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Categories: Ecology: Sea Life, Engineering: Robotics Research
Published What phytoplankton physiology has to do with global climate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Phytoplankton, tiny photosynthetic organisms in the ocean, play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle and influence Earth's climate. A new study reveals how variations in the physiology of phytoplankton, particularly regarding nutrient uptake, can impact the chemical composition of the ocean and even the atmosphere. This suggests that changes in marine phytoplankton physiology can affect global climate.
Published Gray whales experience major population swings as a result of Arctic conditions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Dynamic and changing Arctic Ocean conditions have likely caused three major mortality events in the eastern North Pacific gray whale population since the 1980s.
Published New cyber algorithm shuts down malicious robotic attack
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have designed an algorithm that can intercept a man-in-the-middle (MitM) cyberattack on an unmanned military robot and shut it down in seconds. The algorithm, tested in real time, achieved a 99% success rate.
Published Tens of thousands of endangered sharks and rays caught off Congo
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tens of thousands of endangered sharks and rays are caught by small-scale fisheries off the Republic of the Congo each year, new research shows.
Published Killer whales' diet more important than location for pollutant exposure
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Both elegant and fierce, killer whales are some of the oceans' top predators, but even they can be exposed to environmental pollution. Now, in the largest study to date on North Atlantic killer whales, researchers report the levels of legacy and emerging pollutants in 162 individuals' blubber. The animals' diet, rather than location, greatly impacted contaminant levels and potential health risks -- information that's helpful to conservation efforts.
Published Remains of artificial turf is an important source of pollution of the aquatic environment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Every year, around 1,200 and 1,400 artificial turf sports fields are installed in the European Union. These fields are made up of synthetic fibers, mainly plastics, that mimic the appearance of natural grass. Recently, scientists conducted a study that characterizes and quantifies the presence of artificial turf fibers in samples collected from surface waters of the Catalan coast and the Guadalquivir River. The findings indicate that artificial turfs can be an important source of pollution in the aquatic environment, accounting for up to 15% of the plastics larger than 5 mm in length that are found floating in the aquatic environment.
Published Study clearly identifies nutrients as a driver of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Under normal conditions, the floating macroalgae Sargassum spp. provide habitat for hundreds of types of organisms. However, the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) that emerged in 2011 has since then caused unprecedented inundations of this brown seaweed on Caribbean coastlines, with harmful effects on ecosystems while posing challenges to regional economies and tourism, and concerns for respiratory and other human health issues.
Published Evolutionary secrets of 'Old Tom' and the killer whales of Eden revealed by genetic study
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Evolutionary biologists have for the first time decoded the genetic lineage of a famous killer whale and a pod that once worked alongside whale hunters off the coast of Australia. In the Australian tradition of claiming New Zealand's celebrities as its own, Old Tom, the leader of a pod of killer whales that famously helped whalers hunt baleen whales in the 20th century, has ancestral links to modern-day killer whales in New Zealand, according to new DNA research. Old Tom also shared a common ancestor with killer whales from Australasia, the North Pacific, and North Atlantic Oceans, but is most similar to modern New Zealand killer whales. However, most of Tom's DNA code is not found in other killer whales globally suggesting that the killer whales of Eden may have become extinct locally.
Published Predator-prey defense mechanisms unlock key to marine biofuel production
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have unpicked the mechanism behind a marine feeding strategy that could provide a valuable renewable source of biofuel.
Published Unifying matter, energy and consciousness
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Understanding the interplay between consciousness, energy and matter could bring important insights to our fundamental understanding of reality.
Published The changing climate creates more noise in the oceans
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Due to the changing climate, the underwater world is getting ever noisier.
Published Discovery of invisible nutrient discharge on Great Barrier Reef raises concerns
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists using natural tracers off Queensland’s coast have discovered the source of previously unquantified nitrogen and phosphorus having a profound environmental impact on the Great Barrier Reef. Groundwater discharge accounted for approximately one-third of new nitrogen and two-thirds of phosphorus inputs, indicating that nearly twice the amount of nitrogen enters the Reef from groundwater compared to river waters.
Published Newly-discovered 'margarita snails' from the Florida Keys are bright lemon-yellow
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A newly-discovered, bright yellow snail has been discovered in the Florida Keys and named in honor of Jimmy Buffet's song 'Margaritaville.' The lemon-colored marine snail, along with its lime-green cousin from Belize, is the subject of a recent study ; researchers think these snails' bright colors might help deter predators.
Published Consistent metabolism may prove costly for insects in saltier water
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Increased salinity usually spells trouble for freshwater insects like mayflies. A new study finds that the lack of metabolic responses to salinity may explain why some freshwater insects often struggle in higher salinity, while other freshwater invertebrates (like mollusks and crustaceans) thrive.
Published Shining a light on tiny, solar-powered animals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Acoels have been found to host a wide diversity of symbiotic, photosynthetic microalgae.
Published Could future AI crave a favorite food?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Can artificial intelligence (AI) get hungry? Develop a taste for certain foods? Not yet, but a team of researchers is developing a novel electronic tongue that mimics how taste influences what we eat based on both needs and wants, providing a possible blueprint for AI that processes information more like a human being.
Published These robots helped explain how insects evolved two distinct strategies for flight
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Robots helped achieve a major breakthrough in our understanding of how insect flight evolved. The study is a result of a six-year long collaboration between roboticists and biophysicists.
Published Insect cyborgs: Towards precision movement
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Insect cyborgs may sound like something straight out of the movies, but hybrid insect computer robots, as they are scientifically called, could pioneer a new future for robotics. It involves using electrical stimuli to control an insect’s movement. Now, an international research group has conducted a study on the relationship between electrical stimulation in stick insects' leg muscles and the resulting torque (the twisting force that causes the leg to move).
Published Power of rhythm as a design element in evolution and robotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As the internet quickly fills with viral videos of futuristic robots darting and racing around like the animals they’re built to mimic, researchers say that there’s an element of their movement’s programming that should not be overlooked: rhythm.
Published Instant evolution: AI designs new robot from scratch in seconds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers developed the first AI to date that can intelligently design robots from scratch by compressing billions of years of evolution into mere seconds. It's not only fast but also runs on a lightweight computer and designs wholly novel structures from scratch — without human-labeled, bias-filled datasets.