News tagged with amazon river

Mediterranean Sea filled in less than two years: study

The Mediterranean Sea was mostly filled in less than two years in a dramatic flood around 5.33 million years ago in which water poured in from the Atlantic, according to a study published Wednesday.

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Dec 09, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (23) | comments 2

The Amazon River is 11 million years old

The Amazon River originated as a transcontinental river around 11 million years ago and took its present shape approximately 2.4 million years ago. These are the most significant results of a study on two ...

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Jul 07, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (13) | comments 1

Scientists discover Amazon river is 11 million years old

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have discovered that the Amazon river, and its transcontinental drainage, is around 11 million years old and took its present shape about 2.4 million years ago.

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Jul 29, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (7) | comments 4

Amazon deforestation increases six-fold

A sharp increase in forest destruction in March and April in the Amazon has led Brazil to announce the creation of an emergency task force to fight against deforestation.

Space & Earth / Environment

created May 19, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 5

Amazon deforestation on the rise again in Brazil

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon accelerated in June, with more than 300 square kilometers destroyed, a 17 percent increase over the previous month, government researchers said Tuesday.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Aug 03, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 12

Triangles Go Underwater and Supersonic

(PhysOrg.com) -- The seemingly effortless way dolphins and porpoises slice through the water and the unique capabilities of the supersonic Concorde airplane have more in common than one might think.

Biology / Other

created Jun 30, 2009 | popularity 3.3 / 5 (7) | comments 1

Thousands of plant species likely to go extinct in Amazon

As many as 4,550 of the more than 50,000 plant species in the Amazon will likely disappear because of land-use changes and habitat loss within the next 40 years, according to a new study by two Wake Forest University researchers.

Biology / Ecology

created Jul 09, 2009 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (5) | comments 0

Internet takes 'distance-learning' into the Amazon

The Internet is letting a school sprout in the Amazon where teachers tend not to linger due to harsh living conditions and a scarcity of students.

Technology / Internet

created Aug 20, 2011 | popularity 4 / 5 (4) | comments 1

Dolphins get a lift from delta wing technology

We can only marvel at the way that dolphins, whales and porpoises scythe through water. Their finlike flippers seem perfectly adapted for maximum aquatic agility. However, no one had ever analysed how the animals' ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Jun 26, 2009 | popularity 3.8 / 5 (4) | comments 0

Central Africa's tropical Congo Basin was arid, treeless in Late Jurassic

The Congo Basin -- with its massive, lush tropical rain forest -- was far different 150 million to 200 million years ago. At that time Africa and South America were part of the single continent Gondwana. The Congo Basin was ...

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Nov 10, 2009 | popularity 3.5 / 5 (4) | comments 0

Drought shrinks Amazon River to lowest level in 47 years

A severe drought parching northern Brazil this year has shrunk the mighty Amazon River -- the world's longest river -- to its lowest level in 47 years, officials said Wednesday.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Sep 15, 2010 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Will dams on Amazon tributary wreak global havoc?

The Xingu River, the largest tributary of the Amazon, runs wide and swift this time of year. Its turquoise waters are home to some 600 species of fish, including several not found anywhere else on the planet. A thick emerald ...

Space & Earth / Environment

created Apr 05, 2009 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (3) | comments 4

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon up 15%

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon increased by 15 percent during the past 12 months, the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) said.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Aug 18, 2011 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (3) | comments 4

Amazon at lowest level in over 40 years in Peru: experts

The Amazon, the world's biggest river, is at its lowest level in over 40 years near its source in northeastern Peru, causing havoc in a region where it is used as the only form of travel, authorities said.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Sep 02, 2010 | popularity 3.3 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Study shows best places to protect marine mammals

(AP) -- From sea otters to blue whales, marine mammals are under stress from climate change, ocean acidification, hunting and other threats. Researchers have identified 20 important sites around the world ...

Biology / Ecology

created Aug 01, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 1

Amazon River

The Amazon River (Portuguese: Rio Amazonas; Spanish: Río Amazonas; pronounced /ˈæməzɒn/ (US); pronounced /ˈæməzən/ (UK)) of South America is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total river flow greater than the next eight largest rivers combined. The Amazon, which has the largest drainage basin in the world, accounts for approximately one fifth of the world's total river flow. During the wet season parts of the Amazon exceed 120 miles (190 km) in width. Because of its vast dimensions, it is sometimes called The River Sea. At no point is the Amazon crossed by bridges. This is not because of its huge dimensions; in fact, for most of its length, the Amazon's width is well within the capability of modern engineers to bridge. However, the bulk of the river flows through tropical rainforest, where there are few roads and even fewer cities, so there is no need for crossings.

While the Amazon is the largest river in the world by most measures, the current consensus within the geographic community holds that the Amazon is the second longest river, just slightly shorter than the Nile. However, some scientists, particularly from Brazil and Peru, dispute this (see section below).

For more information about Amazon River, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.