Researchers have located huge deposits of rare-earth metals in seabed mud off the Japanese island Minamitorishima, located 1,150 miles southeast of Tokyo. The discovery could have a major impact on both the Japanese and the world economy. Rare-earth metals are essential to modern technologies and are used in smartphones, hybrid vehicles, rechargeable batteries, wind turbines, light emitting diodes, compact fluorescent lamps, screen display panels, and many medical and military technologies.
In recent years, China has had a near monopoly on the production of rare-earth metals, extracting 85 to 95 percent of the world’s rare-earth metal supply from large clay deposits in the country’s south. Despite their name, rare earth metals are actually not particularly rare although they are difficult to find in deposits from which they can be economically extracted.
Aerial surveys attempting to identify endangered right whales have spotted swarms of 
The Flettner fleet is growing slowly but steadily. The LNG powered cruise ferry 
In June of 1912, Joseph Conrad wrote “
Two short accounts of seals showing up in somewhat unexpected places. 
The 
Talk about unintended consequences. The Washington State Ferry system and the US Coast Guard have a problem with forgotten bicycles. Over the last 18 months, 12 bicycles have been left aboard ferries, including three bike-share bikes. This turns out to be a rather big deal. Because a forgotten or abandoned bicycle might suggest that the owner could have gone overboard, it can trigger a search and rescue operation by Coast Guard and ferry personnel until the bicyclist can be confirmed safe.
Next January and February, an expedition to Antarctica will search for 
Yesterday 
Saturday was a bad day on the Bosphorus. The Maltese-flagged 74,269 DWT bulk carrier
Yesterday, we posted about the upcoming 
Fifty years ago this year, nine sailors set off in the 
A new exhibit has recently opened at the