Lost Civilization under Persian Gulf?

75,000 to 100,000 years ago, underneath the Persian Gulf, a once fertile landmass the size of Great Britain, may have supported the earliest human life. It then began to shrink due to flooding and was overtaken by the Indian Ocean until complete disappearance about 8,00 years ago. This article which I found on Yahoo!, stirs much debate amongst scientists over when humans exited Africa, which goes as far back as 125,000 years back or as early as 60,000 years back. Scientists also wonder which human inhabited this lost civilization. According to the article "Given the presence of Neanderthal communities in the upper reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates River, as well as in the eastern Mediterranean region, this may very well have been the contact zone between moderns and Neanderthals".  The location of this settlement would have been an ideal location, providing refuge from the surrounding deserts, and fresh water from the Tigris, Euphrates, Karun and Wadi Baton Rivers. The article also states: "These settlements boast well-built, permanent stone houses, long-distance trade networks, elaborately decorated pottery, domesticated animals, and even evidence for one of the oldest boats in the world."

Antarctic cruise ship is crashed

A cruise ship containing 88 passengers and 77 crew members in the Antarctic was crashed by massive waves. The was some damage to the ship and communication systems were lost for some time. Another ship nearby, the National Geographic Explorer, came to the rescue and accompanied the cruise ship and helped it restore communications. The cruise ship is headed back to the Port of Ushuaia , which is the southern most point of Argentina.

Cold and Flu Season

As I wake up this morning with body aches and sore throat, I find an article, How to fight colds and flu. The article offers some remedies you can take to help bolster your immune system.
 On the to do list:
- Vitamin D - According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, children who took Vitamin 2 supplements were 40% less likely to get the common flu virus then those kids who took the placebo. Although Vitamin D promotes bone health, studies indicate that the nutrient may help immune cells identify and destroys bacteria and viruses that make people sick.
- Green Tea- contains a potent plant antioxidants called, Polyphenol, which studies suggest may kill influenza viruses.
- Probiotics - this healthy bacteria, easily found in yogurt, suppress the growth of the "bad" bacteria and can activate the immune system to fight off diseases.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands

As further proof of the damage caused by global warming, the people of the Marshalls face the prospest of their nation disappearing. The cause? Rising sea levels due to expanding from heat and the melting land ice, which by 2100 may takeover the scarce land. Though the 61,000 inhabitants may be forced out long before then. The salty water has begun to infiltrate their wells and parts of the island are eroding away. The government of the Marshalls are seeking international assistance to help save their nation. Where will they go if they need to evacuate? The global treay for refugess mandate that nations shelter those fleeing due to persecution, however it does not cover for those fleeing due to the disappearance of their nation from climate change.

Can being too clean make you sick?

According to an article by HealthDay News, overexposure to antibacterial soap, which contains the chemical triclosan, may lead to increase risk for hay fever, allergies. So it turns out being too clean can make people sick. This study also found that exposure to high levels of the chemical bisphenol (BPA) may weaken an adult's immune system. Triclosan is an antimicrobial found in many antibacterial soap, toothpaste, diaper bags, and medical devices; BPA is used to make many types of plastic. According to the article : "The triclosan findings in the younger age groups may support the 'hygiene hypothesis,' which maintains living in very clean and hygienic environments may impact our exposure to microorganisms that are beneficial for development of the immune system" .

Skyscrapers in China

China has 6 of the world's 15 tallest buildings. Compared to the United States who has 3, China is leading a wave of skyscrapers that are being built away from the U.S. and Europe. By 2012 China will have 34% of the 100 tallest buildings  in the world. Other cities also building skyscrapers at a rapid pace are India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia. Part of the reason for this boom in construction of skyscrapers, is to keep up with the demand for space in overcrowded cities, and economic growth. In China, the government is encouraging midsize towns to build these huge towers, to show off to the world their success. The interesting part of these skyscrapers is that they are not just being built as office space or apartment building, rather the are being constructed to be a combination of office space, hotel, shopping mall, and luxury apartments. The government of China has also placed the pressure on developers to build environmentally friendly skyscrapers, and as such the Shanghai Tower is being built with a double layer glass exterior to insulate it and cut heating and cooling costs.
The picture below is of the 121 story Shanghai Tower:

New World's Hottest Pepper

The world's new hottest pepper is so hot it could strip paint and has the potential to be used as a weapon according to a Yahoo! news article. The pepper is calles the Naga Viper and is the creation of a British chilli farmer and pub owner who combined the three hottest pepper known to man. He even makes customers sign a waiver saying they are of sound mind and body before they can consume the Naga Viper based curry. You can view a video of the cliftonchilliclub member consuming a Naga Viper pepper here.