Drought-Hit Australia Battles Climate Change
Every four days, a farmer commits suicide under the stress of failing crops, dying livestock and debt as the worst drought in 100 years bites deep into the nation's psyche and erodes economic growth.
"The current drought highlights how vulnerable we are to climate change," said farmer Mark Wootton. "We will never solve the drought if we don't solve climate change."
Australia's cities are also suffering, with every major centre imposing strict water usage restrictions as reservoir levels fall. Sydney, the largest city, is examining a desalination scheme to guarantee future water supplies.
UNESCO Unveils 25 New Biosphere Reserves
A haven for monarch butterflies in Mexico and prime dugong habitat in Vietnam are among 25 new sites that UNESCO has added to its Man and the Biosphere program, which places biosphere reserves under the stewardship of local communities.
The International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO, meeting from October 24 to 27 in Paris, designated the new sites as part of its 30 year old program that explores innovative partnerships among local communities, government agencies and the private sector to safeguard biodiverse areas for future generations.
Of the 25 new Man and the Biosphere, MAB, sites announced on Friday, 18 are located in Mexico. Three are in Spain, including one transboundary reserve straddling Spain and Morocco, and the council designated one new site each in the Russian Federation, in Vietnam and in Malawi.
New aquatic species found in Hawaii
Researchers on a three-week mission to the remote French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands discovered 100 species never seen in the area before, including many that may be entirely new to science.
Time to trust Natives to manage lands
Now, an amendment to legislation settling a decade-old lawsuit by Natives against the federal government offers an opportunity to embark upon a fair and honest course for the future. In short, the legislation would remove from the federal government responsibility for managing American Indian trust lands.
New Bird Flu Virus Spreads Across Southeast Asia
A new variant of the bird flu virus H5N1 that arose in southern China late last year appears to be responsible for the increased occurrence of H5N1 poultry infections, as well as recent human cases in China, according to researchers at the University of Hong Kong in collaboration with scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.
Liver cells grown from cord blood
The sections of liver were created using stem cells from umbilical cords by a team at Newcastle University.
It is hoped the "mini-livers" will be used to test drugs, avoiding incidents like the Northwick Park trial in which six patients became seriously ill.
Center for Biological Diversity - Biodiversity Activist Network
What if the Center for Biological Diversity earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Well, now we can!
GoodSearch.com is a new search engine that donates half its revenue to the organization you choose. You use it just as you would any search engine, and because it's powered by Yahoo!, you get the same quality results. Just go to www.goodsearch.com and enter the Center for Biological Diversity as the charity you want to support.
It definitely adds up! Just think: If only 1,000 of our supporters performed two queries a day, the Center would raise $7,300 in a year! If 5,000 searched twice per day, we would earn $36,500 in a year! And all without anyone spending a dime!
The more people who use this site, the more money will go to help the Center's work to conserve imperiled plants, animals and the ecosystems on which we all depend. So please, try GoodSearch today and spread the word to your friends and family!
And be sure to check out GoodSearch this Sunday November 5, when we will be featured as the Charity of the Day!