Feature Channels: Environmental Science

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14-Feb-2017 2:15 PM EST
Canadian Glaciers Now Major Contributor to Sea Level Change, UCI Study Shows
University of California, Irvine

Ice loss from Canada’s Arctic glaciers has transformed them into a major contributor to sea level change, new research by University of California, Irvine glaciologists has found. From 2005 to 2015, surface melt off ice caps and glaciers of the Queen Elizabeth Islands grew by an astonishing 900 percent.

Released: 14-Feb-2017 3:05 PM EST
Spread of Lionfish in Gulf of Mexico Is Threat toReef Fisheries
Nova Southeastern University

Continuing his research, NSU scientist Matthew Johnston, Ph.D., looks at the potential threat the invasive lionfish poses to reef fish in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean.

8-Feb-2017 8:05 AM EST
How a Plant Resists Drought
Biophysical Society

Climate change will bring worsening droughts that threaten crops. One potential way to protect crops is by spraying them with a compound that induces the plants to become more drought resistant. Now, by identifying the key molecular mechanism that enables a plant to minimize water loss, researchers may be one step closer to that goal.

Released: 14-Feb-2017 9:05 AM EST
NBAF Program Observes Kansas Emergency Response Exercise to Inform Future Planning
Homeland Security's Science And Technology Directorate

The exercise was an early opportunity for the NBAF program to observe a simulated full-scale emergency response to allow its planners to envision how the facility might serve a crucial role in response and recovery.

   
Released: 13-Feb-2017 7:05 PM EST
Two PNNL Researchers Elected to Membership in the National Academy of Engineering
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Two scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will become members of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering.

Released: 13-Feb-2017 1:05 PM EST
Sunlight or Bacteria? Scientists Investigate What Breaks Down Permafrost Carbon
Florida State University

Researchers found sunlight converted little if any permafrost thawed carbon to carbon dioxide, whereas microbes were shown to rapidly convert permafrost carbon to carbon dioxide.

Released: 13-Feb-2017 1:05 PM EST
Climate Change Impacts on Threatened and Endangered Wildlife Massively Underreported
Wildlife Conservation Society

A team of scientists reporting in the journal Nature Climate Change say that negative impacts of climate change on threatened and endangered wildlife have been massively under reported.

Released: 13-Feb-2017 10:05 AM EST
How Untreated Water Is Making Our Kids Sick: FSU Researcher Explores Possible Climate Change Link
Florida State University

A Florida State University researcher has drawn a link between the impact of climate change and untreated drinking water on the rate of gastrointestinal illness in children.

   
7-Feb-2017 12:05 PM EST
Special Properties of Hagfish's Defense 'Slime'
American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Hagfish are marine fish shaped like eels, famous for releasing large quantities of “slime” that unfolds, assembles and expands into the surrounding water in response to a threat. Gaurav Chaudhary, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will present his work on hagfish slime during the 88th Annual Meeting of The Society of Rheology, being held Feb. 12-16, in Tampa, Florida. The research explores the hagfish’s slime formation and the special properties allowing it to assemble into a solid gel without dissolving into the surrounding water.

Released: 13-Feb-2017 9:05 AM EST
Feeding Wild Dolphins Can Hurt Them, New Study Says
Mote Marine Laboratory

Wild dolphins are more likely to be injured if humans feed them — even through unintentional means like discarding bait — reports a new study based in Sarasota Bay, Florida, and published recently in the peer-reviewed journal Royal Society Open Science.

Released: 13-Feb-2017 12:00 AM EST
How Evolution Alters Biological Invasions
Rutgers University

Biological invasions pose major threats to biodiversity, but little is known about how evolution might alter their impacts over time. Now, Rutgers University scientists have performed the first study of how evolution unfolds after invasions change native systems. The experimental invasions – elaborate experiments designed by doctoral student Cara A. Faillace and her adviser, Professor Peter J. Morin – took place in glass jars suitable for savory jam or jelly, with thousands of microscopic organisms on each side.

Released: 10-Feb-2017 2:05 PM EST
50+ Year-Old Protein Volume Paradox Resolved
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

Research published this week in Nature Communications makes it possible to predict how volume for a given protein will change between the folded and unfolded state. Computations accurately predict how a protein will react to increased pressure, shed light on the inner-workings of life in the ocean depths, and may also offer insights into alien life.

Released: 10-Feb-2017 9:05 AM EST
How About Another Sweet, Juicy Strawberry, Courtesy of UF/IFAS?
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

When you bite into a Florida strawberry for Valentine’s Day or National Strawberry Day on Feb. 27, you savor sweetness and juice. That’s what you’ll find in all varieties bred by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers.

Released: 9-Feb-2017 5:05 PM EST
Music Professor Receives Patent to Help Fight Bark Beetles Ravaging Western Forests
University of California, Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz music professor David Dunn has joined forces with two forest scientists from Northern Arizona University to combat an insect infestation that is killing millions of trees throughout the West.

Released: 9-Feb-2017 5:05 PM EST
Expert on American Indian Law, Federal Lands and Water Rights
University of Washington

Robert T. Anderson, a law professor at the University of Washington, is an expert on property rights, American Indian law and water rights.

Released: 9-Feb-2017 4:05 PM EST
UCI, NASA Reveal New Details of Greenland Ice Loss
University of California, Irvine

Irvine, Calif., Feb. 9, 2017 – Less than a year after the first research flight kicked off NASA’s Oceans Melting Greenland campaign, data from the new program are providing a dramatic increase in knowledge of how Greenland’s ice sheet is melting from below. Two new research papers in the journal Oceanography, including one by UCI Earth system scientist Mathieu Morlighem, use OMG observations to document how meltwater and ocean currents are interacting along Greenland’s west coast and to improve seafloor maps used to predict future melting and sea level rise.

Released: 9-Feb-2017 4:05 PM EST
New Supercomputer Triples Earth System Science Capability with Greater Efficiency
National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is launching operations this month of one of the world's most powerful and energy-efficient supercomputers, providing the nation with a major new tool to advance understanding of the atmospheric and related Earth system sciences.

8-Feb-2017 2:05 PM EST
River Research Project at California Campus Gets $250,000 Keck Grant
California State University, Sacramento

Funds for Sac State's SIRIUS program will help pay for six new classes, expanding opportunities for undergrad students.

Released: 9-Feb-2017 2:05 PM EST
UGA Scientists Use Robots and Drones to Accelerate Plant Genetic Research, Improve Crop Yield
University of Georgia

A team of researchers is developing a robotic system of all-terrain rovers and aerial drones that can quickly and accurately gather and analyze data on the characteristics of crops.

7-Feb-2017 2:05 PM EST
Campus Stormwater Project Nurtures Neighboring River
California State University, Sacramento

Sacramento State's innovative LID project is complete, and the American River is cleaner and safer because of it.

Released: 8-Feb-2017 5:05 PM EST
Dr. Jonathan Slaght to Be Honored for Work to Conserve Blakiston’s Fish Owl
Wildlife Conservation Society

The WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) announced today that Dr. Jonathan Slaght will be honored for his work in Russia to conserve the Blakiston’s fish owl, an endangered species and the largest owl in the world.

Released: 8-Feb-2017 2:05 PM EST
Hidden Lakes Drain Below West Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier
University of Washington

Drainage of four interconnected lakes below Thwaites Glacier in late 2013 caused only a 10 percent increase in the glacier’s speed. The glacier’s recent speedup is therefore not due to changes in meltwater flow along its underside.

Released: 8-Feb-2017 1:05 PM EST
Reforestation in Urban Landscapes
SUNY Buffalo State University

By conducting research at Tifft Nature Preserve, a post-industrial urban site in Buffalo, New York, researchers investigate the reforestation taking place in terms of seed immigration and seedling survival. The research suggests that significant human intervention is necessary to maintain the presence of native successional trees.

Released: 8-Feb-2017 12:05 PM EST
Researchers Invent a Breakthrough Process to Produce Renewable Car Tires From Trees and Grasses
University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering

A team of researchers, led by the University of Minnesota, has invented a new technology to produce automobile tires from trees and grasses in a process that could shift the tire production industry toward using renewable resources found right in our backyards.

Released: 8-Feb-2017 12:05 PM EST
Grow, Mow, Mulch: Finding Lawn’s Value
American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

Can grassy lawns affect carbon and nitrogen in the soil? Researchers found grass species and mowing habits can make a difference.

Released: 8-Feb-2017 11:05 AM EST
Largest Undersea Landslide Revealed on the Great Barrier Reef
James Cook University

James Cook University scientists have helped discover the remnants of a massive undersea landslide on the Great Barrier Reef.

Released: 8-Feb-2017 10:40 AM EST
CWRU Researcher Discovers Fish Uses Sneaking Behavior as Stealth Mating Strategy
Case Western Reserve University

A Case Western Reserve University researcher found and videoed the Cuatro Ciénegas cichlid, Herichthys minckleyi, using the reproductive strategy called sneaking to insert himself between a mating pair and pass his DNA onto the next generation.

Released: 8-Feb-2017 10:05 AM EST
Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Opens Nominations for Board of Directors
Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System-Regional Association (GCOOS-RA)

The Membership Committee of the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) is seeking nominations for the organization’s Board of Directors.

Released: 8-Feb-2017 8:05 AM EST
UF/IFAS Researchers to Launch New Plants-in-Space Mission
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

People put on sweaters when they’re cold. Plants on the other hand, have to essentially knit one on the fly. Plants “knit” with their genes, and when University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers launch their Feb. 14 space experiment, they want to know more about how gene expression helps plants to adapt themselves to outer space.

Released: 7-Feb-2017 2:05 PM EST
Making a Scavenger -- the Meat-Thieving Traits That Have Stood the Test of Time
Trinity College Dublin

Nature requires the right mix of biological ingredients to make a good scavenger.

Released: 7-Feb-2017 12:05 PM EST
Three New Uranium Minerals From Utah
Michigan Technological University

Three new minerals discovered by a Michigan Tech alumnus are secondary crusts found in old uranium mines in southern Utah. They're bright, yellow and hard to find. Meet leesite, leószilárdite and redcanyonite.

Released: 7-Feb-2017 12:05 PM EST
Electricity Costs: A New Way They'll Surge in a Warming World
University of Michigan

Climate change is likely to increase U.S. electricity costs over the next century by billions of dollars more than economists previously forecast, according to a new study involving a University of Michigan researcher.

Released: 7-Feb-2017 10:05 AM EST
Scientists Confirm Dorado Catfish as All-Time Distance Champion of Freshwater Migrations
Wildlife Conservation Society

An international team of scientists has confirmed that the dorado catfish (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii) of the Amazon River basin holds the record for the world’s longest exclusively freshwater fish migration, an epic life-cycle journey stretching nearly the entire width of the South America continent.

1-Feb-2017 11:05 AM EST
A New Species of Gecko with Massive Scales and Tear-Away Skin
PeerJ

Many lizards can drop their tails when grabbed, but one group of geckos has gone to particularly extreme lengths to escape predation with large scales that tear away with ease, leaving them free to escape whilst the predator is left with a mouth full of scales. Scientists have now described a new species that is the master of this art, possessing the largest scales of any gecko.

Released: 7-Feb-2017 5:05 AM EST
Mobile Phone and Satellite Data to Map Poverty
University of Southampton

An international team has, for the first time, developed a way of combining anonymised data from mobile phones and satellite imagery data to create high resolution maps to measure poverty.

Released: 6-Feb-2017 3:05 PM EST
Size Matters for Marine Protected Areas Designed to Aid Coral
Georgia Institute of Technology

For marine protected areas established to help coral reefs recover from overfishing, size really does seem to make a difference.

Released: 6-Feb-2017 3:05 PM EST
Global Consortium Formed to Educate Leaders on Climate and Health
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

With funding from The Rockefeller Foundation, Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health today announces a Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education to share best scientific and educational practices and design model curricula on the health impacts of climate change for academic and non-academic audiences.

   
Released: 6-Feb-2017 12:05 PM EST
UF/IFAS Researcher: Cats, Dogs Teaming Up Is Best Way to Keep Rodents Away
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Cats and dogs may be longtime enemies, but when teamed up, they keep rodents away, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher says.

Released: 6-Feb-2017 11:05 AM EST
Study Sheds Light on How Carnivorous Plants Acquired a Taste for Meat
University at Buffalo

A new study probes the origins of carnivory in several distantly related plants — including the Australian, Asian and American pitcher plants, which appear strikingly similar to the human (or insect) eye.

Released: 6-Feb-2017 10:05 AM EST
Valentine’s Day Means More Than Roses; UF/IFAS Breeds, Suggests Other Plants to Give
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

A plant always makes for a nice gesture on Valentine’s Day, and University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers are breeding flora that may emit alluring aromas to your sweetheart.

Released: 6-Feb-2017 7:05 AM EST
Bacteria’s Secret Weapon
Department of Energy, Office of Science

Scientists showed that an enzyme, from the bacterial glycoside hydrolase family 12, plays an unexpectedly important role in breaking down a crystalline form of cellulose. Breaking down cellulose is a major challenge in developing more efficient strategies for creating biofuels.

Released: 5-Feb-2017 12:05 PM EST
How Much Drought Can a Forest Take?
University of California, Davis

Aerial tree mortality surveys show patterns of tree death during extreme drought.

Released: 5-Feb-2017 10:05 AM EST
Animals Retain Long-Term Memory of the Biggest and Best Sources of Food
University of Lincoln

New research shows that red-footed tortoises can remember the location of their favourite food sources and the biggest stashes for at least 18 months.

30-Jan-2017 5:05 PM EST
Thirdhand Smoke Affects Weight, Blood Cell Development in Mice
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

A new Berkeley Lab-led study found that the sticky residue left behind by tobacco smoke led to changes in weight and blood cell count in mice. These latest findings add to a growing body of evidence that thirdhand smoke exposure may be harmful.

Released: 2-Feb-2017 3:05 PM EST
Lab Specializes in Analyzing Brittle Portion of Polar Ice Cores
South Dakota State University

Tiny air bubbles compressed within a polar ice core make some sections brittle to the touch, but one ice core lab knows how to handle this delicate part of the chemical analysis, thus making the dating of the entire ice core possible.

Released: 2-Feb-2017 2:05 PM EST
SLAC Study Helps Explain Why Uranium Persists in Groundwater at Former Mining Sites
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

A recent study led by scientists at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory helps describe how uranium cycles through the environment at former uranium mining sites and why it can be difficult to remove.

Released: 2-Feb-2017 10:05 AM EST
Wake Forest University Names Former EPA Official to Lead Graduate Programs in Sustainability
Wake Forest University

Wake Forest University has appointed alumnus and former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official Stan Meiburg (’75) as director of graduate programs in sustainability. Meiburg served as Acting Deputy Administrator for the EPA from 2014 to 2017, capping a 39-year career with the agency.

Released: 2-Feb-2017 9:15 AM EST
Sandia Battling Corrosion to Keep Solar Panels Humming
Sandia National Laboratories

Sandia National Laboratories researchers study corrosion to help industry develop longer-lasting photovoltaic panels and increase reliability.



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