Showing 20 articles starting at article 821
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Categories: Ecology: Nature, Offbeat: Space
Published 75% of exclusive hardwood may be illegally harvested
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The tropical wood type ipe is popular for building exclusive wooden decks, and in North America and Europe, the demand for the material has increased sharply. Now, a study shows that more than three-quarters of all ipe from the top producing region in Brazil could have been harvested illegally.
Published 'Robin Hood' approach for tracking biodiversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a framework that can help scientists understand trends in biodiversity by using data from well-characterized species to provide insights on data-deficient species. The framework provides a how-to guide for researchers and practitioners to implement.
Published Uranus aurora discovery offers clues to habitable icy worlds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers confirm the existence of an infrared (IR) aurora on Uranus. This could help astronomers identify exoplanets that might support life, a large number of which are icy worlds.
Published Endangered whales live in area earmarked for gas exploration
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Endangered whales and dolphins live year-round in an area of the Mediterranean earmarked for oil and gas exploration, new research shows.
Published Algae's surprising potential to help ease climate change worries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The key to bringing global net-zero goals into reach may be algae, say researchers. Studies show impressive success of certain microalgae varieties to remove CO2 from the atmosphere then break it down into useful materials.
Published Massive space explosion observed creating elements needed for life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have observed the creation of rare chemical elements in the second-brightest gamma-ray burst ever seen -- casting new light on how heavy elements are made.
Published Scientists discover molten layer covering Martian core
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source NASA's InSight mission to Mars helped scientists map out Mars' internal structure, including the size and composition of its core, and provided general hints about its tumultuous formation. But findings from a new paper could lead to reanalysis of that data. An international team of researchers discovered the presence of a molten silicate layer overlying Mars' metallic core -- providing new insights into how Mars formed, evolved and became the barren planet it is today.
Published New study finds hidden trees across Europe: A billion tons of biomass is overlooked today
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Through satellite imaging a new AI driven mapping of biomass and CO2 storage shows that a huge number of trees are overlooked in Europe's urban, rural, and agricultural areas. Across Europe, researchers have discovered a billion tons of hidden biomass.
Published Raining cats and dogs: Global precipitation patterns a driver for animal diversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team has identified several factors to help answer a fundamental ecological question: why is there a ridiculous abundance of species some places on earth and a scarcity in others? What factors, exactly, drive animal diversity? They discovered that what an animal eats (and how that interacts with climate) shapes Earth's diversity.
Published Tiny spirits roam the corals of Japan -- two new pygmy squids discovered
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Named after Japanese folklore, two cephalopod species have been discovered in the coastal waters of the Okinawa Islands.
Published Astrophysicists scan the Galaxy for signs of life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astrophysicists are scanning the Universe for 'technosignatures' emanating from distant planets that would provide support for the existence of intelligent, alien life. Researchers plan to monitor millions of star systems.
Published Researchers probe how a piece of the moon became a near-Earth asteroid
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Two years after the striking discovery that a near-Earth asteroid could be a chunk of the moon, another UArizona research group has found that a rare pathway could have enabled this to happen.
Published LIGO surpasses the quantum limit
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers report a significant advance in quantum squeezing, which allows them to measure undulations in space-time across the entire range of gravitational frequencies detected by LIGO.
Published Climate is increasing risk of high toxin concentrations in Northern US lakes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As climate change warms the Earth, higher-latitude regions will be at greater risk for toxins produced by algal blooms, according to new research. The findings identify water temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit) as being at the greatest risk for developing dangerous levels of a common algae-produced toxin called microcystin.
Published Fungal evolution discovered: Mycena can now invade living hosts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists have long known mushrooms of the genus Mycena, commonly known as bonnet mushrooms, as fungi that live off of dead trees and plants. New research demonstrates that bonnets can also find their ways into young, healthy trees and plants, where they try to cooperate. In doing so, they have made an evolutionary leap which challenges our understanding of the ecological roles of fungi.
Published The Moon is 40 million years older than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source By analyzing tiny lunar crystals gathered by Apollo 17 astronauts in 1972, researchers recalculated the age of the Earth's Moon. Although previous assessments estimated the Moon as 4.425 billion years old, the new study discovered it is actually 4.46 billion years old -- 40 million years older than previously thought.
Published Does urbanization trigger plant evolution?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Urban environments have become hotspots for understanding how rapid evolution occurs in response to extreme environmental changes. These habitats exert selective pressures on resident organisms that impact their evolutionary trajectories. Recently, researchers investigated how the creeping woodsorrel plant might adapt in response to elevated temperatures that result from urbanization. Understanding these effects can help predict evolutionary traits to manage plant evolution in the face of shifting climatic conditions.
Published Soil carried on sea freight loaded with dangerous pests and diseases, research finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While sea freight is recognised as a pathway for the movement of exotic organisms, there is little research that has quantified the risk. Soil collected from the external surfaces of sea freight was found to support live microorganisms, worms, seeds and insects, including various regulated biosecurity organisms. The research confirms that shipping containers provide a pathway for the movement of exotic species.
Published Astronomers detect most distant fast radio burst to date
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team has spotted a remote blast of cosmic radio waves lasting less than a millisecond. This 'fast radio burst' (FRB) is the most distant ever detected. Its source was pinned down by the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) in a galaxy so far away that its light took eight billion years to reach us. The FRB is also one of the most energetic ever observed; in a tiny fraction of a second it released the equivalent of our Sun's total emission over 30 years.
Published Unearthing the ecological impacts of cicada emergences on North American forests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research unveils the cascading effects of periodical cicada emergence events on forest ecosystems ahead of an historic convergence of broods set to emerge spring of 2024.