Bovine brains: Mad cow disease has resurfaced in the U.S. for the first time since 2006. Officials say the animal -- the fourth in the country ever to test positive for the disease -- was on its way to human mouths when it died on a California farm, and that the case's discovery shows that protective measures are working. Even so, many minds find the discovery unsettling. Los Angeles Times
Climate policy FAIL: The International Energy Agency says the world's governments are missing the chance to do something about climate change. At a meeting in London today, high-level energy ministers are in for a scolding from the IEA, which says that without drastic measures the world is on track for a disastrous 6°C of warming by the end of the century. The Guardian
The Mannley Cup: The European Geosciences Union is honoring climate science eminence Michael Mann with the Oeschger Medal. While Mann's "hockey stick" work is his most widely known achievement, the medal is for a lifetime of contribution to his field. RealClimate
Post-game strategy: The Olympics will take up a lot of room, but after the summer games, London will try to fill the space in sustainably. On the site of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the city plans to build 8,000 carbon-free homes. E2B Pulse
Mute swan song: Michigan is telling residents around the Great Lakes to start shooting swans. Invasive mute swans -- not to be confused with native trumpeter swans -- are apparently bird bullies, ecologically forcing out other animals and intimidating human inhabitants. Great Lakes Echo
Criminal intent: The government has filed the first criminal charges arising from the BP oil spill two years after the disaster. A former engineer, Kurt Mix, is charged with obstruction of justice for erasing text messages regarding the extent of the leaking oil. More charges are likely to follow. New York Times
Nuclear fault line: Japan's nuclear watchdog agency says the Tsuruga nuclear plant in the northwestern part of the country may be sitting directly on top of an active fault line. All but one of Japan's nuclear reactors are offline following last year's devastating earthquake and tsunami. File the discovery under "probably should have checked into this a while ago." Reuters
Sagging silicon: The price of a kilogram of polysilicon was $475 four years ago. By the end of 2012, the material used to make solar photovoltaic panels will fall to around $22. The market is glutted with polysilicon, causing big problems for manufacturers of the raw material but easing profit margins a bit for the makers of solar panels themselves. Bloomberg
Boiling West: In March, it was the eastern part of the U.S. that smashed heat records. April, however, has belonged to the West. In just the past week, temps out West have broken 746 daily record highs, with many locations recording the highest ever April temperatures. Climate Central
Stop recycling?: No, keep recycling. But the practice, a pillar of the modern environmental movement, does have a dark side. It allows manufactures "to market overconsumption as environmentalism." Rising recycling rates tend to mirror skyrocketing consumption rates for disposable yet recyclable stuff. The thing is ... these products don't always get recycled. Forbes
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