Extra terrestrial life

An extreme plunge in atmospheric oxygen levels will in a billion years' time will wipe out most of the life on the Earth, a study has predicted. Researchers from Japan and the US modelled how our planet's atmosphere will change in light of various biological, climatic and geological processes. Deoxygenation will result from the increasing flux of energy from the Sun as it brightens, increasing surface temperatures and reducing photosynthesis. They found that deoxygenation in some one billion years will return the atmosphere to an inhospitable, methane-rich composition — one reminiscent of the early Earth . This fate, they added, will occur before the arrival of so-called moist greenhouse conditions in which water will irreversibly leak from the planet's atmosphere. The findings suggest that atmospheric oxygen is not a permanent fixture of habitable planets, which has implications for our search for life on other worlds . An extreme plunge in atmospheric … [Read more...] about Most life on Earth will be WIPED OUT in a billion years due an extreme plunge in oxygen levels, scientists warn

The ex-wife of The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown has filed a lawsuit alleging the man known for writing about conspiracies and secret societies led a double life during their marriage that included a tryst with a Dutch horse trainer and other affairs. In her lawsuit filed Monday (Jun 29) in New Hampshire, Blythe Brown also claimed credit for inspiring much of his work and coming up with the premise for The Da Vinci Code. She also alleged that Brown hid scores of future projects worth "millions" from her, including a television series as well as a children's book due out in September. The most explosive allegations, however, are the extramarital affairs. Describing Brown's behaviour as "unlawful and egregious," Brown said she only learned about it after the pair divorced in 2019 after 21 years of marriage. She accuses the best-selling author of secretly diverting funds to pay for gifts to an unnamed horse trainer, including several Friesian horses and financing for his lover's … [Read more...] about Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown’s ex-wife alleges he led ‘clandestine life’

Like many of us glued to our social media feeds during this circuit breaker, I found myself “nominated” to do a popular online challenge: Ten days. Ten albums that changed your life. No explanation why. Just one album cover every day for 10 days. Friends know that I love music. But the thing is, I have no stamina for such challenges and would probably lose steam after Day 3. So I simply posted on Facebook that my selection would be all 13 studio albums by The Beatles. (Yes, I know how to count but this is the Fab Four we’re talking about here.) READ: Circuit Breaker Diaries: A week in the life of someone stuck at home with virtual yoga aunties So while my friends were diligently participating in this music-sharing exercise to while away the hours at home, I decided to embark on a different musical exercise. I’ve recently started to re-arrange my entire music collection. I had been meaning to do this anyway, after we renovated our flat, but, well, life got in the … [Read more...] about Learning life lessons from The Beatles and Kit Chan while I’m stuck at home

Winnie Teoh always feels good after a game of golf with friends. “It’s not just a fun way to stay fit,” says the semi-retired 70-year-old. “Golf also keeps my mind sharp and focused, plus I enjoy the social aspect of the sport – it’s an opportunity for me to catch up with friends and meet new people who share my love for the game.” Teoh, who looks years younger than her age, started playing golf in 2003. She usually plays at the Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen in China, just over the border from Hong Kong, and regularly joins golf outings organised by the Hong Kong Seniors Golf Society (HKSGS) and ZGS, the golf club of an international professional women’s organisation. Before the coronavirus pandemic, she played golf once a week – usually practising at Garden Farm Golf Centre in Sai Kung – but when golf courses in Hong Kong closed to curb the spread of the virus, Teoh kept active by doing daily warm-up and stretching exercises for 30 minutes. Golf may just be the perfect … [Read more...] about How to age well: Playing golf can add years to your life, studies suggest

Rashida Jones has more than a few strings to her bow. Between roles in a slew of cult TV hits like The Office , Parks and Recreation and Angie Tribeca , writing skills that span everything from poignant indie film Celeste & Jesse Forever to Toy Story 4 and Black Mirror , her Grammy-winning documentary Quincy , and a singing career to boot, Jones is a true multi-hyphenate. Lately, she’s been back in the comedy series realm as the larger-than-life Joya in Kenya Barris’ show #BlackAF . And now there’s her lead role in Sofia Coppola’s feature On the Rocks . Jones plays Laura, a Manhattan novelist and mother of two, who finds herself second-guessing her husband (Marlon Wayans)’s commitment. Joining forces with her errant bon vivant father (Bill Murray), hijinks ensue. Jones cites this as the role closest to her real self, as she muses over some career highlights and favorite memories. Related Story 'On The Rocks': Read The Screenplay For Sofia … [Read more...] about On My Screen: ‘On The Rocks’ Star Rashida Jones’ Favorite Film And Television Memories, Guilty Pleasures And Karaoke Hits

Baffled shoppers whose key fobs mysteriously stopped working in a Tesco car park have jokingly blamed aliens. North Herts Police received around 100 reports over the course of three days last week in relation to the unexplained phenomena in Royston. Officers went down to the supermarket in Old North Road with reps from communications regulator Ofcom to conduct a survey, with an investigation ongoing. The constabulary's statement , posted on Facebook , said that the issue appears to be intermittent and is "not being treated as malicious intent". Customers have been warned not to panic if they can't open their cars and instead to report it at the store's customer service desk. Have you experienced something similar? Let us know in the comments Commenters, however, took a more tongue-in-cheek approach, with some suggesting it could be due to extra terrestrial activity. Samantha Elliott said: "I thought it was some kind of alien phenomena. "My fob wouldn't … [Read more...] about Over 100 Tesco shoppers locked out of their cars after key fobs mysteriously stop working