ScienceDaily: Earth & Climate News |
| Soils in old-growth treetops can store more carbon than soils under our feet Posted: 16 Dec 2021 12:03 PM PST Canopy soils that form on tree branches contain three times more carbon than soils on the ground in Costa Rica, potentially serving as an important carbon sink around the world. |
| Concurrent heatwaves seven times more frequent than in 1980s Posted: 16 Dec 2021 06:27 AM PST Multiple large heatwaves the size of Mongolia occurred at the same time nearly every day during the warm seasons of the 2010s across the Northern Hemisphere, according to a new study. Using ERA5 climate data from 1979 to 2019, the researchers found that the number of heatwaves occurring simultaneously in the mid- to high-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere was seven times greater in the 2010s than in the 1980s. On average, there were concurrent heatwaves on 143 days each year of the 2010s -- almost every day of the 153 days of the warm months of May through September. The concurrent heat events also grew hotter and larger: their intensity rose by 17% and their geographic extent increased 46%. |
| Using the Earth’s noise to see beneath the Greenland ice sheet Posted: 15 Dec 2021 11:21 AM PST The noise created by the Earth's movements has been used to build up a detailed picture of the geological conditions beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet and the impact on ice flow, in new research. The team studied Rayleigh waves -- seismic waves generated by movements such as earthquakes -- to produce high-resolution images of the rocks underneath the ice sheet, helping to identify which areas are most susceptible to faster ice flow. It will give us a better understanding of the processes that contribute to accelerated ice discharge into the ocean and the consequent sea level rise. |
| Scientists create stable materials for more efficient solar cells Posted: 15 Dec 2021 10:27 AM PST Researchers have developed a new process for producing stable perovskite materials to create more efficient solar cells. |
| Greenland’s nutrients changing, with global impact Posted: 15 Dec 2021 10:27 AM PST Scientists have discovered the availability of carbon in Greenland's waters is shifting poleward and appearing earlier than in previous decades. This finding will enhance understanding of carbon cycling and nutrient availability in this rapidly warming and changing environment. |
| Time lag between intervention and actual CO2 decrease could still lead to climate tipping point Posted: 15 Dec 2021 10:27 AM PST A simplified mathematical model of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations and temperature found a 'lag time' between human intervention and an actual decrease in CO2 levels. This lag time has ramifications for intervention strategies meant to avoid climate tipping points and potentially catastrophic temperature increases. |
| Study of Antarctic ice’s deep past shows it could be more vulnerable to warming Posted: 15 Dec 2021 08:33 AM PST Insights into how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet responded to a warmer climate millions of years ago could improve predictions of its future. |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2021 08:32 AM PST Scientists develop a new method of synthesizing a promising membrane with superior performance during carbon dioxide removal from industrial emissions. |
| Brain study on how to slow down climate change Posted: 15 Dec 2021 08:32 AM PST When it comes to climate-friendly behavior, there is often a gap between what we want and what we actually do. Although most people want to see climate change slowed down, many do not behave in an appropriately sustainable way. Researchers have now used brain stimulation to demonstrate that the ability to sympathize with the future victims of climate change encourages sustainable behavior. |
| Scientists find climate-driven tree mortality and fuel aridity increase wildfire fuel availability Posted: 15 Dec 2021 08:32 AM PST New research suggests climate-driven tree mortality and fuel aridity are increasing fuel availability in forests leading to record-breaking wildfires in size, spread and plume formation. |
| E-waste recycling emits emerging synthetic antioxidants Posted: 15 Dec 2021 05:20 AM PST Manufacturers add synthetic antioxidants to plastics, rubbers and other polymers to make them last longer. However, the health effects of these compounds, and how readily they migrate into the environment, are largely unknown. Now, researchers have detected a broad range of emerging synthetic antioxidants, called hindered phenol and sulfur antioxidants, in dust from electronic waste (e-waste) recycling workshops, possibly posing risks for the workers inside. |
| Despite cleaner air, pollution disparities for people of color remain across the US Posted: 15 Dec 2021 05:20 AM PST Researchers investigated disparities in exposure to six major air pollutants in 1990, 2000 and 2010 by comparing models of air pollution levels to census data. While overall pollutant concentrations have decreased since 1990, people of color are still more likely to be exposed to all six pollutants than white people, regardless of income level, across the continental United States. |
| Meltwater influences ecosystems in the Arctic Ocean Posted: 15 Dec 2021 05:20 AM PST In the summer months, sea ice from the Arctic drifts through Fram Strait into the Atlantic. Thanks to meltwater, a stable layer forms around the drifting ice atop the salty seawater, producing significant effects on biological processes and marine organisms. |
| Biodiversity loss in plants worldwide Posted: 15 Dec 2021 05:20 AM PST Naturalized alien plants are causing a worldwide decline in the uniqueness of regional floras, according to the results of a global research project. |
| ‘Forever chemicals’ latch onto sea spray to become airborne Posted: 15 Dec 2021 05:20 AM PST When ocean waves break, microscopic particles break free into the air. For beachgoers, aerosolized sea salts contribute to the tousled 'beach hair' look. But other compounds found in seawater, including perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), could become airborne as bubbles pop at the water's surface. Now, researchers have observed in a thorough field study that sea spray pollutes the air in coastal areas with these potentially harmful chemicals. |
| Night lights: New global atlas maps out artificial light at night under the sea Posted: 14 Dec 2021 12:21 PM PST A new study maps out areas of the ocean most affected by light pollution, and shows that up to 1.9 million km2 of the world's coastal waters are being exposed to biologically significant levels of artificial light at night. |
| Finding new channels to selectively target pest insects Posted: 14 Dec 2021 12:21 PM PST Ion channels in the nervous system are among the most important targets for insecticides. Understanding the structure of the channels is key for the identification of novel species-specific binding sites of agrochemicals. Researchers have revealed the structure and function of a potassium ion channel in fruit flies. Their newly obtained insights reveal the differences between human and insect channels, explain how known compounds affect the channel and propose new target sites for drugs. The research could help pesticide manufacturers design new drugs apt to specifically kill pest insects and parasites without affecting other animals like bees and mammals. |
| Early bloomers: Using citizen-science data to investigate unseasonal flowering in Joshua trees Posted: 14 Dec 2021 12:02 PM PST In November 2019, visitors to Joshua Tree National Park in California encountered a strange sight. Joshua trees and closely related Mojave yuccas, which normally remain reproductively dormant until late spring, were in full bloom at the tail end of autumn. In a new study, researchers used citizen-science data to determine the cause of the anomalous bloom and predict when similar events might occur. |
| New guidelines may help reduce tick-borne illness Posted: 14 Dec 2021 10:49 AM PST The number of cases of tick-borne illnesses (TBIs) reported annually to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more than doubled over the past two decades in the United States. An expert panel has developed a set of clinical practice guidelines that recommends low-risk interventions, employable with minimal resources, to help reduce the number of TBIs. |
| Diet and temperature linked to metabolism in opaleye fish Posted: 14 Dec 2021 10:49 AM PST Whether it's warm outside or cold, people generally eat about the same amount. But a fish's appetite can vary enormously with the temperature. As coldblooded animals, their metabolism is governed by external conditions: It's slow going for a cold fish, but high temperatures kick them into high gear. |
| Study combines climatic, tectonic models to explain Andean conundrum Posted: 14 Dec 2021 10:49 AM PST The Andes Mountains are much taller than plate tectonic theories predict they should be, a fact that has puzzled geologists for decades. Mountain-building models tend to focus on the deep-seated compressional forces that occur when tectonic plates collide and send rocks skyward. A new study demonstrates how modern top-down models that account for climate-related factors combined with traditional bottom-up tectonic models can help uncover the perplexing history of the Andes Mountains. |
| Evidence for shared earthquakes between San Andreas and San Jacinto faults Posted: 14 Dec 2021 10:49 AM PST The San Andreas and San Jacinto faults have ruptured simultaneously at least three times in the past 2,000 years, most recently in 1812, according to a new study by geologists. |
| Scientists urge creating strategic forest reserves to mitigate climate change, protect biodiversity Posted: 14 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST The United States should immediately move to create a collection of strategic forest reserves in the Western U.S. to fight climate change and safeguard biodiversity, according to a scientific collaboration led by ecologist. |
| Physics of coral as an indicator of reef health Posted: 14 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST New research shows that physics measurements of just a small portion of reef can be used to assess the health of an entire reef system. The findings may help scientists grasp how these important ecosystems will respond to a changing climate. |
| Decade-old photographs shared on social media give away a new species of pygmy grasshopper Posted: 14 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST While scrolling the social network iNaturalist, researchers spotted photographs of what turned out to be a Peruvian species of grasshopper currently unknown to science. Having described the new insect with no formal name, the team demonstrates that first, it's not an easy task to describe a species from photographs only, and, secondly, there's a wealth of digital data ready to reveal the Earth's unknown biodiversity. |
| How we measure the effects of methane matters for climate policy Posted: 14 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST An international team of researchers explored how focusing either on the short- or long-term warming effects of methane can affect climate mitigation policies and dietary transitions in agriculture. |
| N-type conductive tin sulfide thin films: Towards environmentally friendly solar cells Posted: 13 Dec 2021 09:18 AM PST Abundant, safe, and environmentally friendly, tin sulfide is predicted to be used in next generation solar cell panels. Now, a research group has used impurity doping to fabricate n-type conductive tin sulfide thin films, paving the way for their use in solar cells. |
| Size doesn’t matter: Rock composition determines how deadly a meteorite impact is Posted: 13 Dec 2021 09:18 AM PST A new study has found that the minerology of the rocks that a meteorite hits, rather than the size of the impact, determines how deadly an impact it will have. |
| River animals just go with the flow Posted: 10 Dec 2021 07:31 AM PST Interesting floodplain dynamics were observed during and after seasonal flooding in northern Japan. The combination of the natural flow patterns of rivers and the complex geomorphology of the floodplain supported diverse aquatic biota there. Intensive fieldwork and a 2019 flood-recession survey yielded data in flow dynamics, water chemistry, and animal responses in the floodplain.The team's findings reveal that seasonal changes cause extensive floods as well as the expansion and contraction of river channels. The observed spatial and temporal changes to aquatic habitats give rise to distinct responses and adaptations by a diverse range of animals. |
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