Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Zoo plans goodbye party for panda Tai Shan
The Friends of the National Zoo will host a "Farewell to Tai Shan" party at the end of the month before the 4-year-old giant panda is sent to China. ...
Solar pond could produce fresh water
RENO, Nev., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Salty lakes worldwide could produce valuable freshwater using a low-cost solar process developed at the University of Nevada, researchers said.
Conference highlights impact of unsettled summer weather on UK marine life
A recent scientific conference has provided new evidence for the effects of unseasonal summer storms on a variety of spectacular marine life, including deadly jellyfish, basking sharks and oceanic seabirds...
Square Feet: Biopharmaceutical Industry Is Banking on Boston
About $2.3 billion in new biopharmaceutical manufacturing plants were going up in the Boston area.
Hottest decade ever for NZ, Aus
The past decade was the hottest on record for both Australia and New Zealand, according to new data.
Inflatable toad gives small guys the slip
The female cane toad can pump herself up to mega-size to throw off smaller males striving to mate with her, Australian biologists reported on Wednesday.
The Weird Science Awards
The 2010 Weird Science Awards celebrate the strangest scientific developments of the past year, including puppies that glow and lab-grown rabbit penises that really, really work. ...
North America's Cooling Due to Natural Causes in 2008?
An unusually long cooling of the Pacific Ocean lowered temperatures across North America—but it's not proof that global warming has slowed down, scientists say.
Finally, Palau'amine
Organic Synthesis: Ring formation anchors landmark conquest of complex marine natural product.
Giant Carbon "Vault" Proposed Near New York City
Undersea carbon dioxide reservoirs could store massive amounts of the potent greenhouse gas near eastern U.S. cities—but may also pose an earthquake risk, a new study says.
UF research improves production of sea oats essential to beach survival
(PhysOrg.com) -- It might be easy for the casual beachgoer to write off sea oats as mere weeds. However, the lanky grass holds the soil of beach dunes, making it...
Multi-paddock grazing provides efficiency and profits for ranchers
Short grazing periods on multiple paddocks within a pasture can not only restore forage conditions, but also profit margins, according to a Texas AgriLife Research scientist. Dr. Richard Teague, AgriLife...
Gamblers Take Odds on the Next Violent Volcanic Eruption
Seismologists and geologists would love to know which volcano is going to erupt next. Now, so do bookies, odds-fixers and those with a taste for games of chance. Paddy Power, Ireland's largest bookmaker,...
Sentiment mixed on Copenhagen accord
LONDON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- World sentiment is mixed on the possibility of embracing the accord recognized at a U.N. climate summit in the Danish capital in December, leaders...
Tidal tremors may predict giant quakes
Earth's tides may help predict some of the most violent earthquakes on the planet. Earthquake - Earth - School Time - Kids and Teens - Earth...
Ashgabat awaits Ahmadinejad for pipeline
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad scheduled a Wednesday trip to Turkmenistan to inaugurate a section of natural gas pipeline, the Turkmen government said.
Dana Gas makes new gas discovery in Egypt
CAIRO, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Egypt's Dana Gas announced a discovery in the Nile Delta following a noted increase in the average daily rate of gas production for 2009,...
Thailand nanotech plan moves ahead
Energy and agriculture are the targets of Thailand's nanotechnology strategy as the country builds capacity in the field.
UK launches boiler scrap scheme
A government scheme that gives households in England £400 off the cost of a new boiler will be launched later.
Ecosystem, vegetation affect intensity of urban heat island effect
Researchers studying urban landscapes have found that the intensity of the "heat island" created by a city depends on the ecosystem it replaced and on the regional climate. Urban areas...
Highway Barriers Stifle Sound, Sight, and Soot
Highway barriers erected along roadways to block the sound and sight of traffic for the adjoining neighborhoods may also be reducing the amount of pollutants, such as soot from diesel...
Winter, Nighttime Tornadoes Pose Greatest Risk, National Weather Service Warns
Shrouded in darkness, nighttime tornadoes can be deadly, especially during the winter season when people are not accustomed to such severe weather. Given the dangers, forecasters with NOAA's National Weather...
Scientists target East Coast U.S. rocks for carbon dioxide storage
Scientists say buried volcanic rocks along the heavily populated coasts of New York, New Jersey and New England, as well as further south, might be ideal reservoirs to lock away...
C.I.A. Data Sharing With Environmental Scientists Is Revived
The C.I.A. is releasing intelligence data to top scientists so they can better study environmental change.
Solar-powered irrigation significantly improves diet and income in rural sub-Saharan Africa
Solar-powered drip irrigation systems significantly enhance household incomes and nutritional intake of villagers in arid sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new Stanford University study published in the Proceedings of the...
The science behind the cold weather
Although it may be hard to believe, many parts of the northern hemisphere are considerably warmer than usual at the moment. Alaska and much of northern Canada is unseasonably warm for instance,...
Climate deal 'satisfies' Saudis
The world's largest oil producer says it is satisfied by the outcome of UN climate talks, but warns of tensions ahead.
Taiwan's temperatures, emissions rise
TAIPEI, Taiwan, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Taiwan's temperatures have risen by an average of 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century, according to a government study.