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Categories: Environmental: General, Mathematics: Modeling
Published Fungus breaks down ocean plastic
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A fungus living in the sea can break down the plastic polyethylene, provided it has first been exposed to UV radiation from sunlight. Researchers expect that many more plastic degrading fungi are living in deeper parts of the ocean.
Published Greenhouses cover more and more of Earth's surface
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Greenhouse cultivation is booming globally, especially in the Global South -- and across one country in particular. This is revealed in a new study that deploys detailed satellite imagery and AI to map greenhouses across the planet. According to the researchers, the development is a source of both promise and concern.
Published Researchers call for return of Sumas Lake following devastating 2021 floods
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new proposal has emerged in response to the November 2021 floods that swept Sumas Prairie in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia, causing mass evacuations and millions in damages. Instead of rebuilding the dykes to manage water flows and prevent future floods, scientists, along with members of the Sumas First Nation and other research partners, suggest an alternative: let Sumas Lake, which was drained in the early 1920s and converted into the farmland known as Sumas Prairie, return to its natural state. This can be done by buying out properties on the lakebed -- a solution that is projected to cost around $1 billion, less than half of the estimated $2.4 billion cost of repairing the dykes and installing a new pump station.
Published Paving the way for hydrogen from algae enzymes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Under certain conditions, some algae are able to produce hydrogen -- a much sought-after green energy source. Its production takes place in the unique catalytic center of the unicellular algae and is only possible if certain cofactors of the relevant proteins are present. Researchers have identified how such a cofactor, the so-called hydrogen cluster, is assembled. Specifically, they describe the previously unexplained role of the enzyme HydF, which is involved in the final steps of assembly.
Published Children's visual experience may hold key to better computer vision training
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A novel, human-inspired approach to training artificial intelligence (AI) systems to identify objects and navigate their surroundings could set the stage for the development of more advanced AI systems to explore extreme environments or distant worlds, according to new research.
Published Overcoming barriers to heat pump adoption in cold climates and avoiding the 'energy poverty trap'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Converting home heating systems from natural gas furnaces to electric heat pumps is seen as a way to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Published Mussels downstream of wastewater treatment plant contain radium, study reports
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Burrowed into streambeds and rarely moving for their decades-long lifespans, freshwater mussels are biomonitors, meaning they indicate how clean their environment is, according to researchers. As the bivalves feed on organic matter and filter the water around them, their inner tissues and hard shells begin to reflect whatever is in their environment -- including radioactive particles.
Published Fjords are effective carbon traps regardless of oxygen levels
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The fjords on Sweden's west coast act as effective carbon traps regardless of whether the bottom water is oxygen-rich or not.
Published AI-controlled stations can charge electric cars at a personal price
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As more and more people drive electric cars, congestion and queues can occur when many people need to charge at the same time. A new study shows how AI-controlled charging stations, through smart algorithms, can offer electric vehicle users personalized prices, and thus minimize both price and waiting time for customers. But the researchers point to the importance of taking the ethical issues seriously, as there is a risk that the artificial intelligence exploits information from motorists.
Published Trout in mine-polluted rivers are genetically 'isolated'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Trout living in rivers polluted by metal from old mines across the British Isles are genetically 'isolated' from other trout, new research shows.
Published New coral disease forecasting system
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research has led to a new tool for forecasting coral disease that could help conservationists step in at the right times with key interventions. Ecological forecasts are critical tools for conserving and managing marine ecosystems, but few forecasting systems can account for the wide range of ecological complexities in near-real-time.
Published Novel mobile air monitoring technology yields greater insight into post-disaster pollution levels
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team has found that high resolution mass spectrometry could be a valuable tool for identifying and assessing air-borne contaminants produced by natural and human-made disasters.
Published People are altering decomposition rates in waterways
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Humans may be accelerating the rate at which organic matter decomposes in rivers and streams on a global scale, according to a new study. That could pose a threat to biodiversity in waterways around the world and increase the amount of carbon in Earth's atmosphere, potentially exacerbating climate change. The study is the first to combine a global experiment and predictive modeling to illustrate how human impacts to waterways may contribute to the global climate crisis.
Published Historic iceberg surges offer insights on modern climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A great armada entered the North Atlantic, launched from the cold shores of North America. But rather than ships off to war, this force was a fleet of icebergs. And the havoc it wrought was to the ocean current itself. The future of the Atlantic circulation will be determined by a tug-o-war between Greenland's decreasing ice flux and its increasing freshwater runoff.
Published Every drop counts: New algorithm tracks Texas daily reservoir evaporation rates
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a more accurate method for tracking reservoir evaporation rates that will improve water planning and management.
Published New method makes hydrogen from solar power and agricultural waste
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers have helped design a new method to make hydrogen gas from water using only solar power and agricultural waste such as manure or husks. The method reduces the energy needed to extract hydrogen from water by 600%, creating new opportunities for sustainable, climate-friendly chemical production.
Published AI saving humans from the emotional toll of monitoring hate speech
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers have developed a new machine-learning method that detects hate speech on social media platforms with 88 per cent accuracy, saving employees from hundreds of hours of emotionally damaging work.
Published Controlling ion transport for a blue energy future
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers probed the transit of cations across a nanopore membrane for the generation of osmotic energy. The team controlled the passage of cations across the membrane using a voltage applied to a gate electrode. This control allowed the cation-selective transport to be tuned from essentially zero to complete cation selectivity. The findings are expected to support the application of blue energy solutions for sustainable energy alternatives worldwide.
Published High groundwater depletion risk in South Korea in 2080s
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Team utilizes advanced statistical techniques to project the future groundwater depletion risk.
Published Rapid urbanization in Africa transforms local food systems and threatens biodiversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Urbanization in Africa is accelerating quickly, showing no signs of slowing down. An international team of researchers addresses critical gaps in our understanding of how this urbanization affects local food and ecological systems, emphasizing the importance of recognizing shifts in dietary patterns.