Wildlife and habitat

Elephants Dying in Epic Frenzy as Ivory Fuels Wars and Profits
Fishing Vessels Level Seafloor -- Study
Pacific ‘Large Ocean Island States’ Conserve Huge Marine Areas
Caribbean Coral Reefs Mostly Dead, IUCN Says
Rapid urban expansion threatens biodiversity: study
Protected areas for wildlife expand to size of Russia
DNA tests tell trees from the wood; curb illegal logging
Extinction Rates Are Biased And Much Worse Than You Thought
East Coast National Parks at Risk From Sea Level's Rise
Arctic Seals At Risk From Disappearing Snow
Butterflies heading north
Resurgent wolves again are fair game
Scottish wildcat extinct within months, association says
'Alien mammal' invasion of Europe
Alien Snakes Help Spiders Overrun Guam
Desert diversity cut by 'human activities'
With Their Food Scarce From Drought, More Animals Try Dining in Town
Thousands of dead nutria pile up on Mississippi beaches after Isaac
Argentines plan to shoot gulls to save the whales
Tigers Take the Night Shift to Coexist With People
Forest dam threatens Thailand's tigers: WWF
Liberia forests handed to loggers
UK: Science advisor says badger cull plan is a 'crazy scheme'
Despite Protections, Botanists Fear Drought’s Toll on a Pink-Petaled Rarity
New monkey species identified in Democratic Republic of Congo
Lake Is Blamed for Stench Blown Across Southern California
Pennsylvania: Jellyfish swarming in Lake Susquehanna
N.J. wildlife officials issue warning about virus infecting deer
Ape researcher suspended amid welfare concerns

Discoveries about the natural world

The New Science of Consciousness Informs Abortion, Animal Rights Debates
Crime and punishment, chimpanzee-style
Scrub Jays Hold Funerals For Fallen Comrades
Microbes help hyenas communicate via scent
How bees decide what to be
Virgin snake births found in wild
Species multiply as Earth heats up
Triassic amber yields 'ancient mites'
Rare find: Feathered dinosaur feasts on flying food
Oceanic islands preferred thin crust

Weather and climate

Record loss of Arctic ice may trigger extreme weather
Antarctic Methane Could Escape, Worsen Warming
Arctic sea ice coverage plunges to record low
    Related: Arctic ice melt 'like adding 20 years of CO2 emissions'
                   Little Cold Spell Grows Massive Ice Sheet
Humans are dominant cause of global warming, says American Meteorological Society
Contiguous U.S. experiences 3rd hottest summer on record
Study estimates rate of intensification of extreme tropical rainfall with global warming

Environmental policy

Enviros Fight Industry Lawsuit Over U.S. Forest Planning Rule
The Downside of Dams: Is the Environmental Price of Hydroelectric Power Too High?
Drought, Climate Change and Journalism 101 (opinion)

Energy

U.S. and Brazil: At last, friends on ethanol
U.S. Sets Higher Fuel-Efficiency Standards
Cheaper, Lighter Electric Vehicle Batteries in the Works
UK stays cautious over thorium as nuclear fuel
Toshiba plans rollout of entire-home battery system

Water

Sediment behind a dam threatens to undermine Chesapeake Bay cleanup
Oil And Gas: Caves create long-term water contamination concerns

Air

W.H.O. Declares Diesel Fumes Cause Lung Cancer

Chemical concerns, waste management, recycling

300 Public Interest Groups Enter Coal Ash Control Battle
"Citizens for Fire Safety" Smoked Out: Front Group Folds After Exposé
Chemical exposure in the womb from household items may contribute to obesity
Pennsylvania DEP proposes stronger rules for regulating shale industry
Judge Upholds San Francisco’s Plastic Bag Law

Agriculture and food, livestock and pets

Study: Food crisis imminent within next decade if no change to climate policy
Federal food program pays $2 billion annually for sugar-sweetened beverages
BPA in Foods, Drinks Linked to Childhood Obesity
Attractive names sustain increased vegetable intake in schools
'Mounting Evidence' of Bug-Resistant Corn Seen by EPA
Farm Use of Antibiotics Defies Scrutiny
Stanford Scientists Cast Doubt on Advantages of Organic Meat and Produce
    Related: 5 Ways the Stanford Study Sells Organics Short
                   Fewer Pesticides Make Organic the Safer Choice (letter)
Slaughterhouse shut after video shows abuse
Butterball Worker Pleads Guilty to Felony Cruelty to Animals
Stop Grilling Dinner: Specific Toxic Byproduct of Heat-Processed Food Leads to...
Chocolate may protect the brain from stroke
Genetics and healthy diets matter more for longevity
Can Eating Your Veggies Save You From Cancer?

Health and medicine, human behavior

Report: 30 cents of every health care dollar wasted; US can cut costs without rationing
With Medicaid, Long-Term Care of Elderly Looms as a Rising Cost
    Related: Sharp Cuts in Dental Coverage for Adults on Medicaid
Primer: Obama v. Ryan On Controlling Medicare Spending
Obesity and metabolic syndrome associated with impaired brain function in adolescents
Breast cancer risk linked to early-life diet and metabolic syndrome
In ‘Obesity Paradox,’ Thinner May Mean Sicker
Uncontrolled BP Major Problem in U.S., CDC Says
Vitamin D in pregnancy critical for brain development, study says
Mysterious New 'Heartland Virus' Discovered In Missouri
How Nervous Should I Be About Hantavirus?
A First: Organs Tailor-Made With Body’s Own Cells
UK: 'Three-parent babies' public consultation launched
Taking painkillers increases death risk, second heart attacks in survivors
Cigarette taxes 'Disproportionately burden' the poor, report says
Ovulation spurred by newfound semen ingredient
Football players more likely to develop neurodegenerative disease, study finds
Study shows how early social isolation impairs long-term cognitive function
Calorie restriction falters in the long run
Lyme retreatment guidance may be flawed
Indian capital to ban all chewing tobacco products
Young cannabis smokers run risk of lower IQ
Japan tooth patch could be end of decay
Brain Implant Improves Thinking in Monkeys, First Such Demonstration in Primates
Far From ‘Junk,’ DNA Dark Matter Proves Crucial to Health
People merge supernatural and scientific beliefs when reasoning with the unknown
Self-control may not be a limited resource after all

Law

FBI launches $1 billion face recognition project
Human Rights Watch: Evidence of wider U.S. waterboarding use
US government details allegations of gross negligence in 2010 Gulf BP spill
Court: GOP’s Texas Redistricting Plan Intentionally Discriminated Against Hispanics

Archeology, art and history

Study in PNAS Puts UofSC Topper Site in Middle of Comet Controversy
    More info: Challengers to Clovis-age impact theory missed key protocols, study finds
Neanderthals used feathers as 'personal ornaments'
Ceramic Fragments Point to Artistry in the Ice Age
High quality Denisovan genome sheds light on human evolution
Long-held Theory on Human Bipedalism and Gestation Challenged
Climate change determined humanity's global conquest
Family Tree of Languages Has Roots in Anatolia, Biologists Say
Decoding the Black Death: Anthropologist Finds Clues in Medieval Skeletons
Lao skull earliest example of modern human fossil in Southeast Asia
Early Cannibalism Tied to Territorial Defense?
An entire army sacrificed in a bog
Race to save Alaskan Arctic archaeology
New study reveals insights on the nature of leadership in Ohio Hopewell societies
A Faded Piece of Papyrus Refers to Jesus’ Wife
Dictionary Translates Ancient Egypt Life
How Romans made marble statues 'real'(Video)
X-rays unravel mysterious degradation of Vincent Van Gogh painting

National security, defense

China-Japan row over disputed islands threatens to escalate
    Related: Dispute Over Islands Reflects Japanese Fear of China’s Rise
Analysis - China's aircraft carrier: in name only
Virus origin in Gulf computer attacks in question
Worries intensify over Syrian chemical weapons
Audacious Raid on NATO Base Shows Taliban’s Reach

Astronomy and cosmology, spaceflight

NASA Discovers Millions of Black Holes in Space
Space-warping white dwarfs produce gravitational waves
Sugar Found In Space: A Sign of Life?
The ‘Pioneer anomaly’ that threatened to upend physics
NASA’s Voyager 1 Spacecraft May Not Be Near Edge of Solar System after All
Explosion of galaxy formation lit up early universe
Dark energy is real, say astronomers
    Related: Dark energy camera snaps first images ahead of survey
What Is the Smallest Thing in the Universe?
Scientists say warp drive may be more feasible than thought

Technology and engineering, robotics

New Wave of Adept Robots Is Changing Global Industry
A Robot With a Reassuring Touch

Of note

How Much Is Left? The Limits of Earth's Resources
Which party is best for the economy? It's not even close

_________