Severe Drought Affects Five Million People In China



During the last week of August, numerous reports of drought in various parts of the world were reported. One of these unfortunate reports was in China wherein an estimated five million people are now experiencing severe drought which leaves their farms in serious condition. Unnatural drought like this can affect their crops and livestock—to much horror of Northern China’s local farmers and residents.

In this part of China where residents rely only on their produce for food and sustenance, having severe drought killing their crops is synonymous to hunger. When crops die, these farmers will have to find other ways to buy food and other living necessities. Wheat, which covers most farming lands are now in dire need of water as its soil is beginning to parch and wells are now rock dry.

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Global Warming to be Blamed for Tick Infestations



Due to the very persistent and notable tick infestations all throughout America and other countries worldwide, experts are now gathering all related data over the past few years to determine the most effective way to fight this potentially life-threatening situation, and hopefully put a stop to it before it gets blown out of proportion. Apparently, the single most unrelenting cause these experts have unearthed so far is global warming which was what experts have been suspecting all along.

There has been a suspected link between ticks and climate change although it cannot be pinpointed and established yet. Experts say that it may even be the collective effects of global warming and climate change that make tick infestation as nasty as ever, putting every human and their pets at a greater risk. According to studies, ticks are known to alter its usual behavior when they experience too much heat. One study which was done sometime December of last year showed that when ticks are subjected to extreme heat, it frantically turns to humans instead of their usual hosts such as deer and dogs. Furthermore, it was found out that due to longer periods of heat and shorter winter time we are experiencing nowadays, it gave more time for ticks to multiply and spread. Another suspected link is that when trees are cut down, it gives ticks more room to grow and their hosts are now within reach.

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Glaciers and Global Warming



Perhaps the best sign that global warming is upon us are the melting of most of the world’s glaciers.  Glaciers are large moving masses of ice.  They are our souvenirs from the last ice age.  Glaciers are the earth’s largest reservoirs for fresh water and the threat of global warming has triggered a phenomenon called glacial retreat.

Scientists site the increase of greenhouse gasses as the main cause of glacial retreat.  Studies show that glaciers all over the world have shown significant shrinkages over the years mainly due to the rapid rise of the earth’s temperatures.  Mountain ranges in the Andes, Himalayas, Alps, Rocky Mountains and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania have shown the most drastic glacial loss.

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Mosquitoes Threatening Animals to Extinction



..and you’d think mosquito-borne diseases are for humans alone? Apparently not, because these blood suckers are driving animals from all over the world to extinction!—something that sends researchers and local government agencies across the globe into frenzy to stop mosquitoes from making further- and ultimately, irreversible- damages.

Earlier this month, it was reported that mosquitoes in the Galapagos Island developed a rare taste for reptilian blood and were sucking off blood from Galápagos tortoises and its close cousins. In this course of action, mosquitoes are passing diseases unknown to a reptilian’s system that could kill them which was exactly what local biologists fear of. Galapagos wildlife is the island’s most notable feature and the very reason why they were declared as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. That alone warrants preventive measures from its local government as they believe mosquitoes breeding in the island are undergoing potentially dangerous mutation stages.

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Greenland Ice Melt Will Cause Severely High Sea Levels



Greenland’s ice sheets are melting and it is already exceeding its expected rate according to researchers. Because of this, there is a predicted sea level rise that is frighteningly severe for the years to come. Researchers fear that if it continually gains pace, some parts of the world will be erased permanently on the face of the Earth and worse, without any warning.

It was predicted that there would be 12-20 inches rise in sea levels if Greenland glaciers continue to melt and will ultimately affect North America and some of its neighboring cities. Not only will it affect those residing near coasts but it will also affect the drainage systems which will result to flooding of major cities all over the world.

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