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Categories: Computer Science: Encryption, Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published Bioengineered yeast feed on agricultural waste
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have created a bioengineered yeast that can grow efficiently on a wide range of sugars from agricultural waste biomass, closing a carbon cycle for the biosynthesis of fuels, pharmaceuticals and plastics.
Published Dry manufacturing process offers path to cleaner, more affordable high-energy EV batteries
(via sciencedaily.com) Early experiments have revealed significant benefits to a dry battery manufacturing process. This eliminates the use of toxic solvents while showing promise for delivering a battery that is durable, less weighed down by inactive elements and able to maintain high energy storage capacity after use. Such improvements could boost wider EV adoption, helping to reduce carbon emissions and achieve U.S. climate goals.
Published It's sewage, not fertilizer fueling nitrogen surge in Florida's Indian River Lagoon
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fertilizer restrictions along Florida's 156-mile-long Indian River Lagoon were intended to reduce nutrient inputs from urban and agricultural land uses. The hope was that water quality would improve by reducing the nitrogen load. While these restrictions were well-intended, a study finds fertilizer use is not the root cause of the lagoon's environmental issues. It's sewage. For decades, fertilizer use was implicated for about 71 percent of the lagoon's environmental impairments. In fact, current estimates show 79 percent of nitrogen loading is from septic systems; 21 percent is from residential fertilizer use.
Published How do microbes spread globally? A study clarifies how they travel from end to end of the world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study compiles the scope of the problem of the global dispersal of harmful microorganisms through the upper layers of the atmosphere.
Published What causes mudslides and floods after wildfires? Hint: It's not what scientists thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists once assumed that flooding and mudslides after wildfires were linked to the waxy coating that builds up on charred soil, preventing water absorption. Researchers found that water flow came from absorbed water in both burnt and unburnt areas, suggesting that water was, in fact, being absorbed into burnt ground. The discovery provides valuable insights into where and when potential flooding and mudslides may occur and how landscapes recover after a wildfire.
Published Our favorite vintages and their precarious mountainside homes are at risk due to climate change, environmental scientists warn
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tucked into the hillsides of Italy, Portugal, and Spain, some of the world's most famous -- and most difficult to maintain -- vineyards are heralded for their unique flavor profiles and centuries of tradition. But as extreme weather and changing socioeconomic conditions make this so-called 'heroic viticulture' even more challenging, scientists worry these grapes and their cultural histories are at risk. Researchers argue that farmers and scientists must work together to protect some of the world's most celebrated wines.
Published Fungi blaze a trail to fireproof cladding
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have shown it's possible to grow fungi in thin sheets that could be used for fire-retardant cladding or even a new kind of fungal fashion.
Published Salinity changes threatening marine ecosystems
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A groundbreaking study reveals the critical yet severely understudied factor of salinity changes in ocean and coastlines caused by climate change.
Published Air pollution particles may be cause of dramatic drop in global insect numbers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers report that an insect's ability to find food and a mate is reduced when their antennae are contaminated by particulate matter from industry, transport, bushfires, and other sources of air pollution.
Published Ohio train derailment, clean-up resulted in high levels of some gases, study shows
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A freight train carrying industrial chemicals derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023, and to avoid explosions, authorities conducted a controlled release and burned the cars' contents. Residents were worried about their health and the environment, so researchers have been assessing the local air quality with stationary and mobile sampling methods. Now they report that some gases, including acrolein, reached levels that could be hazardous.
Published New radar technique lets scientists probe invisible ice sheet region on Earth and icy worlds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new radar technique developed by a graduate student allows imaging of the upper few feet of ice sheets on Earth and icy worlds. The technique uses instruments on airplanes or satellites to survey large regions quickly. The upper few feet of ice sheets are important for measuring melt on Earth or looking for habitable environments on icy worlds. Previous airborne or satellite techniques could not image this narrow region in detail.
Published Paths for reducing harmful air pollution in South Asia identified
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has evaluated the contribution of various emission sectors and fuels to PM2.5 mass for 29 states in India and six surrounding countries: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
Published Crawford Lake, Canada, chosen as the primary marker to identify the start of the Anthropocene epoch
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of researchers has chosen the location which best represents the beginnings of what could be a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene. The Anthropocene Working Group have put forward Crawford Lake, in Canada, as a Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the Anthropocene. A GSSP is an internationally agreed-upon reference point to show the start of a new geological period or epoch in layers of rock that have built up through the ages.
Published Widespread illegal trade of hazardous chemicals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have studied the global trade in highly hazardous chemicals subject to a global treaty -- the Rotterdam Convention. The results are sobering: Nearly half of the total trade volume of these chemicals crosses national borders illegally, calling for strong international and national action.
Published Forest can adapt to climate change, but not quickly enough
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source America's forests have a tough time in store for them. Climate change is increasing temperatures and decreasing moisture levels across the country, not a winning combination for trees.
Published Breathing poison: Microbial life on nitric oxide respiration
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Nitric oxide (NO) is a central molecule in the global cycling of nitrogen, and also toxic. Little is known about if and how microbes can use NO as a substrate for growth. Scientists have now managed to grow a microbial community dominated by two, so-far unknown species on NO for more than four years (and counting) and study their metabolism in great detail. Their research provides insight into the physiology of NO-respiring microorganisms, which have pivotal roles in the control of climate active gases, waste removal, and the evolution of nitrate and oxygen respiration.
Published Roots are capable of measuring heat on their own
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plant roots have their own thermometer to measure the temperature of the soil around them and they adjust their growth accordingly. Through extensive experiments, a team was able to demonstrate that roots have their own temperature sensing and response system. In a new study, the scientists also provide a new explanation for how roots themselves detect and react to higher temperatures. The results could help develop new approaches for plant breeding.
Published Solving rare disease mysteries ... and protecting privacy
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have demonstrated a new way of linking personal records and protecting privacy. The first application is in identifying cases of rare genetic disorders. There are many other potential applications across society.
Published A safe, easy, and affordable way to store and retrieve hydrogen
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered a compound that uses a chemical reaction to store ammonia, potentially offering a safer and easier way to store this important chemical. This discovery makes it possible not only to safely and conveniently store ammonia, but also the important hydrogen is carries, and it should help lead the way to a decarbonized society with a practical hydrogen economy.
Published Arctic dust found to be a major source of particles that form ice crystals in Arctic low-level clouds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists in Japan have used a global climate model to show that dust from land without snow cover in the Arctic is a major source of particles that form ice crystals in Arctic low-level clouds. This finding could help improve predictions of Arctic warming, which is suggested to be much faster than in other parts of the world.