Latest science news in Earth & Climate
BP well sealed, but gusher of uncertainty remains
The spill will leave a legacy of environmental, legal, economic, political and social consequences.With a thick shot of cement plugging the last worrisome part of BP's troubled well, government officials...
Prentice to review oilsands pollution monitoring
Environment Minister Jim Prentice is promising to review the province's pollution monitoring system for the Athabasca River in light of news that Alberta oilsands pollutants are damaging fish.
What's in a hurricane's name?
Once upon a time tropical storms and hurricanes were faceless and nameless. How times have changed. Meteorology - Earth Sciences - Atmospheric Sciences - Weather Phenomena...
Massive La. Fishkill Prompts Oil Spill Questions
Hundreds of Thousands of Dead Fish in Bayou Near Mississippi River; Oil, Chemical Dispersant, Oxygen Levels Eyed as Culprits
Discovery of the secrets that enable plants near Chernobyl to shrug off radiation
Scientists are reporting discovery of the biological secrets that enable plants growing near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to adapt and flourish in highly radioactive soil -- legacy of the...
NASA data track seasonal pollution changes over India
Data from the Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) instrument on NASA's Terra spacecraft have been used in a groundbreaking new university study that examines the concentration, distribution and composition of aerosol...
Growing La Nina chills out the Pacific
The tropical Pacific Ocean has transitioned from last winter's El Niño conditions to a cool La Niña, as shown by new data about sea surface heights, collected by the U.S-French...
Global warming could cut number of Arctic hurricanes, study finds
Research says storms that hamper the exploitation of Arctic reserves may halve by 2100, but experts warn against oil rushGlobal warming could halve the frequency of Arctic hurricanes – extreme storms that strike...
Glaciers help high-latitude mountains grow taller
Glaciers can help actively growing mountains become higher by protecting them from erosion, according to new research. The finding is contrary to the conventional view of glaciers as powerful agents...
Tiny foraminifera shells can help assess recovery after oil spill
(PhysOrg.com) -- Millimeter-size marine organisms called foraminifera have been used to monitor pollutants in marshes and oceans, and could help to assess recovery in the Gulf of Mexico following the...
Drought shrinks Amazon River to lowest level in 47 years
A severe drought parching northern Brazil this year has shrunk the mighty Amazon River -- the world's longest river -- to its lowest level in 47 years, officials said Wednesday.
CRDF Hosts Annual George Brown Award for International Scientific Cooperation, Marks 15th Anniversary
Dr. Bruce Alberts, the late Dr. Norman Borlaug and Sen. Richard Lugar to be Honored with International Science Award
Insect-Sized Robots Could Explore Environmental Hazards
Micro air vehicles (MAVs) under development by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research are on track to evolve into robotic, insect-scale devices for monitoring and exploration of hazardous environments,...
SciTS - 'Science Of Team Science' Will Examine Collaboration
Multidisciplinary collaborative research teams are essential in modern day science - climate scientists need to make more accurate numerical models and genome data in biology can be overwhelming and that...
Higher altitudes hide deadly problem: Increased suicide risk
The Intermountain West is renowned for the beauty of its towering mountains and high deserts, but according to new research the region's lofty altitudes significantly influence a deadly problem: the...
Climate change: Can geoengineering satisfy everyone?
Reflecting sunlight from the Earth by geoengineering would undoubtedly cool the climate, but would different countries agree on how much to reflect? Research by climate scientists at the University of...
Home canning on the rise again, but do it safely, expert warns
Sometimes old ideas are the best ideas, and certainly home canning is one of those. But despite generations of practice, many don't do it properly, warns a food-safety expert in...
3 NASA satellites seek clues to Hurricane Julia’s rapid intensification
Hurricane Julia intensified rapidly overnight and is now a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale and NASA's Aqua, Terra and TRMM satellites captured clues as they passed over her...
Hold Your Nose! Corpse Flower Drops a Stink Bomb
Rotten flesh smell lingers at Binghamton University greenhouse.
Glacial Blankets Can Protect Mountains From Erosion
Study shows ice frozen to bedrock can insulate mountains from wind and water
Commercial-scale test of new technology to recover coal from sludge successful
A new technology for removing water from ultrafine coal slurry has been successfully tested at the commercial scale at an operating coal cleaning plant. The technology offers the possibility of...
Hydroelectric power reservoirs cleaner than previously feared, new research shows
A new report is helping to remove the dirty image attributed to climate gas emissions from hydroelectric power reservoirs.
A new understanding of 31 years of Chesapeake Bay nutrient trends
Reducing the delivery of nutrients to the Chesapeake Bay is one of the most important components of restoration efforts to achieve a healthy Bay ecosystem. The USGS has developed a...
FOR KIDS: Fast flip of Earth's poles
Volcanic rocks may record an unusually sudden flip
Levant energy stakes keep getting higher
TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- The energy stakes in the volatile eastern Mediterranean keep getting higher. Israel...
Less smog due to U.S. downturn: scientists
Some government scientists say the economic downturn in the U.S. may have had a silver lining for Canadian air quality.
K-State Partnership Addressing Future Agricultural Needs Related to Climate Variability
A newly formed partnership will enable Kansas State University to help rural communities identify ways to adjust to future climate scenarios that may affect their families and livelihoods.
Oil sands under scrutiny in Utah
SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- The environmental damage from oil sands production in Utah will endure long after deposits run dry, advocacy groups protested. ...