他們到哪裏結識伴侶才是重點。我們的研究會問他們過去三個月到哪些地方找性伴侶，如果A、B、C君都習慣去同一間桑拿的，就算佢哋互不相識，都可以看成屬同一個人際網絡。」 香港有十多間男同性戀者慣去的桑拿，另外有酒吧，也有經不同網上平台找伴侶，研究團隊可從中歸納出幾種至十幾種社交模式；另一套研究就是針對已感染HIV的男同志，約訪問了百多人，問他們感染前去找伴侶的模式，發現社交模式相似的患者，所感染的HIV病毒基因形態都很相似，又印證出，以社交模式識別高危行為是有效途徑。然而，隨着網上社交普及，未來社交模式將會愈來愈難掌握，「過去大家都到桑拿識人，關注團體都曉得要去哪裏，久而久之大家都覺得桑拿危險，又有免費condom派，反而不太高危。現在男同志從網上識人，性行為可能在屋企，宣傳和研究就更難了。」 網上監測系統 全民助抗流感 傳播快、但殺傷力低，流感也是另一種得以存活多年的病毒，每年光在香港都感染成千上萬人；雖然致死個案不多，但對長者、免疫力低人士仍有一定危險，故此多國都有流感監測機制。香港過去主要由政府蒐集醫院的確診個案數字，「但這方法效率唔高，一來只有病得很嚴重的才會去醫院求診，二來拎到病毒樣本、做埋基因測試，等一輪才有一個確診個案，會遲，因此準確度不高。近年外國開始流行的做法是，不去監測確診流感，而是統計有流感徵狀的人的數目分佈。」 雙流感高峰 有關社交網絡？ 2011年研究團隊推出「EcSS網上流感監測站」，招攬市民登記成為義務社區監測員，系統會每周發電郵至登記者帳戶，回應幾條簡單問題，報告其本人及家人在過去一周有否出現發燒、咳嗽、流鼻水等徵狀。「原本我們都想睇空間分佈，但一年後發覺負擔唔起，因為要得出有意義的結果，大約要18區每區都有200人左右來報數才成，但我們的團隊沒這樣的人力物力處理。現在先當香港是一個整體，每星期有100至200人報數，得來的數據已夠用。」去年底他們就靠這套系統的資料，比衛生防護中心的官方公布早5周辨認出流感高峰期。 「流感季節至今仍是科學上的一個謎，北半球歐美國家全都只有冬天一季，香港卻有冬夏兩個流感季節，這是很奇怪的；有說寒冷地區的冬季人們傾向留在室內，流感是人傳人的疾病，多聚在室內就會散出去；但為何病毒總在冬天開始？我們未找到答案。而愈近赤道，人們雖然都有流感，卻愈沒有明顯的流感季節。純粹睇天氣亦唔通，香港跟深圳的天氣夠似了，但我們季節唔似，所以我覺得最主要的應該是社交網絡，因人的關係在不同季節的改變所造成。若能找出每個地方的流感季節如何形成，預防工作就會做得好好多，因為流感針只有數個月效力，隨時間降低，現時宣傳打流感針的時間只是好大概，如果流感季遲來了3個月，你打支針就變得無乜用了，這是我想做季節研究的第一步。」 SpatioEpi網址：www.spatioepi.com/index.asp
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penguins

How could you possibly find little Pingu in there? Picture captures penguin nursery in which thousands of huddled chicks wait for their parents to return with dinner
Huge group of emperor penguins pictured in South Georgia in Antarctica by photographer Mike Reyfman 10 March 2013 With their parents in the sea catching fish, thousands of junior emperor penguins are left huddled together to await dinner. But when their food-bearing parents return they may be presented with one slight problem - how to find their chick amongst the mass of youngsters. Despite the thousands of youngsters crowded together on this plain in South Georgia, the parents are incredibly able to locate their youngsters by detecting their individual calls...