New scientific research confirms that global warming is melting increasingly larger areas of Arctic sea ice − and reducing its vital function of removing CO2 from the atmosphere. The Arctic ice cap has just passed its summer minimum – and it’s the sixth lowest measure of sea ice recorded since 1978, according to scientists at the US space agency NASA. For three decades, … [Read more...]
Image series shows ozone hole development since 1979
The stratospheric ozone layer protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet light, which damages DNA in plants and animals (including humans) and leads to skin cancer. Prior to 1979, scientists had not observed concentrations below 220 Dobson Units. But in the early 1980s, through a combination of ground-based and satellite measurements, scientists began to realize that … [Read more...]
Science, Consciousness & Ancient Civilizations Conference
An in-depth analysis of evidence that has been uncovered across the world from recent archaeological discoveries featuring expert international and local researchers and academics! Speakers will present and comment on the impact of this information, and on the emerging possibilities in the ongoing quest to define the history and evolution of our planet. The SCA … [Read more...]
Science, Consciousness & Ancient Civilizations Conference
An in-depth analysis of evidence that has been uncovered across the world from recent archaeological discoveries featuring expert international and local researchers and academics! Speakers will present and comment on the impact of this information, and on the emerging possibilities in the ongoing quest to define the history and evolution of our planet. SCA Conference … [Read more...]
Giant underground “ocean” discovered beneath us
A new study by American researchers concluded that in the mantle layer that lies between the crust and the core, there are vast reserves of water, probably three times the total volume of water of all oceans on the surface of our planet. This “reservoir” of water, which seems to be stable over time, lies at a depth of up to 700 kilometers beneath the planet’s surface, in the … [Read more...]
Ocean array could clean Pacific garbage patch
Last year we reported on teenage inventor Boyan Slat’s plans to create an Ocean Cleanup Array that could remove 7,250,000 tons of plastic waste from the world’s oceans. His proposal for an anchored network of floating booms and processing platforms received a lot of criticism – but now, just over a year later, Boyan is back with the results of a year-long investigation that … [Read more...]
Wild vegetables contribute to food security
Although indigenous (wild) leafy vegetables are consumed in small quantities, they play a vital role in boosting household food security among rural people. This is one of the findings of a recent study in which the role wild vegetables play in improving food security among poor rural people in northern KwaZulu-Natal was investigated. The study also aimed to the gain an … [Read more...]
Australia experiencing winter heatwaves
If you've stepped outside at lunchtime in Sydney, Australia over the past few days, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it was more like early summer than the beginning of winter. On each of the past 23 days, the temperature has reached highs in the mid-20s, exceeding 27C on May 25. This is characteristic of November, not May. With the exception of May 3, no daily maximum … [Read more...]
The emergent patterns of climate change
We live in a very complex environment: we see complexity and dynamism and patterns of evidence in satellite photographs, and videos. You can even see it outside your window. It's endlessly complex, but somehow familiar. The patterns kind of repeat, but they never repeat exactly. It's a huge challenge to understand. The patterns that you see are there at all of the different … [Read more...]
First 5 International Hope Spots coming to SA
Dr Sylvia Earle will lead a Mission Blue Expedition to South Africa to launch the country's first five Hope Spots in December 2014. Sustainable Seas Trust and BirdLife South Africa are organizing the tour, in concert with a number of supporting organizations with a view to igniting public support for marine conservation. Dr Sylvia Earle, the architect of the Hope Spot … [Read more...]
Laying on hands for healing
Reiki is an environmentally friendly form of treatment because it does not use any tools except a practitioner's hands and therefore it does not create any waste. Reiki is the art of laying on of hands in order to heal and it originated in Japan. Tadao Yamaguchi, a Reiki teacher and environmental activist, made the following statement: "Reiki can improve the global … [Read more...]
Global warming moving plants to new habitats
By 2100, vegetation patterns will be shifting in almost half the land area of the planet, according to new research in the journal Global and Planetary Change. Song Feng of the University of Arkansas in the U.S. and colleagues in Nebraska, China and South Korea have taken a long cool look at what the projected patterns of warming are likely to do to the planet’s mosaic of … [Read more...]
Public not keen on climate engineering
As political apathy and inaction on climate change dims hopes of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, scientists are increasing exploring plan B – engineering the climate to avoid the worst of what is predicted to come if emissions can’t be curtailed. A Royal Society of London paper put the issue squarely in the spotlight in 2009 when it issued an influential paper that … [Read more...]
