Science news

WHAKATANE, New Zealand (Reuters) - Increasing tremors on a volcanic island in New Zealand on Wednesday prevented the recovery of the bodies of eight people thought to be left on the island, two days after an eruption engulfed dozens of tourists in steam and hot ash. Six people were killed in Monday’s explosion at White Island, which lies some 50 km (30 miles) off the mainland, with another eight missing and presumed dead and 30 injured. Authorities monitoring the uninhabited island said conditions were worsening and there was now a 40-60% chance of a massive eruption similar to Monday in the next 24 hours. “In summary, yesterday there was a high risk of an eruption. Today there is an even higher risk of an eruption. And the parameters are worsening at the moment,” Graham Leonard, a senior volcanologist at GNS Science, told a news conference in Wellington. A plume of smoke could still be seen coming from the island. “I’ve spoken to many of those … [Read more...] about Tremors worsen on New Zealand volcano island, prevent recovery of bodies

A view of White Island, New Zealand after a volcanic eruption December 9, 2019, in this picture obtained from social media. AUCKLAND RESCUE HELICOPTER TRUST /via REUTERS WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand authorities said monitoring equipment on the volcanic island that erupted two days ago has picked up increasing tremors on Wednesday, delaying any attempt to access the island to retrieve bodies. “Seismic signals on the island are escalating at the moment,” Graham Leonard, a volcanic geologist at GNS Science, told reporters in Wellington. “Yesterday there was a high risk of an eruption,” Leonard said. “Today there is an even higher risk of an eruption. And the parameters are worsening at the moment.” Reporting By Jane Wardell; Editing by Himani Sarkar Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. … [Read more...] about New Zealand says more eruptions on volcanic island likely

A mainstay of popular science fiction and futurist conventions since the 1920s, the personal jetpack will move a step closer to reality on Tuesday when the New Zealand-based Martin Aircraft Company lists on the Australian stock exchange. Inventor Glenn Martin will ring the listing bell at the exchange, marking a milestone in an ambition to successfully commercialise the personal jetpack, a plan hatched over a beer as a student in the early 80s and developed over decades in a Christchurch garage. Martin Aircraft is boasting that it can offer “the world’s first practical jetpack able to be flown by a pilot or via remote control”. The company is already taking orders for the device, to be manufactured in Christchurch, and says it will be commercially available by 2017. While the company expects the early adopters of the product to be emergency response organisations, it hopes to soon begin selling to recreational users. The listing heralded the arrival of “a … [Read more...] about Personal jetpacks cleared for take-off with Australian stock market listing

It’s something that many people pop in their bag without thinking twice, but if you have a makeup bag , it’s very likely it’s harbouring deadly superbugs . A new study by researchers from Aston University has revealed that over 90% of make-up products contain superbugs, including E.coli and Staphylococci. Worryingly, these bacteria can causes a range of illnesses, including skin infections and blood poisoning. In particular, the researchers found that beauty blenders - sponges used to apply skin foundation products - were most likely to harbour harmful bacteria. This is likely down to the fact that the products are rarely cleaned, and are often used beyond their expiration date, according to the researchers. Other products found to contain these superbugs included mascara and lip gloss. Dr Amreen Bashir, who led the study, said: “Consumers' poor hygiene practices when it comes to using make-up, especially beauty blenders, is very worrying when you consider that … [Read more...] about Over 90% of makeup products contain deadly superbugs including E.coli, scientists warn

The increase of digital players in the financial space in the last few years has eased the common man’s struggle to get access to funds. Fintech has emerged as the most effective lending channel, transforming the traditional way of banking and the end-to-end customer journey. It has unlocked various opportunities for tapping the wide substantial database of customers enabling a strong digital foundation. Fintech platforms role in the growth of India’s Economy India is one of the fastest-growing economies, where FinTech platforms are expected to scale up to a greater proposition. Digital lending has the potential to catapult the Indian MSME’s productivity, offering a meaningful market opportunity for both innovative start-ups as well as traditional lenders. MSME’s form the backbone of the Indian economy contributing to India’s employment and its GDP (gross domestic product). According to the study titled, “Credit Disrupted: Digital MSME Lending in … [Read more...] about The grand digitization of the finance industry: How technology is paving the path towards the future