How mercury gets into the sea
Mercury released into the atmosphere by industry enters the sea and from there makes its way into the food chain. Now, an analysis by the University of Basel has revealed how the harmful substance enters seawater in the first place. This is not prima.....»»
The history of the young cold traps of the asteroid Ceres
Ceres, the largest asteroid in our solar system, harbors a dark secret: extremely young ice deposits in permanently shadowed craters near its poles. If that sounds vaguely familiar, it's because our moon and planet Mercury also have such polar ice de.....»»
Mercury contamination rampant in Brazil Indigenous group: Study
Researchers in the Brazilian Amazon found universal mercury contamination among members of the Yanomami Indigenous group living in a region awash in illegal gold mining, said a study published Thursday, warning of devastating health impacts......»»
Mercury could be the perfect destination for a solar sail
Solar sails rely upon pressure exerted by sunlight on large surfaces. Get the sail closer to the sun and, not surprisingly, efficiency increases. A proposed new mission called Mercury Scout aims to take advantage of this to explore Mercury. The missi.....»»
Physicists demonstrate parity anomaly in a topological insulator
Experimental and theoretical physicists from the Würzburg Institute for Topological Insulators have observed a re-entrant quantum Hall effect in a mercury telluride device and have identified it as a signature of parity anomaly......»»
Mercury rising: Study sheds new light on ancient volcanoes" environmental impact
Massive volcanic events in Earth's history that released large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere frequently correlate with periods of severe environmental change and mass extinctions. A new method to estimate how much and how rapidly carbon was r.....»»
A bright idea for recycling rare-earth phosphors from used fluorescent bulbs
Recycling facilities collect glass and mercury from thrown-away fluorescent bulbs, but discarded lighting could also supply rare-earth metals for reuse. The 17 metals referred to as rare earths aren't all widely available and aren't easily extracted.....»»
Mercury Weather updated with new features and Apple Vision Pro app
Mercury is an elegant weather app for Apple devices for those looking for an alternative to the native iOS Weather app. With its latest update, Mercury has received a host of new features, as well as a fully optimized version for Apple Vision Pro. Re.....»»
Mercury levels in tuna remain nearly unchanged since 1971, study says
Tuna is one of the most popular seafoods worldwide. But this protein-rich fish can build up high levels of methylmercury from feeding on contaminated prey, like smaller fish or crustaceans. Despite efforts to reduce mercury emissions into the environ.....»»
Global deforestation leads to more mercury pollution, finds study
About 10% of human-made mercury emissions into the atmosphere each year are the result of global deforestation, according to a new MIT study......»»
High levels of mercury traced to particular cell types in brains of mammals
Exposure to mercury (Hg) is extremely neurotoxic in most chemical forms. Even scientists who study mercury compounds are at risk due to potential exposure to Hg. Renowned physicist Michael Faraday suffered from Hg poisoning due to prolonged exposure.....»»
Hydrothermal mercury: The natural story of a contaminant
An international team of researchers including scientists from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel has produced the first global estimate of mercury emissions from hydrothermal sources at mid-ocean ridges based on measurements......»»
Scientists develop a new high-efficiency mercury removal photocatalyst
Scientists from Shanghai University of Electric Power of College of Energy and Mechanical Engineering have developed a new high-efficiency mercury removal photocatalyst......»»
Aerocapture is a "free lunch" in space exploration
When spacecraft return to Earth, they don't need to shed all their velocity by firing retro-rockets. Instead, they use the atmosphere as a brake to slow down for a soft landing. Every planet in the solar system except Mercury has enough of an atmosph.....»»
Unveiling Mercury"s geological mysteries: Salt glaciers, primordial atmosphere, and the new frontiers of astrobiology
Scientists from the Planetary Science Institute have uncovered evidence of potential salt glaciers on Mercury, opening a new frontier in astrobiology by revealing a volatile environment that might echo habitability conditions found in Earth's extreme.....»»
What"s behind the toxic levels of mercury in tropical birds? Gold mining, study shows
The tropics are home to more than 75% of all species and are projected to support 50% of the world's human population by mid-century, but little is known about mercury pollution in these life-filled regions......»»
Scientists say that the planet Mercury is still shrinking
New research indicates that Mercury's tectonic shifts are ongoing. We've known since the 1970s that the planet Mercury was, at one point, shrinking as its core cooled. But we didn't know if it was still happening...until now. Scientists from Th.....»»
Mercury is still shrinking as it cools
Contraction features called "graben" formed (relatively) recently. Enlarge / In addition to craters, Mercury's terrain features faults generated by the planet's cooling. (credit: NASA) The planet Mercury may be hot, but.....»»
Mercury: Shrinking planet is still getting smaller, according to new research
Planetary scientists have long known that Mercury has been shrinking for billions of years. Despite being the closest planet to the sun, its interior has been cooling down as internal heat leaks away. This means that the rock (and, within that, the m.....»»
Peru"s Operation Mercury stopped most illegal gold mining in one biodiversity hotspot—then the COVID-19 pandemic hit
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is a lifeline for many who live in Madre de Dios, a region in southeastern Peru, where poverty is high and jobs are scarce. But the economic development in this part of the Amazon basin comes at a cost, as it cau.....»»
Researchers reveal dominant source of atmospheric mercury in the Arctic
A research team led by Prof. Xie Zhouqing and Prof. Le Fange from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) revealed that the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) is a dominant source of atmospheric gaseous.....»»