Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Israel opposes international investigation into deadly flotilla raid
Cabinet leaders are leaning toward an Israeli-led probe that might include international observers. The envoy to the U.S. says Israel will not bow to U.N. pressure to create an international...
Guatemala Sinkhole Created by Humans, Not Nature
Burst sewer pipes or storm drains likely carved out the cavity under Guatemala City that collapsed to form the sinkhole, a geologist says. ...
BP to fund sand barriers
NEW ORLEANS, June 3 (UPI) -- British petroleum giant BP said it would fund the construction of barrier islands off the coast of Louisiana to contain the Gulf of...
U.N. report faults prolific use of drone strikes by U.S.
U.N. rapporteur Philip Alston calls on the U.S. to put the military in charge of the targeted killings program, which is shrouded in secrecy under the CIA and has prompted accountability questions. The...
Deepwater mystery: Oil loose in the Gulf
Streaming video of oil pouring from the seafloor and images of dead, crude-soaked birds serve as visual bookends to the natural calamity unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico. ...
Asteroid Probe's Return to Earth Keeps Scientists on Edge
An eager team of scientists is anxiously awaiting the planned June 13 landing of a Japanese asteroid probe that just might have a sample of space rock aboard.
Cleanup continues at Trans-Alaska spill
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, June 2 (UPI) -- Environmental crews removed crude oil from a containment area that captured a spill from a pipeline in Alaska, state regulators said.
Warmer climate makes Baltic more salty
Science has long believed that a warmer climate will increase river runoff to the Baltic Sea, thus making the inland sea less salty. However, a new extensive study from the...
Risk of giant quake off American west coast goes up
A magnitude 8 or greater earthquake has a one in three chance of hitting in the next 50 years.
After the oil spill: New research sheds light on coral susceptibility to environmental stress
Bethesda, MD — Much attention has been paid to the fate of wildlife living on and above the Gulf of Mexico’s surface. Now, a new research study published in the...
Ted Koppel's son, Andrew, found dead
The 40-year-old son of former ABC News anchor Ted Koppel was found dead in an apartment in upper Manhattan, and the cause of death is being investigated, authorities said Tuesday.
Europe kicks off Green Week
BRUSSELS, June 1 (UPI) -- Brussels kicked off its annual Green Week conference with the aim of protecting species diversity, the European Union announced.
Algal blooms hit the poor of India hard
The problem of toxic algae is not just confined to the Nordic countries - in India algal blooms are threatening poor people's access to food and their livelihoods, a problem...
Persistent organic pollutants in large concentrations in Arctic areas: Fires spread environmental toxins over the Arctic
Forest fires and straw and stubble burning in North America and Eastern Europe are leading to record-high concentrations of the environmental toxin PCB over Svalbard. As a result of climate...
'Noise pollution' threatens fish
Fish are being threatened by rising levels of underwater man-made noise pollution, a scientific review finds.
Oil slick is spoiling Gulf Coast's comeback year
Vacation havens like Gulf Shores, Ala., have yet to see a drop of oil, but business already is hurting. ...
Layoffs at Chalk River nuclear facility
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. will lay off about 50 employees at its Chalk River facility in eastern Ontario, according to the union that represents government scientists.
Mexico issues arrest warrant for former 'Survivor' producer in wife's death at Cancun resort
Mexican authorities issued an arrest warrant Monday for Bruce Beresford-Redman, former producer of the "Survivor" reality show, in connection with the death of his wife at a Cancun resort, a...
All quiet at Venice Beach as police step up patrols after brawl
Los Angeles Police Department officials said there were no major problems at Venice Beach on Monday, a day after a large brawl broke out along the popular seaside boardwalk.
Waters off Singapore's southeastern coastline clear of oil
Waters off Singapore's southeastern coastline have been cleared of oil after seven days of containment and cleaning efforts, port authorities said Monday.
Hay festival: 'Climate change is a long struggle' | John Harris
Global warming has always energised Hay audiences – but this year the mood is much more soberFor the past four or five years, one theme burned through discussions at Hay more than...
Chevron's N.L. spill of drilling mud questioned
A professor of environment studies in Ontario is raising questions about a 2007 spill of drilling mud off the coast of Newfoundland by Chevron Canada Ltd., which is currently drilling...
Scientists warn of unseen deepwater oil disaster
(AP) -- Independent scientists and government officials say there's a disaster we can't see in the Gulf of Mexico's mysterious depths, the ruin of a world inhabited by enormous...
Sewage, jet fuel spilled in Arctic
Millions of litres of harmful contaminants - including sewage and jet fuel - have been spilled across great swaths of Canada's pristine Arctic in recent years, an analysis by The...
Giant ash cloud threatens flights in Pacific
A giant plume of volcanic ash is disrupting flights in the Pacific and threatening villagers in Vanuatu, echoing similar problems which caused chaos in Europe, scientists and officials said Monday.
Start of Hurricane Season Raises New Fears
As the oil well continues to gush, officials and scientists are worrying that the environmental disaster could be compounded later this year by a natural one.
Predicting Carbon Sinks, Regionally
Improved soil mapping analysis helps land managers better predict soil carbon sinks across varying landscapes.
Air traffic poised to become a major factor in global warming, scientists predict
The first new projections of future aircraft emissions in 10 years predict that carbon dioxide and other gases from air traffic will become a significant source of global warming as...