How to watch tonight's meteor shower created by a very mysterious comet

There's a very strange comet flying through our solar neighborhood that unlike any other comet astronomers have seen.

This had led some to speculate that this comet is not from around here — instead, it came to us from a completely different solar system, far way.

This mysterious, and potentially alien comet, is called Comet 69P/Machholz, and it's the most-likely source for the annual meteor shower happening this week.  http://finance.yahoo.com/news/watch-tonights-meteor-shower-created-124100740.html

Article courtesy of Business Insider by Jessica Orwig

Oil prices fall to lowest in nearly six months

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell to their lowest in nearly six months on Tuesday, as a rout in the Chinese stock market cast further doubt over the outlook for crude demand in the world's top commodities consumer.  http://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-prices-fall-close-four-030714429.html
Article courtesy of Reuters by Amanda Cooper

Portion of 10 Freeway near Arizona border washed out in storm to reopen

Astretch of the 10 Freeway that has been shut down after heavy rain washed out a bridge halfway between Coachella and the Arizona border over the weekend is expected to open Friday at noon.
About 30 feet of the eastbound lanes washed out on Sunday near Desert Center in Riverside County when heavy rain washed away the earth supporting the bridge, triggering a collapse that damaged one truck  http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-10-freeway--to-reopen-near-arizona-border-20150724-story.html Article courtesy of the Los Angeles Times by Joseph Serna

It's critical El Niño hits Northern California. Why experts are growing optimistic.

It's the middle of the summer, but it felt a bit like winter in the Sierra this week as a storm dumped four inches of hail on Interstate 80 around Donner Summit.

The hail storm was just the latest strange weather to hit the Sierra Nevada, influenced by the weather-changing phenomenon El Niño. For months, climate scientists have said El Niño is likely to bring more rain to Southern California this winter.  http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-el-nino-north-20150723-story.html#page=1
Article courtesy of the Los Angeles Times by Hailey Branson-Potts and Rong-Gong Lin II

It appears Boston’s last snow farm has finally melted

Has Boston’s last snow farm finally met its maker?

“There is no snow left as far as I can tell,” Elise Musumano, an employee at ChoiceStream in Boston’s Seaport district, told Boston.com. “Based on my close proximity this morning, it’s really just a pile of trash at this point.” http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2015/07/13/appears-boston-last-snow-farm-has-finally-melted/M3ag1L8yKTI1iiiWNhHGLM/story.html?p1=stream_news

Article courtesy of Boston.com by Eric Levenson

SUMMER CLEAN AIR CHALLENGE INFORMATION

Your car doesn’t have air conditioning? Tired of hunting (and paying) for parking? No problem!

Give transit a try this summer and take a few rides on us with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority’s (RIPTA) “Try Transit Clean Air Challenge”! Beginning July 1, RIPTA is offering Rhode Islanders five, free all-day passes if they fill out a simple online survey about their commuting habits. We want you to take the bus and see how it works for you!

Participants can get their free passes from July 1, 2015 through Aug. 31, 2015, but can use them at any time. Visit https://www.ripta.com/passes-fares and hop on! http://www.ripta.com/july-newsletter-3

Article courtesy of RIPTA Newsletter

Cities' food supplies are eating into groundwater reserves, study finds

Groundwater in America's major aquifers is being used up way faster than it's being replenished. But where does all that water go?
A lot of it is used in producing food for the nation’s city dwellers, a new study calculates. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-groundwater-food-supply-20150630-story.html
Article courtesy of Los Angeles Times/Science Now by Sasha Harris-Lovett

Hail a robo-cab, save the planet? Why driverless taxis are good for the environment

If you want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, consider commuting by robo-cab.
Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory report that by 2030, traveling by driverless taxi could lower greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 90% compared with the same length ride in a privately-owned gas-powered car today. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-hail-a-robocab-save-the-planet-20150707-story.html
Article courtesy of the Los Angeles Times/Science Now by Deborah Netburn