1 billion 200 million people are living near directly some water. People whose survival depends on water. Their life conditions are determined by quality of water that is getting worse and worse year by year.

Ones live in big cities other in isolation settlement. Their fields are threatened by fire day by day. People and culture on coastlines, lakes, rivers differ very much and water is that makes them connect each other in Brazil, France, Romania. Read more

For m­any ea­rthlings, 2008 was a­ year of too much or too little water. While droughts and floods on this planet kept many people occupied, others had their eyes on the weather forecast millions of miles away, as the Phoenix Mars Lander touched down on our sister planet.

Geographical features such as the Echus Chasam have captured the imaginations of scientists and dreamers for decades. Did Martian water etch these valleys in the planet’s surface? 

In the 1800s, human imaginations ran wild as astronomers glimpsed what they took to be canals on the Martian surface. Scientists pondered the possibility of life on the red planet, while artists and dreamers such as H.G. Wells took the notion even further, imagining a Martian conquest of Earth in his 1898 book “War of the Worlds.” As the decades rolled by, scientific discoveries subdued our expectations, but the questions remained: Has Mars ever supported life, and could it ever support human colonies? Both scenarios depend on liquid water.

In 2005, after 14 successful missions to Mars, these questions were still prevalent when ­NASAlaunched the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter into space. But when scientists compared high-resolution 3-D images of Mars taken by the orbiter to images from 1999, they noticed something unusual. A series of bright, depository streaks had formed in gullies during the intervening years. Since flash floods can carve away soil and leave behind new sediments on Earth, some observers thought they finally had strong evidence that liquid water, and therefore the potential for life, existed on Mars.

Since life as we know it — even the most bizarre varieties — depends on liquid water, scientists assume that it would also be a necessity for extraterrestrial organisms. Mars is replete with water, but most (if not all) of it is in frozen or vapor form. For instance, ice caps the planet’s poles, and patches of ice lie over dunes in craters. Read more

Most people know that the human body is made up of about 60% water and that drinking water is important. However, many are not aware of some of the concrete effects that water – or the lack of water – has on the body. These effects make a strong case for anyone to make changes in their water drinking habits and make the effort to drink enough water. So, what are these effects that water has on the body and what are some good reasons to drink water?

First, a basic understanding of the water balance in our bodies is needed. A lack of water in our systems is known as dehydration. This occurs when water intake does not reach the level of your water output. Under normal conditions the body constantly uses and processes water. The body’s use of water increases in warmer climates, during strenuous exercise, after health treatments as the body automatically starts to detox and in high altitudes. Some other health conditions and changes in your body such as diabetes, pregnancy, breast-feeding, growing older, menstruation, and some prescription medications also make your body use up water more quickly than under normal conditions. Read more

The interplay between surface-water salinity and climate change in Central New York is the subject of a recent paper by researchers in Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences.

Kristina Gutchess, a Ph.D. candidate in Earth Sciences, is the lead author of an article in the prestigious journal Environmental Science and Technology (ACS Publications). Her co-authors at Syracuse include Laura Lautz, the Jesse Page Heroy Professor and chair of Earth sciences, and Christa Kelleher, assistant professor of Earth sciences. Another co-author is Gutchess’ Ph.D. supervisor, Associate Professor Zunli Lu.

Rounding out the group are Li Jin G’08, associate professor of geology at SUNY Cortland; José L. J. Ledesma, a postdoctoral researcher of aquatic sciences and assessment at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; and Jill Crossman, assistant professor of Earth and environmental sciences at the University of Windsor (Ontario). Read more

Like tubing in general, cave tubing is best undertaken with some precautions in mind. Luckily, most of the requirements for a safe and enjoyable black water rafting experience are provided by the guide company.

Which brings us to the first tip: Go with a guide.

A tuber floating near the entrance at Waitomo. It’s best to find out what the entire tour entails before you sign up.

It may seem like a simple thing, floating along a quiet river; but a cave river, like most rivers, can have some rough spots. This, along with the unique environment of a cave-tubing trip, means it’s best to go with an expert. A black-water-rafting company is also equipped to provide its patrons with everything they’ll need during the tour, including wet suits, headlamps, inner tubes, rappelling equipment, and often a snack to keep energy levels up for that final climb up a waterfall to reach the surface.

It’s also a good idea to wear waterproof shoes and bring a waterproof disposable camera, or else a waterproof case for your regular camera if you want to risk it — you probably won’t be able to fish it out of the darkness if you drop it in the water.

Camera mishaps are rough, but they’re nothing compared to finding yourself staring at a necessary 50-foot (15-meter) zip-line ride across a cave gorge that you’re not physically prepared to cross. Be honest about your fitness level, both to the guide company and to yourself. Read more