In The News

No Ice at the North Pole

Steve Connor July 2, 2008
Researchers suggest that the North Pole could completely lose its ice this summer for the first time in human history. The rate of melting has increased in recent years and a greater proportion of the ice is from a single season, reports Steve Connor for the Independent. “The polar regions are experiencing the most dramatic increase in average temperatures due to global warming and scientists...

India’s Search for a Foreign Policy

Harsh V. Pant June 26, 2008
India remains deadlocked over a US-India civilian nuclear-energy pact. Delay dims prospects for final approval by either nation and reflects the Indian government’s general inability to establish a grand strategy for itself, with foreign-policy goals that set a direction for the country, argues Harsh V. Pant. In too many areas – Chinese border disputes, Maoists and other terrorists gaining...

The Economics of Solar Power

Peter Lorenz June 26, 2008
The sun offers plenty of free energy for just about everyone on the planet. As oil prices rise, economists suggest that solar power, even unsubsidized, can pay for itself within a few years in the sunniest markets that already pay high prices for electricity. Unfortunately, because the world relied almost exclusively on fossil fuels in recent decades, the solar-power industry is in its infancy:...

Japan Poised to Be the Global Green Leader

Nathan Gardels June 26, 2008
Japan is not waiting for other counties to reduce carbon emissions or reliance on fossil fuels – and that firm commitment on environmental protection positions the country to take the lead at the G-8 summit in July. Japan has moved in many directions, developing many technologies to conserve energy. For instance, Japan’s companies design and manufacture the world’s most popular hybrid cars, and...

On the Campaign Trail

June 24, 2008
Whatever the result of November’s election, most observers expect the next US president to be more science-friendly than George W. Bush. Both Barack Obama and John McCain are expected to repeal Bush’s curbs on stem-cell research and step up the fight against climate change. Of course, the two men differ on some details of science-related issues. The most important test of the candidates is not a...

Pioneering Power From Geothermal Energy

Tobias Lill June 18, 2008
As oil prices climb, researchers and communities scramble for substitutes, including geothermal energy. Producers run pipes deep below the ground, with its constant temperature, and a system relying on a mixture of water and ammonia maximizes power generation. “Geothermal energy has one big advantage over other forms of renewables," writes Tobias Lill for Spiegel Online. "Since it uses...

Stung by Soaring Transport Costs, Factories Bring Jobs Home Again

June 18, 2008
Rising energy costs are putting the brakes to rapid globalization – and in some cases even reversing gears. Manufacturers are rethinking any plans to open new factories in low-wage nations, and some even ponder returning factories to the US and Mexico from China, reports Timothy Aeppel for the Wall Street Journal. Transportation costs are now equal to a 9 percent tariff on US imports, notes one...