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The tow-an-iceberg plan being floated to ease Cape Town drought![]() Cape Town (AFP) July 3, 2018 It is a plan as crazy as the situation is desperate - towing an iceberg from Antarctica to Cape Town to supply fresh water to a city in the grip of drought. Earlier this year, Cape Town came within weeks of shutting off all its taps and forcing residents to queue for water rations at public standpipes. The cut-off was narrowly averted as people scrambled to reduce their water usage and Autumn rains saved the day. But the threat is expected to return to the coastal South African city again next ... read more |
Ancestral people of Chaco Canyon likely grew their own foodCincinnati OH (SPX) Jul 04, 2018 Researchers think they have a better understanding for how ancient North Americans thrived for centuries in northwestern New Mexico's arid desert. A multidisciplinary team of experts from the ... more
Iraq's treasured amber rice crop devastated by droughtDiwaniyah, Iraq (AFP) July 3, 2018 Standing on his farm in southern Iraq, Amjad al-Kazaali gazed sorrowfully over fields where rice has been sown for centuries - but which now lie bare for lack of water. ... more
Water compresses under a high gradient electric fieldUrbana IL (SPX) Jul 03, 2018 Modern civilization relies on water's incompressibility - it's something we take for granted. Hydraulic systems harness the virtual non-compressibility of fluids like water or oil to multiply mechan ... more
New water pollution protests hit southwest IranTehran (AFP) July 2, 2018 Protesters clashed with security forces in southwestern Iran late Sunday, a day after several demonstrators were injured in nighttime skirmishes over water pollution, Iranian state media reported. ... more |
Philippines digs out from Typhoon Fung-wong as death toll climbs
Philippines digs out from Typhoon Fung-wong as death toll climbs to 18 Three Vietnam men survive 40 hours at sea after typhoon Typhoon Fung-wong floods Philippine towns, leaves 5 dead in its wake Typhoon Fung-wong leaves flooded Philippine towns in its wake Typhoon exposes centuries-old shipwreck off Vietnam port Weakening Typhoon Fung-wong exits Philippines after displacing 1.4 million Super Typhoon Fung-wong makes landfall in Philippines Over 1 million evacuate as deadly Super Typhoon Fung-wong nears Philippines Dam reservoir levels drop below 3% in Iran's second city: media |
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| Previous Issues | Jul 03 | Jul 02 | Jun 29 | Jun 28 |
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Early detection of 'olive tree leprosy' with dronesParis (AFP) June 25, 2018 A bacterial infection ravaging olive orchards in southern Europe can be detected from small planes or drones well before symptoms appear, offering panicky growers the prospect of an early warning system, scientists said Monday. ... more
US trial over Roundup cancer link set to openSan Francisco (AFP) June 28, 2018 A first of its kind trial over whether Monsanto herbicide Roundup caused a groundskeeper's lethal cancer is scheduled to begin here on July 9 with opening remarks by attorneys. ... more
Nestle suspended from 'sustainable' palm oil bodyGeneva (AFP) June 28, 2018 Swiss food giant Nestle confirmed Thursday the suspension of its membership in a body aimed at ensuring sustainable palm oil production and use, blaming "fundamental differences" in theories on how to reach that goal. ... more
China lifts ban on import of British beefLondon (AFP) June 27, 2018 China has lifted a ban on importing British beef lasting more than 20 years that was triggered by the "mad cow disease" outbreak, the UK government said on Wednesday. ... more
Industrial microbes could feed cattle, pigs and chicken with less damage to the environmentPotsdam, Germany (SPX) Jun 26, 2018 Deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, nitrogen pollution - today's agricultural feed cultivation for cattle, pigs and chicken comes with tremendous impacts for the environment ... more |
![]() Mandatory labels reduce GMO food fears
Florida wins point in water war with neighbor GeorgiaWashington (AFP) June 27, 2018 The US Supreme Court on Wednesday offered a glimmer of hope to Florida in its decades-long water dispute with its northern neighbor Georgia. ... more |
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Palm oil 'decimating' wildlife, solutions elusive: reportParis (AFP) June 26, 2018 Palm oil production has "decimated" animal and plant life in Malaysia and Indonesia and threatens pristine forests in central Africa and South America, a leading international conservation group warned Tuesday. ... more
The seed that could bring clean water to millionsPittsburgh PA (SPX) Jun 26, 2018 According to the United Nations, 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services, the majority of whom live in developing nations. Carnegie Mellon University's Biomedical En ... more
On NY's rooftops, old-style wooden water tanks hang toughNew York (AFP) June 25, 2018 They are part of New York's skyline and millions of people unknowingly depend on them: behold, the venerable rooftop water tank, made of plain old wood. ... more
China lifts French beef ban as PM ends visitBeijing (AFP) June 25, 2018 China signed a deal Monday to lift a ban on French beef and said discussions to buy Airbus planes remained open as French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe ended a four-day visit. ... more
Malaysian PM revives age-old water row with SingaporeKuala Lumpur (AFP) June 25, 2018 Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Monday he wants to renegotiate a "ridiculous" water supply agreement with Singapore, the latest sign of fraying ties between the neighbours since last month's shock election. ... more |
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Tiny cameras snap pictures of Great Lake Pasadena CA (JPL) Jul 04, 2018
These two images of Lake Superior and surrounding area show the first data downlinked from the CubeSat Multispectral Observation System (CUMULOS) cameras.
The image on the left, taken by a short-wavelength infrared camera, captures a larger area of the lake and shows strong contrast between land and water features.
The narrower field of view image on the right taken by the payload's ... more |
NASA Tests Solar Sail for CubeSat that Will Study Near-Earth Asteroids Huntsville AL (SPX) Jul 03, 2018
NASA's Near-Earth Asteroid Scout, a small satellite designed to study asteroids close to Earth, performed a successful deployment test June 28 of the solar sail that will launch on Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1). The test was performed in an indoor clean room at the NeXolve facility in Huntsville, Alabama.
NEA Scout is a six-unit CubeSat that relies on an innovative solar sail for propulsion ... more |
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How mangroves help keep the planet cool Baton Rouge LA (SPX) Jul 03, 2018
Coastal scientists have developed a new global framework to more accurately assess how mangroves along different types of coastlines from deltas to lagoons store carbon in their soil. They found that previous studies have underestimated the blue carbon levels in mangroves by up to 50 percent in some regions and overestimated levels by up to 86 percent in others. Their study published recently in ... more |
Researchers report novel hybrid catalyst to split water Houston TX (SPX) Jul 03, 2018
Researchers from the University of Houston and the California Institute of Technology have reported an inexpensive hybrid catalyst capable of splitting water to produce hydrogen, suitable for large-scale commercialization.
Most systems to split water into its components - hydrogen and oxygen - require two catalysts, one to spur a reaction to separate the hydrogen and a second to produce ox ... more |
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Surrey makes breakthrough in perovskite solar cell technology Surrey UK (SPX) Jul 03, 2018
The University of Surrey has helped to create a technique that has produced the highest performing inverted perovskite solar cell ever recorded.
Perovskite based cells are widely viewed as the next generation of solar cells, offering similar power conversion efficiency (PCE) performance, but at a much lower cost than the market dominant crystalline silicon based solar cells.
In a stu ... more |
ENGIE: Wind energy footprint firmed up in Norway Washington DC (UPI) Jul 02, 2018
French energy company ENGIE said Monday it reached an agreement with Swiss asset manager SUSI to help develop what will be one of Norway's largest wind farms.
SUSI, through a renewable energy fund, takes an 80 percent stake in Project Tonstad, a planned 208 megawatt wind farm in southern Norway. The French energy company keeps a 20 percent stake in a 51-turbine facility.
Sandra R ... more |
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Miner Yancoal seeks dual listing in Hong Kong Sydney (AFP) July 2, 2018
Australia's largest pure-play coal producer Yancoal said on Monday it would apply for a dual listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange alongside a capital raising as it looks to increase its shares' liquidity.
China-based Yancoal trades on the Australian Securities Exchange and recently expanded its holdings of local mines by buying most of Rio Tinto's domestic coal assets for US$2.45 billion. ... more |
Thousands march in Hong Kong as restrictions grow Hong Kong (AFP) July 1, 2018
Protesters marched through central Hong Kong on Sunday in one of the city's major annual pro-democracy rallies as organisers said the event was coming under unprecedented pressure from authorities.
Beijing has become increasingly intolerant of signs of dissent in semi-autonomous Hong Kong since massive pro-democracy rallies in 2014 brought parts of the city to a standstill and led to the eme ... more |
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Next-generation robotic cockroach can explore under water environments Boston MA (SPX) Jul 04, 2018
In nature, cockroaches can survive underwater for up to 30 minutes. Now, a robotic cockroach can do even better. Harvard's Ambulatory Microrobot, known as HAMR, can walk on land, swim on the surface of water, and walk underwater for as long as necessary, opening up new environments for this little bot to explore.
This next generation HAMR uses multifunctional foot pads that rely on surface ... more |
Seattle bans plastic straws, but US still has a long way to go Washington (AFP) July 3, 2018
Seattle has become the first major US city to ban plastic straws and utensils in its eateries, a victory for environmentalists that will be tough to replicate elsewhere in the United States.
After targeting plastic bags, environmentalists have set their sights on plastic drinking straws as a public enemy, highlighting the gap between their brief moment of utility and the enduring impact they ... more |
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Californian wildfires spreading rapidly San Francisco (AFP) July 3, 2018
A Californian wildfire that began on the weekend has rapidly spread across 70,000 acres (28,000 hectares), authorities said Tuesday, with a growing number of areas affected by mandatory evacuation orders.
The County Fire was sparked in the northern Yolo County on Saturday, fanned by high winds and hot temperatures.
An update by Cal Fire on Tuesday said the potential for growth remains h ... more |
Global surface area of rivers and streams is 45 percent higher than previously thought Chapel Hill NC (SPX) Jul 03, 2018
Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Texas A and M University used satellite images, on-the-ground measurements and a statistical model to determine how much of the earth is covered by rivers and streams. They found that global river and stream surface area is about 45 percent greater than what was indicated by previous studies.
Rivers and streams are a majo ... more |
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Landslides, flash floods as monsoon batters southern Myanmar Mawlamyine, Myanmar (AFP) June 18, 2018
Flooding in southern Myanmar has caused a landslide at a famed Buddhist pagoda, submerged homes and displaced hundreds of people as monsoon rains batter the country.
Several parts of Myanmar's southern Mon state are facing flash floods due to heavy rains since the weekend with no relief in sight, according to a report in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar on Monday.
Rains triggere ... more |
China defends its post-WTO business record Beijing (AFP) June 28, 2018
China on Thursday insisted it has "carried out every promise" made in joining the World Trade Organization as Washington and Brussels push Beijing to do away with protectionist policies.
Hitting back at critics like US President Donald Trump, China published a white paper titled "China and the World Trade Organization" outlining reforms Beijing has undertaken since joining the agreement in 2 ... more |
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Big Bear Solar Observatory' Expands View of the Sun Newark NJ (SPX) Jul 02, 2018
A solar telescope that captures images of the entire disk of the Sun, monitoring eruptions taking place simultaneously in different magnetic fields in both the photosphere and chromosphere, is now being installed beside the Goode Solar Telescope (GST) at NJIT's California-based Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO).
The telescope, SOLIS (Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun), c ... more |
Study reveals source of parrots' high intelligence Washington (UPI) Jul 3, 2018
Neuroscientists in Canada have identified the neural circuit responsible for parrots' impressive intelligence.
The circuit is similar to the neural structure credited with providing primates their enhanced intelligence, an example of convergent evolution.
"An area of the brain that plays a major role in primate intelligence is called the pontine nuclei," said Cristian Gutierrez-I ... more |
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