How simulations could help get PFAS out of soil
Michigan State University chemists are discovering new information to help remediate "forever chemicals" by showing for the first time how they interact with soil at the molecular level......»»
Sustainable smart agriculture with a biodegradable soil moisture sensor
Increasingly limited land and water resources have inspired the development of precision agriculture, which is the use of remote sensing technology to monitor air and soil environmental data in real time to help optimize crop output. Maximizing the s.....»»
The earthworm effect: Unraveling soil weathering dynamics
Earthworms, the hardworking invertebrates that grace the upper layers of soil, have long been considered helpful in our home gardens. Earthworms are prolific munchers, grinding up organic material and sediment grains that make up soils. Although they.....»»
Management zone maps of little use to corn growers, study finds
A multiyear analysis tested whether management zone maps based on soil conditions, topography or other landscape features can reliably predict which parts of a cornfield will respond best to higher rates of seeding or nitrogen application. The study.....»»
Thousands More Puzzling "Fairy Circles" Have Been Found around the World
These mysterious spots of barren soil have fascinated scientists for years. Now evidence of their existence beyond two known locations is stirring up a fresh round of contention.....»»
Cover crops found to reduce carbon loss in the soil of Mediterranean olive groves by more than 75%
Agricultural soils sustain life by producing food, but they also play an essential role in climate change, functioning as carbon sinks, storing large quantities of carbon and reducing its concentration in the atmosphere. Carbon is the main indicator.....»»
Experts call for more evidence as medical and teacher education embrace simulation technologies
Researchers are urging an evidence-based approach to the use of simulations to train medics and teachers, amid signs that technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and mixed reality could reshape education in both professions......»»
Scientists gain powerful tool to scrutinize changing US weather patterns
An extraordinary new dataset of high-resolution weather simulations that span more than four decades over the continental United States is now available to the Earth system science community......»»
Vacuum cleaner-effect in fungi can hold nanoplastics at bay
Using micro-engineered soil models, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have investigated the effect of tiny polystyrene particles on bacteria and fungi. While these nanoplastics reduced both bacterial and fungal growth, the fungus actually mana.....»»
Heat Waves in the Ground Are Getting More Extreme—and Perilous
The atmosphere is rapidly warming, but the soil is also prone to heat waves. Scientists are racing to understand the consequences......»»
Study sheds new light on how soil viruses behave and interact with bacteria
Viruses in soil may not be as destructive to bacteria as once thought and could instead act like lawnmowers, culling older cells and giving space for new growth, according to research out of the University of California, Davis, published Sept. 28 in.....»»
Simulations reveal the atomic-scale story of qubits
Researchers led by Giulia Galli at University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering report a computational study that predicts the conditions to create specific spin defects in silicon carbide. Their findings, published online in Natu.....»»
Q&A: New tool supports private industry in minimizing impacts to nature"s services
Companies and investors are increasingly considering, and measuring, the impacts of their business activities on nature, or "natural capital" (the world's stock of natural assets like air, water, soil, and biodiversity). This includes how impacts to.....»»
Study shows bacteria in the soil can defy periods of drought
While many bacteria become inactive during dry spells, specific groups persist and even thrive. A new study, published in Nature Communications and conducted by the Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CeMESS) at the University.....»»
Ultrasound may rid groundwater of toxic "forever chemicals"
New research suggests that ultrasound may have potential in treating a group of harmful chemicals known as PFAS to eliminate them from contaminated groundwater......»»
Turning mine waste into healthy soil
Tailings, the waste left after extracting precious and critical minerals, often contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals that can pollute soil, water, and even crops. There are over 1,800 tailings storage facilities around the world, and in 2019, a.....»»
Human evolution: Hominins challenge giant hyenas for carcasses in Prehistoric simulations
Hominins—the group that includes humans and our extinct relatives—may have been capable of competing with giant hyenas for carcasses abandoned by saber-toothed cats and jaguars during the late-early Pleistocene era (approximately 1.2 to 0.8 milli.....»»
Researchers reveal different photocatalytic process of Cr(VI) on cellulose- and lignin-rich biochar
As much as 300 to 500 billion tons of biochar are reported to be in soil, sediment and aquatic habitats in China. The discovery of photocatalytic activity of biochar opens up a new frontier in understanding how this substance affects and regulates ge.....»»
Computer simulations show how intermediate-mass black holes could form inside stellar clusters
An international consortium of astronomers, including staff from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, has successfully unraveled the intricate formation mechanisms of the elusive intermediate-mass black holes. They could represent the link between.....»»
Research reveals new insights into soil liquefaction during earthquakes
Soil liquefaction, a destructive phenomenon occurring during earthquakes, has traditionally been associated with undrained conditions near the earthquake epicenter. However, new research conducted by Dr. Shahar Ben-Zeev at The Hebrew University of Je.....»»
Researchers prepare for exascale supercomputer simulations of nuclear reactors
Nuclear energy is responsible for approximately one-fifth of total electricity used in the U.S., and nearly half of the country's renewable electricity. Most of the reactors generating this electricity were built decades ago. The construction of new.....»»