|
|
UConn scientists create reverse osmosis membranes with tunable thickness![]() Storrs CT (SPX) Aug 23, 2018 Currently, more than 300 million people around the world rely on desalinated water for part or all of their daily needs. That demand will only grow with larger populations and improved standards of living around the world. Accessing the oceans for drinking water, however, requires desalination technologies that are complicated and expensive. The most commonly used technology for desalination is reverse osmosis (RO), a process in which seawater is forced through a membrane capable of removing salts ... read more |
Bringing home the bacon: China pork braces for trade war bluesBaiyang, China (AFP) Aug 22, 2018 Twice a day, Chinese pig farmer Jia Tiechui's workers flip levers to deliver plops of soybean-based feed to 18,000 hogs, whose appetite is getting costlier as the US trade war bites. ... more
The wheat code is finally crackedWashington DC (SPX) Aug 23, 2018 The International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC) published in the international journal Science a detailed description of the genome of bread wheat, the world's most widely cultivated cr ... more
Study: Human wastewater valuable to global agriculture, economicsChampaign IL (SPX) Aug 22, 2018 It may seem off-putting to some, but human waste is full of nutrients that can be recycled into valuable products that could promote agricultural sustainability and better economic independence for ... more
Rice Uni system selectively sequesters toxins from waterHouston TX (SPX) Aug 10, 2018 Rice University scientists are developing technology to remove contaminants from water - but only as many as necessary. The Rice lab of engineer Qilin Li is building a treatment system that ca ... more |
Philippines digs out from Typhoon Fung-wong as death toll climbs
Philippines digs out from Typhoon Fung-wong as death toll climbs to 18 Three Vietnam men survive 40 hours at sea after typhoon Typhoon Fung-wong floods Philippine towns, leaves 5 dead in its wake Typhoon Fung-wong leaves flooded Philippine towns in its wake Typhoon exposes centuries-old shipwreck off Vietnam port Weakening Typhoon Fung-wong exits Philippines after displacing 1.4 million Super Typhoon Fung-wong makes landfall in Philippines Over 1 million evacuate as deadly Super Typhoon Fung-wong nears Philippines Dam reservoir levels drop below 3% in Iran's second city: media |
|
|

| Previous Issues | Aug 23 | Aug 22 | Aug 21 | Aug 20 | Aug 17 |
|
New research collection targets insect pests of pulse cropsAnnapolis MD (SPX) Aug 10, 2018 Around the world, pulse crops - such as beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils - are an important staple in the modern food supply, and their cultivation is growing in the United States and many other ... more
Britain's dry summer reveals ancient sitesLondon (AFP) Aug 15, 2018 Previously hidden archaeological sites have emerged in fields across Britain after the hot, dry summer exposed new cropmarks, the Historic England agency said Wednesday. ... more
New pesticide may harm bees as much as those to be replacedParis (AFP) Aug 15, 2018 A new class of pesticides positioned to replace neonicotinoids may be just as harmful to crop-pollinating bees, researchers cautioned Wednesday. ... more
China's rainbow trout gets a new name: 'salmon'Beijing (AFP) Aug 15, 2018 When Chinese state TV accidentally revealed much of the "salmon" sashimi eaten in the country was actually rainbow trout, domestic fish farmers faced a crisis of consumer confidence. ... more
Vietnam's caged bears dying off as bile prices plummetThai Nguyen, Vietnam (AFP) Aug 17, 2018 Two moon bears are gently removed from the cramped cages where they have been held for 13 years, rescuers carefully checking their rotten teeth and matted paws before sending them to their new home in a grassy sanctuary in northern Vietnam. ... more |
![]() Blocking sunlight to cool Earth won't reduce crop damage from global warming
Does rain follow the plowTucson AZ (SPX) Aug 14, 2018 What makes it rain? Many people joke it only takes washing the car or forgetting an umbrella to make rain fall, though in reality, those things are two of many rain-making myths that have been perpe ... more |
|
Farmers in war-torn Afghanistan hit by worst drought in decadesMazar-I-Sharif, Afghanistan (AFP) Aug 12, 2018 After his wheat crop failed and wells dried up, Ghulam Abbas sold his animals and joined thousands of other farmers migrating to cities as Afghanistan's worst drought in living memory ravages the war-torn country. ... more
Investors shun Bayer stock over US pesticide rulingFrankfurt Am Main (AFP) Aug 13, 2018 Investors fled shares in German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer Monday, fearing a massive damages ruling against one of newly-acquired US firm Monsanto's flagship products could signal a wave of costly lawsuits. ... more
Cultivated areas halve in Iraq as drought tightens gripBaghdad (AFP) Aug 4, 2018 Areas under cultivation in Iraq have halved this summer compared to last year due to a drought that has led to a ban on water intensive crops, the government said. ... more
Nine die of pesticide poisoning in PeruLima (AFP) Aug 7, 2018 Nine people in Peru died from eating contaminated food at a funeral, officials said Tuesday. ... more
US jury orders Monsanto to pay $290mn to cancer patient over weed killerSan Francisco (AFP) Aug 11, 2018 A California jury ordered chemical giant Monsanto to pay nearly $290 million Friday for failing to warn a dying groundskeeper that its weed killer Roundup might cause cancer. ... more |
|
|
|
|
NASA launching Advanced Laser to measure Earth's changing ice Washington DC (SPX) Aug 23, 2018
Next month, NASA will launch into space the most advanced laser instrument of its kind, beginning a mission to measure - in unprecedented detail - changes in the heights of Earth's polar ice.
NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) will measure the average annual elevation change of land ice covering Greenland and Antarctica to within the width of a pencil, capturing 60 ... more |
US Air Force declares second Lockheed Martin GPS 3 satellite ready for launch Denver CO (SPX) Aug 23, 2018
As the first Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite prepares to ship to the launch pad, the U.S. Air Force has declared that the second GPS III satellite is complete, fully tested and ready to launch.
The Air Force's "Available for Launch" declaration is the final acceptance of Lockheed Martin's second GPS III Space Vehicle (GPS III SV02) - declaring it technically sound and ready to laun ... more |
|
|
Frequent fires make droughts harder for young trees, even in wet eastern forests Urbana IL (SPX) Aug 22, 2018
Forests in the eastern United States may have had it easy compared to their western counterparts, with the intense, prolonged droughts and wildfires that have become typical out west in recent years. But as the climate changes over time, eastern forests are also likely to experience longer droughts.
And although wildfires are comparatively rare, prescriptive fires are increasingly used in ... more |
Less drain on freshwater supplies with seawater fuel discovery Nottingham UK (SPX) Aug 22, 2018
Researchers have found that seawater can replace freshwater to produce the sustainable fuel Bioethanol, reducing the need to drain precious resources.
The study - 'The establishment of a marine focused biorefinery for bioethanol production using seawater and a novel marine yeast strain' - has been published in Scientific Reports and was carried out by researchers at the University of Notti ... more |
|
|
Constellation begins construction on 10MW solar array in Maryland Ocean City, MD (SPX) Aug 21, 2018
Constellation, an Exelon company, is breaking ground on a 10 megawatt (DC) solar energy project that will account for around 20 percent of the Town of Ocean City's annual energy use.
Sited near the intersection of Routes 50 and 90 (about 10 miles west of downtown Ocean City), the solar array will provide energy for several of the town's key buildings, including its city hall, convention ce ... more |
Denmark gets nod for renewable energy support scheme Washington (UPI) Aug 17, 2018
Denmark, a holdout on Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas project, has consent to move forward with renewable energy strategies, the European Commission said.
The European Commission said Friday it approved of renewable energy schemes proposed by a Danish government looking to meet half of its energy needs from renewable resources by 2030 and make a complete break from fossil fuels by 2050.
... more |
|
|
Trump administration moves to relax coal pollution rules Washington (AFP) Aug 22, 2018
President Donald Trump's administration announced a plan Tuesday to weaken regulations on US coal plants, giving a boost to an industry that former leader Barack Obama had hoped to phase out to cut harmful emissions that drive global warming.
The Environmental Protection Agency's new Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule would allow states the flexibility to set their own standards for performa ... more |
Anaesthetist 'killed family with gas-filled yoga ball' Hong Kong (AFP) Aug 23, 2018 An anaesthetist gassed his wife and daughter to death using a yoga ball filled with carbon monoxide, a Hong Kong court has heard.
Prosecutors told the High Court that Khaw Kim-sun left the inflatable ball in the boot of a car where the gas leaked out and killed them, according to reports from court Wednesday.
His wife and 16-year-old daughter were found on a roadside in a locked yellow M ... more |
|
|
Must do better: Japan eyes AI robots in class to boost English Tokyo (AFP) Aug 21, 2018
English-speaking AI robots will be helping out in some 500 Japanese classrooms from next year as the country seeks to improve its English skills among both children and teachers.
The education ministry plans a pilot project costing around 250 million yen ($227,000) to improve Japanese students' notoriously weak oral and written English, an official told AFP.
"AI robots already on the m ... more |
The Australians putting the brakes on fast fashion, fearing for environment Sydney (AFP) Aug 22, 2018
In a small shop along one of Sydney's busiest streets, Sarah Freeman is encouraging Australians to slow down and break their addiction to fast fashion.
Shocked by the speed at which Australians buy and throw away cheap garments, she is trying to harness an ancient concept - libraries - to persuade shoppers to rent instead of purchase clothes.
"Today's society just seem to wear clothes ... more |
|
|
A World On Fire Greenbelt MD (SPX) Aug 24, 2018
The world is on fire. Or so it appears in this image from NASA's Worldview. The red points overlaid on the image designate those areas that by using thermal bands detect actively burning fires. Africa seems to have the most concentrated fires. This could be due to the fact that these are most likely agricultural fires.
The location, widespread nature, and number of fires suggest that these ... more |
New research reveals corals could be trained to survive environmental stress Kaust, Saudi Arabia (SPX) Aug 22, 2018
Scientists have discovered the first molecular evidence that when exposed to environmental stress corals and anemones can optimize their gene expression enabling them to acclimatize to extreme conditions such as those experienced during climate change.
"In a nutshell, we could train toughened corals in nurseries to improve their thermal resilience, helping them to better cope with rising s ... more |
|
|
Nice sunny days can grow into heat waves Potsdam, Germany (SPX) Aug 24, 2018
Be it heavy downpours or super-hot spells, summer weather becomes more persistent in North America, Europe and parts of Asia. When those conditions stall for several days or weeks, they can turn into extremes: heatwaves resulting in droughts, health risks and wildfires; or relentless rainfall resulting in floods.
A team of scientists now presents the first comprehensive review of research ... more |
US-Mexico trade talks progressing but no breakthrough with China Washington (AFP) Aug 24, 2018
US officials holding a two-front battle in President Donald Trump's bid to revise major trade ties made progress with Mexican negotiators but found no breakthroughs with a Chinese delegation this week.
The North American Free Trade Agreement and China have been two key targets of Trump's aggressive trade strategy and he has largely brushed off concerns from the business community about the h ... more |
|
|
New kind of aurora is not an aurora at all Washington DC (SPX) Aug 24, 2018
Thin ribbons of purple and white light that sometimes appear in the night sky were dubbed a new type of aurora when brought to scientists' attention in 2016. But new research suggests these mysterious streams of light are not an aurora at all but an entirely new celestial phenomenon.
Amateur photographers had captured the new phenomenon, called STEVE, on film for decades. But the scientifi ... more |
Austria allows shooting wolves with rubber bullets Vienna (AFP) Aug 22, 2018
Austria has authorised shooting wolves with rubber bullets to deter attacks on livestock, a regional authority said Wednesday.
The wolf population is rising rapidly in many European countries, which has led to an increase in the number of attacks on farm animals.
Farmers in three districts of Lower Austria will have the right until the end of the year to shoot wolves with rubber bullets ... more |
|
| Buy Advertising | Media Advertising Kit | Editorial & Other Enquiries | Privacy statement |
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - 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 |