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Rain brings relief to drought-stricken Australia farmers![]() Sydney (AFP) Aug 26, 2018 Widespread rain fell across drought-affected parts of eastern Australia over the weekend, bringing relief to farmers struggling to cope with the driest conditions in more than half a century. Graziers have had to hand-feed sheep and cattle, sell down stock - and in some cases even shoot them to end their suffering - as they run out of hay and grain in the severe conditions affecting Queensland and New South Wales states. The wet weather was the first farmers in some areas had seen for more tha ... read more |
French tomato grower takes on Monsanto over weedkillerCelles-Sur-Aisne, France (AFP) Aug 24, 2018 Weaving through the aisles of his greenhouse in northern France, Jean-Claude Terlet, a retired farmer who grows tomatoes for local markets, seems to be brimming with energy. ... more
California plain shows surprising winners and losers from prolonged droughtSeattle WA (SPX) Aug 27, 2018 The Carrizo Plain National Monument is a little-known ecological hotspot in Southern California. Though small, it explodes in wildflowers each spring and is full of threatened or endangered species. ... more
'No grass': Europe's livestock sector stricken by droughtParis (AFP) Aug 26, 2018 "Our cows have been living off hay cut in June, there isn't any grass," says Jean-Guillaume Hannequin, a farmer in eastern France, who like his counterparts across much of northern Europe is wondering how he will feed his animals this winter. ... more
UConn scientists create reverse osmosis membranes with tunable thicknessStorrs CT (SPX) Aug 23, 2018 Currently, more than 300 million people around the world rely on desalinated water for part or all of their daily needs. That demand will only grow with larger populations and improved standards of ... 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 24 | Aug 23 | Aug 22 | Aug 21 | Aug 20 |
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Oil palm: few areas in Africa reconcile high yields and primate protectionParis, France (SPX) Aug 21, 2018 Continued growth in global demand for palm oil is expected to mean an expansion in oil palm plantations in Africa. The continent offers the low-lying tropical ecosystems oil palm prefers, hence an o ... more
Rice Uni system selectively sequesters toxins from waterHouston TX (SPX) Aug 10, 2018 Rice University scientists are developing technology to remove contaminants from water - but only as many as necessary. The Rice lab of engineer Qilin Li is building a treatment system that ca ... more
Australia ramps up aid to farmers as drought bitesSydney (AFP) Aug 19, 2018 Financial aid for drought-stricken Australian farmers will be increased to Aus$1.8 billion (US$1.3 billion) as they endure the driest conditions in half a century, the prime minister said Sunday. ... more
The behavior of water: scientists find new properties of H2ONew York NY (SPX) Aug 16, 2018 A team of scientists has uncovered new molecular properties of water--a discovery of a phenomenon that had previously gone unnoticed. Liquid water is known to be an excellent transporter of it ... more
New research collection targets insect pests of pulse cropsAnnapolis MD (SPX) Aug 10, 2018 Around the world, pulse crops - such as beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils - are an important staple in the modern food supply, and their cultivation is growing in the United States and many other ... more |
![]() Britain's dry summer reveals ancient sites
New pesticide may harm bees as much as those to be replacedParis (AFP) Aug 15, 2018 A new class of pesticides positioned to replace neonicotinoids may be just as harmful to crop-pollinating bees, researchers cautioned Wednesday. ... more |
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China's rainbow trout gets a new name: 'salmon'Beijing (AFP) Aug 15, 2018 When Chinese state TV accidentally revealed much of the "salmon" sashimi eaten in the country was actually rainbow trout, domestic fish farmers faced a crisis of consumer confidence. ... more
Vietnam's caged bears dying off as bile prices plummetThai Nguyen, Vietnam (AFP) Aug 17, 2018 Two moon bears are gently removed from the cramped cages where they have been held for 13 years, rescuers carefully checking their rotten teeth and matted paws before sending them to their new home in a grassy sanctuary in northern Vietnam. ... more
Blocking sunlight to cool Earth won't reduce crop damage from global warmingBerkeley CA (SPX) Aug 10, 2018 Injecting particles into the atmosphere to cool the planet and counter the warming effects of climate change would do nothing to offset the crop damage from rising global temperatures, according to ... more
Does rain follow the plowTucson AZ (SPX) Aug 14, 2018 What makes it rain? Many people joke it only takes washing the car or forgetting an umbrella to make rain fall, though in reality, those things are two of many rain-making myths that have been perpe ... more
Farmers in war-torn Afghanistan hit by worst drought in decadesMazar-I-Sharif, Afghanistan (AFP) Aug 12, 2018 After his wheat crop failed and wells dried up, Ghulam Abbas sold his animals and joined thousands of other farmers migrating to cities as Afghanistan's worst drought in living memory ravages the war-torn country. ... more |
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European wind survey satellite launched from French Guyana Kourou, Guyana (AFP) Aug 23, 2018
A new satellite that will use advanced laser technology to track global winds and improve weather forecasts has been successfully put into orbit, launch company Arianespace said.
The launch of the "Aeolus" satellite - named after the guardian of wind in Greek mythology - took place at 2120 GMT Wednesday, after a 24-hour delay due to adverse weather conditions.
Arianespace's light-lift ... more |
US Air Force declares second Lockheed Martin GPS 3 satellite ready for launch Denver CO (SPX) Aug 23, 2018
As the first Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite prepares to ship to the launch pad, the U.S. Air Force has declared that the second GPS III satellite is complete, fully tested and ready to launch.
The Air Force's "Available for Launch" declaration is the final acceptance of Lockheed Martin's second GPS III Space Vehicle (GPS III SV02) - declaring it technically sound and ready to laun ... more |
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Ancient Mayan deforestation hurt carbon reserves Washington (UPI) Aug 20, 2018
New research suggests the same deforestation that precipitated the collapse of the Mayan civilization led to the decimation of Central America's carbon reserves.
Analysis of the region's long-term carbon cycle showed damages caused by ancient deforestation continued to undermine soil health for centuries, even after trees returned.
Previous research has detailed the dramatic defo ... more |
Less drain on freshwater supplies with seawater fuel discovery Nottingham UK (SPX) Aug 22, 2018
Researchers have found that seawater can replace freshwater to produce the sustainable fuel Bioethanol, reducing the need to drain precious resources.
The study - 'The establishment of a marine focused biorefinery for bioethanol production using seawater and a novel marine yeast strain' - has been published in Scientific Reports and was carried out by researchers at the University of Notti ... more |
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Russelectric Announces Distributed Energy Controller Hingham, MA (SPX) Aug 24, 2018
Russelectric, a leading manufacturer of automatic transfer switches and power control systems and solutions, announces its new Russelectric Distributed Energy Controller (RDEC). RDEC is a fully integrated controller for complex, mission critical distributed energy systems, ranging from back-up generation and demand management to fully functional microgrids.
At the core of each RDEC is the ... more |
Wind energy prices at all-time lows as wind turbines grow larger Berkeley CA (SPX) Aug 27, 2018
Wind energy pricing remains attractive, according to an annual report released by the U.S. Department of Energy and prepared by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). At an average of around 2 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), prices offered by newly built wind projects in the United States are being driven lower by technology advancements and cost reductions.
"Wind energy pric ... more |
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Trump administration moves to relax coal pollution rules Washington (AFP) Aug 22, 2018
President Donald Trump's administration announced a plan Tuesday to weaken regulations on US coal plants, giving a boost to an industry that former leader Barack Obama had hoped to phase out to cut harmful emissions that drive global warming.
The Environmental Protection Agency's new Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule would allow states the flexibility to set their own standards for performa ... more |
Anaesthetist 'killed family with gas-filled yoga ball' Hong Kong (AFP) Aug 23, 2018 An anaesthetist gassed his wife and daughter to death using a yoga ball filled with carbon monoxide, a Hong Kong court has heard.
Prosecutors told the High Court that Khaw Kim-sun left the inflatable ball in the boot of a car where the gas leaked out and killed them, according to reports from court Wednesday.
His wife and 16-year-old daughter were found on a roadside in a locked yellow M ... more |
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Must do better: Japan eyes AI robots in class to boost English Tokyo (AFP) Aug 21, 2018
English-speaking AI robots will be helping out in some 500 Japanese classrooms from next year as the country seeks to improve its English skills among both children and teachers.
The education ministry plans a pilot project costing around 250 million yen ($227,000) to improve Japanese students' notoriously weak oral and written English, an official told AFP.
"AI robots already on the m ... more |
Air pollution reduces global life expectancy by more than one year Austin TX (SPX) Aug 27, 2018
Air pollution shortens human lives by more than a year, according to a new study from a team of leading environmental engineers and public health researchers. Better air quality could lead to a significant extension of lifespans around the world.
This is the first time that data on air pollution and lifespan has been studied together in order to examine the global variations in how they af ... more |
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A World On Fire Greenbelt MD (SPX) Aug 24, 2018
The world is on fire. Or so it appears in this image from NASA's Worldview. The red points overlaid on the image designate those areas that by using thermal bands detect actively burning fires. Africa seems to have the most concentrated fires. This could be due to the fact that these are most likely agricultural fires.
The location, widespread nature, and number of fires suggest that these ... more |
Southern California coast emerges as a toxic algae hot spot Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 27, 2018
A new, comprehensive survey led by USC scientists shows the Southern California coast harbors some of the world's highest concentrations of an algal toxin dangerous to wildlife and people who eat local seafood.
Episodic outbreaks of algae-produced toxins make Southern California coast emerges as a toxic algae hot spots every few years when stricken marine animals wash ashore between Santa ... more |
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Nice sunny days can grow into heat waves Potsdam, Germany (SPX) Aug 24, 2018
Be it heavy downpours or super-hot spells, summer weather becomes more persistent in North America, Europe and parts of Asia. When those conditions stall for several days or weeks, they can turn into extremes: heatwaves resulting in droughts, health risks and wildfires; or relentless rainfall resulting in floods.
A team of scientists now presents the first comprehensive review of research ... more |
Trump's trade pledges have backfired, energy trade group says Washington (UPI) Aug 24, 2018
U.S. President Trump is admired for fulfilling campaign promises, but some of those actions are harming his own ambitions on energy, a trade group said.
On the campaign trail, Trump promised to "use every tool under American and international law to end these (trade) abuses." Nearly two years into his term, he's made good on that pledge by targeting North American, European and Chinese ... more |
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New kind of aurora is not an aurora at all Washington DC (SPX) Aug 24, 2018
Thin ribbons of purple and white light that sometimes appear in the night sky were dubbed a new type of aurora when brought to scientists' attention in 2016. But new research suggests these mysterious streams of light are not an aurora at all but an entirely new celestial phenomenon.
Amateur photographers had captured the new phenomenon, called STEVE, on film for decades. But the scientifi ... more |
Microbes hitch a ride inland on coastal fog Millbrook NY (SPX) Aug 24, 2018
Fog can act as a vector for microbes, transferring them long distances and introducing them into new environments. So reports an analysis of the microbiology of coastal fog, recently published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.
Co-author Kathleen Weathers, a Senior Scientist at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, explains, "Fog's role in transporting water and nutrients to c ... more |
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