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Scientists announce major global collaboration to create online ‘macroscopic observatory’ of Earth’s biodiversity

Consortium for the Barcode of Life, Encyclopedia of Life Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC; Natural History Museum, London 31-May-2009 Biodiversity information, innovative internet architecture being fused to create seamless, global view of life Wanted (soon): observations from environment-minded citizens that will allow science to study biodiversity at a planetary level in a massive, comprehensive virtual observatory […]

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Ocean life in olden days: Researchers upend modern notions of ‘natural’ animal sizes, abundance

Census of Marine Life Washington DC 24-May-2009 Census of Marine Life historians reconstruct images of past sea life that boggle today’s imagination Before oil hunters in the early 1800s harpooned whales by the score, the ocean around New Zealand teemed with about 27,000 southern right whales – roughly 30 times as many as today – […]

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Mexican Genome Mapped

National Institute of Genomic Medicine Mexico City 11-May-2009 Landmark Mexican Study Reveals Significant Genetic Variation Between Nation’s Population And World’s Other Known Genetic Subgroups Study moves scientists closer to identifying individuals at risk or resistant to flu and other diseases, and to the potential of creating genome-customized drugs Could genetic differences explain why some people […]

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“Designer Wheat” Research Breakthrough Wins Grade 10 Saskatchewan Student, 16, Top Honour in National Biotech Competition

Canadian Biotechnology Education Resource Centre / BioTalent Canada Toronto / Ottawa 6-May-2009 Genetic research by a 16-year-old Saskatchewan student that could one day help farmers grow “designer wheat” — tailoring the starch content of grain grown for different markets — has earned the top national prize in the 2009 Sanofi-Aventis BioTalent Challenge (SABC). Grade 10 […]

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DNA barcoding of mosquito species deployed in bid to end elephantiasis

JRS Biodiversity Foundation Philadelphia, USA 29-Apr-2009 First use of DNA barcoding in war against a major world disease New biotechnologies that allow scientists to quickly and accurately distinguish species based on a simple DNA analysis are being creatively deployed for the first time in the war against a major global disease. The University of Ghana, […]

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Indigenous peoples at world summit to share climate change observations, coping techniques

United Nations University Tokyo, Japan 19-Apr-2009 With the first climate change-related relocation of an Inuit village already underway, some 400 Indigenous People and observers from 80 nations are convening in Alaska for a UN-affiliated conference April 20-24 to discuss ways in which traditional knowledge can be used to both mitigate and adapt to climate change. […]

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Clean energy investment not on track to avoid climate change

New Energy Finance London 4-Mar-2009 Impact of recession and low energy prices may postpone peak of world CO2 emissions by more than a decade The world economic crisis has hit investment in clean energy and means its growth is no longer on track for the world to avert the worst impact of climate change, according […]

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Census of Marine Life explorers find hundreds of identical species thrive in both Arctic, Antarctic

Census of Marine Life Washington DC 15-Feb-2009 Earth’s unique, forbidding ice oceans of the Arctic and Antarctic have revealed a trove of secrets to Census of Marine Life explorers, who were especially surprised to find at least 235 species live in both polar seas despite a distance of more than 13,000-kilometer distance in between. The […]

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Biotech Scientists Team with Curators to Stem Decay of World’s Art, Cultural Heritage

United Nations University Programme for Biotechnology for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNU-BIOLAC), Caracas, Venezuela 8-Feb-2009 The growing relationship between scientists and curators is the focus of a 4-day, UN-affiliated international conference in Caracas designed to promote innovative ways to stem the decay of some of humanity’s greatest art and cultural treasures. “With the world financial crisis and […]

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Rainforests Regrowing: Impact on Extinction Rates Sparks Debate at Smithsonian

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Washington / Panama 12-Jan-2009 Satellite data and other research reveal that huge tracts of abandoned tropical forests that were once logged or farmed are regrowing, prompting a contentious debate among world scientists convening at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History Jan. 12. At issue is the extent to which this […]

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Biomarkers in blood could aid diagnosis of crippling, often fatal forms of malaria

McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health University of Toronto / University Health Network 7-Dec-2008 Canadian researchers have identified protein biomarkers that shed new light on the development of two severe and debilitating forms of malaria. The findings may let doctors detect earlier two crippling malaria variations – one that develops in the placenta of pregnant women […]

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Scientists Report Major Steps Towards 1st Census of Marine Life

Census of Marine Life Washington DC 9-Nov-2008 Among report’s revelations: Antarctic ancestry of many octopus species, behemoth bacteria, colossal sea stars, mammoth mollusks, more In a report on progress towards the first Census of Marine Life, more than 2,000 scientists from 82 nations announce astonishing examples of recent new finds from the world’s ocean depths. […]

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‘Arid aquaculture’ among livelihoods promoted to relieve worsening pressure on world’s drylands

United Nations University 11-Nov-2008 “Arid aquaculture” using ponds filled with salty, undrinkable water for fish production is one of several options experts have proven to be an effective potential alternative livelihood for people living in desertified parts of the world’s expanding drylands. In a report released today, researchers with the United Nations University, the International […]

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Providing toilets, safe water is top route to reducing world poverty: UN University

United Nations University Tokyo Japan / Hamilton, Canada 19-Oct-2008   Simply installing toilets where needed throughout the world and ensuring safe water supplies would do more to end crippling poverty and improve world health than any other possible measure, according to an analysis released today by the United Nations University. The analysis says better water […]

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Environmental migrants: UN meeting aims to build consensus on definitions, support, protection

United Nations University Tokyo, Japan 8-Oct-2008 A growing international consensus to formally recognize and protect people uprooted by environmental problems is expected to accelerate at a major conference in Bonn, Germany Oct. 9 to 11. Featured at the conference will be the presentation and discussion of early results of the first comprehensive empirical study, funded […]

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Explorers find hundreds of undescribed corals, other species on familiar Australian reefs

Census of Marine Life Washington D.C. 18-Sep-2008 Hundreds of new kinds of animal species surprised international researchers systematically exploring waters off two islands on the Great Barrier Reef and a reef off northwestern Australia — waters long familiar to divers. The expeditions, affiliated with the global Census of Marine Life, help mark the International Year […]

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Experts meet on need for new rules to govern world’s fragile polar regions

United Nations University Tokyo 7-Sep-2008 A new co-ordinated international set of rules to govern commercial and research activities in both of Earth’s polar regions is urgently needed to reflect new environmental realities and to temper pressure building on these highly fragile ecosystems, according to several of the experts convening in Iceland for a UN-affiliated conference […]

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Students Use DNA Barcodes to Unmask “Mislabeled” Fish at Grocery Stores, Restaurants

Rockefeller University / Trinity School New York 22-Aug-08 Two New York City high school friends, curious about new DNA barcoding technology, discovered that fish at local stores and restaurants are commonly mislabeled and sold for far more than regular market price. Worse, in two cases DNA barcode tests revealed that filleted fish sold as the […]

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Rising energy, food prices major threats to wetlands as farmers eye new areas for crops

United Nations University 25-Jul-2008Critical food shortages and growing demand for bio-fuels and hydro-electricity due to high fossil fuel prices rank among the greatest threats today to the preservation of precious wetlands worldwide as farmers and developers look for new areas for agriculture, energy crop plantations and hydro dams. However, resisting pressures to convert wetlands is […]

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Massive greenhouse gases may be released as destruction, drying of world wetlands worsens: UN

United Nations University 20-Jul-2008 700 leading experts convene at edge of Brazil’s vast Pantanal to take stock, offer policy prescription to remedy wetlands crisis Leading world scientists convene in Brazil July 21-25 amid growing concern that evaporation and ongoing destruction of world wetlands, which hold a volume of carbon similar to that in the atmosphere […]

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UNEP: Clean energy investments charge forward despite financial market turmoil

United Nations Environment Programme Nairobi, Kenya 01 Jul 08 With end of cheap oil, renewables and energy efficiency attracts fast-growing interest; new investment surpasses $148 billion in 2007, a 60 percent rise from 2006 Climate change worries, growing support from world governments, rising oil prices and ongoing energy security concerns combined to fuel another record-setting […]

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Census of Marine Life lists 122,500 known species, over halfway to complete inventory by Oct. 2010

Census of Marine Life Washington D.C. 25-Jun-2008 World Register of Marine Species inaugurated with first 122,500 validated names; over 56,000 aliases for ocean species identified Census of Marine Life-affiliated scientists consolidating world databases of ocean organisms have demoted to alias status almost one-third of all names culled from 34 regional and highly specialized inventories. The […]

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