Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Problem for Containment Dome in Gulf
BP is forced to move containment dome because gas hydrates were turning to ice sooner than they expected.
Coyotes in New York City Lead Surge in Urban Wildlife
Coyotes, raccoon, deer and other forms of urban wildlife are popping up across Manhattan.
Deforestation failure sounds climate alarm
(PhysOrg.com) -- Australia's failure to accurately measure and predict emissions from deforestation, and the difficulty it has had in reducing deforestation, should send a warning signal to the world, according...
Interest grows in Iraqi gas, minister says
BAGHDAD, May 7 (UPI) -- There is a strong indication that international bidders are interested in tapping natural gas reserves in Iraq, the Iraqi oil minister said in Baghdad.
ORNL technology raises bar, lowers cost for groundwater contaminant sensors
Long-term continuous monitoring of groundwater where contaminants are present or suspected could be streamlined with a technology developed at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory...
Peruvian tectonic plates move by earthquakes and non-seismic slip
Just a few years ago, Dan Farber happened to be doing field work in Peru with students when the 8.0 Pisco earthquake struck. As a scientist working in the active tectonics...
Researchers create software for robot to improve rescue missions
In disaster emergencies, such as the recent West Virginia mine explosion or the earthquake in Haiti, it is often unsafe for responders to enter the scene, prolonging the rescue of...
Leading international climate experts build food security in the face of climate change
Climate and agricultural researchers, policy makers, donors, and development agencies, both governmental and non-governmental, from all over the world just met in Nairobi for a one-day conference, 'Building Food Security...
Ancient leaves help researchers understand future climate
Potential climate change caused by rising levels of carbon dioxide might be better understood by examining fossil plant remains from millions of years ago, according to biogeochemists. The types of...
NAS Members Take On Climate Change Skeptics
Following the embarrassment suffered as a result of the climategate scandal and amid a drop in public confidence in climate scientists, two hundred fifty-five members of the National Academy of...
Is a Drop in U.S. CO2 a Blip or Trend?
An energy expert warns against cheering over a big drop in carbon dioxide emissions.
Scientists decry "assaults" on climate research
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 250 U.S. scientists on Thursday defended climate change research against "political assaults" and warned that any delay in tackling global warming heightens the risk of...
L.A. city officials dispute former mayor Riordan's bankruptcy prediction
Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan has been stirring a municipal hornet's nest over the last few weeks, repeatedly warning that the city he once ran would need to file...
Falklands oil company reports first underwater find
STANLEY, Falkland Islands, May 6 (UPI) -- After disappointing results earlier in the year that caused dismay and panic among investors, the Falklands' first oil discovery was reported Thursday...
Extraterrestrial Specks in Antarctic Snow Yield New Clues to Solar System's Past
Antarctica is nature's forensic freezer, preserving records of the past in layers of largely unsullied ice and snow that scientists have dug up to explore past geologic and atmospheric conditions.
Texas A&M Experts On Oil Spills
As the Gulf Coast oil spill continues to be a major problem, we have expanded our list of faculty and staff who can speak authoritatively on various aspects, including assessments...
Water cooling for supercomputers unveiled in Switzerland
Swiss researchers on Thursday unveiled a water-cooling system to cut the heat generated by a supercomputer, thereby significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
Hiking Up the Mountain
The first day's hiking up Mt. Marojejy in Madagascar was an exhausting climb, in steaming, wet forest, arriving at our camp in the dark. We made our first collection...
China: 'iron hand' to reach energy targets
BEIJING, May 6 (UPI) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged all levels of China's government to work with an 'iron hand' to reach energy efficiency targets.
ARS scientists in North Dakota help improve potato storage capabilities
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in North Dakota are evaluating the storage properties of promising new potato varieties that could greatly improve potato quality for growers throughout the United States.
Listening to Earthquake Faults 'Talk' in Haiti
Andrew Freed recently returned from Haiti, where he has been studying the stresses in Earth's crust before, during and after the earthquake.
New York State, a Recycling Reprobate
Urging a shift in practices, New York State environmental officials have released a proposed plan to get New Yorkers to reduce their waste by 15 percent every two years.
Experiences to learn from the volcanic eruption
On May 2-7, 7,000 researchers from all of Europe gather in Vienna for European Geosciences Union. This is a great opportunity to exchange information and experiences on the ash cloud...
UNHCR takes water to Somali refugees
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 6 (UPI) -- More than 10,000 refugees in the Somali region of Ethiopia are receiving water through electricity upgrades in drought-prone areas, a U.N. agency...
British summer is coming earlier each year, study finds
Scientists say onset of British summer has become increasingly early in the last 50 years, consistent with global warmingBritain is broke and the bank holiday weekend was a washout, but scientists at Sheffield...
TNK-BP makes move into Iraq
MOSCOW, May 6 (UPI) -- Russian energy company TNK-BP has the expertise needed to exploit the oil reserves in Iraq, the company's chief executive officer said in the wake...
BP shuts valve at Gulf of Mexico site
NEW ORELANS, La., May 6 (UPI) -- A valve attached to a broken drill pipe associated with the sunken oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico is closed but...
Tsunami alerts 'confuse public'
Tsunami warnings need to convey information that is more meaningful to the public, a top researcher says.