Earth

  1. Earth

    Muddy Waters

    Even though human activities such as agriculture and deforestation are sending more sediment into streams and rivers, less of that material is reaching river deltas, a trend that exacerbates problems such as subsidence and coastal erosion.

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  2. Earth

    School buses spew pollution into young lungs

    Children riding on school buses inhale heavy doses of diesel fumes, and reducing these emissions could be a cost-effective means of improving their health, a new study suggests.

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  3. Earth

    Portrait of destruction

    A new simulation suggests where the most damaging ground motions would occur if a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the San Andreas fault east of Los Angeles.

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  4. Earth

    Air pollution linked to wheat diseases

    The abundance of the air pollutant sulfur dioxide appears to influence which of two fungal pathogens plague more wheat plants.

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  5. Earth

    Mind the Gap: Inadequate monitoring at many U.S. volcanoes

    A report just released by the U.S. Geological Survey ranks the threats posed by the nation's volcanoes.

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  6. Earth

    Nanowaste: Predicting the environmental fate of buckyballs

    The potentially harmful effects of buckyballs in aquatic environments could vary depending on the chemistry of the water.

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  7. Earth

    Bed of Armor: Large rocks hold fast in flooding streams

    The relative proportions of rocks of various sizes in gravel-lined streams remain constant, even during substantial floods.

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  8. Agriculture

    Insecticide Inside: Gene-modified rice cuts chemical spraying in China

    In the hands of Chinese farmers, varieties of rice genetically modified to fend off insects reduce pesticide use and increase crop yields.

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  9. Earth

    Oysters under siege: Heat and pollution

    With global warming, some polluted waters could become graveyards for certain shellfish.

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  10. Earth

    Coming Storms: Method predicts intensity of U.S. hurricane seasons

    A new computer model that analyzes summer-wind patterns can help predict whether the United States will suffer a damaging hurricane season.

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  11. Earth

    Balloons, condoms release likely carcinogens

    Balloons and condoms that come in contact with body fluids discharge chemicals suspected of being human carcinogens.

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  12. Earth

    Rice with a Human Touch: Engineered grain uses gene from people to protect against herbicides

    A human gene inserted into rice enables that plant to break down an array of chemicals used to kill weeds.

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