The Mortlock Islands flying fox, a large, breadfruit-eating bat native to a few remote and tiny Pacific islands, has long been regarded as one of […]

The post Scientists shine light on world’s least-studied bat: Mortlock Islands flying fox appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

California’s Channel Islands are located dozens of miles west of the state’s coast and surrounded by Pacific waters, yet they too are experiencing the same […]

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A one-cubic-foot approach to studying biodiversity as showcased in the new Biocube exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History has led to the […]

The post New parasitic crab species discovered during Smithsonian Biocube work in Solomon Islands appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The new island visible in the satellite photograph is the top of a giant shield volcano located on the rift axis in the Red Sea where the continental plates of Africa and Arabia are pulling apart.

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The post Barro Colorado Island: The Smithsonian’s research outpost in the Panama Canal appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A team of some 30 taxonomists, many from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, accompanied by renowned photographer Christian Ziegler, conduct a week-long bioblitz on Cobia […]

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Recent botanical exploration efforts in the rugged Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) have increased the known flora of the archipelago by an impressive 20 percent. Field research and collecting in conjunction with the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands and Flore de la Polynesie française projects have yielded 62 new species of ferns and flowering plants bringing the total native species to 360, of which 18 are newly described and illustrated in a special issue of PhytoKeys.

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Heat waves are predicted to become more frequent under climate change, and are likely to be particularly severe in cities and towns due to the Urban Heat Island effect (UHI). A recent UK study of UHI mitigation strategies has demonstrated that even a small urban river can result in a cooling effect of 1??C during temperatures higher than 20??C, and that these cooling effects can be improved by careful urban design of the surrounding areas.

Climate change is likely to exacerbate the urban heat island (UHI) effect. A new study has therefore examined possible climate change adaptation measures that can alleviate the UHI effect and illustrated how these strategies can be practically applied. While the study provides real-life examples to demonstrate how the measures can be used, it does not include any quantitative assessment of their impacts.

Green spaces in cities can have a cooling influence which helps reduce the ‘urban heat island effect’. New research from Portugal has demonstrated that even a small community garden can provide a significant cooling impact that can help efforts to adapt to climate change.

Climate change is a particular threat to island nations and effective adaptation is vital. A new analysis examines current adaptation measures in tropical Oceania and identifies guidelines for implementing resilient, ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA). Among its recommendations, local communities should be fully involved in planning adaptation measures.

The urban heat island (UHI) effect can be completely offset by using 'cool' and 'green' roofs, finds new research from the US. However, the study also found that different roofs may affect rainfall and energy demand, and that their efficiency varies with location.

Cool pavements, which can be used to reduce the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, where towns and cities are warmer than surrounding rural areas, have been reviewed in new research. The review found that reflective pavements can reduce temperatures by up to 20°C and are more durable than evaporative pavements, which are less effective at temperature reduction but may have other benefits, such as reducing runoff.

The Canary Islands have the potential to become carbon neutral by 2050, a new study indicates. This could be achieved by shifting to a 100% renewable energy supply, improving energy efficiency and building new grid connections between islands. Energy solutions for small island regions, such as the Canaries, could act as role models for larger systems, as well as similar islands, the researchers suggest.

Eradication of invasive mammal species is a strategy used to help conserve biodiversity on islands and restore populations of native species. Researchers have now assessed the success of this strategy globally, highlighting the importance of controlling invasive species to protect biodiversity on islands and achieve global conservation targets.

A Christmas Island man has been sentenced to four years and four months jail today (Friday, 8 May) in the Western Australia District Court for six child abuse-related offences involving a young girl.

The post Trainers flock to Kangaroo Island races appeared first on The Lead SA.

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These heart-shaped islands are top-notch destinations for romantic vacations, honeymoons, weddings and marriage proposals.

BP’s oil spill could hamper the domestic oil industry -- but that doesn’t mean we’ll use less oil.

While rising sea levels ultimately influence the entire planet, they pose the greatest threat to the islands sitting at sea level.

30 years after its near-calamity, the American nuclear industry is still paying for its inability to tell the truth on its worst day.

Decades after the world's two biggest previous nuclear disasters, NBC's Jeff Rossen and Michelle Kosinski look back at the impact of the meltdowns.

Long before modern countries like China and Dubai began making artificial islands, the Calusa people built a kingdom on seashells.

Scientists have found a massive deposit inside the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the moon, and it's having a significant impact on the moon's gravitational field.

Strong winds make for a great place to operate a wind turbine but a lousy location to put one up.

The deadly earthquake and tsunami that hit the Solomon Islands today struck along a subduction zone.

Debris from the deadly tsunami that struck Japan in 2011 is drifting across the Pacific Ocean toward North America.

Volcano erupts on Indonesian island of Sulawesi, which had already been hit by a 7.5 earthquake and a tsunami.

Anjouan is an island between Africa and Madagascar littered with sedimentary rocks called quartzite that don't belong there. Are they a chunk of Gondwana?

Take a tour of Box Office, the first commercial office building in the U.S. built from retired shipping containers.

Scientists propose dropping poison to kill mice on the Farallon Islands, but there's concern that wildlife and water quality will suffer.

The giant bug, Lord Howe Island stick insect, was rediscovered in the early 2000s, and now scientists have confirmed it's in fact them.

Try this pretty pineapple-orange and vodka cocktail.

For almost 40 years, Art and Nan Kellam lived off-grid on a Maine island, eschewing modern technology, but not each other.

El Hierro, the smallest of the Canary Islands, is becoming energy self-sufficient by relying solely on wind turbines and hydroelectricity.

While there are no remaining unmapped islands waiting to be discovered, these destinations live up to the deserted island lore.

When people get together and share knowledge and resources, they can do wonders.

Conservationists are hoping for a Christmas (Island) miracle.

The Arctic island has a fair amount in common with the Red Planet, at least on its surface.

The extremely rare South Pacific island is one of three new islands to form in the last 150 years.

​Nearly 10 percent of rocky surfaces on the island paradise of Madeira are covered in 'plasticrust.'

Finn the conservation dog was trained to sniff out pesky rabbits, and in the process he protect native plants and threatened Humboldt penguins.

Fair Isle, with a population of 60, is looking for someone with a sense of adventure — and a nursing certificate.

Transition to clean energy meant to provide a proof of concept to other island nations in the Caribbean.

Researchers tagging juvenile sharks have confirmed where these youngsters spend the first year of their lives.

Typically thought of as a tropical climate pattern, the influence of La Niña spreads as far as Antarctica.

Designer Benjamin Jones wants to erect the Sustainable TreeHouse, an eco-friendly 'interactive playground' on New York City's Governors Island. But he needs you

A young New Yorker buys, via Craigslist, an uninhabited 91-acre island in Lake Superior with plans to create a small, sustainable artist residency while keeping