Arctic Sea Ice Melts More Each Year
The Arctic sea ice cover has melted to its lowest extent since satellite observations of it began more than three decades ago, breaking a previous record low set in 2007. NASA and scientists at the University of Colorado, Boulder report the Arctic sea ice extent – the amount of ice covering the sea surface – […]
Ocean Health Rates 60 Out of 100
For many students, getting 60 percent on a test is practically a failing grade. Yet a new study, which rates overall ocean health at 60 out of a 100, suggests that score is not as bad as some think. The Ocean Health Index (OCI) assesses the health of the oceans using a wide spectrum of […]
Scientists Find Fault with Chemical in Antibacterial Products
Scientists in Colorado and California say in a study recently published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they have found that a chemical used in some antibacterial soaps and similar products can obstruct muscle contractions. They say that at a cellular level, the chemical can slow a fish’s swimming abilities […]
Stormy Sun Weather Could Damage World’s Power Grids
Stormy weather on the sun could soon wreak havoc on Earth, knocking the world’s power grids off line while damaging communication equipment, satellites, spacecraft and GPS systems, possibly leaving us unable to communicate or transact normal business. Mike Hapgood, a scientist who specializes in space weather at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in England, told Reuters […]
Scientists Discover How Oceans Store Carbon
Scientists have discovered how carbon dioxide is drawn from the atmosphere and stored deep in the ocean. According to a new study published in Nature Geoscience, instead of CO2 being evenly absorbed deep into the water over wide areas of the Southern Ocean, it is pulled down and locked away from the atmosphere through localized […]
Massive Tsunami Debris Highlights Problem of Trashed Oceans
About a year after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, debris from the disaster drifted across the Pacific Ocean, washing up on beaches in the western United States and Canada. At first, it consisted mostly of small and lightweight materials like pieces of Styrofoam or soccer balls. After a while, the wayward debris began to get […]
Scientists Call for Global Action to Protect Coral Reefs
More than 2,600 scientists are calling on governments worldwide to take steps to protect valuable coral reef ecosystems. They’ve endorsed a statement written by scientists brought together by the Center for Ocean Solutions at California’s Stanford University. The statement was released this week to kick off the 12th International Coral Reef Symposium being held in […]
Fatter Population Threatens World Food Supply
Turns out obesity isn’t just a health issue; all of that overeating could seriously cut into the future world food supply. According to a new study from Great Britain, if the current worldwide obesity epidemic continues unabated, maintaining enough food to feed the world could actually become a much more serious challenge. Right now, the […]
NASA Makes Surprise Discovery in Arctic Ocean
NASA has discovered phytoplankton are much more abundant in Arctic waters than any other ocean region on Earth, which could have a huge impact on our understanding of the region’s ecology. Space agency officials say the revelation is as dramatic and unexpected as finding a rainforest in the middle of a desert. The microscopic, one-celled […]
Insects Use Plants as Telephones to Communicate, Leave ‘Voicemail’
Like humans, insects communicate with each other by “telephone” and can even leave messages, according to Dutch researchers. No special electronics are needed because the bugs literally use green technology – plants – to communicate. According to the new study from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology and Wageningen University, insects which live in and above […]