Until now, only one species of sturgeon was known in France: the European sturgeon. Nathalie Desse-Berset, an archeozoologist at CNRS (1), has just shown, for the first time, that another species previously unknown in France used to be present in French waters: the Atlantic sturgeon. This species already existed in the French Atlantic region at the end of the Neolithic 5 000 years ago, and was still thriving 3 000 years later. Moreover, at that time European and Atlantic sturgeons co-existed at some sites.
This discovery is of major importance for programs for the reintroduction of sturgeons into European rivers.
These results, published in Comptes-rendus de l'Académie des sciences in mid-December, are a starting point for new research not only in archeozoology but also in paleoecology and paleogenetics, aimed at obtaining more information about these populations, which are in danger of extinction throughout the whole of Europe.
Earth Changes
© Unknown
"as mankind proceeded to get bigger and bigger we silently crossed a threshold"
"as mankind proceeded to get bigger and bigger we silently crossed a threshold"
It may be easy to question the morality of how the Chinese chose to limit t their population growth by limiting personal freedoms, but did face the challenge. You really can't argue with the fact that virtually everyone else is just ignoring that same profound moral dilemma, that affluence naturally multiplies people. Instead we have a world desperately trying to mitigate climate change with an unqualified commitment to of sustaining the accelerating growth affluence forever.
A week-long blizzard in Romania caused 11 weather-related deaths, the country's Health Ministry said Monday.
The ministry also warned people to avoid exposure to cold, to dress warmly and to eat protein-rich food.
It said elderly people, especially those suffering from heart and respiratory problems, should steer clear of trips and crowded places.
The ministry also warned people to avoid exposure to cold, to dress warmly and to eat protein-rich food.
It said elderly people, especially those suffering from heart and respiratory problems, should steer clear of trips and crowded places.
© Xinhua/Reuters Photo
People walk under heavy snowfall in central Kiev.
People walk under heavy snowfall in central Kiev.
"Eleven people froze to death in Donetsk region, three each in Luhansk and Volyn regions, two each in Sumy, Kherson and Cherkasy regions, and one each in Ivano-Frankivsk, Kirovohrad, Rivne and Chernivtsi regions. Seven of them died at home in Donetsk region and one in Ivano-Frankivsk region," said the statement.
"A total of 671 people asked for medical aid due to frostbite, and 465 of them have been hospitalized," added the statement.
Severe winter weather slammed Ukraine last Thursday, heavy snowstorms and freezing temperature caused electricity blackouts in 158 cities and villages, blocked more than 7,000 people in traffic jams and forced airlines to delay flights.
The Copenhagen Accord sets emission limits but isn't legally binding. It's vague on details and has infuriated smaller nations and environmentalists. The U.N. chief calls it 'an essential beginning.'
An international climate summit officially ended here today with an agreement among the world's largest economies to take steps to curb greenhouse gas emissions, no formal consensus from the 193 nations present, and major questions over what comes next in the global negotiating process.
Conference attendees merely acknowledged -- and did not vote to adopt -- the so-called Copenhagen Accord, which stemmed from an eleventh-hour deal cut Friday evening between President Obama and leaders of four fast-growing nations.
Obama had hailed the deal as an "unprecedented breakthrough" in climate talks, but it was denounced by critics as too weak to avert the harshest effects of global warming.
An international climate summit officially ended here today with an agreement among the world's largest economies to take steps to curb greenhouse gas emissions, no formal consensus from the 193 nations present, and major questions over what comes next in the global negotiating process.
Conference attendees merely acknowledged -- and did not vote to adopt -- the so-called Copenhagen Accord, which stemmed from an eleventh-hour deal cut Friday evening between President Obama and leaders of four fast-growing nations.
Obama had hailed the deal as an "unprecedented breakthrough" in climate talks, but it was denounced by critics as too weak to avert the harshest effects of global warming.
The UN climate summit in Copenhagen has formally closed with a deal many countries admit falls far short of the action needed to tackle global warming.
The non-binding accord, which the US reached with key nations including China and Brazil, "recognises" the scientific case for keeping temperature rises to no more than 2C but does not contain commitments to emissions reductions to achieve that goal.
US officials spun the deal as a "meaningful agreement" but even Barack Obama said: "This progress is not enough.
"We have come a long way, but we have much further to go."
It is up to national parliaments to adopt the accord, after which signatories will be obliged to take measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and start preparing to help poor countries adapt to climate change. The intention is for a full legal agreement to be signed within a year.
The non-binding accord, which the US reached with key nations including China and Brazil, "recognises" the scientific case for keeping temperature rises to no more than 2C but does not contain commitments to emissions reductions to achieve that goal.
US officials spun the deal as a "meaningful agreement" but even Barack Obama said: "This progress is not enough.
"We have come a long way, but we have much further to go."
It is up to national parliaments to adopt the accord, after which signatories will be obliged to take measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and start preparing to help poor countries adapt to climate change. The intention is for a full legal agreement to be signed within a year.
The now-finished climate change summit in Copenhagen marks the "arrogance of man," former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) said this weekend.
Palin, who had urged President Barack Obama not to attend the conference in Denmark, blasted the agreement world leaders made late on Friday to begin stemming emissions that contribute to climate change.
Palin tweeted early Saturday morning:
Palin, who had urged President Barack Obama not to attend the conference in Denmark, blasted the agreement world leaders made late on Friday to begin stemming emissions that contribute to climate change.
Palin tweeted early Saturday morning:
Copenhgen=arrogance of man2think we can change nature's ways.MUST b good stewards of God's earth,but arrogant&naive2say man overpwers nature
Earth saw clmate chnge4 ions;will cont 2 c chnges.R duty2responsbly devlop resorces4humankind/not pollute&destroy;but cant alter naturl chng
© Chris Moulton
Valdez city hall
Valdez city hall
Good thing she wasn't in Valdez this week when the citizenry got buried under a record snowfall. We're not talking about your ordinary little dump here. That was in Copenhagen, where world leaders were meeting to discuss what to do about global warming and the Bloomberg news service was warning that Barack Obama and the rest would "face freezing weather as a blizzard dumped 10 centimeters (4 inches) of snow on the Danish capital overnight.''
Four inches overnight? Valdez got more than four inches per hour at the height of the snowstorm that began there Monday and ran through the week. By the time the citizens of Alaska's only oil port finally caught a break, the snow was piled 5 feet, 8 inches deep.
© AFP
Temperatures dropped as low as -33C in parts of northern Europe
Temperatures dropped as low as -33C in parts of northern Europe
At least 29 people froze to death in Poland as temperatures fell far below freezing, while in southern Germany a figure of -33C (-27F) was recorded.
Moscow said it was deploying 9,000 snow ploughs to clear the city's streets.
Air, rail and road transport links were disrupted across northern Europe where more snow was expected in coming days.
Eurostar services between the UK and the continent were suspended on Monday for a third day, as the company launched an immediate review into train breakdowns which have stranded and delayed tens of thousands of passengers since Friday.
© AP
Temperatures in Ukraine are expected to improve by Wednesday
Temperatures in Ukraine are expected to improve by Wednesday
An earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale rocked northeast China early Monday morning, the national seismological network said.
The tremor occurred at 5:31 a.m. at the border area between Tongyu and Changling counties in Jilin Province and Horqin Left Wing Middle Banner in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The epicenter, with a depth of eight kilometers, was located at 44.5 degrees north latitude and 123.0 degrees east longitude.
The tremor occurred at 5:31 a.m. at the border area between Tongyu and Changling counties in Jilin Province and Horqin Left Wing Middle Banner in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The epicenter, with a depth of eight kilometers, was located at 44.5 degrees north latitude and 123.0 degrees east longitude.
