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Categories: Environmental: Ecosystems, Physics: General
Published Exploring arctic plants and lichens: An important conservation baseline for Nunavut's newest and largest territorial park



A comprehensive study of the floristic diversity of Agguttinni Territorial Park, Nunavut's newest and largest Territorial Park, has documented 141 vascular plant, 69 bryophyte, and 93 lichen species from this unique protected area on northern Baffin Island. Through a combination of extensive fieldwork in 2021 and examination of hundreds of existing herbarium specimens, the authors have documented species newly reported for Baffin Island and have crafted a biodiversity baseline important for park management and conservation.
Published Spiral wrappers switch nanotubes from conductors to semiconductors and back



By wrapping a carbon nanotube with a ribbon-like polymer, researchers were able to create nanotubes that conduct electricity when struck with low-energy light that our eyes cannot see. In the future, the approach could make it possible to optimize semiconductors for applications ranging from night vision to new forms of computing.
Published History repeats as Coral Bay faces mass loss of coral and fish life



A perfect storm of environmental factors has seen a monumental loss of fish and coral life at a popular area of Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia's Gascoyne region -- however research into the event shows there is hope it will recover. In March 2022, during the annual coral spawning event, calm weather and limited tidal movement combined to trap the coral's eggs within Bills Bay, at the town of Coral Bay. This led to an excess of nutrients in the water which consumed more oxygen than usual -- causing massive numbers of fish and corals to die from asphyxiation.
Published A coral superhighway in the Indian Ocean



Despite being scattered across more than a million square kilometers, new research has revealed that remote coral reefs across the Seychelles are closely related. Using genetic analyses and oceanographic modelling, researchers demonstrated for the first time that a network of ocean currents scatter significant numbers of larvae between these distant islands, acting as a 'coral superhighway.'
Published Rainforest's next generation of trees threatened 30 years after logging



Rainforest seedlings are more likely to survive in natural forests than in places where logging has happened -- even if tree restoration projects have taken place, new research shows.
Published Powerful new tool ushers in new era of quantum materials research



Research in quantum materials is paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries and is poised to drive technological advancements that will redefine the landscapes of industries like mining, energy, transportation, and medtech. A technique called time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (TR-ARPES) has emerged as a powerful tool, allowing researchers to explore the equilibrium and dynamical properties of quantum materials via light-matter interaction.
Published Giving particle detectors a boost



Researchers have tested the performance of a new device that boosts particle signals.
Published Design rules and synthesis of quantum memory candidates



In the quest to develop quantum computers and networks, there are many components that are fundamentally different than those used today. Like a modern computer, each of these components has different constraints. However, it is currently unclear what materials can be used to construct those components for the transmission and storage of quantum information.
Published Study explores impacts of Arctic warming on daily weather patterns in the U.S.



Arctic sea ice is shrinking as the world continues to warm, and a new study may provide a better understanding of how the loss of this ice may impact daily weather in the middle latitudes, like the United States.
Published Preventing magnet meltdowns before they can start



High-temperature superconductor magnets have the potential to lower the costs of operating particle accelerators and enable powerful new technologies like fusion reactors. But quenches -- the sudden, destructive events wherein a part of the material loses superconductivity -- are a major barrier to their deployment. Scientists have developed an approach to prevent quenches altogether, rather than simply trying to manage them after they occur.
Published Combined microscopy technique catches light-driven polymers in the act



Researchers have used tip-scan high-speed atomic force microscopy combined with an optical microscope to observe light-induced deformation of azo-polymer films. The process could be followed in real time, and the film patterns were found to change with the polarization of the light source. The observations will contribute to the use of azo-polymers in applications such as optical data storage, and the approach is expected to be useful across materials science and physical chemistry.
Published Pushing the boundary on ultralow frequency gravitational waves



A team of physicists has developed a method to detect gravity waves with such low frequencies that they could unlock the secrets behind the early phases of mergers between supermassive black holes, the heaviest objects in the universe.
Published Good news for coral reef restoration efforts: Study finds 'full recovery' of reef growth within four years



While the majority of the world's reefs are now under threat or even damaged potentially beyond repair, a new study offers some encouraging news: efforts to restore coral reefs not only increase coral cover, but they can also bring back important ecosystem functions, and surprisingly fast.
Published New technique may help scientists stave off coral reef collapse



Producing coral skeleton components in the easy-to-use soft-bodied sea anemone Nematostella creates a perfect lab system for studying, and eventually helping, corals threatened by a changing climate.
Published Loss of nature costs more than previously estimated



Researchers propose that governments apply a new method for calculating the benefits that arise from conserving biodiversity and nature for future generations.
Published Eight new deep-sea species of marine sponges discovered



Despite marine sponges being widespread on our planet, their biodiversity and distribution is still poorly known. Even though the Mediterranean Sea is the most explored sea on Earth, a study reveals the presence of new sponge species and new records in unexplored habitats such as underwater caves or mountains around the Balearic Islands.
Published Researchers develop new machine learning method for modeling of chemical reactions



Researchers have used machine learning to create a model that simulates reactive processes in organic materials and conditions.
Published Microbes impact coral bleaching susceptibility



A new study provides insights into the role of microbes and their interaction as drivers of interspecific differences in coral thermal bleaching.
Published Marine algae implants could boost crop yields



Scientists have discovered the gene that enables marine algae to make a unique type of chlorophyll. They successfully implanted this gene in a land plant, paving the way for better crop yields on less land.
Published Making quantum bits fly



Physicists are developing a method that could enable the stable exchange of information in quantum computers. In the leading role: photons that make quantum bits 'fly'.