Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries Energy: Nuclear Energy: Technology Physics: General
Published

Liquid lithium on the walls of a fusion device helps the plasma within maintain a hot edge      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Emerging research suggests it may be easier to use fusion as a power source if liquid lithium is applied to the internal walls of the device housing the plasma. Past experiments studied solid lithium coatings and found they could enhance a plasma. The researchers were pleased they could yield similar results with liquid lithium, as it's better suited for use in a large-scale tokamak.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Global warming has a bigger effect on compact, fast-moving typhoons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A group has found that larger, slow-moving typhoons are more likely to be resilient to the effects of global warming. However, more compact, fast-moving storms are more likely to be sensitive. These findings suggest an improved method for projecting the strength of typhoons under global warming conditions.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

War in Ukraine severely limits ability to track Arctic climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists no longer have direct access to data from Russian Arctic research stations. Without this data, our view of climate changes in the region is increasingly biased, new research shows.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General
Published

Offshore wind farms are vulnerable to cyberattacks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have presented a new study on cyberattack risks to offshore wind farms in Glasgow, United Kingdom. They looked specifically at wind farms that use voltage-source-converter high-voltage direct-current (VSC-HVDC) connections, which are rapidly becoming the most cost-effective solution to harvest offshore wind energy around the world. They found that their complex, hybrid-communication architecture presents multiple access points for cyberattacks.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Chemists use the blockchain to simulate over 4 billion chemical reactions essential to the origins of life      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Cryptocurrency is usually 'mined' through the blockchain by asking a computer to perform a complicated mathematical problem in exchange for tokens of cryptocurrency. But now a team of chemists have repurposed this process, asking computers to instead generate the largest network ever created of chemical reactions which may have given rise to prebiotic molecules on early Earth.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Global groundwater depletion is accelerating, but is not inevitable      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Groundwater is rapidly declining across the globe, often at accelerating rates. Researchers now present the largest assessment of groundwater levels around the world, spanning nearly 1,700 aquifers. In addition to raising the alarm over declining water resources, the work offers instructive examples of where things are going well, and how groundwater depletion can be solved. The study is a boon for scientists, policy makers and resource managers working to understand global groundwater dynamics.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Records of cometary dust hitting the asteroid Ryugu      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The Hayabusa2 mission that collected samples from the asteroid Ryugu has provided a treasure trove of insights into our solar system. After analyzing samples further, a team of researchers have unearthed evidence that cometary organic matter was transported from space to the near-Earth region.

Biology: General Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

A new perspective on the temperature inside tropical forests      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New worldwide maps of temperatures inside tropical forests show that global warming affect different way in different parts of the forests. Undergrowth level temperature of the tropical forests can be even 4 degrees less than average temperature of the area.

Biology: Biochemistry Ecology: Nature Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology
Published

Planetary Commons: Fostering global cooperation to safeguard critical Earth system functions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Tipping elements of the Earth system should be considered global commons, researchers argue. Global commons cannot -- as they currently do -- only include the parts of the planet outside of national borders, like the high seas or Antarctica. They must also include all the environmental systems that regulate the functioning and state of the planet, namely all systems on Earth we all depend on, irrespective on where in the world we live. This calls for a new level of transnational cooperation, leading experts in legal, social and Earth system sciences say. To limit risks for human societies and secure critical Earth system functions they propose a new framework of planetary commons to guide governance of the planet.

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

New sustainable method for creating organic semiconductors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new, more environmentally friendly way to create conductive inks for use in organic electronics such as solar cells, artificial neurons, and soft sensors. The findings pave the way for future sustainable technology.

Biology: Biochemistry Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geography
Published

Wolves and elk are (mostly) welcome back in Poland and Germany's Oder Delta region, survey shows      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An online survey conducted in Germany and Poland shows that large parts of the participants support the return of large carnivores and herbivores, such as wolves and elk, to the Oder Delta region. Presented with different rewilding scenarios, the majority of survey participants showed a preference for land management that leads to the comeback of nature to the most natural state possible. Locals, on the other hand, showed some reservations.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General
Published

Breakthrough research enhances stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has achieved remarkable advancements in the stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Paleontology: Climate
Published

Ice age could help predict oceans' response to global warming      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new way to measure the ocean oxygen level and its connections with carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere during the last ice age could help explain the role oceans played in past glacial melting cycles and improve predictions of how ocean carbon cycles will respond to global warming.

Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Researchers pump brakes on 'blue acceleration' harming the world ocean      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Protecting the world ocean against accelerating damage from human activities could be cheaper and take up less space than previously thought, new research has found.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General
Published

Machine learning method speeds up discovery of green energy materials      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a framework that uses machine learning to accelerate the search for new proton-conducting materials, that could potentially improve the efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Next-generation batteries could go organic, cobalt-free for long-lasting power      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In the switch to 'greener' energy sources, the demand for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries is surging. However, their cathodes typically contain cobalt -- a metal whose extraction has high environmental and societal costs. Now, researchers in report evaluating an earth-abundant, carbon-based cathode material that could replace cobalt and other scarce and toxic metals without sacrificing lithium-ion battery performance.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Efficiently moving urea out of polluted water is coming to reality      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a material to remove urea from water and potentially convert it into hydrogen gas. By building these materials of nickel and cobalt atoms with carefully tailored electronic structures, the group has unlocked the potential to enable these transition metal oxides and hydroxides to selectively oxidize urea in an electrochemical reaction. The team's findings could help use urea in waste streams to efficiently produce hydrogen fuel through the electrolysis process, and could be used to sequester urea from water, maintaining the long-term sustainability of ecological systems, and revolutionizing the water-energy nexus.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Climate
Published

The heat is on: Scientists discover southern Africa's temps will rise past the rhinos' tolerance      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Southern Africa contains the vast majority of the world's remaining populations of both black and white rhinoceroses (80% and 92%, respectively). The region's climate is changing rapidly as a result global warming. Traditional conservation efforts aimed at protecting rhinos have focused on poaching, but until now, there has been no analysis of the impact that climate change may have on the animals. A research team has recently reported that, though the area will be affected by both higher temperatures and changing precipitation, the rhinos are more sensitive to rising temperatures, which will quickly increase above the animals' acceptable maximum threshold.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Climate change isn't producing expected increase in atmospheric moisture over dry regions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The warming climate has not lead to an expected increase in atmospheric moisture over arid and semi-arid regions of the world. The finding, which has surprised scientists, indicates that some regions may be even more vulnerable to future wildfires and extreme heat than projected.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Mathematics: Modeling
Published

New AI makes better permafrost maps      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New insights from artificial intelligence about permafrost coverage in the Arctic may soon give policy makers and land managers the high-resolution view they need to predict climate-change-driven threats to infrastructure such as oil pipelines, roads and national security facilities.