Hundreds of thousands of tiny white-nosed bats have died over the past few winters, falling to cave floors across the eastern United States. The killer is White Nose Syndrome, a mysterious disease inflicted by an unusual cold-loving fungus that attacks bats while they are hibernating. Come spring, as few as 5 percent of the bats in heavily infected roosts are still alive. More than 2 million bats have already been killed by the disease. And the prognosis could get worse, as White Nose Sydrome is spreading westward at an alarming rate.

Black carbon - fine particles of soot in the atmosphere produced from the burning of fossil fuels or biomass - a major contributor to the thick hazes of pollution hovering over cities around the world, has been known to be a health hazard for decades. But over the last decade, scientists have been examining in increasing detail the various ways in which these particles contribute to another hazard: heating up the planet.

The American Geological Institute (AGI) is pleased to welcome its 49th Member Society, the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA).

Pakistan is facing tremendous water issues. This summer's flooding has left millions of people without homes and without access to clean drinking water. But water issues - both quantity and quality - are not new to this strategically important country. Waterborne diseases account for 30 percent of all deaths in Pakistan, and kill some 250,000 children each year. Per capita water availability in Pakistan is less than one-ninth of what it is in the U.S. And what's more, researchers say if Pakistan doesn't manage its water resources differently, it's going to actually run out of water. This month, EARTH magazine explores the various facets of Pakistan's water issues.

Bubonic plague and climate change are linked - explore the details in this month's Geotimes feature "The Plague: Could It Happen Again?" that has just been posted at http://www.geotimes.org. Plague ravaged Europe for nearly 500 years, brought on by climate change and the expansion of global trade. Given the extent of globalization coupled with changing climate, health officials and the public are beginning to wonder if history may repeat itself. Read the full story in the May Geotimes, available at newsstands and on Geotimes online this month.

In a feature story posted to Geotimes online, a geoscientist reports on her team's contribution to diabetes research using techniques that help unlock the mysteries of the human body. Read more about the application of stable isotope geochemistry to questions of blood sugar regulation within the human body, in "Geologists Weigh in on Diet and Disease," available in print and online this month.

This month, Geotimes follows geoscientists tracking the global migration of birds, as they monitor the possible spread of the deadly bird flu. Read more about how they hope to prevent a pandemic in the United States, in "On the Path of Bird Flu," available in print and online.