EARTH

Research shows that jobs in the green sector in California grew by three percent over a period when the total employment growth in the state grew by one percent

China's exports of vital rare earth elements used for numerous high-tech goods slipped almost one-tenth last year but the overall value rocketed as quota cuts lifted international prices, data showed on Wednesday.

NASA's hubble space telescope captured two dramatically different face-on views of the spiral galaxy Messier 51 or M51, dubbed the Whirlpool Galaxy.

Toyota Motors Corp is developing new type of electric motor which does not require rare earth metals to cut its dependence on rare earth metals and lower costs.

China said on Tuesday its rare earth exports rose 14.5 per cent in the Jan-Nov period of 2010 as prices more than doubled, with most of the shipments going to Japan, Europe and the United States.

Libya has abolished taxes and custom duties on locally-produced and imported food products in response to a global surge in food prices, Oea online newspaper reported.

A dark coronal hole at the Sun center was captured in extreme ultraviolet light by NASA's solar dynamics observatory. As the Sun continues to rotate, the high speed solar wind particles blowing from this hole will likely reach Earth in a few days and may spark some auroral activity.

Wondering what may have caused approximately 5,000 red-wing blackbirds to fall dead from the sky over Arkansas on New Year's Eve?

Melting of West Antarctic icesheet as a result of global warming may lead to disappearance of three-fourths of Europe’s alpine glaciers by 2100 and an increase in sea levels by four metres by the year 3000, said a study.

Ocean warming of up to 5 degree Celsius is likely to trigger widespread collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet by the year 3000 as well as lift sea levels by 4 meters (13 feet), says a study.

A team of scientists at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have found that the moon has a core similar to Earth's.

Space shuttle Discovery's final mission is delayed again due to additional small cracks on the shuttle's tank. The mission is now off until late February.

The recent spate of energy diplomacy between china and United States have resulted in China slash export quotas of rare earth mineral by half in 2011.

Japanese researchers at the Kyoto University have broken the rare earth import jinx as they have created a new alloy which resembles rare metal palladium, bringing a sigh of relief to countries depending on Chinese exports of rare earth metals.

Computing is going greener -- at least if the products at this year's Consumer Electronics show are any indication.

Moon takes a bite out of the Sun, as the colloquial saying goes, during the start of the year 2011. This year's first partial solar eclipse will be seen on Tuesday, in view from much of Europe, North Africa and central Asia.

The China government may slash export quotas of rare earth mineral by half in 2011, according to China Securities Journal, after Beijing raised international concern by cutting exports of the minerals next year.

China defended its export controls on rare earth minerals on Thursday, saying that they were in line with World Trade Organization rules, after a government move to slash export quotas on rare earths sparked trade concerns.

Molycorp (NYSE: MCP) is rising following the decision by China to cut its exports of rare earth materials next year.

China's Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday it would not issue more export quotas for foreign companies as it did last year and the first set of volume totaling 14,446 included those for foreign firms.

China said on Tuesday it will cut its export quotas for rare earth minerals by more than 11 percent in the first half of 2011, further shrinking supplies of metals needed to make a range of high-tech products.