BHUBANESWAR: Even as the sudden rift occurring in the Ranitola hills about eight kms from Narsinghpur in Cuttack district has been hailed as a divine miracle by the locals, a scientific study has established it as a natural phenomenon.

Gabion-retaining structures and use of high-strength geo-synthetics for soil reinforcement can find a lasting, environment friendly and cost-effective solution to the problem of recurring landslides in the geologically fragile hill state like Himachal Pradesh, asserts geo-technical engineering expert Minimol Korulla.

GANGTOK, June 18: A full-fledged geo-technical lab is set to ensure maximum land utilization in Sikkim. The state mines and Geology Department has initiated the task to modernise its laboratory to derive first hand data on different geological aspects of the Himalayan state.

Volcanic eruptions drove dinosaurs to extinction HOW did the dinosaurs disappear from the face of this earth? One school of thought blames it on volcanic eruptions from the Deccan Traps of India. Another insists on an asteroid that hit the earth aeons ago. One of the longest running debates in scientific history, freshly found evidence has fuelled it anew. The Chicxulub crater

Floods feared in Arunachal and Assam; governments least prepared a landslide on the Indo-Tibetan border has blocked the course of the river Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) resulting in the formation of a reservoir. This may cause flood in downstream areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam if the barrier of mud and debris bursts under pressure from water accumulating on the other side. The

Earlier studies said the glaciers have been retreating from the last 20,000 years, but that has now been disproved. A new study says glaciers started retreating only from the lat 258 years, writes Archita Bhatta

KOHIMA

zoology Undersea myths The mystery behind the underwater display of natural glow, seen by sailors time and again, has been solved. It is the bioluminescent marine fireworm that secretes a mucous which gives out a green glow to attract mates and ward off predators. Reported in the March issue of Invertebrate Biology, the study provides insights into how the fireworm functions