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Categories: Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Environmental: General
Published Ancient ocean slowdown warns of future climate chaos
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When it comes to the ocean's response to global warming, we're not in entirely uncharted waters. A new study shows that episodes of extreme heat in Earth's past caused the exchange of waters from the surface to the deep ocean to decline.
Published Dolphins with elevated mercury levels in Florida and Georgia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists found elevated mercury levels in dolphins in the U.S. Southeast. The highest levels were found in dolphins in Florida's St. Joseph and Choctawhatchee Bays. Researchers study dolphins because they are considered a sentinel species for oceans and human health. Like us, they are high up in the food chain, live long lives, and share certain physiological traits. Some of their diet is most vulnerable to mercury pollution and is also eaten by people.
Published Pacific coast gray whales have gotten 13% shorter in the past 20-30 years, Oregon State study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Gray whales that spend their summers feeding in the shallow waters off the Pacific Northwest coast have undergone a significant decline in body length since around the year 2000, a new study found.
Published Mobile monitoring for an airborne carcinogen in Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Louisiana's southeastern corridor is sometimes known colloquially as 'Cancer Alley' for its high cancer incidence rates connected to industrial air pollution. Most of the region's air pollution-related health risks are attributed to ethylene oxide, a volatile compound used to make plastics and sterilize medical equipment. Researchers measured concerning levels of ethylene oxide in this area with mobile optical instruments, a technique they say could improve health risk assessments.
Published Laser tests reveal new insights into key mineral for super-Earths
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have for the first time observed how atoms in magnesium oxide morph and melt under ultra-harsh conditions, providing new insights into this key mineral within Earth's mantle that is known to influence planet formation.
Published Site new care homes near trees and away from busy roads to protect residents' lungs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source To shield older residents from dangerous air pollution, new care homes should be built as far from heavy traffic as possible, according to a new study.
Published Cocaine trafficking threatens critical bird habitats
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In addition to its human consequences, cocaine trafficking harms the environment and threatens habitats important to dozens of species of migratory birds, according to a new study.
Published Significant increase in nitrous-oxide emissions from human activities, jeopardizing climate goals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Emissions of nitrous-oxide (N2O) -- a potent greenhouse gas -- have continued to rise unabated over the past four decades, according to an international team of scientists.
Published Millions of insects migrate through 30-meter Pyrenees pass
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Over 17 million insects migrate each year through a single mountain pass on the border between France and Spain, new research shows.
Published 3D-printed mini-actuators can move small soft robots, lock them into new shapes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have demonstrated miniature soft hydraulic actuators that can be used to control the deformation and motion of soft robots that are less than a millimeter thick. The researchers have also demonstrated that this technique works with shape memory materials, allowing users to repeatedly lock the soft robots into a desired shape and return to the original shape as needed.
Published Specialist and migratory birds at greater risk under climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Following decades of decline, even fewer birds will darken North American skies by the end of the century, according to a new analysis. The study examines the long-term effects of climate change on the abundance and diversity of bird groups across the continent as a whole while accounting for additional factors that put birds at risk.
Published Soil bacteria respire more CO2 after sugar-free meals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers tracked how plant matter moves through bacteria's metabolism. Microbes respire three times as much carbon dioxide (CO2) from non-sugar carbons from lignin compared to sugar from cellulose. Although microbes consume both types of plant matter at the same time, each type enters a different metabolic pathway. Findings could improve predictions of how climate-dependent changes in soil carbon types will affect microbial CO2 production.
Published New plasma escape mechanism could protect fusion vessels from excessive heat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The exhaust heat generated by a fusing plasma in a commercial-scale reactor may not be as damaging to the vessel's innards as once thought, according to new research about escaping plasma particles.
Published Scientists unlock secrets of how archaea, the third domain of life, makes energy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international scientific team has redefined our understanding of archaea, a microbial ancestor to humans from two billion years ago, by showing how they use hydrogen gas. The findings explain how these tiny lifeforms make energy by consuming and producing hydrogen. This simple but dependable strategy has allowed them to thrive in some of Earth's most hostile environments for billions of years.
Published Major milestone in cutting harmful gases that deplete ozone layer and worsen global warming
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has revealed significant progress in the drive to reduce levels in the atmosphere of chemicals that destroy Earth's ozone layer, confirming the success of historic regulations limiting their production.
Published New discovery reveals unexpected ocean algae help cool Earth
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A common type of ocean algae plays a significant role in producing a massively abundant compound that helps cool the Earth's climate, new research has discovered.
Published Making remanufacturing profitable
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Returning end-of-life products to as-new condition is called remanufacturing and can be an essential element in a circular economy. But for more industrial companies to take an interest in it, remanufacturing needs to be economically viable.
Published Researchers engineer new approach for controlling thermal emission
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source If a material absorbs light, it will heat up. That heat must go somewhere, and the ability to control where and how much heat is emitted can protect or even hide such devices as satellites. An international team of researchers has published a novel method for controlling this thermal emission in Science.
Published Fine-tuning leaf angle with CRISPR improves sugarcane yield
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A CABBI research team has used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to optimize leaf angle in sugarcane, increasing the amount of sunlight it captures and the amount of biomass it produces.
Published Early life exposure to weed pollen could increase childhood asthma risk
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study has found children who are exposed to tree and weed pollen in urban environments are at increased risk of respiratory health problems, including asthma. While green areas in urban settings decrease exposure to air pollution, allow kids to be active, and offer positive contact to a diverse microbiota -- which in turn may help the positive development of a child's immune system -- they can also lead to the development of childhood asthma. Thankfully, trees can help mitigate this effect to some degree, thanks to their canopy.