Species have come and gone at different rates than previously believed

Diversity among the ancestors of such marine creatures as clams, sand dollars and lobsters showed only a modest rise beginning 144 million years ago with no clear trend afterwards, according to an international team of researchers. This contradicts previous work showing dramatic increases beginning 248 million years ago and may shed light on future diversity.
Contact: Lily Whitemanlwhitema@nsf.gov703-292-8310National Science Foundation
Public Release: 3-Jul-2008Science

Acidifying oceans add urgency to CO2 cuts

It's not just about climate change anymore. Besides loading the atmosphere with heat-trapping greenhouse gases, human emissions of carbon dioxide have also begun to alter the chemistry of the ocean. The ecological and economic consequences are difficult to predict but possibly calamitous, warn a team of chemical oceanographers, and halting the changes already underway will likely require even steeper cuts in carbon emissions than those currently proposed to curb climate change.
Contact: Ken Caldeirakcaldeira@stanford.edu650-704-7212Carnegie Institution