Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

'Green' hydrogen: How photoelectrochemical water splitting may become competitive      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Sunlight can be used to produce green hydrogen directly from water in photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells. So far, most systems based on this 'direct approach' have not been energetically competitive. However, the balance changes as soon as some of the hydrogen in such PEC cells is used in-situ for a catalytic hydrogenation reaction, resulting in the co-production of chemicals used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The energy payback time of photoelectrochemical 'green' hydrogen production can be reduced dramatically, the study shows.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

3D radar scan provides clues about threats to iconic Alaskan glacier      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Mapping a large coastal glacier in Alaska revealed that its bulk sits below sea level and is undercut by channels, making it vulnerable to accelerated melting in an already deteriorating coastal habitat.

Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water
Published

Noise harming ocean invertebrates and ecosystems      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Noise from human activities is harming ocean invertebrates and ecosystems, new research shows.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Rivers and streams in the Andean Cordillera are hot spots for greenhouse gases emissions      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers show that rivers in the Andean mountains contribute 35% and 72% of riverine emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) and methane (CH4 ) in the Amazon basin, the world's largest river.

Chemistry: General Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Electronic skin as flexible as crocodile skin      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has developed a crocodile-skin-inspired omnidirectionally stretchable pressure sensor.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

New approach to harvesting aerial humidity with organic crystals      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have reported a novel method of harvesting water from naturally occurring sources such as fog and dew.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Review of world water resources      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A recent review study provides an overview of the planet's freshwater supplies and strategies for sustainably managing them.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

New model provides improved air-quality predictions in fire-prone areas      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Globally, wildfires are becoming more frequent and destructive, generating a significant amount of smoke that can be transported thousands of miles, driving the need for more accurate air pollution forecasts. Researchers have now developed a deep learning model that provides improved predictions of air quality in wildfire-prone areas and can differentiate between wildfires and non-wildfires.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Microneedle-based drug delivery technique for plants      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The agriculture industry is under pressure to adopt sustainable and precise agricultural practices that enable more efficient use of resources due to worsening environmental conditions resulting from climate change, an ever-expanding human population, limited resources, and a shortage of arable land. As a result, developing delivery systems that efficiently distribute micronutrients, pesticides, and antibiotics in crops is crucial to ensuring high productivity and high-quality produce while minimising resource waste. However, current and standard practices for agrochemical application in plants are inefficient. These practices cause significant detrimental environmental side effects, such as water and soil contamination, biodiversity loss and degraded ecosystems; and public health concerns, such as respiratory problems, chemical exposure and food contamination.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Tech could help BC farmers reach customers, mitigate climate change impacts      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Technology exists that the BC government could leverage to help small farmers connect directly with consumers and also mitigate climate change impacts, say new findings.

Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Environmental: Water
Published

Climate change alters a human-raptor relationship      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Bald Eagles and dairy farmers exist in a mutually beneficial relationship in parts of northwestern Washington State. According to a new study, this 'win-win' relationship has been a more recent development, driven by the impact of climate change on eagles' traditional winter diet of salmon carcasses, as well as by increased eagle abundance following decades of conservation efforts.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Researchers find decaying biomass in Arctic rivers fuels more carbon export than previously thought      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study found that plants and small organisms in Arctic rivers could be responsible for more than half the particulate organic matter flowing to the Arctic Ocean. That's a significantly greater proportion than previously estimated, and it has implications for how much carbon gets sequestered in the ocean and how much moves into the atmosphere.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Minke whales are as small as a lunge-feeding baleen whale can be      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study of Antarctic minke whales reveals a minimum size limit for whales employing the highly efficient 'lunge-feeding' strategy that enabled the blue whale to become the largest animal on Earth.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Arctic climate modelling too conservative      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Climate models used by the UN's IPCC and others to project climate change are not accurately reflecting what the Arctic's future will be, experts say.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Remarkable squirting mussels captured on film      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have observed a highly unusual behavior in the endangered freshwater mussel, Unio crassus. The jets disturb the river surface and attract fish. Mussel larvae in the jets can then attach to the gills of the fish and complete their metamorphosis into adults.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Existential threats to the iconic Nile River Delta      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Decades of poor environmental and water management turned the Nile River Delta from a unique ecological habitat in the Sahara to one of the largest polluted areas on the planet, with tens of millions of people and migrating birds at risk of exposure to water-borne contaminants.

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

Assessing the potential risks of ocean-based climate intervention technologies on deep-sea ecosystems      (via sciencedaily.com) 

An international team of experts convened remotely as part of the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative's Climate Working Group to consider the deep-sea impacts of ocean-based climate intervention (OBCI). A research team has analyzed the proposed approaches to assess their potential impacts on deep-sea ecosystems and biodiversity. Their findings raise substantial concern on the potential impacts of these technologies on deep-sea ecosystems and call for the need for an integrated research effort to carefully assess the cost and benefits of each intervention.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Environmental: Water
Published

Standard model of electroporation refuted      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Strong electric fields can be used to create pores in biomembranes. The method is known as electroporation. Inducing such defects in membranes in a targeted manner is an important technique in medicine and biotechnology, but also in the treatment of foodstuffs.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

The world's atmospheric rivers now have an intensity ranking like hurricanes      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Atmospheric rivers, which are long, narrow bands of water vapor, are becoming more intense and frequent with climate change. A new study demonstrates that a recently developed scale for atmospheric river intensity (akin to the hurricane scale) can be used to rank atmospheric rivers and identify hotspots of the most intense atmospheric rivers not only along the U.S. West Coast but also worldwide.