Ancient connection between the Americas enhanced extreme biodiversity
Washington DC (SPX) May 01, 2015 -
Species exchange between North and South America created one of the most biologically diverse regions on Earth. A new study by Smithsonian scientists and colleagues published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that species migrations across the Isthmus of Panama began about 20 million years ago, some six times earlier than commonly assumed. These biological re ...
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Silicon: An important element in rice production
London, UK (SPX) May 01, 2015 -
Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element of the earth`s crust after oxygen. It has long been neglected by ecologists, as it is not considered an essential nutrient for plants. However, research of recent years showed that it is beneficial for the growth of many plants, including important crops such as rice, wheat and barley.
For instance, Si enhanced the resistance against pests, ...
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Whitening the Arctic Ocean: May restore sea ice, but not climate
Washington DC (SPX) May 01, 2015 -
Some scientists have suggested that global warming could melt frozen ground in the Arctic, releasing vast amounts of the potent greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere, greatly amplifying global warming. It has been proposed that such disastrous climate effects could be offset by technological approaches, broadly called geoengineering. One geoengineering proposal is to artificially whiten the ...
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Joy for rescued Nepalese but fears grow for rural areas
Kathmandu (AFP) April 30, 2015 -
Rescuers pulled a teenage boy and a woman in her thirties alive from the rubble of Nepal's earthquake Thursday, as the Red Cross warned of "total devastation" in areas near the epicentre.
The rescue of 15-year-old Pemba Tamang, who told AFP he stayed alive by eating a jar of ghee (clarified butter), was hailed as a miracle five days after the massive quake that has so far claimed nearly 6,00 ...
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Climbing to resume on Mount Everest by next week: official
Kathmandu (AFP) April 30, 2015 -
Climbing will resume on Mount Everest by next week after an earthquake-triggered avalanche that left 18 people dead on the world's highest peak, a Nepalese government official said Thursday.
Saturday's avalanche that ripped through base camp also destroyed ladders through the treacherous Khumbu icefall higher up the mountain, raising doubts about the future of this year's climbing season. ...
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Scientists discover salty aquifer and microbial habitat under Antarctica
Hanover NH (SPX) May 01, 2015 -
Using an airborne imaging system for the first time in Antarctica, scientists have discovered a vast network of unfrozen salty groundwater that may support previously unknown microbial life deep under the coldest, driest desert on our planet. The findings shed new light on ancient climate change on Earth and provide strong evidence that a similar briny aquifer could support microscopic life on M ...
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Chile's Calbuco volcano erupts for third time
Santiago (AFP) April 30, 2015 -
Southern Chile's Calbuco volcano erupted again Thursday, releasing a large column of smoke in a towering arc, just over a week after it spectacularly roared to life following half a century of inactivity.
"As predicted, the third eruptive pulse at the Calbuco volcano has arrived. Red alert," the National Geology and Mines Service wrote on its official Twitter account, with experts warning th ...
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