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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Aghoni Bora - Rice Grains That Need No Cooking Unveiled in India

Rice grains are supposed to be hard and unpalatable when uncooked, but now there's this new type of rice hybrid that's already soft after harvesting. All that needs to be done to be able to eat it is to add water. No, it's not freeze-dried. That's just the way the rice is. Scientists believe that since it does not need cooking, it will help a lot of poor people who cannot afford cooking fuel. It is also environment-friendly because it helps reduce the carbon-footprint of a person from all the cooking that he does in a lifetime. Pollution from combustion byproducts is reduced and trees are saved. But best of all, people will go less hungry.

The rice looks like any other but the scientists at the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) in Cuttack, India say that's where the similarities end. If the special no-cook rice grains are soaked in water for about 45 minutes, they become soft enough to eat. There's no need to boil and the rice need only stay in the water for it to soak in the moisture. This type of strain called Aghani or Aghoni bora in India, falls under the "soft rice" or komal chawl category. It came from a low-yielding northern Indian variety and developed to become a high-yielding one.

According to Tapan Kumar Adhya of the CRRI (left), the rice is currently in test cultivation and he says the results are positive. One farmer who has taken up cultivating the no-cook rice says his friends and relatives like it. Aghani bora rice is low in starch, which makes it ideal for weight-watchers.

But of course, nothing really beats piping-hot rice. And if people still want to cook Aghani bora rice, then it's their option. They only need to cook it just a little bit though and it will be ready to eat! That equates to a lot of fuel saved. Because Aghani bora rice is so easy to prepare, it is ideal for calamity and disaster distribution. In countries like the Philippines hit by floods yearly, it is perfect as an emergency staple in areas where the use of fire or heat is not an option due to the water.

Learn more on how you can save planet Earth.

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