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ScienceDaily: Top Environment News |
| Posted: 19 Jan 2022 04:42 PM PST Scientists monitoring the giant A68A Antarctic iceberg from space reveal that a huge amount of fresh water was released as it melted around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. 152 billion tonnes of fresh water -- equivalent to 20 x Loch Ness or 61 million Olympic sized swimming pools, entered the seas around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia when the megaberg A68A melted over 3 months in 2020/2021, according to a new study. |
| English Channel stops new rockpool species reaching UK Posted: 19 Jan 2022 04:40 PM PST The English Channel prevents many rockpool species 'making the jump' from Europe to the UK, new research shows. |
| Air pollution significantly reduces pollination by confusing butterflies and bees Posted: 19 Jan 2022 04:40 PM PST A new study finds pollination reduced by almost a third when diesel fumes and ozone were present - the negative impact of these common air pollutants on pollination were observed in the natural environment. |
| Kombucha water filters can resist clogging better than commercial options Posted: 19 Jan 2022 12:52 PM PST Commercially available ultrafiltration membranes that purify water are expensive and get clogged easily by particles and microorganisms. Recently, living filtration membranes were reported as an alternative sieving material. Grown from kombucha cultures, the filters are dense, stacked sheets of bacterial cellulose. Now, researchers show that these living membranes are more resistant to clogging and biofouling, making them more efficient and less expensive to use than conventional ones. |
| Posted: 19 Jan 2022 12:52 PM PST A team of biology researchers has found that some of the newer variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 can infect the respiratory tract of wild mice, unlike the original strain that emerged from China. |
| Camels’ noses inspire a new humidity sensor Posted: 19 Jan 2022 11:28 AM PST Researchers describe a humidity sensor inspired by the structure and properties of camels' noses. In experiments, they found this device could reliably detect variations in humidity in settings that included industrial exhaust and the air surrounding human skin. |
| Scientists find previously unknown jumping behavior in insects Posted: 19 Jan 2022 11:27 AM PST A team of researchers has discovered a jumping behavior that is entirely new to insect larvae, and there is evidence that it is occurring in a range of species -- we just haven't noticed it before. |
| Bubbles of methane rising from seafloor in Puget Sound Posted: 19 Jan 2022 10:50 AM PST The release of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas responsible for almost a quarter of global warming, is being studied around the world, from Arctic wetlands to livestock feedlots. A team has discovered a source much closer to home: 349 plumes of methane gas bubbling up from the seafloor in Puget Sound, which holds more water than any other U.S. estuary. |
| New simulations can improve avalanche forecasting Posted: 19 Jan 2022 10:50 AM PST Computer simulations of snow cover can accurately forecast avalanche hazard, according to a new international study. Currently, avalanche forecasts in Canada are made by experienced professionals who rely on data from local weather stations and on-the-ground observations from ski and backcountry ski operators, avalanche control workers for transportation and industry, and volunteers who manually test the snowpack. |
| Uncovering the underlying patterns in contemporary evolution Posted: 19 Jan 2022 10:50 AM PST Wild populations must continuously adapt to environmental changes or risk extinction. For more than fifty years, scientists have described instances of 'rapid evolution' in specific populations as their traits (phenotypes) change in response to varying stressors. For example, Spanish clover has developed a tolerance for copper from the mine tailings in which it grows, and the horn size of Alberta bighorn sheep has decreased due to trophy hunting. But until now it hasn't been possible to reach any overarching conclusions about how different factors (such as harvesting, climate change, invasive species, or pollution) shape this rapid (now called 'contemporary') evolution. |
| 2020 volcanic eruption leads to hours-long thunderstorm Posted: 19 Jan 2022 10:50 AM PST A study discusses how advances in global lightning detection have provided novel ways to characterize explosive volcanism. |
| Tracking the lifespan and myriad functions of mRNA Posted: 19 Jan 2022 09:14 AM PST New studies shed light on how mRNAs are born and how they regulate production of proteins inside of our cells once they reach maturity. The findings have implications not only for achieving effective doses for new vaccines, but for helping determine the biological roots of many cancers and diseases. |
| Lockdown drove pollution changes between -- even within -- cities Posted: 19 Jan 2022 09:14 AM PST A new modelling method allows researchers to measure levels of nitrogen dioxide on a finer scale, revealing disparities in exposure during COVID. |
| Decarbonization tech instantly converts co2 to solid carbon Posted: 19 Jan 2022 09:14 AM PST A smart and super-efficient new way of capturing carbon dioxide and converting it to solid carbon could help advance the decarbonization of heavy industries. |
| Particles formed in boreal forests affect clouds in the troposphere Posted: 19 Jan 2022 09:14 AM PST Direct observations were made on the interactions between aerosol particles formed in boreal forests and clouds in the atmospheric boundary layer. |
| Fish study shows role of estrogens in sense of smell Posted: 19 Jan 2022 09:13 AM PST Steroid estrogens play an important role as embryos develop a sense of smell, new research shows. The study, which examined zebrafish embryos, discovered a type of astrocyte glial cell that is new to science, and have been named estrogen responsive olfactory bulb (EROB) cells. |
| Climate crisis drives Mediterranean coral populations to collapse Posted: 19 Jan 2022 09:13 AM PST A new study has revealed that marine heatwaves associated with the climate crisis are bringing down the populations of coral in the Mediterranean, the biomass of which in some cases has been reduced by 80 to 90%. |
| High protein diet may harm polar bears Posted: 19 Jan 2022 09:13 AM PST A high protein diet appears linked to kidney disease and shortened lifespans for captive polar bears, a relationship similarly suspected in humans. A careful look at what zoos have fed polar bears revealed they mostly offered a diet intended for big cats, containing about 2-3 parts protein to 1-part fat, a reversal from what was observed in the wild. |
| Smart windows can significantly reduce indoor pathogens Posted: 19 Jan 2022 09:13 AM PST Daylight passing through smart windows results in almost complete disinfection of surfaces within 24 hours while still blocking harmful ultraviolet (UV) light, according to new research. For this research, she tested four strains of hazardous bacteria -- methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa -- using a mini-living lab set-up. The lab had smart windows, which tint dynamically based on outdoor conditions, and traditional windows with blinds. |
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