Charting a Course for Mighty Volga's Future: "Scientists are preparing to launch a major visionary study of what Russia's greatest waterway may be like a generation from now and how the mighty Volga can best be protected for the good of those living in its basin lands."
Pentagon protected by trained bees: "Soon the Pentagon will be using trained bees to help fight terror campaigns. The small insects are at the center of research for TNT, bomb-making facilities, and landmine detection. The bees are fitted with tiny wireless transmitters that can be tracked via a laptop. They have been trained to think that TNT contains sugar and therefore head straight to it. Pentagon researcher Dr. Alan Rudolph has outlined plans to put hives of these trained bees at security checkpoints, alerting the Army if anyone tries to pass carrying a bomb. He went on to explain how the bees outdo dogs, as they can detect odors better than their canine equivalents and can be conditioned using sugar-water as a reward."
3 Million May Starve By Next Month: "The United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) yesterday said it was reassessing the food aid needs of Zimbabwe as another international agency warned that three million Zimbabweans could be at risk of starvation by next month."
Despite grand plans, ethanol falls short as miracle fuel: "Ethanol makes up just 1.2% of the nation's gasoline supply, and its production employs just 0.1% of the nation's workforce. But in Washington, the renewable fuel is increasingly sold on both sides of the political aisle as a magic elixir for the nation's energy, economic and environmental woes. And the unbridled enthusiasm could cost consumers at the gas pumps for a product that hasn't proved it can live up to supporters' claims."
Mexico and Central America prepare for El Nino: "Mexico and Central America are rushing to protect themselves from the looming El Nino weather anomaly even though forecasters say it will not cause the devastating droughts and floods it did in 1997 and 1998. This year, governments in the region have already begun to prepare for the El Nino effect, asking farmers to conserve water and delay seasonal crop plantings, among other measures."
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Moon: "Why No Man Has Ever Set Foot on the Moon: A successful manned mission to the moon offered a wond
Extreme Climate Variance Sped Extinction Of Local Butterfly Populations, Researchers Say: "Since 1960, population biologist Paul Ehrlich and his research group have been conducting a classic study of the population of Jasper Ridge's Bay checkerspot butterflies, subspecies Euphydryas editha bayensis. But now the biologists won't have to muck about the ridge counting insects as they have for decades to characterize rates of births, deaths, immigrations and emigrations. The last two Jasper Ridge populations went extinct in 1991 and 1998. Examining 70 years of rainfall and population data, the researchers now conclude that extreme swings in regional climate hastened extinction of the butterflies. They report their findings in the April 30 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."
Grass-roots recycling efforts cut waste and save money: "The EcoTeam program is held in private homes every other week over three or four months. The goal, based on the theory of "social diffusion," is to get 15 percent of any given population involved. This is considered necessary for social movements to take root; four months is needed to change a habit."
Iceberg Breakoffs Alarm Scientists: "The Antarctic Peninsula ice shelves are cracking up and, on the face of things, it is the most serious thaw since the end of the last ice age 12,000 years ago."