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Categories: Geoscience: Environmental Issues, Geoscience: Landslides
Published What 'Chornobyl dogs' can tell us about survival in contaminated environments


In the first step toward understanding how dogs -- and perhaps humans -- might adapt to intense environmental pressures such as exposure to radiation, heavy metals, or toxic chemicals, researchers found that two groups of dogs living within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone showed significant genetic differences between them. The results indicate that these are two distinct populations that rarely interbreed. While earlier studies focused on the effects of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster on various species of wildlife, this is the first investigation into the genetic structure of stray dogs living near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Published Anthropogenic climate change poses systemic risk to coffee cultivation


Coffee is important to the economies of coffee producing regions. A new study suggests that climate change may significantly affect land where coffee is cultivated.
Published Records from Platform Holly provide a glimpse of how petroleum production affects natural gas seeps



From oil rigs to tar seeps, it's hard to miss the presence of petroleum around the Santa Barbara Channel. Scientists have now investigated the interplay between the two processes releasing oil from underground: human enterprise and regional geology.
Published Unprecedented increase in ocean plastic since 2005 revealed by four decades of global analysis


A global dataset of ocean plastic pollution between 1979 and 2019 reveals a rapid and unprecedented increase in ocean plastics since 2005, according to a new study.
Published Long-term exposure to nitrate in drinking water may be a risk factor for prostate cancer


The nitrate ingested over the course of a person's adult lifetime through the consumption of tap water and bottled water could be a risk factor for prostate cancer, particularly in the case of aggressive tumors and in younger men.
Published Smoke particles from wildfires can erode the ozone layer


A new study finds that smoke particles in the stratosphere can trigger chemical reactions that erode the ozone layer -- and that smoke particles from Australian wildfires widened the ozone hole by 10 percent in 2020.
Published To help dry forests, fire needs to be just the right intensity, and happen more than once


Research into the ability of a wildfire to improve the health of a forest uncovered a Goldilocks effect -- unless a blaze falls in a narrow severity range, neither too hot nor too cold, it isn't very good at helping forest landscapes return to their historical, more fire-tolerant conditions.
Published Short-distance migration critical for climate change adaptation


Short-distance migration, which accounts for the vast majority of migratory movements in the world, is crucial for climate change adaptation, according to new research. Contrary to common assumptions, most migratory movements are people moving short distances, largely due to economic, social and environmental factors, such as climate change.
Published Grassroots data vital for reducing deadly bird-window strikes


Much of the progress made in understanding the scope of bird deaths from building and window collisions has come as the result of citizen science, according to a newly published study. But the study also concludes that such grassroots efforts need more buy-in from government and industry, and better funding so they can keep a foot on the gas in their efforts to reduce bird-window collisions.
Published Plant roots fuel tropical soil animal communities


A research team has shed new light on the importance of plant roots for below-ground life, particularly in the tropics. Millions of small creatures toiling in a single hectare of soil including earthworms, springtails, mites, insects, and other arthropods are crucial for decomposition and soil health. For a long time, it was believed that leaf litter is the primary resource for these animals. However, this recent study is the first to provide proof that resources derived from plant roots drive soil animal communities in the tropics.
Published Study examines potential use of machine learning for sustainable development of biomass



Machine learning can be valuable in supporting sustainable development of biomass if it is applied across the entire lifecyle of biomass and biomass-derived products, according to a new study.
Published Gas monitoring at volcanic fields outside Naples, Italy, exposes multiple sources of carbon dioxide emissions


The Phlegraean volcanic fields just west of Naples, Italy, are among the top eight emitters of volcanic carbon dioxide in the world. Since 2005, the Solfatara crater -- one of many circular depressions in the landscape left by a long history of eruptions --has been emitting increased volumes of gas. Today it emits 4,000-5,000 tons of carbon dioxide each day, equivalent to the emissions from burning ~500,000 gallons of gasoline. Researchers estimate that as much as 20%--40% of the current carbon dioxide emissions are from the dissolution of calcite in the rocks, while 60%--80% is from underground magma.
Published Elegantly modeling Earth's abrupt glacial transitions



Milutin Milankovitch hypothesized that the timing of glacial transitions has been controlled by the orbital parameters of the Earth, which suggests that there may be some predictability in the climate, a notoriously complex system. Now researchers propose a new paradigm to simplify the verification of the Milankovitch hypothesis. The new 'deterministic excitation paradigm' combines the physics concepts of relaxation oscillation and excitability to link Earth's orbital parameters and the glacial cycles in a more generic way.
Published Pioneering study shows flood risks can still be considerably reduced if all global promises to cut carbon emissions are kept


Annual damage caused by flooding in the UK could increase by more than a fifth over the next century due to climate change unless all international pledges to reduce carbon emissions are met, according to new research.
Published Study into global daily air pollution shows almost nowhere on Earth is safe



In a new study of daily ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) across the globe, a new study has found that only 0.18% of the global land area and 0.001% of the global population are exposed to levels of PM2.5 -- the world's leading environmental health risk factor -- below levels of safety recommended by Word Health Organization (WHO). Importantly while daily levels have reduced in Europe and North America in the two decades to 2019, levels have increased Southern Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America and the Caribbean, with more than 70% of days globally seeing levels above what is safe.
Published Wheat's ancient roots of viral resistance uncovered


The DNA sequence of a gene in wheat responsible for resisting a devastating virus has been discovered, providing vital clues for managing more resistant crops and maintaining a healthy food supply.
Published A wholly sustainable plastics economy is feasible


A new study shows what it will take for the plastics industry to become completely sustainable: lots of recycling combined with the use of CO2 from the air and biomass. It is also the image of plastics that need to change.
Published Mississippi River Delta study reveals which human actions contribute to land loss


Scientists reveal new information about the role humans have played in large-scale land loss in the Mississippi River Delta -- crucial information in determining solutions to the crisis.
Published A mixture of trees purifies urban air best


Conifers are generally better than broad-leafed trees at purifying air from pollutants. A new study shows that the best trees for air purification depend on the type of pollutant involved.
Published Drones detect moss beds and changes to Antarctica climate


Researchers are using drones with highly advanced sensors and AI to map large areas and to study changes to Antarctica's climate.