The World Anti-Doping Agency declared Tuesday that it supports the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s investigation of Lance Armstrong and disagrees with the International Cycling Union’s (UCI) efforts to take over jurisdiction of the case. Armstrong is asking a federal judge to stop the USADA-led investigation and turn the matter over to the UCI. While the UCI has backed his efforts, WADA issued a public statement and sent UCI president Pat McQuaid a letter clearly stating that USADA has j... Read More
Diseased trees may be a significant source of methane gas contributing to climate change, according to a new study in Geophysical Research Letters. The methane-producing trees are outwardly healthy but hollowed out by fungal infections. The new space provides an opening for methane-producing microorganisms called methanogens. “If we extrapolate these findings to forests globally, the methane produced in trees represents 10 percent of global emissions,” said Xuhui Lee, a co-author o... Read More
Five days after the first-ever Saudi Arabian woman competed in the Olympics, the total has doubled. Sarah Attar, a 19-year-old Saudi middle-distance runner, ran in a preliminary 800m race Wednesday morning. She finished in last place—more than 30 seconds behind the next best runner—with a time of 2 minutes, 44.95 seconds. But that’s not really the point here. "For women in Saudi Arabia, I think this can really spark something to get more involved in sports, to become more ath... Read More
Seven Olympic athletes from Cameroon have disappeared from the Olympic Village in a presumed attempt to seek asylum in Europe. A reserve goalkeeper for the women's soccer team was the first to vanish, followed by a swimmer who had failed to advance, and five boxers who had all completed their matches in London. "The conditions in Cameroon are very difficult—there are no opportunities here and if you have the chance to go the UK, it's understandable that you would want to stay there," Hen... Read More
San Francisco residents will vote on a ballot measure this fall that seeks to drain Hetch Hetchy, the controversial 80-year-old valley-cum-reservoir in Yosemite National Park that has drawn the ire of environmentalists since the days of John Muir. The measure asks voters to decide whether San Francisco officials should come up with a new water treatment plan and study other possible reservoirs to replace Hetch Hetchy. Studies by the state and outside groups have suggested that San Franc... Read More
