Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

Hundreds of Andean bird species at risk due to deforestation: New research shows how to protect them      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Birds native to the tropical Andes are threatened by increasing agricultural development in the region. A new study combines a meta-analysis of papers on birds across the Andes with five years of fieldwork in Peru, revealing that open farmlands result in up to a 60% decline in the number of species in an area. The study documents how specific species are affected and provides tailored guidance for conservationists trying to protect them.

Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Advancing trajectory tracking control of pneumatic artificial muscle-based systems      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are artificial devices that can simulate the mechanics of human muscles, and have shown great promise in industries requiring human-robot interaction systems. Despite their potential, controlling the trajectory performance of PAM-based systems is challenging owing to their nonlinear characteristics. Now, researchers have developed a novel adaptive sliding mode controller that uses fuzzy logic to estimate PAM-based system's parameters, promising enhanced tracking accuracy and adaptability compared to traditional control methods.

Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Marine Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Sea Life Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

The modern sea spider had started to diversify by the Jurassic, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An extremely rare collection of 160-million-year-old sea spider fossils from Southern France are closely related to living species, unlike older fossils of their kind.

Engineering: Robotics Research Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Brain recordings capture musicality of speech -- with help from Pink Floyd      (via sciencedaily.com) 

For those with neurological or developmental disorders compromising speech, brain machine interfaces could help them communicate. But today's interfaces are slow and, from electrodes placed on the scalp, can detect letters only. The speech generated is robotic and affectless. Neuroscientists have now shown that they can reconstruct the song a person is hearing from brain recordings alone, holding out the possibility of reconstructing not only words but the musicality of speech, which also conveys meaning.

Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Robotic exoskeletons and neurorehabilitation for acquired brain injury: Determining the potential for recovery of overground walking      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Developing a framework for future research requires a comprehensive approach based on diagnosis, stage of recovery, and domain.

Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

City-dwelling wildlife demonstrate 'urban trait syndrome'      (via sciencedaily.com) 

City life favors species that are adaptable and not too fussy about what they eat, among other characteristics. A worldwide consortium of scientists calls the resulting collection of traits an 'Urban Trait Syndrome.'

Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Managing domestic and wildcats is likely to remain fraught, new research warns      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Current efforts to protect and restore native biodiversity is being threatened by difficulties in identifying wild and domestic cats, and categorization is likely to remain fraught for the foreseeable future, experts have warned.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Self-supervised AI learns physics to reconstruct microscopic images from holograms      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have unveiled an artificial intelligence-based model for computational imaging and microscopy without training with experimental objects or real data. The team introduced a self-supervised AI model nicknamed GedankenNet that learns from physics laws and thought experiments. Informed only by the laws of physics that universally govern the propagation of electromagnetic waves in space, the researchers taught their AI model to reconstruct microscopic images using only random artificial holograms -- synthesized solely from 'imagination' without relying on any real-world experiments, actual sample resemblances or real data.

Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Study reveals successful strategies for removing invasive caimans from Florida Everglades      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study reveals how a succession of strategies can take control of an invasive species population.

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

Modified virtual reality tech can measure brain activity      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The research team at The University of Texas at Austin created a noninvasive electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor that they installed in a Meta VR headset that can be worn comfortably for long periods. The EEG measures the brain's electrical activity during the immersive VR interactions.

Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

Tropical trees use social distancing to maintain biodiversity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Tropical forests can harbor hundreds of species of trees in one square mile. Researchers reveal key factors in the spatial distribution of adult trees.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Robotics Research Geoscience: Environmental Issues Physics: Optics
Published

New photocatalytic system converts carbon dioxide to valuable fuel more efficiently than natural photosynthesis      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team recently developed a stable artificial photocatalytic system that is more efficient than natural photosynthesis. The new system mimics a natural chloroplast to convert carbon dioxide in water into methane, a valuable fuel, very efficiently using light. This is a promising discovery, which could contribute to the goal of carbon neutrality.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Robots cause company profits to fall -- at least at first      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have found that robots can have a 'U-shaped' effect on profits: causing profit margins to fall at first, before eventually rising again. The researchers studied industry data from the UK and 24 other European countries between 1995 and 2017, and found that at low levels of adoption, robots have a negative effect on profit margins. But at higher levels of adoption, robots can help increase profits.

Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Wildfires
Published

Scientists dig into wildfire predictions, long-term impacts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Wildfires are an ancient force shaping the environment, but they have grown in frequency, range and intensity in response to a changing climate. Scientists are working on several fronts to better understand and predict these events and what they mean for the carbon cycle and biodiversity.

Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Robotic grippers offer unprecedented combo of strength and delicacy      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New robotic grippers are flexible enough to handle soft and fragile objects as well as heavier ones.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Sea Life Geoscience: Oceanography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Sea level rise shifts habitat for endangered Florida Keys species      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A newly published study describes the response to sea level rise by the silver rice rat, an endangered species only found in the Florida Keys.

Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Nuisance vegetation removal in Senegalese waterways reduces the overall prevalence of parasitic infections and increases local food production      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

It's an elegant solution: Remove the habitat of a parasite-carrying aquatic snail and reduce the level of infection in the local community; all while generating more feed and compost for local farmers.

Biology: Evolutionary Ecology: Invasive Species Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

When cheating pays -- survival strategy of insect uncovered      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have revealed the unique 'cheating' strategy a New Zealand insect has developed to avoid being eaten -- mimicking a highly toxic species.