Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Nature Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Hurricane changed 'rules of the game' in monkey society      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A devastating hurricane transformed a monkey society by changing the pros and cons of interacting with others, new research shows.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General
Published

Origins of cumulative culture in human evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Cumulative culture -- the accumulation of technological modifications and improvements over generations -- allowed humans to adapt to a diversity of environments and challenges. But, it is unclear when cumulative culture first developed during hominin evolution. A new study concludes that humans began to rapidly accumulate technological knowledge through social learning around 600,000 years ago.

Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Effective hurricane risk messaging      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Forecasters can use images in social media to better communicate weather related hazards of hurricanes, according to a pair of new studies.

Biology: Biochemistry Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Understanding the Green Sahara's collapse      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Abrupt shifts within complex systems such as the Earth's climate system are extremely hard to predict. Researchers have now succeeded in developing a new method to anticipate such tipping points in advance. They successfully tested the reliability of their method using one of the most severe abrupt climate changes of the past: the shift of the once-green Sahara into a desert.

Anthropology: Early Humans Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Nature Paleontology: General
Published

Early Homo sapiens facilitated the establishment of the Bonelli's eagle in the Mediterranean 50,000 years ago      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have unraveled the ancestral history of one of the most iconic birds of prey in the current Iberian fauna: the Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata). The study combines evidence from several disciplines, including palaeontology, genetics and ecology, to answer questions about when and why the Bonelli's eagle, a species primarily found in tropical and subtropical areas, colonized the Mediterranean Basin.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather Geoscience: Volcanoes
Published

Video analysis of Iceland 2010 eruption could improve volcanic ash forecasts for aviation safety      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Video footage of Iceland's 2010 Eyjafjallaj kull eruption is providing researchers with rare, up-close observations of volcanic ash clouds -- information that could help better forecast how far explosive eruptions disperse their hazardous ash particles.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Public more confident connecting increasing heat, wildfires with climate change than other extreme weather events, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers found that U.S. adults are fairly confident in linking wildfires and heat to climate change, but less confident when it comes to other extreme weather events like hurricanes, flooding or tornadoes.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Severe Weather Mathematics: Modeling Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Quantum data assimilation: A quantum leap in weather prediction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Data assimilation is an important mathematical discipline in earth sciences, particularly in numerical weather prediction (NWP). However, conventional data assimilation methods require significant computational resources. To address this, researchers developed a novel method to solve data assimilation on quantum computers, significantly reducing the computation time. The findings of the study have the potential to advance NWP systems and will inspire practical applications of quantum computers for advancing data assimilation.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Researchers use 3D visualization to predict, prevent hurricane damage      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

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.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Earth and space share the same turbulence      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered that the turbulence found in the thermosphere -- known as the gateway to space -- and turbulence in the troposphere, here closer to sea level, follow the same physical laws despite having drastically different atmospheric compositions and dynamics.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Marine Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

New coral disease forecasting system      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Research has led to a new tool for forecasting coral disease that could help conservationists step in at the right times with key interventions. Ecological forecasts are critical tools for conserving and managing marine ecosystems, but few forecasting systems can account for the wide range of ecological complexities in near-real-time.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Physics: Optics
Published

Electrochromic films -- like sunglasses for your windows?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Advances in electrochromic coatings may bring us closer to environmentally friendly ways to keep inside spaces cool. Like eyeglasses that darken to provide sun protection, the optical properties of these transparent films can be tuned with electricity to block out solar heat and light. Now, researchers report demonstrating a new electrochromic film design based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that quickly and reliably switch from transparent to glare-diminishing green to thermal-insulating red.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Bringing back an ancient bird      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using ancient DNA extracted from the toe bone of a museum specimen, biologists have sequenced the genome of an extinct, flightless bird called the little bush moa, shedding light into an unknown corner of avian genetic history. The work is the first complete genetic map of the turkey-sized bird whose distant living cousins include the ostrich, emu, and kiwi.

Ecology: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Severe Weather
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.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Rising temperatures will significantly reduce streamflow in the upper Colorado river basin as groundwater levels fall      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The Colorado River makes life possible in many Western cities and supports agriculture that sustains people throughout the country. Most of the river's water begins as snowmelt from the mountainous watersheds of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, and a warming climate will drastically reduce these streamflows, new research finds.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Social networks can influence perception of climate-change risk      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Short but severe episodes of flooding from hurricanes in Texas and Florida triggered a nationwide increase in flood insurance sign-ups depending on how socially connected a county was to the flooded counties.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Night-time heat significantly increases the risk of stroke      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers show that nocturnal heat significantly increases the risk of stroke. The findings can contribute to the development of preventive measures: With them, the population can better protect themselves against the risks of climate change with increasingly frequent hot nights. In addition, knowledge of the consequences of hot nights can improve patient care.