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Sharp bends make rivers wander![]() Austin TX (SPX) Feb 07, 2019 Left to their own devices and given enough time, rivers wander, eroding their banks and leaving their old channels behind. It's a behavior that engineers have to keep in mind when managing rivers or planning projects near them. But new research from The University of Texas at Austin has revealed that old methods for estimating migration rates may be overthinking it. The research was led by the UT Jackson School of Geosciences Bureau of Economic Geology and found that the rate of river migration is ... read more |
Chinese hunger for 'world's smelliest fruit' threatens Malaysian forestsRaub, Malaysia (AFP) Feb 6, 2019 Soaring demand for durians in China is being blamed for a new wave of deforestation in Malaysia with environmentalists warning vast amounts of jungle is being cleared to make way for massive plantations of the spiky, pungent fruit. ... more
Four crops alone comprise close to 50 per cent of all crops grown globallyToronto, Canada (SPX) Feb 07, 2019 A new U of T study suggests that globally we're growing more of the same kinds of crops, and this presents major challenges for agricultural sustainability on a global scale. The study, done b ... more
Campaigners to Pope: $1m to charity if you go vegan for LentParis (AFP) Feb 6, 2019 A 12-year-old animal rights and climate campaigner made an offer Wednesday Pope Francis may find hard to refuse: eat vegan during Lent and a million dollars will go to a charity of the Pontiff's choice. ... more
Prehistoric food globalization spanned three millenniaSt Louis MO (SPX) Feb 07, 2019 Since the beginning of archaeology, researchers have combed the globe searching for evidence of the first domesticated crops. Painstakingly extracting charred bits of barley, wheat, millet and rice ... more |
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 Winds, rain lash Philippines as super typhoon nears |
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| Previous Issues | Feb 06 | Feb 05 | Feb 04 | Feb 01 | Jan 31 |
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Insecticides blamed for honeybee deaths in California almond grovesWashington (UPI) Feb 5, 2019 Researchers have identified a culprit for the dramatic honey bee die offs among the almond groves of California's Central Valley. ... more
European colonisation of the Americas killed 10 percent of world population and caused global coolingWashington DC (SPX) Feb 01, 2019 While Europe was in the early days of the Renaissance, there were empires in the Americas sustaining more than 60m people. But the first European contact in 1492 brought diseases to the Americas whi ... more
Passing aircraft wring extra snow and rain out of cloudsWashington DC (SPX) Feb 01, 2019 Planes flying over rain or snow can intensify the precipitation by as much as 10-fold, according to a new study. The rain- and snow-bursts are not caused by emissions from the aircraft but are ... more
Brazilian indigenous community threatened in aftermath of dam burstSao Joaquim De Bicas, Brazil (AFP) Feb 1, 2019 In her 88 years, Antonia Alves has seen much hardship as a member of Brazil's indigenous community, whose people have often been driven from their ancestral lands over conflicts with farmers and loggers. ... more
Australia river agency pilloried amid mass fish deathsSydney (AFP) Jan 31, 2019 The authority that oversees Australia's largest river system was accused of "maladministration", "gross negligence" and ignoring climate science Thursday, as its waterways were carpeted with hundreds of thousands of dead fish. ... more |
![]() Space technology predicts droughts several months in advance
Mites, not a virus, are the main threat to bees, study findsWashington (UPI) Jan 30, 2019 Several studies have suggested parasitic mites both spread and worsen the effects of Deformed Wing Virus among honey bees. But new research shows the link between the two threats is tenuous. ... more |
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Sea of white: 'Hundreds of thousands' of fish dead in AustraliaSydney (AFP) Jan 29, 2019 "Hundreds of thousands" of fish have died in drought-stricken Australia in the last few days and more mass deaths are likely to occur, the authorities warned Tuesday. ... more
Sea of white: 'Hundreds of thousands' of fish dead in AustraliaSydney (AFP) Jan 29, 2019 "Hundreds of thousands" of fish have died in drought-stricken Australia in the last few days and more mass deaths are likely to occur, the authorities warned Tuesday. ... more
Cattle urine's planet-warming power can be curtailed with land restorationCali, Columbia (SPX) Jan 30, 2019 The exceptional climate-altering capabilities of cattle are mainly due to methane, which they blast into the atmosphere during their daily digestive routine. Cattle urine is a lesser-known climate o ... more
Weather at key growth stages predicts Midwest corn yield and grain qualityUrbana, IL (SPX) Jan 30, 2019 Corn is planted on approximately 90 million acres across the United States every year. With all that data, it takes months after harvest for government agencies to analyze total yield and grain qual ... more
Brazil mining dam collapse hits indigenous water supplySao Paulo (AFP) Jan 28, 2019 Muddy waste from a ruptured dam at a mine in Brazil's southeast is reaching an indigenous community in the region, contaminating its water supply, a chief told AFP. ... more |
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Plexscape partners with Birdi to offer up-to-date satellite imagery integration within CAD platform Athens, Greece (SPX) Feb 06, 2019
Plexscape, developers of Plex.Earth, one of the most popular tools for AutoCAD for the acceleration of architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) projects, and Bird.i, a start-up that combines the latest satellite imagery and artificial intelligence technology to provide valuable business insights, are on a mission to change the way engineering projects are being designed by opening up ac ... more |
NOAA releases early update for World Magnetic Model Washington (UPI) Feb 5, 2019
Scientists at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information have released an early update for the World Magnetic Model that powers a variety of global navigational systems.
Over the last few years, Earth's magnetic field has been shifting rapidly. Most recently, the planet's north magnetic pole began lurching toward Siberia. The sudden and dramatic changes weren't anticipated by ... more |
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How does the Amazon rain forest cope with drought? East Lansing MI (SPX) Feb 07, 2019
The Amazon rain forest isn't necessarily a place that many would associate with a drought, yet prolonged dry spells are projected to become more prevalent and severe because of climate change. The question at hand is how these droughts are going to affect the rain forest, as it has a large influence on global climate and future warming.
A study led by Marielle Smith, a research associate i ... more |
Strategies for growing biomass for fuel can have multiple benefits Santa Barbara CA (SPX) Feb 04, 2019
In efforts to curb our use of greenhouse gas-generating fossil fuels, plant-based biofuels are among the top contenders as alternative liquid energy sources for transportation. However, strategies to produce high yields of biomass for fuels are not a one-size-fits-all proposition, according to a study led by UC Santa Barbara professor of ecology David Tilman.
"It is difficult to make a bio ... more |
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A new approach for the fast estimation of the solar energy potential in urban environments Delft, Netherlands (SPX) Feb 05, 2019
TU Delft researchers have developed a new approach for calculating fast and accurate the solar energy potential of surfaces in the urban environment. The new approach can significantly help architects and urban planners to incorporate photovoltaic (solar power) technology in their designs. The findings were presented on Monday 4 February in Nature Energy.
Buildings, trees and other structu ... more |
Sulzer Schmid's new technology platform slashes cost of drone-based rotor blade inspections Zurich, Switzerland (SPX) Feb 07, 2019
Sulzer and Schmid Laboratories AG reports it has launched a new highly competitive inspection platform. The company's new 3DX HD product has been developed as a cost-effective solution to cope with large volumes of high definition blade inspections.
Based on the compact and flexible DJI M-210 drone, Sulzer Schmid's latest innovation delivers high performance and fully autonomous drone insp ... more |
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China not 'walking the walk' on methane emissions Washington DC (SPX) Jan 30, 2019
Chinese regulations on coal mining have not curbed the nation's growing methane emissions over the past five years as intended, says new research from a team led by Carnegie's Scot Miller and Anna Michalak. Their findings are published in Nature Communications.
China is the world's largest producer and consumer of coal, which is used to generate more than 70 percent of its electricity. It ... more |
Australia cancels residency of politically connected Chinese billionaire Sydney (AFP) Feb 6, 2019
A prominent Chinese billionaire political donor has been stripped of his Australian residency and barred from returning to the country after scrutiny of his Communist Party ties, media reported Wednesday.
Huang Xiangmo was reportedly left stranded outside of Australia after Home Affairs cancelled his permanent residency and rejected his application for citizenship.
The prominent property ... more |
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A reconfigurable soft actuator Boston MA (SPX) Feb 05, 2019
Mechanical systems, such as engines and motors, rely on two principal types of motions of stiff components: linear motion, which involves an object moving from one point to another in a straight line; and rotational motion, which involves an object rotating on an axis.
Nature has developed far more sophisticated forms of movement - or actuation - that can perform complex functions more dir ... more |
A warming world increases air pollution Riverside CA (SPX) Feb 05, 2019
Climate change is warming the ocean, but it's warming land faster and that's really bad news for air quality all over the world, says a new University of California, Riverside study.
The study, published February 4 in Nature Climate Change, shows that the contrast in warming between the continents and sea, called the land-sea warming contrast, drives an increased concentration of aerosols ... 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.
" ... more |
Sharp bends make rivers wander Austin TX (SPX) Feb 07, 2019
Left to their own devices and given enough time, rivers wander, eroding their banks and leaving their old channels behind. It's a behavior that engineers have to keep in mind when managing rivers or planning projects near them. But new research from The University of Texas at Austin has revealed that old methods for estimating migration rates may be overthinking it.
The research was led by ... more |
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Death toll in Cuba tornado rises to six Havana (AFP) Feb 4, 2019
The number of people killed in the powerful tornado that ripped through part of Havana last week has risen to six, authorities said Sunday.
Public Health Minister Jose Angel Portal Miranda said in state media that "sadly, two people have died among the 13 who were in critical condition." The earlier death toll was four.
The storm which hit Havana area towns including Regla, Guanabacoa, ... more |
China fears shake Berlin's economic principles Berlin (AFP) Feb 5, 2019
Fear of China appears set to divert Germany from decades of hands-off economic policy, as Berlin plans a public investment fund to block hostile takeovers of high-tech firms from abroad and calls for new mega-mergers.
Aware he was making a rare break with conventional wisdom, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier took pains to set limits to his public investment scheme, one element of the "nationa ... more |
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All systems go as Parker Solar Probe begins second orbit of Sun Laurel MD (SPX) Jan 29, 2019
On Jan. 19, 2019, just 161 days after its launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, NASA's Parker Solar Probe completed its first orbit of the Sun, reaching the point in its orbit farthest from our star, called aphelion. The spacecraft has now begun the second of 24 planned orbits, on track for its second perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun, on April 4, 2019.
Parker S ... more |
Ice Age survivors or stranded travellers? A new subterranean species discovered in Canada Washington DC (SPX) Feb 06, 2019
The discovery of a new to science species of rare and primitive arthropod from the depths of a cave that was covered by a thick ice sheet until recently is certain to raise questions. In their study, published in the open-access journal Subterranean Biology, entomologist Alberto Sendra and local caver Craig Wagnell describe a new species of cave-dwelling, insect-like campodeid dipluran from the ... more |
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