Warming and drought may force modern Mongolians from their land, but unusually wet weather helped the rise of the Mongolian empire in the 1200s, a new study suggests.
Kevin Krajick/Earth Institute, Columbia Univ.
Earth & Environment
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Two spotted seals, named Amak and Tumu, were orphaned as pups and raised at the Long Marine Laboratory at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Hearing tests revealed that the animals hear frequencies that may mean they are susceptible to the effects of anthropogenic noise
C. Reichmuth
UP IN THE AIR Clouds can both warm and cool the planet. How clouds will respond to global warming is the largest source of uncertainty in climate change predictions.
NASA
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Climate
Science TickerWarm, wet weather may have helped Genghis Khan rule
Mild, wet weather — not drought — may have helped Genghis Khan expand the Mongolian empire to the largest in human history.Note: To comment, Science News subscribing members must now establish a separate login relationship with Disqus. Click the Disqus icon below, enter your e-mail and click “forgot password” to reset your password. You may also log into Disqus using Facebook, Twitter or Google.
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Cloudy forecast
Over decades climatologists have grown more confident in their projections of the future impact of greenhouse gas emissions. But whether shifts in cloudiness will amplify global warming continues to vex researchers. -
Earth
Science TickerAge of Earth’s crust confirmed
Decaying atoms traced in zircon uphold dating of Earth's crust at about 4.374 billion years old.Note: To comment, Science News subscribing members must now establish a separate login relationship with Disqus. Click the Disqus icon below, enter your e-mail and click “forgot password” to reset your password. You may also log into Disqus using Facebook, Twitter or Google.
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Magma spends most of its existence as sludgy mush
Volcanic magma may spend most of its time in a chunky state resembling cold porridge, a new study finds. -
Agriculture
Science Stats
Where antibiotics go
Of the 51 tons of antibiotics consumed every day in the United States, about 80 percent goes into animal production.News
Some bioenergy crops are greener than others
In the Upper Midwest, switchgrass trumps maize at boosting ecological health. -
Ecosystems
News
Amazon doesn’t actually go green in dry seasons
An optical illusion in satellite data made forests appear to grow faster.News
Trees’ growth keeps climbing with age
Older trees pack on weight faster, making them potentially the best carbon collectors. -
Toxicology
Science TickerHandling receipts increases exposure to BPA
People who handle cash register receipts printed on thermal paper show notable exposure to bisphenol A.Note: To comment, Science News subscribing members must now establish a separate login relationship with Disqus. Click the Disqus icon below, enter your e-mail and click “forgot password” to reset your password. You may also log into Disqus using Facebook, Twitter or Google.
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How oil breaks fish hearts
Hydrocarbons that spill into oceans stifle the beat of tuna cardiac cells. -
Pollution
News in Brief
Legionnaires’ disease bacteria lurk in tap water
Found in nearly half of faucets, contamination could explain sporadic cases of disease.News in BriefProtein fibers trap greenhouse gas
The method could scrub exhaust from cars and power plants. -
Sustainability
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Oceans
News in BriefUnknowns linger for sea mining
Scientists struggle to predict underwater digs’ effects on sea life.News
Extremely salty water is at least 100 million years old
Supersaline sediments off East Coast shed light on Atlantic Ocean’s early history.
