Archaeology & Paleontology

The first evidence of pre-industrial mercury pollution in the Andes (Physorg.com, May 18)

Voyages of discovery or necessity? Fish poisoning may be why Polynesians left paradise (Physorg.com, May 18)

Who Went With Columbus? Dental Studies Give Clues. (Washington Post, May 18)Site requires free registration

Ancient Gem-Studded Teeth Show Skill of Early Dentists (National Geographic News, May 18)

Mapping the world's oldest submerged town (naturenews, May 18)

Method Of Repairing Cadiz’s Walls Has Hardly Changed Since The 17th Century (ScienceDaily, May 17)

How Neanderthals met a grisly fate: devoured by humans (Guardian, May 17)

Primate Fossil Could Be Key Link in Evolution (ABC News, May 16)

Environment

Obama to Tighten Fuel-Economy Standards (ENN, May 19)

Natural Petroleum Seeps Release Equivalent Of Up To 80 Exxon Valdez Oil Spills (ScienceDaily, May 18)

Reading the tree leaves for smog levels (MSNBC, May 18)

Arctic river deltas may hold clues to future global climate (Physorg.com, May 18)

Report Weighs Fallout of Canada’s Oil Sands (N.Y. Times, May 18)Site requires free registration

Peruvian Stalagmites Hold Clues To Climate Change (ScienceDaily, May 16)

Exploration & Adventure

Climber aiming for highest tweet (BBC News, May 18)

Everest summited from the north side (mounteverest.net, May 18)

Antarctic team to have remote diagnoses (MSNBC, May 18)

Danger on South America's highest peak (BBC News, May 16)

Medicine & Health

A Long Search for a Universal Flu Vaccine (N.Y. Times, May 19) Site requires free registration

Swine Flu Infections Ten-Fold Higher Than Confirmed Cases (redOrbit, May 18)

Pollution Can Change Your DNA in 3 Days, Study Suggests (National Geographic News, May 17)

Keep working 'to avoid dementia' (BBC News, May 17)

The science of voodoo: When mind attacks body (New Scientist, May 13)

Peoples & Culture

New services promise online life after death (CNN, May 18)

Weddings go green (Christian Science Monitor, May 18)

Peru army moves into Amazon after tribes blockade rivers and roads (Guardian, May 18)

Study looks at early Navajo use of smoke signals (Physorg.com, May 16)

Swine flu fears could delay Hajj (BBC News, May 15)

Natural Disasters & Weather

Latest quake highlights Los Angeles seismic danger (Physorg.com, May 19)

Saudi Arabia Evacuates Five Villages In Volcano Scare (PlanetArk, May 19)

Biological Particles Trigger Ice Formation In High-altitude Clouds (ScienceDaily, May 18)

Little Relief Expected for Flood-Ravaged Brazil (N.Y. Times, May 17)Site requires free registration

Study says plants also contribute to rise in fires (Billings Gazette, May 17)

2 Studies Tie Disaster Risk to Urban Growth (N.Y. Times, May 16)Site requires free registration

'Super-terminal' raindrops break speed limit (New Scientist, May 15)

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

Cruise liners’ pledge to keep sewage out of fragile Baltic Sea (WWF, May 19)

From Greenhouse To Ice House: Important Role Of The Indonesian Gateway Suggested (ScienceDaily, May 19)

Chinese City Is Chilly to a Sex Theme Park (N.Y. Times, May 19)Site requires free registration

Pulp giant APP set to assault Sumatra orangutan sanctuary (WWF, May 18)

As Alaska Glaciers Melt, It’s Land That’s Rising (N.Y. Times, May 17)Site requires free registration

Andes Mountains Are Older Than Previously Believed (ScienceDaily, May 17)

A tunnel to unite old rivals? (BBC News, May 15)

Plants & Animals

Insight Into Evolution Of First Flowers (ScienceDaily, May 19)

A Bird Quickly Learns to Tell Urban Friend From Foe (N.Y. Times, May 19)Site requires free registration

Bald Eagles Running Off Bird Population (redOrbit, May 18)

Komodo Dragons Kill With Venom, Researchers Find (National Geographic News, May 18)

Dolphins seen trying to kill calf (BBC News, May 18)

Monkey See, Monkey Really Do (LiveScience, May 18)

World's largest colony of endangered turtles found off west Africa (Guardian, May 18)

Blue whales return for the first time in 40 years (Independent, May 17)

Dragonflies face uncertain future (BBC News, May 15)

Science & Technology

Breathing batteries could store 10 times the energy (New Scientist, May 19)

Coke develops new Earth-friendly bottle (ENN, May 18)

Ultrasound weapon wipes out toxic algal blooms (New Scientist, May 18)

Australia To Build World's Largest Solar Energy Plant (PlanetArk, May 18)

Space

Searching for Meteorites in the Deserts of Oman (LiveScience, May 18)

Astronauts say goodbye to Hubble for good (Physorg.com, May 19)Brute force helps Hubble renewal (BBC News, May 18)

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