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Latest Update: 07/01/11

• Earth Sciences
• Paleontology, Fossils and Mass Extinctions
• Solar Physics and Solar Activity
• General Astronomy
• Galaxies and Black Holes
• Planets
• Cosmology
• Environment
• Climate Change and Global Warming
• History

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Earth Sciences

• X-rays Occur in Lightning, and Though Scientists Don't Know Why, They May Help Predict the Onset of Weather Events. Had the scientists read The Vital Vastness they would know why x-rays are in lightning. The x-rays are a by-product of the acceleration processes of the Fields of FEM. This idea, that weather events can be predicted using the observation of x-rays is reasonable, since ionization of the atmosphere is responsible for weather events and the x-rays are in part a process associated with this ionization. See the Physorg.com article, and Livescience.com article. See the next entry.

• A Lightning Frequency Map of the United States Shows the Effects of the North Atlantic Field. Looking at a NOAA map of lightning shows that the southeast is the region most struck by lightning. The North Atlantic Field's stem is off the southeast coast and it ionizes the atmosphere the most there, hence more lightning in the southeast. See the NOAA Map. It should be noted that the lightning frequency of the west coast is nearly zero per year. However, the huge, widespread and devastating wildfires in California were sparked by lightning in June. These lightning-caused wildfires were widespread in 2008, began June 22 -- the solstice -- and during mid-phase of the Moon, following Full Moon, showing the full Sun-Earth-Moon linkage. See the CNN.com article on the wildfires. The North Atlantic Field's descending limb bows down on the west coast plate boundary of the North American Plate in plate tectonics. See the next entry.

• The Mid-Southern Region of the United States is the Most Tornado Battered. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness (mostly Chapter 9 of volume one and chapter 15 of volume two)and is the result of the North Atlantic Field's particle flow, along with the rotation of the Earth causing these emissions to drift to the west. The North Atlantic Field is to the east of Florida. Note the location of the region on the map in the article. See the Physorg.com article [Note that the study is considered a new finding, but most of this has been known for decades]. See the previos entry.

• The Earth has a Hum, and it is Not the Oceans, as Once Thought, but Spheroidal Oscillations of Earth's Surface (i.e., FEM). A sequence of these oscillation modes was first identified in 1998. These were all 'spheroidal' modes, representing perturbations of the planet's surface equilibrium. The origin of the excitations seems to lie in oceanic areas at mid-latitudes, between about 30^o and 60^o north and south. The Fields of FEM are along mid-latitudes, and their stems are in the oceans. In addition, the amplitude of the effect has a periodicity of six months, with a maximum occurring in each hemisphere during its winter; satellite data show that ocean waves are particularly large at mid-latitudes during the winter months. As discussed in The Vital Vastness the winter hemispheres are the most active and so too is it with this hum -- likely the sound of the Fields oscillating. Moreover, these oscillation modes are toroidal modes typical of the hydrodynamics of plasma, which the Fields originated through the mechanical forces in the planetary nebula. The author comments on what could be expected of FEM, "Fresh thinking is thus required, whether the source for the newly discovered modes lies in the atmosphere or in the oceans." Again, the Fields of FEM have their stems in the ocean floor and rise up into the magnetosphere, hence both the atmosphere and the oceans are involved. See the Nature article. [source: Tanimoto, T (2008) Geophysics: Humming a different tune. Nature 452, 539-541].

• The Internal Temperature of the Earth is Almost as Hot as the Sun. This is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Earth Model, which has a core that, like the Sun (only smaller), is thermonuclear. Hence, a temperature of 6,650^o Fahrenheit (3,593^o Celsius) exists there, while the inner core is about 9,000^o Fahrenheit (4,982^o C). Both temperatures, it should be noted, are well beyond the Curie point where minerals cannot retain their magnetism. Yet, present theories still say that the core dynamo is the source of the Earth's magnetism. Meanwhile, the Sun is about 9,980^o Fahrenheit (5,527^o C). See the Livescience.com

• The Standard Model of the Earth's Core is Killed. The problem is the focus that the core is made mostly of iron, which does not retain magnetism at the temperatures present in the depths of the core. Also many scientists do not yet know of the Field-dynamical Earth Model. See the Physorg.com article.

• Another Homeostatic Mechanism on Earth -- This Time its a Natural Ocean Thermostat. As with all life there is a self-regulated temperature mechanism. See the Physorg.com article.

• Self-Moving Objects Can Explain Away "Dark Matter." Moreover, the effects occur around the equinox at high latitudes, as could be predicted by the mechanical forces being active in the Earth's formation, as discussed in The Vital Vastness. See the World-science.com news item [note: there is a link to the original article on that page].

• Mid-Latitudes are Heating Up and May Cause the Spread of the World's Deserts. First of all, the deserts are spreading, and much of it is human created. However, the heating up of the 30^o latitudes -- along which are the world's deserts -- may not be simply due to global warming. A familiariity with the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) uncovers the fact that these are the latitudes of the mid-latitude fields. In fact, The Vital Vastness goes into the role of the fields in creating deserts -- the creation of high pressure along mid-latitudes. In addition, the particle flow (i.e., ionizing radiation) along these latitudes can heat the atmosphere, reardless of global waarming or high pressure. Keep this in mind when reading this Livescience.com article. Note the other news item that indicates that the poles -- the other two Field locations -- also have heating in the troposphere.

• The Winter Upper Atmosphere (Troposphere) Over Antarctica has Significantly Warmed Over the Past 30 Years. While there is no conventional explanation for this warming, it is the result of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). During winter the South Polar Field is activated as a Field that releases ionizing radiation, and it is this that is heating the troposphere. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness. [source: Turner, J. et al. (2006) Significant Warming of the Antarctic Troposphere. Science 311:1911-1926].

• Spain is Hit By its First Ever Tropical Storm. While global warming has a contributing factor -- warmer waters -- this storm intensified near the Mediterranean Field of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). It should be noted that Brazil also recently got its first hurricane and it too is near a Field of FEM, the Brazilian Field. See the Terradaily.com article.

• The Biosphere gets larger, Again! This Time What was Thought to be the Barren Sea Floor is Teaming with Life that uses Thermal Vents for Energy (thermosynthetic bacteria). See the Sciencedaily.com.

• The Biosphere gets Even Larger, Again! Prokaryotic cells and DNA from the Archaea are present at depths greater than 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) in sediments below the ocean floor, where temperatures range up to 100° Celsius (212^o F). [source: Roussel, E.G. et al. (2008) Extending the Sub-Sea-Floor Biosphere. Science 320: 1046].

• Once Again, the Biosphere Gets Larger! This time it is bacteria that is 120,000 years old and resides two miles (3.2 km) deep in Greenlands glacial ice. See the Science News brief.

• How Many Organisms are in the Deep Biosphere? Ninety Billion Tons! When you cansider that most of that biomass is bacteria and other simple organisms, there's a enormous number. See the Physorg.com article.

• The Oldest Living Tree is a Spruce Found in Sweden and is 9,550 Years Old. See the Physorg.com or the Sciencedaily.com article.

• Present Research has Revealed that the Aurora is Polarized. This is totally unexcepted with the theories that try to explain the mechanisms behind the production of the aurora. Polarized light is light in which all waves are vibrating in a single plane, as opposed to the multi-directional vibrations of normal rays -- light waves, which are uniformly aligned in one direction, and the electric and magnetic fields each vibrate in a single plane. This requires more structure than present theories contend, but this is totally an expected observation for the Field-dynamical Earth Model, where the Polar Fields are more collimated than the conventional theory allows. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• A Huge Eddy in the Ocean is Seen Off the Australian Coast. What is being seen is the effects of the East Australian Field and unfamilar with FEM, observers don't understand it. Note how the map shows that the eddy is in the 30^o latitude, as shown in the geographic locations of the Fields. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• It has been 100 Years Since the Tunguska Event in Siberia, and there is Still No Satisfactory Explain of What Happened. There are a slew of theories, some quite bizarre, but nothing, including a meteorite impact, is a good explanation of the evidence. However, the explanation on the web page, Planetary Ejections and Cratering offers a compelling explanation, because it can explain all of the evidence. See the Physorg.com article.

• Another Study Links Solar Activity, the Geomagnetic Field and Climate. The study shows that fluctuations in solar brightness and the strength and orientation of the geomagnetic field shifted up and down in unison with global temperatures during the past century. They, as is typical, claim it is changes in cosmic-rays interacting with the atmosphere, but the source is really the Field-dynamical Earth Model. [source: Courtillot, V. (2008) Are there connections between the Earth's magnetic field and climate? Earth and Planetary Science Letters 253: 328-339].

• T. Rex Soft Tissue is Found to be Still Preserved -- A 21st Century Paleontological Bomb. Soft tissue still prserved after 68 million years is stirring up things in palenotology, because tissue, especially soft tissue, is not supposed to be able to survive such a stretch of time without decaying; that is in the typical scenario. However, ionizing radiation can preserve tissue, and today it is used for this very purpose. Paleonotologists don't consider this possiblity, and so, it has sparked a debate as to whether it is truly tissue. Meanwhile, it fully supports the theory proposed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One (Tome Three), which is partially discussed on the web pages Dinosaur Extinction: No Comet or Asteriod Impact Here, and Evolution, Mass Exrinctions and Mass Speciations. See the National Geographic News Item, and the North Carolina State University news release. Because it is such an unexpected find there are others who are trying to bebunk the find as tissue, saying instead that it is bacteria, even thoght there was identifiable protein. [sources: Schweitzer, M.H, et al (2005) Soft-Tissue Vessels and Cellular Preservation in Tyrannosaurus rex. Science 307: 1952-1955, Asara, J.M., et al (2007) Protein Sequences from Mastodon and Tyrannosaurus Rex Revealed by Mass Spectrometry. Science 316: 280-285 and Asara, J.M., et al (2007) Interpreting Sequences from Mastodon and T. Rex. Science 317: 1324-1325].

• The Burgess Shale, a Rock Formation Brimming with Whole Fossils (Even Soft-Bodied Animals), was the Result of a Catastrophic Event that Created a Mud Slurry. See the MSNBC.com article.

• The Mass Extinction Marking the Permo-Traissic Boundary was the Worst Mass Extinction in the Fossil Record, and it was Followed by a Mass Speciation. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One( Tome Three), and Evolution, Mass Exrinctions and Mass Speciations. Mass speciations like this result from the genetic mutation triggered by ionizing radation. This occurs with all mass extinctions, though little is discussed on mass speciations. As typical of such events more complex creatures emerged, particularly in the oceans where most of the mass extinctions occurred. See the spaceref.com article [source: Wolfgang Kiessling (2006) Paleoecology: Life's Complexity Cast in Stone. Science 314:1254-1255].

• New Study Shows that Mass Extinctions Occur at Times of Fluctuating Sea Level. They suggest that this is the cause of mass extinctions, but it is really just one of the geophysical aspects of those times when there are mass extinctions. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness --Volume One (Tome Three) and is an aspect of all mass extinctions, because the Field-dynamical Earth's Fields control the tectonic plate boundaries and the Fields are situtated in the oceans (both their stems and descending limbs) and thus effect sea level. Part of this discussion can be found on the web page Evolution, Mass Extinctions and Mass Speciations. See also the Sciencedaily.com article and the University of Wisconsin Newswise news release.

• There are Times When it Appears there are "Asteroid Impacts" that are Followed by Mass Speciations, such as in the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event. There is the assumption that the presence of chromite and osmium isotopes indicates an "extraterrestrial" event, but irradiated chromite and osmium can be terrestrial. Moreover, FEM spews out ionizing radiation and minerals during times of mass extinctions, and the ionizing radiation causes genetic mutation, hence mass speciations. See the Cosmosmagazine news item. [source: Schmitz, B. et al. (2007) Asteroid breakup linked to the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event. Nature Geoscience 1: 49-53].

• Again, a Mass Extinction is Associated with Isotopes, and Scientists are Assuming that they are Extraterrestrial and Impact Related. This time it is helium and argon isotopes in fellerenes (buckyballs), a carbon based soccer-ball shaped structured molecule that can trap gases. Moreover, the helium and argon isotopes, as well as fullerenes, can be produced by ionizing radiation. Again suggesting it was ionizing radiation is that this mass extinction was followed by a mass speciation. See the Firstscience news story.

• Some Sites Show Increased Biodiversity for Insect and Plant Populations After the Disaster that Made an End of the Dinosaurs. The problem is that the insects, in particular, should have been decimated had it been an asteroid impact. That is, the scenario includes a huge light-shrouding cloud of debris killing off all vegetaion, which the insects depend on for food. Again, this fact argues in favor of a different scenario, as does the survival of the honeybee. See the livescience.com article

• Finally, the Scientific Community is Admitting that the Asteroid Impact Hypothesis for the Dinosaurs' Extinction is Inadequate for Explaining the Evidence. This is a step in the right direction, but there is still room for improvement, as the actual event is a major destabilization of the planet, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Voluime One (Tome Three). See the livescience.com article.

• Carbon is Found Worldwide at the Time of the Mass Exrinction that Did in the Dinosaurs. As can be seen in the discussion regarding the fact that the type of carbon found could only be found in the industrial era and not a "naturally" occurring phenomena. They require very intense heat that accompanies the burning of coal and crude oil. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Voluime One (Tome Three) ionizing radiation can percipitate hydrocarbons (which are in coal and oil), and there are also polyaromatic hydrocarbons in the boundary layer worldwide, as well. See the Physorg.com news story.

• The Supposed Impact Object that did in the Dinosaurs is Much Smaller Than Orginally Thought, Making the Global Distribution of Certain Evidence All that Much Harder to Fit the Proposed Scenario. The previous estimate of 9.3 to 12 miles in diameter is twice the size of what the evidence suggests. This fact leaves open the question of what really happened at that time, as the impact scenario doesn't fit. See the khnl.com news item. [source: Paquay, F.S. et al. (2008) Determining Chondritic Impactor Size from the Marine Osmium Isotope Record. Science 320: 214-218.]

• Big Surprise! The Grand Canyon Likely Started to Form at the Time of the Dinosaurs' Extinction. This makes sense, as continental North America buckled, sending a long-time inland sea off into the oceans. It probably began with a channel carved into the sandstone by the inland sea rushing off the continent. This is also suggested when it is noted that the plateau in which the Grand Canyon is carved is actually a buldge, which water should flow around, not through. It would take a very, very fast current to channel through a buldge. A huge planetary destabilization easily fits the scenario -- again. See the Physorg.com and the World-Science.net articles.

• Once Again, a Mummified Dinosaurs in Found Intact, Skin and All. It seems that by itself these sorts of finds provide further evidence that ionizing radiation dominated the end of the Cretaceous. The finds of mummified fossils are particularly confined to the end of the Cretaceous, such as this one, which is 65 million years old. Moreover, it is a duck-billed dinosaur, a dinosaur that shows many skull changes (skeletal mutations?) in the late Cretaceous. Ionizing radiation is exceptionally good at preserving tissue, as it kills any bacteria that would decay the animal. In fact, ionizing radiation -- particularlly gamma-rays -- is used to preserve meat today. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One. See the FoxNews.com article (note the slide show), and Physorg.com news brief.

• All of the Other Theories Don't Explain the Mass Extinction, so Let's say that the Dinosaurs were Bugged to Extinction. This is one of the latest theories to emerge, that the final blow to the dinosaurs was insects bringing disease. See the cnews.canoe.ca article.

• Here's Another One! Add to the Impact Scenario a Huge Cloud of Water. Scientists now say that the "impactor" that "hit" Yucatan was much larger and hit deep water, and eventually produced acid rain. What isn't said though is that had the object hit deep water, as they state, then it should have broken into pieces before it hit rock, and therefore, it should have left more than one crater. See the Livesceince.com article.

• The Ulysses Spacecraft has Observed that the Sounds Generated Deep Inside the Sun cause the Earth, Including its Magnetic Field, Atmosphere and Terrestrial System, to Vibrate and Shake. In convenrtional thought there is no real explantion for this, but with the Field-dynamical Earth with its solar-terrestrial linkage and Field system that links the magnetic field, atmosphere and plate tectonics, this would be expected. See the Physorg.com news release.

• Cirrus Clouds have Too Much Water, According to Present Theory. The development of cirrus clouds in the result of the upper atmosphere being ionized. The ionization causes a patrial vacuum and the much colder atmosphere above moves in condensing moisture and producing ice crystals. The problem is that the present theory doesn't consider the Field-dynamical Earth Model, which produces this effect. See the Physorg.com article. See next entry.

• Noculicent or "Night Shining" Clouds are Getting Brighter and Spreading Out From the Polar Regions. Scientists don't know why. With the Field-dynamical Earth Model this could be expected, as the release of ionizing radiation condenses ice and moisture in the atmosphere. Both ionizing radiation and moisture and ice contribute to these cloud formations. They are increasing in size and number due to the destablization of FEM (a result of life crises on Earth). See the Livescience.com article. See previous entry.

• Chickens also Orient Themselves to the Earth's Magnetic Field. Most life-forms have been shown to orient themselves to the geomagnetic field. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, this is a widesprad phenomenon and is very much like an organism's nervous systems. Especially because different life-forms on Earth also perform functions typical of the components of cells See the Physorg.com article.

• The Lunar Cycle is Involved in Massive Ice Flows in Antarctica. Once again the lunar cycle has an influence on geophyical phenomena, as discussed in The Vital Vastness.. See the Livescience.com article.

• Few Wilderness Areas Remain in the World, as Most Wiloderness is Vanishing. Even those areas that might seem natural are often, in some way, domesticated by humans See the Discovery.com article.

• "Humungous Fungus" is World's Largest Creature. It underlies 2,200 miles of land, is 8,000 years old and is in danger of humans killing it off. Common root-rot fungus, it is thought to be endangering plants and trees, but the fungus is a beneficial symbiotic organism if the plants and trees are healthy. See the ABC.net article.

• There is a Huge Ocean Beneath Eastern Asia. This ocean is likely to be teaming with life, as do other underground waters. See the Livescience.com article.

• A "Twilight Zone" is Discovered in Earth's Atmosphere Where Clouds Form. Previously unseen, this “twilight zone” of particles represents a gradual transition from cloud droplets to dry particles. This is where the particle flow from the Earth's Fields' pans out and ionizes the atmosphere more broadly, and could be expected of the Field-dynamical Earth Model, as discussed in The Vital Vastness. See the Physicsorg.com and the Sciencedaily.com articles.

• Carbon is Magnetic at Room Temperature. This has implications for life's contribution to the Earth's magnetic field, as discussed in the The Vital Vastness -- Volume One. Life on Earth is carbon-based. See the Physorg.com article.

• The Frequency of Servere Hurricanes in the North Atlantic has Increased in the Past Decade. This was predicted in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. [source: James B. Elsner (2007) Climatology: Tempests in Time. Nature 447: 647-649 ].

• Tropical Cyclones Regulate Ocean Currents, and thereby, Climate; so it seems. The real question is do the cyclones control the currents or are the currents already there, and both they and the cyclones are controled by the same mechanism? That is, the map presented show the locations of a number of the Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model. See the Scienedaily.com story.

• Tremors Eminating from Fault Lines from California to Japan may be Precursors to a Big Earthquake. Earthquakes, as discussed in The Vital Vastness, are strongly coupled on a global scale, and this study confirms that. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• Once Again Solar Fluctuations (Magnetic Pulses) are Connected with Climate. This time it is Austrialian rainfall, which might end the country's longest drought. See the Rueter's news article.

• Once Again a Solar-Climate Record is Uncovered. This time it is NASA who studied Nile records. See the NASA article.

• You Might Think that when Shark Numbers Decline Other Fish Would Increase in Number, but You Would be Wrong.. This, among other observations, shows how important predators are to healthy ecosystems. The presence of sharks makes healthier and more reproductive ecosystems. See the Livescience.com article.

• The Internal Temperature of the Earth is Almost as Hot as the Sun. This is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Earth Model, which has a core that, like the Sun (only smaller), is thermonuclear. Hence, a temperature of 6,650 degrees Fahrenheit (3,593 degrees Celsius) exists there, while the inner core is about 9,000 degrees (4,982 C). Both temperatures, it should be noted, are well beyond the Curie point where minerals cannot retain there magnetism. Yet, present theories still say that the core is the source of the Earth's magentism. Meanwhile, the Sun is about 9,980 degrees (5,527 C) -- Not the much different than the Sun. See the Livescience.com

• Shortly After Life Began on Earth, the Earth's Magnetic Field (GMF) Was "Surprisingly" Strong at 3.2 Billion Years Ago. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, and like all living things this "central nervous system" was formed along with the first ecosystems (cells). That is, the different types of life-forms perform functions similar to those of cells and they produce electric and magnetic forces, as well as, layed down iron-containing sediments (conductors). See the Physorg.com article. [Tarduno, J.A., et al. (2007) Geomagnetic field strength 3.2 billion years ago recorded by single silicate crystals. Nature 446: 657-660].

• Microbes are Everywhere on Earth from the Atmosphere, Deep Rock, Under the Ocean Floor, and inside Thick Glaciers. They are even as deep as the deepest holes humans have made in the Earth. It truly is a living planet. See the redorbit article. See also the next entry

• Life at the Extreme Again. This time it is an entire ecosystem that utilizes deep sea gases for chemosythesis, rather than photosynthesis or thermosynthesis, to generate a primary energy source. See the physorg.com article. Also see previous entry.

• Thunderstorms along Mid-Latitudes Reach into Space. Observations have been made that reveal the role of the Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model in thunderstorm formation and that the Fields reach into the ionosphere. As can be seen in the news articles, this should not happen as the atmosphere is very thin at that altitude. Also note that the time of the observation was the month following the vernal equinox, a time when the Fields are the most active. See the UC Berkeley news release, and pressrelasegold.com article.

• Scientists Observe Radio Waves in the Region of the Polar Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model and Suggest that Space Wave Turbulance Results in the Gap in the Radiation Belts. Meanwhile, it is the result of the Field's activation, as noted in the acommpanying magnetic disturbances. See the spacedaily.com article.

• Scientists are Looking into Reintroducing the Animals -- Mostly Mammals -- that Became Extinct, Back into North American. See the sciencdaily.com article.

• Two New Satellites have Observed the Connection between the Earth and the Sun (i.e., solar-terrestrial linkage). The observations reveal what are called magnetic flux tubes. These are the upper level of the Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). See the sciencedaily.com article.

• The Ice Age has been Linked to Rapid Changes in Ocean Salinity in the North Atlantic. This is to be expected, as the Norht Atlantic Field was highly activated with the onset of the Ice Age. This can be seen in maps of the Ice Age where the greatest southerly extent of the ice cover on North America was along the eastern section. The North Atlantic Field is to the east of the southeastern United States. The rapid changes in salinity are the result of the ocean water being ionized by particle flow, which is what triggered the Ice Age. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and excerpts can be found on the web page The Unity of the Sun, Earth and Moon, under the topic of glacial advance. See the sciencdaily.com article on the rapid changes in ocean salinity.

• Very Rare Tornadoes Hit Japan. Japan, especially the areas hit, is obviously near the Japanese Field. This is true of other Field areas, such as in the United States where the Field is off the southeast and the southeast (and somewhat west of there due to the Earth's rotation) is an area that gets more tornados that anywhere in the world. See the MSN Japan story.

• The Biosphere Gets Bigger, Again -- This Time it is Bacteria Deep in the Ground who use Radiactivity as an Energy Source. See the World-Science.net article.

• The World's Most Intense Thunderstorm Areas are Just West of the Field-dynamical Earth Model's (FEM's) Mid-Latitude Fields. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, and the reason this occurs is that these Fields accelerate ionized particles into the magnetosphere, while some interact with the atmosphere. The areas are just west of the Field locations due to the Earth's rotation. See the Livescience.com article. [note: see the map provided in the article].

• Predators are Essentail to Ecosystem Health and Stability. Predators serve many functions, including keeping populations of other animals in check, eliminating weak and sick animals, and in the process allow other creatures to prosper. See the Livescience article.

• Don't Like Bugs? Think Again! Without Them it Would Mean a Whole Different World with Much Less of a Variety of Food. See the Physorg.com article.

• Spain is Hit By its First Ever Tropical Storm. While global warming is a contributing factor -- warmer waters -- this storm intensified near the Mediterranean Field (roughly located just south of the Iberian Peninsula) of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). In fact, many Atlantic hurricanes begin near the Mediterranean Field (near northwest Africa) and cross the Atlantic where they intensify. It should be noted that Brazil also recently got its first hurricane and it too is near a Field of FEM, the Brazilian Field. See the Terradaily.com article.

• Dinosaur Skulls Again Show More Diversity Before Their Extinction. As discussed inThe Vital Vastness -- Volume One, there was a burst of skull diversity in a number of species of dinosaur just prior to their extinction. Ionizing radiation is known for causing skeletal mutations, and this may be the evideince of that process. This is especially a consideration when it is also known that diversity tends to aid in species survival, not extinction. The source of the ionizing radiation is the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). See the Physorg.com story.

• Millions More Bacterial Species are Underfoot Than Thought. There are a million microbial species, and metal pollution kills 99% of these unknown bacteria. Moreover, bacteria corrode minerals and metals, producing electrical and magnetic forces that contribute to the Earth's magnetic field and electrical environment. The pollution that kills them would also lessen the necessary nutrients that plants uptake. See the Livescience.com article or the NewScientist.com article.

• Cluster Space Craft Finds Vortices in the Earth's Magnetosphere. This is to be expected from the Field-dynamical Earth Model. See the Physweb.com article. [source: Goldstein, M. L. (2005) Turbulence on a small scale. Nature 436:782-783]. See also Universetoday.com article.

• A Study of Antineutrinos Reveals a Radioactive Core. While the researchers of the study appear to claim that the observations are of the radioactive decay of elements, these could just as easily be the result of a thermonuclear core, as proposed here for the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). See the study at News@Nature. [source: Araki T., et al. (2005) Experimental investigation of geologically produced antineutrinos with KamLAND. Nature, 436:499 - 503].

• The Biosphere Gets Bigger Again! This Time its a Vast Ecosystem Under the Antarctic Ice Sheet. This also demonstrates the extreme conditions under which life can prosper. See the Terradaily.com story.

• A Vortex Current has been Observed by Satellite that in Off Western Australia. This is the effect of the West Australian Field of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM), and like other Fields of FEM produces a vortex motion to ocean currents due to particle acceleration. See the NASA news story.

• Plants Under Attack Communicate with Other Plants. When plants are attacked by pests or animals they emit odors into the air that are picked up by other plants who then defend themselves. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, and it was noted that trees communiicate with other trees when they are under attack and the trees receiveing the message boast tannin in their leaves that gives insects indigestion. There are even measureable electrical impulses that were called "W" waves by the researcher. This reflects a similar process between the nerves of cells. See the Livescienc.com article.

• Sprites -- Flashes of Colored Light High Up in the Atmosphere -- have been Caught in High-Speed Video, but are yet to be Generally Understood. Sprites actually form as the result of the release of ionized particles by the Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). This is especially noteworthy when considering that they are associated with thunderstorms, though much higher in the atmosphere than the thunderstorm clouds. See the Livescience.com article, note that the article includes links to video and images of sprites.

• A Mysterious Shift in Gravity is Making the Earth Flatter. The shift is likely a precursor to a major upheavel of the Earth, though the researchers don't see it that way. The Field system of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) controls the Earth's surface and could very well be responsible. See the Space.com article.

• Observation May Solve One of the Great Mysteries of Evolution, Involving the Sudden Emergence of Flowering Plants. Researchers found a sudden polyploidy event -- an ancient whole-genome (large gene sequence) duplication -- that could explain flowering plants' emergence. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One studies of the effects of ionizing radiation on plants show that plants often undergo polyploidy alterations. This supports the idea that major evolutionary changes are the result of ionizing radiation, and the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) releases ionizing radiation. This is the process behind mass extinctions and mass speciations, and much of evolution. See the Physorg.com news item. Ironically, the news item relates this to Darwin who could not explain the origin of flowering plants and didn't consider ionizing radiation as a factor.

• The Congo Rain Forest is Considered Earth's Second Lung, the Amazon Rain Forest is the Other Lung. Here is yet another chararteristic of the Earth that is analogus to a living organism. The problem is that the rain forests are being continually cut down for timber, and to plant soybeans and raise cattle. See the Livescience.com article.

• Ocean Water is Discovered to be Subducted Deep into the Earth. It has been noted that seawater ends up as far as the core, due to subduction. About 10% of the oceans ends up below the surface of the Earth. This points to a terrestrial source of water synthesis, since water is dissociated in the upper atmosphere. Moreover, salt in deposited in the oceans at a continuous rate due to runoff from the continents and tectonics. There has to be a earthbound source of water or the oceans would become too salty for life. This is just like a homeostatic mechanism found only in living things. The source of the water synthesis is likely to be the occassional combination of hydrogen and oxygen atoms from nuclear fusion in the core. Moreover, the ocean water that reaches the core would also serve as a coolant. See the Physorg.com article.

• Its Official, Biodiversity Stablizes Ecosystems. Ecosystems can recover from threats, climate extremes, pests and disease when there are more species. Underlying it all is also a much more stable environment. See the Physorg.com news release. Moreover, the so-called 'insurance hypothesis' indicates that ecosystem diversity is a good thing, because diversity creates overall stability in the face of stressful conditions. [Source: Moore, P.D. (2005) Ecology: Roots of Stability. Nature 437, 959-961.]. This was discussed throughout both volumes of The Vital Vastness, and in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About.

• The Earth's Magnetic Field has Weakened Since the Mid-1800s. The evidence comes in the form of shiplogs that show the steady decline of the magnetic field is a modern phenomenon. It was thought that this weakening is a fixed trend, but the shiplogs show otherwise. The claim is that the magnetic field maybe approaching a reversal, which may be the case. However. there is a overlooked possibility that this is connected to the Industrial Revolution that started in the mid-1800s. The cause of the weakening, as discussed in The Vital Vastness, can be attributed to the loss of living things by industriaiization and the development associated with it, as living things contribute magnetic and electric forces that strengthen the geomagnetic field. See the Physicsorg.com article. [source: Gubbins, D., et al. (2006) Fall in Earth's Magnetic Field is Erratic. Science 312:900-903]. See also the next entry.

• The North Pole Has Been Moving at an Accelerated Pace. The pole has moved to the Arctic Ocean about 1,100 kilometers (684 miles) in the last century, and in another half-century may move to Siberia (it started near Northern Alaska). This observation cannot be explained by the dynamo theory. See the Physorg.com article, or the Terradaily.com article. Also see the previous entry.

• An Iron-Rich Layer at the Core-Mantle Transition is Electrically Conducting. A low-velocity layer between Earth's core and mantle is made of a material that is electrically conducting. [Mao, W.L., et al. (2006) Iron-Rich Post-Perovskite and the Origin of Low-Velocity Zones. Science 312:564-665]. The layer is of a material that is a good conductor of electricity, and therefore, supports the Field-dynamical Earrth Model (FEM). See the Physorg.com news story. [additional source: Wentzovitch, M, et al. (2006) MgSIO3 Postperovskite at D Conditions. Proc Nat Acad Sci 103(3):543-546]. See also the next entry.

• There is a Wet Mantle Conductor that Aids in the Earth's Electrical Environment, as well as, the Hydrological Cycle. Most of the crust and mantle have fairly large amounts of water, which is a very good conductor of electricity, and this is part of the electrical and magnetic aspects of the Earth. See the Nature article. [Haung, X., Karaato, S. (2005) A Wet Mantle Conductor? Nature 434:746-749]. Also see the previous entry.

• Finally its Being Said, Biodiversity Reduces the Impact of Natural Disasters. This was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About back when it was published in 2002. In fact, the loss of biodiversity can be the source of "natural" disasters. See the Innovations-report.com article.

• Polar Reversals Once Again are Shown to have a"'Memory". As discussed in The Vital Vastness the Earth's magnetic field flips north for south or vice versa hundreds of times, but never really deviates far from their general geographic positions. The results show that polar reversals are not random events, independent of each other, but rather, there is some degree of memory in the magnetic processes giving rise to the reversals. This is due to the Field-dynamical Earth Model controlling reversals, as simply as reversing the coil of an electromagnet, and therefore, there is no deviation from FEM, and the geographic locations of the Fields; i.e., the geomagnetic field. The researchers are, of course, trying to connect it to dynamo processes, but there are many problems with the theory of dynamo processes giving rise to the geomagnetic field, let alone reversals. See the Physicsweb.org article.

• Lightning Strikes are More Prevalent Just West of the Fields of FEM. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One areas with the most lightning are just west of the Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). This is because the Fields release particles that ionize the atmosphere creating charges that lead to ligthning. They occur just west of the Fields due to the rotation of the Earth. See the Livescience.com and the NASA image and accompanying text.

• Plants can Predict When a Volcano will Erupt. Vigorous and abundant plant growth on a volcano's flanks warn its about to erupt. This is like the response of animals to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tsunamis., shows a physical intimacy between life and the Earth. See the Newscientist.com article.

• A Study shows that the Minerals in the Mantle Under High-Pressure Lose their Ability to Transmit Heat -- Bringing into Question a Long-Held Theory of Heat Transfer in the Earth's Interior There are already problems with explaining the heat flow of the Earth's interior and this just makes things more difficult to explain. There is already too much heat in the upper layers of the Earth -- as noted in boreholes -- to explain the retention of the Earth's magnetism (through extrapolation the core temperature would be beyond the Curie point when metal cannot retain its magnetism and electrical conductivity is very low). See the Physorg.com article.

• Plumes of Volcanoes Come Up from the Between the Core and Mantle. This is much deeper than previously theorized, and suggests there is a heat source at the core-mantle transitition, as expected of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) (i.e., a core of thermonuclear fusion). This also shows that there is a structural relationship that extends from the Earth's surface to the core, as occurs with the Hawaiian Island chain. In actuality this also extends up into the magnetosphere, as noted in disturbances in the ionosphere and magnetosphere during earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. See the Physorg.com article.

• An Enormous Particle Accelerator Has Been Observed Between the Earth and Sun. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and in the web page The Influence of the Earth and Planets on Solar Activity. Therefore, this is to be expected on the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) and its solar linkage. See the Physorg.com article.

• A Study of Seven Tropical Forests Around the World Reveals that Nature Encourages Biodiversity. Less common trees are favored, and older, rarer trees get a survival boost. This is the sort of thing that we humans should be involved in, in all types of habitats -- Nature knows best. In fact, this seems to suggest that there is some collecive intelligence in the forest habitat. See the Physorg.com article.

• The Strongest Hurricanes of 2005 were Electrified. Hurricanes are not supposed to have lightning or any strong electrical characteristcs, unlike thunderstorms and tornadoes. Yet, the strongest hurricanes of 2005 were so obviously electrified that the phenomena could be seen from space. In The Vital Vastness -- Volume One the role of ionizing radition in the formation of hurricanes was discussed, and this observation proves that this does take place. See the Physorg.com, Terradaily.com, and NASA.gov articles.

• The Auroras are Not Quite Mirror Images of Each Other, But Show Responses to the Sun's Magnetic Field. The interaction shows a unity between the Sun's magnetic field and the Earth's field, some call an imperfection in the Earth's magnetic field, but it is the linkage between the Sun's Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) and the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). This is to be expected of the model. See the NASA News story.

• Deadly Storm Hits Brazil, but Meteorologists Cannot Explain How the Storm Formed. The storm is the result of the weakening of the Brazilian Field, which is now beginning to ionize the atmosphere. Hurricane-like storms have not hit Brazil in the past, but now that the Amazon is being destroyed, the Brazilian Field is disturbing the atmosphere. That is, life contributes electric and magnetic energy that strengthens the Field's operation -- when there is more life, the field doesn't disturb the atmosphere. See the Terra Daily story, and the NASA story.

• The Earth's Magnetic Field is Weakening Even More. While scientists will probably state that this has taken place before, and therefore, it is a natural phenomena, there is another reason. As life is destroyed its contribution of electrical and magnetic energy is not supplied to the global system, and thereby, the magnetic field weakens. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness - Volume One, and the weakening of the magnetic field has continually occurred at times of life crises in the geological record, such as during times of mass extinctions. Today we have a mass extinction worse than any previous time in Earth history, and again the magnetic field is weakening. See the Houston Chronicle story, and the NASA story.

• There are "Cracks" in the Earth's Magnetosphere, or so They Say. However, these so-called cracks may be unknown fields, as discussed for the Field-dynamical Earth Model. See the NASA story.

• Unlike the Typical Scene of a Hellish Earth Early in its History, the Earth was Ready for Life in a Very Short Time. See the Physorg.com article.

• Like so Many Other Living Things, Chickens also Orient to the Earth's Magnetic Field. See the ScienceWeek.com article.

• The List of Earthquake Precursors is Getting Longer, and They all Fit with the Discussion on Earthquakes in The Vital Vastness. Some of the effects occur in very large areas and as high as the ionosphere -- in the conventional sense, an unexpected scenario. See the Space.com article

• A Milky Sea has Been Seen by Both a Ship and By Satellite, and was Near the Persian Gulf Field, Just West of the Somali Coast. Milky seas were discussed in The Vital Vastness, and always occur within an area that is near one of the Fields of Field-dynamical Earth Model(FEM). See the Physorg.com article.

• Thought that the Origin of Oil was Solved, and that it is All Fossil Fuel? Well, It Isn't All from Fossils. There seems to be other sources of oil, and this was discussed in The Vital Vastness as some of it comes from ionizing radiation precipitating hydrocarbons from the atmosphere. In a Livescience.com article an abiogenic theory, as opposed to the biogenic theory, suggests that there are pools that formed early in the Earth's history.

• The Earth's Crust Pulsates Near the Brazilian Field. Using GPS data the US and Brazil have noted that the Earth's crust pulsates in the region of the Amazon and Rio Negro Rivers, which are near the Brazilian Field. This is an effect of the Brazilian Field's stem and the limbs' control on the South American Plate in plate tectonics. See the Physorg.com article.

• Neutrons Have Been Observed in Lightning. Lightning is a by-product of the Earth's (FEM's) release of ionizing radiation, neutrons being one, and neutrons have been observed in lightning. Maps of thunderstorm regions show that they are just west of the Fields due to the rotation of the Earth. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness. See the Physorg.com article.

• Fungi-Plant Symbiosis is Far More Important than Previously Thought. Fungi is much more important to growing food crops than nitrogen fertilizers, which kill the fungi and other soil organisms necessary to a healthy crop. As discussed in The Vital Vastness fungi can even make infertile soils fertile again. Also nitrogen fertilizers enter our water through runoff and can produce cancer-causing substances, endangering human and non-human life. See the Terradaily.com article.

• During Solar Storms the Upper Atmosphere Become Highly Disturbed. This is an observation of the activation of the Fields of FEM whose upper extremes reach into the upper atmosphere and magnetosphere. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness. See the Physorg.com article

• The Biosphere Gets Larger Again -- This Time it is Thermosynthetic Bacteria getting their Energy from Deep Ocean Thermal Vents. See the Physorg.com article.

• New Evidence indicates that the Earth underwent a Major Radioactive Heating Early in its Formation. As typical, scientists first reaction is that this is due to a violent bombardment of planetesimals (small bodies of mass) early in the Earth's history. Notwithstanding, this can also be interpreted as a totally different origin of the Earth with a thermonuclear core, as discussed for the Field-dynamical Earth Model in The Vital Vastness -- Volumes One and Two. See the Physorg.com article.

• A Phenomena Known as Sprites involves Strange Flashes of Colored Light Above Thunderstorms, but How are They Formed? Scientists are offering guesses as to how they form, but there is no uniform explantion. It seems that they are particle masses that come up from the Earth, and therefore, are likely to be the release of particle flow from FEM. This is also why they are accompanied by thunderstorms. For a general description of the pheomena and conventional theories on their fomation see the Physorg.com article, and also the NASA Earth Observatory artilce.

• Gamma-rays are Seen Coming Up from the Earth in the Region of Thuderstorms, and Scientists are Puzzled. Again, this is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Earth Model, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volumes One and Two the Earth emits ionizing radiation, which forms thunderclouds and affects weather and climate, as well as extinctions and speciation. See the Science A Go Go story

• A New Layer in the Earth's Interior Observed at 2,900 Kilometers. This very thing was discussed in The Vital Vastness and it is at this depth that the downward force of gravity shifts to an upward force. See the Physorg.com article.

• Solar Activity is Tied to Whale Beachings. Whales use the Earth's magnetic field to navigate and solar activity throws the magnetic field off, and this sends whales in the wrong direction, beaching them. See the Newscientist.com article

• The Ozone Hole over tha Arctic has Dramatically Thinned, causing Concern Over the Effects of Extraterrestrial Radiation on Life on Earth. It has been connected with the Major Solar Eruptions that Took Place on Halloween 2003. The thinning occurred around the vernal equinox in late February and March, when there was a consistent low over the pole, known as the polar vortex. All of this fits quite well with the dynamics and particle acceleration of the Field-dynamical Earth Model, presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volumes One and Two and In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the MSNBC.com article.

• The Biosphere Gets Larger, again! This time it is along hydrothermal vents on the deep ocean floor where organisms utilize the heat for energy (thermosynthesis) aound the vents and in the sea floor. See the Terradaily.com article

• The Biosphere Gets Bigger, once again! This time it is bacteria that inhabit sediaments hundreds of meters below the ocean floor. See the Nature.com news story.

• The Columbia Crew Saw a New Atmospheric Phenomena, but Don't Know What it is. The phenomena involved flashes of light not associuated with thunderstorms, in a region over Madagascar. This is actually a time-varying emission form the South Afircan Field, which is situated between South Africa and Madagacar, as discussed in The Vital Vastness. See the NewScientist.com article.

• The Brazilian Field, which Scientists have Referred to as the South Atlantic Geomagnetic Anomaly (SAGA), along with the Earth's Magnetic Field are going to be studied. Scientists do not know why the region is so unusual, and the geomagnetic field has been getting weaker at a rapid pace. These things were discussed in The Vital Vastness showing that the SAGA is actually a mid-latitude field (one of ten) and the geomagnetic field is weakening due to the destruction of life on Earth, as life contibutes to the geomagnetic field strength. The European Space Agency is going to study the Earth's magentism and will likely reveal what has already been stated in The Vital Vastness. See the PhysOrg.com article.

• The Biosphere gets Deeper, Again! This time it is foraminifera on the deepest parts of the ocean floor, in trenches, where there is no sunlight and the pressure is astounding. See the abcnews.com story, and the Rednova.com article.

• Gamma-Rays where Thought to Only Occur from Extraterrestrial Celestial Objects, such a Galaxies and Neutron Stars until about 10 Years Ago, but Now they have been Found to Occur Within the Earth System. This can be expected of the fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM), as they are particle accelerators, which routinely produce gamma-rays and X-rays. Scientists claim that it is super-fast electons hitting the molecules in the air, but they are at a loss as to why the electrons are so revved up, and this is because they do not yet know of FEM whose fields accelerate particles. In The Vital Vastness it was shown that the Earth emits gamma-rays and x-rays due to partilce acceleration and ionizing radiation. So, here is a confirmation of that very thing. The researchers suggest that they are produced by thuderstorms, which are produced by masses of ionizing radiation. However, the observations show that the flashes are along mid-latitudes and in the regions of the fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). See the Universetoday.com article, Discovery.com article. or the original Science article [Smith, D.M., et al (2005) Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes Observed Up to 20 Mev. Science 307:108-1088].

• A New Study Shows that Marine Biodiversity Undergoes a Cycle of 62 Million Years, and this is for Both Originations (new species) and Extinctions. Paleontology has no theoretical basis for explaining this phenomena. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One and is the result of cycles of ionizing radiation envolving the Field-dynamical Earth Model. It is also partially discussed on the web page Evolution, Mass Exrincrions and Mass Speciations. See the SBACnews.com

• New Study Reaffirms that Sharks can Sense the Earth's Magnetic Field. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, and many animals have a sensivity to the geomagnetic field, known as the study of geomagnetobiology, though not all use it as a direction finder. See the RedNova.com article.

• As Discussed in the Book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About Climate Fluctuated in the Historical Cycles. Two of the most notable in the last 2,000 years are the 1050-1250 AD cycle (11th and 12th centuries) and in the cycle of 1400-1600 AD (around 1600) when there was the "Little Ice Age." A new study confirms this. See the Spacedaily.com, and Scienceblog.com articles.

• Like the Earth, Space is in the Shape of a Dodecahedron (twelve-sided). As discussed in The Vital Vastness the Earth has twelve fields and that the shape of the Earth is like a tweleve-sided soccer ball. In a study of the Universe disclosed that space itself is also in this shape. [Ellis, G.F.R. (2003) Cosmology: The shape of the Universe. Nature Volume 425, pp. 565-567 and Klarrech, E. (2003) The Shape of Space. Science News Volume 164, pp. 296-297 (November 8, 2003)]

• Scientists Now Admit that the Proposed Dynamo Theory, which is Supposedly Generating the Earth's Magnetic Field, is Insufficient. Current estimates indicate that the inferred heat flow from the core is not enough to drive the dynamo over most of the Earth's history. Viscosity values are orders of magnitude to high and the rotation is too slow. However, long held theories are very hard to let go of, and so, they are now considering a core with potassium, instead of the core of hydrogen fusion presented here. [Source: Holme, R. (2004) A Fuel-Efficient Geodynamo? Nature Vol. 429, p. 137].

• Fluctuations in Radiation are Linked to Ice Ages. As discussed in The Vital Vastness, the fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model release ionizing radiation (i.e., the byproducts of fusion) into the atmosphere and this creates are partial vacuum that the upper, much colder atmosphere moves into, causing rapid snowfalls that lead to glaciers and ice ages. Researchers have found that the levels of an isotope (Beryllium-10) fluctuate with levels of radiation, fluctuates with the ice ages. See the PhysicsWeb story..

• Another Homeostatic Characteristic in the Biosphere -- One that Changes Weather. Tiny single-celled plankton know when there is too much solar irradiation and adapt to such an extent that they change climate. See the Space Daily story.

• Once Again Birds and Animals are Shown to Sense the Earth's Magnetic Field, but How? They See the Magnetic Lines of Force. See the Space Daily Story.

• The Geomagnetic Field Undergoes Reversals in a Much Shorter Time Than Thought, and Latitude Plays a Part. Reversals are more rapid at low latitudes than high latitudes, as discussed in The Vital Vastness this is due to the Field-dynamical Model. In this study, the scientists try to connect it with the ill-fated dynamo, but the timescales are too rapid for convection. See the Nature article or the New Scientist news item.

• More Evidence that the Ice Age Came about in a Sudden Climate Change that Took Only Hours. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, the evidence shows that the Ice Age was a very sudden event. See the Unknown Country article.

• Astronauts See Aurora Exceptionally High in Space. Auroras as high as these were is puzzling to scientists, as there are very few molecules to react with at the 250 miles (400 kilometers). Auroras were thought to exist no further up than 60 miles (100 kilometers). This shows the role of the fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model. See the Space.com story.

• Great Solar Storm of Late October 2003 Expanded the Radiation Belts Much Closer to Earth. The radiation belts, also known as the Van Allen Radiation Belts in honor of its discoverer, are usually 12,000 to 16,000 miles from the Earth's surface, but during these storms it reached 6,000 miles from the Earth. This is the result of the fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). As can be noted in this news story it is a mystery to scientists, because they do not yet know of FEM. See the Science Daily news story. Moreover, the Sun has been more active than it has in at least 1,000 years, as can be seen in this Physicsweb Story.

• New Evidence Using Tungsten Isotopes Reveals that the Boundary between the Core and Mantle is so Distinct that the Core and Mantle do not Interact. This is in contrast with the previous theory that they mix and at times well up to the surface, showing that the divisions in the Earth's interior are more a structural arrangement than due to the separation of the different compositions. In accord with the new model of the Earth, the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM), this implies that the Earth's core has remained perfectly isolated from the mantle since it was formed -- the Gutenberg Discontinuity confinement chamber to create fusion, and that the only thing coming out of the core is heat (i.e., the themonuclear core). Island arcs, such as the Hawaiian Island chains (mantle plumes) are not the result of material coming up from the core, as once thought. [Source: Scherstein, A, et al. (2004) Tungsten isotope evidence that mantle plumes contain no contribution from the Earth's core. Nature 427: 234-235].

• Unknown Flashes of Light are Noted when Astronauts Watch the Aurora. These unknown flashes are most likely particles flowing along the field lines of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM), but this is not known to science -- with the exception of this website, and the book The Vital Vastness. See the The Guardian Unlimited (UK)

• South Africa Reveals Spherules Typical of Impacts or Ejections, predating the Dinosaurs. The fact that these spherules are near the South African Field suggests that they are from a planetary ejection. In fact, they were originally the center of a scientific debate over whether they were the result of an impact or some purely earthbound process. If it was an impact, it was larger than the one that supposedly did in the dinosaurs, but there was no great mass extinction at the time these are dated to (3.2 billion years old -- the Precambrian). This was reported in the journal Geology [Source: Kyte, F.T., et al. (2003) Early Archean spherule beds; chromium isotopes confirm origin through multiple impacts of projectiles of carbonaceous chondrite type. Geology 31(3): 283-286].

• New Evidence that there can be Sudden, Massive Snowfalls. Scientists drilling cores in the glaciers of the Peruvian Andes came upon evidence that a huge snowfall plumetted so quickly that a soft, easily perishable plant was still standing up in the glacier, with viable DNA intact. The event took place more than 5,000 years ago. This type of snowfall was discussed in The Vital Vastness with regard to the Ice Age and mammoths found still standing up, with their last meal in their stomachs, and blood cells that had not burst, indicating a very rapid snowfall. See the Ohio State University research news about this new evidence.

• Thunderstorms are Finally being Better Understood. Thunderstorms allow for the flow of current from the ionosphere (and probably the magnetosphere) to the ground, contributing to the global flow of electrical current, as discussed in The Vital Vastness. See the NASA news release.

• Mysterious Gravity Change at the Equator is Revealed by Satellites. Scientists try to explain this change in the equatorial buldge by fluctuations in the oceans, but there are many conflicting facts. The change is most likely due to the Field-dynamical Earth Model's (FEM's) field system beginning to activate -- an indication of comings Earth changes. See the NASA/Gooddard Space Flight Center story.

• Huge Jets are Noted Between Thunderclouds and the Ionosphere. This is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) were particle flow within the Field is vertical (a rising helical pattern) and ionizes the atmosphere producing thunderclouds. They even have the charcteristic funnel shape of the Field. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volumes One and Two, and somewhat in the webpages on the Earth (FEM), and Sun-Moon-Earth linkage. The observation of gigantic jets between thunderclouds and the ionosphere was reported in Nature [Source: Su, H.T. (2003) Gigantic jets between a thunderstorm and the ionosphere. Nature 425:974-976].

• Astronauts Aboard the Space Station See Flashes of Light in the Area of the Brazilian Field. The official label for the Brazilian Field area is the South Atlantic Geomagnetic Anomaly. These flashes of light are actually the Field accelerating particles in a time-varying acceleration, hence flashes. See the full NewScientist.com story.

• Water in the Upper Mantle May Mean Life is Even Further Down in the Earth's Surface. See the PhysicsWeb story.

• Ocean Sponge Produces Fibers Better Than Optical Fibers Used in Communications. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One there are many creatures that can transform optically inactive materials and make them optically active, allowing for the flow of light, magnetism and electricity. See the Associated Press/ Canadian Press news story.

• Once Again, Proof that Animals Can Predict Quakes -- this Time its Mice. See the IOL.com story.

• Madagascar's Rainforests are Being Destroyed by People in Famine. Farmers and others are burning down the forests to make charcoal to sell for food and other needs. Yet, the rainforests can be exceptionally good sources for wild foods and forest farming. See the Mail and Guardian story.

• Recent Study of Marine Fisheries Shows that a Whooping 90 Percent of the World's Large Predatory Fish Have Disappeared in the Last 50 Years. This includes fish like tuna, swordfish, cod, halibut, and flounder. See the The Enviormental News Service story. In a related story 80 percent of Caribbean reefs have died out. Also, see this Scientific American artilce on declining fish populations [Source: Pauly, D., Watson, R. (2003) Counting the Last Fish. Scientific American Vol. 289, No. 1, pages 42-48].

• Human Activity is Causing the Tropopause to get Larger. See the Physicsweb Story.

• Lightning Strikes. Lightning strikes are rare in the oceans, off the coast of Florida is the strongest source area in North America, and lightning avoids the poles. These are just some of the observations of a global survey on lightning. See the full NASA news release.

• Galactic Cosmic Rays appear to be Not Galactic at all. It has long been thought that supernovas are the source of galactic cosmic rays, but there's a troubling contrast between theory and measurements. There is no compelling evidence that they are indeed galactic in origin, and may even be from local sources (i.e., planetary acceleration processes); see the discussions in The Need for a New Model of the Earth and Planetary Influences on Solar Activity. A balloon flight over Antarctica could unravel the mystery; see the full story in a news release from NASA.

• An Earlier Origin of Life on Earth. Tiny zircon crystals uncovered in ancient stream deposits indicate that the Earth had continents and surface water remarkably soon after the Earth formed. As a result, life probably established itself on Earth 400 million years earlier than thought. See the full story in a news release from NASA. For a related discussion see A Fundamentally Biological Universe.

• Temperature Differences Expected from the New Model of the Earth. Surface temperatures around the Earth are on the rise, yet the eastern US seems to be gradually cooling. Scientists think this could be due to an increasing cloud cover resulting from warming Pacific waters. It is very difficult to imagine warming Pacific waters to only produce clouds and cooling on the East Coast from a source thousands of kilometers (thousands of miles) away. Yet, there is a Field off the Southeast Coast (i.e., the North Atlantic Field) that ionizes the atmosphere, and thereby, allows the upper, colder atmosphere to flow in, producing clouds and cooling. In fact, the East Coast, particularly the Southeast, has more lightning than elsewhere in the US. This is discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the NASA story in a news release from NASA.

• The Living Earth Makes its Own Music. A remarkable symphony of sounds are coming from our own planet. An online receiver, stationed at the Marshall Space Flight Center, is playing these Earth songs and anyone can listen. Most living things make a distinctive sound of some sort, and so does the Earth. In fact, the Earth also has a a surface hum, noted in numerous places on Earth. See the full story of this new sound in a news release from NASA. To learn more about our living Earth see The Need for a New Model of the Earth: The Living and Dynamic Earth.

• A Field in the Earth's Magnetosphere is Unexpectedly Stretching Towards the Sun. Global views of the Earth's magnetosphere, observed by NASA's IMAGE spacecraft, reveal a plasma tail that stretches toward the Sun. This is a field issuing off the Earth and is responsible for Earthly effects on solar activity; see Planetary Influences on Solar Activity. See the full story in a news release from NASA.

• The Biosphere Gets Bigger with New Lifeforms on the Deep Ocean Bottom. Biologists always believed life required the Sun's energy. Then they found an ecosystem that thrives in complete darkness. Where is this ecocsystem? Right here on Earth, deep on the ocean bottom. See the full story in a news release from NASA. Life in the deep, dark recesses of the Earth's surface is becoming more widely known. Life has been found as deep as 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) in the Earth's crust. For a brief discussion on this see The Need for a New Model of the Earth.

• African Dust Crosses the Atlantic. African dust can cross the Atlantic Ocean, bringing beautiful sunsets to Florida, but it can also carry potentially harmful bacteria and fungi. See the full story in a news release from NASA. This dust travels from northwest Africa (the Mediterranean Field) and this same pathway is indicated in many physical features of the Earth (magnetic contours, lithosphere features, ocean currents, etc.), a storm track stretchng from northwest Africa to the southeast United States coast (North Atlantic Field), and a migration route for European eels.

• Earth Officially has a New Center, while this has Already been Discussed in this Website and in The Vital Vastness on which this Website is Based, it Only Recently has it been Recognized. See the news story reported by Harvard University, and presented in Spacedaily.com. See the webpage The Need for a New Model of the Earth -- The Living and Dynamic Earth.

• The Biosphere Gets Larger, Again!! This Time Its the Upper Atmosphere, Nearly in Space. There is evidence of viable bacteria in air samples taken from about 41 kilometers up in the atmosphere. The evidence implies that on a worldwide basis there is about one ton of bacterial material deposited in the atmosphere per day. Some suggest that these microorganisms come from comets, and may have had an impact of the evolution of life on Earth. See the full ScienceDaily.com story.

• Another Homeostatic Response in the Biosphere, This One Affected by Climate Change. Studies show that the changing climate is causing synchronized effects of mammals separated by more than a thousand kilometers. See the Science Blog story

• Changes in the Oceans' Composition Caused by Plate Tectonics Took Place During Evolutionary Changes. Oscillations in the chemical composition of the world's oceans appear to have been driven by varying episodes of plate tectonics, and might have helped trigger a number of important evolutionary events. [Source: Dickson, J.A.D. (2002) Fossil Echinoderms as Monitors of the Mg/Ca Ratio of Phanerozoic Oceans. Science 298:1222-4].

• Brazil has the Most Lightning on Earth. Brazil, right next to the Brazilian Field of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM), has twice the amount of lightning than that of the United States, though both are about the same size. The Brazilian Field is the most obvious Field noted in observations enough for it to be officially recognized as the South Atlantic Geomagnetic Anomaly. See the Northwest Memorial Hospital story. Also see the discussion on the Field-dynamical Earth Model.

• A New Study on Earthquakes Indicates that Sometimes Faults Move Backwards when they Theoretically Should Only Move Forward. The fault's materials composition also differs from the surrounding material. These finding are what would be expected of an electrostatic, vertical levitation on the fault, as proposed in The Vital Vastness. Not only can the fault move backwards with electrostatic forces, but this also can change the materials along the fault due to the electrodynamic properties of the minerals (ferromagnetism, paramagnetism, antiferromagnetism, etc.). See the ens-news.com story.

• Multi-ringed Crater Found in the North Sea Dates to Time of Dinosaur Extinction. Of course scientists are thniking that this is an impact structure, but its multi-ringed nature make it very likely a site of ejection. Also, the ocean is not compressible enough to allow an object to create a crater, as the object would shatter into pieces as soon as it hit the ocean. Or, the North Sea would have to be above water to get an impact structure. There is no problem with creating this structure if the area were a site of ejection, rather than impact. See the discussion on Planetary Ejections and Cratering. This makes the fact that the Southern Hemisphere was just as devastated all the more impossible to explain in the framework of the impact theory, since this would make two huge craters (along with the Chuxilub crater in Yucatan). See the web page Dinosaur Extinctions -- No Comet or Asteroid Impact Here. [Spray, J. G. (2002) Impacts in the Round. Nature 418: 487-488; Lorenz, R. (2002) North Sea Crash Site Mirrors Craters on Jupiter's Icy Moons. New Scientist 175 (2354): 19].

• The Earth is Bulging More at the Equator than Previously. Satellite measurements are indicating that the Earth has bulged more in the middle recently. They find no real answer to the situation, but suggest that the Earth is undergoing a post-glacial rebound. See the CNN story, and the Science Daily story.

• Once Again a Study Shows that Solar Activity and the Stock Market Undergo the Same Patterns. Researchers at the University of Warwick in England are claiming the Sun's solar wind follows the same patterns as the stock market. Using data collected from NASA's WIND spacecraft, Professor Sandra Chapman and a team of researchers used an analysis method to model the fluctuations in the magnetic energy density of solar wind. They found that statistically, the fluctuations look a lot like those found in the stock market. There are a number of studies that show this relationship, and the most surprising finding -- in conventional terms -- is that the cycles in the stock market peak first, then solar activity. This is discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two: The Living Cosmos in Tome Five. The latest study was reported in Space.com's Astronotes for July 26, 2002, "Solar Wind is a Bull Market." Access Space.com and search for the article.

• Other Scientists are now Seeing a Nuclear Reactor in the Earth's Core. Finally, scientists are theorizing a nuclear core for the Earth. They do, however, suggest that it is due to uranium from meteorites, and offer little explanation for how the geomagnetic field is generated, especially its dipole structure. The theory does discuss some of the shortcomings of the present theory of dynamo action in the core. See the full discussion at the website Nuclear Planet.

• Earth's Inner Core is Measured to be Less Dense than Theorized. The travel times of seismic waves passing through the Earth's inner core suggest that the inner core is less dense than that of iron. This has been looked at as some other elements, such as carbon, sulfur, oxygen or silicon, are also there. However, the answer is really with the new Earth model with its magnetically confined thermonuclear core. [Source: Lin, J.F., Heinz, D.L., and Campbell, A.J.(2002) "Iron-Silicon Alloy in Earth's Core?" Science 295:313-315].

• Ionospheric Ring Responds Rapidly and Dynamically to Solar Storms. Massive space storms heat up the ionosphere and gas is ejected from the ionosphere. Then these particles are trapped in the Earth's magnetic field contours. These particles then flow at high speed in a ring around the Earth. Stephen Fuselier of the Lockheed Martin Space Physics Lab, Palo Alto, California, comments, "We knew Earth interacted, but we had no idea it was so fast, so dynamic." Such a comment is to be expected of the discussion on planetary rings reveals that all the planets will show some sort of ring. [Source: "Shelter from Space Storms -- Energy Rebounds from Earth." Science News, May 18, 2002, Vol 161, page 308].

• Hammerheads also Use Earth's Magnetic Contours in Migration. See the full story from National Geographic

• Magnetic Anomaly Reveals more about the Earth. There is a very defined magnetic anomaly under South Africa that could be an indication of a magnetic reversal. However, scientists do not realize that there is a Field of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) there, referred to in The Vital Vastness as the South African Field. Though they are probably right that a magnetic reversal may be on the way, as there are often transitional fields noted just prior to revearsals that occur in these mid-latitude Fields of FEM. See the New Scientist article.

• The Biosphere gets Larger. Bugs have been discovered 600 feet below Idaho, and they get energy from hydrogen in rocks and live without oxygen. See the news relase

• The Biosphere gets Larger, Again!. Bacteria have now been found 800 meters below the ocean floor. See the News Release.

• Magnetic Maps Guide Animal Migrations. A magnetic map has been found that guides animal migrations. The 8,000-mile (12,900-kilometer) journey of sea turtles is one of the more recent studies. See the National Geographic story.

• Once Again Animals are Being Used to Predict Earthquakes. This time it is the animals in a northeatern China zoo. This sensitivty of animals to quakes was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One. See the Terradaily.com story

• The Field-dynamical Earth Model's Polar Fields have been Observed by the Satellite Cluster. The problem is that the scientific community does not know enough about FEM, and therefore, interprets this observation differently. See the Spacedaily.com article.

• The Magnetic Sense of Birds seems to be in Their Beaks. Birds have the ability to sense the Earth's magnetic field, which they use in navigation, and scientists have wondered why. See the National Geographic article.

• Once Again it is Noted that the Earth's Magnetic Field is Weakening, and May Reverse in the Future. See the NationalGeographic.com article.

• Sunspots and the Price of Wheat are Correlated -- Another Solar-Biological (FEM) Linkage. When sunspots are low wheat crop prices peak, suggesting lower yields. See the NewScientist.com article.

• The Earth's Hum Appears to be the Result of a Coupling Between the Atmosphere, Ocean and Seafloor. The Field-dynamical Earth Model's Fields couple the atmosphere, ocean and seafloor, and therefore, this is an indirect observation of this model. See the Nature article. [Source: Rhie, J., Romanowicz, B. (2004) Excitation of Earth's Continuous Oscilliations by Atmosphere-Ocean-Seafloor Coupling. Nature 431:552-6.]

• For the First Time Scientists have Accurately Measured a Change in Gravity During an Earthquake. See the Physicsweb.com story.

• Cells' Magnets Began with Primative Bacteria and May also Provide Clues to Early Life on Mars and the Emergence of Higher Life Forms. This is, again, evidence that the Earth's earliest organisms helped to produce electrically and magnetically conducting rocks, and thereby, helped to strengthen the Earth's magnetic field. As with any organism, nervous system components emerged first on Earth, and these cellular magnets are a component of the Earth's "nervous system." See the full Nature Update story.

• Cells' Magnets Began with Primative Bacteria and May also Provide Clues to Early Life on Mars and the Emergence of Higher Life Forms. This is, again, evidence that the Earth's earliest organisms helped to produce electrically and magnetically conducting rocks, and thereby, helped to strengthen the Earth's magnetic field. As with any organism, nervous system components emerged first on Earth, and these cellular magnets are a component of the Earth's "nervous system." See the full Nature Update story.

Paleontology, Fossils and Mass Extinctions

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• New Mammal and Bird Species occur More in the Higher Latitudes than in the Tropics, in Contrast to What is Suspected. As discussed in The Vital Vastness this is the result of the Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model which are located above and below the equatorial buldge, and therefore, ionizing radiation affects the higher latitudes, and not the tropics as much. This study confirms that. Most evolutionary biologists, even Darwin himself, expected the tropics to have higher rates of extinction and speciation due to more competition (greater number of speices) and the assumed "survival of the fittest" scenario. See the Livescience.com news item. [source: Weir, J.T., Schulter, D. (2007) The Latitudinal Gradient in Recent speciation and Extinction Rates of Birds and Mammals. Science 315:1574-1576].

• Again there is the Unexpected -- Soft Tissue Proteins were Found in Two Long-Extinct Animals, T-rex and a Mastodon! The surprizing part is that protein could survive such a long time, in the conventional sense. However, this is to be expected from FEM and the role of ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation can preserve protein, and is presently used to preserve meats. See the Sciencedaily.com , and World-science.com articles.

• A Genetic Techique Shows that it is Possible to Reverse Evolution. There are many plants and animals that have disappeared from the fossil record for long spans of time only to show up as "living fossils" today. This is known as the Lazarus Effect. This shows that shuffling gene sequences can be a major aspect of evolution, and as shown in many experiements, the most effect thing to do this is ionizing radiation. This entire scenario and the evidence that ionizing radiation (and other less-dominate factors) is a major factor are presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One. See the msnbc.msn.com article.

• The Mass Extinction Marking the Permo-Traissic Boundary was the Worst Mass Extinction in the Fossil Record, and it was Followed by a Mass Speciation. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One and results from the genetic mutation triggered by ionizing radation (and other less-dominate factors). This occurs with all mass extinctions, though little is discussed on mass speciations. As typical of such events more complex creatures emerged, particularly in the oceans where most of the mass extinctions occurred. See the spaceref.com article [source: Wolfgang Kiessling (2006) Paleoecology: Life's Complexity Cast in Stone Science 314:1254-1255].

• Some Sites Show a Biodiversity for Insect and Plant Populations After the Disaster that Made an End of the Dinosaurs. The problem is that the insects, in particular, should have been desimated had it been an asteroid impact. That is, the scenario includes a huge light-shrouding cloud of debris killing off all vegeataion, which the insects depend on. Again, this agrues in favor of a different scenario, as does the survival of the honeybee. See the livescience.com article

• Finally, the Scientific Community is Admitting that the Asteroid Impact Hypothesis for the Dinosaurs' Extinction is Inadequate for Explaining the Evidence. This is a step in the right direction, but there is still room for improvement, as the actual event is a major destabilization of the planet, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Voluime One. See the Livescience.com article. Still there is something that suggests an impact, but there is no truly correlated candidate crater to support the hypothesis (the Chuxilub crater occurred earlier than the extinction). Meanwhile, it is the Earth (FEM) that spews iridium, shocked minerals and so forth that look like an impact is responsible. Note how the researcher has no answer to what impact is responsible. See the Sciencedaily.com story.

• The Gobi Desert is Again a Hotbed for Finding Dinosaur Fossils. The Gobi Desert continues to be the area where the vast majority of dinosaur fossils can be found. If the proposed impact in Yucatan were the event that did in the dinosaurs then the areas surrounding Yucatan should be the site with the most fossils. Yet, it is an area clear around the world that is instead. Yet another blow to the theory of an asteroid impact. See the sciencdaily.com article.

• Scientists see Ionizing Radiation as a Cause of Mass Extinctions. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One with particular reference to the time of the dinosaurs' extinction, but also all mass extinctions. The problem is with the assumed source(s) of the ionizing radiation, which these researchers assume is Galactic gamma rays. The real source is the Earth itself in the form of the Field-dynamical Earth Model. This will cause problems when the study is scurtinized. [sources: Thomas, B.C. et al (2002) Gamma-ray bursts and the Earth: exploration of atmospheic, biological, climatic, and biogeochemical effects. Astrophysical Journal 634(1):509-533, Melott, A.L., et al (2005) Climatic and biogeochemical of a galactic gamma ray burst. Geophysical Research Letters 32(14):5 pp. and Thomas, B.C., et al (2005) Terrestrial ozone depletion due to a Milky Way gamma-ray burst. Astrophysical Journal 622(2):L153-L158].

• Dinosaur Skulls Again Show More Diversity Before Their Extinction. As discussed inThe Vital Vastness -- Volume One, there was a burst of skull diversity in a number of species of dinosaur just prior to their extinction. Ionizing radiation is known for causing skeletal mutations, and this may be the evideince of that process. This is especially a consideration when it is also known that diversity tends to aid in species survival, not extinction. The source of the ionizing radiation is the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). See the Physorg.com story.

• Once again, an Animal Thought to Have Gone Extinct Long Ago is Found. This sort of thing has happened many times before, and is known as the Lazarus Effect (a scientific term that has roots in the biblical Lazarus who died and came back to life). One should ask the question: Is it possible that a lost genetic code was once again recoded? This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, and there are many such cases that have been noted. That is, did the genetic code reappear after being lost for 11 million years? See the Livescience.com news story. Also see the next entry.

• Jurrasic Tree, Long Thought to be Extinct is Found Growing in Australia. Whether this is a long overlooked phenomena -- a living fossil -- or an example of a extinct species reemerging -- the Lazarus Effect -- is not clear at present. See the Physorg.com article. See also the previous entry.

• Some of the Oldest Living Things Will Surprise You! They are a creosote bush in the California desert that has been dated at about 12,000 years, and the King's Lomatia plant in Tasmania, which is about 44,000 years old and is still growing. Yet, they pale in comparision to a bacteruim that is roughly 250 million years old!!! See the Scienceweek.com article.

• Once Again there is Evidence that it was Not an Impact that Caused the Extinction of the Dinosaurs. This time the evidence indicates that the dinosaurs were already in decline, and that it was a major climatic shift that did them in. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One the climatic shift was the result of ionizing radiation creating a partial vacuum which the colder upper atmosphere flowed into, creating a steep lowering of global temperature. The scientific community generally sees this as a nuclear winter caused by the asteroid impact or volcani eruptions, because this is what they have been taught to expect. See the Int.iol.co.za news item. See also the next entries.

• Once Again the Evidence Indicates that the Chicxulub Crater Formed Earlier than the Mass Extinction it is Supposedly Responsible For. Glass spherules found in a number of layers of sediments from northeast Mexico, Texas, Guatemala, Belize, and Haiti all show signs that Chicxulub is their source. However, the analysis indicates that the impact is about 300,000 years before the mass extinctions marking the boundary between the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods (K-T boundary). See the Physorg.com news story. [additional sources: Keller, G., et al. (2003) Spherule deposits in Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments in Belize and Guatemala. Journal of the Geological Society of London 160(5):783-795, and Harting, M., et al (2002) Multielement geochemical investigations by SRXRF microprobe studies on tectite material; evidence from the NE-Mexican Cretaceous/Tertiary record. Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union 83(47) Suppl.:F865]. See also the previous and next entries.

• Once Again Scientists see Mass Extinctions as Not Extraterrestrial (Meteorite Impact) in Origin. The evidence indicates that the cause of mass extinctions is a process that involves the Earth, not meteortie or asteroid impacts. These scientists, however, try to place blame for the extinctions on volcanic gases. Yet, the selective nature of the extinctions and the fact that not all huge volcanic events are tied to mass extinctions indicates that a more complex situation occurs at such times. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, and on the web pages Dinosaur Extinctions -- No Comet or Asteroid Impact Here, and Evolution, Mass Extinctions and Mass Speciations, revealing that the true event involved ionizing radiation and major destabilizing of the planet. See the Physorg.com article.

• A Crater has been Discovered in Egypt's Western Desert and Dates to 100 Million Years Ago -- A Time When there were No Mass Extinctions. With all the focus on meteor impacts as causes of mass extinctions it would seem that this crater -- Kebira Crater -- would coinside with a mass extinction, but it is not associated with any extinctions. See the NASA news release. It is the second largest crater in the world. The largest crater was most recently found under the Antarctic ice, so this is now the second largest. Meawhile, this Sahara crater is much larger than the crater in Yucatan (Chicxulub) that is the mark left by an asteroid that supposedly did in the dinosaurs and many other species. Yet, no mass extinction is associated with it, when the size of the crater suggests that it should have killed off far more species in a major mass extinction. This is yet another bit of evidence that shows the impact theory of the dinosaur extinctions is flawed. See the Physorg.com story and the Spaceref.com story. See also previous entries.

• The Great Mass Extinction at the Confluence of the Permian and Triassic has a Crater. The evidence indicates a central uplift typical of ejection, and the crater seems odd even to the scientists. See the BBC news release.

• A Supernova Explosion is Blamed for Mammoth Extinction. The evidence is again that ionizing radiation is responsilbe for a mass extinction. Typical of conventional thought is that it had to come from somewhere outside of the Earth, so the assumption is that it must be a supernova. Actually, it is the Earth itself -- the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) -- as discussed in The Vital Vastness. See the Physorg.com article. See also the next entry.

• A New Study Suggests that a Gamma-Ray Burst Could Have Caused an Ancient Mass Extinction. This is typical of modern perspectives to think that the source is outside of the Earth, but the Earth emits ionizing radiation and it is this that causes mass extinctions and mass speciations (see the web page Evolution, Mass Extinctions and Mass Speciations). See the NASA News story. See also the previous entry.

• Fossils Found in a State of Sexual Copulation at the End of the Cretaceous -- the Time of the Dinosaurs Extinction. This sort of thing, like the two dinosaurs found frozen in a state of combat, had to take place very rapidly or they would have defended themselves against a common threat. This argues in favor of a rapid burial and therefore a rapid, instanteous event. See the Hindustantimes.com story.

• Molecular Evolution, which deals with Genetic Mutations, has long Stated that Natural Selection was the End Point of Whether a New Species Survives, but that is Not the Case. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One and the process is simply whether a mutation is fit to survive, regardless of natural selection (see the web page Evolution, Mass Extinctions, and Mss Speciations for a brief overview). See the Terradaily news story.

• Gamma-rays where Thought to Only Occur from Extraterrestrial Celestial Objects, such a Galaxies and Neutron Stars until about 10 Years Ago, but Now They have been Found to Occur Within the Earth System. This can be expected of the fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM), as they are particle accelerators, which routinely produce gamma-rays and X-rays. Scientists claim that it is super-fast electons hitting the molecules in the air, but they are at a loss as to why the electrons are so reved up, and this is because they do not yet know of FEM whose fields accelerate particles. In The Vital Vastness it was shown that the Earth emits gamma-rays and x-rays due to particle acceleration and ionizing radiation. So, here is a confirmation of that very thing. The researchers suggest that they are produced by thuderstorms, which are produced by masses of ionizing radiation. However, the observations show that the flashes are along mid-latitudes and in the regions of the fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). See the Universetoday.com article, Discovery.com article. or the original Science article [Source: Smith, D.M., et al (2005) Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes Observed Up to 20 Mev. Science 307:108-1088].

• Once Again the Evidence Indicates that the Chicxulub Crater Formed Earlier than the Mass Extinction it is Supposedly Responsible For. Glass spherules found in a number of layers of sediments from northeast Mexico, Texas, Guatemala, Belize, and Haiti all show signs that Chicxulub is their source. However, the analysis indicates that the impact is about 300,000 years before the mass extinctions marking the boundary between the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods (K-T boundary). See the Physorg.com news story. [additional sources: Keller, G., et al. (2003) Spherule deposits in Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments in Belize and Guatemala. Journal of the Geological Society of London 160(5):783-795, and Harting, M., et al (2002) Multielement geochemical investigations by SRXRF microprobe studies on tectite material; evidence from the NE-Mexican Cretaceous/Tertiary record. Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union 83(47) Suppl.:F865]. See also the previous and next entries.

• Once Again the Evidence Indicates that the Crater in Yucatan was Not Responsible for the Dinosaurs Demise. A new core, this time from Texas, indicates that the crater formed about 300,000 years before the dinosaurs became extinct. See the News@Nature.com article.

• The Debate Still Rages on What Really Killed Off the Dinosaurs (and other species at that time) and There is No Real Link Between Impacts or Volcanic Eruptions -- the Two Theories that are Most Often Considered -- and Mass Extinctions. See the Astrobio.net article.

• Humans were Responsible for the Extinction of Australia's Large Animals. About 45,000 years ago native Australians altered the landscape, leading to wisespread extinctions. See the Newday.com article.

• Once again, Scientists are Looking For Sources of Ionizing Radiation as a Cause of Mass Extinction -- This Time it is Gamma-rays Bursts in the Milky Way. While the logic is good for explaining the evidence of mass extinctions it is instead the Earth itself, as the Field-dynamical Earth Model emits ionizing radiation, which causes mass extinctions and mass speciations. See the Physorg.com article. Also, see the following two related stories.

• Scientists Look to Interstellar Clouds as a Cause of Mass Extinctions. It is hypothesized that these clouds iced over the Earth or depleted the protective ozone layer, allowing ultraviolet radiation to enter the biosphere. Again, the idea is there a source of ionizing radiation. See the Space.com article. Also, see the previous and following entries.

• Viable Tissue has been Found in T. Rex Bones. Soft tissue and blood vessles where thought to always be replaced by minerals, and certainly not viable. However, ionizing radiation can be an aid in the preservation of biological tissue, as is currently done with meat. [Source: Mary H. Schweitzer, et al. (2005) Soft-Tissue Vessels and Cellular Preservation in Tyrannosaurus rex. Science 307:1952-1955].

• A New Study Shows that Marine Biodiversity Undergoes a Cycle of 62 Million Years, and this is for Both Originations (New Species) and Extinctions. Paleontology has no theoretical basis for explaining this phenomena. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One and is the result of cycles of ionizing radiation involving the Field-dynamical Earth Model. It is also partially discussed on the web page Evolution, Mass Exrincrions and Mass Speciations. See the SBACnews.com

• A Recent Study of Marine Fossils Over a Period of 542 Million Years (i.e., the Phanerozoic) Shows Cycles of Diversity of Approximately 62 Million Years. The question now remains what is responseble for the cycles. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two cycles are common phenomena with the Field-dynamical Earth Model. [Source: Rohde, R.A., Muller, R.A. (2005) Cycles in Fossil Diversity. Nature 434-208-210].

• It was Thought that Modern Birds Came into Being After the Dinosaur Extinction, but New Evidence Shows that They Developed much Earlier, in the Jurassic. See the Yahoo.com story or the original source [Source: Clark, J. A., et al. (2006) Definitive fossil evidence for the extant avian radiation in the Creatceous. Nature 433:305-308]

• The Greatest Mass Extinction at the End of the Permian Shows Genetic Mutations. While the scientists claim that it was the result of massive volcanic activity that was taking place in Siberia, it is instead radiation. Meanwhile, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One the mutation is due to the release of ionizing radiation into the atmosphere by the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). This also took place at other times of mass extinction, many times when there was no massive volcanic activity. See the Spacedaily.com article, and Rednova story.

• An Asteroid as Large as the One that is Claimed to be Responsible for the Dinosaurs' Demise Hit Antarctica About 780,000 Years Ago. This asteroid brokeup in the atmosphere before hitting Antarctica. The thing is the atmosphere is very thin in that region, and so, the asteroid would have been much more likely to penetrate without breaking up than the one 65 million years ago. Moreover, the Antarctica hit should have also caused mass extinctions, according to the impact theory of dinosaur extinction, but it did not. See the EducationGuardian.co.uk article.

• Once Again the Evidence Argues Against the Proposed Impact Scenario of the Dinosaurs Demise. This time it is the "nuclear winter" scenario that should have made the honey bee extinct, but the honey bee did not become extinct. See the Physorg.com article, and the Scienceblog.com article

• Once Again, the Asteroid Impact Scenario Supposedly Responsilbe for the Dinosaurs Demise is Not Supported by the Evidence. This time the evidence suggests that the dinosaurs where already dying out far before the impact occurred. See the Space.com news release.

• The Earth's Hum Appears to be the Result of a Coupling Between the Atmosphere, Ocean and Seafloor. The Field-dynamical Earth Model's Fields couple the atmosphere, ocean and seafloor, and therefore, this is an indirect observation of this model. In fact, studies of mass extinctions have shown that the atmosphere, oceans and seafloor have all been affected at the time of the exticntions. See the Nature article. [Source: Rhie, J., Romanowicz, B. (2004) Excitation of Earth's Continuous Oscilliations by Atmosphere-Ocean-Seafloor Coupling. Nature 431:552-6.]

• Neanderthals are Not Homosapiens, but a Different Species. See the New Scientist story.

• Once Again the Theory of an Asteroid Impact in Yucatan Killing Off the Dinosaurs is Shown to be False. A new study shows that the crater at Chicxulub, in Yucatan, Mexico, was formed 300,000 years earlier than the extinctions. See the National Geographic news release, and the Discovery.com Story. [Source: Keller, G, etal. (2004) Chicxulub impact predates the K-T boundary mass extinction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101: 3753-3758].

• Once again Researchers Connect a Mass Extinction to Radiation. This time they are trying to blame gamma-rays for destroying the ozone layer and letting more radiation enter the biosphere. Notwithstanding, a through discusssion of radiation as the cause of mass extinctions and a major process in evolution was presented in The Vital Vastness - Volume One. The real source of the radiation is the Earth itself involving the Field-dynamical Earth Model. For a brief look at this see Dinosaur Extinctions -- No Comet or Asteroid Impact Here, and Evolution, Mass Extinctions, and Mass Speciations. For more on this Ordovician mass extinction see the Space.som story, and the NewScientist.com story..

• South Africa Reveals Spherules Typical of Impacts or Ejections, predating the Dinosaurs. The fact that these spherules are near the South African Field suggests that they are from a planetary ejection. In fact, they were originally the center of a scientific debate over whether they were the result of an impact or some purely earthbound process. If it was an impact, it was larger than the one that supposedly did in the dinosaurs, but there was no great mass extinction at the time these are dated to (3.2 billion years old -- the Precambrian). This was reported in the journal Geology [Source: Kyte, F.T., et al. (2003) Early Archean spherule beds; chromium isotopes confirm origin through multiple impacts of projectiles of carbonaceous chondrite type. Geology 31(3): 283-286].

• The Dinosaurs had Cancer. Hadrosaurs, the Duck-billed Dinosaurs, had cancer in their tails, according to a new study. This, and the fact that just before the extinction hadrosaurs had an explosion of new varieties of skulls, lend further support to the scenario of mass extinction due to ionizing radiation. That is, ionizing radiation can cause both skeletal mutations and cancer. See the Discovery.com story.

• Scientists Find that Gene Duplication is Common in Plants. As discussed in The Vital Vastness ionizing radiation breaks chromosomes, the genes can then be self-corrected and duplicated. Also, one of the effects of ionizing radiaton on plants is producing polyploidy (whole gene set) duplication. See the ScienceDaily story.

• New Study Shows that the Dinosaurs were Becoming Extinct Before the Final Event. See the Discover news story.

• More Trouble for the Impact Theory of the Dinosaur Extinctions. For the second time now there is evidence that plankton had survived the time of the dinosaurs' extinction. This time it comes from near the so-called "impact crater" in Yucatan. Plankton should have been one of the first life forms to die off due to the light-shrouding effects of an impact. See the Nature story, and the news release at Betterhumans.com.

• Just Like all Other Life on Earth, Greater Marine Biodiversity is a More Recent Event. This seems to be especially true of life after the dinosaur extinctions. See the ScienceDaily story.

• "Living Fossil" Trees Found in China were Thought to Have Become Extinct When the Dinosaurs Roamed the Earth. See the IOL story.

• Mammoth Found That is So Well-Preserved That the Russians are Considering Clonning It! A mammoth found in the Yakutia region are said to be "conditionally alive." There is not only viable mammoth DNA, but whole cells have been exceptionally well-preserved. As discussed in The Vital Vastness: Volume Two there is a great deal of evidence that the freezing of these mammoths (there are a number of other finds) was so quick that their blood cells did not burst, as would occur with a typical heavy snowfall. These finds indicate that the freezing snow had to come very, very quickly with temperatures that mimick those of cryogenic methods (very quick, and very low temperatures). This was due to a highly ionized atmosphere due to particle flow in the atmosphere, an aspect of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). See the Discovery.com story on mammoth clonning.

• Rare Mummy Dinosaur Found. A mummified dinosaur was discovered in Montana. It has 80% of its skin intact, and the contents of its last meal were discernible. Michael J. Everhart of Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, has this to say, "Something had to shut down the normal process of decomposition within just a few days. It's difficult to explain." [Source: "Dear Mummy" Science News Volume 162, pp. 243-244, October 19, 2002]. As fully supported with a great deal of evidence in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One this is the result of ionizing radiation. Radiation is even used today to preserve foods, especially meat.

• Another Blow to the Impact Theory of the Dinosaurs' Demise. Impacts are known to cause rings of material that are ejected into orbit causing long-term climate change, but there was no long-term climate change expected of an impact at the time of the extinctions. See the Astronomy.com story.

• Multi-Ringed Crater Found in the North Sea Dates to Time of Dinosaur Extinction. Of course scientists are thniking that this is an impact structure, but its multi-ringed nature make it very likely a site of ejection. Also, the ocean is not compressible enough to allow an object to create a crater, as the object would shatter into pieces as soon as it hit the ocean. Or, the North Sea would have to be above water to get an impact structure. There is no problem with creating this structure if the area were a site of ejection, rather than impact. See the discussion on Planetary Ejections and Cratering. This makes the fact that the Southern Hemisphere was just as devastated all the more impossible to explain in the framework of the impact theory, see the web page Dinosaur Extinctions -- No Comet or Asteroid Impact Here. [Spray, J. G. (2002) Impacts in the Round. Nature 418: 487-488; Lorenz, R. (2002) North Sea Crash Site Mirrors Craters on Jupiter's Icy Moons. New Scientist 175 (2354): 19].

• Dinosaur Extinction -- Southern Hemisphere Just as Devastated as Northern, Contrary to the Impact Theory. In spite of the present theory that an object impacted the Yucatan Penisula, which would have had mostly effects on the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere shows just as much devastation. This supports the theory proposed on the webpage Dinosaur Extinctions -- No Comet or Asteroid Impact Here and The Vital Vastness -- Volume One. See the story from USA Today or get a copy of the article in Science [Source: Vivi Vajda, J. et al. (2001)Indication of Global Deforestation at the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary by New Zealand Fern Spike. Science 294: 1700-1702].

• Huge Fossils Found in Australia. These huge fossils include a Wombat the size of a small car and giant marsupial lions. See Cosmiverse Story

• Darwin was Wrong, Not All Life Arose from One Common Lifeform. Life did not begin with one primative cell. Rather, there were at least three simple types of cellular organizations that were loosely constructed. They were emerced in a soup of genes, evolving in a symbiotic way so that they aided one another in forming distinct types of cells, by sharing their genetic innovations. See the University of Illinois news story and Space Daily news story.

• Typical of the Signs of Mass Extinction, Iridium and Fern Spores Appear Before the Sudden Appearance of Much Larger, Meat-Eating Dinosaurs. The sudden appearance of larger dinosaurs is really due to genetic mutation caused by ionizing radiation eminating from the Earth itself, as discussed on the web pages Dinosaur Extinctions -- No Comet or Asteroid Here, and Evolution, Mass Extinctions and Mass Speciations. See the New Scienstist story, which unfortunately claims that it is due to an impact.

• Quick Recovery Follows Dinosaur Extinctions, and Brings Impact Theory into Question. A clay layer marking the dinosaur extinctions was deposited in only 10,000 years. Just above this layer there is the proliferation of new ocean species. Again, the impact scenario does not fit these observations even though the authors claim the helium-3 is extraterrestrial, and they propose a short duration for the K/T event. Meanwhile, there is more helium-3 on Earth than expected from present theoretical perspectives, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, and an impact of the proposed nature should have caused planetary destabilization of a longer duration. [Source: Mukhopadhyay, S., et al (2001) A Short Duration of the Creatceous-Tertiary Boundary Event: Evidence from Extraterrestrial Helium-3. Science 291:1952-1955].

• Smaller Mammals are Less Likely to Become Extinct. Mammals with a smaller body size have the least extinction rates. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, and is evident, for one, during the mass extinctions that included the dinosaurs. The larger the animal, the more it absorbs radiation and is, therefore, more vulernable to extinction. [Sources: Cardillo, M., Bromhau, L. (2001) Body Size and Risk of extinction in Australian Mammals. Conservation Biology 15(5):1435-1440. and Gaston, K. J.& T. M. Blackburn (1995) Birds, body size and the threat of extinction. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B, Biological Sciences 347:205-212].

Solar Physics and Solar Activity

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• The Earth's Magnetic Field has Weakened Since the Mid-1800s. The evidence comes in the form of shiplogs that show the steady decline of the magnetic field is a modern phenomenon. It was thought that this weakening is a fixed trend, but the shiplogs show otherwise. The claim is that the magnetic field maybe approaching a reversal, which may be the case. However. there is a overlooked possibility that this is connected to the Industrial Revolution that started in the mid-1800s. The cause of the weakening, as discussed in The Vital Vastness, can be attributed to the loss of living things by industriaiization and the development associated with it, as living things contribute magnetic and electric forces that strengthen the geomagnetic field. See the Physicsorg.com article. [source: Gubbins, D., et al. (2006) Fall in Earth's Magnetic Field is Erratic. Science 312:900-903]. See also the next entry.

• Once Again, a Solar Cycle is Found in Weather. Climate fluctuations that occur at the end of ice ages are linked to the net result of two well known solar cycles, the DeVries and Gleissberg cycles, with periods of 210 years and 87 years. The climate cycle is a 1,470-year glacial climate cycle. As discussed in The Vital Vastness solar fluctuations alone cannot explain this solar influence without there being a linkage to a more dynamic Earth Model. See the Nature.com abstract and article.

• An Enormous Particle Accelerator Has Been Observed Between the Earth and Sun. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and in the web page The Influence of the Earth and Planets on Solar Activity. Therefore, this is to be expected on the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) and its solar linkage. See the Physorg.com article.

• Solar Minimum is Very Active. Things where supposed to quiet down when the Sun enters solar minimum, but this time this is not the case -- as predicted in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. This is the result of a solar-terrestrial linkage and the state of FEM -- as wilderness is destroyed FEM interacts more with the Sun -- making it look more like solar maximum. See the NASA news release, Another NASA story, Physorg.com article, and Universetoday.com story.

• Solar Flare Protons Usually Take Hours to Reach the Earth, but in mid-January a Major Flare only Took Minutes. See the Universetoday.com story, and the Physorg.com article.

• Once Again an Extrasolar Planet has been Observed Tugging at its Sun's Outer Layers. This is actually part of the process that aids in the formation of planets, and is why there is a solar-terrestrial linkage between the Earth and our Sun, as well as other planetary influences on solar activity. See the Newscientist.com article.

• Even Though it is Solar Mininum, the Sun is Still Surprisingly Active. See the NASA story.

• Evidence Shows a Direct Solar Link to Saturn's Disk X-Rays. This solar linkage was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Model of the planets with their solar linkage. See the SpaceRef.com story.

• The Solar Winds of 2003 Caused a Major Ozone Hole Over the Arctic. The real effect has to do with the Polar Field of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) where the particles of the solar wind enter. Note the illustration and how it is shaped like a cone-shaped vortex, as discribed for FEM. See the Physorg.com article.

• The Solar Wind Originates from Funnels in the Corona. This is to be expected from the solar-planet linkage discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and is the effects of a remote field interaction issuing off one or more of the planets, especially the Earth. See the Physorg.com story. [Also, see the original source: Tu, C-Y, et al (2005) Solar Wind Origin in Coronal Funnels. Science 308: 519-524].

• Once again a study shows a link between solar activity and climate. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness and the effect cannot be explained by the solar wind's impact on the atmosphere, as the effect is far, far greater. This is the result of the solar-FEM (Field-dynamical Earth Model) linkage. See the Spacedaily.com artilce.

• The modern sun is the most active in 8,000 years. This is to be expected as life is being destroyed around the global more so than in the last 8,000 years. Life contributes electrical and magnetic forces to the Field-dynamical Earth Model, and its main magnetic field is interconnected with the Sun's Interplanetary Magnetic Field affecting solar activity. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Physicsweb.org news release.

• The Solar System is Still Feeling the Effects of the October 2003 Solar Blasts -- the Strongest Ever Recorded. See the VOA News story, The Universe Today story, Space Daily story, and NASA news release.

• Of the 750 Comets Recently Observed to Pass by the Sun, 85% are Sungrazers -- Those that Crash into the Sun. As discussed in the The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two these comets bring some of the mass back to the Sun that has been lost to space in the solar wind, making the Sun less of a infinite object. [Personal Communication with the Naval Research Laboratory]. This also takes place on other stars. See the Universe Today story.

• Largest Flare Ever Recorded was Even Bigger than Thought. Researchers have discovered that the November 4, 2003 flare was even larger than previously thought, using new data. See the Space Daily news.

• Finally, an Astronomer Sees a Planet Affecting its Sun. As discussed in The Vital Vastness - Volume Two , and in the web page Planetary Influences on Solar Activity, a distant extrasolar planet is seen heating up its sun. See the MSNBC news story, and the Universe Today news item.

• MAJOR, MAJOR Solar Activity has been taking place from the end of October into November. Meanwhile, the sun had already gone through two solar cycles of solar maximum, and was "supposed" to be entering a solar minimum according to present theories. Yet, these flares are some of the most powerful ever observed. In both The Vital Vastness and In Defense of Nature it was shown that solar activity would increase more than theorized. In fact, the sun is more active than it has been in an entire millenium, as discussed in a NewScientist.com story, and this other story. See also a discussion in an Earthfiles.com interview with an astrophysicist. Hear the sounds of solar flares in space in this Astronomy.com News Story. More super flares, again! See these news stories in Space.com, Washington Post, and again Space.com. This storm could surpass one that took place in 1859, with communications failed around the Norhtern Hemisphere, see this NASA news release. Yet, another flare is the largest ever recorded with a possible X-35 to X-40 designation, while previous flares have only been under 30-X. See the latest Space.com story.

• The Sun had Two North Poles in March 2000. In its transition of the 11-year solar cycle the Sun's South Pole migrated North. Typical of most major solar events, such as solar maximums, this occurred around the March or vernal equinox. See the NASA news release.

• Studies Have Shown that the March Equinox is More Often the Time for Intensified Solar Activity. Such was the case this year with intensified solar activity was around the equinox according to Spaceweather.com. See the NASA story photos of the aurora taken by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station

• A Double Peak in Solar Activity. Some solar cycles are double peaked, such as the current solar maximum. See the NASA news release.

• A Field in the Earth's Magnetosphere is Unexpectedly Stretching towards the Sun Global views of the Earth's magnetosphere, observed by NASA's IMAGE spacecraft, reveal a plasma tail that stretches toward the Sun. This is a field issuing off the Earth and is responsible for Earthly effects on solar activity; see Planetary Influences on Solar Activity. See the full story in a news release from NASA.

• Solar magnetic field is flipping. NASA scientists monitoring the Sun say that it's magnetic field is flipping, which is a sure indication that solar maximum is being reached. See the full story in a news release from NASA. Also see Planetary Influences on Solar Activity.

• Huge solar eruptions observed. Fast-moving solar eruptions -- known as coronal mass ejections (CME) -- overtake and devour slower-moving CME and can trigger long-lasting geomagnetic storms, along with dazzling auroras, when they strike Earth's magnetosphere. See the full story in a news release from NASA. Also see Planetary Influences on Solar Activity.

• New Space Probe to Take a Closer Look at Solar Flares. Solar flares have troubled astronomers ever since they were discovered nearly a century and a half ago. Particle acceleration is extremely efficient, and this particular aspect has been confounding scientists since their discovery. A new space probe is set to take a closer look. See the full story in a news release from NASA. Also see Planetary Influences on Solar Activity.

• Once Again a Study Shows that Solar Activity and the Stock Market Undergo the Same Patterns. Researchers at the University of Warwick in England are claiming the Sun's solar wind follows the same patterns as the stock market. Using data collected from NASA's WIND spacecraft, Professor Sandra Chapman and a team of researchers used an analysis method to model the fluctuations in the magnetic energy density of solar wind. They found that statistically, the fluctuations look a lot like those found in the stock market. There are a number of studies that show this relationship, and the most surprising finding -- in conventional terms -- is that the cycles in the stock market peak first, then solar activity. This is discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two: The Living Cosmos in Tome Five. The latest study was reported in Space.com's Astronotes for July 26, 2002, "Solar Wind is a Bull Market." Access Space.com and search for the article.

• Loops in the Solar Atmosphere May Cause Sun's Poles to Reverse...and More. What is of particular interest is that the loops only appeared when there were bursts of sunspot activity, which came every 12 to 18 months during the rising phase of the 11-year cycle. As anyone can notice this period is more relative to Earth with a year to year-and-a-half as the time frame. See the Science Daily story, and the Stanford news release

• Coronal Loops on the Sun Defy Gravity. This supports the idea that there is a remote field creating coronal loops and other forms of solar activity, as discussed in Planetary Influences on Solar Activity. See the full Science Daily story.

• Sun Sends Out Two Identical Flares. A series of rare, nearly identical flares with associated coronal mass ejections blasted from the Sun in November 2000. It is a very surprising observation in the conventional sense, since flares are believed to be due to magnetic flux tubes that break through the Sun's magnetic surface. See the news release. This alone suggests that there is more to solar activity that internal processes, and is, in fact, triggered by planetary influences. See Planetary Influences on Solar Activity.

• The Sun is Sending Out Masses of Energy in the Peak of its Solar Cycle. The Sun was belching forth huge X-ray flares and giant clouds of high-energy particles. On April 2, 2002, a flare more powerful than any in the last 25 years was unleashed. The flare packed more energy than 100 megatons of TNT and grew to more than 13 times bigger than the Earth's surface. Solar activity is expected to continue at peak levels for at least another year. The aurora, typically occurring in only the polar regions on Earth, have been noted as far south as Mexico. Solar activity is now more active than in all previous observations, extending back to the mid-1700s. For a related story see Planetary Influences on Solar Activity.

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General Astronomy

• A Quasar is Ejected from a Galaxy. This fits well with the idea that the Field-dynamical Model is capable of ejection phenomena, as occurs elsewhere. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two Chapter Six), and it part on the webpages Planetary Ejections and Cratering and Quasars as Ejection Phenomena and the Redshift Controversy. This is considered the first time ever to see this type of ejection, yet these web pages and the book were produced nearly a decade ago. See the Physorg.com article, Astronomy.com article, and Nature news release.

• The Early Moon had Water, and May Still Have Some Water. The water was found in samples of volcanic glass. The "official" theory of the Moon's origin -- a huge impactor hitting the Earth and dislodging what became the Moon -- is no longer tenable. This brings into question, like so many other facts, that the so-called "Era of Violent Bombardment" is just a hypothesis, and not an actuality. That is, if the impact scenario was true then all the water should have been vaporized. See the Physorg.com review article. [sources: Saal, A.E., et al (2008) Volatile content of lunar volcanic glasses and the presence of water in the Moon's interior. Nature 454, 192-195 and Chaussidon, M. (2008) Planetary science: The early Moon was rich in water. Nature 454, 170-172].

• More Similarities -- Venus has Polar Vortexes, Like Jupiter, Saturn and Other Planets. The vortex has a central region that is brighter than surrounding areas and is structured like a hurricane, as could be expected with the Field-dynamical Model of Venus. See the ESA news release.

• New Observations Show that Venus has "Mysterious" Hazes, Brightenings and Dark Markings. These phenomena are the result of particle flow, involving the Field-dynamical Model of Venus, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two (section 1.2). See the Space.com article.

• More Strong Evidence for Intergalactic Field System Emerges -- as Discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two (chapters 5-7). See the Physorg.com article on our plasma-filled galaxy, the Space.com's article on two neighbouring galaxies connected to our galaxy by streams of plasma., and Sciencedaily.com's article on a giant particle accelerator seen in a galactic cluster.

• Further Evidence of Intergalactic Fields -- A Cosmic Web -- is Uncovered by the X-Ray Observatory XMM-Newton. See the Phyorg.com article. [note: the article claims that this reveals some of the missing mass in the Universe, but this is and has been an ongoing process in the formation of new galaxies, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two].

• Gamma-Ray Burst Coming from the Middle of "Nowhere" is Further Evidence of Intergalactic Fields. See the Phyorg.com article and the Discovery.com article.

• Intergalactic Particle Accelerator is More Evidence of Intergalactic Fields. See the NewScientist.com article.

• Likewise, the Milky Way Shows the Effects of Interstellar Fields in that it Appears to be Fractal in its Arrangement. Fractals are spiral-like patterns, such as that found in life, like the Chambered Nautilis and DNA -- i.e., also life-like. See the NewScientist.com article.

• Another Similarity -- Jupiter and Saturn have Very Similar Aurora. [source: Stallard, T, et al. (2008) Jovian-like aurorae on Saturn. Nature 453, 1083-1085].

• More Simiarities -- Saturn has equatorial oscillations like those found on Earth and Jupiter, as well as a mid-latitude subsidence (i.e., mid-latitude Fields of the Field-dynamical Model) that may be associated with the equatorial motion (i.e., the ring current of the model). The extent of Saturn's latitudinal oscillation shows that it follows the same basic physics as do those on Earth and Jupiter. [source: Fouchet, T., et al (2008) An equatorial oscillation in Saturn's middle atmosphere. Nature 453, 200-202]. Also, fifteen-year oscillations in Saturn's equatorial stratosphere reveal a striking resemblance to the shorter-term oscillations seen on Earth and Jupiter — "akin to notes played on a cello, a violin and a viola." [source: Dowling, T.E. (2008) Planetary science: Music of the stratospheres. Nature 453, 163-164].

• Saturn Produced a Very Huge Lightning Storm that seems to Have lasted Nearly a Year. No one seems to mention that this is an extremely long duration for a "storm" and how this takes place. With the field-dynamical Model of Saturn, though, this could be expected, as the release of ionizing radiation churns the atmosphere and electrically charges it. See the NewScientist.com article and the Physorg.com article.

• Saturn has a Huge Polar Vortex (i.e., Field) that is Similar to Earth's Hurricanes. Saturn's south polar vortex shares some properties with hurricanes that include cyclonic circulation, warm central region (the eye) surrounded by a ring of high clouds (the eye wall), and convective clouds outside the eye. Yet, in contrast to Earth, there are a polar location and the absence of an ocean. It also shares properties with the polar vortices on Venus, including polar location, cyclonic circulation, warm center, and long lifetime, though the Venus vortices have cold collars (i.e., a ring around the vortex) and are not associated with convective clouds. [source: Dyudina, U.A., et al. (2008) Dynamics of Saturn's South Polar Vortex. Science Vol. 319: 1801].

• More Similarity -- This Time it is Between Mars and Venus. Both have beams of electrically charged particles flowing out of their atmospheres as they are accelerated away by interactions with the solar wind. This is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Model, which accelerates the by-products of fusion away from the planet. See the Physorg.com article.

• Venus Has a "Dynamic" Atmosphere as Could Be Expected from the Field-dynamical Model. Features change dramatically in a few days. Hazes, dark bands, polar features, and so on are seen as "an internal dynamical process in the planet’s atmosphere", which are created by particle acceleration processes. See the Redorbit.com article.

• Saturn's Ring Features are Often Not Associated with a Moon or Moonlet, and Show the Presence of Gaps in High-Energy Electron Flow. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, many, or even most, ring features are controlled by particle flow along the field line of the Field-dynamical Model, which has a ring feature created by the interaction of the Fields along the equator -- an electrostatic levitation of the ring particles takes place. See the Redorbit.com article.

• Mercury is Able to Fend Off the Solar Wind. This is a big surprise, since it was believed that it did not have a strong enough magnetic field. The theory was that Mercury is too close to the Sun to have a core. Yet, when the Field- dynamical Model is considered there is no surprise, as the core is not a dynamo, as is expected from conventional theory. See the Redorbit.com article and the NASA news release.

• An Internal Heat Source Drives Jupiter's Storms and Bands. One can even see the infrared glow of particle flow in the Jovian atmosphere, as seen in this Physorg.com news brief. Two plumes in Jupiter's atmosphere erupted at mid-latitude, as does the strongest jet, typical of the Field-dynamical Model's Mid-latitude Fields. The plumes reached above the surrounding clouds, are faster than any other feature, and created a turbulent planetary-scale disturbance, containing red aerosols (all due to the effects of particle flow). On the basis of dynamical modelling, scientists conclude that "the data are consistent only with a wind that extends well below the level where solar radiation is deposited." This calls for an origin for the huge energy within the planet itself. Again calling for a new model of Jupiter -- the Field-dynamical Model. [source: Sánchez-Lavega, et al (2008) Depth of a strong jovian jet from a planetary-scale disturbance driven by storms. Nature 451: 437-440].

• Early Galaxies had Strong Magnetic Fields -- As Strong as Those of Today. This discovery forces a rethinking of how galaxies are formed. With the Field-dynamical Model this is to be expected, as the plasma of the forming galaxy both strengthens and is controlled by the model -- a system of fields that are also magnetic. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the 2MediaGroup news item, Physorg.com article, NewScientist.com article. Meanwhile, the origin and growth of magnetic fields in galaxies is still something of a mystery to astronomers and astrophyicists who generally do not consider magnetic fields in galaxies, but will now have to. [source: Bernet, M.L., et al (2008) Strong magnetic fields in normal galaxies at high redshift. Nature 454: 302-304].

• Scientists Find an Asteroid from the Outer Asteroid Belt that Baffles Them. The problem is that the asteroid is largely composed of basalt and olivine, minerals typical of a planet like Earth with volcanic activity or a heat source. The idea that this asteroid may have come from a planet that broke up is countered by the fact that there are no others of this type nearby. It appears that the asteroid may be an ejected object from the Earth or another planet, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and on the web page Planetary Ejections and Cratering. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• The Ulysses Spacecraft has Observed that the Sounds Generated Deep Inside the Sun cause the Earth, Including its Magnetic Field, Atmosphere and Terrestrial System, to Vibrate and Shake. In convenrtional thought there is no real explantion for this, but with the Field-dynamical Earth with its solar-terrestrial linkage and Field system that links the magnetic field, atmosphere and plate tectonics this would be expected. See the Physorg.com news release. See the next entry for a related story.

• A Magnetic Link is Found Between a Star and a Planet. Astronomers would have expected the planet's orbital axis to align with the star's rotational axis. However, they found that the planet moves in sync with material residing at about the 45° latitude on the star's surface. This arrangement suggests that in a complex way the magnetic field of the star interacts with the planet. These effects could be predicted of the Field-dynamical Model where there is a solar linkage and phenomena along mid-latitutes. [Source: Catala, C. et al. (2007) The magnetic field of the planet-hosting star ô Bootis. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, Volume 374, Issue 1: L42-L46.]. See the previous entry for a related story.

• A New Molecule (Anion) has been Found that is Geared to Produce Life -- Yet, Another Aspect of the Living Cosmos. See the World-Science.net article.

• The Sun's South Pole is Cooler than its North Pole, and Other Mysteries Observed with the Spacecraft Ulysses. Though near the lowest point during solar minimum the Sun sent out huge bursts of solar wind particles and they came from near the equator, but spewed out from the poles. The wind has to follow magnetic field lines, but present theory doesn't account for this. Meanwhile, an understanding of the Field-dynamical Model of the Sun, discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two would allow for the prediction of these observations. See the NASA and the Sciencedaily.com articles.

• Once Again Solar Fluctuations (Magnetic Pulses) are Connected with Climate. This time it is Austrialian rainfall, which might end the country's longest drought. See the Rueter's news article.

• Once Again a Solar-Climate Record is Uncovered. This time it is NASA who studied Nile records. See the NASA article.

• Self-Moving Objects can Explain Away "Dark Matter." Moreover, the effects occur around the equinox at high latitudes, as could be predicted by the mechanical forces being active in the Earth's formation, as discussed in The Vital Vastness. See the Woorld-science.com news item [note: there is a link to the original article on that page].

• A Huge Intergalactic Plasma Cloud that Stretches More than Six Million Light-Years Across has been Discovered. This is to be expected from the intergalactic system of fields discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Physorg.com article.

• Pre-Life Molecules are also Found in Comets. See the innovation-report.com article. See the next entry.

• The Chemical Seeds to Form Life can be Found Throughout the Cosmos -- It is Truly a Living Cosmos. See the physorg.com article. Also, see the previous entry.

• Observations Show that Magnetic Fields Play a Role in Star Formation. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the physorg.com article. [Source: Girart, J.M., et al (2006) Magnetic Fields in the Formation of Sun-Like Stars. Science 313:812-814].

• Astronomers Observe a Solar-Planet Linkage -- A Magnetic Interaction -- on a Distant Sun and its Close Gaseous Planet. This linakge is just like that of the solar-terrrestrial linkage of the Earth and our Sun, and is expected of the Field-dynamical Model. See the spaceref.com article.

• The Powerful Magnetic Field of a Magnetar Reveals the Time-Varying Acceleration expected of the Field-dynamical Model. The discoverers think that the magnetic field is being twisted, but this is a hypothesis. It can readily be explained by a time-varying particle accelerator, which is what the Fields of the Field-dynamical Model are. The Fields involve a vortex (or helix) that accelerate particles (plasma, etc.) in a twisting shape. They are most likely seeing the magnetar directly on its pole. See the universtody.com article.

• The Evidence is in -- The Universe is Permiated with Huge Magnetic Fields. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two as a system of intergalactic fields, and is behind the inflation of the Universe, its possible elliptical shape and the origin, to some extent, of magnetic fields in galaxies and galactic clusters. Moreover, the magnetic fields cannot not be due to dynamo effects, as they occur to early in the life of objects, such as galaxies. See the Astrophysics abstract and artilce, and this is also discussed in the journal New Scientist [September 2, 2006, 19(:2567), pp.28-31]. See the next entry.

• Star Formation Shows the Field-dynamical Model Structure. A donut shaped torus, a ring and jets at the poles are very similar to the magnetospheres and polar winds of the planets, and the major star mass surrounding the center (black hole), the spiral arms and the jets of galaxies. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Model. See the physorg.com, and the msnbc.msn.com article.

• Scientists Observe Radio Waves in the Region of the Polar Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model and Suggest that Space Wave Turbulance Results in the Gap in the Radiation Belts. Meanwhile, it is the result of the Field's activation, as noted in the acommpanying magnetic disturbances. See the spacedaily.com article.

• Two New Satellites have Observed the Connection between the Earth and the Sun (i.e., solar-terrestrial linkage). The observations reveal what are called magnetic flux tubes. These are the upper level of the Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). See the sciencedaily.com article.

• An X-ray Emitting Star Reveals its Field-dynamical Model Structure with Complex Magnetic Fields. See the Redorbit.com Story.

• Scientists have been Trying to Explain the Universe's Expansion and Acceleration as the Result of Dark Energy -- an Untested and Untestable Hypothesis -- But a Recent Study Claims that there is No Dark Energy. The problem has been, and is likely to continue to be, that there is a focus on explaining everything as the result of mass, matter and gravity, leaving the possibility of other (non-Newtonian) physics out of consideration. See the Physweb.com article.

• A Nebula is Found that has a Structure Similar to the Helix of DNA. This can readily be explained by a field that accelerates plasma in two different directions at the same time, such as occurs in the aurora. This finding inidcates that there is a field in the galactic center. See the NationalGeographic article. [source: Morris, M., et al. (2006) A Magnetic Torus Wave Near the Galactic Centre Traced by a 'Double Helix' Nebula. Nature 440:308-310].

• A Distant Star is Seen Spewing Out Jets in a Corkscrew Emission Along a Strong Magnetic Field. A corkscrew emission along magnetic field lines is typical of the Field-dynamical Model of stars presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. Yet, the conventional interpretation is that the emission's corkscrew shape has to do with the star's spin. The jets are also emitting water molecules, supporting the notion that water can be produced with the chemical reactions produce by hydrogen fusion, and maybe responsible for the water seen on some planets, such as the Earth. See the Universetoday.com story.

• High-Energy Particles are Streaming Out of a Young Star in the Shape of a Tornado. This is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Model of stars discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and is the result of a vortex within a field that is part of the process of particle acceleration. See the Space.com article. Also see the previous entries.

• Observations Indicate that Magnetic Fields Produce Rings Around Stars. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness --- Volume Two, and is part of the process that leads to planet formation and planet solar linkages. The same process is involved in the production of planetary rings. See the Hubblesite news article

• Supernova 1987A is "Missing" its Supposed Neutron Star Core, Bringing Supernova and Stellar Theories into Question. Typical of present-day science, there is a focus on mass, but here is yet another example were that focus is not supported. See the MSNBC news story, the Physorg.com article, and the Universetoday.com article.

• Gamma-ray Bursts and X-Rays Connected, but Why? Present theories of gamma-ray bursts offer not explantion of why they are connected with x-rays. Yet, a simple explanation would be that they are both generated by a field that acts like a particle accelerator, such as the fields of the Field-dynamical Model of celestial objects. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and may be evidence of a field system that pervades the Universe. See the Rednova.com article, and the Spaceref.com article.

• Observations Indicate that Magnetic Fields Produce Rings Around Stars. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness --- Volume Two, and is part of the process that leads to planet formation and planet solar linkage. The same process is involved in the production of planetary rings. See the Hubblesite news article

• A Exoplanet is Discovered that Puts into Question the Current Theory of Planetary Formation. A Jupiter-sized planet was discovered in a multiple star system, but the planet is too close to the star it orbits for the gravitational perspective of the theory (0.3 AU; less than one third of the distance from the Earth to the Sun). The problem is that the theory is too based on gravity and mass, but the theory presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two involves magnetohydrodynamics of plasma, a solar-planet linkage and the Field-dynamcial Model of planets, which would allow for such an observation. See the Physorg.com article. [original source: Konacki, M. (2005) An extrasolar giant planet in a close triple-star system. Nature 436:230-233].

• The first detection of stellar magnetic fields in planeatry nebulae have been made. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and is a necessary aspect of star and planetary formation, involving the field-dynamical model. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• The young universe was thought to have very little structure, but a new observation shows a cluster of thousands of galaxies from the early universe that is highly structured. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two there is evidence that intergallactic fields exist and permiate the universe, allowing for structure without the proposed gravitational scenarios. This is further evidence of that intergalactic field structure. See the Universetoady.com article. See also the following entry.

• The Chandra observatory has found an intergalactic "web" of rivers of matter. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Voume Two and is an intergalactic system of fields that prevade the universe and result in the formation of galaxies and galactic clusters. See the Spacedaily.com article, and the Spacedaily.com on missing matter.

• For the first time astronomers have found evidence of magnetic fields in planetary nebulae. Yet, this very thing was written about in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and the shapes of the nebulae -- some 80% are not spherical -- are the result of the field-dynamical model. See the PhysOrg.com article, and the RedNova.com article

• Finally, there is a physiscist that has a different explantion for the expansion of the Universe that does not involve "dark energy". As discussed inThe Vital Vastness -- Volume Two this is due to a system of intergalactic fields and the field-dynamical model of celestial objects. This physicist says that it is a leak in gravity. See the MSNBC.com article

• The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) has shown a non-dynamo spiral magnetic field that fluctuates on short and large scales. It is a finding that does not fit well with current theories, they state "The large bursts of recent star formation and supernova activity in the LMC argue against standard dynamo theory, adding to the growing evidence for rapid field amplification in galaxies." [Gaensler, B.M., et al (2005) The Magnetic Field of the Large Magellanic Cloud Revealed Through Faraday Rotation. Science 307:1610-1612]. This, however, this fits well with the theories presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two.

• Finally, a Scientist Says that Dark Matter and Dark Energy are Different Apsects of a Single Unknown Force. This very thing was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and the unknown force is a system of intergalactic fields. This scientist claims that it is the result of a scalar field, as discussed in the book. See the Astrophysics abstarct, and PhysOrg story (you will have to register to see the whole story).

• Comets May Spread Earth-like Life Around the Galaxy. See the Space Daily news release.

• Nearby Star has Solar System Like Ours. See the Science Daily story.

• Planet Forms Like a Star. As discussed in The Vital Vastness stars and planets have the same underlying structure in the form of the Field-dynamical Model. In fact, planets have sun-like structures in their cores. See the New Scientist story.

• The Universe May have Been Created by a White Hole, Not the Big Bang. A white Hole is the opposite of a black hole, and is a creation process. See the Science Daily artcile.

• The Early Universe was Much More Mature and Ordered Than Previously Thought. See the Universe Today story.

• Finally, Scientists Have Debunked the Myth of Dark Energy. Most astronomers believe that the universe is dominated by dark energy, as this seems to be the only way in their minds that the accelerating and expanding universe can be explained at the same time. This is of course a gravitaional perspective, as this is the major focus in institutions of higher learning. Now, physicists in France and the Netherlands say it doesn't exist. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness - Volume Two. See the Physics Web story.

• Discovery of a Planet, Larger than Jupiter, Suggests that There are Probably Many Planets Throughout the Universe. Moreover, the planet was formed very early after the Big Bang. See the NASA story

• Hubble captures images of an exploding star. See the Hubble images in a video or stills.

• Violent Outburst from a Young Star has Astronomers Searching for Answers. A huge radio burst from a young star reveals a very strong magnetic field, twisting flare-like emissions, and short-period variablity -- all of which is confusing to astronomers and astrophysicists, but fully expected of the Field-dynamical Model of stars presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Nature news story.

• Flattened Star Offers Compelling Evidence That Stars and Other Celestial Bodies are Not What Was Originally Thought. The degree of flattening shows that the star is not structured as thought, and requires a dynamic mechanism(s) -- the Field-dynamical Model, as was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the New Scientist article.

• Is it Any Wonder? Dark Matter is Undetectable. Dark matter has been evoked to explain how galaxies formed according to the focus in science on explaining celestial objects as originating from mass, matter and gravity. The concept of dark matter is therefore untestable, and as a result, not at all scientific. See the Nature story.

• Pulsar's Jet Shows Rapid Variablity that is Unexpected. This observation, however, fits very well with the time-varying acceleration of the fields of the Field-dynamical Model. See the Space.com story.

• The Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory Captured the Spectacle of Matter and Antimatter Propelled to Nearly the Speed of Light by the Crab Pulsar. This news release includes movies from both space probes, and it is obvious that there is a time-varying acceleration taking place -- just as the Field is described in The Vital Vastness. See the NASA news release.

• Fourth Century Supernova and Pulsar. New evidence from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory suggests that a known pulsar is the what is left of a stellar explosion -- a supernova -- witnessed by Chinese astronomers in 386 AD. The discovery should change what astronomers think they know about the ages of pulsars. Supernovae occur more often during historical cycles, as discussed in In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, and this supernova took place in the 250-450 AD cycle. See the full news release from NASA.

• More Sun-like Stars Have Planets than Previously Thought. There may be a lot more planets circling stars like the Sun than current models of star and planet formation predict, except those presented in The Vital Vastness: Volume Two. See the ScienceDaily.com article

• Forming Planet Around Distant Star Leaves Many Questions. A planet has been observed forming around a star larger than our sun. There appears to be a lack of hydrogen in the forming planet and there appears to not be enough material in the surrounding ring to form the planet. The lack of hydrogen is the result of a Field-dynamical Model where the hydrogen is accelerated into the core to undergo hydrogen fusion, but astrophycists do not know of this model yet. This is discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two: The Living Cosmos in Tome Five. See the news brief in Nature.

• Comets Disappear and Break Up After Entering the Inner Solar System. This is discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two: The Living Cosmos, and it is part of an overall balance in the Solar System where the mass lost in the solar wind is partially replenished by comets, making the Solar System less finite. See the Cosmiverse story Note: Recently the Cosmiverse website has been unavailable.

• Some New Planets May Begin as Stars. More than half of the recently discovered extrasolar planets appear to begin as star-like objects. While this study suggests to astronomers that these may actually be brown dwarf stars in binary systems, they could instead be how planets first form. This fits well with the theoretical perspectives presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volumes One and Two presented in part in The Need For a New Model of the Earth, and The Similiarites of the Planets (and Other Celestial Objects) that the planets have sun-like, thermonuclear cores. See the full research story presented at the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society meeting of October 23-27 at Pasadena.

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Galaxies and Black Holes

• Observations of the Galactic Center Seem to Contradict General Relativity's Predictions on Gravitational Lensing. However, this conclusion is based on the assumption that there is a supermassive black hole at the center. There is no contradiction if the black hole is not supermassive, but a field something like a macroscopic wormhole. See the PR-inside.com news release. [source: E. H. Dowdye Jr., E.H. (2007) Time resolved images from the center of the Galaxy appear to counter General Relativity. Astronomische Nachrichten 328(2):186-191 ]. See next entry.

• Someone is Finally Saying What Needs to be Said -- Black Holes Do Not Exist as Proposed. in Theory and May Not Exist at All. See the NewScientist.com article.

• Filaments that Connect to Galaxy Formation are Thought to be Dark Matter. That is the hypothesis of the conventional theory, but as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two these filaments are the result of an intergalactic system of fields. Scientists are not considering this, because it would tend to look like more order than proposed and might contribute to the problem of "prearrangement." See the Physicsweb.org article.

• They Finally Got it Right! The Milky Way's Central Engine is Seen as a Giant Particle Accelerator. This theory was brought forth in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. The Fields of the Field-dynamical Model are time-varying particle accelerators. See the msnbe.msn.com and the Physorg.com news items.

• More Problems With Present Black Hole Theories. A Chandra survey of more than 1,000 black holes reveals that most are either naked or covered by a dense veil of gas, with very few inbetween. This brings into question the present "knowledge" about what is really going on in the region of black holes. See the Foxnews.com and Redorbit.com news releases.

• Supermassive Black Hole at the Center of the Milky Way? Think Again. The problem is that there are things going on in the region that don't behave like expected. Take away the supposed supermassiveness and replace it with a wormhole (including a time-varying accelerator) and you might expect what's being seen, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the MIT news release.

• Gamma-Ray Bursters (GRBs) are Now Seen as Magnetically Driven. In The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two it was theorized that GRBs are the result of mass being accelerated along intergalactic, electromagnetic fields and the fields of celestial objects. See the msnbc.msm.com news release.

• Black Holes are Instead Wormholes. Wormholes mimic black holes so well that it would make it virtually impossible to tell them apart. This is the problem in present black hole hypotheses, they are nearly always descriibed as supermassive, which is an assumption. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Physics.about.com news release (take note of the wormhole illustration).

• Black Holes, like so Many other Things in the Universe, Produce the Seeds of Life. They spew out the heavier elements important to life's emergence. See the Physorg.com or Zeenews.com articles.

• Finally its Being Said -- The Idea of Dark Matter and Dark Energy are the Result of Flawed Physics. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and what is really being observed has to do with an Intergalactic System of Fields. See the physorg.com article. See the previous entry.

• Black Hole Jets are Composed of Energetic Protons and Electrons. This is exactly what is expected of the Field-dynamical Model, and is very much like the aurora, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the happynews.com article.

• Colliding Galaxies Do Not Destroy Each Other, But Produce Stars. Had this been something small on Earth we would probably think it is bioloigcal -- reproduction. The real point is that it trully is a living cosmos. See the World-Science.net article.

• Scientists have been Trying to Explain the Universe's Expansion and Acceleration as the Result of Dark Energy -- an Untested and Untestable Hypothesis -- But a Recent Study Claims that there is No Dark Energy. The problem has been, and is likely to continue to be, that there is a focus on explaining everything as the result of mass, matter and gravity, leaving the possibility of other (non-Newtonian) physics out of consideration. See the Physweb.com article.

• Gamma-ray Bursts and X-Rays Connected, but Why? Present theories of gamma-ray bursts offer not explantion of why they are connected with x-rays. Yet, a simple explanation would be that they are both generated by a field that acts like a particle accelerator, such as the fields of the Field-dynamical Model of celestial objects. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and may be evidence of a field system that pervades the Universe. See the Rednova.com article, and the Spaceref.com article.

• Finally, there is a physiscist that has a different explantion for the expansion of the Universe that does not involve "dark energy". As discussed inThe Vital Vastness -- Volume Two this is due to a system of intergalactic fields and the field-dynamical model of celestial objects. This physicist says that it is a leak in gravity. See the MSNBC.com article

• Finally, a Scientist Says that Dark Matter and Dark Energy are Different Apsects of a Single Unknown Force. This very thing was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and the unknown force is a system of intergalactic fields. This scientist claims that it is the result of a scalar field, as discussed in the book. See the Astrophysics abstarct, and PhysOrg story (you will have to register to see the whole story).

• Astronomers Find that Giant Radio Galaxies Cosmic and Radio Waves are the Result of a Time-varying Magnetic Field. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and is the result of a time-varying field that accelerates particles. Here they call it a "magnetic reconnection," but this is the same thing. See the Spaceflight.com story.

• More Evidence that Objects Formed More Quickly Than can be Accounted for by Gravity Alone. See the Space Daily news release and Universe Today news item. Or maybe they are not so distant and old as thought.

• Finally, Scientists Have Debunked the Myth of Dark Energy. Most astronomers believe that the universe is dominated by dark energy, as this seems to be the only way in their minds that the accelerating and expanding universe can be explained at the same time. This is of course a gravitaional perspective, as this is the major focus in institutions of higher learning. Now, physicists in France and the Netherlands say it doesn't exist. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness - Volume Two. See the Physics Web story.

• Gamma Ray Bursters also Show the Attributes of the Field-dyanmical Model -- Strong Magnetic Fields, Pulsing (i.e., Time-Varying Acceleration) and Polarization. See the Nature article.

• Is it Any Wonder? Dark Matter is Undetectable. Dark matter has been evoked to explain how galaxies formed according to the focus in science on explaining celestial objects as originating from mass, matter and gravity. The concept of dark matter is therefore untestable, and as a result, not at all scientific. See the Nature story.

• The Milky Way Ejects Stars into Intergalactic Space. Just like the ejection of material from planets there is ejection from galaxies -- both are in the Field-dynamical Model, and so, this could be expected. See the Space.com story.

• Two Merging Galaxies are Surrounded By Star Birth. Had this been anything that was already considered non-living, this would have been described as reproduction, in the biological sense. See the Universetoday.com story.

• A Study Shows that there is a Slender Stream of Stars Flowing Over the Milky Way. This reveals the fact that there is a intergalactic field-system, as do other observations. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Physorg.com article. See also the next few entries.

• A Bar in the Milky Way's Center Reveals More Stability Than Current Theories Allow. Current models of galaxies do not have an explanation for the bar seen in many galaxies, nor do they explain the stars so close to the black hole, which is assumed to be supermassive. See the NewScientist.com story.

• A Microwave Study of the Universe (Metagalaxy) Shows Much More Order than Theorized, Where Galaxies Lie Along an "Axis of Evil." This completely contradicts the standard model of the universe. The article also addresses the fact that in at least some cases stars are too close to black holes for the supermassive theory of black holes. These aspects of the universe and black holes are discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and are expected of the Field-dynamical Model. This "Axis of Evil" is very much like a ring around a planet. Black holes are not supermassive, but a field with time-varying acceleration (the reason there is an unexpected radiation emitted), and this is why stars can be very close to the black holes. Moreover, there is a ring-like structure that is perpendicular to a dipole structure, typical of the Field-dynamical Model. The whole thing raises questions about the Big Bang theory and shows much more order than originally thought. See the Pravada news report. [Source: Chown, M. (2005) 'Axis of evil' warps cosmic background. New Scientist 188(2522):19]. Also see the following entries.

• Galaxies are Four Times More Common in the Direction of Gamma-Ray Bursts Than in the Direction of Quasars. Again, this could be expected of a system of intergalactic fields that produce the gamma-ray bursts. See the Malaysiansun.com, and the Universetoday.com articles. See also the previous and the following entries.

• The Universe is Filled with Filaments and Aligned Galaxies Revealing a Intergalactic System of Fields. There are filaments -- long streams of light (particles) -- that stretch at least 490,000 light years across. Galaxies are also aligned across large regions of the universe. These observations confirm the discussion in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Physorg.com articles on giant filaments and aligned galaxies. Note that the article on aligned galaxies suggests that it is the effects of dark matter, an unproven and unprovable assumption. See also the previous and the following entries.

• Huge Milky Way-Sized "Tunnel" is Found Streaming from a Galactic Cluster. The so-called tunnel appears to be ejected from the galactic cluster's central region. While the article suggests that it is the result of "cosmic battles" between black holes, it can more easily be described as an intergalactic field, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Redorbit.com article. See also the previous and the next entries.

• Cosmic Blob of Galaxies and Gas (Plasma) From the Largest Known Object in the Universe. Again, this conforms with an intergalactic system of fields. See the CNN.com story. See also the previous and the following entries.

• The Case of the Missing Black Holes? More Evidence of a System of Intergalactic Fields. Looking a the background radiation with X-ray instruments shows X-rays, but no associated black holes, believed to be the source of the X-rays. Meanwhile, the intergalactic fields are like particle accelerators, which produce X-rays as a by-product of acceleration. See the Universetoday.com article. See also the previous and the following entries.

• An Intergalactic Particle Accelerator is Observed Coming from the Heart of the Milky Way. While the scientists in the article are quoted describing this as the effect of a supernova or even a black hole, it is only conventional thought that makes them reach this conclusion. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two there is evidence of a web of intergalactic fields. See the articles from PhysOrg.com and PhysOrg.com on Gamma-rays. See also the previous and the next entries.

• Black Holes are Much More Numerous than Previously Thought. Moreover, there are point sources of X-rays and they are not scattered across the sky -- what was once thought to be a truly diffuse cosmic x-ray background radiation, actually comes from point sources. This contradicts the proposed scenario of a Big Bang and the gravitational collapse of matter into black holes. It does, however, strengthen the notion that there is a system of intergalactic fields, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Technocrat.net article, and the Penn State news release.

• Finally, Evidence that Magnetic Processes are at Work in Black Holes and their Accretion Disks. This was proposed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and reveals the Field-dynamical Model of black holes and galaxies, quasars and neutron stars. See the Spaceref.com. [note: there are links to more information]. Also see the previous two entries.

• Finally, Evidence for Magnetic Processes are at Work in Black Holes and their Accreation Disks. This was proposed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and reveals the Field-dynamical Model of black holes and galaxies, quasars and neutron stars. This conclusively shows that black hole phenomena is much more than supermassive and driven by gravitation. See the Spaceref.com. (note: there are links to more information). [source: Miller, .M., et al (2006) The magnetic nature of disk accretion onto black holes. Nature 441:953-955]

• New Quasar Model Finally Gets the Picture Straight. New observations of a quasar have shown that the Field-dynamical Model is clearly evident. There is magnetic dipole, a "ring" (accretion disk), mid-latitute structure, and magnetic reconnection processes, all of which could be predicted of the model. They even counter the supermassive black hole scenario. All of this was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Physorg.com article. See also the next entry.

• It has Been Confirmed, Quasars are Powered by a Synchrotron Radiation Mechanism. Synchrotron radiation is the signature of a spiral or vortex that accelerates particles to near the speed of light. This confirms the discussion in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two that quasars are a field typical of the Field-dynamical Model, but unlike other active galactic nuclei we see them pole on. This field -- a chiral or handed structure -- can also produce different redshifts, leading to the little-discussed redshift controversy. See the Physorg.com article. Also see the previous entry.

• Contrary to Expectations, Stars Form Very Close to the Milky Way's Black Hole. Science, particularly astronomy and astrophysics, focuses on mass and matter, and so, sees black holes as supermassive (the math involving mass seems to explain gas motions, etc.). According to this supermassive perspective everything is supposed to be sucked into a black hole, yet the obervations show that the Milky Way's black hole is an area of very active star formation. In the theoretical perspective presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two a black hole is a field that warps space-time (i.e., a macroscopic wormhole), and therefore, is not dominated by supermassiveness, but can be a source of creation (even other dimensions, and possibly, even other universes). See the Chandra X-ray Observatory news release. The stars would not have formed nor remain so close to a black hole if it were, in fact, super massive. See the Newscientist.com article. See also the Spacedaily.com story, and the Newscientist.com article. There is also another galaxy that has a similar scenario. See the Physorg.com article, or Redorbit.com story. See also the next entry.

• Astrophysicist Says that Black Holes Never Existed. An astrophysicist makes an arguement that black holes never existed, but still thinks of them as massive, saying that they are neutron stars instead. See the Physorg.com article. See also previous entry.

• The Chandra X-Ray Observatory Has Proven That Black Holes Have Far Reaching Effects. Energetic plumes come off of black holes that stretch hundreds of thousands of light years. Again, the proposed supermassiveness is supposed to attract matter, not push it away. In The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two a discussion is presented that there are interstellar and intergalactic field systems along which plasma flows forming stars and galaxies. See the Physorg.com article.

• The Theory of Dark Matter is Up for Question, Again. Typical of scientific perspectives, scientists are trying to expalin the structure of galaxies as a gravitational phenomenon with dark, unseen, and untestable dark matter. But there is a great deal of skepticism about the idea, and it is very likely not to exist. In The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two it was discussed that the structure of galaxies is due to magnetic fields, not mass. See the MSNBC story.

• An Era of Galaxy and Black Hole Growth Spurt has Been Uncovered by Chandra X-Ray Obervstory. See the NASA News story.

• Massive, Distant Galaxy Calls Galaxy Formation Theory into Question. The galaxy appears to have grown very quickly, and therefore, cannot be explained by the collapse (accretion) of mass. See the Space.com story, and the Newscientist.com article.

• Powerful Outflow From a Black Hole Creates a Huge Bubble. Theories on black holes focus more on their supposed supermassiveness, and therefore, scientists expect there to be powerful inflows of material, but observations indicate otherwise, as expected of the Field-dynamical Model of galaxies presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Spacedaily.com article.

• An Experiment with Plasma and a Magnetic Field Produces a Jet Like that Seen in Galaxies and Other Objects. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and is produced as the result of the Field-dynamical Model of Active Galactic Nuclei. See the Physorg.com article.

• A New Study Discloses that the Early Universe was Packed with Mini-Black Holes and Galaxies that "Merged" and Grew. The refreshing aspect of this study is that this is being referred to as growth and food -- biological terms, as it is a living universe. See the RedNova.com article and MSNBC.com article. [original source: Alexander, D.M., et al (2005) Rapid growth of black holes in massive star-forming galaxies. Nature 434:738-740].

• Astronomers Finally Get a Close Look at the Field Struture in the Galaxy -- A Giant X-Ray Loop that Shows the Signs of Being a Particle Accelerator. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and reveals one aspect of a field system that pervades the universe, galactic clusters and galaxies. See the Physorg.com article, the universetoday.com article, and Scientific American article . See the following item.

• "Dark" Accelerators Found in the Heart of the Milky Way. These dark accelerators emit high-energy gamma-rays, but do not show up in the optical and X-ray portions of the spectra. As with the previous entry above, this was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and reveals one aspect of a field system that pervades the universe, galactic clusters and galaxies. See the Universe Today article.

• Unlike the Typical Scene of a Hellish Earth Early in its History, the Earth was Ready for Life in a Very Short Time. See the Physorg.com article.

• It is a Fractal Universe. The fields that permeate the universe and celestial objects can be explained by fractal strutures that formed in the turbulance and movement (Coriolis and centrafugal forces) present in the magnetohydrodynamics of plasma that formed the Field-dynamical Model. The website fractaluniverse.org presents a pictorial presentation of the possibilities.

• Super collider particle accelerator produced a black hole-like phenomena.. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two the field-dynamical model of galaxies involves a system of fields, which are particle accelerators. So, here is the phenomena produced in a laboratory, confirming the process. See the NewScientist.com article.

• A powerful new radio source is found at the galactic center. This is typical of particle acceleration and fits the field-dynamical model of galaxies discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Nature.com article

• A huge blast from what is believed to be a giant neutron-star showers the Earth with gamma-rays and x-rays lighting up the upper atmosphere. Had the event been closer to the Earth, it would have blasted away the atmosphere and caused mass extinctions. [Irion, R. (2005) Giant Neutron-Star Flare Blitzes the Galaxy With Gamma Rays. Science 307:1178-1179.] . See the Spacedaily.com article as well.

• Black holes cause the twisting of magnetic fields producing jets. This very thing was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and is the result of a Field-dynamical Model of galaxies' nuclei. See the Science Magazine, and NewScientist.com articles.

• A quasar provides "mysterious" corkscrew jet emissions not expected form present theoretical perspectives. However, this is to be expected of the Field-dynamical model of quasars presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two where this very thing was discussed. The Fields of the Field-dynamical Model accelerates plasma in a voretx motion. See the Spaceref.com story.

• The high-energy gamma-ray source at the heart of the Milky Way has astronomers and astrophysicists puzzled. However, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two this is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Model of galaxies where the gamma-ray source is a Field -- a time-varying particle accelerator -- that routinely produces gamma-rays and x-rays. See the PhysOrg article

• Massive Black Hole Theory Hits the Dust. A thick torus of dust around a black hole proves that it is not massive. See the Space.com story, and the Nature article.

• Quasars are Not as Current Theories Predict. Quasars were thought to inhabit the nuclei of huge, bright and chaotic galaxies, but new observations show that this is not the case. See the Universe Today story.

• Hot Gases and X-rays in the Milky Way's Center Puzzle Astronomers. These observations fit very well with the model of galaxies presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, where there is a core of thermonuclear fusion and fields that accelerate plasma producing x-rays. See the Space Daily story.

• "Engmatic" X-Ray Sources Come From What Might Be a New Class of Black Holes. As noted in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two black holes are really not supermassive, but involve a field that accelerates particles. In science today there is a focus on mass, matter and gravity, and explantions are constantly sought for phenomena in this Newtonian perspective. This new type of black hole shows temperatures too low for the supermassive perspetive, which has scientists baffled. See the SpaceRef.com story.

• Finally, Some Scientists are Considering an Energy Field System to Explain "Dark Energy", but its Not the Only Theory -- which, of course, involves mass. See the Space Daily story.

• A Star Shows Jets Like those found in Black Holes -- the First Ever Seen. This shows that while these objetcs look very different they are nevertheless similar in somes ways. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness - Volume Two. See the Space Daily news story, the Scienceblog story and the Universe Today story.

• Black Hole Jets are Much Closer to their Black Holes than Thought. This may challenge the current theory of supermassive black holes, as these jets appear to be more a part of a structural arrangement. This, however, fits very well with the theory of a Field-dynamical Model presented in The Vital Vastness - Volume Two. See the Spaceflight Now news story.

• Farm Raised Salmon has More Pollutants than Wild Salmon. See the MSNBC news story.

• Black holes are musical too, emitting a extremely low B-flat. See the Sciencedaily.com story. See also the NASA story complete with strreming audio of the sound.

• The Black Hole in the Milky Way is Spinning and Time-Varying, which is a Surprise to Conventional Theorists. However, this is to be expected from the Field-dynamical Model presented in The Vital Vastness. See the Science Daily News item. Also, see the discussion in a RedNova.com news story.

• More Trouble for the Supermassive Black Hole Theory. Looking at our galaxy's -- the Milky Way -- core a surprise showed up. There near the core was an usually young and massive star, and such stars have no business being there. It was thought that only light and old stars were near the center. [Ghez AM, et al. (2003) The first measurement of spectral lines in a short-period star bound to the Galaxy's central black hole: A paradox of youth. Astrophysical Journal 586 (2): L127-L131].

• Polarization of a Gamma-Ray Burster (GRB) indicates that there is a very strong magnetic field associated with the GRB. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and is expected of the Field-dynamical Model. See the artcile for more details [Coburn, W., Boggs, S.E. (2003) Polarization of the prompt (gamma)-ray emmission from the (gamma)-ray burst of 6 December 2002. Nature 423:415-417].

• Black Holes Spew Out as Much Matter as They Suck in. Black holes have always been described as dragging everything into its grasp, where inflowing matter could not escape. Now it is known that they spew out matter that is necessary for life and the formation of galaxies. See the Science News story.

• Link Found Between Galaxies Originally Thought to be Totally Different. Astronomers won't come right out and say it, but this is not a new idea. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and by Halton Arp, who was black balled by the astronomy community. See the Spaceref.com story.

• Black Holes are Still Forming Contrary to Previous Beliefs. See the Nature.com Story.

• Contrary to Prevoiusly Held Theory, Black Holes and Galaxies Grow Together. Surprisingly they actually used the word "grow" when referring to something they consider to be non-biological. See the ScienceDaily story. See also this related Spaceflight Now story.

• Dark Matter does Not Explain Galaxy -- Again. The typical response to any celestial object is to find some way of explaining it in terms of gravity, and this is why dark matter was invented, but here is a galaxy that cannot be explained with dark matter. See the ScienceDaily.com news story.

• Gamma Ray Bursters also Show the Attributes of the Field-dyanmical Model -- Strong Magnetic Fields, Pulsing (i.e., Time-Varying Effects) and Polarization. See the Nature article.

• Lobes of Hot Gas Extend Further from a Black Hole than Theorized. The lobes of hot gas extending from a black hole where thought to extend to only a few million kilometers from a Black Hole, but a recent observation of the galaxy, SS 433, shows that they can extend as far as a few trillion kilometers. This was a big surprise, as the proposed gravitational pull should prevent the lobes from extending so far. This indicates that the Blcak Hole is not as theorized. However, this fits well within the theoretical perspective that Black Holes involve a field with time-varying acceleration, as proposed in The Vital Vastness: Volume Two. See the Astronomy.com story. See also this ScienceBlog.com story on this NASA discovery.

• Milky Way's Black Hole is Not Pulling in as Much Matter as Theorized, and it Appears like an "Organism." All components of the Galactic Center, such as stars, cold and hot gas, magnetic fields and the central black hole, display an intimate interplay. One doctor has this to say, "It's almost as if the Galactic Center were a living organism." It is extremely rare for a scientist to mention what is widely considered non-living as organism like. We contend that this life oriented mind-set is actually the right perspective. See the Spaceref.com news story.

• Energy coming OUT of a black hole. Never before have scientists seen energy streaming out of a black hole, and the theoretical framework of a black hole says that energy should only be going into a black hole. See the full news release. For a related discussion see Quasars as Ejection Phenomena, and the Redshift Controversy. This very phenomena is predictable with a new understnding of active galactic nuclei discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two.

• A Black Hole in the Galactic Center? Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory a look at the center of our galaxy revealed the unexpected. Expecting to see energy flowing into the center, they instead found what looks like a faint quasar emitting energy. Moreover, the quasar is extremely close (only 26,000 light-years away), while quasars are supposed to be at the far reaches of the universe. See the NASA news release. For a related discussion see Quasars as Ejection Phenomena, and the Redshift Controversy. This very phenomena is predictable with a new understnding of active galactic nuclei discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two.

• X-ray Observations Brings into Question Present Theories about Galactic Cluster's Cores. Simply, in terms of physics, huge amounts of gas in cluster cores should cool and collapse, but it doesn't. While astronomers find some cooling of the intracluster plasma, not nearly enough is found to explain current theories. Something stops the plasma from cooling beyond half to one-third of the initial temperature. As stated in the article, "That feature smells of a universal feedback mechanism." However, magnetic fields that prevade intracluster structure could explain it if it were "neat and radial." This suggests that the Field-dynamical Model of clusters is at work, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. [Day, Charles (2003) X-Ray Observations Deepen Mystery of What Happens in the Cores of Galactic Clusters. Physic Today, March 2003, pp.16-18.]

• Black Holes also Emit Matter, in Contrast to Previous Perspectives, and May even be the Source of Heavier Elements Necessary to Life. See the Physicsweb story.

• Once again Black Holes are not Supermassive, but Mid-Weight. See the Space.com story. They also run hotter than expected. See also the Spaceflight Now story.

• A Black Hole Disappears and Reappears Leaving Scientists in an Apparent Dilemma for Explanations. A black hole in the star cluster, M51, was observed and then on trying to reexamine it, it couldn't be found. This very phenomena is, however, completely expected from the model presented in The Vital Vastness: Volume Two, which calls for a time-varying field as the black hole, not the supermassive theory so fixated on today. Scientists tend to try to explain everything as matter, mass and gravity due to more than three centuries of Newtonian physics. Note how the story indicates that black holes that are not supermassive have also been observed. See the MSNBC link to the video animation of a black hole (down on the left-hand panel) -- very real looking.

• Black Holes and Galaxies in Co-Evolution, and the Mysterious Quasar. Black holes and galaxies are now being concerned as objects that evolve together. However, the problem is that the theoretical point of view is that the black hole is thought of as supermassive. Meanwhile, quasars are then thought of as having black holes more massive than a hundreds of galaxies, and they formed -- according to present theoretical perspectives -- when the Universe was only about 10% of its present age. Quasars are powered by black holes that supposedly weigh more than a billion suns. How did they get so big so fast is the unanswered question in present theoretical perspectives. Notwithstanding, this whole perspective could be wrong and black holes may not be massive at all, but fields that accelerate mass. See Quasars as Ejection Phenomena and the Redshift Controversy and The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. Meanwhile, there is at least a new perspective that doesn't see black holes as destructive monsters. See the Space.com story. For a related story see Physicsweb article.

• Mimicing Black Hole Jets Goes Nuclear. The jets issuing off of blck holes have been a mystery ever since their discover. The proposed super massive black hole should swallow up all material, but these jets -- very narrow and extending light-years into space -- overcome the proposed gravitational forces. Meanwhile, as presented in The Vital Vastness: Volume Two the black holes jets are the result of time-varying accelerators (electromagnetic fields that accelerate plasma), which are powered by thermonuclear fusion. Jets have been sucessfully simulated in a nuclear laboratory using nuclear fusion and pulsating (time-varying) magnetic fields. See the Space.com article.

• Black Holes are Not as Envisioned, as They are Found in Unexpected Places. Black holes do not show the always expected evidence of supermassiveness. Moreover, they are being found in unexpected places and are more common that previously thought. See the full ScienceDaily.com story.

• Most Galaxies Do Not Have Supermassive Black Holes. Contrary to popular opinion in astronomy that most or even all galaxies have black holes, instead few, if any, have supermassive black holes. This is also discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two: The Living Cosmos in Tome Five. See the Space.com Story.

• Young Stars in an Old Elliptical Galaxy. Young stars in an old galaxy confounds the theoretical perspective involving gravity in galaxy formation and evolution. See the Physics Web news story

• More Doubts about Black Holes. The standard theory that active galactic nuclei are powered by central black holes is again in question. See the Spaceflight.com news release.

• Old Debate about Galaxies is Renewed as a Result of a New Study. The more-evolved spiral galaxies, known as Seyfert 2 galaxies, have much less active central black holes. Black holes are thought to drive galaxy formation, so a change in the activity for the central balck holes has big implications on the present theoretical perspectives of galactic structure and activity. This finding supports the model of galaxies presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, where the central black hole is a time-varying thermonuclear core, not the proposed super-massive black hole. In this scenario, the central black hole changes with time and evolution. For the entire story see this Spaceflightnow.com story. For other perspectives see The Similiarites of the Planets (and Other Celestial Objects)

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

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  Planets

  
  

• Supersonic Winds of 9,000 mph (14,000 k/mh) Whip around Distant Gaseous Planets. The planets are very close to the parent stars and one side always faces the star. Yet, unexpectedly the planets are super hot on all sides. The origin of the winds is a mystery, except not when considering a Field-dynamical Model. See the BBC.co.uk article.

• Further Attempts to Explain Saturn's Temperature Have Failed. Saturn is hotter than expected and the poles are hotter than low latitudes. These can be explained by a Field-dynamical Model of Saturn, where the extra heat comes from the thermonucelar core. See the arstechnica.com article.

• In Contrast to Expectations Saturn's Rotating "Storms" are Powering the Planet's Jet Streams. It was originally thought that the jet streams where creating the storms on Saturn, but it is instead the stroms that power the jet streams. The problem is that this leaves out the source of the energy in the "storms." These "storms" are actually the release of particles by Saturn's mid-latitude Fields of the Field-dynamical Model of Saturn. See the Spaceref.com article.

• Saturn's Rings are Much More Orderly Than Present Theories Allow. The problem with the present theory is it is, like so many prespectives, a gravitational theory. In The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two the proposed theory is instead electromagnetic and electrostatic, with the Field-dynamical Model controlling the position and order of the rings, due to a ring-like structure in the model. See the Space.com story.

• Jupiter has Auroras Larger than Planet Earth. See the NASA News release.

• Venus Express Reveals More Detail About Venus' Turbulent Atmosphere. The atmosphere of Venus has laways been a mystery, rotating in only four Earth days in the opposite direction of the planets rotation, which takes 243 Earth days. The source of this super-rotation has been a puzzle to scientists. This is because they do not know of the Field-dynamical Model of Venus, where particle flow is the source of this supper-rotation. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Zeenews.com article.

• The Polar Hexagon Located at Saturn's North Pole is Considered Bizarre and Totally Unexpected by Scientists. However, this is more readily explained by Field-dynamical Model of Saturn. See the Spacedaily.com and Space.com articles.

• An Unexpected Cooling Takes Place in Saturn's Upper Atmosphere. The upper atmospheres of the giant gaseous planets have higher temperatures than could be expected from solar heating, indicating interntal heat sources. For example, Saturn's polar and 30 ^o latitudes are about twice as hot as predicted. This is to be expected by the Field-dynamical Model of Saturn. The authors of the article have this to say, "There is either an unknown -- and large -- source of polar energy, or, more probably, some other process heats low latitudes directly." The expectation that solar energy heats the polar regions and then this is distributed by winds is untenable, as the upper atmosphere undergoes cooling, not heating. The cooling is caused by particle flow creating a partial vacuum. [Smith, C.G.A., et al. (2007) An Unexpected cooling effect in Saturn's upper atmosphere. Nature 445:399-401].

• Saturn's Ring Spokes Have Been Linked to Lightning-Like Discharges. The theory of ring formation presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two involves electrostatic discharges (lightning-like phenomena) that flow along the contours of the Field-dynamical Model and end up along the ring plane. All celestial objects have a similar structure, including planet rings, the planets around the Sun, galaxies' stars, galactic clusters, galactic superclusters, and probably the large-scale structure of the Universe itself. See the Nature.com article, and the earthtimes.org article.

• A Super Light Planet is also Heated by an "Unknown" Mechanism. A planet 1.38 times the size of Jupiter -- making it the largest planet observed -- is super light, and if put in a big enough container it would float like cork. Moreover, the planet is being heated and they don't know how. Yet, this fits well with the Field-dynamical Model formation of planets, where there is a core of theromnuclear fusion. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the world-science.net article.

• A Study of Meteorites Over the Past Centuries Shows that Solar Activity has been the Most Active in the 20th Century, especially the Last Two Decades. This was discussed in both The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, using other data. It is the result of a solar-terrestrial linakge and the weakening of the Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model due to the destruction of life on Earth. Similar events have occurred throughout histroy at times when civilizations have collapsed around the world, with the subsequent return of wilderness. See the physorg.com article. [For other information see these references: Usoskin, I.G. et al. Solar activity reconstructed over the last 7000 years: the influence of geomagnetic field changes. Geophysical Research Letters 33(8): L08103, and Usoskin, I.G. et al. Solar proton events in cosmogenic isotope data. Geophysical Research Letters, 33(8): L08107].

• Maps of Mars Show More Similarities Between Mars and Earth -- This Time it is Plate Tectonics. See the space.com article.

• Typical of the Field-dynamical Model, Uranus has a Mid-Latitude Dark Spot. Every planet has some phenomena along its mid-latitudes. See the physorg.com article.

• Encledus, Saturn's Icy Moon, has a Hot South Pole. This could be expected of the Field-dynamical Model, but since it is not widely known the suggestion is that cosmic rays heat it up. Meanwhile, with the Field-dynamical Model there is the acceleration of ionized particles at the poles, and this accounts for the hot poles on some of the planets, which can also account for this observation. See the newsicnetist.com article.

• A "String of Pearls" is Draped Around Saturn's Northern Hemisphere, and are Claimed to be Evenly Spaced Downdrafts in the Clouds. They may very well be downdrafts, but why? Actually, it is the Fields of Saturn -- in the Field-dynamical Model -- that produce time-varying (evenly spaced) particle acceleration (or "bundles") that interact with the clouds (creating partial vacuum condensing the clouds). This was discussed in the The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the newscientist.com article.

• Expected of the Field-dynamical Model, Saturn has a Vortex -- Hurricane-Like -- Structure at its South Pole. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and other planets and celestial objects show similar structure due to particle flow (or plasma flow). See the FoxNews.com story, which includes pictures and int.iol.co.za story for additional information.

• Despite their Differences in the Chemical Compositions and Densities of the Earth’s and Mars’ Atmospheres, both Planets’ Atmospheres React Similarly to Varying Levels of Solar Activity, Impacting them during the Sun’s 25-Day Rotation. This is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Models of both Earth and Mars, as they both have similar linkages with their magnetic fields and the Sun's Interplanetary Magnetic Field. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and to some extent in Similariities of the Planets. See the Physorg.com article. Also see the next entry.

• Similarities are Once Again Noted for Members of the Solar System. The outer gaseous planets all have systems that share a striking similarity. That similarity is that the total mass of each satellite system compared to the mass of its host planet is very nearly a constant ratio, roughly 1:10,000. See the Physorg.com news item. [source: Canup, R.M., Ward, R.W. (2006) A common mass scaling for satellite systems of gaseous planets. Nature 441:834-839]. See also the previous entry.

• Asteroids Show Signs of Reaching High Temperatures, But Astrophysicists Wonder Why. With the hydrogen fusion core of the Field-dynamical Model of the planets there is the ejectionof material into space. This material would have been heated and this is probably the reason for the evidence of asteroids being heated. See the
• Planet Forms Like a Star. As discussed in The Vital Vastness stars and planets have the same underlying structure in the form of the Field-dynamical Model. In fact, planets have sun-like structures in their cores. See the New Scientist story.

• Planet Forms Like a Star. As discussed in The Vital Vastness stars and planets have the same underlying structure in the form of the Field-dynamical Model. In fact, planets have sun-like structures in their cores. See the New Scientist story.

• Mars Meteorite has Carbon, Bolstering Claims of Life on Mars. See the Spacedaily.com article.

• Like Earth, Saturn has a Sunward Electron Flow. This is unexpected in the present understanding of the aurora and the pressure of the solar wind. However, as discussed in The Vital Vastness this is due to the Field-dynamical Model with fields whose helical structure allows for flow towards and away from the planet, as well as a planet-solar linkage. See the Physorg.com article.

• A Planetary Disk has Two Oppoiste Rotations Around a Star. This in contrast to the present theory that gravity is the main driving force in the formation of planets around a star. This, however, supports the theory of planet formation presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. The Field-dynamical Model of stars creates the disk much like the rings around planets, a result of fields coming into conjunction along the equator. These fields can and do accelerate particles in opposite directions, as occurs with the aurora. See the Spacedaily.com story.

• A Giant Storm -- the Size of the United States -- is Raging on Saturn, and They Don't Know Why. The origin of the storm is due to the release of ionized particles through the Mid-Latitude Fields of the Field-dynamical Model of Saturn, the most active Field of which is responsible for the Red Spot. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Voluime Two. The scientists try to explain the storm as the result of a warm interior, but fail to explain the origin of the heat, its location, nor observe that the interior is indeed warm. See the Universtoday.com article.

• First Seen Around the North Pole, Venus Now also Shows a Double Vortex Around its South Pole -- Scientists Consider it a Mystery. This structure is the result of two separate flows of particles, probably one positively charged and the other negatively charged. This is much like the separate streams of particles in the aurora. The scenario is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Model of Venus where there are polar fields that accelerate ionizing radiation in a vortex motion. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness where photos of the polar regions also show luminous and thermal phenomena. See the Physorg.com artiocle and the Space.com article.

• Other Similiarities between the Planets -- Uranus' and Saturn's Blue and Red Rings are Similarly Composed and at Similiar Distances from the Planet. Similariiities such as these are more easily understood under the influence of electromagnetic forces, though the main aspect of this sort of research is focused on graviitation, sheparding and impacts. The formation of rings is the result of the fields of the Field-dynamical Model coming into conjunction along the equatorial regions of the planets (most often), as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. [source: de Pater, I, et al. (2006) New Dust Belts of Urnaus: One Ring, Two Ring, Blue Ring, Red Ring. Science 312:92-94].

• Giant Planets Appear to Have Electrical Rocks at Their Cores. This would fit well with the Field-dynamical Model of planets, where the outer core is an electrical conductor and aids in confinment of a thermonucelar fusion core. See the Spacedaily.com article. [source: Umemoto, K, et al (2006) Dissociation of MgSiO3 in the Cores of Gas Giants and Terrestrial Exoplanets. Science 311:983-986].

• Core Accretion is the Standard Theory of Planet Formation, But it Doesn't Explain the Formation of Giant Gas Planets. The problem is that the theory is a gravitational theory where dust, ice and rocks smash into each other until a huge mass forms (accretion). Left out are the mechanical forces in the plasma of the protoplanetary nebulae and the structure they form -- mechanical forces are on an equal level with gravitation. This causes the formation of the Field-dynamical Model due to the centrifugal and Coriolis forces, and the interaction of the Sun's Interplanetary Magnetic Field, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the MSNBC.com news article.

• Listen to the Sounds of Jupiter Coming from the Magnetic Poles. These radio noises sound like animals on Earth. Listen to the sounds with links provided in a NASA story.

• Saturn's F-Ring is a Spiral and Cannot Be Explained by Sheparding. The favorite theory for the formation of planetary rings is sheparding, which is a gravitaional drag created by a moon. Yet, there is no moon to explain the F-ring, especially its spiral structure. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two planetary rings are a result of the Field-dynamical Model of planets where the Fields turn back towards the planet creating an electromagnetic ring-like structure that guides charged particles along the equatorial region (and in some cases elsewhere). See the Newscientistspace.com artilce, and Discovery.com article, which also discusses that atmosphere's dynamics, expected of the Field-dynamical Model.

• True to the Field-dynamical Model of Jupiter, its Winds are the Result of Forces in the Deep Interior. The winds have basically remained the same over the 300 years that they have been obversed. See the Spacedaily.com article.

• Craters are Not What They Seem to Be. A new study shows that some craters are not caused by a primary impact, but from material falling back down after being ejected from the another crater. While this fits well with the discussion on planetary ejections and cratering, scientists have the typical reaction that it must be due to an impact from an object that then ejected material which fell back down creating another crater. See the Space.com srticle.

• Titan, Saturn's Largest Moon, Shows the Features Expected of the Field-dynamical Model. Clouds form along the 40 degree latitudes, typical of the Field latitudes. See the Spaceref.com story and the Universetoday.com article. [original source: Henry G. Roe, et al (2005) Geographic Control of Titan's Mid-Latitude Clouds Science 310 (5747): 477-479 ].

• Young Meteorites Defy Present Theory of Solar System's Formation. While the author of the study suggests that they formed by a collision of two planetary embryos, they could have formed as the result of planetary ejection. Regardless, this shows that the so-called linear process of the Solar System's formation is not supported. See the Spacedaily.com story. [original source: Krot, A.N., etal. (2005) Young chondrules in CB chondrites from a giant impact in the early Solar System. Nature 436:989-992]

• Saturn's Moon, Enceladus, Has an Unexpected Heat Source and Concentration of Atmosphere Around it South Pole. There is no conventional explanation for the heat -- radioactive decay and tidal forces are insufficient -- but this can be explained by a Field-dynamical Model. See the Cassini News Release, and the Space.com story.

• NASA has a Movie of Neptune's Atmosphere and Orbiting Moons. See the Spaceflightnow.com story with links to NASA's movie.

• Evidence that Mars Once had Water is Now Abundant. See the Spacedaily.com article, and the Space.com story.

• Filaments and Votices Around Saturn's Storm Reveal What Could Be Expected of the Particle Flow of the Field-dynamical Model of Saturn Presented in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Universetoday.com article, see also the next entry.

• Anti-Hurricanes on Saturn and Other Gaseous Planets are Very Stable in Location. These anti-hurricanes on Saturn are at 35 degree south latitude, typical of the Field-dynamical Model. They should actually be spinning clockwise when considering the effects of the Coriolis Force. These counter-clockwise vortices are a result of particle flow along the Field at mid-latitude, and are why they are persistant over long periods of time. See the Universetoday.com article.

• A Vast New Array of Objects Have Been Discovered in the Outreaches of the Solar System. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two these objects display the most eccentric orbits the further they are from the Sun. See the Space.com article.

• Looking for Chirality -- the Handedness of Spiral Forms -- on Mars Will Help Find Life. Life takes ordinary materials and makes them form in a left-handed spiral form, and this can be used to find life. See the Spacedaily.com article.

• Mars has Aurora, Though Scientists Did Not Expect It. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two it is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Model that all planets have aurora, and Mars does. This adds to the similarities of the planets (see the web page The Similarities of the Planets). See the physorg.com article and the Universetoday.com article

• Just like the Earth-Moon system, Jupiter's moon, Io, triggers aurora. Jupiter is also a field-dynamical model planet. See the Universetoday.com artilce

• A frozen sea has been found along Mars' equator and this increases the chances for life on Mars. See the NewScientist.com article.

• Saturn shows more of its field-dynamical model struture with its aurora. For one, the aurora rotates with the planet at times, remains stationary at other times and is obviously spiral in struture (more so than other planets). Moreover, Saturn's aurora can last for days, compared to Earth's 10 minutes or so. An even bigger surprise is that the solar wind's magnetic field plays a minor role, showing that the planet is more involved in producing its own aurora. See the Scienceblog.com article and the Universetoday.com article. Also, see the other story on saturn's hot pole, which also reveals the field-dynamical model. See also the following entry.

• Saturn has a hot polar vortex, surprising scientists. The problem is that Saturn's pole does not point toward the Sun. This hot polar vortex is, however, expected of the Field-dynamical Model of Saturn outlined in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. The hot vortex is the result of a polar field that accelerates particles in a vortex motion. See the Universtoday.com article and the Rednova.com story.

• Positive proof that water was once on Mars is presented by scientists See the innovations-report.com article

• The observation of a huge extrasolar planet puts present theories about planet formation -- that claim planets are formed by the gravitational collapse of the star's dust and gas (accretion) -- into question. See the Innovationsreport.com story. Moreover, another extrasolar planet is too young for current theories on planet formation. The planet is only 100,000 to 500,000 years old, and this doesn't fit the supposed accretion (condensing and collisions of small bodies) of matter. This does fit the theory proposed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, which states that plasma from the central star is churned by mechanical forces (the centrifugal and Coriolis forces) producing the Field-dynamical Model much faster than accretion. See the Spacedaily.com story, and the Universetoday.com story.

• Uranus is getting stormier as it approaches its equinox. This is expected with the Field-dyanmical Model of Uranus, as outlined in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. The Earth also undergoes major weather and atmospheric changes around the equinox. See the Universetoday.com story.

• As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two the rings of planets are controlled by a field system that traps plasma along the ring plane. For the first time accurate measurements of Saturn's rings show that the rings are composed of plasma. See the Scienceblog.com story and the Spaceref.com news.

• Another Similarity Between the Planets -- This Time Its Jupiter's Cloud Bands are Like Earth's Ocean Currents. See the Universe Today story.

• A Salty Sea Covered Parts of Mars, and is a Good Spot to Look for Life. Evidence now shows that parts of Mars were covered with water, and like may be beneath the soil in these areas. See the Sapce.com news release.

• Methane Found on Mars May Indicate Life. See the RedNova Story.

• More Evidence Indicates Martian Meteorite, Discovered in 1996, Does Have Signs of Life. See the Universe Today Story.

• Saturn's Spots at the Latitude Expected of the Field-dynamical Model. Long-lived spots are noted in Saturn's atmosphere are located at the 38 degree south latitude. These features, like Jupiter and Neptune, are the result of particle flow from a field located between the 30 to 40 degree latitudes. See the Space Daily news release.

• "Mysterious" X-Ray Source Seen Along Saturn's Equator By Chandra. As noted in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two the Fields of the Field-dyanmical Model interact along the equator producing planetary rings by guiding particle flow along the equator. This shows what could be expected of particle acceleration along the equator, but scientists are baffled by this because they do not know of the Field-dyanmical Model. See the Universe Today story, and the Red Nova news release.

• Unknown Dark Spot Shows Up Twice on Jupiter. The dark spot is very likely an emission of neutrons, which appear dark as they absorb light. The neutrons are a by-product of hydrogen fusion involving the Field-dynamical Model of Jupiter presented in The Vital Vastness. The emission is from a mid-latitude field with a 15-degree spread from the 30- to 40-degree latitudes. See the Space.com Story.

• The Great Dark Spot of Jupiter Surprises Astronomers -- NASA sees Jupiter's Polar Field, but Doesn't Know What It Is. On Jupiter's North Pole there is a Great Dark Spot twice the size of Earth. It is within Jupiter's auroral zone and is time-varying (ephemeral) just as described in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and expected of the Field-dynamical Model. See the NASA news release, which includes a movie of the Great Dark Spot, as well as other media.

• Chandra X-ray Observatory sees Jupiter's Polar Field effects. What has been called a mysterious hot spot has been discovered near Jupiter's North Pole -- a pulsating center of X-rays. This is actually the polar field of the Field-dynamical Model of Jupiter, which is a particle accelerator that is time-varying. Hence, X-rays, the signature of acceleration processes, and 'pulsating', the time-varying effects, are seen, but since this model is unknown to them, they are described as mysterious. This NASA news release shows an animation of the X-rays in the polar region. For information on the Field-dynamical Model see The Similarities of the Planets, and The Need for a New Model of the Earth -- The Living and Dynamic Earth. [Gladstone, G. R. et al. (2002) A Pulsating Auroral X-ray Hot Spot on Jupiter. Nature 415: 1000-1003].

• Carbonates -- a Sign of Water's Presence -- is Found on Mars. See the Physicsweb Story.

• Pluto's Atmosphere is Expanding When it Should be Contracting. As Pluto moves further from the Sun, its atmosphere should shrink due to colder temperatures, but its doing the opposite. This reveals that atmospheric dynamics are not just gases reacting to temperatures, but there is something else at work -- the Field-dynamical Model of Pluto discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the Discovery news story.

• The Hubble Space Telescope has Found What Might be Another Planet Past Pluto. This finding might bring into question whether Pluto is accurately classified as a planet. See the NASA story. See also the NewScientist.com story, as well.

• Earth Rocks may be Found on the Moon. While this news release suggests that these rocks result from a "Period of Heavy Bombardment" they instead could result from the Earth ejecting rocks into space. See the web page Planetary Ejections and Cratering. Meanwhile, near the end of this so-called Period of Heavy Bombardment life emerged. The environment was already harsh as the Earth had not yet developed an atmosphere to protect life from radiation from space. Life itself had to begin photosynthesis to develop the atmosphere. Meanwhile, along with this -- if they are right about the Period of Heavy Bombardment -- the Earth was being pounded with comets, asteriods and meteorites. Notwithstanding, there is a good deal of evidence that there wasn't such a period of bombardment, and no Earth rocks have yet been found on the Moon. See the NASA story.

• Mars has More Water than Thought, and the Possibility of Life there is all the More Likely. Heat up a quantity of dirt from some parts of Mars and get half of that in liquid water! Analyzing data from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft revealed a surprising amounts of underground water-ice on the Red Planet, enough to fill Lake Michigan twice over. See the full NASA story

• More Evidence of Water on Mars -- a Possible Place for Life. Last year NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft observed mysterious layered areas on Mars. The layers appear to be sedimentary deposits that formed underwater and they could be the best places to look for Martian fossils. Many features on Mars, from channels and erosion features to lake beds, display what would be expected of water. See the full story in a news release from NASA.

• Rusty Soil may be Where the Martian Water Went. On the Red Planet, rusty-red Mars, a curious deposit of gray-colored hematite (something like common household rust) could unravel the mystery of where Martian water went. See the full story in a news release from NASA.

• More Evidence of the Possibility of Life on Mars. Magnetic crystals have turned up in a meteorite from Mars. Meanwhile, the single-file crystals should have collapsed long ago into a magnetized clump, but ancient Martian microbes may have kept them in line. See the full story in a news release from NASA.

• The Water on Mars Might Come from Snow. Due to seasonal, and long-term orbital and polar wobble effects, the water erosion features on Mars appears to have come from snow. No how the discussions reveal that the snow reaches mid-latitudes -- an effect of the Field-dynamical Model of Mars. See the NewScientist.com, the USAToday.com, and the NASA stories.

• More on Mars Water. NASA shows how water flowed on in its past. See the Spacedaily.com story. If the water ice on Mars where to melt, it would cover the planet in an akle high sea. See the BBC story. See also the Los Alamos National Laboratory maps of water.

• Cells' Magnets Began with Primative Bacteria and May also Provide Clues to Early Life on Mars and the Emergence of Higher Life Forms. This is, again, evidence that the Earth's earliest organisms helped to produce electrically and magnetically conducting rocks, and thereby, helped to strengthen the Earth's magnetic field. As with any organism, nervous system components emerged first on Earth, and these cellular magnets are a component of the Earth's "nervous system." See the full Nature Update story.

• Jupiter-like Planets Form in Only hundreds of Years, Not the Millions Assumed. This finding supports the Field- dynamical Model proposed in The Vital Vastness, but doesn't fit the accretion models assumed to drive planet formation, which would take millions of years. See the SpaceDaily.com story.

• Another Look at the Biological Potential of Mars. Life could use some chemical reactions on the Red Planet to sustain their life. See the Space.com story.

• More Similarities between Mars and the Earth. Both Mars and the Earth have polygonal patterns on their surfaces. See the Space.com story.

• More Evidence of Water on Mars is Seen in New, High-Resolution Pictures. See the pictures and the story in the Space.com news release.

• Venus' Acidic Clouds Could Sustain Life. Lightning and solar radiation should be producing large amounts of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. However, they are scare, and therefore, suggest that some living thing is removing it. Hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide were also found, but these two gases react with each other and so they are never normally found together. This too suggests that something is producing them. See the full NewScientist.com story.

• Vast Amount of Water Found on Mars. A vast reservior of water-ice has been obsvered about a meter (3 ft.) below the surface, south of the sixty degree latitude. If melted it would create a planet-wide ocean about 500 meters (1,640 ft.) deep. See the BBC story.

• "Mysterious Spot" is Noted at Jupiter's Pole. Jupiter revealed what scientist are calling a mysterious spot at Jupiter's pole, in its auroral oval. However, this is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Model of Jupiter, but scientists do not yet know about the model. See the Space.com story, and also use the link to see the animation of the hole (lower right-hand panel) -- in Windows Media Player.

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Cosmology

• Comets Have Much Less Water than Previously Thought. This contradicts the proposed theory that comets may have been responsible for creating the Earth's oceans. Comets are also much more complex and dynamic than the prevailing theories have proposed. See the NewScientist.com article.

• The Seeds of Life Are Found Around a Young Star. The primary ingredients for DNA and protein have observed around a young star in a region typical of where terrestrial (rocky) planets tend to form. This is yet another observation that shows it is truly a living universe. See the Physorg.com article.

• Another Blow for the Big Bang Theory -- The Microwave Background is Too Smooth. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and is the result of an intergalactic system of fields. See the Physorg.com article.

• Once again the Big Bang is Being Questioned as there is a Crisis of Assumptions in Cosmology. See the Physorg.com story.

• Young Meteorites Defy Present Theory of Solar System's Formation. While the author of the study suggests that they formed by a collision of two planetary embryos, they could have formed as the result of planetary ejection. Regardless, this shows that the so-called linear process of the Solar System's formation is not supported. See the Spacedaily.com story. [original source: Krot, A.N., etal. (2005) Young chondrules in CB chondrites from a giant impact in the early Solar System. Nature 436:989-992 ]

• The Buliding Blocks of Life are Throughout the Universe. It truly is a living universe as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two: The Living Cosmos. See the Physorg.com article, and the MSNBC story.

• Just as the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM), and Other Planets Have Ejected Objects, The Milky Way has Ejected a Star into Intergalactic Space. See the Universetoday.com story, and the Physorg.com article. See next entry.

• Finally, there is a physiscist that has a different explantion for the expansion of the Universe that does not involve "dark energy". As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two this is due to a system of intergalactic fields and the field-dynamical model of celestial objects. This physicist says that it is a leak in gravity. See the MSNBC.com article

• For the first time astronomers have found evidence of magnetic fields in planetary nebulae. Yet, this very thing was written about in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and the shapes of the nebulae -- some 80% are not spherical -- are the result of the field-dynamical model. See the PhysOrg.com article, and the RedNova.com article

• Once again the dark matter hypothesis fails to explain the observations. This time it is a halo around an elliptical galaxy. See the ScienceBlog.com Story.

• The gravitational mass of an object varies, depending on the proximity of other matter, in order to keep its total gravitational potential energy equal to its rest mass. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness, and a new website also makes this claim, see the Gravity.uk.com website.

• The Universe is Growing Faster, When Theory Says it Should be Slowing Down. Of course, scientists are calling it expansion, but here is a characteristic of a living thing, growth. See the RedNova story, MSNBC story, and the BBC news story.

• The Bulid-Up of Old, Massive Galaxies was Much Faster than Predicted by Current Theory. Large, massive galaxies were believed to be the result of the merger of younger galaxies, but this new data indicate that this graviational perspective is in error. It seems that these galaxies just keep growing by themselves. See the Nature article, and the Physics Web story.

• Like the Earth, Space is in the Shape of a Dodecahedron (twelve-sided). As discussed in The Vital Vastness the Earth has twelve fields and that the shape of the Earth is like a tweleve-sided soccer ball. In a study of the Universe disclosed that space itself is also in this shape. [Ellis, G.F.R. (2003) Cosmology: The shape of the Universe. Nature Volume 425, pp. 565-567 and Klarrech, E. (2003) The Shape of Space. Science News Volume 164, pp. 296-297 (November 8, 2003)]

• Extrasolar Planet Found to Have Carbon and Oxygen -- Could There Be Life? See the Hubble Newscenter news release.

• A Strike Against Dark Matter and Dark Energy. The so called confirmation of the existence of dark matter may be an illusion. See the Physicsweb article. See also this Economist story.

• Finally, Some Scientists are Considering an Energy Field System to Explain "Dark Energy", but its Not the Only Theory -- which, of course, involves mass. See the Space Daily story.

• Comets May Spread Earth-like Life Around the Galaxy. See the Space Daily news release.

• More Evidence that Objects Formed More Quickly Than can be Accounted for by Gravity Alone. See the Space Daily news release and Universe Today news item. Or maybe they are not so distant and old as thought.

• Helium-4 Maybe a Super Solid under Cerain Conditions. As discussed in The Vital Vastness - Volume Two helium, the second most abundant element in the universe, may have more to do with the formation of celestial objects when in a solid state. See the Space Daily news story.

• Entropy, a Concept that all Closed Systems Decay, Become Disordered and Lead to Randomness -- thought to be One of the Foundation Laws of Physics -- has been Broken at the Molecular Level. This is the level at which life's effect is profound. See the Phenomena Magazine news item.

• Reverse Doppler Effect Noted in an Experiment. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and in the webpage on Quasars, there are situations where the reverse of the Doppler Effect (i.e., redshifts) take place. See the Physicsweb article.

• The Early Universe was Much More Mature and Ordered Than Previously Thought. See the Universe Today story.

• Finally, Scientists Have Debunked the Myth of Dark Energy. Most astronomers believe that the universe is dominated by dark energy, as this seems to be the only way in their minds that the accelerating and expanding universe can be explained at the same time. This is of course a gravitaional perspective, as this is the major focus in institutions of higher learning. Now, physicist in France and the Netherlands say it doesn't exist. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness - Volume Two. See the Physics Web story.

• The Universe May have Been Created by a White Hole, Not the Big Bang. A white hole is the opposite of a black hole, and is a creation process. A black hole sucks in matter, while a white hole spews matter out. See the Science Daily artcile.

• Dark Matter is Not Needed in Elliptical Galaxies. Dark matter was conceived in order to explain galaxies, but observational evidence shows that ellipticals do not have enough dark matter. See the Science Article. [Romanowsky, J.A., et al. (2003) A Dearth of Dark Matter in Ordinary Elliptical Galaxies. Science, Vol. 301, Issue 5640, 1696-1698]

• Dark Energy is the Label that is Being Used to Describe the Order in the Universe, but is it Energy? As described in The Vital Vastness this is actually a system of fields that prevades the universe. The evidence shows that it does exist. See the NewScientist.com Story. On a related story, black holes are being discovered that are not at the heart of galaxies, but alone in space. Again, this is evidence of a field system, but theorists are not open to the idea, because they were taught to look for other things. See this Spaceflight.com story.

• Scientists Finally Note that the True Shape of the Universe is in the Field-dynamical Model Structure. Just like the Earth and other celestial objects, the universe is observed to be a twelve-sided spherical form, known as a Dodecahedron -- something like a soccer ball. This was discussed more than a years ago here and in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. [Ellis, G.F.R. (2003) Cosmology: The shape of the Universe. Nature 425, 566 - 567; Luminet, J.-P. (2003) Dodecahedral space topology as an explanation for weak wide-angle temperature correlations in the cosmic microwave background. Nature 425, 593 - 595]. See also the Nature news release, and the Discovery.com story.

• Meteorites Present a Different Picture of Solar System Formation. See the Nature abstract and article. [Shoichi, I., Hisayoshi, Y. (2003) Contemporaneous formation of chondrules and refractory inclusions in the early Solar System. Nature 423: 728–731].

• Carbon Fullerenes were Found in a Meteorite Revealing One Way in Which the Universe is Geared for Life. See the Dicovery.com story.

• Long-Held View that Comets are Pristine Remnants from the Formation of the Solar System has now Changed. It is now know that comets have been altered by dust, radiation, and solar activity. See the Spacedaily.com story

• A New Map of the Universe Has Raised Some Important Questions About Current Theories. For one, the estimated age of the Universe has mostly been between 12 and 15 billion years, some even went as far as 20 billion years, but the more accurate microwave findings give an age of 13.7 billion years. One of the real surprises was the discovery that the first stars began shining a mere 200 million years after the Big Bang. That's not enough time for the proposed gravitational formation of galaxies, where stars form. Moreover, the results of this microwave mapping suggest that only 4% of the Universe is ordinary matter, 23% is supposed to be dark matter -- an unproven and merely hypothetical concept -- and 73% is supposed to be some "dark energy" -- another unproven assumption -- that propels the expansion of the Universe. In The Vital Vastness: Volume Two it was noted that a number of observations fit more with an intergalatic system of fields, where there is no need for "dark matter" or "dark energy." Moreover, these newest findings come after the discovery that microwaves are polarized, an effect that occurs with fields, again, suggesting a system of intergalactic fields. See the NewScientist.com story (also note the links to related stories). Furthermore, the evidence also suggests that the Universe will "expand" forever -- the word "expand" is used to disregard the possibility that it is "growing" -- as in a living cosmos. See the BBC news story. See also a related NASA news story.

• Dark Energy Signals a System of Fields. Recent Hubble Space Telescope observations support the idea that the Universe is pervaded by a mysterious force often called "dark energy". Albert Einstein proposed this in what he called the cosmological constant. See the full story in a news release from NASA. This so-called dark energy may be evidence of a system of fields (interplanetary, interstellar and intergalactic), as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. For a related story on the cosmological constant see A Fundamentally Biological Universe.

• Just Like Protoplanetary Nebula, the Planets' Magnetospheres, and Numerous Other Celestial Objects, the Universe Itself is Donut-Shaped. See the New York Times story.

• The Living Universe has been Mapped, as a Three Dimensional Map of the Protein Universe. The Universe is filled with protein that's ready to produce life. See the SpaceDaily.com story.

• Astronomers Now Admit that the Rings Around Stars are Controlled by Magnetic Fields. This is discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and is the result of the Field-dynamical Model which has magnetic fields interacting along the equatorial region. As can be noted in this news release the rings appear and disappear, revealing the time-varying nature of the model. See the rednova.com news release.

• Like the Planets with Their Rings, the Sun with its Ring of Globular Solar Plasma, the Solar System with its Ring of Planets, Planetary and Protoplanetary Nebulae with their Rings of Condensing Gas and Dust, Galaxies with their Rings of Stars, and Galactic Clusters with their Rings of Galaxies, the Universe itself is Remarkably Flat. See the Spacedaily.com story on the flat Universe. This is to be expected, as briefly discussed in the webpage The Similarities of the Planets (and Other Celestial Objects), and in detail in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See also the next news item.

• Ringed Planets Seem to be a Natural Occurrence Around Distant Stars. A Saturn-like planet has again been found orbiting a distant star. See the Space.com story, and the webpage The Similarities of the Planets (and Other Celestial Objects), and for more detail see The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See also this NewScientist.com story.

• Spectroscopic Analysis Finds Water on Three Distant (Extrasolar) Planets. See the connected.telegraph.co.uk story.

• Dark Matter was Not Found Where it Theoretically "Should" Be. Dark matter was thought to exist near the cores of galaxies, but there's very little, if any. This problem with dark matter is discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two: The Living Cosmos in Tome Five. See the Astronomy.com Story

• Intergalactic field system is referred to as "Rivers of Gravity." The Chandra X-ray Observatory observed a strutural arrangement that connects galaxies with each other. This structural arrangement is noted in other phenomena, and is discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two: The Living Cosmos in Tome Five. See the Chandra news story.

• Widely Held Theory on Dark Matter Brought into Question. There is now evidence that only 20% to 30% of the cosmos is composed of dark matter, which is not enough to make the Universe flat. See the NewScientist.com story.

• Microwave Studies Reveal Guided Galaxy Formation and "Inflation" (i.e., growth). Again, the knee-jerk reaction of scientists is to suppose that it is matter, mass and gravity that explains everything, but the truth is there is a system of fields guiding matter in the formation of galaxies. Also, there is a tendency to use non-biological terms, such as inflation, rather than growth. Notwithstanding, the evidence can be interpreted differently, see the full Science Daily story.

• A Giant Intergalactic Cobweb. This is what NASA is calling a vast array of cosmic helium clouds that fill the void between galaxies. The discoveries where made after analyses from the Hubble Telescope and the spacecraft FUSE. As written in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two there is evdience, now this included, that there is a system of intergalactic fields, guiding galaxy formation. See the full NASA news story.

• The possibility of life in the cosmos has now been increased to a chance of one in three. See the full New Scientist story

• A New Theory of the Universe. This new theory suggests that space and time may not have begun in a big bang, but may have always existed in an endless cycle of expansion and rebirth. This has already been discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and it seems that others are now seeing this. Notwithstanding, a better wording would be "growth" not "expansion" -- scientists usually stay away from bioloigcal terms when discribing the physical world, and this should change, as it limits perception of the possibility of a living universe. See the Space Daily news release.

• Galaxy Survey Brings into Question Dark Matter Hypothesis. The amount of the so-called dark matter to gravitationally contain the universe comes up short. The survey shows that there is only about one-third of the matter and energy required to keep the universe flat. Since dark matter cannot keep the universe flat, than an additional force must be present. See the Los Alamos National Laboratory report. In The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two evidence is provided that there are intergalactic fields that provide the extra force.

• Self-Made Cells Could Account for the Originations of Life in Space. Tiny bubbles that can assemble themselves in the freezing vacuum of space suggest that the seeds of life may have originated in space. An experiment duplicating the harsh conditions of outer space -- radiation, freezing temperatures and no air -- managed to produce artifical cell membranes. A biologist with the University of California, Santa Cruz, who performed the experiment, indicated that the compounds have been found in the dust of meteorites. The discovery implies that life could be everywhere in the cosmos. This was reported in Dworkin, J.P., et al. (2001) Self-assembling Amphiphilic Molecules: Synthesis in Simulated Interstellar/Precometary Ices. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Volume 98, pages 815-819. For a related perspective see A Fundamentally Biological Universe.

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Environment

• Another Reason to Go Organic -- Agricultural Chemicals and Pesticides Combine in Unseen Ways, Producing More Toxic Substances. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• Another Benefit of Organic Foods is that They are Grown with Composted Soils, which are Now Known to be a Carbon Sink. This means that organic foods combat global warming. See the Physorg.com article.

• Another Reason to Go Organic -- Organic Farming Combats Climate Change. Local, sustainable organic farming can mitigate 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions and one-sixth of the global energy use, indicates The Institute of Science in Society. See Institute's report.

• Organic Foods also Use Much Less Fossil Fuels, Helping to Abate Global Warming Further. See the i-sis.org.uk article

• Organic Foods are also More Environmentally Sound, and this is Particularly So for Places Like Africa. See the Organic Consumers Organization reporting on U.N. studies.

• Yet Another Reason to Go Organic -- More Nutrients that are More Biologically Available. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One (Chapter 18). See the Organic Center news release on a new study (there are a number of other studies that show this, as well).

• Organic Foods are Just as Productive as Chemically Grown Foods. This is in spite of the agrochemical industry's attempts to say otherwise. See the Grist Magazine article, and the Sciencedaily.com article.

• Some of the Real Breakthroughs Where in Sustainable and Organic Farming, Not Genetically Modified Foods -- As the Industry Would Have Us Believe. See the Organic Consumers Organization's article.

• Pear Tree Pests can be Controlled Biologically. This is something the agrochemical industry doesn't want farmers to know about, but biocontrols are the near future, and should really be used now, as agrochemicals require extensive energy and resources, while producing toxic effects, including endocrine disruptions and triggering diseases and infertility in humans and animals, as well as polluting the environment. See the Sciencedaily.com article. See also next entry.

• A Tiny Wasp is Used for Biocontrol in Tahiti and Surrounding Islands. See the Sciencedaily.com article. See also previous entry.

• 2005 was a Strange Year for Tornadoes. If you look at earlier yearly statistics of tornadoes in Califronia, there were either none or only a few, but 2005 brought 26 tornadoes. However, there is no indication that this is due to global warming. As with other weather phenomena, this shows a increasingly destabilized atmosphere. As discussed in The Vital Vastness, and In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About this reflects a progressively unstable Earth (FEM). See the Discovery.com news story. It should be noted that 2008 appears to be even more of a year for tornadoes, as stated in this CNN.com news release.

• Science and Global Policies Need to be Brought Together. The most important aspects of this involve climate change, loss of biological diversity, and ecosystem destruction and mismanagement -- ethical and moral issues. See the Scienceweek.com overview of research.

• Another Great Value of Forests is that Forest Soils are Excellent Water Filters, but Forests Even Do More for Clean Water. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One (chapter 17), along with all of the other great things about forests -- wildlife habitat, food, fodder, fiber (for cloth, etc.), fuel, etc. We should be focusing on establishing forests as much as possible. See the Sciencedaily.com news item, or the Physorg.com article.

• Humans have a Hand in Producing the Massive Floods of the Midwest by Destroying Natural Systems. See the Grist.org News Commentary. It is a Deja Vu of the 1993 Midwest floods, because the lessons were not learned -- work with Nature, or you are working against yourself. See the Livescience.com article.

• Biodiversity Makes Ecosystems Thrive with Productivity. This is something that we should all keep in mind, since often people look at an ecosystem's productivity and think that it is at its peak when, in fact, people have reduced the biodiversity of the ecosystem. this can give the illusion that artifical systems (i.e., agriculture) can be more productive, when it is really not the case. In any case, this shows that life-oriented perspective will bring about more productivity. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• Bottled Water Is Not Good for the Planet nor Your Health. According to the Pacific Institute's Fact Sheet manufacturing the 30 billion or so plastic water bottles that we bought in 2006 required the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil, produced more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide, and used three times the amount of water in the bottle, water that often comes from the tap. If you factor in energy and transportation needed there is then the equivalent of a additional 50 billion barrels of oil being used -- enough to power 3 million cars for a year, says Environment Defense Fund Senior Policy Analyst for Living Cities. There's much more to the story, and as can be seen, this is a factor in gas production and availablity. See story about recycling them and how many end up in ladfills.

• Talking About Plastic -- The United States is "Addicted" to Plastic, Hardly Recycles Any of it and it Requires Huge Amounts of Oil. See the Yahoo! Green article. In addition, much of it is toxic and is affecting the marine food chain indicates a BBC article. In fact, there is actually a huge trash heap, mostly of plactics, that stretches from Hawaii to Japan, and is the size of a continent! See the Independent.co.uk article, the Pravda.ru article, and the Organic Consumers Organization news item.

• Mangroves Can Save Human Lives, and at a Time When We Need Them the Most. Unfortunately, many mangrove swamps are being destroyed for beach hotels, resorts and "luxury" condos. See the Physorg.com.

• The Bush Administration Again Shows that Their Version of Government is Of, By and For the Industry and Wealthy, NOT the People or Life. See the Sierra Club article, which cites a number of sources.

• The American Dream is Becoming a Nightmare, as Global Resources and Life are Seroiusly Threatened. Of course, it is not just the American Dream, though Americans are the biggest consumers. There is a global crisis that is unprecidented in history, affecting the entire natural world with global ecosystem collapse, says the WWF report. See the BBC.com and the Timesonline.co.uk articles.

• Industrial Chemicals are Causing a "Silent Pandemic" of Brain Disorders, including ADHD and Autism. See the CBSnews.com article.

• Another Plus for Organic Food -- It Bets Out No-Til Farming. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• The Importance of Predators in a Healthy Ecosystem is Again Shown -- This Time its the Reintroduction of Wolves into Yellowstone. The return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park has allowed aspens to grow again, as the wolves scare away elk who browse on aspen seedlings. For decades aspen have been disappearing from the park due to overgrazing elk. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• Considering Life -- Ecology -- Makes Aid More Effective. The trouble with this is that the people providing aid are often more educated in economics. Again, considering life is the route to solving human needs problems, and this is true of the present and the past [source: Giles, J. (2005) Ecology is key to effective aid, UN told. Nature 437:180].

• Yet Another Reason to Go Organic -- Pesticdies are Stunting the Growth of Oysters and Clams, and Endangering Reefs. See the Livescience.com article.

• Asian Fish Demands are Killing Reefs. Global warming is already making it hard for reefs to survive, due to increased acidity, but killing the fish that maintain the reefs is also a problem. See the IHT.com story.

• This is the Way You Do It -- Frogs are Being Used to Combat Killer Malaria Mosquitoes. See the Timesonline.com article.

• Eating Farmed (usually called Atlantic Salmon) Salmon is Not Good for Your Health or for Salmon in General, Including Wild Salmon. See the Fishinghurts.com article.

• The Largest Reef, the Great Barrier Reef near Australia, is in Danger From Runoff, as Well. as Global Warming. Herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers and silted floodwaters reach the reef, which is also suffering from global warming's effects (bleaching and acidity). See the Livescience.com and the ENN.com news releases.

• Live Bacterial Life can Stablize Sandy Soils so that Earthquakes Won't Do as Much Damage. See the Livescience.com.

• Saving the Planet -- Recycling is Good, but We Need to Consume Less. Buying alot creates more waste and there are more consumers. See the Livescience and Physorg.com stories.

• Three Speices an Hour are Disappearing from the Planet. See the TimesofIndia.com article.

• Studies Show that Biodiversity is Good for Our Mental and Physical Health. The role of life in maintaining human health was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and prevades all aspects of human health from more nutrious foods, and better lighting (which maintains hormone balaces), to disease prevention and healthier babies. See the World-science.com article.

• Another Reason to Go Organic -- Pesticides Inhibit Plants Ability to Produce Nitrogen, Inhibiting Plant Growth. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• The World's Major Rivers are Drying Up. This is the result of a combination of factors, including global warming, irrigation, population growth and dams -- in other words, poor water management and environmental problems created by humans. See the Sciencedaily.com artilce.

• Instead of Getting Omega-3 Fatty Acids from Fish or Flax Seed, there is a More Sustainable Source from Algae. See the Sciencedialy.com article.

• For Those Who Say that there Really Isn't Any Difference Between Organically and Commercially Grown Produce -- You're Wrong, There is a Difference. Organic foods have a different nitrogen isotope that can even be used to certify organic foods. The commerically grown foods have a different nitrogen isotope due to the use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers. It should be noted that the nitrogen in commerical foods can convert into nitroamines, a cancer-causing chemical. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• Once Again, Parkinson's Disease is Linked to Pesticides -- Yet, Another Reason to Go Organic. See the Eurekalert.org news release

• As has Taken Place Throughout History, Humans are Skinning the Planet by Washing Away Topsoil and Mining. It is one of those repeated lessons that humanity seems to refuse to do something about until its too late, and the civilization collapses. See the Physorg.com article

• Purchasing Hot Sauce can Save Elephants in Africa. The farmers grow the chillies which keep the elephants from their crops and part of the proceeds go to elephant conservation. See the livescience.com article and also sciencedaily.com article.

• Ethanol May Require More Energy to Produce than it Delievers, and it is a Less Efficient Energy Source. See the usatody.com column.

• An Eco-Friendly Italy Village Shows that it is Possible to Live with a Deep Respect for Nature. See the ipsnews article.

• Good News, Styrofoam Can Be Recycled, Just Not at Many Places. See the thegreenguide.com article.

• Satellite Images Show that Africa has Been Trashed and Looted of its Natural Resources. See the ipsnews.net article.

• The U.N.'s FAO is Looking into Organic Agriculture for the World's Food Security. See the ifoam.org article.

• In Only a Decade there will Exist an Ecological Crisis that Cannot be Fixed if Something isn't Done Now, Immedicately. See the enn.com article.

• Biofuels are Likely to Make the U.N.'s efforts to End Hunger Much More Difficult. See the enn.com article.

• In Spite of the Fact that there is More Wealth, One Billion People Do Not have Access to Safe, Clean Water, and 2.6-Billion Do Not have Adequate Sanitation. See the businessday.com article.

• The World Wildlife Planet Report Shows that We are Exceeding the Planet's Ability to Sustain Our Activities. See the report (click on the image of the report's cover to read the PDF file).

• Farmed Salmon Kill Wild Salmon. Farmed salmon get sea lice and these lice enter the ocean killing wild salmon. Moreover, it has been noted that farmed salmon is also more polluted, and therfore, less healthy for human consumption. This is typical in Nature, those things that destroy life systems -- aquaculture replacing ocean life --are always less healthy. So look for wild salmon when you buy. See the sciencedaily.com.

• About Two Million People Each Year have their Lives Cut Short due to Air Pollution. This is the conclusion of the World Healh Organization. Statistics indicate that 40% of all deaths globally can be linked to pollution. See the un.org article.

• As Much as Half the World's Species Will Become Extinct by the End of the Century. This is, of course, due to human exploitation of resources, pollution, over population, destruction of habitats, and general disregard for Nature and life. See the enn.com article.

• Planting the Right Trees can Imporve Air Quality and Reduce Greenhouse Gases. See the physorg.com article.

• The World is Living on Ecological Debt with the Consumption of Resources Far Above What the Planet Can Supply. See the livescience.com article (also see the links in and at the bottom of the article).

• Demand for Organic Foods is so High that Shortages are Occurring. See the theeagle.com article.

• The Bush Administration has Often Touted itself as Pro-Life, but a Decision to Limit Pollution was Not Taken and it Costs 24,000 Lives Each Year. The pollution is emitted by power plants, refineries, and diesel-powered vehicles. The perspective, as usual, is for the benefit of the industries, especially the oil and coal industries. See the Sierra Club article.

• Think Twice Before You Consider Buying Anything Made of Gold. Gold is now being dug from deep in the Earth and moutain tops are disappearing. For example, a single wedding band can require 20 tons of gold-flecked rock. Moreover, many of the mining operations around the world also exploit humans. See the Livescience.com article.

• A Record Size Ozone Hole has been Observed Around the September Equinox. This shows the solar linkage of FEM is a part of the phenomena. Particle flow is partly responsible for the formation of the hole. See the NASA Earth Observatory and the Sciencedaily.com articles.

• By 2048 Seafood Will No Longer be a Part of the Human Diet, Due to Overfishing, Pollution and Global Warming. See the Physorg.com and Worldscience.com articles.

• A Bush Political Appointee for the Department of the Interior has Rejected Scientists' Recommendations on Endangered Species Six Times in the Past Three Years. Once again the Bush Administration prefers to ignore science at the expense of the the environment and life. See the Washingtonpost.com article.

• Biodiversity -- Both the Number and Types of Species -- Brings about Environmental Stability. This has been an area of debate in the scientific community. The immediate danger of this understanding is that one-quarter to one-half of all species will likely become extinct in this century. As discussed in The Vital Vastness life reduces entropy (disorder, breakdown and chaos), and this study shows that this is the case. It will directly affect many aspects of human society, as well. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• The Importance of Predators in Balancing Ecosystems is Often Overlooked by Many, but a Study of Cougars shows that their Decline has Negative Impacts on the Environment, Including the Loss of Biodiversity See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• Environmental Damages are Wraught Mostly by Vehicles, Air Transportion, Home Energy Use, and the Production of Meat and Dairy Products. See the Science Daily article.

• Genetically Engineered Rice Contaminates Crops in the Euopean Union -- Again. See the Organic Consumers Association artilce.

• The Strongest Hurricanes of 2005 -- Rita, Katrina and Emily -- Where Filled with Lightning. The problem is that hurricanes are not supposed to have lightning and this has not been observed before. The closest thing was a observation of Hurricane Hugo which showed lightning directed upward into the upper atmosphere. In The Vital Vastness a discussion on the formation of hurricanes included a source of charged particles -- ionizing radiation -- and this observation confirms that perspective. See the NASA Headline News Story. Also see the following entry below.

• Ozone Loss Around Hurricanes. This is a result of ionizing radiation that destroys ozone and aids in the generation of hurricanes, as discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One See the NASA news article.

• Global Warming's Impact on Global Weather Patterns Greater than Predicted. The problem is that not all of what we are seeing is due to global warming, but due to a general planetary destabilization. See the NASA Earth Observatory News Release.

• The Largest Use of Land for Crops is Lawns. See the NASA Earth Observatory News Release.

• Ecological Collapse is the Topic of a Earth Forum that Concludes that Terrorism is Just a Distraction Compared to the Dire Consequences of Unsustainable Development. Systemic environmental collapse, coupled with war, famine and pandemic disease are the grim picture of the near future. Major ecosystems are already under servere stress and this could lead to major environmental collapse. This was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About back when it was published in 2002, and in 1999 when this website was launched. This will also be met with major geological upheavals. See the Physorg.com news story.

• About 500 Species of Birds have become Extinct Due to Human Activities, and its Getting Worse. See the Physorg.com article.

• Another Reason to Go Organic -- Pesticides are Found on Remote Mountain Tops. See the Thenewstribune.com article.

• Red List of Threatened Species compiled by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Reveals that More than 16,000 Species of Animals, Birds, Fish and Plants are under Serious Threat of Extinction. More than 40,000 are in need of conservation efforts, according to the report. All can be linked to human activity, including global warming, habitat destruction, over exploitation of natural resoruces and pollution. See the Timesonline.co.uk news release.

• Organic Food Diets for Children Provide Protection from Organophosphates, a Group of Pesticides that can Cause Learning Disorders, Cancer, Sexual Disorders and so on. See the Enviromental Health Perspectives study.

• If More People Would Become Vegetarian it Would Positively Affect Sustainable Energy Production, Sustainable Water Use, Biodiversity, Human Health and Animal Welfare. Though the article doesn't mention it, this would also reduce greenhouse gases that are emitted by animals' flatulence (mostly methane). See the Physorg.com article.

• Bugs Might Bug You, but They are Worth $57 Billion Per Year to the US Economy. So next time you want to step on or swat one you are not only disrespecting life, but also damaging the economy. See the Livescience.com article.

• Seagrass is Dying Off Because of Logging's Increase of Sediment Runoff. Seagrass is a vital food and habitat source for sea creatures, thereby their loss is threatening ocean life, which is already threatened by other environmental problems (i.e., increased ocean acidity, dying corals, over fishing, habitat loss, etc.). See the Physorg.com news.

• A Quiet Crisis Involves Global Soil Erosion. Few people know of this problem, because marginal lands are cultivated and the food supply is not interrrupted. Yet, this threatens human welfare, health and the environment, including the loss of wetlands, the silting up of rivers, and more. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, and is yet another reason to buy organic and wild foods. See the Terradaily.com story.

• Humans are Now Causing a Mass Extinction that Equals (and may exceed) the Mass Extinction that did in the Dinosaurs. See the Livescience.com article, RedOrbit.com story. and the Physorg.com story. Moreover, the oceans are becoming as acidic as the time of the dinosaur extinction.

• UN Report Warns that 500 of the Largest Rivers are Drying Up or are Polluted. That is, they are going extinct along with the life in them. See the Physorg.com article.

• Shark Numbers are Down by Seventy Percent. The oceans are now 70% shark free, and most of it is due to human behavior. Every year, 100 million sharks are killed by people in commercial and recreational fishing. This indicates that sharks should be much more afraid of people than the other way around. In fact, more people get killed by falling coconuts than by sharks -- ten times as much. See the Physorg.com article.

• Air Pollution is Linked to Increased Diseases. When air pollution is greater there are more people being hospitalized for such conditions as heart and lung ailments; obstructive pulmonary disease; respiratory infections (such as pneumonia), and cerebrovascular events (such as stroke; and peripheral vascular disease). See the Physorg.com news.

• Yet Another Reason to Go Organic: Pesticides have been Found in Most Rivers and Streams. These pesticides are linked to cancer, birth defects and neurological disorders, not to mention having hormone-like effects offsetting biochemistry in humans and animals. See the Livescience.com article.

• The 2006 Landslide that Buried Villages in the Phillipines was the Result of Logging (Deforestation). This is typical of history, and in fact, also happened in 1991 with much greater loss of life and buried the city of Ormoc. Events such as these are caused by the loss of tree roots that keep the soil stable, life always makes things more stable. This is the greatest lesson of history, and is mostly overlooked, as discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the ENN and BBC news stories.

• Forests are the Best Water Purifiers. The soils, roots and microorganisms in forest soils act like chemical filters inactivating, altering and trapping impurities. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One. See the Terrradaily.com article.

• Saving Mangroves and Coral Reefs is Worth Billions Each Year. The problem is that both are being destroyed by humans -- the mangroves are being replaced by beach front resorts and the coral reefs are dying due to global warming and pollution. See the MQ7.net news story.

• The Tallest Building in Taipei, Taiwan, Made to Resist Earthquakes, Seems to be Causing Quakes Instead. See the Livescience.com story.

• Finally, a Better Use of Land than the Conventional Cemetery, a Green Cemetery. Biodegrable casets or cloth and no head stones make a nice country setting that is both functional and environmental. See the Physorg.com story.

• Organic Farming is Again Shown to be Much Better than Conventional Farming. The benefits of organic agriculture are higher soil organic matter and nitrogen, lower fossil fuel inputs, similiar yeilds to coventional farming, and conservation of soil moisture and water resources, especially during drought conditions. [Source: Pimentel, D., et al. (2005) Environmentl, Energetic and Economic Comparisions of Organic and Conventional Farming Systems. Bioscience 55(7):573–582].

• Web Shoppers are Unwittingly Further Threatening Endangered and Threatened Species by Purchasing Products That Involve These Species. See the ZeeNews.com story.

• Its Official, Biodiversity Stablizes Ecosystems. Ecosystems can recover from threats, climate extremes, pests and disease when there are more species. Underlying it all is also a much more stable environment. See the Physorg.com news release. Moreover, the so-called 'insurance hypothesis' indicates that ecosystem diversity is a good thing, because diversity creates overall stability in the face of stressful conditions. [Source: Moore, P.D. (2005) Ecology: Roots of Stability. Nature 437, 959-961.]. This was discussed throughout both volumes of The Vital Vastness, and in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About.

• The Earth's Magnetic Field has Weakened Since the Mid-1800s. The evidence comes in the form of shiplogs that show the steady decline of the magnetic field is a modern phenomenon. It was thought that this weakening is a fixed trend, but the shiplogs show otherwise. The claim is that the magnetic field maybe approaching a reversal, which may be the case. However. there is a overlooked possibility that this is connected to the Industrial Revolution that started in the mid-1800s. The cause of the weakening, as discussed in The Vital Vastness, can be attributed to the loss of living things by industriaiization and the development associated with it, as living things contribute magnetic and electric forces that strengthen the geomagnetic field. See the Physicsorg.com article. [source: Gubbins, D., et al. (2006) Fall in Earth's Magnetic Field is Erratic. Science 312:900-903]. See also the next entry.

• The Millenium Ecosystem Assement Report Shows a Bleak Future if We Don't Start Nurturing Nature. There will be water shortages, an increase in HIV/AIDS, famines, worse hurricanes, droughts, floods, and more, unless we begin to develop policies that will enhance ecosystems around the world. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About more human problems are the direct result of what we do to the environment, especially life. See the U.N. Foundation's news release on the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment.

• Environmental Refugees Will Top 150 Million by Mid-Century, and May Reach as Much as 200 Million. Once again history repeats itself, with environmental problems, caused by humans, send humans in flight for their lives, with Nature reclaiming the abandoned areas. This was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the PDF full text link.

• Alert Says 800 Species Near Extinction. See the Physorg.com story.

• Damage to the Enivronment Threatens Human Health. As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One our actions that damage other life and the environment eventually come back at us, and through disease(s), geophysical phenomena, and so forth, stop us. See the Terradaily.com article. See also the following entry

• Habitats Form a Buffer to Humans from Diseases and Other Threats to Human Welfare. See the MSNBC.MSN.com story.

• A Lesson in Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Energy Comes from Portual. Portugal is using wind, wave and solar energy to cut dependence on fossil fuels. See the Terradaily.com article.

• New Dams are Destroying Water Sources When Fresh Water is Becoming Less Available. See the Livescience.com article.

• Half of All Coral Reefs -- The Life Blood of All Ocean Life -- are in Danger. See the MSNBC.MSN.com story.

• China's Booming Industrial Growth is Fast Becoming a Global Environmental Threat. See the Independent.co.uk article.

• Deep-Sea Fish have been Brought to Near Extinction by Commercial Fishing in a Generation. It is mostly the methods used to catch other fish that threatened these fish. See the ABCNews.com article, and Newscientist article. This comes after a recent discover that illegal fishing is also endangering some fish. See the University of Florida Ichthyology News.

• Deforestation is Spreading Malaria. Deforestation, such as in the Peruvian Amazon, is causing malaria to spread. See the Physorg.com article, and the UPI.com artilce.

• The Amazon Rainforest is Being Lost at Twice the Rate of Previous Estimates. Moreover, selective logging is boosting greenhouse gases. The main reasons for this trend is the conversion of rainforest to raise cattle and grow soybeans. See the Guradian.co.uk story.

• The United Nations Estimates that there will be 50 Million Environmental Refugees by 2010, due to Increasing Drought, Deforestation and Declining Soil Fertility, all of which will be Exacerbated by Global Warming. See the Emagazine.com artilce.

• Protecting Species is Essential for a Stable Economy. People often see the Endangered Species Act as placing wildlife's needs over human needs, but this just isn't so. See the SFGate.com article.

• A Major Disaster is Looming in the Appalachians due to Coal Mining, but the Bush Administration is Turning a Blind Eye to their Supporters. See the Appalachian Voices article to end mountain top removal.

• Tropical Deforestation Will Change Storm Paths and Reduce Rainfall in U.S. See the Livescience.com article.

• You May Not Like Insects, but they Perform many Very Important Functions in Nature, and Hundreds of Thousands of Insect Species are Headed for Extinction. See the National Geographic article.

• Finally Some are Seeing the Answer -- Managing Local Ecology can Help the Poor. See the Nature.com article.

• Biodiversity and Human Health are Linked -- As was Discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One. See the Newscientist.com article.

• A Wave of Marine Mass Extinctions May soon Occur. See the Terradaily.com article.

• Its Official, 2005 was the Second Hottest Year on Record (records go back to 1861), with 2002 as the Hottest. See the Int.oil.co.za article.

• Some Hybrid Cars Can be Upgraded to Get as Much as 250 Miles Per Gallon. See the Livescience.com article.

• Gentically Modified Crop Leads to Herbicide-Resistent Superweed. See the Emagazine.com story.

• Environmental Damage to Earth Can be Seen from NASA's Shuttle. Astronauts a shocked at how obvious the human destruction of the environment has become. See the Zeenews.com article.

• E-Waste -- Those Discarded Cell Phones, Computers and Other Electronic Devices -- is Fast Becoming a Major Problem. The trouble is that they contain heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium, which then contaminate the environment, such as groundwater. See the Physorg.com article. Want to know what to do with your e-waste, click here.

• Is it Any Wonder? American Babies are Born Polluted. There are 287 chemicals found in the umbilical cord blood of newborns and the majority can cause cancer, are toxic to the central nervous system, and cause birth defects. See the Emagazine.com article.

• The United States gets Air Pollution from China's Industrial Growth. See the Physorg.com news story.

• The Earth's Supply of Metals is Not Enough for Undeveloped Nations to Reach the Same Level as Developed Nations. See the Livescience.com article.

• The Pacific Coast is Undergoing Major Problems. Plankton are scarce, fish are hard to find, birds are found dead on beaches, and water temerature are rising. See the Livescience.com article.

• Twenty-Five Percent of the World's Mammals are Facing Extinction, and as a result, at Least 11% of the Land Needs Conservation to Save Them. [source: Ceballos, G., et al. (2005) Global Mammal Conservation: What Must We Manage? Science 22 July 2005: 603-607.].

• Irony -- Ethanol, as an Alternative Fuel, Requires More Energy to Produce Than the Energy it Provides. See the MSNBC.msn.com article.

• Keeping Forests from the Axe is Economically Sound. Many people and the Bush Administration have been touting that cutting down forests, and other natural resources, is economically important to the country, but economists are showing that this just isn't true. See the Online.away.com artilce.

• Environmental Atlas Reveals Widespread Destruction of Nature by Humans. See the Reuters.com article.

• Pollution-Eating Bacteria Can Also be a Source of Energy. Here is a way to clean things up and get a renewable source of energy, while enhancing life. See the Peopledaily.com news article.

• Its Official Pesticides can Cause Parkinson's Disease. See the Newscientist.com article.

• An Astounding 10,000 Square Miles of the Amazon Rainforest was Destroyed in 2004 Alone. The trend is going towards timber harvesting, and growing soybeans and cattle ranching making it the second worst year for deforestation. See the MSNBC.com news story, and the BBC news article.

• With Genetic Diversity Pummeting and Genetically Modified Produce becoming More Prevalent, it is Important to Get Heirloom Seeds and Grow Your Own Produce. Where do you get them? See the Emagazine.com article

• Autoimmune and Other Diseases Shown to Have an Enviromental Cause. This is one of the reasons we need to make sure that we don't pollute and keep the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts strong -- something the Bush Administration is working against. See the Emagazine article.

• Pollution Increases the Risk of Heart Disease. See the News.WebIndia123 news report.

• Its Official, We Humans are Thrashing Our Planet. Trends of how we use natural resources, grow food, and so forth will have a profound impact on our lives in 50 years or less. See the BBC news report, and the Grist news item (has links to other articles).

• Some Good News! A Once Thought to be Extinct Woodpecker is Found Alive. The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker has been found alive! See the Defenders of Wildlife report.

• Half of the World's Fish Stocks are "Fully Exploited" and Another Quarter are "Over Exploited", warns a United Nations Study. See the MSNBC.com news story.

• Birds Headed for Mass Extinctions. A Stanford University study reveals a dramatic decline in bird diversity is and will continue to take place as habitat destruction and glaobal warming take their toll. See the Emagazine.com news report.

• The Endangered Species Act is Under-Funded and Many are Trying to Change it to a Much Less Effective Law. See the Discover article.

• This is the Way to Go! Ecosytem Management for Fisheries. See the Spacedaily.com article.

  
  

• Humans May Soon Kill Off a Quarter of All Primates, Due Mostly to Habitat Destruction. See the BBC news report.

• Another Reason to Go Organic -- Nitrogen Fertilizers Threaten Rare Native Plants. See the University of Califronia newsletter article.

• Air Pollution Effects Your Health and Human Development, Even in the Womb. Considering that the Bush Administration has weakened the Clean Air Act, makes one wonder what Bush means by being pro-life. See the The Green Guide article.

• The Official Bush Administration Directive on Sustainable Rainforest Timber is "No Thanks". See the Emagazine.com article.

• There are Many Riches in the Sea that Can be Used as Drugs for Humans. The problem is that we are polluting the oceans at an alarming rate, and many creatures are dying off. Moreover, we're not studying the potentials of ocean-life used to develop drugs, and its partly due to the pharmaceutical industry who cannot patent natural substances and therefore, cannot make money. See the Terradaily.com article.

• Organic ketchup is more cancer-fighting than non-organic varities. The organic ketchup has three times more of the cancer-fighting lycopene, a chemical has been shown to protect against breast, pancreatic, prostate and intestinal cancer, especially when eaten with fatty foods. There is also evidence that lycopene can reduce the risk of heart attacks. See the Newscientist.com article.

• Birds are in trouble as the environment becomes increasingly degraded. By 2100 six to fourteen percent of birds are expected to become extinct, and another seven to twenty-five percent will be so diminished in numbers that they will be nearly extinct. Birds are a very important control on insects, and pollinate many flowers, thereby, causing a ripple effect that will affect our lives and other life as well. See the Sciencecentral.com article.

• Bush's Clear Skies Initiative is not clear at all. The initiative would actually weaken clean air standards, particularly for coal-burning power plants. Coal-burning power plants are spewing out toxic levels of mercury, which is getting into our fish, and mercury is very toxic even in small amounts. See the Emagazine.com article. See also the next three entries.

• A new study reveals that mercury pollution lowers IQs and costs $8.7 billion dollars in lost earningsas a result. This study comes into view just as the Bush Administration has weakened the Clean Air Act, with its Clear Skies Initative, allowing coal-burning powerplants to spew out more mercury. See the CBSNews.com article.

• New study shows there is a link between air pollution and heart attacks and strokes. The worst is that the Bush administration has weakened the Clean Air Act and populations are increasing with the attendant increase in pollution. New Zealand Herald article.

• Air pollution is linked to childhood cancers. Women exposed to air pollution are more likely tobare children who develop cancer. In this light, some of the bad news comes in the weakening of theClean Air Act by the Bush Administration under the guise of the Clear Skies Initiative. See the Cancerfacts.com article.

• According to a United Nations study about one third of all amphibians are headed for extinction.Amphibians are sensitive indicator of the state of the environment, showing that the environment is becoming worse. See the Yahoonews story.

• As discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One people are more likely to suffer disease when they are further from Nature, such as in industrialized and urbanized environments. A new, extensive study confirms this relationship. The author of a article comments, "The map suggests that the majority of emerging diseases originated in Europe, North America, and Japan. The media and funding organizations tend to assume that most infectious diseases emerge in the tropics because AIDS, severe acute respiratory syndrome, Ebola, and other high-profile diseases began there, says Daszak. But the preliminary map suggests that food-borne infections and drug-resistant microbes in the northern industrialized countries... are a more significant public health threat." [Kaiser, J. (2005) More Infectious Diseases Emerge in North. Science 307:1190].

• In the wake of budget cuts on the environment, education, and other positive programs, the cost of war is mounting. See the cost of war at National Priorities Project.

• There is now clear evidence that oil will no longer be a viable energy source, as the time is coming when there is an end of oil. See the TechnologyReview.com article.

• Urban sprawl is pushing wildlife to the brink of extinction. See the Emagazine.com article.

• Many studies have shown that biological diversity produces ecological stability on shorter timescales. A new study of reefs shows that such a relationship also spans millions of years. Once again, showing that life brings order and stability. [Kiessling, W. (2005) Long-term relationships between ecological stability and biodiversity in Phanerozoic reefs. Nature 433:410-413].
• Many studies have shown that biological diversity produces ecological stability on shorter timescales. A new study of reefs shows that such a relationship also spans millions of years. Once again, showing that life brings order and stability. [Kiessling, W. (2005) Long-term relationships between ecological stability and biodiversity in Phanerozoic reefs. Nature 433:410-413].

• A new study by the World Wildlife Fund, The 2004 Living Planet Report, shows that humans are trashing the planet, and are consuming more than the planet can sustain -- humans currently consume 20% more natural resources than the Earth can produce. It is the wealthier nations, such as the United States and parts of Europe, that are consuming the most. Species have been rduced by 40% in 30 years. See the SABCnews.com review.

• A bigger problem than global warming, terrorism, poverty, globalization and more is that fresh water is becoming less and less available. See the Worldchanging.com story

• Children are much more affected by the adverse effects of pollution . See the American Academy of Pediatrics report.

• China's booming economy brings out of control acid rain. See the CNN.com article

• The Bush Administration and the Republican Congress are working towards weakening the Endangered Species Act even more. See the Emagazine story

• Carbon and carbon monoxide are causing more heart attacks, according to a new study. Meanwhile, the Bush Administration has weakened the Clean Air Act, allowing coal burning powerplants more leeway for their emissions, which include carbon pollutants. Also, the adminstration refuses to set limits on greenhouse gases, which also includes carbon pollutants. See the ENN.com article.

• Pollution has been linked to more than 200 diseases. And the worst part is the Bush Administration has weakened and continues weakening the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. See the Emagzine.com article

• The Bush Administration is getting deeper into its assault on the enviroment. They want to cut funding for clean air and clean water, slash the budget for mass-transit, oppose renewable energy initiatives, open even more public lands to resource extraction, further weaken the endangered species protections, allow our national parks to deteriorate, and continue to ignore irrefutable evidence that global warming is real. They are also likely to reject a desperately needed clean up of the oceans and are intensiifying the logging of old-growth trees in the Northwest

• A major increase in brain diseases has been linked to pollutants, such as pesticides, vehicle exhaust, industrial effluents, waste and more. See The Observer artcile

• The Bush administration is pushing the use of more fossil fuels, and along with weakening the Clean Air Act has allowed seriously polluting coal-burning powerplants to thrive. This will lead to the death of more Americans, as air pollution in partly responsible for respiratory and heart diseases, as well as weakening the immune system. See the Emagazine.com article.

• After eight years of improving conditions in our national forests with, for one, the roadless rule, the Bush administration seeks to overturn the rule for his forest industries supporters. See the BushGreenWatch.org article

• There have been five mass extinctions recorded in the fossil record, and today we are in the sixth mass extinction, threatening our very own existence. See the Sciencedaily.com story.

• The web of life is an intricate and complex thing, which we are a part of, and it is being threatened mostly by us. This is a very serious situtation, as we are threatening our own existence. See the Grinningplanet.com aritcile.

• Farmers are sucking out groudwater at a rate that far exceeds the rainfall in India and China. This will lead to a huge catastrophe, as the water is depleted, transforming areas into arid or desert conditions, and leading to a shortage of drinking water. See the Terradaily.com story

• Pollution from one geographic location travels to other parts of the world. For example, pollution from northern India causes acid rain in China, Asia's smog ends up in California, and so on. See the India Times article written by a Nobel Laureate

• Extinction estimates for plants and animals is about 50% higher than was originally thought. This is because other species depend on the endangered species for their own existence. See the NewScientist.com and the NationalGeographic.com articles.

• One third of the world's amphibians will become extinct in the next few years. This shows that the environment is becoming more imbalanced due to human activities, such as habitat destruction and pollution. See the Independent.co.uk story, and the MSNBC.com news.

• Studies show that streamside forests clean water. Yet, deforestation is a widespread phenomenon. In the United States, the Bush Administration is opening up public lands for logging and mining, destroying the forests. This is in addition to the administration's weakening of the Clean Water Act, promising dirtier water in the future. See the Newswise.com article.

• The devastating floods in Haiti, in 2004, were the result of deforestation. With 98% of the forests gone the rains loosened torrents of mud killing more than 3,000 people, wiping out structures, farmlands, and livestock. This is a typical scene throughout history, destroying Nature destroys us. See the ENN story

• Nearly 16,000 plant and animal species will become extinct due to humans' destructiveness, largely habitat destruction. See the Discovery.com story.

• Not much has been said about acid rain lately in the media, but it is getting worse, as it rose by three percent in 2003 alone. Acid rain is killing off trees, making deforestation and global warming worse. It is also leaching minerals from soils, such as selenium which is correlated with cancers (low levels in the blood increases the risk). The main contributors to acid preciptation are chemical nitrogen fertilizers, industrail pollution and coal burning powerplants. Here is another good reason to go for organic foods (no chemical nitrogen fertilizers are used). See the ENN.com story.

• The deep ocean (benthos) is losing much of its biological diversity to extinction. This is just one feature of the declining nature of our planet's oceans. If this continues the Earth will soon become very restless and restore biodiversity. See the Spacedaily.com story.

• Bacteria have evolved to clean up our pollution. Here is a clear picture of how life can clean things up, all we have to do is stop the pollution and the planet will clean itself. See the Innovations-report.com story.

• Refineries are Not Feeling Any Pain from the High Gas Prices. In fact, oil companies are getting record revenue with an increase in profits from 19% to 46%. See the MSN Forbes news release.

• Helping the Economy with Renewable Energy Rather than Fossil Fuels. Renewable energy promotes more jobs than fossil fuels. See the Space Daily story.

• Exotic Pets and Plants can be a Threat to Endemic Ecosystems. See the Science Daily news item.

• Farming is the Biggest Global Threat to the Environment. See the GreenBIz.com story.

• Carbon Dioxide is Abosorbed into the Oceans and May Harm Marine Life. See the BBC news release.

• Air Pollution Can Cause Genetic Mutation. Air pollution may alter the DNA in sperm, says a recent study. See the HealthCentral.com news release.

• Another Reason to Go Organic -- Pesticides are Above Safe Levels in the Bodies of Americans. A recent study has shown that there are pesticides in people above the federally approved levels. See the Enviormental Media Services news release.

• Food Ecosystems Can Work -- What Some Organic Shrimp? A shrimp hatchery in Ecudaor, one of only eight organic shrimp hatcheries, is helping the local coastal ecosystems, unlike the aquaculture hatcheries. See the Space Daily story.

• Study Shows that the Elimation of Wetlands in Favor of Farmlands Causes More Freezes for Florida's Citrus Crops. Parts of Southern Florida are now a few degrees (Celsius) cooler than in the 1900s when there were more wetlands, and this will and has caused more damage to the citrus crops. [Frosty Florida. Science News Volume 164, pp. 292-293 (Nov. 6, 2003)].

• The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reveals new Bush Administration Abuses of Science that Affect Health and the Enviornment. The administration is distorting and supressing scientific facts, and now more than 4,000 scientists, including 48 Nobel laureates, 62 National Medal of Science recipients, and 127 members of the National Academy of Sciences, are asking for a return to scientific integrity. See the UCS press release.

• The Bush Administration Okays the Killing of Wolves. Conservation efforts have brought back the wolf to places like Yellowstone National Park, but now the Bush Administration says its okay to kill wolves in areas outside the park where livestock are dwindling regardless of whether or not the wolves caused it. See the Emagazine.com story.

• The Bush Admminstration's Environmental Record Shows an Administration for the Industries, and Not the Environment, or it seems, Humans. See the Bush Greenwatch website. It seems that part of the problem is the administration denies obvious scientific evidence, says the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). See the UCS news release. The Administration is also packing the federal courts with anti-environmental judges, as noted in eMagazine.

• Coral Reefs Reach a Crisis as Over-Harvesting, Pollution, Disease and Climate Change Destroys the Reefs. [Bellwood, D. R., et al (2004) Confronting the Coral Reef Crisis. Nature Volume 429, pp 827-832].

• Overfishing has Brought a Crisis to Marine Ecosystems. Between 1950 and 1988 the total annual fish catch went from 19.2 metric tons to a peak of 88.6 metric tons, and has been dropping ever since. It is no less than an ecological disaster. [Source: Harder, B. (2003) Catch Zero. Science News 164 (July 26): 59-60]. You can help with this Audubon Seafood Wallet Card, as it tells you which fish and fisheries are ecologically sound. Also see this Pocket Seafood Selector from the Environmental Defense Organization.

• Many Farmed Fish are Not Helping with Ocean Resources. The reason is that many farmed fish are feed wild seafood, and so, increase ocean expolitation, making them less of a sustainable industry than was hoped for. See the Nature article.

• Finally a New Perspective on the Flower Trade -- An Ethical Approach. Flowers are often grown with chemicals and are drenched in pesticides, they are sometimes grown using child labor or ethnic peoples (descrimation). See the BBC news release. Also check out our affiliate that grows and ships organic flowers -- ethical and environmental -- at the same price as the commerical varieties -- Organic Flowers at OrganicBouquet.com

• Genetically Modifided Crops are Contaminating Our Food Supply. Take a look at the problem at the Union of Concerned Scientists website. Or see the Executive Summary or the full report Gone to Seed.

• New Labelling on Grocery Products is Deceptive. Lately there have been labels popping up on all sorts of grocery products that are fooling many shoppers into thinking that they are getting a better product. An example is the phrase "free range" when the animals are not really free from a cage, but are occassionally allowed to get out of the cage for a short time. See the Grist Magazine story on how many forms of labelling are desceptive and what to look for to get the real thing.

• Rapid Growth of "Dead Zones" -- Oxygen Starved Areas -- in the Oceans Threatens Planet Earth. These dead zones are so oxygen poor that most forms of life cannot survive. See the Terra Daily story.

• Fish Off Arctic are Drugged From the Contents of Sewers. See the SABC news item.

• Bush Administration Would Rather Have Florida in Re-election Rather than Protect the Ozone Layer. See the Working For a Change article.

• The Bush Administration and the Ungreening of America. To date the Bush Administration has had the worst environmental record of any administration in United States history. See the Mother Jones article.

• Air Pollution is Linked to Heart Disease. Not only does air pollution kill hundreds of thousnads of people each year, but now it is also a contibutor to heart disease. And worse yet is the fact that the Bush Administration has weakened the Clean Air Act. See the ABC news story

• Endangered Species are Not Being Listed on the Endangered Species List during the Bush Administration. The number of species listed per year has plummeted to about eight per year, when during the former Bush Administration there were 50 per year, and during the Clinton Administration there were 65 per year. Former President of the Ecological Society of America, Gordon Orians says, "It's so discouraging what this administration is trying to do." [Mason, B. (2003) Ecologists attack endangered-species logjam. Nature 426: 592].

• Many Species of Fish are in Danger of Extinction from Over-Fishing. See the Canadian Press article. See also the seafood selector to know which fish are the most ecologically sound to eat.

• Threatened Species Reaches 12,259. The newest Red List of Endangered Species shows more creatures face possible extinction. See the Red Nova news item, and New Scientist article.

• The Bush Adminstration is the Most Anti-Enviromental Adminstration Ever. See the MotherJones.com story, and MotherJones.com animated commentary.

• Overfishing is Threatening the Largest Fish, and most Fish are Smaller than Previously. See this Yahoo.com story, and also a Nature.com story. Making matters all the more problematic is the fact that fish consumption will continue to rise, as noted in a SeattleTimes.com story.

• Plants are Facing their Sixth Mass Extinction. Plant diversity is being threatened by development, agriculture, and other human activities with the possible loss of new medicines and food sources. See the Toronto Star news story.

• Genetically Modified (GM) Crops and Herbicides are Destroying Wildlife. GM crops have been breed to withstand some herbcides, encouraging the overuse of herbicides. The combination is particularly lethal as it destroys food sources for wildlife and wildlife itself. See the NewScientist.com story. See also this related UnknownCounrty.com story.

• Protecting Biodiversity and Helping People can Co-Exist. An international project called the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor in Central America is doing just that. See the NASA story.

• Damage to Coral Reefs is Getting Critical, and can even be Seen from Space. See the NASA story.

• Air Pollution Can Cause Serious Harm, Even Microscopic Dust. You would think that the worst effects are on the lungs and repiratory system, not so, its the cardiovascular system. Most environemntal agencies around the world regulate the amount of dust by mass, not chemistry, and it is the easy to collect larger sized dust. Meanwhile, it is the smaller dust particles that cause the most harm -- they penetrate deeper and are more toxic. When the U.S. EPA started to measure these particles, the industries involved sued the EPA. With two year battle the Supreme Court brought the ruling back. The dust may also hinder the filter process of the nose and lungs, and end up damaging brain tissue, especially metals. Meanwhile, the Bush Adminstratrion has fought to weaken the Clean Air Act. [Raloff, J. (2003) Air Sickness. Science News 164:72-74 (8/2/03)].

• Concerned About Prostate Cancer? Then Eat Organic! Farm chemicals have been linked to prostate cancer. Some pesticides mimic hormones, and can cause prostate and breast cancer. An extensive survey of 55,332 men who worked with farm chemicals, and later 566 were diagnosed with prostate cancer, which is 14 percent higher than average. This was reported Science News [Farm Harm. Science News 163:291-292 (5/10/03)].

• Herbicide Causes Feminized Frogs. A common weed killer, atrazine, has been disrupting frogs sexual growth, and making more frogs develop extra testes and even ovaries in males. The worst part of it all is that atrazine is the most commonly used herbicide in the U.S. and can be found in virtually every waterway and water supply, even in the drinking water of preschool children. What effect it might cause in humans is yet unknown, but it could cause similar effects as occurred in frogs (i.e., disrupted sexual development). This was reported in Science News [vol. 161, pg. 243, 4/20/02] and in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America [vol. 99, pp. 5476-5480, 2002].

• Decades Ago It Wasn't The Case, But Now a Whole Multitude of Chemicals are in the Bodies and Bloodstreams of most Americans. The main contributors are farm-runoff, atmospheric particulates, and raw sewage. A cocktail of toxic metals, artifical hormones, and the ingredients of pesticides, plastics, flame retardants, herbicides and disinfectants is bound to create some new substances in the body, and make cancer and other disease rates soar. This was reported in Science News [Harder, B. (2003) Proof of Burden. vol. 163, pg 120, 2/22/03].

• Cell Phone Radiation Damages Rats' Brains. Experiemntal evidence shows that rats exposed to microwaves from cell phones kills brain cells, says a Swedish reserch team. This was reported in Science News [Hold the Phones?, vol. 163, pg, 115, 2/22/03].

• Increased Sediment Flow Occurred in the Inner Barrier Reef Since European Settlement in Australia. Just like many major rivers, particularly in developed countries, sediment has increased as the result of poor ecological practices particularly due to farming and habitat destruction (i.e., development, indusralization, etc.). This was reported in the journal Nature [McCulloch, M, et al. (2003) Coral record of increased sediment flux to the inner Great Barrier Reef since European settlement. Nature 412: 727-730].

• Is it Any Wonder? The Bush Administration Has A Very Poor Environmental Record. The Bush Administration even changed a EPA report on Global Warming to favor the oil and other industries that emit greenhouse gases. We are not being told the truth about the very negative effects of Global Warming, which is now even being touted as a weapon of mass destruction. The administration has also weakened the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and more. See the Mother Jones story.

• The Great Barrier Reef Near Australia is Losing a Battle with Pollutants. The major pollutant is agricultural fertilizers. See the TheAge.com story.

• Ozone Hole Over the Antarctic Appears to be Headed for a Record Size. See the CNN.com news story.

• Farmed Salmon Threaten Wild Salmon. The farmed salmon mate more aggressively than the wild variety, and if they escape the farm, they will alter the wild populations. See the New Scientist story.

• Present Mass Extinction is due to Human Exploitation, Especially the Rich. Humans have not and are not using natural resources wisely, and the rich are more concerned with becoming richer than with life itself. See the BBC news story.

• Overproduction of Cheap Robusta Coffee Beans Appear to be Contributing to the Loss of Tigers, Elephants, Orangutans and Rhinos in Sumatra. These beans are commonly used in instant coffee, and large areas of Indonesian lowland forest are being cut down to make way for coffee plantations. See the BBC story

• Thousands of Australian Mammals, Reptiles and Bird Species are Facing Extinction Due to Landclearing. There are 2,891 ecosystems are at risk, with many of them beyond repair. See the full Iol.co.za story.

• The Human Impact of Growing Urban Sprawl can only Really be Appreciated when Seen from Space. Take a look at urban sprawl -- destined to get worse in the future -- with the links in this NASA news release.

• Vigorous Plant Growth in the North. Earth-orbiting satellites have seen plants in the Northern Hemisphere growing more vigorously than usual. This may be a result of more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and a feedback mechanism for maintaining climatic stability -- Yet, another example of the Earth's biosphere behaving like an organism with homeostatic mechanisms. See the full news release. See The Need for a New Model of the Earth -- The Living and Dynamic Earth for a related perspective.

• Ozone Hole. The Antarctic ozone hole is opening once again as Spring approaches in the South Hemisphere, and its a big one. See the full news release. See The Unity of the Sun, Earth and Moon for a related discussion.

• The World's Forgotten Crisis -- Clean Water. More than a billion people cannot get clean water, and the situation is getting worse. This is also creating international tensions as the struggle to utilize water is heating up. There are flashponts of conflict over clean water. Northren China is drying up. Global warming is preventing sbowfall acccumulation in the Rockies and Sierra Nevada, making the western United States much more likely to experience continual droughts. Iraq and Turkey are battling over the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. And many African countries have little safe water, and as a result, suffer disease. The World's Forgotten Crisis. Nature vol. 422 (20 March 2003) pp. 251-253.

• Dirty and Murky Waters are Killing off Fish and Lowering Fish Populations. Dirty and murky waters are offsetting the reproductive hormones of fish and preventing them from reproducing. See the Science Blog story.

• Those Often Dangerous Chemicals, Plastics and Metals that Go into Electronics, Carpets and Disposable Cameras will Now be Recycled in a Sort of "Reverse Production" by Reusing the Materials. See the EDIE's story.

• Australia is Clearing So Much Land that its Threatening Wildlife. At least 100 million native mammals, birds, and reptiles die each year as a result of broad-scale clearing of vegetation in Queensland, Australia. See the World Wildlife Federation news story.

• Pollution and Growing Populations are Threatening Earth's Water. Agriculture, particularly irrigated fields, has removed a great deal of water in underground aquifers. If fact, so much is this the case that large areas are sinking, such as San Joaquin Valley in California, which sunk 9 meters (about 27 feet) since 1925. Aside from this, agriculture and industry are releasing pollutants into what little fresh water there is, and populations are growing along with the growing demand for water. See Perkins, S., Crisis on Tap? Science News July 20, 2002 vol. 162, pp.42-43.

• Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Pollution are Responsible for 65 Million Deaths. Research published yesterday by the European Committee of Radiation Risk claims that nuclear energy and weapons programs up to 1989 will account for 65 million deaths. See the Independent.co.uk news story.

• Edible Fungus is an Excellent Source of Protein. A new product, called Quorn, is now appearing on grocery store shelfs, and it is a no-cholesterol, low-fat, high-protein substitute for meat, while offering an alternative to soybean meat substitutes. See the full UPI story.

• Hotspots of Biodiversity are Being Threatened by Humans. There are about 37 regions that are still wild and biodiverse, but a usual humans are encroaching on these areas. See the Nature.com article.

• Global Fish Crisis is Getting Worse, Especailly for the Poorer Nations. Fish production will have to double in the next 25 years to keep up with population growth, which is virtually impossible. In contrast, many fish species are in decline and are being overfished. See the BBC News story.

• All Coral Reefs are being Threatened in the United States, and Again, its Because of Humans. See the EcoISP story.

• Climate Change May Cause the Extinction of the Polar Bear. Disappearing sea ice is leaving little habit for the Polar Bear. See the Science Blog story, or the ScienceDaily.com story.

• 121 New Species Face Extinction. There are now a total of 11,167 plant and animal species on the World Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened Species. Conservationists believe the current extinction rate is 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than it should be under natural conditions. And the primary reason is humans, with the extinctions caused by everything from expanding cities to deforestation, agriculture and fishing. All of which pose a threat to the planet's biodiversity, according to the IUCN. See the IUCN Red List website. Another news story on this subject can see at CBSNEWS.com. Also take a look at the growth of urban sprawl from space in the NASA story. See the next story, as well.

• Plant Species Extinctions More Than Previously Thought Due to Human Activities. Due to agricultural and industrial activites many more plant species are fading into extinction. See the Science Daily news story.

• One Third of the World's Primate Species are in Serious Danger of Becoming Extinction. See the News.BBC.co.uk story.

• Traces of Household Chemicals Disrupt Fish Reproduction. Traces of household chemicals that are thrown down the drain or flushed down the toilet are interfering with the reproduction of fish. There are many similar stories involving more than just fish showing up in the media. For example, see this story from the World Wildlife Federation. This is also affecting human well-being See the Science Daily story.

• The Earth's Natural Resources are Dwindling with a Looming Castrophic Decline by 2030. According to a World Wilflide Fund report, our planet's natural resources are being depleted by human activites, so much so, that we will literally need a whole new planet to survive in our current standard of living. See the WWF news release, and also see the NewScientist story.

• Acid Rain Prevents Nutrient Absorption in Forest Trees and Harms Songbirds.. It has always been known that acid rain effects nutrients in the soil, but now the threat is worse because trees get nutrients from rain and cannot absorb them when they are in acid rain. See the UCR News story. Acid rain is also harming songbirds, see the EDIE news story

• Good News -- There are 100,000 More Species of Flowering Plants than Orginally Thought. See the Discovery Channel news story.

• Genetically Modified (GM) Foods Can Contaminate Non-GM Plants. Non-GM crops can be contaminated by cross pollination, pollen being carried by the wind, storing crops in a vessel that prevously contained GM-crops, and so on. However, organically grown crops have separate faciliates, geographically more isolated fields, and so forth that make them less likely to be contaminated. Yet another reason to buy organically grown foods. See the BBC news release.

• Transgenic Animals Pose a Threat to Wildlife and Humans. Animals and other generically altered organisms can easily offset the genetics of wild animals, and thereby threaten their welfare. The effect to humans are not yet known, but seem to highly probable. See the EcoISP news story, the EDIE news story, and the Silcon Valley news story.

• Air Pollution Kills More People than Car Accidents. We need to bike, telecommute, carpool and more to reverse this trend. Moreover, these practices will also reduce greeenhouse gases. See the full CBS News story

• A Quarter of the World's Mammals will soon be Extinct. This is just one of the warning signs that our actions are destroying life on Earth, and this is a direct threat to we humans. See the full Cosmiverse story. Note: The Cosmiverse website has been unavailable recently.

• Cellular Phones Pilling up in Landfills Posing a Health Hazard. With new cellular phones constantly being manufactured and old ones thrown in the garbage, heavy metals may soon leak into our groundwater posing a very serious health hazard. See the full USA Today news article.

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Climate Change and Global Warming

• Trees, especially Deep-Rooted Trees, Can Help Combat Global Warming. So, Plant Some Trees. Desert species often have deep roots. See the NASA Earth Observatory Report.

• Human Sources of Methane Emissions are Increasing, but They are Masked by the Loss of Wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas, and contributes to global warming. Human sources mostly involve livestock husbandry, especially cattle and sheep. The lack of rainfall and habitat destruction have lowered the emissions of methane from wetlands, but the trend could reverse with increasing rainfall and the thawing of permafrost, making global warming worse. See the NASA Earth Observatory article. Also see the previuos entry.

• NASA offers a comprehensive overview on climate change. See the NASA report.

• A Study Shows that Solar Activity and Volcanic Eruption Occur in Unison with Temperature in the North Atlantic. See the Sciencedaily.com news article

• Senators Asked Exxon-Mobil to Come Clean About Their More Than $19 Million Spending for Groups and Websites that Seek to Deny Global Warming is Real. The scientific community has shown beyond a doubt that global warming is real and that much of it has to do with human activity, especially the use of fossil fuels. See the Truthout.org article. Of course, this was swept under the rug.

• A Government Study Indicates that Extreme Weather Events are Tied to Climate Change. See the Macroworldinvestor.com news item.

• Wetlands Combat Global Warming by Storing Greenhouse Gases. In fact, it is estimated that they contain an amount of greenhouse gas that is equivalent to what is already in the atmosphere. Moreover, destroying wetlands would release all of these greenhouse gases, and many countries, including the USA, are destroying wetlands, usually out of stupidity and/or greed. See the Physorg.com news item, and the Sciencedaily.com news release.

• Forests, especially Tropical Forests, are Excellent Carbon Sinks that can Help Combat Global Warming. See the Sciencedaily.com article, Physorg.com article, and a climate modeling Physorg.com article. The forests would be sustanable and if managed with insight can also produce food and other natural resources.

• In Fact, it seems that Old Oak Trees are Particularly Useful in Reducing Atmospheric Carbon. See the Physorg.com artcile.

• Asian Fish Demands are Killing Reefs. Global warming is already making it hard for reefs to survive, due to increased acidity, but killing the fish that maintain the reefs is also a problem. See the IHT.com story.

• A Great Idea -- Make the Polluters Pay to Maintain Rainforests. Since forests are great sinkls for carbon this would combat global warming, while saving lush ecosystems, and purifying water and the atmosphere. See the iht.com story.

• Climate Change Studies Show That Nearly Two-Thirds of Urban Settlements with More Than Five Million Inhabitants are at Least Partially in the Zone That Would Be Greatly Affected By Rising Sea Levels and More Intense Cyclones. At least 14% of people in the least developed countries live in the zone. Twenty-one nations have more than half of their population in the zone with 16 being island nations. About 75% of people in the zone are in Asia. [source: Environment and Urbanization, Volume 19, Issue 1, 2007]

• Millions of People Have and Will Continue to be Refugees From Disasters and Climate Change. This has happened numerous times throughout human history, as discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Environmental News Network story.

• Trees Can Help Stop, and Deforestation is Contributing to, Global Warming. Trees absorb CO2 and cutting down trees (deforestation) released CO2, both contribute to global warming. See the postchornicale.com, the sciencedailyc.om, and the scidev.net articles. Even parks can help. How about giving trees as gifts? Give the Gift of Life this year with trees from Treegivers

• Studies Show that Biodiversity is Good for Our Mental and Physical Health. The role of life in maintaining human health was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and prevades all aspects of human health from more nutrious foods, and better lighting (which maintains hormone balaces), to disease prevention and healthier babies. See the World-science.com article.

• A Primarily Vegetarian Diet can Help to Offset Global Warming. Regardless, eating less meat, if not abstaining from it all together, will reduce methane (the strongest greenhouse gas), less energy will be expended (less CO2), and there are less agricultural chemicals and transportation (less energy expenditure). See the Scientific American article.

• Hundreds of Millions of People will be Sent on Mass Migrations due to the Effects of Global Warming on Melting Glaciers and Ice Caps, Among Other Things. Moreover, this will cause conflicts to arise, which threatens even more people. This scene has happened before throughout history, though not as the result of global warming, but other factors (see In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About). See the Blooberg.com article.

• Two-Thirds of all Cities are Threatened by Rising Sea Level, as Glaciers and Polar Ice Caps Melt from the Effects of Global Warming. This puts 634 million people in jeopardy. And the overlooked, but obvous outcome, is that the cities -- which are the most responsible for greenhouse gases -- are targetted by Nature, who tirelessly works to remove those things that seek to destroy Nature. See the Livescience.com article.

• Bigger Cities Increase the Intensity of Summer Thunderstorms and the Frequency of Thunderstorms. This will likely be more of a problem as global warming increases, as it has to do with urban heat islands. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One, and is the result of buildings and asphalt taking the place of vegeation, which offsets the net charge of the area, attracking storms. See the nationalgeographic news article.

• A New Study Shows that Air Conditioning can make Global Warming Worse, which Ironically would Require More Air Conditioning. The main problem is that of coal burning powerplants, and though the article does not mention it, this would also require more fuel for cars using air conditioning, as well and also contribute to greenhouse gases. See the usatoday article.

• An Eco-Friendly Italy Village Shows that it is Possible to Live with a Deep Respect for Nature. See the ipsnews article.

• Global Warming will Increase "Natural" Disasters (really manmade), such as Flooding, Heat Waves, and Forest and Brush Fires. See the news.bbc.co.uk news article.

• In Only a Decade there will Exist an Ecological Crisis that Cannot be Fixed if Something isn't Done Now, Immedicately. See the enn.com article.

• Biofuels are Likely to Make the U.N.'s Efforts to End Hunger Much More Difficult. See the enn.com article.

• A Nobel Laureate Urges that One Billion Trees be Planted to Combat Global Warming. What a great idea! One thing would even make it better, planting trees that also provide food, fuel (dead limbs or biofuels), fodder (animal feed), and fiber (for textiles, etc.). Forest soils also filter water better than any technology and the trees will habor wildlife. Its a winning situation for life itself. See the guardian.co.uk article.

• Human Sources of Methane Emissions are Increasing, but They are Masked by the Loss of Wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas, and contributes to global warming. Human sources mostly involve livestock husbandry, especially cattle and sheep. The lack of rainfall and habitat destruction have lowered the emissions of methane from wetlands, but the trend could reverse with increasing rainfall and the thawing of permafrost, making global warming worse. See the NASA Earth Observatory article.

• It Will Cost Trillions of Dollars by the End of the Century to Begin to Repair the Result of Inaction in Combating Global Warming Now. See the ENN.com article.

• Global Warming Will Cost the World $9 Trillion (Australian, $7 trillion US). See the ABC.net.au story.

• Global Warming will Set in Motion Millions of Refugees from Low-Lying Areas, such as Coasts, and Send Them on Mass Migrations. This will disrupt the areas they move into and disease will spread. Similar events have occurred throughout history, though not from gloabl warming, as discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Reuters Alertnet article.

• Once Again the Bush Administration has been Known to Interfer with Government Scientists' Findings -- This Time Its Global Warming Research. See the Physorg.com article.

• Global Warming will do more than Just Increase Heat-Related Illnesses and Deaths. It wll also threaten human health with dirtier air and water, create more flood-related accidents and injuries, negatively affect food supplies, cast hundreds of millions into environmental refugees, and put stress on and cause possible collapse of many ecosystems that now purify our air and water. See the Science Daily article.

• Global Warming is Making the Pacific More Acid, Endangering Ocean Life, Especially Corals. See the Livescience.com news.

• Climate Change Will Spread Disease and Make Refugees of Millions in Sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 185 million will die of diseases and turn millions more into homeless migrants, due to global warming. See the Alertnet.org article.

• Trees, especially Deep-Rooted Trees, Can Help Combat Global Warming. So, Plant Some Trees. Desert species often have the deepest roots. See the NASA Earth Observatory Report.

• Mid-Latitudes are Heating Up and May Cause the Spread of the World's Deserts. First of all, the deserts are spreading, and much of it is human created. However, the heating up of the 30 degree latitudes -- along which are the world's deserts -- may not be simply due to global warming. A familiariity with the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) uncovers the fact that these are the latitudes of the mid-latitude Fields. In fact, The Vital Vastness goes into the role of the fields in creating deserts -- the creation of high pressure along mid-latitudes. In addition, the particle flow (i.e., ionizing radiation) along these latitudes can heat the atmosphere, reardless of global warming or high pressure. Keep this in mind when reading this Livescience.com article. Note the other news item -- next entry -- that indicates that the poles -- the other two Field locations -- also have heating in the troposphere.

• The Winter Upper Atmosphere (Troposphere) Over Antarctic has Significantly Warmed Over the Past 30 Years. While there is no conventional explanation for this warming, it is the result of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM). During winter the South Polar Field is activated as a Field that releases ionizing radiation, and it is this that is heating the troposphere. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness. [source: Turner, J. et al. (2006) Significant Warming of the Antarctic Troposphere. Science 311:1911-1926]. This may also be the case with the Arctic. [Zaengl, G. (2002) Dynamical heating in the polar lower stratosphere and its impact on the tropopause. J Geophys Res D 107(9-10):10].

• Corals are Dying Around the Globe -- Global Warming or What? Corals are dying around the globe and it seems to be due to an increase in the acidity of ocean waters. Or is it from pollution other than greenhouse gases? It is likely to be both -- a human created disaster. Again! Corals are the life blood of ocean ecosystems. See the ENN.com, and the Physorg.com articles. See also the following entry.

• Corals are Facing the Greatest Threat in 220,000 Years, and the Damage Took Place in the Last 30 Years. It all can be linked to human activities -- global warming, acidic ocean water, and pollution are among the biggest offenders. See the Physorg.com news item. See the previous entry, also.

• Climate Change Kills 150,000 People Each Year. Worse still, by 2020 that figure will double. See the British Medical Journal article.

• Global Warming is Near the Point of No Return, Unless Steps are Taken Immediately to Cut Carbon Emissions. See the CNEWS.com

• The World Wildlife Fund Reports that Global Warming May Come as Early as 2026, and that this Will Cause the Extinction of Many Animals (such as, Polar Bears) and lants, as well as displacing indigenous cultures. See the commondreams.org report.

• Coral reefs can cool down some of the effects of global warming by producing their own clouds. The trouble is that coral reefs are being destroyed by human activites and global warming is one of them, as it increases acidity in the oceans that destroy coral. See the NewScientist.com article.

• More Evidence that Climate can Change Very Rapidly. As discussed in The Vital Vastness climate can change very rapidly due to the sudden ionization of the atmosphere. New studies from samples in Greenland, Arctic, and Venezuela confirm abrupt climate change is real. See the Space Daily news release. [Source: R. B. Alley, etal. (2003) Abrupt Climate Change. Science 299: 2005-2010].

• Another Homeostatic Response in the Biosphere, This One Affected by Climate Change. Studies show that the changing climate is causing synchronized effects of mammals separated by more than a thousand kilometers. See the Science Blog story

• Landslides are Another Problem Associated with Climate Change. Yet, it too is more than climate change, as deforestation and acid rain contribute to the problem by removing that one thing that holds the soil together -- trees and other plants. See the NASA Earth Observatory News Release.

• Global Warming is Equivalent to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Ironically, the Bush Administration (and other countries, such as China and other developing nations) are not concerned, but are nations that have nuclear weapons and other WDM. See the PhysOrg.com article.

• In Spite of This (and the following stories), the Bush Administration, Strongly Backed by ExxonMobil, Has Actively Worked to Undermine Efforts to Control Greenhouse Gas Emmissions, Including the Kyoto Accord. See the Independent.co.uk article.

• Global Warming is Already Killing 150,000 People Each Year. Moreover, the toll could double in 25 years. See the PhysOrg.com article.

• Global Warming Will Soon Increase Heat Waves. Heat waves will increase in the US and Europe. See the Livescience.com story.

• Climate Change Linked to Increases in Malaria, Asthma and Plague. See the USAToday.com article.

• If Fossil Fuel Use is Not Curbed There Will Be Dire Consequences for Humans. Eventually sea level will rise inundating cities, agricultural fields, and oil refineries and oil rigs, the very things that are causing global warming. See the Livescience.com article.

• Trees Can Help Reverse the Effects of Global Warming by Absorbing Carbon Dioxide. See the Physorg.com artilce,and the Terradaily.com story.

• Global Warming is Destroying Reefs in East Africa, and Undoubtedly Elsehere. See the Int.iol.co.za story.

• Global Warming is Noted in this Year's Hurricane Season. Flying in the face of all reason, President Bush is talking of rebuilding, but not about global warming. He even states that "Americans have never left our destiny to the whims of nature and we will not start now." Yet, it is humans that have affected Nature, which in turn has affected, and will continute to affect, civlization. Quite simply, we must work with Nature, or we will get more of the same. See the Countercurrents.org article.

• Chemicals also Contribute to Climate Change, Says a Study by the U.N. See the Iol.co.za article.

• Eleven top climate scientists conclude that global warming is taking place and that we humans need to reverse our trend of emitting high levels of greenhouse gases. See the Newswise.com article.

• Global warming is being touted as a worse threat than terrorism. See the Japan Times article, and the BBC News story

• Once again, global warming is being touted a the greatest weapon of mass destruction. James Lovelock, the originator of the Gaia theory tells us that "perhaps when the catastrophes of the intensifying greenhouse become frequent enough, we will pull together as a global unit with the self-restraint to stop burning fossil fuel and abusing the natural world." See the Spacedaily.com story.

• The Sahara and the Amazon will be deeply affected by global warming. The Sahara desert produces dust that travels across the Atlantic and ends up in the Amazon Forest. This dust is vital to the fertility of the Amazon, and global warming will reduce rainfall in the region, while the Sahara will likely receive more rainfall lessening the dust. This will increase deforestation in the Amazon which is also being affected by human deforestation. See the Spacedaily.com article

• Half of the world's corals are threatened by human pressure and climate change. See the Navhind Times story.

• The Amazon, the lushest and largest rainforest of the world, will become a dry savanna due to global warming. Then again the Amazon is being destroyed by humans, and its fate may even be worse. The big problem is that the Amazon is an important regulator of the global climate. See the Spacedaily.com article.

• It may be possible to combat global warming with poplar trees. Understanding the genome of the poplar could bring about a quick growing poplar tree and thereby store CO2 away from the atmosphere and oceans. See the Innovations-report.com article.

• Global warming makes the oceans more acid as CO2 is absorbed by the water, threatening marine life. Things are made all the worse when it is understood that acid precipitation is also contributing to this acidity, and recent studies show that acid precipitation has increased. The source of the acid precitation is chemical nitrogen fertilizers, powerplant pollution, and other human-controlled factors. See the Christian Science Monitor article.

• Arctic glaciers are melting very fast. This is addition to a sea level rise in the Antarctic. At this pace it will not be long before sea level will engulf low-lying areas along the coastlines around the world, inundating cities and agricultural regions -- the very places responsible for global warming. See the NewScientist.com artilce.

• The evidence is mounting that gloabl warming is taking place, and very rapidly at that. The effects are being seen in various places around the globe and throughout the United States. See the Lexpress.mu story, Seattletimes story, and Planetizen.com story.

• Global warming is already causing animals and plants to shift their terratories and encrouching on habitats that they normally would not survive in. Moreover, this creates competition between species that normally would not interact. See the Wired.com story.

• A combination of climate change and human activities are thretening large, wild mammals around the world. This same sort of situation occurred during the last ice age, when mammals like the Sabre-tooth Tiger, the Giant Tree Sloth and other large mammals died off due to human activites and cliamte change. See the TheAustrailian.new.com story.

• Contemplating how to reverse global warming with some sound ideas? Well, this author has some insightful thoughts on what will work best. See his comments in this Sydney.indymedia.org story.

• Global warming is already very noticeable in the Antarctic where the ice sheet is quickly melting and falling into the sea. See the Spacedaily.com news. Also, carbon dioxide levels are increasing more rapidly than thought and so global warming appears to be taking place more quickly than thought. See the Terradaily.com news release.

• By the 2050 there will be Two Billion People Affected by Floods. This is due to climate change, deforestation, rising sea levels, and habitation of flood-prone areas. See the Space Daily story.

• Global Warming Will Be Worse in Cities, the Areas Most Responsible for Greenhouse Gases. Due to heat islands, asphalt, concrete, building heat, and vehicle exhaust and heat, cities will be hit the hardest by global warming. See the New Scientist story.

• Coral Reefs Reach a Crisis as Over-Harvesting, Pollution, Disease and Climate Change Destroys the Reefs. [Bellwood, D. R., et al (2004) Confronting the Coral Reef Crisis. Nature Volume 429, pp 827-832].

• Loss of the Greenland Ice-Sheet Will Raise Sea Levels by 7 meters (22.4 feet) swallowing up low lying coastal reagions around the world. It may take 1,000 years or much less if nothing is done about global warming. [Source: Gregory, J.M., et al (2004) Threatened loss of the Greenland ice-sheet. Nature 428:616 and Schiermeier, Q. (2004) Greenland's climate: A rising tide. Nature 428: 114 - 115 ].

• Global Warming Will Yield a Drier Planet. Cities and towns along the West Coast of North America will see 30% Less precipitation due to global warming. THis is just one effect using modelling of Arctic. See the New Scienctist story and the National Resource Defense Council news release.

• Millions of Species are in Danger of Extinction Due to Global Warming. Climate change could cause millions of species to become extinct by 2050. See the BBC news story.

• Asphalt, Concrete, City Heat-Islands, and Other Types of Land Use Also Increase Global Temperatures. See the Christian Science Monitor story.

• Insurance Companies, Such as Those in Australia, Will Be Paying Many More Claims with Global Warming. The effects are already evident. See the The Age news release.

• The Southern Hemisphere will Suffer Many Exrinctions Due to Global Warming. See the Science Daily story.

• Global Warming Considered to Bring Weather of Mass Destruction Greater than Terrorism, say the World Bank and the Pentagon. See the Greenpeace news release.

• Global Warming Will Melt the Arctic Ice Caps, Changing Ocean Currents and Plunging North America and Europe into a Deep Freeze. See the NASA story.

• Global Warming Will Cause More Rain in the Tropics With the Potential for Much More Flooding. Moreover, because the weather system is a global phenomena, there will be less rain in other areas, leading to droughts and famines. See the Space Daily news item., and the IOL story.

• Carbon Locked in the Arctic Soils Will Enter the Atmosphere With Global Warming, Enhancing Global Warming. Carbon through Earth history has been stored in Arctic soils and ice, which with global warming will enter the carbon cycle as carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. See the Space Daily story.

• Government Official Told to Keep Quiet About Global Warming. A British scientist who says that global warming is more of a threat than terrorism is told to hush. See the Washington Times (UPI) news story.

• Rising Oean Temperatures are Threatening Coral Reefs Worldwide, and the Impact on Humans is Great. See the Science Daily news story. The Great Barrier Reef, near Australia, one of the largest reefs in the world, will die off by 2050, unless the warming is reversed. See the New Scientist article. Moreover, one of the greatest problems is tht pollution is also killing off coral worldwide. See the Environmental News Network story.
• Greenhouse Gases Soak to Record High. A major greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, has reached a record level. See the New Scientist news release.

• Global Warming will Produce another Mass Extinction. See the MSNBC news story, and the Newsday story.

• The Human Impact on Climate Change is Now Certain. See the New Democrats Online story, and the UN News Center report, which also discusses the record ozone hole and the loss of Arctic ice. Three of India's largest cities could be submerged, as discussed in Space Daily story. Melting glaciers will inhibit the supply of fresh water for many countries and in regions of the United States, see the Earth Files story.

• Losses Due to Climate Change Will Cost $150 Billion in the Next Ten Years. The industries most affected will be insurance and financial institutions due to the disasters that will take place. See the The Financial Express story.

• Global Warming is also Endangering Antarctic Species. See the IOL story (South Africa). Global warming is also starving the oceans of oxygen -- see the IOL story

• Millions of People Have and Will Continue to be Refugees From Disasters and Climate Change. This has happened nuerous times throughout human history, as discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Environmental News Network story.

• By 2050 Climate Change Alone Will Cause a Billion People to Flee in a Mass Migration. See the Environment.guardian.co.uk article.

• Climate Studies Indicate that Global Warming is Occuring Faster than Ever. Moreover, things could get worse with large amounts of methane being released from the oceans, and the release of carbon-dioxide from thawing permafrost. See the Terraydaily.com article.

• Contrary to Expectations, Antarctic is Losing 30 Cubic Miles of Ice Each Year. Moreover, ice is also melting in the Arctic, Greenland and elsewhere. Ironically, this will end up flooding low lying areas where many cities are, and it is such places that are the most responsible for greenhouse gas emissions -- they will likely be submerged. Ironically, there is a worldwide migration to coastal areas. See the Livescience.com news.

• Forget Terrorism -- Global Warming is Now Being Referred to as a Weapon of Mass Destruction. See the HiPakistan.com story.

• A Great Idea -- Make the Polluters Pay to Maintain Rainforests. Since forests are great sinkls for carbon this would combat global warming, while saving lush ecosystems. See the iht.com story.

• The Largest Reef, the Great Barrier Reef near Australia, is in Danger From Runoff, as Well. as Global Warming. Herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers and silted floodwaters reach the reef, which is also suffering from global warming's effects (bleaching and acidity). See the Livescience.com and the ENN.com news releases.

• Trees can Fight the Spread of Deserts, as Shown in Niger. Trees can also help combat global warming by absorbing greehouse gases, and global warming will cause the spread of deserts. At present the spreading of deserts is particularly a problem in China, elsewher in Southeat Asia, and Africa. See the irinnews.org article.

• Planting the Right Trees can Imporve Air Quality and Reduce Greenhouse Gases. See the physorg.com article.

• The Amazon Rainforest is Being Lost at Twice the Rate of Previous Estimates. Moreover, selective logging is boosting greenhouse gases. The main reasons for this trend is the conversion of rainforest to raise cattle and grow soybeans. See the Guradian.co.uk story.

• Population Growth Will Increase Greenhouse Gases to Nearly Double by 2050.. See the Terradaily.com article.

• Help Alleviate Global Warming by Becoming a Vegetarian. Livestock emit about 21% of the carbon dioxide human activity produces, and this could be enough to combat global warming. The news article fails to mention that other greenhouse gases, such as methane, are also contributors and are emitted by livestock, especially cattle. See the Physorg.com news item.

• The Carbon Dioxide Mostly Responsible for Global Warming Will also Make the Oceans Acidic, and By 2100 Much of Marine Life May Find it Impossible to Live, especially Corals. See the Physorg.com Article.

• The Cost of Weather-Related Disasters will Increase Dramatically with Global Warming. See the Physorg.com Article.

• Wildlife is Sending a Clear Message that Global Warming is a Fact. See the Livescience.com article.

• About 2.3 Billion People, in 50 Countries, Will Experience Water Shortages as Moutain Glaciers Melt Away, Stopping the Flow of Fresh Water. See the Navhindtimes.com article.

• According to Academic, Peer-Reviewed Journals and Various Studies Global Warming is a Fact. See the World Peace Herald article.

• Scientists Say that Global Warming will Reduce Food Yeilds in Asia, Cause Water Shortages in Latin America, Increase Extreme Weather in the Caribbean, and Wreck the Amazon Rainforest. See the ABCnews.com news article.

• Rising Temperatures May be Leading Many Species into Extinction. See the ABCnews.com artilce.

• Carbon and carbon monoxide are causing more heart attacks, according to a new study. Meanwhile, the Bush Administration has weakened the Clean Air Act, allowing coal burning powerplants more leeway for their emissions, which include carbon pollutants. Also, the adminstration refuses to set limits on greenhouse gases, which also includes carbon pollutants. See the ENN.com article.

• Global Warming is not just a Future Threat, it Kills at least 160,000 People Each Year. See the Eircom.net story.

• Greenhouse Gases are not Just Creating Global Warming, they are also Making the Oceans Acidic. The increased acidity will destroy ocean life, and the oceans are already less productive than a few decades ago. See the NewScientist.com story.

• Global Warming is also Threatening Protected Areas. See the World Wildlife Fund news release.

• Global Warming may make the Amazon a Dust Bowl. See the Independent.co.uk news story

• The Earth is Greener Due to Plant Life's Response to Global Warming. Here is yet another example of how the entire biosphere is regulating atmospheric temperature -- homeostasis. This will help to slow down Global Warming as plants utilize carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Will it be enough to stop Global Warming? Its unlikely. See the the CNN.com science story.

• A Great Idea -- Make the Polluters Pay to Maintain Rainforests. Since forests are great sinks for carbon this would combat global warming, while saving lush ecosystems. See the iht.com story.

• The Highest Levels Ever Recorded of Carbon Dioxide Occurred in 2005, Undoubtedly Making the Prospects of Global Warming Worse. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• By 2048 Seafood Will No Longer be a Part of the Human Diet, Due to Overfishing, Pollution and Global Warming. See the Physorg.com and Worldscience.com articles.

• Global Warming's Impact on Global Weather Patterns Greater than Predicted. The problem is that not all of what we are seeing is due to global warming, but due to a general planetary destabilization. See the NASA Earth Observatory News Release.

• Methane is Twice as Bad for Global Warming than Predicted. See the NASA Earth Observatory News Release.

• Red List of Threatened Species compiled by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Reveals that More than 16,000 Species of Animals, Birds, Fish and Plants are under Serious Threat of Extinction. More than 40,000 are in need of conservation efforts, according to the report. All can be linked to human activity, including global warming, habitat destruction, over exploitation of natural resoruces and pollution. See the Timesonline.co.uk news release.

• The Exhaust of Airplanes also Contributes to Global Warming. See the Nationalgeographic.com news.

• Want to Help Slow Global Warming? Become a Vegetarian. See the ENS-Newswire.com article. See next entry.

• Cows and Cattle, as well as Other Domesticated Animals, Contribute to Global Warming. The problem is that they emit methane gas, which is second only to carbon dioxide as a contributor to global warming. The problem goes beyond this which 80% of the agrcultural land used to raise cows, five tons of waste for every man,woman and child, waste polluting water and land, and so on. See the Emagazine.com article (scroll down to the second story on the page).

• Global Warming Will Melt the Arctic Ice Caps, Changing Ocean Currents and Plunging North America and Europe into a Deep Freeze. See the NASA story.

• Continued Use of Fossil Fuels Will Eventually Raise Global Temperatures by 14.5 Degrees. See the NASA Earth Observatory News Release.

• Fossil Fuels May Inhibit the Atmosphere's Natural Ability to Absorb Carbon Dioxide, Accelerating Global Warming Even Faster than Anticipated. See the Physorg.com news story.

• Rapid Melting of the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets is Disturbing. See the Physorg.com article.

• Population Growth Will Increase Greenhouse Gases to Nearly Double by 2050.. See the Terradaily.com article.

• Its Official, 2005 was the Second Hottest Year on Record (records go back to 1861), with 2002 as the Hottest. See the Int.oil.co.za article.

• Once Again, Global Warming is Being Cosidered More of a Threat Than Terrorism. See the Newamericamedia.com article.

• 2005 to Be the Warmest, Stormiest Year on Record, and it is Thought to Be Due to Global Warming. See the ENN.com stroy. However, the storminess cannot be fully accounted for by the increase in temperatures. This is actually due to the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) becoming activated to restore life, as life stablizes the Fields with the generation of electrostatic and electromagnetic contributions. This has taken place before in human history (see In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About) and Earth history, especially around times of mass extinctions (see The Vital Vastnmess). It is also a part of the solar-terrestrial linkage and increases in solar activity.

• Global Warming will Increase the Occurrence and Strength of Hurricanes and Typhoons as well. The increase in warm waters from global warming will aid in the generation of cyclones. The author writes, "Trends in human-influenced environmental changes are expected to affect hurricane intensity and rainfall." [Schiermeier, Q. (2005) Trouble Brews Over Contested Trend in Hurricanes. Nature 435:1008-1009 and Trenberth, K. (2005) Uncertainty in Hurricanes and Global Warming. Science 308:1753-1754].

• Global Warming will Cause Mass Migrations in Egypt. The effects will cause sea level to rise, leading to flooding and salt-water intrusion will be expected to lead people to abandon land and homes, which could also trigger social unrest. See the SciDevNet article.

• It is Not Just Egypt, but all of Africa that will Suffer the Effects of Global Warming. The effects also include desertification. See the ABC news report

• The Hungry Will Get Even Hugrier with Global Warming. The hardest hit places on Earth will be those that are already suffering from food shortages, as desertification and drought increase, says the FAO. See the Planetark.com news report

• Not much has been said about acid rain lately in the media, but it is getting worse, as it rose by three percent in 2003 alone. Acid rain is killing off trees, making deforestation and global warming worse. It is also leaching minerals from soils, such as selenium which is correlated with cancers (low levels in the blood increases the risk). The main contributors to acid preciptation are chemical nitrogen fertilizers, industrail pollution and coal burning powerplants. Here is another good reason to go for organic foods (no chemical nitrogen fertilizers are used). See the ENN.com story.

• Global warming May also be Increasing Diseases in Marine Creatures. See the New Scientist story.

• NASA has Noted that the Arctic is being Transformed by Global Warming. This has vast implications for changing the entire globe. See the CNN.com story. Also see this Maimi Herald news story on South Africa, and the Independent.co.uk story.

• Global Warming will Dry Up the Great Lakes, making the States Around the Great Lakes More Like States in the South and Southwest. See the UPI story.

• The World's Forgotten Crisis -- Clean Water. More than a billion people cannot get clean water, and the situation is getting worse. This is also creating international tensions as the struggle to utilize water is heating up. There are flashponts of conflict over clean water. Northren China is drying up. Global warming is preventing sbowfall acccumulation in the Rockies and Sierra Nevada, making the western United States much more likely to experience continual droughts. Iraq and Turkey are battling over the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. And many African countries have little safe water, and as a result, suffer disease. The World's Forgotten Crisis. Nature vol. 422 (20 March 2003) pp. 251-253.

• Global Warming Reveals Another Homeostatic Mechanism in the Biosphere. Earlier springs and migrations are shifting life forms closer to the poles every year. Offset are things like the timing of breeding, nesting, first flowerings, tree budding, and the arrival of birds and butterflies. For example, problems can arise when fruit trees bloom too early and insects are not yet available to pollinate them. See the full Discovery.com story.

• Global Warming is Bringing Outbreaks of Diseases. The warmer temperatures are ideal for disease outbreaks. See the EcolSP news story.

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History

• The Maya May Have Caused Climate Change that Helped to Bring About Their Own Collapse. This is yet another facet of the mysterious Mayan Collapse, along with poor ecological practices, war, disease, natural disasters and famine, as discussed in the AD 550 to 750 -- Another Example of an Historical Cycle and The Renewal of Wilderness, and in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About (Chapter Eight). See the National Geographic article.

• Another Mycenaean "Lost" City is Found Partially Underwater, and Partially Under Soil and Vegetation. This is a typical scene for this renewal cycle, as discussed in part on the web page 1 1250 to 1050 BC -- An Example of an Historical Cycle and The Renewal of Wilderness. The Mycenaeans were nearly wiped from history at that time. The full story of the time can be seen in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About (Chapter Three). See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• The Mid-Southern Region of the United States is the Most Tornado Battered. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume One and is the result of the North Atlantic Field's particle flow, along with the rotation of the Earth causing these emissions to drift to the west. The North Atlantic Field is to the east of Florida. Note the location of the region on the map in the article. See the Physorg.com article [Note that the study is considered a new finding, but most of this has been known for decades].

• Experts Now Say that the Easter Island Collapse was due to an Ecological Crisis. As discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About (section 10.8) the collapse of the island nation was mostly due to the over-exploitation of the island's trees. The authors of the study wisely indicate that it provides a timely example of what we are doing today. As it has been said, those who don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it. See the Physorg.com article.

• A 2,500-Year-Old City in Unearthed, Adding yet Another City Destroyed in the 250-450 AD Renewal Cycle. See the newkerala.com article or the Yahoo India news item.

• Homer's Odyssey is Now Seen to be More Factual than Scholars Originally Thought. See the World-science.com article. This poem was written to reflect a time in history when major events took place around the globe, ending cities, cultures and civlizations in the 1250-1050 BC renewal cycle, as discussed on this website, and in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About (Chapter Three).

• An Ancient Egyptian Fortess is Found Buried in Sinai. It is dated to the time of the New Kingdom through the Ptolemaic Era. Ptolemaic Egypt began when Ptolemy I Soter declared himself Pharoah in 305 BC and ended with the death of queen Cleopatra and the Roman conquest in 30 BC, making it likely to have ended in the 250-0 BC renewal cycle discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Livescience news release.

• In a Twist of Irony, More Intense Storms are Damaging Corals that Would Normally Abate the Strength of Storms, Making These Storms More Damaging to the Coasts. So, here we are, making it tough for corals to survive -- both due to development and global warming -- which then threats human settlements, and thereby stopping the human-caused problems, typical of history. See the Physorg.com article.

• A 1600 Volcanic Eruption had a Global Effect. This eruption occurred in the 1400-1600 AD renewal cycle discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, when cities and cultures around the world came to an end. This eruption of Huaynaputina in Peru had a global impact on human society. See the Physorg.com article and this Sciencdaily.com article.

• A "Lost City" is Found Swallowed Up by the Peruvian Jungle. This is a typical scene of what occurs in human history: a city is abandoned and then covered with life. This city might even be the fabled "City of Gold." See the livinginperu.com article. It is very probable that the city was abandoned in the 16th Century, making it another abandoned city of the 1400-1600 AD renewal cycle.

• Pyramids are Found in Peru that Belong to the Vicus, a Pre-Incan Civilization. Most of the sites of the Vicus were abandoned about 300 AD, making this city, along with many others, another city abandoned in the 250-450 AD renewal cycle. See the Nationalgeographic.com article.

• Malta, Known for Some Huge Stone -- Megalithic -- Sites, Adds yet Another Megalithic Site. This time it is one from the 450-250 BC renewal cycle when many sites around the world came to an end. See the Stonepages.com news brief.

• One Aspect of the Mayan Collapse was Their Use of Slash and Burn Agriculture, and Other Practices that Lead to Deforestation -- A Practice that is Taking Place Today in the Same Region and Around the Globe. It will undouobtedly lead to the same end. See the NASA Earth Observatory article.

• Typhoid Fever is Partly Responsible for the Fall of Athens. This is a lesson to be reconded with as global warming will increase the spread of typhoid, as well as malaria and other infectious diseases. See the Livescience.com story.

• Ancient Harbors Discovered Beneath Medevial and Modern Cities. The harbors show signs of earthquakes, tsunamis, and commercial decline in the historical cycles of AD 550-750 and AD 1050-1250 periods discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Physorg.com news story.

• Environmental Refugees Will Top 150 Million by Mid-Century. Once again history repeats itself, with environmental problems caused by humans send humans in flight for their lives, with Nature reclaiming the abandoned areas. This was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See these articles from AAAS, and Earth Policy Institute. And refugees may top 50 million by 2010 as stated in these artilces About.com, and Mongabay.com.

• One of the Earliest Cities and the Earliest Civilizations Was Destroyed by the First Large-Scale Warfare. As discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About Mesopotamia (today's Iran/Iraq area, near the Persian Gulf) was destroyed by war. This is typical of the region, which has had more wars fought there than anywhere on Earth (including today) with the typical destruction of lifeless structures. See the Physorg.com article.

• Oops! Are These Human Footprints and are They this Old? The discovery of what looks like human footprints that are at least 40,000, and maybe as much as, 1.3 million years old in Mexico. The problems are that this doesn't fit with the supposed Bering Strait migration of humans from Asia -- about 11,000 years ago -- and the theory of human evolution where modern humans developed 400,000 years ago in Africa -- not the possibly 1.3 million-year old footprints. See the Livescience.com article.

• The Ruins of a 600 AD Brewery Were Disocvered in the Peruvian Andes. It appears that the brewery was run by "beautiful", socially elite women, and was abandoned in the historical cycle of 550-750 AD -- a period of worldwide collapses of civilizations discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. This was a time when the Inca began a conquering and conglomeration of Andes empire, this one was the Mauri empire. See the Physorg.com article.

• Church Dating Back to About 300 AD is Discovered in Meggido, Israel. This puts the church as a victim of the historical cycle of 250-450 AD discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the ABCNews.com article.

• Archeologists are Now Preparing to Bury Archeological Sites to Prevent Pollution and Other Environment Damage to the Sites. Ironically, these sites were found buried, and here is yet another way that humans act in accord with Nature by burying a lifeless structure -- life will grow on the site again. Humans' actions, including war, bring lifeless structures to the point of returning them to Nature and life, as discussed in the book In Defensive of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. This was reported in the Denver Post (website link on this story is no longer available).

• Ancient Houses Unearthed in Japan. The remains of ancient houses from 3,200 years ago, the late Jomon Period, adds yet another abandoned site to the 1250-1050 BC historical cycle discussed in the book, In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. In addition, a pit house from the early Yayoi Period, about the third century BC, adds another abandoned site to the 450-250 BC historical cycle. These two cycles, among others, are times when many human setttlements where destroyed and/or abandoned around the world. See the Physorg.com news report.

• Footprints in a Mexican Lake Put Humans in the Americas 40,000 years ago. This is before the Bering Strait Land Bridge, which was supposedly used to cross from Asia into the Americas, and is about 30,000 years earlier than present theories state. See the New Scientist article.

• Remains from a Roman Site Adds yet Another Site to the 250-450 AD historical cycle. This historical cycle was discussed in the book, In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, a time when many human setttlements where destroyed and/or abandoned around the world. See the ICNewcastle.co.uk article.

• One Aspect of the Mayan Collapse was Their Use of Slash and Burn Agriculture, and Other Practices that Lead to Deforestation -- A Practice that is Taking Place Today in the Same Region and Around the Globe. See the NASA Earth Observatory article.

• The site Ridges Basin, in Durango, Colorado, show an occupation from 200 to 400 AD, making yet another human settlement that ended in the 250-450 AD historical cycle that was discussed in the book, In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, a time when many human setttlements where destroyed and/or abandoned around the world. Moreover, the site shows another occupation of the site from 750 to 800, when it is abruptly abandoned (near the end of the 550-750 historical cycle). See the MSNBC news release.

• Iranian villages are hit with a powerful earthquake, again. These 40 villages were hit in 2003, killing 30,000. It is likely that many of the towns will remain in rubble. This is typical of history. See the Hindu.com article and the tvnz.co.nz artilce.

• The ancient city of Alexandria is now 10 to 12 meters below the modern city, and much of what destroyed the city is a combination of Nile floods, tsunamis and earthquakes. This was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, but new research confirms the Earth's played a major role in its destruction. Only 100 meters away underwater is the Pharos Lighthouse, at the time it was considered one of the wonders of the world. There was an unusually active period of earthquakes between the 4th Century BC and 6th Century AD, encompassing the historical cycles of 450-250 BC, 200-0 BC, 0-200 AD, 250-450 AD, and 550-750 AD. Arabic texts indicate the that there was an unusually high Nile flood in 741 and 742 AD. The earth movements also submerged the cities in nearby Aboukir Bay:Herakleion, Canopus, and Menouthis. [Lawler, A. (2005) Ancient Alexandria Emerges, By Land and By Sea. Science 307:1192-1194].

• An ancient Native America site was found in Petersburg. The occupation took place from the 1200s to 1500s, indicating that the last occupation encompassed the historical cycle of 1400 to 1600 AD, when sites around the world where abandonded. This adds yet another site to this cycle discussed in In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Kentucky Post article.

• The Monongahela (a Late Woodland culture) occupied the Ohio River watershead, an area that encompasses West Virginia, southwestern Pennsylvania and western Maryland. They thrived from 1000 to 1600 AD when they suddenly disappeared. This adds yet another culture to the multitude of others around the world that ended in the 1400-1600 AD historical cycle, discussed in the book, InDefense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Dominionpost.com article.

• More Fremount culture ruins are found in Range Creek Canyon, Utah. As discused in the book, In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About the Fremount culture vanished in the historical cycle of 1050-1250 AD, and this site, with its 250 households, also shows the occupation of the area was ended about 1250 AD. See the USAToday.com story.

• The rise and fall of the Mayan Empire was partly due to deforestation, a trend that seems to be taking place again in the region. See the NASA story.

• A classical metropolis of Sagalassos, in the mountains of southern Turkey, was destroyed by an earthquake in the sixth century AD, encompassing the historical cycle of 550 to 750 AD discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. [Waelkens, Marc (2004) City in the Sky. Archaeology 57(5):36-40]

• A volcanic eruption in the Southwest, at Sunset Crater, occurred in 1064 AD, encompassing the historical cycle of 1050-1250 AD, discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. [Gidwitz, Tom1 (2004) Secrets in the Cinders. Archaeology 57(2):46-52]

• The recent hurricanes and typhoons of 2004 wrecked havoc to the tune of more than $50 Billion, most of which is the devastation of lifeless structures. "Natural disasters" often destroy lifeless structures and life returns to these areas. This was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, and also on the webpage Natural Disasters and Life -- The Untold Story. See the Terradaily.com story for the estimated cost of the disasters.

• The largest Etruscan settlement ever found has been discovered in the Tuscan plain near Lake Access, Italy. It is called the "Etruscan Pompeii" because it illuminates many new facets of Etruscan daily life, while other information about the Etruscans came mostly from their graves. The town covers 75 acres and its remains reveal still-intact house foundations, streets, and tombs. This site was in existence in the late-seventh-early-sixth-century BC, making its end in the historical cycle of 750 BC to 550 BC, when cultures and settlements around the globe came to an end. This was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nodoby Told You About. [Anomymous (2002) Etruscan Pompeii. Archaeology; Jul/Aug2002, Vol. 55 Issue 4, p12].

• Recent excavations lead to the discovery of the largest walled city of the Shang dynasty in Anyang, Northern China. Radiocarbon dates its end at 1250 BC, an historical cycle discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, excerpts of which are on the webpage 1250-1050 BC -- An Example of an Historical Cycle and the Renewal of Wilderness. Here is yet another city to add to the vast array of settlements and cultures that came to an end worldwide in that cycle. [Harrington, Spencer P.M. (2000) Shang City Uncovered. Archaeology; May/Jun2000, Vol. 53 Issue 3, p15].

• An excavation revealed an occupation of human settlers from 7600 BC to 0 AD on the Ohio River in Harrison County, Indiana. It is one of the largest excavations ever undertaken in the eastern U.S. This site ended in an historical cycle of 0 AD to 200 AD in which numerous cultures and settlements worldwide ended, as discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. [Harrison, Jennifer A (2000) Caesars Big Dig. Archaeology; Jul/Aug2000, Vol. 53 Issue 4, p20].

• Excavations for a subway system in Athens, Greece uncovered a city beneath the present-day city. The city ended in the 8th Century. which is in the cycle of 550 AD to 750 AD in which many cultures and cities came to an end worldwide, as discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. Here is yet another city that ended at that time. The findings are now housed in a museum. [Schuster, Angela M.H. (2000) Subway Art. Archaeology; Sep/Oct2000, Vol. 53 Issue 5, p62].

• Recently a Phoenician official building was discovered to have been destroyed by a fire in 145 BC at Tel Kadesh in Galilee, Israel. The fire baked hard an array of clay tablets preserving their intricate designs. As shown in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About this was a during the cycle of 200 BC to 0 BC in which many sites and cultures around the world ended -- here is yet another site. [Watzman, H. (2000) Phoenician Resilience. Archaeology; Nov/Dec2000, Vol. 53 Issue 6, p27].

• Researchers find craters in the Appenines east of Rome that maybe sites of meteorite impacts (or planetary ejections) that occurred in the 4th or 5th century AD. This fits well with the historical cycle of 250 to 450 AD when there was widespread ends to civlizations worldwide, as discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Americanscientist.com story.

• Another site of a Roman Villa that ended around 0 BC has been found in Britian. This fits well with the historical cycle of 200 BC to 0 BC in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Thisisweymouth.co.uk story.

• Archeologists are looking for a sunken Mayan city between Yucatan and Cuba. Yet, another reminder that Nature and the Earth reclaim areas for living things, rather than buildings. See the Antaranews.net story.

• Scientists claim that a huge meteorite hit Germany around 200 BC. This is one more destructive event in the historical cycle of the 200 BC to 0 BC period presented in the book, In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Rednova.com news story.

• Sixth Century Nuclear Winter Blamed On Comet -- But Is It? As discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About climate changes occurred during each historical cycle, and this was due to the ionization of the atmosphere, analogous to a nuclear winter. An excerpt can be found on the web page AD 550 to 750. This new evidence confirms the event was accompanied by ionization of the atmosphere. See this Spaceflight news story.

• Another Lost City Found Near Machu Picchu in the Andes. A city was found using instruments to look under the vast jungle cover. As tyical of cities from the past, it was so covered with vegetation no one knew it was there until they looked below the jungle cover. See the CNN.com story.

• The Old Kingdom of Egypt was so Devastated that Virtually Nothing Remains of it Today -- Part of the reason is that there may have been a series of droughts. See the The Hearald (United Kingdom) story.

• City Found in the Amazon. A city was found in the Upper Xingu region of Brazil, a part of the Amazon, and the city appears to have been inhabited mostly from 1200 to 1600 AD. This is yet another site that ended in the 1400 to 1600 AD period, along with many others worldwide, discussed in In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. This was reported in the journal Science [Heckenberger, et al., vol. 301 (5640), pages 1710-1714, 2003]. Furthermore, this is more evidence that a global climate change occurred at the time.

• Some ancient archeological sites can only be seen from space. As discussed in the book, In Defense of Nature, this is the way most archeological sites are left, covered by soil and life. This was also briefly discussed in the web page In Defense of Nature. See the the full exn.ca story.

• The Possiblity of Chemical Terrorism is Great. The chemical industry does not have safeguards in their factories to prevent terrorism. Ironically and understandably, the chemical Industry is the most responsible for destroying wildlife, and is greatly at risk of terrorism. This is typical of the underlying factors in war and terrorism, as is discussed in the newly released book, In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Greenpeace news story.

• Cities are Being Swallowed by Sand Dunes, Again. NASA has seen sand dunes encroaching on cities, and like the past, the sand dunes will eventually swallow up the cities, and Nature will regain her foothold. This has happened many times in human history, as discussed in In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the NASA Story.

• The Human Impact of Growing Urban Sprawl can only Really be Appreciated when Seen from Space. Take a look at urban sprawl -- destined to get worse in the future -- with the links in this NASA news release.

• Fourth Century Supernova and Pulsar. New evidence from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory suggests that a known pulsar is what is left of a stellar explosion -- a supernova -- witnessed by Chinese astronomers in 386 AD. The discovery should change what astronomers think they know about the ages of pulsars. Supernovae occur more often during historical cycles, as discussed in In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, and this supernova took place in the 250-450 AD cycle. See the full news release from NASA.

• A Byzantine Port about 1,500 Years Old was Found when an Underground Railway was being Constructed. As with all archaelogical sites this one was buried completely, so much so, that it was only visible when digging had begun. This city-port was probably abandoned in the 550-750 AD renewal cycle discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Physorg.com news brief.

• A Mysterious 3,000 Year-Old City is Uncovered during a Construction Project in China. This would likely bring it's end during the 1250-1050 BC renewal cycle discussed in the book, In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. It appears that they may have been hit with a powerful flood, moved to a new location, and then disappeared. See the Krygyzstannews.com.

• Far From the First Time, a City is Found Beneath Another City. This time it is the famous Alexandria, which once housed an ancient Wonder of the World, a huge lighthouse that is now on the seafloor. See the Livescience article.

• This has Happened Many Times in History -- Desertification is Sending People in Mass Migrations. Nature will soon take over the places they leave behind, as has taken place many, many times before. See the Int.com article.

• Considering Life -- Ecology -- Makes Aid More Effective. The trouble with this is that the people providing aid are often more educated in economics. Again, considering life is the route to solving human needs problems, and this is true of the present and the past [source: Giles, J. (2005) Ecology is key to effective aid, UN told. Nature 437:180].

• A New Study Claims that Monsoons Contributed to the Fall of the Maya and the Tang Dynasty of China. This was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, and there is more that contributed to their downfall, with climate change as only one factor. See the Scidev.net article. [source: Yancheva, G et al (2007) Influence of the intertropical convergence zone on the East Asian monsoon. Nature 445: 74-77].

• Homer's Ithaca May Have Been Found. Homer's epic poems, the Illiad and Odyssey where originally though to be myth, but a free-lance archaeologist in the late 1800s took it to heart and found the ruins of Troy. He also said that Ithaca would be in a location that this ruin is located in. There is a lesson here that is often overlooked, that "myth" can be real stories about real events. See the World-science.com article.

• A Huge City is Found in Peru Covered in Vegetation and Mud. The city was one of many that the Incas had overthrown in the 15th Century, discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. As with all ancient cities, it is so covered it was overlooked for centuries, swallowed up in the wilderness. See the Seattletime.com article, and Sciencedaily.com.

• History Repeats Itself as Wildlife Thrives After Civil War in Sudan. See the msnbc.msn.com story.

• Typical of History, Desertification is and has Claimed Thousands of Villages. In fact, China is now planning a giant green "wall" of trees to hold back the desert. This is typical of history were villages are brought back to Nature, farmers are leaving the land which Nature will take over, and trees are being planted. As usual the events bring about a renewal of wildlife. See the ENN news stories about the green wall and desertification.

• Finally, An Archaeologist is Looking at the Rise and Fall of Cilvizations According to Their Ecological Practices -- Just the Place to Look. In fact, this is the thesis expounded on in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• Peru Has an Ancient Solar Observatory Dating Back to the 4th Century BC. The site, Thirteen Towers of Chankillo, pinpoints the June and December Soltices for 300 BC. Though the archaeologists suspect it may have been used for rituals and/or Sun worship, the site is an early attempt at making note of shifts in the Earth and its relationship with the Sun. This was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, and is yet another such struture of which there are numerous examples around the globe, from Stonehenge, England to Woodhenge, Ohio USA. See the Geotimes.org.

• Some Ancient Egyptian Sites Can Only be Seen from Space. As discussed iin the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About many recent archaeological discoveries have been made from the use of aerials and satellites. The covered sites make vegetation grow differently and this can only clearly be seen from above. See the Livescience.com article.

• The Frequency of Servere Hurricanes in the North Atlantic has Increased in the Past Decade. This was predicted in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. [source: James B. Elsner (2007) Climatolgoy: Tempests in Time. Nature 447: 647-649 ].

• The Scene in Darfur Shows the Typical Outcome of Human Conflict -- Abandoned and Destroyed Towns and Villages Can Even be Seen by Satellite. This sort of thing takes place throughout history, as shown in the book, In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Sciencedaily.com article.

• Archaeologists Discover Pumice on Mount Sinai from the Eruption of Santorini Some 530 Miles (853 km) Away. This volcanic eruption wrecked havoc throughout the Mediterrranean region, disrupting many cultures in the 1600-1400 BC renewal cycle discussed in In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. It is believed its effects may have indirectly led to the collapse of the Minoan civilizatiion. The pumice was swept onto the mountain by a huge tsunami. See the Physorg.com. [note: The article says that this occurred in the 17th Centruy BC, but other estimates say the early 16th Century BC].

• An Ancient Mechanism whose Purpose has been a Mystery is Solved. It's a Super Computer of Celestial Objects! As discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About there are a myriad of objects and ancient texts that show the ancients where amazingly aware of astronomy, even in ways we did not know of in the present. This device was capable of pinpointing the extremes of the lunar cycle, including nodes and eclipses. Their interests, like others, was to know when certain times occurred which triggered events on Earth. See the Cosmosmagazine.com article

• As has Taken Place Throughout History, Humans are Skinning the Planet by Washing Away Topsoil and Mining. It is one of those repeated lessons that humanity seems to refuse to do something about until its too late, and civilizations collapse. See the Physorg.com article

• Millions are Left Homeless in India After Flooding from Huge Monsoon. This is typical of history, as disasters always destroy lifeless structures. See the alertnet.org article.

• A Study of Meteorites Over the Past Centuries Shows that Solar Activity has been the Most Active in the 20th Century, especially the Last Two Decades. This was discussed in both The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, using other data. It is the result of a solar-terrestrial linakge and the weakening of the Fields of the Field-dynamical Earth Model due to the destruction of life on Earth. Similar events have occurred throughout histroy at times when civilizations have collapsed around the world, witht the subsequent return of wilderness. See the physorg.com article. [For other information see these references: Usoskin, I.G. et al. Solar activity reconstructed over the last 7000 years: the influence of geomagnetic field changes. Geophysical Research Letters 33(8): L08103, and Usoskin, I.G. et al. Solar proton events in cosmogenic isotope data. Geophysical Research L etters, 33(8): L08107].

• Typical of History, Wars are Raging on for Long Periods of Time. Of the wars in progress in 2005 nearly half had been in progress for 10 years or more, and a quarter are more than 25 years old. What is often overlooked is that these wars are destroying non-living structures, just as natural disasters do. Eventually these areas will be returned to Nature. See the physorg.com article.

• Natural Disasters are Going Up Each Decade, and More People are Being Affected. This was predicted in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, and unknown to many people, this is a continuing trend that results from our destruction of Nature. Moreover, this shows that we are creating the problem, because we are always involved in the outcome of the disasters. See the USAtoday.com article, discussing a United Nations report.

• The 2006 Landslide that Buried Villages in the Phillipines was the Result of Logging (Deforestation). This is typical of history, and in fact, also happened in 1991 with much greater loss of life and buried the city of Ormoc. Events such as these are caused by the loss of tree roots that keep the soil stable, life always makes things more stable. This is the greatest lesson of history, and is mostly overlooked, as discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the ENN and BBC news stories.

• Mount Vesuvius Erupted Thousands of Years Before Burying Pompeii and Herculanum, and also Buried an Earlier Village, likewise causing the Abandonment of the Area for Wildlife to Return. See the Worldscience.com article.

• Amazon has a Stonehenge-like Structure Indicating that there was Once an Advanced Culture Residing in the Amazon Rainforest. The astronomical alignments in the structure require an understanding of astronomy and mathematics. It seems that this culture has been lost to history, swallowed up and hidden by the forests. There have been reports of cities covered in the dense forest, but no archeologist has uncovered them. As discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About many cultures worldwide have constructed astronomically aligned structures. See the Mongbay.com article, ABC news and another ABCnews.com article.

• Typical of History, Iraq's Marshlands Return to Life. After Saddam Hussein's regime tried to eliminate the marshes in a move against its enemies, then the regime toppled, and the marshes returned. Meanwhile, the people that the move was intended to eliminate, ended up in Northern Iraq, and the marshes are now free to return to full splendor, teaming with life. See the Physorg.com news item.

• Another Roman City is Found Submerged off the North Coast of Egypt, in the Mediterranean. This is yet another city that ended in the AD 250-450 historical cycle when many cities around the world were destroyed or abandoned, as discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Redorbit.com news release.

• Another Ancient City is Found for the 0-200 BC Historical Cycle. Covered in the sands of the Taklimakan Desert in Northwest China is a peach shaped city. The desert is the second largest shifting desert in the world and probably covers many more ruins, and a number of ruins have been discovered fairly close by. See the Chinese Economic Net article.

• Current Archaeology Teaches Us that the Collapse of Civilizations is an Ecological Thing. This is the main thrust of the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. Now, an athropological researcher comes to the same conclusion: "What lessons does current archaeological research have for policy-makers? For one, it is clear that large-scale environmental degradation is almost always a factor in social collapse." says the anthroplolgist. Any wonder why the world is such a mess these days? [source: Morrison, K.D. (2006) Failure and How to Avoid it. Nature 440:752-754].

• Typical of History, a Mere 15 Years Later Life Returns to Mount Pinatubo's Volcano in the Phillipines that Erupted Destroying Towns, Farmlands, and Buildings. Mount Pinatubo was the second largest volcanic erutpion of the 20th Century, altering worldwide climate. See the Terradaily.com article.

• Newly Uncovered Mesoamerican Site Near Mexico City May be Tied to the Olmecs or an Unkown Contemporary Culture. See the MSNBC.com news.

• A New Discovery Unearths Ajax's Palace. Ajax was a warrior-king involved in the Trojan War and appears in Homer's Epic, the Illiad, which describes the war and the upheavels of the Earth during the 1250-1050 BC historical cycle. The remains of the palace are about 3,500 years old. The palace appears to have been abandoned in 1180 BC. This finding strengthens the story related by Homer's epics. See the BBC news story, and Physorg.com news story.. See the next enty.

• A Sarcophagus -- a Stone Coffin -- has been Found that Depicts Homer's Epics, the Iliad and Odyssey, and is about 2,500 years old. These epics depict an Earth overwhelmed with great upheavels and the great Trojan War. These were discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About, and reflect the scene of an historical cycle ( 1250-1050 BC historical cycle) when many cities and cultures around the world ended. See the Livescience.com news story. Also see the previous entry.

• A Revised Date for the Eruption of Thera (Santorini) in Crete May Help Explain the Devastation of Areas around the Mediterranean in the Historical Cycle of 1600-1400 BC. There may also be a tie-in to the mysterious collapse of the Minoan Civlization. The eruption spewed ashe around the world, created a nuclear winter, caused crop failures and sent huge tsunamis into cities destroying them. This historical cycle, when many civiliizations, cultures, cities and towns where destroyed the wolrd over, was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Int.iol.co.za news story. [source: Friedrich, W.L., et al (2006) Santorini Eruption Radiocarbon Dated to 1627-1600 B.C. Science 312:548 -- Note that many articles on Thera's (Santorini's) eruption appear in this journal issue.]

• Another Archeological Site Shows a Solar Alignment. The passage way of a burial mound in Anglesey allows the rising summer solstice Sun to enter the tomb. The site is about 5,000 years old. See the BBC news story.

• Typical of History and the Earth, a Second-Century Roman Villa was Uncovered by Workers Digging Below Ground. As with so many sites this one could only be found by digging it up. See the Physorg.com news item.

• A Hill in Bosnia Turns Out to Be a Hidden Pyramid Covered in Vegeation and Soil. If it is a pyramid, it is larger than the Great Pyramid in Giza. See the articles in BBC news, MSNBC.com and World-science.net. One archeologist, however, doubts that it is a man-made structure, as reported in Nationalgeographic.com.

• Newly Found Pyramid Discovered in Mexico City Dates Back 1,500 Years. Its abandoment date is not yet known. Typical of many ancient sites it appeared as a hill, completely covered by soil and vegetation. See the Eircom.net news item.

• A More Recent Study of Easter Island Reveals that the Settlers were Ecologically Unsound from the Start. The Easter Islanders had very poor ecological practices, deforesting the island in a very short time. This was discussed in the book In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the NewScientist.com article.

• Typical of History, and the Relationship of Maintaining Life and Human Welfare, Amazon Deforestation Increases the Risk of Malaria. The end result would be, as always, the loss of human life and health, as humans destroy other living things. Eventually, the forests will come back to the area, but the humans may not. See the Scidev.com story.

• The Saxons Recycled Roman Bricks in their Buildings. This is far from the first time that the remains of an earlier civilization was used by newcomers, as discussed in the book, In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Leicesrter Mercury News stopry.

• A Lost City has been Found Buried by a Volcano. The lost civilization of Tamobora was wiped out by the largest recorded volcanic eruption. This is certainly not the first time that a city was wiped away by a volcanic eruption -- other notables are Crete, Pompeii and Herculanum -- nor will it be the last. See the Livescience.com story.

• NASA Satellites are Trained on Central America Hoping to Prevent the Same Mistakes than Collapsed the Mayan Civilization. Their biggest overall mistake was the destruction of Nature. See the NASA story. (note: The article says that the Maya collapsed a 1,000 years ago, but the majority of the Maya collapsed in the mid-8th century AD. Also see the 550-750 AD historical-renewal cycle.)

• A New Mayan City is Uncoverd in the Jungles of Guatamala. Most of the Mayan civiilization ended in the 550-750 AD historical-renewal cycle, as with the other cities this one too was swallowed up by Nature. See the Physorg.com article.

• A Late Bronze Age Castle is Discovered in Iran. This castle ended in the 750-550 BC historical renewal cycle, at about 550 BC, like so many other cities and cultures. See the Stonepages.com article.

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