Arctic ozone loss ‘unprecedented’ above Arctic
A NASA-led study has documented an unprecedented depletion of Earth’s protective ozone layer above the Arctic last winter and spring caused by an unusually prolonged period of extremely low temperatures in the stratosphere. The study, published online Sunday, Oct. 2, in the journal Nature, finds the amount of ozone destroyed in the Arctic in 2011 […]
Major rivers have enough water to sustain growing populations: report
By Yale Environment 360 A new study says the world’s major river systems contain more than enough water to meet global food production needs in the 21st century. Following a five-year study of 10 river basins, including the Nile. With global population expected to surpass 7 billion people this year, the staggering impact on an […]
The final frontier: the hunt for new worlds in space
There are many worlds out there and NASA has a lot of data that it has not reviewed in the depth that is needed to search every star for its worlds and the evidence there of. A project in which volunteers hunt online for new planets NASA may have missed is publishing its first results […]
Climate change set to increase ozone-related deaths over next 60 years, scientists warn
By Editor, Science Daily A new study, which is being presented at the European Respiratory Society’s Annual Congress in Amsterdam, predicts that Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal will see the biggest climate-induced increase in ozone-related deaths over the next 60 years. The research is part of the Climate-TRAP project and its health impact assessment lead […]
Global CO2 emissions reach all-time high, rising more than five per cent in 2010 to close out past 20 years
By Andrew Burger Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reached an all-time high in 2010, rising 45 per cent in the past 20 years. Rising rapidly between 1990 and 2010, global atmospheric CO2 levels totaled 33 billion metric tons last year, according to a report published by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and PBL Netherlands […]
First radioactive rice found in Japan
Reuters, JAPAN Japan found the first case of rice with radioactive materials far exceeding a government-set level for a preliminary test of pre-harvested crop, requiring thorough inspection of the rice to be harvested from the region, the farm ministry said recently. The ministry said radioactive cesium of 500 becquerels per kg was found in a […]
Saudi Arabian women gain right to vote, run in elections
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has announced women will be allowed to vote in the country and run for municipal elections there. The modifications will apply from 2012. Abdullah made this announcement at the start of a new Shura Council term. In a speech, the king said "we refuse to marginalise women in society in all roles ...
Coral Reefs likely to disappear by the end of the century
By Helen Roddis, ARKive Coral reefs will be gone by the end of the century, according to a top UN Scientist. This would give coral reefs the dubious accolade of being the first entire ecosystem to have been destroyed by human activity. In the recently published book Our Dying Planet, Professor Peter Sale writes that […]
The hunt for the killer asteroid goes on
Observations from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission indicate the family of asteroids some believed was responsible for the demise of the dinosaurs is not likely the culprit, keeping open the case on one of Earth’s greatest mysteries. While scientists are confident a large asteroid crashed into Earth approximately 65 million years ago, leading […]
CO2 up in the world
Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2)increased by 45 per cent between 1990 and 2010, and reached an all-time high of 33 billion tons in 2010. Increased energy efficiency, nuclear energy and the growing contribution of renewable energy are not compensating for the globally increasing demand for power and transport, which is strongest in developing countries. […]
