Science and Technology - Briefs

CHEMISTRY Nano guard

In the dark

Heat behind rise in mystery fever?

HEALTH officials in Bihar blame extreme heat for the increase in the number of mystery fever cases in the state. The disease has so far killed 169 people and affected 286 others in the state. Last year it had killed 50 and affected another 150.

Weather dice is loaded

During my weekly conversation with my sister I told her about the unusual searing heat this June, the problems of power cuts and how we are coping in India. She, in turn, told me that in Washington DC, where she lives, there was a terrible storm that damaged her roof and uprooted trees in her garden. They were fortunate that they still had electricity, because most houses in the city were in the dark.

Heat waves strike Gujarat, Rajasthan

With summers setting in and temperatures soaring, heat waves struck Gujarat and Rajasthan in west and north India. The temperature in Gujarat and Rajasthan crossed 40oC in the last week of March. In Maharashtra day temperature rose up to 39oC in the first week of April.

Future shock

It is a definite recipe for disaster, barely short of apocalypse. Thousands may die, millions get affected, and assets worth billions of dollars get destroyed. As human-induced greenhouse gases increase, so will extreme weather events like floods, heat waves and droughts.

Mercury rises early

  Khurda is the worst affected in Orissa, with 10 sunstroke deaths reported PHOTOGRAPHS AGNIMIRH BASU

Disaster fund for cold wave

ALARMED by the changing climatic patterns, the Centre is likely to include either cold wave or frost in the disaster relief fund. At present, compensation under the National Disaster Response Fund and State Disaster Response Fund can be given to victims of natural calamities like cyclone, drought, earthquake, tsunami and pest attack.

Water pacifies heat

INTENSE heatwaves in July last year scorched much of Europe and several other countries in the Northern Hemisphere. It took many lives, destroyed crops and ignited forest fires. Scientists say climate change will not just influence the average climate but also extremes such as heatwaves. Taking cue a group of scientists in Europe analysed the relationship between soil moisture deficit and subsequent heatwaves.

Letters

Farmers’ fundamental right We must have the right to decide whether we want to eat Bt brinjal (‘Don’t make a mash of it’, February 16-28, 2010). Similarly, farmers should also have the right to decide what food to grow since they will be affected the most. Why just Bt brinjal, farmers will be affected adversely by any genetically modified (GM) crop. Such crops will steal their freedom of choosing seeds.