Latest science news in Earth & Climate
States agree new funding, schedule for nuclear fusion plan
The European Union and six states backing a multi-billion-dollar nuclear fusion project said Wednesday they had reached a deal on the financing and timetable for the experimental reactor.
Video: Bonnie Halts Spill Cleanup
Tropical storm Bonnie, now weakened to a tropical depression, has temporarily shut down cleanup efforts towards the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Kelly Cobiella reports.
Warmer climate could release lake CO2
UPPSALA, Sweden, July 23 (UPI) -- Carbon dioxide locked in the world's freshwater lakes could be released into the atmosphere as warmer climate conditions continue, scientists say. ...
Great Lakes at near-record temperatures
DETROIT, July 23 (UPI) -- North America's Great Lakes are warmer than usual -- as much as 15 degrees above normal -- and could get record temperatures this summer,...
Neil Armstrong's Travel Papers Allegedly Stolen By Customs Worker
A customs declaration form filled out by Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong was allegedly stolen by a U.S. customs worker and his friend, federal prosecutors have announced.
Study: 'Wacky' weather a threat in Fla.
ORLANDO, Fla., July 23 (UPI) -- "Wacky" extreme winter weather in Florida could threaten the state's citrus industry with frequent freezes and shorter growing seasons, researchers say. ...
Newsweek: Scientists oppose berms, other efforts
It took only 24 hours to get 21 of the nation’s most prominent coastal scientists to sign on to an impassioned letter to Ret. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, national...
Supercomputer reproduces a cyclone's birth, may boost forecasting
Scientists have employed NASA's Pleiades supercomputer and atmospheric data to simulate tropical cyclone Nargis -- with the first model to replicate the formation of the tropical cyclone five days in...
Key compound of ozone destruction detected
For the first time, KIT scientists have successfully measured in the ozone layer the chlorine compound ClOOCl which plays an important role in stratospheric ozone depletion. The doubts in the...
Gut movements in caterpillars inspire soft-body robot design
'Weird movements' in the abdomens of freely crawling caterpillars are making headlines in the fields of engineering and biology, says Jake Socha, Virginia Tech assistant professor of engineering science and...
Not enough hours in the day for endangered apes
A study on the effect of global warming on African ape survival suggests that a warming climate may cause apes to run 'out of time.' The research, published today in...
Democrats Call Off Climate Bill Effort
Bowing to political reality, the Democrats retreated on curbing carbon emissions, opting for a narrower measure.
Scientist streamlines 'data mining'
SALT LAKE CITY, July 22 (UPI) -- A University of Utah computer scientist says he's devised a simpler method of "data mining," extracting and analyzing massive amounts of such...
Climate uncertainties tied to economies of US states: California, Pacific Northwest and Colorado achieve positive net impacts; other states languish
A climate-change study that models the near-term effects of declining rainfall in each of the 48 US continental states makes clear the economic toll that could occur unless an appropriate...
China's spreading oil spill a 'severe threat'
China's largest reported oil spill emptied beaches along the Yellow Sea as its size doubled Wednesday, while cleanup efforts included straw mats and frazzled workers with little more than rubber...
German power plant testing CO2-scrubbing algae
Swedish energy group Vattenfall said it had launched a major pilot project Thursday using algae to absorb greenhouse gas emissions from a coal-fired power plant in eastern Germany.
UK Government axes green watchdog
The UK government is to scrap the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), its independent watchdog and advisory body on sustainability.
Caltech team finds evidence of water in moon minerals
That dry, dusty moon overhead? Seems it isn't quite as dry as it's long been thought to be. Although you won't find oceans, lakes, or even a shallow puddle on...
Marmots thriving amid climate change — for now
In a rare example of animals benefiting from global warming, marmots are emerging earlier from hibernation, and eating more, a study finds. But ultimately, climate change is likely to spell...
Largest-ever tornado study ends
Storm-chasing scientists have wrapped up the most dangerous stage of the largest-ever study on why some storms become tornadoes and others don't. Tornado - Meteorology -...
Biotransport And Ocean Mixing
Biotransport and ocean mixing Before I get into the 'bio' aspect of this article I want to put it in context by pointing to a means of ocean mixing that is...
Turkey ill-prepared for earthquake
(AP) -- More than a decade after a devastating earthquake revealed dangerously shoddy construction across Turkey, authorities are failing to enforce stricter building codes and protect people from another deadly...
Scientists aim to predict toxic algal blooms in California's coastal waters
(PhysOrg.com) -- After years of studying and monitoring harmful algal blooms in California's coastal waters, Raphael Kudela is trying to predict when toxin-producing algae will strike again. A professor of...
Study: Florida tourists unfamiliar with aspects of hurricane readiness
Many Florida tourists come for the perfect weather but do not know what to do in the perfect storm, finds a new University of Florida study of visiting vacationers and...
Making Better Trash Decisions
Waste Management: New tool to assess environmental impacts highlights the benefits of producing electricity through waste incineration.
New antibacterial material for bandages, food packaging, shoes
A new form of paper with the built-in ability to fight disease-causing bacteria could have applications that range from anti-bacterial bandages to food packaging that keeps food fresher longer to...
Moon Rock Mineral Hints at Watery Lunar Past
A mineral found in a volcanic rock from the moon's surface was discovered to contain elements that could point to a "wetter" climate in the moon's past, according to the...
For Oysters, a 'Remedy' Turned Catastrophe
Diversions of freshwater from the Mississippi are said to have killed as much of 80 percent of the oysters in some Louisiana fisheries.