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Categories: Environmental: Ecosystems, Physics: Optics
Published Europe was not covered by dense forest before the arrival of modern humans
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For decades, we believed that outside ice ages Europe was mostly covered by dense forest before the arrival of modern humans. Now, a new study shows that there was far more open and semi-open vegetation than conventionally expected.
Published Faster Arctic warming hastens 2C rise by eight years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The Arctic is currently warming nearly four times faster than the global average rate. The new study aimed to estimate the impact of this faster warming on how quickly the global temperature thresholds of 1.5C and 2C, set down in the Paris Agreement, are likely to be breached.
Published North Atlantic's marine productivity may not be declining, according to new study of older ice cores
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of declining phytoplankton in the North Atlantic may have been greatly exaggerated. Analysis of a Greenland ice core going back 800 years shows that atmospheric chemistry, not dwindling phytoplankton populations, explains the industrial-era ice core trends.
Published Wildfire, drought cause $11.2 billion in damage to private timberland in three Pacific states, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Wildfires and drought have led to $11.2 billion in damages to privately held timberland in California, Oregon and Washington over the past two decades, a new Oregon State University study found.
Published No scientific evidence for cognitively advanced behaviors and symbolism by Homo naledi
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study casts doubt on claims that Homo naledi, a small-brained hominin dating to between 335-241,000 years ago, deliberately buried their dead and produced rock art in Rising Star Cave, South Africa. Recent articles suggested the recent excavations at the Rising Star Cave system provided evidence of at least three burial features, two in the Dinaledi Chamber and a third in the Hill Antechamber cavity. The group of experts have now called for a deeper dig into the science behind the findings.
Published Tracking down quantum flickering of the vacuum
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Absolutely empty -- that is how most of us envision the vacuum. Yet, in reality, it is filled with an energetic flickering: the quantum fluctuations. Experts are currently preparing a laser experiment intended to verify these vacuum fluctuations in a novel way, which could potentially provide clues to new laws in physics. A research team has developed a series of proposals designed to help conduct the experiment more effectively -- thus increasing the chances of success.
Published Photo-induced superconductivity on a chip
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have shown that a previously demonstrated ability to turn on superconductivity with a laser beam can be integrated on a chip, opening up a route toward opto-electronic applications.
Published Endangered turtle population under threat as pollution may lead to excess of females being born
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers find exposure to heavy metals cadmium and antimony and certain organic contaminants, accumulated by the mother and transferred to her eggs, may cause embryos to be feminized in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), a species already at risk of extinction from a current lack of male hatchlings.
Published Naturally regrowing forests are helping to protect the remaining old forests in the Amazon
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Secondary forests that have regrown naturally on land abandoned from agriculture are important in counteracting the effects of forest fragmentation across the Amazon basin, according to new findings.
Published Diverse forests hold huge carbon potential, as long as we cut emissions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New study estimates that natural forest recovery could capture approximately 226 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon, but only if we also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving these results requires community-driven efforts to conserve and restore biodiversity. In brief: Forests have the potential to capture 226 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon in areas where they would naturally exist. This forest potential can only be achieved alongside emissions cuts. Sixty-one percent of the forest potential can be achieved by protecting existing forests and allowing them to regrow to maturity. Thirty-nine percent can be achieved by reconnecting fragmented landscapes through community-driven ecosystem restoration and management. A natural diversity of species is needed to maximize the forest carbon potential.
Published Solar-powered device produces clean water and clean fuel at the same time
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A floating, solar-powered device that can turn contaminated water or seawater into clean hydrogen fuel and purified water, anywhere in the world, has been developed by researchers.
Published Yucatán's underwater caves host diverse microbial communities
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With help from an experienced underwater cave-diving team, researchers have constructed the most complete map to date of the microbial communities living in the submerged labyrinths beneath Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Researchers found the cave system's microbiome is distinct from the nearby sea, and microbial communities vary between cave systems forming distinct 'neighborhoods.'
Published Low-intensity fires reduce wildfire risk by 60%
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source High-intensity, often catastrophic, wildfires have become increasingly frequent across the Western U.S. Researchers quantified the value of managed low-intensity burning to dramatically reduce the risk of such fires for years at a time.
Published quantum mechanics: Unlocking the secrets of spin with high-harmonic probes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Deep within every piece of magnetic material, electrons dance to the invisible tune of quantum mechanics. Their spins, akin to tiny atomic tops, dictate the magnetic behavior of the material they inhabit. This microscopic ballet is the cornerstone of magnetic phenomena, and it's these spins that a team of researchers has learned to control with remarkable precision, potentially redefining the future of electronics and data storage.
Published Atomic dance gives rise to a magnet
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers turned a paramagnetic material into a magnet by manipulating electrons' spin via atomic motion.
Published Photonics team develops high-performance ultrafast lasers that fit on a fingertip
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists demonstrate a novel approach for creating high-performance ultrafast lasers on nanophotonic chips. The new advance will enable pocket-sized devices that can perform detailed GPS-free precision navigation, medical imaging, food safety inspection and more.
Published Chemists image basic blocks of synthetic polymers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a new method to image polymerization catalysis reactions one monomer at a time.
Published 'Indoor solar' to power the Internet of Things
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source From Wi-Fi-connected home security systems to smart toilets, the so-called Internet of Things brings personalization and convenience to devices that help run homes. But with that comes tangled electrical cords or batteries that need to be replaced. Now, researchers have brought solar panel technology indoors to power smart devices. They show which photovoltaic (PV) systems work best under cool white LEDs, a common type of indoor lighting.
Published Bacteria-virus arms race provides rare window into rapid and complex evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Rather than a slow, gradual process as Darwin envisioned, biologists can now see how evolutionary changes unfold on much more accelerated timescales. Using an accelerated arms race between bacteria and viruses, researchers are documenting rapid evolutionary processes in simple laboratory flasks in only three weeks.
Published Barnacle bends shape to fend off warm-water sea snails on the move
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some barnacles are 'morphing' to protect themselves from predatory warm-water sea snails, which are expanding into their territory due to climate change.