Hong Kong is probably sitting on the remains of a super volcano that erupted 140 million years ago. That's according to Geologists at Hong Kong’s Geotechnical Engineering office. After years of research, lead researcher Rodrick Sewell said the pieces of the puzzle finally fit together.
[Rodrick Sewell, Lead Researcher and Geologist at Hong Kong's Geotechnical Engineering Office]: "I think for any scientist, it's the 'a-ha' moment, after years and years of painstaking, systematic research, you suddenly see the story come together. And that is very exciting, when it comes together that way."
A super volcano erupts more than one thousand cubic meters of ash. Geologists estimate that the volcano sitting under Hong Kong spewed over 1,300 cubic meters of ash. This may sound quite frightening for Hong Kong residents, but Denise Tang assures us there is nothing to worry about.
[Denise Tang, Researcher and Geologist at Hong Kong's Geotechnical Engineering Office]: "Hong Kong's main city actually sits on a very old volcano, though people don't need to worry because the volcano is already extinct and it won't erupt again."
The volcano is 140 million years old and geologists speculate it may have erupted around the end of the Jurassic period. It is a plausible theory that the eruption of a few super volcanoes contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
[Rodrick Sewell, Lead Researcher and Geologist at Hong Kong's Geotechnical Engineering Office]: "This is the first well-documented example of a super volcano—an ancient one—in southeast China. But we suspect there are other hidden examples in south-east China that have yet to be discovered."
The Geotechnical Engineering office says the last eruption of a super volcano happened in New Zealand about 26,000 years ago.
Seven northern cheetah cubs made their public debut during a photo call at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, north of London, on Wednesday.The septuplets were born around twelve weeks ago, and seemed to enjoy their first outing by frolicking and chasing one another around the cheetah enclosure.
For mother Dubai it's the second litter, after she gave birth to five cubs in 2010. Only three litters have ever been produced in a UK zoo, and soon enough Dubai's cubs will be playing a vital role in the survival of their species.
[Marie Brown, Deputy Team Leader, Whipsnade Zoo]: "Northern cheetahs are extremely rare, rumoured to be less than 250 in the wild so we're very excited for her to breed for a second time.
She's (Dubai) bred once before. She had five cubs with her first litter, which was a couple of years ago, which was the first northern cheetahs to be born in the country so we're very excited that she's produced again and this time instead of five she's gone to seven so we're very pleased with that."
The cubs are part of the zoo's European Endangered Species Programme which aims to increase the population of endangered animal species. While they will be staying with mum Dubai for the next eighteen months, Brown says they will eventually be transferred to other European zoos to take part in breeding programme
[Marie Brown, Deputy Team Leader, Whipsnade Zoo]: "They'll feed off mum for quite a while but, yeah, they look like adults pretty much before we choose to remove them from mum which will probably be in about a year and a half's time."
Cheetahs are the fastest land mammals, reaching speeds of up to 70 mph once fully grown.
Hurricane Isaac makes landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
For some families it is a chance to play in the swelling ocean and be buffeted by the fierce waves.
For others, it is the perfect opportunity to get some impressive videos on their smart phone.
Many though, are quietly praying it won't be another Hurricane Katrina.
Authorities have urged thousands of residents in low-lying areas to leave, warning that the storm surge could reach up to 12 feet, flooding towns and cities in Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
Rainfall accumulations, possibly as much as 20 inches in some areas, could also trigger widespread flooding.
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