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Categories: Environmental: Water, Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published A drying Salton Sea pollutes neighboring communities
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Dust particles from the Salton Sea's exposed lakebed increased air pollution in local communities, found a new study. The pollution coincides with reduced flows into the lake and diversions to San Diego.
Published Orchids support seedlings through 'parental nurture' via shared underground fungal networks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Orchid plants nurture their seedlings via an underground fungal network, new research has revealed.
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.
Published Biobased building materials less sustainable than concrete in South Africa, experts find
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered that mycelium composites, biobased materials made from fungi and agricultural residues, can have a greater environmental impact than conventional fossil-fuel-based materials due to the high amount of electricity involved in their production.
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.
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.
Published Performance of eco-friendly cooling applications enhanced
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a sustainable and controllable strategy to manipulate interfacial heat transfer, paving the way for improving the performance of eco-friendly cooling in various applications such as electronics, buildings and solar panels.
Published Study suggests 'biodegradable' teabags don't readily deteriorate in the environment and can adversely affect terrestrial species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research looked at commonly available teabags made using three different compositions of polylactic acid (PLA), which is derived from sources such as corn starch or sugar cane. The teabags were buried in soil for seven months, and a range of techniques were then used to assess whether -- and to what extent -- they had deteriorated. The results showed that teabags made solely from PLA remained completely intact. However, the two types of teabags made from a combination of cellulose and PLA broke down into smaller pieces, losing between 60% and 80% of their overall mass and with the PLA component remaining.
Published Warmer wetter climate predicted to bring societal and ecological impact to the Tibetan Plateau
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source According to a paper, climate and weather predictions of increased rainfall will lead to an exponential expansion of land-locked lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, resulting in major land loss and related economic, environmental and climatic impacts.
Published Investigating the origin of circatidal rhythms in freshwater snails
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While most organisms have biological clocks synchronized with the day-night cycle (circadian rhythms), marine animals in tidal areas have also developed circatidal rhythms to align with the tidal cycle. Comparing the activity and genetic expression of snails from tidal and non-tidal areas, researchers demonstrate that circatidal rhythms develop as snails adapt to tidal environments. These findings highlight the flexibility of biological clocks, enabling organisms to adjust their rhythms according to the environment.
Published Controlling water, transforming greenhouse gases
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have outlined a way to manipulate water molecules to make CO2R more efficient, with the ultimate goal of creating a clean energy loop. Through their new method, the team was able to perform CO2R with nearly 100% efficiency under mildly acidic conditions, using either gold or zinc as catalysts.
Published Breakthrough discovery uses engineered surfaces to shed heat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Splash a few drops of water on a hot pan and if the pan is hot enough, the water will sizzle and the droplets of water seem to roll and float, hovering above the surface. The temperature at which this phenomenon, called the Leidenfrost effect, occurs is predictable, usually happening above 230 degrees Celsius. A team has now discovered a method to create the aquatic levitation at a much lower temperature.
Published Innovative material for sustainable building
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers introduce a polymer-based material with unique properties. This material allows sunlight to enter, maintains a more comfortable indoor climate without additional energy, and cleans itself like a lotus leaf. The new development could replace glass components in walls and roofs in the future.
Published Renewable grid: Recovering electricity from heat storage hits 44% efficiency
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Closing in on the theoretical maximum efficiency, devices for turning heat into electricity are edging closer to being practical for use on the grid, according to new research.
Published Developing novel methods to detect antibiotics in vegetables and earthworms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have managed to analyze, simultaneously, several families of antibiotics in vegetables and earthworms. Sampling carried out in various locations has yielded data on the existence of antimicrobial agents and their derivatives in vegetables. In this respect, Vergara stresses the need for further research to address the problem of contamination by this type of medication in the environment.
Published Charting a pathway to next-gen biofuels
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source From soil to sequestration, researchers have modeled what a supply chain for second-generation biofuels might look like in the midwestern United States.
Published Iron could be key to less expensive, greener lithium-ion batteries, research finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Chemistry researchers are hoping to spark a green battery revolution by showing that iron instead of cobalt and nickel can be used as a cathode material in lithium-ion batteries.
Published Shedding light on the chemical enigma of sulfur trioxide in the atmosphere
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers discovered that sulfur trioxide can form products other than sulfuric acid in the atmosphere by interacting with organic and inorganic acids. These previously uncharacterized acid sulfuric anhydride products are almost certainly key contributors to atmospheric new particle formation and a way to efficiently incorporate carboxylic acids into atmospheric nanoparticles. Better prediction of aerosol formation can help curb air pollution and reduce uncertainties concerning climate change.
Published The global clean water crisis looms large
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Water scarcity will intensify with climate and socioeconomic change, disproportionately impacting populations located in the Global South.
Published Constantly on the hunt for food: Harbor porpoises more vulnerable than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Constantly on the hunt for food: Harbor porpoises more vulnerable than previously thought to the disturbances from humans. The small whales spend more than 60 percent of their day hunting small fish to stay warm in the cold waters. New research shows that harbor porpoises spend little energy on this hunting strategy, but that it makes them vulnerable to human disturbance.