49 pages, 17 figures; accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal. For data tables, code for cosmological analysis and full-resolution figures, see http://supernova.lbl.gov/UnionWe present a new compilation of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), a new dataset of low-redshift nearby-Hubble-flow SNe and new analysis procedures to work with these heterogeneous compilations. This ''Union'' compilation of 414 SN Ia, which reduces to 307 SNe after selection cuts, includes the recent large samples of SNe Ia from the Supernova Legacy Survey and ESSENCE Survey, the older datasets, as well as the recently extended dataset of distant supernovae observed with HST. A single, consistent and blind analysis procedure is used for all the various SN Ia subsamples, and a new procedure is implemented that consistently weights the heterogeneous data sets and rejects outliers. We present the latest results from this Union compilation and discuss the cosmological constraints from this new compilation and its combination with other cosmological measurements (CMB and BAO). The constraint we obtain from supernovae on the dark energy density is $\Omega_\Lambda= 0.713^{+0.027}_{-0.029} (stat)}^{+0.036}_{-0.039} (sys)}$, for a flat, LCDM Universe. Assuming a constant equation of state parameter, $w$, the combined constraints from SNe, BAO and CMB give $w=-0.969^{+0.059}_{-0.063}(stat)^{+0.063}_{-0.066} (sys)$. While our results are consistent with a cosmological constant, we obtain only relatively weak constraints on a $w$ that varies with redshift. In particular, the current SN data do not yet significantly constrain $w$ at $z>1$. With the addition of our new nearby Hubble-flow SNe Ia, these resulting cosmological constraints are currently the tightest available

A review of the entire Neogene climate in Europeis a useful tool for climate researchers, synthesizingpresent day knowledge on a variety of past warmer climatemodes thus facilitating the debate regarding possiblefuture climate scenarios in the Old Continent. This workcentres on the European scenario, debating possible futureprojections and describing the Miocene and Plioceneclimate in the Old Continent. With present evidences ofa global warming scenario, it is highly important that welook at past climatic events in order to better predict futureclimate changes impact in biodiversity. The review presentedhere synthesizes the literature regarding climate,faunal and floral evolution for the European Neogene, andaims to help palaeoclimatic researchers and climatologiststo characterize some of the boundary conditions for modellingpossible analogous of IPPC climate scenarios. If thefuture climate projections come to be true, it is shown thatthe Pliocene, and particularly the Mid Piacenzian WarmPeriod, should be considered as the best analogue for theimpact of a warming climate in Europe.

We report the discovery of two distant embedded young stellar clusters located far in the outer Galaxy. The clusters are resolved in near-infrared images and seen as enhancements in the surface density of IR-excess stars centered close to IRAS 07255-2012. The clusters are embedded in a molecular cloud containing a CS dense core. The molecular cloud, as traced by CO (J = 1-0) is elongated and extends over a region of 15 × 6 pc². From the millimeter observations, we derive a kinematic distance of 10.2 kpc and a Galactocentric distance of 16.5 kpc, making these clusters among the most distant embedded clusters in the Galaxy. The main (richer) cluster is well confined to a region of about 1.2 pc in radius. Down to our detection limit of about 1-2 M_☉ at this distance, it contains at least 30 members. The smaller cluster contains at least five stars. They all exhibit near-infrared color excesses consistent with young stellar objects having circumstellar and/or envelope material. We estimate that the star formation efficiency of this molecular cloud is about 4%-10%.