http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/acid_rain/ Learn the cause and effect of acid rain. Read environmental news articles on how acid rain takes nutrients from the soil, leads to stunted forests and more. en-us Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/acid_rain/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201094923.htm New research reveals how the arrival of the first plants 470 million years ago triggered a series of ice ages. The research reveals the effects that the first land plants had on the climate during the Ordovician Period, which ended 444 million years ago. During this period the climate gradually cooled, leading to a series of 'ice ages.' This global cooling was caused by a dramatic reduction in atmospheric carbon, which this research now suggests was triggered by the arrival of plants. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201094923.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117145109.htm Nitrogen is both an essential nutrient and a pollutant, a byproduct of fossil fuel combustion and a fertilizer that feeds billions, a benefit and a hazard, depending on form, location, and quantity. Agriculture, industry and transportation have spread nitrogen liberally around the planet, say scientists with complex and interrelated consequences for human and ecological health. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117145109.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113093631.htm Scientists report direct measurements of reactions of a gas-phase Criegee intermediate using photoionization mass spectrometry. They found that oxidation of SO2 by Criegee intermediate is much faster than modelers assumed, so Criegee reactions may be a major tropospheric sulfate source, changing predictions of tropospheric aerosol formation. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113093631.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111228111727.htm New research suggests that China's impressive feat of cutting Beijing's pollution up to 50 percent for the 2008 Summer Olympics had some help from Mother Nature. Rain just at the beginning and wind during the Olympics likely contributed about half of the effort needed to clean up the skies, scientists found. The results also suggest emission controls need to be more widely implemented than in 2008 if pollution levels are to be reduced permanently. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111228111727.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111222152018.htm Coral reefs are extremely diverse ecosystems that support enormous biodiversity. But they are at risk. Carbon dioxide emissions are acidifying the ocean, threatening reefs and other marine organisms. New research analyzed the role of sea cucumbers in portions of the Great Barrier Reef and determined that their dietary process of dissolving calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from the surrounding reef accounts for about half of at the total nighttime dissolution for the reef. Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111222152018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216112510.htm Nitrogen from human activity has been polluting lakes in the northern hemisphere since the late 19th century. The clear signs of industrialization can be found even in very remote lakes, thousands of kilometers from the nearest city. Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216112510.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215135933.htm The number of sugar maples in Upper Great Lakes forests is likely to decline in coming decades, according to ecologists, due to a previously unrecognized threat from a familiar enemy: Acid rain. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215135933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215094923.htm The forests of the world supply a significant amount of moisture that creates rain. A new study reveals how this important contribution of forests to the hydrologic cycle is often overlooked in water resource policy, such as that of the EU. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215094923.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201163608.htm A team of scientists have used the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA's Aura satellite to confirm major reductions in the levels of a key air pollutant generated by coal power plants in the eastern United States. The pollutant, sulfur dioxide, contributes to the formation of acid rain and can cause serious health problems. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201163608.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116162244.htm Emissions regulations do have an environmental impact, according to a long-term study of acidic rainfall. A report detailing trends in acidic rainfall frequency and concentration over 25 years found that as sulfur and nitrogen emissions have dropped in response to the Clean Air Act, acid ions in rainwater have dropped by similar magnitudes. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116162244.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103143243.htm Scientists braved ticks and a tiger to discover how human activities have perturbed the nitrogen cycle in tropical forests. Studies at two remote Smithsonian Institution Global Earth Observatory sites in Panama and Thailand show the first evidence of long-term effects of nitrogen pollution in tropical trees. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103143243.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110928125420.htm Unprecedented algae growth in some lakes could be linked to the decline of water calcium levels and the subsequent loss of an important algae-grazing organism that helps keep blooms at bay. Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110928125420.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914134907.htm New clean fuel regulations in California and voluntary slowdowns by shipping companies substantially reduce air pollution caused by near-shore ships, according to a new study. Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914134907.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908124505.htm Although the burning of natural gas emits far less carbon dioxide than coal, a new study concludes that a greater reliance on natural gas would fail to significantly slow down climate change. Coal releases more carbon dioxide, but it also releases particles that cool the planet. Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908124505.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110901163915.htm With citizens' groups seeking government regulation of foul-smelling ammonia emissions from large dairy farms, scientists report that adding natural plant extracts to cow feed can reduce levels of the gas by one-third while reducing the need to fortify cow feed with expensive protein supplements. Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110901163915.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110819131519.htm Eutrophication harms the environment in many ways. Unexpectedly, nitrogen fertilizer may also be positive for the environment. And even acidic soils, promoting the destruction of forests, can have a positive effect. Researchers in Germany have discovered that nitrogen fertilizer indirectly strengthens the self-cleaning capacity of the atmosphere. Their study shows that nitrous acid is formed in fertilized soil and released to the atmosphere, whereby the amount increases with increasing soil acidity. In the air, nitrous acid leads to the formation of hydroxyl radicals oxidizing pollutants that then can be washed out. Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110819131519.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801094556.htm Researchers in the UK have found that callose initiated silica formation in undersaturated solutions of silicic acid and catalysed silica formation in saturated solutions of silicic acid. The former is the first example of any biomolecule that has been shown to be capable of inducing silica formation in an undersaturated solution of silicic acid. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801094556.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801094301.htm Recent studies have shown that human nitrogen additions to terrestrial ecosystems increase the terrestrial carbon dioxide uptake from the atmosphere. A new study reports now that the climatic benefits from carbon sequestration are largely offset by increased nitrous oxide emissions, a further side-effect of human nitrogen additions to terrestrial ecosystems. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801094301.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110725091726.htm A new model for the dynamics of clouds and rain, based on a predator-prey population model, may help us understand how clouds fit into the big climate picture. This model may help climate scientists understand, among other things, how human-produced aerosols affect rainfall patterns. Mon, 25 Jul 2011 09:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110725091726.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718161335.htm Quantum dots made from cadmium and selenium degrade in soil, unleashing toxic cadmium and selenium ions into their surroundings, a new study has found. Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718161335.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615062237.htm Cheap, much lighter than before and allowing for continuous operation – what traditional batteries can not offer – direct formic acid fuel cells can revolutionize the portable electronics market. A new catalyst will enable a widespread use of fuel cells, researchers say. Wed, 15 Jun 2011 06:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615062237.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110602102458.htm The same precision farming techniques that work with crops can work with manure management on cattle feedlots, according to agricultural scientists. Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110602102458.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110525120050.htm One helpful action anyone can take in response to global warming is to plant trees and preserve forests. Trees and plants capture carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, thereby removing the most abundant greenhouse gas from the atmosphere and storing some of it in their woody tissue. New research shows that global warming may affect the capacity of trees to store carbon by altering the forest nitrogen cycling. A field experiment showed that warmer temperatures stimulated the gain of carbon stored in trees as woody tissue. Wed, 25 May 2011 12:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110525120050.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516161344.htm Cigarette smoking, forest fires and woodburning can release a chemical that may be at least partly responsible for human health problems related to smoke exposure, according to a new study. "We found isocyanic acid in a number of places, from air in downtown Los Angeles and air downwind of a Colorado wildfire, to cigarette smoke," said the lead author. Mon, 16 May 2011 16:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516161344.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516121415.htm All animals face the challenge of deciding which chemicals in the environment are useful and which are harmful. A new study greatly improves our understanding of how animals sense an important class of potentially harmful chemicals: weak acids. Mon, 16 May 2011 12:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516121415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511131136.htm Scientists report how natural plant compounds known as tannins can reduce both the amount of nitrogen cows excrete in urine, and the action of a microbial enzyme in manure that converts the nitrogen into ammonia on the barn floor. Wed, 11 May 2011 13:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511131136.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511114307.htm Because they have a variety of useful properties, especially as antibacterial and antifungal agents, silver nanoparticles increasingly are being used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products. This in turn has raised concerns about what happens to them once released into the environment. Now a new research paper adds an additional wrinkle: Nature may be making silver nanoparticles on its own. Wed, 11 May 2011 11:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511114307.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509122735.htm High in the sky, water in clouds can act as a temptress to lure airborne pollutants such as sulfur dioxide into reactive aqueous particulates. Although this behavior is not incorporated into today's climate-modeling scenarios, emerging research provides evidence that it should be. Mon, 09 May 2011 12:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509122735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505083737.htm Heavy agricultural machinery results in more permanent damage to the soil than previously believed by researchers. This may lead to poorer crop yields and increased pollution from agricultural land, is the message of a group of Nordic researchers. The result is called soil compaction and it concerns the negative effect of driving heavy machinery on soil that is used for growing plants. Soil compaction is characterized by increased density of the soil, reduced air volume and a reduced ability to drain off surplus water. Thu, 05 May 2011 08:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505083737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110412065945.htm Reactive nitrogen compounds from agriculture, transport, and industry lead to increased emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide from forests in Europe. Nitrous oxide emission from forest soils is at least twice as high as estimated so far by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This is one of the key messages of the first study on nitrogen in Europe. Tue, 12 Apr 2011 06:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110412065945.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110405151225.htm Chemical changes in tree leaves subjected to warmer, drier conditions that could result from climate change may reduce the availability of soil nutrients, according to a new study. Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110405151225.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110405141711.htm Scientists have used computer-simulated farms with the support of field research to compare the environmental impact and economic efficacy of using alternative manure application methods in farming systems. Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110405141711.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110330094008.htm Critics worry that trading emissions allowances will create heavily polluted "hot spots" in low-income and minority communities. But a new study finds the problem hasn't materialized. Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110330094008.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329134347.htm Scientists have tested the effectiveness of removing solids from dairy manure to improve yield by increasing the nitrogen to phosphorus ratio and reducing the loss of nitrogen by hastening soil infiltration. Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329134347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329134341.htm A new study investigated the influence of dairy slurry on leaching of manure nutrient components. Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329134341.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110323140243.htm A portion of the "code" of life has been unraveled by a graduate student. She aimed to decipher intramolecular communication within a large RNA-protein enzyme responsible for expressing the genetic code for the amino acid glutamine. To her surprise, the experiments captured a partial glimpse of how the genetic coding of life may have emerged. Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110323140243.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110317141418.htm Researchers have discovered that the vanadium redox battery's performance can be significantly improved by modifying its electrolyte solution. The finding could improve the electric grid's reliability and help connect more wind turbines and solar panels to the grid. Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110317141418.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110315103540.htm Improving land management and farming practices in Australia could have an effect on global climate change, according to a new study. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 10:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110315103540.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110302080001.htm Not all the terrain of the same vineyard has the same properties. New research confirmed that, over the same zone of cultivated land, there are plots with soils of different characteristics, a fact which gives rise to significant differences in the production of the grape and in the quality of the must. Wed, 02 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110302080001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110215111849.htm A new study suggests a new way to estimate how much of the ocean's pollution is falling from the sky. The new findings can help improve scientific understanding of how toxic airborne chemicals, from the burning of fossil fuels and industrial power plants emissions, are impacting the oceans globally. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110215111849.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110209124346.htm Scientists are reporting discovery of an environmentally friendly way to make a key industrial material -- used in products ranging from paints to diapers -- from a renewable raw material without touching the traditional pricey and increasingly scarce petroleum-based starting material. Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:43:43 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110209124346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110209124145.htm If society wants to address big picture environmental problems, like global climate change, acid rain, and coastal dead zones, we need to pay closer attention to the Earth's coupled biogeochemical cycles, according to a new report. Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110209124145.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110208144927.htm The extreme rain events that have caused flooding across northern Australia may become an increasingly familiar occurrence, new research suggests. The study uses the growth patterns in near-shore corals to determine which summers brought more rain than others, creating a centuries-long rainfall record for northern Australia. Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110208144927.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110121103750.htm Chronic water quality problems caused by agricultural and urban runoff, municipal wastewater, and atmospheric deposition from the burning of fossil fuels leads to oxygen depletion, loss of biodiversity, and harmful algal blooms. This nutrient pollution is prevalent in many coastal marine and estuarine ecosystems worldwide. Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in North America and although many efforts have been taken to improve its water quality, nutrient pollution still keeps it at unacceptable levels. In a new study, biologists have measured the nutrient removal capacity of the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica. Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110121103750.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110106100936.htm Australian researchers have suggested that nations should abandon the concept of carbon emissions trading in favor of a carbon swap bank that might lead to genuine reductions in the amount of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas entering the atmosphere and so provide a mechanism for reducing climate change. Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:09:09 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110106100936.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101201151908.htm Rain gardens are increasingly popular with homeowners and municipalities and are mandatory for many communities nationally. US Department of Agriculture scientists are finding ways to improve rain gardens so they not only reduce runoff, but also keep toxic metals out of storm drains. Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101201151908.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101105085330.htm Moose in southern Norway are in significantly worse health than those further north and in eastern Norway, with lower carcass weights and lower reproduction rates. There are also several reported cases of osteoporosis and toxic nephrosis, a kidney disease. Fri, 05 Nov 2010 08:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101105085330.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101103135251.htm Scientists have shown that eruptions also affect rainfall over the Asian monsoon region, where seasonal storms water crops for nearly half of earth's population. Tree-ring researchers showed that big eruptions tend to dry up much of central Asia, but bring more rain to southeast Asian countries including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar -- the opposite of what many climate models predict. Wed, 03 Nov 2010 13:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101103135251.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101028143946.htm A research team has fully characterized a key chemical reaction that affects the formation of pollutants in smoggy air in the world's urban areas. When applied to Los Angeles, the laboratory results suggest that, on the most polluted days and in the most polluted parts of L.A., current models are underestimating ozone levels by 5 to 10 percent. Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101028143946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101026111607.htm The food industry generates a lot of waste products, but one of these -- eggshells -- could help combat climate change, according to new research. Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101026111607.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101021104735.htm Power plants that burn fossil fuels remain the main source of electricity generation across the globe. Modern power plants have scrubbers to remove sulfur compounds from their flue gases, which has helped reduce the problem of acid rain. Now, researchers in India have devised a way to convert the waste material produced by the scrubbing process into value-added products. Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101021104735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101013122603.htm The red, metal-laden sludge that escaped a containment pond in Hungary last week could be made less toxic with the help of carbon sequestration, says a geologist who has a patent pending on the technique. The bauxite residue now covers 40 square kilometers south of the Danube River, and has caused the deaths of eight Hungarians and injured at least 150. Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101013122603.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100907113141.htm Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium -- there are valuable nutrients contained in wastewater. Unfortunately, these essential nutrients are lost in conventional wastewater treatment plants. This is the reason why researchers in Germany have been working on processes for regaining these nutrients in the form that can be used for agriculture. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100907113141.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100907104043.htm There may be better ways to engineer the planet's climate to prevent dangerous global warming than mimicking volcanoes, a climate scientist in Canada says in two new studies. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100907104043.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100802073945.htm Scientists have found that over several months, biochar applied to soil can significantly reduce emissions of nitrous oxide and leaching of nitrates. Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100802073945.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100729172332.htm Some trees growing in nutrient-poor forest soil may get what they need by cultivating specific root microbes to create compounds they require. These microbes are exceptionally efficient at turning inorganic minerals into nutrients that the trees can use. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100729172332.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100706082058.htm Road surfaces can make a big contribution to local air purity. This conclusion can be drawn from the first test results on a road surface of air-purifying concrete. This material reduces the concentration of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 25 to 45 per cent. Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100706082058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100617102402.htm As carbon dioxide continues to burgeon in the atmosphere causing the Earth's climate to warm, scientists are trying to find ways to remove the excess gas from the atmosphere and store it where it can cause no trouble. Researchers in Iceland have been studying the possibility of sequestration of CO₂ in basalt. Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100617102402.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100616161211.htm Haze -- scientifically known as atmospheric aerosols, microscopic particles suspended in the Earth's atmosphere -- represents a major environmental problem because it degrades visibility, affects human health and influences the climate. Despite its profound impacts, how the haze is formed is not fully understood. Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100616161211.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100601205756.htm Using a new statistical method to compare the genes of 50 specimens of the West African forest gecko, researchers have determined that the widely distributed species is actually four distinct species that appear to have evolved over the past 100,000 years as the rain forest fragmented with increasing aridification. The finding demonstrates the wealth of biodiversity still surviving in the islands of tropical rain forest in West Africa. Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100601205756.htm