Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Herbivores, displaced by ocean warming, threaten subtropical seagrass meadows      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The findings suggest that subtropical seagrasses are less resilient to heavy grazing from marine herbivores, in part because they receive less sunlight relative to their tropical counterparts. As tropical herbivores move into subtropical waters, overgrazing may prevent subtropical seagrass meadows from persisting in these environments.

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

Invasive plant time bombs: A hidden ecological threat      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Invasive plants can stay dormant for decades or even centuries before rapidly expanding and wreaking ecological havoc, finds a new study.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Geography
Published

Sinking land increases risk for thousands of coastal residents by 2050      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study provides a new comprehensive look at the potential for flooding in a combined 32 cities along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts. It predicts as many as 500,000 people will be affected by flooding alongside 1 in 35 privately owned properties within the next three decades, and it highlights the racial and socioeconomic demographics of those potentially affected.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Short-term exposure to high levels of air pollution kills 1 million globally every year      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Every year, more than one million deaths globally occur because of exposure to short-term (hours to days) fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in air pollution, according to a new report, with Eastern Asia reporting more than 50% of deaths attributable to short-term PM2.5 globally.

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

After decades of Arctic sea ice getting faster and more hazardous for transport, models suggest a dramatic reversal is coming      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Will ice floating in the Arctic Ocean move faster or slower over the coming decades? The answer to this question will tell us whether marine transportation can be expected to get more or less hazardous. It might also have important implications for the rate of ice cover loss, which is hugely consequential for Northern Indigenous communities, ecosystems, and the global climate system. While observational data suggest the trend has been towards faster sea ice speeds, climate models project that those speeds will slow down during the summer season. This contrast has led to some questions around the plausibility of the model projections.

Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Robotic-assisted surgery for gallbladder cancer as effective as traditional surgery      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Each year, approximately 2,000 people die annually of gallbladder cancer (GBC) in the U.S., with only one in five cases diagnosed at an early stage. With GBC rated as the first biliary tract cancer and the 17th most deadly cancer worldwide, pressing attention for proper management of disease must be addressed. For patients diagnosed, surgery is the most promising curative treatment. While there has been increasing adoption of minimally invasive surgical techniques in gastrointestinal malignancies, including utilization of laparoscopic and robotic surgery, there are reservations in utilizing minimally invasive surgery for gallbladder cancer. A new study has found that robotic-assisted surgery for GBC is as effective as traditional open and laparoscopic methods, with added benefits in precision and quicker post-operative recovery.

Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

We know the Arctic is warming -- What will changing river flows do to its environment?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists recently combined satellite data, field observations and sophisticated numerical modeling to paint a picture of how 22.45 million square kilometers of the Arctic will change over the next 80 years. As expected, the overall region will be warmer and wetter, but the details -- up to 25% more runoff, 30% more subsurface runoff and a progressively drier southern Arctic, provides one of the clearest views yet of how the landscape will respond to climate change.

Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

8 in 10 lizards could be at risk due to deforestation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

These reptiles move around tree trunks to seek warmth or shade. With trees disappearing, they would have trouble controlling their body temperature, a new study shows.

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

Less ice in the Arctic Ocean has complex effects on marine ecosystems and ocean productivity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Most of the sunlight reaching the Arctic Ocean is reflected to space by sea ice, effectively shielding ocean ecosystems from sunlight. As the Arctic sea ice continues its downward trend, larger areas of the ocean become exposed to sunlight for longer periods, potentially allowing more primary production on the seafloor. However, according to a new study, this anticipated increase in primary production does not seem to be occurring uniformly across the Arctic Ocean.

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

Antarctica's coasts are becoming less icy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists found unexpected evidence the area of polynyas around Antarctica is increasing dramatically, and it follows an intriguing cycle, growing and shrinking roughly every 16 years.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Robotics Research Physics: Optics
Published

A key to the future of robots could be hiding in liquid crystals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Robots and cameras of the future could be made of liquid crystals, thanks to a new discovery that significantly expands the potential of the chemicals already common in computer displays and digital watches. The findings are a simple and inexpensive way to manipulate the molecular properties of liquid crystals with light exposure.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology
Published

Geologists explore the hidden history of Colorado's Spanish Peaks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team has collected dozens of samples from across southeastern Colorado, and their results could help to answer an enduring mystery: What made Colorado's High Plains so high?

Environmental: General Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

2020 extreme weather event that brought fires and snow to western US      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The same weather system that led to the spread of the devastating Labor Day wildfires in 2020 brought record-breaking cold and early-season snowfall to parts of the Rocky Mountains. Now, new research is shedding light on the meteorology behind what happened and the impacts of such an extreme weather event.

Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

AI outperforms humans in standardized tests of creative potential      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a recent study, 151 human participants were pitted against ChatGPT-4 in three tests designed to measure divergent thinking, which is considered to be an indicator of creative thought.

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

Researchers use GPS-tracked icebergs in novel study to improve climate models      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Research unearthed new information to help scientists better understand circulation patterns of ocean water around glaciers. In the summers of 2014 and 2019, a group of pioneers in glacial research attached GPS devices to 13 icebergs and tracked hourly changes in their positions as they passed through Greenland's Ilulissat Icefjord toward the ocean. Study results showed circulation in the primary fjord is greatly affected by freshwater flow from connecting tributary fjords, which is critically important to consider in circulation models.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Engineering: Robotics Research Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

AI-enabled atomic robotic probe to advance quantum material manufacturing      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have pioneered a new methodology of fabricating carbon-based quantum materials at the atomic scale by integrating scanning probe microscopy techniques and deep neural networks. This breakthrough highlights the potential of implementing artificial intelligence at the sub-angstrom scale for enhanced control over atomic manufacturing, benefiting both fundamental research and future applications.

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

Glacier shrinkage is causing a 'green transition'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Glacier-fed streams are undergoing a process of profound change, according to scientists. This conclusion is based on the expeditions to the world's major mountain ranges by members of the Vanishing Glaciers project.