ANCIENT ALIENS: Season 3 - Aliens and Deadly Cults!

Ancient Aliens.

The History Channel continues its popular series on extraterrestrials, alien theorists and ancient civilizations with season three of Ancient Aliens.

The following video playlist constitutes program twelve, entitled Aliens and Deadly Cults and runs for 44 minutes. It examines whether extraterrestrials influenced human sacrifices, mass suicides and unholy rituals.

Throughout history, people have claimed to have otherworldly knowledge, and have led followers to commit horrific acts of violence. Are they con men? Are they insane? Or might the voices in their heads really be of an extraterrestrial origin? And if so, did they simply misinterpret the messages they received? Or might there be extraterrestrials with a sinister agenda? " - The History Channel.

WATCH: Aliens and Deadly Cults.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Experts - Imminent Eruption of Katla Volcano!

Experts believe overdue eruption of Katla would wreak even more havoc on European flights than Eyjafjallajökull did last year

Experts are warning that an eruption could be imminent at an even more powerful Icelandic volcano than the one that paralysed air traffic last year. Seismologists are nervously watching rumblings beneath Katla which could spew an ash cloud dwarfing the 2010 eruption that cost airlines two billion dollars (£1.27 billion) and drove home how vulnerable modern society is to the whims of nature. Brooding over rugged moss-covered hills on Iceland's southern edge, Katla is a much bigger beast than the nearby Eyjafjallajokul volcano, which blasted ash all over Europe for several weeks in an eruption that local scientist Pall Einarsson describes nonetheless as "small". Named after an evil troll, Katla has a larger magma chamber than Eyjafjallajokul's. Its last major eruption in 1918 continued more than a month, turning day into night, starving crops of sunlight and killing off some livestock. The eruption melted some of the ice-sheet covering Katla, flooding surrounding farmlands with a torrent of water that some accounts have said measured as wide as the Amazon. Now, clusters of small earthquakes are being detected around Katla, which means an eruption could be imminent, seismologists say. The earthquakes have been growing in strength, too.

After a long period of magnitude three tremors, a magnitude four quake was detected last week. "It is definitely showing signs of restlessness," said Mr Einarsson, a professor of geophysics at the University of Iceland. Teams of seismologists and geologists at the university are tracking the spike in seismic activity and working with disaster officials to prepare communities near Katla like Vik, a small town of some 300 people that is flanked by black sand beaches. Civil defence authorities have been holding regular meetings with scientists. Disaster officials have also drafted an evacuation plan and set aside temporary housing, but many fear they may have less than an hour to evacuate once the volcano erupts. Iceland sits on a large volcanic hot spot in the Atlantic's mid-oceanic ridge. Eruptions, common throughout Iceland's history, are often triggered by seismic activity when the Earth's plates move and magma from deep underground pushes its way to the surface. The longer pressure builds up, the more catastrophic an eruption can be. Records show that Katla usually has a large eruption twice a century. Since its last eruption was almost exactly 93 years ago, it is long overdue for another, seismologists say.

Icelanders are getting nervous as they mark the anniversary of Katla's last blast. "We've been getting calls recently from people concerned that Katla is about to erupt because it erupted ... in 1918 on October 12," said Einar Kjartansson, a geophysicist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office. "As scientists we don't see that much of a correlation in the date but there is most definitely increased activity. The question is whether it calms down after this or whether there is an eruption." Of Iceland's more than 22 volcanoes, seven are active and four are particularly active - including Katla and Hekla. Although it does not pose the same flood risk as Katla because it's not situated beneath an icecap, Hekla is one of Iceland's most active volcanoes and sits in the path of most international flight patterns. Like Katla, Hekla is also overdue for a large eruption and could produce a disruptive and dangerous ash cloud that, in addition to disrupting air travel, could lower overall temperatures across continents by blocking out sunlight for days or weeks. - RSOE EDIS Event Report.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report!

Here is a summary of the new activity and unrest of the volcanoes around the Earth from The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report from the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Program.

GAUA Banks Islands (SW Pacific) 14.27°S, 167.50°E; summit elev. 797 m

Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory reported that the seismic network monitoring Gaua detected volcanic activity in August. Gas plumes were detected by the OMI satellite on 17, 27, and 28 September, and ashfall was reported in the N, E, and W parts of Gaua on 10 October by local authorities. The Alert Level remained at 1 (on a scale of 0-4).

KRAKATAU Indonesia 6.102°S, 105.423°E; summit elev. 813 m

On 8 October, a news article stated that activity at Anak Krakatau was increasing; the number of seismic events was 5,204 on 6 October, 5,543 on 7 October, and 5,883 on 8 October.

The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4), and visitors and residents were not permitted to approach the volcano within a 2-km radius.

SANGAY Ecuador 2.002°S, 78.341°W; summit elev. 5230 m

Based on information from the Guayaquil MWO and a pilot observation, the Washington VAAC reported that on 11 October an ash plume from Sangay from a possible eruption rose to an altitude of 6.7 km (22,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W. Ash was not observed in satellite imagery.

SHIVELUCH Central Kamchatka (Russia) 56.653°N, 161.360°E; summit elev. 3283 m

KVERT reported that seismic activity at Shiveluch was moderate during 30 September-7 October. Ash plumes rose to altitudes of 6-9 km (19,700-30,000 ft) a.s.l. during 3-5 October, followed by new lava-dome extrusion. Seismicity indicated that possible ash plumes rose to altitudes of 4.5-5 km (14,800-16,400 ft) a.s.l. during 5-6 October; ground-based observers noted that ash plumes rose to an altitude of 5 km (16,400 ft) a.s.l. on those same days. Satellite imagery showed a large and bright thermal anomaly on the lava dome on 5 October and ash plumes that drifted 100 km NE on 6 October. The Aviation Color Code was lowered to Orange. Based on information from KEMSD, the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 8 October an eruption produced a plume that rose to an altitude of 7 km (23,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E. Subsequent satellite images that day showed that ash was present and then had dissipated. An eruption on 10 October produced a plume that rose to an altitude of 7.3 km (24,000 ft) a.s.l.

TUNGURAHUA Ecuador 1.467°S, 78.442°W; summit elev. 5023 m

Based on information from IG, the Washington VAAC reported that on 7 October an ash plume from Tungurahua rose to an altitude of 6.1 km (20,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W. Ash was not observed in satellite imagery.

BAGANA Bougainville 6.140°S, 155.195°E; summit elev. 1750 m

Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 8-9 October ash plumes from Bagana rose to an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 45-55 km E and NW.

CLEVELAND Chuginadak Island 52.825°N, 169.944°W; summit elev. 1730 m

AVO reported that during 5-6 and 9-11 October cloud cover over Cleveland prevented views of the lava dome in the summit crater. Partly cloudy satellite views during 7-8 October showed elevated surface temperatures at the summit. The Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch and the Aviation Color Code remained at Orange. No current seismic information was available because Cleveland does not have a real-time seismic network.

DUKONO Halmahera 1.68°N, 127.88°E; summit elev. 1335 m

Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 5-6 and 8-9 October ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 2.1-2.4 km (7,000-8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 75-83 km NE and SE.

ETNA Sicily (Italy) 37.734°N, 15.004°E; summit elev. 3330 m

Sezione di Catania - Osservatorio Etneo reported that the sixteenth paroxysmal eruptive episode of 2011 took place at the New SE Crater (New SEC) of Etna during the afternoon of 8 October. A rapid increase in volcanic tremor amplitude was detected that morning, and at about 1300 weak and discontinuous Strombolian explosions were recorded by surveillance cameras. Two hours later, lava flowed from a deep notch in the SE rim of the crater. At around 1545 vigorous Strombolian activity was observed from numerous vents along a short fissure on the SE flank of the cone, which had first been active during the 29 August paroxysm (the twelfth). Weather conditions deteriorated at about 1615, preventing direct observations of the Strombolian activity changing into sustained lava fountaining and ash emissions. However, this change was audible around 1630, and a dense ash-and-vapor plume rapidly rose above the weather clouds and drifted E. At the same time lava flows descended on the W slope of the Valle del Bove. Eruptive vents opened on the NE flank of the cone, approximately along the fracture that first opened during 8 September, and two small lava flows were emitted. The more voluminous lava flow traveled a few hundred meters downslope. The paroxysmal phase lasted a little longer than 20 minutes and ended around 1650. Ash emissions continued until 1945, when the volcanic tremor amplitude returned to levels similar to those preceding the paroxysmal episode, and the lava flow fronts appeared to stagnate. The ash cloud drifted ENE and produced ash- and lapilli-fall in a narrow sector from the Ripe della Naca area and the village of Puntalazzo (13 km E) to the town of Mascali (18 km E).

KARYMSKY Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) 54.05°N, 159.45°E; summit elev. 1536 m

KVERT reported that seismic activity continued at a moderate level at Karymsky during 30 September-7 October and indicated that possible ash plumes rose to an altitude of 3.2 km (10,500 ft) a.s.l. Satellite imagery showed a thermal anomaly on the volcano during 4-5 October. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.

KILAUEA Hawaii (USA) 19.421°N, 155.287°W; summit elev. 1222 m

During 5-11 October, HVO reported that the lava lake circulated and periodically rose and fell in the deep pit within Kilauea's Halema'uma'u crater. Almost daily measurements indicated that the gas plume from the vent continued to deposit variable amounts of ash and occasionally fresh spatter nearby. At the E rift zone, the fissure that formed on 21 September on the upper E flank of Pu'u 'O'o continued to feed slowly-advancing lava flows to the NE and SE of the fissure. During the beginning of the week, overall activity within and SE of Pu'u 'O'o Crater had slowed; only a few lava patches were visible in webcams. During 7-8 October lava began to flow from a vent at the E end of the crater floor and from an area at the W end the next day. Lava flows from the E-end source stalled on 10 October.

KIZIMEN Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) 55.130°N, 160.32°E; summit elev. 2376 m

KVERT reported that during 30 September-7 October video data showed that a large lava flow on Kizimen's NE flank continued to effuse. Strong fumarolic activity was observed during 29-30 September and 3-6 October. A thermal anomaly on the volcano was detected daily in satellite images but the temperature of the anomaly decreased during the end of the week. During 5-6 October the number of volcanic earthquakes decreased, from 1,300 to 500-700, as well as the magnitudes. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.

LOKON-EMPUNG Sulawesi 1.358°N, 124.792°E; summit elev. 1580 m

CVGHM reported that on 10 October white and gray plumes rose 100-300 m above Tompaluan crater, in the saddle between the Lokon-Empung peaks. Based on information from CVGHM, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 11 October an ash plume rose to an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4).

MARAPI Sumatra (Indonesia) 0.381°S, 100.473°E; summit elev. 2891 m

Based on a pilot report, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 11 October an ash plume from Marapi rose to an altitude of 3.7 km (12,000 ft) a.s.l. Ash was not identified in satellite imagery.

PUYEHUE-CORDON CAULLE Central Chile 40.590°S, 72.117°W; summit elev. 2236 m

Based on seismicity during 5-10 October, OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN reported that the eruption from the Cordón Caulle rift zone, part of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex, continued at a low level. Plumes visible with an area web camera rose no higher than 4 km above the crater during 5-7 October and were observed in satellite imagery drifting 30-60 km SE, SW, and N. On 9 October a white plume observed with the camera rose 4 km above the crater. Satellite imagery that day showed a widely dispersed ash plume drifting E. On 10 October a plume that was mostly white, but occasionally gray, rose 3.5 km above the crater. The Alert Level remained at Red.

SAKURA-JIMA Kyushu 31.585°N, 130.657°E; summit elev. 1117 m

Based on information from JMA, the Tokyo VAAC reported that during 5-11 October explosions from Sakura-jima produced plumes that rose to altitudes of 1.2-3 km (4,000-10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW, N, SE, and S. During 6-8 October pilots observed ash plumes that rose to altitudes of 1.8-3.7 km (6,000-12,000 ft) a.s.l.

For more information, plus the geologic summary for each volcano, click HERE.

EXTREME WEATHER: Tornadoes Ravages Louisa County, Virginia!

After enduring a magnitude 5.8 earthquake and a hurricane over the last two months, Louisa County is now the victim of tornadoes.

Suspected tornadoes touched down Thursday in New Kent County and Louisa County, the rural community at the epicenter of an Aug. 23 5.8-magnitude earthquake, the National Weather Service said. About a dozen homes and the roof of an elementary school were damaged when an apparent twister cut a six-mile swath through western New Kent, according to Fire Chief Tommy Hicks. Trees were down throughout the area, including a couple that toppled onto homes, Hicks said. He said one person was slightly injured but did not require hospital treatment.

In Louisa, a funnel cloud ripped into an historic plantation house, ripping off its roof and causing other damage, county spokeswoman Amanda Reidelbach said. There were no reports of injuries. The historic home known as Sylvania, built in 1746, has suffered profound damage in the earthquake, Louisa County Administrator Robert Dube said. The tornado finished the job, he said. "The tornado took the roof off," he said. "If the house wasn't done before, it is now." Dan Proch, a meteorologist in the weather service's Wakefield office, said law enforcement personnel reported the suspected tornado in Louisa County around 3:40 p.m. - USA Today.

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR: Millions of Jellyfish Invades Thailand?!

In addition to the great deluge of flood waters and the resultant monumental crisis, Thailand is also facing an invasion from hordes of jellyfish into Sattahip Bay.

Scuba divers and beachgoers beware: Perhaps as many as a million jellyfish have moved into Sattahip Bay making a day at the beach a potentially painful experience. Royal Thai Navy officials said the invasion of the dangerous, but not usually deadly, “moon jellyfish” pushed fishermen out of shallow waters and beachgoers out of the surf. Most of the stinging scyphozoans have been spotted in Tuay-gnarm Bay and Dongtan Bay. Soi Yenrudee resident Somchai Chijprajong, 45, said he and other local fishermen pulled as many as 400,000 jellies out of the sea with their nets. He said he’s never seen so many and said it must have been caused by anomalous sea conditions.

Somchai didn’t escape his close encounter unscathed, however. Like other fishermen, he suffered a number of stings, which he and Navy officials said can be treated by crushing and applying wild Morning Glory cultivated by the Navy on area beaches. Scuba divers, many of whom could find their next dives in Samae San a painful experience, generally treat jellyfish stings with vinegar and hot water. Sattahip District Chief Chaichan Iamcharoen urged people to take care to avoid the jellyfish, as people may have undetected allergies to the poison. The plume could dissipate within 10 days, he said. - Pattayamail.

PLANETARY TREMORS: 6.1 Quake Rocks Amurskaya Oblast, Russia!

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck Amurskaya Oblast, Russia at a depth of 15.3 km (9.5 miles). The quake hit at 06:10:15 UTC Friday 14th October 2011 and was located at 54.114°N, 123.724°E.

The epicentre was 130 km ( 80 miles) southwest from Tynda, Russia; 211 km (131 miles) northwest of Tahe, Heilongjiang, China; 265 km (164 miles) east of Mogocha, Russia; and 5154 km (3202 miles) northeast of Moscow, Russia.

No tsunami warning was issued and there are no reports of any damage at this time.

PLANETARY TREMORS: 6.7 Quake Hits Eastern Papua New Guinea!

Map of the 6.7 magnitude earthquake.

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake has struck the Eastern New Guinea Region, Papua New Guinea at a depth of 45.4 km (28.2 miles). The quake hit at 03:35:17 UTC Friday 14th October 2011 and was located at 6.626°S, 147.927°E. The epicentre was 104 km ( 65 miles) east of Lae, New Guinea, Papua New Guinea; 184 km (114 miles) southwest of Kandrian, New Britain, PNG; 323 km (200 miles) northeast of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; and 2372 km (1473 miles) northwest of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. No tsunami warning was issued and there are no reports of any damage at this time.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) had this earthquake listed as a 6.7 Magnitude, here are the magnitudes from several seismological centres in around the world that registered the tremor:

Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika, Jakarta, Indonesia 7.0 – 03:40:21; National Earthquake Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey Denver, USA 7.1 – 03:40:33; Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika, Jakarta, Indonesia 7.3 – 03:40:39; Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia 7.0 – 03:41:05; Japan Meteorological Agency, Tokyo, Japan 7.1 – 03:41:54; Malaysian Meteorological Department, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia 7.2 – 03:41:55; Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika, Jakarta, Indonesia 7.3- 03:42:22; Japan Meteorological Agency, Tokyo, Japan 7.1 – 03:42:29; Malaysian Meteorological Department, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia 7.1 – 03:42:33; Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 7.1 – 03:42:44; Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 7.1 – 03:42:49; Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, Lower Hutt, New Zealand 7.0 – 03:43:03; Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika, Jakarta, Indonesia 7.5 – 03:43:13; Japan Meteorological Agency, Tokyo, Japan 7.1 – 03:43:16; Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika, Jakarta, Indonesia 7.0 – 03:43:26; Malaysian Meteorological Department, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia 7.4 – 03:43:52; Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika, Jakarta, Indonesia 7.0 – 03:44:22; Research Inst. of Pulse Technique, Ministry for Atomic Energy, Russia 7.2 – 03:45:19; National Earthquake Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey Denver, USA 7.2 – 03:46:16; SRAS Siberian Branch, Yakutiya Regional Seis. Center, Yakutsk, Russia 7.1 – 03:46:20; NOAA, West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, Palmer, Alaska, USA 7.0 – 03:47:21; USGS Alaska Seismic Project, Menlo Park, California, USA 7.0 – 03:47:28; Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, USA 7.0 – 03:47:35; NOAA, West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, Palmer, Alaska, USA 7.0 – 03:47:36; Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, USA 7.0 – 03:47:37; Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, USA 7.0 – 03:47:41; Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, USA 7.0 – 03:47:41; Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, USA 7.1 – 03:47:42; National Earthquake Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey Denver, USA 7.1 – 03:47:43; USGS Alaska Seismic Project, Menlo Park, California, USA 7.1 – 03:47:44.