A Giant Crack Opens in Mexico Landscape

On August 22nd 2014, Excelsior, a Spanish language new source in Mexico announced that a giant crack had opened up and split a rural road in half, about 50 miles west of the city of Hermosillo, in the state of Sonora.

The crack, which is 28 feet deep, is 16 ft wide in some parts and runs nearly two thirds of a miles. The civil protection unit believes that the crack may be the result of a minor Earth quake that took place on August 17th 2014. However, geologists from the University of Sonora who were investigating the crack, believe that it is the result of farmers who had built a levee stream to contain rain water. They think that as the levee began to leak, an underground stream developed which softened the Earth above it and caused the ground to collapse.

Expreso, a local Mexican newspaper stated that social media reports claimed that there was a heavy rainfall before the crack appeared. The USGS said that the quake that occurred on August 17th was a magnitude 5.0, which was strong enough to open the rift. However, the geologist from the University of Sonora stated that when a rift is created by an Earth quake, one side is usually raised higher than the other. Both side of the Hermosillo rift are at the same level.

The head of the National Autonomous University at Mexico's Regional Station of the Geology Institute, Martin Valencia Moreno has come forward to assure the public that there is no cause for alarm. He feels that the appearance of the rift is something to be sensationalized by the media.

Google To Launch YouTube Music Key

As of August 18th 2014, the word is that Google will soon launch a new subscription music service called, YouTube Music Key. Google has been planning the new music service for quite some time, noting that a major hold up had been the failed negotiations over royalty payments for some independent artists.

Google is said to have reached a deal with all three of the major record companies, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group. Most of the independents have also signed on, giving Google cooperation from 95% of all of the labels.

According to the Android Police, YouTube Music Key will be an ad free service that will cost $9.99 per month. This fee will also allow YouTube Music Key subscribers to gain access to Google Play All Access Music at no additional cost. The Android Police also report that the Google Play All Access service will be rebranded to carry the name, Google Play Music Key.

YouTube Music Key will offer an audio only feature for background listening as well as video viewing. Subscribers will also be able to listen offline to 20 million plus tracks, that will include standard videos, concert footage, covers, and remixes. No timeline has been given for the launch date of Google's new music service. You may want to keep an ear open.

Rosetta Spacecraft Rendezvous With Comet

On August 6th 2014, the European Space Agency announced that after a ten year journey, its Rosetta Spacecraft had finally arrived at its rendezvous with comet 67P Churyumov - Gerasimenko. Rosetta will continue to orbit 67P on its journey toward the sun, and then as it makes its way around it in August 2015.

As Rosetta approached comet 67P, it detected water in the comet's ejected gases and took the comet's temperature. Scientists discovered that the comet's temperature is 20 degrees warmer then one would expect an icy body to be. In the weeks to come, Rosetta will hover ahead of the 4 kilometers comet, while it gradually spirals inward. It may come as close as between 30 to 10 kilometers of 67P.

In November 2014, the ESA plans to place the robotic scientific lab, Philae on the surface of P67. It will be the first ever landing on a comet. The Philae lander will latch on to the comet's surface with the aid of an explosive harpoon. Philae will analyze soil samples taken from the surface of 67P. The lander will also send x-rays through the comet's nucleus back to sensors on the Rosetta spacecraft that will reveal the comet's structure.

Scientist at the ESA hope to learn more about the composition of comets and whether or not they brought water to the Earth. They also hope to discover whether comets are responsible for bringing the Earth, the building blocks of life.

Pandora Strikes Its First Deal With Artists

On August 6th 2014, internet radio service, Pandora, announced that it had struck its first ever deal directly with artists. The deal was signed with Merlin, an independent label group that represents artists such as, Arcade Fire, Bad Religion, and Lenny Kravitz.

As part of the deal, Merlin represented artists could get more rotations and see their songs placed earlier in playlists where their songs fit. Those artist will also get access to Pandora's data which can help them make decisions about where to tour, who to tour with, what their concert set list should be, and what song or songs they should release next.

This deal will help Pandora improve its relationship with artist who have been complaining that Pandora's royalty payments to artists for streaming services are too low. Merlin CEO, Charles Caldas said that the deal is an incredible opportunity for Merlin artists to get their music in front of a larger audience.

The deal covers performance royalties and not songwriter royalties which are collected by performing rights organizations such as ASCAP (American Society of Authors and Composers) and BMI (Broadcast Music INC.). It remains to be seen as to how this deal will effect those entities.