Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Clays on Mars: More Plentiful Than Expected
A new study co-authored by the Georgia Institute of Technology indicates that clay minerals, rocks that usually form when water [...]
Find New Uses for Abundant Natural Gas Methane
Little more than a decade ago, the United States imported much of its natural gas. Today, the nation is tapping [...]
Successful solo rock/pop stars twice as likely to die early as those in a band, study finds
Successful solo rock/pop stars are around twice as likely to die early as those in equally famous bands, new research indicates.
Materials science: The secret of nanoparticle packing in cement
Cement production is responsible for five percent of carbon dioxide emissions. If we are to invent a "green" cement, we need to understand in more detail the legendary qualities of...
Small earthquakes shaking up Hawaii
More than 30 small earthquakes, most too small to feel, shook the island of Hawaii in the past two weeks.
Russia building nuclear submersible craft
SEVERODVINSK, Russia, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- A Russian shipyard is building a nuclear-powered deep-sea submersible capable of both research and rescue missions, officials said.
2012 another record-setter, fits climate forecasts
WASHINGTON (AP) -- As 2012 began, winter in the U.S. went AWOL. Spring and summer arrived early with wildfires, blistering heat and drought. And fall hit...
Everest gigapixel image zooms in on glacier threat
A filmmaker and mountaineer has spent five years piecing together a giant gigapixel image of Mount Everest and the Khumbu glacier, showing the Himalayan peak and its surroundings in extraordinary...
Wallace's century-old map of natural world updated
Until today, Alfred Russell Wallace's century old map from 1876 has been the backbone for our understanding of global biodiversity. Thanks to advances in modern technology and data on more...
Rensselaer Awarded Gift to Establish Fellowship in Astrobiology
Grant from Emily Landecker Foundation advances interdisciplinary study in astrobiology.
WCS Applauds U.S. Dept of the Interior Final Management Plan Balancing Conservation and Energy Development in National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) lauded U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazars announcement of a final management plan for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) that balances wildlife conservation and...
U-M Experts Available to Discuss Warmest Year in U.S. History
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said this month that 2012 "appears virtually certain" to surpass 1998 as the warmest year on record in the contiguous United States. December 2012...
Video: It's so cold in Siberia, boiling water freezes
The temperature in Siberia is reaching lows not felt in more than half a century as the mercury dips to 42 degrees below zero and the air instantly freezes boiling...
How life emerged from deep-sea rocks
The origin of ion-pumping proteins could explain how life began in, and escaped from, undersea thermal vents.Nature News doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.12109
Russian Far East, Once Closed-Off, Poses Seismic Hazard
Earthquake and volcanoes of region once hidden behind the iron curtain.
MIT: As Planet Warms, Poor Nations Face Economic Chill
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--A rising tide is said to lift all boats. Rising global temperatures, however, may lead to increased disparities between rich and poor countries, according to a recent MIT economic...
Rising Life Expectancy – but not in the US
In the news this week was a huge British study in The Lancetabout longevity trends worldwide. The headlines were about the [...]
Eviction threat for rescued bears
A bear sanctuary in Vietnam, home to more than 100 bears rescued from the illegal bile-farming industry, is facing eviction from one of the country's national parks.
High winds affect ocean circulation in North Atlantic, says study
(Phys.org)—Gale-force winds that whip around the Greenland coast are driving ocean circulation, confirms a new study on the cover of the Nov. 30 issue of Geophysical Research Letters.
Explorers discover deepwater gas seeps off US Atlantic coast: Advanced sonar technology key to discovery and mapping
NOAA ocean explorers used an advanced multibeam sonar mapping system on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer last month to discover and map the first deepwater gas seeps found off the U.S....
The laws of global warming: How to regulate geo-engineering efforts to fight climate change
(Phys.org)—With policymakers and political leaders increasingly unable to combat global climate change, more scientists are considering the use of manual manipulation of the environment to slow warming's damage to the...
'Erin Brockovich' toxin found at Japan plant
The toxic chemical made infamous by campaigning single mother Erin Brockovich has been found at up to 15,800 times safety limits in groundwater at a Japanese iron plant, the factory's...
Carbon storage method ruled out
Iron fertilisation has been ruled out as a method of storing and capturing carbon in the ocean by a new study that suggests it's uneconomical.
Warning over North Sea oil cash
The value of North Sea oil to Scotland's economy is becoming more erratic and difficult to predict, according to a think tank report.
Fishermen welcome talks outcome
Fishing industry representatives welcome the outcome of talks in Brussels on EU fish conservation measures.
U.S. will let otters roam along Southern California coastline
After 25 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided to end its program of relocating the mammals, calling the effort a failure. Fishermen complain.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...
Saving Reindeer Homes in Time for the Holidays
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Canada today announced a three-year grant from The W. Garfield Weston Foundation that will help fund WCS Canada's continued conservation efforts in two of Canada's...
Talks on SoCal nuclear plant restart held
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. regulators and Southern California Edison officials say they've discussed a restart proposal for the San Onofre nuclear plant, closed for safety concerns.