Archaeology & Paleontology

Signs of TB in Ancient Skull Support Theory on Vitamin D (N.Y. Times, Dec. 18) Site requires free registration

After Legal Odyssey, Homecoming Show for Looted Antiquities [Italy.] (N.Y. Times, Dec. 18) Site requires free registration

Bahamas "Blue Hole" Yields Pre-Human Fossil Treasures (Nat'l. Geographic News, Dec. 17)

Losses Of Long-Established Genes Contribute To Human Evolution (TerraDaily/SPX, Dec. 17)

The mother of all civilisations [Peru's Caral.] (Times of India, Dec. 16)

Ancient secrets emerge from grave [Identifying remains.] (BBC News, Dec. 16)

What lies beneath: Córdoba’s Medina Azahara holds many more secrets of the first Islamic rule of Spain (The Olive Press, Dec. 16)

Government of Canada Announces Groundbreaking Archeological Discovery on the Grounds of the Canal of Chambly National Historic Site of Canada (Marketwire/Parks Canada, Dec. 14)

Mummy hair tells gruesome story [Llullaillaco Maiden found by Johan Reinhard.] (Geotimes, Dec. 2007)

Climate spawned mass migration from Africa (Geotimes, Dec. 2007)

Environment

Glacier's Melting Threatens Chinese Village's Future (NPR, Dec. 18)

Mexico, US Suffer as Rio Grande Sucked Dry (Planet Ark/Reuters, Dec. 18)

South Korea's Worst Oil Spill Threatens Bird Haven (Planet Ark/Reuters, Dec. 18)

Rising seas 'to beat predictions' (BBC News, Dec. 17)

Water may hide harmful chemical cocktail (New Scientist, Dec. 17)

Chesapeake Scientists Fight Fatigue (Red Orbit, Dec. 17)

Coral Reefs Unlikely To Survive In Acid Oceans (TerraDaily/SPX, Dec. 17)

Burials and Cemeteries Go Green (NPR, Dec. 16)

A Carbon Cap That Starts in Washington (N.Y. Times, Dec. 16) Site requires free registration

In China, Farming Fish in Toxic Waters (N.Y. Times, Dec. 15) Site requires free registration

Exploration & Adventure

South Pole heads up: John's Hill - to be avoided (The Poles, Dec. 17)

Anasazi Girl update: James off for 8300nm passage (The Oceans, Dec. 17)

Scientists to Monitor West Antarctica 24/7 (ENN/IPY, Dec. 16)

Medicine & Health

Sperm clue to 'disease immunity' (BBC News, Dec. 17)

As Temperatures Rise, Health Could Decline (Washington Post, Dec. 17) Site requires free registration

Researchers reveal the science of shivering(PhysOrg, Dec. 17)

'Best-Kept Secret' For HIV-Free Africa: Birth Control Better Than Drugs, Researchers Say (Washington Post, Dec. 16) Site requires free registration

Peoples & Culture

Fashion and Faith Meet, on Foreheads of the Pious [Egypt.] (N.Y. Times, Dec. 18) Site requires free registration

The Newest Mandarins (NYT Magazine, Dec. 16) Site requires free registration

Mystery Factor Gives Ganges a Clean Reputation (NPR, Dec. 16)

Natural Disasters & Weather

One Million Face Drought in Southwest China (Planet Ark/Reuters, Dec. 18)

Death toll from Tropical Storm Olga rises to at least 40 (TerraDaily/AFP, Dec. 14)

Fore-arc basins may forecast earthquakes (Geotimes, Dec. 2007)

Global and U.S. Hazards/Climate Extremes (updated weekly on Wednesdays)

Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet [pdf] (updated late Fridays)

People & Places in the News

Zoologist Gives a Voice to Big Cats in the Wilderness [Alan Rabinowitz.] (N.Y. Times, Dec. 18) Site requires free registration

Australia eyes role in protesting Japan's whale hunt (Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 18)

Tibet tourism 'hits record high' (BBC News, Dec. 17)

The World Is Flat, and Chocolatiers Want to Coat It (N.Y. Times, Dec. 17) Site requires free registration

Before It Disappears [Travel.] (N.Y. Times, Dec. 16) Site requires free registration

Star Power: As an Astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson Is A Universal Expert (Washington Post, Dec. 16) Site requires free registration

As China Goes, So Goes Global Warming (N.Y. Times, Dec. 16) Site requires free registration

Climate Plan Looks Beyond Bush’s Tenure (N.Y. Times, Dec. 16) Site requires free registration

Our Decrepit Food Factories (NYT Magazine, Dec. 16) Site requires free registration

No Day at the Beach in Bali (Grist, Dec. 15)

Plants & Animals

Whales Are Tasty, but Bone-Eating Worms Might Not Discriminate (N.Y. Times, Dec. 18) Site requires free registration

Diary: Protecting mountain gorillas (BBC News, Dec. 17)

China investigates claims of panda hunting (TerraDaily/AFP, Dec. 17(

Habitat loss forces India's tigers to high ground (ENN/Reuters, Dec. 17)

Two new mammals found in Indonesian 'lost world' (TerraDaily/AFP, Dec. 17)

Moss Genome Shows How Plants Invaded The Land And Learned To Survive Heat And Drought (TerraDaily/SPX, Dec. 17)

Disappearing Arctic ice means more walruses die (News Tribune/AP, Dec. 15)

Mass deaths of rare croc in India (BBC News, Dec. 14)

Science & Technology

Laws of Nature, Source Unknown (N.Y. Times, Dec. 18) Site requires free registration

German Ship Fights Climate Change With High-Tech Kite (Planet Ark/Reuters, Dec. 17)

Physicists make ripples with their 'magic carpet' (Nature News, Dec. 17)

As Waters Clear, Scientists Seek To End A Muddy Debate [Geology.] (TerraDaily/SPX, Dec. 17)

Synthetic DNA on the Brink of Yielding New Life Forms (Washington Post, Dec. 17) Site requires free registration

New Satellite Imaging Method Tracks Earth Changes (ENN, Dec. 16)

Science Cafés Tap Nation's Fascination With Research and Discoveries (Wired, Dec. 15)

Space

A Comet Is Missing, So Spacecraft Will Go to NASA’s Next Choice (N.Y. Times, Dec. 18) Site requires free registration

Galaxy Blasts Neighbor with Deadly Jet [Black hole.] (Yahoo!/Space.com, Dec. 17)

Heavy Construction on the Moon (Universe Today, Dec. 17)

Podcast: Building a Career in Astronomy (Universe Today/Astronomy Cast, Dec. 17)

Sun's Next Cycle of Fury May Have Begun (Yahoo!/Space.com, Dec. 17)

Sodium issue clouds Enceladus (BBC News, Dec. 16)

Return to Europa: A Closer Look at Jupiter's Moon (Red Orbit, Dec. 14)

Lectures, Meetings, & Conferences

Sources:

Conference Calendar for Zoology (BIOSIS)

Meridian International Center Events

National Academy of Sciences Events

National Air and Space Museum Events

National Journal Daybook [includes environment-related events in Washington]

National Museum of Natural History Events

National Press Club

Smithsonian Resident Associate Programs