Earth

  1. Earth

    Where’s Waldo . . . and 6 billion others?

    Scientists have combined satellite imagery and detailed census data to develop a worldwide database that can provide estimates of the number of people located in areas on a grid that has boxes with areas of 1 square kilometer or less.

    By
  2. Earth

    Wildfires spread across a parched West

    Dozens of lightning-sparked wildfires seared the western United States last week, adding hundreds of thousands of acres of charred terrain to a tally that promises to make this fire season the worst in recent decades.

    By
  3. Earth

    Death for the killer seaweed

    Biologists have launched a campaign to eradicate the first infestation in open American waters of an invasive mutant algae.

    By
  4. Earth

    Estrogen effects linger in male fish

    Male fish can inappropriately make egg yolk protein, even when only intermittently exposed to water tainted with an estrogenic pollutant.

    By
  5. Earth

    Mapping watersheds invites comparisons

    Computerized maps of environmental features for 154 of the largest river watersheds will soon be available to the public, free of charge.

    By
  6. Earth

    Lack of spring snowpack bodes ill for many

    NASA satellite images released last week confirmed that the northern United States had much less snow cover than normal this spring, following North America's warmest winter on record.

    By
  7. Earth

    Wrong Number: Plastic ingredient spurs chromosomal defects

    The primary chemical in some plastics causes female mice to produce eggs with abnormal numbers of chromosomes.

    By
  8. Earth

    Ssshhh! South Pole has a new seismic station

    Seismometers recently installed near the South Pole reveal that the area is the quietest spot on the planet for eavesdropping on earthquakes.

    By
  9. Earth

    Dioxin Dumps: Burning exposed trash pollutes soil

    The practice of burning refuse in the open in many underdeveloped countries creates prodigious quantities of harmful polychlorinated compounds.

    By
  10. Earth

    Clean Casualties: Everyday chemicals may shift ecosystems

    Trace amounts of the chemical concoctions used to battle bacteria in kitchens and bathrooms may kill off algae, an effect that researchers say may have far-reaching consequences.

    By
  11. Earth

    Dust up north

    Strong northeasterly winds blowing across coastal regions of southern Alaska recently exposed by melting snow launched massive clouds of dust over the Gulf of Alaska.

    By
  12. Earth

    Undersea Mountain Descent

    Join an international expedition in exploring an underwater mountain in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Twice-weekly dispatches highlight the scientific team’s findings for the duration of the expedition from Nov. 14 to Dec. 14. Hosted by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the expedition’s Web site also includes colorful diagrams illustrating various geological concepts and […]

    By