Month: May 2013

  • The Rise of Aurornis Xui

    Aurornis is an extinct genus of avialan theropod dinosaurs and, perhaps, one of the very first. It contains a single species, Aurornis xui, described based on a fossil found in the Tiaojishan Formation of Liaoning, China, in rocks dated to the late Jurassic period (Oxfordian stage), about 160 million years ago. Scientists in magazine, say…

  • ‘Blind As A Bat’ Is Surprisingly Inaccurate, As Researchers Determine The Mammals’ 3D Vision

    Many of us humans take for granted our ability to perceive three-dimensional spaces, and neuroscientists have often wondered if this capability is present in other mammals. Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have now constructed miniature wireless devices that measure brain activity and are able to detect how fruit bats perceive space,…

  • Stagnant Air, Emissions Contribute to Poor Air Quality in New England

    Much of New England is experiencing poor air quality that is expected to continue for another day or two. USEPA reports that unhealthy air quality, due to ground-level ozone, is expected for most of Conn., R.I., central and southern Mass. (including Springfield, Worcester, Cape Cod and the Islands), coastal N.H. and most of coastal Maine…

  • Asia-Pacific Analysis: Rain harvesting can avert crisis

    To ensure South-East Asias’s growing population has enough water to drink, we need to collect more rain, says Crispin Maslog. The world’s next major crisis will be a lack of water for home use, including drinking water, many scientists predict. Humans can survive around 40 days without food, but much less than that without water…

  • New Study Predicts Significant Global Warming

    A new study by Australian scientists projects that the world will likely warm between 2 and 6 degrees Celsius (3.6 to 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit) from pre-industrial levels by 2100. The study published in Nature Climate Change finds that exceeding the 2-degree threshold is very likely under business-as-usual emissions scenarios even as scientists have long warned…

  • Extreme Ice Melts: The New Normal?

    Most of us are familiar with snow and ice melting as seasons change. This process even occurs in colder regions that typically have ice and snow all year round. However, last July, 98 percent of the Greenland Ice Sheet’s surface melted. While losing all this snow and ice may seem normal to those of us…

  • US Weather Extremes in 2012

    In 2012, there were 905 natural catastrophes worldwide, 93 percent of which were weather-related disasters. In terms of overall and insured losses (US$170 billion and $70 billion, respectively), 2012 did not follow the records set in 2011 and could be defined as a moderate year on a global scale. But the United States was seriously…

  • CO2 Emissions higher in use than European Makers Claim

    The gap has widened between the fuel-efficiency that carmakers declare for their models and the reality for drivers, with luxury German vehicles showing the biggest divergence, a study has found. The research by the non-profit International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found “real-world” carbon emissions for new cars based on fuel consumption are about 25%…

  • Memorial Day 2013

    Today is Memorial Day in the US. It’s a day of parades and ceremonies to honor those who gave their lives defending our country in war. It is an important day that has lost much of its significance and become for some just another long weekend to relax with friends, or to go to the…

  • Chilean Sea Bass?

    Who knew? Chilean sea bass is not from Chile, nor is it a bass. Since 1996, fishing vessels from a dozen nations have traversed the world’s most remote sea to catch the Antarctic toothfish. The fishery lands 3,000 tons annually, selling much of it as “Chilean sea bass,” deceiving customers of high-end restaurants and supermarket…