ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Landslide fatalities are greater than previously thought
• Climate change will have profound effects on northeast U.S. forests, report says
• Detection dogs spot northern spotted owls, even those alarmed by barred owls
• Designing tiny molecules that glow in water to shed light on biological processes
• Underwater noise decreases whale communications in Stellwagen Bank sanctuary
• Ocean health index provides first global assessment combining natural and human dimensions of sustainability
• Future increases in US natural gas exports and domestic prices may not be as large as thought
• Greenland melting breaks record four weeks before season's end
• New method to remove phosphorus from wastewater
• When it comes to food, chimps only think of themselves
• Antimicrobials from personal care products found in statewide survey of Minnesota's rivers and lakes
• Asymmetric warfare between earwigs explored
• New toilet developed: Needs no connection to water supply

Landslide fatalities are greater than previously thought Posted: 15 Aug 2012 05:22 PM PDT Landslides kill ten times more people across the world than was previously thought, according to new research.

Climate change will have profound effects on northeast U.S. forests, report says Posted: 15 Aug 2012 02:50 PM PDT A new report by US and Canadian scientists analyzes decades of research and concludes that the climate of the Northeast has changed and is likely to change more. The report outlines the effects of climate change on multiple aspects of forests in the northeastern corner of the United States and eastern Canada and concludes with recommendations on adaptive and mitigating strategies for dealing with future effects.

Detection dogs spot northern spotted owls, even those alarmed by barred owls Posted: 15 Aug 2012 02:49 PM PDT A series of forest searches by dogs specially trained to sniff out northern spotted owl pellets -- the undigested bones, fur and other bits regurgitated by owls -- improved the probability of finding the owls by nearly 30 percent over a series of traditional vocalization surveys.

Designing tiny molecules that glow in water to shed light on biological processes Posted: 15 Aug 2012 11:20 AM PDT Scientists have developed a way to switch fluorescent molecules on and off within aqueous environments, by strategically trapping the molecules inside water-soluble particles and controlling them with ultraviolet light.

Underwater noise decreases whale communications in Stellwagen Bank sanctuary Posted: 15 Aug 2012 11:20 AM PDT High levels of background noise, mainly due to ships, have reduced the ability of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales to communicate with each other by about two-thirds.

Ocean health index provides first global assessment combining natural and human dimensions of sustainability Posted: 15 Aug 2012 10:17 AM PDT Using a new comprehensive index designed to assess the benefits to people of healthy oceans, scientists have evaluated the ecological, social, economic, and political conditions for every coastal country in the world. Their findings show that the global ocean scores 60 out of 100 overall on the Ocean Health Index. Individual country scores range widely, from 36 to 86.

Future increases in US natural gas exports and domestic prices may not be as large as thought Posted: 15 Aug 2012 09:13 AM PDT Amid policy debate over potential liquefied natural gas exports from the United States, a new article predicts the long-term volume of exports from the US will not likely be very large.

Greenland melting breaks record four weeks before season's end Posted: 15 Aug 2012 09:13 AM PDT Melting over the Greenland ice sheet shattered the seasonal record on Aug. 8 -- a full four weeks before the close of the melting season, researchers report.

New method to remove phosphorus from wastewater Posted: 15 Aug 2012 08:22 AM PDT Researchers are developing a new method of removing phosphorus from wastewater -- a problem seriously affecting lakes and streams across the United States.

When it comes to food, chimps only think of themselves Posted: 15 Aug 2012 06:32 AM PDT A sense of fairness is an important part of human behavior, yet a research team found it did not evolve from our closest living relatives. The study tested whether our great ape relatives, the chimpanzees and bonobos, have a sense of fairness like humans.

Antimicrobials from personal care products found in statewide survey of Minnesota's rivers and lakes Posted: 15 Aug 2012 06:32 AM PDT A team of scientists has completed the first statewide analysis of freshwater bodies in Minnesota, finding widespread evidence of the presence of active ingredients of personal care products in Minnesota lakes, streams and rivers.

Asymmetric warfare between earwigs explored Posted: 15 Aug 2012 05:32 AM PDT Symmetrical looks are highly prized in the animal kingdom, but according to biologists studying an insect called the maritime earwig, asymmetry might come with its own perks.

New toilet developed: Needs no connection to water supply Posted: 15 Aug 2012 05:27 AM PDT There are 2.6 billion people in the world who have no access to a decent toilet. A new toilet model will provide a sanitary solution that ensures human dignity and hygiene, while also being environment-friendly and economically feasible. All for less than five cents per day and person.

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