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'Big dry' drags on as Australia sets up drought-proof fund![]() Sydney (AFP) Oct 26, 2018 Australia is setting up a billion-dollar fund to "future proof" the country against droughts, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Friday, as farmers struggle with a "big dry" forecast to continue for months. Eastern Australia has been hit by a crippling drought - in some areas for several years - that has forced graziers to hand-feed their stock, sell them or even shoot them dead to stay afloat. The severe conditions are expected to continue, with more areas further south drying out as the coun ... read more |
France suspends use of popular pesticide after dozens sickenedParis (AFP) Oct 26, 2018 The French government on Friday ordered a three-month ban of a widely used pesticide after dozens of people, many of them farm workers, fell ill in western France in recent weeks. ... more
'Big dry' drags on as Australia sets up drought-proof fundSydney (AFP) Oct 26, 2018 Australia is setting up a billion-dollar fund to "future proof" the country against droughts, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Friday, as farmers struggle with a 'big dry' forecast set to continue for months. ... more
ElekTrik Zoo wins best short film with Locked at 6th GNG Green Earth Film FestivalLos Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 25, 2018 Locked is a film about a contentious century-long battle between big commerce and the Louisiana wetlands. The power of Blue Oyster Cult shines when they repeat, "History shows again and again how na ... more
A Chinese farmer couldn't fly a plane, so he built oneBeijing (AFP) Oct 26, 2018 When a Chinese garlic farmer's dream of flying an airplane didn't pan out, he decided to build one instead. ... more |
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 Philippines evacuates one million, woman dead as super typhoon nears |
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'Himalayan Viagra' under threat from climate change: researchersWashington (AFP) Oct 23, 2018 A prized caterpillar fungus that is more valuable than gold and is nicknamed "Himalayan Viagra" in Asia, where it is seen as a wonder drug, is becoming harder to find due to climate change, researchers said Monday. ... more
Climate summit host Poland says smart forest management keyRome (AFP) Oct 16, 2018 Poland's President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday said smart forest management is key to fighting climate change and to help farming, weeks before he leads a major UN climate summit. ... more
Chile denies a glacier spat has chilled ties to ArgentinaSantiago (AFP) Oct 20, 2018 Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Saturday insisted he had no problem with Argentina despite its claim to extensive Patagonian glaciers along the joint but unmarked border. ... more
Water woes as drought leaves Germany's Rhine shallowBerlin (AFP) Oct 19, 2018 Months of drought have left water levels on Germany's Rhine river at a record low, exposing a World War II bomb and forcing ship operators to halt services to prevent vessels from running aground. ... more
Syracuse geologists contribute to new understanding of Mekong River incisionSyracuse NY (SPX) Oct 22, 2018 An international team of earth scientists has linked the establishment of the Mekong River to a period of major intensification of the Asian monsoon during the middle Miocene, about 17 million years ... more |
![]() New research identifies two types of drought across China and how they evolve
A warmer spring leads to less plant growth in summerVienna, Austria (SPX) Oct 18, 2018 Climate change influences plant growth, with springtime growth beginning earlier each year. Up to now, it was thought that this phenomenon was slowing climate change, as scientists believed this pro ... more |
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Applying auto industry's fuel-efficiency standards to agriculture could net billionsNew York NY (SPX) Oct 18, 2018 Adopting benchmarks similar to the fuel-efficiency standards used by the auto industry in the production of fertilizer could yield $5-8 billion in economic benefits for the U.S. corn sector alone, r ... more
China prices rise as cost of food spikesBeijing (AFP) Oct 16, 2018 A spike in the price of fruit and vegetables pushed up China's inflation rate in September, official figures showed Tuesday. ... more
Irrigating vegetables with wastewater in African cities may spread diseaseBirmingham UK (SPX) Oct 18, 2018 Urban farmers growing vegetables to feed millions of people in Africa's ever-growing cities could unwittingly be helping to spread disease by irrigating crops with wastewater, a new study reveals. ... more
Flexible fertilizer regulations could reduce pollution, save billionsPrinceton NK (SPX) Oct 18, 2018 As the global population continues to increase, so will food production. This means increased use of fertilizers, and many on today's market are not environmentally friendly. To reduce polluti ... more
Big Agriculture eyeing genetic tool for pest controlParis (AFP) Oct 16, 2018 A controversial and unproven gene-editing technology touted as a silver bullet against malaria-bearing mosquitos could wind up being deployed first in commercial agriculture, according to experts and an NGO report published Tuesday. ... more |
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Getting the most out of atmospheric data analysis Kanazawa, Japan (SPX) Oct 29, 2018
New-particle formation in the atmosphere provides the nucleation centres required for the formation of clouds, making it an important process for understanding climate. Efforts to investigate the complex balance of chemistry and physics that leads to new-particle formation have resulted in the acquisition of very large data sets.
A team of researchers based at a number of centers, includin ... more |
China launches twin BeiDou-3 satellites Xichang (XNA) Oct 16, 2018
China sent twin BeiDou-3 navigation satellites into space on a Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in Sichuan Province, at 12:23 p.m. Monday.
The satellites are the 39th and 40th of the BeiDou navigation system, and the 15th and 16th of the BeiDou-3 family.
The launch was the 287th mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.
span class=" ... more |
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Saving the precious wood of Gabon's forests from illegal logging Oyem, Gabon (AFP) Oct 24, 2018
In Gabon the majestic kevazingo tree, its tropical hardwood highly valued in Asia for upmarket furniture, is also held to be sacred by generations of forest dwellers in equatorial Africa.
Chopping down the kevazingo tree, which can grow to more than 500 years old, has been outlawed in Gabon since March, but that hasn't eased environmental fears.
A loophole in the law allows the sale of t ... more |
Efficient electrochemical cells for CO2 conversion Washington DC (SPX) Oct 26, 2018
Scientists at Stanford University have developed electrochemical cells that convert carbon monoxide (CO) derived from CO2 into commercially viable compounds more effectively and efficiently than existing technologies. Their research, published October 25 in the journal Joule, provides a new strategy for capturing CO2 and converting it into chemical feedstocks.
CO2 capture from emission sou ... more |
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Highly efficient wet-processed solar cells with molecules in the same orientation Kanazawa, Japan (SPX) Oct 29, 2018
Solar cells are a cost-effective, alternate source of energy. A subtype of these, organic solar cells make use of organic polymers inside the cell. Using these polymers makes the cells light-weight and increases their flexibility.
Organic solar cells are produced by two different chemical methods: dry processing and wet processing, with the latter being a faster method. There are several p ... more |
Extreme weather forcing renewable operators to strengthen project economics London, UK (SPX) Oct 18, 2018
Global sustainable energy consultancy, K2 Management, has launched a report titled; Pre-Construction Projects: The battle to reduce uncertainty and improve business case bankability, at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Offshore WINDPOWER 2018 Conference, which kicked off in Washington, D.C.
The report identifies major project development trends in the fast-growing renewables sec ... more |
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19 dead in east China mining accident Beijing (AFP) Oct 29, 2018
Nineteen miners have been confirmed dead in east China following a mining accident earlier this month that trapped 22 people, state media reported Monday.
The tunnel where the miners were working was blocked at both ends by coal after pressure caused rocks to fracture and break on October 20, the official Xinhua news agency said.
Only one miner has been rescued so far.
Rescuers wor ... more |
Who am I? Hunt for heritage drives Chinese to DNA tests Beijing (AFP) Oct 26, 2018
Chinese executive Miao Qing spits into a specially designed container, destined for a lab where her saliva will be analysed and sequenced, offering an insight into her genetic make-up and - more importantly - her ancestry.
A combination of factors - a lack of formal records or destruction during China's wars and the Cultural Revolution - have meant there are few ways for Chinese to trace ... more |
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Small flying robots haul heavy loads Stanford CA (SPX) Oct 25, 2018
A closed door is just one of many obstacles that poses no barrier to a new type of flying, micro, tugging robot called a FlyCroTug. Outfitted with advanced gripping technologies and the ability to move and pull on objects around it, two FlyCroTugs can jointly lasso the door handle and heave the door open.
Developed in the labs of Mark Cutkosky, the Fletcher Jones Chair in the School of Eng ... more |
Dutch join G7-led push to rid oceans of plastics Ottawa (AFP) Oct 25, 2018
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced his country's endorsement of a G7-led initiative to rid the oceans of plastics, during a visit to Ottawa on Thursday.
Britain, Canada, France, Germany and Italy, along with the European Union, signed the Ocean Plastics Charter at a leaders' summit in Canada's Charlevoix region in June, although neither the United States nor Japan put their names to a ... more |
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Indigenous fire practice protecting the Gibson Desert's biodiversity Brisbane, Australia (SPX) Oct 18, 2018
Traditional Indigenous burning practices are protecting plant biodiversity in Australia's Gibson Desert, according to University of Queensland research.
The study analysed how environments dominated by flammable spinifex grasses and fire-sensitive desert myrtle shrubs reacted to wildfires, and to the low-intensity burning practices of the Pintupi people.
UQ School of Agriculture and ... more |
ElekTrik Zoo wins best short film with Locked at 6th GNG Green Earth Film Festival Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 25, 2018
Locked is a film about a contentious century-long battle between big commerce and the Louisiana wetlands. The power of Blue Oyster Cult shines when they repeat, "History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of man. Godzilla." Indeed, the Lock system connecting Lake Pontchartrain to the Mississippi river was a monster project done when brute force was used for the pleasure of man ... more |
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US tornado frequency shifting eastward from Great Plains DeKalb IL (SPX) Oct 22, 2018
A new study finds that over the past four decades, tornado frequency has increased over a large swath of the Midwest and Southeast and decreased in portions of the central and southern Great Plains, a region traditionally associated with Tornado Alley.
The study, by meteorology professor Victor Gensini of Northern Illinois University and Harold Brooks of NOAA's National Severe Storms Labor ... more |
Switzerland's Richemont, China's Alibaba team up Zurich (AFP) Oct 26, 2018
Swiss luxury goods group Richemont announced Friday a partnership with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to develop platforms in China for high-end products.
Under the deal, Richemont's online unit Yoox-net-a-porter and Alibaba will set up a joint venture with two mobile phone applications - Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter - to serve the Chinese market, a statement said.
Net-a-porter and Mr ... more |
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Students help scientist ID the sonic signatures of solar storms Washington (UPI) Oct 20, 2018
What does it sound like when solar storms collide with Earth's magnetosphere? Students in London are helping scientists find out.
Earth's magnetic field features a near-constant cacophony of low-frequency sound waves - too low-pitched to be discernible to the human ear. But by speeding up audio recordings of the magnetosphere, researchers at London's Queen Mary University made the soun ... more |
Tigers dwindling: just six sub-species remain, says study Tampa (AFP) Oct 25, 2018
Six different sub-species of tigers exist today, scientists confirmed Thursday, amid hopes the findings will boost efforts to save the fewer than 4,000 free-range big cats that remain in the world.
The six include the Bengal tiger, Amur tiger, South China tiger, Sumatran tiger, Indochinese tiger and Malayan tiger, said the report in the journal Current Biology.
Three other tiger subspeci ... more |
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