Showing 20 articles starting at article 1061
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Geoscience: Environmental Issues, Offbeat: Computers and Math
Published A new optical metamaterial makes true one-way glass possible
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered how to make an optical metamaterial that would underpin a variety of new technologies.
Published Cold-water coral traps itself on mountains in the deep sea
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Corals searching for food in the cold and dark waters of the deep sea are building higher and higher mountains to get closer to the source of their food. But in doing so, they may find themselves trapped when the climate changes.
Published Is the Amazon forest approaching a tipping point?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Global warming may be interacting with regional rainfall and deforestation to accelerate forest loss in the Amazon, pushing it towards partial or total collapse. New research has identified the potential thresholds of these stressors, showing where their combined effects could produce a 'tipping point' -- in which the forest is so fragile that just a small disturbance could cause an abrupt shift in the state of the ecosystem.
Published A 'quantum leap' at room temperature
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have achieved a milestone by controlling quantum phenomena at room temperature.
Published Controlling root growth direction could help save crops and mitigate climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have determined how the well-known plant hormone ethylene is crucial in controlling the angle at which roots grow. The findings can be used to engineer plants and crops that withstand the environmental stresses of climate change and drought, and perhaps to create plants that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it deep underground to help mitigate climate change.
Published Biomanufacturing using chemically synthesized sugars enables sustainable supply of sugar without competing with food
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have succeeded in biomanufacturing from chemically synthesized sugar for the first time in the world. With refinement of this technology, one can envision a future society in which the sugar required for biomanufacturing can be obtained 'anytime, anywhere, and at high rate'. In the future, biomanufacturing using chemically synthesized sugar is expected to be a game changer in the biotechnology field -- including the production of biochemicals, biofuels, and food, where sugar is an essential raw material -- ultimately leading to the creation of a new bio-industry.
Published A century of reforestation helped keep the eastern US cool
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Widespread 20th-century reforestation in the eastern United States helped counter rising temperatures due to climate change, according to new research. The authors highlight the potential of forests as regional climate adaptation tools, which are needed along with a decrease in carbon emissions.
Published Seeking a middle ground for reducing greenhouse emissions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Estimates show global greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by at least half in 2030 at a cost of less than $100 per ton of CO2 equivalent. But a new paper shows there are underlying frictions that might prevent people from simply adopting a newer, greener technology.
Published Benefits of heat pumps
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Millions of U.S. households would benefit from heat pumps, but the cost of installing the technology needs to come down to make their use a more attractive proposition.
Published Frequent marine heatwaves in the Arctic Ocean will be the norm
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Marine heatwaves will become a regular occurrence in the Arctic in the near future and are a product of higher anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions -- as shown in a new study.
Published Greenland's ice sheet is melting -- and being replaced by vegetation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An estimated 11,000 sq miles or 28,707 sq kilometers of Greenland's ice sheet and glaciers have melted over the last three decades, according to a major analysis of historic satellite records.
Published Eco-friendly way to generate power from waste wood
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study by researchers has revealed a sustainable method of efficiently converting waste heat into electricity using Irish wood products, while minimizing costs and environmental impact.
Published Low-cost microbe can speed biological discovery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have created a new version of a microbe to compete economically with E. coli -- a bacteria commonly used as a research tool due to its ability to synthesize proteins -- to conduct low-cost and scalable synthetic biological experiments.
Published If we can't untangle this mess, Norway's blue industry will never be green
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For the first time, researchers have investigated how ropes and fishing lines are handled by the Norwegian commercial fishing industry. The fishing fleet loses almost 400 tons of rope in Norwegian waters every year.
Published Polar bears unlikely to adapt to longer summers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source More time stranded on land means greater risk of starvation for polar bears, a new study indicates. During three summer weeks, 20 polar bears closely observed by scientists tried different strategies to maintain energy reserves, including resting, scavenging and foraging. Yet nearly all of them lost weight rapidly: on average around 1 kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, per day. Some have speculated that polar bears might adapt to the longer ice-free seasons due to climate warming by acting like their grizzly bear relatives and either rest or eat terrestrial food. The polar bears in this study tried versions of both strategies -- with little success.
Published How ancient sea creatures can inform soft robotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fossils of a marine animal that lived 500 million years ago, combined with computer simulations, informed the design of a new soft robot.
Published Multiple city hubs, dispersed parks keep metro areas cooler
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Metropolitan areas with multiple city centers and dispersed green spaces mitigate extreme heat more effectively than those with one dominant city, an analysis by city planning scholars finds.
Published Global deforestation leads to more mercury pollution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers find deforestation accounts for about 10 percent of global human-made mercury emissions. While it cannot be the only solution, they suggest reforestation could increase global mercury uptake by about 5 percent.
Published Key advance for capturing carbon from the air
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A chemical element so visually striking that it was named for a goddess shows a 'Goldilocks' level of reactivity -- neither too much nor too little -- that makes it a strong candidate as a carbon scrubbing tool.
Published When the global climate has the hiccups
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Climate changes usually happens over long periods of time, but during the last glacial period, extreme fluctuations in temperature occurred within just a few years. Researchers have now been able to prove the phenomenon also occurred during the penultimate glacial period.