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A harbinger is a sign of things to come. Throughout history and literature, harbingers and omens figure prominently, and are responsible for major decisions which have altered the course of both.

Top Stories

• Giant Jellyfish, known as Nomura's Jellyfish, have been discovered approaching the Sea of Japan in alarming numbers. Local communities brace for possible disaster.-read more

Arts

• Author Frank McCourt dies at 78 [1], [2], [3]
• Record Companies embracing file-sharing software [4], [5], [6], [7]
• Museum Sues Website For Uploading Images [8] (interesting. When I found the headline, I didn't realise the website in question was WP...)

Geography

• Scientists Look Beyond Earth To Understand Auroras [9], [10], [11], [12]
• Project Aims To Channel Quebecs Rivers To Generate Power [13], [14], [15], [16]

Mathematics

• Height Of Large Waves Changes According To Month [17], [18], [19], [20], [21]
• Mathematicians Take Aim At 'Phantom' Traffic Jams: New Model Could Help Design Better Roads [22], [23]

Science

• Total solar eclipse [24], [25], [26]
• CT scans reveal mummies' long-lost secrets [27], [28], [29], [30]
• Space Shuttle Endeavour docked with the international space station [31], [32], [33]

Society

Giant Jellyfish Population Swells in Sea of Japan

Nomura's Jellyfish being tagged by a diver

Japanese researchers conducting marine surveys discovered alarming numbers of Nomura's Jellyfish floating towards the Sea of Japan. Nomura's Jellyfish can grow up to 6 ft (1.83 m) wide, and weigh more than 450 bs ( kg). Twice before - in 2005, and again in 2007 - nomura's jellyfish have swarmed the Sea of Japan. Both times the enormous jellyfish destroyed fishermens nets, and poisoned the rest of the catch. Human injuries were rare, but there were reports of fatalities due to the massive jellyfishes noxious sting. Japanese scientists have speculated that the heavy rains in China's Yangtze River Delta may have created a current that is pushing the jellyfish flotilla to Japan. Another theory suggests that warmer seas caused by global warming have created more favorable breeding conditions, causing the jellyfishes numbers to swell.

Impact on the Economy

As the jellyfish float in they get caught in fishermens nets, often leaving the net completely useless. Fishermen in the area often use expenseive labarynthine nets that can stretch for hundreds of kilometres. Usually the nets are owned by large communities of fishermen, and in some cases the entire fishing community. When the jellyfish destroy the nets, the communites that owned the nets are economically devastated. In most cases the communities entire livelyhood depends on the fishing industry, and few can afford to lose nets to the jellyfish.

The swarms in 2005 and 2007 have prompted the Japanese government to put a warning system in place for fishermen. When the Jellyfish get close, the alarm will sound, and fishermen will pull in their nets. They still lose the fish they may have caught while the jellyfish are in the area, but they don't have to worry about losing their nets anymore. [34], [35], [36]

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• Dad loses job; boy sells his toys [37], [38], [39], [40]
• Fighter jet crashes in Afghanistan [41], [42]