ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE

East Coast storm threatens Thanksgiving travel

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE Cars make their way through the Washington bridge in New York November 26, 2014. A blast of rain and snow along the East Coast is threatening to snarl traffic and disrupt flights for millions of Americans at the start of the long Thanksgiving weekend, traditionally the busiest time of the year for U.

You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks, But You Can’t Clean Up Their Drinking Habits

Any pet lover knows that it comes as no surprise to discover that dogs aren’t quite as graceful as their feline friends, the cat. While a kitten will take a hundred little sips to lap up a saucer of milk, a puppy will likely splatter the milk all over the floor before drooling out half of the contents – and we love them for that. But while you may chalk up the messy behavior to a carefree disposition or a hasty nature, behavioral ethologists who study the exquisite techniques of getting a drink have recently discovered that cats and dogs have distinct strategies of their own. And each one benefits the species in its own unique way.

Grand Canyon Wolf—Female Offers New Hope of Grand Canyon Pack’s Return

Earlier this month when news broke that an endangered gray wolf from the northern Rocky Mountains may have made its way all the way to the national forest near Grand Canyon National Park, environmentalists and national park officials questioned the highly unlikely scenario of a lone wolf returning to the park where they were driven to extinction over six decades ago. But new DNA tests, conducted on feces remnants collected by park officials, confirmed on Friday Nov. 21 that the suspect captured in pictures throughout the park since Oct. 30 is indeed a lone wolf – and a female at that.

How Crops Will Change the Atmosphere of the Future—CO2 On the Rise

There’s a lot more to consider when looking at climate change in future models than meets the eye. Yes carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels plays a part, but so can the simple changes in the agricultural practices that feed a growing world. And a new study published this week in the journal Nature reveals that levels of carbon dioxide will likely be on the rise, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, as summer heat and the tail-end of the growing season will spark major crop plants to release CO2 in parts of the growing season.

How a Crop Found in Beer Helped Early Man Survive in Frigid Tibetan Plateau

In spite of the harsh climate, freezing many regions of Tibet’s upper plateaus in the mountains of Asia, researchers have uncovered a rich anthropological history of the past amidst frozen objects of the past. And what they reveal is that even in the far off past, the surmounting odds against survival in the region known as the “Roof of the World” created many interesting challenges for ancient man.

How Early Man Survived at the ‘Roof of the World’—And Found the Secret to Beer Too

For early man, surviving and conquering niche environments, like that of the Tibetan Plateau of Asia, was a difficult task that required the perfect combination of conditions. Tribes needed to learn how to work together, to traverse harsh terrain, to find/build shelter, and above all they had to learn how to feed themselves year-round. And while the surmounting odds of surviving the domain known as the “Roof of the World” were stacked against them, with extreme altitudes, relentless winds, frigid temperatures and low-oxygen conditions complicating the living conditions they had in their new home, researchers now say that early men were able to conquer this uninhabited ecosystem thanks to a cold-hardy crop used to make beer – barley.

Wandering Northwoods Moose Suddenly Found Dead on Sleepy Eye Farm

It’s been a strange story from the beginning, but now it’s taken an even more tragic turn for the worse. Nearly two weeks ago reporters in Minnesota revealed that a large 7-foot-tall moose, native to the habitat of Northwoods, travelled hundreds of miles to the farmlands of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota and found a temporary new home in Verna and Leonard Wendiner’s backyard.

Massive Crater in Siberia Sparks Conversations of UFOs and Bermuda Triangle

For those who have ventured to Siberia in their lifetime, you know that there is a mysterious air about the desolate arctic tundra plains. But earlier this summer when a giant sinkhole was discovered in northern Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula, researchers realized just how strange it may be.

In Chimpanzee Sexual Selection, Nice Guys Finish Last

Behavioral studies of our close relatives the chimpanzee often reveal origins of what we believe to be distinctly “human” interactions. Grooming behavior, child rearing and even gang formation have all been identified in chimpanzee populations, but in a recent study conducted in Tanzania, researchers from Arizona State University say that they may have found the origins or far more disturbing behavior—bullying and male-on-female violence.

A Fisherman’s Tale—5,000 Year Old Footprints Found in Denmark “Fjord”

Those who have fishermen in the family know that the tales of fishing trips are often folkloric at their best. But would you be surprised to hear that ancient tales of a fishing trip, and perhaps some footprints to document the trip, may be one of the most important archaeological finds of the decade? Well it turns out neither did the pair of fishermen whose ever move was recorded below them in a shifting seabed, 5,000 years ago in the frigid waters of the southern Baltic Sea.

Climate Change May Spark A Wildfire Or Two in Our Future

In a year with news full of UN summits and celebrity spokespersons speaking out against climate change, further complicated by the emissions we as humans put out, new research says that the incremental changes over the next century may spark some more conversations as well as lightning strikes across the continental United States.

Wildfires May Fill our Future as Climate Change Sparks Lightning

Anthropogenic climate change, caused by the actions and emissions put forth by humans, has been a major conversation starter in recent months. But new research released today in the journal Science says that we may be looking at a future filled with a few more sparks rather than just warmer summers and rising seas.

Coalition Sues Fish & Wildlife Service For Fate of Mexican Gray Wolves

Early Wednesday morning, Nov. 12, after alleging that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has failed to develop a comprehensive and viable recovery plan for the endangered Mexican Gray Wolf, a coalition of conservation organizations filed a lawsuit against the government agency seeking a court order demanding that such a plan be developed.

Cat Genome Explains How a Wild Cat Became Domesticated

Genes reveal how cats became domesticated A cat's usually aristocratic, aloof, and I-don't-care attitude may be the outcome of a mixed domesticity and wildness that took place in the not-so-distant past.
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