Environment
Methane source discovered in the underbrush
September 7, 2012 9:46 am | News | CommentsSome six years ago scientific textbooks had to be updated because of the surprising discovery made by a research group in Germany led by Frank Keppler that plants produce methane in an oxygen-rich environment. It had been previously thought that biogenic methane could only be formed during the decomposition of organic material under strictly anoxic conditions. Now, Keppler’s group has now made another fascinating new observation: Fungi produce methane.
'Seahorse' sees scallops in new way
September 6, 2012 4:45 am | by Jay Lindsay, Associated Press | News | CommentsA new underwater explorer hit the seas this summer, armed with cameras, strobes and sonar and charged with being a protector of sorts to a half-billion dollar resource—the Atlantic scallop catch. Developed by a former scalloper and researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the stainless steel Seahorse gives marine scientists a look at the seafloor they’ve never had before and offers uses beyond policing scallop grounds.
Study: More carbon dioxide leads to less clouds
September 5, 2012 4:36 am | News | CommentsIt is common knowledge that the warmer the air, the more water can evaporate. Researchers in Europe have now established that this is not always the case: Although an increase in the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide makes the climate warmer, it also allows less water to evaporate. This finding has informed a set of new calculations for climate modeling.
Research reveals contrasting consequences of a warmer Earth
September 4, 2012 5:45 am | News | CommentsA new study, by scientists from the Universities of York, Glasgow, and Leeds, involving analysis of fossil and geological records going back 540 million years, suggests that biodiversity on Earth generally increases as the planet warms. But the research says that the increase in biodiversity depends on the evolution of new species over millions of years, and is normally accompanied by extinctions of existing species.
Iran, North Korea sign technology agreement
September 1, 2012 9:40 am | by ALI AKBAR DAREINI - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsIran and North Korea signed a scientific and technological cooperation agreement Saturday, bringing the two nations deeply at odds with the U.S. closer together.Iranian state TV did not provide further details on the document but said it will include setting up joint scientific and...
Atmospheric heating by black carbon aerosol re-evaluated
August 31, 2012 6:40 am | News | CommentsViewed as a potential target in the global effort to reduce climate change, atmospheric black carbon particles absorb significantly less sunlight than scientists have predicted. In the first field study of it kind, researchers found that soot particles absorb significantly less sunlight than predicted by models, raising new questions about the impact of black carbon on atmospheric warming.
Stephen Ganote Named President of Washington Space Business Roundtable
August 30, 2012 10:41 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsAt its August 2012 meeting, the board of the Washington Space Business Roundtable (WSBR) named Stephen Ganote its President for the 2012-13 fiscal year. Mr. Ganote replaces Dennis Granato of Lockheed Martin Space Systems and will be responsible for overseeing all WSBR activities. "I am...
Study identifies prime source of ocean methane
August 30, 2012 10:15 am | News | CommentsUp to 4% of the methane on Earth comes from the ocean’s oxygen-rich waters, but scientists have been unable to identify the source of this potent greenhouse gas. Now researchers report that they have found the culprit: a bit of "weird chemistry" practiced by the most abundant microbes on the planet.
New DNA method tracks fish and whales in seawater
August 30, 2012 8:31 am | News | CommentsToday, marine fish are largely surveyed using selective and invasive methods mostly limited to commercial species, and restricted to areas with favorable conditions. Researchers in Denmark, however, have shown that seawater contains DNA from animals such as fish and whales. They have successfully used this trace presence, using as little as half a liter of water, to establish a method for tracking species.
Catalysis: Ready for a close-up
August 29, 2012 3:52 pm | by ResearchSEA | News | CommentsThe latest advance in imaging technology helps optimize catalysts for use in onboard fuel processing. A*STAR researchers have identified the subtle, atomic-scale structural transformations that can activate and de-activate gold nanoparticle catalysts, a finding that may lead to...
Space shuttle exhaust reveals behavior of atmospheric winds
August 29, 2012 11:45 am | by Karen C. Fox | News | CommentsWhen the Space Shuttle Atlantis took off from Cape Canaveral on its final flight more than a year ago, a research team took advantage of this opportunity to track the 350-ton plume of water vapor exhaust that it released shortly after launch. Crossing through the paths of seven separate sets of instruments, the vapor spread far faster than expected and quickly moved to the Arctic. Such information will be used to inform global circulation models.
Darwin was right: Eastern Pacific Barrier impassable for coral
August 29, 2012 3:54 am | by Katrina Voss | News | CommentsCharles Darwin hypothesized in 1880 that most species could not disperse across the Eastern Pacific Barrier, an uninterrupted 4,000-mile stretch of water with depths of up to 7 miles that separates the central from the eastern Pacific Ocean. Scientists have confirmed this hypothesis for many species, but recent research by Penn State University is the first to determine its effect on coral.
New estimate reduces life on Earth by one-third
August 28, 2012 7:54 am | News | CommentsIf recent research by a team from the U.S. and Germany is correct, previous estimates about the total mass of all life on planet Earth will have to be reduced by about one third. The revision came about after researchers realized that previous drill cores, upon which the estimate are based, were recovered close to shore or in nutrient-rich areas. However, much of the ocean is a “desert”, supporting very little life.
A greener way to fertilize nursery crops
August 28, 2012 7:48 am | by Dennis O'Brien | News | CommentsOrnamental nursery and floral crops require micronutrients like iron, manganese, copper and zinc. But fertilizers that provide these micronutrients often include synthetic compounds that bind with the micronutrients to make them available to the roots. They also extract metals from sediments, contributing to heavy metals in runoff. A Dept. of Agriculture scientist has found a biodegradable alternative to these agents.
Warm Arctic sets record for summer sea ice melt
August 28, 2012 4:50 am | by Seth Borenstein, AP Science Writer | News | CommentsThe National Snow and Ice Data Center reported Monday that the extent of Arctic sea ice shrank to 1.58 million square miles and is likely to melt more in the coming weeks. That breaks the old record of 1.61 million square miles set in 2007. Data center scientist Ted Scambos said the melt can be blamed mostly on global warming from man-made emissions of greenhouse gases.
Athletic field paint steals spotlight from the grass it covers
August 27, 2012 7:19 am | News | CommentsProfessional athletic field managers maintain trimmed turfgrass with great precision, carefully painting crisp lines and colorful logos on their grass before each game. While these fields appear to be in perfect health, some field managers have noted deteriorating turfgrass beneath repeated paint applications. New research into the relationship between photosynthesis and latex paint suggests why.
Clement Communications Acquires Award-Winning Brand and Digital Agency HON Marketing
August 27, 2012 5:40 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsClement Communications, a fast-growing technology public relations firm with full time staff in San Francisco, Denver and Boston, today announced the acquisition of award-winning brand and digital agency HON Marketing. The firm will be renamed HON Digital (www.hondigital.com) and will be a...
Anti-nuclear protests signal new activism in Japan
August 26, 2012 12:40 am | by MARI YAMAGUCHI - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsThis is Japan's summer of discontent. Tens of thousands of protesters — the largest demonstrations the country has seen in decades — descend on Tokyo every Friday evening to shout anti-nuclear slogans at the prime minister's office. Many have never protested publicly before."I used to complain...
Simplifying genetic codes to look back in time
August 24, 2012 3:51 pm | by ResearchSEA | News | Comments(Tokyo, 24 August 2012) Tokyo Institute of Technology researchers show simpler versions of the universal genetic code can still function in protein synthesis. In addition to understanding early primordial organisms, the research could lead to applications preventing non-natural...
The First All-Energy Canada Exhibition and Conference
August 24, 2012 12:51 pm | News | CommentsReed Exhibitions, the world's leading event organiser, has now announced the first All-Energy Canada, which is being held on October 2nd and 3rd 2013 at Exhibition Place, Toronto. Having acquire...
Mars rover Curiosity makes first test drive
August 22, 2012 11:40 am | by ALICIA CHANG - AP Science Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsThe NASA rover Curiosity made its first test drive Wednesday on ancient soil of Mars."Wheel tracks on Mars," Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineer Allen Chen tweeted along with an image sent from one of the rover's cameras. "The EDL (Entry, Descent and Landing) team is finally done. Congrats to...
AMAX Announces Ballapalooza Basketball Networking Event
August 22, 2012 7:40 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsAMAX, a trusted leader in Custom OEM x86 Appliances, Server, Cluster and Storage Solutions in North America, has announced registration is now open for its inaugural AMAX Ballapalooza Silicon Valley basketball tournament, with proceeds to benefit Autism Speaks. AMAX Ballapalooza is a fun and...
Canadian Government Grants for Small Business Collaborative Research and Development Funding Projects
August 22, 2012 5:40 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsA common business challenge SMEs face is the lack of capital and resources needed to carry out research and development efforts. When companies collaborate with post-secondary institutions, they are able to carry out their research more efficiently and effectively, allowing access to a critical...
Gardens blooming at schools teach lessons
August 21, 2012 9:40 am | by JAMIE STENGLE - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsGathered in the large garden behind an elementary school here, a group of kindergartners watched as their teacher snipped some basil, let them smell the leaves, and then did the same with oregano."We do a lot of smelling out there. Looking. Digging," the teacher, LeaAnne Pillers, said. She took...
Researchers reproduce plasma loops to help understand solar physics
August 21, 2012 6:18 am | News | CommentsSunny skies reign supreme in one California Institute of Technology laboratory, which has recreated so-called plasma loops that emanate from the sun’s surface. Considered to be possible precursors to solar flares, which release sometimes damaging radiation, these loops may be used to serve as a warning system for massive flares.
