Temperature anomalies in the eastern Pacific Ocean are both influencing and being influenced by unusual weather patterns. The effects are rippling through the marine environment.
Can volcanoes tackle climate change?
Two hundred years ago a volcanic eruption cooled the Earth and led to Mary Shelley creating Frankenstein. As scientists consider radical measures to deal with global warming, Jack Stilgoe assesses experiments with potentially monstrous ramifications Continue reading…
Fukushima radiation hits North American shores: Oregon environment news
Radiation from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor has been found on the shores of Vancouver Island, The Associated Press reports. This is the first time radiation from the disaster has been detected on North American land.
Western Canada's glaciers may all but vanish by 2100
The first major study to consider the way melting glaciers move and change shape produces much bleaker predictions of their disappearance
Werewolf plant waits for the light of the full moon
It’s the only known plant species that relies on the lunar cycle for survival – and we found out by complete accident. At night, Ephedra foeminea, a non-flowering relative of conifers and cycads, secretes small translucent globules of sugary liquid to attract nocturnal pollinating insects. The globules are like tiny beads oozing out from cone-shaped female organs, where the seeds are … Read More
Looking Down and Up at the Aurora
On Saint Patrick’s Day, the Suomi NPP satellite acquired a view of the aurora from above while citizen scientists were busily collecting shots from below.
Shell-shocked: Ocean acidification likely hampers tiny shell builders in Southern Ocean
A University of Colorado Boulder study shows a ubiquitous type of phytoplankton — tiny organisms that are the base of the marine food web – appears to be suffering from the effects of ocean acidification caused by climate change.
Swirls of Color in the Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is among the most turbid and dynamic ocean areas in the world.
With Fins Off Many Menus, A Glimmer of Hope for Sharks
For decades, the slaughter of sharks – sought after for their fins and meat – has been staggering. But bans on finning and new attitudes in Asia toward eating shark fin soup are leading to optimism about the future for these iconic ocean predators. BY TED WILLIAMS
Shell oil driling in Arctic set to get US government permission
Controversial decision expected from US interior secretary likely to spark protests from campaigners against Anglo-Dutch exploration in seas off Alaska Continue reading…