All Environment
Why gas prices remain static despite oil production surgeAlthough US oil production has increased to 16.8 million barrels of crude per day, gas prices are projected to stay static in the near future. The volume of oil may be high, but experts say the growth of overall global demand is just as high, if not higher.
Can your town ban fracking? Depends on the stateA judge struck down a fracking ban in聽Longmont, Colo.聽Thursday 鈥� a victory for oil and gas companies, and a blow to environmentalists trying to halt fracking at the local level. As more and more cities and towns mull fracking bans, courts are weighing in with decisions that vary widely by state.
Will paper-thin batteries power tomorrow's smart phones?Today's lithium-ion batteries may be too big for future electronics. A startup in California has developed paper-thin, flexible batteries that could be used in smart phones and other gadgets of the future.
Xi Jinping: Behind the purge of China's oil firmsXi Jinping has launched a campaign against his political rivals that is roiling the entire Communist Party. A Reuters examination of the oil-industry component of the Chinese president's crackdown shows the extent of the Xi Jinping purge, a drama that will have repercussions well beyond China.
Virginia campground tornado: What caused deadly storm?Virginia campground tornado tore through聽a sprawling, carnival-like campground Thursday, killing two and leaving more than two dozen injured. About 1,300 people were at the Virginia campground when the tornado hit.聽
Minnesota allows expanded wolf hunt despite criticismMinnesota will issue hundreds more wolf hunting licenses this year, three years after the animals came off the endangered species list. The expanded Minnesota wolf hunting season begins in November.
Fukushima study emphasizes unthinkable US nuclear disastersA Fukushima study released Thursday advises the US nuclear industry to protect against highly unlikely but worst-case scenarios. Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, and solar storms are among the unusual events studied by the National Academy of Sciences in its Fukushima study.
Alligator escapes zoo, tortoise may have helpedA 12-inch alligator escaped a Michigan zoo over the weekend after slipping under a fence, according to the zoo's owner. A large tortoise may have inadvertently helped the alligator escape by wearing away dirt near the fence.聽
Antarctic fur seals, once hunted to near extinction, now face climate threatAntarctic fur seals, a conservation success story, now aren't getting enough to eat. A new study links the decline of the seals to a drop in the krill population, caused by warming oceans.
How barnacles put the 'farm' in offshore wind farmOffshore wind farms can have some benefits for marine life, according to researchers. The wind turbines can serve as artificial reefs for barnacles, which attracts hungry fish and hungry seals.
Train derailment: Oil train tanker cars derail in SeattleTrain derailment in Seattle early Thursday did not spill any oil, according to Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Three tanker cars were involved in the oil train derailment.
Virginia campground tornado kills threeVirginia campground tornado hit the Cherrystone Campground at聽Cape Charles,聽Virginia. At least three people were killed by the possible Virginia campground tornado, according to officials.聽
Peacock shot in California, suspect on the loosePeacock shot in Southern California earlier this month. Officials have released a police sketch of a man suspected of shooting the peacock from his Mercedes-Benz.
Democrats at odds over Big Oil鈥檚 bid for East Coast drillingA new poll shows 68 percent of Americans support offshore oil and gas drilling, but the issue is dividing Democrats in Congress. The Obama administration decided to allow seismic energy exploration off the Atlantic coast last week, suggesting offshore drilling may soon be a reality there.
Arturo the polar bear: Why he's staying in ArgentinaArturo the polar bear will remain in Argentina, according to the Mendoza Zoo, despite hundreds of thousands of signatures on a petition asking that he be moved to Canada. The zoo says Arturo the polar bear is too old to be safely relocated.聽
New biofuels match crude oil's energy ... but there's a catchThe energy in biofuels can match the levels of crude oil, researchers from the University of Twente in the Netherlands have found. But there are some inherent limits on using biofuels at a commercial scale.
New Jersey anaconda: What's in Lake Hopatcong?New Jersey anaconda potentially in the state's largest lake has caused concern among local residents. Traps have been set in Lake Hopatcong, but questions remain over whether it's actually a New Jersey anaconda or some other reptile.
A pause in global warming? Studies try to better explain what's happened.Two recent studies explore a pause in global warming during the first decade of the 21st century, implying that more pauses can be expected because of the climate's natural variability.
US proposes new oil train rules. Will they rein in spills?The Obama administration proposed new safety rules on oil trains Wednesday after a string of recent incidents brought new attention to a growing method of oil transportation. As pipeline construction lags behind domestic oil production, energy companies are turning to rail to get their product to market.
Typhoon Matmo brings more stormy weather to ChinaTyphoon Matmo made landfall in southeastern China on Wednesday where it was downgraded to a tropical storm. Typhoon Matmo brought with it heavy rain and gusts of 67 miles per hour.
