Blogging the End of the World™
BBC6 August 2010 A giant sheet of ice measuring 260 sq km (100 sq miles) has broken off a glacier in Greenland, according to researchers at a US university. The block of ice separated from the Petermann Glacier, on the north-west coast of Greenland. It is the largest Arctic iceberg to calve since 1962, […]
Climate change affects coastal currents that moderate ocean temperatures and the productivity of ecosystems. As such, it is believed to be a factor in the low-oxygen “dead zone” that has appeared along the coast of Washington and Oregon in recent years. In the maps above, blue indicates low-oxygen areas and purple shows areas that are […]
By Richard Galpin, BBC6 August 2010 Russian health officials are warning people in Moscow to stay inside and avoid physical exertion as smog from the worst wildfires in modern Russian history smothers the city. Haze and smoke are spreading through Moscow’s streets, even seeping into the Metro network, and some people are wearing face masks […]
By Adam Mynott, BBC6 August 2010 The worst floods in Pakistan’s history have hit at least 12 million people, the government relief agency says. Gen Nadeem Ahmed, of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), said that figure only covered Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces. The full figure is likely to be much higher, with at […]
By Richard Galpin6 August 2010 The thick blanket of smog that has shrouded Moscow as peat fires continue to burn just outside the city has worsened. The smog has disrupted air traffic at two international airports in Moscow – Domodedovo and Vnukovo. Many Russians are wearing masks as the temperature rises close to 40C (104F). […]
By Ekaterina Shatalova and Maria Kolesnikova Aug 6, 2010 6:57 AM PT Acrid smoke from forest and peat-bog fires east of Moscow shrouded the city in smoke, causing flight delays and raising pollution to “very dangerous” levels. As many as 140 flights were delayed today as visibility at the capital’s airports was reduced to as […]
By Rodrigo OrihuelaAug 3, 2010 7:45 AM PDT Argentina is importing record amounts of energy as the coldest winter in 40 years drives up demand and causes natural-gas shortages, prompting Dow Chemical Co. and steelmaker Siderar SAIC to scale back production. Electricity supplied from Brazil and Paraguay rose to a daily combined record of about […]
By BRENT KALLESTAD, Associated Press Writer Tuesday, August 3, 2010 PANACEA, Fla. — On the chance that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill threatens some sea creatures with extinction, naturalist Jack Rudloe hopes his laboratory can save them. Rudloe has launched Operation Noah’s Ark, using his four-acre facility an hour south of Tallahassee to preserve […]
By CATHY ALEXANDERAugust 3, 2010 – 5:54PM (AAP) Cities may need “cool refuges” as climate change brings heat waves and the risk of mass casualties, engineers warn. They’ve raised the prospect of vulnerable people – including the elderly and the sick – heading into air-conditioned shopping malls to survive, possibly at night. The Australian Academy […]
Provided by American Physiological SocietyAugust 5, 2010 Human impact is causing lower oxygen and higher carbon dioxide levels in coastal water bodies. Increased levels of carbon dioxide cause the water to become more acidic, having dramatic effects on the lifestyles of the wildlife that call these regions home. The problems are expected to worsen if […]
