Environment News
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Global Nuclear Retreat? Armenia, Others Aim to Keep Plants Alive
May 8, 2012
Armenia extends the life of its Soviet-style nuclear plant, despite seismic concerns. It’s one of a slew of decisions nations face on old reactors.
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Dinosaurs' Gaseous Emissions Warmed Earth?
May 7, 2012
Giant plant-eaters known as sauropods may have heated the planet by releasing huge amounts of methane, a new study says.
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Pictures We Love: Best of April
May 4, 2012
From hippo dental care to hammer time—see National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures from last month.
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Pictures: 24 New Caribbean Lizards Found
May 3, 2012
The unexpectedly large crop of Caribbean skinks is already at risk of extinction, a new study says.
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British Columbia Rethinks Its Pioneering Carbon Tax
May 3, 2012
With none of its neighbors following British Columbia’s lead in taxing to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the Canadian province reviews the economic impact.
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Yellowstone Super-Eruptions More Numerous Than Thought?
May 1, 2012
The Yellowstone supervolcano may erupt more frequently, though a bit weaker, than thought, a new study says.
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Supercomputing Power Could Pave the Way to Energy-Efficient Engines
April 30, 2012
Scientists believe that Titan, a massive upgrade in supercomputing power that the U.S. government is set to deploy this year, will help crack the code on energy-efficient engines.
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Everest Helicopter Rescue Saves National Geographic Photographer
April 28, 2012
Despite "not flyable" conditions, an acutely ailing Nat Geo photographer was airlifted to safety Saturday in Nepal.
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Best Underwater Pictures: Winners of 2012 Amateur Contest
April 27, 2012
From the ocean's biggest fish to tiny sea slugs with big color, the stars of an annual contest help reveal "the ocean through other eyes."
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Fish Glow Green After Genetic Engineering
April 23, 2012
A genetically engineered fish that glows green from the inside out is helping illuminate what pollutants do inside the body.
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Everest Guide Dies After 15-Story Fall Into Ice Chasm
April 22, 2012
In the first climbing fatality of the Everest mountaineering season, a Sherpa fell 150 feet into a chasm Saturday.
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Earth Day Pictures: Ten Most Threatened Forests
April 20, 2012
On the eve of Earth Day, find out which of the world's forests are on the brink.
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Earth Day Facts: When It Is, How It Began, What to Do
April 20, 2012
Find out more about Earth Day, which has grown into a global tradition since its not-so-humble beginnings in 1970.
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Pictures: Ten New Studies Show Gulf Spill Impact
April 20, 2012
Bottlenose dolphins off Louisiana’s coast are severely ill, while deep-sea corals show signs of tissue damage—just two findings in a slew of studies two years after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
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Pictures: Nature Yields New Ideas for Energy and Efficiency
April 19, 2012
Drawing inspiration from schools of fish, termite mounds, and the photosynthesis of leaves, new technologies seek to produce cleaner, more efficient energy through biomimicry.
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Emperor Penguins Counted From Space—A First
April 13, 2012
New satellite images show the population of emperor penguins in Antarctica has doubled since 1992, scientists report.
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Delhi Offers Cleaner Auto Rickshaws, but Residents Choose Cars
April 12, 2012
In India’s clogged cities, some view auto rickshaws—motorized three-wheelers—as a solution to pollution and congestion. But these “tuk tuks” struggle to compete with the allure of car ownership.
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"Strawberry" Leopard Discovered—A First
April 12, 2012
The rare South Africa leopard probably has erythrism, a condition that causes a pinkish coat, experts say.
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Indonesia Tsunami Pictures: Banda Aceh, Then and Now
April 11, 2012
Wednesday's earthquake struck the same Indonesian province decimated by a tsunami in 2004. See how the area is faring today.
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Drug-Resistant Bacteria Found in 4-Million-Year-Old Cave
April 11, 2012
Deep in an ancient New Mexico cave, scientists have discovered nearly a hundred types of bacteria that can fight modern antibiotics.
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No Tsunami? Why Earthquake Spared Indonesia Today
April 11, 2012
Despite a massive undersea quake Wednesday and panic in Indonesia, a regional tsunami watch saw little waves. Find out why.
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Growing Food Demand Strains Energy, Water Supplies
April 6, 2012
In western India and around the world, agricultural growth is being stoked by unsustainable irrigation practices that sap aquifers and require huge amounts of energy.
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Cameron Exclusive: After Record Dive, Why Go Back to Mariana Trench?
April 5, 2012
With his first dive a success, James Cameron is eager for scientists to continue exploring Earth's deepest point in his custom-built sub.
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Pictures: Texas Tornadoes Toss Trailers, Flatten Homes
April 4, 2012
Yesterday's tornadoes peeled roofs off homes, tossed big-rigs in the air, and left flattened tractor trailers strewn along highways.
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Titanic Would Encounter More Icebergs Today?
April 4, 2012
If Titanic had sailed a hundred years later, it may have encountered many more icebergs, possibly due to global warming, scientists say.
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With Gas Prices High, U.S. Refinery Closures Hit Workers and Drivers
April 4, 2012
The economic pain of U.S. East Coast refinery closures may spread beyond job losses. Already high gas prices could climb still higher as summer approaches.
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"Lost" Long-Fingered Frog Found in Africa
April 3, 2012
In a handy stroke of luck, scientists have rediscovered a "lost" African species: the Bururi long-fingered frog.
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Pictures: China's Rare-Earth Minerals Monopoly
April 3, 2012
China’s rare-earth mining has given it dominance in the market for materials that go into everything from smart phones to electric cars, but the industry has exacted a toll on the country’s landscape and people.
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While Rare-Earth Trade Dispute Heats Up, Scientists Seek Alternatives
March 30, 2012
While nations clash with China to ease its monopoly over the rare-earth minerals critical to energy technology, scientists hunt for other options.
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James Cameron on Earth's Deepest Spot: Desolate, Lunar-Like
March 26, 2012
James Cameron describes Challenger Deep as a desolate, "lunar" environment, saying the dive felt as if he'd gone to another planet.
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Cameron's Historic Dive Cut Short by Leak; Few Signs of Life Seen
March 26, 2012
Despite technical challenges, James Cameron made history Monday in the Mariana Trench, which he said "looked like the moon."
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James Cameron Completes Record-Breaking Mariana Trench Dive
March 25, 2012
Filmmaker-explorer James Cameron just became the first human to reach Earth's deepest abyss alone—and the only one to explore it in depth.
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James Cameron Now at Ocean's Deepest Point
March 25, 2012
Stuffed into a "vertical torpedo," the explorer-filmmaker has become the first human to reach the Mariana Trench's Challenger Deep alone.
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James Cameron Begins Descent to Ocean's Deepest Point
March 25, 2012
After years of preparation and days of uncooperative weather conditions, James Cameron is sinking fast to Earth's deepest, and perhaps most alien, realm in his futuristic sub.
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James Cameron May Dive Mariana Trench This Weekend, If "Weather Gods" Allow
March 24, 2012
After years of preparation, the filmmaker and explorer may be hours away from diving to the ocean's deepest point, if "weather gods" allow.
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Whales Have Sonar "Beam" for Targeting Prey
March 23, 2012
Precision sound "beams" let whales focus on fast prey in the dark ocean, a new study says.
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BP Oil Spill’s Sticky Remnants Wash Up Sporadically On Gulf Beaches
March 22, 2012
Tar balls from the worst oil spill in U.S. history continue to soil the Gulf Coast two years later, although at irregular intervals. Scientists say the tiny fragments hold clues for future understanding.
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Pictures: In Hungary, Burning Money for Fuel—Literally
March 21, 2012
Hungary is the only country to recycle its worn cash for fuel, recycling forints worth $1 billion (U.S.) each year into briquettes distributed to the poor.
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Grasslands More Diverse Than Rain Forests—In Small Areas
March 20, 2012
Sorry, tropical rain forests. Grasslands have the most plant species—at least in areas smaller than a few parking spaces.
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Vernal Equinox 2012: First-Day-of-Spring Myth Busted
March 20, 2012
Are day and night equally long today, the 2012 vernal equinox (or spring equinox)? Get the answer—and other first-day-of-spring facts and oddities.
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Pictures: Glowing Blue Waves Explained
March 19, 2012
Glittering or flashing seas have long been linked to marine microbes—and now scientists think they know how the life-forms create light.
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"Hot Bee Balls" Cook Enemy Hornets—But How Do Bees Endure the Heat?
March 16, 2012
Japanese honeybees swarm to cook enemy hornets, but how do they survive the heat themselves? A new brain study may have the answer.
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Natural Gas a Weak Weapon Against Climate Change, New Study Asserts
March 14, 2012
A new study argues that replacing all the world's coal power plants with natural gas would do little to slow global warming this century.
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Solar Energy Brings Food, Water, and Light to West Africa
March 14, 2012
For two arid villages in Benin, starvation seemed a greater problem than the lack of electricity. Solar drip irrigation tackled both issues at once.
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Photos: Where Will Next Mega-Tsunami Hit? (Japan Quake Anniversary)
March 9, 2012
One year after the great Japan earthquake and tsunami, at least six other places worldwide are vulnerable to giant killer waves. <p> </p>
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One Year After Fukushima, Japan Faces Shortages of Energy, Trust
March 8, 2012
By summer, no nuclear plants will be operating in Japan, where mistrust reverberates one year after the world’s second-worst nuclear accident, at Fukushima Daiichi.
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Pictures: Immense, Elusive Energy in the Forces of Nature
March 8, 2012
Japan’s Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, displayed the fearsome power in nature. Only a small fraction of Earth’s forces have been captured to fuel civilization.
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First Look: James Cameron's Sci-Fi Sub for Deepest Dive
March 8, 2012
The custom-made sub for James Cameron's dive to Earth's deepest point sports a vertical design, a robotic arm—and an eye-popping paint job.
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James Cameron Headed to Ocean's Deepest Point Within Weeks
March 8, 2012
In a sci-fi sub, filmmaker and explorer James Cameron is soon to make history on a National Geographic mission to Earth's deepest point.
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Pictures: A New Hub for Solar Tech Blooms in Japan
March 7, 2012
As Japan faces a nuclear-free future, at least in the short term, a new facility aims to develop solar technology that will create both energy and earnings at home.
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Nigeria's Rocky Effort to Wean Itself From Subsidized Fuel
March 7, 2012
Nigeria faces an uphill battle in removing fuel subsidies that kept gasoline cheap, but critically hampered the country's development.
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Photos: Pictures of the Year Announced
March 5, 2012
See this year's winners of the global photo contest that aims to "empower the world's best documentary photography."
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Alien Species Invading Antarctica via Tourists, Scientists
March 5, 2012
Antarctic tourists and scientists may be inadvertently seeding the icy continent with invasive species, a new study says.
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Pictures We Love: Best of February
March 1, 2012
See the pictures we love, as chosen by National Geographic photo editors—from gravity-defying fighters to a "flaming" caterpillar.
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Rare Night Tornadoes This Week Fueled By Warm Winter?
March 1, 2012
A warm winter helped spawn an unusual nighttime outbreak of tornadoes in the U.S. Midwest early Wednesday morning, an expert says.
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Estimates Clash for How Much Natural Gas in the United States
March 1, 2012
As U.S. policymakers contemplate a new era as the “Saudi Arabia of natural gas,” a new government analysis slashes estimates for unproved shale gas reserves.
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Pictures: Spanish Solar Energy
February 28, 2012
Spain’s solar energy boom of the past decade has waned, but the Iberian peninsula nurtured innovative technologies that may pave the way for future large-scale renewable energy.
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Shrinking Arctic Sea Ice Linked to Snowier Winters?
February 27, 2012
Rapidly shrinking Arctic sea ice could be behind unusually snowy winters in the Northern Hemisphere, a new model suggests.
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Huge Swarm of Gelatinous Sea Creatures Imaged in 3-D
February 23, 2012
Scientists have created a new 3-D picture of a giant swarm of tiny gelatinous sea creatures off Australia.
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Concern Over Rare Rhino Rouses Clean Energy Drive in Malaysia
February 23, 2012
After a fight against a coal-fired power plant that threatened one of the last sanctuaries of the Sumatran rhino, a struggle for cleaner energy continues in east Malaysia.
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32,000-Year-Old Plant Brought Back to Life—Oldest Yet
February 21, 2012
The oldest regenerated plant has beaten the previous recordholder by some 30,000 years, a new study says. The oldest plant ever to be regenerated has beaten the previous recordholder by some 30,000 years, a new study says.
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Pictures: New Amphibians Without Arms or Legs Discovered
February 21, 2012
They aren't worms or even snakes. They're burrowing, limbless amphibians, and they're completely new to science, a new study suggests.
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Uganda's Power Drive Stills Rapids at the Headwaters of the Nile
February 21, 2012
Uganda, where 90 percent of the people lack electricity, taps deeper into waterpower, by eliminating cascading rapids on the Victoria Nile.
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Pictures: Miniature Chameleons Discovered—Fit on Match Tip
February 15, 2012
Four new chameleon species found in Madagascar—some tiny enough to fit on a match tip—are among the smallest known reptiles.
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Best News Pictures of 2011: World Press Winners
February 15, 2012
See the painterly picture that won this year's World Press Photo Contest—plus a cliff-climbing polar bear, a record-breaking cave, and more.
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Pictures: A Rare Look Inside China's Energy Machine
February 14, 2012
A photographer gains an inside look at China’s massive power complex, and at efforts by the world’s largest energy consumer to spur cleaner future growth.
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Life on Earth Began on Land, Not in Sea?
February 13, 2012
The first cellular life on Earth probably arose in vats of volcanic mud akin to Darwin's idea of a "warm little pond," a new study says.
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Amid U.S.-China Energy Tension, "Clean Coal" Spurs Teamwork
February 13, 2012
China’s next president visits the White House amid tension on energy. But U.S.-China collaboration is emerging on projects to clean up coal.
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Shark-Attack Deaths Highest in 19 Years—Travel Trends to Blame?
February 13, 2012
U.S. fatalities down, possibly due to economic downturn.
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U.S. Oil Fields Stage "Great Revival," But No Easing Gas Prices
February 10, 2012
The shale boom centered in North Dakota lifts U.S. oil production, but the unexpected resurgence won’t lessen petroleum’s cost.
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Russian Scientists Breach Antarctica's Lake Vostok—Confirmed
February 8, 2012
Russian scientists have confirmed that they have breached the subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica—a first.
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New "Porta Potty" Flower Discovered
February 8, 2012
A new relative of the "corpse flower" growing in Madagascar smells like rotting meat and feces, researchers say.
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Bubble Curtains: Can They Dampen Offshore Energy Sound for Whales?
February 7, 2012
Oil and wind power companies are testing a novel technology—air bubbles—to shield marine mammals from the sound of their offshore operations.
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Pictures: "Supergiant," Shrimp-Like Beasts Found in Deep Sea
February 6, 2012
"It's a mystery" why giant, shrimp-like animals found off New Zealand are nearly three times larger than other amphipods, experts say.
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Russians "Close" to Drilling Into Antarctica's Lake Vostok
February 6, 2012
Russian scientists at Lake Vostok are "very, very close" to being the first to penetrate an Antarctic subglacial lake, news reports say.
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Iran’s Undisputed Weapon: Power to Block the Strait of Hormuz
February 6, 2012
Although Iran’s ability to throw the global economy into chaos has long been recognized, there’s no ready alternative for moving oil out of the Strait of Hormuz.
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Giant Crack in Antarctica About to Spawn New York-Size Iceberg
February 2, 2012
A vast iceberg is splitting from Antarctica, thanks to a giant crack in a glacier that's "really important" to sea level rise.
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Groundhog Day 2012: Punxsutawney Phil's Forecast Is In
February 2, 2012
Early spring or long winter? "Immortal" rodent Punxsutawney Phil has made his forecast. Get the odd facts behind Groundhog Day 2012.
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Pictures We Love: Best of January
February 1, 2012
See the pictures we love, as chosen by National Geographic photo editors—from a too plush penguin to a pantsless pedestrian.<p> </p>
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Pythons Eating Through Everglades Mammals at "Astonishing" Rate?
January 30, 2012
Invasive Burmese pythons are likely behind "dramatic" declines of the swamp's mammals—from rabbits to bobcats—new research suggests.
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Near-Extinct Monkeys Found in Colombian Park
January 27, 2012
A new population of one of the world's rarest primates has been found in a Colombian park, conservationists announced today.
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Death Valley's Big Bang: Volcano "Potentially Active"
January 25, 2012
It may be barren, but California's Ubehebe Crater is anything but dead, according to a new study.
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Green Moves: Medellin Cable Cars, San Francisco Parking Reform
January 25, 2012
Two cities renowned for hilly terrain and cable cars share in international prize for sustainable transport.
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Scavenging for Charcoal Fuel in the Rubbish of Manila
January 25, 2012
The plight of charcoal scavengers in the Philippines capital underscores why the United Nations declared 2012 the International Year of Sustainable Energy For All.
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Pictures: America's "Lost" National Parks
January 20, 2012
See U.S. national parks that are no more, including the second national park, a Trump pleasure palace, and more.
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Pictures: "Extinct" Monkeys With Sideburns Found in Borneo
January 20, 2012
The Miller's grizzled langur, a rare monkey species with bristly sideburns, has been "rediscovered" in a forest in northeastern Borneo, a new study says.
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Second Try: LanzaTech Grabs Failed Biofuel Refinery in Georgia Pine
January 19, 2012
A new chapter begins in the effort to brew advanced biofuel in the “Million Pines City” of Soperton, Georgia, with a startup's purchase of a failed U.S. government-backed biorefinery.
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Injections Could Lift Venice 12 Inches, Study Suggests
January 19, 2012
Pumping billions of gallons of water under the sinking Italian city could save it from worsening floods as seas rise, a new study says.
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New Island Born—Future Tourism Hot Spot?
January 19, 2012
A volcano beneath the Red Sea has given Earth a New Year's gift: a new island off the coast of Yemen.
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Pictures: Animals That Blocked Keystone XL Pipeline Path
January 19, 2012
The U.S. government's rejection of the Keystone XL project is a reprieve for the many species that reside along the proposed route, in Nebraska's Sandhills region.
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Shale Gas: A Boon That Could Stunt Alternatives, Study Says
January 17, 2012
Abundant shale gas could muscle dirty coal out of the U.S. energy picture, but the new resource could also inhibit even cleaner technologies, new economic modeling suggests.
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First Pictures: Live Snub-Nosed Monkeys Caught on Camera
January 13, 2012
For the first time, the rare Asian species—nicknamed "Snubby"—has been photographed alive in the wild, conservationists say.
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U.S. National Parks Free for Martin Luther King Day Weekend
January 12, 2012
More than a hundred U.S. national parks and historic sites are waiving their entrance fees in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Pictures: Deepest Ocean Vents Swarm With Heat-Vision Shrimp?
January 11, 2012
The world's deepest volcanic ocean vents—three miles down in the Caribbean—swarm with shrimp that may have heat vision, experts say.
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Cajun Crayfish Invading Africa, Eating Native Species
January 9, 2012
A popular U.S. crayfish with a voracious appetite is wreaking havoc on African plants and animals, scientists say.
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Baby Harp Seals Being Drowned, Crushed Amid Melting Ice
January 6, 2012
As global warming melts Arctic sea ice, harp seal babies are dying in record numbers, the first study of its kind confirms.
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Nuclear-Resort Pictures: Come for the Reactor, Stay for the Beach
January 5, 2012
A new Philippine destination has something for everyone: beach, karaoke, wildlife—and a real nuclear power plant (uranium not included).
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2012 Pictures: 6 Maya Apocalypse Myths Debunked
January 3, 2012
See six good reasons why the world (probably) won't end in the new year, despite supposed warnings in the Maya calendar.
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Moss Has Cloned Itself for 50,000 Years, Study Says
December 30, 2011
A Hawaiian moss is an ancient clone that may be one of the oldest multicellular organisms on Earth, a new study says.
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Pictures: New Horned Viper Found in "Secret" Spot
December 30, 2011
A big, "beautiful" snake with olive-green eyes has been discovered in a remote forest in Tanzania, scientists say.
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Why Tornadoes Take the Weekends Off in Summer
December 29, 2011
Tornadoes and hailstorms may be more active during the week due to human-made pollution, a new study shows.
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Pictures We Love: Best of December
December 29, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month—a winter swimmer, burned Egyptian treasures, and more.
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"Rapier Wielding" Shark Among New Species Found in 2011
December 28, 2011
Four new shark species—including a "rapier wielding" sawshark—were discovered in 2011 by California Academy of Sciences researchers.
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Pictures: Most Hopeful Energy Developments of 2011
December 28, 2011
While 2011 was a year of nuclear disaster and grim prognostications regarding emissions and energy demand, several bright spots stood out as well, from strides in building efficiency to new green spaces.
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The Year’s Most Overlooked Energy Stories
December 27, 2011
As the disaster at Fukushima Daiichi took center stage, it was easy to miss many other important developments in the world of energy in 2011.
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Best Travel Pictures of 2011 Named
December 23, 2011
Playful wolves, an iceberg climber, and a curious beluga are highlights of the 2011 Travel Photographer of the Year competition.
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Pictures: Satellite Views of Canada’s Oil Sands Over Time
December 22, 2011
The evolution of Canada’s oil sands industry over three decades is visible from space, as newly released NASA satellite images show its growing mark by the Athabasca River.
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Pictures: Cars Capture Solar Energy in Chilean Desert
December 20, 2011
The need for a wide, flat surface to harvest sunlight gives an otherworldly look to solar cars racing the Atacama Desert of Chile.
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Planting Wind Energy on Farms May Help Crops, Say Researchers
December 19, 2011
Wind energy may do more than improve farm income. When sited in agricultural fields, turbines’ churning of air may help crops to grow, new research indicates.
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Japan Tsunami-Debris Cruise Attracts Travelers to Ocean Garbage Patch
December 15, 2011
Tourists can pay thousands to sail through a floating field of debris from the Japanese tsunami that could be the size of California.
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Photos: "Elvis Monkey," Cloning Lizard Among New Mekong Species
December 14, 2011
Meet a monkey with a Presleyan pompadour, a cloning lizard found on a menu, and other new species recently found in the Mekong region.
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Power Quest: Brazil Works to Wipe "Blackout" From the Lexicon
December 13, 2011
Facing domestic dismay over electricity service and new global attention as a world sporting event host, Brazil seeks energy solutions for a diverse nation.
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Pictures: A River People Awaits an Amazon Dam
December 13, 2011
The Kayapo people, whose lives and culture are intertwined with the Xingu River, face change as a massive dam project moves forward in Brazil’s Amazon.
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Bible Accounts Supported by Dead Sea Disaster Record?
December 8, 2011
New evidence suggests the salty lake once dried out completely—and might support biblical disaster accounts.
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Pictures: National Geographic's Top Ten Discoveries
December 8, 2011
To mark the National Geographic Society's 10,000th grant, Society experts have named Nat Geo's top grant projects since 1890.
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"Ice Shield" Experiment Aims to Cool Mongolian City
December 7, 2011
Mongolia hopes to beat global warming by boosting river ice to lower temperatures—but some experts are skeptical.
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Pictures: "Scary" Volcano Erupts in Ecuador
December 7, 2011
Ecuador's "throat of fire" volcano is once again erupting in earnest—so close to people "it's scary," one expert says.
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Pictures: Prehistoric Whale "Graveyard" Found in Desert
December 7, 2011
In what's now Chilean desert, 20 whales died five million years ago. Experts are brushing away sands of time to find out why.
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Pictures: "Lost" Leopard—And Poachers—Seen in Afghanistan
December 6, 2011
Camera traps have revealed a leopard thought locally extinct in Afghanistan, along with other big predators—and a pair of poachers.
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Pictures: Eight Ski Resorts That Give Green Energy a Lift
December 6, 2011
Ski resorts around the world, keenly aware of the climate change threat, are seeking greener ways to power their slopes.
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Beam It Down: A Drive to Launch Space-Based Solar
December 5, 2011
The first demonstration of long-awaited space-based solar power technology could come in the next decade, experts say. Likely early use: Disaster relief energy.
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Best News Pictures of 2011: Your Picks From Nat Geo News
December 2, 2011
Japan's tsunami aftermath, an Area 51 spy plane, and a huge crocodile feature among the most viewed Nat Geo News photo galleries of 2011.
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Pictures We Love: Best of November
December 1, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month—a "flying" rhino, an up-close eruption, and more.
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Pictures: Top Energy Stories of 2011
December 1, 2011
It was a year of shattered faith in nuclear power, and in the West, eroding support for renewables. But the East's relentless growth shaped the world of energy in 2011.
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Pictures: 7 Volcanoes Erupting Right Now
November 30, 2011
If you've ever wanted to see a fire-breathing volcano in person, now might be the time—as shown in our new survey of accessible eruptions.
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2011 Among Hottest Years, Marked by Extreme Weather
November 30, 2011
This year also marked by extremes—including floods, droughts, and the hottest year on record for Texas—a new report says.
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Pictures: World's Largest Marine Reserve Announced
November 29, 2011
See the ocean wonders of the Coral Sea, where Australia plans to establish a marine park bigger than Germany and France combined.
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Chilean Wind Farm Faces Turbulence Over Whales
November 29, 2011
A wind farm project on the Chilean island of Chiloé raises concerns over risk to the endangered great blue whale.
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Sex With Humans Made Neanderthals Extinct?
November 25, 2011
Fleeing advancing ice, Neanderthals increasingly encountered modern humans—and interbred to the point of extinction, a new study suggests.
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Pictures: Amazing Transportation Inventions
November 23, 2011
Jet packs, magnetic levitation, magic buses: Some amazing transportation ideas are truly fiction, while others could propel us in smart new ways.
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"Great Dying" Lasted 200,000 Years
November 23, 2011
Wildfires and disappearing oxygen helped kill off 90 percent of all life some 252 million years ago—and fast, a new study says.
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New Ocean Pictures: Best Shots of Imperiled Sea Life Named
November 22, 2011
A hooked shark, a tuna "tree," and plastic-filled waters feature among the winning frames in a 2011 marine-conservation photo contest.
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With U.S. Natural Gas Booming, a Move to Send It Overseas
November 17, 2011
Companies are making the first moves to parlay abundant U.S. natural gas into a global business, but many worry that U.S. consumers will be hurt.
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Photos: 65-Story Eruption Spurs Explosive New Adventure
November 16, 2011
New, 65-story lava fountains are a big draw in the Congo. But travel at your own risk, officials say—despite the armed guards.
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Pictures: Twelve Car-Free City Zones
November 15, 2011
Cities around the world find that car-free zones can cut pollution, while restoring human bustle and leisurely gait as the prime locomotion of downtown.
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Pictures: Are These the Seven Wonders of Nature?
November 14, 2011
If the Grand Canyon and Mount Everest aren't among the "New 7 Wonders of Nature," what is? See—and judge—for yourself.
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Great Energy Challenge Grantees
November 14, 2011
Learn more about the energy-saving projects being funded as part of National Geographic's Great Energy Challenge program.
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With Record Heating Oil Prices Expected, Homes Dash to Gas
November 14, 2011
Natural gas abundance in the U.S. Northeast means it’s now far cheaper than oil for home heating. Residents are making the switch, but will prices stay low?
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Pictures: The Nuclear Cleanup Struggle at Fukushima
November 11, 2011
Radioactive decay, contaminated water, soil, and hot spots pose challenges for Japan eight months after the world's second-worst nuclear accident, at Fukushima.
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IEA Outlook: Time Running Out on Climate Change
November 9, 2011
The International Energy Agency’s new world outlook has a grim prognosis; the world has only five years to make changes needed to address climate change.
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Pictures: Animal Winners, Losers in Arctic Oil Fields
November 9, 2011
Some predators thrive, while their ground-nesting prey pay the price, in the Arctic landscape that has been reshaped by Alaska's Prudhoe Bay oil development.
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Entire Mammal Genus on Brink of Extinction
November 8, 2011
For the first time in 75 years, an entire genus of mammal may go the way of the dodo—unless a new sanctuary succeeds, conservationists say.
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New Volcano Pictures: "Monstrous" Eruption in the Congo
November 7, 2011
Africa's most active volcano rumbled to life Sunday, spewing lava toward chimp habitat and turning skies orange and red.
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Coyote-Wolf Hybrids Have Spread Across U.S. East
November 7, 2011
Coyotes with wolf DNA have been found in Virginia, confirming the hybrids’ spread through the mid-Atlantic, a new study says.
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Where Did Fall Color Go? Predicting Foliage's Final Hideouts
November 4, 2011
Experts predict foliage's final hideouts—places where the Halloween blizzard was just a headline and the leaves blaze deep into November.
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Pictures: Best Wild Animal Photos of 2011 Announced
November 2, 2011
Sparring cocks and a curious fox feature in some of the year's best wild-animal pictures, according to the results of a U.K.-based contest.
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Nigeria’s Solar Projects Yield Both Failure and Success
November 2, 2011
Solar power offers hope to villages that lack electricity, but Nigeria’s experience shows that it won’t work without adequate investment and care.
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Pictures We Love: Best of October
October 31, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month—a lightning-filled eruption, a bubbly beluga, and more.
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7 Billion: Will Earth Really Hit Population Milestone Monday?
October 28, 2011
The seventh-billion person will be born on October 31, according to the UN—but how do they know?
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KPMG Captures Heat for Data Center Cooling
October 28, 2011
An innovative combined heat and power system at KPMG’s international headquarters in New Jersey could be a model for cutting data center energy waste.
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Javan Rhino Extinct in Mainland Asia
October 28, 2011
The Javan rhino is extinct in mainland Asia, leaving just one small population in Indonesia, conservationists announced this week.
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New Shark-Fin Pictures Reveal Ocean "Strip Mining"
October 28, 2011
Pictures taken by the Pew Environment Group in Taiwan suggest that fishers are "strip mining" the oceans of sharks, conservationists say.
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Pictures: Best Environmental Photos of 2011 Named
October 27, 2011
See whales, penguins, fire, and fighting hummingbirds in winning pictures of this year's Environmental Photographer of the Year contest.
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Human Waste to Revive Haitian Farmland?
October 26, 2011
A new type of public toilet is helping Haitians make fertilizer from human waste, which may someday revive the country's degraded soil.
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Two Rivers: The Chance to Export Power Divides Southeast Asia
October 25, 2011
To feed escalating energy demand in China and Thailand, neighboring Southeast Asian nations weigh massive hydroelectric projects that would alter vital rivers.
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Jaguar Pictures: Record Big-Cat Numbers Spotted in Bolivia
October 24, 2011
Camera traps recently helped conservationists identify 19 jaguars in a national park—a record number for a single survey in the country.
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Turkey Earthquake Pictures: Devastation on the Day After
October 24, 2011
With the earthquake death toll now around 300, workers are racing to find survivors and shelter thousands against the cold in Turkey.
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Seeking a Pacific Northwest Gateway for U.S. Coal
October 20, 2011
A leading green energy community is now at the center of a push to move U.S. coal to energy-hungry Asian markets.
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Pictures: Undersea Volcano Erupts, Stains Seas
October 19, 2011
Lava and gas spewing from an underwater volcano off Africa is churning the sea surface and turning the water weird colors.
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Seaweed's "Chemical Weapons" Killing Corals
October 17, 2011
Some seaweeds are waging "chemical warfare" on coral reefs in Fiji—and possibly around the world, a new study says.
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Better Road Building Paves Way for Energy Savings
October 17, 2011
Greener road construction not only saves energy, it can improve the fuel economy of the cars and trucks that roll on paved surfaces worldwide.
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Pictures: Baby Gorilla Rescued in Armed Sting Operation
October 14, 2011
After an armed, undercover operation freed him from a poacher's backpack, an orphan gorilla is beginning the long road to recovery.
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Flood Photos: Water Submerges Thai Towns, Temples, Elephants
October 14, 2011
Ancient Buddhist temples, whole streets, and even an elephant have been submerged by waters in the country's worst floods in half a century.
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New Zealand Oil Spill Pictures: Beaches, Birds Coated
October 11, 2011
See beaches and birds blackened with oil after a ship ran aground off New Zealand in the country's worst environmental disaster at sea.
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Illinois Team Wins Oil Spill Cleanup X CHALLENGE
October 11, 2011
With a more than threefold improvement in oil spill cleanup technology, Team Elastec of Carmi, Illinois, captures the $1 million top prize in the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE.
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Pictures: First Quadruple Rainbow Ever Caught on Camera
October 7, 2011
Rescued from the realms of theory and myth, triple and quadruple rainbows have been caught on camera for the first time.
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Armadillo Invasion: Warm-Weather Critters Expanding East
October 7, 2011
Long a denizen of the U.S. West, the adaptable, fast-breeding armadillo is expanding its range north and east, scientists say.
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Pictures: X PRIZE Contest Seeks a Better Oil Spill Cleanup Solution
October 6, 2011
Ten teams deployed new skimmer designs in the $1.4 million Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE. Will the contest yield better protection for shores and seas?
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Little Ice Age Shrank Europeans, Sparked Wars
October 4, 2011
The Little Ice Age's coldest snap, around 1600, eventually sparked upheavals across the Northern Hemisphere, a new study says.
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Pictures We Love: Best of September
September 30, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month--a tool-using octopus, a giant typhoon wave, and more.
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Storage, Biofuel Lead $156 Million in Energy Research Grants
September 30, 2011
Seeking to push high-risk energy research, the U.S. government gives a boost to heat storage, rare earth metal, and biofuel technology projects.
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Shale Oil Boom Takes Hold on the Plains
September 28, 2011
Thanks to shale beneath the grasslands, the U.S. oil industry aims to boost production with the same "fracking" technique that has unlocked so much natural gas.
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New Life-Forms Found at Bottom of Dead Sea
September 28, 2011
New life-forms have been found living in freshwater springs at the otherwise barren bottom of the Dead Sea, new research shows.
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Best Wildlife Pictures: British Nature Awards 2011
September 27, 2011
From a yawning fox to a glowing jellyfish, see judges' top picks for the 2011 British Wildlife Photography Awards.
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Pictures: Solar Decathlon Students Race to Renew Home Energy
September 27, 2011
Twenty college teams are competing in the U.S. government’s fifth Solar Decathlon contest to design and build affordable, appealing, and livable homes that run on energy from the sun.
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Watermelon Juice May Be Next "Green" Fuel
September 23, 2011
Step aside, corn: Another summertime picnic favorite might be the next big thing in ethanol production, a new study suggests.
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Cairo Slums Get Energy Makeover
September 23, 2011
Using solar panels and biogas reactors, the nonprofit Solar CITIES project is bringing rural energy solutions to the urban poor in Egypt's largest city.
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Cow Manure, Other Homegrown Energy Powering U.S. Farms
September 23, 2011
From wind to sun to cow pies, rural regions are supplying more U.S. farmers with homegrown sources of renewable energy.
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Hot New High-Tech Energy Source Is ... Wood?
September 23, 2011
Burning wood may seem backward, dirty, and environmentally hostile. But advanced power plants may hold great potential to save energy, cut costs, and even fight global warming.
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Smarter Trucking Saves Fuel Over the Long Haul
September 23, 2011
As truck fleets and policy makers aim to curb big rig fuel consumption, the secret weapon is driver behavior.
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Global Warming Silver Lining? Arctic Could Get Cleaner
September 23, 2011
There's a bright side to global warming, at least in the Arctic—the changing climate could improve air quality, a new study shows.
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Pictures: The NFL Makes a Play for Renewable Energy
September 15, 2011
New green energy installations are unveiled at two NFL stadiums this month, but the effort also highlights the renewable industry’s difficulties.
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Smart Meters Take Bite Out of Electricity Theft
September 13, 2011
Electricity theft is not only dangerous, but it weakens power delivery systems around the world. Combating the problem takes technology and determination.
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Trading Oil for Natural Gas in the Truck Lane
September 2, 2011
Some U.S. companies are finding that the cost of switching to vehicles that run on alternative fuels is worth it over the long haul.
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New Shark Species Found in Food Market
September 1, 2011
Trolling a Taiwan fish market for data, fish scientists reeled in a surprising catch—a deepwater shark unknown to science.
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Pictures We Love: Best of August
September 1, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month—an invisible man, sardine "storm," Swiss daredevil, and more.
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Largest U.S. Dam Removal to Restore Salmon Runs
September 1, 2011
The deconstruction of two obsolete dams in the U.S. Pacific Northwest will benefit more than a hundred species, experts say.
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First New U.S. Bird Species in Decades—Already Extinct?
August 30, 2011
A new bird species has been found in the U.S. for the first time in decades—but the species may have already flown the coop for good.
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Why Irene Was More Dangerous Than It Should Have Been
August 29, 2011
Despite unexpectedly low damage assessments, the hurricane was bigger and longer lasting than it had any right to be, experts say.
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Pictures: The Energy Drain of Recreational Drugs
August 29, 2011
Marijuana, cocaine and other controlled substances have a potent effect--not just on the human brain, but on the world's natural resources.
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Hurricane Irene Pictures: Flooding, Damage in New York, Beyond
August 28, 2011
In the wake of Irene, New York, Virginia Beach, and other U.S. East Coast cities recover amid flooding and the debris of damaged homes.
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Hurricane Irene Pictures: Storm Lashes U.S. East Coast
August 27, 2011
<span>See the damage already wrought by the storm, and find out how other U.S. East Coast areas are preparing for the oncoming tempest.</span><span> </span>
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Hurricane Irene Hits North Carolina; New York Braces for Storm
August 27, 2011
As the hurricane slams the Carolina coast with high winds and flooding, New Yorkers prepare for the storm's arrival Sunday morning.
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Hurricane Irene to Cause One of Largest Power Outages?
August 26, 2011
Hurricane Irene could plunge much of the U.S. East Coast into one of the largest power outages ever caused by a storm, experts say.
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Hurricane Irene "Looking Bad" for U.S.—Moon May Make It Worse
August 25, 2011
Expected to hit the U.S. as a major hurricane, Irene seems headed for potentially unprepared towns—and the moon could make it even worse.
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Innu Nation Deal Trades Reparation for River Power
August 24, 2011
A deal to build new hydroelectric plants in Labrador includes redress for a native tribe that lost its land to a dam 40 years ago.
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86 Percent of Earth's Species Still Unknown?
August 24, 2011
Even after centuries of effort, some 86 percent of Earth's 8.7 million species have yet to be fully described, a new study says.
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Rare Earthquake Hits Virginia, Rattles U.S. East Coast
August 23, 2011
The magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck Virginia today was a rare but significant event for the region, an expert says.
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Is Canadian Oil Bound for China Via Pipeline to Texas?
August 19, 2011
In a global economy, sending more Canadian oil to Texas could be a modern silk route, a "Tar Sands Road" to China, economist says.
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Pictures: Huge Dust Storm Swallows Phoenix
August 19, 2011
See the dust fly as the Phoenix area gets hit by its third major dust storm, or haboob, since early July.
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A Quest to Clean Up Canada's Oil Sands Carbon
August 18, 2011
The first large-scale effort to capture carbon dioxide emissions in the Canadian oil sands is moving closer to reality, but costs are high.
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Human Feces Bacteria Jumped to Coral, Caused Die-off
August 18, 2011
A coral die-off suggests seas are becoming warmer and more polluted, making the ocean more susceptible to human pathogens, a new study says.
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Texas and Antarctica Were Attached, Rocks Hint
August 16, 2011
About 1.1 billion years ago, what are now El Paso, Texas, and Antarctica appear to have existed side by side, scientists say.
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Pictures: Best Marine Park? Booming Fish Leap and Swarm
August 15, 2011
From leaping rays to lazy sea lions—the "extraordinary recovery" in a Mexican marine reserve makes it Earth's most robust, experts say.
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Seeking a Safer Future for Electricity's Coal Ash Waste
August 15, 2011
New ideas are emerging for recycling fly ash. The question is how to encourage them, while protecting people and ecosystems from the hazards of one of society's largest waste streams.
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Out of Thin Air: The Quest to Capture Carbon Dioxide
August 11, 2011
A new report casts doubt on the viability of carbon dioxide "air capture," but entrepreneurial scientists are moving forward with technology to scrub the atmosphere.
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Carbon Recycling: Mining the Air for Fuel
August 11, 2011
We recycle bottles, cans, and newspapers—why not carbon dioxide? Start-up companies and researchers are working on technology to put carbon right back into gas tanks.
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Pictures: Mount Etna Eruptions Light the Italian Night
August 9, 2011
It's proving to be an active year for the Sicilian volcano, with a new spate of eruptions unleashing 75-story flames in recent weeks.
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Major Deep-Sea Smokers Found—"Evolution in Overdrive"
August 8, 2011
A hotbed of "evolution in overdrive" the newfound volcanic vent field, which teems with odd animals, is a North Atlantic first.
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Could Seawater Solve the Freshwater Crisis?
August 5, 2011
To make much needed fresh water, just de-salt saltwater? Experts weigh in on what needs to be done to make it as easy as it sounds
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Philips Wins L Prize, but the Race Is Still on for a Better Bulb
August 3, 2011
Philips captures the U.S. government's $10 million L Prize for its LED replacement for the 60-watt bulb, but efficient lighting must still win consumers' hearts.
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Pictures: In Search of Green Air-Conditioning
August 3, 2011
Air-conditioning has transformed summer living, but at tremendous energy cost. Ideas for greener cooling focus on making better use of the forces of nature.
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Parasite Creating Deformed Frogs in Western U.S.
August 3, 2011
Amphibians with "sick and twisted" deformities remain widespread in the U.S. West, and pollution may be making it worse, new research says.
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As Sun Storms Ramp Up, Electric Grid Braces for Impact
August 3, 2011
With the sun nearing the high point in its 11-year activity cycle, grid operators are seeking to protect a vulnerable power-delivery system.
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Pictures We Love: Best of July
July 28, 2011
Slimy seas, stormy skies, a bull's ear—National Geographic photo editors eye the month's best new pictures and find ten favorites.
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Bats Drawn to Plant via "Echo Beacon"
July 28, 2011
A Cuban plant that depends on bat pollination evolved a special leaf that acts as an "amp" for bats' sonar, new research says.
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Gulf Spill's Effects Unknown For Years?
July 26, 2011
More than a year after the Deepwater Horizon spill, scientists say it could take a decade to figure out how the oil affected the Gulf of Mexico's environment.
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Photos: Thick Green Algae Chokes Beach—Swimmers Dive In
July 25, 2011
Mats of bright green algae have again coated miles of shoreline in eastern China—and locals act like it's a day at the beach.
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India Maps Out a Nuclear Power Future, Amid Opposition
July 22, 2011
India’s government sees nuclear power as essential for meeting its growing energy needs, but public mistrust runs deep.
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Pictures—Ten Oldest U.S. Nuclear Plants: Post-Japan Risks
July 20, 2011
As U.S. authorities weigh a safety overhaul, here’s a look at the risks unearthed at post-Fukushima inspections of the ten oldest U.S. nuclear reactors.
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War Game Exposes Grim Reality: Few Oil Crisis Options
July 14, 2011
Former U.S. government officials struggle to game out solutions in a mock oil crisis with its roots in today’s headlines.
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To Curb Driving, Cities Cut Down on Car Parking
July 13, 2011
Despite downtown business fears, some urban centers embrace “mini-parks.”
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Photos: 4 Natural Wonders Added to World Heritage List
July 11, 2011
It's not hard to see why these sites were added this year to the UN's list of global natural treasures. Plus: sites on the rebound—and the decline.
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Energy-Short Japan Eyes Renewable Future, Savings Now
July 7, 2011
The tsunami's damage and political fallout leave Japan striving to save power this summer as it charts a new energy course.
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Earth Has "Spare Tire"—And Ice Melt's Keeping It That Way
July 6, 2011
Our oblong planet's waistline bulge has stopped slimming, thanks to massive ice melt, according to new research.
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Pictures We Love: Best of June
June 30, 2011
So good we had to share—ten new images that gripped Nat Geo photo editors: "supertrees," an upside-down horse, a surfer on ice, and more.
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"Exceptional" Giant Squid Found Dying off Florida
June 30, 2011
A stirring, intact giant squid gave a fishing party a shock this week—and could give researchers new insights, scientists say.
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Pictures: Six New Natural Landmarks Named
June 28, 2011
Dinosaur footprints and a "hanging lake" are now preserved as part of six new U.S. National Natural Landmarks.
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Hold the Champagne: Highway to Split Serengeti After All?
June 28, 2011
Were the hopeful headlines—"Serengeti Highway Canned: Victory for Animals!"—premature? Wildlife is still at risk, some experts say.
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Pictures: "Pancake" Sea Slug Among New Philippines Species
June 28, 2011
An "inflatable" shark and colorful sea slugs join hundreds of new species hauled up during a recent expedition to the Philippines.
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Hybrid Cuban-American Crocodiles on the Rise
June 24, 2011
There's a new Cuban crisis—the island country's rare crocodile is being bred out of existence by its American cousin, a new study says.
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How Gulf Spill Estimates Got It So Wrong
June 23, 2011
How much oil spilled into the Gulf last year? An engineer explains how he caused estimates to rise sharply practically overnight. Video.
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A Rain Forest Advocate Taps the Energy of the Sugar Palm
June 23, 2011
Scientist Willie Smits says it's possible to provide opportunity for villages and protect tropical forests while producing biofuel—if you use the right tree.
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Pictures: Volcano Ash Smothers Lake, Buildings, Sheep
June 21, 2011
Ash from Chile's Puyehue volcano has fallen a foot deep in parts of Patagonia, choking rivers and streams and coating livestock.
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Summer Solstice 2011: Why It's the First Day of Summer
June 21, 2011
Find out why the summer solstice is the first day of summer, and why it's the longest day of the year—but not the hottest.
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Pictures: Volcano Supercharges Sunsets Far and Wide
June 17, 2011
See the silver linings of the ash clouds spewing from Chile's Puyehue volcano: fiery sunsets as far away as New Zealand.
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Arabian "Unicorn" Leaps Out of Near Extinction
June 17, 2011
The legendary Arabian oryx is alive and well in the deserts of the Middle East, conservationists say.
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Arizona Fire Threatens Hundreds of Ancient Sites
June 14, 2011
Arizona's giant Wallow Fire could scorch hundreds of archaeological sites—some dating back to the time of Christ—experts say.
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Google Creates $280 Million Fund to Finance Solar Energy
June 14, 2011
Search giant Google creates the largest fund ever to finance solar energy in the United States, hoping to break down the cost barrier to cleaner electricity.
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Pictures: Biggest Whale Shark "Swarm" Found
June 13, 2011
The biggest gathering of the world's biggest fish—the whale shark—occurred in 2009 off Mexico, a new study says.
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Pictures: Nat Geo Picks of the Week
June 10, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the week, including a cross-eyed opossum, an epic ashfall, and more.
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Pictures: At Five Years Old, BTC Pipeline Moves Oil, Culture
June 10, 2011
Landlocked Azerbaijan forged a powerful connection to the West five years ago when its oil began flowing to Turkey through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.
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Warming to Blame for Water Crisis in U.S. West?
June 9, 2011
Heat trumps precipitation in shrinking Rockies snowpack—a primary water source for 70 million Americans—a new study says.
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Arizona Wildfire Pictures: Blaze Advancing on Towns
June 8, 2011
The second largest wildfire in Arizona's history has charred hundreds of miles of forest and forced more than 3,500 people from their homes.
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Bike-Share Schemes Shift Into High Gear
June 7, 2011
Although they sometimes face an uphill climb to break even, bike-sharing programs glide into cities around the world.
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Pictures: Chile Volcano Plume Explodes With Lightning
June 6, 2011
Spewing an apocalyptic, lightning-strewn plume this weekend, Chile's Puyehue volcano burst back to life after a decades-long slumber.
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Pictures: Ten Best U.S. Beaches of 2011 Named
June 3, 2011
From a bird lover's paradise to the whitest sands in the world—see the best shores of 2011 as chosen by a coastal scientist.
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Millions Fewer Girls Born Due to Nuclear Radiation?
June 2, 2011
Due to nuclear tests and disasters, millions fewer females may have been born than would otherwise be expected, a new study suggests.
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Solar Eclipse Pictures: See Last Night's Midnight Madness
June 2, 2011
A solar eclipse at night? See the rare sky show enjoyed by high-north stargazers last night.
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Is Motor Oil a Renewable Resource? Re-refiners Say Yes
June 2, 2011
Green motor oil technologies can save energy—either by recycling engine lubricants or supercharging them to improve fuel efficiency.
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Female Fish Develop "Testes" in Gulf Dead Zone
May 31, 2011
Deprived of oxygen in the polluted Gulf of Mexico, female fish are producing sterile testes, scientists say.
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3-Foot "Shrimp" Discovered—Dominated Prehistoric Seas
May 27, 2011
By far the largest ever found of its kind, the spiny fossil predator "would have made enough scampi to feed an army," one expert quipped.
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800-Mile-Wide Hot Anomaly Found Under Seafloor Near Hawaii
May 26, 2011
Hawaii's traditional birth story—that the volcanic islands were fueled directly by Earth's core—could be toast, a new study hints.
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Driving the Limit: Wealthy Nations Maxed Out on Travel?
May 25, 2011
In the world’s wealthiest nations, there are signs that oil consumption for travel may have hit a brick wall.
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Biggest Floods in History—Does Mississippi Make the List?
May 24, 2011
The Mississippi River floods are just drops in the bucket compared to known "megafloods" of the past two million years, experts say.
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Joplin, Missouri, Tornado Pictures: "WWII" Devastation
May 23, 2011
See the aftermath of tornado that killed at least 116 people and left Joplin, Missouri, in ruins Sunday.
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Joplin, Missouri, Tornado Strong but Not Surprising?
May 23, 2011
Part of a spate of deadly spring tornadoes, Sunday's Joplin twister isn't evidence that tornadoes are worsening, one expert says.
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Pictures: Iceland Volcano Spews Ash, Sparks Lightning
May 23, 2011
A 12-mile-high ash cloud rising from an Iceland volcano is creating a spectacle but isn't expected to widely disable European air traffic.
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As Jet Fuel Prices Soar, a Green Option Nears the Runway
May 20, 2011
The most eagerly anticipated biofuel for commercial flight could be certified this summer, offering hope for aviation to cut its petroleum dependence.
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Species Extinctions Overestimated by 160 Percent?
May 18, 2011
Dire predictions of mass animal and plant die-offs may be overblown, but extinctions are still a critical problem, a new analysis suggests.
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Climate Scientist Fears His "Wedges" Made It Seem Too Easy
May 17, 2011
The co-creator of the widely cited "wedges" approach to a climate change solution now thinks he made the job seem too easy.
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As Vehicle Efficiency Evolves, So Do Fuel Taxes
May 12, 2011
The shift toward better fuel economy is causing governments around the world to reconsider long-standing systems for taxing road travel.
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Blind, Legless Lizard Discovered—New Species
May 12, 2011
The blind, six-inch-long reptile is the first of its kind discovered in Cambodia, conservationists report.
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Spain Earthquake Pictures: Buildings Fall, Dozens Hurt
May 11, 2011
Two earthquakes in Spain killed at least ten, damaged historic buildings, and fractured highways Wednesday afternoon.
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Mount St. Helens Erupts Again—This Time in 3-D
May 10, 2011
Never mind Thor—the biggest 3-D spectacle for volcano experts this week is the first accurate simulation of the 1980 mega-eruption.
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Methane on Tap: Study Links Pollution to Gas Drilling
May 9, 2011
Natural gas can migrate into drinking water as far as one kilometer from a drilling site, researchers find.
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Whales Throng New York City Area, Surprising Scientists
May 6, 2011
A lot of big whales have a taste for the Big Apple area—including the largest animal on Earth—underwater recordings suggest.
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Volcano Pictures: "Throat of Fire" Erupts
May 4, 2011
Active for years, Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano—''throat of fire'' in a local language—exploded especially violently Friday.
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Giant Squid Killed by Sound?
May 3, 2011
When giant squid died in Spain, experts suspected sonar was to blame—a hunch supported by a new study that says sound harms cephalopods.
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Pictures: Sinkhole Opens in Beijing Road, Swallows Truck
May 3, 2011
A sinkhole big enough to swallow a truck recently opened up in a Beijing road, possibly due to subway construction, news reports say.
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While Energy Policy Falters, Plastic Bag Laws Multiply
May 3, 2011
Although the industry debates environmental and energy benefits, bans and taxes to reduce plastic bag use have swept the world.
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Record Cave Dive Leaves Mystery
May 3, 2011
Even after a record dive in what may be the world's deepest coldwater cave, explorers still hunt for the source of a New Zealand river.
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While BP Eyes Return to the Gulf, Safeguards Debated
April 29, 2011
The U.S. government is issuing new deepwater drilling permits, ending a moratorium imposed after the spill in the Gulf of Mexico, even as it acknowledges the need for more changes to safety standards.
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Pictures: Cool Cars Designed by Students to Sip Fuel
April 29, 2011
Using everything from solar panels to plastic, students cobbled together some amazing, odd, super-high-mileage vehicles for the Shell Eco-marathon Americas in Houston. The grand-prize entry achieved 2,565 mpg.
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Alabama Tornado Pictures: Mile-Wide "Monster" Slams Towns
April 28, 2011
Vast, violent tornadoes obliterated whole blocks in Alabama Wednesday during possibly one of the most devastating U.S. tornado outbreaks.
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Marijuana Trade Threatens African Gorilla Refuge
April 27, 2011
Forests in Africa's Virunga National Park are literally going to pot—sparking renewed conflicts between rangers and rebels.
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Pictures: "Liquidators" Endured Chernobyl, 25 Years Ago
April 26, 2011
Robots couldn’t handle the intense radiation at Chernobyl, so the dangerous nuclear cleanup job fell to the "liquidators"—a corps of soldiers, firefighters, miners, and volunteers.
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Pictures: Animals Inherit Mixed Legacy at Chernobyl
April 25, 2011
A quarter-century after the nuclear explosion at Chernobyl, the surrounding evacuated area has seen a resurgence of wildlife, but some species have weathered the disaster significantly better than others.
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Earth Day Pictures: 20 Stunning Shots of Earth From Space
April 22, 2011
Auroras, glaciers, and gullies feature among the most stunning pictures of Earth from space, chosen by National Geographic photo editors for Earth Day 2011.
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Pictures: Building the Perfect Solar Car
April 22, 2011
On their journey to building a prize-winning solar prototype vehicle, a team of Drexel University students gained practical engineering experience, and had fun.
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Earth Day: Conservationist or Communist? Behind Google's Doodle
April 22, 2011
This year a billion people are expected to mark Earth Day, which some detractors see as an anti-capitalist campaign. Get the facts.
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Scientists "See" Ocean Floor via Sonar
April 21, 2011
Cameras and sonar technology are helping experts create a new map of the little-known seafloor near the U.S. Virgin Islands. Video.
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China's Electric Car Drive: Impressive, But Not Enough
April 20, 2011
China's electric vehicle program is the world's most ambitious, but a new World Bank report raises questions on sustainability.
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BP Well to Stay Sealed After Gulf Spill, Experts Predict
April 20, 2011
Although the same cannot be said of all abandoned oil wells in the Gulf, experts believe BP’s Macondo well is sealed for good
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Drexel Students Take On the Solar Car Challenge
April 19, 2011
Drexel University students knew that solar energy would increase the costs and risks of their bid for a fuel-efficient car design prize. They decided to go for it.
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Why Did Huge Oil Plumes Form After the Gulf Spill?
April 19, 2011
Scientists may have figured out how huge plumes of Gulf oil spread underwater instead of rising to the surface as slicks.
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A Year After the Spill, "Unusual" Rise in Health Problems
April 19, 2011
Health issues that continue to plague Gulf Coast communities may be connected to the Gulf oil spill, experts say.
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Pictures: Four New Offshore Drilling Frontiers
April 19, 2011
With new technology, oil companies have exteneded the reach of their operations off the coastline and into deepwater. See four of the offshore frontiers that may be supplying tomorrow’s oil.
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The Next Prospects: Four Offshore Drilling Frontiers
April 19, 2011
The BP spill did nothing to halt the growth of oil demand or the drive for new resources. Here are four offshore frontiers where oil rigs are heading next.
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Odd Animal Deaths, Deformities Linked to Gulf Oil Spill?
April 19, 2011
Strangely deformed fish and a rise in deaths of marine animals may be related to the Gulf oil spill, scientists say.
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Gulf Oil Spill Mystery: Is Oil on the Seafloor?
April 19, 2011
A year after the Gulf oil spill, experts are finding conflicting data on whether crude coats the bottom.
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Gulf Oil Spill Surprises: 6 Things Experts Got Wrong
April 19, 2011
The Gulf oil spill delivered plenty of surprises—here's a look at some of the predictions experts got wrong.
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Gulf Oil Spill Anniversary: Hard-Hit Beaches Mostly Oil-Free
April 19, 2011
Florida and Alabama beaches hardest hit by the Gulf oil spill are largely clean a year later—though the oil's not all gone, scientists say.
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Gulf Oil Spill Pictures: Oiled Beaches Time Line
April 19, 2011
See the evolution of Florida and Alabama beaches blackened by the Gulf oil spill, from the first oiling to a spring-break-ready shore.
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Gulf Oil Spill Anniversary: Resilience Amid Unknowns
April 19, 2011
On the first anniversary, experts note signs of recovery—but say it's too early to know the true damage.
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Pictures: 20 Surprising Species of the Past 20 Years
April 18, 2011
From the "Yoda bat" to a "walking" shark—see 20 new and rare species spotted during two decades of "ecological SWAT team" expeditions.
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Pictures: Racing to the Finish at Shell Eco-Marathon
April 18, 2011
At the Shell Eco-marathon Americas in Houston, teamwork and imagination combine to create super high-mileage vehicles.
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Breaking 2,500 mpg, Canadian Team Wins High-Efficiency Race
April 18, 2011
Québec’s Université Laval and Louisiana Tech University take the top prizes in the Shell Eco-marathon.
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Maya Mystery Solved by "Important" Volcanic Discovery?
April 14, 2011
Even at Maya sites far from volcanoes, ash fell frequently, an "important" find that could explain some cities' survival, experts say.
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Is Armenia's Nuclear Plant the World's Most Dangerous?
April 12, 2011
Japan's earthquake-triggered crisis has focused attention on the seismic risk to Armenia's aging Soviet-style nuclear plant.
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Penguin Numbers Plummeting—Whales Partly to Blame?
April 11, 2011
Penguin populations are plunging due to a shortage of krill driven by shrinking sea ice and a boom in hungry whales, a new study says.
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Volcano Pictures: First Descent Into a Magma Chamber
April 7, 2011
For the first time, scientists have descended into a volcano's magma chamber—rappelling 45 stories into Iceland's Thrihnukagigur.
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Pictures: High School 'ShopGirls' Design for the Prize
April 7, 2011
An all-girls team of high school students from Granite Falls, Washington is building a car to compete in the Shell Eco-marathon.
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All-Girls Team Seeks Record in High-Mileage Marathon
April 6, 2011
Aiming to break stereotypes and records, the first all-girls team in the Shell Eco-Marathon seeks a repeat victory that will set a new U.S. mark in fuel efficiency.
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Oil-Eating Bacteria Engineered
April 5, 2011
Scientists are experimenting with "green" microbes in the lab that could someday be used to gobble up oil spills along coastlines without damaging the environment.
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Pictures: Oil-Reliant Islands Seek Green Energy Restart
April 5, 2011
The world’s islands rely heavily on pricey, polluting diesel oil for electricity. But now some are turning to native resources of sun, water, breeze, and hot underground rock for energy.
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Radiation in Japan Seas: Risk of Animal Death, Mutation?
April 1, 2011
Radiation in Japan Seas: Animal Death, Mutation Risk?If radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant continues to enter the ocean, animals could suffer "bizarre mutations" or worse.
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Substance to Stop Oil From Sticking to Birds?
March 31, 2011
Scientists are perfecting a naturally based substance that will act like a laundry detergent in oil spills to prevent the oil from sticking to bird feathers. The substance is currently in the testing phase, which is funded by the National Science Foundation.
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Pictures: Earthquake Hazard in Nuclear Power's Top Ten Nations
March 29, 2011
Among the ten nations that produce the most nuclear power, Japan is not alone in facing an earthquake hazard.
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Earth Hour Pictures: Before and After, Around the World
March 28, 2011
See what it looked like Saturday night when hundreds of landmarks went dark—and cities went darkish—in the name of energy conservation.
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Earth Hour 2011: When Is It? What's the Point?
March 25, 2011
Saturday night millions will turn out the lights for Earth Hour, but critics say it's not such a bright idea.
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Pictures: Rare Penguins Blackened by Remote Oil Spill
March 25, 2011
A cargo ship crash has oiled hundreds of rare penguins on a remote Atlantic island—a ''grave environmental disaster,'' experts say.
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New Tsunami Pictures: Head-on View of Approaching Wave
March 24, 2011
Newly released before-and-after pictures show what it was like to be face-to-face with the tsunami.
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Pictures - A Rare Look Inside Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
March 23, 2011
Photographs from inside the Fukushima Daiichi power plant show workers as they struggle, amid peril, to stabilize the damaged reactors.
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Scientists to Drill Earth's Mantle, Retrieve First Sample?
March 23, 2011
Scientists aim to drill Earth's mantle and get samples for the first time—a feat as important, and hard, as the Apollo program, they say.
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Would a New Nuclear Plant Fare Better Than Fukushima?
March 23, 2011
Only four of the 65 nuclear plants under construction worldwide are designs with integrated “passive safety” systems that could stave off overheating when power is lost.
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First North Pole Ozone Hole Forming?
March 22, 2011
"Beautiful" clouds and cold temps are destroying protective Arctic ozone—and people as far south as New York could get burned, experts say.
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Photos: Preserving Beauty, Providing Hydropower in Scotland
March 21, 2011
Scotland harnessed power from water in the Highlands 60 years ago, amid conflicts that echo with relevance for a world still struggling to find clean and safe energy.
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First Day of Spring: Myths, Facts, and Equinox Science
March 21, 2011
Were day and night equally long on Sunday, the 2011 vernal equinox (or spring equinox)? Get the answer—and other first-day-of-spring facts and oddities.
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Japan Reactor Crisis: Satellite Pictures Reveal Damage
March 18, 2011
New and old satellite pictures reveal just how much damage Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has sustained.
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Is Japan Reactor Crew Exposed to Fatal Radiation?
March 17, 2011
What kind of radiation are workers at Japan's stricken nuclear power plant—and everyday people—facing? What exactly is radiation sickness?
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How Is Japan's Nuclear Disaster Different?
March 16, 2011
Learn how the ongoing crisis at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant compares to previous disasters at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.
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Japan Tsunami: 20 Unforgettable Pictures
March 15, 2011
A giant wave tosses cars like toys, a yacht teeters atop a building, and a refinery burns in unforgettable pictures chosen by our editors.
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Japan Battles to Avert Nuclear Power Plant Disaster
March 14, 2011
Amid the fight to prevent a catastrophic meltdown, competing lessons are drawn from Japan’s past experience with earthquakes exceeding nuclear plant design.
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Japan Tsunami Pictures: Nuclear Reactor and Cities Burn
March 12, 2011
The day after Japan's biggest earthquake, cities smoldered, soldiers lent helping hands, and a nuclear reactor exploded.
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Tsunami Waves Hit U.S.—Some Damage in Hawaii, California
March 11, 2011
The deadly earthquake that struck Japan Friday sent a tsunami racing across the Pacific Ocean, reaching Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, and California.
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Is That a Banana in Your Water?
March 11, 2011
New science shows peels can remove heavy metals from water.
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Tsunami Pictures: Epic Waves, Earthquake Shock Japan
March 11, 2011
The biggest earthquake in Japan's history Friday sparked three-story tsunami waves, hundreds of casualties, and towering infernos.
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Range Anxiety: Fact or Fiction?
March 10, 2011
Critics say that fear of being stranded with a dead battery, or "range anxiety," will discourage people from adopting electric cars. Others say the issue is overblown.
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Gulf Oil Spill Helps Explain Air Pollution Mystery
March 10, 2011
Monitoring the Gulf aftermath revealed pollution due to heavy compounds once thought to play no role in poor air quality, a new study says.
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Crude Reality: Gas Prices Rocket Because They Can
March 10, 2011
Turmoil in North Africa and the Middle East has registered quickly at the gas pumps. In a jittery oil market, who's calling the shots?
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"Sleeping" Volcanoes Can Wake Up Faster Than Thought
March 10, 2011
Dormant volcanoes can stir to life in mere days instead of hundreds of years, according to a new volcano model.
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Pictures -- Oil States: Are They Stable? Why It Matters
March 9, 2011
Whether due to monarchic rule, corruption, or economic stagnation, market anxiety is high due to perceived peril in the eight nations of the Middle East and North Africa that supply one-third of the world's oil.
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Pictures: Odd Stingless Stingrays Discovered in Amazon
March 9, 2011
Looking more like pancakes than fish, two new species of freshwater stingrays have been discovered in the Amazon, a new study says.
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Huge Impact Crater Found in Remote Congo
March 8, 2011
A circular depression deep in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been confirmed as the first known impact crater in central Africa, a new study says.
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Kilauea Volcano Pictures: Hawaii Eruption Spurts Lava
March 7, 2011
A new vent in Hawaii's Kilauea volcano ripped open Saturday, shooting lava up to 80 feet high, scientists say.
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Pictures: Deadly Mud Volcano to Erupt for 26 More Years
March 4, 2011
Enough mud to fill 56,000 swimming pools is expected to spew from the Indonesian volcano before it simmers down, a new study says.
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Fire Tornado Seen Spinning Over Hungary
March 4, 2011
A fire tornado--a tornado with blazing innards--whirled above a burning plastic-processing plant outside Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday.
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Bolivia Landslide Photos: Neighborhoods, Cemetery Fall
March 2, 2011
During this week's Bolivian landslide, whole neighborhoods and even a cemetery split, with land falling multiple stories downhill.
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Dolphin-Baby Die-Off in Gulf Puzzles Scientists
March 2, 2011
An unusual number of dead young dolphins are washing up on the Gulf Coast. Puzzled scientists warn it's too soon to blame the BP oil spill.
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3 Surprising Ways Global Warming Could Make You Sick
March 1, 2011
Global warming may cause human health problems due to microbes, bacteria, and toxic algae blooms in coming decades, new research suggests.
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"Crazy Green" Algae Pools Seen in Antarctic Sea
February 28, 2011
Pools teeming with life found among remote Antarctic sea ice contain "the greenest water I've seen in the world," an expert says.
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Little Fish Exploding in Number, Models Show
February 25, 2011
There are still plenty of fish in the sea—they're just the little ones, according to new models of fish decline.
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New Brunswick Seeks Natural Gas, and a Safer Way
February 24, 2011
The province of New Brunswick on Canada’s East Coast is a frontier for shale gas development, and for a new approach to industry oversight.
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A Cubic Foot of Tropical Forest
February 24, 2011
See what crawls, flies, and sets roots down in a cubic foot of Mo'orea's mountain trees
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A Culture Written in Stone and Soil
February 24, 2011
Archaeologists and farmers tell the gritty story of French Polynesia
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Bridging Western Science and Polynesian Tradition
February 24, 2011
Elders start to work with scientists on preserving the biodiversity of Mo‘orea
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Cutting-Edge Science Meets Centuries-Old Tradition
February 24, 2011
The waves of exploration that have washed over Mo’orea -- both Polynesian and European, cultural and scientific – have altered the landscape, natives, and research community in profound ways.
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A South Pacific Island, Under the Microscope
February 24, 2011
Mo‘orea becomes a biodiversity lab as researchers catalogue the genetic makeup of its species
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Tropical Island Infinite Photo
February 24, 2011
Our new infinite photograph features the diversity of marine and terrestrial life found on and near Mo'orea and in Biocode Project labs.
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Small Nuclear War Could Reverse Global Warming for Years?
February 23, 2011
Even a regional nuclear war could spark "unprecedented" global cooling—and famine, U.S. government scientists warn.
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New Zealand Earthquake Spurs Giant Glacier Collapse
February 23, 2011
The powerful magnitude-6.3 temblor cast off an iceberg the size of 20 football fields from the country's longest glacier.
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Upgrading the Electric Grid With Flywheels and Air
February 23, 2011
To better integrate intermittent renewable power into the electric grid, a major expansion of energy storage projects using flywheels and compressed air is under way in the United States.
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Earthquake in New Zealand: Pictures From a "War Zone"
February 22, 2011
A powerful earthquake Tuesday collapsed buildings, and killed at least 65 in what the prime minister called the country's "darkest day."
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Cocaine to Blame for Rain Forest Loss, Study Says
February 18, 2011
Coca planting in Colombia has been linked to rising deforestation—and not all the damage is due to illegal activities, a new study says.
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Hudson River Fish Evolve Toxic PCB Immunity
February 17, 2011
Bottom-feeding fish in the Hudson River have developed a gene that renders them immune to the toxic effects of PCBs, according to new evolution research.
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Extreme Storms and Floods Concretely Linked to Climate Change?
February 16, 2011
New studies of severe storms and catastrophic floods help to confirm that rising greenhouse gas levels actually do increase the odds of such extreme weather events—and perhaps make them stronger.
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Protecting Health and the Planet With Clean Cookstoves
February 15, 2011
A small Ghana business is part of a wave of efforts to address the staggering global toll of death and disease from cooking smoke.
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Best News Pictures of 2010: World Press Winners
February 11, 2011
Whooper swans, a victim of the Taliban, and Bolivian wrestlers are among the winners of the 2010 World Press Photo Contest.
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Wolverine to Vanish From U.S. Due to Warming?
February 8, 2011
Built for the cold, the fierce wolverine may retreat from the mainland U.S. due to global warming, a new study says.
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Pictures: Kickoff Time for Green Stadiums
February 4, 2011
As Green Bay and Pittsburgh face off Sunday in Super Bowl XLV in the NFL's newest and largest stadium, a drive for greener design and cleaner energy is under way at arenas worldwide.
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"Extinct" Salmon Discovered in Japanese Lake
February 2, 2011
A Japanese TV host helped identify a fish from a Mount Fuji lake as the kunimasu salmon, thought to have gone extinct 70 years ago.
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"Killer" Winter Storm Seen From Space; U.S. Blanketed
February 2, 2011
A new NASA picture shows just how big the current U.S. winter storm is. Hitting at least 30 states, it's among the worst in 50 years.
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Oil Markets Churn Over Egypt’s Potential as Gateway for Revolt
February 1, 2011
World oil prices reached their highest levels since 2008 amid concern over Egypt--not over its role as a commodity route, but as a potential vector for political instability.
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Groundhog Day 2011: Punxsutawney Phil Sees No Shadow
February 1, 2011
With ancient origins and modern media smarts, "immortal" rodent Punxsutawney Phil rules Groundhog Day 2011. Get the surprising facts behind winter's wackiest weather prediction.
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UFO-Like Clouds Linked to Military Maneuvers?
January 28, 2011
Three "hole-punch clouds" recently appeared close together, sparking suspicions of a military connection—and they may not be all wrong.
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Humans Left Africa Earlier, During Ice Age Heat Wave
January 27, 2011
An Ice Age heat wave gave early humans a route out of Africa much earlier than thought, an ancient tool kit and climate evidence suggest.
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Pictures: 40-Mile "Drape" to Cover U.S. River?
January 27, 2011
See artist Christo's vision for a giant art installation over a Colorado river that has drawn opposition from a river-protection group.
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With a Deep Dig Into Its Past, Perugia Built an Energy-Saving Future
January 26, 2011
Perugia, Italy turned its challenging geography to its advantage to show how even a small city can reap benefits of investment in smart transport and pedestrian-friendly streets.
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Guangzhou, China, Wins Sustainable Transport Prize
January 24, 2011
Guangzhou, China, wins an international sustainable transport prize for a system that integrates bicycle, bus, and rail transport, and makes the large city “more livable.”
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Photos: New Giant "Bearded" Crayfish Species
January 22, 2011
Scientists have found a new species of crayfish in Tennessee and Alabama that is twice the size of other crayfish in the southeastern U.S.
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Tough Road to Getting LED Lights on the Streets
January 20, 2011
LED streetlights can save energy, but not all power systems are set up to reward cities for choosing a more efficient nighttime glow.
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Smallest Farmers Found? Amoebas Carry, Plant "Seeds"
January 19, 2011
In lean times, amoebas can pack up "seeds," migrate, and start fresh in greener pastures, a new study says.
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Scientists Make Dozens of Storms in the Abu Dhabi Desert?
January 18, 2011
A Swiss company’s claims to have created storm clouds in the desert are met with skepticism.
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Going "All The Way" With Renewable Energy?
January 17, 2011
A massive build-out, rare earth minerals, and willpower needed for a 100 percent renewable future, two U.S. researchers say.
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Pictures: Mount Etna Erupts Overnight
January 14, 2011
See this week's explosive nighttime spectacle from Europe's most active volcano—plus classic pictures from years, and centuries, gone by.
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Cholera and Cooperation Play Into Haiti Reforestation
January 13, 2011
Ambitious efforts try to dry out the charcoal business, rebuild eroded hillsides, ease flooding, and improve water quality.
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PHOTOS: Six Long-Lost Haitian Frog Species Found
January 12, 2011
On the one-year anniversary of Haiti's earthquake nightmare, scientists exploring the country's few remaining pristine forests find an abundance of frogs—including six species lost to science for nearly two decades.
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The Next Oil Spill: Five Needed Mandates to Head it Off
January 11, 2011
In an era of more dangerous drilling, major new safety investment needed, concludes U.S. commission appointed to investigate the Gulf oil spill.
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In China’s Icy North, Outfitting Buildings to Save Energy
January 7, 2011
In Harbin, China—known as “Ice City” —a government drive aims to curb the energy wasted keeping drafty homes and buildings warm.
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Gulf Oil Spill Surprise: Methane Almost Gone
January 7, 2011
Bacteria have dispatched with most of the methane released during the Gulf of Mexico spill—in just four months, a new study says.
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National Geographic 360º Energy Diet: Call for Participants
January 7, 2011
National Geographic 360º Energy Diet: Call for Participants
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Photos: Unprecedented, "Biblical" Floods Inundate Australia
January 7, 2011
Queensland, in eastern Australia, suffered torrential rains after Christmas, causing severe floods to spread across an area the size of France and Germany combined.
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Photos: Huge Observatory 1.5 Miles Deep in Antarctic Ice
January 6, 2011
Just completed deep under South Pole ice, the world's largest neutrino observatory is set to search for clues to cosmic mysteries.
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"Bodies" Make Up Fake Coral Reef
January 5, 2011
Sculptures of human figures are making a home for marine life in waters near Cancun, Mexico. The art is helping preserve the world's 2nd largest barrier reef system. Video.
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Pictures: "Bodies" Fill Underwater Sculpture Park
January 5, 2011
A new underwater sculpture garden off Mexico is to help lure tourists away from fragile natural reefs, says the project's creator.
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On China's Roads (and Rails), a Move Toward Greener Transit
January 5, 2011
The market for cars in China is booming, posing severe traffic problems for a country once nicknamed the "bicycle kingdom."
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Bumblebees Taking a Nosedive in North America
January 4, 2011
A European fungus may be to blame for the rapid decline of four once common bee species in North America, experts say.
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World's Biggest Cave Found in Vietnam
January 3, 2011
Stretching more than 2.7 miles long and soaring as high as 460 feet, a cavern in Southeast Asia is the biggest single cave passage yet found, British explorers say.
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“Mining” Groundwater in India Reaches New Lows
January 1, 2011
Small-scale rainwater harvesting and new crops could fill the gap
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National Snow and Ice Data Center Gets a Cool Makeover
December 29, 2010
Its servers process information that's key to charting climate change, but the center had a climate problem of its own to solve.
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Can Geothermal Energy Pick Up Real Steam?
December 28, 2010
Developers say we have a new chance to mine heat from Earth’s white-hot core -- but as investment lags and environmental questions remain, they fear we'll miss the window of opportunity.
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New Species Photos: Fangless Snake, Bald Bird Near the Mekong River
December 26, 2010
Scientists working in Asia's Mekong River Basin are finding new species of bats, birds, snakes, and more at a "staggering" rate.
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Magma Chamber Surprisingly Close to Hawaii's Surface?
December 23, 2010
The source of Hawaii's copious lava has been found to be closer to the surface than any other known magma chamber, a new report says.
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Green Design Spree Aims to Trim U.S. Government's Big Energy Bill
December 23, 2010
The U.S. government, the nation's biggest energy user, aims to use $4.5 billion in stimulus funds to make federal buildings into "a proving ground for what works" in clean, efficient power.
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Fat's Chance as a Renewable Diesel Fuel
December 22, 2010
One of the world's largest meat companies, Tyson Foods, aims to make renewable diesel fuel out of an abundant waste product: Animal fat.
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Predicting the World’s Next Water Pollution Disaster
December 21, 2010
Hungary’s toxic mud disaster in October was a wake-up call, shining a spotlight on potential water pollution hot spots around the globe.
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PHOTOS: Russia's Radioactive River
December 20, 2010
Russian nuclear facilities accidentally—and intentionally—filled the Techa River with radioactive waste and turned the region into one of the world's worst toxic dumping grounds. Decades later the people along its banks are still paying the price.
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Mummified Forest Found on Treeless Arctic Island
December 17, 2010
"Surreal" remnants of a prehistoric forest have been discovered on a now treeless island in the Canadian Arctic.
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Best Pictures: Nat Geo Photo Contest Winners, 2010
December 16, 2010
From a charging buffalo to an erupting volcano—see the winning pictures of the 2010 National Geographic Photo Contest.
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New Oil—and a Huge Challenge—for Ghana
December 15, 2010
The massive Jubilee field begins producing oil this week, but with revenue from the site come concerns about the risk of corruption and environmental compromise.
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Pictures: Seven Supergreen U.S. Government Buildings
December 14, 2010
A subterranean labyrinth in the Rockies, breathing curtain walls by San Francisco Bay, and a Manhattan sky park highlight the U.S. government's drive to cut down its prodigious use of energy.
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Killer Alien Weed May Threaten Biggest Animal Migration
December 13, 2010
An invasive weed found recently in southern Kenya may kill off native vegetation that wild animals and livestock depend on for survival, scientists warn.
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New Chemistry, Less Energy Could Yield Greener Cement
December 10, 2010
Making cement is one of the world’s most carbon-intensive endeavors, but German researchers think they’ve mixed a better building solution.
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Mystery of Slow Earthquakes Solved?
December 9, 2010
Unfolding over days or even months, the little-understood quakes may help prevent the big ones.
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Ten Weirdest New Animals of 2010: Editors' Picks
December 7, 2010
A fish with "hands," a T. Rex leech, and a self-cloning lizard are among National Geographic News's picks for the weirdest new species in 2010.
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Ten NatGeo News Stories You Might Have Missed in 2010
December 6, 2010
See our editors' picks of the best stories of 2010 that flew under the radar, including space-time "wrinkles" and squid plastic surgery.
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PHOTOS: "Alarming" Amazon Drought—River Hits New Low
December 6, 2010
PHOTOS: "Alarming" Amazon Drought—River Hits New Low
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Exxon Valdez Lessons Applied in Gulf Coast Cleanup
December 3, 2010
Sand oiled by the Gulf of Mexico spill is cleaned and returned to beaches, a technique used to avoid repeating mistakes made after the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster. Video.
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Mercury Poisoning Makes Birds Act Homosexual
December 3, 2010
Male birds that eat mercury-contaminated food show "surprising" homosexual behavior, scientists have found.
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Amazon Opportunity: Brazil Doesn't Count on Carbon Market
December 3, 2010
Climate negotiators in Cancun aim to build a framework for curbing deforestation’s global warming impact, but forest-rich Brazil doesn’t want to be the world’s carbon sink.
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Global Warming Burning Lakes?
December 2, 2010
Global Warming Burning Up Lakes?
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U.S. Weighs Disclosure Rules for Natural Gas Drillers
December 1, 2010
The Obama administration wants companies to reveal chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing on public lands.
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Pictures: Medieval Cave Tunnels Revealed as Never Before
December 1, 2010
3-D laser scans are revealing anew the man-made caves under Nottingham, U.K., including dungeons, secret tunnels, bowling alleys, and more.
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Top Ten Discoveries of 2010: Nat Geo News's Most Popular
November 30, 2010
A time-bending earthquake, a fish with "hands," and "Yoda bat" are among National Geographic News's most visited coverage of 2010 discoveries.
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2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season Oddly Active
November 30, 2010
"This was a strange, strange season," one expert says, noting that the U.S. seemed to have "hurricane repellent" during high storm activity.
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Top Ten Videos of 2010: Nat Geo News's Most Watched
November 29, 2010
You watched, we noticed. See Nat Geo News's best videos of 2010, as measured by viewer interest—a fire tornado, a vampire squid, and more.
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Climate Change Talks Hinge on “Green Growth,” says De Boer
November 26, 2010
As global climate negotiations open in Cancun, Mexico, former United Nations climate chief Yvo de Boer focuses on the role of business.
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Fighting Poverty Can Save Energy, Nicaraguan Project Shows
November 25, 2010
Modernizing electricity services in two rural Nicaraguan villages yielded major energy savings, showing how addressing poverty and climate change can go hand-in-hand, a new study says.
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"Flamboyant" New Squid Worm Surprises, Delights Experts
November 24, 2010
With head tentacles and iridescent "oars," the new sea species is "definitely flamboyant," one expert said. "I'm delighted by it."
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How Shark Scales Give the Predators Deadly Speed
November 23, 2010
Scales on a shark's body "bristle" to reduce drag, helping the predator hunt fast-moving prey, new research suggests.
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First Fishing Bat Discovered in Europe
November 23, 2010
The long-fingered bat is the first bat species in the Mediterranean known to catch and eat fish, scientists say.
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New Satellite Pictures: "Magnificent" Views of Earth
November 19, 2010
See Earth's largest sand sea, swirling ice "galaxies," Van Gogh-ready algae, and more in a new collection of artistic satellite images.
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Brazil Ethanol Looks to Sweeten More Gas Tanks
November 18, 2010
Brazil is poised to increase its production of sugarcane ethanol, helped by foreign investment and policy flux in the United States and Europe.
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Cheap Renewable Power Key to BMW’s Electric Megacity
November 18, 2010
Lightweight, high-strength carbon fiber has long been seen as the secret—but an expensive one—for more efficient cars; BMW details a strategy for slashing the cost.
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Exotic Plant's Once-a-Century Bloom in Pictures
November 17, 2010
The rare, 40-foot-tall Queen of the Andes plant flowers just once in its 80- to 100-year lifetime, blooming for a few weeks before it dies.
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Large, "Glamorous" New Glowing Squid Species Found
November 16, 2010
The big, red new squid species—perhaps one of several—underscores the richness of undersea mountain life, experts say.
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Billion-Pixel Image Tool Probes Science Mysteries
November 12, 2010
Ultra-zoomable panoramas give scientists new tools to explore prehistoric rock art, mysterious bee die-offs, and more. <i>With interactives.</i>
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Concrete to Help Oysters?
November 12, 2010
Rings designed to attract oysters may help restore reefs diminished by overharvesting, pollution, and recent oil spill activities, experts say.
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Pictures: Worst Beach Destinations Rated
November 12, 2010
From the U.S. Gulf Coast's oil-stained shores to India's sun-and-sand hedonism, get experts' picks for the worst coastal destinations.
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Has the World Already Passed “Peak Oil”?
November 9, 2010
Higher oil prices in store as conventional crude production appears to have peaked, says the International Energy Agency.
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Sea Turtle Herpes Tumors Linked to Sewage?
November 9, 2010
Herpes tumors that have plagued green sea turtles worldwide for decades may be caused by pollution, a new study says.
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Polar Bears Turning to Goose Eggs to Survive Warming?
November 8, 2010
Forced ashore earlier due to global warming, the bears are finding nutritious treats on land in the form of goose eggs, studies say.
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Gulf Oil Plumes Still a Threat?
November 8, 2010
Are giant plumes of oil droplets in the Gulf of Mexico, detected by scientists in the months following the BP oil spill, still a threat to the Gulf's marine life? Video.
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Pictures: Volcano's Biggest Blast Yet Scorches Villages
November 5, 2010
Warning: graphic images. Thursday night Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano saw its biggest eruption since the mountain's October reawakening.
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Shining Light on the Cost of Solar Energy
November 5, 2010
Solar electricity is pricey, but policy may be as important as technology in hastening its path to parity with other fuel sources.
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Giant Coral Die-Off Found; Gulf Spill "Smoking Gun?"
November 5, 2010
Huge colonies of dead coral found near the Deepwater Horizon wellhead points to the Gulf oil spill as a smoking gun, scientists announced this week.
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Daylight Savings Time 2010: Why and When It Ends
November 5, 2010
Why do we fall back? Should daylight savings be abolished? Get the facts—and a few controversial takes on turning back the clock.
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A U.S. Cap-and-Trade Experiment To End
November 3, 2010
With no prospect of a U.S. climate bill in sight, the Chicago Climate Exchange will shut down an experimental carbon trading program. But California election results keep alive hopes for regional cap and trade.
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Citizen "Scientists" Track Birds in BP-Spill Zone
November 3, 2010
Millions of birds winter on the Gulf of Mexico coast. Now volunteers are counting the animals to help scientists determine the oil spill's effects on resident populations as well as on the migratory populations.
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Pompeiians Flash-Heated to Death—"No Time to Suffocate"
November 3, 2010
Ash may not have killed most of Vesuvius's victims after all. "There was no time to suffocate," says the lead scientist of a recent study.
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"Mind-Boggling" Pictures: Goats Scale Dam in Italy
November 1, 2010
Yes, these viral pictures of goats clinging to an impossibly steep rock face are real. Get the facts behind the Internet rumors.
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Texting Program Helps African Farmers Fight Drought
October 29, 2010
A new Kenyan "micro-insurance" program cushions small-scale farmers against weather-related crop loss using a novel, mobile phone-based approach.
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Photos: Merapi Volcano Ash Smothers Indonesian Villages
October 28, 2010
Pompeii-like scenes are proliferating on the Indonesian island of Java, where the Mount Merapi volcano's eruptions have killed dozens.
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Tsunami, Volcano Eruption in Indonesia Linked?
October 27, 2010
The two near-simultaneous events might have been triggered by the same earthquake, which may have been a rare ''slow'' temblor, experts say.
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New Snub-Nosed Monkey Discovered, Eaten
October 27, 2010
Pictured moments before humans ate it, a snub-nosed monkey represents a new species that sneezes when it rains.
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Pictures: Indonesia's Mount Merapi Volcano Erupts
October 26, 2010
One of the word's most active volcanoes, Indonesia's Mount Merapi is the bringer of life and death for a wide swath of the island of Java.
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Robots of the Gulf Spill: Fishlike Subs, Smart Torpedoes
October 26, 2010
From fishlike submersibles to smart torpedoes, meet the 'bots that illuminated deep, dark threats of the BP spill.
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Did Gulf Spill Boost "Dead Zone"?
October 25, 2010
Did the BP oil spill may sap oxygen from the Gulf of Mexico? Scientists are weighing new findings against years of "dead zone" data.
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Faces of the Gas Rush
October 22, 2010
From farmer to supply shop owner, from scientist to job seeker, each Pennsylvanian has a separate view of the natural gas boom that has hit the state.
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A Dream Dashed by the Rush on Gas
October 22, 2010
The shale gas industry maintains that its safeguards protect drinking water and land. But there have been accidents, and mistrust has been sown as the industrial process has moved into rural communities.
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A State Booms with New Energy
October 22, 2010
Hopes are high that jobs will flow as fast as the natural gas in the energy boom that has hit Pennsylvania, although locals are finding the new work is not necessarily on the drilling rig.
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Parks, Forests Eyed for the Fuel Beneath
October 22, 2010
Officials realize they may not be able to protect the “Pennsylvania Wilds” and other state and national public lands from the new gas rush.
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Forcing Gas Out of Rock With Water
October 22, 2010
By combining and super-charging old oil industry technologies, the energy industry unlocked the natural gas locked in shale rock
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Natural Gas Stirs Hope and Fear in Pennsylvania
October 22, 2010
Pennsylvania sits atop one of the largest reservoirs of natural gas in the world, a resource that could boost jobs and shake up the national energy equation. But can this important resource be extracted sustainably?
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The Science of Shale Gas
October 22, 2010
By combining and super-charging old oil field technologies, U.S. energy industry innovators unlocked the natural gas found in deep shale rock—paving the way for a rush on the huge Marcellus shale formation that underlies Pennsylvania.
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In the Farmland, an Energy Rush
October 22, 2010
Pennsylvania sits atop one of the largest reservoirs of natural gas in the world, a resource that could boost jobs and shake up the national energy equation. But can this important resource be extracted sustainably?
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Shale Gas Drilling: A Changed Environment
October 22, 2010
Shale Gas Drilling: A Changed Environment
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On Edison Bulb’s Anniversary, a Lighting Breakthrough
October 21, 2010
GE announces an advance in LED cooling technology, but its rivals race ahead to market an LED replacement bulb suitable for home living rooms.
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Winds Slowing Around the World, Study Suggests
October 18, 2010
Surface winds are slowing far and wide, a new study says. The alleged culprits: breeze-breaking new forests.
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Tsunamis More Likely to Hit California Than Thought?
October 18, 2010
Southern California, Seattle, and Taiwan are some of the places where tsunamis may be more likely than thought, a new study suggests.
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Gulf Manta Rays Affected by Oil Spill?
October 15, 2010
The little-studied manta rays of the Gulf of Mexico could be their own species—and victims of the BP oil spill, scientists say.
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Fuzzy Critters' Crystallized Pee Changes Climate Record?
October 15, 2010
The crystallized pee of the rodent-like rock hyrax is filling in gaps in our understanding of climate change, experts say.
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Scientists Sniff-Test Gulf Seafood
October 14, 2010
In the wake of the BP oil spill, scientists are literally following their noses to determine whether Gulf of Mexico seafood is dangerous. Video.
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Banking on Connections to Spur Offshore Wind
October 13, 2010
Google and a team of fellow investors and energy firms aim to bring an offshore wind power revolution to the East Coast of the United States.
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Surprising Ant "Mixing Bowl" Found in Manhattan
October 13, 2010
At least 13 species of urban ants thrive along the bustling boulevards of the United States' biggest city, a new study has found.
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Pictures: Best Micro-Photos of 2010
October 13, 2010
A zebrafish nose, a wasp nest, and a mosquito heart took home top honors in the 2010 Small World Microphotography Competition.
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Toxic Mud Spill Latest Insult to Polluted Danube River
October 12, 2010
Toxic Mud Spill Latest Insult to Polluted Danube River -- National Geographic
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Plane Exhaust Kills More People Than Plane Crashes, Study Says
October 11, 2010
You're more likely to die from exposure to toxic pollutants in plane exhaust than in a plane crash, a new study says.
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Giant Crystal Caves Yield New "Ice Palace," More
October 8, 2010
It looks like Superman's fortress and is nearly as hard to get into, but that hasn't kept explorers from uncovering new secrets on and around Mexico's deep, deadly Cave of Crystals.
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Beating the White House to the Solar Punch
October 7, 2010
The island nation of the Maldives races ahead of the U.S. to capture the solar energy limelight.
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Photos: Canadian Rain Forest Edges Oil Pipeline Path
October 7, 2010
In the home of the elusive "spirit bear," nine Coastal First Nations people await a decision on a pipeline to carry Canadian oil to sea for export to Asia.
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Photos: "Huge" Toxic Sludge Flood Hits Hungary
October 6, 2010
''This is huge,'' says one toxicologist of the failure of a toxic-sludge reservoir in Hungary. "If you are trapped in it, it will kill you."
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600-Year-Old Worms Among Surprises of 10-Year Sea Survey
October 4, 2010
Six-hundred-year-old tube worms and other oddities help put the brain-boggling, just-ended, ten-year Census of Maine Life in perspective.
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Biggest Marine Census Complete
October 4, 2010
The Census of Marine Life has identified more than 6,000 potentially new species during a decade of exploring the world's oceans. Video.
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Undersea Mountain Photos: Brittlestar Swarm, More Found
October 1, 2010
Swarms of orange fish and other deep-sea creatures have been spotted during a five-year survey of the world's underwater mountain ranges.
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Replacing Oil Addiction With Metals Dependence?
October 1, 2010
China’s pivotal role as world supplier of rare-earth metals raises alarm that the new energy economy will mean the same old foreign dependence.
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Whale Snot, Cursing Away Pain Among 2010 Ig Nobels
October 1, 2010
Profanity to treat pain and whale-snot-collecting helicopters are just a few of the unusual scientific achievements awarded Ig Nobels on Thursday.
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Renewable Energy: Ontario’s New Gold Rush
September 30, 2010
Ontario is better known for majestic falls and forests than for its sun, but a one-year-old government incentive program has made the province a solar energy hotbed.
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80 Percent of Global Water Supplies at Risk
September 30, 2010
80 Percent of Global Water Supplies at Risk
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Best Environmental Photos of 2010 Named
September 29, 2010
See a hummingbird-viper face-off, swarm of devil rays, and more in these winning images from a conservation group's global photo contest.
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Walruses Swarm Beaches as Ice Melts
September 27, 2010
Thousands of walruses gathered recently on an island strip in Alaska, probably because of extreme ice melting, scientists say. Video.
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Whale Sharks Killed, Displaced Due to Gulf Oil?
September 24, 2010
The Gulf spill fouled a stretch of feeding habitat for whale sharks, possibly killing some of the world's largest fish, new research says.
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Hybrid Panthers Helping Rare Cat Rebound in Florida
September 24, 2010
Breeding rare Florida panthers with Texas cougars created tough hybrids that could save the subspecies from extinction, a new study says.
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Drug-filled Mice Airdropped Over Guam to Kill Snakes
September 24, 2010
Dead mice filled with a generic version of Tylenol are being airdropped to kill the invasive brown tree snake, U.S. officials say.
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Flooding Farms on Purpose—For the Birds
September 23, 2010
In response to the BP oil spill, U.S. farmers are flooding fields to create untainted wetland stopovers for migrating birds.
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"Sea Snot" Explosion Caused by Gulf Oil Spill?
September 23, 2010
A "blizzard" of sticky life-forms caused by the BP spill may have crippled the base of the Gulf of Mexico food chain, early results suggest.
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Volcanoes Killed Off Neanderthals, Study Suggests
September 22, 2010
Eruptions may have wiped out our heavy-browed cousins, but we survived by being largely out of the line of fire, study suggests.
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Autumnal Equinox: Why First Day of Fall 2010 Is Different
September 22, 2010
Wednesday, for the first time in more than a decade, the full moon will shine over the first day of fall. Get the facts in our autumnal equinox explainer.
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The Solvable Problem of Energy Poverty
September 21, 2010
Providing universal world access to electricity and modern cooking technology is affordable, and can be done without worsening climate change, a United Nations report says
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Pictures: Toxic Foam Chokes Brazil River
September 21, 2010
An outbreak of toxic foam pollution in Brazil's Tietê River has been made worse by the driest August in decades, experts say.
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New Aurora Pictures: Sky Shows Sparked by Sun Eruption
September 21, 2010
On September 11 a NASA satellite spied a magnetic eruption on the sun. A few days later northern skies got an electric shot of sheer beauty.
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Light is the Bright IDEA for Transport
September 20, 2010
Bright Automotive aims to engineer a fuel-saving electric commercial vehicle large to appeal to the U.S. market.
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New Species of Giant Elephant Shrew Discovered?
September 20, 2010
With maroon thighs and a black rump, a two-foot-long elephant shrew found in a remote Kenya forest may be a new species, scientists say.
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Giant Vacuum to Help Bugs in Oiled Marshes?
September 17, 2010
Using huge hoses, researchers are vacuuming up marsh bugs along the oiled Gulf coast. By comparing their samples to bugs collected before the spill, teams hope to determine the effects of oil on creatures near the bottom of the food web.
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Pictures: Fish Suffocated in Giant Louisiana Die-off
September 16, 2010
Thousands of dead fish found in a Louisiana marsh likely suffocated—but oil from the Gulf spill may also have played a role, experts say.
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Massive Fish Kill in Gulf Caused by "Dead Zone," Oil?
September 16, 2010
The Louisiana die-off was likely caused by annual "dead zone" conditions—but the Gulf spill may have been an added "insult," experts say.
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New Giant-Cave Photos: Surreal Formations, More in Borneo
September 16, 2010
In a vast Borneo cave system, a new expedition captured scenes of surreal formations, immense chambers, a natural "showerhead," and more.
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Hope for Stemming Wind Energy’s Toll on Bats
September 15, 2010
Wind energy projects pose a threat to migratory bats, but simple steps show promise for protecting them.
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Why the Gulf Oil Spill Isn't Going Away
September 15, 2010
As BP prepares to permanently seal the damaged well, experts warn that remnants of the Gulf oil spill are still plentiful underwater.
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Hurricane Igor Now Strongest Storm—But U.S. Spared Again?
September 13, 2010
Another lucky low-pressure system should steer Hurricane Igor—the 2010 Atlantic season's biggest so far—away from the U.S. East Coast.
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San Bruno Fire Pictures: "Hell on Earth" in California
September 10, 2010
A gas line explosion that unleashed deadly, thousand-foot-high fireballs reduced blocks of San Bruno, California, to "hell on earth" on Thursday, one resident said.
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Fire Tornado Filmed in Hawaii
September 10, 2010
While battling a blaze on the slopes of Mauna Kea in August, a Hawaii firefighter captured rare footage of a fire tornado, or fire whirl. Video.
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Warming Solution: Just Stop Cold?
September 9, 2010
The burden on the planet from today's cars and buildings is bearable, say researchers who warn that future added emissions are the real problem.
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Oil Inside Gulf Crabs May Be Shed
September 8, 2010
Blue crab larvae, collected in the Gulf of Mexico near the BP oil spill, have been found to have oil droplets inside their shells. But scientists say the oil may leave the crabs when they grow and molt.
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Mining the Truth on Coal Supplies
September 8, 2010
A view that the world’s leading electricity fuel—and worst contributor to climate change—is running out
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Photos: Few Remaining River Dolphins Indicators of River, Human Health
September 8, 2010
Photos: Few Remaining River Dolphins Indicators of River, Human Health
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How to Stem a Global Food Crisis? Store More Water
September 7, 2010
How to Stem a Global Food Crisis? Store More Water
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New Zealand Earthquake Pictures: Walls, Roads Crumble
September 3, 2010
See wrecked cars and collapsed buildings following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand, on Saturday.
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Fire-Tornado Pictures: Why They Form, How to Fight Them
September 3, 2010
Recent ''firenadoes'' in Brazil and Hawaii aren't rare, just rarely reported, an expert says: Large-scale versions occur once a year in the U.S.
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Why Hurricane Earl Weakened on Path to Cape Cod
September 3, 2010
Changes in the wall of clouds around Hurricane Earl's eye helped it diminish to a Category 1 storm as it moved toward Cape Cod, experts say.
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Oil Rig Explosion Photos: Mariner Energy Platform Burns
September 2, 2010
Just months after BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, which leaked millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, another Gulf oil rig—this one owned by Mariner Energy—exploded into flames Thursday.
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Photos: Africa's Disappearing Damselflies, Fish, and Wildflowers
September 2, 2010
Photos: Africa's Disappearing Dragonflies, Fish, and Wildflowers
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Tarzan Chameleon Found in Tarzan Forest, Near Tarzanville
September 2, 2010
The discovery on Madagascar of the new species—given away by its flat snout—is a "Tarzan yell for conservation," a new study says.
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Hurricanes Could Carry Gulf "Oil" Inland
September 1, 2010
As Atlantic hurricane season heats up, storms could send toxic hydrocarbons lingering from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill surging inland, scientists say. Video.
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Can Nuclear Waste Spark an Energy Solution?
September 1, 2010
Can Nuclear Waste Spark an Energy Solution?
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Hurricane Earl May Skim N. Carolina as Strong Storm
August 31, 2010
There's an "excellent chance" Hurricane Earl, now a Category 4 storm, will keep most of its strength as far as New Jersey, an expert says.
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Hurricane Earl's Path to Skirt U.S.—No Hurricane Fiona?
August 30, 2010
As weather systems repel Hurricane Earl from the U.S. East Coast, tropical storm Fiona forms but may not become a hurricane.
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Five Years After Hurricane Katrina, Alien Rodents Return
August 26, 2010
The beaver-size, wetland-eating rodents are back—but are being kept in check by a boom in trappers, a wildlife biologist says.
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For Hurricane Katrina Victims, A Solar Restart
August 26, 2010
For Hurricane Katrina Victims, A Solar Restart
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Hurricane Katrina Pictures: Then & Now, Ruin & Rebirth
August 26, 2010
Houses wiped off the map, submerged islands, and flooded cemeteries—see how sites hit by Hurricane Katrina five years ago are faring in 2010.
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"Firecane" Myth Busted—No Danger on Katrina Anniversary
August 25, 2010
Flaming, oily hurricanes, aka firecanes, and "black rain" are no danger to Gulf residents on Katrina's fifth anniversary—or to anyone, anywhere, experts say.
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Trapped Chile Miners Face 4-Month Mental, Physical Test
August 25, 2010
Entombed until Christmas, miners in Chile can expect sanitation challenges, malnutrition, and a struggle for sanity and solidarity, experts say.
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Tapping into the Electric Power of Heat
August 23, 2010
Converting waste heat into electricity cuts power costs around the world. A new U.S. firm seeks to give the idea a high-tech boost.
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"Snot Otter" Sperm to Save Giant Salamander?
August 20, 2010
To save North America's biggest salamander—the hellbender, or "snot otter"—conservationists are freezing its sperm.
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Ocean Garbage Patch Not Growing—Where's "Missing" Plastic?
August 20, 2010
The "soup" of plastic trash in the North Atlantic hasn't gotten thicker in two decades, says a new study that's puzzling ocean scientists.
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Photos: Honeycomb Clouds "Communicate," Rain in Unison
August 20, 2010
Like blinking fireflies, some marine clouds "communicate" with each other, forming, raining, and re-forming in unison, a new study says.
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Giant Underwater Plume Confirmed—Gulf Oil Not Degrading
August 19, 2010
A giant plume from the Gulf of Mexico spill has been confirmed deep in the ocean—and there are signs it may stick around, a new study says.
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5 Years After Katrina, Ruins—And a Natural Wonder—Remain
August 19, 2010
On Hurricane Katrina's fifth anniversary, many Gulf Coast buildings remain damaged, but an iconic natural wonder still stands strong. Video.
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Titanic Is Falling Apart
August 19, 2010
Sunday, scientists will set sail to preserve the crumbling wreck in 3-D—and to find out just how long Titanic might last.
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Toxic Oil Lurking Deep on Gulf Seafloor?
August 18, 2010
A signature glow detected in seafloor samples may be from Deepwater Horizon oil—and sea life may be suffering, preliminary results suggest.
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Missing the Chance for Big Energy Savings
August 18, 2010
Consumers favor “low-effort” actions on energy, rather than investments that could have greater impact, a new survey shows.
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New Public Road to Split the Serengeti?
August 17, 2010
The proposed road in Tanzania would cut through the Serengeti, possibly disrupting the annual wildebeest migration, conservationists say.
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A Fuel That Doesn’t Go to Waste
August 17, 2010
In the ultimate "closed loop" energy project, a garbage truck fleet near San Francisco runs on the methane produced by decomposing landfill trash.
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Why Antarctic Sea Ice Is Growing in a Warmer World
August 16, 2010
Experts have cracked the mystery of why Antarctic sea ice has grown despite warming—but the results suggest the trend may rapidly reverse.
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Fires Can Create "Volcanic" Thunderclouds
August 16, 2010
A strong fire can change the weather, and cast a pall over a hemisphere, scientists have discovered.
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Ocean Color Can Deflect Hurricanes, Study Suggests
August 13, 2010
When seas change color, storms change direction, a new hurricane study suggests.
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Lighting a Fire Under Clean Coal
August 13, 2010
A big demo project, storage research and task force recommendations seek to advance U.S. clean coal technology, but financing remains a barrier.
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Pictures: Bushy-Bearded Titi Monkey Discovered
August 12, 2010
The "fascinating" new species of monkey mates for life—and may be critically endangered by habitat loss in the Amazon rain forest.
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Russia Fires, Pakistan Floods Linked?
August 11, 2010
The ongoing, deadly Russian wildfires and Pakistan floods may be connected by powerful atmospheric forces that are being boosted by global warming, scientists say.
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Wildfire Pictures: Russia Burns, Moscow Chokes
August 10, 2010
The worst known Russian heat wave is fueling hundreds of fires across the country and driving up Moscow's death rate. See just how bad it is.
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Gulf Spill Still Threatens Millions of Migrating Birds
August 10, 2010
Despite the BP Gulf spill cap, millions of migrating birds this fall, and for years to come, may face oil threats—starvation in particular. Video.
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Photos: Ten Most Wanted "Extinct" Amphibians
August 10, 2010
From the golden toad to the Turkestanian salamander—the quest begins for the ten likely extinct amphibian species conservationists most want to rediscover.
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Ice Island Breaks off Greenland; Bigger Than Manhattan
August 6, 2010
Four times bigger than Manhattan, a new ice chunk calved from the Petermann glacier may represent the biggest glacial collapse in recorded history.
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Oyster Herpes: Latest Symptom of Global Warming?
August 6, 2010
Don't worry—it isn't a side effect of eating oysters. But a virulent new herpes strain could continue spreading as seas warm, experts say.
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Much Gulf Oil Remains, Deeply Hidden and Under Beaches
August 5, 2010
The "vast majority" of spilled oil is gone, officials say. But some experts doubt the estimates and say much crude remains, out of sight.
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Bats May Be Wiped Out by Fungus in U.S. Northeast
August 5, 2010
Several species of North American bats may disappear if the fatal white-nose syndrome continues to spread unchecked.
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Photos: New Natural Wonders Added to World Heritage List
August 4, 2010
See the Pacific atolls, mountain forests, and other natural sites that have been named by the UN as places of universal value to humanity.
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Video: Record-Breaking Sea-Creature Surveys Released
August 2, 2010
See some of the deep-sea stars of a new "roll call"—thousands of ocean species found during recent expeditions. Video.
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Sea Discoveries Spawn Music Video
August 2, 2010
Featured in a new "roll call" of life from 25 key ocean regions, marine oddities oscillate, swim, and skitter to an ocean "chorus." Video.
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How Prospects Cooled for U.S. Global Warming Bill
July 30, 2010
How Prospects Cooled for U.S. Global Warming Bill
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Photos: Algae Blankets China Beaches; Dead Zone Brewing?
July 30, 2010
Mats of green algae have covered miles of coastline in China, creating foul odors and possibly choking life underneath the waves.
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China Oil Spill Photos: Fire, Crude, and an Inky Cleanup
July 30, 2010
Fire, crude, and an inky cleanup mark the great China oil spill of 2010—a drop in the barrel compared to the Gulf of Mexico spill.
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Pictures: Huge Jets Shoot From Dam During China Floods
July 29, 2010
China's massive Three Gorges Dam is being pushed to its limits by heavy monsoon rains that have sent water gushing through spill gates.
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Jumbo Squid Flash, Flail in First Ever Squid-cam Video
July 29, 2010
Filmed away from humans for the first time, jumbo squid light up during an expedition that also found them to have superstrong bites.
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Critical Alaska Habitat Spared From Oil and Natural Gas Development
July 28, 2010
The Obama administration’s first lease sale in the 87-year-old petroleum reserve on the North Slope leaves sanctuary for caribou and geese.
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Global Warming "Undeniable," U.S. Government Report Says
July 28, 2010
The past decade was the hottest on record, a new U.S. government report says—part of an "unmistakable upward trend."
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Plastic Bottle Catamaran Completes Epic Pacific Crossing
July 27, 2010
The Plastiki—David de Rothschild’s recycled-bottle sailboat—safely reached Sydney harbor this week, marking the end of a unique 8,000-mile journey across the Pacific Ocean.
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Pictures: Creeping Lava Consumes Home
July 27, 2010
As lava from the Kilauea volcano crept closer to his Hawaiian home, resident Gary Sleik felt three years of anxiety go up in smoke.
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Heat Wave: 2010 to Be One of Hottest Years on Record
July 26, 2010
After a sweltering spring, 2010 "will almost certainly" be one of the warmest years recorded since 1880, a new report says.
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Global Warming Means More Mexican Immigration?
July 26, 2010
As global warming withers Mexican harvests, U.S. might see bumper crops of immigrants, according to a new study of climate change and Mexican immigration.
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Hundreds of Gulf Turtle Eggs Relocated
July 23, 2010
In an effort to save baby sea turtles from the BP oil spill, workers are moving up to 700 nests from the Gulf to Florida's Atlantic coast. Video.
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New Gulf Oil Seeps Linked to Another Well
July 22, 2010
Oil seeps detected near the Deepwater Horizon wellhead aren't natural, yet highlight difficulties in teasing out the cause of leaks in the oil-rich Gulf, experts say.
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Pictures: Baby Gulf Turtles Released Into Atlantic
July 22, 2010
Hatchlings from 700 Gulf sea turtle nests are being released into the Atlantic, part of a U.S. federal effort to avoid a "lost generation" due to the Gulf oil spill, experts say.
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Ethanol Future Looking for More Fuel
July 21, 2010
The government lowers ambitions for advanced cellulosic ethanol, but the industry says weak policy is holding back needed investment.
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Pictures: Walls of Fat Clog London Sewers
July 20, 2010
Nine double-decker buses' worth of congealed food waste filled a London sewer until shovel-wielding "flushers" hacked it away last week.
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30 Amphibian Species Wiped Out in Panama Forest
July 20, 2010
The "catastrophic" epidemic in Panama claimed five species that were lost before they were even identified by science, a new study says.
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Pictures: Oil "Devastated" Major Gulf Nesting Site
July 19, 2010
Only a month after teams reported the area free from oil, Raccoon Island, home to the largest waterbird nesting colonies in Louisiana, has been "devastated" by the Gulf spill.
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Parasitic Wasp Swarm Unleashed to Fight Pests
July 19, 2010
A huge "army" of parasitic wasps was unleashed in Thailand on Saturday to control a devastating pest outbreak, scientists say.
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Relocated Gulf Pelicans "Enjoying" Texas
July 19, 2010
Some Louisiana pelicans, cleaned of oil from the Gulf spill, have been relocated to Texas—and are apparently quite happy about it. Video.
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"Extinct," Pop-Eyed Primate Photographed for First Time
July 19, 2010
The pop-eyed Horton Plains slender loris has been seen for the first time in 60 years—alive and cute, if not exactly well.
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Video: Giant Undersea Volcano Revealed
July 19, 2010
See the first footage of one of the world's largest underwater volcanoes, a roiling, 10,000-foot-tall peak crawling with crustaceans near Indonesia.
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Pictures: Surprising Creatures Found Deep off Australia
July 16, 2010
See a "prehistoric" shark, a hairy anglerfish, jellyfish glowing like Avatar extras, and more—dark-adapted oddities of the Deep Australia Project.
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Prozac Pollution Making Shrimp Reckless
July 16, 2010
Shrimp exposed to traces of Prozac swim in brighter areas, making them more vulnerable to predators, a new study says.
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Pictures: New Cap Stops Gulf Oil Spill, BP Says
July 15, 2010
See the saga of the containment caps, from the removal of the old "top hat" to the installation of the new one, which BP said Thursday has finally stopped the Gulf oil spill.
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Pictures: Giant Undersea Volcano Revealed
July 15, 2010
More than 11,500 feet tall, the newly explored peak off Indonesia is home to odd creatures, spewing vents, and a potentially new squid.
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"Miraculous" Fish Thrive Amid Jellyfish Swarm, Toxic Mud
July 15, 2010
The hardy little bearded goby is the first fish known to thrive in seas dominated by stinging jellyfish and toxic mud, a new study says.
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Putting a (Smiley) Face on Energy Savings
July 15, 2010
While utilities race to install smart meters, some urge a simpler approach for motivating consumers to use less electricity.
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Video: Giant Undersea Volcano Revealed
July 14, 2010
See the first footage of one of the world's largest underwater volcanoes, a roiling, 10,000-foot-tall peak crawling with crustaceans near Indonesia.
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Photos: 2010 International Conservation Photography Awards
July 12, 2010
See some of the year's best nature pictures—winners of the 2010 International Conservation Photography Awards.
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Two New "Walking" Batfish Species Found
July 9, 2010
Two new species of bottom-dwelling "walking" fish have been found in the Gulf of Mexico—right in the path of the Gulf oil spill, a new study says.
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Photos: Leaking Nuclear Waste Fills Former Salt Mine
July 8, 2010
More than a hundred thousand barrels of radioactive waste are to be removed from "the most problematic nuclear facility in Europe"—a first.
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Photos: Glowing Oil Could Aid Gulf Spill Cleanup
July 8, 2010
A crime scene tool reveals that beached oil from the Gulf spill glows in ultraviolet light, which could be a boon to cleanup crews.
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Earth at Farthest Distance From Sun—Why the Heat Wave?
July 7, 2010
This week Earth is farther from the sun than it will be at any other time in 2010. So why the heat wave in the U.S. East?
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Gulf Oil Cleanup Crews Trample Nesting Birds
July 6, 2010
For rare shorebirds in the path of the Gulf oil spill, well-meaning cleanup crews may be doing more harm than the oil itself, experts say.
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Gulf Spill Pictures: Toxic Oil Found Just Under Beaches
July 5, 2010
Even "clean" patches of beach along the Gulf of Mexico harbor unsafe oil just beneath the surface, as new pictures from Florida show.
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Oil Found in Gulf Beach Sand, Even After Cleanups
July 3, 2010
Experts are finding oil from the Gulf spill hidden under beach sand. The hard-to-remove deposits could pose a long-lasting risk.
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Hurricane Alex Spawns Tornadoes, Could've Been Stronger
July 1, 2010
Alex didn't push oil inland and weakened after it hit land in Mexico Wednesday night, but the storm still proved deadly.
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PHOTOS: Amid Drought, Pakistan Prays for Rain
July 1, 2010
Sparse rainfall, surging demand, and inefficient infrastructure have combined to create devastating drought conditions across much of Pakistan.
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Pictures: Hurricane Alex Pushes Oil on "Cleaned" Beaches
June 30, 2010
Rough seas churned up by Hurricane Alex are pushing oil onto cleaned Louisiana beaches that hadn't seen oil since mid-May.
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Hurricane Alex Pushes "Worst Oil" Ashore; Cleanup Slowed
June 30, 2010
Hurricane Alex pushed "the worst oil we've seen yet" onto Louisiana beaches and shut down Gulf-spill cleanup operations.
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Hurricanes May Be Good for Gulf Oil Spill, Experts Say
June 30, 2010
Although Alex's effects will likely be minimal, strong winds and waves from future storms may help disperse the oil slicks, experts say.
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At Gulf Oil Spill Forum, A Call for Energy Solutions
June 29, 2010
At Gulf Oil Spill Forum, A Call For Energy Solutions
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Alex "So Darn Large," But Oil-Storm Fears Unfounded?
June 29, 2010
Tropical storm Alex should soon be Hurricane Alex. But it shouldn't greatly affect the Gulf oil spill situation, experts say.
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Gulf's Tropical Storm Alex May Become Major Hurricane
June 28, 2010
Tropical storm Alex shouldn't affect the Gulf oil spill, but it may wallop the Texas-Mexico border as a major hurricane, forecasters say.
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Pictures: Gulf Oil Coats Popular Florida Beach
June 24, 2010
Thick pools of oil washed ashore on Pensacola Beach Wednesday, prompting officials to close a stretch of the famous white sands, according to news reports.
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Sharks Carrying Drug-Resistant "Bacterial Monsters"
June 23, 2010
Our leftover medicines are spawning drug-resistant bacteria that thrive inside sharks, scientists say.
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Fungi, Feces Show Comet Didn't Kill Ice Age Mammals?
June 22, 2010
Tiny balls of fungus and feces may disprove the theory that a space rock exploded over North America, triggering an ancient cooling event.
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Summer Solstice 2010 Pictures: Fire Rites, Druids, More
June 21, 2010
Pagans play with fire, druids flock to Stonehenge, and revelers build a "friendship nest" to mark the first day of summer 2010.
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Summer Solstice 2010: Why It's the First Day of Summer
June 21, 2010
Find out why the summer solstice starts summer, and why it's the longest day of the year—but not the hottest. 2010.
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Afghanistan’s Lithium Wealth Could Remain Elusive
June 16, 2010
Afghanistan may be the Saudi Arabia of lithium—a key energy storage medium—but prosperity will not flow easily.
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Planes Create Weird Clouds—And Snow, Rain Fall Out
June 16, 2010
Airplanes, it turns out, can change the weather—at least at the hyperlocal scale, a new study says.
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Photos: Human Sacrifices Found at Ancient China Complex
June 15, 2010
How better to say "bless this house" than by sacrificing horse or human? A new dig in China sheds light on the ancient practice's beginnings.
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Divert the Mississippi to Fight Oil Spill, Experts Say
June 15, 2010
Artificially boosted, the river could act as an invisible barrier against the oil, buying time for cleanup crews in hard-hit Louisiana, scientists say.
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Pictures: Arkansas Flash Flood Aftermath
June 15, 2010
Flood-tossed RVs and mangled campsites were left behind after a flash flood ripped through a national forest in Arkansas last weekend, killing at least 20.
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"Ominous" Pre-Katrina Conditions Now in Atlantic
June 11, 2010
Ocean conditions this spring resemble those of 2005, the most active and destructive Atlantic hurricane season on record, meteorologists say.
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Pictures: 8 National Parks Threatened by Oil Spill
June 11, 2010
Eight national parks lie in the trajectory of the Gulf oil spill, putting rare animals and pristine coastlines at risk, the Park Service says.
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Jacques Cousteau Centennial: What He Did, Why He Matters
June 11, 2010
The late Jacques Cousteau's hundredth birthday is making headlines. Why is the late explorer such a legend? Here are five good reasons.
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Ecuador Puts a Price Tag on Untapped Oil
June 11, 2010
Ecuador plans to forgo drilling for oil in one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems, in exchange for money from the developed world.
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Oil-Coated Gulf Birds Better Off Dead?
June 9, 2010
Conservationists should "kill, not clean" oil-coated birds, some say. And even euthanasia critics agree rehabbed birds face stormy skies.
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Oil Spill Threatens Native American "Water" Village
June 8, 2010
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill threatens the existence of Native Americans who literally live on, and off of, Louisiana bayou water. Video.
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Gulf Oil Spill Pictures: Birds, Fish, Crabs Coated
June 8, 2010
The fallout from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is increasingly visible, with masses of oil-laden birds and other animals now on Louisiana shores.
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Trucks Could Be Next Electric Power Frontier
June 6, 2010
With fuel costs a driving factor, analysts see surge of hybrid electric trucks on the road in the coming years.
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Inventor Turned Up Energy Savings by Dimming the Lights
June 5, 2010
Joel Spira was aiming for mood lighting when he invented the solid-state light dimmer switch. More than 50 years later, his company, Lutron, is recognized as an energy efficiency pioneer.
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Pictures: Guatemala Sinkhole Adds to World's Famous Pits
June 4, 2010
The sinkhole that opened up in Guatemala adds to the chasms—natural and human-induced—that have appeared from Alabama to Iceland.
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Mammoth-Belch Deficit Caused Prehistoric Cooling?
June 4, 2010
By killing off woolly mammoths and other Ice Age megamammals, humans may have sparked a thousand-year cooling event, a new study says.
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Coal Firms to Strip-Mine Historic Battlefield?
June 3, 2010
In 1921, 20 miners died fighting for labor rights on West Virginia's Blair Mountain. Now coal firms want to literally open the mountain for business.
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Guatemala Sinkhole Created by Humans, Not Nature
June 3, 2010
Burst sewer pipes or storm drains likely carved out the cavity under Guatemala City that collapsed to form the sinkhole, a geologist says.
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Pictures: Giant Sinkhole Pierces Guatemala
June 1, 2010
Yes, it's real. See multiple views of the 30-story-deep sinkhole in Guatemala that swallowed a three-story building.
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Photo in the News: Giant Sinkhole Swallows Guatemala Homes
June 1, 2010
Deeper than the Statue of Liberty is tall, the chasm is blamed in the deaths of three people so far.
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Sinkhole in Guatemala: Giant Could Get Even Bigger
June 1, 2010
Spurred by tropical storm Agatha, the sinkhole swallowed a three-story building in Guatemala Sunday—and it could get even bigger.
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New Pictures: Gulf Oil Rig Burning, Sinking
May 27, 2010
See exclusive, up-close pictures of the <em>Deepwater Horizon</em> oil rig—source of the Gulf oil spill—capsizing and sinking in April.
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Electric Ash Found in Iceland Plume Miles From Volcano
May 27, 2010
Ash from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano was charged even over Europe—a find that's both good and bad news for air traffic, scientists say.
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Hurricane Season May Be "Extremely Active"
May 27, 2010
A new U.S. government Atlantic hurricane season forecast predicts 14 hurricanes before November, with unknown consequences for the Gulf oil spill.
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Oil Spill Poses Risk to Gulf Power Plants
May 27, 2010
Electricity facilities on the Gulf coast rely heavily on water and are taking steps to protect the plants should the oil come their way.
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Coast Pipelines Face Damage as Gulf Oil Eats Marshes?
May 25, 2010
As deep-sea oil from the Deepwater Horizon leak kills off Gulf Coast wetlands, it could disastrously expose buried coastal pipelines and other energy infrastructure.
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Oil Spill to Wipe Out Gulf's Sperm Whales?
May 21, 2010
If the Gulf of Mexico oil spill kills just three sperm whales, the Gulf population may be in serious risk in the long run, experts say.
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To Keep Power On, Pakistan Tries Lights Out
May 21, 2010
Pakistan calls on shops to close early and other lifestyle changes in an effort to stave off chronic power outages.
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New Nuclear Energy Grapples With Costs
May 20, 2010
The operator of the nation’s largest nuclear power fleet sees dim prospects for new reactors in the United States, but others are forging ahead with hope that global warming concerns will spur development.
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Pictures: Heavy Oil Seeping Into Louisiana Marshes
May 19, 2010
Thick pools of oil are now seeping into Louisiana's marshes, which are vital to the Gulf ecosystem and the U.S. seafood industry.
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Gulf Oil Is in the Loop Current, Experts Say
May 18, 2010
Oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill is being dragged into an eddy of the Loop Current that hugs Florida's coasts, satellite images show.
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Mount St. Helens Pictures: Before and After the Blast
May 18, 2010
From snow-capped peak to smoldering crater, see how the major eruption 30 years ago today changed the face of the famous volcano.
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Mount St. Helens Still Highly Dangerous, 30 Years Later
May 18, 2010
Thirty years after Mount St. Helens blew its top, the peak is still the second most dangerous volcano in the United States, according to government estimates.
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Pictures: America's Ten Most Dangerous Volcanoes
May 18, 2010
Thirty years later, Mount St. Helens—which erupted 30 years ago today—holds steady at number two. See all ten of America's most dangerous volcanoes, ranked by government experts.
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New Species Found in "Lost World": Pinocchio Frog, More
May 17, 2010
See the nosy "Pinocchio frog," the world's smallest wallaby, and other new species found in the tropical Indonesian mountains on New Guinea called the Lost World.
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Alpacas to Help Fight Gulf Spill?
May 14, 2010
Human hair, pet fur, and now alpaca fleece from zoo animals are being used to make booms designed to keep oil off the U.S. Gulf Coast. Video.
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Gulf Oil Spill Pictures: Oil, Tarballs Hit Beaches
May 14, 2010
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is likely behind the sticky tarballs and dead dolphins washing up on U.S. beaches, experts say.
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Mass Lizard Extinctions Looming; Global Warming Blamed
May 13, 2010
One in five lizard species are headed for extinction due to global warming, a new study says. But they won't bake; they'll starve.
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Gulf Oil Leaks Could Gush for Years
May 13, 2010
If efforts fail to cap the seafloor leaks, the continuous seep of oil could poison the Gulf's coastal habitats for decades, experts say.
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Berlin Rallies for a Tricky Oil Alternative
May 12, 2010
A coalition of energy and auto companies push for a hydrogen fuel transportation network in Germany, but it’s a tough idea to move down the road.
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Seafloor Fish Nearly Wiped Out off U.K.
May 12, 2010
The decline is so dire that Victorian sailing ships' performance blows away that of today's high-tech trawlers, a new study says.
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A Fuel-Saving Car Engine in the Blink of an IRIS
May 12, 2010
Amid an auto industry upheaval, two Colorado brothers promote a radical new design to replace the notoriously inefficient internal combustion engine.
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3 Future Oil-Spill Fighters: Sponges, Superbugs, and Herders
May 11, 2010
Sponges that sop up oil, "superbugs" that devour crude, and high-efficiency chemical herders are among emerging tech for battling spills.
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Pictures: Rare Bees Make Flower-Mud "Sandwiches"
May 10, 2010
Colorful "flower sandwiches" of mud and petals provide havens for rare solitary bee larvae, a new study says.
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Nature Fighting Back Against Gulf Oil Spill
May 7, 2010
Evaporation, dilution, and oil-hungry bacteria are already combatting the Gulf slick, experts say.
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Gulf Oil Spill Pictures: Ten Animals at Risk
May 6, 2010
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is poised to do widespread damage to coastal wildlife, from pelicans on the shore to dolphins at sea.
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Colorado Seeks a Renewable Energy Peak
May 5, 2010
Colorado this spring adopted one of the most ambitious renewable energy goals in the country, bolstered by a unique mix of geography and politics that might be difficult to replicate.
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Whatever Happened to the Ozone Hole?
May 5, 2010
Twenty-five years later, the lingering "hole" over Antarctica is close to closing—and that may not be entirely a good thing.
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Hurricane Could Push Spilled Gulf Oil Into New Orleans
May 5, 2010
With predictions for a feisty 2010 hurricane season, experts fear that a major storm could carry oil from the Gulf spill into downtown.
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Photos: Huge Containment "Domes" for Gulf Oil Spill
May 4, 2010
Designed to be dropped onto the Gulf of Mexico's seafloor oil leaks, three building-size oil-containment chambers are nearing completion.
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Gulf Oil Spill a "Dead Zone in the Making"?
May 4, 2010
As the world watches for oil-covered birds, experts warn that the Gulf of Mexico spill could pose greater risks to life deep in the ocean.
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Satellite Pictures: Gulf Oil Spill's Evolution
May 4, 2010
See the growth and evolution of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, as viewed from space.
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Gulf Oil Spill Could Reach East Coast Beaches
May 4, 2010
A powerful Gulf of Mexico current could whip millions of gallons of oil around Florida's tip and up the U.S. East Coast, experts warn.
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Bald Eagles May Have to Eat Toxic Seals, Study Says
May 3, 2010
Eagles on California's Channel Islands are finding fewer of their traditional prey, which may force them to scavenge DDT-laced blubber.
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Saving Fuel on the Farm by Making Hay
May 3, 2010
Farms can slash their fossil fuel use and still turn a profit, all with the help of more complex crop rotation. But will they have incentive to change?
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Gulf Oil Spill Fight Turns to Chemicals
April 30, 2010
Responders are deploying huge amounts of oil dispersant to limit onshore damage from the Gulf of Mexico, but the chemicals don’t make oil disappear.
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Pictures: Gulf Oil Spill Hits Land—And Wildlife
April 30, 2010
The first birds covered in oil have been found after the massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico reached land along the Louisiana coast.
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Oil Spill Hits Gulf Coast Habitats
April 30, 2010
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill's first landfall is Louisiana's “bird’s foot” delta and barrier marshes, the habitat of the long-struggling brown pelican and other ecologically sensitive species.
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Gulf Oil Spill Pictures: Aerial Views Show Leak's Size
April 29, 2010
The spread of oil on the water's surface is a main clue being used to determine the size of the leak from the Gulf of Mexico rig disaster.
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First U.S. Offshore Wind Power Project Approved
April 28, 2010
The long-disputed Cape Wind farm in Massachusetts’ Nantucket Sound is approved, but obstacles remain to harnessing the vast coastal renewable power of the United States.
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Oil Slick May Be Burned to Help Stop U.S. Rig Spill
April 27, 2010
U.S. officials are considering a controlled burn to reduce the amount of oil in the Gulf of Mexico following last week's rig accident.
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Huge Asphalt Volcanoes Discovered Off California
April 26, 2010
Seven ancient underwater giants lurk off the Santa Barbara coast, and the biggest is as tall as a six-story building, scientists say.
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Oil Spill From Sunken Rig Site May Be Serious
April 25, 2010
An urgent effort is underway to stop the flow of oil from the site of the accident that destroyed the BP-leased rig, the Deepwater Horizon, before it reaches shore in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Oil Spill Fears Subside at Rig-Explosion Site
April 23, 2010
Oil has stopped flowing at the site of yesterday's rig sinking, but the incident may fuel opposition to a key U.S. climate bill.
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New, Deadly Cryptococcus Gattii Fungus Found in U.S.
April 22, 2010
The new, hypervirulent fungus strain has already killed six and is spreading in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, a new study says.
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Rig Explosion Shows Risks in Key Oil Frontier
April 22, 2010
The blast on the premier rig, the Deepwater Horizon, is a reminder of hazards as the oil industry searches ever deeper for new resources.
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Earth Day at 40: What Good Is It Now?
April 22, 2010
After 40 years, outsourced activism is replacing traditional Earth Day activities, and green's gone mainstream, experts say. So what's the point?
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Photos: "Ninja" Slug, Longest Insect Among New Species
April 22, 2010
In time for the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, a new report spotlights new species from Borneo, including a flying frog and the world's longest insect.
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Earth Day at 40: How it Began, Where It's Going
April 22, 2010
On its 40th anniversary, the once-grassroots Earth Day is now taking root on the Web. But some critics don't like it in any medium.
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First Green Supersonic Jet to Launch on Earth Day
April 20, 2010
A Navy Super Hornet fighter jet is set to take a supersonic flight on Earth Day on a mix of half biofuel, showcasing the Pentagon's efforts to reduce the military's reliance on oil.
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Tiny New Sea Species Discovered—First Ever Video
April 20, 2010
Recent ocean expeditions have uncovered some of the world's smallest species—in spectacular abundance.
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Iceland Volcano Has "Quieted Down"—Ash Crisis to End?
April 19, 2010
With a lower plume and visible lava, Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano could be entering a gentler phase, which "might help with the ash problem," experts say.
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Iceland Volcano Pictures: Lightning Adds Flash to Ash
April 19, 2010
Intense lightning storms mixed with ash clouds to electrify the night sky over Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano on Sunday.
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Pictures: Hard-to-See Sea Creatures Revealed
April 18, 2010
From alien-looking baby starfish to snowflake-like crabs, some of the ocean's smallest life-forms have been revealed.
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Pictures: America's Next National Parks?
April 16, 2010
With U.S. National Park Week upon us, cast your eyes on potential parks of the future, from a volcano zone to the "Yellowstone of the East."
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Iceland Volcano Ash Plume Prompts Health Worries
April 16, 2010
To a limited extent, some experts say, though the drifting plume can also be a golden opportunity for studying Earth and the atmosphere.
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Prehistoric Mummies Poisoned
April 16, 2010
Arsenic-laced drinking water caused the demise of some of the world's oldest mummies, found in the harsh northern deserts of Chile, a new study says.
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Mine Tragedy Amid Push to Produce More
April 15, 2010
Upper Big Branch Mine was one of the sites where Massey Energy was ramping up production to meet overseas demand for metallurgical coal.
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Pictures: Iceland Volcano Spews Giant Ash Clouds
April 15, 2010
See the source of the giant volcanic ash clouds that hung over much of northern Europe Thursday, grounding flights.
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EARTH DAY PICTURES: Quirky Ways to Mark the Day
April 15, 2010
An undersea cleaning party and the world's largest baked alaska join the ranks of oddball events that have been held on Earth Days past to draw attention to environmental causes.
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PHOTOS: The First Earth Day—Bell-Bottoms and Gas Masks
April 15, 2010
In 1970, the same year as "Bell Bottom Blues" hit the charts, bell-bottomed greens thronged the first Earth Day events, where they learned, chanted, swept—and even littered.
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Earth Day Facts: When It Is, How It Began, What to Do
April 15, 2010
From not-so-humble beginnings in 1970, when 20 million participated, Earth Day has grown into a global tradition. Find out when it is, how it started, how it's evolved, and what you can do.
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Volcanic Ash Stops Europe Flights—Why Ash Is Dangerous
April 15, 2010
Volcanic ash from Iceland is spreading international travel chaos due to fears over airline safely. Find out why.
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Pictures: Iceland Volcano Erupts, Under Ice This Time
April 14, 2010
The second new hot spot on Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano is under a glacier, meaning big steam and major flooding.
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Iceland Volcano Erupts Under Glacier, Triggers Floods
April 14, 2010
The Eyjafjallajökull volcano has erupted anew, this time under a glacier, triggering floods and forcing hundreds to evacuate.
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China Earthquake Today: The Aftermath in Pictures
April 14, 2010
The "roof of the world"—the Tibetan Plateau—received a devastating jolt when a major earthquake struck Qinghai Province, China.
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Iceland Volcano Makes 27-Story "Mountain"
April 13, 2010
After weeks of fiery fountains, an Icelandic volcano has apparently quieted down—leaving behind a new, 270-foot cone, experts say.
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Lions, Hyena Killed With Poisoned Meat
April 13, 2010
A bloody bucket streaked with purple stains suggests Kenyan herders killed thelions and hyena with a controversial pesticide called Furadan, experts say.
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Deepest Volcanic Sea Vents Found; "Like Another World"
April 12, 2010
"It was like wandering across another world," said a researcher of witnessing the hydrothermal "smokers," which may hold unknown creatures.
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Octopus vs. Sea Lion—First Ever Video
April 9, 2010
It's a first. Outfitted with a Crittercam, an Australian sea lion has filmed itself hunting, and eating, a large octopus. Video.
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Google Searches For Key To Energy Savings
April 9, 2010
Google finds that helping homeowners save electricity is harder than helping people search the Internet.
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Lightning Makes Mushrooms Multiply
April 9, 2010
Lightning strikes can more than double some mushroom crops, according to ongoing experiments that are jolting fungi with electricity.
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Offshore Energy Clash Over Undersea Sound
April 7, 2010
The Obama administration would open the Atlantic Coast to offshore drilling, but only after a debate on the impact the new seismic testing could have on marine life.
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New Earth Epoch Has Begun, Scientists Say
April 6, 2010
Scientists are pushing for official recognition that humans have forced Earth into a new geologic age—the Anthropocene epoch.
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Mexico Earthquake Zone Linked to California Faults
April 5, 2010
The magnitude 7.2 temblor was caused by the same tectonic shifts that formed the Baja Peninsula and the San Andreas Fault, geologists say.
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Solar Brings Light to Haiti
March 31, 2010
With a crucial meeting today at the United Nations on the rebuilding of Haiti, renewable energy advocates are urging donors to consider the role solar power can play in a nation that has had one of the lowest rates of access to electricity in the world.
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Gene-Altered "Enviropig" to Reduce Dead Zones?
March 30, 2010
"Enviropig," now approved for limited production, is modified to excrete less phosphorous, a key trigger of algal blooms, scientists say.
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Bulging Mutant Trout Created: More Muscle, More Meat
March 30, 2010
The genetically engineered fish boast at least 15 percent more flesh for eating—but is that good?
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Pictures: Giant Squid Get Extreme Plastic Surgery
March 26, 2010
See two giant squid corpses become "the most lifelike specimens yet"—a two-year process involving dissection, 396 gallons of silicon, and hundreds of needles.
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Earth Hour 2010: Record 121 Countries to Go Dark
March 26, 2010
Record-breaking millions of businesses, homes, and landmarks around the world will turn off their lights Saturday evening for the sake of the planet, organizers say.
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Texas Pioneers Energy Storage in Giant Battery
March 25, 2010
Texas Pioneers Energy Storage in Giant Battery
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Global Warming Making People More Aggressive?
March 25, 2010
Forget anger over leaked emails: Murders and assaults could jump by a hundred thousand cases a year in a warmer world, a new study says.
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Gorillas Extinct in Ten Years in Central Africa?
March 24, 2010
Gorillas may soon go extinct across much of central Africa, due in part to Chinese timber demand, the ape-meat trade, and mining, a new study says.
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Pictures: 7 Emergency Climate Fixes
March 24, 2010
From artificial volcanoes to sailing cloud makers, "geoengineering" may be the only option left to stop a global warming catastrophe, experts say.
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Polar Algae Forests Explored
March 23, 2010
In cold Antarctic waters, explorers comb lush seaweed forests filled with rarely seen creatures to find potential new cancer treatments. Video.
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Flat-headed, Web-footed Swamp Cat Dying Out
March 22, 2010
The rare flat-headed cat is disappearing as more of its swampy Asian habitat becomes palm plantations for biofuel production, experts warn.
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Turning River Current Into Electricity
March 22, 2010
Beneath the surface of the Mississippi River is a torrent of energy that developers aim to turn into electricity.
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Vernal Equinox 2010: Facts on the First Day of Spring
March 19, 2010
Will day and night really be equally long on Saturday, the 2010 vernal equinox (or spring equinox)? Get the answer—and other first-day-of-spring facts and oddities.
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To Capture Lost Power, Super Solution Sought
March 19, 2010
The steel lattice towers that help carry electricity from one place to another are not a pretty sight, but there’s also an invisible problem--the power lost due to electrical resistance. Superconducting technology may be solution.
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Vernal Equinox Pictures: First-Day-of-Spring Rituals
March 19, 2010
Druid celebrations, pyramid pilgrimages, and street fires are among the ways the world welcomes the first day of spring on the vernal equinox, or spring equinox.
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Earthquake Baptism Saves Chile Family
March 12, 2010
A christening celebration saved a Chilean extended family from the devastation of the February 27 Chile earthquake. Video.
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Time-Lapse: Mountaintop Mine Spreads Across Forest
March 11, 2010
Satellite views of a West Virginia coal mine show how long-term mountaintop mining can wipe out swaths of forest.
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Why Tap Water Is Better Than Bottled Water
March 11, 2010
Bottled water can be a drain on the environment and our health, but we still buy it. Find out more about why the tide may be turning to tap.
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New Frog Found—Has "Striking" Color Change
March 10, 2010
The jungle species undergoes a "striking" change from a black, yellow-spotted youngster to a peachy, blue-eyed adult, scientists say.
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Sea Spray Detected 900 Miles Inland
March 10, 2010
Sea spray has been detected in the middle of the United States, 900 miles (1,400 kilometers) from any ocean, a new study says.
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Exclusive: Chile Earthquake Aerial Pictures
March 9, 2010
See exclusive views of tsunami-tossed boats, a collapsed bridge, and a crumbled cliff—scenes of the devastating toll of the February 27 Chile earthquake.
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"Cove" Movie Assails Dolphin Hunt, Gets Oscar Boost
March 8, 2010
With its 2010 Oscar win for best documentary, the movie The Cove has reignited debate over annual dolphin hunts in Taiji, Japan.
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Photo: "Cove" Movie Seeks to End Japan's Dolphin Hunt
March 8, 2010
A dolphin hunt in Japan enrages activists. The Cove, an award-winning new movie, condemns it. So why do dolphin hunts go on elsewhere without much controversy?
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Turkey Earthquake Pictures: The Day After
March 8, 2010
A strong earthquake rattled eastern Turkey Sunday, killing at least 51 and crumbling minarets, barns, and flimsily built mud-brick houses.
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Chile Earthquake Video: Aftermath in Santa Cruz
March 5, 2010
Chile's February 27 earthquake caused an apartment building in this small city to collapse, killing 23. Video.
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World's Largest Dead Zone Suffocating Sea
March 5, 2010
Oxygen-sucking algae are blooming in the Baltic due to farm fertilizers and overfishing—and new efforts to stop the disaster may be too late, experts say.
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"Snowball Earth" Confirmed: Ice Covered Equator
March 4, 2010
But volcanoes would've made Earth more mud ball than snowball, scientists say.
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Arctic Sea Belching Tons of Methane
March 4, 2010
Permafrost lining the Arctic seafloor is leaking massive quantities of the powerful greenhouse gas into the ocean and atmosphere, fueling concerns of accelerated global warming, researchers say.
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What's Best for Kids: Bottled Water or Fountains?
March 3, 2010
As sugary sodas fizzle in schools, kids are turning to bottled water instead of tap water, which is often contaminated by lead. But that may put an added strain on the environment, experts say.
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Huge Garbage Patch Found in Atlantic Too
March 2, 2010
Akin to the Texas-size garbage patch in the Pacific, a massive trash vortex has formed from billion of bits of plastic congregating off North America's Atlantic coast, researchers say.
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Chile Earthquake Altered Earth Axis, Shortened Day
March 2, 2010
Saturday's Chile earthquake was so powerful that it likely shifted an Earth axis and shortened the length of a day, NASA announced Monday.
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Weed Killer Makes Male Frogs Lay Eggs
March 1, 2010
One of the most common weed-killers in the United States can transform male frogs into fully functional females, a new study says.
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Chile Tsunami Pictures: Earthquake's Other Aftermath
March 1, 2010
Far from city centers, cars and cargo containers were tossed like toys by the tsunamis sparked by the Chile earthquake. One coastal town alone saw more than 350 people perish.
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Pictures: Epic Iceberg Smashup Could Change Currents
March 1, 2010
A Luxembourg-size iceberg recently crashed into a glacier "tongue" in Antarctica, creating a second giant iceberg—which could spell double trouble for ocean currents and marine animals.
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Chile-Earthquake Tsunamis Smaller Than Expected—But Why?
February 28, 2010
Tsunamis that struck Japan and Hawaii following a massive earthquake in Chile were smaller than thought, and experts are only beginning to tease out the reasons why.
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Tsunami Hits Hawaii With Three-foot Waves
February 27, 2010
Tsunami Hits Hawaii With Three-foot Waves
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Tsunami Quiz
February 27, 2010
See how much you know about these walls of water.
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Chile Earthquake Pictures: Quake Spurs Tsunami Threat
February 27, 2010
Days after one of the biggest earthquakes ever recorded, more than 700 people have died and survivors are left without food or running water.
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Tsunami Warning for Hawaii After Huge Chile Earthquake
February 27, 2010
Tsunami Warning for Hawaii After Huge Chile Earthquake
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Grizzly Bears Moving into Canada's Polar Bear Capital
February 26, 2010
There may now be two kings of the Canadian tundra—grizzly bear sightings are on the rise near Churchill, Manitoba, raising the small possibility of more grizzly bear-polar bear hybrids, a new study says.
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Nuclear Reactors, Dams at Risk Due to Global Warming
February 26, 2010
As climate change throws Earth's water cycle off kilter, the world's energy infrastructure is in trouble—and the U.S. is in particularly "bad shape," one expert says.
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Sharks vs. Pig Carcass: Experiments Surprise Scientists
February 26, 2010
After dropping dead pigs into the sea and watching via Webcams, researchers were "very surprised" to see marine scavengers risk low-oxygen waters for a meal.
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"Shamu" Kills Trainer--Killer Whale's Act Not Normal
February 25, 2010
The drowning of a Florida SeaWorld animal trainer by "Shamu"—the stage name assigned to multiple SeaWorld captive killer whales—is not typical behavior for the whales, scientists say.
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Bloom Box Launch Is "Big Hype"--Invention Nothing New?
February 24, 2010
How Bloom Energy's mini, green power plant works—and why its press conference today had some experts seeing red, or just plain underwhelmed.
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Bloom Box: Secret App May Be Key to Tiny Energy Plant
February 24, 2010
Set to be unveiled today, Bloom Energy's top-secret Bloom Box fuel cell system could bring cheap, green energy to U.S. homes. Experts explain how it would work—or not.
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Deadly Tsunami Swarm Hit Haiti After Quake, Experts Say
February 23, 2010
Unusual ten-foot waves hammered the Hispaniola coast shortly after the January 12 Haiti earthquake, killing three and destroying several homes.
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Volcanoes Erupt Side by Side in New Satellite Picture
February 19, 2010
Two neighboring Russian volcanoes exploded in unison last week. A geologist explains the science behind the picture.
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Deadly Bat Fungus Spreading in U.S.
February 16, 2010
A mysterious disease that has already wiped out thousands of U.S. bats is on the move, according to recent tests that confirmed the killer's presence in Tennessee.
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Giant Redwoods May Dry Out; Warming to Blame?
February 15, 2010
Some of the planet's tallest and longest-lived trees may be harmed by declining fog cover on California's coast, a new study suggests.
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Vancouver 2010 to Be Warmest Winter Olympics Yet
February 12, 2010
The Vancouver 2010 games will be the warmest Winter Olympics yet, at least within city limits, experts say. And that may actually be good news for Olympians.
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More Mega-Snowstorms Coming -- Global Warming to Blame?
February 12, 2010
Get used to heavy U.S. snowstorms, scientists say. The cause, though—global warming? El Niño?—is a subject of hot debate.
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Tentacled Snake Uses Odd Appendages to Sense Prey
February 2, 2010
tentacles snakes
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Fusion Power a Step Closer After Giant Laser Blast
January 28, 2010
Using the most powerful laser system ever built, a solid gold cylinder, and a BB-size fuel pellet, scientists have brought us one step closer to nuclear fusion power, a new study says.
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Fish "Engineers" Dig Up Homes for Marine Life
January 26, 2010
fish-engineers-groupers-florida
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Haiti Earthquake & Voodoo: Myths, Ritual, and Robertson
January 25, 2010
A voodoo scholar explains how Haiti's many believers may view the earthquake, why he thinks Pat Robertson's post-quake remarks were "cruel, ignorant, unforgivable"—and more.
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Green Energy "Oasis" to Bloom in the Desert?
January 22, 2010
A research center slated to be built in 2010 as part of the Sahara Forest Project will serve as a proving ground for new technologies designed to bring green living to the desert, project managers say.
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Pictures: "Energy Oases" to Green the World's Deserts?
January 22, 2010
A high-tech energy complex designed for the desert could be a "game changer," one expert says, creating water, food, and jobs while restoring ecosystems lost to climate change and deforestation.
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Strongest Hurricanes May Double in Frequency, Study Says
January 22, 2010
Strongest Hurricanes May Double in Frequency, Study Says
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Mammals "Rafted" to Madagascar, Climate Model Suggests
January 20, 2010
The ancestors of lemurs, fossa, and other Madagascar mammals got to the island aboard natural rafts, according to a new model of the ocean currents and prevailing winds that existed 50 million years ago.
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BPA Linked to Heart Disease, Study Confirms
January 16, 2010
BPA Linked to Heart Disease, Study Confirms -- Also: FDA Announces Concern, Reversing Position
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Chemical BPA Linked to Heart Disease, Study Confirms
January 15, 2010
Chemical BPA Linked to Heart Disease, Study Confirms
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Eclipse Photos: "Ring of Fire" Shines Over Africa, Asia
January 15, 2010
The first solar eclipse of the decade, a so-called annular eclipse, was also the longest lasting of the millennium, creating a bright ring in the sky for ten minutes or more over Africa, India, and China.
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Haiti Earthquake, Deforestation Heighten Landslide Risk
January 14, 2010
The combination of widespread deforestation and the recent earthquake in Haiti could lead to more landslides in the already hard-hit country, scientists say.
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Haiti Earthquake "Strange," Strongest in 200 Years
January 13, 2010
Although earthquakes on Haiti are not uncommon, experts say, the intensity of yesterday's temblor was unusual from a historical perspective.
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Global Warming Indigestion May Kill Gorillas, Monkeys
January 12, 2010
Global Warming Indigestion May Kill Gorillas, Monkeys
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SEVEN-WONDERS PICTURES: Natural-World Finalists Named
January 7, 2010
From the limestone caves to the world's tallest waterfall--'the eyes of the planet' are on the finalists from which the seven natural wonders of the world will be chosen.
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Giant Salamanders Helped to Spawn
January 7, 2010
A new program in Japan is helping giant salamanders get past dams built to control flooding so the rare amphibians can lay their eggs upstream.
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Shark Fins Traced to Home Waters Using DNA—A First
January 7, 2010
Many of the hammerhead sharks butchered to feed Asian demand for shark-fin soup come from endangered populations in American waters, a new forensic study shows.
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Under Yellowstone, Magma Pocket 20% Larger Than Thought
January 7, 2010
The huge column of molten rock that feeds Yellowstone's "supervolcano" dives deeper and fills a magma chamber 20 percent bigger than previous estimates, scientists say.
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Most High-Tech Ocean Observatory Opens
January 5, 2010
Nearly 500 miles of data-transmitting cable will make NEPTUNE Canada's new Pacific Ocean observatory the largest of its kind. Underwater cameras will also capture seafloor wildlife.
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Mystery Volcano Eruption Solves Global Cooling Puzzle
December 14, 2009
A newly detected 19th-century volcanic eruption may solve the mystery of a strangely cool decade in the early 1800s, researchers say—but the location of the volcano itself remains a puzzle.