Latest science news in Earth & Climate
On Our Radar: More Safety Violations for Massey Coal
Among other missteps, a federal agency found that a Massey mine in West Virginia was cutting too deeply into the coal seam and skipping some mandatory tests for explosive gases.
Impact of Gulf Spill on Smallest Creatures Remains Unknown
Researchers are traveling the Gulf area to determine the oil spill impact.
Crop failures set to increase under climate change
Large-scale crop failures like the one that caused the recent Russian wheat crisis are likely to become more common under climate change due to an increased frequency of extreme weather...
Move Over, Carbon, Humans Are Jolting Nitrogen, Too
Humans have appropriated much of the planet's nitrogen cycle, with big environmental consequences.
Gazprom eyes feasibility of South Stream
MOSCOW, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Completing a feasibility study for the South Stream gas pipeline is a priority for Russian energy monopoly Gazprom, executives said.
Transgenic corn suppresses European corn borer, saves farmers billions
Transgenic corn's suppression of the European corn borer has saved Midwest farmers billions of dollars in the past decade, reports a new study in Science.
Chile hopes gas find in extreme south will lead to bigger field
SANTIAGO, Chile, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- A new natural gas discovery in Chile's extreme south raised prospects of a bigger find on the Tierra del Fuego island in the...
Global warming affects tropical life more
SEATTLE, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Global warming is greatest in the Northern Hemisphere but its impact on life could be much greater in the tropics, a U.S. study says.
Modeling Pakistan's Flooding- A Fact Sheet on DSS-WISE
New computer model software is being used to simulate Pakistan's flooding, estimate the drawdown of the floodwaters, and predict how long it will take the waters to recede.
Row over shipping emissions plan
Environmentalists at the UN climate talks in Tianjin have criticised big developing nations for blocking plans for efficiency standards on shipping.
Maldives Leader Gets a Solar Roof
"We don't have the luxury of time to sit and wait for the rest of the world to act," the leader says.
China surges, India lags in R&D spending
China's investment in R&D rose rapidly at six per cent, but India's has stagnated at two in recent years.
Nanoparticles Worm Their Way Into The Food Web
Nanomaterials: Earthworms can accumulate gold nanoparticles from soil.
New deep-sea hot springs discovered in Atlantic: Hydrothermal vents may contribute more to oceans' thermal budget
Hydrothermal vents may contribute more to the thermal budget of the oceans than previously assumed. Scientists on board the German research vessel Meteor have discovered a new hydrothermal vent 500...
Shell presses Washington on Alaskan oil
HOUSTON, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. government should approve plans to drill for oil in the shallow waters off the coast of Alaska, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch...
Photos: Canadian Rain Forest Edges Oil Pipeline Path
In the home of the elusive "spirit bear," nine Coastal First Nations people await a decision on a pipeline to carry Canadian oil to sea for export to...
'Mars antenna' gets repairs
Frequented more by packs of stray burros than by cars, the road is a lonely one. Thirty-five miles north of Barstow, Calif., 30 minutes from the nearest highway, it ambles...
Kuiper Belt may be born of collisions
Diversity of objects and frequency of pairs not easily accounted for by standard models of planet formation.
Bacteria keep tabs on state of oil field
The ups and downs of the bacteria in an oil field provide a useful source of information for keeping tabs on the state of the oil field itself. In theory,...
The Fogg begins to rise
Not far from the Harvard campus in Somerville is a nondescript, multistory structure, outfitted with security and some serious temperature controls. The building is the temporary home of the staff and the collections...
Geologist says there's no need to fight over mineral resources
It's easy to be a pessimist in a world full of calamities. But for those worried about the continuing availability of natural resources, data from the ocean makes a good...
Government Slipped Up on Oil Spill Estimates, Says Panel
One of five staff member reports released today by the National Commission on the...
A Soft Spot for Public Lands
Drumming up support for vast solar or wind installations on deserts treasured by environmentalists is never easy, even when the environmentalists agree that more renewable energy is needed.
Study provides data that can inform Atlantic sturgeon recovery efforts
A first-of-its-kind study that tracked the oceanic migrations of adult Atlantic sturgeon that were caught and tagged in the Hudson River discovered that these fish move vast distances in the...
Air Force's Salvage of High-Tech Satellite Going Well
A contingency plan to raise the altitude of the U.S. Air Force�s first Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite after an engine glitch is going well.
Long-distance communication, microbial style
Scientists knew that the microbe Shewanella oneidensis transformed the electronic structure of the iron oxide it touched in the ground as well as without direct contact. Scientists from Pacific Northwest...
WWF: Little hope for climate protection
By STEFAN NICOLAUPI Europe CorrespondentBERLIN, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Worldwide pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are falling far short of what's needed to avoid catastrophic climate change, environmental...
Sustainability of the global livestock industry questioned
Sure, the perfectly prepared medium-rare steak you enjoyed last night was from a local farm that raises grass-fed cattle. And the mushrooms and onions sautéed on top? Organically grown. Along...