9 quirky facts about the platypus
It’s possible to run out of adjectives when it comes to describing the platypus. This unique creature, endemic to Australia, has confounded scientists since its discovery. We still don’t know a great deal about the semi-aquatic animal, or the secrets…
Sticky notes offer messages of hope after student scrawls cry for help on bathroom wall
When teacher Ashley Ferraro was in the girls’ bathroom at her Colorado high school, she noticed a message of despair scribbled on the wall. “Is life worth all the BS?” it said. Her first instinct was to erase it, the…
What is astrophysics?
Observational astronomy and astrophysics work together to further our understanding of the cosmos. Astrophysicists apply the laws of physics and physical theories to interpret the light gathered by observational astronomers.
Day of remembrance: Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
After 24 successful missions, shuttle launches seemed routine. That’s why those watching the launch of the space shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986, started out excited, but soon were in a state of disbelief. Then NASA confirmed the worst.
BRAZIL: Rio residents try to bring green to a concrete jungle
Alê Roque wanders an untamed orchard in Rio de Janeiro, pushing aside leaves to point out what she helped plant last year. “This is cacao, developing well. … Look at this lime tree, it’s full. … Lots and lots of tomato. … That one’s acai,” she says. It seems there’s always more. “Ginger … avocado … pineapple … sweet potato.”
OCEANS: Study links heat wave, habitat shift and whale entanglements
Ocean warming has led to more whales being entangled in fishing gear off the California coast, according to research published yesterday in Nature Communications.
ENERGY: Researchers offer new ways to cut solar energy costs
To lower the price of solar energy, a team of U.S. researchers suggests in a new paper that manufacturers go thin.
WILDFIRES: What drives Calif. blazes: Climate or forest management?
Wildfire experts are offering Congress sharply contrasting views on the primary cause of California’s recent wildfires, as some blame climate change and others cite forest management.
TECHNOLOGY: Photovoltaic plants make Hawaii a clean power test bed
Can a device given the somewhat baffling name of “PV peaker plant” begin to solve some of the nation’s most pressing climate-related energy problems?
AGRICULTURE: Climate change is coming for the wine industry
It may be a good time to start stocking up on your favorite merlot or chardonnay — even the wine industry isn’t safe from climate change, research suggests. The effects of rising temperatures have already caused some noticeable shifts in the grape business, opening up new growing areas in some parts of the world and threatening others.
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