The Explanation Behind Four-Leaf Clovers

Four-leaf clovers are supposed to be a lucky find for those who come upon them. People are always happy to get one. It's rare, but why do some clovers have four leaves? Science has the answer. Four-leaf clovers are actually the result of a genetic mutation of the trifolium clover plant which has over 300 species. Each leaf of the trifolium clover has three leaflets, as the name already suggests. but there are instances when there are more. St. Patrick supposedly used the three leaflets to symbolize the Holy Trinity.This could also have helped promote the clover as a lucky charm.

According to biologist Kenneth Olsen, clover leaves can have more than three leaflets as the plant is already genetically inclined to sport such an anomaly. In fact, the record of the most clover leaf leaflets ever found is fifteen! If you ever find such a clover "leaf" you must really, really be lucky! The fifteen-leaf clover was found by was found by Shigeo Obara of Japan in May of 2002 and now he's famous.

Oxygen Levels in Earth's Ocean Getting Lower - Marine Life Dying

Oxygen levels in the Earth's oceans are apparently getting lower. Years after year, scientists have seen how certain deep areas of the seas, which normally have low oxygen, are getting bigger and moving into areas that are not known to suffer from hypoxia (lack of oxygen). The change is very evident in the Pacific Northwest coast. Already, in areas off the Washington and Oregon coast, an almost complete lack of oxygen in the water has left marine life, mostly crabs, dead with their carcasses littering the ocean floor. Such mass kills include fish in other areas of the world. Scientists believe the changes are part of the global climate change.

The "dead" hypoxic water in oceans usually lie deep and far from the continental shelf. But now, they are moving closer to shore and getting nearer the surface, where marine plants and animals typically thrive. Oceanographer Gregory Johnson, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Seattle, describes the depletion of oxygen levels in the oceans as striking. Scientists estimate the decline of oxygen in certain areas of the world to be at least one-third of what used to be the levels used to be 50 years ago. 

Marine scientist Francis Chan says the Earth's oceans can expect to experience more depletion if the planet continues to warm up. Warmer waters ted to stay put near the surface and prevents the usual temperature-difference circulation of water from the deep ocean to the surface. It's like water in an aquarium that's not agitated by bubbles. The less agitation, the less oxygen is dissolved in the water. In the opinion of some people, not much can be done about the depletion since the affected areas are too widespread and there's no control over the marine life that can come into contact with them. 


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2010 Chile Earthquake Nudged Earth's Figure Axis

A lot of things can happen to the Earth as it ages. Earthquakes change the landscape, but if powerful enough, they can even have an impact on the whole planet. Such was the case of the seventh most powerful earthquake ever recorded in history. The Chile earthquake in February, 2010 registered at 8.8 magnitude. As of this writing, over 700 were confirmed dead. The resulting tsunami from the upheaval reached as far as Japan. Indeed strong earthquakes like that are rare but when they happen, they can have a lasting global effect.

The Chile earthquake was the result of the movement of a deep and steep fault. According to Richard Gross (left) at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, it had likely nudged the Earth's figure axis by 3 inches (final data pending). The figure axis is the axis around which the Earth's mass is balanced. It is different and offset from the North-South axis.

Gross said that because of the steepness of the source fault, the Chile quake had a strong effect in shifting the Earth's mass vertically and shifting the figure axis. The Earth is like a top that spins at around 1,000 miles per second. Depending on the distribution of its mass (whether near or far to the figure axis), it's spin and angle are determined. As of this writing, Gross and his team are still gathering data on the earthquake which will fine-tune their measurements. What follows are before and after NASA satellite images of the 2010 Chile quake zone.

RIGHT BEFORE the quake:

RIGHT AFTER the quake:

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