Monster Boats in Kiribati
The fishing communities of Kiribati speak about their loss of livelihood and erosion of their culture at the hands of destructive and oversized fishing vessels operating under European flags, ownership or management. Overfishing is a global problem with alarming and indisputable consequences: 90% of global fish stocks are currently overexploited.
Saltwater Moves Into Drinking Water Aquifers
Saltwater has migrated inland into freshwater aquifers that supply hundreds of private and public wells in the New Hanover County, North Carolina, according to a new U.S.G.S report. The results of the study are a telltale sign of how the demand from a population that has exploded since the 1990s has affected aquifers, sources that will continue to be pressured if population growth projections are fulfilled …
Seismic Speed Bumps Found in Chile’s Earthquake Zone
Two blobs of dense rock jammed deep beneath Chile’s coastline acted like seismic speed bumps during the magnitude-8.8 Maule earthquake in 2010, according to a new study.
Massive Geographic Change May Have Triggered Rise in Sea Level and Explosion of Animal Life
New research suggests a major tectonic event may have triggered the rise in sea level and other environmental changes that accompanied the apparent burst of life, 530 million years ago during the Cambrian explosion.
Oceans Arrived Early to Earth, New Study Finds
Earth is known as the Blue Planet because of its oceans, which cover more than 70 percent of the planet’s surface and are home to the world’s greatest diversity of life. While water is essential for life on the planet, the answers to two key questions have eluded us: where did Earth’s water come from and when?
Fragment of Ancient Australia Found Under Vanuatu
A fragment of ancient Australia has been found under Vanuatu in the South Pacific, raising questions about how continents are formed, researchers say.
Tracing Our Ancestors at the Bottom of the Sea
Researchers are studying traces of prehistoric sea-submerged settlements. Some of these drowned sites are tens of thousands of years old, and have been found in the coastal waters and open sea basins around Europe. The drowned land includes some of the earliest routes from Africa into Europe, and the areas where people survived during the multiple Ice Ages.
Super-sized ships: How big can they get?
Despite the physical limits and risks, ships of more than 450m are anticipated within the next five years.
September Was Warmest on Record, NASA Data Shows
Like August before it, September 2014 was the warmest September on record, according to newly updated NASA data.