Ecology: General Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
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.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Paleontology: Climate
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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.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Mathematics: Modeling
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.

Computer Science: General
Published

Generative AI to protect image privacy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Image privacy could be protected with the use of generative artificial intelligence. Researchers created a system which replaces parts of images that might threaten confidentiality with visually similar but AI-generated alternatives. Named 'generative content replacement,' in tests, 60% of viewers couldn't tell which images had been altered. The researchers intend for this system to provide a more visually cohesive option for image censoring, which helps to preserve the narrative of the image while protecting privacy.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Mathematics: Modeling Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
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Theoretical quantum speedup with the quantum approximate optimization algorithm      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers demonstrated a quantum algorithmic speedup with the quantum approximate optimization algorithm, laying the groundwork for advancements in telecommunications, financial modeling, materials science and more.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
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Abandoned farmlands could play a role in fighting climate change: A new study shows exactly where they are      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The team used machine learning to map nearly 30 million acres of United States cropland abandoned since the 1980s, creating a tool that could guide decisions about how to balance production of energy and food.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers
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Modular, scalable hardware architecture for a quantum computer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers demonstrated a scalable, modular hardware platform that integrates thousands of interconnected qubits onto a customized integrated circuit. This 'quantum-system-on-chip' (QSoC) architecture enables them to precisely tune and control a dense array of qubits.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General
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Bio-inspired cameras and AI help drivers detect pedestrians and obstacles faster      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Artificial intelligence (AI) combined with a novel bio-inspired camera achieves 100 times faster detection of pedestrians and obstacles than current automotive cameras. This important step for computer vision and AI and can greatly improve the safety of automotive systems and self-driving cars.

Computer Science: General Mathematics: Modeling
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AI helps medical professionals read confusing EEGs to save lives      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed an assistive machine learning model that greatly improves the ability of medical professionals to read the electroencephalography (EEG) charts of intensive care patients. Because EEG readings are the only method for knowing when unconscious patients are in danger of suffering a seizure or are having seizure-like events, the computational tool could help save thousands of lives each year.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

What makes some plant groups so successful?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers involved in cataloguing the world's plant species are hunting for answers as to what makes some groups of plants so successful. One of their major goals is to predict more accurately which lineages of flowering plants -- some of which are of huge importance to people and to ecosystems -- are at a greater risk from global climate change.

Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Aerosol pollution, greenhouse gases must be reduced simultaneously to keep forest fires in check      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

If we want cleaner air, fewer forest fires, and less severe climate change, a new study shows we must reduce aerosol pollution and greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide at the same time.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Research to uncover the impact of water use in the Colorado River Basin      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Persistent overuse of water and long-term drought has depleted the Colorado River and highlighted the need for a comprehensive understanding of how waters are allocated and used to develop effective management strategies.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

The secret sex life of coral revealed      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Corals play an essential role in ocean ecosystems, and like many organisms, they are under threat from climate change and other human activities. To better protect coral, it's first necessary to understand them, in particular their reproductive life cycle, which only happens once a year. For the first time, researchers have produced a model for coral spawning, based on various environmental factors. They achieved this by tapping an often overlooked source of aquatic knowledge, an aquarium.

Biology: Zoology Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Ecology: Animals Mathematics: Modeling
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Tracking animals without markers in the wild      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers developed a computer vision framework for posture estimation and identity tracking which they can use in indoor environments as well as in the wild. They have thus taken an important step towards markerless tracking of animals in the wild using computer vision and machine learning.

Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

New research shows soil microorganisms could produce additional greenhouse gas emissions from thawing permafrost      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As the planet has warmed, scientists have long been concerned about the potential for harmful greenhouse gasses to seep out of thawing Arctic permafrost. Recent estimates suggest that by 2100 the amount of carbon dioxide and methane released from these perpetually frozen lands could be on par with emissions from large industrial countries. However, new research led by a team of microbiome scientists suggests those estimates might be too low.