Did you know that the more spots a male peacock has on his tail, the more likely he is to father babies, survive harsh winters and escape predators? Scientists think that only the healthiest males have lots of spots and that is why they are more successful than other males.
No-stick fault
No-stick fault Researchers believe that the slabs that form the
San Andreas Fault in California may be uniquely lubricated, as they
produce less heat that other faults do. Chris Scholz of Columbia
University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory reports that a fluid
associated with the slabs may be removing the heat usually found in
faults and allowing it to slip. This new information may allow
scientists to predict earthquakes caused by the fault more
accurately. Currently, the San Andreas Fault has not produced the
number of earthquakes expected by experts, and this may be due to
the lubrication at work in the fault lines. 19 APRIL 2000