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Categories: Ecology: Animals, Environmental: Water
Published Environmental risks and opportunities of orphaned oil and gas wells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are leading an international team whose goal is to create a framework to help governments in the U.S. and around the world assess and prioritize remediation strategies for orphaned oil and gas wells. These inactive wells represent environmental risks since they have the potential to contaminate water supplies, degrade ecosystems, and emit methane and other air pollutants that are harmful to human health. But plugging the wells also offers various potential environmental opportunities such as underground storage of carbon dioxide and hydrogen, or the development of geothermal energy systems.
Published When a rat smells a rat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some animals release chemical pheromones which can trigger behavioral or hormonal changes in other animals. It is known that calm rats can reduce the fear of nearby rats, but the exact mechanism was unknown. Researchers have found the pheromone responsible and demonstrated its effect both on lab rats and rats in the human environment. Their findings could lead to a new kind of humane pest control.
Published Completing genome of rusty patched bumble bee may offer new approach to saving endangered bee
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A detailed, high-resolution map of the rusty patched bumble bee's genome has been released, offering new approaches for bringing the native pollinator back from the danger of extinction. Putting together the rusty patched bumble bee genome is part of the Beenome 100 project, a first-of-its-kind effort to create a library of high-quality, highly detailed genome maps of 100 or more diverse bee species found in the United States.
Published New study reveals irrigation's mixed effects around the world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Trajectory of irrigation water use in many regions is unsustainable, but practice is vital in managing climate change and future agricultural development, researchers conclude.
Published Cryo conservation: A cool solution to saving species from extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In the face of the biodiversity crisis, and alarming data showing a 69% decline in global animal populations since 1970, researchers are banking on a cool solution to help save species from extinction. Much like egg-freezing is used to preserve human fertility options for a later date, the cryo-freezing of genetic samples taken from animals may play an essential role in curbing species extinctions. A new study sheds light on the immense potential of living cell banks, also known as cryobanks, to contribute to global conservation priorities.
Published These long-necked reptiles were decapitated by their predators, fossil evidence confirms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In the age of dinosaurs, many marine reptiles had extremely long necks compared to reptiles today. While it was clearly a successful evolutionary strategy, paleontologists have long suspected that their long-necked bodies made them vulnerable to predators. Now, after almost 200 years of continued research, direct fossil evidence confirms this scenario for the first time in the most graphic way imaginable.
Published To boost supply chains, scientists are looking at ways to recover valuable materials from water
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are exploring the different ways of harvesting materials from water.
Published Study shows ancient Alaskans were freshwater fishers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A scientific team has discovered the earliest-known evidence of freshwater fishing by ancient people in the Americas. The research offers a glimpse at how early humans used a changing landscape and could offer insight for modern people facing similar changes.
Published Navigating underground with cosmic-ray muons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Superfast, subatomic-sized particles called muons have been used to wirelessly navigate underground in a reportedly world first. By using muon-detecting ground stations synchronized with an underground muon-detecting receiver, researchers were able to calculate the receiver's position in the basement of a six-story building. As GPS cannot penetrate rock or water, this new technology could be used in future search and rescue efforts, to monitor undersea volcanoes, and guide autonomous vehicles underground and underwater.
Published We've pumped so much groundwater that we've nudged Earth's spin
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source By pumping water out of the ground and moving it elsewhere, humans have shifted such a large mass of water that the Earth tilted nearly 80 centimeters (31.5 inches) east between 1993 and 2010 alone, according to a new study.
Published This salty gel could harvest water from desert air
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers synthesized a superabsorbent material that can soak up a record amount of moisture from the air, even in desert-like conditions.
Published Scientists discover urea in atmosphere revealing profound consequences for climate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Areas of the ocean that are rich in marine life are having a bigger impact on our ecosystems and the climate than previously thought, new research suggests.
Published Earth was created much faster than we thought: This makes the chance of finding other habitable planets in the Universe more likely
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Over the past decades, researchers thought Earth was created over a period of more than 100 million years. However, a new study from suggests that the creation of Earth was much more rapid, and that water and other essential ingredients for life were delivered to Earth very early on.
Published The life below our feet: Team discovers microbes thriving in groundwater and producing oxygen in the dark
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A survey of groundwater samples drawn from aquifers beneath more than 80,000 square miles of Canadian prairie reveals ancient groundwaters harbor not only diverse and active microbial communities, but also unexpectedly large numbers of microbial cells. Strikingly, some of these microbes seem to produce 'dark oxygen' (in the absence of sunlight) in such abundance that the oxygen may nourish not only those microbes, but may leak into the environment and support other oxygen-reliant microbes that can't produce it themselves.
Published Newly planted vegetation accelerates dune erosion during extreme storms, research shows
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Newly planted vegetation on coastal sand dunes can accelerate erosion from extreme waves.
Published A machine learning approach to freshwater analysis
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers has applied a machine learning model to explore where and to what extent human activities are contributing to the hydrogeochemical changes, such as increases in salinity and alkalinity in U.S. rivers. The group used data from 226 river monitoring sites across the U.S. and built two machine learning models to predict monthly salinity and alkalinity levels at each site.
Published Marine environment at risk due to ship emissions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers used four different types of port environments to investigate the levels of contaminants emitted from five different sources. They found that the combined emissions of metals and environmentally hazardous substances is putting the marine environment at risk. Ninety per cent of the harmful emissions came from ships fitted with scrubbers, whose purpose is to clean their exhaust gases.
Published CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive could suppress agricultural pests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have now used a gene-drive system to suppress an important agricultural pest.
Published A baking soda solution for clean hydrogen storage
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists investigate the promising properties of a common, Earth-abundant salt.
Published Chronic exposure to lead, cadmium and arsenic increases risk of cardiovascular disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Around the world, most people are regularly exposed to low or moderate levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic in the environment, increasing risk of coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease, according to a new statement.