Energy: Batteries Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Completely stretchy lithium-ion battery for flexible electronics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When you think of a battery, you probably don't think stretchy. But batteries will need this shape-shifting quality to be incorporated into flexible electronics, which are gaining traction for wearable health monitors. Now, researchers report a lithium-ion battery with entirely stretchable components, including an electrolyte layer that can expand by 5000%, and it retains its charge storage capacity after nearly 70 charge/discharge cycles.

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

Researchers predict fewer, pricier strawberries as temperatures warm      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Strawberries could be fewer and more expensive because of higher temperatures caused by climate change, according to new research.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Enzyme-powered 'snot bots' help deliver drugs in sticky situations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Snot might not be the first place you'd expect nanobots to be swimming around. But this slimy secretion exists in more places than just your nose and piles of dirty tissues -- it also lines and helps protect the lungs, stomach, intestines and eyes. And now, researchers have demonstrated in mice that their tiny, enzyme-powered 'snot bots' can push through the defensive, sticky layer and potentially deliver drugs more efficiently.

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

Weather experts discover new effect of storm -- in a teacup      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study reveals that Storm Ciaran cut an invisible path of mayhem across southern Britain last autumn, destroying any possibility that 20 million people could have a proper cup of tea at breakfast. The storm's record-breaking low pressure meant the boiling point of water was below the crucial 100 degrees Celsius required for a decent cuppa.

Computer Science: General Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

A new neural network makes decisions like a human would      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers are training neural networks to make decisions more like humans would. This science of human decision-making is only just being applied to machine learning, but developing a neural network even closer to the actual human brain may make it more reliable, according to the researchers.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: General Mathematics: General Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

Neural networks made of light      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists propose a new way of implementing a neural network with an optical system which could make machine learning more sustainable in the future. In a new paper, the researchers have demonstrated a method much simpler than previous approaches.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
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Learning dance moves could help humanoid robots work better with humans      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have trained a humanoid robot to perform a variety of expressive movements, from simple dance routines to gestures like waving, high-fiving and hugging, all while maintaining a steady gait on diverse terrains. This work marks a step towards building robots that perform more complex and human-like motions.

Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Planted mangroves' ability to store carbon      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Ecologists have published new findings on how planted mangroves can store up to 70% of carbon stock to that found in intact stands after only 20 years.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
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A new twist on artificial 'muscles' for safer, softer robots      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have developed a new soft, flexible device that makes robots move by expanding and contracting -- just like a human muscle. To demonstrate their new device, called an actuator, the researchers used it to create a cylindrical, worm-like soft robot and an artificial bicep. In experiments, the cylindrical soft robot navigated the tight, hairpin curves of a narrow pipe-like environment, and the bicep was able to lift a 500-gram weight 5,000 times in a row without failing.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

The Gulf Stream is wind-powered and could weaken from climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New evidence of changes to the Gulf Stream during the last ice age could indicate additional sensitivity to future climatic changes, finds a new study.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Geoscience: Severe Weather Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Groundbreaking study reveals oceanic seabirds chase tropical cyclones      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study reveals that the rare Desertas Petrels (Pterodroma deserta), a wide-ranging seabird in the North Atlantic, exhibit unique foraging behaviors during hurricane season. Contrary to other pelagic seabirds, these petrels do not avoid intense tropical cyclones but instead exploit the dynamic conditions for their benefit, providing new insights into the impact of cyclones on open ocean marine life.

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

Engine wear risk as planes swallow more dust waiting to land      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Planes flying into one of the world's busiest airports are ingesting around 10kg of dust per 1,000 flights.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
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Exploring the radiative effects of precipitation on Arctic amplification and energy budget      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

While, in theory, precipitation impacts the Earth's radiation budget, the radiative effects of precipitation (REP) are poorly understood and excluded from most climate models. Hence, a new study examined the role of REP in the global and regional energy budgets and hydrological cycles, finding that REP significantly contributes to temperature and precipitation variations at different geographical scales, especially in the Arctic warming. This highlights the relevance of including REP in climate modeling for improved accuracy.

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

How dust pollution from shrinking Great Salt Lake affects communities disproportionately      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Exposure to wind-blown dust from exposed playa of the Utah lake is worse in Hispanic neighborhoods, according to new research. Findings suggest restoring the lake could ease social inequities associated with air pollution.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Early-onset El NiƱo means warmer winters in East Asia, and vice versa      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have found that the early onset of El Nino around June leads to warm winter climates in Japan, while the late onset of El Nino is associated with colder winters. By analyzing 100-ensemble member climate simulations over the past 61 years, the team found that the warming of the tropical Indian Ocean was a player in warmer Japanese winters.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Severe Weather
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Study explores what motivates people to watch footage of disasters and extreme weather      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The release in July 2024 of the blockbuster film Twisters (centred around a social-media celebrity storm-chaser) demonstrates an ongoing public fascination in hazards and extreme weather. The arrival of camera and streaming technologies have made it easier to collect and share such footage in recent years, resulting in often dramatic footage being live-streamed on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Discord. Now, a new study has analyzed what might be motivating people to watch these streams -- in some instances for up to 12 hours at a time.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

New and improved camera inspired by the human eye      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Computer scientists have invented a camera mechanism that improves how robots see and react to the world around them. Inspired by how the human eye works, their innovative camera system mimics the tiny involuntary movements used by the eye to maintain clear and stable vision over time.

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

Dampening the 'seeds' of hurricanes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Increased atmospheric moisture may alter critical weather patterns over Africa, making it more difficult for the predecessors of many Atlantic hurricanes to form, according to a new study.