NASA’s HiRise camera reveals breathtaking sand-dunes on Mars

clipped from www.independent.co.uk The wonder of Mars in its seasonal glory These images of sand dunes in Proctor Crater were taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter clipped from www.independent.co.uk clipped from www.independent.co.uk This stereo image suggests a process of rock formation called ‘rhythmic bedding’ in sedimentary rock within the Becquerel crater. A three-dimensional analysis on pairs of images confirmed the regularity of the repetition in the thickness of the beds. The image covers an area about half a mile wide clipped from www.independent.co.uk These dark, fern-like features on the floor of the Antoniadi Crater tell the story of an ancient wet environment on Mars where life may have existed. One hypothesis is that these represent a network of channels that now stand in inverted relief. The channels may have become filled in with materials more resistant to erosion clipped from www.independent.co.uk This false-colour image shows gully channels in a crater in the southern highlands of Mars. The gullies emanate from cliffs near the crater’s rim.

Hubble’s greatest hits: Top 20 images

Hubble has given us a keyhole glimpse of the heart of the Milky Way. Most of our view of the galaxy is obscured by dust, but Hubble has peered into the Sagittarius Star Cloud, a narrow, dust-free region, providing this image of some of the oldest inhabitants of our galaxy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/gallery/2009/may/06/hubble-space-telescope-images?picture=346949826

Toy Story 3 Teaser Trailer (HD)

Directed by Lee Unkrich. The creators of the beloved “Toy Story” films re-open the toy box and bring moviegoers back to the delightful world of Woody, Buzz and our favorite gang of toy characters in “Toy Story 3.” Lee Unkrich (co-director of “Toy Story 2″ and “Finding Nemo”) directs this highly anticipated film, and Michael Arndt, the Academy Award®-winning screenwriter of “Little Miss Sunshine,” brings his unique talents and comedic sensibilities to the proceedings. Hits theaters June 18, 2010 in Disney Digital 3-D

Full mouse genome reveals treasury of new genes – University of Oxford

The mouse has become only the second mammal after the human to have its entire genome laid bare, and University of Oxford researchers playing a key role.

Knowledge of the full mouse genome, which is published in the journal PLoS Biology, will now allow scientists to neatly separate the biology humans share with mice from biology found in one species only. This will enhance scientists’ ability to select the genes most applicable to human disease when developing mouse models.

via http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2009/090527_1.html

Endangered Indonesian coral reefs

Southeast Asia’s biologically diverse coral reefs will disappear by the end of this century and wipe out coastal economies if climate change isn’t addressed, conservation group WWF said in a report. The report, released to coincide with the World Ocean Conference in Manado, Sulawesi, warns that a do-nothing scenario will lead to a steady rise in sea temperatures and the death of the coral reefs.

clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Blue sea squirt tunicates and yellow cave coral on a coral reef in Sulawesi, Indonesia clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Gorgonian is a type of coral and as such is an animal, not a plant clipped from www.guardian.co.uk clipped from www.guardian.co.uk A soft coral expands its body to catch food particles in the currents of Komodo National Park clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Reticulated dascyllus and staghorn coral clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Bubble coral shrimp clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Featherstar on gorgonian coral on Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Sea pen polyps are soft corals or octocorals and they are made up of polyps each with eight tentacles clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Fluorescing hard coral in Alor, Indonesia clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Pink squat lobster on coral clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Close-up of orange soft coral and green soft coral underwater, north Sulawesi, Indonesia clipped from www.guardian.co.uk A porcelain crab blends with a soft coral striations on the Raja Ampat Islands Indonesia clipped from www.guardian.co.uk A necklace seastar on a gorgonian coral, Indonesia clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Longnose hawkfish on a giant gorgonian sea fan in Bali

Delhi’s storytellers will treat New York to the tales of Amir Hamza

More on Hamzanama or Adventures of Amir Hamza.

Delhi’s dastangos and Naseeruddin Shah will treat New Yorkers to the tales of Amir Hamza

In New York, the city where two collapsing towers inextricably linked Islam with terrorism, a unique initiative is under way to celebrate another facet of the religion — art and culture. Performers — from US to Iran, from Pakistan to France — will come together for “Muslim Voices: Arts and Ideas”, a 10-day festival that begins on June 5 and is organised by the Asia Society, Brooklyn Academy of Music and the New York University Center for Dialogues. India will be represented through an old art form — dastangoi or dramatic storytelling, which dates to medieval Iran and once brightened up balmy evenings on the steps of Jama Masjid. Delhi-based dastangos (storytellers) Danish Hussain and Mahmoud Farooqui, who have been keeping the art alive, will be joined by actor Naseeruddin Shah in New York.

via Hear, hear.