In the treetops: Ecologist studies canopy soil abundance, chemistry
When we think of soil, most of us think of dirt on the ground. But a surprising amount of the planet's soil thrives in the treetops of old-growth forests, high above terra firma......»»
Designing multifunctional framework materials for sustainable photocatalysis
The goal of sustainable chemistry has motivated chemists to use renewable energy in chemical reactions, minimizing hazardous waste, and maximizing atom economy. Nature provides a blueprint with photosynthesis, in which carbohydrates are produced from.....»»
Breathing may introduce microplastics to the brain—new study
Small plastic particles are everywhere: in the soil where our food is grown, in the water we drink and in the air we breathe. They got there from the plastic we throw away, which ends up in landfill sites, rivers and seas. There the plastic waste slo.....»»
Study suggests moon may have been captured from space rather than formed from collision particles
Over six missions to the moon, from 1969 to 1972, Apollo astronauts collected more than 800 pounds of lunar rock and soil. Chemical and isotopic analysis of that material showed that it was similar to the rock and soil on Earth: calcium-rich, basalti.....»»
Water flux recovers asynchronously after snow damage in subtropical forest, study shows
Forests play a crucial role in the global water cycle. However, only a few studies have investigated post-damage radiative forcing of evapotranspiration and its underlying processes in forests......»»
Presence of bacteria in soil makes flowers more attractive to pollinators, study shows
Bacteria that live in soil and help roots fix nitrogen can boost certain plants' capacity to reproduce, according to an article published in the American Journal of Botany describing a study of this mechanism in Chamaecrista latistipula, a legume bel.....»»
How to save a sinking city
What do Venice, Jakarta, Manilla and Bangkok have in common? They are or were sinking cities. Wageningen researcher Philip Minderhoud studies the causes of subsidence in these cities. Groundwater extraction plays an important part in all cases. The g.....»»
Advancing green chemistry: A tandem catalyst for efficient biomass conversion
The global demand for sustainable energy sources has intensified the search for environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuels. Biomass waste, a byproduct of various industrial processes, presents an untapped potential for the production of bi.....»»
Who lives in the rainforest treetops? DNA-collecting drone provides insights
Squinting into the treetops won't reveal the tiny organisms up there. But these creatures leave clues, in the form of DNA, on the leaves and branches. Now, researchers report in Environmental Science & Technology that they have developed a way to col.....»»
Injecting manure into growing cover crops can cut pollution, support corn crops
Nitrogen in the soil, where plants can readily utilize it, benefits crop growth and health. However, nitrogen leaving the soil—whether through leaching into the groundwater table, flowing with surface runoff into streams or escaping into the air as.....»»
How special is the Milky Way galaxy? Survey team releases new findings
Is our home galaxy, the Milky Way galaxy, a special place? A team of scientists started a journey to answer this question more than a decade ago. Commenced in 2013, the Satellites Around Galactic Analogs (SAGA) Survey studies galaxy systems like the.....»»
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.....»»
Biofuel production: Rhodococcus strain N1-S transforms succinic acid production
As the global push for sustainable biofuels intensifies, lignocellulosic biomass has emerged as a prime candidate for biofuels and biochemicals owing to its abundance and renewability. This biomass, derived from plant materials, holds great promise a.....»»
Rising waters, waning forests: Scientists are using tree rings to study how rising sea levels affect coastal forests
Sunlight filters through the canopy of pines, holly, sweet gum, and red maple while bird calls echo in the distance. These coastal forests may seem like others in the Mid-Atlantic, but a hidden challenge looms. Standing tall next to their salt marsh.....»»
Ice cores show pollution"s impact on Arctic atmosphere
A Dartmouth-led study on ice cores from Alaska and Greenland found that air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels reaches the remote Arctic in amounts large enough to alter its fundamental atmospheric chemistry. The findings illustrate the long.....»»
ALICE probes the strong interaction three-body problem with new measurements of hadron–deuteron correlations
In an article recently published in Physical Review X, the ALICE collaboration presented its studies of correlations in the kaon–deuteron and proton–deuteron systems, opening the door to precise studies of the forces in three-body nuclear systems.....»»
A secret recipe for colorful and versatile animal crystals
What do fish, chameleons, crabs and Walter White, the chemistry teacher from "Breaking Bad," all have in common? The answer is that they all know how to make crystals. But, unlike the incorrigible White, who manufactured mind-altering methamphetamine.....»»
Human urine could be used as eco-friendly crop fertilizer: Study
Bacterial communities in soil are as resilient to human urine as synthetic fertilizers—making recycling the bodily fluid as a fertilizer for agricultural crops a viable proposition, according to a new study......»»
Scientists reviewed 7,000 studies on microplastics. Their alarming conclusion puts humanity on notice
It's been 20 years since a paper in the journal Science showed the environmental accumulation of tiny plastic fragments and fibers. It named the particles "microplastics.".....»»
‘An abundance of caution’: Here’s why an Idaho school just canceled homecoming parade
‘An abundance of caution’: Here’s why an Idaho school just canceled homecoming parade.....»»
Anker warns people to stop using some of its iPhone power banks, issues recall
"Manufacturing defect": Anker is recalling all units “out of an abundance of caution.” Enlarge / An Anker 334 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 10K) on an iPhone. (credit: Anker) Anker is recalling three models of MagSafe iP.....»»