Europe’s comet lander snaps a killer selfie

The European Space Agency's Rosetta space probe is chasing after a comet named 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. It's currently orbiting the comet as its lander prepares to make an historic descent to the surface of the comet's nucleus. 

In the meantime, though, the ESA decided to snap a quick picture of the space probe and the comet it's orbiting from a distance of just 50 kilometers. The photo — photos, actually — are stunning. Two frames capture the Rosetta probe's solar panels with the comet visible in the background. 

According to Discovery News, scientists are expected to announce next week where the lander will set down. Meanwhile, we'll have to just settle for some really cool pictures from outer space.

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Beef and crystal meth make perfect gifts for North Korean officials at the annual harvest festival

It's Chuseok on the Korean peninsula, an annual holiday that celebrates the harvest. Customarily, Koreans give gifts to friends and family in thanks for another good harvest. In North Korea, though, Chuseok has become as much about greasing the wheels of the illicit economy as it is about celebrating crops. High-ranking officials expect the public to come forward with bribes disguised as gifts in order to curry favor and allow them continue to do business as they like.

The Guardian reports on how the emergence of a middle class means the value of gifts has gone up tremendously. Previously, cigarettes and carp were acceptable gifts. Now officials expect bribes to include beef — or even crystal methamphetamine, which has become increasingly popular among elites. A single gram is seen as an acceptable gift for those who don't need much. But more elaborate gifts may include a gram of meth and an American $1 bill as well. 

There are real world consequences for people who choose not to get vaccinated

France has a real problem with declining vaccination rates. Just 89 percent of the population is vaccinated now, compared to a one-time high of about 95 percent. So when a disease or illness breaks out, it can run rampant. Take a recent measles outbreak in 2008: A girl brought measles back with her from vacation, and within three years had caused an outbreak resulting in 15,000 cases and six deaths.

In New York in 2013, there was another outbreak of measles. It burned through a pocket of unvaccinated people before dying out in the face of still-higher American vaccination rates. Science has proven that vaccines are safe, but doubts persist. PRI's The World talked to a journalist at NOVA who filmed a new documentary on vaccination efforts around the world — and how bad information is leading an increasing number of people to avoid getting shots.

Libya's new parliament building is an out-of-use car ferry

As Islamist militias continue to hold Libya's capital city of Tripoli, the country's parliament has been forced to come up with a back-up plan for their meetings. What they've found is an unused Greek car ferry that was hired to house their families until the situation in Tripoli is resolved. The boat is moored in the eastern city of Tobruk, where the members of parliament have taken refuge. Meanwhile, meetings are being held in a hotel on shore that's protected by military forces driving US-made Humvees. Smaller meetings are held in restaurants and cabins on the ship.

The Week reports on Libya reversion to a failed state. There are ministries without ministers and budgets. There is a general state of paralysis over all of government. In essence, one expert says, Libya's currently resembles what Somalia and Lebanon is or has been. And while the battle has been pitched as a fight between Islamists and liberals, it's much simpler than that: It's a grab for power in the wake of the ouster of the country's long-time strongman, Muammar Gaddafi.

Hyrdroelectric power isn't always the clean power source people think

For areas trying to reduce their carbon footprint and emissions from local plants, hydroelectric power can seem like an efficient choice. It's able to produce hundreds of megawatts of power from a single dam. But hydroelectric power isn't always such a green choice. In fact, in parts of Central America and other areas of the tropics, decaying plants and other organic material behind a dam can actually put as much methane into the air as a similarly sized fossil fuel-burning plant.

And that's not all: Hydroelectric plants also alter the habitats of marine life, like salmon and other fish that depend on fresh water for spawning. PRI's Living on Earth talked to an activist who is trying to get more hydroelectric plants torn down, and to slow the rate at which they're beind built around the world. He talked about one particular success they've had getting dams taken down in the US — and the incredibly swift recovery by local wildlife.

What we're seeing on social

Weather around the world

As Australia's winter comes to an end and spring approaches, farmers are wondering where the water is. Forecasts for wheat and cotton are down by as much as a third because of lingering and persistent drought, according to Bloomberg. Food prices in general are down as global crop yields climb, but without some more rain, Australia, the world's fifth-largest exporter of wheat, won't be participating.