Study: Ancient Forests Fueled Early Climate Change
A pair of scientists from the United Kingdom have found a fossilized tropical forest complete with tree stumps of one of Earth’s first forests in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago located between Norway and the North Pole. They also say that primitive forests such as the one they found may be one of the reasons for […]
Earth’s Atmosphere Got Its Oxygen in Periodic Bursts Over a 100 Million Year Period
For about the first 2.1 billion years of Earth’s history, its atmosphere didn’t have enough oxygen to support complex life. Scientists believe that Earth’s first atmosphere,formed after its creation, was probably made up of hydrogen and helium. Then as a result of volcanic eruptions that spewed gases from Earth’s interior, in a process known as […]
Where Does Rain Go; Ocean Organics Form Cloud Ice; Hot Peppers May Fight Cancer
What Happens to Precipitation After it Falls to Earth? Have you ever wondered what happens to rain or snow once it falls on Earth? Researchers from the University of Utah and Oregon State University analyzed measurements, taken by the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) on NASA’s Aura satellite, of the two forms of hydrogen contained within […]
Researchers Map Plastic Debris in Pacific Ocean
A team of volunteers, sailing in a flotilla of some thirty vessels, has successfully completed its month long research expedition through the eastern portion of the infamous Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. The first group of boats from the 30 vessel fleet, along with the Ocean Starr, a former NOAA research vehicle which served as […]
Asteroid Rumor Not True; Celestial Fireworks; Daycare Doesn’t Make Children Agressive
NASA: There is No Truth Behind Asteroid Online Rumor The internet has been abuzz with a now viral rumor that life on Earth will be wiped out by a massive asteroid strike some time near the end of September. Numerous recent blogs and web postings are erroneously claiming that an asteroid will impact Earth, sometime […]
New Sunspot Index Breaks Link Between Solar Activity and Climate Change
A newly updated analysis of sunspot numbers over the last 400 years suggests solar activity has nothing to do with climate change, a discovery that eliminates a key argument used by those who question human caused climate change. Some of those who suggest that climate change is not anthropogenic in nature contend that changes in the […]
Pancreatic Cancer Test; Bonobos Talk Like Babies; Yeast Cleans Toxic Waste
Simple Urine Test for Pancreatic Cancer Possible Researchers in the United Kingdom have found that high levels of three specific proteins in urine can indicate early-stage pancreatic cancer. They say that their discovery could lead to an inexpensive and noninvasive test to screen people who are at high risk of developing the disease, which is […]
Rise in the Volume of Arctic Sea Ice Noted by UK Researchers
Previous research has suggested that both the thickness and extent of Arctic summer sea ice have dramatically declined over the past 30 years. The data includes measurements taken by the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado. But now, some British scientists have found the volume of Arctic sea ice has actually increased […]
Close Call for ISS; Threat to Polar Bears; Binary System Cannibal
ISS Crewmembers Back to Work after Close Call with Space Junk Fear that a floating piece of space junk could impact the ISS sent astronauts the station’s crew scrambling onto a docked Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft on Friday (07/17). Luckily, the debris passed the station harmlessly, and the crew was back at work. Houston’s Mission Control […]