Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet (May 2, 2014)

Trashing the Deep
Litter from modern civilization has become so pervasive that scientists conducting the first-ever study of its undersea distribution couldn't find any place, including in some of the deepest oceans, where it didn't exist.  Using video from underwater drones and samples dredged off the seabed, researchers from 16 European organizations say they found rubbish everywhere from the Mediterranean to the mid-Atlantic ridge, about 1,250 miles from land.  Plastic was the most common type of litter found, with items associated with fishing coming in second.  But an extensive distribution of glass, metal, wood, paper and cardboard was also observed.  Writing in the journal PLoS ONE, the researchers said the densest accumulations of litter were found in deep underwater canyons.  "Submarine canyons form the main connection between shallow coastal waters and the deep sea," said mapping team leader Veerle Huvenne.  "Canyons that are located close to major coastal towns and cities.......can funnel litter straight to water depths of 4,500 meters (14,800 feet) or more."  He added that the accumulation of marine litter is now a worldwide problem.
Volcanic Illness
Ongoing eruptions of Peru's Ubinas volcano produced such a high volume of ash falling over nearby villages that some people were reported suffering from conjunctivitis.  The ailment was said to be caused by eye irritation from the caustic debris.  El Comercio reports that the affected residents were prescribed eye drops for use throughout the day.  The eruptions have prompted the evacuation of nearly 30,000 head of livestock from nearby pastures.  Ash also has damaged more than 2,000 acres of crops.
Nuclear Endurance
Some species of birds living in the Chemobyl nuclear disaster zone appear to be thriving, and maybe even benefiting, from long-term exposure to radiation.  Since the 1990s, researchers have captured and examined 16 different bird species and measured radiation levels, oxidative stress and DNA damage.  They also checked levels of pigments in the feathers, finding that birds with the most red pigments had the most difficulty coping with radiation.  The findings were published in the British Ecological Society's journal Functional Ecology.  The Chemobyl disaster occurred just over 28 years ago in northern Ukraine, contaminating a wide area of Europe and forcing authorities to establish an exclusion zone around the wrecked nuclear plant.  But it has also provided a working laboratory for scientists to study how long-term radiation affects wild animals and plants.
Tropical Cyclone
Typhoon Tapah brought high surf and occasionally gusty winds to Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as it passed well to the east of the archipelago.  Tapah achieved typhoon (hurricane) strength for only a brief period of time to the northeast of Saipan, then dissipated over the cooler waters of the North Pacific.
Earthquakes
Residents of the South Pacific island nation of Tonga reported a violent jolt from a 6.2 magnitude undersea quake located 45 miles northeast of the capital Nuku'alofa.  The shaking knocked items off shelves and sent people fleeing for higher ground in fear of a tsunami, but there were no reported changes in sea level.
*       Earth movements were also felt near South Australia's Flinders Ranges, around the Greek capital of Athens and in central Oklahoma.
Cosmic Hazard
Climbers venturing to the summit of Mount Everest and back are exposed to a dose of cosmic radiation five times higher than that received by British nuclear power plant workers each year, according to new research.  In a report published by the Society for Radiological Protection, measurements gathered by mountaineer Bob Kerr indicate the dose received from an Everest ascent brings a 1-in-10,000 risk of developing a fatal cancer later in life.  But since Sherpa guides climb Everest many times during their lives, their exposure is likely to be far greater.  Kerr concludes that most guides and climbers are probably unaware of the radiation exposure they receive on the world's highest peak.
Desperate Measures
The past winter, dominated by the polar vortex, was so harsh that it drove New York City rats to eat trees to survive, according to a U.S. Forest Service scientist.  "With the deep snow and the cold winter, probably they didn't have access to the normal food supply and it was a lot colder this winter," research ecologist Rich Hallett told WNYC.  "So they went after the trees."  The tenacious rodents gnawed through the bark to get to a sugary layer for nourishment and energy.  But experts warn that some of the coldest winter weather on record is not likely to have made a significant dent in the plucky rat population.