Transparent Solar Technology ‘Wave of the Future’

See-through solar materials that can be applied to windows represent a massive source of untapped energy and could harvest as much power as bigger, bulkier rooftop solar units, scientists report today in Nature Energy. Led by engineering researchers at Michigan State University, the authors argue that widespread use of such highly transparent solar applications, together with the rooftop units, could nearly meet U.S. electricity demand and drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels.

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Stone Tools at Arabian “Crossroads” Present Mysteries of Ancient Human Migration

Nearly 200,000 years ago, at the confluence of two long-vanished river systems in the heart of Arabia, people climbed a jagged, rocky dyke rising nearly 200 feet above the surrounding plains. There they crafted hand axes and other edged tools from plentiful volcanic stone—and left thousands of them behind. Today, many millennia after the more temperate Arabia the toolmakers knew vanished, those stone tools endure as tantalizing clues to the mysteries of human evolution and migration in the ancient world.

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Tariffs on Chinese rare-earth minerals create a sticky problem for US competitors

Rare-earth minerals mined in the US need to be sent to China for processing.

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Great apes and ravens plan without thinking

Planning and self control in animals do not require human-like mental capacities, according to a study from Stockholm University. Newly developed learning models, similar to models within artificial intelligence research, show how planning in ravens and great apes can develop through prior experiences without any need of thinking.

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Trump on climate change: ‘People like myself, we have very high levels of intelligence but we’re not necessarily such believers.’

President Trump on Tuesday dismissed a landmark report compiled by 13 federal agencies detailing how damage from global warming is intensifying throughout the country, saying he is not among the “believers” who see climate change as a pressing problem. The comments were the president’s most extensive yet on why he disagrees with his own government’s analysis, which found that climate change poses a severe threat to the health of Americans, as well as to the country’s infrastructure, economy and natural resources.

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Infected ‘Zombie Spiders’ Forced to Build Incubation Chambers for Their Parasitic Overlords

Parasites that control the behavior of their hosts for their own benefit are a well-documented natural phenomenon, but the discovery of a previously unknown relationship between a parasitic wasp and a social spider is particularly upsetting.

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Trump’s nominee for USDA science post calls new U.S. climate report ‘genuine’

The entomologist nominated to be the chief scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C., said today he accepts the conclusions of a new federal report on climate change that President Donald Trump has dismissed and that he hopes science can help farmers adapt to some of the harmful effects already being caused by global warming.

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UPS Driver Adopts Shelter Dog Who Jumped Into His Truck: 'I Wanted Him to Have a Good Home'

One UPS driver was delivering packages when he received a gift of his own. Jason Coronado, a New York UPS driver, was making the rounds on Oct. 5 when Ernie, a pitbull-terrier mix in the Buffalo City Animal Shelter, approached his truck, according to ABC affiliate WKBW. “[I] call him up to the truck, and he pretty much just hopped up in, and I was like, ‘Okay,’ ” Coronado told WKBW. “He hopped up and just sat there and did not want to leave.”

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Beavers are engineering a new Alaskan tundra

Climate change has enabled the recent expansion of beavers into northwestern Alaska, a trend that could have major ecological consequences for the region in the coming decades.

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Trump thinks climate change had no role in California’s fires. But here are the facts.

When President Trump visited the piles of ash and charred rubble of what used to be Paradise, Calif., this month, he said that the Camp Fire was a “really, really bad one." “We’ve never seen anything like this in California,” he said. “It’s total devastation.” Reporters asked the president whether seeing what remained of the Northern California town and walking among the ashes made him rethink his opinion on climate change — that it is a hoax, fake news or simply nonexistent. “No,” Trump answered.

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From Chicago heat waves to Maine's struggling lobsters: 6 changes tied to global warming

Heat waves that make Chicago feel like Las Vegas. Warming ocean temperatures that displace Maine's lobsters. A year-round spike in disease-carrying mosquitoes in Florida. These are just some of the ways climate change could play out across the country over the coming decades, according to the federal government's National Climate Assessment, released over Thanksgiving weekend.

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EU aims to be 'climate neutral' by 2050

The European Union says it wants to become the first major economy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

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Strange waves rippled around the world, and nobody knows why

Instruments picked up the seismic waves more than 10,000 miles away—but bizarrely, nobody felt them.

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Google Has a Plan to Eliminate Mosquitoes Around the World

Many scientists think the planet wouldn’t much miss mosquitoes.

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Inside the mind of a bee is a hive of sensory activity

Are insects ‘philosophical zombies’ with no inner life? Close attention to their behaviours and moods suggests otherwise. By Lars Chittka, Catherine Wilson.

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Our climate reality will catch up to us, no matter how hard Trump tries to bury the evidence

IF YOU did not hear about the major new federal climate change report, the Trump administration will be pleased. The report was released the day after Thanksgiving — when many people were distracted — probably because it contradicts practically everything President Trump has said and done on global warming. The Fourth National Climate Assessment is yet another reminder that reality will catch up to the United States, no matter how much the president tries to ignore and deny it.

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I Made a Large Wood Engraved Map of the World

I am a maker/engineer/cartographer with a passion for maps and woodworking. With my laser cutter in my garage, I have been making wood maps over the last year which is budding into a small business. Each map is custom made and tells a story. I have decided to share the details of the process so that it may inspire others to explore the wonderful world of maps too!

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'Crime Against Humanity' and 'International Embarrassment': Trump Refuses to 'Believe' Climate Report

President Donald Trump was panned on Monday for his dismissal of his own administration's recently released climate assessment. "In all seriousness, the willful denial and obfuscation by Trump on climate change is a crime against humanity. Billions of people will bear incalculable harm for generations to come. Much, much, much worse than possibly colluding to steal an election."

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The Insect Apocalypse Is Here

What does it mean for the rest of life on Earth?

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CO2 Rises for the First Time in Four Years

Global efforts to tackle climate are off track says the UN, as it sees a rise in CO2 after years of decline.

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Radical Findings Show Mitochondrial DNA Can Be Inherited From Dads

Not all DNA is the same, and science has long held that not all kinds of DNA are passed down from both your mother and your father. But it looks like the time has come to rewrite the textbooks.

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What It's Like To Breathe Some Of The Most Polluted Air In The World

In New Delhi, the air has a dusty, burnt taste, says NPR's Furkan Latif Khan. And sometimes the air is so bad she wears a face mask.

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Spider silk is five times stronger than steel—now, scientists know why

The next time you brush aside a spiderweb, you might want to meditate on its delicate strength—if human-size, it would be tough enough to snag a jetliner. Now, scientists know just how these silken strands get their power: through thousands of even smaller strands that stick together to form this critter’s clingy trap.

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China will strive to do better in climate change fight

China will work to achieve its existing greenhouse gas targets and strive to do better as the challenges of climate change become more urgent, Xie Zhenhua, the country's top climate envoy, said at a briefing on Monday. "I believe the promises we make will be 100 percent completed and we will strive to do better," said Xie, speaking to reporters before a new round of climate talks in Katowice, Poland on how to implement the 2015 Paris agreement.

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One Million South African Bees 'Poisoned'

An ant-controlling insecticide used by wine farmers is suspected to have caused the deaths.

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‘It’s very easy to save a species’: how Carl Jones rescued more endangered animals than anyone else

Without Jones, the world might have lost the Mauritius kestrel, the pink pigeon, the echo parakeet and more – but the biologist’s methods are controversial. The last surviving bird of prey on Mauritius seemed doomed. In 1974, there were only four Mauritius kestrels left in the wild and attempts to breed them in captivity were failing. Extinction was “all but inevitable”, in the words of Norman Myers, one of the world’s leading environmental scientists.

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Bill Gates: It would be tragic if U.S. doesn't lead in innovation for cutting emissions

Bill Gates said it's American to come up with ideas for helping the world, and it would be sad if the U.S. can't do for innovations that could lower greenhouse gases.

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International Auction Houses Sotheby's, Bonhams Say They'll Stop Selling Rhino Horn

At last!

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It's now cheaper to build a new wind farm than to keep a coal plant running

Inflation dictates that the cost of living will continue to rise — except, it seems, when it comes to renewable energy. The cost of building a new utility-scale solar or wind farm has now dropped below the cost of operating an existing coal plant, according to an analysis by the investment bank Lazard. Accounting for government tax credits and other energy incentives would bring the cost even lower.

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Humpback whale songs simplified during ‘cultural revolutions’

Humpback whales sing increasingly complex songs, but University of Queensland researchers have discovered they may suddenly switch to something simpler, in a ‘cultural revolution’. The study examined the structure and complexity of songs sung by the eastern Australian humpback whale population over 13 consecutive years. Dr Jenny Allen from UQ’s Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory said members of humpback whale populations were known to sing the same song at any one time.

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Climate change will have dire consequences for US, federal report concludes

A new US government report delivers a dire warning about climate change and its devastating impacts, saying the economy could lose hundreds of billions of dollars -- or, in the worst-case scenario, more than 10% of its GDP -- by the end of the century. The federally mandated study was supposed to come out in December but was released by the Trump administration on Friday, at a time when many Americans are on a long holiday weekend, distracted by family and shopping.

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The World Needs to Quit Coal. Why Is It So Hard?

Coal, the fuel that powered the industrial age, has led the planet to the brink of catastrophic climate change. Scientists have repeatedly warned of its looming dangers, most recently on Friday, when a major scientific report issued by 13 United States government agencies warned that the damage from climate change could knock as much as 10 percent off the size of the American economy by century’s end if significant steps aren’t taken to rein in warming.

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Pet owners who force their cats to be vegan could risk breaking the law

Cat owners have been advised they could risk breaking the law if they force their pets into veganism. One in six pet food suppliers has branched out into supplying vegan or vegetarian food for animals as owners embraced the new trend over ethical concerns with meat diets.

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Felling of Amazon rainforest ‘is worst in a decade’, with area five times the size of London destroyed in one year

The felling of rainforests in the Amazon is at its highest rate in the past 10 years, official figures show, with the authorities blaming illegal logging. An area of 7,900 sq km (3,050 sq miles) – roughly five times the size of London – was levelled alone in the 12 months to July, a study revealed. It comes amid fears that the policies of Brazil’s newly elected president, Jair Bolsonaro, could further damage the declining rainforests.

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Volcanoes and glaciers combine as powerful methane producers

Large amounts of the potent greenhouse gas methane are being released from an Icelandic glacier, scientists have discovered. A study of Sólheimajökull glacier, which flows from the active, ice-covered volcano Katla, shows that up to 41 tonnes of methane is being released through meltwaters every day during the summer months. This is roughly equivalent to the methane produced by more than 136,000 belching cows.

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Japan plans hi-tech 'super city'

Japan's government is planning to develop a so-called "super city" where cutting-edge technologies will undergo fast-track testing to study their feasibility. Government officials have drawn up a basic plan that calls for the city to be developed on a former industrial site, with people invited to serve as residents.

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Scientists find remains of huge ancient herbivore

A giant, plant-eating creature with a beak-like mouth and reptilian features may have roamed the Earth during the late Triassic period more than 200 million years ago, scientists said Thursday.

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Recycling of one aluminum can saves 95% of the energy required to make new one. Also, one ton of recycled aluminum saves 40 barrels of oil

Recycling of one aluminum can saves 95% of the energy required to make new one. Also, one ton of recycled aluminum saves 40 barrels of oil Here are the benefits of recycling Why it is important? - Our environment is a big difference for our quality of life and the future of our country.

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‘Leave the Sentinelese alone’

50 years after he first visited North Sentinel Island in the Andaman archipelago, veteran anthropologist, T N Pandit talks to Down To Earth about the Sentinelese people, other tribal groups in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and his legacy...

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U.S. Climate Report Warns of Damaged Environment and Shrinking Economy

Without major action to rein in global warming, the American economy could lose 10 percent of G.D.P. by 2100, according to a report from 13 federal agencies.

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Why covering the environment is one of the most dangerous beats in journalism

Reporters who cover environment and natural resource issues are commonly threatened and harassed around the world. Some have been killed for coverage that threatens powerful interests. By Eric Freedman.

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The nine ghost villages of northern France

Over 300 days during World War One, these villages were completely wiped out – along with hundreds of thousands of French and German soldiers – during the Battle of Verdun.

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Saving Turkeys in the Name of The Bronx

Spread accross two farms in Watkins Glen, NY and Los Angeles CA, five turkeys start a new life at Farm Sanctuary, an American animal protection organization founded in 1986 as an advocate for farmed animals. Celebrities like Kevin Smith and Kaley Cuoco have made it a point to show their support and appreciation for these turkeys in the form of "adopting" or sponsoring them. In The Bronx, four natives have decided to do the same this Thanksgiving on behalf of their community.

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Ice Age Cave Art Found Under Layers of Centuries-Old Graffiti

For urban graffiti artists, their work is sometimes on display all too briefly before rival artists cover it up. And ice age cave art suffered a similar fate, experts have discovered. Archaeologists suspected that two caves called Grottes d'Agneux and located in eastern France might harbor artwork produced thousands of years ago by human artists. The researchers had strong suspicions that the art was there, but the cave walls were so covered with layers of more-recent graffiti...

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On the Battlefield, Ants Treat Each Other's War Wounds

A species of warmongering sub-Saharan ant not only rescues its battle-wounded soldiers but also treats their injuries. This strikingly unusual behavior raises the survival rate for injured ants from a mere 20 percent to 90 percent, according to new research published Feb. 13 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

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Bolsonaro of Brazil: Slayer of the Amazon

Brazil’s new president’s embrace of corporations puts the Amazon rainforest and indigenous communities at risk.. In Memory of Chico Mendes (1944–1988)Fishing with TestosteroneIn January 2012, Jair Bolsonaro was arrested for fishing inside the Tamoios Ecological Station. This station is an ecological preserve where fishing is an environmental crime. He was indicted by IBAMA—Brazil’s Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources—and charged with a fine of R$10,000. Bolsonaro was angry. He claimed that he was a victim of political persecution.

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Nature's hilarious moments win prizes

From a surprised squirrel to an exasperated bear, a smiley shark and a tutu-wearing rhino.

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An exploding meteor may have wiped out ancient Dead Sea communities

An archaeological site not far from the Dead Sea shows signs of sudden, superheated collapse 3,700 years ago. By Bruce Bower.

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Iceland volcano and glacier are releasing huge amounts of methane, scientists discover

Huge amounts of methane are being released from a glacier connected to Katla—one of Iceland’s largest and most active volcanoes. Researchers found that up to 41 tonnes of methane is released through meltwater from the Sólheimajökull glacier every day over the summer months. The study, published in Scientific Reports, is the first to show methane is released from glaciers on such a large scale.

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Treasure hunter finds buried chariot

The ritual burial could be linked to a huge previously undiscovered Iron Age settlement.

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