Biology: Zoology Chemistry: General Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Cicadas' unique urination unlocks new understanding of fluid dynamics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

While most small insects and mammals urinate in droplets, cicadas urinate in jets. Researchers say the finding could be used to create better robots and small nozzles.

Chemistry: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

A better handle on the emissions budget for the Paris climate targets      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have found a new way to calculate the total carbon emissions consistent with the Paris climate targets of 1.5 degrees Celsius and 2 degrees Celsius of global warming.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Severe Weather
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Rock weathering and climate: Low-relief mountain ranges are largest carbon sinks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

For many hundreds of millions of years, the average temperature at the surface of the Earth has varied by not much more than 20 degrees Celsius, facilitating life on our planet. To maintain such stable temperatures, Earth appears to have a 'thermostat' that regulates the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide over geological timescales, influencing global temperatures. The erosion and weathering of rocks are important parts of this 'thermostat.'

Chemistry: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Pinging pipes could help to identify lead water lines without excavation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent study showed that it is possible to discern the composition of a buried pipe by striking an accessible portion of it and monitoring the sound waves that reach the surface. This method could help water utility companies verify the location of lead water lines without having to break ground.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
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Earth's earliest forest revealed in Somerset fossils      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The oldest fossilized forest known on Earth -- dating from 390 million years ago -- has been found in the high sandstone cliffs along the Devon and Somerset coast of South West England.

Chemistry: General Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Viscose manufactured solely from recycled materials      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

At present, viscose textiles are made of biomass from the forest, and there is no such thing as fully recycled viscose. Researchers have now succeeded in making new viscose -- from worn-out cotton sheets.

Biology: Zoology Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Bee-2-Bee influencing: Bees master complex tasks through social interaction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Bumblebees successfully learned a two-step puzzle box task through social observation. This task was too complex for individual bees to learn on their own. Observing trained demonstrator bees performing the first unrewarded step was crucial for successful social learning. Individual bees failed to solve the puzzle without previous demonstration, despite extensive exposure.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Genetic mutation in a quarter of all Labradors hard-wires them for obesity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research finds around a quarter of Labrador retriever dogs face a double-whammy of feeling hungry all the time and burning fewer calories due to a genetic mutation.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Do some electric fish sense the world through comrades' auras?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

It would be a game-changer if all members of a basketball team could see out of each other's eyes in addition to their own. Biologists have found evidence that this kind of collective sensing occurs in close-knit groups of African weakly electric fish, also known as elephantnose fish. This instantaneous sharing of sensory intelligence could help the fish locate food, friends and foes.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Tiny worms tolerate Chornobyl radiation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study finds that exposure to chronic radiation from Chornobyl has not damaged the genomes of microscopic worms living there today -- which doesn't mean that the region is safe, the scientists caution, but suggests that these worms are exceptionally resilient.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Harmful 'forever chemicals' removed from water with new electrocatalysis method      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed new electrochemical approaches to clean up pollution from 'forever chemicals' found in clothing, food packaging, firefighting foams, and a wide array of other products. A new study describes nanocatalysts developed to remediate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS.

Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
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We know the Arctic is warming -- What will changing river flows do to its environment?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists recently combined satellite data, field observations and sophisticated numerical modeling to paint a picture of how 22.45 million square kilometers of the Arctic will change over the next 80 years. As expected, the overall region will be warmer and wetter, but the details -- up to 25% more runoff, 30% more subsurface runoff and a progressively drier southern Arctic, provides one of the clearest views yet of how the landscape will respond to climate change.

Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Fossil named 'Attenborough's strange bird' was the first in its kind without teeth      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new fossil, named 'Attenborough's strange bird' after naturalist and documentarian Sir David Attenborough, is the first of its kind to evolve a toothless beak. It's from a branch of the bird family tree that went extinct in the mass extinction 66 million years ago, and this strange bird is another puzzle piece that helps explain why some birds -- and their fellow dinosaurs -- went extinct, and others survived to today.