US: Lead found in 20% of baby food samples, especially juices and veggies
21 June 2017 - Pediatricians and public health researchers know they have to be on the lookout for lead exposure from paint chips and contaminated drinking water. A new report suggests food -- particularly baby food -- could be a problem, too. The Environmental Defense Fund, in an analysis of 11 years of federal data, found detectable levels of lead in 20 percent of 2,164 baby food samples. The toxic metal was most commonly found in fruit juices such as grape and apple, root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots, and cookies such as teething biscuits. The organization's primary focus was on the baby foods because of how detrimental lead can be to child development. Lead can cause problems with attention and behavior, cognitive development, the cardiovascular system and immune system, said Dr. Aparna Bole, pediatrician at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, who was not involved with the report. (more)

A third of the world now faces deadly heatwaves as result of climate change
20 June 2017 - Nearly a third of the world's population is now exposed to climatic conditions that produce deadly heatwaves, as the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere makes it 'almost inevitable' that vast areas of the planet will face rising fatalities from high temperatures, new research has found. Climate change has escalated the heatwave risk across the globe, the study states, with nearly half of the world's population set to suffer periods of deadly heat by the end of the century even if greenhouse gases are radically cut. (more)

Study shows Earth's killer heat worsens
19 June 2017 - Killer heat is getting worse, a new study shows. A team of researchers examined 1,949 deadly heat waves from around the world since 1980 to look for trends, define when heat is so severe it kills, and forecast the future. They found that nearly one in three people now experience 20 days a year when the heat reaches deadly levels. But the study predicts that up to three in four people worldwide will endure that kind of heat by the end of the century, if global warming continues unabated. (more)

UK: Computing in schools -- alarm bells over England's classes
19 June 2017 - Computing education in England's schools is going through a revolution, but there is evidence that too few pupils want to be part of it. Figures from the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) show only a modest rise in students taking the new computer science GCSE. Experts are concerned. The British Computer Society warns the number studying for a computing qualification could halve by 2020. The organisation -- which is the professional body for the IT industry -- says that would be a disaster for the economy. The other big concern is that too few girls are taking up the computer science exam . . . (more)

Conservationists: Imperiled Atlantic salmon decline worsens
18 June 2017 - Fewer of North America's Atlantic salmon are making it back to rivers to spawn, which bodes poorly for the future of the imperiled fish, an international conservation group says. Atlantic salmon were once abundant in the rivers of New England and Atlantic Canada, but they are now endangered or have disappeared in parts of both areas. The salmon are born in rivers, swim to the Atlantic and return to their natal river to spawn. (more)

Insulating skin on high-rises has fueled fires before London
18 June 2017 - For the last decade, engineers specializing in fire safety have worried about the hidden danger posed by the kind of insulated metallic skin that transported flames up a high-rise apartment building in London, killing dozens. Panels of the armor-like 'cladding' have become a popular facade on tall buildings worldwide, both for their sleek look and energy-saving virtues. They also have helped fuel spectacular infernos in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the United States. (more)

APNewsBreak: Official says more Hanford nuke mishaps likely
15 June 2017 - Future accidental radiation releases at the largest U.S. site of waste from nuclear weapons production are likely following back-to-back emergency evacuations of workers in May and June because aging infrastructure is breaking down, the top Energy Department official at the site told The Associated Press. (more)

US: Summer vacation? Lots of Americans say they can't afford it
15 June 2017 - Forget frequent flier miles, last-minute getaways, and even road trips. Nearly half of Americans say they won't be taking a vacation this summer, mostly because they can't afford it, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. (more)