Tree Rings May Underestimate Climate Response to Volcanic Eruptions

Some climate cooling caused by past volcanic eruptions may not be evident in tree-ring reconstructions of temperature change because large enough temperature drops lead to greatly shortened or even absent growing seasons, according to climate researchers,...

Contemporary Coriolanus

Given that I spend almost no time at the movies any more, I have to confess that I was drawn to reading reviews of Coriolanus, the directorial debut of Ralph Fiennes, who also plays the leading role. Much has been made of how Shakespeare’s conception...

Why I Am Not (currently) Reading Jonathan Franzen

I always seem to have a built-in skepticism towards books other people try to persuade me to read. This is probably because Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid was forced on me in its pre-publication form by a colleague I otherwise respected;...

The Good News About Carbon Storage in Tropical Vegetation

A study published in Nature Climate Change finds that tropical vegetation contains 21 percent more carbon than previous studies had suggested. Using a combination of remote sensing and field data, scientists from Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC), Boston...

Fears Grow in Burundi Over Looming Food Shortage

There are fears of a looming food shortage in Burundi after heavy rains damaged two successive harvests, say officials. How People Arrived Here: is there a food shortage in 2012

N. N. Vohra, Governor, Emphasizes the Need for Engendering an Environment of Lasting Peace And Normalcy

N. N. Vohra, Governor, has emphasized the need for engendering an environment of lasting peace and normalcy to ensure rapid progress and a bright future for the State. The Governor, as Chief Guest, was addressing the 39th Peace Conference organized by...

Life Discovered on Dead Hydrothermal Vents

Scientists at USC have uncovered evidence that even when hydrothermal sea vents go dormant and their blistering warmth turns to frigid cold, life goes on. Or rather, it is replaced. A team led by USC microbiologist Katrina Edwards found that the microbes...

Airborne Geophysical Survey Offers New Insight Into Permafrost in Alaska

A pioneering airborne electromagnetic survey in the Yukon Flats near Fort Yukon, Alaska, by the U.S. Geological Survey has yielded unprecedented images of the presence and absence of permafrost to depths of roughly 328 feet. How People Arrived Here:...

Mercury Deposition Greater Near Major U.S. Cities

Atmospheric deposition of mercury is about four-times higher in lakes near several major U.S. cities compared to lakes in remote areas, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey.