Ecology: General Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Coral atoll islands may outpace sea-level rise with local ecological restoration, scientists say      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Ecological restoration may save coral atoll islands from the rising seas of climate change, according to an international team of scientists, conservationists, and an indigenous leader.

Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

Ultrafast lasers map electrons 'going ballistic' in graphene, with implications for next-gen electronic devices      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Research reveals the ballistic movement of electrons in graphene in real time. The observations could lead to breakthroughs in governing electrons in semiconductors, fundamental components in most information and energy technology.

Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

How can Europe restore its nature?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Early 2024, the European Parliament will take a final vote on the 'Nature Restoration Law' (NRL), a globally unique but hotly debated regulation that aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss in Europe. An international team of scientists has investigated the prospects of the new regulation.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Move over Blitzen: Geese outpace reindeer impacts on Arctic ecosystems      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team is studying how expanding populations of two local herbivores -- reindeer and geese -- on Svalbard will impact the future of the ecosystem on the islands. 

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Nanoprobe with a barcode      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Protein-splitting enzymes play an important role in many physiological processes. Such proteases are generally present in an inactive state, only becoming activated under certain conditions. Some are linked to diseases like infections or cancer, making it important to have methods that can selectively detect active proteases. Scientists have introduced a new class of protease-activity sensors: gold nanoparticles equipped with peptide DNA.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

How forests smell -- a risk for the climate?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Plants emit odors for a variety of reasons, such as to communicate with each other, to deter herbivores or to respond to changing environmental conditions. An interdisciplinary team of researchers carried out a study to investigate how biodiversity influences the emission of these substances. For the first time, they were able to show that species-rich forests emit less of these gases into the atmosphere than monocultures. It was previously assumed that species-rich forests release more emissions. The Leipzig team has now been able to disprove this assumption experimentally.

Biology: Zoology Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Aquatic insects in restored streams need more rocks to lay their eggs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Likening it to providing more runways at busy airports, researchers at North Carolina State University found in a new study that adding protruding rocks to restored streams can help attract female aquatic insects that lay their eggs on the rock bottoms or sides. 

Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Twenty-year study confirms California forests are healthier when burned -- or thinned      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A 20-year experiment in the Sierra Nevada confirms that different forest management techniques -- prescribed burning, restoration thinning or a combination of both -- are effective at reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire in California. These treatments also improve forest health, making trees more resilient to stressors like drought and bark beetles, and they do not negatively impact plant or wildlife biodiversity within individual tree stands, the research found.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
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Spinning up control: Propeller shape helps direct nanoparticles      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Self-propelled nanoparticles could potentially advance drug delivery and lab-on-a-chip systems -- but they are prone to go rogue with random, directionless movements. Now, an international team of researchers has developed an approach to rein in the synthetic particles.

Biology: Zoology Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

The configuration of green spaces in cities determines the characteristics of their birds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international study has analyzed the distribution of 115 species of birds in spring and 72 that spend the winter in different cities. The study provides information on how to design urban areas that favor biodiversity and public wellbeing.

Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: Optics
Published

In a new light -- new approach overcomes long-standing limitations in optics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When you look up at the sky and see clouds of wondrous shapes, or struggle to peer through dense, hazy fog, you're seeing the results of 'Mie scattering', which is what happens with light interacts with particles of a certain size. There is a growing body of research that aims to manipulate this phenomenon and make possible an array of exciting technologies. Researchers have now developed a new means of manipulating Mie scattering from nanostructures.

Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

Chance twists ordered carbon nanotubes into 'tornado films'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed two new methods to create ordered carbon nanotube films with either a left- or right-handed chiral pattern.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Suburban backyard home to more than 1,000 species      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A challenge among three housemates to identify species around their inner-Brisbane home has resulted in an academic research paper, showcasing the rich biodiversity in urban landscapes.  

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics
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Polaritons open up a new lane on the semiconductor highway      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

On the highway of heat transfer, thermal energy is moved by way of quantum particles called phonons. But at the nanoscale of today's most cutting-edge semiconductors, those phonons don't remove enough heat. That's why researchers are focused on opening a new nanoscale lane on the heat transfer highway by using hybrid quasiparticles called 'polaritons.'

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General
Published

Urbanization increases seasonal differences in plant-pollinator networks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Increasing urbanization worldwide is a growing threat to biodiversity. At the same time, flowering plants are often more diverse in cities than in the countryside. This is due to flowering plants and agricultural crops, which are increasingly being grown in cities. A recent study shows that the interactions between plants and pollinators, which are important for agricultural production, are surprisingly dynamic. For example, the plant and bee species involved in pollination vary greatly between the seasons.

Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Researchers develop grassroots framework for managing environmental commons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of sustainability scientists recently announced that they have developed a community-based framework, founded on extensive local and traditional knowledge, to help assess and respond to the kinds of ecological threats that are widely dispersed across a varied landscape and whose solutions are not immediately obvious. The framework, which was developed to address watershed issues in Honduras's Lake Yojoa, is widely applicable to a broad range of threats facing ecological commons wherever they may occur around the world.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Bowtie resonators that build themselves bridge the gap between nanoscopic and macroscopic      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Two nanotechnology approaches converge by employing a new generation of fabrication technology. It combines the scalability of semiconductor technology with the atomic dimensions enabled by self-assembly.

Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Top 10 climate science insights unveiled      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new report equips policymakers with the latest and most pivotal climate science research from the previous 18 months, synthesized to help inform negotiations at COP28 and policy implementation through 2024 and beyond.

Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

New implants linked to less infection and better recovery from orthopedic surgery      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Superior knee and hip replacements are a step closer after researchers further test and develop a new orthopedic implant coating which has the strong ability to ward off infection -- as well as stimulate bone growth.   The technology consists of novel Silver-Gallium (Ag-Ga) nano-amalgamated particles that can be easily applied to medical device surfaces.