Archeologists uncover 1600-year-old Mayan temple

An archaeologist working on a bas-relief depicting the Night Sun found under a pyramid in the Peten jungle, north of Guatemala City. Picture: AFP / Proyecto Arqueologico Source: AFP

“The sun was a key element of Maya rulership,” lead archeologist Stephen Houston explained in announcing the discovery by the joint Guatemalan and American team that has been excavating the El Zotz site since 2006.

“It’s something that rises every day and penetrates into all nooks and crannies, just as royal power presumably would,” said Houston, a professor at Brown University, Rhode Island. “This building is one that celebrates this close linkage between the king and this most powerful and dominant of celestial presences.”

Archeologists say the temple was likely built to honour the leader buried under the Diablo Pyramid tomb, the governor and founder of the first El Zotz dynasty called Pa’Chan, or “fortified sky. “Mayan civilisation, which spread through southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize, was at its height between 250 and 900 AD.

Carbon dating places construction of the temple at the early part of that era, somewhere between 350 and 400 AD, the archeologists said.

It is ornately decorated with massive stucco masks, 1.5 meters tall, each depicting the phases of the sun as it moves east to west, and a painted stucco frieze that the team described as “incredible.”

More than half the temple is still to be excavated, co-project leader Thomas Garrison of the University of Southern California told a press conference on Wednesday at Guatemala City’s National Palace of Culture.

“The temple probably had 14 masks at the height of the frieze, but only eight of them have been documented” so far, which is why excavations must continue, added University of Austin archeologist Edwin Roman.

Excavations by the Guatemalan and American team began at the El Zotz dig in 2006, but the temple wasn’t uncovered until three years ago.

 

Lassa Fever, a viral disease which is carried by rats

Epidemic in Sierra Leone, Eastern Province, Sierra Leone, Africa. Friday 20 July, 2012 at 18:17 (06:17 PM) UTC.  RSOE EDIS

Description
Director of Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Amara Jambai, has yesterday disclosed that the outbreak of Lassa fever in Kenema district. Lassa fever is a viral disease which is carried by rats. It is spread from infected rodents to humans through direct contact with urine and droppings of an infected rat. Speaking to journalists at the weekly press briefing at the Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Jambai said the outbreak, which started in three districts but has extended to other parts of the country, should be a serious concern to the government and people of Sierra Leone.
Biohazard name:	Lassa Fever Outbreak
Biohazard level:	4/4 Hazardous
Biohazard desc.:	Viruses and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans, and for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, H5N1(bird flu), Dengue hemorrhagic fever, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic or unidentified diseases. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a Hazmat suit and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, autonomous detection system, and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release.
Symptoms:
Status:	confirmed

Harmful blue-green algae was spotted in Scotland

People are being urged to keep away from a Dundee pond after potentially harmful blue-green algae was spotted. Recent sampling of the lower pond at Stobsmuir has found high levels of the algae, which can be toxic. Dundee City Council has recommended that people keep themselves and their pets away from the water as a precaution. The algae can cause rashes after skin contact and illnesses if swallowed. Its toxins are also dangerous to animals. The authority is continuing to monitor the situation and has posted notices at the ponds. A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “Due to the high concentrations of blue green algae, parents are advised to be vigilant with their children and dog owners should prevent their dogs from drinking the water.”

Update. Now 68 confirmed dead in Zanzibar ferry disaster

At least 68 people were confirmed dead and 145 were rescued after the MV Skagit/Kalama capsized around midday on Wednesday near Chumbe island, west of Zanzibar.

The vessel had set sail from mainland Tanzania to the semi-autonomous archipelago, a popular tourist beach destination. One U.S. citizen was among the dead.

Hundreds of people gathered at the Maisara Grounds park near Zanzibar’s historic Stone Town area on Thursday to identify bodies laid out in a tent.

Forest Fires in Portugal

Wildfires have forced the evacuation of dozens of villagers from their homes in Madeira on Thursday, with the Portuguese authorities sending teams from the mainland to help overwhelmed local firefighters. Portugal had suffered from a severe drought this year before being hit by temperatures of up to 40C this week, which has triggered forest blazes on the mainland too. More than 300 firefighters were struggling on Thursday to put out wildfires near Tavira, a popular holiday destination in the Algarve region near the Spanish border. Authorities in Madeira have used planes and helicopters to combat the flames, including an aircraft sent by Spain’s civil defence. Portugal sent a military transport plane with 83 firefighters to Madeira, where the flames briefly threatened the outskirts of Funchal, the archipelago’s capital, on Wednesday night. The Portuguese interior minister, Miguel Macedo, is also in Madeira to co-ordinate the efforts. While Funchal was mostly out of danger on Thursday, television footage from the archipelago’s smaller island of Porto Santo showed houses catching fire and firefighters telling residents of Camacha to abandon the area. “The changing wind is strongly compromising the effort to put out the flames, and we only have five firemen there and one truck,” the local fire brigade chief, Afonso Nobrega, told the Lusa news agency. SIC television showed a local man shouting for help to get three women out of a building whose door was on fire. Enveloped in heavy smoke, local residents sprayed water on the outside of their homes while others fled. There have been no reports of deaths of serious injuries. This year’s drought, coupled with scorching weather, poses a threat that fires will escalate during the hottest period in late July and August.

Ferry capsized killing at least 38 people Tanzania Update

Rescue workers fought rough seas on Thursday to search for more than 100 people missing after an overcrowded ferry sank near the Indian Ocean archipelago of Zanzibar, but hopes of finding survivors were slim. At least 38 people, including an American citizen, were confirmed dead and 145 were rescued after the MV Skagit/Kalama passenger boat capsized on Wednesday around midday near Chumbe island, west of Zanzibar. The vessel had set sail from mainland Tanzania to the semi-autonomous archipelago, a popular tourist beach destination. Hundreds of people gathered at the Maisara Grounds park near Zanzibar’s historic Stone Town area on Thursday to identify the bodies of victims laid out in a tent. Tatu Kwiyela, a 35-year-old woman from mainland Tanzania, survived the accident, but lost her nine-month-old son. “I was swept away by strong waves and lost my son, Saidi Jumanne. I tried to hang on to him but he disappeared into the sea,” said Tatu, who managed to identify his remains.

Police said more than 10 foreign tourists, including a group of Dutch holidaymakers, were among the rescued passengers. “One of those killed in the ferry accident is an American citizen. The body has been recovered and is being preserved at a mortuary,” Zanzibar police spokesman Mohammed Mhina said. The ferry, with a maximum carrying capacity of 250 people according to Zanzibar marine authorities, was carrying 290 people, said officials. “We have recovered seven more bodies today, so the death toll has now risen to 38, with 145 survivors,” Zanzibar Police Commissioner Mussa Ali Mussa said. “You can say it is not humanly possible to find anyone alive at this point. However, with God’s grace the possibility is still there … Sometimes you can find people alive after a month at sea, so we are not giving up all hope.” Police said rescue workers, who had suspended their search at nightfall, had resumed operations on Thursday to try to recover more bodies or rescue people who might have drifted from the ferry. “We have boats and a police helicopter looking for survivors, but they are battling with heavy winds and rough seas,” said Mussa.Zanzibar.

Red Tide Bulletin in the Philippines

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has warned residents living in 5 coastal areas of high volume of red tide toxins in its waters. In its latest red tide bulletin, BFAR said it is not safe to consume all types of shellfish from Dumanguilas Bay, Zamboanga del Sur; Murcellagos Bay, Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental; Milagros, Masbate; and Balite Bay, Mati, Davao Oriental. BFAR also said all types of fish, crabs, squids and shrimps are deemed safe for human consumption as long as it is washed thoroughly. Symptoms of red tide poisoning, including headache, vomiting and stomach cramps, can be felt in less than 24 hours after consumption.

Historically high number of dolphin deaths in the Gulf of Mexico,

PhysOrg – The largest oil spill on open water to date and other environmental factors led to the historically high number of dolphin deaths in the Gulf of Mexico, concludes a two-year scientific study released today. A team of biologists from several Gulf of Mexico institutions and the University of Central Florida in Orlando published their findings in the journal PLoS ONE. For the past two years, scientists have been trying to figure out why there were a high number of dolphin deaths, part of what’s called an “unusual mortality event” along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Most troubling to scientists was the exceptionally high number of young dolphins that made up close to half of the 186 dolphins that washed ashore from Louisiana to western Florida from January to April 2010.

The number of “perinatal” (near birth) dolphins stranded during this four-month period was six times higher than the average number of perinatal strandings in the region since 2003 and nearly double the historical percentage of all strandings. “Unfortunately it was a ‘perfect storm’ that led to the dolphin deaths,” said Graham Worthy, a UCF provosts distinguished professor of biology and co-author of the study. “The oil spill and cold winter of 2010 had already put significant stress on their food resources, resulting in poor body condition and depressed immune response. It appears the high volumes of cold freshwater coming from snowmelt water that pushed through Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound in 2011 was the final blow.”

The cold winter of 2010 was followed by the historic BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in April 2011, which dumped millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, likely disrupting the food chain. This was in the middle of the dolphins’ breeding season. A sudden entry of high volumes of cold freshwater from Mobile Bay in 2011 imposed additional stress on the ecosystem and specifically on dolphins that were already in poor body condition.

Three volcanic tremors in Taal Volcano

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded yesterday three volcanic tremors in Taal Volcano along with an increase in the water temperature in its main crater. The carbon dioxide emission of the main crater lake also rose to 627 tons per day on July 7, the agency added. In contrast, Mayon Volcano slumbered the whole day yesterday, with no tremor recorded and no danger of sudden eruption. However, both volcanoes are still under Alert Level 1. Meanwhile, at 6:15 a.m. yesterday, an earthquake swayed a remote town in Occidental Mindoro in contrast to the nine tremors that rocked the entire country on July 17. The solitary quake, which was a gentle magnitude 2.4, had an epicenter 11 kilometers deep at 26 kilometers southeast of Looc, Occidental Mindoro.

Floods and landslides warning in Kyushu 3,000 people were forced to evacuate.

About 3,000 people in a city of southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu were forced to evacuate their homes again on Thursday due to threats of landslide and flood caused by heavy rain. According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, the residents in Aso City where landslides hit houses last week were ordered to evacuate their houses on Thursday morning as heavy rain continued to fall on the area covered with volcanic ash soil which is very fragile. In Aso City and its surrounding region of Kumamoto Prefecture, at least 23 people were found dead and two went missing after landslides hit houses last week in more than 60 places. Heavy rain caused by Tropical Storm Khanun poured in several areas of northern Kyushu which saw hourly rainfall between 40 and 50 mm in the morning hours. The Japan Meteorological agency warned as the tropical storm moves north, heavy rainfall may trigger further floods and landslides in Kyushu till Friday