Ocean circulation, ice melt and increasing tourism could all be contributing to Arctic microplastics
Scientists measured microplastic concentrations in the highly productive Barents Sea and suggest that ocean circulation, ice melt, tourism, inadequate waste management, shipping and fishing are all likely contributors......»»
Dolphins Are Exhaling Microplastics
New research highlights how extensive plastic pollution is—and how nonhuman species, including dolphins, are exposed......»»
Scientists untangle the challenging complexities of radiocarbon in ice cores
ANSTO scientists, Dr. Andrew Smith, Dr. Quan Hua and Dr. Bin Yang have contributed to a paper that elucidates how in situ cosmogenic radiocarbon (14C) is produced, retained and lost in the top layer of compacting snow (the "firn layer") and the shall.....»»
Scientists identify potential deep-ocean greenhouse gas storage solution
As the planet continues to warm and the ramifications of human-driven climate change continue to amplify, the need to find ways to mitigate climate change is growing. In Nature Communications, University of California, Irvine scientists describe a ne.....»»
How extreme weather and costs of housing and insurance trap some households in a vicious cycle
Climate change is increasing the risk of extreme weather events for Australian households. Floods and bushfires are becoming more likely and severe. As a result, household insurance costs are soaring—tripling in some cases. High-risk areas might ev.....»»
Better ocean connectivity boosts reef fish populations, finds study
Research led by the University of Oxford has found that oceanographic connectivity (the movement and exchange of water between different parts of the ocean) is a key influence for fish abundance across the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). The findings are.....»»
Space Perspective preps first crewed balloon flight, with a special guest
Space Perspective is preparing its first crewed balloon flight ahead of launching a tourism experience with epic views of Earth......»»
Identifying the genes that viruses "steal" from ocean microbes
The microbes that cycle nutrients in the ocean don't do the work on their own—the viruses that infect them also influence the process. It's a vital job for the rest of the planet, enabling oceans to absorb half of the human-generated carbon in the.....»»
Could life exist below Mars ice? Study proposes possibilities
While actual evidence for life on Mars has never been found, a new NASA study proposes microbes could find a potential home beneath frozen water on the planet's surface......»»
Ancient ‘Age of Dinosaurs’ Seafloor Found beneath Pacific Ocean
A vast, ancient slab of seafloor plunged beneath the Pacific Ocean and has hovered in Earth’s mantle for more than 120 million years, a new study suggests.....»»
Quantum scaling recipe: ARQUIN provides framework for simulating distributed quantum computing system
One of the most difficult problems with quantum computing relates to increasing the size of the quantum computer. Researchers globally are seeking to solve this "challenge of scale.".....»»
Aquaculture uses far more wild fish than previously estimated, study finds
A study published in the journal Science Advances suggests that global fish farming, or aquaculture, may rely on significantly larger quantities of wild-caught ocean fish than previously calculated. The study is part of a special issue focused on exp.....»»
NASA’s Europa Clipper Spacecraft Aims for Jupiter’s Most Intriguing Moon
For the first time, we are sending a spacecraft to explore an alien ocean world—a moon that might host life today.....»»
Global temperature analysis reveals deep ocean marine heat waves are underreported
While marine heat waves (MHWs) have been studied at the sea surface for more than a decade, new research published today in Nature has found 80% of MHWs below 100 meters are independent of surface events, highlighting a previously overlooked aspect o.....»»
Study suggests dolphins could be exposed to potentially harmful microplastics through inhalation
U.S. researchers have detected microplastic particles in air exhaled by wild bottlenose dolphins, suggesting that inhalation may be a relevant route of exposure to these potentially harmful contaminants. Miranda Dziobak of the College of Charleston i.....»»
Ship-mounted camera systems help increase protections for marine mammals
Vessel strikes and entanglement are some of the leading causes of injury and death to marine animals such as whales. Increasingly urbanized waterways, warming oceans, changes in prey distribution—and in some cases, increasing species populations—.....»»
Nano-nutrients can blunt effects of soil contamination, boost crop yields
One of the pressing problems that the world faces in the era of climate change is how to grow enough healthy food to meet the increasing global population, even as soil contamination rises. Research recently published in Nature Food by an internation.....»»
Each glacier has a unique organic matter composition, study reveals
Melting glaciers release more than just water. Organic matter once trapped in ice can run into streams and rivers, where it becomes food for microbes. These organisms respire the organic matter back to the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide, wi.....»»
Novel sensors could help develop bee-friendly protection for plants
The increasing global demand for plant-based foods makes the use of pesticides necessary in order to protect crops from pests and ensure crop yields. However, there is one major disadvantage: the widespread use of pesticides has led to a considerable.....»»
How profits from big pharma"s use of genetic information could revolutionize nature conservation
The blue blood of threatened horseshoe crabs contains a chemical essential for testing the safety of vaccines. So these ancient creatures are highly sought after by pharmaceutical companies worldwide, contributing to declines in their populations......»»
Reoxygenating oceans: Startups lead the way in Baltic Sea
European scientists have teamed up with two startups in a pioneering experiment to tackle one of the major problems facing sea life—the depletion of oxygen in the ocean, causing the disappearance of fish and marine biodiversity......»»