Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Jet fuel ban illegal, Iran says
TEHRAN, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- A move to refuse refueling of Iran Air planes at Western airports is outside the current sanctions regime, an Iranian official complained.
U.K. otters come back from near-extinction
LONDON, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Britain's otters, nearly wiped out by pollution in the country's rivers three decades ago, have made a remarkable comeback, the U.K. Environment Agency says.
National Briefings | West: Nevada: Lake Mead Dips to a Low
The water level in the massive reservoir that fills the taps of millions of people across the Southwest, has reached a record low, the federal Bureau of Reclamation says.
Satellites to aid European farmers
PARIS, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Farmers in Europe may soon get a hand in managing their fields courtesy of satellite observation and navigation, European Space Agency officials say.
Gulf spill damaged tuna breeding grounds
PARIS, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Scientists say they are using satellite data to assess the damage from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to two major bluefin tuna spawning...
What comes next for the Chilean miners?
Now that the 33 Chilean miners have been returned to the Earth's surface safe and sound, what challenges await them? Experts say that a main issue will be re-establishing their...
Haiti quake has surprising lesson about Earth's surface
Scientists have found that the Haiti earthquake's energy spread in an unusual way. It turns out that the topography of the Earth's surface is just as important as the ground...
Study of Haiti quake yields surprising results
The magnitude 7.0 earthquake that caused more than 200,000 casualties and devastated Haiti's economy in January resulted not from the Enriquillo fault, as previously believed, but from slip on multiple...
Dot Earth: Is There an Effective Climate 'Narrative'?
Is there a way to build a new narrative conveying the challenge of human-driven climate change?
Shuttered Astronaut Hangout Destroyed By Fire
The Outpost Tavern, a former astronaut hangout that closed in January, has burned to the ground in an Oct. 15 fire.
Earth's deep water cycle needs revision, geophysicists claim
A popular view among geophysicists is that large amounts of water are carried from the oceans to the deep mantle in subduction zones -- boundaries where the Earth's crustal plates...
Superhighway for wind power proposed for Mid-Atlantic Coast
Investors on Oct. 12 proposed to build an underwater electricity superhighway that would carry wind power generated off the Mid-Atlantic Coast to land.
Britain Tidal Power Plan Put on Hold in Statement on Energy Policy
Chris Huhne, the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, delivered...
Wordplay: Numberplay: The Puzzle Gourmet
A gourmet pizza puzzle by puzzle gourmet Dr. Peter Winkler.
Life On the Edge: Four Visions For Inhabiting a World Transformed By Climate Change
Wake of the Flood Circa 2080, New Yorkers could live in some 600,000 modular apartments strung along structural cables and held in place by powerful electromagnets. The support cables would be attached to...
Mysterious death of top Gazprom manager
MOSCOW, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- A top Gazprom manager was found dead in his car with a gunshot wound to his head.
U.S. Forests Soak Up Carbon Dioxide, But For How Long?
MISSOULA, Mont.--U.S. forests offset roughly 11 percent of the nation's industrial greenhouse gas emissions, storing "significant amounts" of carbon that would otherwise pollute the atmosphere, according to new government data.The...
EU, Greenland spar over arctic oil
BRUSSELS, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- The European Union is overreacting to environmental issues associated with oil and gas reserves emerging from the arctic, Greenland officials said.
Bulgarians gear up for South Stream role
SOFIA, Bulgaria, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Russian energy company Gazprom plans to set up a joint venture with Bulgaria to build the South Stream pipeline next month, Gazprom officials...
Tree rings tell climate story
Snow gum tree rings are used to explore the history and chronology of climate, including temperature of past seasons and more.
Green: 2010 Tied (So Far) for Warmest on Record
The global climate seems on track to tie with 1998, with the normally ice-choked Northwest Passage and Northeast Passage still open to shipping.
Our plant diversity needs protecting | Andrew Wood
Negotiations in Japan as part of the convention on biological diversity must commit to safeguarding our biological inheritanceWhat wonderous life in this I lead! Ripe apples drop about my head; The luscious clusters...
Brazil: scientists criticise evaluation criteria
Brazilian scientists have criticised the criteria used by funding agencies to evaluate research — and have proposed improvements.
Bridges built to help Borneo orangutans meet mates
By JULIA ZAPPEI 2010-10-18T10:44:45Z KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Endangered orangutans on Borneo island are using fire hoses slung...
BPA ban symptomatic of shift to 'natural' products
Bisphenol A's recent classification as a toxic substance is just one tremor in a much larger movement - away from harmful chemicals and toward more naturally sourced consumer products.
Dr Petar Beron awarded the Order of Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius
Today, 18 October 2010, at a ceremony in the President's Office, with a Decree No. 265 of 20.09.2010, Associate Professor Dr Petar Beron was awarded the Order of Saint Cyril...
New Tactic in California for Paying Pollution Bill
San Joaquin Valley air quality regulators are proposing an annual surcharge on registration fees for automobiles.
Green Column: Financing Dearth Holds Solar Back in U.S.
The American solar energy industry is having its best year ever, yet financing remains scarce for the billion-dollar projects needed for it to gain ground on global leaders like Germany.