Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

A liquid crystal source of photon pairs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), as a source of entangled photons, is of great interest for quantum physics and quantum technology, but so far it could be only implemented in solids. Researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, SPDC in a liquid crystal. The results open a path to a new generation of quantum sources: efficient and electric-field tunable.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

A conservation market could incentivize global ocean protection      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Thirty-by-thirty: protect 30% of the planet by 2030. While conservation is popular in principle, the costs of actually enacting it often stall even the most earnest efforts. Researchers have now proposed a market-based approach to achieving the 30x30 targets in the ocean.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Marine heatwaves devastate red gorgonians in the Medes Islands      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The increase in the frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves in recent decades is one of the effects of global climate change. A study shows that the extreme heatwave of 2022 caused an 'unprecedented' increase in mortality of the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata, affecting 70% of the colonies located in the Montgr Natural Park, the Medes Islands and the Baix Ter. According to the researchers, these results are 'alarming and threaten the viability' of this species of great value for the biodiversity of benthic ecosystems, since it is considered to be an inhabitant-forming species.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Severe Weather Mathematics: Modeling Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Quantum data assimilation: A quantum leap in weather prediction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Data assimilation is an important mathematical discipline in earth sciences, particularly in numerical weather prediction (NWP). However, conventional data assimilation methods require significant computational resources. To address this, researchers developed a novel method to solve data assimilation on quantum computers, significantly reducing the computation time. The findings of the study have the potential to advance NWP systems and will inspire practical applications of quantum computers for advancing data assimilation.

Ecology: Trees Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Geography
Published

New way to spot beetle-killed spruce can help forest, wildfire managers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new machine-learning system can automatically produce detailed maps from satellite data to show locations of likely beetle-killed spruce trees in Alaska, even in forests of low and moderate infestation where identification is otherwise difficult. The automated process can help forestry and wildfire managers in their decisions. That's critical as the beetle infestation spreads.

Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: General Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Geography
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.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
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.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

New technique could help build quantum computers of the future      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have demonstrated a new method that could enable the large-scale manufacturing of optical qubits. The advance could bring us closer to a scalable quantum computer.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Switching nanomagnets using infrared lasers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Physicists have calculated how suitable molecules can be stimulated by infrared light pulses to form tiny magnetic fields. If this is also successful in experiments, the principle could be used in quantum computer circuits.

Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Upstream and downstream: River study highlights cross-country inequities      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research highlights inequities between downstream and upstream countries that share the same watershed. The study outlines how international agreements can better address shared resource problems and call for greater collaboration and coordination between these international neighbors.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Perturbations simplify the study of 'super photons'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Thousands of particles of light can merge into a type of 'super photon' under suitable conditions. Physicists call such a state a photon Bose-Einstein condensate. Researchers have now shown that this exotic quantum state obeys a fundamental theorem of physics. This finding now allows one to measure properties of photon Bose-Einstein condensates which are usually difficult to access.

Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Biology: Molecular Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Scientists 'read' the messages in chemical clues left by coral reef inhabitants      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

What species live in this coral reef, and are they healthy? Chemical clues emitted by marine organisms might hold that information. But in underwater environments, invisible compounds create a complex 'soup' that is hard for scientists to decipher. Now, researchers have demonstrated a way to extract and identify these indicator compounds in seawater. They found metabolites previously undetected on reefs, including three that may represent different reef organisms.

Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Novel diamond quantum magnetometer for ambient condition magnetoencephalography      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A highly sensitive diamond quantum magnetometer utilizing nitrogen-vacancy centers can achieve millimeter-scale resolution magnetoencephalography (MEG). The novel magnetometer, based on continuous-wave optically detected magnetic resonance, marks a significant step towards realizing ambient condition MEG and other practical applications.

Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Tropical forests adjust strategies to thrive even when soils are nutrient poor      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Tropical forests store a third of the world's carbon in their wood and soils. However, their future as a carbon sink has been uncertain. Scientists have long wondered whether nutrient-poor tropical soils would limit the ability of mature and recovering forests to thrive. A study offers a hopeful response, suggesting that forests have flexible strategies that help them overcome the challenge of scarce nutrients.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Scientists question effectiveness of nature-based CO2 removal using the ocean      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Limited understanding of basic ocean processes is hindering progress in marine carbon dioxide removal, with the on-going commercialization of some approaches 'premature and misguided'. Scientists now review the climatic effectiveness of four 'nature-based' techniques using marine biological processes. These involve shellfish cultivation, seaweed farming, coastal blue carbon -- using the restoration of seagrass, saltmarsh and mangrove forests -- and increasing whale populations through 're-wilding'.

Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

A novel approach to tracking conservation reveals more areas may be conserved than currently accounted for      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of conservation researchers and practitioners has developed an inclusive inventory approach for tracking global conservation areas, with an emphasis on local data and expertise. Applying this approach across the nine countries spanning the Amazon Rainforest identified a wide array of conservation areas with greater diversity and area coverage than existing tracking systems showed.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Marine Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Exploring three frontiers in marine biomass and blue carbon capture      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study offers first-time insights into three emerging climate innovations to safeguard or increase the carbon naturally captured by ocean and coastal ecosystems: rapid interventions to save the Great Barrier Reef, satellite-tracked kelp beds in the deep ocean, and seagrass nurseries in the United Kingdom.