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Categories: Engineering: Robotics Research, Environmental: Water
Published Smoke covered 70% of California during biggest wildfire years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As much as 70 percent of California was covered by wildfire smoke during parts of 2020 and 2021, according to a new study.
Published 'Fossilizing' cracks in infrastructure creates sealing that can even survive earthquakes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a new study, a team of researchers used research on fossilizing techniques to create a new method for sealing cracks and fractures in rocks and bedrock using a 'concretion-forming resin'. This innovative technique has applications in a wide range of industries, from tunnel construction to long-term underground storage of hazardous materials.
Published Sewage overflows linked to increase in gastrointestinal illnesses
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has found that residents living in the downstream communities that border the Merrimack River are at a substantially increased risk of developing acute gastrointestinal illnesses (AGI) in the four days following large-volume combined sewer overflows (CSOs).
Published Alaska's rusting waters: Pristine rivers and streams turning orange
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Dozens of Alaska's rivers and streams are turning orange. The staining could be the result of minerals exposed by thawing permafrost and climate change, finds a new study.
Published Recycling carbon dioxide into household chemicals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists report a family of tin-based catalysts that efficiently converts CO2 into ethanol, acetic acid and formic acid. These liquid hydrocarbons are among the most produced chemicals in the U.S and are found in many commercial products.
Published 3D printing robot creates extreme shock-absorbing shape, with help of AI
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source See how an autonomous robot created a shock-absorbing shape no human ever could -- and what it means for designing safer helmets, packaging, car bumpers, and more.
Published Green infrastructure plans need to consider historical racial inequalities
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Urban greening projects should consider historical development patterns and past discriminatory practices to avoid exacerbating the unequal distribution of environmental benefits, says an urban and regional planning professor.
Published Warming climate intensifies flash droughts worldwide
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sudden, severe dry spells known as flash droughts are rising in intensity around the world, with a notable exception in mountainous Central Asia, where flash drought extent is shrinking, according to new research. Heat and changes to precipitation patterns caused by a warming climate are driving these trends, the study found.
Published A rise in sea urchins and related damage to kelp forests impacts Oregon's gray whales and their food
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A recent boom in the purple sea urchin population off the southern Oregon Coast appears to have had an indirect and negative impact on the gray whales that usually forage in the region, a new study shows.
Published 'Vigorous melting' at Antarctica's Thwaites 'Doomsday' Glacier
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Glaciologists show evidence of warm ocean water intruding kilometers beneath grounded ice at Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. The findings suggest that existing climate models are underestimating the impact of ocean and ice interactions in future sea level rise projections.
Published Unraveling the drought dilemma: Can reservoirs be a carbon source?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team delves into the spatiotemporal patterns of water volume and total organic carbon concentration of agricultural reservoirs.
Published Robot-phobia could exacerbate hotel, restaurant labor shortage
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using more robots to close labor gaps in the hospitality industry may backfire and cause more human workers to quit, according to a new study. The study, involving more than 620 lodging and food service employees, found that 'robot-phobia' -- specifically the fear that robots and technology will take human jobs -- increased workers' job insecurity and stress, leading to greater intentions to leave their jobs. The impact was more pronounced with employees who had real experience working with robotic technology. It also affected managers in addition to frontline workers.
Published Cloudy waters causes African fish to develop bigger eyes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Variations in water quality can impact the development of the visual system of one species of African fish, suggests a new study.
Published Expanding on the fundamental principles of liquid movement
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source We are living in a world surrounded by liquid and flow, and understanding the principles that govern its movement is vital in our high-tech world. Through mathematical modeling and experimentation, researchers have expanded on Tanner's Law -- a law in fluid dynamics that describes how non-volatile liquids move across surfaces -- to cover a wider range of volatile liquids. These findings have the potential to play a role in various liquid-based industries such as electronics cooling.
Published Scientists develop new geochemical 'fingerprint' to trace contaminants in fertilizer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of scientists has revealed high levels of toxic metals in global phosphate fertilizers using a isotopic variants of the element strontium as a tracer to uncover metals in soil, groundwater and possibly the food chain.
Published Physicists propose path to faster, more flexible robots
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Physicists revealed a microscopic phenomenon that could greatly improve the performance of soft devices, such as agile flexible robots or microscopic capsules for drug delivery.
Published Can we revolutionize the chemical industry and create a circular economy? Yes, with the help of catalysts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new commentary paper puts forth a transformative solution to the unsustainable reliance on fossil resources by the chemical industry: catalysis to leverage sustainable waste resources, ushering the industry from a linear to a circular economy.
Published Airborne technology brings new hope to map shallow aquifers in Earth's most arid deserts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The new technique will map the top of the aquifer, called the 'water table,' spanning areas as large as hundreds of kilometers using a radar mounted on a high-altitude aircraft. According to the researchers, Desert-SEA will measure the variabilities in the depth of the water table on a large scale, allowing water scientists to assess the sustainability of these aquifers without the limitations associated with in-situ mapping in harsh and inaccessible environments.
Published To optimize guide-dog robots, first listen to the visually impaired
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source What features does a robotic guide dog need? Ask the blind, say researchers. A new study identifies how to develop robot guide dogs with insights from guide dog users and trainers.
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.