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The future of agriculture is computerized![]() Boston MA (SPX) Apr 08, 2019 What goes into making plants taste good? For scientists in MIT's Media Lab, it takes a combination of botany, machine-learning algorithms, and some good old-fashioned chemistry. Using all of the above, researchers in the Media Lab's Open Agriculture Initiative report that they have created basil plants that are likely more delicious than any you have ever tasted. No genetic modification is involved: The researchers used computer algorithms to determine the optimal growing conditions to maximize th ... read more |
Study shows arctic warming contributes to droughtLaramie WY (SPX) Apr 08, 2019 When the Arctic warmed after the ice age 10,000 years ago, it created perfect conditions for drought. According to new research led by a University of Wyoming scientist, similar changes could ... more
Ultrabright X-rays reveal the molecular structure of membranes used to purify seawaterUpton NY (SPX) Apr 08, 2019 For the first time, a team of researchers from Stony Brook University and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have revealed the molecular structure of membranes used ... more
Farmers and nomads take to violence in drought-stricken ChadAbeche, Chad (AFP) April 7, 2019 The chief medical officer at Adre hospital takes a routine phone call: a patient has been admitted with gunshot wounds and needs emergency surgery. ... more
'Cow toilets' in Netherlands aim to cut e-moo-ssionsThe Hague (AFP) March 29, 2019 Teaching cows to use the toilet is not the easiest task, but a Dutch inventor is banking on a new bovine urinal to help cut emissions that cause environmental damage. ... more |
IMF approves $206 mn aid to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah
Flights cancelled, roads flooded as rare storm soaks UAE Sri Lanka plans $1.6 bn in cyclone recovery spending in 2026 Brazil megacity Sao Paulo struck by fresh water crisis Indonesians reeling from flood devastation plea for global help Levee break near Seattle prompts evacuation order Flash flood kills dozens in Morocco town At least 20 dead in eastern Bolivia floods Press Release from Business Wire: Textron Inc. Flash floods kill 37 in Moroccan coastal town |
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| Previous Issues | Apr 05 | Apr 04 | Apr 03 | Apr 02 | Apr 01 |
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Seeds share memories with their offspringWashington (UPI) Mar 26, 2019 Seeds inherit memories from their mom. According to a new study, the experiences of a mother seed influence the dormant states of offspring. ... more
Glyphosate under fire from San Francisco to Sri LankaParis (AFP) March 28, 2019 Glyphosate, the world's most widely used herbicide and the active ingredient in Monsanto's weedkiller Roundup, is the subject of fierce controversy across the globe and is classified by the World Health Organization as "probably" being carcinogenic. ... more
Satellites key to addressing water scarcityParis (ESA) Mar 26, 2019 Today is World Water Day, but with millions of people in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe struggling to cope in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai, the notion of water shortages may not be at the forefron ... more
Droughts could hit aging power plants hardDurham NC (SPX) Mar 28, 2019 Older power plants with once-through cooling systems generate about a third of all U.S. electricity, but their future generating capacity will be undercut by droughts and rising water temperatures l ... more
China expands ban on Canadian canola imports to second firmBeijing (AFP) March 27, 2019 China has banned imports from a second Canadian canola firm, its customs administration said Tuesday, the latest escalation of a burgeoning row between the two countries. ... more |
![]() China expands ban on Canadian canola imports to second firm
Stalagmite to help predict droughts, floods in IndiaWashington (UPI) Mar 25, 2019 Analysis of a stalagmite in one of the rainiest places on the planet has revealed an unexpected link between winter precipitation totals in northeast India and climatic conditions in the Pacific. ... more |
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Toxicologist denies manipulating studies in Monsanto damages proceedingsSan Francisco (AFP) March 23, 2019 A toxicologist from Roundup weedkiller manufacturer Monsanto denied Friday that she had influenced scientific studies to hide the dangers of the product, in the damages phase of a trial in California. ... more
Solar Steel will supply solar-powered irrigation based on TracSmarT+ single-axis trackerMadrid, Spain (SPX) Mar 25, 2019 Solar Steel, division of Gonvarri Steel Services will supply three new installations of solar-powered irrigation systems to different farming exploitations in Spain. These PV irrigation-pumping syst ... more
Measuring impact of drought on groundwater resources from spaceTempe AZ (SPX) Mar 21, 2019 A team of ASU scientists has been using the latest space technology, combined with ground measurements, to assess the health of one of the nation's most important sources of underground water, a lar ... more
Post-IS, north Iraq's minority mosaic blown apart by traumaSinjar, Iraq (AFP) March 21, 2019 For decades, his land was his life. Now, like other Sunni Arab farmers in Iraq's diverse north, Mahdi Abu Enad is cut off from his fields, fearing reprisal attacks. ... more
Glyphosate under fire from San Francisco to Sri LankaParis (AFP) March 20, 2019 Glyphosate, the world's most widely used herbicide and the active ingredient in Monsanto's weedkiller Roundup, is the subject of fierce controversy across the globe and is classified by the World Health Organization as "probably" being carcinogenic. ... more |
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DLR and the UStuttgart test transmission of EO data using laser communications Bonn, Germany (SPX) Apr 08, 2019
Earth observation satellites play a key role in weather forecasting, climate research, monitoring of the planet's surface and the detection of forest fires. These tasks require satellites to transmit very large amounts of data to the ground for analysis. Today's radio systems are reaching their limits in this area.
Optical transmission methods, however, offer the possibility of sending dat ... more |
Record-Breaking Satellite Advances NASA's Exploration of High-Altitude GPS Greenbelt MD (SPX) Apr 05, 2019
The four Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft recently broke the world record for navigating with GPS signals farther from Earth than ever before. MMS' success indicates that NASA spacecraft may soon be able to navigate via GPS as far away as the Moon, which will prove important to the Gateway, a planned space station in lunar orbit.
After navigation maneuvers conducted this February ... more |
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Help NASA Measure Trees with Your Smartphone Greenbelt MD (SPX) Mar 27, 2019
Healthy forests play an crucial role in Earth's ecosystem as growing trees take up carbon from the atmosphere. NASA satellites and airborne missions study forests to see how carbon moves through ecosystems - and now citizen scientists can help investigate this key question as well by using their smartphone to measure tree height.
The GLOBE Observer app provides a step-by-step guide for peo ... more |
Mega-order from Finland for Dutch energy technology Enschede, The Netherlands (SPX) Apr 03, 2019
Finland will invest 100 million euros in several stages in a new and sustainable Dutch technology that makes it possible to produce oil from various waste materials including wood waste. This technology was developed by a successful spin-off from the University of Twente and is used to convert waste sawdust from sawmills into fuel.
The initial investment of 25 million euros will be used fo ... more |
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Renewable Energy Now Accounts for a Third of Global Power Capacity Abu Dhabi, UAE (SPX) Apr 03, 2019
The decade-long trend of strong growth in renewable energy capacity continued in 2018 with global additions of 171 gigawatts (GW), according to new data released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) today. The annual increase of 7.9 per cent was bolstered by new additions from solar and wind energy, which accounted for 84 per cent of the growth. A third of global power capacity i ... more |
The complicated future of offshore wind power in the US New Haven CT (SPX) Apr 03, 2019
Over the past decade, wind power production in the U.S. has tripled, becoming the largest source of renewable energy in the country, the American Wind Energy Association has reported. There are more than 56,800 wind turbines in 41 states and territories, generating more than 6 percent of the nation's electricity, supporting more than 105,000 jobs and garnering billions of dollars in private and ... more |
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Smog chokes coal-dependent Poland with no end in sight Rybnik, Poland (AFP) March 31, 2019
Puffs of yellowish grey-and-black smoke billowing out of household chimneys create a blanket of smog choking the southern Polish mining town of Rybnik, one of the most polluted places in the European Union.
Although it's early spring, the weather is wintry and Ewa Kempny is still shovelling coal into an antiquated stove to heat her home.
"What do you want us to use for heat here? Coal is ... more |
China is 'threat to world' says dissident writer Paris (AFP) April 5, 2019
A dissident writer dubbed the "Chinese Solzhenitsyn" said Friday that his homeland is a "threat for the whole world".
Liao Yiwu, who was jailed for writing a poem called "Massacre" about the Tiananmen Square protests, told AFP that it would be better for mankind if the economic superpower "splits up".
"My dream is that China splits up into 10 or so countries. Because China as it is today ... more |
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Robots to autocomplete Soldier tasks, new study suggests Adelphi MD (SPX) Apr 08, 2019
Smart phones autocorrect in texting, search engines autocomplete queries, and mapping applications redirect navigation in real-time to avoid slowed traffic. These ubiquitous AI-based technologies adapt to everyday needs and learn user habits by focusing on making the algorithm better, but Army researchers want to enhance AI by providing more information about the intent of the user.
New re ... more |
New York state prepares to ban plastic bags New York (AFP) March 29, 2019 After several failed attempts, New York state is poised to ban single-use plastic bags provided by stores, making it only the second US state, after California, to pass such a rule.
With Democrats controlling both chambers of the state legislature, lawmakers have reached agreement to include the plastic ban in a broader framework of budgetary measures to be voted on by Monday.
If the bi ... more |
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Seoul declares national disaster as winds fan giant forest fire Seoul (AFP) April 5, 2019
A giant forest fire swept across swathes of South Korea Friday, as authorities declared a rare national disaster, deploying 900 fire engines and tens of thousands of personnel to bring it under control.
Apocalyptic images on television and social media showed walls of flame lighting up the night, buildings ablaze, and clouds of smoke billowing across hillsides during the day.
The fire br ... more |
Ultrabright X-rays reveal the molecular structure of membranes used to purify seawater Upton NY (SPX) Apr 08, 2019
For the first time, a team of researchers from Stony Brook University and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have revealed the molecular structure of membranes used in reverse osmosis. The research is reported in a recently published paper in ACS Macro Letters, a journal of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Reverse osmosis is the leading method of conve ... more |
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27 killed, hundreds injured, in Nepal storm Kathmandu (AFP) April 1, 2019
A freak storm tore down houses and overturned cars and trucks as it swept across southern Nepal killing at least 27 people and leaving more than 600 injured, officials said Monday as a major rescue operation gathered pace.
The rare spring storm battered the rural district of Bara and adjoining areas late Sunday with high winds. Five children were among the dead, the home ministry said, as re ... more |
No breakthrough expected in EU-China summit Brussels (AFP) April 7, 2019
Top EU leaders meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang this week at a summit in Brussels, but their hopes of winning solid commitments on trade look set for disappointment.
Brussels is trying to beef up its approach to the Asian giant as it shows little willingness to listen to longstanding complaints about industrial subsidies and access to its markets, and as fears grow about growing Chinese invol ... more |
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Unexpected rain on Sun links two solar mysteries Greenbelt MD (SPX) Apr 08, 2019
For five months in mid 2017, Emily Mason did the same thing every day. Arriving to her office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, she sat at her desk, opened up her computer, and stared at images of the Sun - all day, every day.
"I probably looked through three or five years' worth of data," Mason estimated. Then, in October 2017, she stopped. She realized she had ... more |
Bacteria may travel thousands of miles through the air globally New Brunswick NJ (SPX) Mar 27, 2019
Bacteria may travel thousands of miles through the air worldwide instead of hitching rides with people and animals, according to Rutgers and other scientists. Their "air bridge" hypothesis could shed light on how harmful bacteria share antibiotic resistance genes.
"Our research suggests that there must be a planet-wide mechanism that ensures the exchange of bacteria between faraway places, ... more |
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