• Yellowstone volcanic plume much larger than expected

    Yellowstone National Park hosts a variety of hot springs and geysers, all powered by a plume of molten rock under its surface. At times in the past, that plume has powered activity that was quite a bit less scenic: massive eruptions that have been capable of covering

  • New eruptions reported at Etna volcano in Italy

    Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) reports about the third paroxysmal eruptive episode of the year 2011 from the pit crater on the east flank of the Southeast Crater cone occurred on 10 April, 51 days after the previous paroxysm on 18 February. The

  • Number of days of rain in Iberian Peninsula has increased since 1903

    A research team, led by the University of Extremadura, has for the first time analysed the frequency of rainfall over the whole of the Iberian Peninsula from 1903 to 2003. The results show that the number of rainy days increased over the 20th Century, except in the area

  • Slash-and-burn threatens African forests

    Farming of crops like cocoa, cassava and oil palm has resulted in widespread deforestation and degradation of  West Africa’s tropical forest area, a study says. Cocoa production in West Africa is an important economic activity and a source of income for about 2

  • New York ‘at risk’ as seas rise

    New York is a major loser and Reykjavik a winner from new forecasts of sea level rise in different regions.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in 2007 that sea levels would rise at least 28cm (1ft) by the year 2100. But this is a global average;

  • Wave of tornadoes sweeps across Iowa, US

    Strong thunderstorms kicked off a busy few days of severe weather on Saturday, spawning destructive tornadoes and dropping large hail across parts of the Plains and Southeast. At least 13 people were injured and numerous buildings and vehicles were damaged from the

  • Pulsating planet: Superhot rocks make the Earth roll

    The river valleys are in the North Sea, north of Scotland, beneath a kilometre of water and a further 2 kilometres of sediment. The sea floor here has been slowly sinking ever since it formed. Yet 55 million years ago, something very strange happened. In a geological

  • Caribbean plate tension is increasing

    The Caribbean plate tension is increasing and this area is now due for another major earthquake, an article published today by The Extinction Protocol said. Troubling signs of the growing agitation for this plate are seen in the twin 5.8 and 5.0 quakes that struck…