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Categories: Geoscience: Geochemistry, Geoscience: Geography
Published Pacific coast gray whales have gotten 13% shorter in the past 20-30 years, Oregon State study finds



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.
Published Mobile monitoring for an airborne carcinogen in Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley'



Louisiana's southeastern corridor is sometimes known colloquially as 'Cancer Alley' for its high cancer incidence rates connected to industrial air pollution. Most of the region's air pollution-related health risks are attributed to ethylene oxide, a volatile compound used to make plastics and sterilize medical equipment. Researchers measured concerning levels of ethylene oxide in this area with mobile optical instruments, a technique they say could improve health risk assessments.
Published A mountainous mystery uncovered in Australia's pink sands



Deposits of deep-pink sand washing up on South Australian shores shed new light on when the Australian tectonic plate began to subduct beneath the Pacific plate, as well as the presence of previously unknown ancient Antarctic mountains.
Published Cocaine trafficking threatens critical bird habitats



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.
Published Humans are the elephant in the room where conservation is debated



Studies working to map conservation historically have left humans out of the equation. This study proposes ways to build in the outsized footprint created by people in wild places.
Published Are plants intelligent? It depends on the definition



Goldenrod can perceive other plants nearby without ever touching them, by sensing far-red light ratios reflected off leaves. When goldenrod is eaten by herbivores, it adapts its response based on whether or not another plant is nearby. Is this kind of flexible, real-time, adaptive response a sign of intelligence in plants?
Published Just thinking about a location activates mental maps in the brain



Researchers found that mental representations known as cognitive maps, located in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex, are activated when the brain performs mental simulations of a navigational route.
Published Significant increase in nitrous-oxide emissions from human activities, jeopardizing climate goals



Emissions of nitrous-oxide (N2O) -- a potent greenhouse gas -- have continued to rise unabated over the past four decades, according to an international team of scientists.
Published Soil bacteria respire more CO2 after sugar-free meals



Researchers tracked how plant matter moves through bacteria's metabolism. Microbes respire three times as much carbon dioxide (CO2) from non-sugar carbons from lignin compared to sugar from cellulose. Although microbes consume both types of plant matter at the same time, each type enters a different metabolic pathway. Findings could improve predictions of how climate-dependent changes in soil carbon types will affect microbial CO2 production.
Published Scientists unlock secrets of how archaea, the third domain of life, makes energy



An international scientific team has redefined our understanding of archaea, a microbial ancestor to humans from two billion years ago, by showing how they use hydrogen gas. The findings explain how these tiny lifeforms make energy by consuming and producing hydrogen. This simple but dependable strategy has allowed them to thrive in some of Earth's most hostile environments for billions of years.
Published Shaping nanoparticles with enzymes



The selective bond-breaking powers of enzymes bring new versatility for building nanoparticles with a wide range of technical and medical potential.
Published Major milestone in cutting harmful gases that deplete ozone layer and worsen global warming



A new study has revealed significant progress in the drive to reduce levels in the atmosphere of chemicals that destroy Earth's ozone layer, confirming the success of historic regulations limiting their production.
Published New discovery reveals unexpected ocean algae help cool Earth



A common type of ocean algae plays a significant role in producing a massively abundant compound that helps cool the Earth's climate, new research has discovered.
Published Researchers use 3D visualization to predict, prevent hurricane damage



The researchers say 3D visualization of hurricanes and storm surges allows them to understand how flooding will impact coastal communities by allowing them to vividly see how each building and road might be impacted by a given flood.
Published Upstream and downstream: River study highlights cross-country inequities



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.
Published Study estimates that between 1980 and 2020, 135 million premature deaths could be linked to fine particulate matter pollution



A study has revealed that fine particulate matter from 1980 to 2020 was associated with approximately 135 million premature deaths globally.
Published The solar system may have passed through dense interstellar clouds 2 million years ago, altering Earth's climate



Astrophysicists calculate the likelihood that Earth was exposed to cold, harsh interstellar clouds, a phenomenon not previously considered in geologic climate models.
Published Cascadia Subduction Zone, one of Earth's top hazards, comes into sharper focus



A new study has produced the first comprehensive survey of the many complex structures beneath the seafloor in the Cascadia Subduction Zone, off British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California. It is providing scientists with key insights into how future disasters may unfold.
Published Mushroom stump waste could be inexpensive, healthy chicken feed supplement



Feed costs for producing broiler chickens accounts for 60% to 70% of total production costs, and stump waste from the production of button mushrooms comprises nearly 30% of total mushroom weight. Marrying the two has the potential to reduce both cost and waste, especially in Pennsylvania, which is a national leader in the production of broiler chickens and button mushrooms.
Published Frozen? Let it melt with efficient new de-icer friendly to the environment



A research team has found a de-icing mixture with high effectiveness and low environmental impact after using machine learning to analyze ice melting mechanisms of aqueous solutions of 21 salts and 16 organic solvents.