In a decision that jeopardizes the Cape Wind project, a federal appeals court in Washington has ruled that the Federal Aviation Administration underestimated the danger the wind farm's turbines would pose to planes flying over Nantucket Sound. A 2009 report by the FAA found that Cape Wind's 440-foot turbines were "no hazard" to planes flying without the aid of instruments. The report was a key factor in the U.S. Department of the Interior's decision to grant final approval to the project earli... Read More
A Canadian senator launched a campaign Thursday to change the country's national emblem from the beaver to the polar bear. Referring to the beaver as a "dentally defective rat," Conservative Senator Nicole Eaton said the animal should "step aside" in favor of a more majestic species. "The polar bear, with its strength, courage, resourcefulness and dignity is perfect for the part," Eaton said. Critics of Eaton's proposal point out that the Conservative party opposes initiatives that would offer... Read More
The final of the men's 2,000-meter kayaking fours China City Games in Nanchang, China ended in bloodshed early this week when the Nanchang squad retaliated violently after a collision with a team from Guangzhou. The Guangzhou boat reportedly rammed the Nanchang team after a lane violation, and the Nanchang kayakers fought back with their paddles. One blow landed squarely enough to send Guangzhou team captain to the hospital, "covered with blood."
Read more at China Daily
Nine days after a team of climbers including world-renowned alpinist Park Young-Seok went missing on Annapurna, searchers have no idea what may have befallen the men. The Korean climbers were attempting a new route on Annapurna's South Face when they encountered falling rock on October 18th and radioed their decision to abort the climb. When nothing was heard from Park in the following days, The North Face and the Korean Alpine Federation dispatched search parties. A team of Sherpas identified... Read More
Scientists from the National Wildlife Health Center have identified a fungus that causes a deadly and highly contagious disease that has decimated bat populations across the United States. In a study published yesterday in Nature, the team recreated fungal infections with Geomyces destructans and noted the same syptoms—namely a white fuzz that grows on the noses of infected bats—that biologists have observered among bats populations affected by white-nose syndrome in the wild. The ... Read More
