Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Ocean stored significant warming over last 16 years, study finds
The upper layer of the world's ocean has warmed since 1993, indicating a strong climate change signal, according to a new study. The energy stored is enough to power nearly...
Averting a North Sea Blowout
As BP struggles to control oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico from a blowout at the Deepwater Horizon rig a month ago, another company is working to prevent a...
Stanford scientists track polluted groundwater to the sea
Faulty septic systems have long been blamed for polluting some of California's most popular beaches. Yet few scientific studies have established a direct link between septic systems and coastal contamination...
Mercury level rises in Lake Erie walleye
LEAMINGTON, Ontario, May 21 (UPI) -- Mercury levels in Lake Erie walleye appear to be increasing after two decades of steady decline, Canadian scientists said.
Gulf oil spill: EPA orders BP to use less toxic dispersant
The Environmental Protection Administration has ordered BP to use a less toxic chemicals in the company's effort to clean up the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a...
Mars Institute 'Moon-1' Humvee Rover reaches Devon Island, High Arctic
(PhysOrg.com) -- An international team of researchers led by Mars Institute scientist Dr. Pascal Lee successfully reached Devon Island, High Arctic, on Sunday, 16 May, 2010 after a...
NSF, Gates Foundation to Support WSU Research on Developing 'Desert Wheat'
WSU researchers working on developing wheat varieties that grow under severe drought conditions ("desert wheat") earned a $1.6 million grant from the NSF and the Gates Foundation to help fund...
Sun Grant Research Evaluates Clover to Boost Biomass Yields
A species of clover that doesn't typically perform well in the dry uplands of the Northern Plains could find its niche by helping producers grow biomass crops for energy in...
Doctor, Bully, Futurist, Spy: The 'Smart Meter'
Writing in Friday's issue of the journal Science, the environmental scientist Jan Beyea foresees a world in which epidemiologists could harvest data on how people live from day to day...
On Our Radar: The 'Anthropocene' Era
Humanity leaves its mark on the planet: the Holocene epoch is giving way to the "Anthropocene."
Nitrogen Fixation Does Not Happen Uniformly in Texas Lakes
Used by bacteria, algae and other organisms, nitrogen fixation is the natural process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into organic nitrogen. However, exactly what physical factors cause...
Diplopedia a success at US Department of State
A new study released today by Rice University and the U.S. Department of State's (DOS) Office of eDiplomacy looks at the five-year history of creating and implementing Diplopedia, DOS' use...
India, Greenland targets for Cairn Energy
EDINBURGH, Scotland, May 20 (UPI) -- British oil explorer Cairn Energy announced plans Thursday to increase oil production in India following the completion of a pipeline network.
Flood waters reach Auschwitz
KRAKOW, Poland, May 20 (UPI) -- Water from flooding in Eastern Europe began pooling up on the floor of a former Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz, Poland, authorities said.
Occidental bullish on U.S. assets
LOS ANGELES, May 20 (UPI) -- Los Angeles company Occidental Petroleum said it has an ambitious onshore forecast for California as jitters ripple through offshore energy players.
North Dakota gas network expanding
BISMARCK, N.D., May 20 (UPI) -- North Dakota's Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Co. said it has plans to expand existing pipeline capacity in the region by as much as...
What Is the Loop Current?
The Gulf of Mexico oil slick is approaching the Loop Current, a ribbon of ocean water that moves through the Gulf and into the Atlantic Ocean.
The fight is on to save Kenya's green lung
Poverty and climate change are threatening one of East Africa's most valuable forestry areas. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, including researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences and the...
Australian scientists find Timor Sea meteorite crater
Australian scientists have discovered a crater deep beneath the Timor Sea made during a heavy meteor storm which may have altered the Earth's climate, the lead researcher said Thursday.
UK 'will push EU on CO2 targets'
The UK government will push the EU to move to a higher target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Torpedo accusation raises Korean security stakes
After weeks of investigation and leaks, the announcement that North Korea killed 46 South Korean sailors sets the stage for more hostile relations. Following weeks of investigation, leaked evidence and diplomatic huddles, South...
Opinion: The challenge of climate change as cultural crisis
Prof Linda Connor argues that modern anthropological research can provide useful and important perspectives on climate change as a cultural crisis in the contemporary world, and contribute to a cultural...
Records reveal robust ocean warming
Scientists reduce uncertainty in crucial climate record
Homicide Report: 19 killings last week in L.A. County, at least seven gang-related
Coroner's officials reported 19 killings in Los Angeles County between May 10 and Sunday evening, bringing the year-to-date total to 260, according to data collected for The Times' Homicide Report...
Can a Bridge Built in Days, Not Months, Survive a Major Earthquake? (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- The major earthquake that "struck" a 70-ton, 60-foot-long concrete bridge today in the University at Buffalo's Structural Engineering and Earthquake Simulation Laboratory will help engineers evaluate if a...
Newsweek: Robots key to stopping oil spill
At its greatest depths, the sea floor is a dark, tranquil, and foreboding place, beyond the reach of both sunlight and human divers. Yet the area around the Deepwater Horizon...
OU WaTER Center researchers providing solutions in developing countries
At the University of Oklahoma WATER Center, researchers are working to provide solutions in developing countries where clean, safe water is nonexistent. According to Center Director David Sabatini,...
WHOI Selected to Operate Newest Navy Research Ship
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has been informed by the US Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR) that is has been selected to operate AGOR 27, one of...