Science & Technology

Image from RSPB birdguides

It's been a tough winter for the birds. But one species has flourished in Britain. This winter's bitter cold has seen record numbers of bitterns fly to Britain from northern Europe to escape the bitter cold.

They are rarely seen here, in 1997 there were only 11 males left. But this winter there have been record sightings across the country, with 82 counted already. The snow has made the notoriously shy birds easier to spot. Because many of their natural feeding places are frozen, they have been seen out in the open more often than ever before.

Travel & Nature

Photos: Pyua

Pyua is a German outdoor clothing company, who were Finalists in the ISPO Brandnew Awards in 2009. This year they've managed to score a ISPO Eco Responsibility Award in the Textile category for their Climate 2L Padded Jacket and Pants.

The judges liked that these freeride ski garments was made waterproof, by virtue of a Sympatex membrane, which unlike the ePTFE (teflon) substrates used by eVent and Gore-Tex can be easily recycled. Additionally Pyua had selected a recycled polyester face fabric and lining material for the Climate jacket. The materials selected also mean that, like Pyua's other outdoor clothing, the shell can itself be readily recycled at the conclusion of its useful life. (We previously noted Sympatex here.)

Business & Politics

Photo via Guardian

A recent report from Reuters reveals some disturbing news about China: the water pollution levels recorded in the official reports were found to be merely half the actual levels. Meaning that China's water pollution is literally twice as bad as its government claimed it was in 2007.

Interact

Image Credit: dmealiffe via Flickr.

helpfulgardener is impressed by our neighbors to the north:

Canada's sudden shift to nationally ban weed and feed products as a poor management practice is inspired in that it circumvents the health issue entirely, focusing instead on environmental benefit, thus sidestepping the biggest-dollar-always-wins arena of "My scientist can beat up your scientist in a court of law." ... How very civilized...The people have the strength of truth on their side and there is no long term strategy that can outlast that.

Is Canada on the right track? Join the conversation.

Travel & Nature

Photo: World66, CC

Wild tigers in China are on the Brink of Extinction
Xie Yan, the China Country Program Director for the Wildlife Conservation Society, estimates that fewer than 50 South China Tigers are left in the wild, with about "10 still live in the southwestern province of Yunnan, some 15 in Tibet, and 20 or so in northwestern Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces." Even if take a step back and look at 12 Asian countries and Russia, it is estimated that only about 3,500 tigers are left in the wild, compared to around 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century.

Business & Politics

Image via Climate Progress

I think for the most part, the New York Times is still the most reliable source for breaking news and good information out there. But they have been seeming to slip in their coverage of climate change--for instance, they ran a story on the front page today crying U.N. Climate Panel and Chief Face Credibility Siege. But in an irony perhaps lost on the piece's author, not a single climate scientist was contacted or quoted--thus leaving the piece with very little credibility itself.

Business & Politics

Photo via the LA Times

There's been an unusual spate of tragic birth defects over the last year in the central California town of Kettleman City. Five out of the twenty children born in just over a year have been born with birth defects or "other maladies, including cleft palate and cleft lip," the LA Times reports. Three of them died, and the other two are receiving medical treatment. That's a full twenty-five percent of children born with serious birth defects. It's certainly enough to leave doctors and investigators suspicious that it's not coincidence--and the prime suspect is a 1,600 acre toxic waste dump near the town; one that's also set for expansion.

Science & Technology

Image credit: Mike-wise/Flickr

The same thing that limits the accuracy of your GPS unit to within a few meters also prevents meteorologists from making precise weather predictions. Atmospheric water vapor interferes with radio signals as they are sent from GPS satellites and this same vapor scrambles weather radar, making certain things like storm predictions very difficult.

One researcher believes that by creating a map of atmospheric water vapor, some of this interference could be accounted for, leading to much more accurate weather forecasts.