Ait Frah, Algeria (AFP) Aug 11, 2024 Algerian firefighters on Sunday were battling blazes in the northeastern Kabylie region as families were ordered to evacuate, local media and an AFP journalist said. Residents were told to leave homes in the fire’s path in Tizi Ouzou province, news site Ennahar Online reported quoting a forest official, though it was not immediately clear how many people were … Continue reading Algerians flee wildfires in country’s northeast

Tokyo (AFP) Aug 12, 2024 Tropical Storm Maria made landfall in northern Japan on Monday, having dumped the most rain in some areas since records began and forced the cancellation of dozens of flights. Maria came ashore around 8:30 am (2330 GMT Sunday) near Ofunato city in Iwate prefecture, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. It was initially categorised as a “severe tropical storm”, one level … Continue reading Tropical Storm Maria hits Japan with record rain

London, UK (SPX) Aug 08, 2024 A pioneering continent-wide survey has mapped plant life across Antarctica, uncovering growth in previously unexplored regions and providing crucial data for future conservation efforts. The survey, focusing on mosses, lichens, and algae, utilized a European Space Agency satellite alongside several summer seasons of field measurements. This study identified nearly 45 square kilometers of vhttp://dlvr.it/TBmy2Z Continue reading Antarctica’s First Comprehensive Plant Survey to Guide Conservation

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 08, 2024 A recent study from The University of Texas at Arlington reveals that climate change is causing Alaska’s frozen land to erode at a faster rate than it can be replenished. “In the Northern Hemisphere, much of the ground is permafrost, meaning it is frozen year-round. Permafrost is a delicate natural resource. If it is lost faster than it … Continue reading Alaskan Permafrost Erosion Accelerates Due to Climate Change

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Aug 08, 2024 Understanding Earth’s climatic history relies heavily on accurate temperature reconstructions from ancient oceans. Traditionally, these reconstructions have been derived from the ratios of oxygen isotopes in the calcium carbonate of fossils. However, this method faces significant challenges due to biological processes known as “vital effects,” particularly pronounced in corals, which can skew thhttp://dlvr.it/TBmy1y Continue reading Corals Enhance Accuracy in Climate Research

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Aug 03, 2024 Rocket Lab has launched its 51st Electron rocket, deploying a single satellite into low Earth orbit for Synspective, a Japanese Earth-imaging company. The mission, named “Owl For One, One For Owl” in reference to Synspective’s StriX satellites, which are named after the genus of owls, lifted off at 04:39 a.m., August 3rd NZT (16:39 UTC, August 2nd) from Launch … Continue reading Rocket Lab launches fifth StriX satellite for Synspective

Mumbai (AFP) Aug 10, 2024 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited the site of landslides that killed more than 200 people last month, vowing to extend “every possible support” to those who lost homes and loved ones. Torrential monsoon rains battered the southern coastal state of Kerala and triggered landslides on July 30, burying homes and people in Wayanad district under tonnes of … Continue reading India PM vows support after deadly landslide

Shanghai (AFP) Aug 9, 2024 Popping supplements, drinking herbal teas and signing up for lifestyle classes, China’s youth are turning to the wellness industry as work stress and pandemic memories spur a growing interest in health. These new habits are part of a global wellness boom, but the traditional concept of “yangsheng” – literally meaning “cultivating one’s life force” – has given the trend a … Continue reading Stressed China youth fuel wellness boom with traditional twist

Tokyo (AFP) Aug 9, 2024 Japan’s earthquake scientists say the country should prepare for a possible “megaquake” one day that could kill hundreds of thousands of people – although they stress the warning does not mean a colossal tremor is imminent. The Japan Meteorological Association (JMA) warning is the first issued under new rules drawn up after a 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster killed … Continue reading Japan’s ‘megaquake’ warning explained

Contessa Entellina, Italy (AFP) Aug 8, 2024 On the hills of the Contessa Entellina vineyard in western Sicily, the harvest is already well underway, the grapes ripening earlier than usual because of drought and high temperatures. The prestigious Donnafugata vineyards, which span the Italian island from the slopes of Marsala to the mantle of Mount Etna, began their harvest on July 22, an unprecedented two … Continue reading Harvest starts very early in Sicily’s drought-hit vineyards