“In Montana, we are finding that nanoparticles are important in transporting toxic heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic, down the river,” said Hochella. “These particles are incredibly small – 5 to 10 nanometers. Historically, we have not even known the nanoparticles were there. Now we know that lead in solution is different than if it is attached to a particle. But finding the particles is not easy. And impact on bioavailability is still unknown.”

He asks, “Are the metals less toxic if they are associated with nanoparticles than if dissolved as atoms in water? If a person, animal, fish, or insect ingests th

BALI, Indonesia (Reuters) - Delegates from about 190 nations gathered in Bali on Sunday to try to build on a "fragile understanding" that the fight against global warming needs to be expanded to all countries with a deal in 2009.

The U.N.'s top climate change official told thousands of delegates that the eyes of the world would be on their Dec 3-14 talks in an Indonesian beach resort, saying time was running short to avert ever more droughts, heatwaves and rising seas.

"If we all pray with deep faith the Almighty shall heed us," Cyprus Archbishop Chrysostomos II said in a circular sent out to all churches, quoting from the Gospel of St. John.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India is likely to stick by its pledge to keep its carbon emissions per person lower than those of the rich world at next week's climate change talks in Indonesia, according to policy advisers.

It might seem like an easy promise to make for now: the average American emits 20 times more carbon than the average Indian, not least because more than 600 million Indians still live in homes without so much as a lightbulb, according to government data.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mortgage industry executives worked on Saturday to hammer out details of a homeowner rescue plan that would freeze interest rates on some U.S. subprime mortgages for up to seven years, but questions remained over how to avoid investor lawsuits and other legal challenges.

The groups say the new numbers put the number of people newly infected each year with the virus at 55,000 instead of 40,000. The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal all say they have sources confirming this estimate.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The holidays are a time for families and friends, and Lorraine Corriveau, a wellness veterinarian in Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine, cautions people not to forget about their animal friends.

Corriveau offers her top 10 list to help pets and owners make it through the holidays:

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - To get more out of your next cup of tea, just add juice. A new Purdue University study found that citrus juices enable more of green tea's unique antioxidants to remain after simulated digestion, making the pairing even healthier than previously thought.

The study compared the effect of various beverage additives on catechins, naturally occurring antioxidants found in tea. Results suggest that complementing green tea with either citrus juices or vitamin C likely increases the amount of catechins available for the body to absorb.

Higher fuel prices have "clearly cut into the ability of the American consumer, particularly the paycheck-to-paycheck consumer, to buy products in this country," FedEx Chief Executive Frederick Smith said in an interview on Fox News Sunday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Earth's tropical belt is expanding much faster than expected, and that could bring more storms to the temperate zone and drier weather to parts of the world that are already dry, climate scientists reported on Sunday.

Cornell, New York - Even very small amounts of lead in children's blood -- amounts well below the current federal standard -- are associated with reduced IQ scores, finds a new, six-year Cornell study.

The study examined the effect of lead exposure on cognitive function in children whose blood-lead levels (BLLs) were below the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) standard of 10 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dl) -- about 100 parts per billion. The researchers compared children whose BLLs were between 0 and 5 mcg/dl with children in the 5-10 mcg/dl range.