Tiny particles of diamond dust dating back 12,900 years ago have been discovered at six North American sites, including one in the Ozarks. The scientific team that made the discovery says the presence of the diamonds provides strong evidence of an Earth impact with a rare swarm of carbon and water rich comets.

The nanodiamonds, weighing in at just 10 to 2,700 parts per billion, can be produced…[more]

January is National Radon Month, and the Cherokee Nation is taking that opportunity to offer free radon testing throughout the month to any family residing within its northeastern Oklahoma borders regardless of citizenship. The Cherokee Nation stretches across 14 counties in northeast Oklahoma.

The Cherokee Nation is working with the Environmental Protection Agency to educate Americans about the dangers of radon exposure.

Radon gas is recognized…[more]

STILLWATER, Okla. – Without proper care and an understanding of how streams operate under the rules of Mother Nature, a landowner with a stream running through his or her property may have a serious problem without an affordable solution.

Along with water, streams also transport sediment, which can create a problem if the amount of sediment picked up and moved downstream is not the same amount of sediment…[more]

The feud between the state of Oklahoma and Arkansas poultry producers continues as Oklahoma filed an appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.

Oklahoma wants to overturn U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell’s ruling that companies could continue to spread poultry litter in the Illinois River watershed after finding that Oklahoma had “not yet met its burden of proving that bacteria in the waters…[more]

The Bush administration gave its approval to a new environmental ruling that eases the way for coal mining companies to dump rock, sludge and other mining waste near rivers and streams.

The ruling allows mining companies that blow off mountain tops in order to reach the coal underneath to disregard maintenance of a 100 foot buffer zone between the mining operation and nearby bodies of water.

…[more]

A $15 million grant was awarded to the state of Oklahoma to research the production of alternative fuels from non-food crops.

The award was made by the National Science Foundation and will be receive an annual $1.1 million match from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. The grant money will be used to fund a research project that involves scientists from Oklahoma State University, the University of…[more]

Bass Pro Shops is looking foward to a big Christmas despite the current economic climate.

Having added more than 1,500 jobs at its 52 retail operations nationwide, Bass Pro feels it is making an investment into the tradition of Christmas for families. Founder Johhny Morris said,
“Christmas is a magical time of year for all of us. We want to invite our customers to bring the…[more]

U.S. and European mandates for subsidies of cellulosic ethanol production and use have uncertain environmental consequences according to an international group of scientists which includes researchers from the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.

The 23-member group co-authored an article on the need for a science-based policy to address this global issue for the Oct. 3 issue of Science magazine. Linda Wallace, OU botany professor, and Michael…[more]

Calling his role “a joy” and “the best job I’ll ever have,” Miles Tolbert resigned his position as Oklahoma’s secretary for the environment. The announcement was made yesterday.

Tolbert is returning to the Oklahoma City law firm where he practiced before being appointed to the state’s top environmental post by Gov. Brad Henry in January, 2003. Tolbert said the law firm’s increased emphasis on environmental law presented an…[more]

Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry recently met with farmers and ranchers in Cimarron County to discuss the formidable challenges facing them as the result of the ongoing drought. The Governor has already requested federal aid for nine drought-stricken counties in northwestern Oklahoma and today assured residents that state officials will do everything in their power to help.[more]