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SCIENCE

2012-05-15T00:00:00Z

The Science of Climate Change

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Climate Change Will Outpace Animals' Ability to Find New Habitats

2012-05-15T00:00:00Z

As the climate changes over the next century, the ranges of nearly 90 percent of mammal species will shrink — in many cases because animals won't be able to get to areas where the climate is going to become suitable for them, says new research. Across the Western Hemisphere, the study also found, nearly 10 percent of mammals will be unable to move f

Sponsors Flee Heartland Institute

2012-05-15T00:00:00Z

Heartland Institute was cut off by three more corporate donors, further isolating the ultra-conservative thinktank from the mainstream business world. The defections reinforce the sense of Heartland's isolation, ahead of its major climate contrarian conference in Chicago next week. A number of prominent speakers also pulled out of the conference after Heartla

El Nino and La Nina: A Brief Explainer

2012-05-12T00:00:00Z

Why do El Nino and La Nina trigger weather chaos?

Reuters, May 10, 2012

Conservative Funders Aim to Build National Anti-Windpower Movement

2012-05-09T00:00:00Z

A number of rightwing organisations, including Americans for Prosperity, which is funded by the billionaire Koch brothers, are attacking Obama for his support for solar and wind power. The American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec), which also has financial links to the Kochs, has drafted bills to overturn state laws promoting wind energy. A confidential strategy m

April 2011-April 2012 Warmest in US Record

2012-05-09T00:00:00Z

The previous 12 months were the warmest in the U.S. since record keeping began in 1895, government scientists reported, with the period averaging 55.7 degrees Fahrenheit — nearly three degrees warmer than the average May-April.

In an ad, the Heartland Institute compared global warming advocates to Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Charles Manson and possibly Osama bin Laden.

Panetta Stresses Security Threat of Climate Inaction

2012-05-04T00:00:00Z

Climate change and oil dependence are issues of national security, and the Pentagon will take a lead role in shifting the way the country uses energy, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said. Panetta became the highest-level official to draw a clear line between environmental, energy and security issues since their relationship was formally established in Pentagon strate

Drop in Ocean Salinity Intensifies Weather Extremes

2012-04-27T00:00:00Z

Scientists have detected a clear change in salinity of the world's oceans and have found that the cycle that drives rainfall and evaporation has intensified more than thought because of global warming. The finding helps refine estimates of how different parts of the globe will be affected by increased rainfall or more intense droughts as the planet

Warming Ocean Speeds Antarctic Melt

2012-04-26T00:00:00Z

Scientists have long known that the wide platforms of ice extending from the southernmost continent have been shrinking away. But what's behind the melting hasn't been clear — whether warm ocean currents or surface winds have a bigger impact on the ice. Now, a new satellite survey of Antarctica places the blame largely on the water

Arctic Ocean Found to Emit Large Amount of Methane

2012-04-25T00:00:00Z

The fragile and rapidly changing Arctic region is home to large reservoirs of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. As Earth's climate warms, the methane, frozen in reservoirs stored in Arctic tundra soils or marine sediments, is vulnerable to being released into the atmosphere, where it can add to global warming. Now a multi-institutional study by Eric Kort of NAS

April Storm Drops 10 Inches of Snow in New York state

2012-04-23T00:00:00Z

75,000, hits town with 10 inches of snow

msnbc.com, April 23, 2012

Extreme Weather Profile: January -- June, 2012

2012-04-23T00:00:00Z

In the Midwestern US, record breaking warmth spread eastward across the nation's midsection in early January, with temperatures as much as 40 degrees F above average more . . . Researchers have found that climate change is likely to have far greater influence on the volatility of corn prices over the next three decades than factors that recently have been blamed for price swings — like oil

Poll: Public Beginning to Link Weather Extremes to Warming

2012-04-19T00:00:00Z

Scientists may hesitate to link some of the weather extremes of recent years to global warming -- — but the public, it seems, is already there. A poll due for release on Wednesday shows that a large majority of Americans believe that this year’s unusually warm winter, last year’s blistering summer and some other weather disaste

Warming Risks Extinction of 46 US Coral Species

2012-04-16T00:00:00Z

More than half of 82 species of coral being evaluated for inclusion under the Endangered Species Act "more likely than not" would go extinct by 2100 if climate policies and technologies remain the same, federal scientists concluded. The experts cited "anthropogenic," or manmade, releases of carbon dioxide as a key driver of warming

Britain Parched by Worst Drought in 36 Years

2012-04-16T00:00:00Z

Half of Britain is now in drought as the country faces its most severe water shortage since 1976, the Environment Agency warns.

More than 35 million people are now living in drought-affected areas, wi

Midwestern US Hit by 112 Tornadoes

2012-04-15T00:00:00Z