Japan to survey Pacific seabed for rare earth
Japan will launch a survey of its Pacific seabed, an official said Thursday, hoping to find rare earth deposits large enough to supply its high-tech industries and reduce its dependence on China.
Breeding season underway for famed Galapagos tortoises
Breeding season is underway for the endangered tortoises of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands, whose mating and nesting habits are carefully watched by wildlife specialists hoping to save them from extinction.
Switch out of wood-burning stoves saves lives
Reducing the use of wood-burning stoves in an Australian city led to a sharp fall in deaths from respiratory diseases and heart failure.
2012 warmest on record for US, had historic extremes
2012 marked the warmest year on record for the United States and was also the second most extreme ever, the US government agency charged with monitoring weather events said.
Grounded Alaska oil rig refloated, no pollution seen
An oil rig which ran aground in Alaska has been refloated and is being towed to a nearby harbor, with no signs of pollution seen.
Australia bushfires rage in 'catastrophic' conditions
Bushfires raged across Australia's most populous state Tuesday, fanned by intense heat and high winds in "catastrophic" conditions which have forced hasty evacuations and are threatening homes.
China 'biggest' nuclear plant construction resumes
China has resumed construction on a "fourth generation" nuclear power plant, suspended after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, which will be its biggest-ever nuclear facility.
US study says El Nino, climate change link fuzzy
The frequency and volatility of El Nino, a weather pattern that hammers the tropical Pacific Ocean every five years or so, does not seem linked to climate change.
Australian scientists discover deep sea corals
Australian scientists mapping the Great Barrier Reef have discovered corals at depths never before thought possible, with a deep-sea robot finding specimens in waters nearly as dark as night.
World's smelliest and largest flower blooms in Brazil
Hundreds of visitors are flocking daily to a botanical garden in southeastern Brazil to watch the rare blooming of the Titan arum, the world's smelliest and largest tropical flower.
Massive finback whale beached in New York City
A massive whale, some 60 feet (18 meters) long, beached itself on Wednesday morning in New York City, where, despite rescue efforts, it seemed to have little chance of survival.
Russia's brutal early winter claims 123 lives
A bitter cold snap in Russia has claimed 123 lives in the past 10 days, an official said Tuesday, with the early freeze testing authorities in a country used to notoriously tough winters.
Nepal campaigners plead for killer elephant's life
Nepalese animal rights groups pleaded Monday for the life of a lovelorn elephant which has trampled several people to death and is being hunted down by an army execution squad.
Chile volcano alert raised
Chile issued a top-level red alert Sunday for its Copahue volcano, in the south on the Andean border with Argentina, as it rumbled to register a greater potential threat.
Judge clears BP's $7.8 bn settlement in US oil spill
British oil giant BP won US court approval Friday of a $7.8 billion settlement with people and businesses who lost money and property due to the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Group defiant over US ban on tackling Japan whalers
US conservation group Sea Shepherd vowed Tuesday to fight a US court order to stay at least 500 yards away from Japanese whaling ships, and to keep protecting whales "with our ships and our lives."
New species, old threats to Mekong wildlife: WWF
From a devilish-looking bat to a frog that sings like a bird, scientists have identified 126 new species in the Greater Mekong area, the WWF said Tuesday in a new report detailing discoveries in 2011.
Environmental hangover from Indonesia's palm oil thirst
The roar of chainsaws has replaced birdsong, the once-lush, green jungle scorched to a barren grey. The equivalent of six football pitches of forest is lost every minute in Indonesia.
Australia plans drill of ancient Antarctic ice core
Australia Saturday announced plans to drill a 2,000 year-old ice core in the heart of Antarctica in a bid to retrieve a frozen record of how the planet has evolved and what might be in store.
Many Americans see hint of Apocalypse in extreme weather
A third of Americans believe the intensity of recent natural disasters is linked to the Apocalypse described in the New Testament, according to a poll released Thursday.