http://news.softpedia.com Softpedia News - Nature Softpedia News en-us 2001 - 2012 Softpedia. All rights reserved. Tue, 29 May 2012 00:56:48 GMT Tue, 29 May 2012 00:56:48 GMT News http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 10 http://news.softpedia.com/base_img/softpedia_logo.gif http://news.softpedia.com http://news.softpedia.com/news/Model-Finds-New-Materials-Suited-for-Carbon-Capture-272117.shtml University of California in Berkeley (UCB) investigators say that a new computer model they've developed has recently been able to identify a series of materials that could make carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies cheaper and more feasible for implementation at a large scale.

These technologies are essential for reducin... (read more)]]> Mon, 28 May 2012 12:33:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Model-Finds-New-Materials-Suited-for-Carbon-Capture-272117.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Model-Finds-New-Materials-Suited-for-Carbon-Capture-272117.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Model-Explains-Geological-Strata-271341.shtml Scientists from the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) announce the creation of a new model describing geological strata. Their new approach to doing this is in stark contrast with previous explanations proposed by geologists.

For example, experts believed that each horizontal slice of sedimentary rock – a g... (read more)]]> Wed, 23 May 2012 14:39:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Model-Explains-Geological-Strata-271341.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Model-Explains-Geological-Strata-271341.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Deciphering-the-Carbon-Cycle-in-the-Arctic-271230.shtml Understanding how the carbon cycle operates in the Arctic is an essential condition for refining climate models on which predictions of the future climate are based. Back in 2008, scientists conducted a survey of carbon concentrations in Arctic waters, and they've now just released their results.

In a paper appearing in the latest issue o... (read more)]]> Wed, 23 May 2012 09:43:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Deciphering-the-Carbon-Cycle-in-the-Arctic-271230.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Deciphering-the-Carbon-Cycle-in-the-Arctic-271230.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Plants-Cool-Their-Leaves-by-Elongating-Their-Stems-271066.shtml Plants that grow in hot environments display a very interesting adaptation to their surroundings. Over millions of years of evolution they have learned to elongate their stems in order to cool down their leaves, ensuring that nutrients continue to flow at optimal levels.

The discovery was made by researchers at the University of Br... (read more)]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 13:07:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Plants-Cool-Their-Leaves-by-Elongating-Their-Stems-271066.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Plants-Cool-Their-Leaves-by-Elongating-Their-Stems-271066.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Seagrasses-Are-Better-at-Carbon-Storage-than-Forests-270942.shtml According to the conclusions of a new scientific investigation published in this week's issue of the top journal Nature Geoscience, it would appear that seagrass meadows at the bottom of the sea can store up to twice as much carbon dioxide as the world's tropical and temperature forests (per unit area).

In a paper entitled &ldquo... (read more)]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 08:20:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Seagrasses-Are-Better-at-Carbon-Storage-than-Forests-270942.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Seagrasses-Are-Better-at-Carbon-Storage-than-Forests-270942.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Advanced-Ceramic-Membrane-for-Carbon-Capture-Created-270730.shtml Carbon capture and storage (CCS) have been under research for years, but their high costs have thus far prevented their widespread implementation. Now, a system created by experts in the US could make it easier for fossil fuel-powered electrical plants to reduce their emissions.

Greenhouse gases have been demonstrated to cause gl... (read more)]]> Mon, 21 May 2012 09:30:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Advanced-Ceramic-Membrane-for-Carbon-Capture-Created-270730.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Advanced-Ceramic-Membrane-for-Carbon-Capture-Created-270730.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mercury-Pollution-Found-in-the-Arctic-270712.shtml The Arctic Ocean and surrounding areas are polluted with mercury from a number of sources, scientists at the Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) found in a new study.

The dangerous chemical is brought to the area by atmospheric forces such as winds, as well as by intricate river flow patterns in the Arctic regio... (read more)]]> Mon, 21 May 2012 08:56:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mercury-Pollution-Found-in-the-Arctic-270712.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mercury-Pollution-Found-in-the-Arctic-270712.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Life-Recovering-30-Years-After-Mount-St-Helens-Eruption-270684.shtml Using data from the Landsat satellite constellation, experts at the American space agency have recently created a new time-lapse video of Mount St. Helens and the surrounding areas, showing how life recovered following the volcano's massive, May 18, 1980 eruption.

The event saw the entire northern face of the mountain being d... (read more)]]> Mon, 21 May 2012 08:01:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Life-Recovering-30-Years-After-Mount-St-Helens-Eruption-270684.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Life-Recovering-30-Years-After-Mount-St-Helens-Eruption-270684.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Thunderstorm-Clouds-Pollution-Boost-Atmospheric-Warming-270590.shtml For some time, climatologists have counted clouds as part of the natural phenomena and processes that contribute to cooling the planet. Now, a computational study demonstrates that summer thunderstorm clouds actually contribute to warming the atmosphere, especially in polluted environments.

In a paper published in the May 10 ... (read more)]]> Sat, 19 May 2012 09:57:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Thunderstorm-Clouds-Pollution-Boost-Atmospheric-Warming-270590.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Thunderstorm-Clouds-Pollution-Boost-Atmospheric-Warming-270590.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Analyzing-One-of-the-Longest-Chains-of-Life-270352.shtml A group of investigators at the Stanford University says that it has recently discovered the longest land-sea ecological chain in the world. Often invisible, these chains connect habitats and species around the world, and many of them are currently threatened with extinction.

Perhaps the most obvious trait of these chains is their intric... (read more)]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 08:57:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Analyzing-One-of-the-Longest-Chains-of-Life-270352.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Analyzing-One-of-the-Longest-Chains-of-Life-270352.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Analyzing-the-Columbia-Glacier-270096.shtml In order to better understand how global warming and climate change influence ecosystems that naturally change at a fast pace, scientists have recently compiled an analysis of the evolution of the Columbia Glacier, in Alaska.

The formation originates in a massive ice field, located around 3,050 meters (10,000 feet) above sea level. It flows on the fl... (read more)]]> Thu, 17 May 2012 08:56:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Analyzing-the-Columbia-Glacier-270096.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Analyzing-the-Columbia-Glacier-270096.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Evidences-to-Support-the-Gaia-Theory-269829.shtml Investigators from the University of Maryland (UMD), in the United States, say that a new study they conducted provided new evidence that supports the Gaia hypothesis. This one proposes that the entire planet is a giant, living organism.

The team believes that it will soon be able to discover and analyze a large number of previously hidden i... (read more)]]> Wed, 16 May 2012 09:09:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Evidences-to-Support-the-Gaia-Theory-269829.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Evidences-to-Support-the-Gaia-Theory-269829.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Milk-Wasted-in-the-UK-Produces-Massive-GHG-Emissions-269525.shtml According to the results of a new study, it would appear that the amount of milk poured down kitchen sinks in the United Kingdom is responsible for the release of 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide in equivalent greenhouse gases.

Statistics indicate that nearly 360,000 tons of milk are wasted in the country every single year. Univer... (read more)]]> Tue, 15 May 2012 07:48:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Milk-Wasted-in-the-UK-Produces-Massive-GHG-Emissions-269525.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Milk-Wasted-in-the-UK-Produces-Massive-GHG-Emissions-269525.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Advanced-Carbon-Monitoring-Method-Developed-269515.shtml In a proof-of-concept investigation, scientists in the United States were able to demonstrate the efficiency of a new method for detecting changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.

This ability could come in very handy if countries ever decide to address global warming and climate change via an international pact. The new moni... (read more)]]> Tue, 15 May 2012 07:30:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Advanced-Carbon-Monitoring-Method-Developed-269515.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Advanced-Carbon-Monitoring-Method-Developed-269515.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mathematics-Links-Structure-to-Function-in-Leaves-269372.shtml Scientists based at the Rockefeller University in New York say that mathematics and geometric patterns are present in the natural world in unexpected forms. They apparently connect structure to function in leaves, which may help explain why the latter are so beautiful.

It's important to note here that the human brain tends to interp... (read more)]]> Mon, 14 May 2012 12:05:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mathematics-Links-Structure-to-Function-in-Leaves-269372.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mathematics-Links-Structure-to-Function-in-Leaves-269372.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Plant-Protein-Study-Could-Lead-to-Improved-Yields-Production-269275.shtml A team of investigators in the United States has recently managed to discover the origins of a critically important class of proteins in plants. Their discovery could result in improved crop yields, increased food security, and advancements in biomedicine, nutrition and renewable biofuels.

The origin of the chalcone-isom... (read more)]]> Mon, 14 May 2012 08:20:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Plant-Protein-Study-Could-Lead-to-Improved-Yields-Production-269275.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Plant-Protein-Study-Could-Lead-to-Improved-Yields-Production-269275.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mississippi-River-Kept-Effects-of-BP-Oil-Spill-in-Check-269019.shtml Constant pushes from the Mississippi River ensured that the bulk of the oil slick produced in the Gulf of Mexico by the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill did not reach more coastlines than it did. In other words, the river limited the extent of the devastation that may have occurred.

Scientists were expecting the coast of Louisi... (read more)]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 12:15:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mississippi-River-Kept-Effects-of-BP-Oil-Spill-in-Check-269019.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mississippi-River-Kept-Effects-of-BP-Oil-Spill-in-Check-269019.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/First-Complete-Model-of-a-Fault-Line-Created-268975.shtml Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), in Pasadena, announce the creation of a computer model covering a fault line segment that is still geologically active, and producing earthquakes. This is the first time such a complex model is created.

The dataset represents a single physical framework that combines geolo... (read more)]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 09:50:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/First-Complete-Model-of-a-Fault-Line-Created-268975.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/First-Complete-Model-of-a-Fault-Line-Created-268975.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Yukon-Territory-Reveals-Past-Climate-Changes-in-the-Arctic-268460.shtml An international team of scientists has recently conducted a new investigation on Earth's past climate changes, primarily those affecting the Arctic. For the purpose, they collected sediment samples from a lake in southeastern Yukon Territory, Canada.

Investigators paid special attention to geochemical records indicating w... (read more)]]> Wed, 9 May 2012 09:03:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Yukon-Territory-Reveals-Past-Climate-Changes-in-the-Arctic-268460.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Yukon-Territory-Reveals-Past-Climate-Changes-in-the-Arctic-268460.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Greenland-Glacier-s-Contribution-to-Sea-Level-Rise-Is-Limited-268314.shtml According to the conclusions of a new scientific study, it would appear that glaciers in Greenland contribute to rising sea levels, but not to the levels researchers first calculated. A new study found that the island's many glaciers can only release a limited amount of ice and water into the global ocean.

The study, su... (read more)]]> Tue, 8 May 2012 13:17:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Greenland-Glacier-s-Contribution-to-Sea-Level-Rise-Is-Limited-268314.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Greenland-Glacier-s-Contribution-to-Sea-Level-Rise-Is-Limited-268314.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Direct-Solar-Climate-Linkage-Demonstrated-268083.shtml A collaboration of European researchers has demonstrated that the climate responds to periods of intense solar minimum on the scale of several centuries. Investigators also suspect that periods of less-intense solar activity also lead to different regional responses on the surface.

What this suggests is that the scientific community may ne... (read more)]]> Mon, 7 May 2012 13:24:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Direct-Solar-Climate-Linkage-Demonstrated-268083.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Direct-Solar-Climate-Linkage-Demonstrated-268083.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Parasite-Prevents-Ants-from-Becoming-Zombies-267999.shtml The zombie-ant fungus is renowned for its ability to infect ants, and then make the insects spread its spores before finally killing them. A new study demonstrates that the ants may not be alone in their fight against this invader. Another parasite that can infect them has “anti-zombification” effects.

A group of investigato... (read more)]]> Mon, 7 May 2012 09:06:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Parasite-Prevents-Ants-from-Becoming-Zombies-267999.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Parasite-Prevents-Ants-from-Becoming-Zombies-267999.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Stalagmites-Reveal-Clues-of-Earth-s-Ancient-Climate-267761.shtml Studying stalagmites – cave deposits that grow from the floor, and can sometimes reach the ceiling – can reveal more data about what our planet's climate looked like in the distant past. Experts are now using data contained within these structures to study instances of past climate change.

Scientists from the Californ... (read more)]]> Fri, 4 May 2012 12:38:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Stalagmites-Reveal-Clues-of-Earth-s-Ancient-Climate-267761.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Stalagmites-Reveal-Clues-of-Earth-s-Ancient-Climate-267761.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ancient-Values-of-Atmosphere-Density-on-Mars-Come-Under-Study-267749.shtml A team of experts has recently embarked on a very complex study dealing with the Red Planet. What they want to discover is whether or not the planet's atmospheric density was larger in its distant past than it is now. At this point, its atmospheric density is just 1 percent that of Earth's.

Planetary scientists studying... (read more)]]> Fri, 4 May 2012 12:03:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ancient-Values-of-Atmosphere-Density-on-Mars-Come-Under-Study-267749.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ancient-Values-of-Atmosphere-Density-on-Mars-Come-Under-Study-267749.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Anniversary-Aqua-Satellite-Turns-10-in-Earth-s-Orbit-267698.shtml Today, May 4, the NASA Aqua spacecraft and its six-instrument scientific suite are celebrating their 10th anniversary in Earth's orbit. Over the past decade, the satellite has provided experts with vast volumes of data on our planet's atmosphere, contributing to our understanding of the world as a whole.

The Atmospheric Infrared ... (read more)]]> Fri, 4 May 2012 08:33:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Anniversary-Aqua-Satellite-Turns-10-in-Earth-s-Orbit-267698.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Anniversary-Aqua-Satellite-Turns-10-in-Earth-s-Orbit-267698.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Biodiversity-Loss-Stresses-Ecosystems-Tremendously-267569.shtml Climate change, pollution and other forms of environmental stress are known to affect ecosystems significantly, researchers say, but a new study unexpectedly revealed that biodiversity loss has an equally damaging effect as well.

Scientists with an international collaboration discovered that losing many of its native species damag... (read more)]]> Thu, 3 May 2012 12:11:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Biodiversity-Loss-Stresses-Ecosystems-Tremendously-267569.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Biodiversity-Loss-Stresses-Ecosystems-Tremendously-267569.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Massive-Chile-Earthquake-Restored-Beach-Habitats-267561.shtml On February 27, 2010 a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck south-central Chile, causing a lot of property damage and more than 500 casualties. Now, researchers say that they are seeing unexpected effects of the natural disaster.

An analysis of sandy beaches throughout the affected area revealed significant restoration of lost species an... (read more)]]> Thu, 3 May 2012 11:39:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Massive-Chile-Earthquake-Restored-Beach-Habitats-267561.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Massive-Chile-Earthquake-Restored-Beach-Habitats-267561.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Plants-Response-to-Global-Warming-Severely-Underestimated-267518.shtml A collaboration of researchers in the United States has just put together a major archive of historical observations covering the time of the year when plants leaf out and flower. The research demonstrates that this occurs sooner with each passing year.

This indicates that past studies have severely underestimated the respon... (read more)]]> Thu, 3 May 2012 08:46:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Plants-Response-to-Global-Warming-Severely-Underestimated-267518.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Plants-Response-to-Global-Warming-Severely-Underestimated-267518.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Fish-s-Earbones-Record-Their-Travels-267368.shtml A collaboration of American researchers demonstrated in a new study that the lifetime movements of trout in large river systems can be tracked by analyzing their earbones. These results may be used to develop a new method of studying the fish unobtrusively.

Details of the research were published in the latest issue of the Canadian Journal of Fi... (read more)]]> Wed, 2 May 2012 10:55:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Fish-s-Earbones-Record-Their-Travels-267368.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Fish-s-Earbones-Record-Their-Travels-267368.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Wind-Turbines-Boost-Local-Surface-Temperature-267307.shtml According to a new study compiled by experts at the University of Albany, State University of New York, it would appear that land surface temperatures increase in areas where wind turbines and wind farms are installed.

The investigation covered an area in Texas where four of the largest wind farms in the world are installed. Over the p... (read more)]]> Wed, 2 May 2012 07:36:00 GMT Softpedia News - Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Wind-Turbines-Boost-Local-Surface-Temperature-267307.shtml Nature http://news.softpedia.com/news/Wind-Turbines-Boost-Local-Surface-Temperature-267307.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Tudor Vieru)