NASA finds new evidence of liquid water on Mars

LOS ANGELES: NASA scientists have discovered new evidence that briny water flows on Mars during its warmest months, raising chances that life could exist on the Red Planet, the space agency said on Thursday.

NASA first found signs of water on Mars more than a decade ago, but earlier indications were that any existing water would be frozen and concentrated at the poles.

Recently analyzed images from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter satellite show dark, finger-like features that extend down some slopes and crater walls on the planet during its late spring through summer, fading in the Martian winter.

“This is the best evidence we have to date of a liquid water occurring today on Mars,” said Philip Christensen, a geophysicist at Arizona State University, Tempe, in a NASA panel announcing the findings in Washington.

NASA scientists believe that if there is liquid water on Mars, it would be highly salty and lie beneath the surface. That would explain why it would not freeze in the planet’s frigid surface temperatures, which can fall to around 200 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (minus 128 degrees Celsius), or evaporate in its low air pressure.

“It is more like a syrup, maybe, in how it flows,” said Alfred McEwen of the University of Arizona, Tucson, principal investigator in charge of a special camera on the Mars orbiter called a High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment.

He also is the lead author of a report on evidence of water flows published on Thursday in the journal Science.

BETTER THAN ICE

The scientists on NASA’s panel stressed that liquid water is more likely to sustain life than ice, underscoring the importance of the latest discovery.

Past NASA discoveries revealed evidence of ancient shorelines and riverbanks on Mars. And analysis of gullies on the Red Planet five years ago turned up fresh mineral deposits that suggested recent water flows, but provided no categorical proof of that, scientists said.

The latest discovery is more difficult to explain away as evidence of anything but contemporary water flows, said Michael Meyer, Mars exploration program lead scientist at NASA.

Another possibility to account for the periodic darkening in the areas under examination is dust moving along the surface of the planet, McEwen said. But dust avalanches would occur at more random intervals, rather than on a seasonal basis, he said.

Scientists on the panel said the latest imaging evidence of flowing water also suggests the existence of liquid water closer to the planet’s equator than previously found.

Any liquid water would likely lie beneath the surface because the atmosphere on Mars is so thin that liquid water above ground would quickly evaporate, scientists said.

Some organisms on Earth thrive underground with little access to sunlight, and the same thing could be occurring on Mars, said Lisa Pratt, biogeochemist at Indiana University, Bloomington, and a participant on the NASA panel discussing the results on Thursday.

Pratt said further research is needed at the seven sites where recurring evidence of flowing water was found.

“It is our first chance to see an environment on Mars that might allow for the expression of an active biological process, if there is present-day life on Mars,” she said. AGENCIES

Kim Kardashian and the Case of her Lookalike Melissa Molinaro

Kim Kardashian has a bone to pick and it all has to do with her lookalike Melissa Molinaro. It all started when Melissa Molinaro became the face of Old Navy’s latest advert campaign.

Kardashian is now suing Old Navy for an estimated $15 – $20 million, she is suing the retail giant alleging that model Melissa Molinaro’s work for Old Navy is damaging to her public image. Kardashian is claiming the ad was an

“unauthorized use of Kardashian’s name, likeness, identity and persona.”

And perhaps another reason why Kim Kardashian has become so hot and bothered about Molinaro is that not only does she bear an uncanny resemblance to Kim, Molinaro is currently dating Kim’s ex-boyfriend, Reggie Bush.

Molinaro can’t exactly help that she happens to look remarkably like Kim Kardashian, her latest response to the matter has been via Twitter, she wrote;

“We’re still talking about this?! It’s JULY this aired in February…some people have too much time on there sic hands,”

Although to be clear Kim has not actually mentioned Molinaro in the suit.

Phone cancer risk on hike

A major review previously concluded that there was no convincing evidence of any cancer connection but the latest study points out that cell phone use should be classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Mobile phone use has risen hugely since the early 1980s, with nearly 5 billion handsets in use today, and controversy about their potential link to the main types of brain tumor, glioma and meningioma, has never been far away. Any risk appears to be so small that it is very hard to detect – even in the masses of people now using mobile phones.

Significantly, other studies from several countries have shown no indication of increases in brain tumors up to 20 years after the introduction of mobile phones and 10 years after their use became widespread.

Salman Khan to be the brand ambassador of Exide batteries

Salman Khan, today is simply the ‘Dabangg’ guy who is ‘Ready’ for anything and everything, be it films, ramp walk, running an NGO and even brand endorsements.

After having taken the Box-Office by thunderstorm with his latest release Ready, Salman is now set to take the ad commercial world also by tornado, by being chosen as the brand ambassador of ‘Exide Batteries’, so informs News Trends’s reliable sources.

The official confirmation of the same is being awaited.

Katrina shoots tapori item number for Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

The last time Katrina Kaif shook her legs to an item number, it ended up becoming a national anthem of sorts. Yes…we are indeed talking about the chartbusting ‘Sheila Ki Jawani‘ track from Farah Khan’s Tees Maar Khan which had Kat looking her sexiest best.

Now the latest buzz is that in her forthcoming film-YRF’s Mere Brother Ki Dulhan – Katrina is all set to outshine her last effort by performing the baap of all item songs. The song is a full-on tapori number and will have Katrina dancing at a roadside dhaba.

Sohail Sen has composed the music while ace choreographer Bosco will be making Kat dance to his tunes. It will be interesting to see if this item numbers manages to surpass the mass hysteria created by Katrina’s last item song ‘Sheila Ki Jawani’.

Britney Spears and Rihanna Team Up For a Remix

Britney Spears and Rihanna are the latest to team up for a remix. Then again they are currently two of the biggest pop stars in the world. They have done a remix of Rihanna’s latest hit single “S&M”.

Both Britney and Rihanna engaged in some Twitter teasing over the weekend. Rihanna began with Tweeting;

“I got a #SEXY collabo comin your way supa dupa soon!!!! OH YEAH!!! By popular demand….”

She followed her own Tweet with, “Its BRITNEY BITCH!!!!”

Britney responded with, “You’re such a tease! I like it, like it …” then with, “You think they’re ready Ri Ri?”

Britney has added her own voice to the chorus and she also offers up an all-new verse, in which she breathlessly moans about her own bad girl ways.

Apparently “Umbrella” was actually originally written for Britney Spears, but she turned it down! The song turned out to be Rihanna’s biggest single and one of (if not the) hottest song that year. If it’s true she’s clearly not holding any grudges.

News Break: ‘Ready’ first look

Here’s a news break and as always, it’s FIRST on trendpk.com.

Are you ready for the first look of the latest Salman Khan starrer READY? Post WANTED and DABANGG, Salman Khan has emerged one of the biggest crowd pullers of Hindi cinema and every film of his carries humungous expectations. While READY is confirmed to hit the screens globally on 3 June, the producers will reveal the first look poster of this keenly anticipated film on 5 April, while the first promo will be unleashed on 15 April. “We are trying to plug it during the IPL as well,” READY producer Bhushan Kumar informs me.

Meanwhile, the worldwide theatrical distribution rights of READY have been picked up for a fantastic price.

China evacuates 12,000 from Libya, sends frigate to help

SHANGHAI/BEIJING: China has so far evacuated 12,000, or about a third, of its citizens from turmoil in Libya, many of them workers for Chinese-run projects and businesses in the oil-rich nation, official media said on Friday.

Indian Supreme Court Declared Cricket Officials As Public Servant

In a decision of Kerala High Court cricket officials are declared as public servant. The decision of the court was in the context that cricket officials working in private capacity but they have to work for the public interest and they are public servant so they should take decision in public interest.

The case was started on 3rd January and after the adjournment of hearing for three weeks the panel of two judges comprising of Justice VS Sirpurkar and TS Thakur rejected all appeals KCA president, TR Balakrishanan, and secretary, TC Matthew. They have filed an appeal against the high court decision but in the latest decision judges declared the high court decision as ‘beautifully crafted judgement’.

It is also said that honest people didn’t come to work in the sports organization and when a decision is made against the odds then they go for appeal. The original appeal was filed Vigilance Court two years ago by Balaji Iyengar. In the decision of the case it was decided that cricket associations are not public servants. The decision was challenged in high court by Iyengar. After the latest decision Iyengar said now the associations will be answerable to people and this is beginning or new era.

Hit Show “Two and a Half Men” on Hold

The hit comedy CBS series ‘Two and a Half Men’ is currently on hold. Charlie Sheen, one of the main stars of the show, is proving that his off screen life is not far from his character on the show. ‘Two and a Half Men’ is now on production hiatus, whilst Charlie Sheen is in rehab. Production of the show was halted last February for the same reasons.

“He is most grateful to all who have expressed their concern,” his rep said in a statement. “Mr. Sheen asks that his privacy be respected at this time and that no additional informational will be provided.”

Variety has reported that 16 out of 24 episodes of the latest season have already been shot. But CBS have rushed out and replaced “Men’s” time slot by ordering more episodes of other shows, such as ‘Rules of Engagement’.

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