Solar array upgrade planned for 3rd ISS spacewalk June 25

A June 25 spacewalk will help give the International Space Station a solar array upgrade, a 20 to 30% power boost aimed at another decade of science operations.

The post Solar array upgrade planned for 3rd ISS spacewalk June 25 first appeared on EarthSky.

Federal Judge Ends Long-Running Dakota Access Pipeline Lawsuit

A federal judge has dismissed the Standing Rock Sioux lawsuit to stop operations of the Dakota Access pipeline, bringing to an end the long-running legal fight in a defeat for anti-pipeline forces. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who has presided…

Is Zubeneschamali a green star?

Professional astronomers can explain to you why stars can’t look green. Yet many stargazers swear that Zubeneschamali proves otherwise.

The post Is Zubeneschamali a green star? first appeared on EarthSky.

Solstice sunset from Penang, Malaysia

What a beauty! This EarthSky community member used a telescope to capture the solstice sunset from Malaysia on June 21, 2021.

The post Solstice sunset from Penang, Malaysia first appeared on EarthSky.

Wildfires Threaten Urban Water Supplies, Long After the Flames Are Out

The Cameron Peak Fire burned 208,000 acres, more than half of them in the Poudre watershed. Mr. Bowker and many others had spent the spring poring over maps, prepared by federal agencies following aerial surveys, that showed the severity of…

Climate watchdog says Britain lacks a strategy to meet its goals.

An influential watchdog group on Thursday said the British government was doing far too little to implement the ambitious pledges it has made on tackling climate change. Although the government has promised to cut its greenhouse emissions to net zero…

New findings on body axis formation

(University of Heidelberg) In the animal kingdom, specific growth factors control body axis development. They are produced by a small group of cells at one end of the embryo to be distributed in a graded fashion toward the opposite pole. Through this, discrete spatial patterns arise that determine the correct formation of the head-foot axis. Heidelberg researchers have discovered an enzyme in the freshwater polyp Hydra that shapes this process by limiting the activity of certain growth factors.

Vegetation growth in Northern Hemisphere stunted by water constraints in warming climate

(Indiana University) A first-of-its-kind study of vegetation growth in the Northern Hemisphere over the past 30 years has found that vegetation is becoming increasingly water-limited as global temperatures increase, which has the potential to reduce plants’ ability to absorb atmospheric CO2, increasing greenhouse gasses.

‘Worst is yet to come’: Disastrous future ahead for millions worldwide due to climate change, report warns – USA TODAY

The report, which is scheduled for official release next year, is the most comprehensive rundown to date of the impacts of climate change on our planet and our species. “The worst is yet to come, affecting our children’s and grandchildren’s…

Exxon must face Massachusetts lawsuit alleging climate change deceit – Reuters

June 23 (Reuters) – A Massachusetts state judge has rejected Exxon Mobil Corp’s (XOM.N) bid to dismiss a lawsuit by state Attorney General Maura Healey accusing the oil company of misleading consumers and investors about its role in climate change….