Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Rain, wind clears Beijing air ahead of Olympics
(AP) -- After days of hazy, dark skies raised concerns about pollution levels during the Olympics, wind and rain helped clear Beijing's air Tuesday and officials hoped it will...
Study: High CO2 environment damages reefs
MIAMI, July 24 (UPI) -- Reefs may erode in areas with high carbon dioxide levels because the "glue" binding coral skeletons to larger reef structures is missing, a...
Could IMF Loans Be Causing TB Deaths? [News]
The International Monetary Fund this week denounced a study that links its loans to a rise in deaths from tuberculosis (TB) in the former republics of the Soviet Union and...
Saving Lives After Natural Disasters With Fast Set-Up Phone Network
A ten-kilo GSM mobile phone network will allow rescue workers to set up communications just hours, or even minutes, after a man-made or natural catastrophe. When disaster strikes communications are...
New Chlorine-tolerant Desalination Membrane Hopes To Boost Access To Clean Water
Chemical engineers have developed a chlorine-tolerant membrane that should simplify the water desalination process, increasing access to fresh water and possibly reducing greenhouse gases.
Unique fossil discovery shows Antarctic was once much warmer
A new fossil discovery- the first of its kind from the whole of the Antarctic continent- provides scientists with new evidence to support the theory that the polar region was...
Management Practices Key To Watershed Condition
Animals thrive on the banks of waterways. And those same tree-covered, green grassy areas are keys to maintaining healthy watersheds for creeks and rivers. Landowners must learn how to manage...
Raptors Survival Can Be Threatened By Ingesting Lead And Cadmium
Environmental pollutants accumulate in birds of prey, and in some cases, these can cause death. A comparative study of raptors in Galicia and Extremadura undertaken by Spanish researchers has confirmed...
Scientists say sea urchins are loud eaters
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, July 22 (UPI) -- That loud noise heard along rocky reefs near New Zealand at dawn and at dusk are sea urchins chowing down --...
Environment: Fabled bachelor Lonesome George may finally be a father
Keepers recover a clutch of eggs from the enclosure of the conservation icon of the Galapagos islands
Air quality to be measured during Olympics
BEIJING, July 22 (UPI) -- Thousands will watch Olympians soar to records in Beijing this summer while U.S. scientists will record air particulates and their possible changes.
Analysis of Hudson River Fish by Research Team Shows Strong Drop in Mercury
Jeffrey S. Levinton, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook University and the senior author of the study done with Sharon T. Pochron, Adjunct...
ENVIRONMENT PHOTOS WEEKLY: Tropical Storm Dolly, More
Lightning crackles, a storm makes its power felt, and more in our new weekly roundup of weather shots, natural disaster images, and other nature news photos.
World's most endangered destinations
Isn't it ironic that as it gets easier to travel around the world, there are fewer amazing things to see. The earth's most revered marvels are increasingly falling victim to...
Horrified Man Finds Another Long Python In Maine
A man is having trouble sleeping since he found a python snake about 9 feet long under the engine of his pickup truck.
Scientists test system to forecast flash floods along Colorado's front range
People living near vulnerable creeks and rivers along Colorado's Front Range may soon get advance notice of potentially deadly floods, thanks to a new forecasting system being tested this summer...
Global Warming Forces Innovative Sea Turtle Protection
Hot sand is hard-boils eggs of some rare turtles in Costa Rica, spurring efforts to create shade with trees. Experts say more monitoring and intervention are needed to counter a...
Rise of the Snow Bots
If you thought your remote control monster truck was badass, check out the SnoMote. The new remote control snowmobile was funded by NASA to help scientists in polar regions collect...
Beijing hotels slash rates ahead of Olympics
Hotels in Beijing are slashing room rates for next month's Olympics after tighter security — among other measures — dashed an expected windfall of visitors, hotels and travel industry executives...
Healthy Olives Can Now Be Grown In Salty Water
News that olives are sources of "good fat" has increased demand for the luscious fruits. To keep the world's olive lovers satisfied, an intensive wave of olive planting has occurred....
Ind. casino bridge collapse hurts 12
Officials say several construction workers fell into Lake Michigan when a bridge at a floating casino collapsed.
Busy start heralds bruising Atlantic hurricane season
MIAMI (Reuters) - The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season is already a month ahead of schedule, portending a rough year for tropical storms for the United States, Caribbean and Central America...
Action needed now for Minnesota to reach goals in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2015
The state of Minnesota must act now if it wants to reach its Minnesota Next Generation Energy Act goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent by 2015, according...
MPs call for coastal path rethink
The government is urged to think again about its plan to create a long-distance path around England's coast.
Govt. says pandemic unavoidable
LONDON, July 22 (UPI) -- A British government committee said globalization and lifestyle changes make it inevitable that Britain will be hit with a pandemic of some sort.
Antarctic weather stations post to Russia
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, July 22 (UPI) -- Russian scientists said they've installed a network of weather stations in Antarctica to provide automatic weather updates.
Scientists go high-tech to track Arctic char in Frobisher Bay
Researchers monitoring northern oceans are preparing to use the latest technology to track the movements of Arctic char in Frobisher Bay, near Iqaluit, this week.
Clean deadline call on coal power
The government should set a deadline for coal power stations to "clean up" or close, a parliamentary committee says.