Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Laurence still causing warnings and watches in northern west Australia
Although the center of Tropical Cyclone Laurence has been over land for two days, it's still holding together and bringing heavy rains and gusty winds to the northern coastal areas of West...
U.S. Pledges Climate Change Funds For Developing World
Climate Change: Contribution would be part of $100 billion annually from industrialized world by 2020.
NASA, Google offer more precise emissions tracking
(AP) -- The question is a potential deal-killer: If nations ever agree to slash greenhouse gas emissions, how will the world know if they live up to their pledges?
Alaska coast eroding by 45 feet annually
BOULDER, Colo., Dec. 16 (UPI) -- University of Colorado-Boulder scientists say they've discovered part of Alaska's northern coast is eroding at a rate of up to 45 feet annually.
U.S. takes center stage in Copenhagen
By STEFAN NICOLAUPI Europe CorrespondentCOPENHAGEN, Denmark, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Senior U.S. officials have taken center stage at the Copenhagen climate summit in a bid to convince the world...
'Evergreen agriculture' wins for climate and hunger
Soil science and agroforestry can help tackle climate change and boost crop yields, say M. S. Swaminathan and Dennis Garrity.
Hypoxia increases as climate warms
A new study of Pacific Ocean sediments off the coast of Chile has found that offshore waters experienced systematic oxygen depletion during the rapid warming of the Antarctic following the...
From greenhouse to icehouse - reconstructing the environment of the Voring Plateau
The analysis of microfossils found in ocean sediment cores is illuminating the environmental conditions that prevailed at high latitudes during a critical period of Earth history...
Subcontinental Smut: Is Soot the Culprit Behind Melting Himalayan Glaciers?
SAN FRANCISCO--The Himalaya Mountain region is warming up three to five times faster than the global trends--or about half a degree Celsius per decade--and many of its glaciers are rapidly...
OMG earthquake! Seismologists monitor tweets
Earthquake experts have found a new way to "follow" earthquakes in real-time: Twitter. Earthquake - Seismology - Earth science - Geophysics - Twitter
Jules Verne, desperado?
(PhysOrg.com) -- Jules Verne (1828-1905) is often remembered as a 19th-century founder of science fiction, whose enthusiasm for invention fills his books - from the spacecraft in From the...
New species of coral, sponges found near Hawaii
New and dramatic species of coral and sponges have been found in the Pacific during deep sea dives near the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, scientists said Monday. ...
Study: Atlantic Coast sea level is rising
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Scientists say the sea-level rise along the U.S. Atlantic Coast was 2 millimeters faster during the 20th century than at any time in 4,000...
U.S. coasts plagued by record algae levels
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Record levels of algae have plagued U.S. coastal areas this year, sickening swimmers and hampering shellfish harvests, oceanographers say.
Scientists Investigate Cause of 'Singing Dunes'
(PhysOrg.com) -- In more than 30 locations around the world, the phenomenon of singing sand dunes has intrigued explorers, tourists, and scientists. When an avalanche occurs or even when the...
BBC's climate change maverick Justin Webb strikes again on Radio 4 | Leo Hickman
After an unquestioning interview with Ian Plimer, radio presenter now queries 'dissent among scientists' with David KingJustin Webb has only been in his new job as a presenter of Radio 4's flagship Today...
New study turns up the heat on soot's role in Himalayan warming
Soot from fire in an unventilated fireplace wafts into a home and settles on the surfaces of floors and furniture. But with a quick fix to the chimney flue and...
Tweets 'can shed light on quakes'
Tweets are being used by the US Geological Survey to gather instant public reaction to earthquakes.
TRMM sees 05B winding down off the Sri Lanka coast
Tropical Depression 05B is dissipating on the east coast of Sri Lanka today and over the next couple of days, but not before bringing some moderate and heavy rain over...
Sand safer for playground falls: study
Children who fall off playground equipment and land on sand may be less likely to break an arm than if they land on wood chips, Canadian researchers say.
Time-Lapse Photos Show Dramatic Erosion of Alaska Coast
Time-lapse photography of crumbling Alaskan coastlines is helping scientists understand a triple whammy of forces affecting the local landscape.
Going underground for a climate solution
(PhysOrg.com) -- Hoping to help fix the Earth's atmosphere, Catherine Peters recently found herself 4,100 feet underground.
Studying ice crystals to understand the cloud-climate connection
(PhysOrg.com) -- Beginning in mid-December, scientists will undertake a special mission to squeeze the secrets out of ice crystals in cirrus clouds. The SPARTICUS, or Small Particles in Cirrus, campaign...
'Rock-breathing' bacteria could generate electricity and clean up oil spills
A discovery by scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) could contribute to the development of systems that use domestic or agricultural waste to generate clean electricity.
USGS: Earthquake warning system feasible
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Geological Survey says its research has determined an earthquake early warning system for use in California is feasible.
Onetime Nevada Brothel Could Become Conservationists’ Oasis
The Mustang Ranch’s presence on a parcel of land on the Truckee River kept development at bay, thus improving the chances of restoring the flora and fauna.
Sunshine speeded 1940s Swiss glacier melt: scientists
A surge in sunshine more than 60 years ago helped Swiss mountain glaciers melt faster than today, even though warmer average temperatures are being recorded now, Swiss researchers said Monday.
FYI: Just How Old is Dirt?
“It depends on what you mean by dirt,” says Milan Pavich, a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. “The oldest sedimentary rocks are about 3.9 billion years old—they’re in Greenland—and at one...