The strongest solar flare of the summer, so far, erupted from the sun on Friday, July 6. It’s the latest in a run of powerful solar storms this week. The solar storm happened just after 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT) and was observed to be a class X1.1 solar flare. X-class flares are the strongest […]
Strongest Solar Flare Of The Summer Just Occured Read More 👉
In a surprise finding, researchers have discovered that the whirlpools, or eddies, that swirl across the the North Atlantic are able to sustain phytoplankton blooms in the ocean’s shallower waters long before the longer days of spring start. During a recent expedition to the North Atlantic Ocean, researchers from the University of Washington, who
Phytoplankton Blooms In North Atlantic Caused By Eddies, Not Sunlight Read More 👉
A newly completed image from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rough terrain around the outcrop where the Opportunity rover spent its most recent Martian winter sleeping. The photo captures everything — from fresh rover tracks, to an impact crater billions of years old. The image is viewable
Martian Panorama, New Photograph From Mars Read More 👉
For the first time, a key component of the mostly “hidden” but large-scale structure of the Universe has been observed by a team of astronomers at the University of Munich Observatory in Germany. The team, lead by Jörg Dietrich, was able to directly observe a “dark matter tendril” or “filament” — gigantic structures that (it
An international team of researchers has just discovered that aerosols even from comparatively small volcanic eruptions can make it into the high atmosphere when assisted by weather systems such as monsoons. Once in the high atmosphere, aerosols are capable of affecting global temperatures for a short time. If they don’t make into into the
Aerosols From Small Volcanic Eruptions Can Influence Global Climate Read More 👉
An extraordinary amount of dust around a nearby star has disappeared over a period of only a few years, a cosmic blink of an eye. “It’s like the classic magician’s trick — now you see it, now you don’t,” said Carl Melis, a postdoctoral scholar at UC San Diego and lead author of the
Astronomers Witness Cosmic Vanishing Act Read More 👉
Nearly two years after being arrested with some 30 rhino horns in his possession, South African game farmer Jacques Els has finally landed in jail. Els began serving his eight-year sentence this week following a failed appeal, according to IOL. He was also ordered to pay R1 million (US $122,802) to the Green Scorpions. He
Rhino Crisis Round Up: S African Rhino Horn Dealer (Finally) Behind Bars & More Read More 👉
As the world’s supply of oil continues to be rapidly consumed, the focus on alternative energies is skyrocketing, bringing keen new minds into this new but still established industrial niche and promising a better future for all with an eventual transition to potentially 100% renewable energy sources. Discovering and refining alternative energy is quickly
5 Alternative Energy Meetups Read More 👉
Researchers have observed a very fast drop in infrared emissions from the Sun-like star TYC 8241 2652. This rapid drop may be an indication that the circumstellar disk of dusty debris, from which planets form, has experienced a very drastic (and, as of now, unknown) event. In observations made in 2009 by researchers from
Rapid Disappearance Of Pre-Planetary Dust Disk Challenges Theories Read More 👉
Two particle detector teams working at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the CERN facility in Switzerland have announced the discovery of a new particle — a boson — that could be THE so-called ‘god’ particle, The Higgs boson. The theoretical Higgs boson was originally postulated as a key particle that confers mass onto
CERN Physicists 'Sure' They Have Found A 'Boson' Particle – But Is It The Higgs Boson? Read More 👉
Bat populations in North America are currently being decimated by a fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome. The deadliness of this fungus may greatly depend on how social the bats are during hibernation, according to new research from the University of California, Santa Cruz. “Species that hibernate in dense clusters even as their populations
White-Nose Syndrome Mortality Is Highest In Bats That Are More Social Read More 👉
The fossil of a previously unknown species of dinosaur has been discovered in the chalk beds of the Franconian Jura, and it shows very clear traces of fluffy plumage. The discovery brings up an interesting question — were all dinosaurs feathered? The new discovery is helping to change our perception of how predatory dinosaurs
Feathered Dinosaurs May Have Been The Norm, Fossil Discovery Suggests Read More 👉
One of the main obstacles in the way of a practical quantum computer has been removed. Researchers were recently able to create quantum bits (qubits) and store information on them for nearly two seconds at room temperature. The majority of the other current systems used rely on very complex and costly equipment that traps
Quantum Computing At Room-Temperature, Quantum Bits Store Data For Nearly Two Seconds Read More 👉
With all the press and hype in recent months surrounding potential discoveries (i.e., statistical verifications) of sub-atomic particles, such as the Higgs Boson, it is easy to forget one glaring fact: no one has ever seen or captured an image of a single atom.* That is, until now. This week, a research team at
Scientific Breakthrough: First Ever Photo of the 'Shadow of a Single Atom' Taken Read More 👉
The European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN, will be holding a news seminar the morning of July 4 in order to announce new results from the ATLAS and CMS experiments. Based at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) these two experiments are searching for the elusive Higgs boson particle. Both of the research teams are
Higgs Boson, Understanding The Buzz Read More 👉
I’m stealing this great “Music Break” idea from Climate Denial Crock of the Week, and actually got this first video from that site (link above). I loved Mr Rogers as a kid, and I think this video shows some of the reasons why — he encouraged imagination, intellectual exploration, curiosity, beauty, friendliness, examining and
Music Break Monday: Mr Rogers — Garden of Your Mind Read More 👉
For me, as someone who covers environmental science daily, I have found that at times there are stories that don’t actually reveal anything monumental about our planet, but are nonetheless utterly fascinating. One such story is the debate revolving around the formation of curvy mountain ranges like the Appalachian range in Pennsylvania in the US
The Curvy Mountain Range Debate Rages On Read More 👉
A fossil of a previously unknown species of feathered dinosaur has been discovered in southern Germany. The discovery is further changing our perception of how predatory dinosaurs looked, Sciurumimus albersdoerferi is the first evidence that we have, that theropod dinosaurs, which are not closely related to birds, were feathered. “This is a surprising find from
Predatory Dinosaurs All Had Feathers, New Discovery Suggests Read More 👉
Researchers working at the La Corona site in Guatemala have found a 1,300-year-old Maya inscription referencing the so-called “end date” of the Maya calendar, December 21, 2012; this is only the second known reference to this date. This discovery is one of the most important hieroglyphic discoveries in the past couple of decades. The
Maya Calendar Ending In 2012, New Inscription Discovered Read More 👉
A 20,000-year-old pottery fragment has been found in Xianrendong Cave, Jiangxi Province in China. This is the oldest pottery yet found — it’s at least 2000-3000 years older than any pottery previously found in the world. The researchers say that it was likely used for steaming or boiling food, or possibly to brew alcoholic
20,000-Year-Old Pottery Found In China Read More 👉
One of our Facebook fans recently dropped us this music video he created. As you can see, it’s focused on the rhino, and efforts to save this precious species. Enjoy! (Except for the very sad pictures of mutilated rhinos.) And share!
Save the Rhino Song (Music Video) Read More 👉
My first trip to the Grand Canyon was epic: More than three weeks away from phones, city lights and noise. I went whitewater rafting and hiking and had a wonderful time. That was the trip of a lifetime and a great opportunity to think about what really matters, including time richly spent with family
Protecting Your Favorite Piece of America Read More 👉
On Saturday night, ‘time’ will stand still for one second, as a ‘leap second’ is added to the regular 60-second minute. The atomic clocks we use to measure time are extremely accurate, but the Earth’s rotation isn’t, so periodically, we readjust the International Atomic Time to better match ‘noon’ with the time of the
'Leap Second' Saturday Night Will Make A 61-Second Minute (VIDEO) Read More 👉
An engraving of a reindeer discovered in 2010 in South Wales has finally been confirmed to be the oldest example of rock art in Britain, dating back at least 14,505 years. Discovered by Dr George Nash from the University of Bristol’s Department of Archaeology and Anthropology while he was exploring the rear section of Cathole Cave,
Welsh Reindeer is Britain's Known Oldest Rock Art Read More 👉
A massive 100 kilometre-wide crater has been discovered in Greenland and redefined the record books by being the remains of an impact that is a full billion years earlier than any other known collision on Earth. It’s a fascinating story and one that will continue to evolve and should help shed light on a
Oldest Known Impact Crater Discovered in Greenland Read More 👉
Over the past 90 years, the breeding programs of the commercial tomato industry have slowly resulted in the bland supermarket tomatoes of today. But now, in new research, one of the genes responsible for that change in the levels of sugars, carbohydrates, and carotenoids in tomatoes has been discovered. This gene is one of the
Tomatoes Lost Their Flavor Because Of Commercial Selection For Uniform Color Read More 👉
Dinosaurs were likely warm-blooded, according to a new study done on living mammals. One of the only lines of evidence suggesting that dinosaurs may have been cold-blooded has been completely dismantled by the new research. The work was done by researchers from the Institut Català de Paleontologia (ICP) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), and
Dinosaurs Were Likely Warm-Blooded Read More 👉
This Saturday, the International Conservation Photography Awards and Exhibition ceremony will once again kick-off at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, located on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, Washington. The biennial, juried competition, founded in 1997 by acclaimed local nature photographer, Art Wolfe, will feature nearly 80 of the most captivating photographic
The International Conservation Photography Awards – Ten Friday Photos Read More 👉
It’s a boy! Sumatran rhino Ratu gave birth on Saturday, June 23rd, to a healthy male calf at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia. The new baby has been named “Andatu” which means “Gift from God” in Bahasa, and is also a combination of his parents’ names, Andalas and Ratu. Andalas, the calf’s father, was
Rhino Crisis Round Up: Sumatran Rhino 'Ratu' Gives Birth in Indonesia (Videos!) Read More 👉
Tau Bootis b was one of the first exoplanets discovered, just 16 years ago in 1996, and remains as one of the nearest exoplanets to us. But until now we’ve never actually seen it, only having knowledge of it because of the gravitational effects on its star. The parent star of Tau Bootis b
New Method Developed To Learn About Alien Planets Read More 👉
Been feeling like we need to get a little more “save” going in our posts to live up to our “Planetsave” theme. With solar power being one of the very top solutions to numerous environmental and climate crises, and with sister site CleanTechnica being a top site for solar energy news, been thinking of
Solar Energy News Roundup Read More 👉
The El Niño climatic event has long been a driving factor in the way of life of the average Australian, especially if you live away from the city. Dry conditions spread across much of the country, and increase the likelihood of extreme bushfires. Now, a new study has found that any “flavour” of El Niño can
Tell-tale El Niño Signal Detectable 18 Months Ahead Read More 👉
Here is a story that seems to go out of its way to prove the necessity of scientific research at every level of our ecosystem and how close to breaking our world can get if we are not careful; and even if we are. New research has found that the one-two-punch of drought and attack by the mountain pine beetle are the main cause for the destruction of more than 2.5 million acres of pinyon pine and juniper trees in the American Southwest over the past 15 years.
And this is more than likely only a precursor to greater ecological disruption in the years to come.
One-Two Punch Does in Colorado Pines, Creates Further Disruption Read More 👉
“For the first time we can actually see the structure of individual aerosol particles floating in air, their ‘native habitat’,” said DESY scientist Henry Chapman from the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL) in Hamburg. “This will have important implications for various fields from climate modelling to human health.” The CFEL is a joint
Structure Of Floating Soot Particles Seen For The First Time Read More 👉
It’s been awhile since we wrote about a Click it for Good! campaign. But there’s a new one going that could use all the clicks you can give it. You can go straight to the post to get clicking. It is: Share this link for free wind power – compliments of GreenerGreenGrass. But just to give
Plant More Wind Power with GreenerGreenGrass (Click it for Good!) Read More 👉
The Allende meteorite that exploded over the skies of Mexico in 1969 is the source of a newly discovered mineral, panguite. More than 40 years after crashing to Earth, this meteorite is still a spring of information — a previously unknown mineral embedded in it was recently identified by scientists from the California Institute
Panguite, New Mineral Discovered In Meteorite Read More 👉
Many species of shark and ray have taken major hits from human over-hunting (e.g., “finning” and sport-killing) as well as marine environment changes brought about by climate change impacts (e.g., the collapse of many smaller fish species). Understanding how these creatures live out their lives is crucial to helping protect them. Most sharks and
New research from environmental toxicologists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, shows that California condors are exposed to harmful levels of lead regularly. The main source of this being from ingesting lead ammunition. This continual exposure to lead is preventing the condor’s recovery — if it wasn’t for condor recovery programs, this issue
Condors Are Being Driven To Extinction By Lead Poisoning Read More 👉
What could arguably be labeled the most reliable and intellectual newspaper in Australia is having its future journalistic integrity threatened by a mining magnate who believes that in exchange for her financial help, she should not only receive director positions on the board as well as editorial input. This may seem a little out
Rinehart, The Age, and the End of Australian Journalistic Integrity Read More 👉
The emergence of asymmetrical flatfishes, such as halibut, flounder, and sole, has long been an evolutionary puzzle. Their truly strange asymmetrical heads are one of the most unusual body features among vertebrates, the evolution of which has been hard to explain. How did an animal evolve to feature both their eyes on one side
Missing Link In The Evolution Of Asymmetrical Flatfishes Found Read More 👉
A new system of data transmission using twisted beams of light at ultra-high speeds — capable of transmitting up to 2.56 terabits per second, has been developed by a team of researchers from the U.S., China, Israel, and Pakistan. For perspective, broadband cable at its best does about 30 megabits per second. This new
The hottest buzz-phrase in neo-economic theory is “disruptive innovation,” and innovation-driven companies are actively trying to identify it, foster it (or control it), and seeking ways to adapt to it and exploit it. If one is looking for a prime example of an emerging disruptive innovation, one has no better example than the heated race
The rates of sea level rise along the U.S. Atlantic Coast are increasing 3 to 4 times faster than they are globally, according to a new report by the U.S. Geological Survey. “Since about 1990, sea-level rise in the 600-mile stretch of coastal zone from Cape Hatteras, N.C. to north of Boston, Mass. —
Sea Level Rise Accelerating Along The U.S. Atlantic Coast Read More 👉
External stimulation during sleep enhances the acquisition of a skill, new research from Northwestern University shows. In the case of the research, the playing of a musical piece during the test subjects’ sleep allowed them to learn the piece faster than an unplayed one. The new research expands on existing evidence suggesting that “memories can
Stimulation During Sleep Enhances Skill Acquisition, Research Shows Read More 👉
Stonehenge was built as a monument to the unification of Britain’s different tribes of people after a long time period of regional conflict and differences, says researchers, following a ten year long investigation into the site. Each of the large stones are thought to symbolize the different tribes of Britain, with each stone coming
Stonehenge Marked The Unification Of Britain, Researchers Say Read More 👉
I was 12 years old when I read The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. Don’t let that age fool you — I considered myself to be a very sophisticated reader at that age, having already read In Cold Blood, Helter Skelter, The Exorcist and other culturally impacting literary works. But I was not prepared for
Is Anybody Out There? On Finding E.T., Remembering Ray Bradbury [VIDEO] Read More 👉
Researchers working at Stonehenge have concluded, after ten years of archaeological investigation at the site, that it was built as a monument to unify the peoples of Britain after a long period of conflict and regional differences.
Stonehenge Was A Monument To Tribal Unification, Say Researchers Read More 👉
Researchers have for the first time calculated the size of the snow particles in the clouds at the Martian poles, by using data from orbiting spacecraft. They found that the snow particles at the south pole are somewhat smaller than the snow particles at the north pole, but that they are around the size
Snow Particles On Mars Are As Small As Red Blood Cells Read More 👉
