Massive Extinctions from Human Activity

http://www.globalissues.org/article/171/loss-of-biodiversity-and-extinctions#MassiveExtinctionsFromHumanActivity
Biodiversity is an essential part of life.  Most humans know this, however they do not care enough to stop those actions that they take that cause extinctions and decrease biodiversity.  Our current extinction rate on Earth is 1000 times greater than it was before human actions started affecting the environment.  Human actions are significantly destroying the biodiversity of Earth. Here are some facts presented in the article

At threat of extinction are :

• 1 out of 8 birds
• 1 out of 4 mammals
• 1 out of 4 conifers
• 1 out of 3 amphibians
• 6 out of 7 marine turtles

75% of genetic diversity of agricultural crops has been lost

75% of the world’s fisheries are fully or over exploited

Up to 70% of the world’s known species risk extinction if the global temperatures rise by more than 3.5°C

1/3^rd of reef-building corals around the world are threatened with extinction

Over 350 million people suffer from severe water scarcity

If humans do not change their actions, than animals and plants will continue to go extinct and continually decrease the biodiversity of Earth.

Two-child limit imposed on some Muslims in western Burma

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-05-25/world/39518714_1_rakhine-muslims-population-growth
Although China has a one-child policy, however this isn't based on religion or ethnic groups.  In Rhakine, however, there has been a two child policy that has been implemented on Muslims.  The population of Muslims in Rhakine is extremely high and this is an attempt to control the population.  Although this is only a policy for Muslims, against a specific religious group, it is meant to control the population of Burma as most of its population is Muslim.  This can be seen as discrimination against Muslims to some, but is also seen as a form of population control to others.

At 400,000 Years, Oldest Human DNA Yet Found Raises New Mysteries

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/05/science/at-400000-years-oldest-human-dna-yet-found-raises-new-mysteries.html?ref=science
Recently, DNA was found that dates back to 400,000 years ago based on the fossil it was found inside.  This new discovery was originally thought to be an ancestor of the Neanderthal, but the DNA results relate the DNA to the Denisovans.  This evidence can change the whole way we look at evolution, as it shows that many different human ancestors have possibly lived on the Earth, many different variations of ancestors may have interbred and relocated.  This can change the whole way we look at evolution.  The bone was extracted through new technology that would not even have been available a year ago.  They were able to drill into the femur and obtain ancient DNA.  Scientists think there is a possibility that we may have to re-think how the homo sapien species came about and spread across the Earth, and figure out our true roots.

Plug up the COAL; keep it in the ground!

http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/46699
The article starts off by explaining how beneficial coal was to the economic development of humans in the past 200 years.  It allowed for affordable energy and was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, however, we know that the extraction and use of coal is actually damaging to humans and to the environment.  Using coal as an energy source the way we are right now is impacting climate change drastically and if we do not change how much we use or transform the way we use it, it will cause the atmosphere to raise 2 degrees Celsius, which is what we have been trying to avoid.  Emissions from coal use are on the rise and need to be stopped, as it is posing a great risk to our environment.  The coal industry must shift and transform the way it works, or its effects will be irreversible.

Eco-Fruit Farming: Reducing Pesticides while Promoting Best Farming Techniques

http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/46657
In 2005 an apple study on 774 different apples was done.  This study turned out the result that 98% of the apples studied contained some form of pesticide.  Apple growers want to try and have the best turnout possible with their harvest, so in order to do so, they use many forms of pesticides.  These pesticides, however, are dangerous for the consumers, apple growers and the environment.  An effort to find a middle ground between stopping use of pesticides and trying to maintain the maximum amount of harvests resulted in the Eco-Fruit Program.  This program has helped to reduce the danger of pesticides to humans, and has reduced the impacts of pesticides on the environment by 46%.  Overall, we just need to try to move away from pesticide use on the foods we will consume, because they are harmful to both the environment and the consumers.

Increase in asteroid strikes?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/07/science/space/more-large-asteroid-strikes-are-likely-scientists-find.html?ref=science&_r=0
In February a Russian town was hit by a 60 foot asteroid and injured over 1000 people.  That asteroid was ONLY 60 feet.  Many asteroids are floating throughout our solar system.  We have been able to track many of these asteroids, especially those that are large enough to destroy the Earth as we know it.  We have estimated to have found 95% of these asteroids, over 1 kilometer wide, and none of them seem to be on a path to hit Earth any time soon.  However, if we look at smaller asteroids, we have  only found 0.5% of them.  They are not as easily found and can pose a problem.  Perhaps if a few of these smaller asteroids hit Earth rather than a single large one, the whole Earth would be destroyed.  These asteroids that can move at tens of thousands of miles per hour could devastate Earth if multiple smaller asteroids hit at once.  Scientists originally thought occurrences such as this would only happen maybe once a century, however now they are being pushed to believe that asteroid impacts might occur once every few decades.

Astronomers Find Earthlike Planet, but It’s Infernally Hot

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/31/science/space/astronomers-find-earthlike-planet-but-its-infernally-hot.html?ref=science&_r=0
A planet was found that orbits a star much like our sun.  It is about the same size as earth and made of the same materials, however it is uninhabitable because it orbits its star less then a million miles away, and only takes about 8 and a half hours to complete a revolution.  The discovery of this planet shows that there are other planets like earth out in space so life is definitely possible to be found.  This particular planet was seen as "hell on earth" due to its close proximity to the star it revolves around.  Scientists still want to know how its possible that the planet found, Kepler 78b, formed at that particular spot because they claim that it couldn't have formed there, because the star as a youngster would have extended into its orbit. So where did It come from.  They are still researching this to discover as much information as possible.

Lab Uses Lightning to charge smartphone

http://energyblog.nationalgeographic.com/2013/10/01/lab-uses-lightning-bolt-to-charge-smartphone/
Nokia and the University of Southhampton in UK teamed together to experiment with the use of lightning to test if lightning could charge a phone.  It was successful.  The experiment occurred in a simulated environment where scientists ran 200,000 volts of electricity through a transformer and were able to charge a Nokia cellphone in a couple of seconds.  This shows that wireless charging is a good possibility in the future.  A single lightning bolt would be able to power a car for 180-910 miles, so the use of natural energy looks bright, if we can figure out how to use it properly.  Lightning would be able to be used to provide natural electricity, so we wouldn't have to burn oil to create inefficient electricity, as we lose most electricity as heat to the atmosphere.  This experiment proves there is a possible future in utilizing lightning strikes as an energy resource.

Rain Forest Plants Race to Outrun Global Warming

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/09/130915-climate-change-amazon-rain-forest-science/
Climate change is occurring so fast that it will cause the extinction of many different species.  Many different plant species in the rain forests are trying to reach higher altitudes to reach air cool enough that the plant can survive.  Due to climate change temperature is rising greatly which, if left alone, will cause many extinctions around the globe and this effect will most likely be seen first in the rain forests.  In order to try and counter climate change trees are going into a "dash" and are migrating vertically at a rate of 9-12 feet per year to try and reach air cool enough for their survival, but it is estimated that they would need to migrate at 20 feet per year to remain able to survive.  By 2100 half of the plant species seen could go extinct as a result of the increasing temperature and if the climate change increases at a rate faster than it is presently, this could raise to an extinction of 90% of species.  Many scientists are trying to investigate these tropical areas so that we can try to get a better understanding of how the areas will be affected because much of the tropics are unknown to us.  Some studies have proven that in varying elevations in the tropics there is little to no similarity in species as a result of differing habitats, so if all the plants and animals migrate, what will be the effect? It is not completely clear.  The effects of climate change on the tropics will impact the world and if it is left untreated, the world as we know it will cease to exist.  The only way we can change this is to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and end the clear-cutting of forests to try and preserve the atmosphere before the world gets turned upside down.

By 2047, Coldest Years May Be Warmer Than Hottest in Past, Scientists Say

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/10/science/earth/by-2047-coldest-years-will-be-warmer-than-hottest-in-past.html?ref=science&_r=0
Simulations have been being done by many scientists to analyze the climate change that has been occurring.  The analysis of this research shows that by 2047 we shall reach a "breaking point" where our average climate will be much hotter than any climate had been in the past.  The average temperature would increase drastically in each area, IF nothing is done to reduce emissions.  If there is work done to reduce greenhouse gases from being released into the atmosphere, we are predicted to have an extra 25 years to try and discover more new ways to reduce emissions further and stop the climate change as a whole.  The tropics will be the first to hit this breaking point, as they are assumed to hit it in the late 2020s and early 2030s, which isn't that far away.  If nothing is done to stop the emissions released by humans, we will be doomed and we will change the climate to a climate that hasn't been experienced in millions of years.  If nothing is done, we will be dooming ourselves, but there is always hope that we can unite to reduce emissions and limit climate change.

Evolution Vs Creation

http://allafrica.com/stories/201309270052.html
This article describes only a few of the major facts that support evolution and disprove creation.  In my opinion, evolution is the correct of the two "beliefs".  Fossil records alone show that evolution is occurring and if creation was correct than life would have only started 6000 years in the past instead of 3.5 billion years ago, when we know life began.  Those who are ignorant to this believe that creationism is true.  The author of the article said it perfect when she said "People ask, 'if humans came from apes, why are there still apes?' Evolution does not work like that, and humans did not come from apes, but rather, they share a common ancestor. If you trace back the lineage of both the apes' family and the humans, you reach a point where they intersect. So, the humans took a branch and the apes also took another. Thus, humans are not descended from chimpanzees or from any other ape living today but from a species that no longer exists that might have lived seven million years ago."  This quote sums up the view of the ignorance exactly as many people don't understand how evolution works so they just believe it to be false.  In all honesty, evolution is 100% proven to be occurring, although it is very slow and cannot be seen in the lifetime of a human, in most cases.  It is very rare to experience evolution or to see its effects in the short life that is the life of a human, so just because humans don't understand how it works, doesn't mean they should feel it isn't true because in all honesty what is ONE fact that proves that creation actually occurred, one fact that proves that the Bible isn't made up, one fact that God actually exists!

Global Warming to Spawn More Severe U.S. Thunderstorms: Study

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/09/130924-global-warming-climate-change-thunderstorms-tornadoes/?rptregcta=reg_free_np&rptregcampaign=20130924_rw_membership_r1p_w#finished
This article describes studies that are beginning to be done to test if global warming will increase the severity of thunderstorms.  Models have been created to test the effects of global warming on the amount of thunderstorms that occur.   Convective available potential energy(CAPE) is one of the two components necessary to cause thunderstorms.  This occurs when the temperature of the lower atmosphere rises, so global warming makes CAPE present much more often than it would be.  On the other hand, global warming seemed to decrease vertical wind shear, they other component for thunderstorms, however the only time the wind shear was decreased was on days that CAPE was low.  This means that there are high amounts of wind shear on days with high CAPE which increases the chance of thunderstorms.  Unfortunately the models are unable to show if the thunderstorms will become more severe, but they show us that the amount of thunderstorms does increase greatly.

Does fracking contribute to "global warming"(climate change)?

http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/new-study-says-fracking-doesn-t-contribute-to-global-warming-20130916
  This article by Coral Davenport, discusses a study done on the effects of fracking, or lack there of, on climate change.  Cornell released a study of the effects of fracking on the environment in 2011 which showed that methane was released while fracking was ongoing, however the study was based on previously collected data not a live study.  The University of Texas decided to commit to a year long study on fracking and the results of the studies showed that fracking does not actually increase climate change.  The $2.3 million study was paid for by both energy companies and an environmental group, the Environmental Defense Fund.  More studies are desired to be seen on the methane emissions from fracking, and many of these studies will be paid for by the Environmental Defense Fund in the future.  The article shows how fracking is better for the environment than coal as an energy source because it doesn't contribute as much to global warming, however they overlooked talking about the leaking of the chemicals into groundwater.  When fracking occurs, it negatively impacts the environment because it releases chemicals and gasses into the fresh groundwater used by towns, contaminating the water.  Fracking has such a bad effect on the water table that people are often able to light their water on fire in areas that fracking occurs.