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Categories: Geoscience: Environmental Issues, Offbeat: Computers and Math
Published Asian aerosols' impact on Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation



A new study identifies the role aerosols over Asia is having on the AMOC, a complex system of currents in the Atlantic Ocean.
Published Robot ANYmal can do parkour and walk across rubble



The quadrupedal robot ANYmal went back to school and has learned a lot. Researchers used machine learning to teach it new skills: the robot can now climb over obstacles and successfully negotiate pitfalls.
Published New AI technology enables 3D capture and editing of real-life objects



Imagine performing a sweep around an object with your smartphone and getting a realistic, fully editable 3D model that you can view from any angle -- this is fast becoming reality, thanks to advances in AI. Researchers have unveiled new AI technology for doing exactly this. Soon, rather than merely taking 2D photos, everyday consumers will be able to take 3D captures of real-life objects and edit their shapes and appearance as they wish, just as easily as they would with regular 2D photos today.
Published Drought, soil desiccation cracking, and carbon dioxide emissions: an overlooked feedback loop exacerbating climate change



Soil stores 80 percent of carbon on earth, yet with increasing cycles of drought, that crucial reservoir is cracking and breaking down, releasing even more greenhouse gases creating an amplified feedback loop that could accelerate climate change.
Published 'Find pearls in the soil' unveiling the magic of hydrogen production from municipal sewage



Scientists have developed a catalyst for the urea oxidation reaction, enhancing hydrogen generation efficiency.
Published Multiple air pollutants linked to asthma symptoms in children



Exposure to several combinations of toxic atmospheric pollutants may be triggering asthma symptoms among children, a recent analysis suggests. The study showed that 25 different combinations of air pollutants were associated with asthma symptoms among 269 elementary school children diagnosed with asthma.
Published You don't need glue to hold these materials together -- just electricity



Is there a way to stick hard and soft materials together without any tape, glue or epoxy? A new study shows that applying a small voltage to certain objects forms chemical bonds that securely link the objects together. Reversing the direction of electron flow easily separates the two materials. This electro-adhesion effect could help create biohybrid robots, improve biomedical implants and enable new battery technologies.
Published Sustainable plastics from agricultural waste



Scientists have developed a sustainable method to make high-performance plastics from agricultural leftovers, turning them into valuable materials.
Published Federal housing programs protect residents from lead exposure



Americans already living in housing supported by federal housing assistance programs have significantly lower blood lead levels than counterparts who would later join these programs, according to new research.
Published Curbing coal-burning emissions translates to health gains for children



Research finds a nearly 40% decline in the annual average concentration of respirable particulate matter (PM2.5) in Krakow, Poland, between 2010 and 2019 following the implementation of clean air policies. Air quality improvements translated to substantial benefits for children's outcomes, including fewer cases of asthma and better birth outcomes.
Published High resolution imagery advances the ability to monitor decadal changes in emperor penguin populations



Emperor penguin populations have been exceedingly difficult to monitor because of their remote locations, and because individuals form breeding colonies on seasonal sea ice fastened to land (known as fast ice) during the dark and cold Antarctic winter. New research that incorporates very high-resolution satellite imagery with field-based validation surveys and long-term data has provided the first multi-year time series that documents emperor penguin global population trends.
Published Molecular simulations of ammonia mixtures support search for renewable fuels



Ammonia is an important molecule with many applications. The end product of the famed Haber-Bosch process, it is commonly synthesized to capture nitrogen for fertilizers, and is used for refrigeration, in cleaning products, and in the production of pharmaceuticals. Recently, this modest molecule has also attracted interest as a potential resource for addressing one of today's most pressing challenges -- the need for reliable and abundant renewable fuels.
Published New high-performance solar cell material



A new study reports the discovery of an entirely new stable, earth-abundant, high-performance material for solar absorbers -- the central part of a solar cell that turns light into electricity. While identifying new solar materials is typically very time-consuming, the researchers used a unique high-throughput computational screening method to quickly evaluate around 40,000 candidate materials.
Published Grounding zone discovery explains accelerated melting under Greenland's glaciers



Researchers have conducted the first large-scale observation and modeling study of northwest Greenland's Petermann Glacier. Their findings reveal the intrusion of warm ocean water beneath the ice as the culprit in the accelerated melting it has experienced since the turn of the century, and their computer predictions indicate that potential sea level rise will be much worse than previously estimated.
Published AI analysis of historical satellite images show USSR collapse in 1990s increased methane emissions, despite lower oil and gas production



An AI-powered analysis of 25 years of satellite images yields the surprising finding that methane emissions in Turkmenistan, a former Soviet republic and major oil-producing region, actually increased in the years following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Published Exploring arctic plants and lichens: An important conservation baseline for Nunavut's newest and largest territorial park



A comprehensive study of the floristic diversity of Agguttinni Territorial Park, Nunavut's newest and largest Territorial Park, has documented 141 vascular plant, 69 bryophyte, and 93 lichen species from this unique protected area on northern Baffin Island. Through a combination of extensive fieldwork in 2021 and examination of hundreds of existing herbarium specimens, the authors have documented species newly reported for Baffin Island and have crafted a biodiversity baseline important for park management and conservation.
Published New study quantifies health impacts from oil and gas flaring in U.S.



A new study finds that pollution from oil and gas venting and flaring results in $7.4 billion in health damages, more than 700 premature deaths, and 73,000 asthma exacerbations among children annually. Researchers also conclude that emissions are underreported and controlling emissions is not only profitable for operators, but also can significantly improve public health in surrounding communities.
Published Vehicle brakes produce charged particles that may harm public health



Scientists know relatively little about particles released into the air when a vehicle driver brakes, though evidence suggests those particles may be more harmful to health than particles exiting the tailpipe.
Published AI making waves in marine data collection



Numerous measurement stations around the world provide us with data about air quality, allowing us to enhance it. Although we are increasingly collecting data from marine areas, access to such data is considerably more challenging. Signals are poorly transmitted through water, differences in both pressure and currents hinder measurement devices and there is an absence of pre-constructed computing infrastructure. Could intelligent technologies help us improve marine data collection?
Published Air filters and scheduled window opening can reduce classroom pollution by up to 36%



To improve air quality in classrooms, schools should use air purifiers during the school day and open the windows after hours. That's according to a new study.