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Disasters
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Oil Weathering Process Last Updated on 2011-11-18 00:00:00 Introduction Years after the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill of 1989, Prince William Sound, Alaska continues to be adversely affected. The severity of the damage from a spill and how long the damage lasts is influenced primarily by the chemical changes the oil undergoes during and after the spill. The process by which the spilled oil changes both physically and chemically is referred to as oil weathering and involves a series of sub-processes including spreading and drift, evaporation, natural dispersion, emulsification and biodegradation. These processes are influenced in turn, by factors including composition of the spilled oil, the duration time of weathering, the type of oil being weathered, temperature, and wave action. For example, lighter oils will generally weather differently than heavier oils. However, some light oils contain waxes that make it... More » 
Science for Haiti Last Updated on 2011-09-26 00:00:00 Eva Aguilar reports 20 September 2011 on SciDev.Net en Español Haiti could follow the example of other developing countries, such as Rwanda, and bolster its science capacity to help the country recover from last year's devastating earthquake, according to a report by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). 'Science for Haiti' presents a set of strategic goals — and recommendations for realising them — to boost science capacity and education in the Caribbean country. It urges Haitian scientists, the international science community, donor and aid organisations to work together to achieve these goals. The report is a "roadmap for progress", according to the authors, who presented the document at a meeting with representatives of Haiti's science community, education and private sectors in the capital city... More » 
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill photo gallery by Donald Blake Last Updated on 2011-04-11 13:20:26 Photos submitted by Donald Blake, University of California, Irvine. Images by NOAA P-3, taken July 2010. More » 
