How socially and culturally diverse Minnesotans value water
Understanding how different communities value water and prioritize its protection is critical to effective policy and governance......»»
Dead coral skeletons hinder reef regeneration by sheltering seaweed
The structural complexity of coral reefs creates a vibrant underwater city populated by a diverse assortment of characters. Ironically, this same complexity can impede coral recovery after disturbances......»»
Key negotiator Norway sees "positive signals" ahead of plastic talks
In the single week that world leaders convened for high-level UN talks in New York, nearly 100,000 water bottles' worth of microplastics swirled through the city's air, posing known and still unknown risks to human health......»»
Researchers explore novel approach to map forest dieback in satellite images
Forests and woodlands cover one third of Earth's surface and play a critical role in carbon sequestration, water regulation, timber production, soil protection, and biodiversity conservation. Accelerated by climate change, the decline of these and ot.....»»
Frozen in time: Rock fossils hint at Mars"s ancient climate
Long ago, flowing wind and water shaped Mars's malleable sand and sediment into dunes, ripples and other landscape patterns, called bedforms. Over billions of years, some of these landforms hardened into rock—scientists then call them paleo-bedform.....»»
Climate-smart grazing: Study shows how weather mitigates nitrogen runoff
Livestock production is an important component of U.S. agriculture, with global demand for meat and dairy expected to double in the coming decades. This increase will lead to intensified grazing on U.S. grasslands, potentially exacerbating water qual.....»»
Study shows Mars" early thick atmosphere could be locked up in the planet"s clay surface
Mars wasn't always the cold desert we see today. There's increasing evidence that water once flowed on the red planet's surface, billions of years ago. And if there was water, there must also have been a thick atmosphere to keep that water from freez.....»»
Thousands of abandoned mines in Colorado are leaking toxic water, but Congress finally has a solution in sight
Polluted water leaking from thousands of abandoned mines in Colorado's mountains is turning wetlands orange and dumping toxic dissolved metals in the headwaters of many of the state's rivers......»»
New nanoparticle prevents mineral buildup in equipment handling water-oil mixtures
In the process of oil extraction, hard mineral buildup inside the pipes and equipment can cause serious operational damage, safety issues such as pipe explosion and significant economic losses. The current methods for descaling mineral buildup, howev.....»»
Governor launches effort to protect rivers, water supplies as growth booms in SC
Gov. Henry McMaster took steps Tuesday to jump start plans for protecting South Carolina rivers and groundwater, forming a commission to study how to manage the water supplies that often spark disputes among businesses, farmers, environmentalists and.....»»
Bottled water has a huge and growing toll on human and planetary health, experts warn
The huge and growing toll bottled water is taking on human and planetary health warrants an urgent rethink of its use as 1 million bottles are bought every minute around the globe, with that figure set to rise further still amid escalating demand, wa.....»»
Atmospheric methane increase during pandemic due primarily to wetland flooding, satellite data analysis finds
A new analysis of satellite data finds that the record surge in atmospheric methane emissions from 2020 to 2022 was driven by increased inundation and water storage in wetlands, combined with a slight decrease in atmospheric hydroxide (OH). The resul.....»»
Tree frog tadpoles have a unique way of not contaminating their water supply: Not pooping
The Eiffinger's tree frog (Kurixalus eiffingeri), found on Ishigaki and Iriomote islands in Japan, has a unique biological adaptation: its tadpoles do not defecate during their early developmental stages. This finding by researchers at Nagoya Univers.....»»
New study shows that word-initial consonants are systematically lengthened across diverse languages
Speech consists of a continuous stream of acoustic signals, yet humans can segment words from each other with astonishing precision and speed. To find out how this is possible, a team of linguists has analyzed durations of consonants at different pos.....»»
Navigating complex systems to preserve prairie wetlands
From grasslands to boreal forests, Saskatchewan has some of the most dynamic ecosystems in the country and is home to equally complex water systems. Researchers like Dr. Colin Whitfield (Ph.D.), associate professor in the School of Environment and Su.....»»
Sharks and rays leap out of the water for many reasons, including feeding, courtship and communication
Many sharks and rays are known to breach, leaping fully or partly out of the water. In a recent study, colleagues and I reviewed research on breaching and ranked the most commonly hypothesized functions for it......»»
Businesses trying to come clean about their impact on nature can end up concealing more than they reveal
Humans have overfished the ocean, cleared forests, polluted water and created a climate crisis by burning fossil fuels. These actions are affecting biodiversity around the world, from remote islands to our own backyards......»»
Chemists discover new ways in which single-celled organisms organize their DNA
It has only recently been discovered that single-celled organisms (bacteria and archaea) also have histones—proteins that structure DNA. Now, Leiden Ph.D. candidate Samuel Schwab has found that the histones in these organisms are much more diverse.....»»
High-pressure reactions can turn nonporous rocks into sponges
In deep Earth, rocks take up and release water all the time, and the effects can be wide reaching. Dehydration can cause rocks to crack and trigger earthquakes, and over geologic timescales, this water cycling can influence plate tectonics and move c.....»»
Water-free manufacturing approach could help advance 2D electronics integration
The future of technology has an age-old problem: rust. When iron-containing metal reacts with oxygen and moisture, the resulting corrosion greatly impedes the longevity and use of parts in the automotive industry......»»
Sources of water and hydroxyl are widespread on the moon, new analysis of maps finds
A new analysis of maps of the near and far sides of the moon shows that there are multiple sources of water and hydroxyl in the sunlit rocks and soils, including water-rich rocks excavated by meteor impacts at all latitudes......»»