Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Study: Humans altered climate 10,000 years ago
Forget auto emissions and power plants. Humans may have contributed to climate change more than 10,000 years ago, according to a new study. Climate change -...
Scrubbing CO2 from atmosphere could be a long-term commitment
With carbon dioxide in the atmosphere approaching alarming levels, even halting emissions altogether may not be enough to avert catastrophic climate change. Could scrubbing carbon dioxide from the air be...
Video: Biden Tours Oil Spill, Day 71
As fisherman and other local residents still struggle ten weeks after the BP oil spill first began, Harry Smith reports on VP Biden's tour of the disaster region.
Coccolithophore growth and calcification - a possible role for iron
Lack of sufficient iron may be a significant factor in controlling massive blooms of Emiliania huxleyi, a globally important species of marine algae or phytoplankton, according to research led by...
Nutrients, viruses and the biological carbon pump
Adding nutrients to the sea could decrease viral infection rates among phytoplankton and enhance the efficiency of the biological pump, a means by which carbon is transferred from the atmosphere...
Effect of fire on birds evaluated
European mountains have experienced a decline in forestry, agricultural and livestock operations over the past 50 years, due to the exodus of rural populations and socioeconomic changes. These areas have...
Study: seal pups being born earlier
LONDON, June 30 (UPI) -- A British study says harbor sears are giving birth to their pups earlier every year as a result of changes in the marine ecosystem. ...
Eternally green: New eco-friendly cremations and burials
People who care about improving the environment in life may soon be able to do so after death. Entrepreneurs in Europe have developed two new and unusual methods of body...
Iraq's $17B Shell deal opens gas drive
BAGHDAD, June 30 (UPI) -- Iraq's $17 billion contract with Royal Dutch Shell, backed by Japan's Mitsubishi Corp., to produce gas from four southern fields launches Baghdad's plan to...
Chemical Beverage Signatures Allow Geographical Tracking of People By What They've Been Drinking
Trackable Beverages This tap water "isoscape" map shows how hydrogen and oxygen isotopes vary throughout the country. Geographic factors like latitude, altitude and proximity to coasts all play a role in this isotopic...
Mighty Mississippi could fight oil slick
Oil has hit the fragile Gulf coast wetlands. To fight it, the mighty Mississippi River must get even mightier, scientists suggest. Mississippi River - Oil spill...
Administration Cannot Drop Bid for Nuclear Waste Dump in Nevada, Panel Finds
A panel of regulatory judges says the Energy Department has no authority to withdraw a plan put forth by Congress.
ARS releases heat-tolerant beans
New bean germplasm lines containing heat, drought and disease tolerance are being released by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and cooperators.
Scientists warn increase in Amazon fires threatens UN-led carbon savings
(PhysOrg.com) -- Research at the University of Exeter in the UK has revealed that farmers in the Amazon are lighting more fires in areas with reduced deforestation, and thereby threatening...
Sorting Myth and Reality in Climate Policy
Two mythbusters challenge conventional thinking on climate solutions.
Midlatitude Mildew: Indoor Mold Growth Is Influenced More by Location Than Building Type
In the first-ever global survey of indoor fungi scientists report that geography rather than building design and function has the greatest effect on the fungal species likely to...
Macedonia excited about South Stream role
SKOPJE, Macedonia, June 30 (UPI) -- A link to the South Stream natural gas pipeline to Europe will place Macedonia on the regional energy map, the Macedonian president said. ...
Debate lingers over Egyptian gas pipeline
CAIRO, June 30 (UPI) -- Natural gas supplies to Jordan and Syria were down this week because protesters lit vehicles on fire near a major pipeline, Egyptian officials said. ...
Enterprise expands Texas shale potential
HOUSTON, June 30 (UPI) -- New construction projects planned for Texas will accommodate the rise in production in the Eagle Ford shale play, a Texas energy company said. ...
Guardian debate: Was 'climategate' the greatest scandal to hit climate science or a mere storm in a teacup?
Join a panel of experts for our live debate in London on 14 July to examine what the hacked climate science emails do – and do not – revealHacked private emails between...
China sets sail for the Arctic
A Chinese research vessel and ice-breaker is due to set sail this week for the Arctic, a region much coveted by Beijing for its wealth of scientific data and natural...
Image of the day: Thinning ice sheets
These animations of Antarctica (above) and Greenland, derived from the radar altimeter instrument on ESA’s Envisat satellite, illustrate the variations in the surface height on each ice sheet from 2003...
Formula One in carbon-cuts drive
The high-octane sport is on track to curb its carbon emissions by 15% over three years, with radical engine changes mooted.
Recipes for Health: Chard and Chard Stalk Gratin
This simple gratin makes use of chard stalks that too often are wasted.
When two parts of the Earth's crust break apart, this does not always cause massive volcanic eruptions
New research reveals that when two parts of the Earth's crust break apart, this does not always cause massive volcanic eruptions. The study explains why some parts of the world...
UN designation urged for N.S. lakes area
A volunteer group in Nova Scotia submitted an application Tuesday to gain international recognition for Cape Breton's Bras d'Or Lakes.
Greenland defends offshore drilling
The premier of Greenland says Inuit around the world should respect his government's decision to drill for oil and gas in Davis Strait.
A Wild Ride Away From the Utukok
Dr. Zack and team take a bush plane to the coastal town of Point Lay, then fly to Barrow hoping to see a polar bear.