Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Wasps give hope for vanishing tree species
LEEDS, England, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- British scientists say they've found fig wasps can travel about 100 miles in fewer than 48 hours, transporting pollen 10 times farther than...
Wet ethanol process yields more ethanol
CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they've determined using a so-called wet ethanol production process yields not only more ethanol, but also more usable co-products.
Antarctica glacier retreat creates new carbon dioxide store
Large blooms of tiny marine plants called phytoplankton are flourishing in areas of open water left exposed by the recent and rapid melting of ice shelves and glaciers around the...
San Jacinto fault quake odds studied
MIAMI, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- A study suggests California's San Jacinto fault, with about four mini-earthquakes daily, is less likely to produce a major quake than the San Andreas...
Ida to Flood Gulf Coast -- Hurricane Season's Last Hit?
A weakening tropical storm Ida, which will come ashore late tonight or early Tuesday, is likely the last major threat of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, forecasters say.
Newly discovered fat molecule: An undersea killer with an upside
A chemical culprit responsible for the rapid, mysterious death of phytoplankton in the North Atlantic Ocean has been found by collaborating scientists at Rutgers University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic...
Will Drilling Into a Volcano Trigger an Eruption That Destroys Naples?
Scientific research has helped humankind avoid or mitigate many of nature’s best attempts to send us to a violent end, but what do researchers do when the pursuit of research could trigger...
NASA's TRMM Satellite sees most of Ida's heaviest rain stayed off coasts
NASA and the Japanese Space Agency's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew over Ida and captured her rainfall when she passed by Nicaragua, Honduras and Belize this weekend. TRMM...
Path to good health, less pollution is the sidewalk: report
US pressure groups joined forces Monday to urge authorities to spend more to improve Americans' health and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Bangladesh cholera linked to rivers
BOSTON, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've discovered why cholera outbreaks that occur once a year in Africa and Latin America occur twice a year in Bangladesh.
Megacities must tie clean air goals to carbon cuts, say experts
Densely populated cities must use their financial clout to combine the fight for clean air with reducing carbon emissions, scientists say.
H1N1 Virus Can Be Killed by Acidic Ozone Water
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have found that acidic ozone water can deactivate H1N1 viruses very effectively, offering a promising disinfectant for the millions of people trying to avoid the disease. Acidic...
India 'arrogant' to deny global warming link to melting glaciers
IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri accuses Indian environment ministry of 'arrogance' for its report claiming there is no evidence that climate change has shrunk Himalayan glaciersA leading climate scientist today accused the Indian environment...
Maple Leaf plant's problems persisted after listeria find
A Maple Leaf Foods plant that was scrubbed from top to bottom after a deadly listeriosis outbreak continued to have problems in the months that followed, newly released documents show.
Opinion: No simple solution to livestock and climate change
Simply reducing livestock farming in developing countries will neither cut emissions nor benefit the poor, says livestock expert Carlos Seré.
Feature: Linking Sri Lanka's biodiversity
The tenacious efforts of a small conservation organisation are helping restore indigenous flora and fauna in Sri Lanka’s southern communities through a technique known as Analog Forestry. It may yet...
15,000 reasons to worry about invasive species
A day at the beach in Wisconsin's North Woods didn't used to go like this. Candy Dailey spent a Fourth of July holiday splashing with grandkids on the sandy shore...
W Australia sea level rising fast
Rising sea levels in Australia are worst in the west, where they are double the world average, new figures reveal.
Maldives anger at climate inertia
The president of the Maldives strongly criticises the world's rich countries for doing too little to stem climate change.
Planting trees can shift water flow
Creating forests where none existed may affect long-term hydrology.
Opinion: Not ready for REDD?
Practicalities of trading carbon and protecting forests make meeting high expectations for REDD hard, say Esteve Corbera and Manuel Estrada.
Creating a Landfill to Have Cleaner Air
Smokestack scrubbers will eliminate most of the sulfur emissions from the coal-fired Kingston Fossil Plant, but they will also produce a new waste stream.
Ecosystem in Peru Is Losing a Key Ally
Peruvians pose what might be a final challenge to the ecosystem supported by the giant huarango tree, which is coveted as a source of charcoal and firewood.
In brief | Travel
Powder to the peopleRenowned ski guide Felix Tanquay has come up with a new concept to guarantee British skiers the best snow possible in the Alps. This winter his Verbier-based company, Powder Extreme,...
China lower risk than UK for green investors, claims Deutsche Bank
Study condemning UK energy strategy set to embarrass government as it prepares to unveil new climate change initiativeBritain's claim to be a world leader in green energy investment has been called into question...
Salmon-hungry sea lions haunt dam
PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Federally protected Steller sea lions ate more salmon on average than in years past at Bonneville Dam in the Columbia River, biologists in...
Aussie Birds Shrinking, Heading Poleward
As temperatures rise, Australian birds are moving toward the pole.
National Briefing | West: California: Sewers for Malibu
Officials have banned septic tanks in parts of Malibu, ending years of wrangling among surfers, environmentalists and residents in the celebrity-filled community.