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Technology firm Cisco Systems and the NASA space agency launched a $100 million plan on Tuesday to monitor the earth's resources, aiming to boost transparency of national commitments

"Researchers at the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA's Aqua spacecraft have given scientists studying carbon dixoide a new tool - daily global measurements of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. The data shown in the tool includes information gathered during more than 7 years of research on the concentration and distribution of CO2 in our mid-trophosphere - or, 3-7 miles above the Earth's surface - and how that CO2 travels across the globe. The video after the jump shows an animation of the carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere with the Mauna Loa curve laid over it. The visualization is intense."

Gross said that even though the Chilean earthquake is much smaller than the Sumatran quake, it is predicted to have changed the position of the figure axis by a bit more for two reasons. First, unlike the 2004 Sumatran earthquake, which was located near the equator, the 2010 Chilean earthquake was located in Earth's mid-latitudes, which makes it more effective in shifting Earth's figure axis. Second, the fault responsible for the 2010 Chiliean earthquake dips into Earth at a slightly steeper angle than does the fault responsible for the 2004 Sumatran earthquake. This makes the Chile fault more effective in moving Earth's mass vertically and hence more effective in shifting Earth's figure axis.

"Now imagine, for a moment, if you lost control of the thermostat in your home or office; you would be pretty uncomfortable, right? Thankfully, most of us are fortunate enough to resolve this with a phone call or two (or three, depending on your maintenance guy). The Arctic isn't so lucky. It's warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet, causing seasonal ice to melt at an astounding rate. According to NASA, since 1979, the average decline of sea ice per decade is almost 10 percent."

"And it turns out, NASA scientists say -- contrary to conventional thinking that the greenhouse gas is spread uniformly over the planet in a well mixed layer -- the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument detects a distinctly "lumpy" pattern of CO2 in the mid-troposphere some 3-7 miles up."