PLANET IN PERIL

ScienceDaily Quantitative analysis has evidenced the acceleration system of melting ice: dark water surfaces absorb more heat than white ice surfaces, thus melting ice and making more water surfaces in the Arctic Ocean. Details here.

NATURE|NEWS Geological processes send more meltwater from glaciers and ice sheets to Earth's mid-latitudes. Story here. Greenland. Photo by Uffe Wilken

The Western Producer Damage has been reported to farms and ranches on the perimeter of Waterton Lakes National Park as a wildfire continues to burn in southwestern Alberta. Details here.

CommonDreams The devastating consequences of human superiority over nature. Story here. The remains of a rare northern right whale run over by a ship.  NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries photo. Related: The Sixth Extinction - an Unnatural History - a Book Review

SCIENTIFIC  AMERICAN The Island of St. Maartin during hurricane Irma. Ministry of Defense, Netherlands. Some links are indisputable; others are more subtle, but the science is improving all the time. Story here.

CBC news Weather forecast calls for high winds on Saturday and Sunday, which is a concern for firefighters. Story here.

ECOWATCH A conservation group is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, challenging the  agency's rule stripping grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem of Endangered Species protections. Story here.

CommonDreams "It is past time to call out Trump and all climate deniers for this crime against humanity. No more treating climate denial like an honest difference of opinion." Story here.

POPULAR   SCIENCE Plus some bee-utiful photography. STORY HERE. RELATED:  Pesticide increases probability of bumblebee extinction. Will New Research From Europe Nudge Canada Toward a "Neonic" Ban? Bumble bees forage on chives in a  Manitoba garden.  PinP  photo.

Below is a letter I submitted to the weekly newspaper, the Neepawa Banner today. =============== Dear Editor, I am puzzled by a recent column in the weekly newspaper, the Neepawa Banner by Rev. Neil Strohschein, entitled “A Christian response to natural disasters.” I find your conclusion that God loves the victims of such storms, cries out for further explanation.  Who or what is making these storms in the first place, then? Is it not God? Because the faithful believe God is all-powerful, do they not?   If it is not Him, who/what is it, then? Does He not have the power to prevent such calamities? If He does not, does that not make Him less than all-powerful?   And if it is Him, please explain to me how raining down such massive misery and destruction on his flock can possibly be an act of love?   While you do not address this following point in your column, it is one which, IMHO, also cries out for a response from the religious. It is customary in the fa

theguardian It came without warning, and without equivalent. Now a flash drought is fuelling fires and hurting the lives of those who work the land. Story here.