Saturn’s moon ‘may contain life’

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

If there is liquid water on Enceladus, the scientists believe that the Saturn’s sixth-largest moon could have the conditions necessary to sustain life.

Scientists at NASA have claimed that Saturn’s moon Enceladus “may contain life”, after they discovered new evidence suggesting presence of “liquid water” beneath its surface.According to the scientists, the Cassini spacecraft flew through icy plumes created by ice volcanoes on Saturn’s moon and detected negatively charged water molecules, in a clear sign an underground sea exists.On Earth, this short-lived type of ion is produced where water is moving, such as in waterfalls or ocean waves.If there is liquid water on Enceladus, the scientists believe that the Saturn’s sixth-largest moon could have the conditions necessary to sustain life, British newspaper ‘The Daily Telegraph’ reported.In fact, high-resolution images already taken by the Cassini spacecraft — a project of Nasa, the European Space Agency and Italian Space Agency — have shown the icy surface of Enceladus has a spreading Earth-like crust that has changed over time.

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Tajikistan using GIS for better potato varieties

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

Potato material from the International Potato Center (CIP) is helping farmers to enhance food and income security in Central and Southwest Asia in the face of climate change.

A three-year CIP project is boosting potato production with varieties that have been bred and tested to better adapt to the drought and increased temperatures affecting countries such as Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Bangladesh. At least 200,000 farm families are expected to benefit from the project, which is producing more reliable harvests for farmers and more stable prices for consumers.

Potato is a highly nutritious staple and important cash crop in Central Asia, but productivity is low. Long dry spells, soil salinity, and heat are major production constraints. Valuable local and old Russian potato varieties have been lost due to inadequate research and the lack of viable seed systems, and the expensive, imported seed is not well adapted to regional conditions. In addition, global warming is particularly acute in Central Asia, where average temperatures have increased 1–2°C since the 1950’s (compared to a 0.5°C increase worldwide) and glacial melt runoff has increased by 30%. In Southwest Asia, off-season production represents a good source of income for resource-poor farmers. However, productivity is constrained by drought and high temperatures, which restrict the cultivation period and yields.

CIP scientists, partner institutions, and stakeholders across the region are identifying and validating heat, drought, and salinity tolerance traits in a comprehensive program of strategic exchange and testing of advanced clones. They have also integrated geographic information systems (GIS) with statistical analysis of multilocation trial data to assess the suitability of clones for specific locations. These geo-referenced risk maps and growth models can also project future conditions under climate change scenarios. This information, along with the planting materials developed by the project, will provide farmers, researchers, regional governments, extension services, and policy makers with the tools they need to face the challenges of the region’s harsh conditions and adapt to climate change.

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15 Essential Social Media Sites for College Students

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

Dear Readers

I have got an email  about a post on the above topic. I have checked it and found it useful. You can read it here.

Enjoy it and give feedback if possible. Also if you want to give suggestions about My Blog please write.

Rashid Aziz Faridi

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Satellite race between Iran and Israel

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

As tension mounts between Iran and Israel, both countries are planning to launch new space satellites to peer into each other’s military domains as they prepare for possible conflict.Israel, which has the most advanced defense industry in the region, is technologically years ahead of the Islamic Republic, but the Iranians are racing to narrow the gap.

And putting satellites into space is the best way of developing the rockets that will become intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Israel already has an arsenal of Jericho missiles buried in silos in the Judean Hills. Iran is working on matching that.It will take a few years, but every step that takes Tehran closer to that objective, such as the satellite launches it plans, increases Israel’s alarm.

In early 2008 Israeli also launched the TecSar spy satellite from India, extending its surveillance over Iran. Satellites launched from Israel have to travel westward, against the Earth’s rotation, to eliminate the possibility of debris falling on Arab states.

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