Earth News, Earth Science, Energy Technology, Environment News

January 20, 2014

Soil production breaks geologic speed record
Seattle WA (SPX) Jan 20, 2014
Geologic time is shorthand for slow-paced. But new measurements from steep mountaintops in New Zealand show that rock can transform into soil more than twice as fast as previously believed possible. The findings were published Jan. 16 in the early online edition of Science. "Some previous work had argued that there were limits to soil production," said first author Isaac Larsen, who did the work as part of his doctoral research in Earth sciences at the University of Washington. "But no one h ... read more

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The symphony of life, revealed The strings on a violin or the pipes of an organ, the proteins in the human body vibrate in different patterns, scientists have long suspected. Now, a new study provides what researchers say is the ... more		Gold nanoparticles help to develop a new method for tracking viruses Researchers at the Nanoscience Center (NSC) of University of Jyvaskyla in Finland have developed a novel method to study enterovirus structures and their functions. The method will help to obtain ne ... more		How a scorpion gets its sting Defensins, as their name implies, are small proteins found in plants and animals that help ward off viral, bacterial or fungal pests. One fascinating question of invertebrate evolution is how these ... more
				Discovery of quantum vibrations in 'microtubules' corroborates theory of consciousness A review and update of a controversial 20-year-old theory of consciousness published in Physics of Life Reviews claims that consciousness derives from deeper level, finer scale activities inside bra ... more		Trees grow faster and store more carbon as they age Trees put on weight faster and faster as they grow older, according to a new study in the journal Nature. The finding that most trees' growth accelerates as they age suggests that large, old trees m ... more

Streamflow Alteration Impacts Fish Diversity in Local Rivers A new USGS study quantifies change in fish diversity in response to streamflow alteration in the Tennessee River basin. The USGS study highlights the importance of the timing, magnitude, and variabi ... more		Loss of biodiversity limits toxin degradation You might not think of microbes when you consider biodiversity, but it turns out that even a moderate loss of less than 5% of soil microbes may compromise some key ecosystem functions and could lead ... more		Nuclear fusion could one day be viable - but major challenges remain The biobattery that needs to be fed Identifying minerals for carbon storage		Arctic cyclones more common than previously thought From 2000 to 2010, about 1,900 cyclones churned across the top of the world each year, leaving warm water and air in their wakes - and melting sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. That's about 40 perc ... more
				China's Wen pleads innocence over hidden riches claim Former Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has pleaded innocence over claims that his family amassed huge wealth during his decade in power, a Hong Kong columnist said, as Beijing ramps up a much-publicised crackdown on official corruption. ... more		Waterfowl poisoning halved by lead shot prohibition Lead shot was forbidden in 2001 in Spanish wetlands on the Ramsar List of these areas of international importance. Ten years later, this prohibition -and the consequent use of steel shot by hunters- ... more

CubeSats, SmallSats and MicroSats

International Conference on Protection of Materials and Structures From Space Environment

Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison & Memory Foam Mattress Review

US envoy Kennedy tweets concern at Japanese dolphin hunt US ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy has tweeted her concern at the "inhumaneness" of a Japanese village's traditional dolphin hunt. ... more		Strong 6.3-earthquake jolts New Zealand: USGS A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake rattled New Zealand Monday, halting train services and knocking merchandise off shelves, but there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries. ... more		Monitoring space traffic Chinese foreign minister pledges military aid for Africa Italy's Meloni denies discussing SpaceX deal with Musk		Easing conditions help Australian fire crews Easing conditions Sunday after a week-long heatwave helped Australian fire crews battling major wildfires that destroyed 25 homes in the southeast, but there were warnings of a long and dangerous season ahead. ... more
				30,000 displaced by deadly floods in Indonesian capital More than 30,000 Indonesians have fled their homes in the capital due to flooding that has left five dead, officials said Sunday, with people using rubber dinghies and wading through waist-deep water to reach safer ground. ... more		China, Japan dumpling poisoner gets life: report A Chinese court on Monday convicted a man of poisoning dumplings causing around 13 people in Japan and China to fall ill and sentenced him to life in prison, state-run media reported. ... more

UK charity expands Philippine anti-trafficking work

Tornadoes, flood, drought cost US billions in 2013

Funding Problems Threaten US Disaster Preparedness

ISS delays planned orbit raise due to space junk threat

IBM to invest $1.2 bn to expand 'cloud'

Potential Future Data Storage at Domain Boundaries

Study explains origins of giant underwater waves

Streamflow Alteration Impacts Fish Diversity in Local Rivers

Coral Reefs in Palau Surprisingly Resistant to Naturally Acidified Waters

Arctic cyclones more common than previously thought

Greenpeace says Russia still holding Arctic protest ship

Massive valley deeper than Grand Canyon found under antarctic ice

	Conservationists, big oil join forces to help whales Conservationists have joined forces with a company working on one of the world's largest oil and gas projects to help limit the impact of seismic surveys on endangered whales. ... more		Next 15 years vital for taming warming: UN panel The next 15 years will be vital in determining whether global warming can be limited to 2C (3.6F) by 2100, with energy and transport presenting the heftiest challenges, according to a draft UN report. ... more		California declares drought emergency California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency Friday due to what could be the western US state's worst drought in a century, which has sparked wildfires and hurt farmers. ... more		Easing conditions help Australian fire crews Easing conditions Sunday helped Australian fire crews battling major wildfires that destroyed 25 homes in the nation's southeast following a week-long heatwave, with warnings of a long and dangerous season ahead. ... more

Blue Origin's first orbital launch now targeting Sunday

Achieving High Precision for In-Orbit Instrument Calibration

SwRI models suggest Pluto and Charon formed similarly to Earth and Moon

Cyclone June takes aim at New Caledonia, New Zealand		Uruguay farmers set against open-pit iron ore mine		Study: Chimps can use gestures to achieve specific goals cooperatively		South Africa says over 1,000 rhinos poached in 2013		Death toll from Philippines storm climbs to 40
Japanese fishermen capture dolphins ahead of slaughter		China starts relaxing one-child policy		China reports new H7N9 bird flu death		A world without antibiotics? The risk is real: experts		AIDS infections down by a third in S.Africa: UNAIDS

China sets dissident trial date as EU envoy criticises rights record

UK charity expands Philippine anti-trafficking work

Google making sugar-sensing contact lens for diabetics

Oldest trees are growing faster, storing more carbon as they age

Key species of algae shows effects of climate change over time

The life cycle of a jellyfish and a way to control it

Researchers target sea level rise to save years of archaeological evidence

Coral Reefs in Palau Surprisingly Resistant to Naturally Acidified Waters

Bald reef gets new growth with seaweed transplant

Sunscreen Chemical In Soaps, Cosmetics And Body Fragrances Threaten Coral Reefs

Success reported in protecting whales during seismic oil-gas surveys

Fresh cyclone brews as Tonga struggles to recover

Dangerous pollution hits China's capital

Warmer Pacific worsened cyclone risk for E. Asia

Indonesia floods leave 16 dead, tens of thousands displaced

Australian heatwave set to worsen as fires rage

Greenpeace says Russia still holding Arctic protest ship

Limited water predicted west of the Continental Divide

Build it and they will believe, says defiant China tycoon

Gulf between rich and poor is biggest global risk: WEF

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