Devastating Floods in Kerala

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Why is the monsoon experienced in Kerala in South West India so wet? The monsoon is a combined meteorological event, where several factors - altered low pressure systems in the Bay of Bengal, altered winds and a warmer ocean - interacted to deliver devastating rainfall. Is this extreme weather event a symptom of our changing climate? Human Triggers for Landslides Analysis of a global dataset on landslides has shown that the occurrence of landslides triggered by human activity is increasing. The dataset will continue to be built by scientists and members of the public over the next decades, allowing us to ask whether there is link between the occurrence of landslides and our changing climate. Epilepsy and drug delivery in the brain A new brain probe combines electrodes and a micro ion pump, giving it the capacity to detect neuronal activity and release a drug in response. This drug can alter charge balances in the neurones to prevent them from firing, stopping an epileptic seizure. This highly specific drug delivery system also has potential in the treatment of other neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s and inoperable brain tumours. The device is in its first stages of application in mice, but results indicate it could revolutionise healthcare for those with otherwise intractable disorders. When brain cells are given narcotics What happens when brain cells in a petri dish are given methamphetamine? Picture: Marooned Buildings in the Kerala Flood. Credit Manjunath Kiran / AFP / Getty Images.