Chemistry: General Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Physics: Optics
Published

Laser-treated cork absorbs oil for carbon-neutral ocean cleanup      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers use laser treatments to transform ordinary cork into a powerful tool for treating oil spills. They tested variations of a fast-pulsing laser treatment, closely examining the nanoscopic structural changes and measuring the ratio of oxygen and carbon in the material, changes in the angles with which water and oil contact the surface, and the material's light wave absorption, reflection, and emission across the spectrum to determine its durability after multiple cycles of warming and cooling. The laser treatments not only help to better absorb oil, but also work to keep water out.

Biology: Biochemistry Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

No bull: How creating less-gassy cows could help fight climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study has revealed breeding less-flatulent cows and restoring agricultural land could significantly reduce rising methane emission levels, which play a considerable role in climate change.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Mathematics: Modeling
Published

AI tool creates 'synthetic' images of cells for enhanced microscopy analysis      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a method to use an image generation AI model to create realistic images of single cells, which are then used as 'synthetic data' to train an AI model to better carry out single-cell segmentation.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

World's oases threatened by desertification, even as humans expand them      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Oases are important habitats and water sources for dryland regions, sustaining 10% of the world's population despite taking up about 1.5% of land area. But in many places, climate change and anthropogenic activities threaten oases' fragile existence. New research shows how the world's oases have grown and shrunk over the past 25 years as water availability patterns changed and desertification encroaches on these wet refuges.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Scientists discover the cellular functions of a family of proteins integral to inflammatory diseases      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a scientific breakthrough, researchers have revealed the biological mechanisms by which a family of proteins known as histone deacetylases (HDACs) activate immune system cells linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other inflammatory diseases.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Feedback loop that is melting ice shelves in West Antarctica revealed      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has uncovered a feedback loop that may be accelerating the melting of the floating portions of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, pushing up global sea levels. The study sheds new light on the mechanisms driving the melting of ice shelves beneath the surface of the ocean, which have been unclear until now.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Protein network dynamics during cell division      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team has mapped the movement of proteins encoded by the yeast genome throughout its cell cycle. This is the first time that all the proteins of an organism have been tracked across the cell cycle, which required a combination of deep learning and high-throughput microscopy.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Invasive species sound off about impending ecosystem changes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Anticipating changes to ecosystems is often at best an educated guess, but what if there was a way to better tune into possible changes occurring? Researchers have discovered that the silent growth of non-native invasive plants can affect the soundscape of an ecosystem. These altered soundscapes, the acoustic patterns of a landscape through space and time, may provide a key to better observing the hard-to-see physical and biological changes occurring in an ecosystem as they are beginning.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Zoology
Published

New compound from blessed thistle promotes functional nerve regeneration      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus) is a plant in the family Asteraceae. For centuries, it has been used as a medicinal herb as an extract or tea, e.g. to aid the digestive system. Researchers have now found a completely novel use for Cnicin. Animal models as well as human cells have shown that Cnicin significantly accelerates axon (nerve fibers) growth.

Energy: Batteries Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

The biggest barrier to a vibrant second-hand EV market? Price      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As early adopters of electric vehicles (EVs) trade up for the latest models, the used EV market is beginning to mature in the United States. Yet many potential buyers, particularly low-income drivers, are skeptical of EV's conveniences and are put off by the price.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Toxic chemicals from microplastics can be absorbed through skin      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Toxic chemicals used to flame-proof plastic materials can be absorbed into the body through skin, via contact with microplastics, new research shows.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Climate change will increase value of residential rooftop solar panels across US, study shows      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Climate change will increase the future value of residential rooftop solar panels across the United States by up to 19% by the end of the century, according to a new study.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Warming of Antarctic deep-sea waters contribute to sea level rise in North Atlantic, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Analysis of mooring observations and hydrographic data suggest the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation deep water limb in the North Atlantic has weakened. Two decades of continual observations provide a greater understanding of the Earth's climate regulating system.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Light show in living cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Observing proteins precisely within cells is extremely important for many branches of research but has been a significant technical challenge -- especially in living cells, as the required fluorescent labeling had to be individually attached to each protein. The research group has now overcome this hurdle: With a method called 'vpCells,' it is possible to label many proteins simultaneously, using five different fluorescent colors.

Energy: Fossil Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Coal train pollution increases health risks and disparities      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The first health impact study of coal train pollution centers on the San Francisco Bay Area, with scientists finding communities near passing coal trains suffer worse health outcomes.

Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Fourteen years after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, endemic fishes face an uncertain future      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The 2010 Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the largest accidental spill in history, released almost 100 million gallons of oil, causing significant pollution. A decade later, its long-term effects remain unclear. A study investigating the impact on endemic fish species found 29 of 78 species unreported in museum collections since the spill, suggesting potential loss of biodiversity.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Marine microbial populations: Potential sensors of the global change in the ocean      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Animal and plant populations have been extensively studied, which has helped to understand ecosystem processes and evolutionary adaptations. However, this has not been the case with microbial populations due to the impossibility of isolating, culturing and analyzing the genetic content of the different species and their individuals in the laboratory. Therefore, although it is known that populations of microorganisms include a great diversity, this remains largely uncharacterized.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Data-driven music: Converting climate measurements into music      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A geo-environmental scientist from Japan has composed a string quartet using sonified climate data. The 6-minute-long composition -- entitled 'String Quartet No. 1 'Polar Energy Budget'-- is based on over 30 years of satellite-collected climate data from the Arctic and Antarctic and aims to garner attention on how climate is driven by the input and output of energy at the poles.