Saintis India temui haiwan seperti ular

Gambar yang disiarkan www.frogindia.org semalam menunjukkan seekor chikilidae dewasa bersama anaknya yang baru menetas.

NEW DELHI - Sejak sebelum era dinosaur lagi satu spesies amfibia yang tidak berkaki hidup bebas di bawah tanah yang beriklim monsun di pedalaman utara India tanpa diketahui saintis.

Sekumpulan saintis India yang menemui spesies baharu amfibia memberikan ia nama chikilidae setelah menggali tanah untuk mencari haiwan berkenaan di hutan selama lima tahun.

Ketua kajian tersebut, Profesor Sathyabhama Das Biju dari Universiti New Delhi berkata, chikilidae tergolong dalam keluarga caecilian iaitu yang paling primitif antara tiga kumpulan amfibia termasuk juga katak dan salamander.

Disiarkan dalam jurnal Royal Society of London semalam, penemuan mereka mengukuhkan lagi bukti bahawa India dipenuhi hidupan amfibia dengan habitat yang perlu dilindungi.

Menurut Sathyabhama, chikilidae bukan sahaja tidak berbahaya tetapi ia turut membantu petani dengan memakan ulat dan serangga yang merosakkan tanaman manakala pergerakan spesies itu di bawah tanah dapat membantu menyuburkan tanah.

Namun, penduduk tempatan kerap membunuh chikilidae kerana tersilap anggap bahawa amfibia itu merupakan seekor ular berbisa. - AGENSI

The doctor will sea you now: Hospital boat could rescue victims of natural disasters

We've all heard of the flying doctors - now we could soon have the floating doctors thanks to a hospital boat developed by an Italian yacht designer.

Marino Alfani, 29, came up with the concept after talking to his childhood friend Dr Taddeo Baino, who had just returned from a medical mission in Africa.

The hospital boat would be able to come close in to shore and ferry passengers to it by ambulance and helicopter

This cutaway graphic shows how the rooms would be laid out

Mr Alfani realised that a hospital boat could treat people from coastal areas that have no or ill-equipped hospitals and could also respond to emergencies at sea like the recent Costa Concordia wreck. It could also provide relief to victims of natural disasters like the 2004 tsunami, which wiped out whole road networks.

So he designed a catamaran that would be equipped with state-of-the-art medical examination areas, operating theatres, laboratories, recovery rooms and a hyperbaric chamber (for oxygen therapy). There would be a small helipad on the bridge and a garage accessible from the stern to store an ambulance.

The boat would accommodate three crew members and nine doctors and nurses and could treat 50 people a day - which would be 1,500 a month. As a catamaran it could come close in to shore.

Ship-shape: The catamaran would accommodate three cabin crew and nine doctors and nurses

Specifications: The boat would measure 115ft in length

Speaking to L'Eco Di Bergamo, Mr Alfani said: 'The earth is surrounded by water and it is unthinkable that there is no tool that allows immediate first aid at sea.'

He added that the boat was modeled on the emergency room of the Bergamo Hospital in Italy.

The boat, made from aluminium alloy would measure 115ft long, 48ft wide and stand 25ft tall. It would be propelled by two 1200 diesel electric motors and travel at a top speed of 10knots. The boat would have a fuel capacity of 50,000l.

Mr Alfani has an architecture degree from the Politecnico di Milano as well as a Masters in Yacht Design and now has his own studio where he can tackle boat design to construction. He is also an experienced interior designer.

The hospital boat concept won a prize this month at the 2012 Millennium Yacht Design Awards.

Emergency: The catamaran could respond to natural disasters

On the open sea: The boat would travel at 10knots

Look who's flown into a rage! Meet the real-life angry birds who don't want you messing with the pecking order

Talk about being in a flap.

Someone, or something, has clearly made these birds angry.

Perhaps it was the way their feathered friends were portrayed in the hit phone app, Angry Birds - which saw them as nothing more than ammo to be catapulted at various structures.

And it probably doesn't help that the game has been downloaded 500million times.

The six birds, which were found on the Flickr photo-sharing website, come from all walks of the avian world.

This black-and-white hawk eagle, commonly found in Venezuela, Mexico and Argentina, is having a really, really bad day

Neck ache? A burrowing owl from North America - one of the irate avians found on Flickr

I'll do the mocking, you do the crying... A mocking bird from the United States

Among them is a mocking bird from the U.S. (on a twisted branch), who could well be living up to its name.

Also representing American wildlife is a red cardinal, which is, rather appropriately, seeing red - and a burrowing owl.

And heading south, there is a black-and-white hawk eagle, which is commonly found in Venezuela, Mexico and Argentina.

Perhaps we'll never know the cause of their ire... unless they decide to rant about it on Twitter.

Yeah, I'm fluffy - but don't call me cute. Or else...

Who are you calling a flying rat? I'm just colourful and pigeon-like

An American red cardinal, which is seeing red

And if they look familiar, maybe this is why...

Angry Birds, the hit game which might have upset their real-life brethren

Aerial pics are plane beautiful

Breathtaking ... colourful lake in Iceland

Solent

YOU could be forgiven for thinking these stunning photographs were taken by a satellite looming over a distant planet.

But the incredible shots were captured aboard a Cessna light aircraft flying over Iceland.

The images reveal some of the country's most incredible scenery, ranging from explosive volcanoes to colossal mountains.

Photographer Sandro Santioli said: "I had the idea while shooting Iceland from ground level.

"Aerial shots always interested me, always charmed me. From ground level these landscapes are awesome and stunning, but seeing all of them from above is such a feast for the eyes.

"In particular I enjoy different elements, like seas, lakes, mountains, and volcanoes, being at my disposal to recreate a small world."

Tree-mendous ... river branches out

Solent

Sandro racked up 70 hours of flight time as he took the extraordinary images while holding his camera out the window of the aircraft.

He added: "There were many challenges, the first was whether I was able to endure the stress of flying in a tiny, vibrating aircraft that would dip suddenly on hitting the air currents.

"All this was made worse by the fact that the windows had to be kept open for the majority of the flight.

Amazing ... overhead shot

Solent

"The air rushing into the cabin was extremely cold, particularly when approaching and flying over glaciers.

"The cold finds a way to penetrate all the way to your bones regardless of how many layers you happen to be wearing at the time.

"Meanwhile, your hands become so numb that you can barely move them. All this happens while you stomach is doing twists and turns."

Yours for £1.5million – a 1953 Ferrari hydroplane

Speedyboat ... 1953 vessel is up for auction

SilvanoMaggi/RM/BNPS

THIS incredible Ferrari speedboat looks like something from the future — but it was actually built in 1953.

The world record-setting boat is now due to raise £1.5million at auction.

The legendary ARNO XI Hydroplane craft was the brainchild of wealthy boat privateer Achille Castoldi who wanted to break a world water speed record.

He persuaded the great Enzo Ferrari to lend his knowledge and technical assistance in building the ultimate powerboat.

The result was a 12-cylinder, 4,500cc, V12 Ferrari engine — the same as the one in the Type 375 Grand Prix car.

In October 1953, ARNO XI went 150.2mph on Lake Iseo in northern Italy, setting a world speed record for an 800kg boat that has never been broken.

Plane sailing ... Ferrari has a V12 engine

SilvanoMaggi/RM/BNPS

When Castoldi was finished with ARNO XI, it was sold to a rich engineer, who went on to race it with great success for more than ten years, securing numerous wins.

The boat went through various aerodynamic improvements during that time, including a modified nose and the addition of a fin.

It finished its competitive racing career in 1960 with a European championship victory and numerous fastest laps, many of which still exist.

The current unnamed owner acquired the racing boat over 20 years ago, restoring it to mint condition, and it is now being sold at auction.

Peter Wallman, specialist at auctioneers RM Europe, said: "We are thrilled to be offering the historic ARNO XI for sale.

"This awe-inspiring racing boat has beauty, history, provenance and performance; it simply ticks every box for any serious collector.

"It's an exceptional piece of history, made even more famous by the countless models one sees of it in important collectors' libraries.

"It is likely to appeal to serious car collectors as much as it will to traditional boat collectors."

Sejuk Beku - Apa Anda Perlu Tahu

Apa yang boleh disejuk beku?

Hampir semua makanan boleh disejuk beku. Beberapa pengecualian ialah makanan dalam tin atau butir telur. Untuk makanan dalam tin, anda boleh menyimpannya di bahagian sejuk beku setelah mengeluarkannya.

Sesetengah makanan tidak sesuai disejuk beku kerana kualitinya terjejas apabila dinyah beku, contohnya mayonis atau sos krim. Daging dan ayam mentah pula masih boleh dikekalkan kualitinya jika disejuk beku berbanding yang telah dimasak. Ini kerana daging dan ayam hilang kelembapannya semasa proses memasak.

Adakah makanan yang disejuk beku selamat?

Makanan yang disimpan pada suhu 0 darjah Farenheit adalah selamat, bagaimanapun kualitinya terjejas apabila terlalu lama disimpan. Apabila makanan disejuk beku gerakan molekul diperlahankan, menyebabkan mikrob-mikrob menjadi dorman atau terpendam. Makanan yang disimpan di bahagian sejuk beku kekal lebih lama kerana pembiakan mikroorganisme yang menyebabkan kerosakan dan penyakit terhalang.

Bolehkah sejuk beku memusnahkan bakteria dan parasit?

Mikrob seperti bakteria, yis dan kulat dalam makanan tidak aktif semasa disejuk beku, tetapi setelah dikeluarkan dari peti sejuk dan berada dalam keadaan yang sesuai, mikrob-mikrob ini boleh aktif semula malah membiak pada tahap yang membahayakan kesihatan. Makanan yang dinyah beku perlu dikendalikan dengan baik kerana dalam mikroorganisme yang terdapat di dalam makanan itu membiak pada kadar biasa.

Sesetengah parasit seperti Trichina boleh mati pada suhu bawah kosong, tetapi peti sejuk biasa di rumah mungkin tidak mencapai tahap itu. Sebab itu, apabila memasak, pastikan makanan masak sepenuhnya sehingga semua parasit musnah.

Masihkah berzat dan berkualiti?

Proses sejuk beku sahaja tidak memusnahkan nutrien yang terdapat dalam makanan. Bagi daging dan produk-produk ayam itik contohnya, perubahan dalam nilai nutrien sangat sedikit.

Tetapi makanan boleh berubah warna dan menjejaskan kualitinya. Contohnya warna daging berubah coklat kerana kurang oxygen, manakala tulang dan daging ayam menjadi lebih gelap kerana pigment daripada tulang menyerap ke tisu-tisu sekitarnya.

Sebab itu, adalah lebih baik makanan disejuk beku dengan cepat. Jika disejuk beku dengan perlahan, kristal ais yang besar akan terbentuk, dan apabila anda menyahbekukan makanan, ia akan merosakkan sel-sel dan melarutkan emulsi. Daging contohnya, akan mengeluarkan banyak air dan hilang jusnya. Emulsi seperti mayonis atau krim akan kelihatan seperti pecah minyak dan kelihatan bergentel.

Semasa menyimpan makanan dalam ruang sejuk beku, elak meletakkannya di atas satu sama lain, sebaliknya biarkan selapis atas rak-rak berbeza. Setelah makanan sudah membeku, barulah disusun berlapis.

Brazil minat jet tempur Perancis

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SAO PAOLO - Brazil "hampir pasti" membeli jet pejuang Perancis, Rafale, bagi meningkatkan keupayaan pertahanan udara negara Amerika Selatan berkenaan.

Keputusan tersebut jika dimuktamadkan kelak, bakal menjadikan Brazil memilih pesawat tempur itu.

Presiden Brazil, Dilma Rousseff dan barisan penasihat kanan beliau percaya tawaran firma Perancis, Dassault Aviation untuk menjual 36 buah jet Rafale adalah yang terbaik secara keseluruhan berbanding dua lagi pesaingnya.

Rousseff sebelum ini bimbang berhubung keupayaan Rafale berikutan belum ada pihak luar yang membeli jet pejuang berkenaan.

Namun, beberapa sumber memberitahu, kebimbangan tersebut terlerai selepas India pada 31 Januari lalu mengumumkan untuk membeli 126 buah pesawat Rafale.

Dua lagi pembida selain Perancis adalah jet pejuang F-18 Super Hornet buatan firma Amerika Syarikat (AS), Boeing dan jet tempur buatan Saab dari Sweden, Gripen.

Pesawat AS, F-18 dipercayai lebih murah berbanding Rafale.

Namun, sumber-sumber di Brazil berkata, Dassault menawarkan kombinasi terbaik merangkumi pesawat pejuang berkualiti tinggi dan perkongsian teknologi yang merupakan faktor utama untuk Brazil menerima tawaran firma Perancis berkenaan.

Brazil berharap dapat menggunakan teknologi Perancis untuk membangunkan industri pertahanan negara tersebut yang diterajui firma tempatan, Embraer.

Dassault mengemukakan Rafale sebagai pesawat bersaiz sederhana dan tangkas di samping kos operasi yang rendah. Faktor-faktor tersebut menjadi tarikan utama kepada Brazil yang tidak memiliki konflik dengan jiran-jirannya, tetapi mahu menggunakan Rafale bagi tujuan pertahanan seperti meronda kawasan-kawasan sumber minyak di perairan negara itu.

Akhbar Perancis, La Tribune pada 2 Februari lalu telah melaporkan bahawa Dassault akan memuktamadkan perjanjian untuk menjual sekurang-kurangnya 16 buah jet Rafale kepada Emiriah Arab Bersatu (UAE) tidak lama lagi. - Reuters

Askar AS gigit daging mentah ular tedung

SEORANG askar marin Amerika Syarikat menggigit daging mentah seekor ular tedung manakala kepalanya dililit dengan kulit haiwan itu.

SATTAHIP, Thailand - Seorang askar Amerika Syarikat (AS) merasai daging mentah seekor ular tedung di sebuah pangkalan tentera laut di sini semalam.

Askar itu menggigit daging mentah ular tersebut manakala kulit haiwan tersebut dililitkan pada kepalanya.

Kira-kira 13,000 anggota tentera daripada tujuh buah negara menyertai latihan ikhtiar hidup itu.

Anggota-anggota tentera Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea Selatan, Thailand, AS, Singapura dan Jepun menyertai latihan tersebut.

Dalam latihan itu, askar-askar minum darah ular dan menggunakan tangan untuk memisahkan kepala ayam jantan daripada badan. Mereka turut memakan serangga. - Agensi

Mantis preys on luckless lizard

Preying ... mantis devours gecko

THIS poor lizard didn't have a prayer of hope once it was in the clutches of an insect with a monster appetite.

The unlucky gecko was taken on by a praying mantis — which normally sticks to eating insects.

But larger mantises are known to prey on scorpions, lizards and frogs, and this one clearly had no trouble finishing off the gecko.

The wildlife scene was captured on camera by Dutch photographer Jim Hoffman.

Luckless lizard ... praying mantis devours the reptile

The 51-year-old came across this struggle in his back garden in Spain.

He said: "Both creatures are very common in Spain but a praying mantis will usually go for something much smaller than itself.

"It was clear the gecko was very unlucky.

"As a nature photographer I felt quite lucky to stumble across the scene because it's so rare but I did feel very sorry for the gecko.

Iron grip ... the mantis holds the gecko in its clutches

"I've always been interested in smaller animals but I'm not sure why, I think it's something I've felt since childhood. It's in my genes.

"Photographing animals in free nature demands a lot of patience and perseverance.

"It's very important to know their behaviour and where and when you can find them."

Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition

Mazda is to launch a limited-edition model of its popular MX-5 sportscar at the Chicago Auto Show next week.

The Japanese brand said that only 450 Special Edition variants of the MX-5 will be produced, boasting an upgraded roof and new interior.

Since its launch in 1989, the MX-5 Miata has become the world’s best-selling two-seat roadster and is a popular — and much cheaper — alternative to high-end models from the likes of Porsche and BMW.

The new Special Edition will feature two new exterior colors and a powered retractable hard top in black, Mazda said, marking the first time a non-body-colored hardtop (a trademark style of models such as the Mini Cooper) has been offered.

Inside, the model will offer black heated leather seats, black interior accents and gloss finishes — the whole thing will ride on 17-inch black gunmetal alloy wheels.

As the Chicago Auto Show is known for focusing on the everyday buyer, it’s no surprise that plenty of more affordable models will be on display alongside the supercars which normally grace the isles of the world’s premier auto shows.

Pawang minum darah ayam jantan

AFP
RUSDI JAM TONI menghirup darah daripada seekor ayam jantan pada perarakan festival Cap Goh Meh di Jakarta kelmarin.

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JAKARTA - Seorang pawang tempatan bernama Rusdi Jam Toni dari Sambas menghirup darah seekor ayam jantan semasa festival Cap Goh Meh di sini kelmarin.

Seorang lagi pawang yang dikenali sebagai Fasidami menyemburkan darah ayam jantan selepas dia menghirupnya daripada haiwan itu.

Cap Goh Meh merupakan hari penutup sambutan Tahun Baru Cina. - AFP

Ikan Araipaima diternak secara komersial di Peru

LIMA - Sejenis ikan gergasi yang hidup di Sungai Amazon, Paiche diternak secara komersial di Peru bagi memenuhi permintaan tinggi di pasaran tempatan dan luar negara.

Isi Paiche yang rendah lemak dan tanpa pencemaran raksa menjadikan ia popular dalam kalangan penggemar ikan dari Amerika Syarikat (AS) hingga ke Eropah.

Paiche yang boleh membesar sehingga mencapai berat 100 kilogram dengan panjang lebih 2.5 meter sekali gus menjadi antara ikan terbesar di dunia dan makanan utama penduduk pribumi sejak zaman dahulu.

Kini, ikan itu diternak oleh sebuah syarikat di Peru, Amazone untuk tujuan komersial selain memulihara spesies berkenaan daripada pupus.

"Ia bagus untuk dimakan, rasa ikan ini enak hampir seperti rasa ikan siakap putih tetapi dengan tekstur yang lebih lembut," kata Jose Duarte yang bekerja sebagai cef restoran Itali, Taranta di Boston, AS.

Lebih popular dengan nama ikan Arapaima, Paiche adalah sejenis ikan maging.

Menurut beberapa orang cef, isi paiche mudah dilapah dan tidak mudah hangit apabila dimasak kerana kandungan kalogen ikan ini yang tinggi. - Reuters

Jose: I’ll manage Chelsea

SECOND COMING ... Jose Mourinho

JOSE MOURINHO is ready to make a spectacular return as Chelsea manager.

The Special One is quitting Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer to come back to England.

And the two-time Champions League winner, who bagged six trophies in just three years at Stamford Bridge, is keen on resuming his old job in SW6.

A top source close to Mourinho revealed last night: "Jose would go back to Chelsea."

The only stumbling block is that this time Mourinho will insist Blues' billionaire owner Roman Abramovich gives him TOTAL control of team affairs, free from any interference.

That way he guarantees to bring the glory days back to the Fulham Road club.

The source added: "He knows things are a mess there right now. He also knows it would be difficult to go back and make the same impact as before.

"Winning the Premier League title back to back in his first two years at a club that had not been champions for 50 years was incredible. That's why he's still loved by the fans and why he still loves the club. They were special days.

"But before agreeing, he would want things very clear between him and Roman Abramovich.

"He would say 'Roman, you are the owner and I am the boss here. Let's work together and the power is in our hands'.

"For Jose that would be the perfect partnership."

Abramovich might well be tempted. The Londoners have tried a succession of managers since Mourinho's shock departure in 2007 — Avram Grant, Phil Scolari, Guus Hiddink, Carlo Ancelotti and now Mourinho's ex- scout Andre Villas-Boas.

But all have failed to match Mourinho's heroics.

Hiddink won the FA Cup and Ancelotti did the Double, while current boss Villas-Boas has Chelsea only fourth after a string of disappointing displays and results.

Villas-Boas was brought in at a cost of almost £25million — including a £12m three-year contract, £5m compensation to his former club Porto and severance pay for Ancelotti.

But Mourinho believes he has unfinished business.

He won all four domestic trophies — Premier League, FA and Carling Cups and Community Shield — but never captured the Champions League crown.

Adding Chelsea to his previous successes with Porto and Inter Milan would be his top aim — an ambition shared by Abramovich.

Facebook painter is 'in line for £126m'

Rich ... David Choe

By STAFF REPORTER

A GRAFFITI artist who covered Facebook's offices with murals in return for shares in the social network is getting ready for a reported £126million payday.

David Choe's once meagre share would be worth the colossal sum once the networking giant floats on the stock exchange.

He swapped a pay packet of just a few thousand dollars for his stake in the firm seven years ago — despite thinking the idea was "ridiculous and pointless" at the time.

But Facebook could be valued at up to £63billion ($100billion) this spring when it goes public on Wall St.

And Choe, 35, will be one of at least 1,000 Facebook employees who will become millionaires overnight.

Web brains ... (from left) Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz and Sean Parker at Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, California, in May 2005

Choe painted the Facebook HQ in Palo Alto, California, in 2005 and was offered the choice of cash or shares by then-president Sean Parker.

He and founder Mark Zuckerberg later posed for pictures in front of the colourful murals.

Little did Choe know Facebook would eventually boast 845million users across the globe and is still growing. Its membership has swelled by 39 per cent in the past year alone.

Zuckerberg owns 28 per cent of the company and will control 57 per cent of votes.

He currently takes a salary of £316,000 ($500,000) — but will be paid just a DOLLAR a year from 2013.

The site raked in £632million ($1billion) profits last year and hopes to crack China, where it is currently banned, to grow even more.

Facebook will raise an estimated £3.1billion ($5billion) by selling shares in the business.

It is unclear whether Choe has sold any of his stake in private as he refuses to discuss his holding to protect his privacy.

He also reportedly claims to have looted during the LA riots in 1992 and spent time in prison.