Feature Channels: Environmental Science

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Released: 15-Aug-2016 12:05 PM EDT
A Short Heat-Treatment of Luggage May Reduce Spread of Bedbugs
University of California, Irvine

A University of California, Irvine entomologist has discovered that a brief blast of heat can kill bedbugs traveling on the outside of luggage, suggesting an additional way to use this nonchemical means of controlling the annoying insects.

Released: 15-Aug-2016 10:05 AM EDT
A Very Hungry Caterpillar: Researchers Sequence Genome of 'Gluttonous' Tobacco Hornworm
Kansas State University

A Kansas State University-led international team of 114 researchers has sequenced the genome of the tobacco hornworm, or Manduca sexta.

Released: 15-Aug-2016 7:05 AM EDT
UF/IFAS Scientists Zero in on Better Mandarin Traits
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

In a newly published study, Fred Gmitter, a UF/IFAS horticultural sciences professor, and his colleagues found genetic markers for fruit quality traits that will be useful in future cultivar-breeding efforts.

Released: 12-Aug-2016 3:05 PM EDT
Scientists Capture Neon in an Organic Environment for the First Time
American Crystallographic Association (ACA)

In a new study, researchers from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (CCDC) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory have teamed up to capture neon within a porous crystalline framework. Neon is well known for being the most unreactive element and is a key component in semiconductor manufacturing, but neon has never been studied within an organic or metal-organic framework until now. The results, which include the critical studies carried out at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science user facility at Argonne, also point the way towards a more economical and greener industrial process for neon production.

Released: 12-Aug-2016 2:05 PM EDT
Nature and the Nurture of Aerosols
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Led by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, scientists conducted a collaborative study that answered foundational questions about how nature influences the composition of aerosols. The team's findings could help avoid unintended consequences in both regulations and remediation.

Released: 12-Aug-2016 2:05 PM EDT
New Book 'Cities That Think Like Planets' Imagines Urban Areas Resilient to Change
University of Washington

This book advances strategies for planning a future that may look very different from the present, as rapid urbanization could tip the Earth toward abrupt and nonlinear change. Can we guide the Earth away from inadvertent collapse and toward a new era of planetary co-evolution and resilience?

Released: 12-Aug-2016 12:05 PM EDT
In Right Balance, Environmental Regulations Increased Firms' Profits, New Study Finds
University of Kansas

CEOs and corporate lobbyists often spend plenty of time decrying how potential government regulations will affect their bottom line, but a new University of Kansas study finds that the U.S. Clean Water Act, when implemented in the right balance, improves firms' profitability.

   
Released: 12-Aug-2016 11:05 AM EDT
Surveyed Scientists Debunk Chemtrails Conspiracy Theory
University of California, Irvine

The world’s leading atmospheric scientists overwhelmingly deny the existence of a secret, elite-driven plot to release harmful chemicals into the air from high-flying aircraft, according to the first peer-reviewed journal paper to address the “chemtrails” conspiracy theory.

Released: 12-Aug-2016 12:05 AM EDT
Bug Collecting
University of California, Santa Barbara

Amateur and professional entomologists are experts at their own version of Pokémon Go. After all, part of their job is to search for and collect rare insect species that are stored in the archives of natural history museums.

Released: 11-Aug-2016 11:05 PM EDT
The Aztec Treasure Unearthed: New Earth Snake Species Discovered in Mexico
Pensoft Publishers

A new gem has been added to the vast treasure of Mexican reptiles. Mexican scientists recently described a new and strikingly colored species of earth snake from the mountains of Puebla and Veracruz in east-central Mexico.

Released: 11-Aug-2016 11:05 PM EDT
The Rain Frog That Turned Into a Sleeping Beauty Is a New Species From the Peruvian Andes
Pensoft Publishers

A new species of rain frog was discovered in the premontane forests of the Peruvian central Andes. Referring to the mountain chain's local name, the amphibian's name translates to 'Sleeping beauty'. Another striking thing about the new frog is the contrasting bright red that coats its groins, shanks and thighs.

Released: 11-Aug-2016 4:05 PM EDT
Recreation on Private Land Offers Potential for Conservation
University of California, Davis Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Successfully integrating human activities with ecosystem conservation forms the foundation of sustainability and is key to maintaining biological diversity. A new study has found that recreational use of private land in the U.S. could have significant benefits for both conservation efforts and economic return, especially when coupled with certain policy mechanisms.

Released: 11-Aug-2016 2:05 PM EDT
Scientists Protect Mice From Gamma Radiation with Deinococcus Elixir
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU)

They call it "Conan the Bacterium," and now it may be used to help save lives in the event of a nuclear disaster or terrorist attack. Researchers at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences have discovered a potent manganese (Mn)(II)-based antioxidant complex of the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans that can be used to protect animals from radiation injury. The report, "MDP: A Deinococcus Mn2+-Decapeptide Complex Protects Mice from Ionizing Radiation," was released today in PLOS ONE.

Released: 11-Aug-2016 12:05 PM EDT
Unearthed: The Cannibal Sharks of a Forgotten Age
Trinity College Dublin

Dublin, Ireland, Thursday 11th August, 2016 - Scientists have discovered macabre fossil evidence suggesting that 300 million-year-old sharks ate their own young, as fossil poop of adult Orthacanthus sharks contained the tiny teeth of juveniles. These fearsome marine predators used protected coastal lagoons to rear their babies, but it seems they also resorted to cannibalising them when other food sources became scarce.

Released: 11-Aug-2016 12:05 PM EDT
Federal Grant Will Aid Migrant Farmworker Students
California State University, Sacramento

Funds will help establish a High School Equivalency Program on campus and in the community.

Released: 11-Aug-2016 10:05 AM EDT
Biodiversity Research Institute Announces Publication of New Scientific Paper on Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Global Mercury Treaty
Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI)

Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI), announces the publication of the scientific paper Evaluating the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention on Mercury: Principles and recommendations for next steps, published by the journal Science of the Total Environment (now available online).

Released: 10-Aug-2016 1:00 PM EDT
Analysis in Journal Nature Shows Threats to 8K Red List Species
Wildlife Conservation Society

Less than a month away from the kick-off the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii, a team of scientists report in the journal Nature that three quarters of the world’s threatened species are imperiled because people are converting their habitat into agricultural lands and overharvesting their populations.

Released: 10-Aug-2016 11:05 AM EDT
Unraveling the Jaw-Dropping Goblin Shark
Hokkaido University

A research team, led by Emeritus Professor Kazuhiro Nakaya of Japan's Hokkaido University, analyzed world-first footage captured by public broadcaster NHK in which two goblin sharks separately captured prey on a total of five occasions. The research has unraveled a century-old mystery surrounding how the deep-sea shark utilizes its protruding jaws, among other factors, to feed itself.

Released: 10-Aug-2016 11:05 AM EDT
How Climate Change Will Hurt Humanity's Closest Cousins
Concordia University

The consequences of climate change are an increasing concern for humans around the world. How will we cope with rising sea levels and climbing temperatures? But it's not just humans who will be affected by these worldwide shifts — it's our closest cousins, too: monkeys, apes and lemurs.

8-Aug-2016 12:05 PM EDT
Tighter Air Pollution Standards May Save Thousands of Lives, Greatly Improve Public Health
American Thoracic Society (ATS)

Aug. 10, 2016─Reducing outdoor concentrations of two air pollutants, ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), to levels below those set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would likely save thousands of lives each year, result in far fewer serious illnesses and dramatically reduce missed days of school and work, according to a new analysis conducted by the American Thoracic Society and the Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York University.

Released: 10-Aug-2016 10:05 AM EDT
Clearing the Air: Kansas State University Engineers to Engage Chicagoans in Air Pollution Monitoring
Kansas State University

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded three Kansas State University researchers and seven Chicago organizations a $750,000 grant to investigate if giving communities access to low-cost portable air pollution monitoring devices could help improve air quality.

Released: 9-Aug-2016 6:05 PM EDT
California Nitrogen Assessment Presents Opportunities for Improvement
University of California, Davis Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

A new report from the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis offers a big picture look at the scale and impacts of nitrogen in California. According to the report, excess nitrogen in the state comes primarily from agriculture and fossil fuel combustion. For years, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources scientists have been working with farmers throughout the state to refine fertilizer management, irrigation efficiency and other farming practices to manage nitrogen, and the work continues. The following are some examples of current UC ANR research and extension projects to manage nitrogen.

Released: 9-Aug-2016 11:05 AM EDT
Why Are New England’s Wild Blue Mussels Disappearing?
University of California, Irvine

The Gulf of Maine coastline, historically home to one of the richest shellfish populations in the U.S., is undergoing a dramatic change, with once-flourishing wild blue mussels all but disappearing, according to a study led by University of California, Irvine ecologists.

Released: 9-Aug-2016 11:05 AM EDT
Eight Researchers From Biodiversity Research Institute to Present at the 2016 North American Ornithological Conference
Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI)

Biodiversity Research Institute will participate at the 2016 North American Ornithological Conference, in Washington, D.C., August 16-20. BRI biologists will present current avian research in presentations and poster sessions. BRI’s executive director, David Evers, Ph.D., will participate in a symposium on birds as indicators of ecosystem health and environmental change.

Released: 9-Aug-2016 11:00 AM EDT
Rutgers Gardens Celebrates Centennial with Ambitious Growth Plan
Rutgers University

Rutgers Gardens, a treasured oasis that draws thousands for classes, weddings and walks in the woods, is about to receive a rare honor and is on the cusp of a major facelift as it celebrates its centennial.

Released: 9-Aug-2016 9:40 AM EDT
Save the Date: August 10 TelebriefingNew Web Tool Gives County Residents Ability to Search Ozone and PM Levels Where They Live;
American Thoracic Society (ATS)

WHAT: On August 10, the American Thoracic Society and the Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York University will share findings from their seminal report on the annual health benefits of meeting more protective air pollution standards as recommended by the ATS. The report focuses on ozone (O3), a component of smog, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), tiny particles that are released when fuel is burned by motor vehicles and power plants, and also other sources.

   
Released: 9-Aug-2016 12:05 AM EDT
Preventing Mass Extinctions of Big Mammals Will Require Immediate Action
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

Preventing the extinction of gorillas, rhinoceroses, elephants, lions, tigers, wolves, bears and the world's other largest mammals will require bold political action and financial commitments from nations worldwide. In an article in the journal BioScience, 43 wildlife experts write that without immediate changes, many of the Earth's most iconic species will be lost.

7-Aug-2016 10:05 PM EDT
Small Molecules to Help Make SMARTER Cereals
University of Adelaide

University of Adelaide researchers are rethinking plant breeding strategies to improve the development of new high-yielding, stress-tolerant cereal varieties.

4-Aug-2016 10:05 AM EDT
IceCube Search for the ‘Sterile Neutrino’ Draws a Blank
University of Wisconsin–Madison

In an effort to fill in the blanks of the Standard Model of particle physics, science has been conducting a diligent search for a hypothesized particle known as the “sterile neutrino.” Now, with the latest results from an icy particle detector at the South Pole, scientists are almost certain that there is no such particle.

Released: 8-Aug-2016 8:40 AM EDT
Expert: Scientists Turning to Animal Kingdom for Clues to New Drugs
Akari Therapeutics

Expert can speak on the use of animal toxins to develop a new generation of medicines. Gur Roshwalb, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Akari Therapeutics, is studying the use of Coversin—a molecule derived from the saliva of the Ornithodoros moubata tick—in potential treatments for conditions such as paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS).

   
Released: 8-Aug-2016 8:05 AM EDT
Pesticides Used to Help Bees May Actually Harm Them
Virginia Tech

Honeybees from chlorothalanil-treated hives showed the greatest change in gut microbiome.

Released: 5-Aug-2016 3:05 PM EDT
UW’s Holloway to Lead NASA Health and Air Quality Initiative
University of Wisconsin–Madison

NASA established the Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team and this past week tapped Tracey Holloway, a professor in the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, to lead the multi-institutional effort to help make environmental satellite data more accessible and useful.

Released: 5-Aug-2016 3:05 PM EDT
New Virus Found During Investigation Into Largemouth Bass Fish Kill
University of Wisconsin–Madison

A new virus has been identified in association with a die-off of largemouth bass in Pine Lake in Wisconsin’s Forest County. The previously unknown virus was isolated at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s La Crosse Fish Health Center from dead fish collected by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) during an investigation into a May 2015 fish kill in the northeastern Wisconsin lake.

Released: 5-Aug-2016 12:05 PM EDT
Newly Discovered 'Blue Whirl' Fire Tornado Burns Cleaner for Reduced Emissions
University of Maryland, College Park

Fire tornados, or 'fire whirls,' pose a powerful and essentially uncontrollable threat to life, property, and the surrounding environment in large urban and wildland fires. But now, a team of researchers in the University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering say their discovery of a type of fire tornado they call a 'blue whirl' could lead to beneficial new approaches for reducing carbon emissions and improving oil spill cleanup.

Released: 5-Aug-2016 11:05 AM EDT
NSU Researchers Studying Toxic Effects of Oil on Corals
Nova Southeastern University

In a marine oil spill, a high priority for responders is the protection of corals and coral reefs, which, for a myriad of other reasons, are under stress throughout the world. To accomplish this, responders need the best possible scientific information on the effects oil has on corals. To that end, researchers at Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography have been studying the effect hydrocarbons have on these unique marine creatures.

Released: 5-Aug-2016 10:10 AM EDT
Argonne Discovery Yields Self-Healing Diamond-Like Carbon
Argonne National Laboratory

A group of tribologists – scientists who study the effect of friction in machines – and computational materials scientists at Argonne recently discovered a revolutionary diamond-like film that is generated by the heat and pressure of an automotive engine. The discovery of this ultra-durable, self-lubricating tribofilm – a film that forms between moving surfaces – was first reported yesterday in the journal Nature. It could have profound implications for the efficiency and durability of future engines and other moving metal parts that can be made to develop self-healing, diamond-like carbon tribofilms.

Released: 5-Aug-2016 10:05 AM EDT
Adaptation to Climate Risks: Political Affiliation Matters
Springer

A new study reveals that those who affiliate with the Democratic Party have different views than those who vote Republican on the following issues: the likelihood of floods occurring, adopting protection measures, and expectations of disaster relief from the government. The study was jointly conducted by VU University in Amsterdam, Utrecht University School of Economics in The Netherlands, and the Center for Risk Management and Decision Processes at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA.

Released: 5-Aug-2016 10:05 AM EDT
Radar Tracking Reveals the 'Life Stories' of Bumblebees as They Forage for Food
Queen Mary University of London

Scientists have tracked the flight paths of a group of bumblebees throughout their entire lives to find out how they explore their environment and search for food.

Released: 5-Aug-2016 8:05 AM EDT
Ph.D. Student Conducting Research to Restore Historic Mines
Missouri University of Science and Technology

Thanks to the work of a Missouri University of Science and Technology doctoral student in civil and environmental engineering and her faculty mentors, mine remediation of former mine tailings impoundments could receive an organic boost from a product most communities are eager to get rid of — sewage sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant.

Released: 4-Aug-2016 4:05 PM EDT
Cornell Scientists Convert Carbon Dioxide, Create Electricity
Cornell University

Cornell University scientists have developed an oxygen-assisted aluminum/carbon dioxide power cell that uses electrochemical reactions to both sequester the carbon dioxide and produce electricity.

Released: 4-Aug-2016 12:05 PM EDT
Bloom and Bust: Algae Takes a Heavy Toll on Florida Tourism
University of Florida

The harmful algae bloom affecting some South Florida beaches has driven away half of people considering visiting the Sunshine State and could deter nearly three-fourths of those thinking of traveling to the affected counties, a new study shows.

1-Aug-2016 12:00 PM EDT
"Echo Hunter": Researchers Name New Fossil Whale With High-Frequency Hearing
NYIT

A detailed study of a nearly-complete fossil skull reveals much about the evolution of high-frequency hearing, which plays a key role in echolocation. Researchers at NYIT conclude high-frequency hearing evolved about 27-million years ago, about the same time as echolocation, although some features evolved even earlier.

Released: 4-Aug-2016 11:05 AM EDT
The Cat and the Scat
University of Delaware

A new study finds researchers may have been missing the mark on the diet of endangered snow leopards. The findings suggest the leopards have been consuming larger, not smaller, species, and underscores the importance of verifying, through DNA testing, what endangered species need to survive.

Released: 4-Aug-2016 8:05 AM EDT
UF/IFAS Research Findings Could Eventually Save $30 Million Annually for Strawberry Growers
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

UF/IFAS researchers are looking for ways to thwart angular leaf spot, a pathogen that can destroy up to 10 percent of Florida’s $300 million-a-year strawberry crop in years with multiple freezes.

Released: 4-Aug-2016 6:00 AM EDT
U of S Scientists Probe the Mystery of Sable Island’s Growing Wild Horse Population
University of Saskatchewan

SASKATOON - University of Saskatchewan (U of S) biologists have made a significant advance in understanding the ecology of Sable Island and its iconic wild horses—one that underscores how intimately connected living systems are.



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