• Ag robot speeds data collection, analyses of crops as they grow

    A new lightweight, low-cost agricultural robot could transform data collection and field scouting for agronomists, seed companies and farmers.

    The TerraSentia crop phenotyping robot, developed by a team of scientists at the University of Illinois, will be featured at the 2018 Energy Innovation Summit Technology Showcase in National Harbor, Maryland, on March 14.

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  • Could the LRT help reduce greenhouse effect?

    Could the LRT help reduce greenhouse effect?

    A rising trend in some countries, urban rail transit systems are an alternative to freight transport through cities.

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  • A laser focus on super water-repellent metals

    In a laboratory at the University of Rochester, researchers are using lasers to change the surface of metals in incredible ways, such as making them super water-repellent without the use of special coatings, paints, or solvents.

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  • Four Kinds of Algal Toxins Found in San Francisco Bay Shellfish

    Researchers monitoring San Francisco Bay for algal toxins have found a surprising array of different toxins in the water and in mussels collected from the bay. Four different classes of toxins, including one produced in freshwater environments, occur regularly throughout the bay, according to a study led by UC Santa Cruz researchers and published March 10 in Harmful Algae.

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  • Humans Behind Majority of Raptor Deaths in Ontario, Study Finds

    Human encroachment is the leading cause of death among Ontario’s at-risk birds of prey, according to a first-ever University of Guelph study.

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  • Why Is It So Hot At Night In Some Cities?

    During the nighttime, it is hotter in the city than in nearby suburbs or the countryside. But just how much hotter differs between cities. Researchers from the MSE2 (CNRS / MIT) international joint research laboratory and the Centre Interdisciplinaire des Nanosciences de Marseille (CNRS / Aix-Marseille University)1 have shown that the determining factor is how cities are structured: more organized cities, like many in North America with straight and perpendicular streets, trap more heat. Conversely, cities that are less organized, like those founded long ago, shed heat easily. The team's findings, published in Physical Review Letters (March 9, 2018), suggest new directions to explore for optimal urban planning and energy management.

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  • Experiment sheds new light on prehistoric ocean conditions

    A new experiment by Elizabeth Swanner evaluating the reduction of iron in prehistoric oceans may reinterpret the conditions under which iron-rich sedimentary rock is formed.

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  • Sit, Stay, Heal: Study Finds Therapy Dogs Help Stressed University Students

    Therapy dog sessions for stressed-out students are an increasingly popular offering at North American universities. Now, new research from the University of British Columbia confirms that some doggy one-on-one time really can do the trick of boosting student wellness.

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  • A Combination of Personality Traits Might Make You More Addicted to Social Networks

    As social networking companies feel the heat to create a more socially responsible and positive experience for their millions of users, new research out of Binghamton University’s School of Management explores how the interaction of personality traits can impact the likelihood of developing an addiction to a social network.

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  • What is Ocean Acidification?

    When carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by seawater, chemical reactions occur that reduce seawater pH, carbonate ion concentration, and saturation states of biologically important calcium carbonate minerals. These chemical reactions are termed "ocean acidification" or "OA" for short. Calcium carbonate minerals are the building blocks for the skeletons and shells of many marine organisms. In areas where most life now congregates in the ocean, the seawater is supersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate minerals. This means there are abundant building blocks for calcifying organisms to build their skeletons and shells. However, continued ocean acidification is causing many parts of the ocean to become undersaturated with these minerals, which is likely to affect the ability of some organisms to produce and maintain their shells.

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