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How bacteria build hyper-efficient photosynthesis machines![]() Washington DC (SPX) Jan 25, 2019 Researchers facing a future with a larger population and more uncertain climate are looking for ways to improve crop yields, and they're looking to photosynthetic bacteria for engineering solutions. In the Journal of Biological Chemistry, a Canadian research team reports on how cyanobacteria finesse one of the most wasteful steps in photosynthesis. The study investigated the assembly of carboxysomes in which the bacteria concentrate carbon dioxide, boosting the efficiency of a critical enzyme call ... read more |
Plants can smell, now researchers know howTokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 24, 2019 Plants don't need noses to smell. The ability is in their genes. Researchers at the University of Tokyo have discovered the first steps of how information from odor molecules changes gene expression ... more
Envisioned 'octopus farms' would have far-reaching and detrimental environmental impactNew York NY (SPX) Jan 25, 2019 Commercial octopus farming, currently in developmental stages on multiple continents, would have a negative ripple effect on sustainability and animal welfare, concludes a team of researchers in a n ... more
Farm manure boosts greenhouse gas emissions even in winterBurlington VT (SPX) Jan 23, 2019 Decisions farmers make over the spring and summer can dramatically increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions later in the winter. That's a key takeaway from a new University of Vermont study tha ... more
Dry inland waters are underrated players in climate changeBerlin, Germany (SPX) Jan 23, 2019 2018: a year of drought - climate change causes an increase in the number of freshwaters that run dry, at least temporarily. Also, many lakes are shrinking permanently or have disappeared completely ... more |
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 Philippines evacuates one million, woman dead as super typhoon nears Japan observes tiny tsunami following 6.7 magnitude quake Philippines evacuates hundreds of thousands as super typhoon nears Tornado kills six, injures 750 as it wrecks southern Brazil town |
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Human diet causing 'catastrophic' damage to planet: studyParis (AFP) Jan 16, 2019 The way humanity produces and eats food must radically change to avoid millions of deaths and "catastrophic" damage to the planet, according to a landmark study published Thursday. ... more
60 percent of coffee varieties face 'extinction risk'Paris (AFP) Jan 16, 2019 Three in five species of wild coffee are at risk of extinction as a deadly mix of climate change, disease and deforestation puts the future of the world's favourite beverage in jeopardy, new research warned Wednesday. ... more
Desalination produces more toxic waste than clean waterParis (AFP) Jan 14, 2019 More than 16,000 desalination plants scattered across the globe produce far more toxic sludge than fresh water, according to a first global assessment of the sector's industrial waste, published Monday. ... more
Million dead fish cause environmental stink in AustraliaSydney (AFP) Jan 14, 2019 As many as a million fish are believed to have died along the banks of a major river system in drought-battered eastern Australia, and the authorities warned Monday of more deaths to come. ... more
UN warns of rising levels of toxic brine as desalination plants meet growing water needsHamilton, Canada (SPX) Jan 15, 2019 The fast-rising number of desalination plants worldwide - now almost 16,000, with capacity concentrated in the Middle East and North Africa - quench a growing thirst for freshwater but create a salt ... more |
![]() RUDN pedologists found out a correct combination of nitrogen fertilizers and plastic mulch
Ancient quinoa found in Ontario, suggesting early links between indigenous groupsWashington (UPI) Jan 16, 2019 The discovery of ancient quinoa seeds outside of Ontario suggests early indigenous groups were exchanging perishable goods as early as 900 B.C. ... more |
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Survey: GMO food critics overestimate their knowledge of the subjectWashington (UPI) Jan 15, 2019 Opponents of genetically modified foods overrate their knowledge of the subject, according to a new survey. ... more
France takes Roundup weed-killer off market after court rulingLyon (AFP) Jan 15, 2019 French authorities on Tuesday banned the sale of a form of controversial weed-killer Roundup following a court ruling that regulators failed to take safety concerns into account when clearing the widely used herbicide. ... more
UK Space Agency COMPASS project aims to to improve crop yields for Mexican farmersHarwell UK (SPX) Jan 11, 2019 SIAP, the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food - part of the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture (SAGARPA) - has signed a declaration of intent with the UK Space ... more
Feds, states can help biochar live up to its soil-saving potentialHouston TX (SPX) Jan 15, 2019 Even though every dollar spent on soil improvement can save much more in environmental costs down the road, startup costs can sometimes make it hard for farmers to implement best environmental pract ... more
Rice plants engineered to be better at photosynthesis make more riceWashington DC (SPX) Jan 11, 2019 A new bioengineering approach for boosting photosynthesis in rice plants could increase grain yield by up to 27%, according to a study publishing January 10 in the journal Molecular Plant. The appro ... more |
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Russia to launch Arctic weather satellite Moscow (Sputnik) Jan 21, 2019
The first Russian satellite for weather forecasting and monitoring climate and environment in the Arctic region, Arktika-M, is planned to be sent to near-earth orbit in June 2019, a source in the Russian space industry told Sputnik on Sunday.
"The launch of the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle from the Baikonur cosmodrome with Fregat booster and the first hydrometeorological satellite Arktika-M i ... more |
Magnetic North's erratic behavior forces update to global navigation system Washington (UPI) Jan 14, 2019
Magnetic North is shifting rapidly, throwing off the World Magnetic Model that powers a variety of global navigational systems.
Scientists were originally scheduled to release an updated model this week - a fix for the accumulating anomalies - but due to the government shutdown, the update's release has been delayed until the end of the month.
Scientists with the British Geolog ... more |
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How much rainforest do birds need? Gottingen, Germany (SPX) Jan 23, 2019
Researchers of the Department of Conservation Biology at the University of Gottingen have carried out research in Southwest Cameroon to assess which proportion of forest would be necessary in order to provide sufficient habitat for rainforest bird species. The results of the study were published in the journal Biological Conservation.
The Gottingen team investigated relationships between f ... more |
From toilet to brickyard: Recycling biosolids to make sustainable bricks Melbourne, Australia (SPX) Jan 23, 2019
How can you recycle the world's stockpiles of treated sewage sludge and boost sustainability in the construction industry, all at the same time? Turn those biosolids into bricks.
Biosolids are a by-product of the wastewater treatment process that can be used as fertiliser, in land rehabilitation or as a construction material.
Around 30% of the world's biosolids are stockpiled or sent ... more |
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Photon Energy to roll out solar projects across Australia for ALDI Amsterdam, The Netherlands (SPX) Jan 23, 2019
Photon Energy Group reports that its subsidiary Photon Energy Engineering Australia will roll out 4.6 MWp solar projects across 30 stores and a distribution centre of the supermarket chain ALDI in New South Wales and Queensland.
"Photon Energy is very proud to be cooperating with ALDI to transform its stores into solar power generators capable of providing a large proportion of their dayti ... more |
EON achieves successful commercial operation and tax equity financing for Stella wind farm Chicago IL (SPX) Jan 24, 2019
E.ON reports the successful completion and tax equity financing of its 201 megawatt (MW) Stella wind farm in Kenedy County, Texas.
Allianz Capital Partners of America on behalf of Allianz insurance companies provided tax equity financing in exchange for a partial interest in the Stella project. The project achieved commercial operation and closing of tax equity in December 2018.
"Con ... more |
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Death toll in China mining accident rises to 21 Beijing (AFP) Jan 13, 2019
The death toll in a coal mine roof collapse in northern China has risen to 21 after rescuers found two more miners dead on Sunday, state media reported.
A total of 87 people were working underground in the Shaanxi province mine at the time of the accident on Saturday afternoon, according to official news agency Xinhua, citing local authorities.
Rescuers had been searching for two remain ... more |
Australia demands China treat detained national 'fairly' Sydney (AFP) Jan 24, 2019
Australia on Thursday demanded China handle the case of detained author Yang Hengjun "transparently and fairly," amid a growing row about the fate of the Chinese-Australian.
Yang - a novelist, democracy advocate and former Chinese diplomat - was detained shortly after he made a rare return to China from the United States last week.
Friend and colleague Chongyi Feng told AFP he believes ... more |
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The first tendril-like soft robot able to climb Rome, Italy (SPX) Jan 25, 2019
Researchers at IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia obtained the first soft robot mimicking plant tendrils: it is able to curl and climb, using the same physical principles determining water transport in plants. The research team is led by Barbara Mazzolai and results have been published in Nature Communications. In the future this tendril-like soft robot could inspire the development of wearable ... more |
S. Korea in airborne fight against 'Chinese' pollution Seoul (AFP) Jan 25, 2019
Seoul on Friday sent aircraft over the Yellow Sea to carry out cloud-seeding experiments in an effort to tackle air pollution many South Koreans blame on China.
Air quality in South Korea is generally better than in its giant neighbour, the world's biggest polluter, which is periodically affected by choking bouts of filthy air and according to the International Energy Agency uses coal to gen ... more |
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Forest soil takes decades to recover from wildfire, logging Washington (UPI) Jan 23, 2019
Many forest species can rebound relatively quickly in the wake of wildfire. Some animals even thrive among the newly scorched environs. But according to new research, forest soil takes up to 80 years to recover from severe burns.
Researchers at the Australian National University found both fire and logging can have surprisingly long-lasting effects on the health of forest soil.
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Tiny killer threatens giant clam, aquatic emblem of the Med Villefranche-Sur-Mer, France (AFP) Jan 25, 2019
With wing-shaped shells lined with iridescent mother-of-pearl and producing the fibres of rare and delicate sea silk, the noble pen shell clam is one of the most emblematic species in the Mediterranean and a bellwether for marine environmental health.
But the giant mollusc, the world's second biggest, is under mortal threat from a parasite that has ravaged populations since it was identified ... more |
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Power outages as Australia swelters through extreme temperatures Sydney (AFP) Jan 25, 2019
Hundreds of thousands of people sweltering through a brutal heatwave in southern Australia were left without power Friday, as the grid struggled with surging demand.
Authorities said more than 200,000 customers were experiencing blackouts after it ordered forced outages to reduce the risk of the entire grid failing.
"We have asked for 100 megawatts of involuntary load reduction, we have ... more |
US, China 'miles and miles' from resolving trade conflict: US official Washington (AFP) Jan 24, 2019
Washington and Beijing are "miles and miles" from resolving their trade war, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Thursday.
A high-level Chinese delegation is due in Washington next week for talks to resolve the dispute by March 1, when US duty rates on Chinese imports are due to rise sharply, but Ross tried to tamp down expectations to those meetings.
"There's been a lot of anticipato ... more |
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Surprising Explanation for Differences in Southern and Northern Lights Bergen, Norway (SPX) Jan 25, 2019
For many years, scientists assumed the aurora seen around the north pole was identical to the aurora seen around the south pole. The poles are connected by magnetic field lines, and auroral displays are caused by charged particles streaming along these field lines. Because the charged particles follow these field lines, it would make sense that the auroras would be mirror images of each other. ... more |
Invasive species could spell trouble on China's new 'Silk Road' Washington (AFP) Jan 24, 2019
Invasive species have been around for centuries, since the beginning of international trade.
But a major new trade route organized by China and spanning 123 countries could accelerate the spread of invasive species like never before, researchers warned Thursday.
Officially called China's Belt and Road Initiative, the project was launched five years ago and aims to include about half the ... more |
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