Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Homes Pollute: Linked To 50 Percent More Water Pollution Than Previously Believed
Scientists are reporting some unsettling news about homes in the residential areas of California. The typical home there -- and probably elsewhere in the country -- is an alarming and...
Plastic Breaks Down in Ocean, After All -- And Fast
But hold the champagne. As plastic decomposes, it releases toxic chemicals that can harm ocean life—and possibly us—a new study says.
Study urges climate science investments
LEEDS, England, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- British scientists say targeted investments in climate science could lead to enormous economic savings for both the United Kingdom and Europe.
Water in mantle may be associated with subduction
A team of scientists from Oregon State University has created the first global three-dimensional map of electrical conductivity in the Earth's mantle and their model suggests that that enhanced conductivity...
Scientists develop high-yield deep water rice
(AP) -- A team of Japanese scientists has discovered genes that enable rice to survive high water, providing hope for better rice production in lowland areas that are affected...
National Briefing | Science and Health: Mercury Found in Every Fish Tested, Scientists Say
When government scientists went looking for mercury contamination in fish in 291 streams around the nation, they found it in every fish they tested, the Interior Department said.
Those dog days of August: 3 times the heat by 2050?
If you are wilting under the summer heat, consider this: your child may one day think of summer 2009 as "back in the cool old days." To illustrate...
Paying to save the rainforests
In Brazil, details are emerging for plans to stop deforestation. Can it serve as a model for other nations?
Tasmanian devils' social network studied
LAUNCESTON, Australia, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- University of Tasmania scientists in Australia say they are using radio collars to study the social networking of Tasmanian devils to prevent their...
TierneyLab: Fear of Climate Engineering
Climate engineering raises concerns, but how can we afford not to study what might turn out to be the only practical alternative?
UK team attempts steam car record
A team of British engineers are to attempt to break the longest-standing land speed record in the Mojave Desert, California.
Russia tackles Siberia oil slick
Pollution from a blast at Russia's largest hydro-electric power station kills fish and spreads down a major Siberian river.
South Asia News in brief: 6–19 August 2009
Hundreds of new species found in the Himalayas, Bangladesh on the brink of disaster, new insights into drug-resistant leishmaniasis, and more.
09/09/09 Could Be a Beatles Perfect Storm
Digitally Re-mastered Box Set and Rock Band Game to be Released on Same Day; Apple Event Also Rumored
FUTURE FISH FARMS: Giant Deep-Sea Pods, in Pictures
The world's seafood appetite is growing but its oceans are increasingly empty. See what science has dreamed up to fill the void—from untethered "Oceanspheres" to sharp-edged "SeaStations."
How cacti become 'rock busters'
Scientists have discovered how cacti acquire their extraordinary ability to grow on bare rock.
Water stewardship enters new phase
WWF and other NGO, research and business partners today announced the formation of a Global Water Roundtable (GWRT) to develop global standards for freshwater stewardship...
Video: Teen Talks Global Warming
Alec Loorz, one of Al Gore's youngest official speakers, is taking his S.L.A.P. Sea Level Awareness Project around the globe. Daniel Sieberg reports.
Opinion: The importance of being informed
It is important that each of us does our research and makes an informed decision about climate change, James Fairbairn suggests.
Carbon farming gets scrutiny
A new study will investigate whether planting trees to offset carbon emissions is better for the environment than normal farming.
Estrogens found in industrial wastewater
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they have discovered high levels of estrogen-like substances in some industrial wastewater.
Aussie ski fields melting away
Research has found that Australian ski fields are getting more and more patchy – and mass snow-making isn’t going to work forever.
Green proposal delays Ottawa building permit
An Ottawa couple is frustrated by the long wait for a building permit after deciding to use a new, environmentally friendly material in their new basement.
Successful Completion Of First Riser-drilling Operations In Earthquake Zone
The deep-sea drilling vessel CHIKYU, for the first time in the history of scientific ocean drilling, conducted riser-drilling operations to drill successfully down to a depth of 1,603.7 meters beneath...
Satellites Unlock Secret To Northern India's Vanishing Water
Using satellite data, hydrologists have found that groundwater beneath northern India has been receding by as much as 1 foot per year over the past decade -- and they believe...
Scientists study harmful algal blooms in Puget Sound
Under a microscope, Heterosigma akashiwo looks like a potato or a cornflake. To the naked eye, sea lettuce is a big, green sheet of seaweed. In most cases, these different...
Jade Sheds Light On Guatemala's Geologic History
The shifting of tectonic plates in Central America has been poorly understood -- until now. New research on jade found along fault lines in Guatemala is helping geologists piece the...
PHOTOS: Flooded Fields Bring Back Rare Birds
Among fertile farms once rich with wetlands, conservationists are recruiting Washington State farmers to temporarily inundate their fields in an effort to bring back habitat for migratory shorebirds.