ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Climate change to bring more intense storms across Europe

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 12:07 PM PDT

Investigating how climate affects intense rainstorms across Europe, climate experts have shown there will be a significant future increase in the occurrence of slow-moving intense rainstorms. The scientists estimate that these slow-moving storms may be 14 times more frequent across land by the end of the century. It is these slow-moving storms that have the potential for very high precipitation accumulations, with devastating impacts, as we saw in Germany and Belgium.

Role of deep-sea microbial predators at hydrothermal vents examined

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 10:15 AM PDT

The hydrothermal vent fluids from the Gorda Ridge spreading center in the northeast Pacific Ocean create a biological hub of activity in the deep sea. There, in the dark ocean, a unique food web thrives not on photosynthesis but rather on chemical energy from the venting fluids. Among the creatures having a field day feasting at the Gorda Ridge vents is a diverse assortment of microbial eukaryotes, or protists, that graze on chemosynthetic bacteria and archaea.

US corn and soybean maladapted to climate variations

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 08:25 AM PDT

U.S. corn and soybean varieties have become increasingly heat and drought resistant as agricultural production adapts to a changing climate. But the focus on developing crops for extreme conditions has negatively affected performance under normal weather patterns, a new study shows.

First 3D simulation of rat's complete whisker system acts as a tactile 'camera'

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 08:25 AM PDT

Engineers have developed the first full, three-dimensional (3D), dynamic simulation of a rat's complete whisker system, offering rare, realistic insight into how rats obtain tactile information.

When mad AIOLOS drags IKAROS down: A novel pathogenic mechanism

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 08:25 AM PDT

Researchers have described a novel primary immunodeficiency due to a mutation in AIOLOS. This acts through a novel pathogenic mechanism termed 'heterodimeric interference', whereby when two different proteins bind together in a heterodimer, the mutant protein hijacks the function of the normal protein. In a mouse model, they were able to restore some of the lost functions by interfering with the mutated protein, suggesting a possible therapeutic approach to disorders of this nature.

Individual protected areas in Amazonia differ greatly in how effectively they help to fight deforestation and carbon emissions

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 08:24 AM PDT

While tropical forests remain threatened and their future is uncertain, the importance of understanding how well individual protected areas avoid deforestation increases.

Monoclonal antibodies may neutralize many norovirus variants

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 08:24 AM PDT

Researchers have taken a big step toward developing targeted treatments and vaccines against a family of viruses that attacks the gastrointestinal tract.

Bats are kings of small talk in the air

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 08:24 AM PDT

Echoes from bats are so simple that a sound file of their calls can be compressed 90% without losing much information, according to a new study.

Private-public partnership helps to evaluate satellite observations of atmospheric CO2 over oceans

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 06:10 AM PDT

Satellite observations of XCO2 show greater biases apparently over oceans than over the land surface. However, no effective ways to evaluate space-time XCO2 variations over wide geographical areas exist. Observations on commercial ship tracks and aircraft routes, together with atmospehric model calculations, provide a new reference XCO2 dataset for the otherwise inaccesible areas of the world. High quality satellite observations are a requirement for better understanding of the carbon cycle in response to climate change.

Nearly 20 percent of intact forest landscapes overlap with extractive industries

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 06:10 AM PDT

A new study reveals that nearly 20 percent of tropical Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs) overlap with concessions for extractive industries such as mining, oil and gas.

3D printed replicas reveal swimming capabilities of ancient cephalopods

Posted: 16 Jul 2021 06:10 AM PDT

Researchers took 3-D printed reconstructions of fossil cephalopods to actual water tanks (including a swimming pool) to see how their shell structure may have been tied to their movement and lifestyle.

Climate regulation changed with the proliferation of marine animals and terrestrial plants

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 12:38 PM PDT

Earth's climate was relatively stable for a long period of time. For three billion years, temperatures were mostly warm and carbon dioxide levels high - until a shift occurred about 400 million years ago. A new study suggests that the change at this time was accompanied by a fundamental alteration to the carbon-silicon cycle.

New tool to help farmers make crop input decisions

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 12:38 PM PDT

A new tool allows farmers to create a budget balance sheet of any nitrogen reduction plans and see the economic and environmental cost, return and margins, all customized to fields under their management.

Newly discovered role for CTP in ensuring faithful cell division in bacteria

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 11:24 AM PDT

To grow and multiply efficiently, bacteria must coordinate cell division with chromosome segregation. Key to this process is a protein called Nucleoid Occlusion Factor or Noc. A small and abundant molecule called Cytidine Triphosphate (CTP) is key to the functions of Noc. CTP binding enables Noc to 'spread' on DNA to form a large protein complex. CTP also 'switches on' the membrane-binding ability of Noc.

Researchers discover a new inorganic material with lowest thermal conductivity ever reported

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 11:23 AM PDT

A collaborative research team has discovered a new inorganic material with the lowest thermal conductivity ever reported. This discovery paves the way for the development of new thermoelectric materials that will be critical for a sustainable society.

Extraordinary carbon emissions from El Nino-induced biomass burning estimated

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 11:23 AM PDT

In 2015, massive biomass burning events occurred in Equatorial Asia which released a large amount of carbon into the atmosphere, whose signals were captured by in-situ high-precision measurements onboard commercial passenger aircraft and a cargo ship. A simulation-based analysis with those observations estimated the fire-induced carbon emissions to be 273 Tg C for September - October 2015.

Removing the lead hazard from perovskite solar cells

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 06:08 AM PDT

Although a very promising solution for capturing solar energy, perovskite solar cells contain lead, which is toxic to the environment and a serious health hazard. Scientists have now found a very elegant and efficient solution by adding a transparent phosphate salt that doesn't interfere with light-conversion efficiency while preventing lead from seeping into the soil in cases of solar panel failure.

Floating into summer with more buoyant, liquid-proof life jackets, swimsuits

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 10:19 AM PDT

Summertime is here, and that often means long, lazy days at the beach, water skiing and swimming. Life jackets and swimsuits are essential gear for these activities, but if not dried thoroughly, they can develop a gross, musty smell. Now, researchers have developed a one-step method to create a buoyant cotton fabric for these applications that is also oil- and water-repellent.