Unique Mexican amphibian nears extinction

[Barrett808]

Urban growth is quickly driving one of the world's most bizarre creatures into extinction. According to a new study, the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), a Mexican amphibian that never metamorphoses past its larval stage, has seen a 90 percent population drop in the last four years. Only an estimated 700 to 1,200 axolotls now remain. The species was already listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

http://desdemonadespair.blogspot.com/2009/08/unique-mexican-amphibian-nears.html

[Triana]

1. ..and we're just gonna keep on until it's us, too stupid to stop...

...no one wants to talk about where we're headed...

[Barrett808]

2. Triana -- I love that name

And especially, I love Triana Orpheus!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triana_Orpheus

[Triana]

3. Awwwr thanks! While I do have slight Goth tendencies, Triana as I use it actually refers to this...

...

http://cloud.ucsd.edu/dscovr/objectives/32.html

It was a satellite meant to observe the Earth's atmosphere and measure, among other things, greenhouse gases. It was initiated by Al Gore, and the satellite and mission was scrapped, of course, once George bu$h was appointed King. So, thus my moniker.

:hi:

[bananas]

5. I read they may still launch it: July 23, 2009 GoreSat Is Back

edit to add more recent information:

http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2009/07/goresat_is_back.html

July 23, 2009
GoreSat Is Back

Keith's note: According to the Senate Armed Services Committee report on the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2010 Triana (aka "DSCOVR" or "GoreSat") is back: "The Air Force is very interested in the space weather information and is part of an interagency team looking at the possibility of refurbishing DSCOVR and launching it to an orbit referred to as L1, about one million miles from Earth on a line with the Sun. If the team determines that the satellite can be refurbished and launched, they will make a recommendation to the President. Notionally, NOAA and NASA would pay for refurbishing the satellite, the Air Force would pay for the launch, and all agencies would receive the data."

Full report excerpt below:


NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010 REPORT 111–35

Page 166 "Deep Space Climate Observatory

<snip>

Wikipedia references an earlier article:

Deep Space Climate Observatory
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Triana (satellite))

..

In November 2008 the satellite was removed from storage and began recertification for a possible launch on board a Delta II or a Falcon 9. <5>

...

5.^ ""Mothballed satellite sits in warehouse, waits for new life"". March 1, 2009. http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0903/01dscovr/. Retrieved 2009-03-01.

...

Mothballed satellite sits in warehouse, waits for new life
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: March 2, 2009

The long-grounded Deep Space Climate Observatory may be revived for an assignment very different from the controversial mission that was cancelled for its infamous mix of politics and science.


The DSCOVR spacecraft as seen last month. Credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now

NASA, NOAA and the U.S. Air Force completed a comprehensive study last month to determine the feasibility of finally launching the refrigerator-sized satellite, which has been confined to a lonely corner of a Maryland warehouse for seven years.

<snip>

"The first time we opened up the spacecraft, it worked perfectly," said Joe Burt, a NASA official overseeing the testing. "It was like it had just been asleep."

<snip>

[Yunomi]

4. Aw, man!

Those are the coolest looking things. I wonder how much the pet trade is to blame. I used to see them in herp stores fairly frequently.