Most polluted ecosystems can recover

WASHINGTON - There’s some cheerful news for conservationists. Most polluted or damaged ecosystems can recover within a lifetime if societies commit to their clean-up or restoration, according to an analysis of 240 independent studies.

Squall likely in Delhi

NEW DELHI - If the heat and humidity is making you fume, have heart. A dust storm sometime in the latter half of Thursday is likely to bring some rain and even a squall to the capital.

Gold-flecked nano-sensor detects poisonous mercury

SYDNEY - Researchers led by an Indian Australian have pioneered a gold-flecked nano-sensor that can precisely measure one of the world’s most poisonous substances, mercury.

Rats have fierce loyalty to ‘home’

WASHINGTON - Although rodents have a free run of the city, they develop a fierce sense of loyalty to the neighbourhoods where they spend the rest of their lives.

Central wildlife authorities unhappy with Goa forest officials

PANAJI - Central wildlife authorities are unhappy at the callousness with which the Goa forest officials have handled the tiger poaching incident in the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, where a tiger was brutally caught in a wire-trap and then shot dead.

Heading PETA India isn’t just another job (Interview, With Image)

BHUBANESWAR - Eight years ago, while working in a leather buying firm, she was horrified to notice a piece of fur sticking to leather. She went to animal rights group PETA India, was inspired by what she saw and begged them to hire her.

Huge blue whale washed up dead on New Zealand beach

WELLINGTON - A rare blue whale, measured at 27 metres long and estimated to weigh about 150 tonnes, has washed up dead on a New Zealand beach, news reports said Thursday.

Global carbon emissions to increase 40 percent by 2030

WASHINGTON - The level of carbon emissions into the Earth’s atmosphere will surge nearly 40 percent by 2030 if the governments can’t force more limits on pollutants blamed for global warming, a US report said Wednesday.

Three Indian sites added to UNESCO list of biosphere reserves

NEW YORK - Three Indian wildlife reserves are among a new batch of 22 special spots named by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) where humans are interacting with the rest of nature in sustainable ways.

Darjeeling landslide toll mounts to 24

SILIGURI - With the recovery of two more bodies, the toll in the landslides triggered by Cyclone Aila in West Bengal’s hill district of Darjeeling rose to 24 Wednesday, the administration said.

Decline in humidity provides respite to Delhiites (Lead)

NEW DELHI - A decline in humidity levels Wednesday provided some respite to people of the capital from the sweltering summer despite the temperature being above 40 degrees Celsius.

Agricultural burning, forest fires impact Arctic melting

WASHINGTON - Large-scale agricultural burning in Russia, Kazakhstan, China, US, Canada and Ukraine is having a much greater impact on the melting of Arctic ice than previously suspected, according to latest research.

Forest fires rage as mercury soars in Himachal

SHIMLA - Unusually hot and dry conditions have virtually transformed the wooded areas and grasslands of Himachal Pradesh into tinderboxes. The state is now struggling to curb the forest fires that are reducing its rich flora and fauna to ashes.

Fly ash, a source of fireproof concrete?

SYDNEY - Tens of millions of tonnes of fly ash, produced worldwide annually by coal fired power stations, could become a valuable source for fireproof concretes.

Uncovering Earth’s past, predicting its future

WASHINGTON - Scientists have evolved a formula which will unravel how and why our climate moved us on from ice ages to warmer periods.

Hot day, clear skies ahead for Delhi

NEW DELHI - After days of pleasant weather, Delhiites could experience a hot day Wednesday with the maximum temperature likely to touch the 40 degree mark.

Gujarat zoo staff to be trained in Singapore on cheetah care

JUNAGADH - Two officials of the Sakkarbaug Zoo in this Gujarat town, which houses two cheetahs brought from Singapore, will travel to the island nation next month to learn ways to help the animals cope with the harsh Indian summer.

Dhaka to send lawmakers to study Indian river project

DHAKA - A team of lawmakers and experts from Bangladesh will visit the Tipaimukh project in India’s northeast to study if it could adversely affect the flow of river Barak that is common to both the South Asian neighbours.

Fresh snowfall in Himachal Pradesh

SHIMLA - There was moderate snowfall and rain at many places in Himachal Pradesh early Tuesday, bringing the temperatures down considerably.