Latest science news in Earth & Climate
BP sprays more chemicals into main Gulf oil leak
(AP) -- A remote-controlled submarine shot a chemical dispersant into the maw of a massive undersea oil leak Monday, further evidence that authorities expect the gusher to keep erupting...
US oil spill testing ground for dispersants
The possibility of using surfactants to treat oil on the ocean floor, at the source of the leak in BP’s well in the Gulf, is being tested
Wash away your doubts when you wash your hands
Washing your hands 'wipes the slate clean,' removing doubts about recent choices. That's the key finding of a University of Michigan study published in the current (May 7) issue of...
Tape Exposes Rich-Poor Tussle in Copenhagen
A German paper releases recordings disclosing the turbulent final hours in Copenhagen as world leaders debated a climate accord.
Video: Tidwell: US Energy Policy To Blame For Spill
Clean energy advocate Mike Tidwell says the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is directly related to America's addiction to oil.
Little Progress on New Treaty at Climate Meeting
Despite Some Movement, Tougher Issues Put Off for Another Day
Nuke reactor cores simulated on iPhones
SALT LAKE CITY, May 6 (UPI) -- University of Utah scientists say they're using an iPhone application they designed to display medical scans to view simulations of nuclear reactor...
From Air, BP’s Chief Sees Progress in Containing Spill
A 98-ton steel box standing four stories tall will soon be lowered to the ocean floor. The goal is to redirect the oil to a drill ship.
Aseismic slip as a barrier to earthquake propagation
On August 15, 2007, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck in Central Peru, killing more than 500 people - primarily in the town of Pisco, which was heavily damaged by the...
Supply chain professor: 'Oil spill, flooding create perfect storm' for commerce, shipping
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and epic flooding in Tennessee have created a 'perfect storm' for businesses that rely on an efficient supply chain, according to a...
Climate change and mountain building led to mammal diversity patterns
Travel from the tropics to the poles, and you'll notice that the diversity of mammals declines with distance from the equator. Move from lowland to mountains, and you'll see diversity...
World's biggest beaver dam discovered in northern Canada
A Canadian ecologist has discovered the world's largest beaver dam in a remote area of northern Alberta, an animal-made structure so large it is visible from space.
Ash pushes case for new sensors
Iceland's ongoing eruption is likely to press the case for new satellite instruments to monitor volcanic ash thrown into the atmosphere.
Beetle-infested forests pose water threat
DENVER, May 5 (UPI) -- U.S. forest managers say threats to watersheds from fire-prone dying forests are so severe they need help from local water utilities, ski resorts and...
Fraudulent recyclers allegedly shipped in cans and bottles from out of state
A ring of recycling thieves trucked cans and bottles filled with sand to increase their weight from Arizona to California, prosecutors said Wednesday.
SwRI researchers design and build gas bearing test rig
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at Southwest Research Institute have designed and built a 60,000 rpm gas bearing test rig to test the rotordynamic stability of gas bearings.
Breaking Up Can Be Hard
Laura Townsend '10 eases a soggy lump of concrete out from what looks like a gigantic pizza oven. "Come on, whoa! -- This bad boy is going to fall apart,"...
Whatever Happened to the Ozone Hole?
Twenty-five years later, the lingering "hole" over Antarctica is close to closing—but that may not be entirely a good thing.
Rising seas, raising hopes
(PhysOrg.com) -- By the end of this century, sea levels in the Netherlands may rise more than 4 feet, a troubling prospect in a country where 70 percent of GNP...
Four-month freeze on apartment rents proposed by L.A. City Council committee
After roughly 90 minutes of angry testimony from tenants and landlords, a Los Angeles City Council committee called Wednesday for a four-month prohibition on rent increases at an estimated 630,000...
Max Palevsky, art collector and computer technology pioneer, dies at 85
Max Palevsky, an immigrant's son who made a fortune in the early days of the computer industry, then used his millions to build notable art collections and finance liberal campaigns,...
L.A. River project in Glendale clears final hurdle
The Glendale Narrows Riverwalk project includes a half-mile paved path along the Los Angeles River channel. Construction is expected to start in July and take less than a year to...
On Our Radar: Shunning "Drill, Baby, Drill'
Republican leaders distance themselves from the "Drill, baby, drill" catch phrase.
Seismology: The biggest one
Fifty years ago this month, a massive earthquake in Chile broke new ground in seismic science. Roff Smith looks back at the largest quake ever recorded.
African monsoon research to shift focus
A plan for the next decade's research on the African monsoon aims to address climate change and the needs of local people.
Q&A: For Oceans, 'Another Big Headache'
The oceanographer Sylvia Earle says the spill has damaged an already-stressed ecosystem.
Slideshow: VORTEX2: The great tornado chase
A high-tech study aims to chase down tornadoes and surround them with an unprecedented fleet of cutting-edge tools in order to examine in detail how tornadoes form and the patterns...
Following Scientists Into the Field
It is the end of the rainy season now in Madagascar, which means it's a good time for chameleons. They like it wet and warm. And that means it's...