UPDATE: Sunday, August 28, 5:40 p.m. EDT (21:40 UTC). Tropical Storm Irene has been gradually weakening and is beginning to lose tropical characteristics.
Scientists from Max Planck Institute for Chemistry say Earth's crust may be recycled in only half a billion years, based on data from volcano Mauna Loa.
Hurricane Irene, forecast to hit New York City this evening (August 27), brings a destructive combination of storm surge, damaging winds and flooding rain.
Hurricane Irene is pushing north and will cause significant impacts across North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia this weekend.