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Archive for February 22nd, 2011
Solving the mystery of the bizarre deformed frogs
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 22nd, 2011
Guardian: For the last two decades, strange things have been happening to frogs. Some frog populations have high rates of limb deformities, while others have high incidences of what is known as "intersex" -- traits associated with both males and females, such as male frogs whose testes contain eggs. David K. Skelly, professor of ecology at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, set out to discover what was causing these deformities, which some researchers were attributing to the use of an...
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Australia: How we’ll adapt to climate change
Posted by Yass Tribune: None Given on February 22nd, 2011
Yass Tribune: A new report released by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation helps to explain what drives farmers’ decision making in relation to climate change.
“This new report looks at how different kinds of farmers react to the prospect of climate change adaptation, and the factors that impact on their decision making,” Mr Craig Burns, RIRDC Managing Director said.
“The study found that health and social factors were key attributes of farmers who were seeking to move towards more...
Exposés on BP Spill and Afghanistan Win Polk Awards
Posted by New York Times: Robert D. McFADDEN on February 22nd, 2011
New York Times: Investigative reports that exposed the devastating environmental and economic impact of the oil spill last year in the Gulf of Mexico and leadership failings in America’s military mission in Afghanistan were among the winners of 13 George Polk Awards for 2010 announced on Monday by Long Island University. Correspondents of The New York Times won two awards, for military and foreign reporting, and staff members of the independent investigative news group ProPublica shared two awards in collaborative...
Escaping The Rainforest
Posted by Wall Street Journal: Gerard Helferich on February 22nd, 2011
Wall Street Journal: When we think of the men who mapped the New World's rivers, we tend to conjure up schoolbook scenes like Hernando de Soto crossing the Mississippi and Henry Hudson sailing into New York Harbor. And though these celebrated seekers may not have found what they were looking for--gold, the northwest passage to Asia--they were spurred on by the hope of discovering something great. But the first man to trace the premier river of earth, the Amazon, was only trying to find his way home. Francisco de Orellana...
Climate change affecting safety of world’s food supplies: Study
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 22nd, 2011
Asian News International: A Michigan State University professor has said that climate change is already having an effect on the safety of the world’s food supplies and unless action is taken it’s only going to get worse. “Accelerating climate change is inevitable with implications for animal products and crops,” said Ewen Todd, an MSU professor of advertising, public relations and retailing, who also is an AAAS Fellow. “At this point, the effects of climate change on food safety are poorly understood.” However, Todd said...
Australia: Climate change could lead to more extreme weather
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 22nd, 2011
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: A senior weather forecaster has reiterated that climate change could cause more extreme weather events in Australia.
Dr David Jones is the head of climate monitoring and prediction at the weather bureau in Melbourne and was speaking at conference on emergency responses to major disasters.
Dr Jones says a warmer climate could trigger floods, storms and cyclones that might be less frequent, but more severe.
"The other thing is as the atmosphere warms, it can actually hold more moisture, and...
Global warming likely to reduce rainfall in western Australia
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 22nd, 2011
Economic Times: Global warming is "likely" to reduce rainfall in the western Australian states, according to a top climate change official of the country today. "The evidence is very strong that there is a climate change link to south-western Australia's rainfall hanges," Blair Comley, the Secretary of the Department of Climate Change, told the Senate estimates hearing, according to AAP. Scientific findings showed a 90 per cent probability of higher temperatures affecting south-western Australia, Comely said,...