Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: General
Published

Study links changes in global water cycle to higher temperatures      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study takes an important step toward reconstructing a global history of water over the past 2,000 years. Using geologic and biologic evidence preserved in natural archives -- including 759 different paleoclimate records from globally distributed corals, trees, ice, cave formations and sediments -- the researchers showed that the global water cycle has changed during periods of higher and lower temperatures in the recent past.

Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Buzz around new centralized pollination portal for better global bee data      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A powerful new way to fill major gaps in public bee data -- including from Africa, Asia and other under-reported zones -- has been addressed with a centralized tool for consolidating bee pollinator occurrences around the globe.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

The ringed seals in Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland are special      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Local hunters in the Icefjord near Ilulissat have long known about a special ringed seal -- the Kangia seal -- which is significantly larger and has a markedly different fur color and pattern than typical Arctic ringed seals. Now scientific studies have shown that the Kangia ringed seal has been isolated from other ringed seals for a long period of time -- more than 100,000 years.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Toward sustainable construction: Preparing liquefied stabilized soil from construction sludge      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Liquefied stabilized soil (LSS) is made with construction waste and used for filling and backfilling long, confined spaces where traditional compaction is difficult. Using LSS helps speed up construction processes while reducing costs, wastage, and environmental impact. Now, researchers have developed a superior, high-flowability LSS from construction sludge with better mechanical properties and fluidity than conventional LSS, which could make the construction industry more sustainable.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Circular take-back programs: popular and environmentally responsible      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Consumers exhibit a higher willingness to pay for products that are part of a circular take-back program.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Plastic-eating bacteria turn waste into useful starting materials for other products      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Mountains of used plastic bottles get thrown away every day, but microbes could potentially tackle this problem. Now, researchers report that they've developed a plastic-eating E. coli that can efficiently turn polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste into adipic acid, which is used to make nylon materials, drugs and fragrances.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Volcanoes
Published

Human emissions increased mercury in the atmosphere sevenfold      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers estimated that before humans started pumping mercury into the atmosphere, it contained on average about 580 megagrams of mercury. However, in 2015, independent research that looked at all available atmospheric measurements estimated the atmospheric mercury reservoir was about 4,000 Mg -- nearly 7 times larger than the natural condition estimated in this study.  

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Shifting nesting timing not enough to prevent fewer sea turtle hatchlings      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research shows that potential adaptive responses by sea turtles, such as shifting the timing of when they nest, may not be enough to counteract the projected impacts from climate change on hatchling production.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Endangered Species Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

How sunflowers see the sun      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Sunflowers famously turn their faces to follow the sun as it crosses the sky. But how do sunflowers 'see' the sun to follow it? Plant biologists show that they use a different, novel mechanism from that previously thought.

Biology: Developmental Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction
Published

Advanced assisted reproduction in white rhinos is safe and reliable, shows evaluation of procedures      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The BioRescue project develops and pioneers advanced assisted reproduction technologies (aART) for conservation in the face of the imminent extinction of most rhino species and subspecies. In a new scientific analysis, the team evaluated 65 aART procedures conducted from 2015 to 2022. The evaluation showed that aART is safe for the donor females with no detrimental health effects, and successful in that it yielded 51 embryos.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Paleontology: Climate
Published

New map of 20th century land use in Britain helps researchers demystify biodiversity change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have mapped how land use changed across Britain throughout the last century. The new map reveals how and where some 50 per cent of semi-natural grassland was lost, including 90 per cent of the country's lowland meadows and pasture, as the nation intensified its agriculture.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Efficient biohybrid batteries      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Formic acid, which can be produced electrochemically from carbon dioxide, is a promising energy carrier. A research team has now developed a fast-charging hybrid battery system that combines the electrochemical generation of formic acid as an energy carrier with a microbial fuel cell. This novel, fast-charging biohybrid battery system can be used to monitor the toxicity of drinking water, just one of many potential future applications.

Chemistry: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Humans are disrupting natural 'salt cycle' on a global scale, new study shows      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new paper revealed that human activities are making Earth's air, soil and freshwater saltier, which could pose an 'existential threat' if current trends continue. Geologic and hydrologic processes bring salts to Earth's surface over time, but human activities such as mining and land development are rapidly accelerating this natural 'salt cycle.'

Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Sea Life
Published

Researchers observe wolves hunting and killing sea otters and harbor seals on Alaska's Katmai coast      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Firsthand observations of a wolf hunting and killing a harbor seal and a group of wolves hunting and consuming a sea otter on Alaska's Katmai coast have led scientists to reconsider assumptions about wolf hunting behavior.

Chemistry: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Microplastics' shape determines how far they travel in the atmosphere      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Micron-size microplastic debris can be carried by the jet stream across oceans and continents, and their shape plays a crucial role in how far they travel.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

How common desert shrub efficiently harvests water from the air      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of scientists has revealed the mechanism a desert plant native to the United Arab Emirates uses to capture moisture from the desert air in order to survive.

Biology: Botany Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Australasia's hidden pollination crisis could threaten biodiversity and food security      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Australasia's hidden pollination crisis, mirroring global threats, could pose a significant risk to regional biodiversity and food security, new research has found.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Cultural adaptation to climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Examining how human culture evolves in response to a changing environment may help with creating more effective climate change adaptation efforts. Using farming data from across the U.S., a team of researchers conducted a new study of cultural adaptation to climate change. They found that in many places in the U.S. farmers are already adapting to climate change by selecting crops that grow better in new conditions. Focusing on the process of cultural adaptation can improve research and policy to help adapt to a warming world.

Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Amazon deforestation linked to long distance climate warming      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Deforestation in the Amazon causes land surfaces up to 100 kilometers away to get warmer, suggests a new study.   The research suggests that tropical forests play a critical role in cooling the land surface -- and that effect can play out over considerable distances.