All Environment
Solar panels: firefighters' clean-energy foeWith rooftop solar panels proliferating across the country, officials say they impede firefighting. The solar industry is working with fire departments and utilities to find ways to make solar panels less of an obstacle.
Can Mount Fuji survive tourists?With more than 300,000 hikers every year, Japanese officials worry about the preservation of Mount Fuji, which was recently designated as an UNESCO World Heritage site.- Hurricane Humberto: First hurricane of 2013 seasonHurricane Humberto gathered strength in the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of Africa. Hurricane Humberto winds are expected to hit 85 m.p.h. before the storm starts to weaken.
Syria: The energy crossroads that never wasBashar al-Assad once envisioned Syria as a future hub of oil transport in the region 鈥� a 'four seas strategy' to connect the region's major oil players to European markets. After two and a half years of civil war, that plan appears all but lost.
'50 dirtiest' US power plants emit more greenhouse gases than South KoreaA new study by an environmental group suggests that reining in a handful of America's coal-fired power plants would have a major impact on greenhouse gas emissions.
Tidal power: Energy's wave of the future?While marine and hydrokinetic energy may be quite literally the wave of the future, its moment may be beyond the current horizon, Graeber writes. That said, it's predictable, it's easy to get to, and some of the world's most densely populated areas are coastal communities, which means it's cheap to connect to the grid.
Oil worries extend beyond Libya and SyriaConversations surrounding last week's oil markets centered on Libyan production issues and the possibility that U.S. military strikes on Syria may have broader implications for crude oil, Graeber writes.聽
Our energy future: 'They'll think of something'Concerns over future supplies of oil and gas are often met with a 'They'll-think-of-something' mentality, Cobb writes.聽But the only sensible response to the looming possibility of depleted resources is to begin reducing our energy use now in earnest.聽
Why are corals turning ghostly white? Scientists unravel mystery.Coral bleaching, a process by which reef-building corals lose their algae and turn white, has long thought to be a result of faulty photosynthesis caused by high temperatures. But new research shows that bleaching can occur at night, too.聽
Petrobras targeted in US spying programs, report saysPetrobras, Brazil's state-run oil company, was the target of US government spying programs, according to Globo, Brazil's biggest television network. Any spying on Petrobras is sure to raise hackles in Brazil, which has long been suspicious of foreign designs on its abundant natural resources.
Mt. Diablo fire in Bay Area spreads to 800 acresMt. Diablo fire quickly grows and triggers evacuation orders for 50 to 75 homes near San Francisco. Firefighters say the Mt. Diablo fire is only 10 percent contained. 聽
How I learned to stop worrying and love frackingFracking has drawn the ire of environmentalists but new reports document the economic benefits of tapping shale gas resources. They also suggest聽that many of the environmental concerns are either overstated or unfounded.
Arsenic in rice? Not a big worry, FDA says.Arsenic in rice occurs at such low levels that it poses no short-term health threat, Food and Drug Administration says, although it is still studying long-term effects. The arsenic in rice is thought to come from water on the ground, which is where rice is grown.聽
Electric cars vs. plug-in hybrids: What's the difference?Plug-in hybrids help drive demand for electric car charging stations that are critical to electric car success, Dikeman writes, and electric cars drive the cost down on the batteries that brings the plug-in costs into line. Unlike with the Prius over a decade ago, it鈥檚 not a single car changing the world, it鈥檚 the combination that鈥檚 working well for us.
New research pins some extreme weather events on climate changeA new report identities anthropogenic causes for about half of 12 extreme weather events from 2012.
Cheetah cubs (and their puppy pal) join Dallas ZooTwo male cheetah cubs have joined the Dallas Zoo population, and zoo officials have marked the occasion by providing them with a puppy.聽Who says cats and dogs can't get along?聽
How to cool an electric car batteryWhat is a manufacturer to do about electric car batteries susceptibility to heat? As it turns out, the answer depends on what the warranty says, not so much on what the owner鈥檚 manual warns you not to do, Finley writes.
Obama climate plan wins overseas support in run-up to G20President Obama's plan to cut overseas funding of coal plants got the support of five Nordic countries during the president's trip to Stockholm ahead of the G20 summit. Can China and other emerging economies reduce their coal dependence? 聽
US refineries capitalize on Latin American shortfallAlthough Latin America鈥檚 oil production has grown steadily in recent years, the region鈥檚 refineries have been unable to keep pace with rising demand, Arthur writes.聽US Gulf Coast refineries have responded quickly to rising global demand, and Latin America has become their largest overseas market.聽
Tropical storm Gabrielle fizzles: Why has hurricane season been so calm?Tropical storm Gabrielle was the seventh Atlantic tropical cyclone this season, but no hurricanes have yet formed, which is unusual. Another 10 hurricane-free days would set a record.
