• Unscheduled shutdown of French nuclear reactor Cattenom

    Cattenom, Lorraine, France – nuclear reactor has gone into an unscheduled shutdown, state energy giant EDF said Friday, February 10, 2012, placing fresh pressure on a national power grid already strained by freezing temperatures. The company said the shutdown, on…

  • Solar activity is picking up again

    Explosion of dark magnetic filament occurs over the northeastern limb during the late hours of February 9th. Explosion generated a bright coronal mass ejection (CME) that is heading toward Venus as it seems. Fortunatelly, this CME is not Earth-directed. Sunspot

  • Cesium pollen started attacking Tokyo

    Cesium pollen has finally started attacking Tokyo, Saitama, and Kagoshima on Feb. 9, 2012. Because this winter is colder than usual, it is about 1 week later than average and the peek is estimated to be early in March.Because the first week of February was

  • Europe braces for new wave of polar cold

    A massive cold wave blamed for killing nearly 300 people will continue for portions of Europe, while the harshest cold will start to shrink for others next week. The cold will continue to keep a tight grip over much of Europe through this weekend with

  • New strong eruptions at Mount Etna

    The New South-East Crater of Mount Etna has produced a 20th paroxysmal eruptive episode in the early hours of February 9, 2012 after more than 12 days of moderate strombolian activity. This is 2nd paroxysmal event in 2012. This event was less energetic than the

  • Dust blew off Western Africa

    A dust plume blew off the coast of western Africa on February 6, 2012. It was spanning hundreds of kilometers. Distinct plumes blow off the coast of Western Sahara over the ocean, but the large veil of dust in the southwest likely arose farther inland. Sandy desert

  • Tropical cyclone Jasmine on course to New Caledonia

    Jasmine formed as a tropical storm over the South Pacific Ocean on February 4, 2012, and strengthened to a tropical cyclone two days later. On February 7, Jasmine’s clouds stretched over the northern tip of New Caledonia. The U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning

  • Understanding the Cebu/Negros earthquakes

    A swarm of earthquakes hit Philippines last two days. An earthquake of magnitude 6.7  yesterday was the strongest and it occurred in the very highly populated region of Central Visayas in Philippines. Philvolcs, the Philippines seismological bureau has reported a