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Categories: Geoscience: Environmental Issues, Geoscience: Landslides
Published Discarded aloe peels could be a sustainable, natural insecticide
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments, promote digestive health and heal wounds. But while aloe sap is in high demand, the peels are thrown away as agricultural waste. Now, after identifying several bioactive compounds in extracts from the peels that deter insects from feasting on crops, scientists report that these peels can act as a natural insecticide.
Published Clever coating turns lampshades into indoor air purifiers
(via sciencedaily.com) Indoor air pollution may have met its match. Scientists have designed catalyst-coated lampshades that transform indoor air pollutants into harmless compounds. The lampshades work with halogen and incandescent light bulbs, and the team is extending the technology so it will also be compatible with LEDs.
Published Cleaning water with 'smart rust' and magnets
(via sciencedaily.com) Pouring flecks of rust into water usually makes it dirtier. But researchers have developed special iron oxide nanoparticles called 'smart rust' that actually makes it cleaner. The magnetic nanoparticles attract different pollutants by changing the particles' coating and are removed from water with a magnet. Now, the team is reporting a smart rust that traps estrogen hormones, which are potentially harmful to aquatic life.
Published Tubing and swimming change the chemistry and microbiome of streams
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With Labor Day approaching, many people are preparing to go tubing and swimming at local streams and rivers. But do these delightful summertime activities have an impact on waterways? Now, the first holistic study of this question has found that recreation can alter the chemical and microbial fingerprint of streams, but the environmental and health ramifications are not yet known.
Published Oceans release microplastics into the atmosphere
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tiny plastic particles can be found in the air over the oceans even far away from the coast. According to a new study, microplastics are not only carried by the wind, but also escape into the atmosphere from seawater. Researchers present data on the composition and sources of different types of plastic in the air over the North Atlantic and the origin of the particles.
Published Fresher AIr: AI and mobility data may improve air pollution exposure models
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team used data from low-cost sensors, artificial intelligence and mobility data to improve models that assess human exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), tiny particles in smoke and other forms of air pollution that can pose health dangers. The models may help public health officials develop strategies for reducing exposure to unhealthy air quality.
Published Researchers design efficient iridium catalyst for hydrogen generation
(via sciencedaily.com) Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers converts surplus electric energy into transportable hydrogen energy as a clean energy solution. However, slow oxygen evolution reaction rates and high loading levels of expensive metal oxide catalysts limit its practical feasibility. Now, researchers have developed a new tantalum oxide-supported iridium catalyst that significantly boosts the oxygen evolution reaction speed. Additionally, it shows high catalytic activity and long-term stability in prolonged single cell operation.
Published 'Planting' rocks in farms, along with emissions reductions, could help meet key IPCC carbon removal goal
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Farmers around the world could help the planet reach a key carbon removal goal set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by mixing crushed volcanic rocks into their fields, a new study reports. The study also highlights wet, warm tropics as the most promising locations for this climate intervention strategy.
Published Transforming flies into degradable plastics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Imagine using insects as a source of chemicals to make plastics that can biodegrade later -- with the help of that very same type of bug. That concept is closer to reality than you might expect. Researchers will describe their progress to date, including the isolation and purification of the insect-derived chemicals and their conversion into their bioplastics.
Published `Forever chemicals'? Maybe not
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Laboratory tests of 'ball milling' forever chemicals (PFAS) in soil suggest this method of destruction can be scaled up to help remediate thousands of sites around the world, scientists say.
Published Irrigating more US crops by mid-century will be worth the investment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With climate change, irrigating more crops in the United States will be critical to sustaining future yields, as drought conditions are likely to increase due to warmer temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns. Yet less than 20% of croplands are equipped for irrigation. A new study finds that by the middle of the 21st century under a moderate greenhouse gas emissions scenario, the benefits of expanded irrigation will outweigh the costs of installation and operation over an expanded portion of current U.S. croplands. The study maps where it makes the most sense to install irrigation for corn and soybeans and if there's enough water to do so.
Published Bear-human coexistence rethought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A researcher is creating the first model to plot on a map the coexistence of humans and bears in a national park in Italy. Designed as a tool to be used in practice, the model identifies measures and areas that are priorities for promoting human-bear coexistence. The model is being applied to the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise national parks, but can also be used for other regions and large carnivores.
Published Wildfires and farming activities may be top sources of air pollution linked to increased risk, cases of dementia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source No amount of air pollution is good for the brain, but wildfires and the emissions resulting from agriculture and farming in particular may pose especially toxic threats to cognitive health, according to new research.
Published Even treated wastewater affects our rivers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Wastewater treatment plants are undoubtedly a great achievement. After all, they have made a significant contribution to improving the quality of natural waters. A study shows, however, that substances still manage to enter the water cycle that have an impact on the composition of the organisms living in it.
Published Forensics: Interdisciplinary team studies decomposition effects on soil
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A multidisciplinary team -- engineers, soil scientists, and biologists -- digs in with them for a deeper look at what happens to the soil underneath a decomposing body.
Published High-precision genome sequencing of buckwheat breeds hope for future harvests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Buckwheat's high-precision chromosomal-level genome sequence has been deciphered, a key step toward unraveling the evolution of the buckwheat genome and the origins of the cultivated crop. By altering specific genes using a method independent of common genome-editing techniques, the researchers successfully developed a self-fertile buckwheat variety as well as a new type of the crop with a sticky, mochi-like texture. This breeding method may contribute to a more diverse range of orphan crops than what is possible with existing genome editing technologies.
Published New recycling process could find markets for 'junk' plastic waste
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Although many Americans dutifully deposit their plastic trash into the appropriate bins each week, many of those materials, including flexible films, multilayer materials and a lot of colored plastics, are not recyclable using conventional mechanical recycling methods. In the end, only about 9 percent of plastic in the United States is ever reused, often in low-value products. With a new technique, however, chemical engineers are turning low-value waste plastic into high-value products.
Published Soil microbiome, Earth's 'living skin' under threat from climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using a novel method to detect microbial activity in biological soil crusts, or biocrusts, after they are wetted, a research team in a new study uncovered clues that will lead to a better understanding of the role microbes play in forming a living skin over many semi-arid ecosystems around the world. The tiny organisms -- and the microbiomes they create -- are threatened by climate change.
Published Chemicals from maize roots influence wheat yield
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Maize roots secrete certain chemicals that affect the quality of soil. In some fields, this effect increases yields of wheat planted subsequent to maize in the same soil by more than 4%. While the findings from several field experiments show that these effects are highly variable, in the long term they may yet help to make the cultivation of grains more sustainable, without the need for additional fertilizers or pesticides.
Published Could artificially dimming the sun prevent ice melt?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With methods of so-called geoengineering, the climate could theoretically be artificially influenced and cooled. Researchers have now investigated whether it would be possible to prevent the melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet by artificially 'dimming the sun'. The results show that artificial influence does not work without decarbonization and entails high risks.