The moa is a large, extinct bird that lived on Gondwana and evolved as the Earth changed. Revising the bird’s family tree using fossilized DNA has given researchers some new ideas about the geology of New Zealand.
Assembling fossils from countless tiny pieces can be quite an endeavor, to say the least. Can computers do a better job of fossil identification than expert paleontologists?
The American Chemical Society singles out ten technologies that could be making more headlines in 2010. Included are: residential solar power, aerogels for oil filtering, using shrimp shells in biodiesel conversion, germ-killing paint, a monthly flea pill for pets, and more noteworthy advances.
Diatoms secrete a glass-like extracellular skeleton and are thought to produce about 25% of Earth’s oxygen. How and why do they produce these skeletons?
The SUNRISE telescope was sent into the stratosphere in June 2009, buoyed by a large helium balloon. During its brief flight, it captured some nice images of the sun’s surface, which are now being analyzed.
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is almost ready to be reactivated after over a year’s wait. The enormous machine has been cleaned, repaired, and modified, and could begin operations this weekend.
Higher temperatures in recent decades have encouraged the growth of bristlecone pines along the tree line in California and Nevada. Since the ancient pines preserve growth records in their rings, researchers can tell that rapid growth like this has not occurred in thousands of years. This article links to a slideshow from the NSF with further information.
Space station supplies weren’t the only thing on board the Atlantis shuttle when it launched on Monday. Thousands of tiny Caenorhabditis elegans worms were also aboard. The worms will help scientists learn more about the effects of zero gravity.
Here is a video in which Paul Nicklen, a National Geographic photographer, travels to Antarctica and has an incredible encounter with a 12-foot-long leopard seal.
Earth Observatory has a satellite image of the heaviest snowfall to occur in China in the past several decades. The image shows part of the North China Plain near the city of Shijiazhuang. Small cities and towns are easy to spot in this image.
Arsenic contamination is a problem in countries worldwide, but the situation is particularly bad in Bangladesh. Millions of people there are affected by groundwater that is tainted with arsenic.
For the past 10 years, satellite images have been used to study active magma systems in the East African Rift. Activity has been recorded at 4 Kenyan volcanoes: Paka, Longonot, Menengai, and Suswa.
Physicians for Social Responsibility released a report titled: “Coal’s Assault on Human Health,” which reviews the potential impact of coal on human health. Coal combustion produces mercury, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and dozens of other substances known to be hazardous to human health.
Physicians for Social Responsibility was a Nobel Peace Prize recipient in 1985.
Galaxies tend to form in clusters, and these clusters form larger groups of matter in the universe. Astronomers have observed that there is a type of framework that connects galaxies in outer space.
The current cost of a barrel of oil is about $80. Some economists believe that if the price goes much higher it could put a damper on any economic recovery.
The SpaceWeather website reports that many people in the western United States saw a “bright as day” fireball while watching the Leonid meteor shower last night. They link to three videos of the event.
USGS has a new page for people who want to report information about an earthquake. There you can select the appropriate event and submit a “did you feel it?” report. These are tallied on the USGS website and displayed in the form of a reported intensity map.
This video has some behind-the-scenes information about the making of Google Mars and Google Moon. Two of the creators talk about what went into the programs.
Freshwater and marine harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a global problem, and toxic freshwater and/or marine algae have been implicated in human and animal illness and death in over 45 countries worldwide and in at least 27 U.S. States.
It appears that lightning patterns on Earth may fluctuate in sync with the sun’s rotation. This discovery could warrant further research in the fields of astronomy, meteorology and “space weather”.
USGS director Marcia McNutt announces, “Our policy of providing free Landsat data supports a central GEO goal: to promote global distribution of earth observation data. With a continuous record of earth observation since 1972, Landsat provides the most complete set of land surface information as well as a vital historical perspective for researchers, decision makers, and commercial users around the world.”
NASA and ESA have teamed up for future Mars missions. Under the Mars Joint Exploration Initiative (MEJI), the agencies will combine their knowledge and resources for greater efficiency and savings.
A unique dinosaur species has been discovered in South Africa. Aardonyx celestae apparently walked upright on two legs most of the time, but sometimes used all four.
As the popularity of the big-screen TV rises, their collective energy consumption is increasing. Should regulations be placed on television sets to make them more efficient?
The Atlantis launch on Monday was successful, and the space shuttle has begun its 11-day journey. It is bringing supplies to the International Space Station, and will be returning home with ISS engineer Nicole Stott. This article links to a video of the launch.
“California experienced centuries-long droughts in the past 20,000 years that coincided with the thawing of ice caps in the Arctic, according to a new study by UC Davis doctoral student Jessica Oster and geology professor Isabel Montañez.” Quoted from the UCDavis press release.
The United States Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazards Program provides automated free email and email-based SMS text message notification for worldwide earthquakes.
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