Besides being a keystone of the ocean ecosystem, coral reefs are of huge commercial value. But they are seriously threatened by floods, runoff, rising ocean temperatures and acidity which are all symptoms of our fossil-fuel economy.
Global warming is causing dramatic changes in the Arctic Ocean. The earlier melting of annual ice is causing the regular spring blooms of plankton to peak up to 50 days earlier -- possibly disrupting the entire ecosystem of fish, shellfish, birds, and marine mammals that depend on the plankton.
"Corn-based ethanol is the renewable fuel environmentalists love to hate. But as turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa has sent oil prices soaring, U.S.-made ethanol is making a comeback."
"A plan by almost 200 countries to step up efforts to fight climate change is set to miss a March deadline for starting work on a green fund to help developing nations, delegates said on Wednesday."
"This winter's heavy snowfalls and other extreme storms could well be related to increased moisture in the air due to global climate change, a panel of scientists said on Tuesday."
Unacceptable death rates of laboratory animals have forced a New Zealand government research agency to end its experimental program on cloning of agricultural animals.
"Air pollution triggers more heart attacks than using cocaine and poses as high a risk of sparking a heart attack as alcohol, coffee and physical exertion, scientists said on Thursday."
"A major new survey of the world's coral reefs finds that they are in trouble. Big trouble"
"Meanwhile, up in space, a class X solar flare event has triggered the biggest solar storm in four years, which given its large size – had the potential to disrupt ground communications back here on Earth."
"The electromagnetic radiation emitted by a cellular phone's antenna appears to activate nearby regions of the brain to unusually high levels, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. that is likely to spark new concerns about the health effects of wireless devices."
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