Energy: Alternative Fuels Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: Space Physics: Optics Space: The Solar System
Published

Sun 'umbrella' tethered to asteroid might help mitigate climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Earth is rapidly warming and scientists are developing a variety of approaches to reduce the effects of climate change. An astronomer has proposed a novel approach -- a solar shield to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting Earth, combined with a tethered, captured asteroid as a counterweight. Engineering studies using this approach could start now to create a workable design that could mitigate climate change within decades.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Solar batteries: New material makes it possible to simultaneously absorb light and store energy      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers are making progress on the design of a solar battery made from an abundant, non-toxic and easily synthesized material composed of 2D carbon nitride.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Nuclear
Published

Fusion model hot off the wall      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Heat load mitigation is critical to extending the lifetime of future fusion device. Researchers have found a way to explain the rotational temperatures measured in three different experimental fusion devices in Japan and the United States. Their model evaluates the surface interactions and electron-proton collisions of hydrogen molecules.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Scientists vacuum animal DNA from air in a Danish forest      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Over 60 animal species in three days. That is how many mammals, birds and amphibians researchers found DNA traces from in the air in a Danish forest. The results can pave the way for a new and innovative way of mapping biodiversity.

Biology: Developmental Ecology: Endangered Species Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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Fast electrical signals mapped in plants with new bioelectronic technology      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

What happens inside the carnivorous plant Venus Flytrap when it catches an insect? New technology has led to discoveries about the electrical signalling that causes the trap to snap shut. Bioelectronic technology enables advanced research into how plants react to their surroundings, and to stress.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Aphids make tropical milkweed less inviting to monarch butterflies      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When oleander aphids infested tropical milkweed, monarch butterflies laid fewer eggs on the plant, and the caterpillars developing on those plants were slower to mature.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Climate change threatens 771 endangered plant and lichen species      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

All plants and lichens listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act are sensitive to climate change but there are few plans in place to address this threat directly, according to new research.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Research Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

Global wildlife trade risks altering evolutionary history and ecosystem function, study suggests      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Some of the world's most distinct and ancient animal species, which play crucial roles in our planet's ecosystems, are exploited for the wildlife trade across large parts of the world, according to new research.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Genetic study reveals that a captive-bred population could save endangered crocodile from extinction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Performing a genetic evaluation on the largest captive-bred population of the critically endangered Orinoco crocodile, researchers have revealed that the population preserves much of its founder diversity and no inbreeding, making it suitable for implementing wild releases. Since this species is almost extinct in the wild, the news brings hope for the recovery of populations.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Arctic terns may navigate climate dangers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Arctic terns -- which fly on the longest migrations of any animal on Earth -- may be able to navigate the dangers posed by climate change, new research suggests.

Biology: Developmental Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

Discovery of key genetic sequence essential for plant reproduction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have identified a genetic sequence that is essential for plant reproduction. As this region is found in all plant species, it is expected to contribute to future crossbreeding initiatives and help solve the important problem of seed formation defects.

Ecology: Endangered Species Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Soil microbes help plants cope with drought, but not how scientists thought      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a multi-generation experiment, researchers found microbes helped plants cope with drought, but not in response to plants' cries for help. Instead, the environment itself selected for drought-tolerant microbes. And while those hardy microbes were doing their thing, they just happened to make plants more drought-tolerant, too.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction
Published

Forgotten tropical plants rediscovered after 100-plus years with the help of community science      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Deep in the tropical Andes, a genus called Nasa harbored elusive and forgotten plant species. Through the collaborative efforts of botanists and citizen scientists on iNaturalist, these plants have been rediscovered after decades, some even after more than a century.

Ecology: Endangered Species Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Spurge purge: Plant fossils reveal ancient South America-to-Asia 'escape route'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Newly identified plant fossils found in Argentina suggest that a group of spurges long thought to have Asian origins may have first appeared in Gondwanan South America.

Ecology: Endangered Species Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Study improves understanding of how bacteria benefit plant growth      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have found that competition between strains of beneficial bacteria in the soil degrades the service that the bacteria provide to their hosts.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Renewable solar energy can help purify water, the environment      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Chemists have demonstrated that water remediation can be powered in part -- and perhaps even exclusively -- by renewable energy sources.

Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

Engineering plants for a changing climate      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Climate change is affecting the types of plant varieties we can cultivate, as well as how and where we can do so. A new collection of articles in the open access journal PLOS Biology explores the twin challenges of engineering plants for resilience to climate change and enhancing their carbon-capture potential.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life
Published

Shark shock: Scientists discover filter-feeding basking sharks are warm-bodied like great whites      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Approximately 99.9% of fish and shark species are 'cold-blooded', meaning their body tissues generally match the temperature of the water they swim in -- but researchers have just discovered the mighty basking shark is a one-in-a-thousand exception. Instead, these sharks keep the core regions of their bodies warmer than the water like the most athletic swimmers in the sea such as great white sharks, mako sharks and tuna.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology
Published

Device makes hydrogen from sunlight with record efficiency      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Engineers have created a device that turns sunlight into hydrogen with record-breaking efficiency by integrating next-generation halide perovskite semiconductors with electrocatalysts in a single, durable, cost-effective and scalable device.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology
Published

Bifacial perovskite solar cells point to higher efficiency      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A bifacial perovskite solar cell, which allows sunlight to reach both sides of the device, holds the potential to produce higher energy yields at lower overall costs.