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PLANET is defined by GSReport as the sum and product of all naturally occurring forces, phenomena and events within, upon and immediately surrounding the physical Earth. For purposes of Global Situation Report, Planet includes geological forces, weather and climate, all the natural life-support systems of the Earth and all the living things upon the Earth. Amphibian Deaths: Environment's 'Canary in a Coal Mine' (2/25/00) Amphibians are dying all over the world, taking many species to extinction. So far, no one really knows why. New Data Points to Reality of Climate Change (1/25/00) Recent studies of atmospheric surface temperatures and ocean temperatures support the claim that global warming is occurring and will probably bring major climate changes in coming years. Humankind's Grave Impacts on the Natural World (8/10/99) Human activity has altered almost 50 percent of the Earth's total land area and now threatens to cause the greatest extinction of species seen in the last 65 million years. Experts Say Global Warming More Than Predicted (7/10/99) A new study released by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change foresees greater global warming than previously predicted, along with greater extremes of weather and faster sea level rise. Red Cross Sees Increasing Likelihood of Natural Disasters (6/25/99) In a June 1999 report, the International Red Cross warned of a coming era of 'super-disasters' with more 'environmental refugees,' higher insurance losses and declining ability of relief efforts to meet the challenge. Trees Grow Faster With More Carbon Dioxide (5/25/99) If atmospheric CO2 increases as expected, trees will absorb more of the greenhouse gas and grow faster. But that can't prevent global warming, scientists say. Forecasters See Severe Hurricane Season Ahead (5/25/99) Meteorologists say the La Nina cold water condition in the Pacific is likely to produce higher than average hurricane activity in the Atlantic and Caribbean this year. Much Deforestation Driven By Population, Poverty (5/25/99) Marginalized by the spread of commercial farming and ranching enterprises, subsistance farmers are forced to destroy large amounts of tropical forest for new farmland. La Nina Probably Contributed to Huge Tornadoes (5/10/99) Cooler than normal ocean temperatures in the mid-Pacific, called La Nina, have caused many bizarre weather effects in North America, including record snow and monster tornadoes. Greenhouse Effect May Boost Frequency of El Nino (4/25/99) Global warming could lead to more frequent and violent El Nino weather patterns, according to a new study. European Rain Full of Deadly Pesticides (4/10/99) Rain in some parts of Europe contains so much deadly pesticide residue that it would be illegal to distribute it as drinking water. Global Warming Seen as Cause of Antarctic Melting (4/10/99) New research shows that two large Antarctic ice shelves lost a combined total of nearly 1,100 square miles of ice in 1998, apparently due to global warming. Amazon Destruction More Rapid Than Expected (4/10/99) Destruction of the Amazon rainforest is occurring two to three times more rapidly than previously estimated. Conservatively, 16 percent of the original forest is already gone. Water Shortages Will Bring Strife in New Millennium (3/25/99) Limited water supplies will be a major source of international tension in coming years. In March, 1999, Israel and Jordan almost came to blows over water; more trouble lies ahead. Cambodia Fights Illegal Logging as Forests Shrink (3/25/99) Cambodia's tropical forests are being devastated by a mostly illegal logging trade, abetted by corrupt politicians and military officers. La Nina, Like El Nino, Brings Bizarre Weather (3/10/99) La Nina, a cooling trend in the mid-Pacific, caused weather to be very strange in much of the world during the winter of 1998-99. NASA: Greenland's Glaciers Are Shrinking (3/10/99) A new study suggests that rapid thinning and excess run-off from Greenland's southeastern glaciers may be partly caused by climate changes. New Theory Says Oil Reserves Bigger Than Expected -- And E.T. Might Live Underground (2/10/99) Cornell University Professor Thomas Gold says oil is purely geological, not biological, in origin; and life probably started underground, so look there for ET. Antarctic Summit on Fishing, Environment, Tourism (1/25/99) Delegates from 24 nations met for the first time ever at Antarctica in January, 1999 to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the ice continent. 1998 Was the Hottest Year on Record (1/25/99) NASA and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) both released data showing that 1998 was the hottest year on record, by a surprisingly large margin. Tiny Mineral Test-Tubes: The Cradle of Life? (12/21/98) Reseach conducted at the Universities of Edinburgh and Chicago reveals that the first life on Earth may have formed in tiny pores on the surface of underwater rocks. Evidence of Ancient Asteroid Found (12/10/98) Evidence suggests an asteroid hit Argentina 3.3 million years ago, causing regional extinctions and climate change. Global Warming This Century Called Unprecedented (12/8/98) A scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said on Dec 7, 1998, that global warming in this centruy is greater than at any time in the last 1,200 years, and human activity is partly to blame. European Union to Phase Out Ozone Destroying Chemicals (12/8/98) European Union environment ministers agreed on Dec 21, 1998 to phase out the production and use of chemicals which destroy the earth's protective ozone layer and crack down on illegal trade in these substances. Scientist Hints at Silicon-Based Life Underground (12/05/98) Dr. Tom Gold, emeritus professor of astronomy at Cornell University, says there's a good chance silicon-based life lives in solid rock deep under the earth. New Iceberg Is Bigger Than Delaware (12/05/98) The biggest iceberg seen since 1987 broke away from Antarctica in October, 1998, but most of the Antarctic ice sheet seems stable, scientists said. Global Warming Devastates World's Coral Reefs (11/26/98) Rising sea water temperature due to global warming threatens to destroy the majority of coral reefs on earth, with potentially huge ecological and economic consequences. Ozone Hole Over Antarctic Grows (9/29/98) Scientists said the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica was bigger in 1998 than ever before. Study: Ozone Depletion May Slow (8/19/98) The rate of increase of the ozone-destroying chemical CFC-12 in the upper atmosphere is slowing, German scientists report, suggesting that the Montreal Protocols are beginning to have an effect. Built by Frontier on a Macintosh on 6/17/00; 12:57:18 PM. Mail to GSReport - Web Comments - Produced by Larry Lowe Served 11648 times since 4/10/99.

Earth's biosphere was captured in this composite image by NASA's Nimbus 7 satellite in the early 1980s. Ocean temperatures, which account for much of the planet's weather, range from very warm (red) to very cold (dark blue). The large red areas in the mid-Pacific indicate a strong El Nino effect. On land, major ecological zones are shown, including dense, wet tropical and temperate forests (dark green), dry forests (lighter green), savannahs or grasslands (greenish yellow), and deserts (yellow). Satellites are increasingly used to monitor changes in the global environment such as rain forest destruction in the Amazon or topsoil losses due to erosion, and conditions in the oceans and atmosphere that may indicate global climate change.