Science & Health

How Niagara Falls could be turned off…again

New York State officials are considering turning off the American Falls, one of three waterfalls that make up the Niagara Falls, for several months in order to replace two old stone arch bridges, reported Buffalo news.

Jan 26, 2016

Mexico: Popocatepetl volcano spews ash and smoke into red tinted sky

Mexicos Popocatepetl volcano erupted on 24 and 25 January, belching ash and smoke across red-tinted skies. A huge column of water vapour could be seen rising above the volcanos crater.

Jan 26, 2016

Nasa animation shows disturbing rise in temperatures to record 2015 high

Nasa animation shows disturbing rise in temperatures to record 2015 high

Jan 22, 2016

Mexico: Colima volcano eruption lights up the night sky

Mexicos Colima or Fire Volcano spewed a large column of gas and ash some 2,500m high into a blue sky on 19 January. According to officials, the latest eruption took place at 8.30am local time. The morning explosion was preceded by an eruption of incandescent rock at the volcanos mouth at 11pm local time on 18 January.

Jan 20, 2016

China smog: Greenpeace reports some easing pollution levels in 2015

China may have found itself once again in the news for the choking smog which blanketed many of its cities over the past month, but pollution in the worlds number two economy actually eased in 2015, data compiled by Greenpeace shows. The data, which covers 367 cities, showed average PM2.5 levels dropping by 10 percent in 2015 compared with the previous year. However, even with the improvement, 80 percent of the cities in the survey still failed to meet national air quality standards.

Jan 20, 2016

Peru: Vultures fitted with GoPros to crack down on illegal dumping

Vultures in Lima are being equipped with GPS tracking devices and GoPro cameras to help environment officials crack down on illegal waste dumps surrounding the Peruvian capital. Ten trained vultures wearing purpose-designed vests have already started to monitor the city from above with the help of GPS trackers as part of the Vultures Detect programme.

Jan 19, 2016

Lake Erie: Car found frozen solid after severe cold hits eastern US

Footage shows Mitsubishi completely encased in ice after being parked by lake.

Jan 12, 2016

Over 40 whales die after washing ashore in Tamil Nadu

Stranded dolphins were seen on at least two beaches in the state on Monday night.

Jan 12, 2016

California: State of emergency declared over Methane gas leak

California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency on 6 January, following a gas leak that sent huge clouds of methane into the skies. The gas leak in Los Angeles has been sickening nearby residents for more than two months. Footage handed out by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) showed infra-red footage of the gas leak.

Jan 8, 2016

El Nino: Cars stranded on flooded San Diego streets

Flash flood warnings remained in effect in the San Diego area on 6 January as an El Niño-strengthened storm brought widespread rain to drought-stricken California. Several abandoned cars were seen almost entirely submerged at a flooded intersection, as heavy rains flooded parts of San Diego County.

Jan 7, 2016

Guatemala: Fuego volcano spews ash and lava

Guatemalas Fuego volcano belched black ash high into the sky on 3 January, as an eruption that began last week intensified, but authorities have not ordered the evacuation of nearby villages.

Jan 5, 2016

Bolivia: Video shows surprise storm tear in to houses

Residents in the Bolivian city of El Alto, a chaotic sprawl high in the Andes, were surprised when heavy winds hit the city on 29 December. Local media reported that 90 houses were partially destroyed in three neighbourhoods of District Eight, due to the gale force winds.

Dec 31, 2015

Storm Frank: Twelve rescued from flooded bus in Dumfries

A lorry driver and his passenger were among those rescued from their vehicles as the River Nith in Dumfries in Scotland burst its banks on 30 December, after heavy rain and gales from Storm Frank battered northern parts of the UK. Separately, 12 people were rescued from a bus that became trapped in floodwaters in nearby Ayrshire, both in southwest Scotland.

Dec 31, 2015

Increased air pollution plays dampener on New Year celebrations in Asia, Europe

Italy has already issued a directive prohibiting the use of fireworks on New Year.

Dec 31, 2015

Widespread flooding in US Midwest forces evacuation of hundreds

Flash flood warnings were issued for parts of the Carolinas and Georgia.

Dec 31, 2015