|
|
|
How much soil goes get washed down the drain![]() Basel, Switzerland (SPX) Dec 18, 2017 According to a new study by the University of Basel, the European Commission - Joint Research Centre and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH, UK), almost 36 billion tons of soil is lost every year due to water, and deforestation and other changes in land use make the problem worse. The study also offers ideas on how agriculture can change to become a part of the solution from being part of the problem Soil is an essential resource for satisfying human needs, such as food and feed production, ... read more |
In food waste fight, Brits turn bread into beerDriffield, United Kingdom (AFP) Dec 12, 2017 At a brewery nestled in rolling farmland in northern England, the process of making beer begins with dropping dozens of unwanted loaf ends, thrown away by a sandwich factory, into a large stainless steel tank. ... more
India faces painful move to cleaner energyUncha Amirpur, India (AFP) Dec 10, 2017 Subedar Singh bears the scars of India's painful reliance on dirty power and its struggle to pay for the costly transition to the brave new world of solar and renewable electricity. ... more
Meadows beat out shrubs when it comes to storing carbonTrondheim, Norway (SPX) Dec 12, 2017 Excess carbon dioxide, emitted by burning fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, is one of the most important factors in driving global warming. While the world is focused on controlling global warmi ... more
Uncovering varied pathways to agricultureRehovot, Israel (SPX) Dec 12, 2017 Around 15,000 years ago, the Natufian culture appeared in what is today's Middle East. This culture, which straddled the border between nomadic and settled lifestyles, had diverse, complex origins - ... more |
Philippine death toll tops 140 as typhoon heads towards Vietnam
CORRECTED: Philippine death toll tops 140 as typhoon heads towards Vietnam Camels replace cows as Kenya battles drought Jamaica still 'digging out' from hurricane, but Red Cross hopes toll stays low Death toll tops 100 as Philippines digs out after typhoon Typhoon death toll soars past 90 in the Philippines Typhoon death toll climbs to 66 in the Philippines CORRECTED: Typhoon Kalmaegi kills 66 in Philippines: civil defence office Reeling from earthquakes, Afghans fear coming winter Typhoon flooding kills over 40, strands thousands in central Philippines |
|
|

| Previous Issues | Dec 14 | Dec 13 | Dec 12 | Dec 11 |
|
|
Archaeologist says fire, not corn, key to prehistoric survival in arid SouthwestCincinnati OH (SPX) Dec 12, 2017 Conventional wisdom holds that prehistoric villagers planted corn, and lots of it, to survive the dry and hostile conditions of the American Southwest. But University of Cincinnati archaeology ... more
US transportation and water infrastructure not brokenSanta Monica, CA (SPX) Dec 11, 2017 Transportation and water infrastructure funding and finance in the United States are not nearly as dire as some believe, but a national consensus on infrastructure priorities, accompanied by targete ... more
Soil researchers quantify an underappreciated factor in carbon release to the atmosphereAmherst MA (SPX) Dec 11, 2017 Soil plays a critical role in global carbon cycling, in part because soil organic matter stores three times more carbon than the atmosphere. Now biogeochemist Marco Keiluweit at the University of Ma ... more
Shining a light on plant growth and developmentRiverside CA (SPX) Dec 12, 2017 Plants don't have eyes, but they do "see" their surroundings using light. That's made possible by proteins called photoreceptors that absorb light and convert it into a signal that turns genes ... more
NASA, University of Maryland Join Forces on Food SecurityCollege Park MD (SPX) Dec 08, 2017 NASA has tapped the University of Maryland to lead a new consortium focused on putting satellite data to use to enhance food security and agriculture around the world. The Earth Observations f ... more
Drought-resistant plant genes could accelerate evolution of water-use efficient cropsOak Ridge TN (SPX) Dec 07, 2017 Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have identified a common set of genes that enable different drought-resistant plants to survive in semi-arid conditions, which ... more |
![]() Drought behind worsening power outages in Malawi
What makes soil, soil? Researchers find hidden clues in DNAManchester UK (SPX) Dec 06, 2017 Ever wondered what makes a soil, soil? And could soil from the Amazon rainforest really be the same as soil from your garden? Researchers at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) an ... more
Light green plants save nitrogen without sacrificing photosynthetic efficiencyChampaign IL (SPX) Dec 06, 2017 The top leaves of crops absorb far more light than they can use, starving lower leaves of light. Scientists designed plants with light green leaves with hopes of allowing more light to penetrate the ... more
Robotic device tracks plant growth at the cellular levelWashington DC (SPX) Dec 06, 2017 Plant scientists have a new tool in their toolkit. The automated confocal micro-extensometer (ACME) - developed by a team of researchers in Europe and the US - allows scientists to measure spatial v ... more
Perk up, Shanghai: Crowds throng world's biggest StarbucksShanghai (AFP) Dec 6, 2017 Starbucks opened its largest cafe in the world in Shanghai on Wednesday as the US-based beverage giant bets big on the burgeoning coffee culture of a country traditionally known for tea-drinking. ... more |
|
|
Liverpool UK (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
Researchers from the University of Liverpool have spotted the equivalent of smoke-rings in the ocean which they think could 'suck-up' small marine creatures and carry them at high speed and for long distances across the ocean.
The ocean is full of eddies, swirling motions some tens to hundreds of kilometres across, which mix the water and carry it across the average currents.
The 'sm ... more Boulder CO (SPX) Dec 14, 2017Space Mystery Solved by Student Satellite Greenbelt MD (SPX) Dec 18, 2017Scientists share various perspectives on ozone layer recovery Laurel MD (SPX) Dec 15, 2017APL Monitoring Instrument Rides into Space |
Kourou, French Guiana (ESA) Dec 11, 2017
For its 11th launch of the year, and the sixth Ariane 5 liftoff from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in French Guiana during 2017, Arianespace will orbit four more satellites for the Galileo constellation.
This mission is being performed on behalf of the European Commission under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA).
For the second time, an Ariane 5 ES version will be used t ... more Paris (ESA) Dec 11, 2017Galileo satellites atop rocket for next Tuesday's flight Washington (UPI) Dec 5, 2017Air Force tests Raytheon's GPS receiver aboard B-2 bomber Paris (ESA) Dec 05, 2017Space technology to drive autonomous ships |
|
|
New Haven CT (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
The loss of forests in Africa in the past century is substantially less than previously estimated, an analysis of historical records and paleontology evidence by Yale researchers shows.
Previous estimates put deforestation at 35% to 55% on the continent since 1900. The new analysis estimates closed-canopy forests have shrunk by 21.7%, according to findings published Dec. 11 in the journal ... more Munich, Germany (SPX) Dec 14, 2017Cascading use is also beneficial for wood New York NY (SPX) Dec 14, 2017New maps show shrinking wilderness being ignored at our peril Vancouver, Canada (SPX) Dec 11, 2017Forests are the key to fresh water |
Bristol UK (SPX) Dec 12, 2017
Chemists at the University of Bristol have made the first steps towards making sustainable petrol using beer as a key ingredient.
It is commonly accepted that there is an urgent need for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels for transportation to replace diesel and petrol.
One of the most widely used sustainable alternatives to petrol world-wide is bioethanol - in the United State ... more Golden CO (SPX) Dec 14, 2017NREL develops novel method to produce renewable acrylonitrile Edinburgh UK (SPX) Dec 12, 2017Algae could feed and fuel planet with aid of new high-tech tool Golden CO (SPX) Dec 13, 2017NREL research finds a sweet spot for engineering better cellulose-degrading enzymes |
|
|
Lausanne, Switzerland (SPX) Dec 12, 2017
With the power-conversion efficiency of silicon solar cells plateauing around 25%, perovskites are now ideally placed to become the market's next generation of photovoltaics.
In particular, organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites offer manufacturing versatility that can potentially translate into much higher efficiency: studies have already shown photovoltaic performances above 20% acros ... more Uncha Amirpur, India (AFP) Dec 10, 2017India faces painful move to cleaner energy Warwick UK (SPX) Dec 12, 2017Solar power advances possible with new 'double-glazing' device Washington (UPI) Dec 14, 2017U.S. solar power group says it sees headwinds ahead |
Canberra, Australia (SPX) Dec 13, 2017
Construction of the first utility-scale wind, solar and storage hybrid generator connected to the national electricity network is set to start near Hughenden in North West Queensland.
The first sod of soil will be turned at a ceremony on Monday 11 December. The ceremony marks the start of work on the innovative $160 million Kennedy Park Energy developed by Windlab Limited - Australia's int ... more Washington (UPI) Dec 14, 2017Oil-rich Alberta sees momentum for wind energy Washington (UPI) Nov 30, 2017U.S. wind turbines getting taller and more efficient Washington (UPI) Nov 22, 2017New wind farm in service off the British coast |
|
|
Yekaterinburg, Russia (SPX) Dec 18, 2017
Bituminous coal comprises over 90% of organic fuels in the lithosphere of the Earth. By burning coal and other fossil fuels one can get electrical power (which is mainly happening at HPPs). However, the existing generation methods are not efficient, bad for the environment, and extremely resource-demanding (i.e. producing a lot of waste). Coal production and burning lead to soil and air pollutio ... more Bonn (AFP) Nov 16, 2017Battle lines drawn over coal at UN climate talks Bonn (AFP) Nov 16, 2017Anti-coal drive at UN climate talks stalked by pro-coal White House Hambach Coal Mine, Near Niederzier, Germany (AFP) Nov 5, 2017Protest at open-pit coal mine near Bonn ahead of UN climate talks |
Hong Kong (AFP) Dec 15, 2017
Three men were jailed in Hong Kong Friday for possessing and conspiring to make explosives ahead of a contentious 2015 vote on political reform.
The trio, who were found guilty last month, were sentenced to up to three years and 10 months in prison as the judge said they had embarked on "a very dangerous path".
They were detained at a time of heightened political tension in Hong Kong in ... more Beijing (AFP) Dec 15, 2017Bustling Beijing migrant area turns into ghost town Shanghai (AFP) Dec 13, 2017Poisoned syringes fired at pet dogs for China meat trade Beijing (AFP) Dec 14, 2017Chinese dissident's widow sends desperate letter |
|
|
El Segundo CA (SPX) Dec 13, 2017
The Aerospace Corporation's (Aerospace) SeedTECH Artificial Intelligence (AI) team is one of 59 teams out of 147 that are advancing to the second round of the IBM Watson AI XPRIZE - a $5 million AI and cognitive computing global competition. SeedTECH AI will take on the grand challenge of designing an AI that can dream.
"We're thrilled that Aerospace's all-volunteer team progressed to the ... more Ithaca NY (SPX) Dec 18, 2017Engineers program tiny robots to move, think like insects Washington (UPI) Dec 8, 2017Speedy cockroaches help researchers train robots to walk Moscow (Sputnik) Dec 13, 2017Not Your Grandpa's Robot: Russian Robot 'FEDOR' May Become Self-Learning |
Tehran (AFP) Dec 17, 2017
Iran shut schools around Tehran Sunday and cancelled sporting events as thick smog blanketed the capital despite curbs on road traffic and industrial activity.
The authorities shuttered primary schools in the province of Tehran, home to 14 million residents, before ordering them to remain closed on Monday.
All sports competitions set for Monday were also cancelled, as restrictions on ro ... more Geneva (AFP) Dec 13, 2017UN warns of surging e-waste, little recycling Argonne IL (SPX) Dec 18, 2017Clearing the air Skopje (AFP) Dec 15, 2017Macedonian capital chokes in polluted air |
|
|
Los Angeles (AFP) Dec 12, 2017 Crews battling wildfires ravaging southern California for a week have managed to slow the spread of the worst of the blazes, officials said Tuesday, as residents were taking stock of the catastrophic damage.
The biggest "Thomas" fire has charred nearly 95,000 hectares (234,000 acres) of land and is only 20 percent contained, according to the state agency Calfire.
But in the past day or s ... more Los Angeles (AFP) Dec 15, 2017Firefighter killed in massive California blaze Houston TX (SPX) Dec 18, 2017After the fire, charcoal goes against the grain, with the flow Greenbelt MD (SPX) Dec 18, 2017NASA's Aqua satellite captures smoke billowing off California coast |
Beijing, China (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
Western North Pacific anomalous anticyclone (WNPAC, or referred to as Philippine Sea anomalous anticyclone) is the most important anomalous circulation pattern connecting El Nin~o and East Asian-western North Pacific monsoon.
WNPAC begins from the El Nin~o mature winter to the following summer and thus is one of the most long-lasting anomalous circulation patterns over the entire tropical ... more Boston MA (SPX) Dec 13, 2017Researchers establish long-sought source of ocean methane Washington (UPI) Dec 13, 2017Sea levels will rise, but scientists not sure how high Washington DC (SPX) Dec 14, 2017Southern Ocean drives massive bloom of tiny phytoplankton |
|
|
Miami (AFP) Dec 13, 2017
Last year's global heat record, extreme heat in Asia and unusually warm waters off the coast of Alaska happened purely because the planet is getting warmer due to human activities like burning fossil fuels, a study said Wednesday.
The findings mark the first time that global scientists have identified severe weather that could not have happened without climate change, said the peer-reviewed ... more Jakarta (AFP) Nov 28, 2017At least 11 dead as floods and landslide hit Indonesia London, Canada (SPX) Nov 29, 2017High-altitude turbulence data could add 20-minute warning window to tornados Los Angeles (AFP) Nov 22, 2017US southwest sizzles as experts predict record Thanksgiving |
Beijing (AFP) Dec 16, 2017 China and Britain look forward to a "new period of historic opportunity" to deepen cooperation post-Brexit, officials said Saturday, as they accelerated plans to connect the London and Shanghai stock markets.
Visiting British finance minister Philip Hammond has been cozying up to Beijing, with the relationship between the two countries growing in importance as the UK contemplates its economi ... more Marseille (AFP) Dec 13, 2017Sweet victory: French candymakers win China legal war Tokyo (AFP) Dec 15, 2017Japan firm says it will pay part of salaries in Bitcoin Beijing (AFP) Dec 8, 2017China exports surge in November as trade tensions flare |
|
|
New Orleans LA (SPX) Dec 14, 2017
It's not often geology and national security wind up in the same sentence. Most people don't think about electrical power in connection to either the ground under their feet or solar flares overhead, but Dr. Adam Schultz of Oregon State University, and EarthScope Magnetotelluric Program Lead Scientist, says that connection presents a clear and present risk that power utilities need to consider ... more Washington DC (SPX) Dec 18, 2017Eclipse 2017: Science from the Moon's Shadow Boulder CO (SPX) Dec 11, 2017CU Boulder solar instruments, experiments headed for space New York NY (SPX) Dec 11, 2017Mount Sinai researchers use breakthrough technology to understand eclipse eye damage |
Washington (UPI) Dec 14, 2017
Feral foxes are no longer the archenemies of would-be loggerhead turtle moms at the second biggest nesting beach in northeast Australia. The title now belongs to the yellow-spotted goanna.
Over the last few decades, scientists have observed the Australia lizard develop a taste for the eggs of the endangered loggerhead turtle. Goannas now frequently raid turtle nests on the Queensland ne ... more Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 14, 2017Scientists reveal rules for making ribs Atlanta GA (SPX) Dec 14, 2017When physics gives evolution a leg up by breaking one Kuala Lumpur (AFP) Dec 15, 2017Pangolin traffickers opening up new routes: study |
|
| Buy Advertising | Media Advertising Kit | Editorial & Other Enquiries | Privacy statement |
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement |