Scientists are investigating a possible link between tiny particles of pollution found in diesel fumes and the global collapse of honey bee colonies. Professor Guy Poppy, an ecologist, Dr Tracey Newman, a neuroscientist, and their team from the University of Southampton believe that minuscule particles, or ‘nanoparticles’, emitted from diesel engines could be affecting bees’ [...]

Unprecedented algae growth in some lakes could be linked to the decline of water calcium levels and the subsequent loss of an important algae-grazing organism that helps keep blooms at bay. Daphnia—also known as water fleas—act like microscopic lawnmowers in lakes, feeding on algae and keeping it in check. However, without sufficient calcium, these water [...]

President Obama named 13 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) researchers as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). This is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers who are early in their independent research careers. The DOE awardees are being recognized for their efforts [...]

Scientists are taking the first steps to improve estimates of long-term wind speed changes for the fast-growing wind energy sector. The research is intended to identify the risks for generators in a changing climate. Some recent international studies have shown a decrease in wind speeds in several parts of the globe, including across Australia. However, [...]

he way in which global warming causes many of the world’s organisms to shrink has been revealed by new research from Queen Mary, University of London. Almost all cold-blooded organisms are affected by a phenomenon known as the ‘temperature-size rule’, which describes how individuals of the same species reach a smaller adult size when reared [...]

Since founding the Green Belt Movement in Kenya in 1977 Dr Wangari Maathai helped protect people’s access to forests and natural resources. As a result of her work more than 20 million trees have been planted on farms, in schools and church grounds. Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. Your environment [...]

An international team of researchers will begin gathering in the Indian Ocean next month, using aircraft, ships, moorings, radars, numerical models and other tools to study how tropical weather brews there and moves eastward along the equator, with reverberating effects around the globe. This is the S-PolKa radar on Addu Atoll in the Indian Ocean, [...]

A new study has shown that living in a river valley at low altitude can increase the risk of developing lung problems. The research will be presented tomorrow (25 September 2011) at the European Respiratory Society’s (ERS) Annual Congress in Amsterdam. The ERS Congress will officially open today (24 September 2011). In the first study [...]