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BOULDER, Colo., Dec. 31 (UPI) — The European Space Agency’s $2.2 billion Herschel Space Observatory has found thousands of galaxies in early stages of formation, scientists said.

Some of the galaxies found by the the spacecraft are from more than 12 billion years ago — just a billion years after the Big Bang, University of Colorado at Boulder Associate Professor Jason Glenn said.

And the images of the early galaxies are “amazingly clear and deep,” he said.

Glenn, who developed Herschel’s spectral and photometric imaging receiver with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said the SPIRE instrument found these previously unknown galaxies because it can see “submillimeter” light, which has wavelengths longer than those found in the visible spectrum and shorter than radio waves.

“The submillimeter sky is absolutely paved with galaxies,” Glenn said.

A single image in the constellation Ursa Major, which includes the Big Dipper, revealed 10 times as many galaxies as seen before by all the worlds’ telescopes observing the skies in submillimeter wavelengths, Glenn said.

“Herschel is providing a whole new window on the universe,” he said.

The spacecraft — named after William Herschel, the late-18th century discoverer of the infrared spectrum and planet Uranus, and his sister and observing partner, Caroline — was launched from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana May 14.

Currently orbiting nearly a million miles from Earth, it sifts through the coldest and dustiest objects in space to trace the path by which potentially life-forming molecules, such as water, form.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 31 (UPI) — Cars of the future could be fueled by tobacco, genetic-engineering university researchers in Philadelphia suggest.

“Tobacco is very attractive as a biofuel because the idea is to use plants that aren’t used in food production,” said Vyacheslav Andrianov, assistant professor of cancer biology at Thomas Jefferson University’s Jefferson Medical College.

While tobacco can generate biofuel more efficiently than other agricultural crops, most of its oil is typically found in its seeds, the researchers say in a study published in Plant Biotechnology Journal.

Tobacco plants don’t generally produce enough seeds to be useful — slightly more than 1,300 pounds an acre.

But Andrianov and his colleagues found ways of genetically engineering the plants so that their leaves express the oil — in some instances, 20 times more oil than occurs in nature, Andrianov said.

“Based on these data, tobacco represents an attractive and promising ‘energy plant’ platform and could also serve as a model for the utilization of other high-biomass plants for biofuel production,” he said.

Biofuels — liquid fuels derived from plant materials — are entering the market due to factors such as oil price spikes.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

GLASGOW, Scotland, Dec. 31 (UPI) — Three mountain climbers died in two separate avalanches in the Scottish Highlands, rescue officials said.

Two of the victims were climbing in Coire na Ciste on Ben Nevis Wednesday when they were swept away by a snow slide, The Guardian reported Thursday. The third victim died after being engulfed by an avalanche in Torridon near Liathach Ridge.

Two other climbers were rescued by helicopter, the Glasgow Herald reported.

The SportScotland Avalanche Information Service warned climbers of a very high risk of avalanche Wednesday, the Herald reported.

The deaths of the three climbers brought the total number of weather-related fatalities across Britain to six.

Bitter cold and snowy weather has settled over Britain for more than a week, leading to numerous crashes, power interruptions and disruptions in public transportation.

Forecasters predicted heavy snow Thursday for large portions of northern and central Scotland and north Wales, and snow showers in northern England.

Despite warnings of snow and continued frigid temperatures, New Year celebrations in Scotland were gearing up, with up to 80,000 people expected at the annual Edinburgh street party, and 10,000 revelers were expected in Glasgow’s George Square, the Guardian said.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

DAKOTA DUNES, S.D., Dec. 31 (UPI) — E.coli and salmonella pathogens were found dozens of times in school hamburgers processed by a company exempt from routine testing, a U.S. safety agency says.

The Beef Products Inc. meat, injected with ammonia in a novel method to destroy toxic bacteria, was caught before reaching lunchroom trays, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

The department, responsible for assuring food safety, has now revoked Beef Products’ exemption from routine testing and is reviewing the company’s operations, The New York Times reported Thursday.

The agency is also reviewing the company’s research supporting its ammonia-injection claims.

Since 2005, E.coli was found three times and salmonella 48 times in meat headed for the federal school lunch program, including incidents in August in which two 27,000-pound contaminated batches were found, government and industry records obtained by the Times show.

Besides the lunch program, the meat is used by McDonald’s, Burger King and other fast-food giants as well as grocery chains.

Beef Products of Dakota Dunes, S.D. — which persuaded federal officials to classify ammonia as a “processing agent” and not an ingredient that would be listed on labels — said in a statement it was committed to hamburger safety, but “like any responsible member of the meat industry, we are not perfect.”

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

VIAGINAS, Lithuania, Dec. 31 (UPI) — Lithuania’s nuclear power plant will cease operations Thursday, moving the Baltic country a step closer to membership in the European Union, officials said.

Observers said the shutdown of the Soviet-era plant, scheduled for an hour before midnight, will mean higher energy prices and greater reliance on Russia for energy supplies, the BBC reported.

The facility in Viaginas, which opened 26 years ago when the country was part of the former Soviet Union, supplies about 80 percent of Lithuania’s power.

The European Union required the plant be shut down as a condition for Lithuania’s membership and allocated about $1.2 billion to cover a part of the plant’s decommissioning costs, the BBC said.

Critics of the shutdown said the facility could operate safely for another 10 to 15 years.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 31 (UPI) — Pennsylvania officials announced an advisory designed to protect against eating large amounts of fish from waters not tested, or of certain species.

All of Pennsylvania remains under a blanket advisory that recommends limiting consumption of any recreationally-caught fish to one meal per week. The advisories do not apply to fish raised for commercial purposes or bought in stores or restaurants.

New advisories have been added for 2010 limiting consumption of Largemouth Bass in Lake Canadohta to two meals per month and consumption of Largemouth Bass in Lake Jean to one meal per month as a result of elevated levels of mercury in the water.

A do-not-eat advisory has been issued for Channel Catfish in the Mahoning River due to PCB contamination.

Consumption advisories have been eased but not lifted for:

– French Creek for Smallmouth Bass as a result of mercury contamination.

– Lake Erie for Walleye as a result of PCB contamination.

– Schuylkill River from the confluence of Mill Creek at Port Carbon to the Auburn Dam for Trout as a result of PCB contamination.

Consumption advisories have been lifted for parts of Jacks Creek, Chartiers Creek, Monongahela River from Pool 4 between the Maxwell Lock and Dam and Lock and Dam 4 and Sinnemahoning Creek.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 30 (UPI) — Nearly 1,700 sea lions have disappeared within weeks after living for nearly two decades at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, authorities said.

“It’s hard to say why they’ve departed,” said Joe Cordero, a biologist with the U.S. Marine Fisheries Service. “As to when and if they come back, no one can say. It’s puzzling.”

On Oct. 23, about 1,700 of the federally protected sea lions were counted on the docks of Pier 39, barking and shoving each other to the amusement of tourists. On Nov. 21, volunteers counted 927 sea lions at Pier 39 and a week later there were just 20, The San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday.

Scientists have found no fluctuation in food supply or water temperature — two factors that would make the sea lions relocate, said Jeff Boehm, executive director of the California Marine Mammal Center.

While tourists are unhappy about the departure, many others are not. The big beasts had been known to bite swimmers, bump kayakers and climb on to docks and harass fishermen and dock workers.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

MEXICALI, Mexico, Dec. 30 (UPI) — A pair of earthquakes measuring 5.9 and 4.9 struck Baja California Wednesday, seismologists reported, and were felt north of the border in the San Diego area.

The U.S. Geological Survey said in a written statement that the twin temblors were centered 20 miles southeast of the border city of Mexicali, Mexico, and a little more than 100 miles east of San Diego.

There were no official reports of injuries or damage. Messages posted on The San Diego Union-Tribune Web site reported the shaking was felt in the San Diego area, Phoenix and possibly the Los Angeles area.

One poster claiming to be in Mexicali said the shaking was definitely felt and many people had evacuated their buildings.

The 5.9 quake was registered by the USGS at 10:48 PST and was followed by the 4.9 event 5 minutes later. It was not immediately known if the second shaker was an aftershock or separate event.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

A baby dama gazelle is seen on November 2, 2009 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington. UPI/Mehgan Murphy/National Zoo

Date Taken: December 30, 2009

Wild horse Foal, with mother Brandi, are seen on July 10, 2009 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington. This image was taken within first 24 hours after Foal’s birth. UPI/Mehgan Murphy/National Zoo

Date Taken: December 30, 2009