All Environment
Power plant implosion: Florida utility dynamites old plantPower plant implosion levels a 1960s power plant in Fort Lauderdale to make way for a new power plant that runs on natural gas. The power plant implosion took 450 pounds of dynamite and 90 controlled explosions Tuesday morning.
Ash borer beetle shows up in Iowa (again)Ash borer beetle, first spotted in Iowa three years ago, has now appeared in a second location in the state, officials announced Tuesday.聽Most ash borer beetle infestations have been caused by people unknowingly moving infested firewood, nursery plants and sawmill logs across county and state lines.聽
NYC to LA in 45 minutes? Tesla Motors CEO says 'Hyperloop' could do it.Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk is throwing his weight behind a 'Hyperloop' network of pneumatic tubes that could transport travelers at high speeds along a magnetic-levitation track. The 'Hyperloop' could take聽someone from New York to Los Angeles in 45 minutes and New York to Beijing in just 2 hours, according to the Tesla CEO.
Idyllwild fire a 'rapidly changing animal'Idyllwild fire burned seven homes in the mountains west of Palm Springs, Calif., late Monday and early Tuesday聽as the fire more than doubled in size. The Idyllwild聽fire was mostly moving away from small communities and toward the desert, but officials said a shift in wind could聽easily sweep it back toward homes.
Baby panda twins born at Zoo AtlantaPanda twins were born at Zoo Atlanta Monday, the first twin pandas聽born in the United States since 1987. Zookeepers were expecting only one cub and were surprised when the聽giant聽panda聽named Lun Lun gave birth to baby panda twins.
The dirty coal behind Germany's clean energyGermany's energy portfolio may not be as green as you think, Grealy writes. Coal-fired power plants made up 52 percent of Germany's electricity demand in the first half of 2013, while output from natural gas and wind turbines is falling.聽
Gas prices: why $2 gas isn't happening anytime soonGas prices rose 4 percent in the US this week, according to AAA. Despite a boom in North American oil production, gas prices won't be approaching $2 anytime soon.聽
Fracking research: What's behind EPA's abandoned studies?Fracking studies have pit the Environmental Protection Agency against the oil and gas industry, which says the agency has聽over-reached on fracking and that its science has been critically flawed. The recent closing of EPA fracking investigations has some environmentalists worried that the agency is feeling the effects of industry pressure and tight budgets.
Fukushima nuclear plant likely leaking contaminated water into oceanThe nuclear power plant at Fukushima has been leaking contaminated water into the ocean for the two years since the accident that saw three of the plants six reactors suffer a meltdown, according to the head of the Nuclear Regulation Authority in Japan.聽
Fracking at the corner of energy abundance and water scarcityFracking for oil and gas amid water scarcity聽has created a public-private crossroads, with both sides attempting to further their goals, Warren writes. Nowhere is the water-energy nexus so apparent as it is in the fracking (hydraulic fracturing) for oil and gas.
Katmai bears star in nature's 'Jersey Shore'Katmai bears are the star of an Internet 'reality show' based in the Katmai National Park and Preserve in remote Alaska. Eight web cams have been set up at various parts of the park to livestream the daily life and drama of the park's famed Katmai bears.- Katmai bears star in nature's 'Jersey Shore'Katmai bears are the star of an Internet 'reality show' based in the Katmai National Park and Preserve in remote Alaska. Eight web cams have been set up at various parts of the park to livestream the daily life and drama of the park's famed Katmai bears.
Gas prices expected to soar. What gives?Gas prices will rise dramatically in the near term, analysts predict. Many attribute it to a rise in oil prices, but the gas prices spike has more to do with gasoline fundamentals, writes Styles.
Lac-Megantic train crash: How it will change Canadian oilThe聽Lac-Megantic train crash, among other recent oil mishaps, is making it difficult for Canada to put a good face on their oil resources.聽Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said parts of Quebec look like a 'war zone' following last weekend's聽Lac-Megantic train crash.
Nuclear power tries its sea legsRussia has announced plans to build a floating nuclear power plant by 2016.聽
Typhoon Soulik: China, Taiwan brace for season's first typhoonTyphoon聽Soulik, the first of the year to hit the region, was headed towards China and Taiwan Friday. Officials cancelled聽dozens of international flights and evacuated more than 1,000 people from a coastal village vulnerable to typhoon Soulik.
Popocatepetl volcano covers Mexico City in volcanic ashPopocatepetl volcano spewed a 2-mile-high cloud of ash over Mexico City over several days of eruptions. Volcanic dust from the Popocatepetl volcano has coated cars in Mexico City and thicker accumulations coated crops, homes, and sidewalks in towns closer to the volcano.- Popocatepetl volcano covers Mexico City in volcanic ashPopocatepetl volcano spewed a 2-mile-high cloud of ash over Mexico City over several days of eruptions. Volcanic dust from the Popocatepetl volcano has coated cars in Mexico City and thicker accumulations coated crops, homes, and sidewalks in towns closer to the volcano.
Manitou Springs mudslide closes road in ColoroadoManitou Springs mudslide: A four-mile stretch of US 24 in Colorado was closed Wednesday afternoon after a thunderstorm sent rocks, mud, debris, and running water rushing down part of a canyon. No injuries have been immediately reported from the Manitou Springs mudslide.
Climate change threatens nation's energy, DOE report warnsClimate change and extreme weather are disrupting聽the ways we generate, distribute, and consume energy, according to a report released Thursday by the US Department of Energy.聽It's part of a growing acknowledgement among officials for a need to adapt to the planet's changing climate.