Humans sparked 84% of US wildfires, increased fire season over 2 decades

Humans sparked 84% of US wildfires, increased fire season over 2 decades

A new study found that human-ignited wildfires in the United States accounted for 84% of all wildfires, tripling the length of the average fire season and accounting for nearly half of the total acreage burned. In total, humans have ignited over 840 000 blazes in…

Scientists invent sound-shaping super-material

Scientists invent sound-shaping super-material

A team of researchers from the Universities of Sussex and Bristol has invented a super-material that bends, shapes and focuses sound waves that pass through it. The creation pushes the boundaries of metamaterials – a new class of finely-engineered surfaces…

Evidence of chaotic solar system

Evidence of chaotic solar system

A team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Northwestern University has found evidence confirming a critical theory of how the planets in our solar system behave in their orbits around the Sun. The finding is important because it provides the…

Fifth of world’s food lost to over-eating and waste, study finds

Fifth of world’s food lost to over-eating and waste, study finds

Almost 20% of the food made available to consumers is lost through over-eating or waste, a study suggests. The world population consumes around 10% more food than it needs, while almost 9% is thrown away or left to spoil, researchers say. Efforts to reduce the…

Study finds 6 600 spills from fracking in just four US states

Study finds 6 600 spills from fracking in just four US states

Each year, 2 to 16 percent of hydraulically fractured oil and gas wells spill hydrocarbons, chemical-laden water, hydraulic fracturing fluids and other substances, according to a study published yesterday in Environmental Science & Technology. The analysis,…

Ventura fault can cause stronger shaking and more damage

Ventura fault can cause stronger shaking and more damage

A new study suggests that the fault under Ventura, California would cause stronger shaking during an earthquake and more damage that previously suspected. The Ventura Fault, also known as Ventura-Pitas Point fault, in southern California has been the focus of a lot…

Creating artificial clouds to study aurora

Creating artificial clouds to study aurora

NASA will launch an interesting sounding rocket from the Poker Flat Research Range, Alaska, between February 13 and March 3, 2017, and will form white artificial clouds during its brief, 10-minute flight, to study auroras. The rocket is one of five being launched…

Huge reservoir of melting carbon discovered under Western US

Huge reservoir of melting carbon discovered under Western US

Scientists using the world's largest array of seismic sensors found a huge area of melting carbon covering 1.8 million km2 (684 000 mi2), 350 km (217.5 miles) beneath the Western US. The discovery challenges accepted the understanding of how much carbon the…

Scientists found ‘lost continent’ under Mauritius

Scientists found ‘lost continent’ under Mauritius

An international team of scientists has confirmed the existence of a 'lost continent' under the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius that was left-over by the break-up of the supercontinent, Gondwana, which started about 200 million years ago. The piece of…

Fermi sees gamma rays from Sun’s far side

Fermi sees gamma rays from Sun’s far side

Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has observed high-energy light from solar eruptions located on the Sun's far side, which should block direct light from these events. This apparent paradox is providing solar scientists with a unique tool for exploring how charged…