A new theory about Uttarakhand
In the immediate aftermath of the flood, scientists speculated that it may have been caused by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF). The problem: There aren’t any glacial lakes in that location. But satellite images suggest that the real culprit may be a landslide—which triggered something called a Landslide Lake Outburst Flood (LLOF):
“A landslide or snow avalanche can create obstructions in the normal path of a flowing river or stream, which results in the formation of a temporary pool, or a dam-like situation. When this obstruction finally gives way to the force of accumulating water, it creates a situation similar to a lake burst. In the case of an avalanche, snow adds to the volume of water.”
But most experts agree that the exact cause will remain unknown until a team on the ground takes a closer look.
The rescue at Tapovan: The official death count is 26, and 187 are still missing. And there is a massive effort underway to rescue 34 trapped in a 1900-metre long tunnel at the Tapovan hydroelectric project—which was one of the under-construction dams swept away by the waters. Rescue teams are still optimistic even though it's been more than 24 hours:
“Unless the victims drowned in the slush in the first few hundred metres, there is every chance they are still alive deep inside the tunnel. Since it’s a long tunnel, there is likelihood of enough oxygen being trapped there. Once we find even a small way through the slush, we will infuse oxygen into the tunnel through pipes.”
But the families are losing hope with each passing hour. Indian Express has more. This September Scroll investigation looks at a 90-km highway-building project called the Char Dham Pariyojana—which threatens the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas.
A new list for Twitter
First, the company blocked and then unblocked 100 accounts—which in turn spurred the government to threaten “legal consequences” (explained here).
- Now, the government has sent a fresh list of 1,200 accounts to Twitter, asking the company to suspend or block them in India.
- The notice claims these accounts “were flagged by security agencies as accounts of Khalistan sympathisers or backed by Pakistan.”
- We have no clue who’s on the list, but government sources say they include “automated bots used for sharing and amplifying misinformation and provocative contents on farmers protests.” We presume they don’t mean Rihanna.
- Twitter meanwhile has reached out to the government: “Safety of our employees is a top priority. We continue to be engaged with the government from a position of respect and have reached out to the minister for a formal dialogue.” But the spokesperson also emphasized the “open and free exchange of information has a positive global impact, and that the tweets must continue to flow.”
In other Twitter-related news: The Maharashtra government is taking the Twitter tamasha to the next level. It has ordered a probe into the coordinated Bollywood celeb tweets in support of the farm laws (ICYMI, details are here). The pressing questions the police will investigate:
“Are these tweets posted under some pressure? Were they forced to do the same? Our intelligence agencies will look into it. How are the tweets of Akshay Kumar and Saina Nehwal the same? This will be looked into."
Also brawling over farmers: Mia Khalifa who called out Priyanka Chopra for staying mum on the farmer protests—after a single tweet back in December. But we were more bemused by this clip of Khalifa chowing down a delicious-looking meal, accompanied by this tweet:
“Thank you @rupikaur_ for this beautifully harvested feast, and thank you @theJagmeetSingh for the Gulab [jamun]!!! I’m always worried I’ll get too full for dessert, so I eat it during a meal. You know what they say, one Gulab [jamun] a day keeps the fascism away! #FarmersProtests.”
Better mute or a little tone deaf? 🤔
Mixed news about the Oxford vaccine
The vaccine works better with some variants than others. According to new research, it is about 75% effective at preventing an infection from the UK variant, as opposed to an efficacy rate of 84% against older versions. OTOH, South Africa has suspended its rollout of the vaccine. The reason: early (and shaky) data shows that it may offer “minimal protection against its variant.
In related news: New research shows that delaying the second dose of the Oxford vaccine to 12 weeks actually makes the second jab more effective.
Speaking of the UK variant: It may very soon become the dominant version in the United States—which is worrying since it is more infectious and possibly more lethal (see our explainer here).
Tesla bets big on crypto
Tesla announced that it has bought $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin—pushing its value to an all-time high, surging past $44,000 for the very first time. The company also said it will start accepting payments in bitcoin in exchange for its products “subject to applicable laws and initially on a limited basis.” The announcement added nearly $100 billion to the combined market value of bitcoin and Tesla. Wall Street Journal (via Mint) is not impressed:
“The investment is more than symbolic for the company, being equivalent to Tesla’s research-and-development tab for 2020. And while uniting two of the most popular investment themes under one roof is undoubtedly a winner today, the decision introduces even more risk to owning what is already one of the most speculative stocks of the current bull market.”
Tamil debut film wins big!
‘Pebbles’ (Koozhangal) won the Hivos Tiger Award 2021 at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). The directorial debut of Vinothraj PS is only the second Indian film to win the honour in the film festival's history—after Malayalam movie ‘S Durga’ won the top honour in 2017. Explaining its decision, the jury said:
“In the midst of many admirable and ambitious works, the jury was blown away by a seemingly simple and humble film we fell in love with instantly… Creating a maximum impact with a minimum in means, the filmmaker reaches his goal with the same conviction and determination as his main characters. The result is a lesson in pure cinema, captivating us with its beauty and humor, in spite of its grim subject.”
The ‘grim subject’ is the journey of a wife-beating alcoholic with his son as he sets out to bring back her back in the midst of a drought. The Indian Express has more details. Variety has more on the other winners. Watch the trailer below:
Smart contact lenses are here!
The cutting-edge design features an ultra-thin mesh sensor that measures light, temperature and glucose levels in your tears—which is critical for patients who have diabetes or heart disease or suffered a stroke. The next-gen version could have power modules and antennas, allowing the lens to transmit wireless data. FYI, from what we can gather, it does nothing for your myopia. Times UK (paywall) or Daily Mail.
Two fun things
One: Serena Williams' awesome AusOpen outfit—a one-legged catsuit, which paid tribute to track legend Florence Griffith Joyner. The Guardian explains why Flo-Jo holds great significance for Williams.
Two: This koala that caused a five-car pile up when it tried to cross a freeway in Australia—when a driver suddenly stopped to rescue it (no doubt, because the wildfires have already killed far too many). Soon, everyone was running around trying to catch the bear. The result: This excellent clip of the koala in a car. Yup, that’s the only reason we included this item:
