Japan Earthquake Could Raise Concerns Elsewhere
Scientists sifting through data from the great Japan earthquake in March are uncovering surprises that may raise concerns nearby. This earthquake shifted seafloor by 79 feet: the largest slip ever recorded.
Seismic Shift? As Bahamas islands Sink, One Island Mysteriously Rises
All the islands in the Bahamas were thought to be slowly sinking, but now scientists made a surprise discovery of recent tectonic activity in a region that was up to now considered stable, finding one quirky isle going against the crowd.
Haiti’s Coastline Clean-Up
Every September, from Maine to Bangladesh, hundreds of thousands of people in more than 75 countries remove millions of pounds of trash from waterways and beaches all over the world during Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC); inspired by its success, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, has launched a range of activities across three regions of the country.
Senate Blocks GOP Bid to Speed Offshore Drilling
A bid to expand and hasten offshore oil drilling suffered an overwhelming defeat in the Senate, four days after President Barack Obama directed his administration to speed up decision-making on drilling permits and force previously scheduled lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and off the Alaska and Virginia coasts.
Environmental controls of giant kelp in the Santa Barbara Channel, California
Forests of giant kelp are located in temperate coastal regions throughout the world. They are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, and giant kelp itself provides food and habitat for numerous ecologically and economically important near-shore marine species.
Seaports Need a Plan for Weathering Climate Change, Researchers Say
A warming planet means rising oceans, but the majority of seaports around the world are unprepared for the potentially damaging impacts of climate change in the coming century, according to a new Stanford University study.
Louisiana’s Cajun country braces for historic flooding
Battered by recent hurricanes and last year’s BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, residents of Louisiana’s Cajun country are now bracing for the biggest river flood the area has seen in over eighty years.
Environmental and Health Hazards of Chemicals in Plastic Polymers, A Swedish Study
Many plastic products contain hazardous chemicals that can leach to the surroundings. In studies conducted at the University of Gothenburg, a third of the tested plastic products released toxic substances.
Obama announces steps to speed US oil production
Amid growing public unhappiness over gas prices, President Barack Obama is directing his administration to ramp up U.S. oil production by extending existing leases in the Gulf of Mexico and off Alaska’s coast and holding more frequent lease sales in a federal petroleum reserve in Alaska.