Latest science news in Earth & Climate
History of worldwide wildfires is studied
EUGENE, Ore., Sept. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. and European scientists say there was a dramatic decline in wildfires from 1870 to 1970, following a period of increased fires...
Study: Ocean littering will likely worsen
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- A report mandated by the U.S. Congress says current measures to prevent and reduce marine debris are inadequate and the problem will likely...
Feature: Rebuilding Vietnams war-torn forests
Vietnam was once a land of dense forest. But nearly two-thirds of its tree cover was destroyed by war, overharvesting and clearing for agriculture. Today, trees are on the way...
Lucky reef avoids ocean warming
A reef off Western Australia appears to be protected from coral bleaching, due to unusual conditions that keep it supplied with cold water from the deep.
Iran Sinking as Groundwater Resources Disappear
Excessive groundwater extraction in Iran is resulting in some of the fastest sinking land in the world, according to new satellite image analysis.
World's Largest Corporations Seek Clarity On Climate Change Regulation
Global corporations view climate change as a driver of risk and opportunity and have cited clear regulation as key to managing the impacts, in this year's findings from the Carbon...
Sophisticated Monitoring Array To Address Mystery Of Uranium Plume
Scientists have puzzled for years about why uranium contamination in groundwater continues to exceed drinking water standards in an area located at the south end of the Hanford Site near...
Windbags On The Weather Beat
Steve Hartman knows as well as anyone that TV plays a crucial role broadcasting vital information during natural disasters like hurricanes. But where's the common sense - and the real...
Climate change may increase agricultural pests
Climate change could change the nature and severity of plant pests and diseases affecting agriculture, according to a senior CSIRO scientist.
UN roadmap to reducing climate change risk
The United Nations Foundation and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, has released thier final report of the Scientific Expert Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development.
Quake causes mass coral kill
Researchers say over 300 kilometers of coastline heaved more than a meter upwards, exposing – and killing – corals in unprecedented numbers
Earth from Space: Arctic Bloom
This Envisat image captures a plankton bloom stretching across the Northeast Passage in the Barents Sea, a rather deep shelf sea with an average depth around 230 m.
'Cane storm surge data needs improvement
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- The maps used to predict the critical rise of storm surge during recent hurricanes on the U.S. Gulf Coast contained different data,...
Conservationists worry about acai craze
SAN CLAMENTE, Calif., Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Acai has gone from being a mostly unknown Amazonian fruit to a global sensation as a something of a wonder berry,...
Scientists monitor growing Lake Erie algae bloom
(AP) -- Giant floating fields of algae are back in strength this year on Lake Erie and scientists are trying to figure out why.
Scientist concedes 'honest mistake' about weaponized anthrax
Peter B. Jahrling, who aided the federal probe of the 2001 mailings, says he erred when he told White House officials that material he examined probably had been altered to...
Scotland's emissions on the rise
EDINBURGH, Scotland, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- Scottish officials said greenhouse gas emissions rose 5.4 percent between 2005 and 2006 because of the country's dependence on coal-fired power.
Science Weekly podcast: The science minister believes GM does have a future in Britain; plus KT Tunstall talks climate change
Matt Genge joins us to discuss the science minister's comments on GM crops; KT Tunstall's Arctic trip; plus a green petrol car
Japan's tsunami history shows what's in store
Newly discovered tsunami deposits suggest the Japanese coastline was hammered by a series of massive waves thousands of years ago. The finding adds to growing evidence that the region is...
The Long History of the 2008 Financial Mess
Banks seemed to collapse overnight, but the reasons date back decades, even centuries.
Regional journals can boost science capacity
High-quality regional journals are essential for building the scientific strengths of the developing world, says Wieland Gevers.
Study Merges Decade of Arctic Data as Ice Collapses Into the Sea
Last month, immense ice shelves collapsed into the Arctic Ocean. Polar bears are losing vital hunting grounds and countries are now staking claims to potential oil reserves under the pole....
Biochar: Grow Bigger, Better Veggies While Slowing Global Warming
Biochar, the product of a slow-burning charcoal-creation process using sticks and wood scraps, can vastly improve soils for growing food and other plants. Because it sequesters carbon, it could...
Chicago outlines plan to slash greenhouse gases
(AP) -- Mayor Richard M. Daley has announced a plan to dramatically slash emissions of heat-trapping gases, part of an effort to fight global warming and become one of...
'No time to lose' to start thinking sustainability
As director of the University of Oregon's Climate Leadership Initiative, the need to address human contributions to global warming is a no-brainer that Bob Doppelt says in his new book...
UCLA study of satellite imagery casts doubt on surge's success in Baghdad
By tracking the amount of light emitted by Baghdad neighborhoods at night, a team of UCLA geographers has uncovered fresh evidence that last year's U.S. troop surge in Iraq may...
Rate increase OKd for land-line phone service in California
The Public Utilities Commission approves hikes of as much as $3.25 a month in 2009 and 2010. ...
Abrupt Climate Change Focus Of U.S. National Laboratories
Abrupt climate change is the focus of IMPACTS, a major new program bringing together six US Department of Energy national laboratories to investigate the instability of marine ice sheets, warming...