Active volcanoes around the world Here are spectacular pictures of some active volcanoes around the world.

When Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon for the first time

Wonder what really happened when Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon? Well, here's what he wrote to NPR blogger Robert Krulwich that may quench your curiosity too.

In an article he wrote for 'Krulwich Wonders,' Krulwich pondered why the 1969 Apollo 11 astronauts didn't venture more than 90 yards from the Lunar Module.

And interestingly, NASA astronaut Armstrong responded to Krulwich's blog by sending him a long email.

In the message, Armstrong gave a wonderfully vivid explanation as to what it was like on the lunar surface and why they were limited by what they could do.

"It is true that we were cautious in our planning. There were many uncertainties about how well our Lunar module systems and our Pressure suit and backpack would match the engineering predictions in the hostile lunar environment," Discovery News quoted Armstrong as writing in the e-mail.

To ensure the Apollo astronauts stayed cool Armstrong said, "We were operating in a near perfect vacuum with the temperature well above 200 degrees Fahrenheit"-NASA had designed a water-cooling system that pumped water around the astronauts' bodies. But this was the first time it was being used, so there were uncertainties about its performance."

"To verify the cooling system's performance after a lunar walk, the astronauts got back into the re-pressurized lunar module and "were able to drain and measure the remaining water in the backpacks to confirm the predicted," he pointed out.

To minimize any unforeseen incidents, the pair had a strict mission plan, but that didn't mean Armstrong didn't stray just a little. He wrote, "Preflight planners wanted us to stay in TV range so that they could learn from our results how they could best plan for future missions. I candidly admit that I knowingly and deliberately left the planned working area out of TV coverage to examine and photograph the interior crater walls for possible bedrock exposure or other useful information. I felt the potential gain was worth the risk.

How Saturn's rings and inner moons were formed

According to a new study, Saturn's rings and inner moons were formed after the collision of a large satellite with the planet.

Saturn's rings are at present 90 to 95 percent water ice. Previous studies suggest that the rings formed when a small satellite was disrupted by an impacting comet.

"This scenario would have likely resulted in rings that were a mixture of rock and ice, rather than the ice-rich rings we see today," said Dr. Robin M. Canup, associate vice president of the SwRI Planetary Science Directorate in Boulder.

But the new study links the formation of the rings to the formation of Saturn's satellites.

Previous studies suggest that that multiple Titan-sized satellites originally formed at Saturn, but as their orbits spiralled into the planet, they were lost.

As they neared Saturn, the heat would cause its ice to melt and its rock to sink to its center. Such a satellite crosses the region of the current B ring, planetary tidal forces strip material from its outer icy layers, while its rocky core remains intact and eventually collides with the planet.

This produces an initial ice ring that is much more massive than Saturn's current rings.

"The new model proposes that the rings are primordial, formed from the same events that left Titan as Saturn's sole large satellite, " said Canup.

"The implication is that the rings and the Saturnian moons interior to and including Tethys share a coupled origin, and are the last remnants of a lost companion satellite to Titan."

During its extended mission, the Cassini spacecraft will measure the rings' current mass and will indirectly measure the pollution rate of the rings.

Now rent an apartment for a night at world''s tallest tower

For those who would like to spend a night at the world''s tallest tower, an online company in the UAE is offering a lucrative deal.

An overnight stay at a fully furnished apartment in Burj Khalifa can now be hired for as much as USD 285 and the deal announced by a Dubai-based firm comes with groceries, if needed.

Fitted with air conditioners, wireless Wi-Fi access point and work desks with PCs, the property can accomodate a maximum of four persons with a bedroom furnished with a double bed and two sofa beds.

However, if you are looking for a panoramic view of the 188-floor tower you are bound to be disappointed because the apartment is located on the 19th floor.

Burj Khalifa has 900 studio, up to four-bedroom apartments, while it also has Armani Residences with 144 fully furnished private apartments.

It offers luxurious recreational and leisure facilities including four swimming pools, an exclusive residents'' lounge, health and wellness facilities.

At mosphere, the world''s highest fine dining restaurant at Level 122 and At the Top, the world''s highest observatory deck with an outdoor terrace on Level 124 are the other attractions.

The deal is available at mydubaistay.com.

The lighter side: Top 8 WikiLeaks jokes

The WikiLeaks scandal has created nothing short of a storm worldwide, but there's a lighter side to everything. So here are the top eight WikiLeaks jokes to see the funnier side of it all.

8. WookieeLeaks: The leaked secrets are being seen in the realm of 'Star Wars.' For instance, Twitter users are posting messages under the tag 'WookieeLeaks'.

"Sources close to the Emperor claim that he was aware of the tragic design flaw that allowed Rebels to destroy the Death Star," goes one post.

7. David Letterman, antiterror mastermind: A State Department cable, according to news reports, was headlined 'David Letterman: Agent of influence.'

The point? American comedy or popular TV shows in Saudi Arabia might prevent youngsters from becoming terrorists, reports the Christian Science Monitor.

6. It's a generational thing: Jon Stewart of 'The Daily Show' brought in Aasif Mandvi, who said, "It's the 21st century, what I've coined the 'information age,' a glorious Utopian datascape in which everyone has a right to know everything about everyone. It's why I get to see your [private parts] at the airport."

5. The Onion website: The Onion website reveals, "Threats and aid offers equally ineffective in forcing Vladimir Putin to put a shirt on during diplomatic negotiations."

After a few more items, the Onion discloses a final secret, "U.S. diplomatic privacy measures are terrible."

4. Hitler: WikiLeaks is the latest story line to be overlaid onto a 'Downfall' scene in which Hitler rants in front of his inner circle.

In one, Hitler calls Assange and tries to get him interested in new details about the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

And another 'Downfall' parody shows Hitler getting angry because hackers have shut down access to WikiLeaks websites.

3. Sarah Palin hunts Assange: Video news reports by Next Media Animation (NMA), a Taiwan-based company, show Assange trying to obtain documents by personally sneaking into government buildings while Sarah Palin grabs her gun, apparently ready to help hunt him like a caribou.

2. "Well, that WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, turned himself in to police in England today," Jay Leno said this week on late night TV.

"When the judge asked him where he lived, he said he didn't want to give out that information. Well, you can understand that. Everybody has the right to privacy, don't they?"

1. Rep. Jack Kimble, a faux congressman from California, told his Twitter followers on Wednesday, "I have been attacked by Wikileaks. They have changed all the prices in my campaign shop to ridiculously low levels."

Comedian Jimmy Fallon said, "WikiLeaks supporters ... have hacked Sarah Palin's credit card information after she criticized founder Julian Assange. Sarah [is] very upset and hopes suspicious charges to her account can be 'refundiated.' "

The Big Question

Radia's machinations ensured that her boss Ratan Tata was never at a loss at the minister's hands.

Conversation with Sunil Arora

Sunil Arora, a 1980 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, was CMD of Indian Airlines between 2000 and 2005. In mid-2009, when there were talks of Ratan Tata being brought on the board of directors of Air India, Radia tried to push Arora's candidature for the post of the Air India CMD. Below is an excerpt from the telephonic conversation between Radia and Arora on June 1, 2009.

Sunil Arora, Former Indian Airlines chief: I believe that in this so-called spectrum allocation, the biggest beneficiary is the younger brother (read Anil Ambani).

Radia: Absolutely. That's why it's important to reverse the tide.

Arora: How come the younger brother is the biggest beneficiary and you people are supporting him (Raja) like anything?

Radia: I will explain it to you. It's a very complex issue.

Arora: We will talk on the other phone.

Radia: My client, Tata, has also been a beneficiary in this (2G scam).

Arora: Okay.

Conversation with Madhav Joshi
Madhav Joshi is Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary of Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd. Radia was in constant touch with him, providing him inside information about the future policy decisions being made by the DoT. Below are the excerpts from the telephonic conversation between Radia and Madhav on July 8, 2009.

Radia: "Madhav, the Government's view is? I have had a long chat with Mr Chandolia just now, spent about half-an-hour on the phone with him. The Government view is that we are not as of now looking at the Subodh Kumar report. We are going to send it to TRAI and that is going to take six months. In the meantime, whatever is our existing policy, subscriber-based, will continue. And therefore, while he assures that while we are in the queue, therefore, Anil Ambani can't get his 1.8 till we are given our 4.4 because we are effectively in the queue for those circles. Therefore his 1.8 will come only after we get our 4.4."

Conversation with Ratan Tata

Below are the excerpts from the 18-minute-long conversation between Radia and Tata on June 11, 2009.

Radia: "Anil (Tata Teleservices MD Anil Sardana) and I had gone to meet up the minister. And I've been meeting him separately. The sense I'm getting is that while he is moving ahead as far as 3G is concerned, the sense I'm getting is that he seems to be quite hell-bent on this 6.6 MHz going to Anil Ambani and I have told him that I will oppose it vehemently unless we get all our spectrum." She could be further heard briefing Tata on the strategies she was deploying to get him more spectrum. 

Radia: "So we have moved two-three processes. One, we want harmonisation of spectrum to start, with harmonisation taking place, lot of spectrum will get cleared in some of areas. The second thing I said to him is that there is about 5 MHz coming in from defence on 2G. What I'm proposing on that is that you first give us our 4.4 in Delhi from that."

Radia: "Raja has promised me that he is not going to do anything in a hurry. I think he will not. I made Kanni speak to him as well. He is not going to do anything in a hurry at all. He has promised that. So we (have) got some time and I'm gonna meet Dr Sarma (TRAI chairman) again on Monday."
Below is the excerpt from the conversation that Radia had with Tata on July 7, 2009 when he was in Israel.

Tata:"The only concern I have is that Maran is going hammer and tongs for Raja. And I hope Raja doesn't trip or slip." 

Radia: "No, he hasn't because chief justice has issued a statement that no minister called the high court judge. So that's clarified. In any case that didn't happen so Maran made to look like a fool now. So in any case, Ratan, even if there was a problem that would happen, as far as that is concerned, it is Kanni who will come back into that power position and not Maran. That's a given. That's decided between them But there is no such thing that Raja is done. So that's perfectly alright."

Keralite's score formula to be used in rain-hit IPL matches

 A system developed by Kerala engineer V. Jayadevan for computing target scores in interrupted one-day and Twenty20 (T20) cricket matches has got the Indian cricket board's nod for use in the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Speaking to IANS, Jayadevan, 46, said that he made a presentation on his system, called the 'VJD', at the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) technical committee meeting in Chennai Friday.

'I spent half an hour with the committee headed by former India captain Sunil Gavaskar and answered queries. I was then told that my system would be put into practice in the next edition of IPL (a domestic professional Twenty20 cricket competition in India),' said Jayadevan.

His formula is applicable in both one-day and T20 forms of cricket.

Jayadevan, a civil engineer, holds a Master's degree in building technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He is currently deputy director, publications division, in the Kerala Engineering Research Institute near here.

'Since 2007, the BCCI has used my model in about 30 domestic matches,' said Jayadevan.

He said he accidentally developed an alternative to the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) mathematical formula, currently used for calculating the target for a team batting second in interrupted matches, after starting work a decade ago.

'The D/L formula uses a concept of resources available and resources used, while my model employs the concept of normal and target scores. The method is capable of satisfactorily handling any number of interruptions during any stage of a the game,' added Jayadevan.

Even though he has been working on this for the past one decade, it was only recently that he got a financial assistance from the BCCI.

'Over the years, I have made certain modifications in my model and the one that is going to be used in the IPL is the model I fine tuned in 2007,' added Jayadevan.

The BCCI, after being convinced of this new model and agreeing to put in practice in the next edition of IPL, has agreed to present this model to the International Cricket Council.