Latest science news in Earth & Climate
The noise about graphene
(PhysOrg.com) -- In last weeks announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences lauded graphenes "exceptional properties that originate from the remarkable world of quantum...
Can Hungary's red sludge be made less toxic with carbon?
The red, metal-laden sludge that escaped a containment pond in Hungary last week could be made less toxic with the help of carbon sequestration, says an Indiana University Bloomington geologist...
NASA satellites see Otto become a tropical storm
NASA satellites have collected data as the Atlantic Ocean's Tropical Depression 17 has undergone two changes in less than 24 hours. Since Oct. 6, the depression has strengthened and has...
Doppler radars help increase monsoon rainfall prediction accuracy
Doppler weather radar will significantly improve forecasting models used to track monsoon systems influencing the monsoon in and around India, according to researchers.
ORNL uses new technologies to take steam out of wasted energy
By installing wireless sensors and replacing faulty traps along the 12 miles of steam lines at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, officials expect to save as much as $675,000 per year...
New fisheries system will save about $20 million, researchers find
Some fisheries in the United States are poised to undergo major changes in the regulations used to protect fish stocks, and researchers have estimated that the new system will be...
Circus Lions Attack Trainers
A video shows trainers fending off the great cats with rods and water cannon.
MSU researchers discover chemical trigger that doubles the yield of algal lipids for biodiesel from farmed algae
Algal biofuel production could double in yield and in far less time, thanks to a chemical trigger discovered at Montana State University.
Geothermal mapping project reveals large, green energy source in West Virginia
New research suggests that the temperature of Earth beneath the state of West Virginia is significantly higher than previously estimated and capable of supporting commercial baseload geothermal energy production.
Antarctic sea ice increase not linked to ozone hole, new research shows
While sea ice extent has declined dramatically in the Arctic in recent years, it has increased slightly in the Antarctic. Some scientists have suggested that increased Antarctic sea ice extent...
Less invasive method to measure groundwater permeability
Hydraulic conductivity quantifies how easily water moves through aquifers, a factor important for management of water resources, the design of wells, and remediation of contaminated sites. It typically shows strong...
How rainfall variation can trigger earthquakes
A new review article explores natural crustal earthquakes associated with the elements of the hydrologic cycle, which describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of...
Himalayan climate change action urged
KATHMANDU, Nepal, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- More regional and bilateral cooperation is needed to tackle climate change in the Himalayas, an Indian official said Monday.
Smart Water Meters Catch On in Iowa
Smart meters in Dubuque, Iowa, will transmit data on a home's water use to I.B.M. computers every 15 minutes.
Asian carp focus of joint Canada-U.S. study
The fight against what's been called the greatest threat to the Great Lakes will see Canadian scientists join with their American counterparts to take on the Asian carp.
Scientists warn of livestock greenhouse gas boom
Rising global meat production rates need to be cut dramatically to avoid dangerous levels of carbon emissions, claim scientists.
Sediment pollution should be included in water quality assessment
Under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (Directive 2000/60/CE), member states are required to achieve Good Water Status for water (continental, estuarine, subterranean and coastal water bodies) in...
On Our Radar: Floodwaters Persist in Pakistan
Malnutrition and illness are rife, and roving bandits loot abandoned villages.
What 2-degree rise means to Canada: report
Ongoing climate change means that summer Arctic sea ice could be halved, runoff in the South Saskatchewan River basin reduced and the cost of shipping through the Great Lakes and...
Researchers Raise Questions About the Sustainability of the Global Livestock Industry
Nathan Pelletier and Peter Tyedmers of the Dalhousie University School for Resource and Environmental Studies have released a paper focusing on the environmental implications of the livestock industry. The paper...
TAP first in Southern Corridor, group says
ISTANBUL, Turkey, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- The Trans Adriatic natural gas pipeline will be the first phase opening in Europe's Southern Corridor of gas networks, developers announced in Istanbul.
Storing carbon in rocks may help fight against climate change
(PhysOrg.com) -- As climate change continues to emerge as the biggest challenge of the 21st century, the race to come up with novel ways to deal with the threat has...
A water bottle you can compost
A bottle made from vegetable starch that not only looks great but is also compostable may increase public interest in biodegradable plastics.
'Population Billionaires' Face Tough Choices
A mid-century China with 300 million retirees, a mid-century India with 2 billion people?
Oil exploration threatens wildlife: Green Party
The offshore petroleum board has imposed conditions on a company about to begin surveying for oil and gas off southwestern Newfoundland with an air gun that conservationalists say harms wildlife.
Citizens pitch in to help scientists track spead of sudden oak death
A map plotting the path of destruction that the tree-strangling pathogen known as sudden oak death is taking through the Bay Area shows new infestations in and around neighborhoods throughout...
British homes get gas from sewage
LONDON, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- British households starting receiving gas from the biodegradation of household sewage for the first time, energy officials announced.
EU seeks balance in climate talks
BRUSSELS, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- A balanced set of decisions is needed to find a common environmental agreement in Cancun, Mexico, the president of the European Union said in...