PILI, Camarines Sur — As the temperature soars, with many parts of the country including Metro Manila experiencing extremely warm weather, the term “heat index” has surfaced anew. In its March 6 advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned of “danger” as the heat index rose to 45⁰ C in Dagupan City...
Category: Science
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Family and Fossils: Million-year-old gifts from my wife and sisters
(Third of three parts) Family and fossils: My cousin Isko and my first precious find, Family and fossils: My grandchild Meg and a treasure trove I have in my hand a fossil—the remains of an ancient creature called a trilobite. This animal-looking rock resulted when the trilobite was buried and minerals replaced its body parts....
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Family and fossils: My grandchild Meg and a treasure trove
(Second of two parts) First of two parts : Family and fossils: My cousin Isko and my first precious find I found my second fossil—and a third, a fourth, in fact several shoe boxes full—practically at my doorstep. It was in the summer of 2003 when I was vacationing in Mandaue, the same summer my...
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Family and fossils: My cousin Isko and my first precious find
(First of two parts) I found my first fossil on a rocky shore in Catmon, a town an hour’s drive from Cebu City. My family and I were on a drive through the countryside north of the city: Liloan, Danao, Carmen, Catmon, Sogod … On the way back we stopped at the only decent public...
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14 Filipinos are among Asian Scientist Magazine’s top 100 researchers
Fourteen Filipinos, including CoverStory.ph’s science writer Mario Juan A. Aurelio and environmentalist Anna Oposa, are in Asian Scientist Magazine’s list of top 100 Asian researchers this year. The Asian Scientist 100 list “celebrates the success of the region’s best and brightest, highlighting their achievements across a range of scientific disciplines,’’ the magazine said on www.asianscientist.com....
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Are Mayon, Taal and Kanlaon volcanos connected?
Mayon Volcano is showing heightened activity, and people are asking why Taal and Kanlaon volcanos are acting up at the same time. “Are they connected?” asks an academician who confesses that she has “a thing” for volcanos and that she is “enthralled” by movies on volcanos and the Jules Verne novel “Journey to the Center...
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Scientists say the soul doesn’t die and returns to the universe
The existence of the soul, and whether it is immortal or not, has polarized great thinkers from both the philosophic-theological and scientific camps. The “physicalists” (those who hold that everything about us, from consciousness to higher rationality, can be explained by biochemical processes) are quick to say that the phenomenon of consciousness does not emanate...
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Digging for clues to Abra’s earthquakes
Last Oct. 25 at about 11 p.m., my earthquake alert app sounded while I was finalizing the visual material for my presentation at NIGSCON 2022 in two days. I would be discussing the magnitude-7 temblor that struck the province of Abra three months ago at the annual conference of the University of the Philippines’ National...
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Dolphin discovery hints at unexplored biodiversity-rich marine habitat
A rare Irrawaddy dolphin found dead in the waters of Calabanga, Camarines Sur, has suggested to scientists a rich marine biodiversity corridor yet to be discovered and explored in the eastern side of the Philippines. Named “Calab” by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Philippine Marine Mammals Stranding Network (PMMSN), the...
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Smallest rafflesia blooms reveal some family secrets
Most likely, the world has heard about the awesome rafflesia bloom, its rarity and inherent malodorous turnoff. But Filipino scientists are keen on further unlocking the mystery and meaning of the plant’s parasitic existence. Nearly half, or 13, of the more than 30 rafflesia species currently identified and all endemic to Southeast Asia are found...