National (U.S.)

"Do researchers have an obligation to help the general public understand the relevance of their work? One academic thinks so – despite sporting scars from his effort."

Three years after "colony collapse disorder," a still-mysterious syndrome that kills whole beehives, commercial beekeepers are struggling to provide pollination for the nation's crops.

The failure of aging water and sewer pipes damages streets and homes and causes pollution to seep into drinking water supplies in many cities across the country. The only solution may require higher water bills for consumers.

"The federal 'vaccines court' ruled Friday in three separate cases that the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal does not cause autism, a finding that supports the broad scientific consensus on the matter but that greatly disappointed parents who are convinced that their child's illness was caused by vaccines."

"U.S. EPA settled a lawsuit [last week] by agreeing to use the Clean Water Act to address ocean acidification, a move that some see as opening a side door to federal curbs on greenhouse gases that scientists link to problems in the marine environment."

"North American bird species are 'facing a new threat -- climate change -- that could dramatically alter their habitat and food supply and push many species towards extinction,' said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar on Thursday when he announced the new report, 'The State of the Birds: 2010 Report on Climate Change.'"

"The bill that funds the Energy Department and water projects for this year contains at least six earmarks giving grants to for-profit companies. And in at least two cases, lawmakers obtained earmarks for companies that had given those same House members campaign contributions."

"The latest science supports substantially tightening U.S. EPA's air quality standards for soot in order to safeguard public health and the environment, according to a draft report from agency scientists."

"Aides from the two House committees with jurisdiction over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are working together to draft legislation to overhaul and authorize the agency for the first time, according to House Science Chairman Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.)."

"The U.S. Senate approved a bill that extends the $1-a-gallon tax credit for biodiesel, which expired Dec. 31."