Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency Saturday in Barstow after samples of the city’s water supply were found to be contaminated with a chemical used in rocket fuel and defense manufacturing. A statement on the city’s website says the Golden State Water Co. was notified Thursday that water samples showed levels of perchlorate…

Scientists have so far identified over 2 million species on planet Earth – yet American youth are less familiar than ever with plants and animals living in their own “backyard”. To reverse this trend, the Get to Know Contest is challenging young Americans (age 5-18) to get outside today and “get to know” the amazing…

Weather conditions — not UN soldiers — may have triggered Haiti’s cholera epidemic, which has killed more than 1,000 people in less than a month, three leading researchers have told SciDev.Net. A coincidence of several catastrophic events — from climatic changes caused by the ocean-atmosphere phenomenon La Niña, to the plunge in water and sanitation…

Comets are temporary night flashes across the sky. They are rarer than meteors and are further away. The EPOXI mission’s recent encounter with comet Hartley 2 provided the first images clear enough for scientists to link jets of dust and gas with specific surface features. The EPOXI mission spacecraft revealed a cometary snow storm created…

You might think that politicians have enough on their plates trying to fix the economy, fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, dealing with humanitarian crises in Haiti and Pakistan, and other matters of national import. But money talks, especially in politics, and a tiny bug is causing a big ruckus on Capitol Hill…

Coral reefs are both vital and vulnerable to change, and the combination of rising ocean surface temperatures and increased acidification is devastating corals across the globe in one of the worst bleaching and die-off events ever recorded.

The Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric car, the centerpiece of a revitalized General Motors Co, was named 2011 Green Car of the Year on Thursday. The highly anticipated Volt received the industry’s top environmental honor the same day GM shares began trading — the biggest U.S. IPO ever. The Volt edged out the Nissan Leaf and…

When one imagines a squid, the image that comes to mind is of a giant monster (i.e, Kraken of mythic fame) grappling with boats and whales. Squid are marine cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid,…

Goodbye cheap cotton T shirt. Hello ethical clothing! Cotton T shirts made in sweatshops that use up scarce fresh water are not wearing well for many companies anymore. Brands with sustainable business practices are increasingly looking to make their promotional items reflect their green values. The result can be a shirt that fits better for…

In the headlines lately has been news of China’s monopoly of rare earth elements (REE), adding to China’s growing clout. It would increase their leverage should they choose to reduce exports, causing REE prices to soar. The United States imports almost all of its REE from China, putting it in a position of geopolitical weakness.…