Move over, Sunbelt. The New North is coming through, a geographer predicts in a new book. As worldwide population increases by 40 percent over the next 40 years, sparsely populated Canada, Scandinavia, Russia and the northern United States will become formidable economic powers and migration magnets, Laurence C. Smith writes.

A crane hoists a key piece of oil spill evidence from the Gulf of Mexico, giving investigators their first chance to personally scrutinize the blowout preventer. BP - Gulf of Mexico - Mexico - Business - Energy

Oil billionaires David and Charles Koch have jumped on board an effort to suspend California's global warming law by making a million-dollar contribution this week. California - Charles G. Koch - Environment - Global warming - Climate change

Read answers to readers' questions about environmental topics.

Sadly, all four of our climbers will not be coming back to the Esperanza after all. Jens, Sim, Timo and Matt are flying home to Germany, USA, Finland and Poland respectively. Their personal belongings are still on board and they are going home in spare clothes bought for them by friends in Greenland. I'm sure they'll be glad to see their families again but we're really going to miss them on the ship and we haven't finished our 'Go Beyond Oil' tour yet. Yesterday we were hoping they would be back on board and Victor even made them a Welcome Home banner. I have sent them all the supportive messages people wrote us over the last few days by email so at least they can read those when they ...

A new study shows that more than 80 percent of the new farmland created in the tropics between 1980 and 2000 came from felling forests, which sends carbon into the atmosphere and drives global warming. But the research team also noted that big agribusiness has largely replaced small farmers in doing most of the tree cutting in Brazil and Indonesia, which may make it easier to rein in the trend.

The use of salt to deice pavement can leave urban streams toxic to aquatic life, according to a new study on the influence of winter runoff in northern US cities, with a special focus on eastern Wisconsin and Milwaukee.

More than five decades after a partial nuclear meltdown just outside Los Angeles, state and federal officials Friday announced agreements to remove all contamination. Los Angeles - California - Nuclear meltdown - United States - Counties

Drought has cut Peru's Amazon River to its lowest level in 40 years and it is already below the minimum set in 2005, when a devastating dry spell damaged vast swaths of South American rainforest in the worst drought in decades. Peru - South America - Drought - Amazon River - Rainforest

See wrecked cars and collapsed buildings following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand, on Saturday. New Zealand - Earthquake - Oceania - Christchurch - South Island

A surge in hormones allows millions of migrating Christmas Island red crabs to make their epic annual trek to the ocean, a new study says. Crab - Christmas Island - Christmas Island red crab - Oceania - Travel and Tourism

Recent "firenadoes" in Brazil and Hawaii aren't rare, just rarely reported, an expert says: Large-scale versions occur once a year in the U.S. Hawaii - United States - Brazil - South America - Tornadoes

Changes in the wall of clouds around Hurricane Earl's eye helped it diminish to a Category 1 storm as it moved toward Cape Cod, experts say. Cape Cod - Hurricane Earl - United States - Massachusetts - Counties

More people are likely to believe scientific studies claiming that oil drilling is riskier, not safer, than was previously thought, according to a new study of attitudes in California. What's more the findings show that scientists' efforts to influence public opinion have a limited effect.

We are still waiting for our climbers to be released but hoping they will be back on board the Esperanza soon. They are sorely missed - especially Timo's lovely guitar playing in the evenings. Anais is talking about preparing a "Welcome Back!" banner for them and every time the captain or our campaign leader walks past we keep asking "any news?". The answer is still no. Nobody knows exactly when they will be out and perhaps they wont be allowed back to the ship at all. Sim, Timo, Jens and Matt are truly heroes! I don't think I have ever witnessed such an amazing direct action in all my time with Greenpeace. Timo, Matt, Jens and Sim scaled the oil rig by climbing a s...

Engineers have created a millionth-scale automobile differential to govern the flight of minuscule aerial robots that could someday be used to probe environmental hazards, forest fires, and other places too perilous for people. Their new approach is the first to passively balance the aerodynamic forces encountered by these miniature flying devices, letting their wings flap asymmetrically in response to gusts of wind, wing damage, and other real-world impediments.

Handing out sustainable seafood guides on the streets of Tokyo (c) Sutton-Hibbert/Greenpeace There's a common comment in this part of the world, often repeated on the internet especially, about sorting out the seafood problem: namely, we have to change minds in Japan. Whilst it's a simplistic generalisation, there is a lot of truth in that. Seafood is a global commodity and a global problem. The big markets for seafood are (perhaps unsurprisingly) North America, Europe, and Asia. As an island nation, Japan is undoubtedly a place with a strong tradition of eating a vast array of seafood. We know too that Japan's demand for fish reaches around the world ( of course, th...

Junichi (right) and Toru (left) working on their defence during their trial (c) Sutton-Hibbert/Greenpeace Two years ago, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki exposed a scandal involving government corruption entrenched within the tax-payer funded Japanese whaling industry. They are on trial for theft and trespass, and are awaiting the verdict due this coming Monday. This will be the first blog Toru and I have written together, as up until recently our heavy bail restrictions have meant that we could not be in the same room or even talk to each other without a lawyer present. The verdict in our trial is approaching, and on Monday 6 September we will know what our fate is. We don'...

Just months after BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, which leaked millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, another Gulf oil rig exploded into flames Thursday. Gulf of Mexico - Deepwater Horizon - BP - Oil platform - Energy

A new discovery could make it possible in future to identify the source of banned CFCs that are probably still being released into the atmosphere. They have also discovered the largest chlorine isotope enrichment ever found in nature.

Prompted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a scientist has come up with a new way of predicting how contaminants like oil will spread. He was able to forecast several days in advance that oil from that spill would wash ashore in particular parts of the Gulf of Mexico.

Engineers removed a temporary cap Thursday that stopped oil from gushing into the Gulf of Mexico from BP's blown-out well in mid-July. Gulf of Mexico - BP - Business - Energy - Oil and Gas

Dams, wetland destruction, and overfishing threaten to wipe out more than 20 percent of Africa's freshwater species, many unique to the continent. Africa - Wetland - Overfishing - Species - Plants

Though expected to only graze the U.S. coast, Hurricane Earl is the first of many intense storms that could menace the U.S. East Coast this season, one expert says. Hurricane Earl - East Coast of the United States - United States - Earth Sciences - Meteorology

The number of threatened vultures in Cambodia is on the rise according to a new survey by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and other members of the Cambodia Vulture Conservation Project.

An oil and natural gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico exploded Thursday mid-morning and continues to burn this afternoon. According to the Coast Guard, all workers are safe and currently awaking transfer from a neighboring platform to an onshore hospital. The platform is owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy and operates in approximately 340 feet of water, some 100 miles south of Louisiana and 200 miles west of where the [...]

Corals, big mammals and many tropical species could all go extinct in the not too distant future, predict scientists who are attempting to forecast the fate of today's animals by studying what happened to those in the distant past. Mammal - Earth - Animal - Extinction - Paleontology

The world's strongest solid rocket motor revs up, a star nursery is seen in its sharpest view yet, and more in this week's best space pictures. Solid-fuel rocket - Rocket engine - Space - Technology - NASA

The discovery on Madagascar of the new species—given away by its flat snout—is a "Tarzan yell for conservation," a new study says. Madagascar - Tarzan - Africa - Species - Environment

This was the scene on the Esperanza's bridge as Luke called through to Sim on the Stena Don for the last time, as the climbers prepared to leave the oil rig. Apologies for the audio which is a bit fuzzy, but here's a transcript: S: Esperanza, this is Alpha Climb, go ahead L: Er you called us, over. S: Oops, sorry about that. We just finished our last battery so this [radio] will be our sole means of communication over L: Copy that, you will only be on VHF, only on VHF. The police on board have channel 67 to communicate with you. Please communicate with them when needed. Suggest you eat your remaining food, have a rest, and then slowly make your way out as and whe...

The independent audit which Sinar Mas thought would absolve it of deforestation, peatland clearance and law-breaking is now exploding in front of its face like a firework in a munitions factory. Greenpeace campaigners and supporters in the US have been demanding that Burger King drops Sinar Mas as a supplier until the group commits to ending deforestation and yesterday it did just that, announcing that "the report has raised valid concerns about some of the sustainability practices of Sinar Mas' palm oil production and its impact on the rainforest". So now the evidence is coming in of how companies will respond to the audit (and the way Sinar Mas tried to conceal it...

Side-by-side comparisons of organic and conventional strawberry farms and their fruit found the organic farms produced more flavorful and nutritious berries while leaving the soil healthier and more genetically diverse. The study is among the most comprehensive of its kind, analyzing 31 chemical and biological soil properties, soil DNA, and the taste, nutrition and quality of three strawberry varieties on more than two dozen commercial fields -- 13 conventional and 13 organic.

Ben writes about this morning's events from the Esperanza... Well, that was dramatic. Yesterday afternoon, the seas started churning and our huge banner on the oil rig was twisting and flapping as a gale blew up. I spoke to the four activists under rig and they assured me they were fine. They had self-heating meals and water and were still doing interviews, telling the world about Cairn Energy's plans to spark an Arctic oil rush. I kept eyeing the scene through the porthole in my cabin with concern. The swell was heaving and the lips of the waves were breaking white across the stretch of sea separating the Esperanza from the rig. The weather forecast on the screen on the bridge l...

Microbes could soon be used to convert metallic wastes into high-value catalysts for generating clean energy, say scientists.

BP's Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico Today our lawyers sent a letter to the UK government threatening legal action over their decision to continue giving licenses for deep sea oil drilling even before we know for certain the causes of the Deepwater Horizon explosion. We're asking the government to stop giving out these licenses for new offshore drilling and to carry out a comprehensive new environmental assessment into offshore oil. It's not just irrational to give out licenses without this new environmental assessment; we believe it's also a breach of European and UK law. We want the UK to follow Obama's lead and introduce a moratorium on deep sea drilling...

Picture of Sim yesterday morning on the rig It's five in the morning Greenland time and the last few hours have been quite insane. Last night, with the Espy pitching and rocking, and cups flying all over the place, we knew we had to get Timo, Meteusz, Sim and Jens off the rig. The worst of the Arctic weather was closing in, and their tiny tents were not going to be enough to keep them safe. Our friends had to climb up onto the rig. Due to the strong winds it took them a bit more than four hours to get up there, and when they did they were met by police and taken peacefully into custody. Looking out of my porthole at the massive waves, and feeling the movements of the Esperanz...

A recent study by researchers in Israel has found a new link between light at night and cancer.

American Samoa will make it illegal for stores to hand out plastic bags once a new law takes effect early next year. American Samoa - Oceania - Law - Plastic bag - Government

Just as we grow used to satellite navigation in everyday life, media reports argue that a coming surge in solar activity could render satnav devices useless, perhaps even frying satellites themselves. Is it true? No.

Five years after federal land managers opened up stretches of the Southwest to solar power developers, vast tracts still sit idle. Solar power - Energy - Business - Renewable - Solar

A skink species lays eggs on the coast but births babies in the mountains, giving a rare glimpse at how placentas evolved, scientists say. Evolution - Lizard - Species - Biology - Squamata

Chronic male insomniacs may have a higher risk of early death than "normal" male sleepers, a new study says. Insomnia - Health - Sleep disorder - Conditions and Diseases - Body mass index

On the 25th anniversary of Titanic's rediscovery, high-resolution images from a new expedition are shedding light on the shipwreck. RMS Titanic - Ocean liner - Ship - History - Maritime

The barbastelle bat has lowered its voice to evade detection by moths with keen hearing, a new study says. Bat - Wildlife - Recreation - Outdoors - Organizations

Greenpeace said about 500,000 Facebook users have urged the world's largest online social network to abandon plans to buy electricity from a coal-based energy company for its new data center in the U.S. Facebook - Greenpeace - Coal - Social network service - Mark Zuckerberg

As Atlantic hurricane season heats up, storms could send toxic hydrocarbons lingering from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill surging inland, scientists say. Video. Gulf of Mexico - North Atlantic tropical cyclone - Oil spill - Earth Sciences - Atmospheric Sciences

Arizona’s new solar website, mentioned here yesterday, is now live at www.arizonagoessolar.org. “The site’s name says it all,” Arizona Corporation Commission chair Kris Mayes told reporters at a formal unveiling this morning. “It isn’t called ‘Arizona went solar.’ It isn’t  ‘Arizona will go solar.’ It’s called ‘Arizona Goes Solar.’ “The Commission is hoping that Arizonagoessolar.org will be the meet-up place for every Arizonan who is interested in solar energy in [...]

Watch Sim talk about his "relatively comfortable" night dangling off the underside of Cairn's Stena Don rig. Our four climbers are still on Cairn's rig, stopping the company from continuing its dangerous drilling in Arctic waters. Read more at: www.GoBeyondOil.org

Integral Fast Reactor technology would recycle spent nuclear fuel to produce more power, but critics say safety and cost remain obstacles. Nuclear fuel - Nuclear - Radioactive waste - Energy - Technology

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is down significantly since last year, according to preliminary estimates released by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and Imazon, a Brazil-based NGO that tracks forest loss and degradation across the Amazon. Analysis of NASA MODIS data by Imazon found some 1,488 square kilometers of forest were cleared during the 12 months ended July 31, 2010, down 16 percent from the same period last year, when 1,766 square kilometers were deforested. Meanwhile analysis by INPE shows an even steeper drop from 4,375 square kilometers in August 2008 through July 2009 to 2,296 square kilometers in the current period, a decline of 48 percent. Th...

Scientists report success in boosting the ability of zinc oxide solar cells to absorb visible light simply by applying a blended mixture of various off-the-shelf dyes commonly used in food and medical industries -- in a soak-then-dry procedure not unlike that used to color a tee-shirt in a home washing machine.

Our four climbers have spent the night in sub-zero temperatures, hanging off the bottom of Cairn's Arctic oil rig - the Stena Don. While we're attached to the rig, Cairn Energy can't continue their reckless drilling. For live updates visit www.GoBeyondOil.org Here's a video of how they scaled up the legs of the rig, followed by a quick interview with Sim - from the US - talking about why they're there. Sleeping in tiny tents suspended from the rig, Sim is joined by Timo from Finland, Mateusz from Poland, and Jens from Germany and they've taken enough food with them to last a few days. The hope is that if they can hang on long enough, Cairn will miss the su...

With a major famine unfolding in Niger and other countries of West Africa's dry Sahelian region, an agricultural scientist reports new progress in disseminating an innovative system for irrigated vegetable production -- a valuable option in a region that is highly dependent on subsistence rainfed cropping.

Space scientists around the world are celebrating ten years of ground-breaking discoveries by "Cluster," a mission that is illuminating the mysteries of the magnetosphere, the northern lights and the solar wind. Cluster is a European Space Agency mission, launched in summer 2000. It consists of a unique constellation of four spacecraft flying in formation around Earth, studying the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere.

Japanese fishermen set out Wednesday on the first dolphin hunt of the season in Taiji, the Japanese village portrayed in the Oscar-winning documentary "The Cove." Japan - Cove - Asia - Academy Award - Ric O'Barry

An unmanned aircraft system guided by satnav has been developed within ESA's Business Incubation Centre to provide rapid monitoring of land areas and disaster zones. The planes have already helped Spanish farmers in Andalusia to fight land erosion.

Police have gunned down a 100-pound mountain lion romping through Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto neighborhood blocks from Alice Waters' famed Chez Panisse restaurant. Alice Waters - Chez Panisse - Berkeley - United States - Recreation