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Ancient farmers transformed Amazon and left an enduring legacy on the rainforest![]() Exeter UK (SPX) Jul 24, 2018 Ancient communities transformed the Amazon thousands of years ago, farming in a way which has had a lasting impact on the rainforest, a major new study shows. Farmers had a more profound effect on the supposedly "untouched" rainforest than previously thought, introducing crops to new areas, boosting the number of edible tree species and using fire to improve the nutrient content of soil, experts have found. The study is the first detailed history of long-term human land use and fire manageme ... read more |
We can feed the world if we change our waysLancaster UK (SPX) Jul 24, 2018 Current crop yields could provide nutritious food for the projected 2050 global population, but only if we make radical changes to our dietary choices, a new study shows. Researchers from Lanc ... more
Environmental changes in the Mekong Delta spell trouble for farmersUrbana IL (SPX) Jul 24, 2018 The Mekong Delta is home to 15 million people, many of whom rely on the delta's rich soil and water resources for farming and fishing. But their livelihoods are being threatened by rising sea levels ... more
Dying groundskeeper links Monsanto's Roundup to cancerSan Francisco (AFP) July 24, 2018 A California groundskeeper dying of cancer said Monday he would "never" have used Monsanto weed killer Roundup, had he known it could lead to his terminal illness. ... more
Taiwan steps in after China turns off tourist taps to PalauTaipei (AFP) July 19, 2018 Taiwan has stepped in to help its ally Palau attract more tourists after an airline from the Micronesian nation said it was forced to shut under pressure from China. ... 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 23 | Jul 20 | Jul 19 | Jul 18 | Jul 17 |
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European heatwave brings drought, wildfiresLondon (AFP) July 20, 2018 Wildfires in the Arctic Circle, drought-stricken farmers and a spike in hospital treatment for sunburn: an unusually long heatwave this summer has northern Europe in its grip. ... more
Using 'shade balls' in reservoirs may use up more water than they saveLondon, UK (SPX) Jul 19, 2018 Preventing reservoir evaporation during droughts with floating balls may not help conserve water overall, due to the water needed to make the balls. During droughts, communities may rely on wa ... more
Researchers engineer bacteria to create fertilizer out of thin airSaint Louis MO (SPX) Jul 19, 2018 In the future, plants will be able to create their own fertilizer. Farmers will no longer need to buy and spread fertilizer for their crops, and increased food production will benefit billions of pe ... more
Archaeologists discover bread that predates agriculture by 4,000 yearsCopenhagen, Denmark (SPX) Jul 19, 2018 At an archaeological site in northeastern Jordan, researchers have discovered the charred remains of a flatbread baked by hunter-gatherers 14,400 years ago. It is the oldest direct evidence of bread ... more
In India, swapping crops could save water and improve nutritionNew York NY (SPX) Jul 18, 2018 India will need to feed approximately 394 million more people by 2050, and that's going to be a significant challenge. Nutrient deficiencies are already widespread in India today - 30 percent or mor ... more |
![]() Tainted water exhibition roves around Beijing after initial shutdown
Stormwater ponds not a major source of greenhouse gas emissionsDurham NC (SPX) Jul 16, 2018 Stormwater retention ponds, a ubiquitous feature in developed landscapes worldwide, are not a significant source of climate-warming nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, a new Duke University-led study fin ... more |
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China chili fest gets off to scorching startNingxiangpu, China (AFP) July 9, 2018 An annual chili pepper festival kicked off Monday in central China's spice-loving Hunan province with a chili-eating contest in which the winner set a blistering pace by downing a gut-busting 50 peppers in just over a minute. ... more
Expansion of agricultural land reduces CO2 absorptionKarlsruher, Germany (SPX) Jul 10, 2018 Climate change is heavily related to the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere. During photosynthesis, plants absorb some of the industrial CO2 emissions from the atmosphere, making them contribute sign ... more
Zimbabwe launches space agencyHarare (AFP) July 10, 2018 Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa Tuesday launched a space agency, hailing it as a "milestone" as he campaigns ahead of elections at the end of the month. ... more
As trial opens, man dying of cancer blames Monsanto's RoundupSan Francisco (AFP) July 10, 2018 A lawyer for a California groundskeeper dying of cancer took aim at Monsanto Monday as a jury began hearing the lawsuit accusing the chemical giant of ignoring health risks of its top-selling weed killer Roundup. ... more
Taiwan issues warning as Typhoon Maria approachesTaipei (AFP) July 9, 2018 Ferries were suspended and farmers rushed for last-minute harvests Monday as Taiwan braced for Typhoon Maria, with warnings of possible mudslides and flooding as the storm nears. ... more |
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Laser experiments lend insight into metal core at heart of the Earth Edinburgh UK (SPX) Jul 18, 2018 Scientists have discovered fresh insights into the metallic core at the centre of our planet.
The findings could aid understanding of how the Earth was formed from elements in space, some 4 billion years ago.
They could also shed light on the fundamental physical nature of nitrogen, one of the most abundant elements in the atmosphere.
An international team of researchers carri ... more |
GMV and Tecnobit partners with Skydel Madrid, Spain (SPX) Jul 24, 2018
GMV, Tecnobit and Skydel reports that they are working to adapt Skydel's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) simulation solution to support the latest developments of the Galileo GNSS, synchronizing with the European efforts to bring a modern, highly-accurate and secure positioning system to the market.
GMV, Tecnobit, and Skydel aim to provide corporations, universities, and research ... more |
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In Mozambique, a joint fight against climate change and forest loss Gile, Mozambique (AFP) July 23, 2018 From a distance, the Gile National Reserve in northern Mozambique is a vast, dense ocean of green that reaches as far as the horizon.
Bigger than Luxembourg, the 2,800-square-kilometre (1,080-square-mile) forest seems to be reassuringly preserved, its hardwood treasure placed by Mozambique under legal protection.
Close up though, the forest bears deep scars from bouts of rampant logging ... more |
Feeding plants to this algae could fuel your car Los Alamos NM (SPX) Jul 19, 2018
Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory and partner institutions have provided the first published report of algae using raw plants as a carbon energy source.
The research shows that a freshwater production strain of microalgae, Auxenochlorella protothecoides, is capable of directly degrading and utilizing non-food plant substrates, such as switchgrass, for improved cell growth and l ... more |
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Canadian energy company says renewables key to emissions goal Washington (UPI) Jul 20, 2018
Canadian energy company Suncor said it sees oil and gas as having a long future ahead, but renewables are evolving as an important balance in its portfolio.
"Suncor has an ambitious greenhouse gas emissions goal to reduce carbon intensity by 30 percent by 2030, and investment in renewable energy is part of the solution," the company stated in an annual sustainability report.
Sunc ... more |
Searching for wind for the future Thuwal, Saudi Arabia (SPX) Jul 19, 2018
Using outputs from a high-resolution regional climate model, KAUST researchers have confirmed the potential for wind as a significant energy resource across the Arabian Peninsula. This is an important first step in developing a strategy for Saudi Arabia's wind energy sector.
As part of an ongoing collaboration with the University of Notre Dame in the United States, Marc Genton's research g ... 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 |
Ten jailed in Vietnam over violent anti-China demos Hanoi (AFP) July 23, 2018
Ten people were jailed in Vietnam Monday for joining explosive protests that swept across the communist country last month after a draft investment law triggered widespread anger.
The rare rallies in the one-party state - where even peaceful demonstrations are outlawed - drew thousands to the streets, including in southern Binh Thuan province where protests quickly spun out of control.
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Army researchers teaching robots to be more reliable teammates for soldiers Adelphi MD (SPX) Jul 24, 2018
Researchers at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University developed a new technique to quickly teach robots novel traversal behaviors with minimal human oversight.
The technique allows mobile robot platforms to navigate autonomously in environments while carrying out actions a human would expect of the robot in a given situation.
The ex ... more |
Concrete weighs heavily on the Mediterranean coast Nicosia (AFP) July 10, 2018
Across the Mediterranean, from an illegally-built hotel in a Spanish nature park to a holiday complex encroaching on Lebanon's salt flats, a tourism boom is threatening precious coastal ecosystems.
With 46,000 kilometres (29,000 miles) of coastline spread across 21 countries, the Mediterranean hosts over a quarter of global tourism - but that comes at a cost to the planet.
"The current ... more |
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Sweden faces 'extreme' fire risk as blazes hit Europe Stockholm (AFP) July 23, 2018
Sweden warned Monday of an "extreme" risk of new forest fires as much of Scandinavia baked in a heatwave and dozens of fires hit countries across northern Europe as well as Greece.
Sweden's civil protection agency MSB counted 27 active fires across the country on Monday, half the previous day's number, as temperatures were expected to soar as high as 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) this week.
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In the ocean's twilight zone, tiny organisms may have giant effect on Earth's carbon cycle Tallahassee FL (SPX) Jul 19, 2018
Deep in the ocean's twilight zone, swarms of ravenous single-celled organisms may be altering Earth's carbon cycle in ways scientists never expected, according to a new study from Florida State University researchers.
In the area 100 to 1,000 meters below the ocean's surface - dubbed the twilight zone because of its largely impenetrable darkness - scientists found that tiny organisms calle ... more |
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'Unprecedented' Japan heatwave kills 65 in one week Tokyo (AFP) July 24, 2018 An "unprecedented" heatwave in Japan has killed at least 65 people in one week, government officials said Tuesday, with the weather agency now classifying the record-breaking weather as a "natural disaster."
In the week to Sunday at least 65 people died of heat stroke while 22,647 people were hospitalised, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said in a statement.
Both figures are "the ... more |
China's Xi holding up deal to resolve trade dispute: Trump adviser Washington (AFP) July 18, 2018
A senior economic adviser to President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Chinese President Xi Jinping was blocking an agreement to resolve the trade dispute with the United States.
"I think Xi is holding the game up," said Larry Kudlow, director of the White House National Economic Council. "I don't think President Xi has any intention of following through on the discussions we've made."
Tr ... more |
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Discovering Structure in the Outer Corona Greenbelt MD (SPX) Jul 19, 2018
In 1610, Galileo redesigned the telescope and discovered Jupiter's four largest moons. Nearly 400 years later, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope used its powerful optics to look deep into space - enabling scientists to pin down the age of the universe.
Suffice it to say that getting a better look at things produces major scientific advances.
In a paper published on July 18 in The Astroph ... more |
US proposes roll back of endangered species protections Washington (AFP) July 19, 2018
The US administration of President Donald Trump on Thursday proposed sweeping changes to the 45-year-old Endangered Species Act which would roll back protections for threatened animals, sparking alarm by environmentalists.
The 1973 federal law is considered the gold standard for global environmental protection, and is credited with saving dozens of key species from extinction, including bald ... more |
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