Published Aug 6 2015 11:05 PM Highlights: Typhoon Soudelor has strengthened into a Category 3 equivalent typhoon. Soudelor was moving to the west-northwest at 12 mph as of late Thursday evening (U.S. time) with maximum sustained winds increasing to 120 mph. It was centered about 340 miles east-southeast of Taipei, Taiwan. Some additional strengthening is possible before Soudelor slams into Taiwan Saturday, local time. It's possible that Soudelor could be a Category 4 equivalent at landfall. Soudelor is currently passing near Japan's far southwest Ryukyu Islands. A weakened, but still dangerous Soudelor will make a final landfall in southeast China late Saturday and track inland Sunday. Earlier this week, Soudelor underwent rapid intensification Monday and became Super Typhoon Soudelor, the strongest tropical cyclone on Earth so far in 2015. ( MORE:   Expert Analysis  |  Hurricane Central ) Status and Forecast Current Winds and Satellite ...

In Myanmar, China's Scramble for Energy Threatens Livelihoods of Villagers In western Myanmar a Chinese-backed energy and trading hub is taking shape on a remote island. A boatman steers his vessel through a mangrove swamp on western Myanmar's Ramree Island. Heavy Chinese investment is beginning to transform the island into a trade and transport hub. Oil and gas pipelines from Ramree across Myanmar into Yunnan Province will allow Chinese companies to bypass the pirate-ridden Malacca Strait. Photograph by  Hereward Holland Hereward Holland for National Geographic Published September 5, 2014 OIL MOUNTAIN, Myanmar—The mood at a ramshackle bar in this village on Ramree Island, in western Myanmar's Rakhine State, is one of fatalism ...

CO2 'significantly reduces' nutrients in major food crops By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, BBC News The nutrient content of major crops like wheat is likely to be reduced by rising temperatures Continue reading the main story Related Stories World must end 'dirty' fuel use - UN How climate change will acidify the oceans UN dilemma over 'Cinderella' technology Rising levels of CO2 around the world will significantly impact the nutrient content of crops according to a new study. Experiments show levels of zinc, iron and protein are likely to be reduced by up to 10% in wheat and rice by 2050. The scientists say this could have health implications for billions of people, especially in the developing world. The report has been published in the journal Nature. Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote "It is possibly the...

Electrical devices 'disrupt bird navigation' By Rebecca Morelle Global science correspondent, BBC News The researchers found the navigational skills of European robins were thrown off course by weak radio waves Continue reading the main story Related Stories Are birds hijacking quantum physics? 'Quantum smell' idea gains ground Birds' V formation mystery 'solved' Electrical devices may disrupt the migration of some birds, a study suggests.  A German team has found that weak electromagnetic fields produced by equipment plugged into mains electricity and AM radio signals interfere with the animals' "internal compass". They believe the effect is greatest when birds fly over urban areas. The study is published in the journal Nature . Prof Henrik Mouritsen, from the University of Oldenburg in Germany, who carried out t...

Colin Pillinger dies after brain haemorrhage By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News "A man with a mission". Pallab Ghosh reports on the life of Colin Pillinger Continue reading the main story Related Stories 'Sheer determination and charisma' Red Planet scientist battles MS Asteroid named after professor British planetary scientist Colin Pillinger, best known for his 2003 attempt to land a spacecraft on Mars, has died aged 70, his family have said. Prof Pillinger was at his home in Cambridge when he suffered a brain haemorrhage and fell into a deep coma. His family said he later died at Addenbrooke's Hospital without regaining consciousness. His death was "devastating and unbelievable", they said in a statement. Dr David Parker, the chief executive of the UK Space Agency, led the tributes. He told the...

    By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, BBC News The virus has proved to be particularly deadly for young pigs Continue reading the main story Related Stories China pig deaths continue to rise The bewildering labelling of pork Lab cuts 'threat to human health' France is expected to suspend pig-related imports from a number of countries as worries grow over the spread of a deadly swine virus. Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea Virus (PEDv) has killed some seven million piglets in the US in the past year. The disease has also been found in Canada, Mexico and Japan. While the virus isn't harmful to humans or food, France is concerned over the potential economic impact and is set to suspend imports of live pigs and sperm. PEDv is spread in faecal matter and attacks the guts of pigs, preventing them from absorbing liquids and nutrients. Older animals can survive but fatality rates among p...