Aug 06, 2008

Surprising Number of Lowland Gorillas Discovered in Africa (LiveScience.com)

A western lowland gorilla silverback is seen among a group in this undated handout photo.  A crowd of gorillas has survived in the northern part of the Republic of Congo -- so many that environmentalists can double population estimates, according to a report released on August 5, 2008.  REUTERS/Thomas Breuer/Wildlife Conservation Society-Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology/Handout   (CONGO REPUBLIC).  NO SALES. NO ARCHIVES.LiveScience.com - A new tally of lowland gorillas has found massive and surprising numbers of these African primates alive and well in the Republic of Congo, Wildlife Conservation Society scientists announced.



Aug 06, 2008

NASA says Mars toxin find doesn't rule out life (Reuters)

A view combining more than 400 images taken during the first several weeks after NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander arrived on an arctic plain in an image courtesy of NASA. The full-circle panorama in approximately true color shows the polygonal patterning of ground in the landing area, similar to patterns in permafrost areas on Earth. REUTERS/NASA/HandoutReuters - NASA scientists on Tuesday said the surprise discovery of a sometimes toxic chemical on the surface of Mars does not diminish the possibility of finding microbial life on the Red Planet and asked for patience while they study soil samples further.



Aug 06, 2008

IOC says pollution exaggerated as athletes wear masks (AFP)

People walk across the smog-shrouded Olympic Green in Beijing on August 4, 2008. The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday the dangers posed by pollution in Beijing had been exaggerated, as some competitors arrived for the Games wearing masks to protect their lungs.(AFP/DDP/File/Michael Kappeler)AFP - The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday the dangers posed by pollution in Beijing had been exaggerated, as some competitors arrived for the Games wearing masks to protect their lungs.