ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE

Threatened Thresher Shark Birth Captured on Film

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE Thresher sharks are among the open ocean's most interesting predators, using their elongated tails to herd and stun schools of fish. And now, for the first time, a mother pelagic thresher shark was caught on camera giving birth off the Philippine coast.

Study Shows Volcanoes May Be Causing Global Cooling

We have known for a while that massive volcanic eruptions, which eject massive amounts of gases into the atmosphere, can block enough solar radiation to have an effect on the climate. For example, scientists believe the explosion of the Indonesian volcano Mt. Tambora in 1815 caused the severe cold spell in 1816. But while scientists may have arrived at a consensus that our planet is warming, according to a new study published this week, some of the warming effects have been offset by small volcanic eruptions over the last decade. The vast quantities of ash and gases ejected from the volcanoes have had a remarkable cooling effect on the climate, by blocking solar radiation.

NASA Researchers Bring Exoplanets to Life in Kepler Style

How many planets like our Earth are out there in space? Well, while the possibilities are endless, and with the vast expanses of the universe the search may be endless. But thanks to NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope, researchers have to date discovered 1,000 Earth-like exoplanets that seem to fit the bill. And in celebration of the record-breaking discovery, researchers at NASA are giving the public a view of what life on these exoplanets inhabited by humans might just look like—with a vintage feel.

New Research Reveals the Life and Death on Easter Island

Easter Island, with its iconic stone-head statues, has long been the subject of a fierce debate among academics. For years, scientists have been baffled by the mystery of Easter Island and simply didn't have a clue about what happened to the Polynesians who once lived there. That is, until now.

The Gogoro Smartscoooter—Revolutionizing How We Will Commute In The City

Cities, as you very well may know, are the dense concrete jungles of humanity. And, with this shoulder-to-shoulder way of life, transportation-and really infrastructure, for that matter-seems to be the foot-tall speed bump that every city-dweller despises. Everyone, no matter what their position, has somewhere to go; the everyday commute is inevitable. And with that, everyone needs a means of transportation.

Polar Bears May Be Solving Their Own Problems—But Not For Long

While researchers and diplomats all over the world are attempting to deal with the issues of climate change, the United Nations in particular who are trying to unite all nations in a collective effort, it’s the animal species at the Earth’s poles that are facing this change on the front line. And though the valiant efforts made in recent summits have yet to amount to much change, it appears that animals in the Arctic are finding a solution of their own— well, a temporary one at least.

Unusual Sightings in the Annual Bird Count

The annual Audubon Bird Watch is a 115-year-old tradition that unites bird watchers from all corners of North America, to catalog their sightings. And this year lead to some usual avian leads.

Investors Torn on Fossil Fuels and Climate Change

There is a rift forming among energy investors in some of the world's largest energy companies over a global campaign aiming to make fossil fuels as unpopular as tobacco, to better combat climate change. Over the past seven months, investors including the likes of the heirs to the Rockefeller Standard Oil fortune and the board of trustees at California's Stanford University have decided not to invest in coal companies. And the ramifications are significant.

NASA and NOAA Support the Development of Two New Climate Tracking Apps

With development support from national organizations, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA, researchers at the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed two new mobile apps that will bring the power of satellite data right to your fingertips.

Polar Bears May Be Solving Their Own Problems—But Not For Long

While researchers and diplomats all over the world are attempting to deal with the issues of climate change, the United Nations in particular who are trying to unite all nations in a collective effort, it's the animal species at the Earth's poles that are facing this change on the front line. And though the valiant efforts made in recent summits have yet to amount to much change, it appears that animals in the Arctic are finding a solution of their own- well, a temporary one at least.

NASA—How Tropical Rainforests May Help End the Climate Change Issue

If 2014 made anything evident on the global stage, it’s that climate change is a serious issue and one that must be dealt with urgently. Many hope that the United Nations Summit in 2015 will bring some sort of international change, but with new research from the US space agency NASA, researchers are now saying that we may have some added help on our side—tropical rainforests.

Recommended Stories