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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: nature

nature stories: 25 news summaries

1 - 20 of 25 Stories | 1 2 Next >>

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 Green Spaces 
 Make You Healthier 

People who live near vegetation suffer fewer diseases

Oct 15, 09 6:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - People who live close to parks or other “green spaces” are likely to be healthier, a new study suggests. Dutch researchers scoured the health records of 345,000 people, comparing their health status to the amount of green space in the surrounding area, from a half-mile to 2-mile radius.... More »

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environment • health • depression • disease • nature • health study • green home • Texas A&M

 Nature Makes You Nicer 

People more focused on others when primed with natural imagery, research shows

Aug 18, 09 4:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - Being around the natural world or representations of it makes you a better person, Miller-McCune reports. A study finds that people shown slides of natural landscapes rated community-oriented goals—such as “to work for the betterment of society”—as more important to them than self-oriented goals—for example,... More »

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social responsibility • psychology • nature • generosity • community • social behavior

OPINION

 Top Towns to Raise 
 Outdoorsy Kids 


Jul 14, 09 6:45 PM CDT
(Newser) - Backpacker combed through info on outdoor programs and proximity to national forests and parks to find the best cities in the US to raise active, crunchy kids. The results:
  • Boulder, Colo.: "Yes, we live here, but Boulder wins on its merits." Close to woods,
... More »

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parenting • United States • children • list • hiking • Juneau • nature • cities • eco friendly towns • outdoors • excercise • Boulder, Colo. • Jackson, Wyo. • Durango, Colo. • Flagstaff, Ariz.

(Newser) - The summer solstice is upon us, but for certain enthusiasts, today bears a different name: Naked Hiking Day. “No way to explain it until you experience it,” one fan told the AP. “Traditional” hikers might feel the same upon encountering backpackers in the buff. “It’s... More »

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hiking • nature • outdoors • nude • summer solstice • Naked Hiking Day • Appalachian Trail • backpacking

(Newser) - The purer pleasures of the outdoors don’t seem to be enough for some campers anymore, the New York Times reports. Increasingly, campgrounds are offering amenities like pizza delivery, air-conditioning, kiddie rides, and valet service to the delight of families and owners’ balance sheets. “The objective is to... More »

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nature • camping • luxury • outdoors • recreational vehicle • campground • KOA • RVs

(AP) - The National Park Service is looking to stimulate summer vacations, with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announcing today that entrance fees at 147 national parks and monuments—including the Grand Canyon and Yosemite—will be waived on three weekends this summer: June 20-21, July 18-19, and Aug. 15-16. “During these... More »

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recession • nature • Ken Salazar • recreation • national park • Obama administration • Yosemite National Park • Grand Canyon National Park • free admission

 Rare Lynx Cubs Born in Spain 

Iberian Lynx is world's most endangered cat

Mar 20, 09 10:59 AM CDT
(AP) - Officials say three endangered Iberian lynx cubs have been born in a nature reserve in southern Spain. The Iberian lynx is the world's most endangered cat, and the cubs were part of a breeding program in Andalusia's Donana National Park. The regional environmental department says the cubs born Wednesday bring... More »

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endangered species • Spain • nature • Big Cats • cat • Iberian Lynx

(Newser) - Watching bears eat spiders on TV is fun, but do nature shows help restore our lost link with the natural world? Studies show that screen images of the great outdoors help workers relax and think clearly; an actual window onto leafy environs helps them destress even faster. "But what... More »

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intelligence • study • nature

Barbies of the Future May Grow on Trees 

Researchers use wood and wax to make biodegradable alternative

Dec 6, 08 2:31 PM CST
(Newser) - Wooden toys may not be so 1850s, scientists say. A bioplastic made from trees has been used to make everything from golf tees to car parts in recent years, but its sulfurous stink kept it out of the toy market. Now a sulfur-free version of "liquid wood" is available,... More »

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trees • science • plastic • design • toys • nature • Barbie • inventions • Lego

Candidates Go Hunting (Not Each Other) in Field & Stream

McCain, Obama declare their love for the outdoors in nature mag

Sep 17, 08 5:05 PM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama and John McCain will talk fishing and hunting in the October issue of Field & Stream magazine. (Coincidentally or not, the cover feature implores readers to “Find Your Bull,” the Swamp notes.) In the interview, both candidates profess to be big fans of the outdoors,... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • Arizona • Montana • fishing • nature • hunting • outdoors • Field & Stream

 Rising Seas to Swallow Reserve

Caretakers forced to retreat before rising waters

Aug 25, 08 1:46 PM CDT
(Newser) - A portion of a major UK nature reserve is being abandoned to the rising tides, the Independent reports. In the face of eroding sea defenses, Titchwell Marsh has decided to make a “managed retreat” inland, giving up much on a substantial portion of the birdwatching hotspot. “The... More »

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climate change • environment • birds • nature

Roots of Speech Found in Humming Fish

All vocalizing creatures share common brain circuit, researchers find

Jul 18, 08 3:13 AM CDT
(Newser) - The songs of birds, the hums and grunts of toadfish, and the lofty speech of humans all use the same ancient brain circuit, despite an evolutionary split 400 million years ago, reports National Geographic. Researchers have discovered that the base of the hindbrain and upper spinal cord is the starting... More »

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evolution • fish • brain • nature • speech • amphibians • animal

 This View Zaps Stress, Naturally 

Study finds plasma TV images no substitute

Jun 11, 08 1:14 PM CDT
(Newser) - For stress relief, there is no substitute for views of nature, the Seattle Times reports. A University of Washington study found that students who faced a stressful task returned to a normal heart rate most quickly while looking out the window at trees and grass. More »

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stress • psychology • nature • University of Washington • relief • natural resources • Plasma TV

Homosexuality: It's
Perfectly Natural

Gay relationships abound in animal kingdom

May 19, 08 7:28 PM CDT
(Newser) - It may throw a wrench in Noah's ark-stocking plans, but same-sex relationships appear in many animal species, reports LiveScience.com. The long list of animals that practice gay sex includes bears, penguins, gorillas, and dolphins, among others. But scientists question the act's evolutionary purpose, because it doesn't aid in reproduction.... More »

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science • homosexuality • nature • biology • biodiversity • gays

 10 High-Tech Survival Items 

Innovative solutions for wilderness living

May 4, 08 1:09 PM CDT
(Newser) - Wired sees a distinct lack of cool high-tech outdoor gear, and gives its favorite examples of steps in the right direction:
  1. The Cocoon, a hanging teardrop-shaped tent/sleeping bag.
  2. The Adamant, an earthquake-proof bed.
  3. The Bedu Emergency Rapid Response Kit, a keg full of enough essentials to keep
... More »

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technology • list • nature • GPS • wilderness • outdoors • survival gear • water filter

Darwin's Papers Now Online

Once-private drafts, notes and even recipes of evolutionary scientist are free to public

Apr 17, 08 4:48 PM CDT
(Newser) - A vast collection of the papers of Charles Darwin is now online, providing public access to volumes once restricted to Cambridge scholars, the BBC reports. 20,000 items are available, including the first draft of his seminal book on evolution, travel notes and personal pieces such as family recipes, Reuters... More »

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evolution • science • research • nature • Charles Darwin • biology • natural selection

Cheating, Corruption Rampant in Ant Society

Secret elite exploits workers with its DNA

Mar 13, 08 12:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - A power-mad elite is secretly rigging the system so their offspring rise to power, LiveScience reports. That’s the situation a team of researchers has discovered in ant society—not exactly the epitome of community collaboration once thought. Until now, it appeared that any properly-fed larvae could hatch into a... More »

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evolution • DNA • ants • nature • animal behavior • larvae • nature vs. nurture • queen ants

Arnold Don't Surf (Apologies to Robert Duvall)

Governator's plan to shut 48 state parks has laid-back Californians up in arms

Jan 11, 08 2:35 PM CST
(Newser) - California's budget mess has Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposing to shutter 48 state parks, the Los Angeles Times reports, to the outrage of devoted citizens. Schwarzenegger's list includes Gold Rush-era Sutter's Fort in Sacramento and San Simeon State Park near Hearst Castle. The Governator's no-new-taxes budget is aimed to close a... More »

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California • Arnold Schwarzenegger • nature • outdoors • parks • recreation

Scientists Spot 6 Giraffe Species

And some are in trouble

Dec 24, 07 3:40 AM CST
(Newser) - Giraffes had long been thought to be one species with several subspecies, but researchers now believe they have identified six distinct species—some of which are on the brink of extinction, reports the BBC. Only 160 Nigerian giraffes remain. But there's hope the researchers' find will spur greater conservation efforts. More »

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evolution • wildlife • nature • giraffes • zoology

Jelly-cide: 100,000 Salmon Killed

Northern Ireland's entire stock destroyed in jellyfish attack

Nov 22, 07 12:00 PM CST
(Newser) - An attack of killer jellyfish has wiped out Northern Ireland’s only salmon farm. More than 100,000 fish died in the seven-hour attack, causing estimated losses of $2.1 million, AFP reports. The 35-foot-deep wave of jellyfish covered 10 square miles. The mauve stinger normally prefers warmer Mediterranean waters... More »

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agriculture • Northern Ireland • salmon • fish • fishing • nature • jellyfish

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