No, you're not seeing things as you stagger out of the pub in the wee hours. That eerie, hypnotic vision in the night sky is the aurora borealis, or the northern lights, and summer is an optimal time to look out for it. This cosmic phenomenon is caused by radiation emitted by the sun coming into contact with the Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field. The subatomic particles in these radioactive emissions travel toward our planet, and the Earth's magnetic field funnels them down the north and south poles.
The radioactive particles and their effects never come anywhere near the ground - not even near high-flying aircraft - "so the aurora is a spectacle we can enjoy in complete safety, if we're lucky enough to see it", explains David Moore, chairman of Astronomy Ireland. The amount of radiation the sun sheds follows an 11-year cycle, which has just reached its peak, so the next couple of years will be prime aurora-viewing time. The phenomenon appears in several guises: sometimes it's just a glow in the sky - it could be grey, or predominantly red and green (the colours given off in collision with oxygen and nitrogen atoms). It can also manifest itself in rays of light, or in curtains of colour, and sometimes the whole thing will pulse and shimmer.
Ireland isn't far enough north to be privy to this display regularly, and the frequent cloudy skies make it all the rarer. To get a chance to see the aurora for yourself, "every time it's clear, take a look to the north, just in case", Moore recommends. "You may see something unexpected." You can also register with a website - www.spaceweather.com - to receive notice when a "coronal mass ejection" (emission of radiation from the sun) has occurred. Last week, a sunspot passed across the centre of the sun, which often indicates a coming aurora, so keep on the lookout this weekend!
A DISTEMPER epidemic is threatening the seal population in northern European seas. This virus - which does not infect humans - killed 18,000 seals in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany and Britain in 1988. Scientists have not been able to discover what caused that outbreak, or why the virus has returned this year. At the time of writing, the disease has claimed 461 seals in Denmark and 150 in Sweden.
It is still too early to determine how much damage this virus will cause to the seal population in northern Europe. "We don't know where we are in the course of the epidemic," said Hans Henrik Dietz, a senior researcher at the Danish Veterinary Institute. "We look at the situation very seriously." The disease causes such symptoms as severely matted eyes, runny noses and pneumonia, and is spread by direct contact with body fluids or scratching, clawing or biting. The Irish Seal Sanctuary asks people to be particularly vigilant and report any sightings of dead or sick seals to them on tel: 01-8354370; or by e-mailing flanagan@indigo.ie.
LAST week, in a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil passed on the torch to South Africa. Not the Olympic torch, but that of the Earth Summit. This conference, first hosted in Stockholm in 1972, took place in Rio in 1992, and will continue in Johannesburg from August 26th to September 4th. Drawing an estimated 65,000 participants this year, the summit will be the largest assembly ever convened on the African continent. The organisers of the Earth Summit hope for participation from all sectors of society, including governments, representatives from business and industry, children and youth, farmers, scientific and technological communities, and indigenous peoples.
The more fully all co-operate, the greater the chance of effecting sustainable development through economic growth and equity, conservation of natural resources and the environment and social development. In 1992, the summit adopted a hefty set of guidelines - Agenda 21 - with more than 2,500 recommendations for a global plan of action. This year's summit will focus on issues such as the growing world population and its demands for food, water, energy, health services and economic security, coupled with the challenge of maintaining natural resources and eco-systems. You can get more information about the Earth Summit from its website: www.johannesburgsummit.org
No, this is not environmentalists anonymous. Clicking on the 10 steps individually will provide you with advice on how to control household waste and save energy - and money. Further tips appear during the virtual house tour. The information and graphics are straightforward and presented in a cheery manner also accessible to children. After you've finished perusing the website, take the quiz to find out how much you've learned.