EarthScape

When you think of the words “garbage dump,” the first thoughts or images that spring forth from your mind probably aren’t related to art. But if you were to visit the Recology collection center in San Francisco, you would be seeing—and thinking about—trash in a whole new way. What you would witness is not only…

A rock is a rock. Unless it is Martian. The first Martian rock NASA’s Curiosity rover has reached out to touch presents a more varied composition than expected from previous missions. The rock also resembles some unusual rocks from Earth’s interior. The rover team used two instruments on Curiosity to study the chemical makeup of…

Current perception of climate change leads us to believe that sea levels are constantly rising due to thermal expansion and melting ice caps. However, from the beginning of 2010 until mid-2011, the average level of the world’s oceans dropped by 0.2 inches. According to a recent study in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, this sea…

Fibre from the stem of the banana plant can efficiently absorb oil spills that pollute coasts and threaten marine life says a new study by Indian researchers. Banana fibre, when treated with certain chemicals, can absorb up to 18 times their weight of oil, according to the study published last month (16 September) in the…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service extended Endangered Species Act protection to eight species of freshwater mussels and 1,494 miles of stream in Alabama and Florida today, following an agreement reached with the Center for Biological Diversity in 2011 to speed protection decisions for 757 species around the country. The mussels have been waiting in…

More research is needed to understand how ecosystems can help reduce disaster risks around the world, according to a report launched in Brussels, Belgium, today. The World Risk Report 2012 says that human development activities have “massively raised the hazard potential”. It cites the destruction of coral reefs and mangrove forests in South-East Asia —…

Brazil will set up a special environmental security force in an effort to stem rising deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, reports AFP. In a statement, Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira said the new body will be backed by the army, the federal police and the Brazilian Environment Institution (IBAMA). The force will be charged with permanent…

The popular Waze smartphone navigation app recently introduced a new feature – a water pollution detector. The feature aims to tell users if the lake or river they pass by or intend on swimming in while hiking or camping across Israel, suffers from pollution. The feature is the brainchild of the app’s architects and Zalul…

As dedicated coffee drinker, I don’t really need more reasons to drink more of the heavenly drink! There are some negatives for some, like difficulty getting to sleep after drinking regular coffee, but more studies seem to show benefits from coffee, both from regular, and also from decaffe. A recent study by the University of…

Good Foods Market & Cafe in Lexington, Kentucky, is a locally owned cooperative business, with 120 employees and 5,500+ members, that has set an amazing example of a commercial establishment focusing on sustainability, local, natural, organic and whole foods. Store Manager Dan Arnett and his staff have examined the store’s day-to-day operations to determine ways…