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Categories: Environmental: Water, Offbeat: General

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Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

A drying Salton Sea pollutes neighboring communities      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Dust particles from the Salton Sea's exposed lakebed increased air pollution in local communities, found a new study. The pollution coincides with reduced flows into the lake and diversions to San Diego.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Chicken feathers to deliver chemotherapy drugs and repair enzymes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new method of drug delivery using proline, an amino acid found in chicken feathers and skin tissue, could be used to limit the side effects of chemotherapy and repair important enzymes, new research suggests.

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

Acute sense of touch helps hummingbirds hover near a flower without bumping into it      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Hummingbird flight mechanics have been well studied but far less is known about how their sense of touch helps them sip nectar from a flower without bumping into it. Most of what scientists know about how touch is processed in the brain comes from studies on mammals, but bird brains are very different from mammal brains. New research shows that touch and air pressure on the wings and legs activate specific clusters of neurons in two regions of the forebrain to create a map of their body, which may help hummingbirds make nuanced adjustments to flight.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
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Moon orbiting 'dinky' asteroid is actually two tiny moons stuck together      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The moon orbiting the asteroid Dinkinesh is actually two tiny moons stuck together. Collectively called 'Selam,' the two moonlets bring new insight into the complex processes behind planetary formation and evolution.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

The case of the missing black holes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have applied the well-understood and highly verified quantum field theory, usually applied to the study of the very small, to a new target, the early universe. Their exploration led to the conclusion that there ought to be far fewer miniature black holes than most models suggest, though observations to confirm this should soon be possible. The specific kind of black hole in question could be a contender for dark matter.

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

Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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Aerosol pollution, greenhouse gases must be reduced simultaneously to keep forest fires in check      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

If we want cleaner air, fewer forest fires, and less severe climate change, a new study shows we must reduce aerosol pollution and greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide at the same time.

Energy: Technology Offbeat: General Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
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Study is step towards energy-efficient quantum computing in magnets      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have managed to generate propagating spin waves at the nanoscale and discovered a novel pathway to modulate and amplify them. Their discovery could pave the way for the development of dissipation free quantum information technologies. As the spin waves do not involve electric currents these chips will be free from associated losses of energy. The rapidly growing popularity of artificial intelligence comes with an increasing desire for fast and energy efficient computing devices and calls for novel ways to store and process information. The electric currents in conventional devices suffer from losses of energy and subsequent heating of the environment.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Public have no difficulty getting to grips with an extra thumb, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have shown that members of the public have little trouble in learning very quickly how to use a third thumb -- a controllable, prosthetic extra thumb -- to pick up and manipulate objects. The team tested the robotic device on a diverse range of participants, which they say is essential for ensuring new technologies are inclusive and can work for everyone.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Research to uncover the impact of water use in the Colorado River Basin      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Persistent overuse of water and long-term drought has depleted the Colorado River and highlighted the need for a comprehensive understanding of how waters are allocated and used to develop effective management strategies.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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The secret sex life of coral revealed      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Corals play an essential role in ocean ecosystems, and like many organisms, they are under threat from climate change and other human activities. To better protect coral, it's first necessary to understand them, in particular their reproductive life cycle, which only happens once a year. For the first time, researchers have produced a model for coral spawning, based on various environmental factors. They achieved this by tapping an often overlooked source of aquatic knowledge, an aquarium.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Performance of eco-friendly cooling applications enhanced      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a sustainable and controllable strategy to manipulate interfacial heat transfer, paving the way for improving the performance of eco-friendly cooling in various applications such as electronics, buildings and solar panels.

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

Why do Dyeing poison frogs tap dance?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The toe tapping behavior of various amphibians has long attracted attention from researchers and pet owners. Despite being widely documented, the underlying functional role is poorly understood. In a new paper, researchers demonstrate that Dyeing poison frogs modulate their taps based on specific stimuli.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Offbeat: General
Published

What are the risks of hydrogen vehicles in tunnels?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team has analyzed the risk and damage potential of hydrogen vehicles in tunnels and derived recommendations. Their conclusion? Any damage would be extensive, but its occurrence is unlikely.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

How killifish embryos use suspended animation to survive over 8 months of drought      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The African turquoise killifish lives in ephemeral ponds in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. To survive the annual dry season, the fish's embryos enter a state of extreme suspended animation or 'diapause' for approximately 8 months. Now, researchers have uncovered the mechanisms that enabled the killifish to evolve this extreme survival state.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
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Close to 1 in 2 surveyed say they would use air taxis in the future      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Through a study of 1,002 participants, scientists have found that almost half (45.7 per cent) say they intend to use air taxis when they become available, with over one-third (36.2 per cent) planning to do so regularly. According to the findings, the intention to take autonomous air taxis is associated with factors such as trust in the AI technology deployed in air taxis, hedonic motivation (the fun or pleasure derived from using technology), performance expectancy (the degree to which users expect that using the system will benefit them), and news media attention (the amount of attention paid to news about air taxis).