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Scientists are using a technique known as SAR
interferometry (inSAR) a sophisticated version of ‘spot the
difference’. inSAR involves combining two or more radar images
of the same ground location, taken from a satellite, in such
a way that very precise measurements, - down to a scale of a few
millimetres-can be made of any ground motion taking place
between image acquisitions. The inSAR technique merges data
acquired before and after an earthquake to generate
interferogram images that appear as rainbow-coloured
interference patterns. A complete set of coloured bands, called
“fringes” represents ground movement relative to the spacecraft
of half a wavelength, which is 2.8 cm in the case of Envisat’s
Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar. The interferogram image from
the Italian Earthquake near the town of L’Aquila is shown here.
Researchers have found a fossil skeleton of a
newly discovered carnivorous animal,
Puijila darwini.
in the Canadian arctic. It is
suggested that
Puijila is a
 missing
link in the evolution of the group that today includes seals,
sea lions and Walruses. These all have flippers, limbs adapted
for swimming in water. These adaptations evolved over time, as
some terrestrial animals moved into a semi-aquatic lifestyle.
Until now the morphological evidence for this
transition from land to water was weak, but the remarkably
preserved skeleton of
Puijila had
heavy limbs, indicative of well developed muscles, and flattened
phalanges which suggests that the feet were webbed, but not
flippers. This animal was likely adept at both swimming and
walking on land. For swimming it paddled with both front and
hind limbs. It is now believed that
Puijila is the
evolutionary evidence that had been lacking for so long.
Five final year engineering students at
Kingston University have designed a motor bike which is powered
by batteries that can be charged at a standard household socket.
It can reach a speed of 102 mph and will make history by
competing in the world’s first zero-emission Grand Prix this
summer.
The Kingston team will join 24 eco-bikes from
America, India, Italy, Germany and Austria on the start line at
the Isle of Man TTXGP. The bike is run from a custom built, 72
volt battery and it has a whole vehicle efficiency of 90% , so
it is only wasting 10% of what it is carrying. By comparison a
petrol-based vehicle wastes 70% of the energy it carries. The
competition takes place on June 12th.
Another 3 metre long Ribbonfish has been
found stranded, this time at Tynemouth, Devon, and yet a rarer
fish has been caught south of the
 Eddystone
by a Looe Trawler, on the 30th April. This was a
Salema,
Sarpa salpa, a
fish usually found grazing on seaweeds in shallow water on the
coasts
of the Mediterranean and the coast of Africa.
This is only the 3rd specimen found
in
British waters.
Eleven
Basking Shark sightings were reported during May. With sightings
all around the coast from Newquay on the north coast to The
Eddystone Light on the south.
There were 3 sightings of the north coast pod
of Bottlenose Dolphins and 2 sightings of the south coast pod.
Two other sightings of
unidentified dolphins were of 6 off Bosigran,
probably Bottlenose Dolphins and 50 off Clodgy Point, probably
Common Dolphins. There were 4 sightings of Risso's Dolphins, all
between Mounts Bay and The Runnelstone.
Only one report so far of Harbour Porpoises, and
that was a single animal in Fal Bay. Thousands of
By-the-wind-Sailors,
Velella velella
were found stranded along the south coast from Praa Sands and
Kynance Cove west of the Lizard and Par Beach further east.
Six Grey Seals were seen hauled out on Black Rock
Falmouth and a Turtle was seen in Mounts Bay. A lone Common
Dolphin was stranded alive on Tresco, Isles of Scilly, and a
team from BDRLR flew out and successfully returned it to the
open sea.
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