In 2005, a gigantic rift broke open desert ground in Ethiopia in 2005, and since then scientists have speculated that it was the first step in a process that will eventually split eastern Ethiopia and Somalia from the African continent by a new Ocean. Four years later, researchers have proof that this will indeed happen.

When the rigt was created in 2005, it almost went unnoted because of the sparse population of the Ethiopian desert. At 34.8 miles large, or 56 kilometers, it sounds impossible that it couldn't be noticed. Indeed, it was noticed. Satellite imagery clearly showed that the landscape had changed. At the time, geologists believed that the rift was the start of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart. This claim was controversial at the time, however.

Scientists from several countries now confirm that the volcanic activity at work beneath the Ethiopian rift are identical to those at the bottom of the worl'd oceans. And they say that the rift is likely the beginning of a new sea.

If you come down with the swine flu, it's best you not snuggle up with your feline friend. Why? Because now it appears that the virus is jumping species. Health officials in Iowa say that a 13-year-old cat tested positive for swine flu, and is now the first feline to come down with the virus.

Officials say that two of the three people living with the cat had the flu before the cat got sick, and are now cautioning people to protect family pets as they would protect anyone else.

Iowa vet David Schmitt says:

"Indoor pets that live in close proximity to someone who has been sick are at risk. It is wise to monitor their health to ensure they aren't showing signs of illness."

If your cat shows signs of flu-like illness - including runny nose, sluggishness, and troubled breathing - vets advise you to call your pet's doctor.

Usain Bolt, a World and Olympic sprint champion, adopted a cheetah in Kenya on Monday for about $13,700. He was at first reluctant to hold the orphaned cheetah, which he has named Lightning Bolt, but eventually he got over his fear and even fed the 3-month old some milk.

Bolt said that he has no plans to race the cheetah, but will be paying about $3,000 for its annual upkeep. He said:

“This is my first time in Africa, and of course in Kenya. I’ve had a lot of experiences, and a lot of animals have scared the crap out of me, but I am ok now.”

On Monday Bolt had some other close encounters with the animals of Africa. While riding in a car with CEO his sponsor, Puma AG, Jochen Zeitz in Naivasha, their vehicle came too close to a baby elephant and was shooed away by an adult. Bolt also got a bit of a scare when Kenyan Prime Minster Raila Odinga cuddled two lion cubs he had just adopted. He also nearly ran away when he was asked to pet a fully grown cheetah for a photo shoot with the PM. He had Zeitz stand in for him until he saw that the animal seemed harmless.

Battling a cocaine addiction is much tougher than researchers initially thought. This is exemplified in the research of a widely reported experimental vaccine which is used to counteract coke addiction. The vaccine showed strong results at first, but lost its effectiveness after a few months.

The vaccine works by increasing antibodies that bind to cocaine, which stops the high. The vaccine was tested on 94 adults selected from methadone maintenance programs, who also received behavioral therapy. Thirty-eight percent of participants developed enough antibodies to repress their cocaine use. However, after two months the effect tapered off.

Jeffrey T. Parsons, professor and chair of psychology at Hunter College, said "The results are promising, to be sure, but still the majority of participants did not respond."

Metro Health workers that don't receive a flu shot will be sticking out like sore thumbs this year. The hospital system is urging their workers receive a vaccination as Swine Flu threatens to wreak havoc on the United States. Metro sent an email to staff saying whoever does not receive a flu shot this year will be forced to wear surgical masks while working with patients

The hospital system sent out an email to staff that in part stated:

If you have questions or concerns about the H1N1 or seasonal flu, we’re offering you the opportunity to pose your questions or concerns to MetroHealth’s Infectious Disease expert, Jennifer Hanrahan, DO, and Internal Medicine’s Todd Joyner, MD. You’ll also have the chance to get your seasonal flu vaccine, as Employee Health staff will be on hand as well.

Hurricane Jimena formed in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday south of Mexico, said the US National Hurricane Center. Meanwhile, Danny weakened to a tropical depression as it continued to slowly progress to the north-northeast off the US east coast.

As of 5pm ET, Jimena was located about 270 miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was moving west-northwest at about 12mph. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 105mph, and is now a category 2 hurricane. Forecasters say that it may strengthen to a "major" hurricane by Sunday.

A tropical depression in the eastern Pacific has strengthened and became Tropical Storm Kevin. At 5pm ET, the system was about 1,065 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. It has maximum sustained winds of about 45mph, and was moving to the west-northwest at 5mph.

Scientists have discovered a planet that according to current understanding of orbital dynamics, should not exist. The planet is known as a "hot Jupiter", a giant gaseous planet orbiting the star Wasp-18 about 330 light years away from Earth. It is so close to the star that it completes a full orbit in less than an Earth day.

A planet that close, however, should be consumed by its parent star in less than 1 million years. Researchers at Keele University in England believe the star Wasp-18 to be 1 billion years old. Since stars and the planets around them are tought to form at the same time, the planet Wasp-18b should have been reduced to nothing but ashes ages ago.

Coel Hellier, an astrophysicist at Keele University, said:

"This planet should spiral inwards on such a short time scale that the likelihood of seeing it is very low.

Douglas Hamilton, an astronomer at the University of Maryland, said:

Forecasters have closely been watching a tropical depression which has now gained strength and turned into Tropical Storm Danny, The storm has formed off the coast of the Bahamas, and is likely to get stronger as it continues to head towards the U.S.

So far, the storm has maximum sustained winds of 45mph, and is moving west-northwest at 18mph. At 11am Wednesday morning, the center of the storm was located about 445 miles east of Nassau, Bahamas, and 775 miles south of Cape Hatteras, NC.

Forecasts currently show that the storm is on a path to clip the East Coast of the US over the coming weekend. Those in the Bahamas and the southeastern US are advised to monitor the storm.

Meanwhile, out in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Ignacio has weakened as it moves northwest with top winds at 45mph.

This morning Hurricane Bill became a dangerous Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds near 135mph, and forecasters now say that it could get even stronger as it moves over the open Atlantic. As of early Wednesday, Bill was located about 460 miles east of the Leeward Islands and was moving west-northwest near 16mph.

The National Hurricane Center has advised residents of the Leeward Islands to monitor the storm's progress, even though the core of the storm is expected to pass well to the northeast of the islands sometime either late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Bill's biggest threat could be to Bermuda, which the storm may pass in three or four days. However, it could also slide directly between Bermuda and the eastern coast of the U.S. without making landfall.

Over the next few days, those along the coast can at least expect wave swells and rip currents.

While the first tropical storm of the season began to lash the coast of Florida on Saturday evening, the first hurricane of the season likely to hit U.S. shores began forming hundreds of m

iles out to sea. Tropical Storm Claudette appeared on the radar early Saturday, and by evening had already added to its strength, bringing heavy rains and high winds to the Florida Panhandle. But brewing in the warm and open Atlantic Ocean was another threat, where Tropical Storm Bill began gathering force.

Tropical Storm Bill has been gathering force and may head for the East Coast as a major Category 3 storm by next weekend. According to the National Hurricane Center, Bill may even strengthen to a hurricane to a hurricane, with winds over 74mph, by today.

Bill looked to be heading towards south Florida, but forecasters said it was impossible to predict whether it would change course or lose force in the coming days. Some storm watchers have even predicted that Bill may bring with it 100mph-plus winds as it bears down on the Leeward Islands by the end of the week, and reaches the U.S. coast by the weekend.