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As temperatures rise, Earth's soil is 'breathing' more heavily![]() Richland, WA (SPX) Aug 09, 2018 The vast reservoir of carbon stored beneath our feet is entering Earth's atmosphere at an increasing rate, most likely as a result of warming temperatures, suggest observations collected from a variety of the Earth's many ecosystems. Blame microbes and how they react to warmer temperatures. Their food of choice - nature's detritus like dead leaves and fallen trees - contains carbon. When bacteria chew on decaying leaves and fungi chow down on dead plants, they convert that storehouse of carbon int ... read more |
Half a degree less warming can avoid precipitation extremesBeijing, China (SPX) Aug 09, 2018 Just half a degree Celsius could make a major difference when it comes to global warming, according to a new paper published by a collaborative research team based in China. The study, which a ... more
Heatwave kills a tonne of Swiss fishGeneva (AFP) Aug 7, 2018 Roughly a tonne of fish have been killed in recent days by high temperatures in Swiss waters caused by the European heatwave, public broadcaster RTS reported Tuesday. ... more
Heat brings relief for French vineyardsParis (AFP) Aug 7, 2018 Torrid temperatures across much of France have made the past few weeks unbearable for many, but with grape harvests kicking off this week, the country's winemakers say the heat could not have come at a better time. ... more
Despair as crippling drought hammers Australian farmersMurrurundi, Australia (AFP) Aug 8, 2018 A crippling drought is ravaging vast tracts of Australia's pastoral heartlands, decimating herds and putting desperate farmers under intense financial and emotional strain, with little relief in sight. ... 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 | Aug 08 | Aug 07 | Aug 06 | Aug 03 | Aug 02 |
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Record drought grips Germany's breadbasketNiederndodeleben, Germany (AFP) July 29, 2018 Withered sunflowers, scorched wheat fields, stunted cornstalks - the farmlands of northern Germany have borne the brunt of this year's extreme heat and record-low rainfall, triggering an epochal drought. ... more
Iraqi farmers fight to save cattle from droughtAl-Attassiya, Iraq (AFP) July 30, 2018 Iraqi farmer Sayyed Sattar knows he'll soon have to let some of his buffalo go as he surveys the herd bathing in a dwindling pond close to the holy city of Najaf. ... more
Murkowksi: Tariffs hurt more than just agricultureWashington DC (UPI) Jul 27, 2018 President Donald Trump has been called on by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, to take a broad view on trade policies to recognize that impacts extend beyond farming into the energy sector following his announcement of aid for U.S. farmers this week. ... more
Wildfires, drought hit Sweden's Sami reindeer herdersStockholm (AFP) July 27, 2018 Sweden's unprecedented drought and devastating wildfires are destroying vital grazing pastureland for indigenous Sami reindeer herders, whose livelihoods are already under attack from mining and logging as global warming changes the face of the Arctic. ... more
EU court extends GMO rules to new techniquesLuxembourg (AFP) July 25, 2018 Plants and animals created by new techniques of genetic modification should be treated as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and follow European rules aimed at preventing damage to the environment and health, the EU's top court said on Wednesday. ... more |
![]() NASA's 'Space Botanist' Gathers First Data
Sri Lanka waives debt for 200,000 women in drought areasColombo (AFP) July 25, 2018 Sri Lanka announced Wednesday it would waive debts for 200,000 women unable to repay microfinance loans and cap lending rates after a number of borrowers in drought-hit areas killed themselves. ... more |
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In Colombia, human rights activists live in constant fearCaloto, Colombia (AFP) July 25, 2018 One day after Luis Dagua last left his farm in Colombia's southwest his body was found, his head shattered with a rock. ... more
Ancient farmers transformed Amazon and left an enduring legacy on the rainforestExeter 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 effec ... more
China's persistent food and drug safety problemBeijing (AFP) July 24, 2018 Chinese authorities are scrambling to defuse public outrage over a safety scandal involving rabies vaccines, just one of a string of food and drug scares to hit the country in recent years. ... 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
Japan lifts ban on Canadian wheat importsTokyo (AFP) July 20, 2018 Japan on Friday lifted a ban on Canadian wheat imports more than a month after it halted shipments following the discovery of unauthorised genetically modified (GM) plants there. ... more |
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US Army scientists create new technique for modeling turbulence in the atmosphere Adelphi MD (SPX) Aug 08, 2018
Army researchers have designed a computer model that more effectively calculates the behavior of atmospheric turbulence in complex environments, including cities, forests, deserts and mountainous regions.
This new technology could allow Soldiers to predict weather patterns sooner using the computers at hand and more effectively assess flight conditions for aerial vehicles on the battlefiel ... more |
Envistacom contracted for DAGRS GPS systems Washington (UPI) Aug 7, 2018
Envistacom has announced it has received a contract for the DAGRS handheld GPS navigation system that is used for many military purposes.
The contract, announced Tuesday by the company, is valued at up to $480 million over five years and covers both U.S. Army and Navy customers. The contract will include prototype design and other technical services to update the system.
The AN/P ... more |
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The bark side of the force Paris, France (SPX) Aug 09, 2018
What forces enable trees to stand upright? To grow straight, plants need a motor system that controls their posture by generating forces to offset gravity. Scientists have long thought that this motor force was controlled only by the internal forces induced in wood. In a study published on 4 August 2018 in New Phytologist, researchers from the CNRS and Cirad show that bark is also involved in th ... more |
Forests crucial for limiting climate change Exeter UK (SPX) Aug 08, 2018
Trying to tackle climate change by replacing forests with crops for bioenergy power stations that capture carbon dioxide (CO2) could instead increase the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, scientists say.
Biomass Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) power stations are designed to produce energy and store the resulting carbon dioxide (CO2) in bedrock deep underground.
But a st ... more |
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Insight into loss processes in perovskite solar cells enables efficiency improvements Berlin, Germany (SPX) Aug 07, 2018 |
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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U.S. coal consumption last year at historic low Washington (UPI) Aug 6, 2018
Coal consumption in the U.S. power sector last year was the lowest in more than 30 years and the fourth straight year for a decline, the government stated.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported in a daily brief on Friday that the nation's power sector consumed 661 million short tons of coal last year, the lowest level since 1983.
"Electric power sector coal consumpt ... more |
China deploys huge police force to prevent fraud protest Beijing (AFP) Aug 6, 2018 Hundreds of police patrolled the streets of Beijing's financial district Monday as Chinese authorities thwarted a planned protest against money lost in risky peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms and a lack of government help.
Protesters told AFP they had come from every corner of China in hopes that by gathering en masse the government would recognise their grievances and take action.
Po ... more |
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A system to synthesize realistic sounds for computer animation Stanford CA (SPX) Aug 09, 2018
Advances in computer-generated imagery have brought vivid, realistic animations to life, but the sounds associated with what we see simulated on screen, such as two objects colliding, are often recordings. Now researchers at Stanford University have developed a system that automatically renders accurate sounds for a wide variety of animated phenomena.
"There's been a Holy Grail in computin ... more |
Clothing, furniture also to blame for ocean and freshwater pollution Olso, Norway (SPX) Aug 07, 2018
Think summer holidays and you'll likely call up images of a beautiful beach or a glittering blue lake. But more and more lakes, rivers and coastal areas are plagued by an oversupply of nutrients that causes algae to grow at an explosive rate, which can eventually lead to water bodies that can't support aquatic life.
Scientists call this type of water pollution eutrophication, and it is an ... more |
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Firefighters make progress in California but weather not promising Mendocino, United States (AFP) Aug 9, 2018
Thousands of firefighters, backed by US troops and crews from as far away as Australia and New Zealand, made progress Wednesday in their battle with California's biggest wildfire on record - but the weather forecast for the rest of the week is not promising, officials said.
Nearly 20 major fires have ravaged the sprawling western state over the past two weeks, fanned by strong winds and swe ... more |
Pacific Ocean's effect on Arctic warming Palo Alto CA (SPX) Aug 09, 2018
New research, led by former Carnegie postdoctoral fellow Summer Praetorius, shows that changes in the heat flow of the northern Pacific Ocean may have a larger effect on the Arctic climate than previously thought. The findings are published in the August 7, 2018, issue of Nature Communications.
The Arctic is experiencing larger and more rapid increases in temperature from global warming mo ... more |
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Europe bakes again in near-record temperatures Paris (AFP) Aug 7, 2018
Europe baked in near-record temperatures on Monday but some respite was on the horizon after weeks of nonstop sunshine as people come to terms with what may prove to be the region's new normal in an era of climate change.
Here is a roundup of recent developments:
- France nearing a peak -
Temperatures were expected to peak at around 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) in south ... more |
Are tech titans teetering atop the market? New York (AFP) Aug 5, 2018
Silicon Valley giants have become a gargantuan force on Wall Street, as demonstrated by Apple recently topping $1 trillion in stock-market valuation.
But should we fear that a new tech bubble is ready to burst?
Here are some questions and answers about the sector:
- What does the tech sector represent on Wall Street? -
Apple ended the formal trading week worth a history-making ... more |
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Touching the Sun to protect the Earth Ann Arbor MI (SPX) Aug 09, 2018
Justin Kasper, professor of climate and space sciences and engineering at the University of Michigan, is a mission principal investigator on the Parker Solar Probe, which is scheduled for launch Aug. 11 from Cape Canaveral, Fla.
"The Parker Solar Probe will help us do a much better job of predicting when a disturbance in the solar wind could hit Earth," Kasper said.
Kasper describes ... more |
Microbes go dark to stay warm in cooler climates Baltimore MD (SPX) Aug 07, 2018
Microorganisms in colder climates darken themselves to capture more heat from the sun and improve their ability to survive, according to a study from scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The scientists, in a study to be published in Current Biology on August 2, examined yeasts collected at different latitudes, and found that dark-pigmented ones were more frequentl ... more |
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