Shampoo ingredient could wash diesel out of soil
A plant more commonly used for herbal shampoos could be used to clean oil-contaminated soil, according to a new report......»»
Key ingredient for life found at Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus
Researchers have found a key ingredient for life in the plumes of water which spew from Enceladus's surface......»»
Research finds Caribbean islands are uniquely susceptible to flash droughts
The word "drought" typically conjures images of parched soil, dust-swept prairies, depleted reservoirs, and dry creek beds, all the result of weeks or seasons of persistently dry atmospheric conditions......»»
How to assess the carbon footprint of a war
We know that war is bad for the environment, with toxic chemicals left polluting the soil and water for decades after fighting ceases. Much less obvious are the carbon emissions from armed conflicts and their long-term impacts on the climate......»»
Some icy exoplanets may have habitable oceans and geysers
A NASA study expands the search for life beyond our solar system by indicating that 17 exoplanets (worlds outside our solar system) could have oceans of liquid water, an essential ingredient for life, beneath icy shells. Water from these oceans could.....»»
Long-term green manuring strengthens core microbiomes in driving multiple functions across vertical soil profiles: Study
A study published in the journal Science China Life Sciences was led by Prof. Weidong Cao (Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences) and Prof. Zongxian Che (Institute of Soil and Fertilizer a.....»»
New comprehensive genome data on soil invertebrates provide insights into their biodiversity
With the "MetaInvert" project, scientists are providing extensive genomic data on 232 species of previously little-studied organisms. They are tiny, enormously diverse, and widespread in the soil: soil invertebrates such as springtails, horn mites, m.....»»
Billions have been raised to restore forests, with little success—here"s the missing ingredient
Protecting and restoring forests is one of the cheapest and most effective options for mitigating the carbon emissions heating Earth......»»
Dryland biocrusts enhance soil carbon release in response to climate warming: Study
Biocrusts, comprised of diverse organisms such as mosses, lichens, and cyanobacteria, have an enormous influence on soil carbon dynamics. Therefore, understanding the function and response of biocrusts to environmental stressors is essential for ecos.....»»
Researchers discover plant diversity stabilizes soil temperature
A new study has revealed a natural solution to mitigate the effects of climate change, such as extreme weather events. Researchers from Leipzig University, the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Researc.....»»
Novel mineral piezocatalysts offer innovative approaches for soil remediation
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) removal in the soil environment is of great significance for repairing the long-term damaged ecosystem. However, the poor mass transfer process and low catalytic activity in most conventional methods lead to li.....»»
Sulfur-cycling microbes could lead to new possibilities in river-wetland-ocean remediation
Nutrient cycles such as the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur cycles are critical processes that free up elements essential to life by recycling them through our water, air, and soil. Sulfur, specifically, is an integral element in producing a.....»»
Study identifies key ingredient for affordable fuel cell catalysts
To make fuel cells more affordable, researchers have spent decades searching for low-cost catalysts to replace platinum and other expensive metals......»»
Study shows that inoculating soil with mycorrhizal fungi can increase plant yield by by up to 40%
Farmland often harbors a multitude of pathogens which attack plants and reduce yields. A Swiss research team has now shown that inoculating the soil with mycorrhizal fungi can help maintain or even improve yields without using additional fertilizers.....»»
Plants found to recruit distinct chemical activities of coumarins under different soil pHs
Plants have two main uptake mechanisms to obtain iron (Fe) from the soils. The type of strategy employed depends on the botanical classification of the plant. In the so-called strategy-I mechanism, plants must first reduce the trivalent iron (Fe3+) i.....»»
India hopes cloud seeding can wash away deadly smog
Indian scientists are preparing cloud seeding technology to clean poisonous smog in the capital with rain, but environmental critics fear it is an expensive distraction from tackling root causes......»»
Climate shapes life-history traits of abundant bacteria in Qinghai-Tibet plateau
Microorganisms are essential to grassland soil ecosystems and play a critical role in biogeochemical cycles. Microbial communities can be classified into distinct ecological groups based on common life-history traits, which reveals the processes in h.....»»
"Eat, Poop, Die": Researcher"s book explores how animals make our world
In his new book "Eat, Poop, Die," UVM wildlife expert Joe Roman explores the fascinating lives of whales, seabirds, insects and other animals as they traverse their homes, from a few thousand kilometers of ocean to a few inches of soil......»»
The first eco-friendly fluorescent artificial seed for monitoring soil temperature by using drones
Researchers have invented a new kind of artificial seed to sense environmental parameters without impacting the health of the environment......»»
Dung beetle iDNA as an additional tool for biodiversity assessment
Many dung beetles use mammalian feces as a food source and build and relocate dung balls to lay eggs and shelter their larvae. This behavior provides many ecosystem services including nutrient cycling, secondary seed dispersal, soil excavation, and p.....»»
Adding calcium to soils can help increase organic matter, trap more carbon
Farmers add calcium to their soil for many reasons related to increasing crop yields—including regulating pH and improving soil structure......»»