ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE

Climate Change And the Urban Heat Island in California's Central Valley

Life’s warm in California, but that doesn’t mean that it’s always a beach. Today is March 27th and it’s barely the start of spring, yet we’re currently in the 90s and four degrees above the anticipated high for the day. And with an ever-changing landscape, going from rural to urban through land conversion, researchers expect for the heat of our situation to continue to rise. But some researchers are hopeful that with new technology and new techniques in urban design, California may be able to keep its cool days and its beach appeal even in the Central Valley.

New GPS Study Reveals Giant Pandas Hang in Packs in the Wild

While they may have millions of admirers around the world for their unique looks and lackadaisical personalities, little is truly known about the nature of China’s giant pandas in the wild. Researchers to date have sought to discover exactly how it is that these picky eaters have survived in the wild bamboo forests, but with strict laws governing who and what research is conducted on the endangered species, biologists have had little to no luck in finding out exactly what happens behind the bamboo curtains of the pandas’ homes. That is, until now.

Antarctica's Ice Shelves Melting Faster Than Originally Thought

Times are tough for the massive ice sheets of Antarctica these days with the latest report that the giant floating ice shelves that form a fringe along the continent's coast are beginning to melt and deteriorate much faster than scientists once believed.

Paris Shuts Down Traffic in the City, Saving Babies In the Process

In light of thick smog choking the nation’s capital, France shut down half of the traffic in Paris this week in hopes of mitigating surmounting toxins and pollutants in the air, caused as a byproduct of motor vehicles. But in the process of untarnishing the facade of the “City of Lights” it appears that French officials may also be saving the next generation of French citizens as well.

New Morphing Frog Reveals Its Spiny Ability

In the wild, camouflage and mimicry are powerful abilities that often mean the difference between life and death. But while merely hiding in the background may mean going unnoticed, being able to change one’s form can change odds of survival astronomically when it comes to predation. And though the ability to camouflage may be an uncommon attribute that most species can live without, one fingernail-sized frog in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador is revealing a far rarer ability—making it the first shape-shifting amphibian ever found.

Gulf Stream Slowed by Greenland Ice Sheet Melting

The 2014-15 winter was one of the warmest ever recorded in history according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. However, there is one area of the North Atlantic that hasn't been affected by this warming trend and the phenomenon has been the same since around 1970.

Nanoscale Carbon Called Graphene Could Solve Water Scarcity

Freshwater from Nanoscale Carbon could soon be a reality. Carbon is arguably one of the greatest elements known to man. Not only is it the foundation of all organic molecules, and therefore life, but it also fueled the Industrial Revolution and its crystals are how we propose marriage.

Two Elephants Keep 18-Wheeler From Tipping Over In Louisiana

Two elephants saved the day for a truck driver in Louisiana. Get the story here! Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's office released a statement regarding two elephants who helped prevent the 18-wheeler that was transporting them from tipping over.

Fire Extinguisher Factory Burns To The Ground

Archer Heights building burns down, even though it housed fire extinguishing chemicals. In a sad, but also ironic story, a Chicago building in the Archer Heights section of the city burned to the ground over the weekend.

Will the Next Gold Rush Be in the Sewers?

Gold Rush in the Sewers? You may have seen headlines about extracting gold from your poop. That's not technically true but the reality is still pretty amazing.
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