 | Saving habitat key to songbird's survival Mar 26th 2012, 15:31 The golden-winged warbler – already long gone from Ohio – is disappearing from regions across the United States. The population of this little, gray songbird with bright yellow patches on its wings and head has been in precipitous decline since 1966. And, as of yet, it remains unprotected by the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973. | | NASA sees cyclone Lua strengthening for March 17 landfall Mar 16th 2012, 22:57 Northern Australia's Pilbara coast is under warnings, alerts and watches as powerful Cyclone Lua nears for a landfall. NASA's Aqua satellite has been providing infrared, visible and microwave data on Lua that have shown forecasters the storm is strengthening on its approach to land. | | Oil sands pollution comparable to a large power plant Feb 22nd 2012, 20:46 In the first look at the overall effect of air pollution from the excavation of oil sands, also called tar sands, in Alberta, Canada, scientists used satellites to measure nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide emitted from the industry. | | Arsenic criticality poses concern for modern technology Feb 8th 2012, 18:27 Risks related to the critical nature of arsenic -- used to make high-speed computer chips that contain gallium arsenide -- outstrip those of other substances in a group of critical materials needed to sustain modern technology, a new study has found. Scientists evaluated the relative criticality of arsenic and five related metals. | | New biodiversity map of Andes shows species in dire need of protection Jan 27th 2012, 03:39 The Andes-Amazon basin of Peru and Bolivia is one of the most biologically rich and rapidly changing areas of the world. A new study has used information collected over the last 100 years by explorers and from satellite images which reveals detailed patterns of species and ecosystems that occur only in this region. Worryingly, the study also finds that many of these unique species and ecosystems are lacking vital national level protection. Endemic species are restricted to a specific area and occur nowhere else. These species are especially vulnerable to climate and environmental changes because they require unique climates and soil conditions. | | Mercury releases into the atmosphere from ancient to modern times Dec 14th 2011, 15:28 In pursuit of riches and energy over the last 5,000 years, humans have released into the environment 385,000 tons of mercury, the source of numerous health concerns, according to a new study that challenges the idea that releases of the metal are on the decline. | | Cumulative impact of mountaintop mining documented Dec 12th 2011, 20:31 Increased salinity and concentrations of trace elements in one West Virginia watershed have been tied directly to multiple surface coal mines upstream by a detailed new survey of stream chemistry. Researchers who conducted the study said it provides new evidence of the cumulative effects multiple mountaintop mining permits can have in a river network. | | Critical minerals ignite geopolitical storm Oct 10th 2011, 11:55 The clean energy economy of the future hinges on a lot of things, chief among them the availability of the scores of rare earth minerals and other elements used to make everything from photovoltaic panels and cellphone displays to the permanent magnets in cutting edge new wind generators. And right out of the gate trouble is brewing over projected growth in demand for these minerals and the security of their supplies. | | New technology for recovering valuable minerals from waste rock Sep 14th 2011, 15:58 Researchers report discovery of a completely new technology for more efficiently separating gold, silver, copper, and other valuable materials from rock and ore. The process uses nanoparticles to latch onto those materials and attach them to air bubbles in a flotation machine. | | Towards certification of East-African green garnet Sep 9th 2011, 15:57 Green garnet, recently introduced on to the gemstone market, is renowned for its brilliance, hardness and rarity – much rarer than diamond for example. On top of these fine qualities this precious stone has a high level of purity and a lower price compared with emerald, its direct competitor since it has the same color. These properties give it high economic potential for the producer countries, essentially Tanzania and Kenya. Researchers have now drawn up the first identification card for green garnets according to their deposit of origin. A first step towards certification of the new gemstone and greater added value on the jewellery market. | | The geophysicist's guide to striking it rich Sep 1st 2011, 13:37 Combining a number of surveying techniques for the first time, experts say their integrated surveying techniques can be applied to any region in the world to more accurately identify riches beneath the earth's surface -- before expensive drilling and mining are necessary. | | The last great wilderness: Human impact on the deep sea Aug 1st 2011, 21:13 Over 20 deep-sea experts participating in the Census of Marine Life project SYNDEEP conducted a semi-quantitative analysis of the most important anthropogenic impacts that affect deep-sea habitats at the global scale in past, present and future scenarios. Which deep-sea habitats are at highest risk in the short and mid-term, as well as what will be the main anthropogenic impacts affecting these areas are identified in a new paper. | | Bacteria can 'fertilize' copper-polluted soil Jul 28th 2011, 00:52 When miners abandoned Michigan's Copper Country, they left a lot of the red metal behind, and not in a good way. Waste from the mining operations still contains a high fraction of copper, so high that almost nothing can grow on it -- and hasn't for decades, leaving behind moonscape expanses that can stretch for acres. Researchers may have now discovered how to make plants grow in the mine-waste desert and soak up some copper while they are at it. | | Ancient algae: Genetically engineering a path to new energy sources? Jul 11th 2011, 20:45 A team of researchers is making a connection between prehistoric times and the present -- ancient algae that can produce their own biofuel -- that could result in genetically creating a replacement for oil and coal shale deposits. Their discovery could have fundamental implications for the future of Earth's energy supplies. | |
