If it isn't polar bears in the North Pole, it's penguins in the South. Hundreds of dead baby penguins have washed up on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro over the past two months. Story in the full article.

A new survey from the American Lung Association has revealed the most polluted cities in America. Which cities topped the list? Pittsburgh ranked the highest in short-term pollution, but Los Angeles proved to be the most polluted on a year-round basis, as well as in terms of smog or ozone. Time to whip out the gas mask? If you want to know whether your city made the list, follow the "read more" link below.

Promising development to protect the atmosphere is underway, as NASA just shed light on the launch of its Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS). What's believed to be the most extensive field campaign ever to study the chemistry of the Arctic's lower atmosphere, the project employs three airborne laboratories that intends to explain how pollutants cause climate changes in the Arctic sea. Fly to the full article for more details.

Looking for a car that's as stylish as it is eco-friendly? Then the hydrogen-powered Lifecar is just for you, with its sleek profile and zero-noise (as well as zero-pollution) engine. Developed by a consortium of UK companies and universities, the Lifecar offers top-class performance and looks - and you won't feel the least bit guilty when you're tearing down the road at its top speed, with the car's exhaust consisting of nothing but water vapor. Check out the full article for more details.

There are a lot of ways to curb global warming. An example would be the use of electric cars which produce virtually zero pollution. Since there aren't a lot of these cars in the market, Andrew Angelloti built his own electric pickup truck with only US$ 6000.

Details of his truck after the jump!

Apparently, two new amphibians have been identified to be in danger of extinction. The specie of the Olm, a blind giant salamander, and the Gardiner's Seychelles frogs have their numbers dwindling down to almost zero due to human activities and global warming.

These rather bizarre amphibians are closely being watched by the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE). Details on their status in the full article.

 A 46 centimeter (18 inch) fossilized claw of a prehistoric scorpion was recently unearthed at a quarry site in Germany. The huge claw found once belonged to an ancient sea scorpion 8 feet in length!

Want to know more of this nightmarish creature? Read more in the full article.

Another Monday, another batch of new titles for the North American Virtual Console service. This week, we've got some great old-school gaming set in a gymnasium all the way to an alien world. New this week are Volleyball, Axelay and Blue's Journey - three more classic titles to give you your retro gaming fix.

Check out the full article for more details as well as a short Virtual Console intro for new Wii owners.

One more step into the future: imagine a car that doesn't use fossil fuels that cause pollution and saves up on parking space. Enter the City Car from the Smart Cities group: an electric scooter-type car that parks like a shopping cart.

You know how shopping carts save on space by stacking against each other? The City Car's pretty much the same deal. The vehicle is modeled to be a type of public transportation which anyone can use. Like a shopping cart, citizens, denizens and rezidents can just take one and go. Read the full article for more details.

Care to take a dip at a local beach? Maybe you'll think twice as this bit of news warns us of something quite disturbing: U.S. beaches are polluted. That really isn't news to us, but it's the type of pollution that's a bit surprising. According to a group of experts from Johns Hopkins University, the beaches are polluted with pathogens from... er - poo.

International science magazine New Scientist reports of a recent study by public health expert Thaddeus Gracyzk and some of his colleagues. They tested water taken from Maryland's beaches twice a week for almost three months back in 2006. The water was tested for Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia, a couple of protozoans found in human feces. Both of the said protozoans can cause severe gastrointestinal problems, some might even lead to death.

They found that 30% of samples taken during weekdays had pathogens while it shoots up to 60% on weekends. According to the study, the level changes are proportional to the "bathers in the water."

Where'd all the poo come from? According to Gracyzk, bathers can upset the sediment where the microbes rest - either coming from sewage or from surface run-off after heavy rains.