Daily Roundup: June 27, 2011

Any Other Name: New Joshua trees aren't likely to grow in Joshua Tree National Park, for the tree's range is creeping north with rising temperatures. Climate Central

This Sucks: The duo of DVR and set-top cable boxes use more energy than some refrigerators and air-conditioning units — and most of that power is drained when people aren’t using them (it's the manufacturer's fault). New York Times

Smelly Seas: The sea's scent comes from a gas released by algae and, since warming seas bring more algae, the world’s waterfront should smell stronger in the coming years. TreeHugger

New Neighbors: A plankton extinct in the North Atlantic for the past 800,000 years has moved back via a northwest passage through the shrinking polar ice cap. ScienceDaily

Breathing Wall: Fighting desertification, African nations south of the Sahara plan to install a wall of trees 7,600 km long, starting in Senegal. Time

--Juliana Hanle