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

Permafrost alone holds back Arctic rivers -- and a lot of carbon      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study provides the first evidence that the Arctic's frozen soil is the dominant force shaping Earth's northernmost rivers, confining them to smaller areas and shallower valleys than rivers to the south. But as climate change weakens Arctic permafrost, the researchers calculate that every 1 degree Celsius of global warming could release as much carbon as 35 million cars emit in a year as polar waterways expand and churn up the thawing soil.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR)
Published

Bringing together real-world sensors and VR to improve building maintenance      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new system that brings together real-world sensing and virtual reality would make it easier for building maintenance personnel to identify and fix issues in commercial buildings that are in operation.

Archaeology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Ancient brown bear genomes sheds light on Ice Age losses and survival      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The brown bear is one of the largest living terrestrial carnivores, and is widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Unlike many other large carnivores that went extinct at the end of the last Ice Age (cave bear, sabretoothed cats, cave hyena), the brown bear is one of the lucky survivors that made it through to the present. The question has puzzled biologists for close to a century -- how was this so?

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Oceanography Geoscience: Severe Weather Paleontology: Climate
Published

New tool predicts flood risk from hurricanes in a warming climate      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new method predicts how much flooding a coastal community is likely to experience as hurricanes evolve due to climate change. Using New York as a test case, the model predicts Hurricane Sandy-level flooding will occur roughly every 30 years by 2099.

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.

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.

Archaeology: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Climate
Published

Stalagmites as climate archive      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When combined with data from tree-ring records, stalagmites can open up a unique archive to study natural climate fluctuations, a research team has demonstrated. The researchers analyzed the isotopic composition of oxygen in a stalagmite formed from calcareous water in a cave in southern Germany. In conjunction with the data acquired from tree rings, they were able to reconstruct short-term climate fluctuations over centuries and correlate them with historically documented environmental events.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

'Smart glove' can boost hand mobility of stroke patients      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

This month, a group of stroke survivors in British Columbia will test a new technology designed to aid their recovery, and ultimately restore use of their limbs and hands. Participants will wear a new groundbreaking 'smart glove' capable of tracking their hand and finger movements during rehabilitation exercises.

Archaeology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Key moment in the evolution of life on Earth captured in fossils      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has precisely dated some of the oldest fossils of complex multicellular life in the world, helping to track a pivotal moment in the history of Earth when the seas began teeming with new lifeforms -- after four billion years of containing only single-celled microbes.

Anthropology: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Paleontology: Climate
Published

The first assessment of toxic heavy metal pollution in the Southern Hemisphere over the last 2,000 years      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Human activity, from burning fossil fuels and fireplaces to the contaminated dust produced by mining, alters Earth's atmosphere in countless ways. Records of these impacts over time are preserved in everlasting polar ice that serves as a sort of time capsule, allowing scientists and historians to link Earth's history with that of human societies. In a new study, ice cores from Antartica show that lead and other toxic heavy metals linked to mining activities polluted the Southern Hemisphere as early as the 13th century.

Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Paleontology: Climate
Published

Ancient cities provide key datasets for urban planning, policy and predictions in the Anthropocene      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study shows how state-of-the-art methods and perspectives from archaeology, history, and palaeoecology are shedding new light on 5,500 years of urban life.

Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Artificial intelligence helps unlock advances in wireless communications      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new wave of communication technology is quickly approaching and researchers are now investigating ways to configure next-generation mobile networks.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Nanotechnology Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

New study uses machine learning to bridge the reality gap in quantum devices      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study has used the power of machine learning to overcome a key challenge affecting quantum devices. For the first time, the findings reveal a way to close the 'reality gap': the difference between predicted and observed behavior from quantum devices.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Non-toxic quantum dots pave the way towards CMOS shortwave infrared image sensors for consumer electronics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have fabricated a new high-performance shortwave infrared (SWIR) image sensor based on non-toxic colloidal quantum dots. They report on a new method for synthesizing functional high-quality non-toxic colloidal quantum dots integrable with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR)
Published

Wireless tracking system could help improve the XR experience      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers developed a technology that delivers centimeter-level accuracy for real-time tracking in extended reality (XR) applications. It uses wireless signals to ensure precise asset localization and smooth tracking, promising to enhance virtual gaming experiences and workplace safety.

Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Physics: Optics
Published

360-degree head-up display view could warn drivers of road obstacles in real time      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed an augmented reality head-up display that could improve road safety by displaying potential hazards as high-resolution three-dimensional holograms directly in a driver's field of vision in real time.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Could an electric nudge to the head help your doctor operate a surgical robot?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

People who received gentle electric currents on the back of their heads learned to maneuver a robotic surgery tool in virtual reality and then in a real setting much more easily than people who didn't receive those nudges, a new study shows.

Biology: Botany Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Mysterious fruit shown to be the oldest known fossils of the Frankincense and Myrrh family      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Early in the 1970s, paleontologists discovered strange fossilized fruits between hardened rock from one of the largest volcanic eruptions in Earth's history. The identity of these fossils remained elusive for the next several decades. Using CT scanning, scientists have now determined they are the oldest fossils from species in the Frankincense and Myrrh family.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Cognitive strategies for augmenting the body with a wearable, robotic arm      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists show that breathing may be used to control a wearable extra robotic arm in healthy individuals, without hindering control of other parts of the body.