Recent studies report that the ocean may be absorbing only half of the carbon dioxide that it was a decade ago. Climate scientists had already predicted that the ocean, which is a major carbon sink, could become "saturated" with our emissions, but few expected it could happen this soon. If it continues, this trend could accelerate global warming, since more of the CO2 emitted by humans will remain in the atmosphere.

Bus passengers in Kilmarnock, Scotland will soon be able to pay their fare with used cooking oil instead of cash. Eight buses carrying over 15,000 passengers a week will run on 100% biodiesel generated from recycled cooking oil and tallow, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by an anticipated 82% and virtually eliminating air-polluting sulfur emissions. As an added incentive to boost the program during its six-month trial period, free containers will be provided to those who want to take their used cooking oil to a nearby recycling plant in exchange for discounted bus fare.

The area planted with genetically modified (GM) crops in Europe has grown by 77% since last year, according to new data released yesterday. This news comes days after the European Union authorized imports of four new GM crops, which is the first decision of its kind in nearly a decade. European countries have traditionally employed the precautionary principle and resisted growing and importing genetically modified organisms. It remains uncertain what these recent trends will mean for the future of biotech crops in Europe.

Urban air pollution is linked to up to one million premature deaths each year. If you live in one of world's biggest and most heavily congested cities, the evidence of air pollution can be seen clearly outside your window--on a smoggy day, buildings once in plain sight can be completely blocked from view. But for those of us who live outside urban areas, the threat of air pollution is less obvious. Invisible to the naked eye, nitrogen dioxide and other air pollutants can be carried by the wind thousands of miles from their urban sources.

With the help of modern satellite technology and a project known as TEMIS, scientists are now measuring and mapping the concentrations and transboundary movements of air-polluting emissions. For the first time, anyone with an Internet connection can access near-real time satellite images of health-threatening pollutants.

Fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes release over six billion metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year. The consequences of these greenhouse gas emissions are often discussed in terms of rising global temperatures, but global warming is not the only threat from increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2). Ocean acidification, which occurs when CO2 in the atmosphere reacts with water to create carbonic acid, has already increased ocean acidity by 30 percent (Doney, 2006). Although the chemistry of this effect is well understood and not much debated, the full consequences of ocean acidification for marine ecosystems and human well-being are only beginning to be revealed.

During a two-week period in November, U.S. and Canadian residents will be able to buy the XO laptop for US$400, with the proceeds from each sale buying an identical machine for a child in a poor country. The pool of donated computers resulting from the "Give One, Get One" promotion are intended to incite demand in developing countries that have not yet joined the One Laptop Per Child program. The XO laptop, which can be hand-powered and uses one-tenth the energy of a conventional laptop, has the potential to revolutionize learning and education amongst the world's poorest children.

Languages are now becoming extinct faster than birds, mammals, fish or plants. Of the estimated 7,000 unique languages spoken in the world today, nearly half are likely to disappear this century, with an average of one lost every two weeks. Losing a language often means losing the knowledge and history of an entire culture, especially when there is no written record available. For this reason, the National Geographic Society and the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages have engaged in an impressive undertaking to identify and record the most endangered languages in the world.

Fewer than 3,000 tigers remain in the wild today, compared to an estimated 100,000 individuals only 100 years ago. Now occupying only seven percent of their historic range, the remaining wild tigers are threatened by habitat loss and poaching, among other human pressures. Although most agree that saving this charismatic species will require intervention, there is sharp debate as to what strategies should be employed. A recent article in Science, "Can the Wild Tiger Survive?" takes a closer look at the current status of tiger conservation efforts, both in captivity and the wild.

Rapid industrialization and intensification of livestock production systems has placed farm animal diversity under threat: 62 breeds have become extinct during the past six years, the equivalent of one breed per month. A recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) aims to draw international attention to this alarming trend, which may have severe consequences for global food security and sustainable development if not addressed. This is one of many diverse challenges faced by the livestock sector, which is also working to adapt to rising global demand for animal products, the emergence of new livestock diseases, and the risks associated with climate change.

In our increasingly interconnected and mobile world, infectious diseases are emerging and spreading at an unprecedented rate. An astounding 40 new diseases have been identified since the 1970s, and in the past five years alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) has verified over 1,100 epidemic events worldwide. This year's World Health Report, entitled A Safer Future: Global Public Health Security in the 21st Century, explores the unique challenges underlying today's most pressing public health threats. The WHO sends a clear message throughout the report: effectively preventing and responding to new and emerging public health risks will require enhanced international cooperation and transparency.