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Antarctic snowfall dominated by a few extreme snowstorms![]() London, UK (SPX) Mar 27, 2019 A new study reveals the importance of a small number of intense storms around Antarctica in controlling the amount of snow falling across the continent. Published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, the study analysed daily Antarctic snowfall data starting in the 1970s. It reveals how the most extreme 10% of snowfall events account for up to 60% of annual snowfall in some places, and are the result of a few large storms that develop over the Southern Ocean. In one particular case, 4 ... read more |
Cholera cases rise to 139 as Mozambique prepares mass vaccinationsBeira, Mozambique (AFP) March 28, 2019 The number of confirmed cholera cases in cyclone-ravaged Mozambique climbed sharply to 139 Thursday as authorities prepared to roll out a mass vaccination campaign to stem the spread of the deadly disease. ... more
Achieving 100 percent renewable energy productionBethesda MD (SPX) Mar 22, 2019 There is only one country that is close to achieving 100% renewable energy production (for production of electricity). Costa Rica operated 311 consecutive days in 2018 on renewables driven primarily ... more
Forest fire sweeps northwestern SpainMadrid (AFP) March 27, 2019 Firefighting crews aided by lighter winds made progress Wednesday in their battle against a wildfire which broke out in northwestern Spain amid unusually warm weather, officials said. ... more
Breakthrough in air purification with a catalyst that works at room temperatureTokyo, Japan (SPX) Mar 27, 2019 Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have shown that a newly engineered catalyst made of gold nanoparticles supported on a metal oxide framework shows breakdown of ammonia impurities in ai ... more |
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| Previous Issues | Mar 29 | Mar 28 | Mar 27 | Mar 26 | Mar 25 |
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Mexico raises alert level as volcano spews ash, lavaXalitzintla, Mexico (AFP) March 28, 2019 Mexico raised the warning level for the Popocatepetl volcano to one step shy of a red alert Thursday, after it repeatedly spewed ash, smoke and lava into the air. ... more
Disease fears mount for Africa cyclone survivorsBeira, Mozambique (AFP) March 28, 2019 Disease is threatening to aggravate the already dire conditions facing millions of survivors following the powerful tropical cyclone which ravaged southern Africa 10 days ago, officials warned on Sunday. ... more
Researchers unveil effects of dust particles on cloud propertiesTokyo, Japan (SPX) Mar 27, 2019 An international team led by Japanese scientists has generated significant findings that highlight the impact of high-latitude dusts on the conversion of clouds' water droplets to ice - or glaciatio ... more
US zoo to return beloved giant pandas to ChinaLos Angeles (AFP) March 26, 2019 Two giant pandas that have been a star attraction at the San Diego Zoo for decades will soon be returned home to China, officials announced. ... more
Scientists propose a new benchmark skill for decadal prediction of terrestrial water storageBeijing, China (SPX) Mar 27, 2019 Terrestrial water storage (TWS) includes all phases of water over land (e.g., surface and groundwater, snow etc.) and acts as an important fresh water resource. It is a critical component of terrest ... more |
![]() Comoros President Azali re-elected in a landslide
Facebook blocks more accounts over influence campaignsWashington (AFP) March 26, 2019 Facebook said Tuesday it shut down more than 2,600 fake accounts linked to Iran, Russia, Macedonia and Kosovo and aiming to influence political sentiment in various parts of the world. ... more |
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Italy, Austria smash mafia arms trafficking ring: officialsThe Hague (AFP) March 26, 2019 Italy and Austria have broken up an international arms trafficking ring that supplied the Camorra organised crime group with 800 guns including "weapons of war", officials said Tuesday. ... more
Southern Africa leaders back Western Sahara at 'historic' talksPretoria (AFP) March 26, 2019 Several southern African leaders on Tuesday threw their support behind Western Sahara, with one calling the disputed territory the "last colony" on the African continent. ... more
Seeds share memories with their offspringWashington (UPI) Mar 26, 2019 Seeds inherit memories from their mom. According to a new study, the experiences of a mother seed influence the dormant states of offspring. ... more
Tasmanian devils prove quick adaptors in bid for survivalCradle Mountain, Australia (AFP) March 29, 2019 A contagious cancer is threatening Tasmanian devils with extinction, but these unique carnivores - and their human helpers - are adapting at breakneck speed, giving new hope for their survival. ... more
Ocean heat hits record high: UNGeneva (AFP) March 28, 2019 Ocean heat hit a record high in 2018, the United Nations said Thursday, raising urgent new concerns about the threat global warming is posing to marine life. ... more |
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US lawmakers challenge Pentagon diversion of $1 bn for border wall Washington (AFP) March 27, 2019
A Democrat-led congressional committee challenged Tuesday the Pentagon's plan to divert $1 billion to support President Donald Trump's plan to build a wall on the US-Mexico border.
Less than one day after acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan authorized moving the funds from existing Defense Department projects to border construction, the House Armed Services Committee said this move was no ... more |
Traveling-wave tubes: The unsung heroes of space exploration Washington DC (SPX) Mar 28, 2019
What do televisions and space exploration have in common? No, we're not talking about a cheesy physics joke; rather, this is the story of an often-overlooked piece of equipment that deserves a place in the annals of telecommunication history.
Some would argue that the traveling-wave tube (TWT) has not received the recognition it deserves when it comes to the history of space travel and com ... more |
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Satellites key to addressing water scarcity Paris (ESA) Mar 26, 2019
Today is World Water Day, but with millions of people in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe struggling to cope in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai, the notion of water shortages may not be at the forefront of our minds right now. Even so, floods, like we see here, lead to real problems accessing clean water. Whether the problem is inundation or water scarcity, satellites can help monitor this precious ... more |
Cold Water Currently Slowing Fastest Greenland Glacier Pasadena CA (JPL) Mar 27, 2019
NASA research shows that Jakobshavn Glacier, which has been Greenland's fastest-flowing and fastest-thinning glacier for the last 20 years, has made an unexpected about-face. Jakobshavn is now flowing more slowly, thickening, and advancing toward the ocean instead of retreating farther inland. The glacier is still adding to global sea level rise - it continues to lose more ice to the ocean than ... more |
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Monsanto ordered to pay $81 mn in Roundup cancer trial San Francisco (AFP) March 28, 2019
Monsanto was ordered on Wednesday to pay some $81 million to an American retiree who blames his cancer on the agribusiness giant's weedkiller Roundup.
A San Francisco jury found the firm, which is owned by Bayer, had been "negligent by not using reasonable care" to warn of the risks of its product, ordering it to pay Edwin Hardeman $75 million in punitive damages, $5.6 million in compensatio ... more |
Farmers devastated as Mozambique counts cost of deadly cyclone Begaja, Mozambique (AFP) March 27, 2019
As the sun sets on Mozambique's central village of Begaja, an incredulous Ruca Mutana walks around his field one more time, looking for that rare maize cob that might have survived last week's vicious cyclone.
On either side of a narrow path to the field from his house, the maize field stretches as far as the eye can see, but not a single plant still stands.
Maize stems lie flat in mud a ... more |
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Comoros President Azali re-elected in a landslide Moroni, Comoros (AFP) March 26, 2019
Comoros President Azali Assoumani was re-elected Tuesday by a landslide, according to results published by the electoral commission, in a divisive poll that has sparked tensions and opposition accusations of fraud in the Indian Ocean archipelago.
Azali, who first took office in 2016, was credited with 60.77 percent of the vote following Sunday's election, far ahead of his closest rival Maham ... more |
Is Earth Quarantined? Researchers Meet to Try Shed Light on Alien Riddle Moscow (Sputnik) Mar 28, 2019
With arrays of new galaxies and their stars being discovered every day, it still remains unresolved if there is anyone, or anything, super-intelligent in control, and though the probability of the existence of extra-terrestrial civilizations is considered to be incredibly high, the evidence is a far cry from sufficient.
Members of METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence), a San Franc ... more |
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UN wants to showcase ambitious countries at climate summit United Nations, United States (AFP) March 26, 2019 Hoping to spur international action on climate change, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has told world leaders that only the most ambitious carbon-cutting countries will be showcased at a key summit in September.
In a note sent to member states, Guterres outlined plans for an "action-oriented" summit featuring a wide range of "deliverables" from governments to inject new impetus to the ... more |
Experts reveal that clouds have moderated warming triggered by climate change Swansea UK (SPX) Mar 27, 2019
A new study has revealed how clouds are modifying the warming created by human-caused climate change in some parts of the world. Led by Swansea University's Tree Ring Research Group, researchers from Sweden, Finland and Norway analysed information contained in the rings of ancient pine trees from northern Scandinavia to reveal how clouds have reduced the impact of natural phases of warmth in the ... more |
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Half-a-billion-year-old fossil reveals the origins of comb jellies Bristol UK (SPX) Mar 27, 2019
One of the ocean's little known carnivores has been allocated a new place in the evolutionary tree of life after scientists discovered its unmistakable resemblance with other sea-floor dwelling creatures.
Comb jellies occupy a pivotal place in the history of animal evolution with some arguing that they were among the first animals to evolve. Now an international team of palaeontologists ha ... more |
2018 spike in energy demand spells climate trouble: IEA Paris (AFP) March 26, 2019
A 2.3 percent jump in global energy demand last year outstripped the expansion of renewables and helped drive record-high greenhouse gas emissions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Tuesday.
Fossil fuels satisfied nearly 70 percent of that growth for the second year running, with natural gas accounting for 45 percent of the rise in energy consumption, according to the Agency's Globa ... more |
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Energy monitor can find electrical failures before they happen Boston MA (SPX) Mar 25, 2019
A new system devised by researchers at MIT can monitor the behavior of all electric devices within a building, ship, or factory, determining which ones are in use at any given time and whether any are showing signs of an imminent failure. When tested on a Coast Guard cutter, the system pinpointed a motor with burnt-out wiring that could have led to a serious onboard fire.
The new sensor, w ... more |
Bacteria may travel thousands of miles through the air globally New Brunswick NJ (SPX) Mar 27, 2019
Bacteria may travel thousands of miles through the air worldwide instead of hitching rides with people and animals, according to Rutgers and other scientists. Their "air bridge" hypothesis could shed light on how harmful bacteria share antibiotic resistance genes.
"Our research suggests that there must be a planet-wide mechanism that ensures the exchange of bacteria between faraway places, ... more |
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Australia seeks to mend China ties with new foundation, envoy Sydney (AFP) March 29, 2019
Australia announced a diplomatic boost to "turbo-charge" its China relations on Friday as it seeks to mend ties damaged by foreign interference concerns and a 5G bar on Huawei.
Canberra unveiled plans for a new foundation to supercede the Australia-China Council, its long-time primary platform for relations with its largest trading partner.
The government also announced that career diplo ... more |
Help NASA Measure Trees with Your Smartphone Greenbelt MD (SPX) Mar 27, 2019
Healthy forests play an crucial role in Earth's ecosystem as growing trees take up carbon from the atmosphere. NASA satellites and airborne missions study forests to see how carbon moves through ecosystems - and now citizen scientists can help investigate this key question as well by using their smartphone to measure tree height.
The GLOBE Observer app provides a step-by-step guide for peo ... more |
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