Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Otters, especially females, use tools to survive a changing world      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Sea otters are one of the few animals that use tools to access their food, and a new study has found that individual sea otters that use tools -- most of whom are female -- are able to eat larger prey and reduce tooth damage when their preferred prey becomes depleted.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Breaking bonds to form bonds: Rethinking the Chemistry of Cations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of chemists has achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of chemical synthesis, developing a novel method for manipulating carbon-hydrogen bonds. This groundbreaking discovery provides new insights into the molecular interactions of positively charged carbon atoms. By selectively targeting a specific C--H bond, they open doors to synthetic pathways that were previously closed -- with potential applications in medicine.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Physics: General
Published

Shedding light on perovskite hydrides using a new deposition technique      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Perovskite hydrides are promising materials for various emerging energy technologies, but measuring their intrinsic hydride-ion conductivity is difficult. In a recent study, researchers address this issue using a novel laser deposition technique in an H-radical atmosphere. Using this approach, they grew thin-film single crystals of two different perovskite hydrides and characterized their hydride-ion conductivity. These efforts will bolster research on hydrogen-related materials.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

'Forever chemicals' found to rain down on all five Great Lakes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or 'forever chemicals,' have become persistent pollutants in the air, water and soil. Because they are so stable, they can be transported throughout the water cycle, making their way into drinking water sources and precipitation. Precipitation introduces similar amounts of PFAS into each of the Great Lakes; however, the lakes eliminate the chemicals at different rates.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Chemistry: Biochemistry Ecology: Sea Life Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Jet-propelled sea creatures could improve ocean robotics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have discovered that colonies of gelatinous sea animals swim through the ocean in giant corkscrew shapes using coordinated jet propulsion, an unusual kind of locomotion that could inspire new designs for efficient underwater vehicles.

Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Copper can't be mined fast enough to electrify the US      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Copper cannot be mined quickly enough to keep up with current U.S. policy guidelines to transition the country's electricity and vehicle infrastructure to renewable energy, according to a new study.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry
Published

What fire ants can teach us about making better, self-healing materials      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Fire ants form rafts to survive flooding, but how do those bonds work? And what can we learn from them? A professor is researching those questions to expand our knowledge of materials science.

Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Geoscience: Geography
Published

Bees and butterflies on the decline in western and southern North America      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Bee and butterfly populations are in decline in major regions of North America due to ongoing environmental change, and significant gaps in pollinator research limit our ability to protect these species, according to a new study.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Marine Ecology: Nature Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: General
Published

Summers warm up faster than winters, fossil shells from Antwerp show      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a warmer climate, summers warm much faster than winters, according to research into fossil shells. With this knowledge we can better map the consequences of current global warming in the North Sea area.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

A novel multifunctional catalyst turns methane into valuable hydrocarbons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The optimal design of a novel zeolite catalyst enables tandem reaction that turns greenhouse gases into value-added chemicals, report scientists. By tuning the separation between different active sites on the catalyst, they achieved the stepwise conversion of methane into methanol and then to hydrocarbons at mild conditions. These findings will help reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions across various industrial fields.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Final dust settles slowly in the deep sea      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

'Dust clouds' at the bottom of the deep sea, that will be created by deep-sea mining activities, descend at a short distance for the biggest part. Yet, a small portion of the stirred-up bottom material remains visible in the water at long distances.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Next-generation sustainable electronics are doped with air      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Semiconductors are the foundation of all modern electronics. Now, researchers have developed a new method where organic semiconductors can become more conductive with the help of air as a dopant. The study is a significant step towards future cheap and sustainable organic semiconductors.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Promising new development in solar cell technology      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers who contributed to the development of record-breaking solar cells a few years ago, expanded their invention. The self-assembled monolayers can now be applied not only in inverted but also in regular structure perovskite solar cells.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General
Published

Scientists generate heat over 1,000 degrees Celsius with solar power instead of fossil fuel      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Instead of burning fossil fuels to smelt steel and cook cement, researchers in Switzerland want to use heat from the sun. The proof-of-concept study uses synthetic quartz to trap solar energy at temperatures over 1,000 C (1,832 F), demonstrating the method's potential role in providing clean energy for carbon-intensive industries.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Trees Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Geography
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Meet the new insect killing Utah's fir trees      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The balsam woolly adelgid, a tiny nonnative flightless insect, is spreading across the American West killing subalpine fir in northern Utah's recreation-heavy mountain ranges and canyons. Rsearchers document a close association between the pest's spread and warming temperatures.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Study tallies heatwave deaths over recent decades      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Between 1990 and 2019, more than 150,000 deaths around the globe were associated with heatwaves each year, according to a new study.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
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90% of Floridians believe climate change is happening      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The latest 'Florida Climate Resilience Survey' found that 90% of Floridians believe that climate change is happening. Belief in human-caused climate change has surged among Florida Independents while slipping among Republicans in the state since last fall. But despite these changes, the survey found enduring support among Floridians for increased government action to address the consequences of a warming planet. The survey found 68% of all respondents want state government to do more and 69% want the federal government to do more to address climate change.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
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Scientists create an 'optical conveyor belt' for quasiparticles      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using interference between two lasers, a research group has created an 'optical conveyor belt' that can move polaritons -- a type of light-matter hybrid particle -- in semiconductor-based microcavities. This work could lead to the development of new devices with applications in areas such as quantum metrology and quantum information.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Transforming waste carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals with a cost reduction of about 30%      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of scientists has developed a novel technique to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) from treated flue gas directly into high-value chemicals and fuels. This innovation sidesteps the conventional approach of using high-purity CO2 for electrochemical reduction processes, achieving significant cost savings of about 30%.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

GPS stations measure daily ice loss in Greenland      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Monitoring the effects of climate change in Greenland has been made much easier with an innovative method.