New Hampshire Public Radio | Surrounded: Stories from NH's Islands New Hampshire Public Radio Surrounded: Stories from New Hampshire's Islands explores the history, culture and landscapes of the Granite State's islands and the people who live or visit there, from the Seacoast to the Lakes Region to the Connecticut River. |
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Surrounded: Stories from NH's Islands - New Hampshire Public Radio
ATHENS, Greece Just like the Philippines, Greece has a lot of islands, and it can be hard to decide where to go.
The capital of Athens is the main international gateway to the Greek islands. The most popular of these are Santorini, Mykonos, and Crete, which are accessible by plane or ferry.
Each island has its unique allure, from picturesque seascapes to good food. But if you only have a few days to spend in Greece, its best to go on a cruise to three Saronic islands.
Hydra, Poros, and Aegina are popular destinations for island hopping among both tourists and locals. These three islands can be explored in just one day, with cruises running daily from Athens.
Hydra (pronounced as eed-ra) is the most beautiful of the three, primarily because it remains blissfully free of vehicles. Its cobblestone streets are only traversed by humans and donkeys and there are no big hotels, making the island feel stuck in a time warp.
Poros has a lively waterfront adorned with shops and cozy cafes, while pistachio is king in the tranquil island of Aegina (pronounced as ey-gina).
Here are some photos from the Greek islands of Hydra, Poros and Aegina, which ABS-CBN News visited as part of a media tour organized by the budget airline Scoot.
The departure point of the cruise is Kallithea, a municipality in south Athens. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
We boarded the Evermore Cruises ship at 8 a.m., with Hydra the farthest of the three islands as our first stop. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
Three hours later, we reached the charming island of Hydra. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
Homemade ice cream is a must-try in Hydra. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
Cars are not allowed in Hydra, only donkeys and boats. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
Those who wish to travel Hydra without walking can hire a water taxi. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
One of the many Instagram-worthy spots in Hydra. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
One of the many Instagram-worthy spots in Hydra. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
Dine with a view at this restaurant in Hydra. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
A cannon points to the sea at Hydra. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
We left Hydra at 12:55 p.m. to head to the second island, Poros. We were welcomed by this restaurant after our one-hour trip. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
Poros looks similar to Hydra, but the tourism infrastructure here is well-developed. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
Poros has a lot of small cafes, most of them serving waffles. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
This chalkboard in front of a restaurant shows it caters mainly to local visitors with its colorful Greek letters. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
After a 50-minute stop at Poros, we departed for Aegina, the largest and most populated of the three islands. The trip took a little over an hour. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
Aegina is best known for its pistachios, which are said to be among the best in the world. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
Different products with pistachios are on display at one of the many shops in Aegina. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
A cat takes a nap beside a basket of slippers in Aegina. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
The island of Aegina, just like Hydra and Poros, is best explored on foot. Karen Flores, ABS-CBN News
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IN PHOTOS: Exploring 3 Greek islands in one day - ABS-CBN News
Home for Jenny OHalloran was once 18,000km away, when she was one of many young Irish emigrants rearing her first-born in New Zealand. Now home feels somewhat different, as she lives 20km by sea from south Connemara, on the largest of the Aran Islands.
Having spent five years living in New Zealand, she noticed a change in atmosphere when she first stepped off the ferry at Cill Rnin pier two years ago. She and her Kiwi husband David, a marine biologist, had decided to join Blath na Mara, the seaweed business her father Mirtn Conceanainn established on Inis Mr in 2002.
Here I was, a second-generation islander returning and yet the gentle questions about how I was settling in lasted a good six months and more, she recalls.
As the weeks and months passed, and she gave birth to their second child, she began to understand the nature of the questions a bit more. Her relatives and neighbours still remembered how her father had left the island and reared his family in Co Waterford.
Inis Mr may be a tourism poster child, with all the 21st-century trappings of fast food, parking meters and an ATM, but it is also the limestone landscape of writers Liam OFlaherty and Mirtn Direin, where the next meal could have been a currach landing away.
There is still a strong memory even now of the impact of young people leaving, and so there was a mixture of excitement and almost apprehension on our behalf, OHalloran says. There is a real sense that people care about how we are getting on. Thats not something you get in Avondale in Auckland, or a suburb of Dublin.
Its an easy tourism sell: White sandy beaches, towering cliff faces, turquoise seas, history, heritage, culture all abound, Filte Ireland states in its effusive introduction to 30 islands on the Wild Atlantic Way.
With little crime, no high-rise living, no traffic jams and no city smog, the marketing image is always idyllic, and copywriters can draw on the long line of artists, poets, novelists and film-makers who have been spellbound by the archaeology, language, music and literature.
More than two decades ago, in their introduction to The Book of Aran (Tr Eolas), Anne Korff, JW OConnell and John Waddell noted that no one would want Aran and its neighbours to become quaint time capsules, or cultural theme parks. Yet they noted that the very elements required for development, such as improved transport links, could prove to be a magnet for mass tourism, and as such was a double-edged sword.
Theres a sense of that already with the Irish language on the Gaeltacht islands. Recent census figures for use of Irish as a daily language of communication outside the school system show it is in decline.
Irish-language activist and academic Donncha hEallaithe notes a fall of 11 per cent in daily use of Irish on the three Aran Islands, Inis Mein, Inis Mr and Inis Orr, where the percentage of active daily Irish speakers has fallen from 63 per cent of the population (over three years of age) in 2011 to 57 per cent in 2016. On a positive note, OHallorans husband David was one of 20 pupils at an adult Irish-language class during the past winter on Inis Mr.
The five per cent drop in Irish-language use on Arranmore, Co Donegal, is due to population decrease, hallaithe says, and there has been an eight per cent drop on Cape Clear off west Cork. Donegals Tory island is the most Irish-speaking island with 75 per cent claiming to use the language on a daily basis outside the schools.
Island populations have never kept pace with population growth levels on the mainland. Dr Peter Gill, Clare Island resident and professor emeritus of education at Swedens University of Gvle, points out that there was an average decline in population of 77 per cent on 11 offshore islands, from Donegal to Cork, between 1841 and 2011. This slowed to 53 per cent between 1992 and 2015, he says.
Co-op managers Cathy N Ghoill and Paddy Crowe on two of the three Aran islands, and Comhdhil Oilein na hireann (Irish Island Federation) chairman Simon Murray on north Galways Inishbofin know well the challenges involved in maintaining population levels.
In a small community, relying on sea transport, costs are always higher, they say. Start-up businesses need high-speed broadband to compete. Schools require numbers to stay open, prompting Mayos Inishturk to appeal for more residents.
Tourism is seasonal, weather dependent, and dominated by day trippers in the case of rainn Mhr. Water supply can be subject to restrictions, and Inis Orr is currently reliant on tanker deliveries. The southernmost Aran island, which is now rivalling Inis Mr levels in attracting tourists, with some 200,000 visitors annually, has been lobbying for years for a new pier. A recent Marine Casualty Investigation Board report highlighted its safety risks.
Farming and fishing are subject to EU directives, from habitat to fish-stock protection. More ambitious Aran skippers requiring deep water have moved boats into Ros-a-Mhl in Connemara. Small-scale island fishermen such as John OBrien in Donegal have struggled, after refusing to surrender wild salmon licences when the ban on driftnetting was introduced in 2007.
OBrien turned down the States 18,900 compensation offer, and his battle was documented by French film-maker Loc Jourdain in A Turning Tide in the Life of Man/ I mBal na Stoirme, a film for TG4. Originally from Inishboffin, off Donegal. OBriens increasing political awareness led him to advocate the idea of heritage licences for fishing, tied to a cultural link to an area.
This concept, now backed by Sinn Fin, was recognised by an Oireachtas subcommittee on fisheries. It published a report in early 2014 advocating a number of measures to support the marine economy in coastal and offshore communities.
One of those Oireachtas committee members, amon Cuv, is still regarded as a hero on many islands for his efforts to improve transport services and infrastructure during his time as Fianna Fil minister for community, rural and Gaeltacht affairs from 2002 to 2010.
However, as if to be punished for that, Aran Islanders have experienced uncertainty in the past three years over both air and ferry services. The Governments chief whip Joe Mc Hugh, who was the junior minister handling the air service contract, has now been given responsibility for islands again.
Simon Murray of the Irish Island Federation points out that the Governments obsession with value for money belies the return that islands give the State in cultural, heritage and tourism terms. The islands costs the State around 13 million annually, he says, adding that essential services are treated as a sort of charity by some State bodies, rather than taxpayers rights.
His federation is constantly wrestling with a lack of joined-up thinking at official level such as the situation highlighted by this newspaper three years ago where a change in Health Service Executive management resulted in cutbacks in primary care, and over-expenditure on helicopter flights for patients who were precluded from travel on fixed-wing flights.
Observing the struggles further north along the coast have been the residents of the west Cork islands, who now have their own integrated development strategy.
Bere Island representative John Walsh says that the strategy was pioneered by Cork County Development Board official Breeda Murphy and her colleagues, who recognised the importance of islands working as a group, and also recognised that local authorities could play a positive role.
The west Cork strategy for its seven inhabited islands acknowledges the key principles identified in the last major government report for offshore communities, published in 1996. These include recognising the special economic, social and cultural contribution that offshore islands make, and promoting a partnership approach between island communities and State agencies.
Some State agencies work far better than others, and much of this is to do with boots on ground. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) is currently administering a 12 million programme to support projects approved by its Fisheries Local Area Development groups. A separate project by BIM may also prove crucial to the survival of a Mayo community. The agency, which withdrew its controversial application in December 2015 for a finfish farm off Inis Orr in Galway Bay, is preparing an aquaculture licence application for a 4,000 tonne certified organic salmon farm close to Inishdalla, an uninhabited island southeast of Inishturk.
Dr Gill, who acknowledges his initial opposition to plans for the Clare Island salmon farm, says the project could be vital for his neighbouring community. He has studied the trend towards gentrification on some parts of the west coast, with housing prices being distorted by the second-home market. The gentrification trend is rampant on Swedish islands, he says.
Second-home ownership, along with planning restrictions and increasing income disparities, has become a factor on some Irish islands. The OHallorans had some difficulty in finding rented accommodation on their return. However, Dr Gill says that Clare Island has successfully avoided gentrification because the fish farm has sustained employment, which has, in turn, kept up primary-school class levels.
He argues that primary schools are a vital life force on islands, transcending the normal school-community relationship. Research he published last year found that pupils in rural and island schools can often perform as well, or sometimes better academically, as their peers in urban schools.
In Scandinavia, islands are very important for the self-image of a people proud of Viking links, Dr Gill says. There is a symbolic value in having inhabited islands as part of an island nation. If the Government is to take one step, it is to recognise the importance of the island school, he says.
Murray hopes that for Inishturks sake the Government takes its situation, and that of other islands, seriously. My parents witnessed the death [in October 1960s] of Inishark, just a half mile across the water from here, he says. When an island population leaves like that, it can never be replaced. All the particular way of speaking, living and making music in that community is lost.
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Ireland's Islands: A second-generation islander returns - Irish Times
Refugees and migrants arriving on Lesbos after crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey. Mdecins Sans Frontires says two-thirds of mental-health patients on Lesbos were victims of violence before arriving in Greece. Photograph: Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images
Pregnant women, children and disabled asylum seekers stuck on the Greek islands are at risk of losing vital services as funding for charities in the area draws to a close next week, volunteers and human rights activists have warned.
On Monday the majority of European emergency funding for NGOs working on the Greek islands will come to an end as the Greek government takes over the management of support services for asylum seekers. Volunteers and activists on the islands have warned that supports for vulnerable refugees are at risk of ending when the Greek government assumes responsibility next week.
The development comes as the aid agency Mdecins Sans Frontires says the health and well-being of the most vulnerable on the islands is at risk due to a grossly deficient screening system and policies aimed at returning as many people as possible to Turkey.
The charity says two-thirds of mental health patients on the island of Lesbos were victims of violence before arriving in Greece, while about half of the women presenting at clinics for gynaecological consultations have been victims of sexual violence. With the number of sea arrivals to Lesbos quadrupling in June, MSF said the system for screening and identifying vulnerable people had broken down.
Rob Moloney, an Irish volunteer with Lesvos Solidarity, an open refugee camp which provides legal, medical and psychological support for refugees, says conditions on the island have deteriorated significantly since his last visit to Greece in December 2016.
Mr Moloney says there are increasing reports of torture and police brutality inside the Moria refugee camp on Lesbos, one of Greeces biggest, which he says is inaccessible to most NGOs. He has also witnessed brutal police tactics, including the use of teargas, against refugee protestors.
Despite EU attempts to stem the flow of asylum seekers arriving in Europe through the introduction of the EU-Turkey deal in March 2016, Mr Moloney sayss that hundreds continue to put their lives at risk each day by crossing the Aegean Sea.
This problem hasnt ended we had another boat with 100 people arrive this morning, Mr Moloney told The Irish Times, speaking on the phone from Lesbos. People are still coming here seeking refuge but as a result of the EU-Turkey deal theyre stuck on an island that many consider an open air prison.
Michael Raber, who co-founded the Swiss Cross Help charity with his wife after their holiday to Greece in 2015, says a lack of planning by the Greek government in its takeover of management of services will only further isolate the most vulnerable.
One of the main problems is identifying vulnerable people who were tortured, pregnant women, children and newborns. These people need to be identified because they have the right to leave the island.
In 2016 these people still hoped the European public would see them on TV and react. They believed that when the cameras showed up Europeans would do something. Now that illusion is gone. Europe is stripping these people of their freedom.
A spokesman for the European Commission said it was working to ensure no sector was left unfunded on the islands and that the needs of asylum seekers remained covered during the changeover in funding and management. He said the commission was aware of the Greek authorities use of teargas during riots at the Moria camp and that all staff, some children women and families were evacuated.
The commission and the EU agencies are working with the Greek authorities every day to support them to improve the reception conditions on the islands and to speed up the asylum procedures, he said. The commission has also provided substantial financial support to the Greek authorities to establish hotspots, provide accommodation, food, medical care, legal support and improve the security of the facilities on the islands.
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Refugees on Greek islands at risk as NGOs withdraw services - Irish Times
Thomson Reuters
Jul 27th 2017 3:58PM
More than 200 ponies swam from Assateague Island to neighboring Chincoteague Island in the 92nd Annual Chincoteague Pony Swim event on Virginia's eastern shore on Wednesday morning.
The distance covered was under 1,000 yards, and the foals were sold at an auction the following day.
The Chincoteague Ponies are small horses that live in the wild on Assateague Island and are considered docile and resilient.
26 PHOTOS
92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim
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CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Ponies swim to the eastern shore of Chincoteague Island during the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Kayakers row their way to a viewing spot before the the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Ponies swim to the eastern shore of Chincoteague Island during the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Ponies swim to the eastern shore of Chincoteague Island during the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Ponies swim to the eastern shore of Chincoteague Island during the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Spectators gather on the shore early in the morning to watch the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: People await the pony parade after the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Spectators hike through the mud of the low-tide swamp early in the morning to reach the eastern shore of Chincoteague Island for the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Spectators watch the ponies swim to the eastern shore of Chincoteague Island during the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Ponies swim to the eastern shore of Chincoteague Island during the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: The pony parade processes down the street after the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Ponies wade to the eastern shore of Chincoteague Island during the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Ponies wade to the eastern shore of Chincoteague Island during the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: A flare is set off signaling the commencement of the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, VA - JULY 26: Jo Lenentine (left) and her daughter Angie McDowell relax in hammocks beneath a dock to watch the 92nd annual Chincoteague Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.
Saltwater Cowboys parade Assateague wild ponies through the town during the annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
Saltwater Cowboys drive Assateague wild ponies into the Assateague Channel during the annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
A young Saltwater Cowboy sits on a pony barge as Assateague wild ponies cross the Assateague Channel during the annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
Spectators try to pet and feed an Assateague wild pony after it crossed the Assateague Channel during the annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
An Assateague wild pony swims across the Assateague Channel during the annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, on July 26, 2017.. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
Spectators watch as Assateague wild ponies play after they crossed the Assateague Channel during the annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
A young boy contemplates his next move as he trudges through knee deep marsh mud to view the Assateague wild ponies' arrival during the annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
The US Coast Guard lights off red flares to signal a slack tide and the beginning of the annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
A Saltwater Cowboy leads an Assateague wild pony through the marsh during the annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
A group of spectators try to find an easy way through the marsh mud to view the Assateague wild ponies' arrival during the annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, on July 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
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Ponies swim across islands in annual event in Virginia - AOL
The city confirmed that Toronto Island Park, including Centre Island, Centreville Theme Park, Wards Island and Hanlans Point, will be open and regular summer ferry service will resume on Monday. ( Sammy Hudes / Toronto Star ) | Order this photo
By Alanna RizzaStaff Reporter
Thu., July 27, 2017
The Toronto Islands will reopen on July 31 after it was closed to the general public since May due to extensive flooding.
The city confirmed that Toronto Island Park, including Centre Island, Centreville Theme Park, Wards Island and Hanlans Point, will be open and regular summer ferry service will resume on Monday.
All beaches on the island will be open with lifeguards on duty. However, portions of some beaches will be in a reduced state. Signs will clearly indicate areas that are closed to the public, the city said in a statement.
Olympic Island will remain closed due to high water levels.
I know that for many Torontonians summer isnt complete without a visit to the Toronto Islands, which is why Im so pleased that the park is being reopened for residents and visitors to enjoy, said Mayor John Tory in a statement.
I want to thank City staff for their tireless and ongoing commitment to preserving and restoring the island park and to residents for their patience throughout this unprecedented event.
Mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus have been found on the Toronto Islands, but the city says the risk of acquiring the virus is low and thats no reason to avoid the area.
The city recommends wearing light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors and applying bug spray. Residents should also make sure their homes have tight-fitting screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from getting inside.
City of Toronto recreation programs and businesses on the island are also expected to resume normal operations on Monday.
One attraction that wont open this year is the Far Enough Farm petting zoo. Extensive damage to the farm and pens, as well as remaining water in the area, will keep animals on a farm in Schomberg, Ont., for the foreseeable future.
Centrevilles swan ride and the bumper boat ride, which make use of Lake Ontario, also wont reopen this year due to high water levels, according to spokesperson Shawnda Walker. The train ride will remain shut for the season because of damage to the tracks.
The first ferry departing from the mainland for Wards Island will leave at 6:30 a.m. and the first ferry for Centre Island will leave at 8 a.m. City of Toronto recreation programs will also resume on Monday.
With files from Sammy Hudes
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Toronto Islands will reopen on Monday, city confirms - Toronto Star
Mirroring their increasing populations, the United States current 10 largest cities have gradually become warmer over the past century, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Such rising temperatures can be attributed to growing intensity of urban heat islands, or urban regions that are noticeably hotter than surrounding areas. And with expected increases in urban populations and temperature from climate change, cities are looking for new ways to address the causes and impacts of heat islands.
A view of downtown L.A. from the roof of the Griffith Park Observatory. (Flickr Photo/mLu.fotos)
Of the 10 largest U.S. cities, Phoenix has warmed the most: the average yearly temperature from 2010 to 2017 was 6.7 degrees Fahrenheit higher than it was just before the turn of the century.
Additionally, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Population growth is one important factor contributing to urban heat islands in Phoenix and similar cities.
Urban heat islands are intensified by conventional buildings and roads that trap heat, and growing populations typically mean more infrastructure, said Kamil Kaloush, director of the National Center of Excellence for SMART Innovations at Arizona State University (ASU).
The expansion of the built environment to accommodate population growth will continue to challenge our selection of materials and infrastructure design to mitigate the (urban heat island), Kaloush said in an email, noting that climate changes warmer weather could further increase the intensity of heat islands.
Dallas is in a similar situation. Its average temperature from 2010 to 2016 was 3.2 degrees higher than its baseline year of 1900, and the city is expecting to grow significantly in the coming decades. According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), the Dallas-Fort Worth population is projected to increase from 7 to 10 million by 2040.
Pictured above is San Diego's heat island, with yellow and red colors identifying more intense areas. Many other cities in California experience heat island effects; in Los Angeles, heat islands run together to create heat archipelagoes, according to the California Environmental Protection Agency. More visualizations of California heat islands can be found on the CalEPA website.
One of the areas the NCTCOG is focusing on is reducing ground-level ozone levels, a harmful air pollutant. Because heat is an important agent in ozone's formation, anything that increases the temperature, like heat islands, are a concern, said Derica Peters, an environment and development planner at the NCTCOG.
Heat islands can have a variety of other impacts on a community. According to a 2015 article in the Annual Review of Environment and Resources, heat islands can increase the energy intensity of buildings, negatively impact water quality and increase water consumption. This is particularly problematic because heat islands tend to occur in semi-arid and arid regions.
Cities and researchers have explored various strategies to address different aspects of urban heat islands.
In northern Texas, for example, the NCTCOG developed principles that local communities can follow, including recommendations for efficient growth, diverse land-use patterns and walkability in cities, Peters said.
Our various programs and efforts, they were developed from consensus having come about in the region, Peters said. That way cities can know that theyre being supported throughout the region and that as a whole we devised what we think are opportunities that are best suited for our region.
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Other common heat island mitigation strategies include green or cool roofs and urban forestry programs. Adding vegetation to a roof or creating roofs that are more reflective and can reduce building energy intensity, while increasing forestry can provide shade and help cool urban areas.
Additionally, pavements, which represent the "largest percentage of a community's land cover," according to an Environmental Protection Agency report, are another important factor in reducing heat island intensity.
ASU's Kamil Kaloush focuses his research on permeable and modified pavements, which he said will help maintain durable highways and help decrease urban temperatures.
They are able to dissipate the heat more quickly than dense pavements, Kaloush said. They can also allow for water flow, which has a positive effect on storm water management, and cool the surface temperature.
Peters said she thinks cities should be proactive in creating an environment that incentivizes building in ways that reduce heat island intensity and impacts.
As we are well aware that the urban heat island is here, and as were simultaneously trying to prevent it and mitigate it, we have to be able to respond to it as it does impact the public and our infrastructure, Peters said.
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07/27/2017
The new Islands on the Air (IOTA) program website is targeted to launch officially in early September, when the current Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB)-sponsored website will be taken offline. The new website is undergoing fine-tuning, according to IOTA IT Manager Johan Willemsen, PA3EXX.
When we are ready the old URL will be forwarded to the new URL, and IOTA users can login on the new website with their existing credentials, Willemsen told ARRL. A new entity the IOTA Foundation assumed management of the IOTA program from RSGB in 2015.
Paperless QSLing through QSO matching via Club Log has been available to the IOTA community on the existing system since July 2016. The process of adding operations valid for IOTA credit has been ongoing. Software developers should be aware that the change to a new website may affect any application using data from the current http://www.rsgbiota.org website.
Contact IOTA for more details.
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Islands on the Air (IOTA) Officially Launching New Website in September - ARRL
New island off Carolina coast was expected to eventually disappear, but not like this The State The 50-yard channel that separated Shelly Island from Hatteras Island is filling in so quickly with sand that it's now only inches deep at low tied, and getting more shallow by the day, federal officials say. Just a few weeks ago, visitors had to swim ... |
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New island off Carolina coast was expected to eventually disappear, but not like this - The State
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When it comes to European islands, most people immediately think of the Mediterranean's most famoushello, Santorini and Ibiza. But if you crunch the numbers, the Croatian archipelago is the largest in the Adriatic Sea and the second largest in the Mediterranean, after Greece. Put another way? Within the 718 islands and 389 islets, you've got a lot of places to explorehere's where to start.
When it comes to European islands, most people immediately think of the Mediterranean's most famoushello, Santorini and Ibiza. But if you crunch the numbers, the Croatian archipelago is the largest in the Adriatic Sea and the second largest in the Mediterranean, after Greece. Put another way? Within the 718 islands and 389 islets, you've got a lot of places to explorehere's where to start.
Why we love it: Vis was closed off from foreign visitors until 1989, when it ceased being a military base for the Yugoslav army. As a result, this islandthe furthest from the Croatian mainlandis relatively underdeveloped compared to its island siblings, and that makes it a big draw. Once there, make time to beach hop (try Lucica and Srebrna ), climb Hum Mountain, eat fresh lobster in picturesque Komia, and take an offshore trip to the blue cave of Bievo.
Why we love it: The countrys most popular island for nightlife and yachters, Hvar is also Croatias sunniest spot, which makes its beaches (Lucisca; Dubovica; Grebisce) ever-packed. The island has a rich history, too: It was once an important trade base in the Adriatic, and its Stari Grad Plain, an agricultural landscape set up in the 4th century by Greek colonists, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Why we love it: Krk, the largest island in Croatia, connects to the mainland by a toll bridgeand as a result, is also one of Croatia's busiest islands. Due to its rich history, the island is considered a "cradle" of Croatian culture: It was part of the Republic of Venice during much of the Middle Ages, and at one point, inhabitants spoke five different languages on the 156-square-mile island.
Why we love it: With sandy shorelines, olive groves, vineyards, salted lakes (Veliko and Malo Jezero), and dense Mediterranean forest, Mljet holds a reputation as Croatia's greenest islandand one of its most beautiful. It's also the most forested island in the Adriatic, and the protected Mljet National Parkmuch comprises much of the island. Local specialties here include goat's cheese, eel, and red wine.
Why we love it: Twenty-two miles long, the Kornati archipelagoalso known as the Stomorski islandsis a nautical paradise. With more than 140 islands, the Kornati islands are the densest archipelago in the Mediterranean, but surprisingly lack any permanent settlements. Both land and sea are protected as part of the Kornati National Park, which means the waters (and beaches) here are some of the cleanest in the country.
Why we love it: Bra may be best known for its white-pebble stretch of beach, Zlatni Rat, but there's more to do on island than just sunbathe. Explore the picturesque towns of Bol and Supetar; trek to the Blaca Hermitage monastery, originally established in 1551; and hike Vidova Gora, the highest peak on the Adriatic islands.
Why we love it: When Greek settlers first came to Korula, they named the island Korkyra Melaina, Black Korula, for its dense forests. Today, Korula is famous for its white wine (poip grapes are primarily only grown here), and the island features a mix of tangled woods, winding coasts, small fishing villages, vineyards, and olive trees. Its biggest town, the eponymous Korula, is known as "Little Dubrovnik" for its fortified medieval walls and narrow streets. Local legend says explorer Marco Polo was born here, and the site of his alleged birth is open to visitors.
Why we love it: Tiny Krapanj, at just 0.14 square miles, is one of the smallest inhabited islands of the Adriatic Seaand no cars are allowed. Most famous for its spuvari, or sponge divers, the island also draws visitors for its scuba diving, free diving, and spearfishing.
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CAYMAN ISLANDS (July 27, 2017)A leading hospital in the Caribbean is offering another first that could save the lives of heart patients across the Caribbean and the world.
Health City Cayman Islands, the first hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean to use robotic navigation for joint replacements and the first to install two artificial hearts or left ventricle assist devices, is now offering cryoablation, a highly effective procedure for patients with atrial fibrillation, a common rhythm disorder of the heart in which people get irregular palpitations, which can lead to breathlessness and strokes.
Its also responsible for a lot of morbidity and lifestyle issues for the patient, and the health care cost of patients with atrial fibrillation on the community is pretty huge, said Dr. Ravi Kishore, chief interventional cardiologist and electrophysiologist of the Joint Commission International-accredited tertiary care facility founded by renowned heart surgeon and humanitarian Dr. Devi Shetty.
Peter Tuckey, originally from England, has lived in Jamaica since 1962, but when his heart developed atrial fibrillation, he tried hospitals in the United States and the Caribbean with little success. He was delighted and relieved to find his cure at Health City Cayman Islands.
Its just that its an excellent facility, and Im so happy that its close to Jamaica, said Tuckey after a Health City team led by Kishore treated his fibrillation with the innovative cryoablation procedure. Ill be back to exercising, back to golf and back to a drink or two, so everythings on the up.
Health City can help manage atrial fibrillation with medications and radiofrequency ablation, but there are imperfections with those methods. The new technology introduces a deflated cryoballoon into the heart. Through this balloon, we can introduce a liquid, which cools and dilates the balloon, and then freezes whichever structure it is put into, explained Kishore.
Doctors introduce the balloon catheter into the groin and thread it into the pulmonary veins, located in the back of the heart, where the impulses that trigger the atrial fibrillation come from, and then inflate the balloon and freeze the vein for two to three minutes, quickly and effectively destroying the source of the fibrillation.
Kishore reports that cryoablation is simpler, more effective and has fewer complications than radiofrequency ablation, which burns the affected area with radio waves. Even though they only introduced the cryoablation technique in the past few weeks, his teams have already performed the 60-minute to 90-minute procedure on five patients, all of whom were discharged within a day. We found it a very user-friendly technology and the outcomes were fantastic, Kishore said.
With Health City now offering this pioneering procedure, patients will be spared long and expensive trips. Health City is possibly the only location in the English-speaking Caribbean performing cryoblation for atrial fibrillation, for which people previously had to travel to the United States or the United Kingdom.
However, there is more than technology behind Health Citys success. Tuckey had not been pleased with his hospital experiences in the United States, where an ablation surgery in Miami in 2014 failed, but he was impressed this time when he and his wife were met at the airport by Health City staffers who drove him to his appointments. He was relieved when staff shuttled his wife to her hotel and to his appointments, which saved him stressing about her getting a taxi or having to look after herself in a foreign country.
Backing up the accomplished surgeons, Tuckey recalled, was an efficient and caring staff at the East End, Grand Cayman facility. All the nurses and all the attending staff were very, very helpful and very accommodating, said Tuckey. Definitely we would recommend it. I must tell you in Jamaica, where we come from, Health Citys reputation is growing already. Its becoming quite well-known.
Kishore is pleased that Health City Cayman Islands has adopted the new cryoablation technique. This procedure gives a new option for patients suffering from atrial fibrillation by providing a safer and more effective option for long-term recovery, he said.
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Cayman Islands hospital offers new atrial fibrillation procedure - Amsterdam News
By Zosha Millman, SeattlePI
A Washington State ferry leaves Anacortes, Wash., in route to Orcas Island, Friday Harbor and Sidney, British Columbia, Wednesday morning. Mount Baker is seen in the background.
A Washington State ferry leaves Anacortes, Wash., in route to Orcas Island, Friday Harbor and Sidney, British Columbia, Wednesday morning. Mount Baker is seen in the background.
Full ferry service to San Juan Islands to return Saturday
Good news, ferry riders: The Anacortes/San Juan Islands ferry route will resume its regular schedule starting Saturday, July 29.
A massive equipment failure earlier in the month pushed Washington State Ferries to run ferries operating out of Anacortes on an emergency schedule, even cancelling some runs.
RELATED:Crippled ferry scrambles summer sailing schedule in San Juans
But a series of boat moves and a vessel repair will bring five boats back to the rotation on Saturday, restoring the route to full capacity. The boats will return to the standard summer 2017 schedule.
"We're happy to be able to return things back to normal for everyone who relies on us to get back and forth between Anacortes and the San Juan Islands," Elizabeth Kosa, chief of staff for Washington State Ferries, said in a statement.
"We know the adjusted schedule has been difficult for residents, businesses and tourists and want to thank them for their patience."
Passengers can begin making vehicle reservations for this weekend and beyond at 7 a.m. on Thursday. Customers with existing reservations will get priority on a first-come, first-served basis and are encouraged to arrive at least an hour before their desired sailing. Walk-on spots will be available, but expect to arrive at least two hours ahead of the desired sailing in order to ensure a spot.
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Full ferry service to San Juan Islands to return Saturday - seattlepi.com
Flooding has kept the Toronto Islands closed since the spring. ( Anne-Marie Jackson / Toronto Star file photo )
Mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus have been found on the Toronto Islands, which are set to reopen Monday following extensive flooding throughout the spring and summer.
An email from a Toronto Public Health official sent Tuesday informed an Island residents group of the latest development in a summer that has left attractions rained out, parks underwater and businesses without customers.
For your information, mosquitoes collected from our traps on the Toronto Islands tested positive for West Nile virus this week, the email stated.
We are continuing to work with Parks, Forestry and Recreation in identifying and remediating mosquito breeding sites on the Islands on a regular basis. It is not only a local problem, as West Nile virus and vector mosquitoes are spread across Toronto and Ontario, but we did want to share this finding with you.
The email included a fact sheet about measures islanders can take to steer clear of the virus.
The city recommends wearing light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors and applying bug spray. Residents should also make sure their homes have tight-fitting screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from getting inside.
The warning comes less than a week before the islands are supposed to reopen to the public, as the city has been working towards a July 31 target.
Toronto Island Park has been closed to the general public since May and ferry service to the Wards Island Dock has been restricted to residents.
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Mosquitoes with West Nile virus found on Toronto Islands - Toronto Star
Australia, the worlds sixth largest country, is not just a single massive landmass. It also boasts beautiful little islands, which serve as one-stop mini vacation destinations that will leave you mesmerized.
Australias smallest islands pack a big punch! Frolick in the Great Barrier Reefs white sand beaches and then watch kangaroos hop around deep-blue ocean waters. Shop for locally made products then enjoy the views on record breaking sea cliffs. Or see where the reef meets the rainforest. For one of a kind vacation combinations, take the kids for a quick trip in one of the best islands in Australia.
Making the top of our list of the best islands in Australia is Hamilton Island. The island known for its white sandy beaches and picturesque turquoise blue waters. Its perfectly situated as a luxurious Great Barrier Reef launch point and the beginning of an unforgetable getaway. Getting to the the island is an easy with a quick ferry ride from the mainland. Stay at one of the top three hotels there: The Beach Club, The Reef View, and Qualia. But try to avoid booking during Australian scoolies week.
Daydream Island is a kids paradise and one of the best island in Australia. Also located in the Whitsundays, it literally brings the reef to you with its famous living reef lagoon. This living reef makes for a uniquely intimate way to experience life on the reef. It is home to more than 140 species of marine fish and 82 species of coral. For vacationing families wanting to get in the water, theres access paddleboards, kayaks, and snorkeling equipment. As it is a popular vacation spot for Australians, avoid going during their school break periods including the first three weeks in April.
Located off the coast of South Australia, Kangaroo Island is home to some of Australias most famous land and sea life. Kangaroos, koalas, Penguins, sea lions and birds galore all call this island home. Its truly one of the best islands in Australia to visit with kids. Take a hike to the top of the jagged sea cliffs or meander along the sandy beaches. As one third of the island being a protected nature reserve, theres not a bad view to be had. Easily accessible from the mainland via the Adelaide airport, this little island is an ocean and animal lovers paradise. The best time to visit for warmer temps: December through February.
Where the rainforest meets the reef is Fitzroy Island, one of the best islands in Australia. A quick ferry or fast cat boat ride from Cairns, Fitzroy Island is an all in one reef-slash-rainforest retreat. It puts you within the waters of the Great Barrier Reef while being surrounded by lush tropical rainforest. You can enjoy the island by hitting the water with some rented snorkeling gear or a glass bottom kayak. Or take in the tropical rainforest and amazing views on one of the islands many hiking trails. Round out your time by scheduling a guided dive in the Great Barrier Reef. Stay on the island for just the day, or choose to stay at one of the resorts. They typically offer three-night or longer package deals for an even more inspired nature experience.
Its a small but mighty island located off the southeastern coast of Tasmania where locally produced everything rule the scene. Bruny Island is known for its locally-produced cheeses, wines, berries, seafood and whiskies. And everything is set among an intensely beautiful and ever-changing landscape of bushwalks and sea cliffs. North and South Bruny Island are connected by a narrow isthmus called the neck. A quick walk here leads you to one of the most striking 360-degree views in all of Australia. While there take a wildlife cruise on the yellow boats, with the Southern Hemispheres tallest sea cliffs against the bright blue sky. If youre looking to spend an artisanal day or two on the one of the best islands in Australia, this ones an excellent pick.
Julie McNamara contributed this to MiniTime.
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Patience certainly paid off for the pair
LOVE Islands Gabby Allen and Marcel Somerville finally had sex after the Love Island final.
The loved up pair managed to share a bed in the villa for almost two months and not do the deed, but confirmed they had sex as soon as they were away from the cameras.
SWNS:South West News Service
Marcel cheered: We done it yesterday! We done it yesterday!
Gabby added: We had sex last night after the wrap party. We were in a villa with no cameras so we flip reversed it.
And Gabby says her her Blazin Squad boyfriend didnt disappoint.
It was amazing. It definitely lived up to expectations. I was glad I waited.
I would rather have got out and it be absolutely banging than us be underneath the covers trying not to get caught.
He may have had weeks of pent up sexual tension, but Marcel insisted Gabby wasnt left short-changed.
ITV Plc
It wasnt difficult to make the session long lasting. I pre-warned Gabby about my stamina. I lived up to it.
Gabby added: It was impressive. I was like come on! It was after the party too so I was exhausted.
Last week Gabby failed a lie detector test after it said she wasnt telling the truth when she claimed she was looking forward to having sex with Marcel something which she refuses to accept.
The lie detector test this is a bloody machine, its a robot thats telling me how I feel.
They are designed to day yes and no, and there are massive grey areas that you cant go into, but I know what I think and how I feel.
Rex Features
And the he may have came fourth in the show last night, but Marcel admitted when he first joined the island and failed to couple with anyone he wondered whether hed made the worst choice of his life.
Marcel said: I was like, What have you put yourself into, this is the worst choice of your life. What have you done to yourself? Then she came in and I thought boom there she is.
Explaining why it took so long for him to couple up, he said: I was the first boy in I came boom down the steps and obviously I was oozing confidence, but then they realised I was a nice guy.
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The citizen scientist spends her days collecting horse skulls to help with research
A WOMAN who has lived alone on a remote island for 40 years insists she never gets lonely as long as shes got her binoculars to hand to admire its stunning wildlife.
Zoe Lucas, 67, livesin a wooden-clad houseon Sable Island off the coast of Canada,which is covered in fog for around 127 days of the year.
Sadie Whitelocks/ MailOnline
Sadie Whitelocks/ MailOnline
But despite that, Zoe feels perfectly at home in the peace and quiet with 400 horses, 300,000 grey seals and 350 species of bird to keep her company on the 26-mile island.
She first fell in love with Sable Island when visiting as a 21-year-old student in 1971 and soon made it her home.
Speaking to MailOnline Travel, Zoe said: I squawked and squawked, I wanted to come so bad. I originally came out here for the horses.
Now a citizen scientist, the 67-year-old rarely returns to her hometown of Halifax in Nova Scotia and instead depends on supplies being flown in on a weekly basis.
There is no way to reach the island, other than by boat or charter plane.
It earned the nickname graveyard of the Atlantic after more than 300 shipwrecks.
Sadie Whitelocks/ MailOnline
Sadie Whitelocks/ MailOnline
SABLE Island is 26 miles long and 0.93 miles across at its widest point.
It is situated 190 miles away from Halifax on the Nova Scotian mainland.
The island is home to400 horses, 300,000 grey seals and 350 species of bird.
In the winter,temperatures average near freezing on the island, with peaks of 20 degrees in the summer.
Sable Island is covered in fog 127 years of the year which is thought to be the reason there have been more than 300 shipwrecks on its shores.
Its only possible to visit the island by boat or charter plane.
On June 20, 2013, Sablebecame a National Park Reserve.
Sadie Whitelocks/ MailOnline
During her four decades living on the island, a refrigerator, crateful of fresh peppers from a shipping container, popped balloon carcasses and even a fake LEG has washed up on the beach.
Zoe spends her days studying ecology and collecting horses skulls so that scientists can discover how the animals have been able to adapt to the islands stark landscape.
In 2013 Sable Island was made a National Park Reserve on June 20, 2013.
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Woman, 67, living on one of the world's most remote islands by ... - The Sun
Saltwater crocodiles are the worlds largest reptile and are currently a protected species in the Solomon Islands. Photograph: Alan Porritt/AAP
A growing number of crocodile attacks is forcing police in the Solomon Islands to shoot the animals and to consider lifting a 30-year ban on exporting their valuable skins in order to control the population.
There have been more than 10 crocodile attacks on people this year, as well as dozens of assaults on livestock and domestic animals around the Solomon Islands, which is home to 600,000 people.
However, the actual number of incidents is probably far greater, as attacks often happen in remote regions of the country where villagers take crocodile control into their own hands and do not report attacks to authorities.
According to Superintendent Stanley Riolo, the director of the national response department, the most recent fatality was in April, when an eight-year-old girl was killed by a crocodile in the western provinces.
In that instance local villagers speared the crocodile from behind, wounding it, and then drowned it in a river. A more humane death was impossible, said Riolo, as the villagers have no guns to shoot the giant saltwater, or estuarine, crocodiles which can grow up to 7m (23 feet) long since firearms were banned under an international agreement in 2003.
A specialised police crocodile control unit has now been set up to deal with the increasing number of attacks.
Since May this year, when the Royal Solomon Islands police force was rearmed, the crocodile control team has been equipped with Remington bolt-action rifles, hunting in banana boats at night when crocodiles eyes glow red in the dark, making them easy targets.
This year the specialist team has killed 40 crocodiles including one that was 6.4m long.
The 14-year international Ramsi intervention (regional assistance mission to Solomon Islands), which wound down in June, saw Solomon Islanders stripped of all armaments in a move to control violence between warring ethnic factions, which had led to the death of 200 people and the displacement of tens of thousands.
Crocodile attacks began to increase in the years after Ramsi arrived, and we believe it is because the villagers didnt have guns any more to protect themselves and shoot the crocodiles, said Riolo. We are currently in discussions to plan a post-Ramsi crocodile control programme, but at the moment our only option is shooting them.
There have been so many attacks: the crocodile population is out of control.
Joseph Hurutarau, the deputy director of conservation, says his team is planning a national survey of the crocodile population this year so it can accurately measure and explore the reasons behind the growing number of attacks.
Hurutaraus team believes the crocodile population began to increase 30 years ago, when the the export of crocodile skins a once lucrative industry for locals was banned.
But Craig Franklin, a zoology professor and crocodile expert from the University of Queensland, warned: When we say populations are exploding, what is also growing out of control is the human population, and the two often get mixed up. The more humans you have living in crocodile country, the more likely you are going to have these negative interactions with crocodiles.
If a crocodile does take a human, it does need to be captured, Franklin said, as the animal will return to stalk humans once it has identified them as a source of food.
But shooting crocodiles as a means of population control is a poor outcome for the animals, Franklin argued, adding that the reasons for any purported population growth need to be carefully examined.
Hurutarau said his team was keen to seek advice. We are looking for assistance from international crocodile experts so we can undertake a report with scientific data and information that will prove the crocodile population is slowly increasing, as we believe it is.
The long-term plan is to reintroduce the exportation of crocodile skins, but only to the extent of managing the population and the number of attacks. Crocodiles are still a protected animal and we have to find a balance to maintain a healthy population but also to protect people who live in coastal areas who depend on the ocean for their livelihood.
Franklin said many of the communities with the best relationships with and respect for crocodiles are in the Northern Territory and Cape York of Australia, where local Indigenous people revere the animals and have learnt to live side-by-side with the apex predators.
To go out and shoot crocodiles is really dangerous because it can lure people into a false sense of safety and crocodiles do play a really important role in the ecosystem and need to be protected.
I absolutely sympathise and agree we need to ensure peoples safety, but I often think the best way is to educate people about how to be croc-wise.
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'Out of control': saltwater crocodile attacks terrorise Solomon Islands ... - The Guardian
Geologists and biologists are about to pierce one of the worlds youngest islands: tiny Surtsey, which was formed by a series of volcanic eruptions off Iceland's southwestern coast between 1963 and 1967. Next month, the team plans to drill two holes into Surtseys heart, to explore how warm volcanic rock, cold seawater and subterranean microbes interact.
It will be the most detailed look ever at the guts of a newly born oceanic island. Surtsey is our best bet at getting a detailed picture of this type of volcanic activityhow ocean islands start to form, says Magns Gumundsson, a volcanologist at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik.
The results could help to explain how hydrothermal minerals strengthened the islands rock, enabling it to withstand the pounding of the North Atlantic Ocean. Engineers might be ableto use those secrets to produce stronger concrete.
And deep within Surtsey, scientists plan to learn more about how buried microbes munch on rock, extracting energy from minerals and hot fluids. If we can address this, we will get a lot closer to answering what rolethe deep crustal biosphereplays in maintaining and shaping our present-day environment, says Steffen Jrgensen, a geomicrobiologist at the University of Bergen in Norway.
One of the two holes will parallel a 181-metre-deep hole drilled in 1979, allowing scientists to compare how microbial populations change over time. The second hole will go in at an angle, to explore the hot water percolating through a network of cracks within the volcanic craters that make up Surtsey. If all goes well, both holes will penetrate into the original sea floor, as it stood before the 1960s eruptions, about 190 metres down.
At just 1.3 square kilometres, Surtsey is a natural laboratory for researchers to studythe biogeographic evolution of newborn islandsas they are seeded by plants and colonized by seabirds. It is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site, set aside strictly for science. This is one of the most pristine environments on Earth, says Marie Jackson, a geologist at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and principal investigator for the US$1.4-million project, which is supported in part by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program.
On 28 July, Icelands coast guard plans to begin moving 60 tonnes of drilling equipment and other supplies to Surtsey, over the course of some 100 helicopter flights. This is the most complicated logistics operation Ive taken part in, says Gumundsson. Strict environmental regulations require all waste to be removed from the island, including the sterilized seawater that functions as drilling fluid. Only 12 people will be allowed on Surtsey at any given time, even as drilling proceeds 24 hours a day. Others will stay on the neighbouring island of Heimy, where a warehouse will temporarily be repurposed into a core-analysis lab.
Microbiologists have continued to monitor the 1979 hole, where the maximum temperature has slowly cooled from 140 C to about 130 C. It is now rife with a host of microorganisms that are probably indigenous to Surtsey, says Vigg Marteinsson, a microbiologist at the Mats food- and biotechnology-research institute in Reykjavik. These organisms are thought to have colonized the rock from the seawater below, protected from contamination from above by scorching rock. Marteinsson expects to find similar types of microbe, including bacteria, archaea and viruses, in the new hole.
After the new hole is drilled, engineers will lower five incubation chambers to different depths. These will remain in place for a year before they are retrieved so that researchers can determine what organisms colonize them. Monitoring what microbes move in, and how quickly, will offer scientists an unprecedented chance to study how the deep biosphere evolves in space and time, Marteinsson says.
Meanwhile, geologists and volcanologists on the team will be investigating the second, angled hole. That will allow us to reconstruct the way subsurface layers are connectedwhat we call the structure of the volcano, says Jocelyn McPhie, a geologist at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia.
The drilling should reveal the earliest stages of the Surtsey eruptionbefore it broke the surface of the ocean in November 1963, catching the attention of the cook aboard a passing fishing vessel. In the mix of seawater and heat, hydrothermal minerals formed within the volcanic rock. This made the rock less porous and helped to buttress it against erosion from waves. The drill core should reveal how these minerals were created over time, Jackson says, and modern scientists might be able to take hints from this process to build stronger concrete for structures such as nuclear-waste containers.
Thus strengthened, Surtseys core is likely to remain an island for thousands of years, says Gumundsson. Thats in stark contrast to many volcanic islands, such as one that appeared near Tonga in 2014 but has already eroded by 40%. Because the vast majority of these islands disappear, we most likely substantially underestimate the number and volume of eruptions occurring at or just below sea level in the ocean, and hence the associated volcanic risk, says Nico Fournier, a volcanologist with the GNS Science research institute in Taupo, New Zealand.
Whatever comes out of the Surtsey drilling, it should dramatically advance the snapshot gleaned from the 1979 project, says James Moore, an emeritus geologist with the US Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California, who was a leader of the earlier effort. We made a lot of estimates that are going to be tested now, he says. It feels wonderful.
This article is reproduced with permission and wasfirst publishedon July 21, 2017.
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Iceland Drilling Project Aims to Unearth How Islands Form ... - Scientific American
NEW DELHI: Ten islands from Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshdweep have been identified by the government for improving maritime economy, preserving the eco-system and addressing security concerns.
The islands include Smith, Ross, Aves, Long and Little Andaman in Andaman and Nicobar and Minicoy, Bangaram, Suheli, Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep, a home ministry statement said.
The decision was taken at the first meeting of the newly- constituted Islands Development Agency (IDA), chaired by Union home minister Rajnath Singh here today.
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's review meeting for the development of islands.
During the meeting, the home minister presented the vision for developing India's maritime economy while preserving the natural eco-system and addressing the security concerns.
He also emphasised on the need for sustainable development of islands with people's participation.
The CEO of the NITI Aayog made a detailed presentation on the current status and the way forward for holistic development of identified islands, it said.
Such an exercise is being taken up for the first time in the country, it added.
The home minister said concept development plans and detailed master plans were being prepared for identified islands with principles of sustainability, people's participation, eco-system preservation and determination of carrying capacity as the guiding principles, according to the statement.
During the meeting, the progress being made for the formulation of integrated master plans and other matters concerning the islands development were also reviewed.
It was also decided that Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Administrator of Lakshadweep Islands will be included as members of IDA.
Admiral D K Joshi, former Navy chief and vice chairman of IDA, suggested taking up suitable interventions for sustainable implementation of planned projects.
Other members of the IDA, including cabinet secretary, home secretary, secretary (environment, forests and climate change), secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare), also participated in the meeting.
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10 islands from Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshdweep identified for development - Economic Times
MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's Balearic Islands on Monday banned matadors from killing bulls in the ring, becoming one of several Spanish regions to move toward criminalizing the centuries-old blood sport.
The bill adopted in the Balearics parliament prohibits a bull's death in the ring and makes it illegal for the animals to endure physical or psychological damage. Bullfights will be limited to a maximum of 10 minutes, a parliament spokesman said.
Traditionally, every bullfight in Spain involves six of the specially-bred animals pitted against matadors for 20-30 minutes. At that point, matadors try to drive a sword between the bulls' shoulder blades and through the heart.
Under the new rules in the Balearics, the bull will be submitted for a medical checkup after the fight and then returned to the ranch from where it was raised.
The bill was introduced by Spain's center-left Socialist party (PSOE), the far-left Podemos party and other, smaller regional parties. While the ruling conservative People's Party (PP) and market-friendly Ciudadanos voted against it, they lacked the seats to block the bill.
The Balearic Islands are the second Spanish region where bullfighting is currently restricted. The Canary Islands passed a law in 1991 to protect bulls, including a clause against animal abuse in bullfights or local fiestas.
The northeastern region of Catalonia also passed a bill to ban all bullfighting outright in 2010. But the Constitutional court overruled the law last October, calling bullfighting a cultural asset protected under national law.
Held all over Spain, "la fiesta nacional" - as bullfights are known - is deeply embedded in the country's culture. But there is a growing animal rights protest movement calling for a full ban, rallying outside places like Madrid's emblematic Las Ventas bullring during fighting season.
Reporting by Paul Day; editing by Sarah White and Mark Heinrich
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Spain's Balearic Islands vote to outlaw killing bulls at fights - Reuters