7.7 magnitude earthquake causes small tsunami on South Pacific islands
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake caused a small tsunami to wash ashore on South Pacific islands Friday. No damage has been reported, and the threat passed in a few hours......»»
Stay or go? Pacific Islanders face climate"s grim choice
Rising waters are slowly but surely swallowing Carnie Reimers's backyard in the Marshall Islands, pushing her toward an agonizing choice: stay in the only home she's ever known or leave and face the prospect of becoming a climate refugee......»»
Drought reduces Amazon River in Colombia by as much as 90%: report
The Amazon River has seen its levels in Colombia reduced by as much as 90 percent, a government agency said Thursday, as South America faces a severe and widespread drought......»»
The 1963 Ford Cardinal—too radical for America at the time
Here's what happened when Ford tried to react to the Volkswagen Beetle. Enlarge / This was supposed to be Ford's answer to the VW Beetle, a small, light, efficient, front-wheel drive car called Cardinal. (credit: Ford).....»»
Hummingbirds thrive on an extreme lifestyle. Here’s how.
Nightly suspended animation, sugary diet, backwards flight, and long migrations help. Enlarge / Hummingbirds—like this golden-tailed sapphire from South America—draw the eye with their bright colors and busy, hovering flight......»»
Are branch faults the "on-ramps" that lead to great continental transform earthquakes?
The five largest continental transform earthquakes since 2000 all originated on a branch of the main fault—and two researchers predict that the next great earthquake of this type will also get its start on a branch or splay fault......»»
Bird study shows that grounded running styles conserve energy
A small team of biologists and animal movement specialists in the Netherlands and the U.K. has found that birds such as the emu have a grounded running style at medium speeds, allowing them to conserve energy compared to the ungrounded running style.....»»
South Florida study finds mosquito populations increased dramatically after Hurricane Irma
More than 600 cellphone towers were inoperable. Close to 900,000 Florida Power and Light customers were left without electricity. Flooding in portions of Coconut Grove and Matheson Hammock Park reached 6 feet. And agricultural damages totaled $245 mi.....»»
Ecuador capital "under attack" from five wildfires
Firefighters battled five blazes on the outskirts of Ecuador's capital Quito on Wednesday, as wildfires continue to rip through South American nations turned into tinderboxes by droughts linked to climate change......»»
NASA analysis shows irreversible sea level rise for Pacific islands
In the next 30 years, Pacific Island nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Fiji will experience at least 8 inches (15 centimeters) of sea level rise, according to an analysis by NASA's sea level change science team. This amount of rise will occur reg.....»»
Small accounts, big decisions: How multiple savings impact retirement payout choices
New study shows that retirees are more likely to cash out smaller retirement accounts instead of turning them into steady income streams, even though they might do the opposite with larger accounts. This choice can hurt their long-term financial secu.....»»
Vintage museum collection and modern research intersect in century-long bee study
At a tranquil nature reserve in South Michigan, an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist and her collaborators connected olden wild bee sample collections and modern technology to better decode the ecological traits and habits of pollinators,.....»»
Climate scientists sound alarm over Asia"s rising seas
Immediate action is needed at all levels to protect communities in the Asia Pacific from sea levels that are rising significantly faster than the global average, say climate scientists ahead of the next key UN climate summit......»»
What are "rent tech" platforms? Action on reining in these exploitative tools is long overdue
This week the New South Wales government announced it would introduce legislation that ensures renters are offered convenient, fee-free options to pay their rent......»»
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review: tiny, terrific earbuds
Google's latest earbuds are astonishingly small and light, yet offer better ANC and sound quality than the first-gen Pixel Buds Pro......»»
Small firms may offer higher pay due to a lack of market power
Small companies may post higher wages for entry level positions than large companies—potentially attracting better talent, even though the larger companies have more influence on the market, according to new Cornell research......»»
Governor launches effort to protect rivers, water supplies as growth booms in SC
Gov. Henry McMaster took steps Tuesday to jump start plans for protecting South Carolina rivers and groundwater, forming a commission to study how to manage the water supplies that often spark disputes among businesses, farmers, environmentalists and.....»»
The "publish or perish" mentality is fueling research paper retractions—and undermining science
When scientists make important discoveries, both big and small, they typically publish their findings in scientific journals for others to read. This sharing of knowledge helps to advance science: it can, in turn, lead to more important discoveries......»»
Tree frog tadpoles have a unique way of not contaminating their water supply: Not pooping
The Eiffinger's tree frog (Kurixalus eiffingeri), found on Ishigaki and Iriomote islands in Japan, has a unique biological adaptation: its tadpoles do not defecate during their early developmental stages. This finding by researchers at Nagoya Univers.....»»
How a butterfly invasion minimizes genetic diversity
Until a few years ago, the butterfly known as the southern small white could barely be found north of the Alps. That was before a Europe-wide invasion that brought a huge increase in the insect's distribution—at the same time as a rapid decrease in.....»»
Two killed in Mexico as Hurricane John weakens to tropical storm
At least two people died after Hurricane John slammed into Mexico's southern Pacific coast overnight, authorities reported Tuesday, with the cyclone since downgraded to a tropical storm and expected to weaken further......»»