The United Kingdom’s Hanham Hall Development is the largest eco-village aspiration to date. Designed by HTA and funded by Barratt Developments and the Homes & Communities Agency, there are a rumored 188-195 zero carbon homes in the overall housing scheme. The development will include an onsite biomass CHP plant, strategically placed reed beds, shops for farmers to sell their goods, bicycle storage throughout, and a carefully crafted drainage system. Hanham Hall is the first major eco city underway that is part of the government’s Carbon Challenge Programme. The government has set a goal for all new builds to be zero carbon by 2016. It looks as though they are six years ahead of the curve.

Built on the site of a former hospital, which is being transformed into a new community center, each house in the Hanham Development will be free of VOCs, to help ensure a healthy, eco-friendly lifestyle for residents. SIPS panels will be used as the main structural element throughout the development, with the addition of other energy efficient materials. Recycling of materials onsite will ensure a zero carbon footprint. Construction is currently underway, and the first homes are slated for completion in 2010.

credited to inhabitat.com

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A chirping frog, jumping spiders and a striped gecko were among more than 50 new animal species scientists have discovered in a remote, mountainous region of Papua New Guinea.

Of the animals discovered, 50 spider species, three frogs and a gecko appear to have never been described in scientific literature before, said Conservation International. The Washington DC-based group spent the past several months analysing more than 600 animal species the group found during its expedition to the South Pacific island nation in July and August.

The new frogs include a tiny brown animal with a sharp chirp, a bug-eyed bright green tree frog and another frog with a loud ringing call.

One of the jumping spiders is shiny and pale green, while another is furry and brown.

"If you're finding things that are that big and that spectacular that are new, that's really an indication that there's a lot out there that we don't know about," said Steve Richards, the leader of the expedition. "It never ceases to amaze me, the spectacular things that are turning up from that island."

The findings are significant, particularly the discovery of the new frog species, said Craig Franklin, a zoology professor at The University of Queensland in Australia who studies frogs.

"They're often regarded as a great bioindicator of environmental health," said Mr Franklin, who was not involved in the expedition. "Often we see declines in frogs as a direct pointer to an affected environment."

Researchers from Conservation International explored the region with scientists from the University of British Columbia in Canada and Montclair State University in New Jersey, as well as local scientists from Papua New Guinea.

The area the researchers explored provides a critical source of clean drinking water to tens of thousands of people living in surrounding communities and local clans rely on the region for hunting.

credited to telegraph.co.uk

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Scientists have discovered a tropical Asian turtle fossil not in Asia or in the tropics, but high in the Canadian Arctic.

The find supports the view that, tens of millions of years ago, the Arctic was much warmer then than it is now. The fossil also suggests that Asian turtles took advantage of those balmy conditions to migrate across the North Pole on a land bridge that was filled with lakes and rivers.

Previously, scientists thought turtles made the trek at lower latitudes.

"It is generally thought that a land bridge through Alaska helped bring Asian fauna across into North America, but that doesn't really explain how you get turtles on the east coast of North America at the same time as on the west," said University of Rochester geologist Rory Cottrell, one of the authors of the new study, which appeared last month in the journal Geology.

"One major significance to come out of this find is that there may have been another way."

An expedition team from the University of Rochester found the fossil in 2006 on Axel Heiberg Island in the High Canadian Arctic. Rock deposits on the island are full of vertebrate fossils, including turtles, crocodile reptiles, fish and "all sorts of other weird things," Cottrell said.

The turtle fossil was a particularly exciting because it was a nearly complete mold of both the top and bottom of the animal's shell. And the shell was big, measuring 30 centimeters (almost a foot) across. The animal belonged to a group called Macrobaenidae. The researchers nicknamed it Hugo.

Turtles are fair-weather creatures, and the icy Arctic today is way too cold to support them. Hugo, however, lived about 95 million years ago during a warm period called the Cretaceous. The era is often used as an example of what a greenhouse Earth would be like.

Even the Arctic was balmy at the time, with average temperatures hovering around 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit), said Don Brinkman, a paleontologist at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada, who helped analyze the turtle. The region would have felt like modern-day North Carolina. The fact that Hugo lived there helps show was happening at the poles at the time -- and what could happen with future climate change.

"It gives us some idea of how dramatic the effect of temperature change was on biota in the past," Brinkman said. "There's no reason to think it would be any different today."

Hugo also helps fill in some blanks in what we know about the history of turtles on Earth, said Robert McCord, Curator of Paleontology at the Arizona Museum of Natural History, in Mesa. The fossil doesn't just suggest a new route for ancient migrations of Asian turtles. It also pushes the date of those migrations back more than 10 million years.

After a slow pace of discovery, several exciting papers have been published in recent months about ancient turtles, McCord added. "It's wild stuff all of a sudden in the turtle field."

credited to discovery.com

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Werewolves aren't the only terrors that follow the lunar cycle; hurricanes strengthen more often under a new moon than at any other time, according to a new study.

The moon's spooky influence on Earth and its denizens is legendary, and rightly so. From fertility to suicide, most phenomena attributed to Luna are almost exclusively superstition.

But Peter Yaukey of the University of New Orleans has found what he thinks is real evidence that the phases of moon drive hurricane behavior. Storms that occurred in the Atlantic Ocean between 1950 and 2007 were more likely to form right after the new moon. They also intensified 49 percent more often after a new moon than at any other time in the 29.5-day lunar cycle.

Over the last century, Yaukey said, a smattering of scientific research has hinted that the moon may influence rain patterns, thunderstorms and other meteorological events. Explanations for why this is are many, but nothing conclusive has been shown.

"I had a lot of skepticism attributed to the moon, and I still do in a sense," he said. "It's not enough to have a pattern in the data. You need to have a mechanism to explain it."

There are a range of possibilities. Just as the moon pulls on Earth's oceans and creates the tides, it also tugs on the air above it. Lunar atmospheric tides are thought to be weak, but could create favorable conditions for storms to strengthen.

The moon's gravity may also pull cosmic dust into Earth's atmosphere in a cyclical fashion, perhaps seeding cloud formation and precipitation.

The most promising explanation is internal tides encouraged by the lunar cycle. The currents beneath the ocean surface could circulate warm water up underneath a storm, supplying it with the energy it needs to intensify.

But before scientists seek explanations for the connection they must make sure it's real, said Gabriel Vecchi of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association in Princeton, N.J.

"There's an easy way to do an independent test for this," he said. "Go back and look back at Atlantic hurricane data from 1878-1950 to see if there's still this pattern."

Only 13 percent of the world's hurricanes occur in the Atlantic Ocean. So if the moon is really influencing hurricanes, the signal should show up in Pacific and Indian Ocean storms, too.

If the pattern persists through those tests -- and if the data aren't biased by any human tendency to perform scientific measurements on a monthly cycle -- then Yaukey may be onto something.

"Those are two big 'ifs'," Vecchi said. "But if you get past those, then the subsurface ocean is where I'd look first -- internal tides do a lot of mixing."

credited to discovery.com

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Buried nearly two miles beneath Antarctica, the unspoilt lake has been "frozen in time" for hundreds of thousands of years, sealed off from the outside world.

Scientists believe it may contain tiny life forms that never been seen by humans, whose existence would throw light on how life could develop in other icy environments, including Mars.

The team also hopes the exploration of the waters will yield vital clues about climate change and future sea-level rise.

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has awarded £6 million to a consortium of multidisciplinary research centres, including the University of Bristol for the work.

Over the next five years the researchers will develop the technologies needed for the project.

During the 2012-2013 winter season the research team will go "deep field" into West Antarctica to sample water from the lake in the search of "tiny life forms never before seen" and to extract sediment from the lake bed to find clues as to how the climate has changed over many millennia.

Professor Martyn Tranter from the University of Bristol will be analysing some of the water from the lake, looking for signs of life.

He said: "We are all very excited at the prospect of seeing what's going on down there. Any microbes feeding on material at the bottom of the lake will be giving off a particular chemical signature that we hope to pick up in the water.

"If we find anything living beneath the ice it will not only be very exciting in itself, but could have implications for life in similar icy environments, such as on other planets."

About the size of Lake Windermere, in the Lake District, the underground pool has been described as "one of the planet's last great frontiers".

Bristol University spokeswoman Cherry Lewis said: "It is frozen in time. When we talk about life on other planets we're talking about mainly micro-organisms, and primarily about the planet Mars. However, some of the other moons have similar icy environments.

"It is possible we will find higher life-forms down there. It's a complete unknown at the moment, which is why it is so exciting."

Consortium leader Professor Martin Siegert from the University of Edinburgh, who conceived the project while working at the University of Bristol, said: "This is a benchmark in polar exploration – our team will be the first to explore this ancient lake.

"It is a dark, cold place that has been sealed from the outside world and it's likely to contain unique forms of life. We hope to discover more about how life can exist in extreme environments and how Antarctica has changed in the past – which might help us understand more about other places on Earth."

In such an extreme environment the mere presence of life in itself would be a major scientific discovery, the team warns. But there are "very strong reasons" to expect that such micro-organisms would have adapted to the hostile habitat.

credited to telegraph.co.uk

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A new species of rat has been found on a mountain in the southern Philippines, the country's environment department said on Wednesday.

Hamiguitan batomys, or "hairy-tailed rat," is a yellow-brown rodent with a long and furry tail.

Weighing about 6.2 ounces, it lives 3,117 feet above sea level in the mossy forests of Mount Hamiguitan on Mindanao island.

It was discovered in a joint U.S.-Filipino expedition in 2006 that involved experts from the Chicago-based Field Museum of Natural History, the Filipino government agency said in a statement.

The Hamiguitan batomys is related to several other species found in central Mindanao, neighboring Dinagat island and the main Philippine island of Luzon.

But its natural habitat is an area of less than 3,861 square miles, the agency said.

Lawrence Heaney, curator of mammals at the Chicago museum, said: "The unusual geological history of eastern Mindanao leads us to predict that additional species currently unknown to anyone except local residents are likely to live there."

He said the team would continue to "find, formally describe and learn about the habitat needs of these species before logging, mining, or other human activities reduce their chances for survival."

Heaney said the Philippines "has one of the largest numbers of unique species of mammals of any place in the world. Over 125 mammal species live only in the Philippines."

Danilo Balete, the Filipino leader of the expedition, said the Hamiguitan batomys "is the first mammal to be described from eastern Mindanao, and is the first mammal that is thought to live only in that area."

This, he said, leads him to suspect that the mountain is "a biologically unique part of the Philippines."

credited to discovery.com

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Trudging gingerly across the arid sands of the Gobi desert, Czech explorer Ivan Mackerle is careful not to put a foot wrong, for he knows it may be his last. He scours the land and shifting valleys for tell-tale signs of disturbance in the sands below, always ready for the unexpected lurch of an alien being said to kill in one strike with a sharp spout of acidic venom to the face. A creature so secretive that no photographic evidence yet exists, but the locals know it’s there, always waiting in silence for its prey, waiting to strike – the Mongolian Death Worm.

Reported to be between two and five feet long, the deep-red coloured worm is said to resemble the intestines of a cow and sprays a yellow acidic saliva substance at its victims, who if they’re unlucky enough to be within touching distance also receive an electric shock powerful enough to kill a camel… or them.

Given the latin name Allghoi khorkhoi, the Mongolian Death Worm was first referred to by American paleontologist Professor Roy Chapman Andrews (apparently the inspiration for the Indiana Jones character) in his book On the Trail of Ancient Man, in 1926 but he didn’t appear to be entirely convinced about the whole idea. Even though locals were desperate to relay events of when the dreaded worm struck, Andrews writes: “None of those present ever had seen the creature, but they all firmly believed in its existence and described it minutely.” But it wasn’t to stop other inquisitive adventurers taking up the investigative mantle when Andrews was no longer interested, or able to pursue the matter.

Only a few years ago, in 2005, a group of English scientists and cryptozoologists spent a month in the hostile Gobi desert searching for the fabled creature, and although they spoke to a number of Mongolians in the area, all of whom regaled wondrous stories of the worm, no one could verify they had seen the creature first-hand. Even still, after four weeks the team had gathered enough verbal evidence to be convinced that the worm really does exist. Lead researcher, Richard Freeman, said: “Every eyewitness account and story we have heard describes exactly the same thing: a red-brown worm-like snake, approximately two feet long and two inches thick with no discernable head or back (tail).”

Today, it is Ivan Mackerle, a self-made cryptozoologist who travels the world in search of scientific evidence that proves creatures like the Loch Ness monster and Mongolian Death Worm exist. As a boy he read the stories of the Russian paleontologist Yefremov, who wrote about a worm, which resembled a bloody intestine, that could grow to the length of a small man and mysteriously kill people at great distance, possibly with poison or electricity.

So Does the Mongolian Death Worm really exist, and what if it does?

This insistence by locals that worm is a reality will continue to fuel inquisitive minds and as long as open-mindedness remains a fair virtue, we’re prepared to wait a little longer for empirical proof of its existence.

Just remember, if you do decide to go Death Worm hunting in the Gobi desert, don’t wear yellow, seemingly that’s the color that sends our wrinkly friend into one its trademark electrifying, spitting freak outs. Don’t say we didn’t warm you.

credited to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

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Scientists expect some great travel spots to be altered or ruined by global climate change.

Some of the changes are already taking place. Others are expected to be seen in coming decades.

There are two ways to look at this: Either stay home (which might be less depressing and won't add more airline emissions) or get a move on it and see the hot spots you just can't miss.

For those who want to head out, CNN got advice on the best pre-warming travel destinations from Bob Henson, author of "The Rough Guide to Climate Change" and a writer at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.

Here are Henson's top five choices:

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Warming temperatures can spell disaster for coral reefs, which depend on a delicate balance of ocean temperature and chemistry to bloom into colorful displays.

Many of the world's reefs already are experiencing "bleaching" in which algae living in the coral die and leave behind whitened skeletons.

The Great Barrier Reef -- which is composed of about 2,900 individual reefs and is off the northeast coast of Australia -- is seeing limited bleaching now, and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority expects the problem to grow in coming decades.

Henson said the reefs' colorful displays are not to be missed.

"It's a feast for the eyes in terms of color, texture variations -- it's just amazing to see," he said. "It's wonderful to be enveloped in the warm water and look down just a few feet below at this amazing spread of ocean life."

Boats of people with snorkels typically launch into the reefs from Cairns, Queensland. If you go, tread lightly, Henson said. Visitors can damage the reefs if they get too close.

New Orleans, Louisiana

How much sea levels will rise as the world warms is one of the trickiest parts of the climate change equation. If huge hunks of ice -- such as parts of Greenland and the western shelf of Antarctica -- melt, then the rise is expected to be more dramatic.

"Nobody knows whether they're going to completely melt or not, but we do know it's not going to happen in the next 10 years," Henson said.

But for cities near the coast such as New Orleans, which already sits below sea level, rising waters could spell trouble for tourists and residents alike, even in the relative near term.

"In the next several hundred years, life there may be difficult, and the cities may become impractical unless we can build large structures to keep the waters at bay," he said.

Henson doesn't expect New Orleans to be underwater anytime soon. But travel to the Louisiana city may become more difficult in the future, he said. Scientists expect floods to become more frequent.

"It's sobering to be in New Orleans and look up at the levees that sit above you and keep out the Mississippi River," he said. "You're standing below the level of the river, looking up."

Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado

Herds of tiny pine beetles are munching away at Colorado's forests, turning the evergreens a sickly red and destroying large patches of trees.

Cold snaps -- which, in mountain terms, mean about five nights of minus-30 temperatures -- usually kill off the native beetles. But winters are warming, and Henson and others said they worry the beetles can't be stopped.

The beetle infestation "has reached epidemic proportions as a result of climate issues," said Kyle Patterson, spokeswoman for the Rocky Mountain National Park.

The beetles are causing problems all over America's mountainous west, but the issue is particularly visible at Patterson's park, northwest of Denver. Henson recommends visiting the park this decade to ensure you can still see the dense forests in decent shape. Some of the reddened forests look beautiful in a strange way, Henson said, but visitors should note that the color isn't natural for pine trees.

"Come soon. It's happening quickly," he said.

Visit in the summer or early fall and take a breathtaking drive to 12,183 feet, Patterson said. Or, come in the winter and enjoy snowshoeing and nearby skiing. Many of the park's 355 miles of hiking trails are open year-round.

Alpine Glaciers, Switzerland

The European Alps sit at a lower altitude than the Rocky Mountains, and their glaciers and ski resorts are therefore more susceptible to melting, Henson said.

A climate expert in Austria recently told National Geographic that the Alps' famed glaciers will disappear entirely between 2030 and 2050. A 2006 report had said they would melt by the end of the century.

Henson said he once took a train through the Alpine glaciers. They're worth seeing before they go -- whenever that happens, he said.

"They're beautiful; the light blue quality of the meltwater is really stunning," he said.

Amazon rain forest, Brazil

Deforestation continues to be the major environmental issue in the Amazon, the world's largest tropical rain forest. But as locals and corporations chop down the Amazon's rich forests to create farmland and to harvest biofuels, climate change may make things worse.

"The fear is that there will be kind of a feedback where trees are cut down, and it gets warmer and drier" in the forest until it can't grow back, Henson said.

The best way to visit the forest is by boat, Henson said. That way, you'll leave less of a mark on the struggling ecosystem.

Of course, getting to a boat on the Amazon is not simple, and the long trip can create a lot of heat-trapping pollution. Henson said the destination might be one of those better left alone by tourists.

credited to CNN

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The Galapagos islands, where Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution, are at risk of being ruined by tourists, presenter Andrew Marr has warned.

The extraordinary wildlife on the remote islands off the coast of Ecuador inspired Darwin to develop his ideas on how different animals are moulded by the environment and ultimately his ideas on the origin of mankind.

However, 200 years since the great biologist's birth, it is mankind that is threatening the island with the introduction of invasive species, the demands of a growing human population, extreme weather events caused by climate change and a growing number of tourists disturbing the pristine wildlife.

Andrew Marr, the broadcaster and President of the Galapagos Conservation Trust, said development must be brought under control to protect the remaining species, with tourists limited to one visit to the islands during a lifetime.

Sir David Attenborough argued that tourists are a "necessary evil", providing income to natives of the island, but agreed development of hotels and transport links must be sustainable.

Since 1991 tourist numbers have soared from 41,000 to more than 160,000 annually, while the local population has grown by four per cent every year to reach more than 40,000.

Speaking at a dinner at Christ's College, Cambridge, to mark the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth, Mr Marr warned that the islands' habitats face ruination unless human development leaves space for the wildlife.

Mr Marr first visited the islands to research Darwin as part of the BBC's Great Britons series and has since become an advocate of the World Heritage Site.

But he said visits, that are already controlled by the Galapagos National Park, should be limited to once in a lifetime.

"The Galapagos islands are truly astonishing – home to many unique species," he said.

"But they are very delicate, and there is huge pressure on them because of tourism, development and the introduction of invasive species. That is why, having been to the islands once, I promise never to go back."

Charles Darwin found a host of unusual animals on his visit to the archipelago on the HMS Beagle in 1835, including the famous giant tortoises.

But he also brought the first invasive insects and animals that have gradually been eroding the natural flora and fauna ever since.

Black rats and goats have been particularly damaging to the environment but perhaps the most invasive species of all are humans.

There are 106 species on the islands and in the surrounding waters, out of around 450, that are now considered endangered or critically endangered, while another 90 have been officially declared as vulnerable. Some species of the giant tortoise and the Galapagos mouse have disappeared completely.

Sir David Attenborough, who is also due to speak at the dinner, last visited the Galapagos Islands on his 80th birthday.

Writing in this month's Lonely Planet Magazine, he described tourism as a "necessary evil" that is providing income to the islanders and conservation but must be controlled.

"We can screw up the Galapagos in the way that we can very easily screw up the whole planet," he warned. "These islands are an example, a parable, for how we treat the natural world."

Events around the country today are due to celebrate the birth of Charles Darwin. HRH the Duke of Edinburgh is due to unveil a new statue of Darwin at Christ's College and a series of free public events are being held at the Natural History Museum in London.

Toni Darton, Chief Executive of the Galapagos Conservation Trust, hoped the celebrations will help to boost funding for the huge amount of conservation work needed to ensure the species Darwin studied can survive another 200 years.

"Darwin helped to put the Galapagos on the map and now the huge interest in Darwin and the anniversary of his birth could ensure the islands' survival," she said.

credited to telegraph.co.uk

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When it comes to global warming, the canary in the coal mine isn't a canary at all. It's a purple finch.

As the temperature across the U.S. has gotten warmer, the purple finch has been spending its winters more than 400 miles farther north than it used to.

And it's not alone.

An Audubon Society study to be released Tuesday found that more than half of 305 birds species in North America, a hodgepodge that includes robins, gulls, chickadees and owls, are spending the winter about 35 miles farther north than they did 40 years ago.

The purple finch was the biggest northward mover. Its wintering grounds are now more along the latitude of Milwaukee, Wis., instead of Springfield, Mo.

Bird ranges can expand and shift for many reasons, among them urban sprawl, deforestation and the supplemental diet provided by backyard feeders. But researchers say the only explanation for why so many birds over such a broad area are wintering in more northern locales is global warming.

Over the 40 years covered by the study, the average January temperature in the United States climbed by about 5 degrees Fahrenheit. That warming was most pronounced in northern states, which have already recorded an influx of more southern species and could see some northern species retreat into Canada as ranges shift.

"This is as close as science at this scale gets to proof," said Greg Butcher, the lead scientist on the study and the director of bird conservation at the Audubon Society. "It is not what each of these individual birds did. It is the wide diversity of birds that suggests it has something to do with temperature, rather than ecology."

The study provides compelling evidence for what many birders across the country have long recognized -- that many birds are responding to climate change by shifting farther north.

Previous studies of breeding birds in Great Britain and the eastern U.S. have detected similar trends. But the Audubon study covers a broader area and includes many more species.

The study of migration habits from 1966 through 2005 found about one-fourth of the species have moved farther south. But the number moving northward -- 177 species -- is twice that.

The study "shows a very, very large fraction of the wintering birds are shifting" northward, said Terry Root, a biologist at Stanford University. "We don't know for a fact that it is warming. But when one keeps finding the same thing over and over ... we know it is not just a figment of our imagination."

The research is based on data collected during the Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count in early winter. At that time of year, temperature is the primary driver for where birds go and whether they live or die. To survive the cold, birds need to eat enough during the day to have the energy needed to shiver throughout the night.

Milder winters mean the birds don't need to expend as much energy shivering, and can get by eating less food in the day.

General biology aside, the research can't explain why particular species are moving. That's because changes in temperature affect different birds in different ways.

Some birds will expand their range farther north. For example, the Carolina wren -- the state bird of South Carolina -- has turned into a Yankee, based on Audubon's calculations. It is now commonly seen in the winter well into New England, as well as its namesake state of South Carolina.

"Twenty years ago, I remember people driving hours to see the one Carolina wren in the state," said Jeff Wells, an ornithologist based in southern Maine. "Now, every year I get two or three just in my area," he said. "Obviously, things have changed."

Other species, such as the purple finch and boreal chickadee, spend their summers in the forests of Canada and fly south into the U.S. for the winter. Climate change could be playing a role in why they are not flying as far south as they used to, and are no longer as common as they were in states like Maine, Vermont and Wisconsin.

For other species, global warming may not be a major factor in the movements measured by Audubon at all. The wild turkey was second only to the purple finch in miles moved north -- about 400. But it's likely due to efforts by hunters and state wildlife managers to boost its population.

In other cases, the range shifts are prompting calls to cull some bird populations.

The sandhill crane, a large gray bird that migrates to the southern U.S. for the winter, has a range that expanded about 40 miles north in the last 40 years. This small movement has likely contributed to the bird's population explosion in Tennessee. The sandhill population has grown to a point that state wildlife officials are considering allowing the bird to be hunted.

"You are seeing it all across the state," said Richard Connors, president of the Tennessee Ornithological Society. "As it increases, there is going to be pressure to hunt it. The bird watchers of Tennessee don't want that."

credited to discovery.com

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Villagers waded chest deep into the water, clapping their hands and splashing to drive the mammals away while a flotilla of fishing boats guided them to open water.

"It's something unusual," said Malcolm Sarmiento, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. "It's the first time that such a large pod has entered Manila Bay, and is acting strangely."

When they were spotted, the confused dolphins were swimming back and forth between Pilar and Orion townships in Bataan province about a mile off shore.

Mr Sarmiento told local radio that the dolphins may have become disorientated by a "heat wave or disturbance at sea" such as a possible underwater earthquake which could have damaged their eardrums.

"If their eardrums are damaged they become disorientated and they float up to the surface," he said.

Alternatively, he suggested, they could have followed a sick or injured leader. In that case, experts say, the leader must be identified and removed from the pod to prevent it from leading the others into danger again.

The pod included 200-300 dolphins but only three died. It is common for dolphins to beach themselves in the Philippines but rarely in such great numbers. On this occasion they were melon-head dolphins which are considered a "threatened species", meaning they are likely to become endangered in the future.

credited to telegraph.co.uk

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The Great Barrier Reef's campaign to become one of the new 'New7Wonders of Nature' has hit a potentially crippling snag.

The reef is currently leading its category (Seascapes) on the official n7w voting site, easily out-polling rivals Ha Long Bay and Cox’s Bazaar Beach.

But the reef’s dual-national status – it is partly in Papua New Guinean territory – is putting its otherwise smooth ride onto the list in jeopardy.

To qualify for the title, a landmark must have an Official Supporting Committee - a relatively straight-forward process requiring a small amount of official formwork.

But the rules stipulate that if a site straddles more than one nation-state, all nations involved must have an OSC established.

With Papua New Guinea yet to establish a Committee, Australia may be left without an entry on the list.

But the n7w has defended its system and urged PNG to act.

“It is important for the fast-paced and powerful global campaign that each nominee has an OSC in each country to communicate and work with New7Wonders,” said a spokesperson.

“Best results are achieved when New7Wonders can work closely with local representatives.”

The Amazon Rainforest is also at risk of being disqualified because not all of the South American nations it occupies have entered an OSC.

Australia’s other big hope, Uluru, is currently polling fourth in the Caves, Rock Formations, Valleys category, behind Davolja Varos, the Grand Canyon, and Belogradchik Rocks.

credited to livenews.com.au

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Phil Koperberg knows bushfires.

He’s spent his whole life fighting them.For 10 years he was on the front line as NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner.

Before that, he was the Director-General of the NSW Bush Fire Service

And now he represents some of our most bushfire-vulnerable countrymen in as the member for the Blue Mountains.

So when he comes out and says firefighters are going to have to adjust what they do because of global warming - it’s worth listening to.

This morning, in the face of the worst bushfires ever experienced by this nation, he stated categorically that fires are now behaving in different ways because of global warming.

“There will be a revision now (due to) climate change,” he said on Sydney radio.

“Fires are behaving differently in many, many ways. The fuel conditions change according to the amount of rainfall, according to the amount of moisture content in the fuel.

“And these are the challenges ahead of fire authorities in the next 20 to 30 years.”

These simple words are something those who make a living out of denying the existence of climate change should read very carefully. Even with all our technology more people than any other bushfire episode in our history, 130, have died.

The Andrew Bolts, the John Howards and the Piers Akermans of this world should feel very nervous.

It is them who will be condemned over the next 30 years as we start to see such events more and more.

(Keep in mind on Saturday Melbourne had it’s hottest day ever, at 46.4, since records were first kept in 1850 and has experienced a heatwave without precedent in 100 years.)

In fact, I’ve got a great idea so we don’t fail to forget all those people who - as of 2009 - are still denying humans are beginning to irreversibly change our only home.

The people who are the public mouth pieces for big business and vested interest who are making too much money to want to change their ways.

The Bolts and the Akermans and their ilk should have their names carved in stone – which cannot be scorched by any fire. And I’ll put my name in stone too.

A stone we can consult in say, 30 years time, when all the evidence is in.

Because where as if I’m wrong I’ll look like a fool, if they’re wrong by then we’ll be headed down a road – to paraphrase Kevin Rudd – to hell.

credited to livenews.com.au

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Airport nightmares, horrible hotels, crowded beaches, family arguments, soaring costs – holidays are not always the away-from-it-all bliss we hope for. And yet most of us cling to the belief that one day we really will have that "holiday of a lifetime".

But what makes a truly memorable holiday? The age at which you take it may have something to do with it, according to travel operator Kuoni. When it recently asked 1,000 British holidaymakers about their favourite trips, it discovered that more people have their best-ever holiday at 34 than at any other age. As Martin Conway, an expert on memory from the University of Leeds, points out, "Thirty-four is when a lot of people are thinking about 'nesting' so they are either likely to be enjoying those last holidays without children or perhaps taking their young children on a first holiday abroad."

On the other hand, the survey also notes that a third of respondents over 65 had their most memorable holiday in their retirement.

The truth is that a great holiday has nothing to do with age, or even cost, but everything to do with where you go and who you go with. Here, a cross-section of those who responded to the Kuoni survey tell us about the best holidays they have ever had. And, in case their memories inspire you, we have added details of how you can make a similar trip – whether you're 25, 55 or 75.

Skopelos, Greek Islands

"We travelled to Skopelos by boat on an exploratory trip from Skiathos but I knew as soon as I set foot on the island that it was somewhere I wanted to stay. It was the perfect holiday – beautiful setting, wonderful weather, shared with good friends.."
Lizann Scott

Simply Travel (0871 231 4050; www.simplytravel.co.uk) offers seven nights' self-catering in an apartment in Skopelos Village from £569 per person in early June.

St Austell, Cornwall

"It was a beautiful summer; my eldest son was a year old and it was our first holiday together as a family. We had no money and yet it was an idyllic time as we built sandcastles together, paddled in the sea and ate lots of ice cream. The cottage we rented had a cute little bat and a hedgehog which came out at night and which my son loved."
Diana Stephenson

Cornish Cottage Holidays (01326 573808; www.cornishcottageholidays.co.uk) has a good selection of cottages in Cornwall, including several in and around St Austell; or try Cornish Traditional Cottages (01208 821666; www.corncott.com)

Trinidad & Tobago

"In Tobago my husband and I took part in a fantastic sailing regatta. I loved the beautiful beaches and scenery. Trinidad offered a much more cultural experience, which was a really nice contrast to Tobago."
Gill Christie

Caribtours (020 7751 0660; www.caribtours.co.uk) offers seven nights' in Trinidad and Tobago from £1,070 per person in May. This includes three nights at the Hilton Trinidad and four at Kariwak Village, Tobago. Book by February 28.

Puerto Pollensa, Majorca

"We went years ago when Puerto Pollensa was very unspoilt. In addition, the children were the perfect age to enjoy the beach and sea."
Joan Miller

Portland Holidays Direct (0871 231 4889; www.portland-direct.co.uk) offers seven nights' half board at the three-star Daina Hotel in Puerto Pollensa from £422 when booked online for two adults in late March.

The Maldives

"It was our last big holiday before my wife and I started trying for kids so we pushed the boat out and went for a one-week holiday at Huvafen Fushi. We decided to go to the Maldives primarily for the diving, which was an amazing experience."
Henry Grafton-Grattan

Seasons in Style (01244 202000; www.seasonsinstyle.com) offers seven nights' b & b at Huvafen Fushi from £3,310 per person, including flights.

The Rock of Gibraltar

"It was a late honeymoon. After an hour labouring up the rock, we sat on a low wall for a little refreshment. As I ate my biscuit, I got a tap on the shoulder. I looked around, expecting to see somebody, only to find a barbary ape which seemed to assume that I had invited him to share my meal."
Richard Hornby

Gibraltar Breaks (020 8518 4181; www.gibraltarbreaks.co.uk) offers three nights' b & b at the four-star Rock Hotel in March from £305.96 per person, including return flight and transfers. See website for late deals.

Hong Kong

"I found the Giant Buddha extremely inspiring, along with the Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery."
Patrick Griffith

BA Holidays (0844 493 0758; www.ba.com) offers five nights' accommodation only at the Cosmo, Hong Kong, from £589 per person, in May, including return flight on British Airways

Quinta do Lago, Portugal

"It was our first holiday with two children but at last our five-month-old daughter slept. And I was able to enjoy paddling in the surf with our two-year-old son and do lots of father and son bonding on pedalos and the like. We stayed in a resort with all the childcare facilities and even managed to eat out without being disturbed."
Dennis Kerslake

Seven nights in May at the Hotel Quinta do Lago (00351 289 350350; www.hotelquintadolago.com) cost from £2,331 for two adults; a Garden Suite sleeping two adults, one child and one baby, costs from £6,083. EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) has return flights to Faro from £48.98 in May.

Maui, Hawaii

"It was like stepping into a postcard of a beach paradise and our hotel even had an unlimited champagne brunch on a Sunday – does life get any better than that? It was also our honeymoon, so it was memorable for that reason too."
Nicola Bone

Kuoni (01306 747008; www.kuoni.co.uk) offers seven nights' room only at the Royal Lahaina Resort, Maui, and a one-night stopover at the Holiday Inn Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, in June from £1,119 per person, including international and domestic flights and transfers in Maui only.

Jamaica

"I went to Jamaica – where I was born – for Christmas with my best friend. The joy of being able to show him the many aspects of the land of my birth was wonderful."
Catherine Dove

Caribtours (020 7751 0660; www.caribtours.co.uk) offers seven nights' b & b at Round Hill, Jamaica, from £1,195 in May. Book by February 28.

Venice, Florence, Umbria and Southern Tuscany

"It was our three-week honeymoon, ending in a week of gentle walking from Siena to Montepulciano through vineyards and up to medieval hill towns – they were such romantic settings with the colour of the stone buildings, the soft light, scented air and wonderful wine at every stop."
Lucy Foster

Inntravel (01653 617945; www.inntravel.co.uk) has a gentle seven-night Hill Top Towns of Tuscany walk, ending in Siena, from £678 in May, excluding flights. Or try Citalia (0871 664 0252; www.citalia.com)

Lot Valley, France

"We stayed with a group of friends in a rented house on top of a hill overlooking the Lot Valley. We had memorable lazy days and late evening meals on the terrace. I was seven months' pregnant with my first child and feeling blissfully content with life." Lucy Hibbert

VBF Holidays (www.vfbholidays.co.uk) has rental properties in the Dordogne/Lot region, including a pretty two-bedroom, converted 19th-century farm building, near Carjarc, in the Lot Valley, from £613 in late May.

Scottish Highlands

"I once went on a camping holiday with a group of the guys from university. It was so much fun because we hadn't spent much time together after our graduation as we all moved away to different cities, so it was a fun reunion."
Angus Fieret

Further information on Scottish campsites at www.scottishcampingguide.com.

Southern India

"Eschewing a guided tour – but certainly not roughing it – we followed the Rough Guide, travelling through Southern India by public bus, boat (through the Kerala backwaters), train (which broke down halfway up a mountain for eight hours), taxi (which broke down in a game reserve), and even elephant, during our search for tigers. In the prohibition states we also enjoyed undercover gin and tonics."
Kate Green

If you'd prefer an organised trip, Cox & Kings (020 7873 5000; www.coxandkings.co.uk) has a 16-day Grand Tour of South India from £2,695 per person which includes visits to hill stations, temples and a Kerala backwaters cruise.

Italy

"My husband and I went on a belated honeymoon: a week-long walking holiday in the Amalfi, carrying 10-month-old Isabel in a backpack from Ravello to Positano. Much of it was high above the sea, along the Path of the Gods." Vicky Lack

Exodus (0845 863 9600; www.exodus.co.uk) offers an eight-day walking holiday along the Amalfi Coast from £1,099, including flights.

Istanbul, Turkey

"This was my first holiday since I became a freelance web designer and I felt like I'd earned the break, having worked non-stop for the previous year to get myself established. Istanbul was an incredible city, filled with amazing sights, people and food."
Dan Auty

Kuoni World Class (01306 744707; www.kuoni.co.uk) offers three nights' b & b at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski from £915 per person, including flights.

St Anton, Austria

"I went on a skiing holiday with some of my closest friends and it was just perfect because of the snow and, of course, the après-ski."
Sarah Middleton

Inghams (020 8780 4433; www.inghams.co.uk) offers seven nights in a catered chalet (Chalet Rose) from £463 in March, including flights and transfers.

China

"We visited China just as it was starting to open up. Travel was still difficult as very few people spoke English but it was a trip I will always remember for the many funny and sometimes daunting experiences that we had." Ruth Symons

Wendy Wu Tours (0844 826 0217; www.wendywutours.co.uk) offers a 27-day China Highlights tour from £1,999 per person.

Northern India

"I visited India while on a round-the-world trip, and it has to be my most memorable destination, if only because of the culture shock. Arriving in Delhi with the carnage of traffic and cows walking along the streets made me realise how unique and charming India really is. In complete contrast, I went on to spend time in the Himalayan region which was beautiful and tranquil and a world away from Delhi."
Neil Kerry

Explore (0845 013 1539; www.explore.co.uk) has an 18-day Delhi to Nepal escorted tour, which features Agra and Jaipur, from £1,750, including flights.

South Pacific Islands Cruise

"Our cruise of the South Pacific Islands was the perfect mix of good company, fun times, relaxation, good food and exotic locations."
Victoria Duplessis

Regent Seven Seas Cruises (02380 682280; www.rssc.co.uk) offers cruises of varying lengths around the South Pacific islands; a seven-night Papeete to Papeete cruise, departing on March 28, for example, costs from £1,515 per person.

The Maldives

"We went to the Reethi Beach Resort for our honeymoon. After a hectic six months preparing for our wedding and then the excitement of the day itself, Reethi Beach was the perfect desert island for recharging our batteries."
Tony Mays

Kuoni (01306 747002; www.kuoni.co.uk) offers seven nights' all-inclusive at Reethi Beach Resort from £1,730 in March.

The Rockies, Canada

"I was on a tour of the Rockies and we stopped at Lake Louise. It is so clear and picturesque, surrounded by pine forests, and there was the opportunity to spot black bears in the wild."
Laura Noeth

Archers Direct (0871 423 8507; www.archersdirect.co.uk) has an 11-day coach tour, which includes Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Vancouver and Victoria, and two days aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, from £1,545, including flights. Or try Titan Travel (0800 988 5845; www.titantravel.co.uk)

Dubai

"What made it a good holiday was who I was with: my wife and my baby, on our first holiday together. We had perfect weather, the apartment was in a fantastic location close to Jumeirah Beach and Dubai was perfect for travelling with a baby. It's such a hospitality-driven city – something Londoners like us don't normally experience."
Mitul Patel

Virgin Holidays (0871 222 5825; www.virginholidays.co.uk) has some great deals on Dubai holidays. Five nights' b & b at the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, for example, costs £515 per person between June 21 and July 9; five nights' b & b at the Ritz-Carlton costs £1,055 between February 24 and March 26; book on the website.

Ibiza, Spain

"I went to Ibiza when I was 34, which I thought was quite adventurous for someone over 30. The beaches were great and the nightlife was spectacular. I had an amazing time and am contemplating going back again next summer."
Siobhan Dwyer

Thomson (0871 231 3235; www.thomson.co.uk) offers seven nights' b & b at the Insotel Fenicia Prestige, in Santa Eulalia (more suitable than San Antonio if you want to combine fun with comfort) from £1,059 per person, departing from Gatwick
on May 9.

credited to telegraph.co.uk

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An ancient killer is hiding in the remote forests of Siberia. Walled off from western eyes during the Soviet era and forgotten among the endless expanse of wilderness, scientists are starting to uncover the remnants of a supervolcano that rained Hell on Earth 250 million years ago and killed 90 percent of all life.

Researchers have known about the volcano -- the Siberian Traps, for years. And they've speculated that the volcanic rocks, which cover an area about the size of Alaska, played a role in runaway global warming that led to the end -- Permian mass extinction, the worst dying the planet has ever seen.

Now a team of researchers led by Henrik Svenson of the University of Oslo in Norway have performed a series of experiments, showing the volcano employed an arsenal of deadly weapons during its 200,000-year-long assault on the biosphere.

Prime among them was carbon. Searing magmas from the volcano intruded into the Tunguska Basin in eastern Siberia, a region laden with thick deposits of coal, oil and gas. Heat from the molten rock baked the hydrocarbons, turning the area into the world's largest fossil fuel-burning plant. In all, the volcano may have belched as much as 100,000 gigatons of carbon into the air (all of humanity emits about eight gigatons of carbon annually).

That's more than enough to cause a global climate apocalypse. But the team also wanted to know what happened when lava infiltrated the area's abundant salt deposits. When heated in a laboratory to 275 degrees Centigrade (527 degrees Fahrenheit), the salts released a host of toxic gases, chief among them methyl chloride, an efficient ozone-killer.

"This is the first geologically realistic evidence that ozone collapse during the end-Permian could have actually happened," Svenson said.

But there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the findings, Linda Elkins-Tanton of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said.

"There is evidence of a large number of genetic mutations in the fossil record around this time," she said, which could be the result of an onslaught of ultraviolet radiation due to a weak ozone layer. "But the idea of ozone destroyers is pretty new. The question is whether or not the eruptions were powerful enough to inject gases into the stratosphere."

The answer may come from close examination of hundreds of pipe-like structures strewn throughout the Tunguska Basin. Often 300 meters (984 feet) in diameter, Svenson's team believes the pipes are ancient volcanic craters left over after the lethal mix of carbon and chlorine gases exploded into the atmosphere.

credited to discovery.com

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Fresh snowfall across central and southern England is causing renewed disruption today. Here is the latest travel information for February 5.

Rail

CrossCountry - Services between Leicester and Stansted Airport may be delayed by up to 60 minutes because of heavy snow in the Peterborough area. East Midlands Trains will accept CrossCountry customers on reasonable routes in the area. Delays of up to 30 minutes can be expected on all routes via Birmingham New Street.

East Midlands Trains - Services between Norwich and Nottingham may be delayed by up to 60 minutes because of heavy snow in the Peterborough area.

First Capital Connect - Services on all routes are subject to alterations and delays of up to 30 minutes following earlier poor weather conditions and overhead wire problems.

First Great Western - Services between Bristol Temple Meads and Avonmouth/Severn Beach have been suspended. No replacement transport will be provided due to poor road conditions. Services from Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington will only run between Cheltenham Spa and Swindon, with connections available at Swindon to/from London Paddington.

London Midland - Services between Northampton and London Euston have been suspended until at least 2.30pm, with customers advised not avoid the route. Other services and operators are continuing to run to and from London Euston.

A replacement bus service is running between Northampton and Rugby for connections with alternative services to/from Birmingham New Street and London Euston

Alterations and delays of up to 60 minutes can be expected on the following routes: Bedford to Bletchley, Birmingham New Street to Coventry, Crewe, Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston, and Tring to London Euston.

Chiltern Railways, East Midlands Trains, First Capital Connect and Virgin Trains are all accepting London Midland customers on reasonable routes to and from London.

National Express East Coast - Services may be delayed by up to 40 minutes between Peterborough and London Kings Cross because of earlier problems in the Peterborough area.

ScotRail - Services between Elgin and Inverurie are suspended because of poor weather conditions. No replacement transport will be provided.

Services between Aviemore and Inverness may be delayed by up to 60 minutes. No other ScotRail routes are currently affected by poor weather conditions, but services are also subject to alterations and delays because of a problem near the railway at Motherwell.

Virgin Trains - Services on all routes to and from London Euston are delayed by up to 60 minutes due to speed restrictions. The following trains are cancelled: the 03 minutes past each hour from London Euston to Birmingham New Street, the 50 minutes past each hour from Birmingham New Street to London Euston, the 20 minutes past each hour from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly and the 15 minutes past each hour from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston.

The following trains will make additional stops: The 23 minutes past each hour from London Euston to Wolverhampton will call at Rugby, the 45 minutes past each hour from Wolverhampton to London Euston will call at Rugby, the 00 minutes past each hour from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly will call at Milton Keynes and the 35 minutes past each hour from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston will call at Milton Keynes.

Airports:

Heathrow Airport – Operating a "near full service" but warnings of some delays. Check in as normal and allow extra time for your journey to the airport.

London City Airport - Normal service.

London Luton Airport – 29 arrivals and departures to European cities cancelled. Contact your airline.

Stansted Airport - Operating a full service.

Gatwick Airport - Operating a "near full service" but warnings of some small delays. Check in as normal and allow extra time for your journey to the airport.

Cardiff International Airport: Normal service.

Southampton Airport – Operating a normal service.

Belfast International Airport - Flights to Midlands delayed, cancelled and diverted.

Dublin Airport - Flights to Midlands delayed, cancelled and diverted.

Glasgow Airport - Operating a normal service.

Edinburgh Airport - Operating a "near normal service". The website adds: "We have been advised that airports across the middle of the country have been affected by heavy snow. Passengers travelling to the Midlands and Wales are advised to contact their airline for further information."

Leeds Bradford Airport – No reported problems.

Birmingham International Airport – Flights cancelled and delayed.

Bristol International Airport - Operating to schedule but warning of weather disruption. Passengers advised to check in as normal.

Newcastle Airport – No reported problems.

Roads:

A14 Northamptonshire - Road closed eastbound between junctions with M1 and A5199 due to incident.

A1 Cambridgeshire - Heavy traffic northbound between junctions with A47 and A606.

A1 West Yorkshire - Broken down vehicle causing heavy traffic southbound between M62 and A639.

A1 Nottinghamshire - Heavy traffic between junctions with A6075 and A57.

Tube:

Minor delays on Circle, Hammersmith and City and Northern lines, good service on all other Tube lines.

Buses:

Bus services on First, Wessex Buses and South Gloucestershire Buses are suspended in the south west.

London buses are operating on all routes except those few where conditions are still dangerous.

credited to telegraph.co.uk

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LUSH is a word that slips easily from the tongue, but in tropical Cairns it has a meaning so rich you can eat it.

In far north Queensland, lush describes the environment, from sweating rainforests to the underwater garden of the Great Barrier Reef.

Even the air is fertile with fragrance, moisture and heat. Full clouds promise a tropical shower.

Cairns sits on the Coral Sea with a harbour and marina for the rich and adventurous, while Trinity Inlet leads inland past estuarine crocodiles basking on mud banks.

The Whitfield ranges hug the coastline, the humped backs of each mountain crouching towards the ocean where twisted roots of mangroves grip the shoreline mud.

Cairns is where the World Heritage-listed tropical rainforest is at one of its closest points to the Great Barrier Reef – recognised as one of the wonders of the world, and nature at its best.

The lure of the reef is powerful to tourists and a boon to businesses.

Locals Lyndell Ross and John VandenHeuvel invested $2.5 million in a new tourism vessel, the Reef Experience.

The twin-hulled boat takes passengers to Saxan Reef, less than an hour out of Cairns, for introductory scuba diving, snorkeling, certified diving or a glass-bottom boat ride.

A labradoodle of a man with kind eyes and sun-bleached curls takes novices diving, while a group launches over the side along with a guide, equipped with wet-suits, snorkeling gear and a noodle floating device – a narrow tube of polystyrene to keep you afloat.

At first I see white sand and coral outcrops far out of my reach but within a few minutes I am floating close over green-lipped giant clams.

Ahead lie canyons and undersea mountains where I cruise only a metre or two over coral.

Clown fish play in the sea grass, eyeing me for attention, while parrot fish – as bright as the local tropical flowers – forage on sea vegetation.

Fat sea cucumbers make their sluggish way along the ocean bottom, leaving a snaking trail.

The coral formations, underwater fungi-like growths, are rich in colour and shape.

Sea life plays and hides using the coral as camouflage.

The Reef Experience takes us to Breaking Patches, with its forest of staghorn coral, large black coral trees and home for sea turtles.

A friend sees one and I feel cheated until I meet a fluorescent fish about a metre long that looks directly at me.

Waltzing fish wind themselves around me as a school of fish, with colours so vibrant you think you are dreaming, passes below.

There are skyscrapers of coral with the deep valleys and fish weaving from the surface to the depths.

Oceans of indulgence

Back on land, the tallest building is the Sebel Cairns, with 16 floors of five-star accommodation.

The Sebel, formerly the Cairns International Hotel, is an oasis of opulence following a $3 million refurbishment and newly launched Mii Spa.

It is reminiscent of old-world Asia – not necessarily Singapore's Raffles Hotel but definitely luxury – all white and big and tropical.

The foyer has an atrium three storeys high and colonial traditions remain.

Take, for example, high tea. Hand-made goodies are delivered on three-tier silver stands, with a glass of Hardy's Collection Brut Reserve or Sir James Brut de Brut, 11am to 6pm daily from $13.50 to $24.50.

Sunday brunch in the hotel's Coco's Restaurant has a buffet of Cairns' best seafood along with breakfast, dessert – and cocktails.

Another indulgence is the rejuvenating and relaxing therapies at the hotel's in-house Mii Spa.

Spa manager John Hibbert says the complex provides the ultimate in "wellness and lifestyle", open to 9pm Wednesdays to Fridays.

"You can exfoliate, have a full-body massage that takes in the hands and feet and face and feast on tropical fruit and juices."

Another treat is to dine at the Sebel Reef House and Spa 30 minutes from Cairns at Palm Cove, where buildings are no higher than surrounding melaleuca trees.

This is a boutique resort where executive chef Philip Mitchell hand-picks the freshest ingredients. I try the scallop entree, followed by the barramundi fillet. Scrumptious.

There is a story about a wealthy businessman who dines there. A friend suggested he could buy a property, cook for himself and enjoy the sunshine cheaply.

He replied: "Why would I do that? I come here to be pampered."

credited to news.com.au

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Never mind the 40-foot snake that menaced Jennifer Lopez in the 1997 movie "Anaconda." Not even Hollywood could match a new discovery from the ancient world.

Fossils from northeastern Colombia reveal the biggest snake ever discovered: a behemoth that stretched 42 to 45 feet long, reaching more than 2,500 pounds.

"This thing weighs more than a bison and is longer than a city bus," enthused snake expert Jack Conrad of the American Museum of Natural History in New York, who was familiar with the find.

"It could easily eat something the size of a cow. A human would just be toast immediately."

"If it tried to enter my office to eat me, it would have a hard time squeezing through the door," reckoned paleontologist Jason Head of the University of Toronto Missisauga.

Actually, the beast probably munched on ancient relatives of crocodiles in its rainforest home some 58 million to 60 million years ago, he said.

Head is senior author of a report on the find in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

The discoverers of the snake named it Titanoboa cerrejonensis ("ty-TAN-o-BO-ah sare-ah-HONE-en-siss"). That means "titanic boa from Cerrejon," the region where it was found.

While related to modern boa constrictors, it behaved more like an anaconda and spent almost all its time in the water, Head said. It could slither on land as well as swim.

Conrad, who wasn't involved in the discovery, called the find "just unbelievable.... It mocks your preconceptions about how big a snake can get."

Titanoboa breaks the record for snake length by about 11 feet, surpassing a creature that lived about 40 million years ago in Egypt, Head said. Among living snake species, the record holder is an individual python measured at about 30 feet long, which is some 12 to 15 feet shorter than typical Titanoboas, said study co-author Jonathan Bloch.

The beast was revealed in early 2007 at the University of Florida's Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. Bones collected at a huge open-pit coal mine in Colombia were being unpacked, said Bloch, the museum's curator of vertebrate paleontology.

Graduate students unwrapping the fossils "realized they were looking at the bones of a snake. Not only a snake, but a really big snake."

So they quickly consulted the skeleton of a 17-foot anaconda for comparison. A backbone from that creature is about the size of a silver dollar, Bloch said, while a backbone from Titanoboa is "the size of a large Florida grapefruit."

So far the scientists have found about 180 fossils of backbone and ribs that came from about two dozen individual snakes, and now they hope to go back to Colombia to find parts of the skull, Bloch said.

Titanoboa's size gives clues about its environment. A snake's size is related to how warm its environment is. The fossils suggest equatorial temperatures in its day were significantly warmer than they are now, during a time when the world as a whole was warmer. So equatorial temperatures apparently rose along with the global levels, in contrast to the competing hypothesis that they would not go up much, Head noted.

"It's a leap" to apply the conditions of the past to modern climate change, Head said. But given that, the finding still has "some potentially scary implications for what we're doing to the climate today," he said.

The finding suggest the equatorial regions will warm up along with the planet, he said.

credited to discovery.com

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