Scientists warn that Greenland’s melting ice sheet is a real doomsday scenario.  Rising temperatures and record heat this summer accelerated what has already been a much faster thaw than seen in previous years. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more.   …

Federal officials have opened a “deceptive marketing” probe into electronic cigarette maker Juul because of allegations that the company has targeted teens, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.Congress and several state attorneys general have also opened their own investigations into Juul.Neither the Federal Trade Commission or Juul has confirmed the …

The WHO announced Thursday it will create a global registry to track research into human genetic manipulation, after a call to halt all work on germline genome editing, used in China last year to genetically modify twin baby girls.“New genome editing technologies hold great promise and hope for those who …

Uganda’s Ministry of Health has confirmed a case of the Ebola virus in the western district of Kasese.In a statement released Thursday evening, Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, Uganda’s minister of state in charge of primary health care, said, “The confirmed case is a 9-year-old female of Congolese origin who traveled …

A large scientific study into the biological basis of sexual behavior has confirmed there is no single “gay gene” but that a complex mix of genetics and environment affects whether a person has same-sex sexual partners. The research, which analyzed data on DNA and sexual experiences from almost half a million people, found there are thousands of …

For many kids, heading back to school means more than resuming classes and homework. It means getting back to clubs and student organizations focused on sustainability — everything from composting and recycling to reducing food waste and promoting cleaner oceans and waterways.“Young people tend to be incredibly active in sustainability …

The U.S. is set Thursday to curtail its regulation of methane emissions, easing standards for what scientists say is a major contributor to climate change.Sources familiar with the rule-making say the administration of President Donald Trump plans to eliminate the requirement that the oil and natural gas industry use technology …

The World Health Organization warns of serious consequences if nations do not take immediate action to stop the escalation of measles infections, which have reached alarming new heights. Nearly 365,000 cases of measles have been reported globally so far this year, the highest number since 2006.  The World Health Organization says …

A federal civil rights agency says Vermont’s largest hospital required a nurse to participate in an abortion over her moral objections.The Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that the University of Vermont Medical Center could lose some federal funding if the …

A World Wildlife Conference is wrapping up Wednesday, after adopting dozens of resolutions aimed at protecting some of the reported 1 million animal and plant species threatened with extinction.CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also has revised the trade rules for dozens …

Water scarcity is one factor driving millions of people from their homes each year but is often not the only reason why they move, researchers told an international conference on Tuesday.In most cases, other economic and social problems like conflict, corruption or a lack of jobs contribute to the decision …

SpaceX test-launched an early prototype of the company’s Mars rocket on Tuesday, rattling the nerves of people living near the Texas site and clearing another key hurdle in billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s interplanetary ambitions.The prototype, dubbed Starhopper, slowly rose about 500 feet(152m) off its launch pad in Brownsville, Texas, and …

The group that regulates the global trade of wildlife has approved a nearly complete ban on the capture and transfer of wild African elephants to zoos, despite strong opposition from the United States and some African countries.Member nations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Geneva …

Utah health officials say they are investigating 21 cases of a severe lung disease linked to vaping.   The state Department of Health announced the new number Monday, a jump from the five cases in teenagers and young adults reported last week.  The department says the cases stem from the …

In Malawi, a report by the office of the public protector, or Ombudsman, has shown that poor conditions in public hospitals are resulting in many expectant mothers having their uteruses removed during child birth. The report faulted the Ministry of Health for failing to provide sufficient staff for Obstetrics and …

One hundred teenage girls from high schools in Malawi recently attended a “Girls in Science” camp at the Malawi University of Science and Technology, known as MUST. The yearly camp, which has taken place since 2016, aims to develop their interest in fields long considered male-dominated.The nine-day camp is part …

One hundred teenage girls from secondary schools in Malawi have this month undergone “Girls in Science” camp at the Malawi University of Science and Technology (“MUST”).  The camp aims to develop girl’s interest in science fields long believed to be a male domain. Lameck Masina has the story from Thyolo …

An Oklahoma state judge has ordered U.S. drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson to pay $572 million in damages to the state for fueling its opioid crisis.Addiction and overdoses of the synthetic painkillers have killed more than 10,000 Oklahoma residents since 2000, lawyers argued, asking for a record $17 billion in …

For more than a century, countries have raced to build the world’s tallest buildings with concrete and steel. Now, a quiet contest in constructing tall wooden buildings, from Amsterdam to Tokyo, underlines growing environmental concerns over concrete.With rapid advances in engineered wood, and authorities relaxing building codes, wooden structures are …

The Justice Department is moving forward to expand the number of marijuana growers for federally-authorized cannabis research.   Uttam Dhillon, the acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, says Monday’s move would give researchers a wider variety of cannabis to study. He says the DEA supports additional marijuana research.   …

The Group of Seven nations on Monday pledged $20 million to help Amazon countries fight fires, even as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said rich countries were treating the region like a “colony.”The G-7 pledge came despite tensions between European countries and the Brazilian president, who suggested the West was angling …

Mary Banda – not her real name – is a 35-year-old HIV positive sex worker from neighboring Zambia who cannot afford life-prolonging anti-retroviral drugs.Like many sex workers living with HIV in Botswana, she also cannot afford to travel back home to receive free treatment.That is why Banda welcomes legislation before …

Immigrants, including sex workers, in Botswana could get a lifeline as the southern African country’s cabinet is due to decide on offering free Anti-Retroviral (ARV) treatment to foreigners. An estimated 30,000 migrants in the diamond rich country are HIV positive. Mqondisi Dube has more from Gaborone. …

It might not be obvious at the supermarket, but the banana industry is fighting to protect the most popular variety of the fruit from a destructive fungus.A disease that ravages banana crops has made its long-dreaded arrival in Latin America, the biggest exporter of the crop. That’s reigniting worries about the global market’s dependence …

When starlight from billions of years ago zips across the universe and finally comes into focus on Earth, astronomers want their telescopes to be in the best locations possible to see what’s out there.Despite years of legal battles and months of protests by Native Hawaiian opponents, the international coalition that …