landslide
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Scientists want to use satellites to predict landslides
Small satellites have countless uses, including when it comes to monitoring the planet for natural disasters. Now, scientists think they've made a breakthrough on this front: They're using satellite data to map the Earth's movement. Their end goal is to develop an early warning system for communities before landslides.
Now we know why landslides can flow like rivers
The rule of thumb with a landslide is that however far up a mountain it begins, you're safe if you can get twice that distance away. So, if a fall begins a mile up, you need to be two miles away before busting out the popcorn and beers. Except, that's not really true, since plenty of landslides travel far longer distances than that, causing serious harm to people and property nearby. Thanks to Brown University's Brandon Johnson, we know why: it's because the falling rocks hitting the ground can create a set of very specific vibrations. These vibrations reduce the amount of friction in the local area, causing landslides to flow like rivers.
Encrypted Text: The rogue guide to gear customization
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Encrypted Text for assassination, combat and subtlety rogues. Chase Christian will be your guide to the world of shadows every Wednesday. Email me with any good screenshots or questions you have! Back in the good old days, rogues were stuck with whatever leather gear that happened to drop. It didn't matter if it had spirit or strength on it, as we really had no other options. We could augment our pieces with a few different enchants, but even those were better suited for warriors. While sometimes it seemed as if there were a random number generator churning out tier loot, we happily scooped it up anyway. The class, and everyone else, was at the mercy of the itemization gods of Blizzard. Times have changed quite a bit since those days. While we're still not able to craft custom pieces of gear tailored to fit our every need, we're not stuck with caster stats anymore. With the number of dungeons and bosses available, combined with the addition of justice points, there are a ton of options for nearly every slot on our character sheet. Enchanting has grown to encompass most of our gear, while reforging and the gem system have taken gear customization even further. Not only is there more gear to be had, but the gear we do get is much more malleable, allowing us to pick the perfect combination.
