​Earth’s core has just stopped and is about to change direction ● We may have a problem with primordial asteroids ● What unusual invasion are the Australians facing and what a strange solution they have proposed

The Earth’s core has just stopped and is preparing to change its direction of rotation

First of all, don’t panic, don’t lose patience! Secondly, such phenomena occur more often than people think, and do not cause cataclysms, as shown in Hollywood films. For example, the last time was in the early 70s and, if you caught that period, you know very well that nothing notable happened, except, perhaps, the breakup of the members of The Beatles. Despite this, no reliable scientific evidence of a connection between these two events has yet been found.

Going back to the science news of the day, it should be said that the discovery belongs to geologists from Peking University, and the fact that their research was published in the prestigious journal Nature shows us that people really have a strong case for their conclusion.

The Chinese researchers began with a series of geological analyzes conducted by a Chinese-American team between 1967 and 1995. In particular, initial studies have shown that there are some differences between repeating seismic waves. And these differences are due to the way waves cross the Earth’s crust and the rotation of the Earth’s core, which affects them. Since no difference has been detected between such waves since 2009, the only viable conclusion is that the Earth’s core has stopped its rotational motion.

According to the calculations of the mentioned specialists, the phenomenon is part of a cycle that repeats approximately once every 60-70 years, but its sources are still unknown. In fact, the authors of the study also note, there is a similar cycle in the length of the day and the fluctuations of the magnetic field, which may indicate that such phenomena are strongly interconnected.

Until then, such phenomena are welcome. Except that some species of birds or fish will be a little confused by the fluctuations of the magnetic field, the changes can help us decipher the mechanisms inside the Earth, some of which are still not well understood.

We may have problems with primordial asteroids

The fact that NASA recently managed to deflect the trajectory of asteroid Dimorphos by hitting a spacecraft has made us look a little more optimistic about our methods of protection against a possible collision with such a celestial body. However, it’s worth relaxing a little, because astronomers from the University of California have some bad news.

In particular, there are asteroids that are extremely difficult to destroy. And what’s worse is that they make up the bulk of the asteroids in our solar system.

Asteroids are divided into two main groups. The first are monolithic, that is, asteroids formed from a single block of rock. They have a relatively short lifetime compared to the age of our solar system, i.e. only a few hundred million years. The second group is asteroids formed from fragments formed as a result of the destruction of monolithic asteroids.

It is not surprising, but it is the last ones that are the most resistant and the most dangerous. why Given that they are porous and the space between the solid fragments is filled with vacuum, a possible impact will only reduce the space between the fragments, resulting in a slightly more compact body.

The existence of these asteroids was not confirmed until 2010 after a mission by the Japan Space Agency, when the Hayabusa spacecraft analyzed the asteroid Itokawa and collected samples of rocks and dust from it. Since then, analyzes have shown that Itokawa consists of fragments that were part of a monolithic asteroid at least 20 kilometers in diameter.

A new set of analyzes by a US team in California also revealed that Itokawa formed more than 4.2 billion years ago, relatively early in our solar system. And what does this tell us? He tells us that Itokawa is an extremely hardy celestial body capable of absorbing shocks, and that the old man may well have seen more shocks in his life than you sparrows.

The question that arises in such a situation, and which gnaws at us all, is what we can do if such an asteroid threatens us. And the answer is not exactly the one that reassures us. Accordingly, it is not clear what and how. But it’s good that we know what we’re dealing with, and over time we find some solutions.

What an unusual invasion the Australians faced and what a strange solution they proposed

As a continent with a unique fauna, Australia has faced increasingly strange invasions throughout recent history due to the impact of modern man. Despite being invaded by rabbits, wild boars, frogs, dingoes, foxes, goats, red ants, feral cats, etc., Australians have always been threatened by invasive species and somehow they have always been perceived as unprepared.

This is now the case as Australia is experiencing a rare invasion… the carp. Yes, common carp Cyprinus carpio! Introduced to Australia in the 19th century but kept in a controlled environment until the 1970s, the common carp has become a threat following the flooding the continent has experienced from the Antipodes over the past 50 years.

It is estimated that at the moment carp have filled about 92% of Australian rivers and lakes, and the number of specimens reaches 357 million individuals. The bad thing about Australian ecosystems is that the fish in question have a stupid habit of turning aquatic vegetation into a veritable English lawn. In Romanian, I laugh at everything. Moreover, they do not have many natural enemies to control their numbers.

Together with the change of vegetation, endemic species were put on a sleeve, although it is inappropriate to say this, because, as scientifically proven, fish do not have a sleeve. About the only idea the Australians have come up with is to infect more carp with herpes (carp herpesvirus 3).

According to local authorities, this will reduce the current carp population by 40-60%, following a pattern also seen in the US. Obviously, this will also lead to disadvantages for native species, through contamination of waters, as well as serious logistical problems. Moreover, who is going to collect tens of millions of dead carp from all Australian waters?

For now, Australian authorities are still debating what to do. From the experience of dealing with invasive species, Australians know that they have jumped from the lake into the well several times trying to get rid of this or that species. It’s amazing, we also agree, that in the 50 years since this problem has been escalating, they haven’t even thought to adopt garlic paste and polenta. Not to mention the carp caviar salad with onions, plus free fishing.

In Romania, the effectiveness of these scientific measures has already been proven, because in less than 30 years you will hardly find common carp in the Danube or in the other waters we have. Some dilettantes and these Australians!

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