american geophysical union
How house paint pollutants make it into the environment
Anti-fungal and anti-bacterial additives in house paint are present in dangerous quantities in the Vauchère river basin in the city of Lausanne, says a study to be presented the 9th of December, at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference in Sa…
‘Double tsunami’ doubled Japan destruction
Researchers have discovered that the destructive tsunami generated by the March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake was a long-hypothesized “merging tsunami” that doubled in intensity over rugged ocean ridges, amplifying its destructive powe…
New drought record from long-lived Mexican trees may illuminate fates of past civilizations
WASHINGTON — A new, detailed record of rainfall fluctuations in ancient Mexico that spans more than twelve centuries promises to improve our understanding of the role drought played in the rise and fall of pre-Hispanic civilizations.
Prior e…
Pakistan floods last summer could have been predicted
WASHINGTON — Five days before intense monsoonal deluges unleashed vast floods across Pakistan last July, computer models at a European weather-forecasting center were giving clear indications that the downpours were imminent. Now, a new scientifi…
Improved measurements of sun to advance understanding of climate change
WASHINGTON — Scientists have taken a major step toward accurately determining the amount of energy that the sun provides to Earth, and how variations in that energy may contribute to climate change.
In a new study of laboratory and satellite …
NASA’s LRO creating unprecedented topographic map of moon
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is allowing researchers to create the most precise and complete map to date of the moon’s complex, heavily cratered landscape.
“This dataset is being used to make digital elevation and terrain maps that w…
Tiny 3-D images shed light on origin of Earth’s core
To answer the big questions, it often helps to look at the smallest details. That is the approach Stanford mineral physicist Wendy Mao is taking to understanding a major event in Earth’s inner history. Using a new technique to scrutinize how minute …
Wind turbines may benefit crops
AMES, Iowa — Wind turbines in Midwestern farm fields may be doing more than churning out electricity. The giant turbine blades that generate renewable energy might also help corn and soybean crops stay cooler and dryer, help them fend off fungal i…
URI geologist develops improved seismic model for monitoring nuclear explosions in Middle East
KINGSTON, R.I. — December 16, 2010 — Geologists from the University of Rhode Island and Princeton University, in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, have taken an important step toward helping the United States government…