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The Icelandic Cauldron
At this point most people know that a volcano erupted in Iceland spewing forth tons of ash that have grounded countless flights. What is less known is the intense thermal emissions (at least 60 megawatts, or 60 million watts) emanating from the vent at the base of the massive plume. This is just the energy…
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Wind Power Complications with Radar
The U.S. Air Force is threatening to halt construction of a 845-megawatt wind farm in eastern Oregon that would be the world’s largest wind project, citing concerns that the wind turbines would interfere with a nearby military radar station and its ability to detect radar images. Rotating wind turbine blades could impart a Doppler shift…
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March Global Temperatures
How hot is it? It depends, of course, on where you are. From a global perspective there are agencies that check and recheck and average it all out. The world’s combined global land and ocean surface temperature made last month the warmest March on record, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Taken separately,…
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The Dams in Montenegro
The Montenegro government was yesterday handed a 14,764 signature petition asking it to consider alternatives to its four dam plan for the country’s second most important and most scenic River. In Montenegro, Lake Skadar – a key area for biodiversity in the Balkans – is threatened by four dams planned on the Morača River. According…
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Global Warming: Next Chapter
For those in the American Northeast last winter was rugged and fairly cold. Yet what is he world picture? The World Meteorological Organization’s latest report demonstrates that 2000-2009 is the warmest decade since modern measurements began recording temperatures around 1850. In its annual report, “WMO Statement on the Status of the Global Climate,” the WMO…
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Ancient Antarctic Air
A new core drilled through an ice field on the Antarctic Peninsula should contain ice dating back into the last ice age. If so, that will give new insight into past global climate changes. The expedition in early winter to the Bruce Plateau, an ice field straddling a narrow ridge on the northernmost tongue of…
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The Biology of Stress
Scientists at The University of Western Ontario have discovered a biological link between stress, anxiety and depression. By identifying the connecting mechanism in the brain, this high impact research led by Stephen Ferguson of Robarts Research Institute shows how stress and anxiety can lead to biological causes of depression. The external causes of stress are…
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Toxic release Inventory List Expansion
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to add 16 chemicals to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list of reportable chemicals, the first expansion of the program in more than a decade. Established as part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), TRI is a publicly available EPA database that contains…
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Colorful Nature
Some people and animals are color blind. For those who can see the world of colors there is endless wonder. So how do these colors happen in nature? How do you choose to be pink, black or violet? How different creatures in the animal kingdom — from colorful birds and reef fish to butterflies and…
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Sun Screen Nano Particles
Scientists are reporting that particle size may affect the toxicity of zinc oxide, a material widely used in sunscreens. Particles smaller than 100 nanometers are reported as slightly more toxic to colon cells than conventional zinc oxide when ingested. Their study is in the ACS Chemical Research in Toxicology, a monthly journal. Zinc Oxide is…