INDIA: It was once known as the city of a thousand lakes. But it is now the city of burning lakes.Bengaluru, or Bangalore – India’s Silicon Valley, home to some of the world’s biggest software companies – is where the lakes can catch fire because of untreated sewage and industrial effluents.Nearly 90 per cent of its lakes are dangerously polluted. And the biggest lake has become the city’s “largest septic tank”, a court-appointed committee concluded in June.This high-tech city, which has grown to more than 12 million inhabitants from three million in the 1980s, faces a Day Zero crisis – when its taps are turned off – in the not too distant future. It may even become uninhabitable.“Bangalore is now exploding because people think it's got a nice climate, there are a lot of opportunities and so on,” said Mr Ravi Narayanan, the chair of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum and the chairman of the Water Integrity Network.“But … [Read more...] about India’s parched earth: Too late to solve the worst water crisis in its history?
Underground water source
TAMPA, United States - A massive underground lake has been detected for the first time on Mars, raising hopes that more water -- and maybe even life -- exists there, international astronomers said Wednesday. Located under a layer of Martian ice, the lake is about 12 miles (20 kilometers) wide, said the report led by Italian researchers in the US journal Science. It is the largest body of liquid water ever found on the Red Planet. "Water is there. We have no more doubt," co-author Enrico Flamini, the Italian space agency's Mars Express mission manager, told a press conference. Mars is now cold, barren, and dry but it used to be warm and wet. It was home to plenty of liquid water and lakes at least 3.6 billion years ago. Scientists are eager to find signs of contemporary water, because such discoveries are key to unlocking the mystery of whether life ever formed on Mars in its ancient past, and whether it might persist today. "This is a stunning result that suggests water on Mars is not … [Read more...] about News Liquid water lake discovered on Mars
TAMPA (AFP) - A massive underground lake has been detected for the first time on Mars, raising the possibility that more water - and maybe even life - exists there, international astronomers said on Wednesday (July 25). Located under a layer of Martian ice, the lake is about 20km wide, said the report led by Italian researchers in the US journal Science. It is the largest body of liquid water ever found on the Red Planet. "This is a stunning result that suggests water on Mars is not a temporary trickle like previous discoveries but a persistent body of water that provides the conditions for life for extended periods of time," said Alan Duffy, an associate professor at Swinburne University in Australia, who was not involved in the study. Mars is now cold, barren and dry but used to be warm and wet. It was home to plenty of liquid water and lakes at least 3.6 billion years ago. Scientists are eager to find signs of contemporary water, because such discoveries are key to unlocking the … [Read more...] about First lake of liquid water is discovered on Mars
caption The Thai soccer team’s 25-year-old coach, Ekapol Chanthawong, explained how the team survived nine days in the cave. source Channel News Asia/YouTube The Thai soccer team that was trapped inside an underground cave for 17 days have explained why they entered the cave and how they managed to survive for so long. The team did not prepare supplies in advance for their cave exploration, and were soon trapped inside the cave’s winding chambers due to rising flood waters. While waiting to be freed, the boys survived on just cave water and tried not to think about their favorite food in order to survive. The Thai soccer team that was trapped inside a flooded cave complex for 17 days have explained why they entered the cave and how they managed to survive for so long. The team decided to enter the cave after their soccer practice on June 23, 25-year-old coach Ekapol Chanthawong told reporters on Wednesday. Ekapol added that many of the boys … [Read more...] about Drinking cave water and not thinking about fried rice: Here’s how the Thai soccer team survived 9 days in a flooded cave with no food or drink
Cape Town, South Africa has moved up its predictions for when the city will run out of water, with officials now saying they’ll likely have to shut off the taps in early April. The city’s economy, which relies heavily on tourism and agriculture, could take a big hit. Residents, politicians, and credit raters are all worried about conditions of anarchy if “Day Zero” arrives. Cape Town is on track to turn off the faucets earlier than anyone predicted. The coastal city, one of Africa’s most popular tourist destinations, is grappling with the worst drought conditions it has faced in over a century. City dams are now 27.2% full. When they reach 13.5% capacity, the city says it will be forced to move to a bucket-brigade-style system of water distribution. Credit raters, politicians, and scientists are all voicing concern about what will happen if the city becomes the first global hub … [Read more...] about A major coastal city is running out of water faster than anyone predicted — and people are terrified about ‘Day Zero’