Warming event that took place 56 million years ago led to significant ecological disruption and could shed light on modern climate change.
articles
Machine-learning earthquake prediction in lab shows promise
A computer science approach using machine learning can predict the time remaining before the fault fails.
Researchers tackle methane emissions with gas-guzzling bacteria
An international research team co-led by a Monash biologist has shown that methane-oxidising bacteria – key organisms responsible for greenhouse gas mitigation – are more flexible and resilient than previously thought.
Soil bacteria that oxidise methane (methanotrophs) are globally important in capturing methane before it enters the atmosphere, and we now know that they can consume hydrogen gas to enhance their growth and survival.
New robot rolls with the rules of pedestrian conduct
Just as drivers observe the rules of the road, most pedestrians follow certain social codes when navigating a hallway or a crowded thoroughfare: Keep to the right, pass on the left, maintain a respectable berth, and be ready to weave or change course to avoid oncoming obstacles while keeping up a steady walking pace.
Now engineers at MIT have designed an autonomous robot with “socially aware navigation,” that can keep pace with foot traffic while observing these general codes of pedestrian conduct.
Researchers Raise Public Health Concerns About Off-Road Vehicles and Inhalation of Asbestos
Preventing injuries may not be the only reason children shouldn’t use off-road vehicles (ORVs).
In a new study, public health scientists raise concerns that people who use ORVs in many regions of the country may face exposure to hazardous mineral fibers. These include naturally occurring asbestos and erionite – an asbestos-like material that occurs in sedimentary rocks of the western United States.
Most of the deposits are located along the Appalachian Mountains and ranges in the West and Southwest, especially California.
NASA Sees Fourteenth Eastern Pacific Ocean Potential Tropical Cyclone
Potential tropical cyclone 14E of the Eastern Pacific Ocean hurricane season appeared to be coming together off the southwestern coast of Mexico. NASA’s Aqua satellite captured temperature data on the storm that is producing torrential rains over southwestern Mexico.
Because of the large system’s proximity to land, it has spawned warnings and watches. A Hurricane Watch is in effect from Puerto Cortes to Los Barriles, Mexico. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Todos Santos to Los Barriles, and a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from north of Los Barriles to San Evaristo, Mexico.