"Barren" Seafloor Teeming with Microbial Life

Seafloor bacteria are more abundant and diverse than previously thought, appearing to "eat" the planet's oceanic crust, according to a new study in Nature. The findings pose intriguing questions about...

Understanding Autumn Rain Decline In SE Australia

Fluctuations in sea-surface temperatures to the north of Australia and changes in atmospheric circulation patterns over the sub-tropical Indian Ocean have been identified as key factors leading to declining rainfalls...

Seas off West Coast dangerously acidic

Waters along North America's Pacific coast are becoming more acidic, scientists reported Friday — adding that while that fits warming scenarios, no one had expected it to happen so soon.

Tracing Humanity's Path

Modeling study suggests modern humans peopled the world in nine phases

The swimsuit competition: Revolutionary suits obliterate pool records

There's been a revolution in the swimming pool as world records have been falling at a dizzying pace. It's normal for swimming records to be broken in the run-up to...

Oldest Parrot Fossil Found -- In Scandinavia?

The 54-million-year-old "Danish blue"—nicknamed in honor of a Monty Python sketch—skimmed the skies when Europe was tropical, a new study says.

Radiation Contained in Quake Area, China Says

But officials warned of "hidden" pollution that may emerge as the official death toll climbed to 55,740 and rare pandas were moved due to food shortages.

Sunscreen: Not your only layer of defence

It's easy to head out into the summer heat thinking you're protected because of all that sunscreen you've slathered on. You've judiciously checked the labels and decided on a sunscreen...

Sun screen lotion threatens coral: study

Sun screen lotions used by beach-going tourists worldwide are a major cause of coral bleaching, according to a new study commissioned by the European Commission.

China Sacks Plastic Bags [News]

SHANGHAI--Thin plastic bags are used for everything in China and the Chinese use up to three billion of them a day--an environmentally costly habit picked up by shopkeepers and consumers...

After quake, pandas going to the Beijing Olympics

Did Pandas Sense the China Earthquake?

The death toll from the Sichuan earthquake is reportedly upwards of 55,000 at this point. Many survivors are living outside, in tents, afraid that aftershocks will topple their homes. But...

Tidal Cycle Could Amplify Global-warming Related Sea-level Rises

The results of several scientific studies conducted since 1993 have confirmed a 3.2 cm sea level rise. Although this variation might appear negligible, it has in fact turned out to...

Projected Impact Of Sea-Level Rise On Coastal Habitats Of The Chesapeake Bay, US

A new report, Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Habitats of the Chesapeake Bay, shows in vivid detail the dramatic effects of sea-level rise on the largest estuary in the US, which...

Methane rise points to wetlands

Rsing levels of the greenhouse gas methane could be caused by changes in wetlands, largely around the Arctic.

Fewer UK beaches gain top marks

Bathing water at the UK's beaches is more polluted since last year's stormy summer, a study shows.

Italy 'to revive nuclear power'

Italy says it is to restart its nuclear energy programme, 20 years after it was scrapped following Chernobyl.

Cougars moving eastward, researcher says

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., May 22 (UPI) -- Cougar sightings could become more common in U.S. urban areas as mountain lions rebound and expand their living space, a...

Group: Italy's flora, fauna dwindling

ROME, May 22 (UPI) -- Italy needs to do more to save the country's animal and plant species from extinction, Italy's largest environmental group said.

Growing Ocean Acidity May Erode Coastal Ecosystems

Waters acidic enough to corrode seashells are already raking shores in northern California, reveals a new study of the effects of carbon emissions on the oceans.

Quake scenario unveiled for S.California

RESTON, Va., May 22 (UPI) -- If California were struck by an earthquake similar to the one that devastated China, 1,800 people would die, the U.S. Geological Survey...

McDonald's cooking fries in trans-fat-free oil

(AP) -- McDonald's french fries are now trans-fat-free in all its restaurants in the United States and Canada, the fast-food restaurant chain said Thursday.

Water, salinity levels in Hunter linked to climate

Climate change and land management practices could be affecting the total amount of groundwater and surface water in the Hunter Valley, and also increasing levels of salinity.

Charles Brenner, Psychoanalyst, Dies at 94

Dr. Brenner reigned for nearly a half-century as the dean of American psychoanalysis, working to clarify, refine and fiercely defend its core principles.

Rapid acidification puts marine life in grave danger

Increased CO2 levels are to blame for the increased acidity, which could have a catastrophic impact on marine ecology

Scorched Earth millenium map shows 'fire scars'

A geographer from the University of Leicester has produced for the first time a map of the scorched Earth for every year since the turn of the Millennium.

Education 'top priority' for new AU commissioner

The African Union's new commissioner has placed education at the top of his agenda for advancing science and technology on the continent.

Opinion: The plight of the Great Barrier Reef

By 2050 the Great Barrier Reef will be unrecognisable. Bacterial slime, largely devoid of life, will be everywhere, writes Charlie Veron.