Oct 3rd, 2011 at 3:00PM:
One of the most important battlefields of the Revolutionary War is going to be excavated by archaeologists ahead of an EPA cleanup.
Back in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, General Electric dumped polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River near Saratoga, New York. The dumping was banned in 1977 due to risks to public health, and the EPA has ordered GE to dredge up the affected silt from ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
environmental posts
Revolutionary War battlefield of Saratoga to be excavated
Oct 3rd, 2011 at 3:00PM:
One of the most important battlefields of the Revolutionary War is going to be excavated by archaeologists ahead of an EPA cleanup.
Back in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, General Electric dumped polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River near Saratoga, New York. The dumping was banned in 1977 due to risks to public health, and the EPA has ordered GE to dredge up the affected silt from ...Can stem cell research save endangered species?
Sep 6th, 2011 at 1:00PM: New advances in stem cell research are giving hope in the fight to save endangered species.
Scientists have created stem cells for two endangered African species--the northern white rhino and the drill monkey. They "reprogrammed" skin cells to make them revert to stem cells, an early stage of cell development in which a cell can develop into different types of specialized cells.
It's hoped ...Four natural wonders added to UNESCO World Heritage List
Jul 15th, 2011 at 8:00AM: The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, also known as UNESCO, has added four new locations to its list of World Heritage sites. The destinations fall under the category of "natural wonders," and were cited for their spectacular beauty, biodiversity, and importance to the surrounding ecosystems.
Newly added to the list was Japan's Ogasawara Islands, which are home ...Conservation victory: Serengeti highway plans cancelled
Jun 26th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
Plans to build a paved, two-lane highway through the Serengeti National Park have been canceled.
The road, which was supposed to bring better access to Lake Victoria, will possibly be rerouted further south to avoid having an impact on the Serengeti's rich wildlife.
There's already a gravel road across the park, but paving it would have attracted much more traffic and probably fencing. The ...National Geographic announces Emerging Explorers for 2011
May 20th, 2011 at 8:00AM: National Geographic has revealed their selections for the 2011 Emerging Explorers program, which spotlights outstanding scientists and adventurers who are doing great things, even at the early stages of their career. The awards, which are given on a yearly basis, include a $10,000 grant to assist the recipients in furthering their work, which can be in any number of diverse fields.
There are 14 ...Record numbers of humpback whales spotted near Antarctica
May 3rd, 2011 at 8:00AM: For many travelers, whale-spotting is a moving, and sometimes life altering, experience. Those massive, yet graceful, creatures are unlike anything else on Earth, and getting the opportunity to see one up close is an experience that shouldn't be missed. One of the more common species, the humpback whale, have recently been spotted in record numbers off the coast of Antarctica, in a display that ...British woman rowing across the Indian Ocean
Apr 14th, 2011 at 8:30AM: British ocean rower Roz Savage just can't seem to stay at home. The adventurous 43-year old has already conquered both the Atlantic and Pacific, and now has her sights squarely set on rowing across the Indian Ocean as well. She set out from Fremantle, Australia yesterday and is now making her way to Mumbai, India in a voyage that is expected to cover more than 4000 miles and take four and a half ...New water bottle stations in Grand Canyon make park safer, more "green"
Apr 13th, 2011 at 8:30AM: Stretching for 277 miles through the Arizona desert, the Grand Canyon is amongst the more impressive natural wonders you'll ever see. It is over 6000 feet in depth and at its widest point, it is 18 miles across. Everything about the place is truly epic in scale, and that is why the park receives nearly 4.5 million visitors a year. But all those visitors can have an impact on the environment there, ...Rwanda pledges to save the environment
Mar 12th, 2011 at 8:00AM: The United Nations has declared 2011 as the "Year of the Forests" as it continues to work to encourage nations across the globe to take sustainable actions to protect the planet's woodlands. One of the first countries to answer the call to action is Rwanda, which has laid out an ambitious plan to protect its jungles, even as it struggles to develop economically.
As most people know, Rwanda was ...England plans to sell all its public forests
Jan 27th, 2011 at 9:30AM: English environmentalists, hikers, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and pretty much everybody else is up in arms about a UK government plan to sell off all the woodlands managed by the Forestry Commission in England, the BBC reports.
The Forestry Commission manages 18 percent of all England's forests, some 2,500 sq km (965 sq miles). A portion of the forests are already being sold to raise ...Whale burps found on Lake Superior shore
Jan 21st, 2011 at 10:00AM: If you're unclear on what a whale burp is, you're not the only one. Often misconstrued to be connected in some way to whales (and I wonder why that is... ), whale burps are actually purely environmental--no whales necessary. They don't look too unlike rubberband balls. Except they're made up of pine needles, bird shells, twigs, and other natural debris... as well as a disconcerting unnatural item: ...Piracy reached record levels in 2010
Jan 18th, 2011 at 9:30AM:
Pirate hijackings in the Red Sea and nearby waters reached their highest levels ever, the Associated Press reports.
Pirate hijackings worldwide claimed 1,181 hostages and 53 vessels, a rise of ten percent since 2009. Of these, 49 ships were taken by Somali gunmen in the Red Sea or nearby waters in the Indian Ocean. Somali piracy has been the biggest problem area despite an international fleet ...Australia floods leave tourist industry in peril
Jan 12th, 2011 at 7:30AM:
The terrible floods in Queensland, Australia, have destroyed thousands of homes, done billions of dollars of damage, and have left at least a dozen people dead. Queensland is a major coal exporter, and with the rising waters hampering shipments and flooding mines, world coal prices have risen. A major consumer of Queensland coal are Asian steel mills, which are already feeling the pinch. This ...British team sets new speed record for Antarctic crossing
Dec 27th, 2010 at 8:00AM: In late November, a group of British adventurers and scientists set off on a mission to the interior of the Antarctic continent in specially designed research vehicles. Their plan was to undertake several environmental research experiments while journeying through one of the most in hospitable environments on the planet, but they also managed to set a new speed record for an Antarctic crossing at ...Feds threaten: cruise line pollution must stop
Dec 9th, 2010 at 4:30PM: New emission rules for cruise ships and other large vessels are set to go into effect in late 2013.
A United Nations plan to control emissions from ships sailing within 200 nautical miles of the U.S. and Canadian coasts initially excluded the U.S, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico which pretty much left the Caribbean wide open for uncontrolled cruise line pollution.
Ships often use lower ...Controversy over development near Victoria Falls
Nov 13th, 2010 at 9:00AM:
Environmentalists are complaining that the tour company Shearwater Adventures has violated national and international law by expanding their luxury resort into the rainforest near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Shearwater has constructed a new restaurant, bar, kitchen, and information center next to the public entrance to the World Heritage Site. A lawyer for Shearwater insists the development is ...Historic town fights federal government and lead poisoning
Nov 10th, 2010 at 11:30AM: You may never have heard of Caledonia, Missouri, but it's one of the most historic spots in the state. While the town has fewer than two hundred residents, its tiny downtown is filled with old homes and shops. It boasts 33 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and a steady stream of visitors who take up the town's invitation to "step back in time".
Sadly, that all might be in ...IAATO explains climate change for Antarctic travelers
Nov 10th, 2010 at 8:30AM: The International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) continues to be a great source of information and education for travelers heading south to the frozen continent. Last week we told you about their efforts to keep the sailors aboard private yachts, well informed of the issues involved with navigating the Antarctic waters, helping to make the region even safer for travel. But beyond ...Ship made of plastic bottles completes trans-Pacific voyage
Jul 27th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Way back in March we told you about the Plastiki, a ship made almost entirely out of plastic bottles, that was setting out from San Francisco to complete a crossing of the Pacific Ocean. The plan was for the ship, and her crew, to sail to Sydney, Australia, by way of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, in an effort to raise awareness of the impact that we are having on the Earth's environment, most ...Ghost Forest brings attention to rainforest threat
Jul 12th, 2010 at 4:30PM:
A Ghost Forest is stalking Europe.
Giant trees from Ghana have appeared in Copenhagen, Trafalgar Square in London, and now Oxford. It's called the Ghost Forest Art Project, and it's an innovative way to bring the plight of the world's rainforests to public attention.
Artist Angela Palmer wanted to share her concern with the public about tropical rainforests, which are disappearing fast. An ...
