Showing 20 articles starting at article 1801
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Ecology: Endangered Species, Environmental: General
Published Climate change brings earlier arrival of intense hurricanes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research has revealed that since the 1980s, Category 4 and 5 hurricanes (maximum wind speed greater than 131 miles per hour) have been arriving three to four days earlier with each passing decade of climate change.
Published Natural GM crops: Grasses take evolutionary shortcut by borrowing genes from their neighbors
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Grass may transfer genes from their neighbors in the same way genetically modified crops are made, a new study has revealed.
Published Discovery made about Fischer Tropsch process could help improve fuel production
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A fundamental discovery about the Fischer Tropsch process, a catalytic reaction used in industry to convert coal, natural gas or biomass to liquid fuels, could someday allow for more efficient fuel production. Researchers discovered previously unknown self-sustained oscillations in the Fischer Tropsch process. They found that unlike many catalytic reactions which have one steady state, this reaction periodically moves back and forth from a high to a low activity state. The discovery means that these well-controlled oscillatory states might be used in the future to control the reaction rate and the yields of desired products.
Published Plants could worsen air pollution on a warming planet
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research shows that plants such as oak and poplar trees will emit more of a compound called isoprene as global temperatures climb. Isoprene from plants represents the highest flux of hydrocarbons to the atmosphere after methane. Although isoprene isn’t inherently bad — it actually helps plants better tolerate insect pests and high temperatures — it can worsen air pollution by reacting with nitrogen oxides from automobiles and coal-fired power plants. The new publication can help us better understand, predict and potentially mitigate the effects of increased isoprene emission as the planet warms.
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 Successful morphing of inorganic perovskites without damaging their functional properties
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has successfully morphed all-inorganic perovskites at room temperature without compromising their functional properties. Their findings demonstrate the potential of this class of semiconductors for manufacturing next-generation deformable electronics and energy systems in the future.
Published Fear of humans pervades the South African savanna
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Mammals living in South Africa's Greater Kruger National Park, home to one of the world's largest remaining lion populations, are far more afraid of hearing human voices than lion vocalizations or hunting sounds such as dogs barking or gunshots.
Published Survival of the newest: the mammals that survive mass extinctions aren't as 'boring' as scientists thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For decades, scientists have assumed that mammals and their relatives that survived challenging times (like those during mass extinctions) made it because they were generalists that were able to eat just about anything and adapt to whatever life threw at them. A new study into the mammal family tree through multiple mass extinctions revealed that the species that survived aren't as generic as scientists had thought: instead, having new and different traits can be the key to succeeding in the aftermath of a catastrophe.
Published Climate intervention technologies may create winners and losers in world food supply
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A technology being studied to curb climate change – one that could be put in place in one or two decades if work on the technology began now – would affect food productivity in parts of planet Earth in dramatically different ways, benefiting some areas, and adversely affecting others, according to new projections.
Published Study identifies jet-stream pattern that locks in extreme winter cold, wet spells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Winter is coming—eventually. And while the earth is warming, a new study suggests that the atmosphere is being pushed around in ways that cause long bouts of extreme winter cold or wet in some regions. The study’s authors say they have identified giant meanders in the global jet stream that bring polar air southward, locking in frigid or wet conditions concurrently over much of North America and Europe, often for weeks at a time. Such weather waves, they say, have doubled in frequency since the 1960s. In just the last few years, they have killed hundreds of people and paralyzed energy and transport systems.
Published Meadow Spittlebug's record-breaking diet also makes it top disease carrier for plants
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research fueled in part by citizen scientists reveals that the meadow spittlebug—known for the foamy, spit-like urine released by its nymphs—can feed on at least 1,300 species of host plants, more than twice the number of any other insect.
Published Staying dry for months underwater
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a superhydrophobic surface with a stable plastron that can last for months under water. The team’s general strategy to create long-lasting underwater superhydrophobic surfaces, which repel blood and drastically reduce or prevent the adhesion of bacterial and marine organisms such as barnacles and mussels, opens a range of applications in biomedicine and industry.
Published Ancient carbon in rocks releases as much carbon dioxide as the world's volcanoes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research has overturned the traditional view that natural rock weathering acts as a carbon sink that removes CO2 from the atmosphere. Instead, this can also act as a large CO2 source, rivaling that of volcanoes.
Published Invertebrate biodiversity is improving in England's rivers, long-term trends show
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Rivers across England have seen a significant improvement in river invertebrate biodiversity since 1989, shows a new study.
Published AI drones to help farmers optimize vegetable yields
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For reasons of food security and economic incentive, farmers continuously seek to maximize their marketable crop yields. As plants grow inconsistently, at the time of harvesting, there will inevitably be variations in quality and size of individual crops. Finding the optimal time to harvest is therefore a priority for farmers. A new approach making heavy use of drones and artificial intelligence demonstrably improves this estimation by carefully and accurately analyzing individual crops to assess their likely growth characteristics.
Published Extreme fires and heavy rainfall driving platypuses from their homes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Australia's emerging pattern of severe mega bushfires and heavy rainfall may be driving platypuses from their homes, a new study has shown. Analysis of platypus DNA in rivers and creek water samples collected before and after the Black Summer 2019-2020 megafires suggest Australia's beloved semi-aquatic monotremes might be abandoning severely bushfire-affected areas for up to 18 months after a fire, especially if heavy rainfall has followed the fire.
Published Honeybees are more selective in their choices for nutrition than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international research group examined which plants honeybees favor when collecting nectar and pollen. The choices honeybees make have an impact on their health and also on humans, as honeybees pollinate important crop plants.
Published Hot weather hits productivity -- even in air-conditioned factories
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Hot weather reduces workers’ productivity – even if their workplace is air conditioned.
Published New pipeline makes valuable organic acid from plants -- saving money and emissions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a breakthrough for environmentally friendly chemical production, researchers have developed an economical way to make succinic acid, an important industrial chemical, from sugarcane. The team has created a cost-effective, end-to-end pipeline for this valuable organic acid by engineering a tough, acid-tolerant yeast as the fermenting agent, avoiding costly steps in downstream processing. Succinic acid is a widely used additive for food and beverages and has diverse applications in agricultural and pharmaceutical products. This same pipeline can be used to produce other industrially important organic acids from crops rather than petroleum-based processes, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Published Carbon-capture tree plantations threaten tropical biodiversity for little gain, ecologists say
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The increasingly urgent climate crisis has led to a boom in commercial tree plantations in an attempt to offset excess carbon emissions. However, authors argue that these carbon-offset plantations might come with costs for biodiversity and other ecosystem functions. Instead, the authors say we should prioritize conserving and restoring intact ecosystems.