The sun is heading into an unusual and extended period of hibernation that could trigger a mini-Ice Age on Earth, scientists claim.

A decrease in global warming might result in the years after 2020, the approximate time when sunspots are expected to disappear for years, maybe even decades.

While the effects of a calmer sun are mostly good - there'd be fewer disruptions of satellites and power systems - it could see a sharp turnaround in global warming.

An absence of sunspots is not an unprecedented situation. It has happened before, but not since the early 18th century.

Lead researcher Frank Hill, of the National Solar Observatory, said: 'The solar cycle is maybe going into hiatus, sort of like a summertime TV show.'

While scientists don't know why the sun is going quiet, all the signs are that it will.

Dr Hill and his team have based their prediction on three changes in the sun spotted by scientific teams - weakening sunspots; fewer streams spewing from the poles of the sun's corona; and a disappearing solar jet stream.

Dr Richard Altrock, the study's co-author and an astrophysicist at the Air Force Research Laboratory, said these three cues show that 'there's a good possibility that the sun could be going into some sort of state from which it takes a long time to recover'.

Their prediction is specifically aimed at the solar cycle starting in 2020.

Experts say the sun has already been unusually quiet for about four years with few sunspots - higher magnetic areas that appear as dark spots.

The enormous magnetic field of the sun dictates the solar cycle, which includes sunspots, solar wind and ejection of fast-moving particles that sometimes hit Earth.

Every 22 years, the sun's magnetic field switches north and south, creating an 11-year sunspot cycle.

At peak times, like 2001, there are sunspots every day and more frequent solar flares and storms that could disrupt satellites.

Earlier this month, David Hathaway, Nasa's top solar storm scientist, predicted that the current cycle, which started around 2009, will be the weakest in a century.

Mr Altrock also thinks the current cycle won't have much solar activity, after tracking streamers from the solar corona, the sun's outer atmosphere seen during eclipses.

The streamers normally become busy around the sun's poles a few years before peak solar storm activity.

That 'rush to the poles' would have happened by now, but it hasn't and there's no sign of it yet. That also means the cycle after that is uncertain, he said.

Matt Penn of the National Solar Observatory, another study co-author, said sunspot magnetic fields have been steadily decreasing in strength since 1998.

If they continue on the current pace, their magnetic fields will be too weak to become spots as of 2022 or so, he said.

Jet streams on the sun's surface and below are also early indicators of solar storm activity, and they have not formed yet for the 2020 cycle. That indicates that there will be little or delayed activity in that cycle, said Hill, who tracks jet streams.

There are questions about what this means for Earth's climate. Three times in the past the regular 11-year solar cycle has gone on an extended vacation - at the same time as cool periods on Earth.

Sceptics of man-made global warming from the burning of fossil fuels have often pointed to solar radiation as a possible cause of a warming Earth, but they are in the minority among scientists.

Earth has warmed as solar activity has decreased.

Mr Hill and his colleagues wouldn't discuss the effects of a quiet sun on temperature or global warming.

'If our predictions are true, we'll have a wonderful experiment that will determine whether the sun has any effect on global warming,' he said.

Source: Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2003824/Earth-facing-mini-
Ice-Age-years-rare-drop-sunspot-activity.html#ixzz1POl8U3SH

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How can we possibly know where UFOs will choose to land, should mass landings occur? While we cannot know the alien mind, it is irrefutable that these UFO occupants are highly intelligent and therefore, logical. It might not be our idea of logic, but one mutual perception humans share with the UFO occupants must be the perception of the existence of the blue/green planet called Earth.

If we were looking at Earth from on high, and planning mass landings, where would we choose? Where would be our top ten choices?

The objective of mass landings would be intended for humankind’s perception, because for many years, UFOs have been sited over relatively vacant mountains, fields, valleys, dark highways – all places where humans en masse, are not.

At the time of mass landings, which many feel will be soon, suddenly UFOs will be aiming for places where many humans are, not just to fly over, but to land.

Following logic, Earth is composed of land and sea. There would be no point in landing on the sea because few humans are out there. So, let’s look at the land.

The militaries of Earth are a constant hassle to UFOs, whether the UFO occupants are good guys or bad guys. UFO occupants would not want to land with a military base nearby. When the alien folk actually set foot, claws, paws, hooves, or pedestals, on Earth soil, they would be more vulnerable than in the skies nestled within their advanced craft. They might figure if they could land quickly and quietly, not tipping off the military, that they would have a period of time on the ground before the alarm went up that the aliens had landed.

Therefore, UFO occupants would plan to land where there are a reasonable number of humans, but not near a military base.

The UFO beings would logically feel they should make themselves known on every continent of Earth, with the possible exception of Antarctica, where many believe they have a large base, anyway. Northern and Southern Hemispheres should be represented in the landings.

The aliens’ perspective from on high is that Earth is one planet, and so countries like the United States which thinks of itself as important on the world stage, might not be considered to be any more important than the smallest of countries.

Will traditionally mystical areas enter into the aliens’ decision? Will Stonehenge, the plains of Nazca, the Egyptian pyramids, Mount Shasta, or Newgrange, be among the preferred landing sites? Logically, there is no reason that UFO occupants would have to land near these places. Even if “ancient astronauts” were involved in some of these places, the aliens today might not be any more sentimental about those places than humans are about having likely roots in Afghanistan. These places are not places to automatically toss into the top landing site choices.

However, other aliens may argue that humans have placed great importance in a number of mystical sites over the years, and that since these first landings are largely symbolic in nature, then the mystical sites should be well represented. “Here we are, we do exist, we came to meet you at last, and we are happy you have looked for us in the mystical places of Earth. We like these places, too.”

With these logical qualifications in mind, and with a bit of intuitive guidance, here are the top ten likely UFO landing sites when the objective finally becomes: To meet and greet humans.

Then what happens after the mass landings? That is a subject for another day.

Top Ten UFO Landing Sites
1. Listvyanka, village on the shore of Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia
Lake Baikal, the oldest and deepest lake on the planet, suffers from pollution these days. Local stories have it that the Lake Baikal monster is the result of ingesting contaminated water. Logically, UFO occupants would choose a symbolic place where Planet Earth has created an amazing body of water which is 30 million years old; aliens would be aware of the fact that Lake Baikal has enough water to supply the world with fresh water for half a century. However, it has been badly contaminated by human ignorance and carelessness, another truth the aliens might wish to stress. Lake Baikal is still remote, the nearest airport is in the city of Irkatsk, an hour away.

2. East of the Black Seaport of Samsun, Turkey
There, the Yesilirmak (Green River) flows through a fertile delta. This is the ancient land of the Amazons, a legend which later spread to South America. The Amazon River, of course was named after this mythical tribe of warrior women along the Yesilirmak in what is now Turkey. UFO occupants would choose a symbolic area where the female of the human species once ruled, in an effort to embrace both male and female aspects of universal creation. Turkey is itself an ancient civilization, standing between East and West; UFO occupants would wish to acknowledge both cultural traditions of humankind.

3. Just outside Manaus, Brazil, on the Rio Negro coast
The Amazon River and Rain Forest are the most vital resource on the face of the planet; extraterrestrials would wish to give symbolic importance to this important feature of Earth’s surface, which provides a home for uncounted exotic life forms. Logging and clearing of vast areas of the Amazon Rainforest, are a threat to the entire planet. Certainly UFO occupants would wish to pay tribute to “the lungs of Planet Earth,” The Amazon River and Rainforest. Also, along the Amazon there still exist Native Tribes who are threatened by commercial interests which want them off the land; UFO occupants perceive this as an ancient struggle between corporate greed and the native, original human, and would wish to acknowledge this struggle.

4. Kodiak Island, Alaska
On the south side of the 80th largest island in the world, Kodiak Island, there are few trees; this is good for landing. Kodiak’s north and west sides are mountainous and forested. Landing on the south side of Kodiak, UFO occupants symbolically acknowledge the extreme northern ecosystems of Earth. Kodiak is the home of the Kodiak Bear, King Salmon, King Crab, and a number of other unique Arctic life forms. Also the Inuit Native People represent the northern native human tribes which UFO occupants would wish to acknowledge. It would be planned that a number of Native People would witness the actual mass landings of UFOs.

5. Fertile Plain near Cheng Du, China
More than 4,000 years ago, Cheng Du was the location of the beginning of the Bronze Age. Today, it is the thriving commercial and financial center of Sichuan Province in southeast China. This area has recently been plagued with earthquakes, several of which were high on the Richter scale. UFO occupants wish to recognize China, home to one third of the human population and one of the birthplaces of human civilization, as well acknowledging its recent struggles against “earth changes,” which includes huge sink holes as well as earthquakes, the threat of massive government-built hydroelectric dams bursting, and the extreme pollution of the area’s rivers.

6. Kyushu Island, Japan
Badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake which registered 9.0, and the following giant tsunamis, Kyushu has suffered recently. UFO occupants first want to acknowledge this major catastrophe. Japan’s largest volcano, Mt. Aso, is also situated on Kyushu, which is Japan’s third largest island of four. Hot springs also indicate that Mother Earth is very restless around Kyushu; Earth’s current volatile state is an important reality to the aliens. UFO occupants feel that landing in China means Japan must also be among the first landing sites; these two major Far-East civilizations have been historical enemies. Now both will be in harmony as being chosen to be “among the first.”

7. Uluru-Ayers Rock, Australia
In another acknowledgement of Earth’s original native people, UFO occupants might well choose to land near Ayers Rock, in the southern part of Australia’s Northern Territory. The Anangu, which is the Aborigines’ name their tribe, long ago believed that Uluru (Ayers Rock) landed upon the desert plain “from the sky.” UFO occupants also wish to “meet and greet” both New Zealand and Australia’s current civilizations. As time progresses, UFOs will land in many other areas, including New Zealand, and perhaps choosing “which will be the first ten sites?’’ is a difficult decision which aliens have debated amongst themselves.

8. Kalahari Desert, Botswana, Africa
Near the town of Ghanzi in the western part of the Kalahari Desert. Ghanzi has an approximate population of 9, 990 people which makes it a good landing site. UFO occupants will at long last wish to be seen, but will not land in huge cities first, unlike some speculations. Aliens will plan to land in large cities soon after the human population assimilates the news of the ten first landings. The Kalahari Desert, which is exotically red in some areas, used to have much more rain. Elephants, giraffes, several species of big cats, and other African wildlife used to live in the semi-arid Kalahari. Over-development and grazing land have spoiled this natural area for native wildlife, and UFO occupants wish to acknowledge these problems which are truly worldwide. They also wish to a acknowledge Mother Africa, the birthplace of all of Earth’s many tribes.

9. Summer Isles, Scotland
It may be perplexing to UFO occupants: Do we land in Palestine or Israel? This dispute is so volatile that UFO occupants may well choose not to land in either area at first. “We are not picking sides in human disputes!”

“Do we land in the United Kingdom, or Ireland? We note that this ancient dispute is heating up again.” And so, aliens may well choose the largest of the Summer Isles in Scotland. While technically in the United Kingdom, Scotland has retained pride in its Celtic roots along with Ireland and Wales. UFO occupants also would give a nod to ancient pagan ways which are exemplified in the image of the Summer Isles, in northwest Scotland and are as unspoiled as any place in Europe. This landing is the acknowledgement of Europe in the first ten landings. Other European areas will receive landings soon thereafter.

10. Devil’s Tower, Wyoming
UFO occupants acknowledge the first UFO landing in movie history at Devil’s Tower in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” They would wish humankind to know that they (the aliens), are well aware of our culture and curiosity about them, and so this almost humorous tenth choice in the continental United States. Devil’s Tower was first called “Bad God’s Tower” by an English explorer when his interpreter misunderstood him. However, this unusual formation which remains a puzzle as to its exact origin, was a sacred place for many native tribes for thousands of years; these include the Lakota, Shoshone, Arapaho, Crow, and Cheyenne. In their first landings, aliens wish to acknowledge the native tribes of Earth, rather than the current large cities and dominant financial centers. This is in line with the spirituality which many feel people from the positive extraterrestrial and other-dimensional beings.

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People who take in the caffeine equivalent of three cups of brewed coffee (or seven cups of instant) are more likely to hallucinate, a new study suggests.

The researchers found that people with a caffeine intake that high, whether it came from coffee, tea, chocolate or caffeinated energy drinks or pills, had a three-times-higher tendency to hear voices and see things that were not there than those who consumed the equivalent of a half-cup of brewed coffee (or one cup of instant coffee).

Though most people who drink loads of coffee are not known to hallucinate seriously, when these types of experiences interfere with daily functioning, they are considered to be psychotic.

Seven cups of instant coffee contain a total of 315 milligrams of caffeine, according to data used by the researchers. That translates to about six cups of strong tea, nine colas, four Red Bulls and about one-and-a-half cups of coffee at a boutique café.

Wide range of effects

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that temporarily wards off drowsiness and restores alertness. Some 90 percent of North Americans consume some of form caffeine every day. It is the world's most widely used drug, researchers say.

Caffeine is completely absorbed by the stomach and small intestine within 45 minutes of ingestion.

In moderation, caffeine can increase the capacity for mental or physical labor, but when used in excess, it also can be intoxicating, causing nervousness, irritability, anxiety, muscle twitching, insomnia, headaches and heart palpitations, other studies have shown.

The researchers at Durham University say the findings will contribute to the beginnings of a better understanding of the effect of nutrition on hallucinations and other forms of psychotic behavior, such as delusions and schizophrenia. Changes in food and drink consumption, including caffeine intake, could help people cope with or prevent hallucinations, say the scientists. The results are detailed in the journal Personality and Individual Differences.

Caffeine exacerbates stress

In the study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Medical Research Council, 200 non-smoking students at a United Kingdom university were asked about their typical intake of caffeine-containing products, such as coffee, tea and energy drinks, as well as chocolate bars and caffeine tablets.

Their stress levels and their propensity to have hallucinatory experiences were also assessed. Seeing things that were not there, hearing voices, and sensing the presence of dead people were amongst the experiences reported by some of the participants.

The explanation could be that caffeine has been found to exacerbate the physiological effects of stress. When under stress, the body releases a stress hormone called cortisol. More of this hormone is released in response to stress when people have recently had caffeine.

This extra boost of cortisol may link caffeine intake with an increased tendency to hallucinate, said study leader Simon Jones, a graduate student at Durham's Psychology Department.

Hallucination links

Jones and his colleague assumed that psychotic experiences, including hallucinations, "exist on a continuum stretching into the healthy population," so they studied the relationship between caffeine and hallucinations in a healthy population, rather than a population of mental patients or those on antipsychotic medication. Previous research has highlighted a number of factors, such as childhood trauma, which may lead to clinically relevant hallucinations, Jones said.

Many such factors are thought to be linked to hallucinations in part because of their impact on the body's reaction to stress. Given the link between food and mood, and particularly between caffeine and the body's response to stress, it seems sensible to examine what a nutritional perspective may add.

"Hallucinations are not necessarily a sign of mental illness," Jones said. "Most people will have had brief experiences of hearing voices when there is no one there, and around three percent of people regularly hear such voices. Many of these people cope well with this and live normal lives."

Those who cannot cope should seek professional help.

Caffeine for coping?

It is possible that the association between caffeine intake and hallucinations was due to the fact that people who are prone to associations tend to use caffeine to help them cope with their experiences, said Durham psychologist Charles Fernyhough, who worked with Jones on the research.

"More work is needed to establish whether caffeine consumption, and nutrition in general, has an impact on those kinds of hallucination that cause distress," Fernyhough said.

Source: LiveScience
http://www.livescience.com/3230-caffeine-hallucinations.html

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