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Categories: Geoscience: Environmental Issues, Geoscience: Geology
Published Organic nanozymes have broad applications from food and agriculture to biomedicine
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Nanozymes are tiny, engineered substances that mimic the catalytic properties of natural enzymes, and they serve a variety of purposes in biomedicine, chemical engineering, and environmental applications. They are typically made from inorganic materials, including metal-based elements, which makes them unsuitable for many purposes due to their toxicity and high production costs. Organic-based nanozymes partially overcome some of these problems and have the potential for a broader range of applications, including food and agriculture, but they are still in the early stages of development. A new paper provides an overview of the current state of organic nanozymes and their future potential.
Published How researchers turn bacteria into cellulose-producing mini-factories
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have modified certain bacteria with UV light so that they produce more cellulose. The basis for this is a new approach with which the researchers generate thousands of bacterial variants and select those that have developed into the most productive.
Published Is that glass bottle of OJ better for the planet than a plastic container?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Which packaging type for a 12-ounce, single-serve container of orange juice would you choose as the most sustainable option: Aluminum/canned, made with recycled material; Carton, described as biodegradable/compostable; Glass, 100% recyclable; or Plastic, described as biodegradable/compostable? If you were like the U.S. consumers surveyed by food scientists you'd prefer glass and believe it was the most sustainable choice. And you all would be mistaken.
Published NASA data shows July 22, 2024 was Earth's hottest day on record
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source July 22, 2024, was the hottest day on record, according to a NASA analysis of global daily temperature data. July 21 and 23 of this year also exceeded the previous daily record, set in July 2023. These record-breaking temperatures are part of a long-term warming trend driven by human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases.
Published A blue miracle: How sapphires formed in volcanoes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sapphires are among the most precious gems, yet they consist solely of chemically 'contaminated' aluminum oxide, or corundum. It is widely assumed that these crystals with their characteristically blue color come from deep crustal rocks and accidentally ended up on the Earth's surface as magma ascended. Geoscientists have now been able to show that the sapphire grains found in the Eifel (Germany) formed in association with volcanism.
Published California a botanical and climate change hot spot
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Climate-driven shifts in California's biodiversity call for innovation and continued environmental stewardfship, says a new study. California's 30x30 Initiative and efforts to harmonize biodiversity with renewable energy are promising steps, while wildfire strategies need to further adapt.
Published Local food production saves costs and carbon
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Emphasizing local food production over imported substitutes can lead to significant cost and carbon savings, according to data from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the Canadian Arctic. The research shows potential annual savings of more than 3.1 million Canadian dollars and roughly half the carbon emissions when locally harvested food is used instead of imported food. The study underscores the importance of climate change policies that take local food systems into account. Weakening of these local systems could lead to increased emissions and jeopardize the health and food security of remote communities.
Published Bold moves needed for California agriculture to adapt to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source California needs urgent and bold measures to adapt its $59 billion agriculture sector to climate change as the amount of water available for crops declines, according to a new report. The report provides a roadmap for more water capture, storage, and distribution systems that are in harmony with climate projections and ecosystems. It further considers how runoff and groundwater can be used repeatedly as it flows generally from mountainsides to coastal lands.
Published Countries need to co-operate on migration as climate crisis worsens
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Humanity must rethink migration as the climate crisis drives rapid global changes, researchers say.
Published Faster, cleaner way to extract lithium from battery waste
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers uncover a rapid, efficient and environmentally friendly method for selective lithium recovery using microwave radiation and a readily biodegradable solvent.
Published Plant-inspired polymers for water purification
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have synthesized a bio-inspired polymer for water purification. The polymer was designed to mimic phytochelatin, a plant protein that selectively captures and neutralizes harmful heavy metal ions. The hyperconfinement of the polymer enabled a flow-through system and effectively removed cadmium ions from contaminated water, making it safe to drink. The system was selective for heavy metals and provides a new way to remove specific contaminants from water.
Published Study tracks exposure to air pollution through the day
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For people moving through the Bronx at different times, exposure to particulate matter 2.5 microns or bigger rises by about 2.4 percent when daily travel patterns are taken into account, according to a new study.
Published Outsourcing conservation in Africa
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source There's an experiment going on in conservation in Africa. With biodiversity imperiled, and nations facing financial and political crises, some governments are transferring the management of protected areas to private, non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Published Win-win potential of grass-powered energy production
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers modeled the impact of using anaerobic digestion to produce renewable natural gas from grassy biomass in different settings and from varying perspectives, analysis that helps flesh out the system's potential.
Published New study disputes Hunga Tonga volcano's role in 2023-24 global warm-up
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research is exploring the climate impact of the 2022 Hunga Tonga volcano eruption and challenging existing assumptions about its effects in the process.
Published Climate is most important factor in where mammals choose to live, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using data from 6,645 camera traps across the United States, researchers mapped populations of 25 mammal species. They determined that climate, not human activity, was the primary factor in mammals deciding where to live.
Published Thousands of birds and fish threatened by mining for clean energy transition, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Our increasing demand for metals and minerals is putting over four thousand vertebrate species at risk, with the raw materials needed for clean energy infrastructure often located in global biodiversity hotspots, a study has found.
Published Climate change will bring more turbulence to flights in the Northern Hemisphere, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A type of invisible, unpredictable air turbulence is expected to occur more frequently in the Northern Hemisphere as the climate warms. Known as clear air turbulence, the phenomenon also increased in the Northern Hemisphere between 1980 and 2021.
Published Nitrogen emissions have a net cooling effect: But researchers warn against a climate solution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of researchers has found that nitrogen emissions from fertilizers and fossil fuels have a net cooling effect on the climate. But they warn increasing atmospheric nitrogen has further damaging effects on the environment, calling for an urgent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to halt global warming.
Published Energy planning in Ghana as a role model for the world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are investigating ways to better plan for climate-resilient energy systems in the Global South. Focusing on the case study of Accra, the capital of Ghana, the multidisciplinary team expanded conventional energy system modeling approaches by incorporating a range of socio-techno-economic challenges, climate change impacts, and resilience metrics into their models. Their approaches are applicable worldwide to support widespread sustainable and resilient energy system transitions.