Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Biofuels: fuelling our future with slime and cooking oil – video
A team of students from Bodmin College in Cornwall make biofuel from algae and waste cooking oil
NASA sees intensifying tropical cyclone moving over Samoan Islands
NASA satellites have been monitoring Tropical Cyclone Evan and providing data to forecasters who expected the storm to intensify. On Dec. 13, Evan had grown from a tropical storm into...
How Thirsty Trees Drink Cloud Water
When roots just aren't getting the job done, leaves on some tropical trees can suck up cloud water.
Disaster map predicts bleak future for mammals
Mammals could be at a greater risk of extinction due to predicted increases in extreme weather conditions, according to a new paper.
Study finds the insurance industry paying increasing attention to climate change
The insurance industry, the world's largest business with $4.6 trillion in revenues, is making larger efforts to manage climate change-related risks, according to a new study published today in the...
Finding life in the volcanic systems of the Antarctic Polar Front
Volcanic waters in the cold Southern Ocean are the destination for RRS James Cook's current expedition. Scientists are exploring a two-mile deep water system of hydrothermal vents, calderas and cold...
Warmer Winters Threaten Smaller Ski Areas
HANCOCK, Mass. – The scene is something no ski resort operator wants to see early in the season: Sunlight glaring off the sloppy snow pooling like dirty mashed potatoes at...
2011 Virginia earthquake traced from sky
Blobs of solidified magma may have helped control the direction of energy from the 2011 Virginia earthquake, according to early results from an airborne geologic survey conducted in July 2012.
Alaska Reclaims Its Missing Moon Rocks
The tale includes an arsonist's fire, a teenager's theft, a science fair photo and a ship's captain
Long, uncertain path ahead for Gulf restoration after oil spill
In the coming years, unprecedented billions will be spent on restoration in the Gulf of Mexico, a vital American ecosystem damaged by the most catastrophic oil spill in U.S. history.
Bolivia's eco-friendly trans-oceanic ships
The Limachi family specializes in building eco-friendly reed ships at this shipyard on the top of the world with pre-Columbian technology. But don't be fooled—these ships can sail across vast...
Unique CO2 monitoring technology streamlines process
A made-in-Nova Scotia technology to allow for long-term automated monitoring of greenhouse gases is transforming the task into a practical process, even underground. Developed by Professor David Risk, of St....
New understanding of soil quality throughout Africa
The Africa Soil Information Service (AfSIS) Online Map Tool is an interactive mapping application that can display more than 30 maps of soil and related environmental characteristics for the continent...
Promise for science after the Arab Spring
Governments in the Middle East and North Africa are recognising the links between the uprisings and science for development, says Bothina Osama.
Seafood Christmas lunch made more sustainable by chef and marine biologist
Just in time to help plan the Christmas lunch menu, a University of Melbourne zoologist and a Melbourne chef have teamed up to produce a sustainable seafood website.
2013 grain prices will be dictated by weather, economist predicts
Grain prices for 2013 will hinge on favorable weather patterns following the devastating 2012 drought in the Midwest, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist.
Chasing Ice movie reveals largest iceberg break-up ever filmed - video
After weeks of waiting, filmakers witness 7.4 cubic km of ice crashing off the Ilulissat Glacier in Greenland
Chilean town shaken by reminders of deadly quake
(AP)—One jolt hit in the middle of the night. Another caught fishermen at a nearby beach. Then the ground shook at supper. And then again, and again: More than 170...
EPA finds contamination at former rocket test site
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) -- Lingering radioactive contamination exists at a former rocket test lab outside of Los Angeles that was the site of a partial...
Study probes impact of climate change on cold-blooded animals
Biologists are examining the influence of climate change, particularly warmer winters, on the survival and potential fecundity of cold-blooded animals.
Climate Change Threatens Ski Industry’s Livelihood
As temperatures rise, analysts predict that scores of the nation’s ski centers, especially those at lower elevations and latitudes, will eventually vanish.
Metallic blobs help reveal Earth's innards
Metallic blobs that rise from Earth's core might help explain the mysterious innards of other planets, new research suggests.
Melting polar ice could release old viruses
In 1999, Russian scientists famously dug a long-dead frozen woolly mammoth out of the Siberian permafrost. Other things lurking in the frozen earth may be more alive - and more...
King Crabs Poised to Wipe Out Rare Antarctic Ecosystem of Invertebrates
On a dim February evening, seven people crowded around a row of television monitors in a shack on the rear deck of the RV Nathaniel B. Palmer . The...
Freak 'Meteotsunamis' Can Strike On a Sunny Day
'Meteotsunamis' can be just as deadly as their earthquake-driven cousins, because they usually hit without warning.
Pots bear oldest signs of cheese making
Early European farmers apparently used sieves to turn milk into low-lactose fare
Who’s Watching? Privacy Concerns Persist as Smart Meters Roll Out
The drive for a 21st-century electric grid faces privacy worries. What will happen to the detailed information on home energy use that utilities will be able to collect through smart...
Lessons for the next Sandy
Don’t just replace what was lost. Rebuild better, because another storm is coming. That was the message from panelists at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) on Monday who were discussing...