Nature & Environment : Science World Report

Apr 11, 2012 04:05 PM EDT

Ocean Acidification Linked to Larval Oyster Failure

Researchers at Oregon State University have definitively linked an increase in ocean acidification to the collapse of oyster seed production at a commercial oyster hatchery in Oregon, where larval growth had declined to a level considered by the owners to be "non-economically viable."

Apr 11, 2012 01:58 PM EDT

Climate Change Boosts Then Quickly Stunts Plants, Decade-long Study Shows

Global warming may initially make the grass greener, but not for long, according to new research results. The findings, published this week in the journal Nature Climate Change, show that plants may thrive in the early stages of a warming environment but then begin to deteriorate quickly.

Apr 11, 2012 01:49 PM EDT

A Sea of Challenges for the Mediterranean Sea

Cradle of great ancient civilizations, superhighway for trade and transport, treasure-trove of biodiversity, the Mediterranean - the world's best known sea - faces a sea of challenges in the 21st century, including climate change, pollution, tourism and overfishing. That's the topic of the cover sto...

Apr 11, 2012 11:45 AM EDT

Huge Quakes Off Indonesia Stir Panic, But No Big Tsunami

A powerful 8.6 magnitude earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks struck off Indonesia on Wednesday, sending people scurrying from buildings as far away as southern India, but there seemed little risk of a disastrous tsunami as in 2004.

Apr 11, 2012 10:14 AM EDT

EU CO2 Law Could Scupper Global Climate Talks

A European Union law that charges airlines for carbon emissions is "a deal-breaker" for global climate change talks, India's environment minister said, hardening her stance on a scheme that has drawn fierce opposition from non-EU governments.

Apr 11, 2012 10:08 AM EDT

China's Coalbeds Spur Unconventional Gas Supply Boom

After more than a century ripping out its insides to supply coal to the rest of the country, the heavily mined and polluted province of Shanxi in northern China is in the midst of a gas boom.

Apr 11, 2012 08:42 AM EDT

Study shows adaptive Capacity of Reef Corals to Climate Change May be Widespread

A new study by scientists at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science suggests that many species of reef-building corals may be able to adapt to warming waters by relying on their closest aquatic partners - algae. The corals' ability to host a variety of algal type...

Apr 10, 2012 04:11 PM EDT

U.S. New Car Gas Mileage Up 20 Percent Since 2007: Study

New cars and trucks sold in the United States are getting an average of 24 miles per gallon of gasoline, the highest ever, researchers at the University of Michigan said on Tuesday.

Apr 10, 2012 04:01 PM EDT

Restoring Flood Plains, Creating Cash Crop, Growing Biomass Are Goals of New MU Study

Storm water runoff is key to any developer's request when creating new roads or other impervious surfaces. Yet, storm water runoff can carry sediment, fertilizers and other chemicals directly into a stream or creek, potentially harming the waterway for years. Now, using 777 willow trees, a Universit...

Apr 10, 2012 02:47 PM EDT

What Triggers a Mass Extinction?

The second-largest mass extinction in Earth's history coincided with a short but intense ice age during which enormous glaciers grew and sea levels dropped. Although it has long been agreed that the so-called Late Ordovician mass extinction-which occurred about 450 million years ago-was related to c...

Apr 10, 2012 01:05 PM EDT

Has the Dead Sea Used Up Its 9 Lives?

Rapidly dropping water levels of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the earth's surface heralded for its medicinal properties, has been a source of ecological concern for years. Now a drilling project led by researchers from Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University reveals that water levels have ris...

Apr 10, 2012 12:44 PM EDT

Miniature Sandia Sensors May Advance Climate Studies

An air sampler the size of an ear plug is expected to cheaply and easily collect atmospheric samples to improve computer climate models. "We now have an inexpensive tool for collecting pristine vapor samples in the field," said Sandia National Laboratories researcher Ron Manginell, lead author of...