Hurricane Sandy will impact New England and landfall appears likely near Delaware Bay, forecasters say

Hurricane Sandy’s latest projected path shows the storm will likely make landfall early Tuesday morning near the border of Delaware and New Jersey, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm is currently 460 miles south-southeast of Charlestown, S.C., moving north at 6 miles per hour. Sandy’s sustained winds are as strong as 80 miles per hour, the Hurricane Center reported at 11 a.m.

From his office in Taunton, National Weather Service meteorologist Alan Dunham said today that regardless of where it hits the coast, New England is going to feel it.  http://boston.com/metrodesk/2012/10/26/impacts-sandy-will-felt-new-england-just-how-bad-not-yet-known-national-weather-service-says/DG4j4pMGEUbqbB66hmE8SN/story.html

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe -Metrodesk by Melissa M. Werthmann

Congress members voice doubts about BioWatch

WASHINGTON — For two years, the nationwide BioWatch system, intended to protect Americans against a biological attack, operated with defective components that left it unable to detect lethal germs, according to scientists with direct knowledge of the matter. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-biowatch-20120914,0,5355655.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by David Willman, Washington Bureau

 

Diesel fumes more polluting than gas, new California study finds

A chemical analysis of air samples taken from California's San Joaquin Valley and an Oakland traffic tunnel show that diesel fuel emissions are more polluting than previously thought, according to researchers.

The study, which appeared Monday in the journal PNAS, focuses on a specific form of pollutant known as secondary organic aerosol, or SOA. The pollutant is a major element of smog and can contribute to heart and respiratory problems. http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-diesel-pollution-20121022,0,7643604.story?track=rss

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times /Science Now by Monte Morin

 

 

 

Dolphins can remain alert for 15 days at a time, study finds

If you're the type who keeps a case of Red Bull under their desk at work for those long nights, you have a new role model: The remarkable ability of dolphins to rest only half their brain at a time allows them to remain alert indefinitely, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal PLoS ONE. http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-dolphins-can-remain-alert-for-15-days-at-a-time-20121017,0,7885869.story?track=rss

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times-Science Now by Jon Bardin

 

Great California ShakeOut: 9.3 million to take part in quake drill

Commuting is the focus of today's Great California ShakeOut, which is being billed as the "largest earthquake safety drill in U.S. history."

Across the state in schools, offices, hospitals and -- for the first time -- Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, people will be asked to drop, cover and hold on during the annual drill. Metro trains will also slow down at 10:18 a.m. as if a real earthquake occurred.

More than 9.3 million Californians are expected to take part. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/10/great-california-shakeout-earthquake-drill.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lanowblog+%28L.A.+Now%29

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times-LA Now

 

 

 

Cow manure to power Killington K-1 gondola

Arizona Snowball made headlines in September when it announced plans to make artificial snow this season 100 percent from sewage, which sounds gross, but is reportedly very clean, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Well, while no Northeast resorts will employing the same tactics, waste will be a factor in how one local resort plans to power its gondola this season.

Killington Mountain Resort announced Thursday that the K-1 will be fueled by methane gas from cow manure, a process called "Cow Power."   http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/specials/ski/blog/2012/10/cow_manure_to_p.html

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Eric Wilbur

 

 

 

Earthquake rattles New England

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 4.0 magnitude quake hit around 7:12 p.m. and its epicenter was about 3 miles west of Hollis Center, Maine. It was about 3 miles deep.
Read more: http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/Earthquake-rattles-New-England/-/9848876/17020494/-/m5jjr7z/-/index.html#ixzz29YUz7vvz

Article courtesy of Boston's WCVB TV

Some climate scientists, in a shift, link weather to global warming

The worst drought in half a century has plagued two-thirds of the nation, devastating farms and stoking wildfires that scorched almost 9 million acres this year. Withering heat blanketed the East Coast and Midwest, killing scores of people and making July the hottest month ever recorded in the U.S. And in the Arctic this summer, polar snow and ice melted away to the smallest size ever observed by man. http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-weather-climate-change-20121013,0,2353619.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Monte Morin

Federal plan designed to create large solar energy plants

The Obama administration has formally adopted a plan to help create large-scale solar energy plants, offering incentives for solar developers to cluster projects on 285,000 acres of federal land in the western U.S and opening an additional 19 million acres of the Mojave Desert for new power plants.  http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1013-solar-zones-20121013,0,2819109.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Julie Cart

Drought leads restaurants to raise prices, cut portions

The effects of the Midwest drought on prices for corn, meat and poultry are showing up on restaurant menus. Small eateries are being hit hardest.

Scorching weather this summer in the Midwest left crops parched and livestock famished. Restaurants, already struggling with high fuel costs and a sluggish economy, are starting to feel the pinch of higher food costs. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fi-drought-restaurants-20121014,0,3803482.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Taffany Hsu

Gas prices suddenly skyrocket in California

Skyrocketing gasoline prices caused some local service stations to shut off their pumps Thursday while others shocked customers with overnight price increases of 30 cents or more.

California's fuel industry isn't running out of gasoline — supplies are only 2.5% lower than this time last year — but recent refinery and pipeline mishaps sent wholesale prices to all-time highs this week. As a result, some station owners weren't buying fuel for fear they couldn't sell it. Those who did buy simply kicked prices higher and bet customers would understand.http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-prices-20121005,0,2326954.story

Article couresy of The Los Angeles Times by Ronald D. White and Dalina Castellanos

 

Troubled Calif. nuke plant aims to restart reactor

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The operator of California’s troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant on Thursday proposed to restart one of its twin reactors, more than eight months after the seaside facility was shut down following a break in a tube carrying radioactive water http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2012/10/04/future-damaged-calif-nuke-plant-coming-clearer/oiFAhAPYuEGuokHdmFPDPN/story.html

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Michal R. Blog /Associated Press