New fossil rove beetle is a first in Africa
In the heart of Botswana, a discovery at the Orapa Diamond Mine has unveiled a fossil that sheds light on the evolutionary history of beetles......»»
Fossil frogs share their skincare secrets: Analysis of 45-million-year-old soft tissues
Paleontologists at University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, have solved a hundred-year-old mystery of how some fossil frogs preserve their fleshy parts—it's all down to their skin......»»
Bacteria for climate-neutral chemicals of the future
Researchers at ETH Zurich have engineered bacteria in the laboratory to efficiently use methanol. The metabolism of these bacteria can now be tapped into to produce valuable products currently made by the chemical industry from fossil fuels......»»
Don"t blame Dubai"s freak rain on cloud seeding—the storm was far too big to be human-made
Some years ago, I found myself making my way up the narrow stairs of a Learjet on a sultry runway in a deserted airport near the South Africa-Mozambique border. The humidity was there to taste—the air thick with it......»»
East Africa"s "soda lakes" are rising, threatening their iconic flamingos
Huge pink flocks of millions of flamingos—flamboyances of flamingos—are one of nature's great spectacles. But colleagues and I have uncovered worrying trends in the salty and highly-alkaline "soda lakes" of east Africa where most of these birds l.....»»
Researchers reveal sources of black carbon in southeastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau
Black carbon (BC) is the result of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass, with strong light absorption. It is second only to carbon dioxide as a climate-forcing factor for atmospheric warming. Deposition of BC on snow and ice surfaces red.....»»
The effects of climate variability on children"s migration and childcare practices in sub-Saharan Africa
Shifting weather caused by climate change, especially drought and heat, is linked to a rise in the number of children being raised outside of their biological parents' households in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a study led by researchers at Penn.....»»
Africa is full of bats, but their fossils are scarce—why these rare records matter
Africa is home to more than 20% of the world's bat population. There are more than 200 species to be found on the continent. South Africa is particularly diverse, with 72 bat species......»»
"Human-induced" climate change behind deadly Sahel heat wave: Study
The deadly heat wave that hit Africa's Sahel region in early April would not have occurred without human-induced climate change, according to a study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group published Thursday......»»
El Nino not climate change driving southern Africa drought: Study
A drought that pushed millions of people into hunger across southern Africa has been driven mostly by the El Niño weather pattern—not climate change, scientists said on Thursday......»»
Grab the ROVE R2-4K PRO dash cam at an unbelievably LOW PRICE right now!
If you’re looking for a dash cam for your car, then maybe the ROVE R2-4K PRO could be it, especially at the deal it’s enjoying right now! The post Grab the ROVE R2-4K PRO dash cam at an unbelievably LOW PRICE right now! appeared first on Phandroi.....»»
Birds of a feather flocking together: Research shows storks prefer to fly with conspecifics during migration
With long legs and large wings, the white stork is a prominent star of the pageant that is animal migration. Flying from Europe towards Africa in autumn, and then back again in spring, birds can be seen taking to the sky in conspicuous flocks that he.....»»
A nematode gel to protect crops in Africa and Asia
The fall armyworm is a destructive corn pest that recently arrived in Africa and Asia from the Americas and began causing major yield losses and increased use of insecticides, which pose environmental and human health risks......»»
Wine growers "on tip of Africa" race to adapt to climate change
At a South African wine farm, dry, uprooted grapevines are stacked at the bottom of a hilly stretch of brown fallow land......»»
Researchers reveal oceanic black carbon sink effect driven by seawater microdroplets
Pyrogenic carbon is widely produced during the incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels on land. About one-third of pyrogenic carbon is exported to the ocean by rivers, and thereinto, the refractory fraction becomes the source of oceanic bla.....»»
Discovery of organic catalyst could lead to cheaper fuel cells
With atmospheric carbon dioxide at record highs, the search for clean-energy alternatives to the use of fossil fuels is growing increasingly urgent......»»
Reptiles in South Africa are under threat, but there"s good news too
Media reports about the biodiversity crisis and what researchers have argued qualifies as a mass extinction event tend to focus on the big ecological effects. Melting ice sheets, severe weather events, droughts, habitat loss and wildfires dominate he.....»»
The Paradox That"s Supercharging Climate Change
Humanity needs to burn less fossil fuels. But that means fewer aerosols to help cool the planet—and a potential acceleration of global warming......»»
Digging up new species of Australia and New Guinea"s giant fossil kangaroos
Paleontologists from Flinders University have described three unusual new species of giant fossil kangaroo from Australia and New Guinea, finding them more diverse in shape, range and hopping method than previously thought......»»
Africa"s iconic flamingos threatened by rising lake levels, study shows
It is one of the world's most spectacular sights—huge flocks or "flamboyances" of flamingos around East Africa's lakes—as seen in the film "Out of Africa" or David Attenborough's "A Perfect Planet.".....»»
West Africa"s falling fish stocks: Illegal Chinese trawlers, climate change and artisanal fishing fleets to blame
Average fish catches by traditional fishing communities along the west African coast have declined significantly over the past three decades......»»