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A deadly toxin, arsenic is known for its ability to end life.

Since the 1990s, scientists have discovered about 20 species of bizarre bacteria that "breathe" arsenic.

They are typically found in environments where oxygen is scarce and have been forced to survive on whatever strange substance is easily available.

sailing through the backcountry

Alpine MeadowsWhere: Lake TahoeDodge trees and master your turns in the scenic backcountry of Tahoe City – and then turn in for the night in a Lake Tahoe rental. If you’ve got good control of your board, Alpine Meadows will delight but if you’re still learning, better move on to a more well-rounded resort. 

SnowbirdWhere: UtahNot many rides are smoother and gnarlier than the ones offered up by Utah’s highest and mightiest resort. The Zuagg, also known as the “Pipe Monster,” is enough to make any skilled boarder giddy.

More than a mere biological oddity, the discovery adds weight to Oremland's theory that the bacteria's ability evolved billions of years ago, when the first life was just getting started on Earth. At the time, the planet's oceans were devoid of oxygen, but hydrothermal vents spewed elements such as sulfur, iron and arsenic into the water column.

In this ancient stew, arsenic may have been an important nutrient to life. The life forms would have used whatever they could to survive these noxious waters, and sunlight and arsenic were probably plentiful.

Poison or Fuel?

Pollution at the nation’s 3,500 ocean, lake and bay beaches resulted in more than 25,000 closing or swimming advisory days last year, 28 percent more than in 2005, and the highest number in the 17 years that records have been kept, according to a new federal report released Tuesday.

he prime culprit was storm water runoff

Another 1,300 days were attributed to sewage spills and overflows.

For example, some types of water pollution change the color of the water in a lake or stream, whereas other types are less visible, but both can be equally detrimental to the health of humans and nonhuman animals.

For example, 2,000 years ago, when the Romans smelted silver, lead was released into the environment and carried by the wind over long distances; this lead can still be detected in Scandinavian lake sediments.

Relatively few of these new compounds have been thoroughly tested for possible health or environmental effects.

COUNTRY POPULATION (smallest) (February, 2006 numbers) Vatican City 920

COUNTRY POPULATION (largest) (February, 2006 numbers) China 1,306,313,800

OCEANS OF THE WORLD (by size) Pacific (155,557,000 sq km)

While bats have called Austin home for many years, it was after renovations to the Congress Avenue bridge over Town Lake in 1980 that they found their favorite hang out.

USAThe United States has some of the best snowboarding in the world. With Colorado, Wyoming, California and Utah in the west and Vermont in the east home to great resorts that cater to snowboarders. Resorts famous for their snowboarding include Crested Butte in Colorado, Vail in Colorado and Mammoth Mountain, Squaw Valley and Heavenly Valley in California. California abounds with a vast selection of snowboarding options. Sugar Bowl and Kirkwood are also favorites among California snowboarders.

CanadaSome of the very best snowboarding in the entire world is in Canada, with a great amount of resorts from the east to the west. Whistler/Blackcomb is the premier destination for snowboarders in Canada, but you can't overlook the smaller resorts including Silver Star, Apex, BigWhite, Whitewater and Sunpeaks. You also can't forget Banff, with some of the most beautiful and majestic scenery anywhere and their resorts like Lake Louise.

JapanJapan? Great for snowboarding? Yes. As well as skiing. People forget that Japan has many mountains and cold areas since the country is very long and reaches quite far north. In fact, Japan has over 600 ski and snowboarding resorts! A little ways from Tokyo, you'll find some nice resorts, but they tend to be more crowded and expensive due to their popularity with Tokyo residents. To experience Japanese snowboarding at its best, you'll want to travel away from Tokyo. Around Japan's 600+ resorts, you'll find everything from ultra modern and high tech resorts to traditional resorts to small time, family run resorts. You can't forget Nagano, also not too far from Tokyo and home to the 1998 Winter Olympics.

Lake Tahoe, California

Snowbird, Utah

Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia, Canada

According to the American College Dictionary, pollution is defined as:  �to make foul or unclean; dirty.

When it is unfit for its intended use, water is considered polluted.

Point sources of pollution occur when harmful substances are emitted directly into a body of water.

For snowboard and ski enthusiasts around the world, this is known as "Champagne Powder."

used for scouring arsenic, bacteria and cloudiness out of rural drinking water

There, the residual water from boiling the flat, oval-shaped lobes of prickly pear for salads and other dishes was used to clear up cloudy water drawn from the river before use for cooking or drinking.

Mucilage is the clear, gooey, viscous liquid from within the cactus which helps to seal water inside the plant so it can survive desert-dry conditions.